章 354: HPF261-270
Chapter 261
"But, is that the power Tom knows not? It is
a power he would want. But, not having it,
would he know it? Is the 'power he knows
not' the power of the Master of Death?
"What is the right path?" Decisions,
decisions.
"And, the horcruxes. Tom made at least two -
the ring and the diary. How many more did
he make? How many times can the soul be
split before it can be split no more? Or, at
what number did he stop if he chose to stop
before he reached the limit? Tom always had
a fascination for the magical properties of
the number seven. But, was that seven
pieces of soul or seven horcruxes meaning
eight pieces?"
Placing the ring on the desk, he reached into
the same draw and drew out his latest
journal. Opening it to the back he carefully
read through the items he'd listed. From a
list of over twenty, he'd cut it down to eight:
The diary, the ring, Ravenclaw's diadem,
Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket,
Gryffindor's cape-brooch, his wand and Harry.
Of those, he'd placed a star next to
Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket... and
Harry. The last one bothered him the most.
'However, Harry may have freed himself of
it,' he thought, according to his comments
about what happened when the first bond
was initiated. 'That meant the soul bond, or
bonds, may be the 'power he knows not'.'
From the list he'd scratched out other items:
Slytherin's 'monster', the Sword of Gryffindor,
Tom's award, Tom's mother's wand,
something from the Gaunt shack, something
from Riddle Manor.
Then there was a list of where Tom might
have hidden the items: Riddle Manor, the
Gaunt shack, Hogwarts, the Chamber of
Secrets, Borgin and Burke's, the Ministry,
Gringotts, the orphanage. And one added
recently, the cave.
Of those, he'd already crossed out Riddle
manor, the Gaunt shack, the Chamber of
Secrets and the orphanage.
He needed to talk to Horace. He needed the
man to confide in him, convince him that
trying to keep what he knew a secret only
placed him in more danger. Knowing
Horace's penchant for collecting 'favours'
from famous people, would taking Harry
with him gain him what he needed from the
man? Would Harry be willing to go?
"Do you have to keep tormenting
Dumbledore, Harry?" asked Matthias, as
they were walking away from the
Headmaster's office.
"Yes," replied Harry. "I need to keep him on
the back foot, or he's going to eventually find
a way to get me back under his control again.
And, you know what happens to our world if
Dumbledore gets back control of things."
"What are you talking about?" asked a
worried Madam Bones.
Harry thought about how to reply for a few
moments as the others looked between
themselves.
"I have... certain knowledge of what will
come to pass if Dumbledore gets back
enough control to manipulate things, again,"
he carefully said. "If things play out as
Dumbledore wants them to play out, the
immediate future is not a good one."
"How... bad is it?" she asked.
"Not here," said Matthias. The older man
turned to Madam Bones and said, "Let's
head back to the apartment of these three.
There's information you need that's of a
highly sensitive nature."
With a frown of concern, Madam Bones said,
"If you wish."
When the party returned to the apartment,
Harry turned to Madam Bones and asked,
"Do you mind asking your guards to wait
outside, for now?"
"Is that really necessary?" she asked back.
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied.
"Yes, Amelia, it is," added Matthias.
Looking from one to the other of Harry and
Matthias, with a look to both Sirius and
Deece as well, she then turned to her two
shadows and said, "Wait outside, please."
Both aurors hesitated a moment until
Madam Bones gave them a slight gesture,
and then both exited.
Both girls then cast about to ensure there
were no listening charms or similar as Harry
gestured to the couches. With a sigh, he said,
"Take a seat. Please. This will take a little bit
to explain."
With everyone sitting, the girls returned to
sit either side of Harry.
Looking to Madam Bones, Harry finally sat
forward and said, "What we're about to
share with you, you will not believe. But, you
must. The future of magical Britain, if not the
entire world, hangs on what we're doing."
"Well, that was quite foreboding," she said.
"I know," he sighed. "But, it's no less true.
We three know what was going to come until
we took steps to change things. We'll
explain how we know, in a little while; but,
the Greengrasses and Sirius already know.
"For instance, us three were not supposed to
have initiated our bonds. I was still supposed
to have seen Hermione as just a very good
friend. And Ron and Genevra Weasley had
managed to keep Daphne and me apart
through aversion potions. Therefore, no
bonds and no emancipation. I was also
deliberately kept in the dark about my
heritage, so I was still under the supposed
care of my muggle relatives in Little
Whinging.
"If we hadn't changed things already, Barty
Crouch senior would have died a month ago,
and Cedric Diggory would have died during
the third task. When I returned from the
graveyard, no one would have believed me
that Riddle had been resurrected. Common
belief would be that I had killed Diggory in
some ridiculous belief I killed him to take the
glory of winning the Tournament. Then, for
the next eleven months, the Daily
Prophet would have printed stories about
how I was a lying self-delusional git.
"Umbridge would have then seen me as a
direct threat and, in late June, sent two
dementors to Little Whinging, where I was
still living, to kill me. I use a patronus to drive
them away, which then leads her to
immediately have me charged with using
underaged magic and using magic in front of
muggles. She fails in that, too.
"Fudge then sees Dumbledore as a direct
threat and has it in his head the old man is
trying to take over as Minister. Of course,
that's just plain stupid because Dumbledore's
already been offered the spot numerous
times and turned it down each and every
time.
"Added to that, Dumbledore wasn't able to
find a Dah-dah Professor for next year, and
the Minister forced on him Dolores Umbridge
for the role. A woman, who besides being a
blood bigot of the highest order, barely
managed to scrape by with an OWL
Acceptable in the subject, and never took
Dah-dah for NEWTs.
"His idea is to put someone he trusts close to
Dumbledore to keep an eye on him. However,
Umbridge... or, Umbitch as we all came to
call her... used the opportunity to torture
muggleborn and half-blood students by
making them write lines with a blood quill,
and then adding a compulsion charm for
them not to tell anyone about it."
"What?!" exclaimed Madam Bones.
Chapter 262
Harry nodded and said, "Of course, her main
target was me. By the end of the year I have
permanently scarred into the back of my
hand the phrase, 'I will not tell lies'. She also
does a hell of a lot more damage than that,
such as failing to teach even a single thing of
use, but we do manage to self-teach through
a secret study group we call 'Dumbledore's
Army'.
"Because of the outright denial from the
Minister that Riddle had returned, Riddle
was then able to use those eleven months to
rebuild his forces in secret. Within a few
months of now he would have broken his
people out of Azkaban. The breakout would
have been blamed on Sirius, who was still a
wanted so-called felon escapee.
"In eleven months, Riddle made an attempt
to get into the Department of Mysteries to
get his hands on the prophecy he knows
about. Ask Croaker to tell you what's in it; it's
the reason I need you to get me into the
Room of Prophecies to get to the prophecy
first.
"In that attempt Riddle is finally seen in
person by the Minister and quite a few
Ministry workers, including about a dozen
aurors. However, during that attempt... one
he fails at, by the way, as I smashed the
prophecy globe during the battle... Sirius is
killed by Bellatrix Lestrange."
That produced quite a few gasps of shock.
Sirius went a little white.
"There are a number of Death Eaters arrested
as a result of that battle, including Lucius
Malfoy, MacNair, Nott, and a few others,
who were unable to escape when Riddle left
with Lestrange.
