Majo Kon-kiThe Marriage of Tanya the Witch
(The marriage chronicles of a witch)
Arc 6 - Half-blood Prince – Part 2
August, AD 1996, The Burrow's garden (gnome-free for four years straight) on the outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole in Devon, England.
While Harry and Ron were occupied consoling Hermione, Dumbledore took the opportunity to have a private conversation with Tanya outside the house.
"I must take a seat…" Dumbledore did his best to conceal his condition, forcing himself to remain standing all this time, but now he either had to sit or risk collapsing. Carefully, he examined the rock before lowering himself onto it.
"Something wrong?"
"Merely ensuring I don't unwittingly disturb an innocent gnome. If memory serves me well, the Weasleys' garden is prone to such lively inhabitants."
"Oh, don't worry, I KILLED all the pests in this garden years ago."
Dumbledore inadvertently flinched. The casual way she said 'killed' brought a painful reminder of the massacre she had once carried out.
"Was it merely my imagination, or did she say that far too casually?" He shook his head; he couldn't afford to dwell on this with an important task awaiting him tonight.
"First and foremost, please extend my gratitude to your assistants. Thanks to their rather 'unorthodox' methods, we did not have a single failing grade in Defense Against the Dark Arts last term." He kept quiet about how they had also set a new record for complaints…
"I will pass your appreciation on to them."
"Do you believe they would be inclined to return for yet another year?"
"Not happening, I sent them all back to train their respective kinds." Tanya Potter had already confided in him that, in addition to training the students, her three 'assistants' were primarily at Hogwarts to learn how wizards fight.
"An insurance, should the war turn against us. Still, I cannot bring myself to condone her actions in essentially enslaving them." Not to say her distrust in people in general. Her reasoning to hide her allies was for fear of the international reaction, claiming the other nations may not see with kind eyes Magical Britain having so much power.
"That said, I cannot blame her for always expecting the worst in others." In his mind, he saw a child forced into the role of a soldier, driven to kill without choice, only to be cast away in the end, sacrificed for the depraved pleasure of a vile being.
"I have no right to pass judgment upon her; the blame belongs entirely on people like her former leaders-"
'Arianna… we killed her Gellert!'
'Come on, Albus! She was a necessary sacrifice for the greater good!'
"… and myself."
"Ah, well! I daresay Severus will be most pleased by this news!" Tanya let out a grunt, and he assumed it was her worry over her father figure teaching a class which is rumored to be cursed. He figured it would be best to change the subject.
"Mrs. Potter, I have been meaning to ask you about something intriguing me…" He pointed to the pendant, barely noticeable beneath her clothing.
"Might I inquire why you wear the object sent by your poltergeist foe?"
"Oh? Right, I never told you about my operation orb…" She grimaced, seemingly torn over whether to reveal anything to him.
"I was wrong, this isn't the Elenium Type 95. It is actually, well…!" Her grimace deepened before she brushed it aside with a shrug.
"Ah, what the hell! This is a gift from Harry and Malfoy's sons-"
"That object originates from the future?!" She nodded her head.
"I understand. I shall not inquire further about its origins." This was a point they both agreed upon: the perils of knowing too much about the future.
"What I can tell you is that this has proven to be quite a useful tool! It worked wonders in stabilizing the effects of the Polyjuice Potion. By regulating my mana, it prevents the transformation from abruptly ceasing."
"Indeed… I remember… you could… return to your… true appearance… at will."
"It made me regret all the fear I had of testing-"
…
…
…
"… Professor!"
"W-what?!" Opening his eyes, he saw Tanya Potter over him.
"You fell asleep seated, I had to shake you awake."
"Y-you did? I… see…" It took a moment for his dizziness to pass.
"You are getting worse, aren't you?"
"I'm afraid that is the case… this may very well be the last sorting I shall have the privilege of witnessing at Hogwarts."
His declaration caused a look of distress to cross the girl's face. Dumbledore didn't fool himself into believing Tanya Potter had any affection for him; if he were to guess, she was likely worried about losing a formidable defender for her husband.
"Voldemort has ordered your death."
"I am aware, Severus told me."
"Dammit! It's too early to lose my deterrent! I was counting on you to be around at least until our graduation!"
"Thought as much…"
"I have hardly anything ready! And that's only because Narcissa Malfoy just dropped out of the blue!"
"We no longer have the luxury of time. You must press forward with our plans, alas, without my assistance."
"What a surprise! I have to do everything by myself! This is getting better by the minute."
"If memory serves, I entrusted you with a group of highly capable witches and wizards, ready to assist at your discretion."
"I could hardly call these sleazeballs of the Order of the Phoenix 'capable'! Oh, well, things will proceed faster with the help of two or three!"
"I am relieved to see that reason has found its way to you."
"Hmmm… what is the next step…? Putting pressure won't have Voldemort kill himself, he isn't Hitler… he proved to be a Napoleon, who could make a comeback and reunite a new army…!"
Dumbledore watched in amusement as the girl murmured trying to come up with new strategies using muggle history as reference.
A part of him felt ashamed for placing so heavy a burden on a young girl, but he saw no other choice. He calculated that if Voldemort were to survive another year, Hogwarts would inevitably become a battlefield, with both staff and students falling as victims.
"… we can't do a 'Julius Caesar' on him, the prophecy wouldn't allow it! No, instead we must isolate him, KILL all his supporters, and KILL any secret sympathizers as well before Harry can KILL him for good!"
"…" Once more, the edge of Tanya's voice sent a jolt through Dumbledore, raising goosebumps along his skin.
"Mrs Potter, aren't you exaggerating-"
"No! Not near enough! We must KILL all liabilities, anyone who isn't on our side! KILL every person who could someday feel the attraction of Voldemort's ideals! We KILL our enemies even before they reveal themselves!"
Dumbledore frowned.
"To begin with, let's purge Hogwarts of all Slytherins and anyone with so much as a whiff of shadiness from the other houses!"
"Mrs Potter-"
"The staff needs a bit of a 'cleanse' too, starting with that squib caretaker. He's always slinking around, grumbling about how much he loathes the students. I don't trust him one bit!"
"I beg your pardon?! Argus may be grumpy-"
"Ah! And we can't forget Hagrid's little brother! He probably will try to protect him, so we will deal with both-"
"Mrs. Potter, do hold on for a second if you please!" He could no longer ignore her words.
"Do you expect me to remain passive while you bring harm to the students entrusted to my care? To my staff and their families, as well?!"
"I am putting OUR plans into action! One year ago, we both agreed that, for Harry to kill Voldemort, we must do our part, to take out as many of his supporters and sympathizers as possible!"
"Take out, not kill, Mrs. Potter! And pray, do enlighten me, what has happened to you? A year ago, when I suggested a massacre might be required, you vehemently protested, insisting that only the truly irredeemable should be eliminated."
"The situation has changed! With that wand YOU had the idea of crafting, Voldemort is a bigger threat! To balance it out, we ought to thin out any potential allies of his!"
"Who are you to decide who should live and who should die? Like the poltergeist you despise so much, do you fancy yourself a god? Have you, perchance, allowed Miss Lovegood to convince you that you are the eleventh goddess from her father's silly tales?!"
"Don't you dare to try to lecture me with your misplaced moralism! If your 'highly capable' Order of the Phoenix had been willing to dirty their hands in the past, today we would be fighting Voldemort alone!"
"…" Dumbledore couldn't offer a counter-argument.
"Look at this garden! It was so infested with gnomes the Weasleys got used to punishing their children with de-gnoming it! A minute! That is all it took me to clean it!" She kicked some dirt from the ground.
"And no other was brave enough to set foot here in the last four years! This is what must be done, slaughter the dark wizards of today's generation so children will be too afraid of ever becoming a new one tomorrow!"
"Can you hear the weight of your own words? What if, by mistake, you bring harm to the innocent? Think of pure-bloods such as the Greengrass sisters, they are exposing themselves to great danger by openly supporting you!"
