Chapter 7: Whingy Babies

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Well, I'm all moved in, and I hope to update more often, muse pending. She's still doing the Hokey-Pokey in my head. I still have to get settled, so there is that. But I'll do my best to keep writing.

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Harry went back to Grimmauld Place a happy teenager. He had talked to Bones and got the rumors about him straightened out and put that bitch Susan in trouble with her guardian. That was a bonus. Sure, Susan wasn't that bad of a person, per se, but she was an out and out bitch to him. She came off as a mean girl to him and nice and sweet to everyone else. She used that sharp tongue on him on more than one occasion. Well, now she was going to get her well-deserved comeuppance.

At least he hoped so. Who knew with family. Sometimes you thought that Petunia was going to punish Dudley for crimes he well deserved punishment for, only for her to treat him as if the sun shone out his arse. It never ceased to amaze him how that woman treated his cousin. The boy was going to be sorely disappointed when the world treated him differently. He felt bad for Dudley, Petunia was setting him up to fail.

Harry shook his head from his thoughts and went through the front door only to be bombarded with noise. Molly Weasley was yelling at someone… again. Couldn't that woman go one day without screaming at anyone? Did she have an inbred need to start fights? Was she just not happy unless she was expressing herself at top volume?

Harry didn't know, but if Sirius found it entertaining, who was he to interfere. He just shrugged and made his way to the kitchen to see who the unfortunate person was.

"Why did you let him leave?" Mrs. Weasley was yelling at Sirius. She was standing over him and brandishing her spoon, like he was one of her children.

"Fuck off, Molly," Sirius said in such a lackluster way, it was as if he shouldn't have bothered to even talk at all. His nose was deep in a book with a leather binding and no title. His eyes were glued to the pages, and he wasn't paying any attention to the harpy at his shoulder.

"What did you say to me?" she screeched, making everyone cover their ears. "Who do you think you are?" she demanded, lifting her spoon as if to hit him, only to be stopped by her husband taking the spoon away from her.

Sirius never even noticed he almost got hit. "Why are you even yelling at me? Can't you see it isn't affecting me? Go bother one of your kids," he said, not even taking his eyes off the book he was reading. He was sitting at the kitchen table taking tea. He was grabbing the first thing his hand found and shoving it in his gob. His eyes never left the page he was reading.

There were cakes and finger sandwiches on plates around the table with three pots of tea. There was enough food to feed half of Hogwarts, thanks to Dobby.

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen at this time, sipping or nibbling. Bill and Fleur were joining them, as were Tonks and Remus. They were all watching Molly try to lay into Sirius and were finding it funny that he wasn't taking part in the confrontation. He was really deep in that book. Everyone was dying of curiosity as to what the hell he was reading that had him so captivated.

"Sirius Black, so help me, if you don't pay attention to me, I'll tear that book apart," Molly threatened, reaching to take the book from his hand.

"Mum, that book cost over a hundred galleons," Bill pointed out, warning her about damaging it. He couldn't read any title, but he could tell by the binding that it was expensive. It was hand-tooled leather.

"For a book?" Ron exclaimed, looking at the book in horror. He'd been handling them roughly. Who knew books could cost that much? This one didn't even have a title, how did Bill know what it cost? That didn't make any sense.

"That's right, Ron," Hermione stated, turning the page of her own expensive book. "That's why you're only allowed to handle the cheap ones and even those are worth more than you can pay." She continued to read about the origins of house elves as the wizards knew. They didn't know the whole story, only half of it. Dobby had told her that even today's house elves didn't know the original tale. They knew the myths but weren't going to tell the wizards. They had to keep some secrets, or they wouldn't be their own species. At least that's how they thought of themselves.

"But why do books cost that much? I mean they are only books," Ron protested, thinking he could understand why a broom could cost that much but not a boring old book.

"Because knowledge is power," Harry said, coming into the room. He got tired of listening to them talk. He wasn't hearing anything new anyway. "Hello, everyone," he said, sitting and pouring himself some tea. He gathered some nibbles and nodded to those at the table. "How is everyone today?" he asked politely as if he hadn't heard Mrs. Weasley shouting when he came in.

