Lion's Den
The atmosphere in the Lion's Den was tense. The tension was so thick that you could cut it with a blunt knife. This had been a taxing year for the entire school and Gryffindor in particular. The Lions were ashamed of how they had initially treated Harry. Almost all of them had scorned him except for the Quidditch team and Hermione Granger, but; most of them changed their tune when they saw how flat-out dangerous the first task was and realized that Harry could have died attempting it.
Then there was the dressing down that Neville Longbottom gave one student before the entire house over his attitude towards Harry.
Harry was sitting in the common room in front of the fire talking with Neville, Dean and Seamus when someone interrupted them rudely accusing Harry of giving Gryffindor a bad name. Harry did not deign to answer but left the common room for the library. Neville who was usually passive, content to stay in the shadows blew up at this treatment of Harry. In one motion, Neville was out of his chair and grabbed the offending person, Leonard Taylor a muggleborn 6th year, by his robes and growled, "How dare you accuse him, Taylor? Do you have a death wish?"
Taylor, who thought of Neville as a passive, docile person was stunned at this ferociousness, "What is it to you Longbottom? Potter cheated and..." before he could finish Neville slapped him hard across the face and put his wand to his throat, "Say one more word and I will show you why the Longbottoms are feared. You do not want to pick a fight with a Vikings, do you? Because I swear to the powers that be that if you even think about harming Harry Potter or say one more word against him, I will cut you down where you stand. And unlike you, I have quite a repertoire of family magic. Harry Potter is my god brother and the Potter Longbottom alliance is as old as the time when the magical Longbottom Vikings came to Avalon. I assure you that I will make your life hell and so will others whose families are in long standing alliance with the House of Potter. Not to mention, Harry has the ear of Professor Dumbledore and he is the boy-who-lived. You think you can match him? Only say what you can back up with your power."
Taylor was struck dumb. He just stood there, trembling with fear, weak in the knees and quickly getting drenched with cold sweat.
While Neville was threatening him, his magic was oozing out of him, violent and powerful, surrounding him like a cloak with a fierce red aura. As the other Gryffindors silently took in the scene, paying real attention to Neville for the first time, the sheer power oozing out of him made them wonder how much power was really at his command.
Most of the pure bloods and half bloods knew about his family. The Longbottoms were magical Vikings who had come to Avalon conquering nations along the way when they were confronted by the Potters, who were mages and warriors. The Potters with their other allies, defeated the Vikings and then persuaded them to live in England, thus the house of Longbottom was established which entered into an alliance with the House of Potter and their other allies. Since then they have been inseparable. It was a famous saying about them-, "Wherever a Potter goes, a Longbottom will follow and a Potter will never abandon a Longbottom." There were even betrothals between the two Houses a few generations ago. Supposedly Harry Potter had never known about the said Alliance seeing as how he was raised by Muggles but Neville Longbottom was doing his duty.
Finally, Neville threw Taylor to the ground so forcefully that the boy was crumpled on the floor. Raising himself, he fled as if being chased by Banshees. The entire house was looking at Neville Longbottom in awe. That day, people realised one thing- You do not mess with Harry Potter unless you want Neville Longbottom as your enemy and an angry Longbottom can make a dark lord look like a puny kid. Ronald Weasley who happened to be in the room, opened his mouth to say something and perhaps put his foot in his mouth but Neville glared at him so fiercely that he ran up to the fourth-year dormitories and did not appear till it was time for dinner.
Ronald had been miffed with Harry over the alleged cheating, mostly because Harry didn t invite him in or tell him how he did it. Ron flat refused to accept that his friend was telling him the truth, that he had no idea how his name got into the goblet of fire. But Ron came to his senses after he saw the first task. However, all the Gryffindors could see that things would never be the same between the two again.
No one told Harry Potter about how Neville had threatened Leonard Taylor and how he had displayed such extraordinary magic or that the display of sheer power by Longbottom had forced most of them to reconsider their opinion of Harry Potter, or at least keep quiet about it, and eventually the whole house realigned themselves to Harry Potter.
Since Harry had come back to the tower after the third task, the students were a little wary of him. That was fine with him because he preferred not to be disturbed or as little as possible.
His friends were with him, but; there was a certain distance between them.
Anyone who had known the golden trio for the last four years could tell that things were not the same. Maybe, Harry Potter was too traumatised and still recovering from the harrowing incident of the third task and therefore, kept his distance. Hermione Granger was always nearby but at a distance and Ronald Weasley for once was keeping his mouth shut and not acting as he had in the last four years. This morning Harry Potter had got up and was sitting in his usual chair near the fire when Neville Longbottom took the adjacent seat.
"Ha... Harry, how are you?", he began.
"Neville, I have some questions for you and I would appreciate it if you would answer honestly", Harry said coldly.
"Sure Harry", he mumbled.