"Pff! They are the same as the Malfoys! On my side today because they believe I will turn out to be a more beneficial dark lord!"
"…!" Once again, he had no defense. He knew using the Greengrass sisters as an example wasn't the wisest choice, for he had read their minds and was aware they secretly hoped Tanya would step in as a ruler after vanquishing the current Dark Lord.
"I-I must ask, what of Hagrid's brother? His sole 'crime' is the fact he was born a giant!"
"Exactly! An entire kind driven by violence! If he decides to follow his comrades' example, we will have a powerful killer in Hogwarts' backyard!"
"Listen, there is no need for any action against Grawp. I have secured a cave for him in the mountains where he can reside in peace."
"This changes nothing-" They paused their argument, drawn to a sudden noise from behind them.
"Who is in there?!" Without hesitation, Tanya Potter fired a curse dangerously close to the newcomer's feet.
"Whoa! Don't shoot! It's just me!" Harry revealed himself, his hands raised.
"I didn't see you two and came out to check."
"What? Couldn't stand your two best friends flirting?"
"About that, Ron gave up on Hermione and went fast to save Fleur and…"
"Let me guess, she was so grateful she went full kissing mode making Hermione wish to murder her?"
"Kinda, Hermione sent a flock of birds right at them. Fleur handled it with ease, Ron on the other hand, ended up with yellow feathers all over him and… well, some other stuff."
"Those two didn't so much as begin dating and are already throwing shit at each other?!"
"Quite literally! Do you mind coming back and giving me a hand pulling them apart?"
"Why? Let them try to kill each other. Knowing those two, the most probable outcome is they start fucking."
"D-d-don't say that!"
Dumbledore let out a soft chuckle, the tension from his conversation with Tanya slowly melting away.
"Come on, Tanya! In both cases, I will have nightmares for the rest of my life-"
"Rest easy, Harry." Dumbledore intervened.
"I highly doubt Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley would harm one another, nor would they engage in any form of indecency in your presence."
His words seemed to soothe Harry somewhat, though the boy still appeared apprehensive.
"Harry, is there something you wish to ask me?"
"W-well… I can't stop wondering if… Voldemort read the prophecy inside my head." Before the old professor had a chance to speak, the answer escaped from the young girl's mouth.
"Professor Snape confirmed Voldemort was blocked by your shield." For a brief moment, he was on the verge of smiling, but then his expression darkened once more.
"And… err, did you get any news on Neville Longbottom?"
The headmaster flinched, the memory of Augusta Longbottom's visit two months ago resurfacing in his mind.
'Dumbledore! What is the meaning of this?! My grandson was never so miserable! All he does is apologize for not being his father as if I wanted him to be in the first place!'
"She was so furious I feared she might hex me!" Fortunately, they managed to talk it through, for Dumbledore harbored doubts about his ability to survive the wrath of a witch so powerful…
"Though Mr. Longbottom did go through a rather difficult period, I have no doubt he will find his footing once more, and be ready to return to school in due course."
"Will he…?"
"You ought to place a bit more trust in your friend. He is far stronger than most would imagine."
Dumbledore could sense the storm stirring within Harry didn't leave him. From the depths of his heart, he longed to offer more; however, time pressed heavily against him, and there were many matters that demanded his attention, among them, the one he had brought tonight.
"Harry, there is a matter of the utmost importance I must discuss with both you and your wife, which is why I have come."
With a subtle motion from Dumbledore, Harry seated himself next to Tanya, his gaze now directed towards the headmaster.
"Do you recall what I spoke of regarding your scar after the events in the Department of Mysteries?"
"Yes, that Voldemort could possess me because of the traces of the Horcrux left on me."
"I trust you remember what a Horcrux is?"
"I got the main idea. It's an object that makes someone immortal."
"Excellent! And I assume your wife has mentioned that, despite my deteriorating health, I devoted much of last year researching his Horcruxes?"
"Tanya told me some were destroyed, and that we have no idea how many more he might have hidden."
"Regarding that matter, I believe I may have uncovered a clue."
A few minutes later, Harry arrived in Budleigh Babberton with his wife and Dumbledore to persuade Slughorn to take over Umbridge's vacant position. More importantly, they sought to build a relationship that would eventually lead him to share crucial information about Voldemort's Horcruxes.
"Oh dear!" However, they seemed to have arrived too late. The house lay in disarray, ransacked and abandoned, with no sign of its resident.
"Professor, I reckon there was a fight and he was dragged off- ouch!" Harry rubbed his head where his wife had slapped him.
"Why have you done that?!"
"Because you are being stupid! Have you forgotten your ability again?!"
"I… am not sure how this could help…" He scanned the area for any signs anyway.
"Ah! That overstuffed armchair is overflowing with mana!"
"!" As if to confirm their suspicions, the furniture twitched.
"Alright, Horace. You may reveal yourself to us now. Though I do not possess the same unique talents as my two young companions, I assure you, I can detect your presence with little difficulty."
The three of them fixed their gaze unwaveringly on the trembling armchair, but he still refused to reveal himself.
"I don't have the entire night!" As was becoming increasingly common, Tanya lost her patience and started conjuring her most potent spell.
"H-hey, Tanya! No fiendfyre!"
"F-fiendfyre?!" Letting out a frightened yell, the armchair suddenly transformed into an enormously fat, bald old man dressed in lilac pajamas.
"Good grace, stop! Here I am! Satisfied?!"
"Good evening, Horace."
"Not the least! Have you any idea how much the Death Eaters have been bothering me?! What gave my disguise away?" Professor Dumbledore was glad to elucidate.
"As I have previously stated, first: my two companions possess a special ability to sense magical beings; and second: if the Death Eaters truthfully had come to call, the Dark Mark would have been set over the house."
"The Dark Mark! Knew there was something I had forgotten…" Next, they went about clearing and cleaning the house, during which the old Professor took great pains to insist he had no intention whatsoever of returning to the school.
"Ah, well, before we part ways, allow me the small pleasure of introducing my companions."
Dumbledore winked at the duo, since offering protection didn't work, he was revealing his final, most irresistible card.
"Harry, Tanya, this is an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn." Slughorn bowed his head in compliment.
"Horace, these are Mr and Mrs Harry Potter."
"Oho!" He appeared thoroughly amused, staring for a full minute at the nearly vanished bolt-shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Next, with the same excitement, he turned to Tanya.
"If you have grown tired of hearing it, my dear, do forgive me and indulge me this once… is it true? Are you, in fact, a princess?" Unsurprisingly, Tanya was quite insulted by the reminder of her dark ancestors.
"Of course not-" She stopped mid-sentence before sighing hard.
"Yeah… it's true."
"OHO! And what about being a goddess?!"
"Demigoddess! And that was only temporary!"
"OOOOHHHHHOOOO! A former goddess and a true pure-blood princess! This is so…! So incredible! How I wish I could have collected you!"
"'Collected'? What do you mean by collecting my wife?!" Worried this old, fat fella might be another rival, Harry quickly pulled Tanya close to him in a protective gesture.
"Ah, no, no, don't misunderstand! I would have been absolutely delighted to have you as well!"
"M-me too?!" Harry forgot his anger, completely creeped out.
"Horace, you are confusing the boy."
"Oh, well, perhaps I should show him my collection!" He picked up a small box, and when he opened it, the entire wall was filled with moving pictures.
"Do you recognize him?" At his pointing of one of the pictures, Harry shook his head.
"This is Dirk Cresswell! Today he is Head of the Goblin Liaison Office. He keeps me well informed in the goings-on at Gringotts!" Next, he pointed to a tall, dark-skinned witch.
"Gwenog Jones, who captains the Holyhead Harpies! She gets me free tickets whenever I want them!"
"Oh…" Harry was starting to piece it together: Professor Slughorn enjoyed collecting the most promising students from Hogwarts into a club, so he could later benefit in various ways.
