Chapter 23: ripples
The rest of the day was passed as a family gathering for the Granger's and Longbottom's. Frank, Neville's father, has been more than displeased <ith the treatment of his mother to his son, angry even. The problem was that he was still too weak to retake the rein of Longbottom House from his mother, and was thinking she would claim impostor, after all, they didn't have been abducted by Orion from the hospital.
The response came from the same young man. Knowing the past ties between Potter and Longbottom, he offers them sanctuary in retaking vows between the House. In doing so, the Longbottom would come under Orion protection and separate the old family from the British lands. It wasn't a decision that could be rushed and was spoken between them.
At the end of the day, Frank accepted. The Longbottom Lordship would fall in Neville's hand with his parent as regent. They would enter Orion protection and separate from the British government. In doing so, Neville would be able to cast out his grandmother for her past behaviour that had threatened the extinction of the Longbottom line.
What more important was that Longbottom's and Potter's share adjacent ground in the island. By uniting the family magic under the dynasty one, they would possess a true stronghold on the grounds, one able to house a large community.
During the same day, Orion receives a letter, from Gringotts, informing him that he had conquered the Lestrange line and a decision needs to be taken.
##################################
The following day thus sees the two Family apparate to the Alley and walk to Gringotts. As their now richest client, Orion and is group seen themselves accoasted by a goblin who had come to enquire their deal with Gringotts.
"I receive a missive from account Manager Teethsnatcher yesterday asking for an important meeting at the earliest convenience." Say him while giving the letter.
Taking it carefully, the goblin rapidly read it before giving it back and nod.
"Follow me then, I will escort you to master Teethsnatcher."
"Thank you."
##################################
"You are a very good client, Lord Evans. Your vaults have seen quite an expansion since our meeting yesterday. House Fudge is now ruined after repaying the thief, the ministry had lost plenty of its funds, Lord Malfoy had also submitted some lose, along with the lord of the board of governor. On top of that, it had been registered that you are the cause of the extinction of the Lestrange line after healing Lord and Lady Longbottom. Rabastan and Rodolfus, as well as Bellatrix Lestrange, had died in their cells as of few minutes following your counter curse."
This did have a wonderful effect on the three Longbottom, three of the four of their aggressor taken down by the hand of an ally was an outcome they could live with, more so when it became a permanent solution.
"As such, you have been called here to statue on the fate of the Lestrange line. While it members dead, the magic still lives inside you, until you make a choice. Either you continue the line or let it die."
"I think that the decision isn't mine. As they had caused great harm to the Longbottom line, I will leave the decision to them. They will also receive anything left over after the transfer of their vaults that have been done the week prior."
While he will lose some proprieties and income from his client, the goblin nod at the chance. Goblin respect family and ally, the Longbottom are now both, as he waves been informed by their account manager when they pledge to House Evans. He could live with that, after all, even if it wasn't in Orion name, it would still earn him some galleon since the Longbottom would pay some shares.
"It time for that accursed Family to vanish from the world."
At Frank world, a light flash of light was produced, and Orion feels something whithered in him, but having none consequence whatever.
##################################
The Longbottom account manager was called in the office to go through the newly added proprieties. During that time, Orion leaves Artcacus in charge while he goes for his vaults, the Evans one precisely. It was only the previous night that he remember to see if the Lestrange had any shade of the dark lord stored here.
The moment he enters the vault he could feel the pull, following the feeling, he soon came in front of a golden cup. Feeling the others curses on them as he was about to reach for it, he cast his guardian spell, letting the, not so cub anymore, creature, to sink on the cup, tearing off the shard.
Sighting at the second loss of opportunity, he let it wander among the items present, tearing off any piece of dark magic in the room.
'That three, my scar, the diadem and now the cup. How much did he make?'
Leaving the vault closes being him, after taking a few hundred of each currency in pouches, he returns to the hall, in time to reunite with the rest. Returning to the house they pass the day there before Orion, Neville and Hermione Floo back to the pub in Hogsmeade, take the hidden passage in Honeyduke cellar, into the castle.
