McGonagall's frown warred between disappointment and disbelief.
"Let me reconfirm… Black is innocent, Pettigrew is alive as is He-who…"
"Tom Riddle, Professor. If you can't bring yourself to speak his Alias because of Taboo, then use the Name his Squib of a Mother gave him." Harry glared at his Head of House.
"As is Tom in some form." The old witch overlooked being interrupted. "Moody spent the last year in his trunk, and the escaped Death Eater polyjuiced himself to impersonate him, and Albus did not see it coming."
"If He did, he chose to allow a known, convicted, escaped, and believed dead Death Eater to not only instruct your students but to imperio us." Harry snarled. "Snape was never convicted, or I would have grounds to skip his class, even if he taught us anything."
McGonagall's fists started kneading her skirt.
Pomphery moved away to check on her other 'guests'.
"And the Snake?" Momma lion asked.
"During my bath, she was just a friend." Harry continued to scratch Hedwig with one hand as the other stroked Nagini's head. "I think she is now a Familiar."
"And then by Dinner you will be listed as having two familiars."
"May Hermione also have a second Familiar?" Harry asked, "I have recently found my Father's Grim Familiar. I was thinking of transferring his bond to Hermione. I am in the process of housebreaking him again."
Hermione snorted.
"I will put you down for three familiars. Ms Granger can send me an owl if she gets another." The Deputy Headmistress stood and nodded to the two students. "Do you need to find a place to live during the summer, Mr Potter? I don't believe that your Aunt will put up with a snake."
"Especially when Nagini tries to swallow Dudley whole and I have to call for Hagrid to pull him out." Harry kissed Nagini on the brow.
Harry looked at Hermione. "I believe that I can stay with a friend if Sirius is not able to take me."
McGonagall nodded and left.
"Housebreaking?" Hermione asked when everyone was out of hearing.
"Would you consider him housebroken?"
Hermione snorted again.
"You are very affectionate with those two. Almost enough to make a witch jealous." Hermione teased.
Harry took a minute, thinking things over. "No matter where I end up, I will need to exercise Hedwig. You know how jealous she gets when I use another owl. Now if I had someone to send regular correspondence to… like a girl who is wanting to be more than just friends…"
"Harry Potter, are you asking for me to be your girlfriend?"
"More like I am asking you if you are open to the idea. I still have to ask Hedwig for permission."
Bark. #[Book hunter] provides good [crispy pig]. She will be a good breeder for [Reckless Storm]. You will Fly her soon.#
Harry choked on his breath.
"What?" The witch asked.
"She calls you Book Hunter, thinks that you have good bacon, and would be a good mate for me." Harry spoke slowly. "She also thinks I need to 'Fly' you soon. The image she sent was of me riding you in the air."
"Riding me…" the witch replayed the whole conversation over in her head and translated what he was saying. "And should I make it official?" she moved to sit beside Harry, and reaching over the nesting owl, kissed Harry on the mouth.
POMP
Harry and Cedric were released just before dinner. Victor having been released before lunch, and Fluer being kept overnight, and so the two wizards exited the Medical Wing and headed down together.
Nagini coiled about Harry's shoulders like a living scarf. He did have to hit her with a weak feather light charm, cutting her weight in half.
Hedwig, knowing her 'Chick' was okay, she flew off to sleep the day away.
As the two wizards stepped off the stairs, their witches were there to cuddle and kiss.
Nagini even reached over to bump noses with Hermione.
Cho squeaked at the sight of the massive serpent.
As Harry and Cedric entered the Great Hall, the Black robed students stood to applaud the Return of their Champions. The Weasley twins even approached and hugged Harry, Snake and girlfriend and all.
Harry turned to the twin holding him. "See me later. I am going to need to talk some Sirius Business with the two of you." Harry grinned knowing that the twins would incorrectly hear the word as Serious.
Hermione didn't hear the conversation.
As they approached the Gryffindor table, Creevy raised his camera in a silent request to shoot Harry…
Harry nodded, "Watch your eyes!" Everyone got their eyes closed in time. "Creevy. I am going to need a copy of the print. Talk to Lovegood. Her Father is the Editor of a Magazine. They might be in the market for an Intern Photographer. It would give you access to more things to shoot and might cut your costs. Just ask about the Crumple Horned Snorkack. Do not make fun of her, she is a friend."
"Cool! Thanks Harry!" And the blond trotted off to find the spacy blonde.
"Who's Lovegood?" Hermione hissed.