"And I believe you recognize this one, don't you?" His sight fell on a redhead green-eyed witch.
"M-mum?"
"Yes, Lily Evans… I must admit, Harry… even though a teacher shouldn't have favorites, your mother was one of mine!"
Harry stared at the picture, a smile spreading across his face.
"She must be my age here… She's beautiful! And looks so happy!"
'One day, you shall need to choose between your life or the one you love the most!' His smile turned into a scowl at this painful memory.
"And I had the honor of being her favorite Professor- or rather, I was until that Tectrit woman came along!"
Harry shuddered recognizing the name.
"Can't reckon what your mother saw in that witch! There were so many nasty rumors about her!"
"Argh! Please, don't mention the t-threesome!"
"I tell you! She seduced poor Sirius Black, then your mother, then your father! What a scandal! Black was so furious with Potter that we all thought their friendship was over!"
"E-err… can we talk about something else?" He had a begging tone in his voice.
"L-like- w-who is she?!" He pointed to a random picture.
"Wendy Slinkhard, a great writer! You must have read at least one of her many best sellers!"
The boy couldn't remember the name, though, in truth, he rarely paid attention to the authors of the books he read.
"And close to her, is Ambrosius Flume, owner of Honeydukes! I can have all the sweets I want without having to pay!"
"This explains why he got so fat."
"And here is Andre Egwu, he was a Quidditch player for some time, thanks to my recommendation mind you! But he became known worldwide after his retirement as a most talented fashion designer!"
"Oh? Really…?" The old man was so excited that Harry began to think he might go on to introduce every single picture.
"Ah! I found Professor Snape's picture! Here in the corner!" Tanya beamed seeing her favorite teacher.
"Ah, the corners, yes, I tend to save those for the students who, shall we say, didn't quite rise to meet my expectations. Not the brightest cauldrons in the dungeon, I'm afraid."
"Are you implying Professor Snape… is a failure?!"
"To put it simply, yes."
""!"" Both Harry and Professor Dumbledore went pale as the former professor seemed oblivious to the fact he was playing with fire, or rather, fiendfyre.
"It's just, despite becoming a skilled potions master, he's earned quite the reputation for harassing his students! Can you believe the vulgar bully?"
"Professor, don't-"
"Take Barnabas Cuffe here. He is the editor of the Daily Prophet, an exceptionally talented chap. These days, he is reduced to a mere pawn of whoever sits on the chair of the minister for magic. He is still better than Severus, that overly unfair-"
"H-Horace, Mrs. Potter here considers Severus as a father figure!"
"She does? Oh, I am sorry, my dear if I- !" Any apology was pointless, Tanya's murderous glare conveyed that much to the three men.
"I-if this means so much for you I can place him closer to the center-"
"You can do whatever you please with your pictures! And I couldn't care less about your opinion of Professor Snape! If you fail to see his greatness, that's your problem!" Walking past Slughorn, she came to a stop before an empty frame.
"No, Professor, my problem with you is THIS picture!"
Harry, confused, leaned in closer. All he could make out was that the picture had been burned, with only tiny fragments remaining along the edges of the frame.
"O-oh? That is… well… I had an accident- it fell on my fireplace!"
It was a lie, Harry could read it in Slughorn's anxious face.
"Mrs Potter, please don't make Horace uncomfortable-"
"Spare me your schemes, Dumbledore! The plan fell apart the moment I spotted this frame in one of the 'places of honor'!"
"Eh? And who is supposed to go in there, Tanya?" With a grunt, Tanya drew her white wand and tapped the frame, making it glow with what Harry assumed to be a simple Repairing Charm.
"No! Wait!" They watched as the picture was restored, revealing a face Harry wished to never see again.
"… Tom Riddle?!" Harry spat with venom, and, like his wife, shot a glare at the professor.
"You have a picture of Voldemort? And next to Mum's?! HOW COULD YOU?!"
"P-please! Don't think bad of me! I don't share his views!"
"Avery, Lestrange, Nott… funny how for someone who doesn't share the pure blood views, you have so many of the first Death Eaters here!" Though Harry didn't recognize the names Tanya mentioned, he couldn't miss the face of Lucius Malfoy, prominently framed near the center.
"Please, Harry, Tanya…" Professor Dumbledore stepped in, making an effort to save their plan.
"It is as he… says. I can… attest Horace's… Horace's- ah!" Suddenly, the old professor wobbled, and the two teens swiftly caught him before he could topple over.
"Professor!"
"You shouldn't over-stress yourself!" Together, they guided Dumbledore to a chair, all under Slughorn's sharp gaze.
"What the Prophet had been saying about your declining health is true, isn't it?"
"… no, I am far worse."
"In other words, you can't protect anyone. Be it students or the staff of your school-"
"Okay, no more games!" Tanya snapped, advancing toward the former professor with a threatening air.
"Tell us what VOLDEMORT told you about HORCRUXES!"
"!" Slughorn staggered in shock, then sprang to his feet and, rather strangely, picked up an empty glass bowl.
"I-I am leaving! Don't follow me!"
"No, you are going nowhere." Tanya said as a matter of fact.
"Not before spilling the beans of how YOU helped turn Voldemort into an immortal!" The fear in his eyes as he faced Tanya was so intense, that Harry half-expected him to Disapparate on the spot. His wife was quicker, she summoned the one object he treasured enough to forsake his whole collection for it.
"NO! GIVE IT BACK!" Tanya paid no attention to his scream, offering a bemused glance as she studied the bowl.
"Why are you so worried? This isn't crystal-"
"BE CAREFUL TO NOT DROP IT! That is where I kept Francis!"
"?" His wife gave him a look, silently asking if he understood. All Harry could do was shake his head in response.
"It was… a fish… the fish Lily gave to me… the bowl is all I have left of her!" Choking back sobs, he explained how Harry's mother had transfigured a single flower petal into a fish and presented it to him.
"… one day, I found the bowl empty and I knew… that she was dead!" He lifted his head to meet Harry's gaze, and in his eyes, the boy saw the heavy burden of his guilt.
"I am sorry…! It wasn't my intention… to help him…"
"You…! YOU-" How Harry longed to be angry, to scream and blame the broken man before him… yet he knew it would be too hypocritical.
"Between the two of us, I hold most of the blame for Mum's death…"
"Better start talking, or I will smash this thing- hey!" Carefully, Harry took the bowl from Tanya's hands and returned it to the old man.
"Oh! Thank you!" He hugged it as if it was the most precious treasure in the world.
"I-I thought… if I pretended that conversation never happened… I… I…!"
"… could live with yourself and sleep peacefully. It's not so simple, believe me, I can tell."
"Tom… just like Lily… was my favorite… I couldn't believe- I mean, I know he committed so many atrocities, but in my memories, all I can see is that charming, clever boy!"
Again, Harry found himself sympathizing with him. More than once, he had tried to deceive himself, pretending he didn't hear Trelawney's prophecy about his mother dying for him… or tried to deny his part in Sirius' death, even blaming his wife for it.
"Sir, tell us what he said to you, about the horcrux. You will feel better, I promise."
"In his case, all he has to do is utter a few words to redeem himself, I am so jealous."
"H-he… asked me about the details… how to do it… and if it was possible to divide a soul into SEVEN pieces-"
"Seven?! Are you certain, Horace?!" Horace Slughorn responded with a meek nod of his head, and with a burst of newfound energy, Dumbledore sprang to his feet.
"Mrs Potter!"
"Give me a second to think… his diary, his grandfather's ring, Slytherin's pendant, Ravenclaw's diadem…!"
"The piece he intends to give to you and the one he must keep…!"
"SIX! We are one short! Are you sure the piece within Harry didn't count?!"
"I am afraid so…"
"Dammit!"
The excitement faded in a heartbeat, leaving Tanya and Professor Dumbledore in a heavy, somber silence.
