Chapter 17
Storybrooke
It was a night of Celebrations. With the return of the girls to Storybrooke everything seemed to be back to normal. At least as close to normal as things in Storybrooke can be post-curse.
A wedding venue was found and everyone was told about Harry and Ginny's expedited upcoming nuptials. Dr Hopper, who on top of his regular Psychiatry counseling, was also the town's marriage commissioner. Though Harry made a joke to Ginny on if she ever thought she would be married by a cricket. And that's when it was upgraded to a double wedding because Ron and Hermione decided that they would like it as well. And a short time after that was upgraded to a triple wedding. The third couple being Leroy and the nun Astrid. This marriage between a dwarf and a fairy was apparently Mother Superior's idea, when it was Mother Superior's suggestion to the nun Astrid for her to renounce her vow of celibacy. While back in the Enchanted Forest before the curse, Grumpy and Nova's relationship was forbidden due to the duties of fairies and dwarves, with the breaking of the curse Mother Superior felt that she needed to give the people of Storybrooke hope, to restore the happy-endings. And she felt that encouraging Grumpy and Nova to get married with the breaking of the curse would go a long way towards restoring hope for the happy-endings in Storybrooke.
Invitations were sent out to the Weasleys and most of their friends to come to the wedding. They would arrive by port key and floo powder.
Lord Voldemort, his daughter, and his two servants had set up camp out in the woods and surrounded it with some protective spells. Then they heard a commotion nearby.
They went to investigate, and it was near The Well Of Rejuvenative Waters. He recognized Rumpelstiltskin with his cane and Regina the Evil Queen, both wearing modern day American clothing. As well as a larger crowd. He had to scrutinize the crowd for a little while in order to identify some of them but then he saw them. Harry Potter!
"How could this be?" He thought to himself. "What are the odds that Harry Potter just happens to be here now when I am here? Almost as though it's an act of Providence."
He saw the blood traitors, the Weasleys, and the mudblood Granger. And Kreacher the house elf. He had left that elf to die in his cave where he had put the locket. He felt embarrassed that he was such a fool not to realize that house elves can apparate in and out of that cave.
"It's Harry Potter my Lord." said Nathan McAllister as they watched by peering their eyes around the bushes that they were crouched behind. "What do you say my Lord? Shall we kill him?"
"Patience McAllister." said Voldemort. "Harry Potter is far too powerful. This is not the helpless young student of mediocre magical ability that he was before. He has become an Auror. He has been trained in the use of very powerful offensive spells, his dueling skills will have at the very least, bare minimum, quadrupled since the last time we met. No doubt he has mastered, honed, and fine-tuned every defensive spell there is and even come up with a few new ones of his own."
"What do we do my Lord?" asked Euphemia Rowle.
"We wait." said Voldemort. "Patience."
He then turned his attention back to Regina. It had been 28 years since he last saw her. And she hadn't aged a day. Just as the curse was supposed to do, it prevented anyone from getting any older. The town was frozen in time. Clearly the curse had now been broken. But the people were still trapped inside the town. While the anti-muggle protection spell that kept people out was gone, the imprisonment spell that kept everyone in was still in effect. Basically all the breaking of the curse did was cause time to move forward again and give the people their memories back. Though Rumpelstiltskin couldn't leave town meaning he couldn't search for his son.
The Enchanted Forest, 30 years earlier
Rumpelstiltskin was inside his castle walking down to the entrance as he had just heard someone knock.
He opened the doors. And there on the threshold was none other than Lord Voldemort. His skin was pale white, and his head was bald, and his nose was flat against his face with just two slits for nostrils, and the irises of his eyes were cat-like slits for pupils.
"Hello Rumpelstiltskin." said Voldemort.
Rumpelstiltskin giggled.
"Well hello dearie. It's been over a good 30 years. Please come in."
Rumpelstiltskin led Voldemort to a sitting room where he offered him a chair.
"Allow me to indulge you in a little civil hospitality. BELLE!" he called out.
A few moments later a young brunette woman wearing a corset underneath a white short sleeved shirt underneath a blue frock came into the room.
"Yes Rumpelstiltskin." said the woman.
"Bring me and my guest some tea and biscuits."
"As you wish." she said politely.
She left to go get the refreshments.
Voldemort then looked at Rumpelstiltskin in silent question of who the woman was.
"Oh, she's the help." said Rumpelstiltskin answering the silent question. "She's my property, I obtained her in a deal."
"Employing the use of muggle slaves." said Voldemort with an evil smile. "Clever."
A few minutes later, Belle came into the room with a tray with a pot of tea, two cups, and what looked like a stack of cookies.
"So, dearie." said Rumpelstiltskin. "How goes your Conquest for world domination?"
"It's coming along." said Voldemort. "Taking things slow, such is war. Can't enact a dictatorship overnight."