"Ravenclaw third year. Lives near the Weasley's place. Was friends with Ginny until just before her mother died. She saw it, and the Father was her life-mate. Both Bloodlines dealt with things not of our reality. The Mother's Death scared them both. Luna sees things that we can't and He is in touch with the Vail. Because they are eccentric, they are dismissed as being Loony. She might even be more intelligent than you, but her mind needs to focus on keeping her here and now. And her Father only lives for her and the Paper. And even the Paper comes second to her."
Hermione frowned at him, but before she could say or do anything, Ronald comes bumbling up to sit opposite of Harry, only to scream and pull his wand and… be sent flying back when he was hit by a disarming hex to the chest,
As the wand flew past Harry's ear, he stood, drawing his second wand. "Ms Granger, please tell me what is the penalty for directly attacking the Familiar of a fellow student. Not pet, Familiar."
"If it can be proven with eyewitnesses, it could lead to expulsion." Hermione went Swot. "But since he only drew his wand before you disarmed him, there is little that can be done. But now that you have declared that she is your Familiar, and should anyone draw on her or you in her presence, she is allowed to bite them in defense."
"But that's a slimy snake!" Ronald struggled to his feet pointing at Nagini.
"One, Yes. We can all see that she is a snake. She is a big and heavy snake. She weighs more than you and Neville combined. The only reason I can carry her is because I hit her with a Feather Light in the Medical Wing." Harry silently summoned and banished Ronald's wand back to him. "Sit elsewhere. I don't need another Wormtail in my life."
Hermione and the Twins choked. Ronald blanched before flushing in rage. And Snape reached for his wand.
Ronald snatched his wand and stomped away.
POMP
After dinner Fudge called Diggory up and awarded him the Cup and a pouch of money. Nothing was said about Harry's actions, the Minister and Headmaster trying to sweep everything under the carpet.
After thanking the two Schools for coming to Hogwarts for the Year, Albus released everyone to the night until curfew.
Harry, Hermione walked out, leaning on each other with Nagini draped over both of their shoulders, holding them together. The twins were mimicking them with a transfigured scarf charmed to look like a snake.
As they climbed the Stairs, Harry whispered to Hermione. "I know of your true feelings for Dobby and Winky. Bonding them is not the same as Slavery. You have no doubt read up on Familiars." Hermione nodded. "They are just higher forms of Familiar. The bond feeds them, charges their core, and anchors them to this plane. Think of them as a talking Crookshanks."
"And the forced work?" She hissed back.
"They have a need to be helpful. In fact it hurts then to tell them to just sit there and not do anything. The elves here bond the School, the staff are family and the students and the DADA professor are guests. Us leaving things for them to pick up with the intent of freeing them insults them. Families like Malfoy that mistreat their Elves need to be slapped down. Luci is the one to abuse Dobby, but I doubt Cissi mistreated him."
Hermione hummed. "When you get finished with the Twins, we need to talk."
Once they were in the Common Hermione ducked out to her room to get her books. She had a test to study for…
The twins took Harry to their dorm room, dropping both ties on the knob.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Just telling Lee that we are working. One tie is if we are…" Fred offered a weak grin.
"Ah. I believe the phrase you are looking for is 'Entertaining a Lass'. And two ties means WWW business." Harry entered the room.
The door slammed behind him. He turned to find two wands in his face. The twins were no longer fun loving. In a cold voiced chorus, "We never told anyone that Information."
"What did I say when I entered the Great Hall tonight?"
One twin answered, "You had some Serious business to discuss."
"Right sentence, wrong word." Harry made himself comfortable on a trunk. He tossed the Map to the floor before the twins. "Padfoot had a fun game he played with everyone. He often phrased things in the most interesting and outlandish ways."
"You can't be Serious." They chorused.
"No, I'm Harry. Padfoot is Sirius, my Godfather." Harry deadpanned.
The twins blinked.
"You didn't…" left twin
"Pull a prank.." right twin
"On Us?" chorus.
"I am a second generation Marauder after all. Mentored by their Heirs, and seen as the Straight Man… when I Strike, I am as lethal as Nagini here." Harry petted the 'Scarf' he was wearing. $Okay, beautiful. The charm is fading. I need you off my shoulders for a bit.$
"Has anyone told you that you get creepy when you do that?" They chorused.
"I have been told." Harry stoked the head resting on his knee. "So. Your Shop. I have Seen it. You were doing twice the business of Zonkos."
The twins were sitting across from him before he finished the sentence.
"Now in the time I saw, Cedric didn't make it back." Harry kept his eyes on the snake in his lap. "I tried to give the money to Amos, but he didn't want it. So I gave it to you. You took it as an investment. By August of Ninety Six, your store was open and you were making more hold than the goblins."
"Merlin!"
"Given the chance to save Cedric, I took it. He needed the gold to keep himself afloat until he gets picked up by a team. I have enough gold to not only support myself and a witch or two, but also buy fifty one percent of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Instead I am buying thirty percent, and during the Summer I will speak to Padfoot himself about buying another ten to twenty percent."
"Why are you doing this?"
"One, after what happened in the Graveyard, I personally and many of the Sheeple will need a source of mirth and good mischief." He locked eyes with who he saw as George. "Two, the shop outsells Zonko's yearly stock in two months. You will need two witches to run the registers while you two and Lee are in the upstairs lab making and improving your stock. Off Course we are going to have to see about getting Lee a position for the Wireless as colour commitatory creator. And the Girls are going pro…"
The door opened and strutted Lee.
"Lee!" Fred perked up
"We were just talking about you." George smirked.
"How do you feel about taking your Quidditch skills Professional?" Harry grinned from Lee's trunk.
"But I don't play Quidditch." Lee frowned.
"No, but you are the second best Commutator." Harry answered. "Next year, invite Luna Lovegood to join you. If you think you are funny on the air, you are going to die laughing when she gets going."
Turning to the twins, Harry offered a sad grin. "The only reason I didn't offer you the same option of going professional is that Quidditch was second to WWW. If once the shop is up and running, and you want to try going professional, we will see that you two join the same team."
The three sixth years nodded.
"You said something about buying thirty percent." The twins chorused.
"I was thinking that we should meet during the week after we get home, and visit the Bank. We can handle the contracts, licenses, and Vault set up. With a vault, set up for Wheezes, your mother will not know anything until it is too late. I do believe that you are taking next year to fine tune a few products… like the skiving snack boxes."
"The What now?" The twins asked.
"An item that you two crafted before, so I can openly mention it but you two will have to do the planning. A confliction line of Mischief Making. You eat one side of the treat, and you produce the results of the desired effect. Something just nasty enough to be sent to the Mediwitch. Once clear of the Adult, you eat the antidote. And Skiving achieved." Harry frowned. "Word of warning. Nosebleed Nougat. Have a supply of blood replenishing potions and someone with medical training."
"Do we want to know?" They chorused.
"You two turned white as a sheet just talking about it." Harry spoke softly. "All you said was you almost died before getting the bleeding to stop. You were also testing Doxy venom. I can get you a supply if you don't end up cleaning the parlor yourselves."
"Do we want to know?" They chorused. Again.
"No flying, but trapped in a London townhouse with a bored Padfoot." Harry stood. "You boys have until the train to finalize your plans. Until then, best if we are not seen together."
Harry exited the dorm, Nagini at his heels, and headed towards the Common room, when he was grabbed by the arm and drug into the Fourth years dorm.
"Dean. Seamus. Out!" Hermione snapped. Both boys bolted. After Nagini was in, and climbing onto Harry's bed. Hermione flicked her wand and closed the door, sealing it with a second spell.
Harry slowly drew his wand and cast a muffler hex at the door. "I take it that you have figured out my secret." He focused and cast two wicker wingback chairs. "Let's sit and discuss everything." He smiled at her. "It's time to speak of ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and Kings."
"My Harry doesn't know Carroll." Hermione lifted her wand to point it in his face.
"You had it packed as light reading." Harry sat in the chair facing the door. "There are many things that I won't tell you. Things that you knowing would hurt your parents. Sit, I will answer any question you ask or tell you why I can't."
"What can I do to improve Crookshanks' care?" The witch sat on the edge of her chair.
"Forget about the Carrier. Get him a harness for a small dog. He will put up with the hassle of the harness if it means that he is never put in that thing again. He can be in your arms or on your shoulders when you need him off the ground."
Hermione frowned at him. "Is that all?"
Harry sighed. "Release the Cat." he leaned forward. "I stumbled upon you after you finished bathing and your ears were out and your tail was free. You should only hide them when among the muggles not in the know. I find them cute and exotic. I have since second year."
"When did you Backstep?"
Harry leaned back. "June of Ninety Eight. Was promised that everyone would be safe if I surrendered. But I don't think he held up his side of the deal."
"Who?"
TBC