"Err, by your reactions, I can surmise you managed to destroy some of his Horcruxes?" Seeing the heavy gloom on his wife and the headmaster, Harry felt compelled to take it upon himself to explain everything to the former Professor.
"I see! And there is one still uncounted…" Slughorn rested a hand on his chin, pondering deeply.
"Considering all the objects, the Ravenclaw diadem is quite the odd one out, isn't it? Every other one has a direct link to him." Tanya and Professor Dumbledore immediately turned their focus back to him at the remark.
"Perhaps, aside from Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem, he sought out another item from one of the other founders?"
"Yes… something from Gryffindor or HUFFLEPUFF!" In a rare display, Professor Dumbledore shouted.
"During my investigation into his past, I stumbled upon a memory where he reclaimed the Slytherin locket…" The headmaster briefly narrated Tom Riddle's connection with a witch named Hepzibah Smith.
"… and following her death, the Smith family discovered two treasures were missing: the locket, and a cup which once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff!"
"Brilliant! Now we only need to find out where-"
"I have a clue!" Mirroring Dumbledore earlier, Tanya let out a triumphant shout.
"Years ago, Narcissa Malfoy let slip that her sister had been given a golden cup for safekeeping!"
"There aren't many places Bellatrix Lestrange could have placed it. Either within the old Lestrange estate or perhaps securely hidden within her vault at Gringotts!"
"Hope it isn't in Gringotts. It would be a nightmare to break in…" Tanya and Dumbledore were already devising their next step with optimism despite anticipating complications.
"My dear Horace, you have the profound and sincere gratitude of all of Magical Britain!"
"I have?"
"You do, Professor! Mum would be proud!"
"Oh? Well, thank you for the kind words!"
"No, Professor Slughorn, it's you who deserves thanks! You were crucial in discovering the number of Horcruxes AND revealing the final one. I don't think I can express my full gratitude except by giving you a painless death."
"Please, you don't have- wait! WHAT?!" Slughorn wasn't alone in his shock.
"T-Tanya?! Y-you are joking, right?!"
"No, I am not. We can't risk Voldemort discovering we know about his last weakness. He might relocate the Horcrux to a place we can't trace!"
"Mrs. Potter! You can't genuinely believe Horace would betray us!"
"We could seal his lips, but not his mind, Voldemort could easily read this encounter through his memories."
"M-m-my goodness! Are you really thinking of killing me?!" Tanya's reply was to draw out her Devil of the Rhine wand.
"Sorry, it's nothing personal. As I said before, I'll make sure you don't feel a thing." Seeing the wand dangerously pointed at the former Professor, Harry was ready to spring into action.
"Mrs. Potter, might I suggest what I believe to be the solution to our problem?" Dumbledore leaned in and whispered to the girl for a couple of minutes. When he finished, she wore a contemplative expression.
"Very well, I agree." For a brief moment, Slughorn and Harry relaxed, their faces softening with relief, until Tanya struck the old man down with a spell.
"TANYA! WHAT THE HELL?!"
"He is alive, Harry! Your wife merely erased the last few minutes from his mind." True to his words, Harry saw that Horace Slughorn wasn't hurt.
"What… what is happening…?"
"It's alright, Horace, the disorientation you are experiencing will pass soon."
"Disorientation…? Why would- you! You obliviated me!"
"… not quite."
"If you think this will persuade me to return, you are absolutely-"
"… right! Our agreement included you returning to Hogwarts as an extra precaution. I've heard how in rare cases, a traumatic event can trigger the return of an erased memory."
"You can't expect me to comply with such blatant extortion!"
"Or I can have you permanently silenced with FIENDFYRE! Your choice!"
Slughorn flinched and shot a terrified glance at Dumbledore, who gave a quick, subtle nod, as though telling him to accept the proposal if he wanted to survive the night.
"All right, all right, I'll do it!"
"Wonderful-"
"Not so fast! I have some conditions! First, I want a pay raise! Second, a new office…"
Harry spent the next few days at the Burrow, often playing Quidditch with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all day, while Tanya sometimes watched in silence.
Regarding Ginny, Harry was relieved to find that by reuniting with his wife, any indecent thoughts about his friend's sister vanished entirely. And speaking of vanishing, this is what happened too with the strange way Ron and Hermione had been behaving.
"They are back to being just friends. Could Ginny have been wrong?" There was also the explanation Hermione was brokenhearted seeing Ron so happy receiving Fleur's kisses of gratitude… Whatever the case, Harry was relieved he and his wife were the only teens in the house getting intimate at night. Luckily for him, Tanya spent her days so deep in research on Voldemort that, by evening, she was more than eager to 'unwind'.
"Hehehe…!" And a small correction: Tanya didn't always watch their playing in silence, at times, she let out soft chuckles while observing them, with a strange, if not outright creepy, grin on her lips.
"O-oi! You don't reckon she's planning to k-kill us, do you?!" As usual, Ron was full of crazy ideas about Tanya, but after six years, they'd all stopped paying attention.
"Well, maybe not so crazy anymore…" When they returned to the Burrow that night, Dumbledore confided in Harry, expressing his concerns that Tanya might relapse into her soldier days, a period during which taking lives, including innocent ones, had become second nature to her.
'You must not forget how, for a long period, that was the only reality she knew. Once the act of killing becomes a part of one's life, it inevitably becomes the answer to every problem.' Still, this was a problem that could be easily fixed once peace returned.
"… if peace returns to her heart as well." It was possible that, with each single life Tanya took, she was inching closer to the edge of madness.
'I will never find forgiveness, I am condemned to relive those horrendous days for the rest of my days!' Tanya had said those painful words to Dumbledore, and Harry feared he would end up watching his wife spend her days drowning in sorrow over the lives she had taken.
Harry knew what needed to be done: Tanya had to stop killing. Yet, he wasn't naive to think they could win the war without someone on their side getting their hands bloody.
"No, not simply someone, it should be ME…!" As the husband, it was his responsibility to share her burdens, his duty to protect her.
"… if I weren't such a lousy, COWARDLY excuse for a husband!" Harry couldn't brace himself. He couldn't cope with the mere reports of disappearances, peculiar 'accidents,' and deaths, like the one in the newspaper right before him.
'… the headless body recently found has been confirmed to be of Igor Karkaroff, the former headmaster of Durmstrang Institute. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding his brutal death.'
Despite not even being fond of Karkaroff, the news hit him almost as hard as Florean Fortescue's, the kindly shopkeeper who used to give him free ice cream in Diagon Alley.
It got to a point where Harry and his friends dreaded running into Bill, Mr. Weasley, Tonks, or Remus, as they always brought news of the latest deaths before the Daily Prophet had the chance to report.
"I can't bear deaths caused by others, how am I supposed to be the one doing the killing?!" As he was starting to move past the loss of his godfather, Harry soon found another reason to wallow in misery all day long… until, in the final week of their summer break, he received a ray of good news: a quidditch captain's badge.
"I… I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I AM THE CAPTAIN!" Gone was the boy with his head hung low, replaced by a cheerful bloke skipping around, grinning from ear to ear.
"HURRAH! I've got to tell everyone!" Brimming with happiness, he hurried to his room to tell Tanya, eager for her to be the first to know.
"Tanya, there you are! Listen, I am the new-"
"YES! OH, YES!" She didn't hear him, too caught up in her excitement as she bounced with joy over a letter.
"Huh? What could have made her so happy?" He hadn't planned to approach her so quietly, it just happened. And, by chance, he also saw the words that brought her so much joy.
'My beloved Pixie,
Our love is flourishing, moving steadily in the direction it was always meant to.
I have prepared two sacred spaces where our hearts can entwine in private, away from the world.
Forever yours,
The Half-Blood Prince'
"Huhuhu! The two mansions are ready! I think I won't be going back to Hogwarts- Harry? I didn't see you there."
