Capítulo 267: HPWW271-280
Chapter 271
Dumbledore gave another start of surprise but, before he could respond, she drew her wand and held it out
so that the old man could clearly see it. "From this moment forth, Albus, each time you address me by my first name and not my title I'm going to zap you with increasingly stronger stinging hexes. Do you understand me?"
He gasped, "You wouldn't dare!"
She cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked, "For the past two plus weeks I've had to tell you over and over again you are to address me as Headmistress Marchbanks. Over and over again I have also told you not to address me by my first name.
"As you have not learned from that, I am allowed to raise the level of discipline to the next level. I've decided that will be through the use of stinging hexes. And, once again, if you do not like that - quit!"
As the old man sat there, clearly angry but not willing to say a word, she said, "Now, back to our topic. The use of hostages in the second task."
"Yes," he immediately said. "As I was saying―"
"Be silent!" she snapped.
When he immediately shut up and glared back she said, "You seem to be operating under a complete misunderstanding of what powers the Hogwarts Heads of Houses have relating to their legal status regarding in loco parentis.
"In loco parentis, as you otherwise seem to believe, does not give the Heads of Houses the right to act as parents or otherwise rightful guardians of the students at all times. In loco parentis only exists in situations where the permission of the rightful guardians of a student cannot first be immediately gained when it's necessary to be required immediately. That is, in cases of emergency medical attention and the like.
"In situations where the rightful guardians can first be
approached, then the rightful guardian's permission must first be gained. That is the case here.
"There would have been almost two months between the Yule Ball and the Second Task. In other words, there would have been plenty of time for you to have sought permission from the rightful guardian or guardians of each of your supposed hostages, before you used said hostages in the Task.
"As such, in loco parentis does not apply. Rather, if you had used such hostages and they were underaged, without first gaining the written and signed permission of the guardians in advance, you would have been guilty of the crime of either flat out Kidnapping or Deprivation of Liberty. If even one of those hostages had been of an Ancient House or above - or, even worse, an Heir of one of those Houses - and any harm at all had come to the child, that could easily have meant the Veil for you, Albus.
"And... I remind you... if you had been found guilty of
either one of those crimes and the hostage was of an Ancient or above House, execution by the Veil is the only sentence available to the Wizengamot!
"Based on the evidence, alone, I would have been one of those who would have found you guilty, Albus."
Dumbledore just sat there in disbelief.
Seeing the expression on his face, Marchbanks gave a huff and said, "What? Don't think it would have happened? Again, clearly Lord Potter is right when he thinks us all daft morons, when even the so-called great Albus Dumbledore could make such a stupid mistake."
Frowning in annoyance Dumbledore huffed back and said, "Nevertheless, the Second Task needs hostages for the champions to rescue. That―"
"No, it doesn't," she snapped. "Listen to the bloody clue, yourself, if you don't believe me. All it needs is
something the champion would miss the most; not someone.
"As such, there will definitely not be hostages for the champions to 'rescue'. And, as such, no need to select said hostages from their dates to the Ball. That means the Ball does not play a part in the Tournament.
"Now, what else did you need to speak with me about?"
Dumbledore sat completely flummoxed. He really had no idea what to do from there as his entire argument pivoted on the need for hostages.
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Chapter 272
At breakfast, again, Harry noticed his food intake was reducing even further. This time he only needed a little over one and a half breakfasts.
Hermione noticed and said, "Your calorie consumption is still dropping. That must mean the amount of work still to be done within you is tapering off."
He nodded, finished swallowing his latest bite of poached egg on toast with a drizzle of Hollandaise sauce, and replied, "I've noticed, too. I think it was about this same time yesterday, I first noticed that."
Interrupting during a break in their short discussion, Monica said, "As soon as you two have finished breaking your fasts we'll head out to do Christmas shopping."
That had the two teens nod back and immediately return to their breakfasts.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The mind-healer that Harry had secretly hired for Ginny and Luna had just entered the Burrow by way of the kitchen.
Molly, annoyed, said, "She's up in her room. I'll be up to join you, shortly."
"No, you will not," the healer immediately returned.
When Molly seemed about to disagree, Arthur stepped in and said, "She's right, Molly. As I told you yesterday, you're to stay out of it."
The mind-healer gave Arthur a nod and said, "Would you mind escorting me up? I've not yet been shown her room."
Arthur immediately replied, "Of course." And led her
upstairs.
Ron, who was still eating breakfast after almost an hour of sitting at the table, grumbled, "Why does Ginny get to have a healer visit? What about me?"
Molly spun on him and almost hissed, "Were you possessed by a malevolent spirit during your first year of Hogwarts?"
Ron just grumbled about it and immediately began filling his mouth with food again.
"So," she demanded. "Not only are you jealous of Lord Potter, his titles and his wealth; but, now you're jealous of the fact your sister is being paid attention by a mind-healer because she was possessed for approximately nine months."
As she took a couple steps forward, Ron immediately cringed away, expecting to get hit. However, all she did was reach forward and pulled the plate away from
him. And took it back to the sink.
"You've finished breakfast," she told him. "Go out to the garden and clear it of garden gnomes again."
"No, I haven't!" he stridently disagreed.
She spun back on him and, with a glare, snapped, "Yes; you have. Now, get outside."
Recognising that tone and not wanting to push it, Ron got.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Completely opposite to the shopping trip of the day before, this time Harry and Hermione were pretty much just part of another family among the crowds - 'nobodies'. No one bothered them. Even the aurors, all wearing suitable muggle attire, blended right in.
On returning to the Granger residence, Harry told the lead auror, "Good job, you guys. You fit right in."
"That's because this entire detail for this trip was of muggleborns and -raised, Lord Potter," the senior auror replied. "All four of us have spent plenty of time in the muggle world, including dealing with the madness that is Christmas shopping."
Harry nodded, but was surprised to learn that specific background of the team.
He asked, "I take it the team was set up that way, specifically for this trip? And the one yesterday was of the magical-raised?"
"Of course," replied the auror. "This is why it is important we know of your movements as ahead of time as possible. We need that information so the teams can be accordingly built and scheduled."