"However, Riddle had also used that year of
'denial' to great effect. He was able to rebuild
his forces beyond the small circle of Death
Eaters he had left from the first war.
"Almost immediately after that, the
following people lose their lives due to
assassinations: You. You would have died
about June next year when one of your
aurors, a man who's taken the Dark Mark,
allows access to Bones Manor in the middle
of night. At the time, Susan was staying with
Hannah, so she is unharmed. However, what
they do to you... is very unpleasant.
"Unspeakable Broderick Bode is injured in
the attack in the Ministry. Before he has a
chance to recover, he's killed in Saint
Mungo's by, we think, MacNair. MacNair
uses, of all things, a potted Devil's Snare to
kill him.
"Emmaline Vance, who is doing something
for Dumbledore's illegal bird club, is killed
outside the Prime Minister's residence. I
think she was part of his disillusioned or
invisibility-cloaked unofficial and
unrecognised guard.
"Mad-eye Moody was another. He died when
the bird club finally rescued me from my
muggle relatives the evening before I turn
seventeen. Hannah Abbott's muggleborn
mother, Pauline, is killed on a raid on her
home.
"Riddle sent a message to Fudge demanding
he step down, or he'd up his attacks on
muggles. Fudge refused. As a result, there
will also be the muggle driver and passengers
of about twelve cars killed when the bridge
they're crossing, Brockdale Bridge in London,
collapses as part of a Death Eater attack in
response to Fudge's refusal.
"Fudge is finally sacked in a vote of no
confidence. He and his wife are found
murdered in his home about a week later.
Rufus Scrimgeour then becomes Minister;
but, Riddle wanted Thicknesse. A month later,
Scrimgeour is murdered when Riddle's
lickspittles storm the Ministry in a coup, and
take over.
"Scrimgeour was really no better than Fudge
anyway, and had begun to take similar
actions. For instance, he arrests and dumps
into Azkaban Stan Shunpike, one of the
conductors off the Knight Bus. Though he
had no evidence either way he just dumped
Shunpike into Azkaban because he had to be
seen to be doing something, and he thought
Shunpike might be a Death Eater.
"It's about then when Dumbledore, who was
already dying due to a withering curse on his
hand, was murdered by Severus Snape with
the killing curse in the Astronomy tower.
"Igor Karkaroff is hunted down by Riddle's
lickspittles and killed in Europe about this
time, too.
"Thicknesse is appointed as Minister in a
figurehead only role. The real Minister is
actually Malfoy, who was released from
Azkaban, and Umbridge working together.
"Umbridge implements a number of quite
despicable so-called laws under martial law.
One is the rounding up of every muggleborn
to be sent to... camps. No one makes it out of
them alive. They go in, and never come out.
Umbridge forms teams of people, read Death
Eaters, known as 'Snatchers'; and sends them
out to track down so-called magic-stealing
muggleborns and blood traitors. Hundreds
are killed as a result. When the teams go into
the private homes of young muggleborns,
they kill the entire family.
"A few months after Dumbledore's death,
Thicknesse orders the Ministry to take
control of Hogwarts under martial law
provisions. Through the school board, they
appoint Severus Snape as Headmaster. Other
appointments as Professor include the
Carrow siblings as the Muggle Studies and
Dark Arts Professors. Of course, all
muggleborns and most half bloods are
immediately removed from the school.
They're never seen again.
"During this time Professor Charity Burbage
is kidnapped and murdered. Others we know
to be killed around this time include Ted
Tonks and Dean Thomas, a classmate in
Gryffindor.
"During that almost entire year, from late
June 1997 to the end of April 1998, Hermione,
Ron Weasley and I are running about the
country trying to find and destroy a number
of artefacts that were the reason why Riddle
appears immortal. We discover the final
piece was stored here, at Hogwarts.
"On the 1st of May 1998 we three, together
with a number of others who've been in
hiding, infiltrate the school through secret
passages. With the help of the original
professors we're able to drive Snape and the
Carrows out. We then prepare the castle's
defences for a retaliatory strike by Riddle and
his forces. By now, those forces number in
the many hundreds. They're supported by
dementors, giants, werewolves and other
so-called dark creatures.
"He strikes the next night. It gave us some
time to get a lot of the younger students out
of the school, but nowhere near enough.
However, it also gave us some time to gather
to ourselves quite a few wizards and witches
who were 'of the Light' from right across
magical Britain.
"During the battle that results between the
defenders of Hogwarts and Riddle's forces,
the loss of life is incredible. Hundreds die.
They include, for those I know on the light
side: Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Fred
Weasley, Colin Creevey, Daphne Greengrass,
Hermione Granger... and Harry Potter.
Chapter 263
"Riddle, now with Dumbledore and me - the
only one according to the prophecy that
could kill him - out of the way, takes over
everything and seizes full control. That is, he
takes over everything for a little while.
"By this time the muggles are fully aware of
what's going on. The Battle of Hogwarts,
while giving Riddle a victory, marks the death
knell for magical Britain. Her Majesty, after
patiently waiting for Her magical subjects to
deal with the problem, has finally had
enough and sends in Her forces. Magical
Britain, already reeling from the war,
stands no chance against her combined
forces of over 320,000 military personnel and
120,000 police officers... muggle aurors. With
close to half a million highly trained soldiers
and law enforcement officers at Her
command in the United Kingdom alone, and
due to wizards and witches apparating and
portkeying away from custody, Her Majesty's
forces quickly develop a 'take no prisoners'
response. Only the young children are
exempt from that policy; pre-Hogwarts age.
Magical Britain is quickly destroyed. Almost
all of it occurs within the first forty-eight
hours of when She orders them in. That's late
May 1998.
"Of course, with the laughable Statute of
Secrecy now in tatters, the same efforts soon
occur right across the globe. Of the total
worldwide wizarding population, by the end
of the first decade after the turn of the
century, less than five percent remain alive.
Of those alive, with the exception of about
one percent of the remainder still alive
because they're better at hiding, every one of
them is forced to swear an oath of fealty to
the muggle rulers. Almost all of them are
muggleborn.
"And pretty much the cause of all of it can be
laid at the feet of one man - Albus
Dumbledore - a stupid, self-aggrandising,
manipulative old fool who tried to shape a
prophecy spoken to him in early 1980, to
how he wanted it to play out. A prophecy
spoken to him by Sybill Patricia Trelawney in
the Hog's Head Tavern about three months
before I was born. He ran almost completely
counter to how Lady Destiny and the three
Fates planned and wanted it to happen. If
he'd done the right thing from the
get-go, none of it would have happened that
way."
"Dobby," called Daphne, once she realised
Harry had wound down.
"Yes, Mistress?" asked the little elf after
popping in.
"Can you bring a few glasses and a bottle of
Firewhiskey for the adults, and a few bottles
of butterbeer for us?"
"Yes, Mistress," replied Dobby before he
popped away again.
A few moments later, the alcohol and glasses
appeared on the coffee table between them.
Harry and the girls poured 'healthy'
measures for the adults before handing each
a glass. Then they each picked up a bottle of
butterbeer before sitting back again.
Once most of the glasses when chugged back.
The three waited for the adults to get their
collective heads around what they were just
told.
The first to regain her senses, Madam Bones
asked, "How do you know this?"
"Because they've both lived it and we told
them," said a voice all but Madam Bones
recognised - Roma.
Walking out of the corner of the room and up
behind the couch on which the three
bondmates were sitting together came Della,
Roma and John. Each stood behind their
'charge'. As per usual, they were dressed in
white, billowy robes. But, this time, they also
wore a softly glowing golden halo each.
Looking like she was about to pass out,
Madam Bones gaped at them and stuttered,
"Y-you're..."
"Yes, baby; we are," replied Della.
"Do not doubt what you've just heard,
Amelia Susan," said Roma. "These three lived
it. Well, at least up until the 2nd of May in
the year of our Lord 1998, at any rate. But,
they have also spoken the truth of what
would have happened after that date."
"These three were backstepped, sent back in
time, to the first of September last year to
ensure that what you've just heard does not
happen as you heard it," said John. "Through
special dispensation from the Almighty,
these three were sent back with a mission to
set things to rights. We ask you to assist
them. Please, do so."
Then the three angels quickly faded away
again.
And that led to another round of measures of
firewhiskey being shot back.
"Sweet Merlin!" said Sirius. "They
really are angels!"
"Oh, yes," said Harry. "You hadn't met them
before, either. Sorry. But, we did warn you."
"Not me, you didn't!" complained Madam
Bones.
"Would you have believed us if
you hadn't seen them with your own eyes?"
asked Daphne.
Madam Bones appeared to think about that
for a few moments before she drew a deep
breath. "No," she sighed. "I guess not."
"Do you now?" asked Daphne.
"Yes," the older witch said with another sigh.
"Which is probably why they put in an
appearance," said Hermione. "Each time
they've appeared in the past it's because
they've needed to prove their existence to
family. With Sirius, they didn't need to. He
believed without it needing to be proven.
Now, it was your turn."
"Clearly we need your help to finish the first
stage of the mission," said Harry. "As killing
Riddle is the only part left to go of that stage,
you somehow play an important role in
that."
"I hope they don't think I'm the one to kill
that man," she said.
"No, that's me," said Harry. "The prophecy
says so."
"What was supposed to have happened,
according to how everything should have
played out if Dumbledore had done the right
thing from the start," said Hermione. "Is:
Dumbledore hears the prophecy; he...
working with the Potters, Sirius and Remus...
begins to train Harry from a very young age
in secret; then Riddle is killed, somehow, the
first time.
"Eventually, Harry puts in an appearance;
and he's highly trained for his eventual
confrontation. Riddle gets resurrected. The
two finally face in a single combat battle of
good versus evil. If Harry wins it heralds the
dawn of a great many years of peace and
tranquillity that lasts centuries. If, however,
Riddle wins, it heralds the dawn of the exact
opposite. But, there was little likelihood of
that.
"Because of Dumbledore not doing the right
thing, steps have had to be taken to get
things back on track. Part of that included
our being sent back in time to the first of
September, the creation of our three-way
soul bond, our having the knowledge to do
what we need to do, and a few other things
that are not as important.
Chapter 264
"That's what has brought us to today."
"Are we allowed to know the mission?"
asked Madam Bones.
"Most of the first phase is already
successfully completed," said Harry. "They
are: end the friendship between myself and
the two youngest Weasleys, to stop them
influencing my behaviour and otherwise
interfering with their potions; get Sirius
cleared of all charges; round up Riddle's soul
anchors, and free the soul fragments from
them; allow Dumbledore to go after one of
the anchors, which slowly kills him, removing
him from being a negative influence on
what's to come; claim emancipation as soon
as possible; let what happened in the
graveyard happen so we could get the snake
and allow Riddle to be resurrected so he
becomes mortal again; ensure magical
Britain is aware of Riddle's resurrection
immediately after it occurs; I was to bond
with these two lovely ladies; and, finally, kill
Riddle once he was resurrected.
"All but the last one has now been
completed."
"And the second phase?" she asked.
"We... don't know the full details of it yet,"
said Hermione. "However, we know it has
something to do with Daphne and me.
There's a reason Daphne and I were also
brought back. It has to do with the soul bond
and how the three of us go on to greatness."
"But, we don't know what our angels mean
by that, yet," Daphne smoothly added. "We
think they, our angels, want us not worrying
about that until after Harry's dealt with
Riddle. But, we think things that have been
recently happening have to do with it."
"Things like Harry picking up his Order of
Merlin, and getting him on the Wizengamot
through it; clearing the air about Harry's true
history of living at Privett Drive through to
the first of September last year, and what
really happened during the first three years
of school; Harry's, then ours, emancipations;
Harry figuring out the nature of souls; and
getting Dumbledore and his manipulations
out of the way, are all issues surrounding
what comes next."
"And where are these soul anchors?" asked
Madam Bones.
Harry turned his head slightly and called for
Dobby.
"Yes, Master Harry?" asked the elf.
"Can you go into my trunk and bring out
those special items I have in there?" asked
Harry.
"Yes, Sir!" replied the elf before he popped
away.
A few moments later and the now horcrux
free objects appeared on the coffee table.
Leaning forward, Harry indicated each.
"These are - from left to right - Salazaar
Slytherin's locket; Helga Hufflepuff's Cup and
Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. The other soul
anchors were Riddle's familiar, Nagini...
which Daphne managed to kill very shortly
after Riddle was resurrected... Riddle's
school years diary, which I destroyed at the
end of second year and Dumbledore now
possesses; the Gaunt family ring, which
Dumbledore also currently has; and the
accidental one, which the angels destroyed
and was behind the scar on my forehead.
That makes seven.
"All are now free of the soul fragments that
held Riddle on this plane of existence as a
wraith. So, Riddle is now mortal, again. That
means, from now on, anyone can really kill
him. However, I'm still the one fated to do it
according to the prophecy."
"Harry, right in front of me I see three of the
most treasured heirlooms our nation has
ever had, yet thought lost," said Madam
Bones. "How in Merlin's name did Riddle
ever find them to turn them into those soul
anchors you mentioned?"
"He found out the location of the diadem
from the Grey Lady - the House ghost for
Ravenclaw - who was once Helena Ravenclaw,
Rowena's daughter," he replied. "The
previous owner of both the locket and the
cup was Hepzibah Smith. Riddle stole them
from her back in the '70s while he worked at
Borgin and Burke's, and before he killed her
and pointed the blame at her house elf,
Hokey. Before her, the locket was owned by
his mother, Merope Gaunt, who sold it to
Smith for a few galleons to try and survive.
The cup was a Smith family heirloom.
"He was also looking for something
belonging to Gryffindor but never found it, I
think. If he did, he never converted it into a
soul anchor; or used it to create the familiar
bond with Nagini. He searched for
Gryffindor's cape brooch and the sword but
we know he never found the sword, at
least."
"What do you plan on doing with them?" she
asked indicating the three heirlooms.
"Once Riddle's dealt with, and Dumbledore is
either dead or no longer an issue, I'm going
to present them to the school," he replied
with a shrug. "By rights, the locket and cup
belong to the Smith family, as it was from
them they were stolen. However, there's no
legitimate reason they had them in the first
place, unless they can prove ancestry to
Helga Hufflepuff for the cup. And Merope
stole the locket from her brother.
"No. They should be in the school under
heavy anti-theft enchantments. I intend to
work with Professors Flitwick and
McGonagall to place them, and the sword, in
display cases to go into the Entrance Hall."
"And what now for your mission?" asked
Sirius.
"Now we wait until we track down where
Riddle went to ground," said Hermione. "In
the previous timeline he went almost directly
to Malfoy Manor and hid out under their
wards."
"Which reminds me," said Harry turning to
look directly at Sirius, suddenly on a different
topic. "How're cousins Narcissa and Draco?"
Surprised at the change, Sirius said, "Both
are now back to, or for the first time when it
comes to Draco, being Blacks."
"Well, I think one of the Death Eaters I hit in
the face with a reductor, last night, was dear
old Lucy," said Harry. "If that's the case, and
Riddle wasn't already keyed into the wards at
Malfoy manor, he wouldn't have headed
there, last night, after I hurt him.
"That leaves, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, MacNair,
Avery, Yaxley annnnd... Rowle. Whose place
from those he'd go to, I wouldn't know. I
guess it would depend on who has the nicest
and most well-protected Manor. He'd
demand nothing less."
"It'd be Nott Manor," suggested Matthias.
"Too well protected to attack with only a
small force," said Madam Bones.
"However, that aside, it doesn't stop Madam
Bones from boosting her auror force from
donations, and making sure the wizarding
world is alerted to Riddle's resurrection,"
said Daphne.
"No need to worry about the second part of
that," replied the woman. "I take it you've
not seen the Prophet, this morning?"
"Errr... no," said Harry, as his wives shook
their heads.
Chapter 265
"Your copies were waiting for you when we
arrived," said Sirius, rising from the table and
going over to the coffee table.
He picked up their two copies that were on
the low table waiting for them, and brought
them back. He tossed them to the three
teens.
There, on the front page, was the headline
'HE'S BACK!'
Skeeter had worked fast to get the story
written and covered for the front page, lead
story. There was also a photograph of Harry
holding up a prone Pettigrew's arm with the
Dark Mark bared. And another with Harry
pulsing magic when his oath took hold and
he cast his sparklers.
Their fastest reader, Hermione said, "Fudge is
accusing you of being confounded again. He's
claiming you didn't really witness Riddle's
resurrection. Instead, he's claiming you were
kidnapped by subversive elements out to
discredit his Ministry, and are using you as
their pawn.
"And... according to him, the reason you
were able to give the oath and weren't
punished was because you believed what
you were saying was true; even though it
wasn't."
"Arsehole," muttered Harry.
"That's twice now he's accused me of being
confounded because he refuses to accept the
truth."
"Skeeter mentions that," said Hermione; still
looking down at the paper. "She also
mentions how Fudge was wrong about you
being confounded the last time he accused
you of such; and that Sirius
really was innocent."
"We need him gone," said Harry.
"Can I ask you to hold off on kicking him out,
for now?" asked Madam Bones.
"Why?" frowned Harry, staring back.
With a sigh, she said, "The Unspeakables and
I have a plan to clear the Ministry of all those
with the Dark Mark, are otherwise Riddle
supporters, or have otherwise engaged in
illegal activities. I'd like to enact that plan
immediately after sacking Fudge, and before
a claimant for the position can rally support."
"You'd be up for that position, Amelia," said
Matthias. "You'd make
an excellent Minister."
"I know," she replied. "However, I hadn't
planned on running for the position until my
Susan graduates. And, with Riddle back, I
need to be where I am."
"We can't let Scrimgeour get it," said Harry.
"No," she replied. "So, we need to prepare a
viable alternative candidate."
"Kingsley Shacklebolt was supposed to be
the Minister after Thicknesse was tossed out
after the Battle of Hogwarts if I'd beaten
Riddle," mused Harry. "I also think Arthur
Weasley would make a good Minister."
"How about Amos Diggory?" added Daphne.
"I have an idea," smirked Hermione.
"Oh-oh!" said Sirius. "I know that look. It was
the same one Lily used to get when she
thought up a good prank."
"We're listening," said Madam Bones, a little
warily.
"Minister Matthias Greengrass," grinned
Hermione.
Daphne gasped as the rest of the table held
their collective breaths and thought about it.
Matthias just looked back in shock.
Harry snorted. "You have the experience,
Matthias," he explained, turning to look at
his father-in-law. "You've served on the
Wizengamot, with distinction. You know all
the players. You're respected within the
Ministry. You're known not to take bribes or
the like. And you have both the fortitude and
the skillset to be a huge success."
"I..." stuttered Matthias. "I'll... have to think
about it."
"You've got time," said Madam Bones. "I'll
keep you up to date with the plans to clean
out the Ministry. I'll give you my full support
as Head of the DMLE when the time
comes..."
"You'll have the backing of the Potter
alliance," added Harry.
"And the Black alliance," added Sirius.
"As I said; I'll have to think about it," the
man warily said.
"Spoken like a skilled politician," grinned
Sirius.
"You do realise it'll paint an
even larger target on my back, don't you?"
asked Matthias, a little grumpily. "If Riddle
follows the same path as in the old timeline
according to these three, he'll demand my
removal and - one way or another - kill me
himself or have me killed."
"The difference, here, is that you won't be
like an ostrich and stick your head in the
sand as Fudge did," said Harry. "You can
immediately implement overarching
legislation that makes things like having the
Dark Mark an offence. You can make being
scanned for the Mark a requirement for
working at the Ministry, including within the
aurors. And have those scans occur at any
time. Snap inspections, they're called.
"You can then make it an automatic jail
sentence to be caught wearing Death Eater
robes, guilty until proven innocent. And the
same for those who haven't already
managed to successfully claim the Imperius
curse for their existing Marks. You can even
throw in mandatory Veritaserum for all trials
relating to Death Eater activity by suspending
the law that allows purebloods to escape
being forced Veritaserum in their trials."
"There're lots of advantages to curb the
number who became Death Eaters from
becoming them in this timeline," said
Hermione. "Personally, I'd figure out a way to
seize their vaults. Claim it as a breach of law
to finance terrorist or other subversive
actions against the Ministry; or something
like that."
"Ouch!" winced Sirius.
"The way to do it is for the Ministry to take
control of the family vaults and monitor how
much money goes out of it. You set each
family member a stipend, including the Head
of House," explained Harry. "Then, they'll be
able to live off what they get, but won't be
able to donate huge sums to Riddle's
terrorist organisation. Or anywhere else, for
that matter."
"That's another thing that can be done," said
Hermione. "Force the Prophet and other
media organisations to refer to
'You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters' as
'Riddle and his terrorists', common street
thugs who hide their identities because they
know in their hearts...
their blackened hearts... that what they're
doing is wrong."
"She's right," said Daphne. "Calling them by
their chosen name of 'Death Eaters' gives
them power. You take that off them by
refusing to use it. And never refer to Riddle
as a Lord. Call him, 'the murderous wizarding
thug Riddle'. And tell people he brands those
who foolishly follow him as if they were
nothing more than cattle and makes them
call him 'Master' as if they were his slaves."
"All good ideas," said Harry. "By doing so,
you both rob him of the power of his image,
and will probably prevent many from joining
him in the first place. Information control is
an important part of any war. However,
if you set the terms used, you're far more
than halfway there to controlling the
message."
"And that's the biggest problem with
the Prophet under its current management,"
said Hermione. "You'll find Barnabus Cuffe is
a Riddle supporter, even if he doesn't take
the Mark. He'll block you every chance he
gets. You'll need to be firm with him."
"As Harry said, all good ideas," sighed
Madam Bones.
After the adults left, the three teens sat for a
while relatively lost in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, Hermione sat forward and asked,
"What time is it?"
"Hmm?" asked Harry right back until her
question finally cogitated enough in his brain
to make sense from his initial confusion. He
raised his arm to look at his watch. "Just
after three," he replied.
"Then how about we get some of our
homework for the break out of the way,
now?" she asked. "Or, we can quiz Harry on
third and fourth year runes ready for fifth
year next year."
Perking his head up, he asked, "I'm ready for
that?"
"Not quite yet, but you will be," said Daphne.
"We plan on you sitting the aptitude test at
the Ministry in early August. Pass that and
you're in fifth year starting next year."
Confused, Harry said, "Wait. I thought I was
still working through third year stuff, and
only brushing on fourth year."
Both girls smiled back and Hermione said,
"No, we just let you think that. You've been
working on the fourth year curriculum since
just before Christmas."
"For example," said Daphne. "You don't even
begin properly carving runes until fourth year;
and that's carving in wood and similar
material. You've been doing a very good job
of carving in granite. We don't normally
even touch on that material until fifth year."
Surprised, Harry simply said, "Oh." He
thought for a moment and said, "But, what
about the material? The education material, I
mean."
"You're there," replied Hermione. "While I
think you can do much better on some of the
information regarding rune chains, that's mid
to late fourth year, anyway. I think we
can easily get you caught up to us by the
time you sit your aptitude test."
"Oh," he said again. "Well, in that
case, thank Merlin! I thought I was going to
fail it; what with having to do the
Tournament, and all."
"No, we'd have never let you do that," said
Daphne.
Nodding, he asked, "So, time to work on
summer assignments we've already received
and see how much we can get out of the way
before we leave on the train?"
"Good idea," nodded Hermione, going and
getting their assignments and writing
material.
Chapter 266
The next day, the Saturday and the week
before the train back to London, Hermione
approached the other two with an idea of
what to do with switching the prophecy
globes.
"Alright," she began. "We know Snape heard
the first part of the prophecy; the part up to
and including 'born as the seventh month
dies'; right?"
"Right," the other two replied.
"Right. That means he also knows it was
given by Trelawney to Dumbledore while she
sat on a hard wooden chair in a room at the
Hogshead Tavern," she said. "So, that means
the image seen in the prophecy globe must
match that."
Dropping his head and giving a groan, Harry
said, "You're right. That's exactly what I
remember seeing when Dumbledore showed
me the memory in the air above his pensieve
when he returned after portkeying me back."
"Uh-hmm," she replied, agreeing. "So, we
need to somewhat match that with the fake
prophecy if we're going to go ahead with
that."
"And how're we supposed to do that?" asked
Daphne, seeing the problem.
"Polyjuice and transfiguration," Hermione
promptly replied. "We need to get a few
hairs off Trelawney for the polyjuice.
Everything else can be handled with
transfiguration. Everything from her clothing,
to the chair she sat upon, to the rest of the
room, if necessary."
"Damn!" Harry softly exclaimed. "You're right!
And we don't even need to go to that much
extent when it comes to the room because
the only things seen in the image are
Trelawney, the chair she sat on, and a small
area of wooden floor under her."
"Well, that's the image and voice taken care
of," said Daphne, slowly nodding. "And the
transfiguring of everything from her
spectacles to her jewellery, clothing, the
chair and floor will be easy to temporarily
transfigure. Now we just need to figure out
how to fake a prophecy sphere and get it into
the Hall of Prophecies."
"I've been researching how to make a
prophecy sphere," said Hermione, sighing.
"But, they're a closely guarded secret of the
Unspeakables. We may need to convince and
Unspeakable to help us fake one."
"I don't think that's possible," said Daphne.
"They're too guarded of their prophecies.
If we were to fake one, what's to stop others,
in future, doing the same thing with
important ones."
"Who's to say it hasn't already been done?"
asked Harry. "Let's ask and see what they
say."
Both looked to Daphne, who had more
experience of the history of the wizarding
world, to see what she'd say.
After a few moments she said, "We can't ask
them. Let's see if we can convince Madam
Bones to ask in our stead."
"Then we have a plan," smiled Hermione.
That afternoon, the three were wending
their way back to their apartment when
Daphne softly said, "We have someone
following us."
Frowning back, Harry pulled out his
Marauder's Map and quickly activated it as
they were walking. It took them only a few
moments to see it was Draco Black who was
tailing them.
Walking back to their apartment, they
carefully monitored the situation but did
nothing other than keep an eye on things.
As they turned into the Ravenclaw corridor,
Harry folded the map up to a smaller size and
watched. "I think he might just want to talk,"
he said, once they were inside the warded
area outside their door. "I'll hang back and
make sure he sees where we go."
The girls then made their way inside, while
Harry hung back enough to allow his cousin
to see him disappear through the alcove
behind the statue Professor.
As soon as he stepped within and closed the
door, he unfolded the map and, together
with the girls, watched young Draco hesitate
for a few moments before he quickly made
his way to their apartment entrance.
Moments later, they heard the Professor's
knock on the door.
Harry quickly folded the map while the girls
moved to and apart from either side of the
door. He then checked to make sure both
girls were ready with wands drawn as he
popped his own wand into his hand and held
it behind his leg as he opened the door.
Deciding to be friendly, he adopted a mien of
pleasant surprise before he said, "Cousin
Draco! This is a surprise. Please, come in." He
quickly stepped away from the door to his
left so he could watch Draco's right hand.
Draco quickly looked each way down the
corridor behind him before he smartly
stepped through and shut the door behind
him. It took him only a moment to realise he
was well-bracketed by drawn wands.
"Ah!" he said, with a small smirk for each of
them before looking directly at Harry.
"Would you like me to give an oath I'm here
to do you and yours no harm?"
Harry thought a moment before he said, "I
tell you what. You leave the wand in
wherever you have it stashed on you, and
we'll forgo the oath, deal?"
With a nod and a smile, Draco replied,
"Deal."
"Thank you," said Harry. "Now, because
we're being ultra-paranoid at the moment,
please allow the ladies to step forward to
scan you for charms, curses and the like,
alright?"
An expression of anger mixed with being
appalled flitted across Draco's face for a
moment before he fixed his lips in a firm line
and said, "I'll allow it."
Both ladies stepped forward and scanned
him from each side.
"Tracking charm on the belt," said Daphne.
That made Draco's eyes widen in shock.
"And on the tie," added Hermione.
"Whaaat?!" Draco softly exclaimed, looking
between both ladies. "Get them off me...
please!" he firmly asked.
Hermione attacked the one on his tie while
Daphne took care of the one on his belt
buckle.
"Done," both ladies said almost
simultaneously before they then moved
away.
"Sorry," said Harry. "That obviously came as
a shock."
"I never gave permission..." the blonde boy
began, while he stood there fuming.
"For what it's worth," Daphne said to him,
while moving away towards the couches.
"The one on the tie is Professor Snape's. He's
either keeping an eye on his godson or on all
Slytherins. I think it's the latter as there was
one from him on my old Slytherin tie, as
well."
"I don't recognise the one on the belt,
though," said Hermione. "The signature
belongs to neither Professor Snape or
Dumbledore. We're getting used to the
signatures of both."
"Probably my father," muttered Draco. "The
belt was gift from him."
Chapter 267
As the boy stayed standing there, thinking
furiously, Harry said, "Come, cousin. Take a
seat." He indicated the couch opposite where
Daphne had sat and Hermione was joining
her, leaving a gap for him.
As Draco gave a gesture to indicate he heard
and acknowledged the invite before moving
forward, Harry moved to the couches and sat
between his wives.
"Dobby," called Daphne, as everyone else
settled down.
"Mistress?" asked the elf, when he popped
in.
"Four butterbeers, thank you, Dobby," she
instructed.
Dobby popped away and the butterbeers
popped into existence on the coffee table a
moment later.
"And how is Dobby," asked Draco, as he
reached for a bottle.
"Happy," said Harry.
Once all four had a butterbeer in hand, Draco
said, "He looks it. I'm... happy for him. Father
would make me punish him for the slightest
perceived error. And, if father thought I
didn't punish him enough, he'd punish him a
great deal more. I hated doing that."
As they sat sipping their bottles, Harry asked,
"Now, what brings you to paying us a visit,
cousin? Unless, of course, this is just a social
visit of one House scion to another?"
Draco seemed to think for a few moments
before he said, "I was informed by Gringotts
mail owl, this morning, that my father is
dead. Their copy of his lifestone has
darkened."
"I... honestly don't know what to say to
that," said Harry, not that unsurprised with
the information considering what he thought
he'd done to the man at the cemetery. "On
one hand you have my condolences. But..."
"But, on the other, he was real piece of
work," finished Draco.
"The important thing is, how do you feel
about this?" asked Daphne.
With a very un-Slytherin snort, Draco said, "I
think Potter's... cousin Harry's views
somewhat match my own."
With a sigh, he continued, "The man was my
father. He had his moments, where I was
proud to call him that. Yet, he was also a
criminal; someone who had reduced the
name 'Malfoy' to mean all that's wrong with
our world, and someone who was quite
willing to do despicable acts in the name of
blood purity.
"I miss the man who was my father when I
was a small child. However, I do not miss the
criminal; the man who worked his way up to
being the Dark
L... Riddle's second-in-command. I... do not
wish to think about what he did to make it
that high within the Death Eaters' ranks."
Nodding in sympathy, Harry said, "When I
first re-entered the magical world at eleven,
people were quick to tell me all these great
things about my parents; how they were
heroes, and such. However, I've also come to
understand my father was very much what
Professor Snape accuses me of. As well as
being a loving husband and father, a good
friend, and someone who fought for what he
believed was right; he was also an
unrepentant bully, arrogant, belittling of
others, somewhat cruel at times, and similar
attributes.
"My mother, however, was very loyal to her
family and friends, but also had a very fiery
temper." He snorted and said, "I've come to
understand my mother would hold a grudge
until it died; then have it stuffed and
mounted on a mantelpiece just so she could
keep it."
That had the other three snorting and quietly
chuckling in amusement.
"However, I never found out about a lot of
that for the first few years, because no one
wanted to speak ill of the dead. People tend
to put their heroes on mental pedestals, and
won't hear a bad word said against them, let
alone say a bad word themselves. But, I think
to know a person, you have to know all of
them; both their good and their bad
attributes.
"As a result, I choose to think I now better
know and understand just who James and
Lily Potter were. And from that I have come
to understand a lot of what makes me... me.
Many have already told me I have my
father's hair and facial structure; but, that I
have my mother's eyes. I now also know I
also have my father's love of pranks, without
being a bully about it; just as I have my
mother's love for others, and also her
temper.
"From both of them I have their anti-bigotry
mindsets, their focussed bloody-mindedness,
their determination to do what is right and
succeed, their acceptance of that which
makes us different from one another, and
their loyalty for family and friends.
"We are a product of the combined genetics
of our parents. However, we are not limited
to that. I strive to be greater than they were;
as I have no doubt they would want me to.
They do not define who I am. It's my own
choices that do that. I have no doubt you
could choose the same."
Everyone sat quietly for a while. Harry could
see Draco was really taking his words to
heart.
Eventually, the other boy said, "I am not my
father."
"Of course not," agreed Harry, as if there was
no doubt.
"I don't think I'll ever be of the Light," said
Draco, as if Harry hadn't said anything.
"However, I now have the opportunity to
sever the Magical House of Malfoy from the
Dark. I may not be able to drag the House all
the way across to the Light; but, I believe
I can drag it to Grey and Neutral."
"Sirius, the Black, is doing the same for the
House of Black," said Harry. "You may want
to talk to him about it. He may be able to
help."
"I thought you'd already severed yourself
from the House of Malfoy," said Daphne.
"I had," admitted the other boy, with a slight
shrug. "However, the goblins have informed
me my father did not change his Will. As such,
I've inherited the Head of House position for
the House of Malfoy; even if I am the last
Malfoy."
"Been there, done that," smiled Harry.
Draco dipped the neck of his bottle to Harry
in mock salute.
"So, are you going to be Draco Black, the
Malfoy?" asked Daphne. "Or revert back to
Malfoy?"
Draco seemed to ponder that, for a while,
before he said, "I... hadn't thought that far. I
guess it'll be something I discuss with The
Black... cousin Sirius... over summer. As
things stand, there're very few who realise
I'm currently Draco Black. I'd like to keep it
that way for a while."
Chapter 268
"Very Slytherin of you," smirked Harry.
"Even though you think I have Gryffindor...
tendencies?" asked Draco with a matching
smirk.
"Oh, I never said you lacked Slytherin
qualities, dear cousin," laughed Harry. "I had
meant to imply... you tend to show such
Gryffindorish tendencies, at times.
"There's a term I've heard someone say that I
think matches us both," he continued.
"Slythindor. Or, perhaps, Gryfferin?"
"I'd be one and you'd be the other?" asked
Draco, amused.
"I think so, yes," said Harry, happy his cousin
understood what he meant.
The conversation petered off for a few
moments, each lost in their own thoughts,
before Draco asked, "Who would have
thought the two of us could sit down and
share a few drinks together and talk like old
friends?"
Harry snorted and said, "Maybe
not old friends; but, what say, new friends?"
Draco smiled and nodded back.
"Good," said Daphne. "Now, there are only a
few people who know your name is now
Draco Black that we know of. To give you
time to make a decision regarding your
choice of name, how many in Slytherin know
you've changed it?"
"None," Draco instantly replied. "At least,
none that I know of. I've not made the name
change known, nor corrected anyone who
called me Malfoy. However, I have no idea
how many people father told, if any.
Therefore, I also have no idea how many of
their sons and daughters who're at
Hogwarts they told, if any."
Giving a firm nod back, Daphne said, "If we
continue to call you Malfoy for the next week,
when the train heads back to London, is
there anyone you know of who could 'out'
you?"
"Not that I'm aware of," said Draco; before
he asked, "You'd do that for me?"
"It is not a difficult chore," smiled Daphne,
just a touch snidely. "If someone ever has the
effrontery to correct us on it, we can just
plead ignorance."