"… Tanya… about that letter…"
"Ah! You are right! I must send him a reply! Excuse me!" Whistling cheerfully, Tanya strode off to find an owl, leaving her husband frozen in shock.
"… love is flourishing?!" He spent hours, maybe more, staring at nothing, trying to make heads and tails of what he had read.
"… spaces where our hearts can entwine… the Half-blood Prince?!" Putting everything together, a single explanation stood out: TANYA HAD A LOVER.
"No! This is an absurd, without any doubt, a misunderstanding! Why would Tanya-"
'I am so disappointed with you…!' He recalled her words after he failed to kill Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Did… the disappointment broke her heart… and she sought comfort with another?!"
Suddenly, the surroundings around Harry grew faint, twisting and distorting until a completely new scene emerged.
"Ah? Tanya?" Before him sat his wife at a bar, drowning her troubles in drink.
"Ohhh! Poor me! Stuck with a worthless husband (except during love-making)…"
'That gives you equal status with prefects! You can use our special bathroom…!'
"Sniffle! He won't share my burden, won't dirty his hands… I'm left to kill all alone…" Harry noticed that no matter how much she drank, her cup never emptied, it was constantly refilled by her own tears.
"At this rate, I'll be plagued by nightmares of the innocent lives I take for the rest of my days! Sob!"
'Wow, I remember Charlie wearing one of these…'
"Scoundrel! He lied when he claimed to love me… sniffle!"
"Fair maiden, why do you weep?" Tanya stopped drinking her tears to glance at a handsome bloke with striking eyes, golden hair, and a charming smile, dressed in regal attire.
'I don't suppose we can put off a trip to Diagon Alley much longer…'
"Could you be afflicted with a thoughtless and selfish husband who won't do what it takes to make you happy (except during love-making)?"
"Oh, yes! Sob! My good-for-nothing husband (except during love-making) only cares about playing quidditch and flirting with his best friend's big-boobed sister! Sob!"
'It's good Dad can get us these…'
"I comprehend, my lady. My heart aches for your suffering; perhaps a small gift will bring you some comfort." Tanya's face lit up with a bright smile as she received a box containing the severed head of Igor Karkaroff.
"Ohhhh! I've always dreamed of being presented with the cut-off head of a Death Eater! How did you know?"
'Harry! Tanya! It's jus' like old times, innit? See, the Ministry wanted ter send a bunch o' Aurors, Dumbledore said I'd do…'
"Any sensible gentleman would recognize that a cute and graceful lady deserves to be pampered with the blood and pieces of her enemies."
"Yes, anyone except that useless good-for-nothing spineless lazy pathetic whimpering skirt-chaser worthless (except during love-making) husband of mine! I am definitely leaving him!"
'This right sleeve could come down a little bit more, dear…'
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the pure-blood princess Tanya PotterVon Degurechaff of the Degretschow royal family. And who might you be, kind sir?"
"Forgive me if this comes off as presumptuous, I am your true soulmate, the Half-Blood Prince! I fell madly in love the moment I laid eyes on your highness!"
'U-No-Poo?! They'll be murdered in their beds…'
"Blush! I've fallen for you too, my beloved charming prince! At last, a man who truly understands and cherishes me! But… regarding love-making, can you satisfy me the same way my future ex-husband does?"
"Let's find out!" The bloke took off his clothes quicker than Harry ever did.
"OOOOHHHH! Look at those muscles! And… WOW… you are bigger than Harry and it is-"
"… most extraordinary!" As if he'd been inside a bubble, the entire scenery popped away with Hermione's exclamation.
"What the… where am I?!" Though his memories were hazy, he managed, with some effort, to piece a few fragments together, he remembered Ron and Hermione complimenting him, next Mrs. Weasley mentioning a trip to Diagon Alley for their supplies. After that, he was in a car, Hagrid appeared at some point, they went to Madam Malkin's, and finally, they ended up at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Fred and George's store.
"Hermione, what were you saying? Were you calling some… THING 'extraordinary'?!"
"Yes, this 'Patented Daydream Charms', it's a very extraordinary magic!"
"Eh? 'One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream'- no thank you, I just found out I can daydream by myself…"
"No, really! That was some intense stuff! How many hours have I been out?"
"You alright, Harry? For days you had been with a vacant expression and minor drooling, somewhat akin to the side-effects of this spell. We were starting to get worried with you."
"Sorry, I was- did you say DAYS?! I was out for that long?!" In retrospect, the shock of finding out your wife is trading love letters with another could have such an effect.
"Right! I didn't clarify that! Where is Tanya?!"
"She is over there- huh? Why does she have the same expression you've had these past few days?"
With his legs shaking, he stepped toward his wife, determined to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Yep! It was a misunderstanding! No way it wasn't a misunderstanding! IT HAS TO BE A MISUNDERSTANDING!"
"Tanya, about that letter you-"
"Shush! Did you hear?!"
"Hear what, Tanya?"
"Pay attention- there!" Harry did hear a ringing noise.
"Isn't that the sound of the cash register?" Hermione assumed.
"Impossible! The sound kept going on, never stopping! This would mean they are-"
"Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley, I can't put more money in it." Drawn by the ringing sound, they reached the counter and saw a witch named Verity, her hands full of galleons, struggling to shut the cash register.
"Dammit! George! The register won't close! It's too full of gold!"
"Again?! Come on, Fred! I already made two trips to Gringots! We need a charmed cash register or a bigger one!" The two were engrossed in their discussion, unaware of Tanya gaping at them.
"They are rich?! SERIOUSLY?!"
"H-hey? Careful!" Fearing she might collapse seeing her legs wobbling, Harry rushed to catch Tanya.
"Harry… sorry for not believing when you told me they were 'raking in the Galleons'."
"You alright?!"
"How could I be? They are rolling in money! And I freed their debt to me with a single piece of… of…!" The twins had told her they'd make it big, and Harry always believed they would.
"Could this be a sign of a bigger problem? Am I losing my grip on my capitalist instincts?! Sob!"
"!" Harry's heart raced at this rare sight.
"Is it wrong to enjoy seeing her so fragile and adorable? An unforgettable sight- unforgettable? Am I forgetting something…?" He shrugged it off, content to have the cutest girl in the world in his arms.
"Did Tanya get all upset about turning down Fred and George's partnership?" Tanya shot Ron a glare, sulking with tears brimming in her eyes.
"If it were me, I'd feel I'd killed the Occamy that laid golden eggs." This sent a jolt through the girl in Harry's arms, as if she had been stabbed, her strength draining away, leaving her unable to even glare.
""Harry, Tanya!"" The twins caught sight of them.
""Wanna a tour?""
"…" In his arms, Tanya gave a silent nod.
"First, here are some muggle magic tricks."
"For freaks like Dad, who loves Muggle stuff…"
"I see, cool…" As with Ginny, Harry couldn't pay attention while the twins went on about the fortune they were making from various businesses besides the jokes, too entranced by his cutely sulking wife.
"Now, this is the sort of daydream I wanna be trapped into for days- there is definitely something I'm forgetting!"
"… and here, with WonderWitch products…"
"… we finish the tour!" The two said excitedly.
"Aren't those love potions?!"
"You insult us, Hermione!"
"Those aren't your average love potion, but the finest range of love potions you'll find anywhere!" The mention of love potions made Harry recall his first kiss with Tanya and how they had nearly shared their first time a year earlier.
"… I can't take anymore!"
"Err, Tanya?" His wife turned her tear-filled eyes to him.
"She won't accept…!"
"H-how about we rent a room in the Three Broomsticks and… well, spend the rest of the afternoon just making love?" He murmured softly in her ear.
"… fine. Maybe a little exercise will improve my mood."
"It was worth the shot- SHE SAID YES?!"
"Fred, George, we are leaving! How much do I owe you, fellas?"
"Nothing, you didn't buy anything…"
"… and the tour was free."