"Of course," nodded Harry. He should have thought of that and cursed himself for not realising it a lot sooner. He asked, "You're aware we're visiting our peer, Neville Longbottom, and his parents at Longbottom Hall tomorrow?"
"We are," smiled the auror.
That told Harry the team that would be going with them were experienced with acting in front of and in the homes of Lords of Noble and Ancient Houses.
Taking his load of purchases upstairs to his room, he was just exiting when Hermione, coming down from her own room after dropping off her own purchases, asked, "How are you holding up?"
"Better," he sighed.
The sheer pressing of the crowds while they were out had triggered within Harry a near panic attack. He had little idea he was as agoraphobic as he discovered
himself to be.
Showing concern, she said, "If I had known you were as uncomfortable in crowds as you were, I'd have recommended just you and I go shopping on a weekday, Harry."
"I had no idea how bad it's apparently gotten," he sighed. "I've never liked being in big crowds, but that's the first time I've ever had an... event like that."
"When was the last time you'd been in a crowd that big before?"
"Christmas shopping, 1990," he immediately replied. "The Dursleys would take me along on all such trips to carry all the bags."
Frowning in anger, clearly aimed at the Dursleys, she said, "Being as it's been so long since you were last in such a tight crowd, that's probably why."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After telling Andi he needed to head to Eastern Europe for late afternoon and first part of the evening, Ted made his way to the International portkey disembarkation point at the Ministry.
He had decided he would be present when the blood sample was taken from the supposed Malfoy girl.
Arriving early morning in Perth - after stop-overs in Greece, Pakistan and Malaysia due to the distances involved - Ted arrived not too long after dawn in the Australian Ministry for Magic in their offices under Garema Court in Civic, the city of Canberra, the capital of the nation.
The immigration officer took his passport, did a rudimentary comparison with his magical signature between the two and said, "Welcome to Austrailya,
Mister Tonks. Business or pleasure?"
"Business," Ted immediately replied.
"How long are ya thinkin' of stayin'?"
"Just a few hours; half a day, at most," he replied. "I only need to chase up some legal issues for a client."
The immigration officer gave him a nod of understanding and handed him back his magical passport. "Then enjoy your short stay, Mister Tonks."
With his passport back in his hand Ted went up to the Portkey Office to purchase a portkey to Perth. While an average witch or wizard has the magical power to enchant a portkey that will take someone from one end of the Isles to the other in Britain, the distance from Canberra to Perth was approximately three and a quarter times longer - a hair over 3000km or 1900ml and almost exactly the same distance between Los Angeles and Cincinnati in the US, or 500km (300ml)
further than from London to Moscow. [A/N: Yes, folks; Australia's actually that big.] Therefore, specialists in the Australian Portkey Office handled the making of them.
As soon as he paid for his 'fare' he was directed to a spot marked in yellow - for Perth. He joined three others also waiting.
As soon as a fifth joined them one of the portkey officers handed them a large bamboo hoop and said, "Everyone hook a finga!"
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Chapter 273
As soon as everyone did he tapped a vacant spot on
the hoop and barked, "Sandgropah seven!"
This time, Ted found himself arriving in what appeared to be a disused gazebo in a small botanic park, inside a larger wide open space, just inside what looked like a park between the city and the river's edge.
As the others moved off, with two almost immediately apparating away, Ted looked around and saw his contact waiting for him. He was leaned perched against the bonnet of a muggle automobile - some sort of van, in a small carpark - looking at him with a smirk.
As soon as Ted had spotted him, the man stood up and gestured him over.
"Mister Smith?" asked Ted.
The man gave a nod and said, "That's me. You'd be Mister Jones?"
"Indeed," said Ted.
With another nod, Smith gestured with his thumb over his shoulder and said, "You'll need to change. Hop in the back and you'll see some examples of what you need to wear."
Ted gave a nod and did exactly that.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
As it headed for late afternoon in the British Isles it was first thing in the morning in Perth, Australia. Charlotte 'CeeCee' Wilkins had just been practically dragged out of bed by her mother and told to make herself ready for the day.
Grumbling about how it was her summer break, the girl made herself ready.
First, it was a shower in the shared bathroom she shared with her brother and sister - when either of them was home. Which, thankfully, was now not so often the case with both attending, or soon to be attending, university. Then it was dressed for the day in a light summer dress with sandals on her feet. And out to the kitchen/dining for breakfast.
As soon as she entered the room she saw her Mum and muttered a soft, "G'morning."
After a quick glance to her daughter while she was finishing up making an egg white omelette for the girl, Dorothy Wilkins replied, "Good Morning, Charlie." She said it with an almost sing-song voice.
CeeCee sighed and said, "Honestly, Mum. Do you have to do that Charlie's Angels impression every morning? I've been home for a week now."
Transferring the omelette to a plate Dorothy smirked at her daughter and replied, "And it was months
before that, when you were here in September, when I last did it."
Taking the omelette over to the table, Dorothy placed the plate before her daughter and ran her fingers through the young girl's long black locks. It was something she often did when the girl was much younger.
"Mu-um!" whined CeeCee, squirming under the attention.
Dorothy took her hand away and smiled. "You use to love me playing with your hair when you were younger. You'd often bring your hairbrush to me and demand I brush it for you."
Still slightly whining about it the young girl replied, "Yeah, but that was when I was little. I'm not little any more."
Sitting at the seat opposite, her mother quickly
checked to ensure her husband wasn't in hearing range and, leaning towards her daughter a little as if to tell her a big secret, said, "No, you're not. And I can see that by how your boobies are beginning to grow."
That had CeeCee instantly blush, practically drop the knife and fork she'd just picked up, cross her off arm across her chest to hide the somewhat apparent swellings and again whine, "Muu-um!"
Knowing it might be a little unfair to tease her daughter so, Dorothy smiled and changed the subject. "Once you've finished your breakfast you and I are going shopping. Besides Christmas shopping, you'll be needing to be fitted for bras."
Still blushing and not looking back at her mother, CeeCee just nodded and tried to get back to her breakfast.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After about a thirty minute drive, where Smith told Ted more about the girl, they pulled up down the street from the house he recognised from the surveillance photos.