"That will give you time to reach
your own decision and speak with Sirius,"
said Hermione, speaking up for the first time
since they sat down.
A little surprised by the offer, Draco thought
about it for a few moments before he simply
said, "Thank you."
"That's what new friends are for," smiled
Harry.
Once Draco had left, Hermione smiled at the
other two and said, "Louie, I think this is the
beginning of a beautiful friendship."
Both Daphne and Harry snorted in
amusement for different reasons.
Daphne said, "I don't think it could be
a beautiful friendship..."
"Hermione's quoting a line out of a famous
muggle motion picture called Cassablanca,"
explained Harry. "It was one of the last lines
in the movie."
"The last line, actually," corrected Hermione.
"Humphrey Bogart's character, Rick
something, said it."
The last week of the term was filled with
students receiving their summer holiday
assignments, due the first week back of the
new school year. Although they'd already
received some, most were not handed out
until this week. It was those assignments the
three spent most of their time upon outside
of classes.
Harry asked for, and was given, a copy of the
summer holiday assignment for Ancient
Runes. He believed it would give him a good
grounding in what to expect once he began
attending classes in the subject.
The most annoying part of the week was
watching for and reading the odd article in
the Prophet that implied Riddle hadn't been
resurrected. However, by the Wednesday, his
wives refused to allow him to read the
newspaper any more while school was in
session. So, his last two days of school he
didn't have a chance to read the paper.
'Malfoy' did pay them a visit during breakfast
on Wednesday morning in his current false
persona. "So, Potter," he sneered.
"Still suffering from the Confundus charm
cast on you last Friday night?"
Standing just a little forward of one of his
few friends, Draco gave a most subtle wink.
Harry laughed back. In a loud and clear voice,
he said, "Oh, Malfoy; you do so amuse me. I
would have thought, by now, you'd know you
cannot make a magical oath, and make it
stick, if you're under any sort of mind
altering charm or potion. There would simply
be no flash, as it was clear everyone saw me
give off, on the stage in front of the maze,
when I brought Pettigrew back for justice. As
there was such a flash, I clearly wasn't
confunded. And, therefore, I proved Riddle is
back."
Draco then proceeded to sneer before
grumbling and stalking off back to the
Slytherin table. Of course, the whole thing
was pre-arranged between Draco and Harry
to get out the information the oath could not
have been magically accepted if Harry was
under compulsion at the time. It was a
performance.
Once the week was over, the three Potters
were waiting in the Entrance Hall on the
morning of the train ride when they were
approached, yet again, by Dumbledore.
"I've been in contact with your aunt, Harry,"
he said. "And I've let her know of the danger
Riddle now represents since his resurrection.
As such, I've informed them you'll be staying
with them, again, this summer; and I'll be
re-establishing the blood wards that protect
you there."
"In other words, Dumbledore, you lied to
them," growled Harry.
"I'm... I assure you, Harry. I'll be there this
afternoon to re-establish the wards..."
"You won't be able to," snapped Harry. "You
won't be able to, because I won't be
anywhere near the place."
"I'm having members of an organisation I
reformed pick you up from the station and
deliver you to your aunt's..."
"That would be kidnapping!" snapped
Daphne.
"You have no right to do that, Headmaster,"
glared Hermione. "If someone
even approaches Harry to take him from the
station, other than the Greengrasses, I'll
holler blue murder and demand your arrest! I
will quite happily lead a team of aurors to
Privett Drive to rescue him with minutes of
him being taken!"
"And, you're forgetting Riddle used my blood
in his ritual," added Harry. "That means he
can now walk right through your damnable
blood wards as if they weren't even there."
"In other words, they provide no protection,
at all!" added Hermione.
"If you try to have me kidnapped from the
station, Dumbledore," growled Harry, "I'll
defend myself with deadly force! Tell your
little birdie club I'll fucking kill them if they
try!"
Chapter 269
With that, the three stormed outside and
boarded the first carriage they could. They
left a completely flummoxed Dumbledore
standing in the Hall, unsure of what to do
next. The concept the blood wards would
now no longer protect Harry from Riddle,
due to the ritual, had not even crossed his
mind. But, he also knew Harry was correct.
Once safely on the train, they were joined in
their compartment by Tracey and Blaise,
Neville, Hannah and, surprisingly, Susan.
"Where's Horace?" asked Daphne.
"He left earlier," replied Tracey. "Something
to do with his family." Then she almost
minutely tapped the inside of her right
forearm.
'Ah!' thought Harry. He had no idea the elder
Urquhart was a Death Eater. He just hoped
Horace could avoid that fate.
"So, what's everyone's plans for the
holidays?" asked Hermione.
Tracey's family would be spending a short
amount of time in Italy with the Zabini's,
before spending a short time in France.
Susan and Hannah had no specific holiday
plans, other than to spend time together.
Neville was building an extra greenhouse and
had plans for the new one and the old one,
plus the extensive gardens at Longbottom
Manor. Mainly, he was looking forward to
spending time with his parents.
"When you have an opportunity, we would
accept an invitation to Longbottom Hall,"
said Daphne. "Harry needs to spend time
with his godmother, too."
Neville grinned and nodded back.
The three bondmates were starting their
time at Greengrass Farm. However, Harry
wanted to finally go and have a look at Potter
Retreat. Now that the three were married
and all legally recognised as adults, Harry felt
it was time to visit the ancestral home of the
Potters and see what needed to be done to
bring it back to it's former glory.
There was no visit from Draco, this trip.
However, the three didn't expect it, anyway.
Draco and the three felt the one visit on
Wednesday morning was enough to keep up
appearances.
Once the train arrived at Kings Cross, the
three promised their friends they'd write
during the course of the summer and quickly
found the elder Greengrasses.
Once Astoria joined them, they prepared to
Floo to the Farm.
When they arrived at the station and
disembarked from the train, the three were
approached by Mad-Eye.
"Mister Potter, ladies," he said. "I've just
received a message from Dumbledore not to
take you to your aunt's home, after all. Care
to explain why?"
"No," replied Harry. "However, I'll do so,
anyway.
"One, the Headmaster seems to have
conveniently forgotten I'm an emancipated
minor, and he's not my magical guardian;
two, the blood wards are useless now, due to
Riddle using my blood in his resurrection
ritual; three, I do not consider my aunt's
home my home, so the blood wards wont
hold; and, four, I don't trust Dumbledore
with taking care of my pocket lint, let alone
being responsible for my magical protections.
"The fact that he went ahead and contacted
my aunt and her family to convince them to
allow me to stay with them again, plus
contact those in his little bird watchers club
such as yourself to escort me there pretty
much under guard as if I was a prisoner, and
didn't even think about asking me first,
shows in quite clear terms why I'm getting to
the point where I consider the old fool my
enemy.
"Is that clear enough for you, Moody?"
"Crystal," replied the old Master Auror. With
a nod to Harry and his wives, Moody then
turned on his heel and stumped away.
As Matthias and Deece approached,
Matthias asked, "What was that all about?"
"We'll tell you back at the Farm," said
Daphne. "It's not for overhearing ears."
With a nod, Matthias led Deece and the
Potters to the portkey point, and the five left
for the Farm.
Once they'd settled, Matthias brought the
four of them down to the parlour to talk.
"Alright," he began. "Over the past week,
now that we know Riddle has returned, I
have brought up some of the more powerful
defences on the Farm."
This had both Daphne and Astoria perking
up.
"Not used since the previous war, I've had
the war wards improved and brought up
from deactivated to standby," he said. "This
means, anyone who attempts to attack the
Farm will be met with deadly force.
"By rights, I'm supposed to ask permission of
the Ministry before bringing them up to fully
activated. However, there is no requirement
for just bringing them up to standby. And, if
we're attacked, I intend to fully activate them,
irrespective of permission being granted or
not."
"You intend to use the self-defence
exemptions," said Hermione.
"I do," he nodded. "This is no different to
how we used the wards in the previous war.
However, we also had permission, back then,
to employ the wards from Bagnold. This time,
Fudge is still refusing to acknowledge
Riddle's return.
"And therefore, according to him, we're not
at war again," sighed Harry.
"Precisely," said Matthias.
"How goes other efforts?" asked Hermione.
With a slight shrug, Matthias replied, "Word
has it Dumbledore's reformed his little bird
club. Both Harry's godfather and honourary
uncle have been approached by him to rejoin.
Both, of course, have refused."
"We already knew the reforming part of
that," said Daphne. "That's what the
conversation with Moody at the train station
was about. Dumbledore tried to force Harry
back to the oh-so-loving embrace of the
Dursleys, again."
"What?" asked Deece. "But, why?"
"The blood wards," snarled Harry. "He seems
to think the blood wards are the ultimate in
protection for me. And, he won't even
attempt to admit he's wrong; no
matter how many logical arguments and
evidence shows he's wrong."
"Well, he'll be gone soon," said Deece. "Even
now he no longer has any control over you."
"What of the Longbottoms?" asked Harry,
wanting to change the subject. "They were
both members of Dumbledore's burnt
chicken club in the previous war."
With a small snort, Matthias replied,
"Augusta refuses Dumbledore access to
Longbottom Hall to even talk to them.
However, I don't think it would matter if the
old fool was able to talk to them. Both are
still convalescing; and both are now very
aware it's believed the old fool was the one
who arranged to keep them in their mental
state."
Chapter 270
"How did questioning of the healer go over
that?" asked Hermione. "I would have
thought they would be able to track it back
to Dumbledore by now."
"Tompkins had taken an oath to whoever he
was working for," said Matthias. "Every time
questions began to narrow in on who the
ultimate perpetrator was, Tompkins would
start to have seizures. If they pushed it any
closer, they'd have probably killed the man.
"Nevertheless, he's in Azkaban now. There is
not many who can survive more than a few
months with their sanity intact. Harry's
godfather is one of the rare ones. And Sirius
believes he survived as well as he did due to
his being able to wandlessly switch to his
animagus form, and that he knew he was
innocent."
"So, it's a dead end," sighed Harry.
"I'm afraid so," said Matthias.
"Any word from Madam Bones on when
she'll be ready to make her move against
Fudge?" asked Daphne.
With a wry smile, he replied, "She's still
trying to convince me to run for Minister." He
looked at Hermione and almost snarkily said,
"Thanks for that, by the way."
Hermione blushed and looked away before
she mumbled, "I still think it's a good idea."
"So does everyone else," he snorted.
Astoria, who hadn't heard this before, was
quite surprised. She asked, "They want you
to be Minister, daddy?"
He chuckled and said, "Our Hermione put the
idea to family and friends the day after the
third task. There's now quite a few people
who also think it's good idea and want me to
do it."
"You'd make a wonderful Minister, daddy,"
she said.
"I know, sweetie," he said. "However, we're
about to re-enter a war. And, that would
mean I'd be one of Riddle's priority targets. It
places us at great risk."
"Well, the only way you're going to get them
to stop wanting you to nominate for the post
is to give them a better candidate," said
Harry. "Have anyone in mind?"
"Ogden," he immediately came back with.
"Have you approached him with the idea?"
asked Harry.
"Not yet. The man's a Fudge supporter," he
replied.
"Then, if you want him on-side, you need to
convince him of two things: One, Fudge
won't survive a vote of no confidence; and,
two, Riddle's returned," said Harry. "I can
help you with the second and Sirius and I
both can help you with the first."
Matthias seemed to think about that for a
few moments before he said, "I'll set up a
meeting."
The four teens settled into their holidays
with three bondmates helping Astoria with
her summer homework. They were working
on the homework when Deece came and saw
them where they were sitting together at the
informal dining room table working together.
"I just had a Floo call from Augusta
Longbottom," she said. "Alice and Frank are
asking for you three."
A quick glance between the three bondmates
and Harry asked, "When would she like us to
visit?"
"Now, if you're not too busy," she replied.
"We can do that," said Daphne.
Looking to Astoria, Hermione asked, "Are
you going to be alright to keep working while
we're away?"
"Yeah, no problems," replied the younger girl.
"You've given me plenty of information. I'll
probably still be going when you get back."
"Thank you," said Harry. While Deece waited
for them, the three packed up what they'd
been working on and left it sitting to the side
of the table.
When they were ready, Deece escorted them
back to the Floo.
Just before they were ready to go, she said,
"I'll expect you back for dinner. If you're
staying there longer, please send an elf to let
me know."
"We will, Mum," replied Daphne. "Thank
you."
With Harry going first, with wand drawn and
held ready, the three arrived in the
Welcoming Hall at Longbottom Hall. They
were greeted by Neville.
"What was the first thing you asked me the
very first day we met?" Harry asked the
other boy, wand at the ready.
Surprised by the question, Neville replied,
"Umm... Have you seen a toad?"
Harry gave a firm nod and said, "Correct.
Always ask a question of whoever you meet
and expect to be a friend. It could be an
enemy using a glamour or polyjuice." He
popped his wand back into its holster.
Neville thought about that for a moment
before he realised what Harry meant. He
then asked, "Who else was in your
compartment, at the time?"
"Only Ron Weasley," Harry promptly replied
with a smile.
Meanwhile, both girls had also popped out
of the Floo, and Madam Longbottom walked
in with her wand in hand.
"In future, Nev," said Harry. "When expecting
someone through the Floo, or at your
apparition and portkey arrival point, be
standing behind one of those couches, or
something, with your wand in your hand
ready to defend yourself. It may save your
life."
"Mister Potter is correct, Neville," said
Madam Longbottom. Turning to Harry, she
said, "The fault is mine, Mister Potter. I have
not yet instructed Neville in being safe from
such attacks in these troubled times."
Harry gave a slight bow of acknowledgement
to the older lady.
"And, what was that with the questions,
Mister Potter?" she asked.
"A check system, Madam Longbottom,"
replied Harry. "By asking questions very few
people will know the answers to, you check
for glamours, polyjuice and the like."
"Clever," she said. "An idea we shall adopt."
Turning to Neville, she instructed, "Start
thinking of questions you can ask visitors you
know others are very unlikely to know the
answers to, Neville."
"Yes, gran," the boy dutifully replied with a
short nod.
"Now," said the family matriarch, "Frank and
Alice are expecting us in the conservatory.
Neville, please escort our guests through to
them. I shall join you shortly."
"Yes, gran," replied Neville before he turned
back to Harry. "Harry, Daphne, Hermione...
Please follow me. My mother and father are
expecting us."
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