"Then if you excuse us, see ya!" Full of excitement, Harry took his wife's hand and made for the exit.
"Hehehe! We've got a pretty good idea where you're sneaking off to!"
"And an even better idea of what you're planning to do once you get there!"
"So! Before you dash off on your romantic little mission, take this!" In Tanya's hands, they placed a vial containing the 'finest' love potion.
"A little something from the shop you so cruelly rejected, guaranteed to keep the love flowing!"
As the twins chuckled at their joke, Tanya said nothing, fixated on the object, and a sense of hopelessness crept over Harry and his friends.
"GAH! Are you two suicidal?!" Ron shrieked.
"F-Fred… G-George… Tanya absolutely HATES love potions!" Hermione was shaking so badly that she couldn't bring herself to run.
""She does? Why?""
"It was an incident from some years ago- eek!" Harry could sense Tanya's rage burning in his arms, so intense the vial in her hands cracked from the sheer heat of her fury.
"F-Fred, we may have made a terrible mistake!"
"George, I regret nothing! If I die, I will die a fabulously happy, free, funny, and filthy rich man!"
"Grrr!" Tanya leaped from his arms, her eyes darting from the twins to Harry, then to Ron, and finally to Hermione, each glare sharper than the last.
"… hehehe!" And, as on countless occasions, she started to giggle, her gaze fixed on nothing, as if in a trance.
Having experienced an intense daydream himself, Harry could immediately recognize when someone else was going through the same thing.
"W-with this much killing intent, I am starting to think Ron may be onto something!"
"Ah?" She blinked, abruptly snapping out of her trance.
"No, I couldn't allow myself to destroy a prospering symbol of capitalism…" Tanya shifted her gaze to the twins, approaching them slowly with measured steps.
"P-princess…! I-it was a joke!"
"W-we didn't know you couldn't stand a-"
"A small piece of advice, don't sell love potions. They will eventually give you more trouble than they are worth." She kept walking, past them, towards the exit.
"I am going outside for some fresh air… and maybe kill someone to improve my humor." Seeing her leave without the store blowing up, five people breathed a sigh of relief.
"""""HOLD ON! 'KILL SOMEONE'?"""""
"S-s-she was joking…! Hahaha… right? RIGHT?!" To Hermione's question, Ron had only one response.
"The blond acromantula never jokes!"
"W-w-what are we waiting for?! Let's go, quick!" Unfortunately, once they were outside, Tanya was nowhere to be seen.
"In what direction she went?!"
"Do you see any trail of bodies for us to follow?!"
"Feh!" Harry let out a smug smile.
"This time I didn't forget!" Activating his tracking skill, Harry scanned for his wife's signal, but even with the small number of people around, isolating just one presence was no easy task.
"Huh?" Unexpectedly, he picked up the signature of someone else he was very familiar with.
"Come on, you lot! This way!" Hurriedly, they followed the signal, straight into Knockturn Alley.
"Evidently! The most obvious place for Tanya to kill dark wizards!"
"We're not after Tanya."
"No? Then who?"
"Malfoy!" They came to a stop in front of Borgin and Burkes, where Draco's signature had led them.
"Oi! Why are we following that prat-"
"AAAAHHHHH!" Malfoy came out, stumbling, his face contorted in fear. He didn't see Harry and his friends, running desperately as if the devil was in his trail.
Compelled by curiosity, the trio stepped into the store, immediately regretting it upon finding Mr. Borgin's mutilated body.
"Good grace! You think Malfoy killed him?!"
"No, Hermione… she did." Ron pointed at a young blonde girl across the store, her gaze fixed on a black cupboard, seemingly lost in thought.
"Tanya! Did you kill- !" Hermione gasped in horror as her foot landed on a second body.
"Tanya…! YOU KILLED THOSE TWO MEN?!" Hearing this angry outburst, made Tanya calmly turn her head.
"What? Of course I didn't…!"
"No? Whew-"
"I killed THREE people." Noticing the severed limbs and pieces of flesh at her feet, they simultaneously facepalmed in disbelief.
"Please, Tanya! My dear friend…! Tell me this isn't how you always 'improve your humor'!" Hermione begged her.
"Aff! Can't you get a joke? I killed them because Borgin was planning to sell this Vanishing Cabinet to those Death Eaters and Malfoy."
""Vanishing Cabinet?"" Harry and Ron turned to Hermione, the self-proclaimed know-it-all.
"It is a magic passage, anything or anyone who enters it, will reappear instantly in the other pair, it doesn't matter how far they are from each other."
"Good answer! Now, can you guess where the other pair is?"
"Maybe… the ministry of magic?"
Tanya shook her head.
"Oh, Merlin! It goes to our school, doesn't it?!" Tanya nodded her head.
"Imagine being woken up one night by screams, as dozens of Death Eaters storm in and kill everyone around you."
Harry felt a cold shiver run down his spine at the thought, with Ron and Hermione visibly shaken by it as well.
"Seeing Draco Malfoy sneaking to this place, I immediately knew he was up to no good…" With a Disillusionment Charm so powerful it masked even her aura, Tanya followed Draco and overheard him making plans to repair the cabinet at Hogwarts to launch an invasion of their school.
"Sheesh! We are so lucky Borgin didn't sell this thing years earlier!" With a swift slash of her wand, the cabinet split in half.
"This proves my point: we can't afford to leave a single enemy unchecked!" She conjured a dragon of fiendfyre, which devoured the remains of the cabinet.
"Voldemort's death wouldn't be enough! Oh, no!" She summoned another dragon, its flames sweeping across the ceiling in a blaze.
"Only when the last vestige of his ideals have disappeared from people's hearts, only when the last spark of fire is put out…" Another dragon roared to life, setting the walls alight in a furious inferno.
"… we shall have peace!" The heat grew unbearable, forcing them all to flee the store.
"Cough! Cough! B-bloody hell, Tanya! Did you have to burn the entire place?!"
"We can't risk more of these artifacts being used-" Harry could tell Tanya sensed it a fraction of a second before they Apparated, drawn by the fire, half a dozen Aurors had them surrounded.
"What are you kids doing- GAH!" The first Auror to approach them for questioning happened to be Dawlish, the same bloke Tanya had kicked in the arse a few months prior.
"A-acromantula girl!"
"I-it's the eleventh goddess!"
"… the dark princess!"
"The legendary Master of Death!"
None of the other Aurors dared to come as close as Dawlish; they stood back, trembling and murmuring among themselves.
"Ahh… look at the brave bunch of protectors our tax money pays for."
"Uh-uh!" It seemed Dawlish took Tanya's words as a challenge. With shaky legs, and his face twisted into a scowl in a vain attempt to mask his fear, he stepped forward.
"TANYA POTTER-" Tanya locked eyes with Dawlish, and his glare (as much as his bravado) disappeared immediately.
"Ahem, I mean, your Highness, the minister for magic will want to speak with you- !" A single raised eyebrow made the man flinch.
"I-if i-it i-is a-alright w-with y-you, o-of c-course!" Without a word, she pulled out her red wand.
"EEK! PLEASE SPARE MY-"
"Fine, just let me do something first." That said, Tanya moved to the nearest wall and started carving words into it.
"And… there! We can go now!"
""""""""""!"""""""""" Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the aurors stood stunned, their eyes wide and mouths agape at what she had written in big letters.
'TOM 'VOLDEMORT' RIDDLE IS DEAD'
"And don't any of you dare to try to erase my declaration of WAR!"
Rufus Scrimgeour's triumphant grin stretched wide as he apparated in the vicinity of Arthur Weasley's home. At last, he had the perfect pretext to approach the Potters, on his own terms and without Dumbledore interfering.
"The only way my luck could be better is if I'd slain Voldemort myself!"
"Err, minister." Beside him, Percy Weasley clearly didn't share the enthusiasm.
"Please, isn't there any way I can convince you against this meeting?! I will repeat to you what I said to Mr Fudge: Tanya Potter is really dangerous!"
Despite Fudge himself having given him similar advice, Scrimgeour dismissed it completely.
"Be at ease, Weasley. I am far different from Fudge." For one, he knows how powerful the Potters are, both in magic and politics.
"Secondly, unlike that pea-brained Fudge, I won't antagonize them, instead, I will give them an offer they can't refuse!"
"And if you are scared, just stay behind me, I will protect you."
"Because, thirdly, I am strong! As should be the wizard at the top of Magical Britain!"
"… doubt it…" Normally, such a comment would have infuriated him, but not today. Nothing could dampen his spirits, as Rufus Scrimgeour was certain he was on the verge of gaining two new assets.
Upon reaching the main entrance, he nodded at the two Aurors stationed there.
"Are the Potters alone?"
"No, sir! As you instructed, some of our best are watching them!"
"What about the Weasleys and their friends?"
"They are still in Diagon Alley, sir!"
"Excellent!" There wouldn't be anyone who could disturb the meeting.
"Excuse my… intrusion?" As he entered, he was momentarily dumbfounded by the sight. Tanya and Harry Potter sat relaxed, while his Aurors were tense, as though watching over two dangerous criminals, except for Dawlish, who was leisurely serving tea.
"Minister!"
"You are here at last!"
"Oh! You have no idea how relieved we are!"
"Dawlish… whats with the apron?!" The man looked down, a flush of embarrassment crossing his face.
"Don't mind it, Mr Scrimgeour. I was the one who asked him to do it." Tanya Potter told him, taking a sip of the tea next.
"Ah! This is delicious, Mr Dawlish! You should reconsider your choice of career!"
"T-thank you, my princess! Your words honor me!"
"…" This unexpected turn of events left Rufus Scrimgeour so baffled he was at a loss for words. With a quick glance, Tanya Potter appeared to sense his discomfort.
"I believe the minister wants to speak alone with us, you gentlemen have my permission to leave."
"""YES, MA'AM!""" They rushed out, quicker than if they had disapparated, as though a Dementor were on their heels.
"Where are you-"
"Mr. Scrimgeour, have a seat. I'll grant your request to speak with us." He blinked, taken aback by the girl's audacity in attempting to give orders to his men. Nonetheless, he suppressed his anger and took a seat across from the couple, his secretary standing by his side, visibly shaking with nerves.
"Percy, you are not welcome here, leave before I force you out."
"Gulp!" Already terrified, his secretary tried to flee as quickly as the Aurors.
"Weasley, stay where you are!" The minister realized he had to establish some limits.
"Young lady, you have no authority-"
"AAAARRRGGGHHHHHH!" A spell hit Weasley, blasting him out of the house like a cannonball.
"Eh…?"
"Percy!"
Both Scrimgeour and the Potter boy sprang to their feet and hurried to the door. Outside, his secretary had slammed into a tree before shakily rising back to his feet.
"Whew! Percy doesn't seem too hurt!"
"…" Rufus Scrimgeour, on his part, found no relief, he soon noticed that all the Aurors he had left outside were gone, most likely having fled in terror.
"Tanya! Percy could've been seriously hurt! Think of Ron and the Weasleys!"
"Humpf! I won't apologize for not taking kindly to traitors!"
This small outburst of anger triggered all sorts of alarms in his head.
'Don't cross the princess's path or she will ruin you in the same manner she did to me!' Fudge's warning resurfaced in his mind once more.
"M-maybe, the best strategy would be to simply ignore those two-" He shook his head recomposing himself.
"No! I am close to fulfilling my objectives! There is no way I can stop now!" Returning to his seat, he was determined to turn this around, to show them who was the boss.
"Mr and Mrs Potter…" He started with formalities, introducing himself, then outlining what he knew about the couple, and finally intimidating them by bringing up their recent murder of Borgin.
"W-we don't know what you are talking about!" Whereas Harry Potter took the bait, the girl merely shrugged it off.
"If you ask your Aurors, they'll confirm they never saw who killed Borgin or who destroyed his shop." Was her calm reply.
"In truth, if you want a better suspect, we saw the son of Lucius Malfoy fleeing from the scene, right Harry?"
"Y-yeah!"
"Well, I knew it wouldn't be so simple."
"You misunderstood me, Mrs Potter, it wasn't my intention to accuse you two of being murderers…" He smiled.
"And neither having someone impersonate the Minister… or posing as a teacher whilst both were being held illegally…" Once again, Harry Potter tensed up, meanwhile, his wife merely snorted.
"If all you have to tell me, Minister, is what you won't do, this conversation is pointless."
"Fair enough, Mrs. Potter- no, Your Highness! Honestly, some believe you are mere puppets of Dumbledore…"
He caught a flicker of anger on her face; evidently, the very idea had offended her.
"… meeting you, I understand how mistaken they were. They should know better, royalty isn't supposed to bow to anyone after all. Which brings me to the reason I wanted to meet you…" As the couple took in the proposal, Scrimgeour was pleased to see a surprise flash across Tanya Potter's face for the first time.
"You wanna make Tanya the QUEEN of Magical Britain?!"
"And naturally, you'd be king, unless you prefer something else. I heard you want to become an Auror to protect your wife. How about it? With all your achievements and my recommendation, it could be easily arranged."
Harry Potter parted his lips to speak, but his wife signaled him to hold back.
"What if I told you I have no royal blood? That I'm Muggle-born and the whole story is a lie?"
"It wouldn't matter, too many people take it as a true fact." This had one of her eyes twitching in either anger or annoyance.
"I won't ever get rid of this 'magical princess' nonsense, will I?! Fucking… mumble!"
"Did I hear her mutter a curse at a poltergeist?!"
"A-anyway, Harry! Tell me what you think. Should we agree?"
"Huhuhu! Yes, agree! Children should always listen to their-"
"Pff! You are joking, right?! Of course not!"
"… elders?!"
"You don't wanna become a ruler, and I don't want to be an auror by 'recommendation'!" The cheeky brat had the gall to glare at him with disdain.
"Besides, I doubt they would truly make you a queen! This is a trap to keep us at the ministry!"
"Curses! Sharp boy!"
"If you are suspicious of me, I can arrange all the proper documents-"
"Please, don't insult my intelligence. Even my husband, as dense as he can be, can see through your true intentions." It was the arrogant princess's turn to show him disdain by flicking her hand at him.
"To make me a figurehead, with you wielding the real power- oh, and the Minister for Magic would become a lifelong position, right? Sorry, I don't appreciate being anyone's pawn."
"If all we do is sit back and agree with everything, we're no different from mascots!"
"Well said, Harry. And an important detail about mascots is that they usually don't live much." She let out a small chuckle.
"And, as you saw for yourself, your men already are at my every beck and call. Why should I risk the sword of Damocles?"
Rufus Scrimgeour furrowed his brow, realizing he had lost them both.
"By your words, I can assume you intend to follow Dumbledore's example and disassociate completely from the ministry?"
"Well, duh! This is kind of obvious." The way she looked down on him was as if he was beneath a house-elf.
"You know, after I dealt with Fudge, I had great hopes hearing a warrior had been nominated minister…" Then her expression deepened, now, he felt he had been downgraded to less than a Doxy.
"You are a blade that lost its sharpness and shine, becoming a petty politician fighting for scraps no different from all the others, what an utter shame."
"…!" That last comment made Rufus Scringeour's patience snap in an explosive burst.
"I AM SHOWING THESE KIDS THEIR PLACE!"
"Enough! I'm done playing nice! By the authority of the Ministry of Magic, I'm placing you both under protective arrest!"
"No, you are not. Harry, if you please?"
"Humpf! Resistance is useless! I surpass your husband in all aspects, save for youth and-"
"Speed?" It had happened in the blink of an eye, one moment, Harry Potter was at his wife's side; the next, he was behind Scrimgeour.