"You are my god brother', he said poking him in the chest, "yet you never told me. You know of my family and you knew I do not know anything about it yet you did not tell me anything. Why?"
" I knew you were Harry Potter from the sorting in the first year. Since then, I have tried to tell you. I approached you several times, but; every time I tried, Ron stopped me and claimed that you would not want to be my friend. Whenever I tried to talk to you, he was always there stopping me."
"Harry mate, what are you doing talking to Neville? Let's go flying and maybe I can have a go on your firebolt", Ron said, appearing from nowhere.
"I am talking to Neville Ron and I do not want to go flying", replied Harry sternly and Ron flinched.
Harry got up and signalled Neville to follow him out of the tower. They found an abandoned classroom on the 6thfloor where Neville started from where he was interrupted, "Ron always stopped me from talking to you. He always claimed you were his best friend and that you will not have another friend and that you will have an alliance with the Weasley's and not your family's allies."
"Hang on! What do you mean by Family's allies and alliance with the Weasleys?", he asked, confused and angry that nobody told him anything.
"Quite to the contrary Mr. Potter, your family has an identity independent of you", said a voice from the door of the room which was followed by Harsh Vardhana, who was looking at the two boys intriguingly.
"Mr. Harsh Vardhana, we were just talking", said Harry trying to change the subject.
"Not to worry, Mr. Potter, not to worry. I had been hoping to talk to you and him both before the summer vacations began since there are a few things I wanted you both to know. As it happens, I know a lot about your family as I know about the Longbottoms. Your family is very old having descended from one of the older families which produced fearsome war mages and have had the most impressive family magic which later integrated itself into the Potter line. Your ancestor Linfred of Stinchcombe was one of the 13 wizards who helped Merlin establish Avalon and the magical Britain. When his son married the last descendant of the Peverells, Lolanthe Peverell the grand-daughter of Ignotus Peverell and through her the two family lines were combined. Your family came here from ancient Rome where the Potters were generals in the magical army and were very formidable. There has never been a war where there wasn't a Potter in the middle of it. Your family made its name for courage, bravery and chivalry. Your grandfather Charlus was a fierce warrior who fought in the Grindelwald war and even had crossed wands with Grindelwald once and made him run after he got him with a dark cutter to the abdomen. After that, Grindelwald did not dare to cross the duo of Charlus Harold Potter and Arcturus Orion Black, who fought as comrades in the war and after the war, Arcturus proposed a marriage alliance between the House of Potter and the House of Black.
The Longbottoms were magical Vikings who were going around the modern Europe conquering nations and assimilating new magics into their family magic when they reached the shores of Avalon. Your ancestor Hardwin Potter with his allies the Bones, the Greengrasses, the McMillans and many other families raised a formidable force and clashed with the Vikings. After a long drawn out battle, the Vikings were defeated and their leader Edmund Longbottom was taken captive by the allies. Later Hardwin Potter released him and convinced him and his Vikings to settle here. I still remember the day when the long ships had landed on the shores of Avalon and it burned for months before truce could be reached. When the Longbottom's settled in Avalon, Hardwin Potter proposed an alliance between the House of Potter and Longbottom and since then, there has never been a Potter without a Longbottom. They famously say about you two, "Where a Potter goes, a Longbottom will follow and a Potter will never abandon a Longbottom'. There has always been a Potter with a Longbottom. Like when Neville's father was at Hogwarts, your father James was here and now you both are here.".
Harry's mind was reeling. There was so much that he did not know and who knows because of Ron's jealousy, how many people he offended because he did not know about his family, his allies and the great alliance as it was known. He resolved to have words with a certain red headed Weasley and lemon-drop loving old man. The Head Master had his best interests at heart but he made so many decisions for Harry which were not for him to make. He also decided to expand his circle of friends.
Harsh Vardhana began again, "My apologies, heir of Longbottom but since Heir Potter is lacking his manners, I would introduce myself. My name is Harsh Vardhana and I am a trainee healer (Harry wanted to correct him but held his tongue) and I wanted to talk to you about some of the things I have heard."
Neville was not sure how to answer. No one had ever talked kindly to him in fact no one ever spoke to him unless they wanted something. Though he was not sure but he nodded his assent to the other man.
Harsh continued, "I wanted to know about the condition of your parents. Do you have any idea of their prognosis? What does the healers of St. Mungo's have to say about it? I know that they were subjected to over-exposure of Cruciatus curse and have never recovered. But did the healer not find out anything that would cure them?"
Neville was trembling because he was ashamed that he had never told anyone about his parent's condition and Harry might think badly of him for not telling.
Harry put a hand on his shoulder and said softly, "It s alright Neville. I know about them and I do not think any worse of you for this."