"Shove off, Potter, no one asked you," Ron said, trying not to cuss so he didn't earn a hit on the head.

"He's right though, knowledge is sought after," Bill said, nodding at Harry. "Hello, Harry. I thought I'd let you know I got the one at Gringotts," he said, winking at the teen.

It had been easy enough to find the horcrux at the bank. They just did a search of the Death Eater vaults. Did they worry about the client's privilege and privacy? Not in the least. It was a violation of the rules. They found many violations in those vaults and fined the violators appropriately. There were going to be many unhappy people soon, but the goblins didn't care. They were shoring up their defenses for the retaliation. That was the best they could do for now.

Harry was very happy to hear that. He knew that it would be easy for the man and the goblin to get that one, but if it had been left to him, it would have been impossible. He had no clue as to how to break into a bank and a goblin ran one at that. Hell, even Voldemort couldn't do it when he possessed Quirrell. How the hell was he supposed to? It was a good thing he didn't have too.

"That's great, Bill," he said, grinning at the man. "We can do me tonight. There's a ritual circle in the basement, right, Sirius?" he looked at his godfather and smiled at the look of horror on the man's face. It must be a really exciting book he was reading.

"Yeah, right," Sirius said, too engrossed in his reading to hear what they were talking about. There was fear in his eyes as he read. His knuckles were white where he was gripping the pages. Was that fear, or excitement?

"What do you need a ritual circle for?" asked Hermione, who was not engrossed in her reading. She had learned all she could from the books, and what she had talked with from Dobby. She really wanted to meet Winky and maybe hire her. She felt sad for the female elf. She was hoping that by talking to her, she could persuade her to come and work for her and her family.

"To get something nasty out of my scar," Harry said truthfully, taking a bite out of a pastry. She would know what he was talking about. She might have to think on it for a minute, but she knew about the horcruxes.

"Oh?" she said, inquiringly, then got thoughtful and said, "Oh!" with a look of realization. She was glad they were going to fix that. She didn't like the thought that he had that in his scar. She didn't know quite what a horcrux was, but she knew it had something to do with Voldemort and his soul.

Remus and Tonks also looked like it dawned on them as well. They both looked like they wanted to ask questions but refrained. Remus wanted to go and get Dumbledore and was about to get up when Tonks put her hand on his arm. She shook her head and glared at him. He narrowed his eyes in thought and wondered why she was restraining him from doing what was best for the boy. She just shook her head again and kept her hand on his arm. He settled back in his chair and waited. He'd do what she wanted for now, but if something happened that he thought the headmaster needed to know, he was going to tell him. He would get to the floo before night ended to tell him this.

Arthur was relieved that his son was taking care of it, but he hadn't known that Harry had one in his scar. That thought terrified him and he had to wonder if the headmaster knew about this and realized that the man probably had. That made him think much less of Albus Dumbledore.

"What?" Ron asked, looking back and forth between Harry and Hermione. This was the first time he was out of the loop, and he didn't like it. They had never kept secrets from him before, and now it hurt. He knew it was Harry's fault for not forgiving him.

"None of your business, Weasley. You burned that bridge," Harry said, smiling sweetly at him and taking the last bite of his pastry. He sipped his tea and looked at Sirius, who was still reading. "Sirius, what are you reading?" he asked wondering what had the man so enthralled. His godfather wasn't much of a reader so it must be a very good book.

"Bellatrix's diary," Sirius stated, still reading. His face took on a look of horror again and then one of deep thought.

"That's twisted, Sirius. Isn't she your baby cousin?" Harry asked, looking at him in horror.

"I skip the intimate parts," Sirius said, looking up from the book and making a sick face. Then he put his nose back in the pages and read some more. He didn't read about his cousin's escapades, only her thoughts about romance, life in general, the Dark Lord and being a Death Eater. He hated to admit she was family, because she was one twisted bitch.

"I thought you said that book was worth over a hundred galleons," Ron said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Who wanted to read the life and times of a Death Eater? Especially a crazy one?