"I put a minor compulsion charm on the mother to want to take her daughter Christmas shopping, this morning," explained Smith. "However, I probably need not have bothered. It seems the mother was intent on taking the daughter shopping with her this morning, anyway.
"They're heading to a muggle shopping centre called Maddington Plaza. It's about a five to ten minute drive east from here, tops."
While they were waiting, Ted asked, "How do you get away with just sitting on the street like this?"
"Minor Notice-Me-Not on the van," explained Smith.
"Plus, it's what's known as a 'tradie's van'. It's the sort of thing a plumber or electrician would drive. No one ever pays attention to them in the mundane world, or that one is in their street."
Thirty minutes later, Dorothy and CeeCee exited the house and hopped into the muggle family car, before it them pulled out into the street and drove off.
Smith had the van started as soon as he saw them walk out. And the two followed the two 'Wilkins' ladies to the shopping centre.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Through the use of 'accidentally' hitting the girl in the nose with his elbow during a sudden turn and while the girl and her mother were separated and as Ted watched on, Smith used a previously conjured tissue to wipe the girl's nose clean of the blood that had
erupted.
As her mother then saw what happened and hurried over, Smith profusely apologised and paid Dorothy enough money to buy the girl an icecream by way of apology. That conjured tissue was then surreptitiously slipped into a vial as he handed the girl a couple more.
As the Wilkins then left, Smith walked back to Ted and handed him the vial. Ted was frowning at him. He did not like to see the girl had been injured, even if it wasn't that badly.
"The tissue is conjured," said Smith. "As it's only a weak one, it'll fade within the hour. That'll leave you with just the blood in the vial."
"I did not like to see the girl injured," Ted snapped.
"Then how else would you have had me get a sample of her blood?" asked Smith, not bothered by it. "Break
into her home, stun everyone and stick a needle in her arm?
"This way, she only has a few minutes of pain and no one's the wiser."
Stepping into a public toilet, Ted used a Finite charm to cancel the tissue and immediately placed a stasis charm on the vial.
He stepped out and quietly said to Smith, "Payment will be made, as per usual. I may have more work for you yet."
"As always, Mister Jones, fare thee well," replied Smith.
Ted walked back into the toilet, made sure it was clear of any muggles and apparated back to the gazebo. There'd be another portkey awaiting him about ten minutes after he arrived to take him back to Canberra.
He arrived back in Britain during the very late hours of the evening.
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Chapter 274
After breakfast the next morning, Harry and Hermione dressed in wizarding wear to visit Neville. Because of the aurors' determination to accompany them, he'd had to send a letter to Frank by 'house elf express' to let him know he and Hermione would be accompanied by aurors. And went ahead and used the opportunity to inform the Longbottoms he and his betrothed now had access to a floo.
Frank immediately sent a message back using the same method to let them know both the floo address and the current password.
So, Harry was a bit excited to travel once more via the floo, rather than via portkey. He'd not been able to practice his landings and hoped the Longbottoms were not averse to him asking for their help in getting a handle on it.
At 9.00am the two teens, plus two of their auror detail, plus the two Granger adults, trooped down to the Doghouse to use the floo.
First went one of the two aurors, then went Harry. "Longbottom Hall!" he called. As soon as the flames turned green he called the password, "The Nine Virtues"
After the rapid spinning feeling Harry missed the timing for his exit and shot out of fireplace to, first, land on his side before rolling onto his back as he slid across the floor. His slide was brought to a halt by the legs of the auror who had used the floo immediately before him and had only moved forward about ten feet. With a cry of surprise, the auror immediately fell
back as he felt his ankles being knocked out from under him; and landed somewhat on top of Harry.
"Oof!" Harry exclaimed, as the auror landed on him.
"What the bloody hell?" the auror muttered as he scrambled back to his feet.
From where he still lay on the floor, Harry called, "Sorry! My bad!"
That was it for Neville. Where the boy was waiting off to one side and a pace back from his father, he suddenly burst out in rich laughter.
"Oi! Nev!" Harry called. "Pack up laughing, get over here and help me up."
That was when Hermione stepped out of the floo with an almost dainty grace. She was followed by her parents, who also had no trouble.
As Frank and Alice just stood there, clearly bemused, Neville ducked forward and took Harry's hand with his own offered in return; as the auror did the same. As he braced himself against the pull, he and the auror helped Harry back to his feet.
"Harrison James Potter!" exclaimed Hermione. "What is it with you and floo travel?"
Grinning, Frank said, "I see he's inherited the Potter grace."
Alice gave a little snort and said, "I don't think even James was quite that bad."
Finally getting himself straightened out, with the auror almost negligently banishing him clean of soot while the other, who stepped out last, did the same for the Grangers, Harry stood up straight, adopted an aristocratic air and drawled, "Lady Longbottom. Thank you for the invitation―"
Alice laughed and said, "Shut up, Harry. And come over here and given me a hug."
He immediately adopted a massive pout, but did as he was told.
Wrapping the small woman in his arms with her head coming up to his chin, he said, "I even practiced being a poncy git for that moment."
While Frank was hugging Hermione he chuckled and said, "Don't worry about it, Harry. I think it was ruined by your entrance, anyway."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After the aurors spread out to check the wards and throw up their own alert ones, Neville was quick to give the two teens a tour of the Hall before taking them out the back to the greenhouses. After being
introduced, Wendell and Monica stayed to talk with Frank and Alice.
As soon as he saw the greenhouses, Harry gave a low whistle of surprise. "Damn, Nev! When you have a hobby you don't muck about, do you?"
The other boy blushed and quietly said, "Actually, it's also a bit of a gold earner for me. The plants I grow and harvest I sell to the apothecaries in the Alley. Because of the soil I developed and use those plants turn out to have a better potency, so I get a better price for those ingredients."
That surprised both teens.
As they were led into the first greenhouse, Hermione asked, "Have you given Professor Sprout your soil... recipe?"
"No," smirked Neville. "However, I've sold her some to use on certain plants in one of the school's
greenhouses that really love it. She also sent me a letter a week ago asking me to send her more."
Harry said, "I certainly hope she's paying for it."