Neville started in a whisper, "the Healers have tried everything in the last 15 years, but; so far, they have found nothing that has help them. There was one healer who had looked at them once around 5 years ago and said that he vaguely recalled something about a cure for this condition. But, since he knew very little about it and he knew of no one who had the power to attempt it, what he knew offered only the thinnest hope. Perhaps, if we could find the cure, maybe someone can cure them.".
"Hmm, I wonder if I can have a look at them.", Harsh mused before turning to Neville, "if you can arrange a meeting with Dowager Lady Longbottom, I know of a treatment which may help them.".
Neville looked at the man so hopefully that Harry's heart was almost torn and he wished that Harsh could indeed be able to cure Neville's parents.
Oblivious to Harry, Harsh continued, "I have heard people make fun of you, Mr. Longbottom but the thing is that you are powerful that most of the students and some of the teachers themselves. You have so much raw power that you would easily be a sorcerer by the time you are magically matured."
Conjuring a dummy, he asked Neville, "Will you use a blasting hex on the Dummy, Mr. Longbottom?
Straightening himself, Neville levelled his wand at the dummy and firmly incanted while doing the required wand motion, "CONFRINGO!" A light blue spell left his wand and impacted the dummy, chipping away a little from the dummy.
"Again, Mr. Longbottom and this time I want you to put more power behind this spell", said Harsh.
Neville again tried and this time, the right arm of the dummy was blasted away leaving Neville ashen faced from the effort.
"With the amount of power you put behind your spells, it should have reduced the dummy to nothing. I wonder..." Harsh mused before he took his wand and handed it to Neville, "Try this wand, Mr. Longbottom and do not put too much power in the spell. Just a normal blasting hex will do the trick."
The wand felt comfortable in his hand, in fact, it felt more comfortable that his own wand did. Levelling it at the dummy, he incanted and this time instead of light blue, a bright purple bolt of energy left his wand and caused the dummy to explode leaving nothing but a bit of rubble and a cloud of settling dust.
"Good show Neville!", exclaimed Harry, impressed, "Remind me not to get on your bad side."
Neville looked in astonishment at his own hand and the wand. When Harsh held out his hand, he reluctantly returned the wand, with yearning in his eyes and wanting to have a little more taste of the power he had just seen.
"Mr. Longbottom, did you buy your wand? As I remember, all English children buy their wand from Ollivander's in Diagon Alley when they turn 11."
"Uh, no, this was my father's wand. My grandmother thought I could honour him by using his wand", Neville replied hesitantly.
"Neville, the wand chooses the wizard", Harry recited, understanding dawning.
Harsh Vardhana asked Neville to hand him his wand and after inspecting it for a few seconds, he returned it to Neville saying, "This wand will never work for you, Mr. Longbottom. Its loyalty is not to you but your father and you have not won it from him nor did the wand choose you. There is another wand waiting for you to claim it. I think a visit to Ollivander's in summer vacations is in order but if you do not mind Mr. Longbottom, will you honor me by using this wand", he said presenting the wand he had given to Neville earlier.
"But, isn't this your wand? Why are you giving it to me?", Neville asked.
"Oh no, this is not my wand, Mr. Longbottom. You see, this wand had came to me through someone and I am merely keeping it. This is a family wand and it belongs to the Longbottom family. I found it in my possessions and decided to gift it to you. Now if I were you, I would be cautious about using that wand. It has different materials in the core than are normally used by wand makers and you using it openly would tempt wandmakers to borrow it to study."
Neville looked at the wand recognizing the Longbottom crest on the hilt of the wand and the Longbottom motif, the Hippogriff drawn on it. But he could not recognise the wood or the core material.
He looked towards Harsh Vardhana who was curiously looking at him and answered his unasked question, "This wand was a gift to your family. A repayment for a deed of valour by Lord Harfang Longbottom who had saved a family of wand makers from a horde of dark creatures and a dark lord. The wand maker had access to woods of the mythical grove of Dodona from where he picked up a piece of wand wood and infused it with the magical powers of the sacred grove. The core for this wand comes from Pravirakarna, a species of immortal owl found in the Himalayas which is famous for their mythical powers such as wisdom, power and strength. They are like the phoenixes though the phoenixes have burning day, they do not and they are very few in numbers. They are not born but made. If you took this wand to Ollivander's Mr. Longbottom, you will never see this wand again. If I were you, I would never tell anyone about it but only the Dowager Lady Longbottom. If anyone asks tell them it is your family wand."
Neville was elated. He had just been given a gift like nothing he had ever known. Maybe, now, he could make his parents proud. Little did he know that destiny had forged a special path for him. Harsh Vardhana took his leave of them and left the younger boys in silence, pondering over the entire conversation.