"Were you able to create your horcrux?" asked Rumpelstiltskin.
"It took a little time to obtain the right objects, but yes." said Voldemort.
"Be careful with making more than one." Rumpelstiltskin warned. "All magic comes with a price."
"Noted." said Voldemort.
"Why don't you just tell me why you're here." said Rumpelstiltskin.
"I'm having some difficulty with my conscience." said Lord Voldemort. "Apparently mine is a lot stronger than I initially thought it was. I've been experiencing physical pain because my portions of soul that are separated from me keep trying to put themselves back together whenever I feel bad about something that I've done."
"Well," said Rumpelstiltskin, "that's to be expected dearie. You see, when you split your soul in half, or into thirds, or quarters, or fifths, or however many horcruxes you've created, the portions of soul will naturally want to return to the body. And to do that you have to feel remorse. The thing is it is extremely painful, in fact it's possible that if you aren't strong enough, the transformation of putting yourself back together could kill you. Ironic really, the very things that are giving you immortality will ultimately result in your death."
"Well I don't want to put my soul back together." said Voldemort with impatience. "I created my horcruxes for a reason. Will there be a way for me to suppress my conscience?"
"Well, much of your conscience is in your heart." explained Rumpelstiltskin. "Remove your heart, and it will be easier for you to commit an evil deed without feeling bad. Keep it safe though. If someone gets a hold of it then they can control you, and if they destroy it, you will die."
Voldemort nodded in understanding.
But it was right then at that moment that they were interrupted by a whirl of purple smoke, and materializing from it was a woman wearing a sinister looking black dress and a sinister looking black headdress.
"Rumpelstiltskin, we need to talk." said the woman.
"Oh don't bother knocking, your majesty, just teleport right into my home." he said in an irritated sarcastic tone of voice. "Allow me to introduce to you my guest and personal acquaintance, the dark wizard Lord Voldemort. Voldemort, allow me to introduce to you my Apprentice, her royal Majesty Queen Regina Mills, ruler of this land."
Voldemort got to his feet and then gave a half bow half curtsy in respect.
"Your majesty." he acknowledged.
"A pleasure." said Regina, though she didn't really care about Rumpelstiltskin's Guest. "My father has been kidnapped by my mother. I was wondering if you knew of a way that I could get to her?"
"Well Crossing Realms by use of the Looking Glass might be risky, try my friend Jefferson. You know him. Now, if you will excuse me, your majesty."
But it was then that Voldemort started to whirl with purple smoke.
"Darn it, the time of my spell has allotted."
And then Voldemort disappeared.
Storybrooke
They were at a welcome home party at Granny's. Mostly just a potluck dinner. Regina brought her famous lasagna. While a variety of other dishes were also offered.
Outside, Ginny was flying around on her broomstick in front of a large group of children that laughed and clapped and pointed as they watched this extraordinary display of magical aerial flight.
David then called out to get everyone's attention.
"Attention everyone." said David. "I am eternally grateful that my wife and daughter and Hermione Granger have all returned. Thank you all for coming to this wonderful event in celebration of this. Mary Margaret and I have a saying, 'we will always find each other'. And as much joy as I feel every time we do…here's to not have to look for a while."
Everyone then laughed and applauded.
It was then that an owl flew into the room with a letter tied to its leg.
"Is that for you grandma?" said Henry to Mary Margaret. "You're the bird Whisperer."
Mary Margaret reached out towards the owl, and the bird perched on her arm.
"Please no live birds in the restaurant." complained Granny.
But her plea fell on deaf ears as Mary Margaret brought the bird over to everyone. She removed the letter from the owl's leg and looked at it.
"It's addressed to you, Harry." said Mary Margaret.
Harry took the envelope and looked at the back. It bore a coat of arms.
"It's from the Magical Congress." said Harry.
He opened the letter and quickly read through it.
"They're demanding a report." said Harry.
"What are you going to tell them?" asked David.
"Well, we will have no choice but to tell them the truth. We're Bound by a code of honor with this job."
"And what will happen when you tell them everything about Storybrooke and what it is?"
"They will most likely look at Storybrooke as a threat to the International Statute Of Secrecy and modify the memories of everyone in town and relocate them."
"So basically it'll just be the curse all over again."
"I knew this would happen!" said Leroy in anger in an 'I told you so' tone of voice.
"Wait," said Hermione as she had a thoughtful look in her eye of considering an idea. "While Harry and Ron are going into law enforcement, I'm going into politics. And as you all know I've done a lot of reading. There may be a way to avoid the memory modification and the relocation."
"How?" asked Harry.
"We would need to go through some legal channels. We would need to invite a Magical Congressman here to Storybrooke, where then the leader of this town, and I believe that's you Prince Charming, will need to invoke from the law of the International Statute Of Secrecy, Clause 391."