##################################
The life in the castle return with a little more normalcy. While Dumbledore was still out cold, McGonagall had returned. As she had lost her position of deputy headmistress, they were still lacking a potion professor as she and Dumbledore were the only one authorized to employee someone. The loin rapidly became more subducted, and a pair of red hair, more so as McGonagall have been forced by the Board to punish harshly any lawbreaking by the Gryffindor, or she would see herself in probation.
The Slytherin had immediately capitalised on the breach, only to back off as fast when she falls on them even harder. Now without Snape, they rapidly learn that they weren't untouchable anymore. Because, or thank this the castle had seen the lowest amount of bullying in the last years.
Orion was still tutoring Neville and Hermione together in potions and DADA, while the girl had a private lesson on HoM, and the other course he had started her, joined by Neville since he was now from his people.
Has the third weeks roll in, Orion present to both their new 'wand'. Both had been overjoyed to receive them and needed to be repeated a few time that it was for none to know about them. TO help them, he craft replica of their previous wand, only it was now just that, a piece of wood, for their other wanded class, charms and transfiguration.
By the time the fourth week arrive, they had shown a slow but steady improvement in those class. Free from the crutch that the wand was, they were learning slowly to put the right amount of magic in there spell as to no overpower them like they were doing previously.
They learn that the wand movement was banned by Orion, he would not have them give away any hint of the spell used. This had put any progression to a halt, as he was forcing them to use more of intent, willpower, imagination and the right amount of power behind them.
He also presents them their schedule for the next three years, date to with they would take their OWL. Orion had passed the last month in conversation with the educational part of the ICW to set his requirement of OWL. As he wouldn't base them on their standard, they have to work on equivalent that would be acceptable.
He had finished obtaining what he wanted, to the fright of the other side by his requirement. The DADA you still keep it a two-part exam, a written one and a practice one, on the form of duelling. The charm portion would be now only a practical exam, by showing a selection of spell, as well as the soul guardian spell. As it was unknown to the ICW, he settles for the Patronus.
It had been one of the reasons they had freaked out, to the rest of the international curriculum, the spell was a NEWT level, but Orion had discarded it as an OWL mark. Transfiguration was also mind-blowing for them as he set for a complete animagus transformation.
Herbology would become a year's long exam as they would be tasked to grow their plant that will be used for their potions exams. HoM would be the only one pure written exam but it was to be as it would be quite hard to turn it into a practical exam, ... useless he asks for a historical reconstitution...
All of this wouldn't be too much for five years, while a little heavy it would be manageable but to pass those exams at 13? Only the international laws had stopped that department to call him insane, under the threat of a fine. Needlessly to say, they would be watched closely, if they were to pass their OWL, Orion program would turn it into a first-grade curriculum around the world, putting it as the most demanding program.
##################################
As October finally arrive, Dumbledore awake from his coma.
"Poppy? Why I here?"
Hearing her patient finally awake, the matron turn to face him, a severe expression on her face at his memory loss.
"You were brought here after being knocked out cold by the after the shock of the defensive wards of an artefact."
"Ah! Yes, Mister Evans propriety, if I remember."
"Yes."
"Did Severus or Minerva were able to learn what it had questions off, during this meeting?" Ask him curious to know about it.
"No matter what it has been about, it shouldn't matter now." Say her, grimly remembering that day.
"How can't it be? It was imperative that young M. Evans was keep away of the influence of M.Malfoy reach." Say him a little outraged that she would think that they can afford to lose a family to the dark side.
She snorted at that. "You shouldn't need to worry to lose the boy, it has been opposed, M.Malfoy seems to have been won over by M.Evans."
"Really?" Exclaimed him, surprised at the result. "How so? Did he ..."
"Cookies." Say her flatly.
"Pardon?" Ask Dumbledore, his brain having so difficult to see the link between the two affairs.
"The Boy has been won over by cookies. I swear, it the strangest take over I have ever seen in my life. The worse is it spreading, more and more of the students are now seen carrying with them that damned cookies' poping wooden box! He wouldn't even sell them to a professor!" Say her frustrated, revealing also why she was.