"It is," Bill said defensively. "All diaries of Death Eaters in Azkaban are worth their weight in galleons," he added, knowing that if Sirius published that diary, he'd make a killing. Especially Bellatrix Lestrange. There was no one more notorious than that woman. Well, maybe Sirius Black, but he doubted that he could get Sirius to write his own autobiography. But that book right there, that woman's history would sell like hotcakes. "Sirius, would you be willing to publish that book?" he asked, seeing how immersed the man was in it. It must really be steamy and thought-provoking.

"What? Publish it? I don't know, it would have to go in the adult section," Sirius said with a laugh. "There are definitely some not so kid-friendly parts in here," he added, laughing some more. He had read some things in here that he never even thought of let alone done. And he thought he was open-minded. Yeah, not so much. Bella was one warped individual.

"I'm sure if you get with a publisher, they can tone it down," Harry said, though that might be an editor, he wasn't sure on the fine art of publishing a book. He was sure that there were some things the public didn't need to know about. That and they could sell abridged and unabridged copies. Like hardback unabridged, and paper back abridged, easy.

"I'll think about it," Sirius said, going back to the daily life of a teenage Bellatrix. It was quite the read. She was just becoming a Death Eater and was having second and third thoughts. It was fascinating to read all about her mindset. It was like seeing into the mind of an unpotioned crazy person. It was all over the place. This was also the time her parents had announced that she would be marrying Lestrange, so she was all over the place on that too.

"Anyway, Bill, we can do that tonight," Harry said, getting back to the original subject. He really wanted to get it done as soon as possible. If they did it tonight, then he wouldn't have to deal with it anymore.

"We can't tonight. It's the full moon. Moony will be down there," Bill said, nodding to the very worn werewolf, who was looking decidedly unwell. He was slumping down in his chair but looking as if he was going to run off at any moment. Tonks had her hand on his arm, keeping him in his place.

"We must do it on the full moon, remember. Lock him in a cage and give him his potion. He'll be alright," Harry said dismissively with a negligent wave of his hand. He knew the man would be fine in a cage. He would just sleep the night away and they could let him out when they were done with the ritual anyway.

"You really think that little of me that you would lock me in a cage?" Remus asked with a snarl. He tried to rise from his chair, but Tonks kept him there. He really was in a weakened state this near to the full moon. He'd be stronger when the moon was up, but not before. He was fighting the wolf too much; it was taxing him.

"You're a werewolf. You are the one who doesn't trust yourself even with the potion. I think you're fine with it, but you are the one who whings and whings that you need to be locked up. That you don't want to hurt anyone. Now that I am doing that, you are whinging again. Are you just predisposition to whinge?" Harry asked, getting frustrated with the irritating man.

"No, you're right. I just get cranky this close to the full moon," Remus said, backing down. He settled back in his chair and nodded to Tonks to let him go.

"Doormat," Harry grumbled. He was hoping for more of a fight from the man, but he should have known better.

They finished tea with small talk and joking. There was still tension in the air between Molly and Ron and Harry, but everyone else seemed to get along okay, if not great.

Remus never found the time to run to Albus. Tonks kept him busy, or tasked someone else to. She didn't want the old man to stop Harry from removing the horcrux. She was sure the headmaster had some super-secret plan to use it in the future. Well, too bad, it was Harry's life, and he could do what he pleased with it.

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Now it was time to do the ritual, Bill and Harry were standing at the circle. It was a simple ritual that would put the horcrux in another vessel where they could hold it or kill it there. They would probably take care of it later. As far as Bill knew the killing of the horcruxes weren't felt. The only way that old Voldy knew they were gone was for him to go and check on them.

"Okay, Harry, let's get started," Bill said, indicating that he was ready.

So Harry lay down in the circle while Bill lit some black candles; withershins. He then stood at Harry's head and held a crystal over the scar and stated, 'expel' with a complicated wand movement that ended with a twist. A black mist was expelled from the scar and blasted up to the crystal, while Bill said the word, 'bind', and did more wand movements that bound the soul piece to the gem. The candles flared with the magic that was being used. In the span of a few minutes, it was done.

The crystal turned black and pulsated evil.

Bill broke the circle and said, "You're all done." He held out a hand to help the teen off the floor.