Neville shrugged and replied, "She is. Or, rather, the school is."
Harry noticed Hermione struggling to come to grips with something in her mind and he had a pretty fair idea what it was.
"Hermione," he said, getting her attention. "Neville's soil recipe is proprietary information. I know what you feel about information and sharing it, but Neville has the right to make money from his profitable research; does he not?"
With a pained expression of acceptance, she nodded. "Of course, he does."
Neville smirked at her and said, "Don't worry,
Hermione. I sell it to the school at what is pretty much 'cost'. However, the commercial nurseries will be paying full price to make up for it."
Wanting to change the subject, Harry looked around and asked, "So, what do you grow in here?"
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After a long day at Longbottom Hall, where the Longbottom house elves outdid even Dobby for a delicious lunch, the two teens returned via the floo in the Doghouse to the Granger Residence just in time for afternoon tea. The Granger adults had returned earlier.
With Harry's blessing, Hermione also insisted on giving the Longbottoms the address and password to the Doghouse, so that any of the three could visit without first having to ask.
When he heard the address and password, Frank let forth a great belly laugh. "That has to be the work of Sirius Black," he declared.
Harry grinned and nodded. "I think he's actually thinking about using the floo system in his animagus form."
Frank laughed again. "It'll be interesting to see if it works."
Back at the Granger residence Dobby immediately had a plate of cut sandwiches before Harry as soon as he sat at the dinette.
Almost whining Harry said, "Dobby; I've got work to do!"
"Master Harry, Sir, needs to eat," the elf firmly stated. As Hermione snickered at him, Harry sighed and was
already picking up the first quarter cut. Just before he shoved a corner of the sandwich into his mouth, he muttered, "Uppity damned elf."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Earlier that afternoon at the Tonkses' place, Sirius received an owl from Remus asking for another meeting at the Leaky Cauldron for 5.00pm that day. At the time, Sirius had mentally shrugged and decided it wouldn't hurt to go to find out what the man wanted.
At a few minutes to the appointed time, he stepped through the floo into the Leaky Cauldron. Remus was already there and waiting. He had a small stack of Daily Prophets with him and on the table before him in one of the booths. The man did not look happy.
After first drawing his wand and sitting down, Sirius immediately erected a set of privacy wards. He knew
the chance of Dumbledore not still being under a form of house arrest at Hogwarts was slight, but that was still too much of a risk for him to take. He would take none that he couldn't counter, just to keep Harry safe.
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Chapter 275
Remus sadly muttered, "Padfoot."
"Moony," said Sirius. "I take it by the stack of old copies of the Daily Prophet you followed my advice and read them?"
Moony looked away and nodded.
'Well, here's a very unhappy man,' thought Sirius. He asked, "And?"
Remus seemed to gather his thoughts for a bit before he finally asked in a pleading voice, "What happened to him, Pads? What happened to Dumbledore to turn him into this... this... fiend?"
Sirius sighed. In part, he was relieved his friend had 'seen the light' about Dumbledore and would no longer be a Dumbledorian. And, in part, he was sad one of his friend's personal heroes had been shown to be an utter bastard, after all.
He simply said, "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."
"But, Dumbledore?" moped Remus. "Even Dumbledore," replied Sirius.
Remus sighed and asked, "How's the cub handling all of this?"
Sirius smirked and replied, "He's as right as rain. He's finally got his head screwed on right and recognises he's in love with young Hermione, she's also finally recognised that she's in love with him, the people he's staying with are treating him like a long lost son and he's with family, his personal enemies have either been or are being dealt with, he's taken up his Lordship and he's managed to organise and accomplish getting his friend's parents healed and woken."
Remus listened and then gave a snort of amusement. "He really has accomplished all that, hasn't he?"
Sirius grinned and replied, "He has."
With his expression changing back to one of sadness, Remus looked down and quietly said, "I've not just read the back issues of the Prophet, as you recommended, Pads. I also went and got myself checked for potions and charms like you said I should."
Sirius gave a huff and said, "Let me guess... compulsion and or loyalty potions and or charms?"
"Potions," Remus immediately replied. "Both."
"They were keyed to Dumbledore, weren't they?" asked Sirius. He hadn't realised it before, but Remus's claim left him feeling quite relieved.
Remus nodded. "I don't know how he managed it, as the wolf should have blocked those. But, they... or, rather, it... was there. A single potion that had alchemical components.
"Actually, the healer I saw said it was the alchemical components that allowed the potion to work against the wolf. Even now I can feel it directing me to trust the old man."
"So, it's still in your system?" asked a surprised Sirius.
"It is," Remus sadly replied.
"Then I'm taking you to see Andi," he firmly stated.
He then performed a quick Tempus and asked, "Where are you staying at the moment?"
"My old place," replied Remus.
Sirius nodded and said, "Give me about fifteen minutes to come back and get you. I need to see if Andi's available at the moment."
Remus nodded as Sirius rose from his seat. He was back in less than five.
"Come on," said Sirius, not even bothering to sit. "She wants to see you, right now."
_ ̳_
―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After working for a few hours on House of Potter documents, practically the last of the two piles sent by Ted, Harry felt the alert charm on the Doghouse go off.
However, he wasn't the only one. As he turned to look out the dinette window out into the backyard, he heard and saw one of their duty aurors, a witch, hurry out the back door and quickly make her way to the small building.
There was a moment as the auror cast a quick detection charm, before she opened the door with her wand ready and stepped inside.
Moments later, she exited again, leading Andi and Sirius.
"Andi and Sirius are here," he muttered to Hermione.
Hermione replied, "I noticed. Any idea why?"
When he turned to her he noticed she'd risen from her own chair to look over his shoulder.
"Nope," he replied. "All I can think of is she's noticed my potions have changed."
As soon as the two were led in through the back door, the two teens packed up what they were working on and made ready to receive the two.
Monica walked in just as they were finished and asked, "Guests?"
Hermione immediately replied, "Sirius and Andi. They came in via floo."
As the two adults came up the stairs from the lower ground floor, the two teens had finished packing up and were waiting for them.
As they walked in, Harry immediately noticed Sirius was smiling; but there also appeared a hint of worry behind his eyes, as well. He'd immediately turned to Hermione and gave her a hug before turning his attention to Harry. Andi just stood back and waited. Her whole posture showed she was concerned about something.
After his own quick hug with his godfather, Harry asked, "Alright, what's going on?"
"Two things," Sirius immediately replied. "First, Moony."
Harry frowned and asked, "What about him?"
Andi replied to that. "He's been potioned. A loyalty and compulsion variant very similar to what Miss Granger was dosed with."
Harry let out a sigh of relief. "So. His actions in not telling me anything right through third year were not
of his own volition."
Sirius cut in, "It's a lot longer than that, Pup. Andi found it's very long term―"
"Over a decade, at least," she added. "However, it was certainly renewed a little over a year ago."
Harry parked his bum on the edge of the dinette table and folded his arms with his head down. He could hardly believe how relieved he felt learning of that. "That means, his actions since that night were not of his own choice."
"No," said Sirius.
"Thank God," he vehemently muttered.
"Yeah," said Sirius. "Andi's going to have to take a sample of his blood to Saint Mungo's so they can develop an anti-potion for it. It has an alchemical component, so a normal flushing potion isn't going to
work."
"Poor man," said Monica.
Looking back at his godfather, Harry asked, "How's he taking it?"
Sirius's expression turned angry and frustrated. "Not well. Dumbledore was one of his personal heroes.
"When I met with him the other day I gave him some galleons to go and purchase back copies of the Daily Prophet and contact me again after he'd read them. He did that, plus went and got himself checked for potioning off his own back. However, he didn't get the flushing potion made as he couldn't afford it."
"That's why I'll be making it for him," said Andi. "Besides, with the alchemical component it'll be a bit of a challenge and I like challenges."
Hermione asked, "He's taking care of himself?"
Sirius nodded and replied, "He is. He's currently staying at, as he puts it, his old place somewhere. He won't tell me where it is and won't let me pay for him to stay somewhere better."
Harry asked, "What about the potion? Will it drive him to go to Dumbledore?"
Andi stepped in and replied, "No. I've given him something that will temporarily negate the effects until I can create the cure.
"Now, young man," she said, looking more fixedly at Harry. "I need to give you another once-over. I'm well aware the potion regimen you're on has changed."
Standing, ready to head upstairs, he asked, "Am I right in thinking I'm almost done?"
She smiled and said, "Pretty much. That's why I want to give you another health check. I want to see if you
need to be on anything else, now."
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Chapter 276
After she gave Harry a scan and determined he could now come off the potions completely, Andi called Sirius up.
Once he was in the room and the privacy wards went up, she got right to it with Harry.
"I'd been trying to wrack my brains and researched out the wahzoo for a way to get that accursed thing out of your head," she said. "However, it was Ted who suggested to me the way forward - muggle surgery."
Completely surprised, Harry asked, "Muggle surgery?
What; he's suggesting it simply be cut out?"
"Excised, yes," she replied. "I think the muggles refer to it as 'going under the knife'."
"Yes," he sighed. "That's exactly the saying."
He thought about it for a little while and asked, "How're we going to do this? I mean, it's not as if you can tell the surgeon what he needs to accomplish."
"Actually, yes I can," she smirked. "I managed to track down a surgeon parent of a muggleborn. And he managed to track down a... gas-passer?... parent of a muggleborn."
"Anæsthetist," he muttered, looking at the floor while he thought. "He's the person in the operating room responsible for ensuring the patient remains asleep and free of pain during the surgery."
"That's the one," she agreed.
He nodded and looked back to her. "How soon can you get it set up?"
"The day before New Years Eve," she promptly replied. "The thirtieth of December."
He nodded, sighed and said, "Do it. Are you going to be there?"
She smirked back, but Harry could see she was clearly relieved by his answer. "You couldn't keep me away."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Coming back downstairs with the other two, Harry said, "I need to think. I'm going to cook." And immediately left for the kitchen.
Sirius called, "Harry?"
Turning to look at his godfather, he muttered, "Hmm?" "Can I tell the Grangers about what we discussed?"
Harry thought about it for all of a bare moment before he replied, "You'd best. I don't think I can and they need to be aware of what it means regarding me staying here."
As Harry turned and walked away, Sirius gestured for everyone to join him in the parlour.
Once he, Andi and the Grangers were in, he threw up a set of privacy wards and said, "Because of something relating to the scar on Harry's forehead, he needs to undergo surgery."
Hermione immediately asked, "Surgery?" "Yes," replied Sirius. "Muggle surgery."
Wendell, frowning, asked, "Why muggle? I know the magical community has their own forms of dealing with injuries and the like. And I didn't think it involved surgery, as we know it."
Andi explained, "There is a... magical miasma, you could say... that emanates from Harry's scar. It's dark in some form. Therefore, we cannot use a magical form of healing to rectify the situation. That's why we're thinking outside the box, here, and going with muggle means."
"I take it you're going to excise the scar and whatever is related to it through surgical means, then," he asked.
"Precisely," she nodded. "By excising the scar and some of the surrounding tissue, it is hoped the miasma will be removed right along with it. If it is, then we can use magical means to remove any remaining corrupt material and heal it well enough that he won't
even have a scar left."
Monica asked, "When do you plan on doing this?"
"Wednesday, the thirtieth of December," Andi promptly replied. "He'll go in first thing in the morning and be out that night."
Wendell said, "Monica and I will still be on holidays, ourselves, then. We can get him there - wherever there is."
"I plan on taking him, myself," said Andi. "However, I cannot see the harm in you coming along."
Monica asked, "Which hospital?" "Parkside," Andi promptly replied.
That had both Wendell and Monica give a start of surprise.
"That's ours!" exclaimed Wendell.
"Pardon?" asked a just as surprised Andi. "You... work there?"
"We do," he nodded. "It's only a ten minute drive from here."
Surprised, Andi said, "Then, do you know Doctor Francis Dolittle?"
"Yes," he replied. "A plastic surgeon, specialising in facial disfigurement. Either or both of us are occasionally brought in to consult when the issue touches on oral and maxillofacial issues. We also do the same the other way, when we're trying to minimise or negate disfigurement in oral surgery."
"Well," said Andi, clearly pleased. "Then, this is going to make things easier. Doctor Dolittle is the father of a muggleborn witch, like yourselves. So, you can discuss issues relating to being muggle parents of a
magical with him without any problem." That clearly made both Doctors happy.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Harry's dinner that night was, as usual, well received by all. Even Andi stayed for it and Ted was contacted and apparated over to join them for the meal.
Just before the Tonkses and Sirius left, Ted looked to Harry and said, "I'll be over tomorrow to collect the documents you've done and want to discuss other House business with you. What's the best time to turn up?"
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Chapter 277
"Any time after breakfast," Harry immediately replied. "Unless, of course, you'd like to join us for breakfast. It's your choice."
Ted thought about it and asked, "How about soon after 9.00am, then? I have to call into the office to get some documents first."
Harry shrugged, checked to make sure it was fine by the Grangers, who didn't seem to be disagreeable, and replied, "That's fine."
"Good," nodded Ted. "And you say you've practically finished with the House of Potter documentation?"
"We have," he replied.
Ted gave a nod, smiled and said, "Then I'll see you at just after 9.00am."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Dumbledore was sitting at the desk in his office and massaging his temples. His plans for what was to come over the next few months, once the students all returned to the school, were yet again in ruins.
He had planned to use young Ginevra Weasley as Harry's hostage in the Second Task, irrespective of who he took to the ball. Even then, he planned on adding a compulsion potion to see if that got past the boy's surprising immunity to mind magics and to see if he could get the boy to take the girl. His idea was to begin to set in place a relationship between the two.
Already, the young redhead saw Harry as her personal knight in shining armour and, by using her as his hostage, it would create the image in the minds of the wider wizarding community that she was the person
he cared about the most. He had hoped it would also start Harry thinking the same.
He had also sent a couple of letters to Molly hoping the woman would help him. However, she'd not responded to any of them.
When he then floo called her, she abruptly cut him off and told him to no longer bother the Weasleys.
She'd flat-out told him, "We are not your dutiful little pawns, Dumbledore. We now want nothing to do with you. Leave us alone." Then she had the temerity to shut the call off while he still appeared in the flames.
That had caused him to be almost violently ejected from his own floo, sitting him back on his butt.
After the unmasking of young Barty Crouch, he knew that Tom had set in place Harry's name to come out of the Goblet and for Harry to be forced to compete. Therefore, it stood to reason he wanted Harry in a
certain place at a certain time. That would either be in the Black Lake on the twenty fourth of February, or in the maze on the twenty fourth of June. It further stood to reason it was the Third Task, the maze, that was the important one.
Now he just had to figure out how to capitalise on that.
When the Daily Prophet was delivered less than a half hour later, he learned that trying to pair Harry with young Ginevra wasn't going to work, either. That plan was snuffed out before it even had a chance to progress beyond the old man's thoughts.
He sat back with a frustrated sigh.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After another filling Dobby breakfast, where Harry was
now down to eating a little over the same amount as Wendell, he was finally able to read the Daily Prophet in peace without also trying to fill his stomach at the same time.
He had gotten used to enjoying a cup of tea while reading the paper, right up until the potions whacked him up side the head with its demand to eat. Being able to go back to that was pleasant.
The lead story, that morning, was the breaking news of Harry and Hermione's betrothal. Both were surprised it had taken that long.
~# ~
BOY-WHO-LIVED BETROTHED
In surprising news, we here at the Daily Prophet have learned our young hero, Lord Harry Potter (14) the Boy-Who-Lived, has entered into a Betrothal Agreement with his close friend, muggleborn
Harmony Granger (15), writes your favourite journalist Rita Skeeter.
Further, we have also learned that, unusually, young Miss Granger's magical guardian is not her Hogwarts Head of House, but is Lord Sirius Black, recently exonerated and godfather of Lord Potter.
We are unsure why Lord Potter and Miss Granger's guardians have chosen to enter the two into such an arrangement, but it is suspected it is to protect both from any shenanigans towards trying to slip either an ironclad marriage contract in future.
The Daily Prophet congratulates both children and sends their commiserations to all the other young witches who dreamed of being the one who snagged the Boy-Who-Lived for themselves.
More information on Betrothal Agreements - page 8. More information on muggleborn Harmony Granger -
page 2.
~# ~
Harry gave a grunt of somewhat annoyance once he'd finished the article and muttered, "I'll need to let the aurors know they'll need to be especially vigilant of incoming mail for the both of us."
"Why?" asked Hermione.
He replied, "There are going to be those who are going to be quite nasty towards you, now. That line about 'all the other young witches who dreamed of snagging the Boy-Who-Lived' has me worried."
It was while he and Hermione were sharing the Prophet and talking about various articles that Ted turned up.
"Good morning," he greeted them all.
With four returned 'Good morning's he turned to Harry and asked, "Have those documents ready for me?"
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Chapter 278
Harry immediately called Dobby and had the little elf go and collect both sets of documents from off the floor next to the desk in his room.
While they were waiting, Harry asked, "Read the article in the Daily Prophet about our betrothal, yet?"
"I have," Ted nodded back. "I can't use it to yell at Cuffe again, though. It was both truthful and non- insulting; other than misspelling Miss Granger's name."
"No; but you might consider writing up a 'press release' statement, though," said Harry. "Something from Hermione and I about how we're happy with this. And something that threatens dire consequences on anyone who tries to interfere."
"Good idea," nodded Ted. "I'll get that written up as soon as I get back to the office."
When the two piles appeared on the end of the table, Harry gestured to it and said, "That's all of it, thank God."
Ted was surprised and said, "Harry, I hadn't expected you to get through all of it. I only expected you to be, at most, about a quarter of the way through."
Harry shrugged and said, "I just didn't want to head into Christmas with so much parchmentwork hanging over my head. My argument, and Hermione agreed with me, is that it's best to get it all out of the way before more turns up and makes the pile even bigger."
As Hermione nodded in agreement, Ted gave his own firm nod back before he then pulled out documents from within his robes and placed them on the table before sitting down.
Once he was comfortable he slid the documents across the table to Harry and said, "That's the agreement with the warding and repair company to make a start on repairing the cottage."
Harry frowned in puzzlement and said, "I thought we were going with the goblins to get that done."
"That was the original plan, yes," nodded Ted. "However, the goblins were being greedy little... blighters and wanted too much to do it." Indicating the documents he said, "This company will do it for a cheaper price and do a better job of it."
Harry pulled the documents across and asked, "When can they start?"
"Tomorrow," replied Ted. "They want it stripped of the Ministry wards and new private wards up before Christmas. Then, straight after Christmas, they move in and begin repairs."
Harry quickly read through them and asked, "Fidelius?"
"Yes," he replied. "They want to put the Fidelius up while they work. That way, they won't be bothered by anyone trying to stop them."
"Smart," muttered Hermione.
Ted smiled and said, "I thought so, too."
"That's going to take some significant power," said Harry. "The Potter Cottage is a landmark of significant interest and I doubt there'll be many who aren't aware of exactly where it can be found. With that many people knowing of it, the Fidelius has to work that
much harder to hide the Secret."
Hermione said, "I'm sure they'll figure a way, Harry."
With a verbal nod of acknowledgement of Hermione's remark, Harry quickly signed the documents and initialled where Ted had marked for him to do so, before sliding them back.
He said, "You'd best let Amelia Bones know I've claimed the cottage back as soon as the new wards go up. We don't want her going on the warpath to find the culprit who 'stole' it, even though it wasn't."
As Ted was placing the documents on the twin stacks of documents Harry and Hermione had gone through, he said, "That's the plan; yes."
Then, turning to grin at Harry, he asked, "You know this is going to get people all up in their wands about it, don't you?"
"Of course," replied Harry. "However, I don't care. They had no right to take it from me in the first place."
Standing up Ted called for his house elf, Benny, to come and take the two stacks and put them on his desk in his office.
"Well," he said. "That's all I needed to see you about, today. I've got a lot more work to do in the office, yet."
Harry stood and shook the man's hand. "Thank you, Ted."
Ted smiled, gave a nod and let himself out. He was apparating back to his office.
After he left, Hermione said, "How long, do you think, is it going to take for the Daily Prophet to get wind of the cottage disappearing?"
Harry shrugged and replied, "About five minutes after someone goes to the DMLE or the Acting Madam
Minister to alert them. Therefore, I think we can find we'll be reading about in... three days, max."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
At the Unspeakable fire-side, the 'Spectral Threat' section leader, Scimitar, was on his feet and giving his report.
"For those who haven't read this morning's 'scandal sheet', news of the White Knight's betrothal to Bookworm is now public. 'Knight's Shadow' are tasked with aiding Monocle's people in ensuring no harm befalls either through the post. Any and all harmful mail will be checked and, if the sender is known, the sender will receive a... visit.
"The Black healer has been spending time communicating with a muggle hospital concerning healing Knight's scar. She is very concerned in
making sure any corrupt tissue surrounding the scar is excised.
"We believe two points from that. First, if she does what we think she's going to do - immediately after the patient leaves the hospital, vanish the muggle healing bandages and use magic to completely heal the wound site - it means she may have come upon a way to heal magical injuries using muggle techniques."
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Chapter 279
That had the Unspeakable's healers all glance and softly murmur to one another.
Seeing them, Croaker stepped forward and asked,
"Bandage? Your opinion on her success?"
One of the healers hesitated a moment before stepping forward, themselves. "The concept is intriguing. It is not an avenue even we have considered. Permission to monitor her and her efforts?"
"Granted," Croaker immediately replied. "However, you are not to risk 'Knight's Shadow' in doing so."
"No," she replied. "If she is successful, the Black healer will write a report, anyway."
Seeing the side conversation end, Scimitar continued, "The Black healer's... intensity... in addressing this issue leads us to believe the surgery is not just to remove the scar. We believe, however it occurred, a sliver or fragment of the soul of Riddle has attached itself to it."
That had a ripple of shock pass through the gathered
senior Unspeakables.
"Now, that does not mean Lord Potter is a Horcrux," Scimitar firmly stated. "We do not see how it is possible Riddle could have completed the Horcrux ritual before his soul attached itself to the boy's scar."
"It couldn't have," said the section leader of the Soul Magics section. "However, that does not mean it cannot act as if it was a Horcrux."
"That the boy is free of any signs of possession leads us to believe that it is both contained in that famous scar and can be excised as the Black healer seems bent on accomplishing.
"If she is successful, the young Knight will not need to be tossed through the Veil, as we initially believed he might need to be."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After leaving the Grangers', Ted apparated to his office and made sure the House of Potter documents were sorted by his staff.
One of his law-apprentices asked, "He managed to get through all this, on his own, in just a couple of weeks?"
"With his betrothed's help, yes," replied Ted. "Both of them are highly intelligent. And, don't forget, he's also accomplished a lot more than this in that time, too. The latest trial of Lord Black, figuring out and organising the waking of Lord and Lady Longbottom... etcetera."
While the apprentices, interns and paralegals worked through it he contacted, via floo, the company who's contract Harry had just signed to give them their copy and let them know they could start right away.
"Lord Potter accepted?" asked the company manager on the other end of the floo call.
"He did," replied Ted. "However, he has one request."
"Oh?" the man warily asked.
Ted replied, "That I be informed the moment the Fidelius goes up that it's gone up. He wants the Acting Madam Minister informed immediately, before anyone at the Ministry can then panic and go looking for it."
The man gave a grunt and nodded, "I'll do that. Probably a wise idea."
"My and his thoughts, exactly," said Ted
The man seemed to mutter about something and said, "Expect me to floo you with that information at about lunch time, tomorrow."
Ted nodded and said, "Thank you." Then terminated
the call.
He then set up the 'dot points' for the press release Harry had asked him to write up and had one of his staff develop it into a proper press release, while he moved onto his next task.
Next, he collected the vial of blood from the suspected Malfoy Heir that was in stasis from his safe and headed for Gringotts.
'Time to confirm it for sure,' he thought.