"What's Clause 391?" asked Ron.
"Legally, it is many things." explained Hermione. "But, in a nutshell, to invoke Clause 391 is basically to make an appeal to the Magical Congress to declare that the citizens of Storybrooke are not muggles, but simply magical creatures, and to make Storybrooke a protected magical sanctuary of magical creatures."
"A protected sanctuary of magical creatures?" said Ginny with confusion.
"It's like the lake by Hogwarts with the merpeople. Or the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest. Or the Giants remote secluded Mountain location. Or a reservation of dragons.
"David, if you can make an appeal to a Magical Congressman that Storybrooke be a protected magical sanctuary then the Magical Congress would basically just leave Storybrooke alone and let the town tend to itself."
"We have no choice. Do it." said Harry. "Write up the report, give them all the details, and we'll send it back with the owl."
2 days later
They all waited at a prearranged appointed time at the Town Line. Everyone was wearing formal attire.
"Okay." said Harry. "The person that you will be meeting with will be Magical Congressman John Horton. I know him personally. He's firm and strict, but reasonable and fair."
"I think of myself as a pretty good diplomat." said David. "But is there anything I should say or not say?"
"Just be polite, and tell the truth." said Harry. "We've already briefed you on Wizard terminology and etiquette. Oh, here he comes now."
Then from up the highway came what appeared to be a black limousine.
The car parked on the side of the road just outside of the Town Line and then out of the driver side door came a man in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie with black sunglasses and an earpiece in his ear. A similar man got out of the passenger side door. They walked to the rear doors and opened them for the passengers. Out of either side came two middle-aged men. One was wearing a suit and tie while the other was wearing Wizards robes. And the one wearing Wizards robes Harry recognized as none other than the Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. The first man Harry recognized as congressman John Horton. He had no idea why Kingsley was there, the British Ministry of Magic has no jurisdiction within the state of Maine.
Several other people got out of the car, but Harry assumed that they were just secretaries.
Harry walked up to the red spray painted border on the road and stepped over the Town Line, (which they had determined weeks ago has no effect on anyone who was never initially under the curse), and walked towards them.
"Congressman." Harry acknowledged his presence in respect.
"Harry Potter." The congressman acknowledged back.
"Kingsley, what are you doing here? The Ministry of Magic has no jurisdiction within the state of Maine." said Harry in confusion.
"I heard about what happened, and I simply came here to oversee the investigation."
"He's here strictly as an observer." said the congressman.
"Fair enough."
"So, let's get started." said the congressman. "If they will come forward we will meet them."
"Oh," said Harry, "we are actually going to have to go closer to them. They can't cross the Town Line."
"Right." said the congressman. "The curse."
The congressman seemed fidgety and he had a nervous face.
"Pardon me for asking, but are you alright congressman?" asked Harry in concern.
"If I understand correctly," said the congressman with a hesitant voice, "we're in the presence of royalty?"
"Yes." said Harry. "Is that a problem for you congressman?"
"I just get a little nervous around royalty." said the congressman. "I like to make a good impression. And sometimes I feel that I'm not."
'So humble,' thought Harry.
"Don't worry." said Harry, "if it makes you feel better, their leader is a very fair and reasonable person."
They walked forward and then stepped over the Town Line.
"Allow me to handle introductions." said Harry. "David, may I introduce to you, Magical Congressman John Horton, and the British Minister for Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, though he has no jurisdiction here, he's just here to observe.
"Congressman Horton, please show respect and reverence for his Royal Highness, Prince David Nolan Charming, ruler of the Magical Land of Mist Haven, also known as the Enchanted Forest. And his lovely wife, her Royal Highness, Princess Snow White."
The congressman had a look of shocked disbelief on his face.
"This is so surreal." said the congressman with confusion.
"Well, they are from Another Universe sir." said Harry. "In particular, a storybook universe, as strange and unusual as it is, sir."
The congressman bowed in respect.
"Your highness." he acknowledged.
"Call me David." said Prince Charming with a welcoming smile.
"David." The congressman acknowledged.
"Getting straight to the point congressman," said David talking business, "I wish to invoke Clause 391 from the international statute of secrecy."
"Of course." said the congressman. "I see no reason why I would refuse your request. But I do need to conduct an inspection of the would-be magical sanctuary of magical creatures."
"Of course." said David. "I would be happy to give you a tour of the town."
"Lead the way."
They begin walking through the town. Congressman Horton observed that they very much were independent. They had factories. They grew their own crops. They had fishing. Power generation. Pretty much normal for a population of No-Majes. But then there were a number of people who performed wandless Magic, as well as visiting the convent where the fairies demonstrated Magic by use of fairy dust which they had a mining operation for.
When they left the convent they were then approached by Regina, wearing her fancy clothes.