"Thanks, Bill," Harry said, taking the hand and getting up from the floor, brushing off his trousers. He gave the man a brilliant smile and then frowned at the crystal. "Nasty piece of work," he repeated the same words he used for the same he used on every horcrux he'd come across so far.

"That it is," the redhead agreed, tucking the crystal in a lead box and then in his pocket. He then turned and went to the cage where there was a sleeping werewolf. He unlocked the door and left it open. They then left the basement.

They made sure to lock the door, even if the werewolf was harmless, Remus would throw a fit if he knew the basement door was unlocked. For all his whinging about Harry locking him up, he really was terrified of turning someone into a werewolf or killing them in wolf form. He really needed to lighten up. He took more precautions than any other werewolf in Britain.

Harry was just glad he was now horcrux free, and Bill was glad he could go home. They would let everyone else know tomorrow. Harry's scar was testimony that he was free of the influence. Now, all Harry had to worry about was school. Well, and the Dark Lord, but that was only if the man came after him. Harry wasn't going to take the fight to him.

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Amelia Bones was having a discussion with her niece again. This time it wasn't going as well for the teenager. "So, I had a talk with Harry Potter today, and he didn't have very many nice things to say about you," she said, stirring her tea with a spoon. She peered at the girl with withering eyes.

"Are you going to believe him?" Susan asked, worried that the boy might have told her aunt about the way she had treated him. She didn't mean to, but peer pressure made her do it. She wasn't a mean person, but something about Harry just brought out the bitch in her. It was his martyr-like personality, she was sure of it.

"Yes, I heard all about the way you hounded him with your House," she said, looking at her over her teacup. She wasn't wearing her monocle. She rarely wore it at home. She could see well enough without it and it made her look intimidating. She didn't like that look around her beloved niece. "I learned all about his adventures at Hogwarts, and I have to tell you that that boy deserves respect, not ridicule," she added, looking at her niece in a new light. "I am putting him up for the Order of Merlin: First Class," she informed the young lady in front of her.

"Auntie, you can't believe it," Susan said, getting upset that her aunt would take the word of that liar. "There's no way one boy could have done all the things Harry Potter was supposed to have done," she said, getting upset that her aunt could have been duped. "Really, the Order of Merlin? Whatever for?"

"Susan, what do I do for a living?" Amelia asked, looking at her niece with a tilted head.

"You're an Auror," Susan said, like it was a simple answer.

"And an Auror does what?"

"Arrest people?"

"They investigate things, Susan," Bones said in a chastising manner. "I thoroughly investigated everything Harry told me, and he checks out," she told her. "Everything he told me was fact. Well, I couldn't 100% clarify it, but I'm 95% sure that he didn't lie to me," she said, giving her niece a withering look. She really could see why Harry thought so little of Susan, her niece thought so little of him. "I know he slayed a basilisk in his second year. I saw the memories. He will be getting the award."

Amelia had spent the rest of her day, after ousting Fudge and his undersecretary, talking to other students and alumni about Harry Potter and what he had been up to these last four years. Her eyes were truly open. While she couldn't get to Weasley, she did get to Longbottom, Thomas and Finnigan. Those three had some interesting tales to tell. And the last boy was not happy to hear that his mum was a nutter. Amelia had no problem telling Mrs. Finnigan that she was wrong about Harry and putting the woman in her place.

"So, what do you want me to do about it?" Susan asked, flipping her hair. There was little she could do about Harry Potter getting the Order of Merlin. Now the whole wizarding world will be kissing the boy's arse. She was going to have to be at least civil to him.

"I want you to leave him alone. He doesn't deserve your ridicule. Tell your friends to leave him alone too," Amelia said, looking at her sternly. She really wants them to abandon their teasing of Harry, if not be friendly with him. She probably knew it was too much to ask for them to befriend the boy.

"I can ignore him," Susan said, turning her head away. She would catch some flak for it, but she never liked picking on people anyway. That was more Hannah's thing.

"Good, now let us talk about your grades," Amelia said, taking up some parchments she had gotten from her study. She hadn't taken a close look at them in the past, thinking Susan had been doing her best, but now… well, let's just say she could do better.

"Auntie," Susan whinged. She knew she was in for a long talk.