Once in the bank he was sitting before the desk of the Gringotts's Inheritance Office and handed the vial over.
It was actually against bank policy to do it without the actual person in attendance; but the goblin, Snaggletooth, had just been handed a small bag of gold to carry out this test. The gold would both ensure his silence and his compliance.
After the blood was poured from the vial and into a small bottle of enchanted ink, a quill was dipped within before being moved to a sheet of parchment. It began to write as if by an invisible hand, similar to a Dicta-quill.
Less than a minute later the quill returned to the ink for the final time and stopped.
The goblin picked up the parchment, placed a small pair of pince-nez glasses on his long nose and peered through them to read.
"Interesting," he muttered.
Looking to Ted he asked, "Were you aware the blood is of the missing Malfoy Heir?
Ted gave a huff of pleasure and replied, "Almost certain, yes. I take it you can confirm the blood is of one Corina Cephei Malfoy, born the tenth of August,
1982?"
"It is, indeed," replied the goblin.
"Thank you," said Ted, standing up. Indicating the sheet, he said, "Burn that, won't you?"
The goblin smirked back and dropped the sheet into a small brazier that sat in the corner. It was instantly alight and burned away to ash.
"Burn what?" the goblin asked.
"Thank you, Snaggletooth," said Ted. "May you vaults fill and your enemies perish."
"And may your business flourish," replied the goblin with a very slight head nod of a bow.
Letting himself back out, Ted headed back to his office.
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Chapter 280
Once back in his office, Ted was going to write up a report for Sirius and thought better. He went to his floo and flooed home.
Sirius was even waiting for him. And it appeared he'd been pacing while he did.
"Well?" the Lord Black practically barked.
Ted smiled and replied, "It's confirmed. Little Miss Wilkins was, indeed, born Corina Cephei Malfoy on the tenth of August, 1982."
Practically relieved, Sirius quietly but firmly said, "Yes!"
"So," said Ted. "What do you now want to do about her?"
"I don't know; so, for now, nothing," replied Sirius. "She's happy, well-cared for, needs nothing and, above all else, is safe right where she is."
Ted gave a nod and asked, "Do you want me to keep the file on her in my Fidelius-charmed safe?"
Sirius gave a firm nod back and said, "If anything happens to Lucy and his brat of a son, the girl is the rightful Heir to take over the Malfoy fortune. I want you to make sure she gets it."
Ted nodded back and said, "I'll write up the relevant parchmentwork and have it placed in the file, ready for just such a contingency."
Back in his office, the legal intern he'd had writing up the press release entered his office and handed him
the document.
Ted made on a few changes and handed it back. "Good job," he said. "As soon as you make those changes, get copies sent off to the Daily Prophet and WWN, would you?"
"Yes, Sir," replied the intern, before he walked out again.
The intern, one of the two law-apprentices and two of the four paralegals were new hires, brought in because of the increased workload, and were proving to be 'Merlin sent'. At this rate, this particular intern, at least, would be receiving a pay rise before too much longer.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
With the Granger adults now home and 'on holidays',
with the legal and financial parchmentwork for the House of Potter up to date and most of his problems rectified or planned to be so soon, Harry was hoping to put his culinary skills to the test and let himself go in the kitchen. However, that was completely contrary to Dobby's own plans.
An hour before lunch Harry and Dobby were standing in the kitchen arguing over 'delegation of tasks' - and Dobby was, unsurprisingly, winning. However, that had more to do with every time Harry picked up a kitchen implement Dobby would banish it out of his hand again.
"Do-obs!" whined Harry. "Come oooonn! You know I love to cook. It relaxes me."
"Master Harry, Sir, likes to be flyings when he be bored," argued Dobby. "Master Harry should go flyings."
"I can't fly here!" he argued right back. "It's a muggle
home!"
"Master Harry, Sir, can be visitings his friend, Mister Neville," said Dobby. "Mister Neville's home be wizarding home. Master Harry, Sir, can be flyings there."
That brought Harry up short.
Thinking about it, he muttered, "You know, that's not a half bad idea."
From behind him, Hermione spoke up, "We should also see if we can visit the other Hogwarts members of the Alliance. You did say that was something you were planning on doing, didn't you?"
As Harry sighed in defeat, Dobby smirked at him, but stood his ground.
"Alright," he said, turning to her. "I guess we can wait until after lunch to visit Neville. But, I'd best send an
owl to the others, first. It would be impolite to just turn up, unannounced."
"And you should ask Neville if he'd like to join you," she added.
"Another good idea," he agreed.
"I know," she smiled. "How about you go give him a floo call to make sure it's alright for you to visit after lunch?"
Nodding, he smiled and walked up to her. Wrapping her in a cuddle he kissed her and said, "I'll go do that now."
However, before he left, he wheeled on Dobby and said, "This argument is not over, you horrible little gremlin! I will be occasionally cooking lunch and you'll be letting me."
With his betrothed blushing just a touch from the kiss
he unexpectedly landed on her and not waiting for Dobby to retort, he headed out the back to the Doghouse to make that call.
As he hurried down the stairs to the lower ground floor, Hermione sighed and thought, 'Oh, that boy. Why does he, every time he kisses me, make me feel all gooshy inside?'
With Harry gone and clearing her head again, she looked to Dobby and firmly said, "You and me need to talk."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After sorting out everything he needed for his second visit to Bagman, Ted alerted his staff of where he was going and informing them he'd be back after lunch. Then he was out the door and on his way.
Again heading directly to Bagman's office, he knocked and walked right in, not even bothering to wait for the invitation to enter.
As soon as Bagman looked up in shock, he immediately went white in fear.
"M-Mister Tonks, Sir," he stammered. "W-what can I do for you, today?"
This time Ted walked right up to the desk and plonked himself into the chair put there for guests.
"Ludo," he smirked.
That put Bagman right on edge, right there.
Noticing his effect on the man, Ted smirked even more and said, "I've now had plenty of time to go over the contract for the Tri-Wiz. Imagine my surprise in discovering it is the intent of the organisers... you, Dumbledore, Maxime and Karkaroff now that Crouch
has been locked up in Azkaban... to use hostages for the Second Task."
Status de energia semanal
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