"Hello congressman." said Regina. "Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke."
Harry then immediately stepped in for introductions.
"Congressman, you're in the presence of more royalty. Please show respect and reverence for her royal majesty, Queen Regina Mills, former matriarch to the throne of the magical land of Mist Haven."
The congressman again bowed in respect.
"Your majesty." He said with a humble tone.
Harry then continued.
"She is known as the Fairy Tail character, The Evil Queen. She's actually the dark sorceress who enacted the curse that created Storybrooke. But, she has renounced her life of villainy and repented of her evil ways and on my legal Authority I have put her on 'Permanent Probation'."
"I see." said the congressman, contemplating. "Well, I suppose if she can stay on good behavior from this point on, then no need to send her to prison."
As they continued to walk down the street they passed by Mr. Gold's pawn shop.
"Oh," said Congressman Horton with excitement, "I've always been an admirer of antiquity."
They entered the door and were greeted by Mr. Gold leaning on his cane behind the cash register, and Belle standing beside him reading a book.
"Congressman Horton." said Mr. Gold. "I was told about your visit. It is an honor to have you in our presence. Rumpelstiltskin, at your service."
"I'm an admirer of antiquity, and I have come to admire some of your items." said the congressman.
"Well, I'd be happy to show you anything you'd like to see." said Mr. Gold. "May I offer you some refreshments."
With a wave of his hand a tray of tea and cookies appeared on the counter out of thin air with a puff of purple smoke.
"Impressive wandless magic." the congressman complemented.
"It's not too difficult." said Mr. Gold. "I'm the most powerful wizard in all the realms. But my magic doesn't work outside of the Town Line. Not that I can cross the Town Line if I wanted to."
"Impressive nonetheless."
Mr. Gold and the congressman went into the back to look at some antiques that they thought they'd like. They came back after a couple of minutes.
"Very impressive shop. Perhaps I will revisit at a later date, but for now I will continue my inspection." said the congressman.
"Let me know if there's anything that I can do." said Mr. Gold.
They then entered Granny's to offer the congressman a hot meal.
"Congressman, welcome to Granny's." said Harry. "The ultimate hangout for dwarves, fairies, werewolves, and Wizards."
The congressman, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and his Entourage took seats at the bar where Granny took their orders.
"I must say that I'm very impressed." said the congressman. "I see no reason for a relocation or a memory modification. Clearly everyone in this town has been through enough of that."
They had met back up at the Town Line where the congressman and Kingsley Shacklebolt were about to get back into the car.
"So what's the verdict congressman?" asked David.
"I have decided, your highness, that I will petition the Magical Congress to make the town of Storybrooke a protected magical Sanctuary for magical creatures."
"Does the Congress have to approve it before it can be done?" asked Mary Margaret.
"Yes, but I can assure you my petitioning of it is strictly a minor formality. And there's a 99.9% chance that it will be approved. Now, if you will excuse me, I must take my leave."
They then crossed the Town Line and started walking towards their limousine.
"Kingsley, wait, a word." said Harry.
Kingsley paused and then walked back towards the group.
"We received information about Voldemort's horcruxes. One still exists, meaning that Voldemort is still alive."
"But he would have no body." said Kingsley.
"If I know Voldemort, then he will have had safeguards in place. Just like the first time. There are ways that he can return. Elixir of life, or the resurrection ceremony by use of My Blood."
"There are no Sorcerer's Stones currently in existence." said Kingsley. "And Nicholas Flamel has passed away along with all of his remaining elixir."
"What about your scar Harry?" asked Ron. "Wouldn't you be able to sense him."
"Possibly. But not if he's using occlumency. Also with the portion of Voldemort's Soul within my own body that has now been destroyed, my connection to him through my scar has been significantly weakened."
"Perhaps we should warn The Wizarding community of Voldemort still being alive." Suggested Hermione.
"And inform them of what?" asked Harry, thinking of how the people of the Wizarding Community would respond to such a statement. "A threat of a dark wizard that over 100 eyewitnesses saw him die. Put everyone in a panic of a threat that they had again long since thought was over. They didn't believe us for a year the first time he came back. Raving lunatics that's what they'll call us."
"I agree with Harry." said Kingsley to Hermione. "It would serve absolutely no good to scare people into something that for all we know may never come to pass, especially if I understand correctly Hermione that you received this information from the dark sorceress Cora, that for all we know her information may be very unreliable. Odds are that Voldemort may never get his body back."
"Minister," said Harry, "if I may make a suggestion, rather than inform the entire wizard community, let us at least re-mobilize the Order of the Phoenix and have them on standby. Just as an unnecessary over-precaution that hopefully we will never need to use."
"That I think we can do." said Kingsley.
Kingsley stepped over the Town Line and went back to the limousine
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