Harry was sitting in silence looking at everything transpiring between the two an his heart ached for a wand like the one Neville had been given. He was amazed that Neville had managed 4 years of school with a wand that had not chosen him. That alone said a lot about his magical capabilities. He hoped that Neville's parents would recover and that he could have some happiness. Thinking of his parents, he remembered that his parents were Neville's godparents and Alice Longbottom was his godmother. May be, with Alice Longbottom being cured and Sirius being free, he could have some semblance of family and happiness. He and Neville had so much more in common than others students his age. Both had grown up without parents and craved parental love. Both had their lives messed up by others. Both were subject of a wretched prophecy and it could have been either of them. Remembering Dumbledore telling him about the prophecy, suddenly Neville's high power levels made sense. If it could have been either of them then it was logical that either of them would possess power equal to Voldemort, if not greater. Another similarity which made him snort was that they both were tormented by Snape. He still had a message for Snape and it was time to deliver it and set the record straight.
Snape's Office, the Dungeons
Severus Snape was sitting in the Potion Master s Office, a bottle of Ogden's best fire whisky open before him and a half filled glass in hand. On the table in front of him was a photo of Lily during her time in Hogwarts. This picture was clicked a month before the O.W.L. exams and Margret McVeigh, a muggleborn ravenclaw in their year had convinced them to pose for a picture together. In this picture, Lily was laughing heartily looking at the camera while Severus was trying to smile which came out more as a grimace but still watching Lily laughing was his best memory and that was what fuelled his patronus. After her marriage, he had thought he was done with her but then he had to hear that wretched prophecy and tell the Dark Lord about it which led to Lily's death. He should have moved away then, but; he had not and now he was paying for it. He had to watch the brat all the time while he went off to one adventure after another, risking his life just like his father before him. When he looked at Harry Potter, he remembered James Potter and his infamous friends, who defined them by their stupid name, "Marauders'. This year was hardest on him since Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts and this would get worse before getting better. Damn the old fool and his manipulative wordplay.
Suddenly there was a knock on his door. He banished the bottle to the side with a flick of his wand, vanished the glass and grunted, "Enter'. The door opened and Harry Potter stood on the threshold. The day just had to get worse.
"Potter, I have no patience for any nonsense from you. This better be important.", he sneered.
"Professor, I would rather not disturb you, but; I have a message for you from my mother", replied Harry soberly.
"Are you trying to prank me Potter? Just like your father and the mutt?", he barked.
Harry's expression turned stern, "I had this message that my mother gave to me when I was in my magical coma. I can assure you it was real, Sev."
The emphasis on the word was not missed by Snape who knew that only Lily called him by that name. Was the brat telling the truth? Did he really meet Lily? Eager for any answer, he beckoned Harry, offering him the other chair and waited for Harry to start telling the story.
"When I was in my magical coma, I went to the cottage in Godric's Hollow where I met with my parents and Potter grand-parents. My mother said you were her friend and that she was disappointed that you could not rise above petty grudges and you treat me like my father but you forget that I am not my father but my own person", Harry said, "she also said that she has forgiven you for everything that happened between you two and that she is at peace now, but; the path you have trodden hurts her. She also told me to convey that if you do not mend your ways, she would have words with you when you turn up."
Severus flinched at the tone of the message. Lily was indeed angry with him and she had a right to be so. He had solemnly promised himself that he would look after Harry Potter, but; he never did but only satisfied his grudges against James Potter. He had already fallen too far to get any redemption. But maybe, he could still turn things around. Yes, the boy did remind Snape of his father, James, in so many ways, but; this boy also had her eyes and if he could sum up Lilly in one trait, it was that she had always been unfailingly kind.
"Potter... Harry, your mother was my best friend. In fact, she was my only friend and I knew her from her parent's place. Your grand-father Harrison was a successful businessman and lived in the wealthy part of the town while my muggle father lived in the poorer section. I saw Lily with Petunia doing some magic and helped her to understand everything that was happening to her. We came to Hogwarts together and I hoped that we would be sorted in the same house but I was sorted into Slytherin and she went into Gryffindor. We remained friends even after that and we were friends till our OWLs. In fourth year, I was sought after by scions of the dark families who wanted my talents for the Dark Lord s purposes. The Dark Lord was a force to be reckoned with and we were enamoured with him. I refused initially and kept on refusing, but; they kept trying to seduce me to the dark side with gifts, promises of a better future and what not. They painted a rosy picture of a world where the wizarding world would be living in harmony with each other but alas! I did not realise my folly till it was late. Your father gained some maturity in 6th year and he finally wooed your mother after we had a falling out when I said something distasteful to her. She never forgave me for that. I am sorry that I kept taking my anger out on you when you came to Hogwarts", he said finishing.
Telling so much to Harry Potter was unbearable but after Harry had brought him the news that he wanted to hear all his life, he could not hold a grudge against the boy anymore. In that moment, Severus resolved that he would do everything in his power to make sure that Harry Potter survived his next encounter with the Dark Lord.
Harry had always wanted to know the reason for Snape's hatred towards him and hearing it from him was a surreal experience. He did not know if he liked it or not that Snape was his mother's friend. This explained why he hated Harry with every fibre of his being. He was James Potter's son and James Potter had married the girl he fancied. Did that mean... his mind could not even think that Snape may have been in love with his mother. Maybe that was why he hated Neville with a passion as he hated Harry. Maybe he hated that Neville was not the boy-who-lived.
Deciding to leave before he over-stayed his welcome, he said to Snape, "Professor, my father told me that he was sorry for all the stupid pranks on you and that you are a better person than he ever will be. He also told me to convey that you should try to be the man that you can be. Good Night, Professor."
"Good night, Harry", Snape could barely say.
Harry Potter had turned his world upside down today. The messages from two people who impacted his life the most made him rethink his actions. He had done nothing to merit praise from anyone but only garnered hate and prejudice. Students hated him and called him greasy slimy dungeon bat (yes, he knew that). He had worn black robes all his life to mourn for Lily but his life had become equally dark where he took sadistic pleasure in ill-treating students and harassing them so much that they hated his name even. He had become his father. He treated Longbottom so bad that the boy's boggart was him! He was disgusted of himself and decided to change things as soon as he could.
Lion's den
Harry Potter was sitting in his usual place in the common room reading through a book of defensive magic which was gifted to him the previous year when he heard tapping and saw Hedwig on one of the windows. He opened the window letting her in and took the letter from her claws. It was addressed to him and there was the seal of Gringott's present on the envelope. Wondering what the Goblins wanted with him, he opened the letter.
"Dear Mr. Potter,
We have tried to contact you in the past but all our efforts failed till now. We have been sending you letters since you returned to the magical world and your quarterly statements and requested a meeting a couple of times to discuss your finances with you and the state of your vaults but you never responded and thus, lost very lucrative opportunities to invest in some good businesses.
"Since there has been a major change in your account status, we decided to send this letter through your familiar since she can get through any wards you are behind if she carries your ordinary conversation. We request a meeting at the earliest opportunity at your convenience.
"We are sending you your heir ring and we wish for you to wear it when you enter the bank and on showing it to the teller, you will be given admittance into my office post haste.
May your gold ever flow.
Regards
Ragnok,
Lord of Goblin Nation
Harry was flummoxed. What did Ragnok mean by accounts? He did have his trust vault and that was all with a bit of gold in it which he was using frugally to fund his education. Was it possible that he had more than that? He decided to ask Sirius when he met him at the platform in London.
"Harry mate...", Ron's voice interrupted his musings, "can I talk to you?".
Despite not feeling like talking to Ron, Harry nodded and Ron sat opposite him.
Looking at the letter, he asked, "Who wrote you?"
"The Goblins wanted to fix a meeting to discuss my vaults but I am sure I have just my trust vault", he replied.
"Mate your family is an old family, even older than most. All the old families own more than one vault. One would be the main Family vault, one would be the Dowager vault, one would be the Heirloom vault, one would be full of library books and one may be all filled up with furniture, portraits and stuff.", Ron said proud of having been able to answer a question.
"How do you know so much about it?", asked Hermione who had come to sit beside them while Ron was having his say.
Ron's ears turned Weasley red and Harry stifled a snort.
"I am a pureblood Hermione. Just because I choose not to prance around like Malfoy, lording it over everybody, doesn t mean that I don t know anything, he said, "Harry's family is old and one of the most influential families. The House of Weasley was also an Ancient and Noble house once but due to some mistake made by one of my ancestors, the other Ancient and Most Noble Houses took our status away."
"Did the House of Malfoy lead the other families to do so?", asked Harry.
Ron snorted, "Malfoy may act like he owns the place but his family is hardly an ancient family. His ancestors came here from France around 200 years ago. The House of Malfoy isn't even worthy of sitting upon the Wizengamot.".
"Wizenwhat?" asked Harry, confused.
"Honestly Harry, don't you read? The Wizengamot is like the muggle parliament and the houses sit on it and act like the government. The Minister is the head of the ministry but the real power lies with the Houses who use it to have their way", Hermione ranted in her usual know-it-all manner.
Harry chose not to reply to her. Suddenly there was a pop and Winky appeared beside him and curtsied with a bow and said, "Master be sending letter for Harry Potter.".
"Thank you, Winky", said Harry taking the letter from Winky who disappeared with a pop while Hermione was glaring daggers at him.
"Harry, isn't she Barty Crouch's elf? Who is she bonded with? Why would anyone willingly enslave anyone? This is inhumane and barbaric. What about their rights?", she shot off a volley of questions.
"Hermione, did you do all the research on house elves? Like why they bond with wizards or witches?", he calmly asked her.
"It is obvious Harry that they are brain washed into serving the wizards who chose to enslave them thinking they are...", she was starting to go on ranting.