"I… can't move!" Not with what was unmistakably the tip of the boy's wand pressed at the back of his head.
"'The powerful Minister for Magic, slain by two teenagers', not the kind of OBITUARY I'd choose for myself, Mr. Scrimgeour."
"N-no! I can't die like this!" He grits his teeth, cold sweat forming as a mix of anger and fear coursed through him.
"Say the word, and it will be done, Tanya!"
"Harry…"
His body trembled uncontrollably, as if Death itself lingered nearby, awaiting a single gesture from the girl before him.
"… let him go."
"You sure?"
"This man, despite being WEAK, will provide a good distraction to Voldemort for a while." In another blink of an eye, Harry Potter was back at his wife's side.
He collapsed to his knees, overwhelmed by the crushing relief of having narrowly escaped death.
"Go home, minister. Enjoy the last days of your life."
With shaky legs, he hurried out of the house, his fear gradually hardening into fury with each step.
"F-FUCKING BRATS! How dare they play me as a fool??!" How he longed to return with the full force of the Auror Office behind him. However, numbers wouldn't change a thing, not when his men had already crumbled before the couple. And with their powerful sympathizers in the Wizengamot, any action would turn against him. As much as it burned, Scrimgeour had no choice except to swallow this humiliation for today.
"I can't shake the possibility of a prophecy favoring Potter against the dark lord but as soon as he is no more, so will be those two!"
"… forgive me! I admit I didn't- ah?" Waking in his bed surrounded by darkness instead of bright flames made Harry realize it had all been a dream.
"Scrimgeour returned with all the aurors of the country to arrest Tanya… only to be mercilessly burned to death with fiendfyre!" And that wasn't the worst part.
"The flames spread and engulfed the Burrow, with all our friends inside!"
'Why, Harry? Why didn't you kill Scrimgeour when you had the chance?!'
'Y-you said to let him go!'
'LIAR! You wouldn't have done it anyway! You COWARD!'
"… and I woke up." Relief washed over him, everything had been merely a dream. Still, the final part left him uneasy, it was too close to the truth for comfort.
'Say the word, and it will be done, Tanya!' That was a bluff. Honestly, Harry felt he already despised the new Minister as much as Malfoy and Snape. Nevertheless, he doubted he could shoot an unarmed man in the back, even if Tanya ordered him to.
"Uhhh! Dream or reality, I am so useless! I imagine the next part of the dream was of Tanya leaving me for good-" He reached out to pull his wife closer for reassurance…
"Tanya? Did she go to the loo? Or maybe to drink water?" Those were the most probable explanations, yet the awful dream left him panicking.
"C-come on! It wasn't as if I had some sort of half-prophetic dream! T-there is no way she abandoned me in the middle of the night… right?!" He tried to stay in bed and wait for her return, but his nerves got the better of him. He threw off the covers and went looking for her.
"… this will have any car flying like my old Ford Anglia."
"Can it work in something bigger?" He let out a breath of relief upon hearing her voice from the kitchen. As he headed downstairs, he quietly observed, unnoticed, as she chatted with Mr. Weasley and someone else.
"Mundungus Fletcher?" That was unusual. From what Harry knew, the short wizard wasn't close to the Weasley family, certainly not enough for a late-night visit.
"I believe yes, except for the Invisibility Booster."
"Thank you. I will keep it in mind…"
"Is Tanya planning on getting a flying car?" This puzzled the boy; certainly, his wife did not need a car while at school.
"A-and about what you asked of me, I… I…!"
"You are concerned about Percy." Nervously, the old man nodded his head.
"If he is the 'good boy' you think of him, he will be fine, else…"
"I-I am sure he will come back to his senses!"
"Why is Mr Weasley so nervous?"
"Arthur, maybe I should ask someone else. Kingsley or Moody could-"
"No! Kingsley must protect the muggle prime minister! And you said how you don't trust the dementors without supervision." With his face showing resignation, he stood up.
"It has to be me! After my promotion, I am in the right place!"
"So be it, here." Tanya took out a sheet of paper and handed it to him.
"I had Kingsley pose as Fudge just to compile this list. These are your targets." With shaken hands he took it.
"'Targets'?! W-what sort of job is Mr Weasley doing for her?!"
"And now, Mundungus Fletcher."
"Y-yes, lass?"
"Check out this picture."
"A GOLD cup, eh? Think it's expensive?"
"It doesn't matter. You are going to the Lestranges' old house to search for this cup or their vault's key."
"What about the house defenses? Those old pureblood lots got some proper nasty ones ready to tear ya apart!"
"Don't worry, I had Narcissa Malfoy disable them."
"But… er, have ya seen the size o' that house?! Bet they got their best stuff stashed in all sorts o' magic hidey-holes! Goin' through it all could take bleedin' years!"
"All I ask is for you to work for your salary."
"OI! You an' Dumbledore ain't payin' me a single Knut!"
"Except for the cup and their vault key, you can help yourself to any other treasure you may find."
"… a whole house stuffed with valuables, and I can have the lot?!" Mundungus' face lit up in an instant.
"A'right, lass. I'll put some o' me finest talents as a purveyor to work-"
"You're a thief, Mundungus Fletcher! And I heard what you've been doing with the results of my training!" Faced with her outburst, Mundungus cowered, appearing smaller than ever.
"Luckily for you, I require a thief. I can't search the house myself, my task will keep me too busy…"
"A task?"
"Wha' d'you mean, lass? Ain't ya headin' back to school with the rest o' the lot?"
"Believe me, for the first time ever, nothing would make me happier."
"W-what?!"
"I was really looking forward to 'playing' with the Slytherins…"
"Tanya isn't coming back with me?!"
"Well, it can't be helped! I can't sit around at Hogwarts while Voldemort grows stronger."
"She is going… going somewhere far away… a place I can't follow! No! I am not letting her-"
"Frankly, things would be different if I had a single capable helper…"
"!" It felt as though a knife had pierced his heart. Harry couldn't bear to hear anymore, he clapped his hands over his ears and shut his eyes.
"No…! I am losing her… I can't… I don't wanna-"
"Harry." He wasn't sure how long he stood there, squeaking like a fool until his wife found him.
"Come with me back to bed." She took his hand, and without a word, he let her lead him back to their room. Once inside, she closed the door, turned to face him, and began undressing.
"Let's have sex." She pulled his hands to her warm body. Still, this once, he wanted to pull away, aware that accepting her touch would seal their farewell.
"You are leaving me, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Why?!"
"You know the answer."
"T-then, why… WHY CAN'T I GO WITH YOU?! IT'S ME WHO MUST KILL VOLDEMORT!"
"You know that answer too."
"Because… because I can't kill a fly- mmmppphhh!" Tanya's kiss came with unusual intensity; within seconds, Harry was caught up in the heat, in the sound of her moaning against his ear…
The next morning, waking alone, Harry could only cry, frustrated and heartbroken, fully aware the emptiness beside him wouldn't be filled anytime soon.
AN: I don't think I've mentioned before, but Tanya won't appear much in this arc. In fact, she won't show up at all in the next chapter.
The bit where Lily Evans transfigures a fish for Slughorn is from the movies only, but I found the scene so touching that I had to include it. Also, let's be honest, for someone who insisted Harry do everything in his power to get the truth out of Slughorn, Dumbledore wasn't exactly eager to get his own hands dirty. Realistically, a single threat from a wizard of Dumbledore's level, and Slughorn would've spilled the truth the night they met. Of course, if that had happened, an entire book would be pointless!
I'm also not entirely happy with how I portrayed Rufus Scrimgeour. I don't know, I feel like he could've made a better villain…
Oh, and behold! The countdown has begun towards the finale! Only ten chapters left until it concludes!
Next chapter: While Harry gives in to the charms of Fleur and McGonagall (Wait, McGonagall?!), Tanya and Ron's affair is exposed (What?!).