##################################
Like the rest of the professor, she had first fear for potion inside them, seeing at the speed it was spreading but after testing them for potions and coming out clean, some had tried them, and here lay their mistake. Few of her peers were now craving from those damned things and, after the rather deplorable treatment from Filius and Minnie, he had refused to sell the box. Oh, he did sell the cookies, but for two times the price! Some professors did try to bribe or blackmail students to use their box to supply them, but to those that had accepted or caved at the demand, the boy had immediately blacklisted them, making them unable to buy from the box!
The day later, he had announced that anyone dealing cookies would be forever blacklisted, and any professor caught blackmailing students for them, had charges risen against them and sent to the DMLE. Knowing what happens to McGonagall, all tentative had immediately stoped, and for their greatest shock and anguish, the price had risen yet again, now being three to one!
The child was demoniac! He was keeping a tyrannical hold on the cookies price market and no one was able to do something about it! It was maddening! The few poor souls that had tried to replicate the cookies have seen themselves imposed a fine of 10G and were now buying their cookies at two times the price.
The entire school had learned that the boy was a real shark when it was questions of those cookies and no one had raised their voices at the fate of the few that tried to cheat since he didn't do anything for those respecting the rules. This had garnered yet again the attention on him by the older student. Being successful in establishing his line of product and making them viable right away was a feat that was awing more than few Slytherin. The Hufflepuff have acknowledged his hard work when they hear from Neville that the entire process was of him, now one else was included in. The Raven have been proud, but also jealous to his prowess on the use of runes and charms that the boxes had needs and the Gryffindor was simply happy to have some good treat to eat without needing to wait for Hogsmeade visit.
##################################
"...y, ... py, ....oppy, POPPY."
The woman was jolted back at the raised voice. "Sorry, Albus I was lost in thoughts."
"It's quite alright, dear, but can you call Severus in, I have to assist to a meeting of the Wisengamot tomorrow morning, and will require something a little stronger than pepper up."
The healer winced at this, her expression also didn't escape the man.
"Something wrong?"
"Albus, what day do you think we are?" Ask her, worried at the response she would receive.
At this, The older man looks at her funnily, before frowning. "It shouldn't have been more than a few hours, a day at best, why are you asking this?"
"We are the 3 October, Albus." See her, a worried gaze lingering on the headmaster, waiting for his reaction. When he starts to whiten, she decides to still give him further information, judging that he was better to learn of them here, rather than once outside of her domain, and alone. If something happens, she would be able to react immediately.
"Severus is also dead, Lord Evans had called upon a life debt he was owning the House Evans when Severus attempts to read his mind."
##################################
Everything was spiralling out of control, for one Albus Dumbledore. Not only did the Potter heir didn't show up the 1 September, but now, his trusty (not really), undercover (exposed) spy (double agent) was dead. He had lost any link to Tom inner circle when he would return.
Before he had time to morn, not the death of his spy, but losing an inner ear inside the close followers of Tom, the following new nearly made him faint again.
"Minerva had also faced charge when she deliberately lies to the DMLE, she lost her position of deputy headmistress and her status as Gryffindor' House head. And the Board is not happy to have to pay for the fine on your stead."
"Fine? what fine?"
"The 250,000G that you owned Lord Evans from you poor choice as of headmaster. When it had been known that you were banned from Gringotts, the WIsengamot had wanted to oust you out of your place as chief Warlock, but couldn't..."
'Thank Merlin from small grace.' Think him, only to have his hopes completely crushed by the next words.
"... Because you were banned by the ICW, you now are only the headmaster of Hogwarts."
"I need to write to Cornelius, I..."
"DOn't bother, he had been ousted from the ministry after it had been known that he ha stolen the Potter propriety after their death on the name of the Ministry, they had to pay a heavy fine from that... How, by the way, you are to face charges in front of the ICW for your implication in the illegal incarceration of Sirius Black, now free thank to Lord Evans."
This was too much for his mind, unable to takes anymore blow, he faints again.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Linrim
Linrim Sorry, the chap his late, I did slightly burn my hand cooking brownies this morning, surely the price to pay for betraying cookies....
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone