章節 26: Chapter 26
It was the twenty ninth of July. Two days before Harry's birthday, when he would become a legal adult in the Wizarding World. It was five minutes to midnight and Harry was waiting restlessly.
Sharp at 12.01a.m on the thirtieth of July a day before Harry's birthday, a group of goblins came to No. 4 Privet Drive. They looked through the wards and the spells on the house and the gardens and then laid out a complicated goblin charm that made the place and the Dursleys invisible to all wizards except one Harry Potter, on whom they tied the wards to.
The muggles would be able to see them and their home and interact with them but they would become invisible for a wizard or a witch.
The goblins then brought the wards Dumbledore had placed there crashing down and silently apparated away. After they left, Harry went upstairs and woke up the Dursleys.
He had his wand in his hand and simply pointed it in their face and told them to come down.
Vernon turned an alarming shade of purple and green that Harry thought did not look very well on him. His aunt was so pale she could have passed on for a vampire and Dudley was holding his bottoms in his hands a feat he was not successful because his buttocks were far bigger than his hands. He was behind his mother, his eyes looking fearfully at Harry.
Harry pushed the sofa towards them and they watched as the sofa zoomed and then lifted high in the air above them and then came down gently and settled down behind them.
The Dursleys squeaked and squealed in horror and they did not notice a sudden flick of Harry's wand that threw them on to the sofa. Harry then cast the silencing charm at them and froze them to their necks.
"Now I need a few minutes of your time and then I will be going away from this place forever. I will not take very well to yelling or shouting Aunt and Uncle, so if you do need to speak at all it had better be polite and relevant. Now I am going to remove the silencing charm on all of you and then I will begin to explain. Is that fine? You may nod your heads if it is so or shake your heads in which case I will leave you as you are."
There were nodding like there was no tomorrow. Harry laughed to himself as he removed the silencing charm off his relatives.
"Well! That was very nice of you to cooperate." Harry told them with a straight face and watched with interest as his uncle started turning red and then grey as he reigned in the words that were begging to come out of his lips. But the fact Harry had his wand and had used it to cast spells and had no letter from an owl that came crashing down and no visits from the other freaks made him pause and tell the begging words to stuff it.
"That is clever of you Uncle Vernon." Harry nodded his head indicating his Uncle's intelligence in swallowing the retort, and he flicked his wand and conjured a lovely chair and sat down opposite them.
"Now I am going to be seventeen years and in the Wizarding World I come of age at that time. I have no ill feeling towards any of you though Aunt Petunia, if the positions were reversed and it was Dudley who had no one else except his aunt and uncle on his mother's side to take care of him, my mother would not have placed him under the cupboard beneath the stairs.
"But all that is now in the past. What isn't past though is the threat of Voldemort. He has come back alive and he is killing muggles and everyone really, simply because he can. He hates me and he is looking out for all of you because I lived with you all these years."
All the Dursleys squealed and went pale.
"I have with the help of the goblins cast a very powerful spell on the house and on all three of you that makes you invisible to any person who is magical. That means your house will be visible and all of you will be visible to non magical people, but if any magical person comes along, they will not be able to see you except me because the spells are tied to me.
"Please do not sell this house unless the war in the Wizarding World is over. You are reading everyday about random attacks are you not? They are attacks by Voldemort on the muggles whom he hates. Once the war is over and if I am alive at the end of it, then I will come only once and remove all the spells and then we will never meet again.
"If I die you will know as I have asked the goblins to inform you, you must move away from this place as my death will make you visible to all. I have finished. Have you any questions now?"
The Dursleys looked terrified. "Oh! Mrs. Figg is a squib and so she will not be able to see you." Harry told them and waited patiently as Vernon snarled and then swallowed as his wife nudged him warningly. To think the cat woman was one of them was a bit too much for Vernon Dursley because they had left Harry with her most of the time.
Harry then took out a draft. It was a draft made out to Petunia Dursley for a million pounds. He summoned the small coffee table and laid the draft on top of it.
"My parents' were extremely wealthy and my Godfather who died last year was equally so. He willed all his wealth to me. I realize I was a burden and a shame to you all these years, but you gave me a roof over my head and food to eat so that I would not die of starvation. Thank you for that and as a small repayment I have a draft here for a million pounds.
"If all goes well I will see you one more time to remove the spells after Voldemort is gone. Otherwise please take care of yourselves. If you need to get in touch with me anytime, kindly address a letter to Harry Potter c/o The Rose Cottage and I will get it. Goodbye." Harry finished quietly and he flicked his wand and removed the charm from them. To his surprise no one went to take the draft from the table. They were staring at him in shock.
Harry shrugged his shoulders and checked for his trunk that he had shrunk and placed in his robes and turning around he left the Dursleys silently forever.
-------------
Harry apparated straight to the cottage where Snape was waiting for him. Harry was feeling a bit drained and Snape took one look at him and hugged him fiercely and made him feel a lot better. Over a cup of tea Snape told Harry about what had happened with Lupin and the events in the past month. Harry was shocked when he heard that Lupin had transformed without the moon and he had almost broken through the ancient magic that Snape had cast on the door.
Harry's heart lifted with the fact that his father's friend had forgiven him and was on his side now.
Snape was supposedly at a raid with a new recruit and he had killed the death eater and had come here to wait for Harry. The others were fighting all over the place as was the case now-a-days.
Snape had heard all that Harry had spoken and he felt so proud of Harry's mature way of dealing with the Dursleys. Harry himself was surprised but now that he had Snape, the Dursleys did not hurt as before. Harry and Snape then left for Godric's Hollow.
The goblins had done a wonderful job of repairing it and the small village nestled in the Welsh mountains was simply beautiful. Harry and Snape stood there in the night enjoying the beauty of the village for a moment.
Harry could see the house and then he told Snape who could not see it because it was under the Fidelus charm. Harry Potter lives in Godric's Hollow and suddenly Snape saw the house and both of them walked in.
The house was clean and neat and there was nothing to indicate that it was the scene of horror sixteen years ago that affected not only Harry and his family but the Wizarding World at large. Harry looked around the living room of the house where he had lived the first fifteen months of his life and smiled sadly.
Snape's arm crushed him once again, giving him the comfort Harry so desperately needed. After sometime Harry walked to the fireplace to connect it by activating the floo and connecting the outgoing to Grimmauld Place and Snape's cottage and then flopped down on a sofa and relaxed.
"How big is the village?"
"Very small according to Lupin. He says there are hardly a few streets. There is a graveyard though where your parents are buried." Snape told him softly.
"He did not even let me see their graves." Harry told him bitterly not needing to specify who the 'he' was.
"But Albus is like that Harry. For the greater good he does not mind the smaller evil. What he does not realize is that it puts him on par with the Dark Lord."
Five minutes later Harry got up and went to look around his home. The main door opened directly into the living room and there were two staircases leading to the first floor. The staircases started right at the door on both sides. There were five bedrooms on the first floor and the second floor was divided into a massive library on one side and more bedrooms on the other.
On the first floor was the master bedroom and the goblins had repaired everything and anything personal they had kept for Harry to see and then throw away, even if anything was slightly charred or damaged.
The ground floor consisted of the living room, a dining room, a study cum office room. Harry walked around the house alone. Snape was sitting on the sofa giving Harry the time to feel the place where he had lived with his parents. Harry roamed through the house twice and at last went to the library. There were a lot of books that had preservation charms and were apparently bound to the house as they seemed to have survived not only the attack but also seemed to be in a good condition.
Harry walked around the library. There were portraits of Hogwarts showing the Entrance Hall and her massive grounds, of the library at Hogwarts, Harry smiled as he saw that; it must have been his mother who had done that and of Godric's Hollow and the other Potter residences as well. He turned the last corner of the library and his heart stopped as he came across five portraits.
His mother, father, Sirius, Remus and the rat. Harry blasted the rat straight away and watched with satisfaction as the portrait burned to a crisp. He looked at his parents who were smiling and waving and Sirius for a long time until Snape came searching for him.
His mother was holding him in her hands and was pressing the baby Harry with kisses and his baby self was sitting smugly on her and enjoying the kisses and giggling when she tickled him.
Snape felt so moved at the longing in Harry's face as he looked at his baby self and his mother's kisses all over his baby self. But Harry also healed a lot as he saw firm evidence he had been loved and loved a lot.
Snape came up to him and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder making him start with surprise. He saw Snape and smiled sadly. "They are not portraits like that of Phineas Nigellus and other Headmasters in Dumbledore's office, those that can speak I mean?"
Snape frowned thoughtfully. "They could be. It all depends Harry, if your parents made these portraits with a spell to include their memories and also make them self updating, that means saying the spell everyday and updating the portrait that is usually bound to the witch or wizard; then yes each portrait would know everything up to the day they died. Even Black would have if he had said the spell a day before his death; he would have still known everything of his life until then."
"How will I know?"
"Well usually they are meant to activate on their death. Your parents and Black would have done something like that I am sure. Only I do not know if this is the portrait that is meant to contain their memories or they had others that were destroyed."
Suddenly Harry had an idea. He pointed his wand at his mother's portrait and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." And heard Snape snort. Then Harry forgot everything as his mother blinked her eyes and looked around.
Harry watched breathlessly as she looked around and then saw him, "James!" she whispered. "You survived." She breathed and then she frowned as she took in the trembling boy with eyes as green as hers and who was clinging to, it wasn't Severus Snape the death eater surely, of all people for support and her eyes widened.
"Harry?" she asked incredulously as she stared at him. Harry could not say a word to save his life as he looked at her tears falling out of his eyes that were bright, very bright as he drank in her features and her voice that sounded so melodious to his ears, he had heard that voice only screaming in despair until now when Lily Potter had begged for the life of her son.
Now her voice was the most amazing thing Harry felt he had heard. Snape was holding tightly on to him and Harry's fingers were stopping the circulation in his arm.
Snape pointed his wand and spoke the same words to the portraits of James and Sirius and Remus. His portrait would be the same like wizarding portraits that could move a little because Remus was still alive.
Harry was still staring at his mother when, "Harry you are alright, thank Merlin!" shouted the portrait of Sirius from James's right. Sirius had updated everyday apparently.
Harry whipped around to hear the voice of his beloved Godfather, a voice he had thought he would have to hear only by listening to Arran and be satisfied in this lifetime.
Sirius, a very young Sirius was grinning at him, his eyes drinking Harry in, in the same manner Harry was devouring him with his eyes that were a little blurred because of the tears.
"Silly! Wipe your tears." Sirius told him, brushing his own eyes and was diverted by a new voice, "James!" Sirius hollered as James Potter looked at his only son with wonder, "Harry is that really you? But why is Snape with you and not Sirius?" he heard Sirius's shout next to him at that time and he turned to look at Sirius who was grinning at James with tears in his eyes and James turned to Harry in alarm. "Why is Sirius here with me?"
Then and only then did Lily and Sirius spot Snape standing very close to Harry. Before any of them could say a word Harry spoke quickly. "See, all of you there is so much you have missed. I will be seventeen tomorrow. That is close to sixteen years. Sirius fell into the veil last year. In that one year there has been so much that has been happening.
"Please allow me to show you everything before you say a word. Alright?"
Snape in the meantime had gone to bring his pensieve. The moment Snape came in with the pensieve, Harry went to work.
Harry and Snape removed a lot of memories and placed them into the pensieve. Snape had included his talks with Minerva and Harry's escape from Voldemort with the help of Arran and the killing of Nagini and both of them had included the destruction of the horcruxes and the fight with the dementors and Lupin's inclusion in Harry's side.
Harry also included his fight with Voldemort in his first year, the basilisk in his second, Sirius in his third, the graveyard in his fourth and the Department of Mysteries in his fifth and his meeting with the Weasleys and the imperio with Ron and Ginny. He extracted only brief moments of each year and finished off with the pranks Snape, McGonagall and Dobby had played on Ron and Ginny.