Harry shook her, "Hermione! Before you go on and on and offend every pureblood here and some of the half bloods too, answer my question. Have you done the research into the wizard-elf bond?"
"No", she said embarrassed.
"I would appreciate it if you would go and do your research or go down to the kitchens and ask the elves about it. I know the answer to this question, but; I would rather that you find this answer by yourself", he replied calmly. Lately, he had been noticing changes in his behaviour. No longer was he the rash, abrasive boy who would rush headlong into a situation but now he would look into the situation, figure out a plan and then execute it. He also had started reading anything that he could get his hands on. In the last few days since he was released from the infirmary, he was either in the library or his dorm, reading his books. It was like someone had started a fire under him and he now had to sate it any way he could.
Hermione only huffed in annoyance muttering under her breath that she would find the answers and show Harry she was right.
This was the moment when Ron decided to put his foot in his mouth, "what do the goblins want, mate?"
"They want a meeting as soon as possible. I suppose I can go meet them when the holidays start", he replied offhandedly.
"But you will be coming to the burrow, right?", Ron asked him anxiously.
"I will try. I have a few things to do before though. This reminds me Ron I wanted to ask you some questions", he said sternly.
"Yeah", Ron gulped probably knowing what was coming.
You can start by telling me why you did not tell me about my family? I mean you know I was muggle raised and you did not tell me anything except for general knowledge. Why is that?
"You see mate, I was afraid that after you learned about your family and your wealth, you would leave me and not be my friend anymore", Ron said, haltingly.
Harry knew of Ron's jealousy. The red head could be jealous of anything and everything since he longed to have his own fame and attention. What he failed to see, however; was the price Harry had paid, the pain he had suffered, or that Harry didn't want any of it.
"Ron, you prat, you are my first friend and your family is my favourite family. I love how you all live with each other and I have often thought what it would be like to grow up in a family as big as yours. Why would I leave you?", he chided.
Hermione was watching this with bated breath. She had known that things would never be the same between the three of them and knew this was long coming however it was little anti-climatic. She had expected Harry to explode in anger threatening to hex Ron while demanding answers but it was like something had fundamentally changed in Harry Potter. She still did not know what happened in the grave yard and wished Harry would tell her but knew her nagging would do no good.
"Ron, you know that my family has an alliance with the old families and being the last potter, it falls upon me to honour those commitments. Since we came to Hogwarts, kids from those families have been trying to befriend me and help me learn of my station but you pushed them away. I may have offended so many of them. Why did you do that? You were my best mate and that would not have changed, but; you had no right to interfere in my family business. Why did you chase them all away from me?", he asked Ron sternly.
Ron, seeing that Harry needed answers, could only say what he knew. He tried, "Mate, Harry, I m sorry. My Dad just dressed me down for the very same thing. I have already apologized to Susan Bones. I know it seems lame now, but I really was just trying to keep the groupies and gawkers away from you, you know, so they wouldn't bother you too much. And yes, I have to admit, that I was jealous. All these kids from wealthy families, trying to be your friend and everything I own is second-hand rubbish. But that's still no excuse. I should have just let you make up your own mind about who your friends are. I mean, after all, you showed remarkably good judgement when it came to Malfoy."
Harry said sadly, "I thought that after all we have been through together, that you would know me better. But when it came right down to it, you didn't believe me and joined in with all the rest, believing that I put my name in the goblet of fire. When Hermione was there for me. She believed me, but; where were you? I'll tell you where you were, feeling sorry for yourself, shutting out your best mate. As we later found out, it was a stinking death eater that put my name in the cup with some wonky plan to sacrifice me to Voldemort and I had to compete anyway. I nearly died Again! So far, you have yet to earn my trust back. Maybe, someday, we might be best mates again, but not today."
Train ride back to London
The last two days were uneventful and Harry was content with nothing happening. He had met the real Moody in Dumbledore's office where the Auror had impressed him with his fortitude and resilience. Dumbledore had told him of his plans for Harry before he would go with the mystics. Dumbledore's, "Order of the Phoenix." was keeping a watch over him from the train station to his home. Harry wanted to protest that he would not go to the Dursley's but Dumbledore assured him that it would not be for long. Susan Bones had met him a couple of times during lunch or in the library and they were spending time together. While he didn't really fancy her, she was pleasant company. She listened to everything he said and offered her opinions only when asked. She also told him that she would be taking auror training over the summer. Harry was tempted to ask if her auntie would arrange something for him too but decided that the training the mystics would give him would keep him occupied for most of the summer, therefore, he did not need anymore, at least for this year.
When Hermione learned the true nature of the house elf bond, she accepted that her approach to seeking justice for them would have to change. For the house-elves, it wasn't slavery, it was their source of life. Harry was right.
On the last day of term, a teary eyed Cho cornered him in a deserted corridor on the fourth floor and asked the same thing as Mr. Diggory had. He recounted the minimum details that he could without going into depth about everything that had happened. At the start of the year, he had a crush on her but after the graveyard he felt nothing towards her but sympathy for what she had lost.
On the train ride, he had taken the last compartment and was joined by Neville, Hermione, Susan, Ronald, Hannah Abbott who was Susan's best friend and the Weasley Twins. They were all engaged in small talk and at sometime during the ride, Hermione Granger told them about Rita Skeeter and her illegal animagus form. She handed Rita, whom Hermione had captured and kept in her beetle animagus form, held prisoner in a jar with an unbreakable charm on it, to Susan. Susan gleefully took the jar and stored it in her handbag, ready to be delivered to her auntie. Rita Skeeter had printed a lot of lies about everyone and slandered almost everyone in the magical world. She was sure that her Auntie would love a chance for some payback for some of Rita's embellishments.
Mid-way during the train ride, Draco Malfoy came for his customary visit but seeing the people in the compartment, he scarpered before he got into trouble with the niece of the head of the DMLE. As the train was nearing London and students were getting ready to disembark, Harry took the Weasley twins aside and gave them the 1000 G he had won as prize money. When they tried to refuse, he told them that he wanted to be a silent partner in their joke shop and that he would provide more cash if they needed it. When they asked why he was doing this, he replied that it was simply good business and that people would need to laugh more in the immediate future and no one could do it better than Fred and George.
On the platform, he was engulfed in the trademark Weasley hug and then Remus embraced him but he did not see Sirius or Padfoot on the platform. As Remus escorted him past the barrier, he was surprised to see the headmaster, wearing a muggle suit along with the mystic who was looking like an ordinary muggle in his jeans and t-shirt. Together the three men took him to #4 Privet Drive.
Privet Drive
As Harry rang the doorbell, the mystic pulled out his wand and was casting different spells. As the door opened, Vernon barked at him, "don't just stand there boy! Get your worthless backside inside before the neighbours see you."
Harry glanced over his shoulder and saw that he was all alone! Perhaps Dumbledore had played him. He dragged his trunk inside the house and was surprised to see his uncle hanging upside down by one ankle near the ceiling, while a menacing looking Remus was pointing his wand at him, the aspect of the wolf plain in his eyes and growling throatily. It was clear that Remus would like nothing better than to rip Vernon limb from limb. Petunia was slack jawed, her eyes wide in horror while Dudley was slumped on the floor looking fearful with his hands on his backside.
"Take a seat, Harry. We won't be here for long.", said a disembodied voice and Harry was surprised to see Dumbledore appear out of thin air. Seeing his mouth hanging open, he chuckled and said, "Disillusionment charm, Harry. Quite a useful trick since none of us has an invisibility cloak as brilliant as yours."
"Indeed", said the voice of Harsh Vardhana as he appeared beside Dumbledore.
"Now onto business", Dumbledore adopted a professional demeanour, "Petunia, we have come here today to take young Harry away with us. The wizard who killed your sister has returned from the dead and will come after your family. Harry will be going with us forever and you will be free of him. As soon as Harry sets foot out of this door, the wards protecting you will fall and you will be in peril. We could have simply taken him away but after the tender care you gave Harry all these years (Harry snorted), we felt that we should at least give you a warning so that you can run."
"He's back? But he's dead, isn't he?." squeaked Petunia while Vernon was still hanging from the ceiling, his face turning purple from all the blood rushing to his head. Dudley was nowhere to be seen.
"I am afraid not. He is back and he will come after you just because you are related to Harry", Dumbledore said gravely, "If I were you I would leave this place as soon as I could."
"Now that we have got the pleasantries out of the way, let's get down to serious (no pun) business", said Harsh Vardhana turning to Petunia, "in the wizarding world, children are considered very sacred and are loved and protected because of our low population. Your nephew is a celebrity for the magical people and anyone would have gladly taken him in and raised him but we gave him to you believing that you would take care of him and love him like family. If I let it slip how Harry Potter has been treated by you all these years, even the dark wizards will line up to avenge for all the harm you caused him. I know for a fact that if something had happened to you, Lily Potter would have taken your son in, raising him like her own. Yet you did not do her memory justice."
"We took him in, gave him a roof and food and clothes to wear", said Petunia defiantly, apparently angry at being called out like that but inwardly she was quaking with fear that their reckoning had come due. Lily had often told her of tales about how wizarding families settled their grudges. She hoped they would not face something like that.
Lupin who had been spinning Vernon all this while, growled throatily, "the way you have treated my cub, my inner wolf is asking me to tear you all to shreds and shed every drop of blood in your body for every harm you inflicted upon him, but; I know if I did that then my brother James and Lily will never forgive me. Be thankful that your sister had such a big heart."
Petunia balked at this. She knew that they could do what they said but chose not to reply as to avoid offending them despite inwardly fuming at the treatment they were being given.
Harry was sitting quietly with some amusement, watching everything. Even if he did not wish such things upon Dursley's, someone doing this for him meant a great deal to him.
"You know, we can curse you with so foul diseases that your healers will not be able to cure you and you will die eventually of such curses in much agony and pain, but; we will not do that. We are not such bad people. However, Petunia Dursley, your reckoning has come due and it is time to pay the bill", Harsh said with a malicious smirk on his face.
"I have an idea", said Remus with a feral glint in his eye which Harry knew too well. Remus was up to no good but, Dumbledore decided to humour him, "Of course Remus, my boy. What do you have in mind?"
"We don't injure them but do some creative hexing. Then, we will let Amelia know about all the kind and loving treatment Harry has received here and I am sure that she will see to it that they are richly rewarded, to the full extent of the law", Remus concluded grinning.
"I know the perfect hexes for them', said Harsh Vardhana, "we hex Vernon Dursley so that he is smelling pungently all the time and no one would approach him and he would lose everything he has worked for, we will hex Petunia in such way that it will cause her personality to turn 180 degree and for the fun of it, we add another hex that will make her speak gibberish or bad mouth anyone who wanted to talk to her. As for the son, he already is on path of destruction. We simply hex him to leave every bad habit he has and so he would lose interest in habits that are not good for him thus, losing his elephantine girth a little. As I told her, we do not punish children or cause them deliberate harm."
Harry had feared that they would torture the Dursley's but this was much better. They would learn their lessons and may be Dudley could be saved. True that his cousin had never been good towards him but he was raised that way by his parents and it was not Dudley's fault. May be there was hope for him yet.
Dumbledore whipped his wand out and started casting a myriad of hexes at Dudley who had hobbled back into the room sometime during the conversation and did not understand a word of what was being said. Watching his eyes closely, Harry suspected one of the three men had confounded him. Harsh Vardhana was hexing Vernon and when he was done, Vernon smelled like rotting meat and his hair was coming out in clumps and his moustache was gone leaving behind only wisps of hairs. Remus hexed Petunia and when she opened her mouth to speak, all she could speak was gibberish and hearing her voice, she clamped her mouth firmly shut.
Finally they went out of the house, leaving Vernon still hanging (Remus said that he would come down eventually, in a few hours).
Outside the door, they steered Harry through the alley-way to the next street. It didn't take Harry long to realize that they were heading towards Mrs. Figg s house. Mrs. Figg opened the door a crack and seeing the three men; she yelped and jumped aside pulling the door open. As soon as they were in, Dumbledore whipped out his wand and locked the door while Remus raised a silencing ward around the room.
"Harry, I am sorry that I could not tell you sooner but I was kept here to keep a watch on you", she said nervously.
"Hang on, you are saying you are a witch and you never told me?", Harry said in indignation, "all the times I came here, you could have told me my story. You could have told me about the magical world and everything, but you never did."
"Not quite, Harry. I am a squib. I am sorry but, I could not blow my cover. I was to keep an eye on your house and to immediately report if I saw anything suspicious. I moved in here in November, 1981 a week after you-know-who was defeated. In the ten years before you went to Hogwarts, I reported at least 7 death eaters who were trying to enter your house. If I had blown my cover and was forced to move, you could have been in danger. Will you forgive me?", she asked hopefully.
Harry knew what she said made sense and he kind of liked her. She always treated him fairly and gave him a lot to eat. She was a good lady and he could do nothing but forgive her.
"What do we do now, Albus?", she asked Dumbledore.
"Your work here is done, Arabella. We have had young Harry's reckoning from the Dursley's and we hexed them in creative ways which you will know soon. You can decide to remain here or move. Amelia Bones will soon start an investigation into Harry's living conditions and she will be looking for witnesses. If you wish, you can have a little reckoning of your own from them", he said, his eyes twinkling.
"That I will, Albus. Oh, the stories I can tell them", she replied, a maniacal grin on her face which was mirrored by Remus.
Harry snorted. He never could have believed that the head master would do something like this but it felt real good.
"Now Harry, let us be off. We have to go to the head quarters of the order and we are already running late. We can't risk the Black Marauder coming after us for unspeakable things we did to his godson", said Dumbledore amused.
Harry grinned at the Head Master while Remus merely smirked. Harry imagined Sirius Black blundering through Privet Drive breaking down the door of #4 demanding to know about him and laughed at the mental image and Remus soon joined in.
"But Professor, if the Dursleys decide to move, wouldn't it be hard for the Auror department to track them?", Harry asked, confused.
"Don t worry about it, Harry. We have added a tracking charm to the hexes so they can run but they can't hide", explained Remus.
Dumbledore hustled them to the Floo network and gave Harry the address, "Number 12, Grimmauld Place."
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