"I have placed a few memories from each year when I fought with Voldemort and the last year is shown in great detail. Please see the whole thing and then react. I will answer any question you may have. Ok?"
Not waiting for an answer Harry tapped the pensieve and James saw him go and sit by Snape who put an arm around him.
All of them saw the fight with Quirrell for not more than five minutes and the fight with the basilisk and the escape of Sirius and Pettigrew in Harry's third year. James's portrait heart almost stopped beating when he realized Sirius had been in Azkaban for thirteen years. Before he could recover from that he saw Harry standing at the graveyard and the fight with Voldemort who was returned to his body.
The next year James and Lily who was now sitting on James's lap and weeping saw the terrible fight at the Department of Mysteries and Sirius falling into the veil and Dumbledore telling the Prophecy.
Lily shrieked, she couldn't help it and Sirius was trying his best not to cry as he saw the anguish in Harry's face and voice. James was so stunned he could not feel and he did not even realize his wife was sitting on him and crying.
Then the terrible last year unfolded. They saw Harry walk into the infirmary and heard Ron reading the letter. They saw Harry attending the Order meeting and Sirius and James yelled simultaneously deafening Harry and Snape and startling them, "Moony' how dare he?"
They saw Snape sneering at Remus and then the Order meeting after the Order meeting. They then saw Harry telling everything to Hermione and his gratitude when she sided with him almost broke Lily's heart. James was clutching the hands of his chair so hard and he was not even aware of the tears that ran down his eyes as he shared Harry's pain. Sirius looked so shocked that he was clutching to James in desperation.
They saw Harry and Hermione planning and plotting to stay afloat in an environment that was pressing them down every second.
Then they saw McGonagall's visit to Snape in his chambers and then Snape's Occlumency lesson. Then they saw Snape telling Harry he was the one who heard the prophecy and the way Harry had yelled, power simply rolling off him and the way he broke down, broke the hearts of the three who had died so that this boy may live.
They saw Snape going and sitting with Harry and heard his story. Lily, James and Sirius did not know whom they were weeping for anymore, Sirius felt very bitter for his brother's sake, a brother he had brushed off so callously and he was the bravest of them all.
All of them watched with bated breath as Snape agreed to become a slave to Arran to save Harry and James and Sirius turned incredulous eyes on him. They saw Wormtail being put into place as Harry and Harry escaping. They saw the way Harry had reacted to Arran and how the Slytherins had pledged to fight with Harry.
All of them saw the horcrux hunting and Arran's conversation with Harry. Sirius made a choked sound again as he heard about Regulus.
They saw the Christmas at the Weasleys and then Neville telling McGonagall about the imperious and lastly the Slytherins swearing to help Harry and then Harry meeting Lupin at the station. James and Sirius snarled as they saw Lupin frowning and then controlling himself and smiling.
The next memory was that of Snape and he was being blasted away. James and Sirius were confused as they saw Lupin fighting for Harry and they understood and were a lot pacified and shell shocked when he transformed without the moon when he saw the second Order meeting. They saw him hurling himself against the door, it was truly terrifying and how he had calmed when Arran had come and lastly the oath he took to die for Harry.
Lily, James and Sirius were now weeping for their child whom they had left so alone and vulnerable to face such horrors. Lily was inconsolable as she viewed the memories and saw Harry so skinny and so alone. That was what hit her time and again. He was so alone until Snape came and then she saw how he clung to Snape.
All of them were silent and the only sounds that were heard were that of Lily sobbing and James and Sirius clearing their throats now and then.
"What is happening to my baby James?" Lily asked a long time later. no one answered; no one was able to.
Harry in the meantime had written the secret of the house to all the others except the Slytherins whom Harry met with three days before School finished. As Lily sobbed and James and Sirius were shell shocked about what they had seen that they were not even comforting her, there were pops of apparition and whooshing sounds as the floo kept turning green and churning out people, who searched for Harry and Snape and came up to the library searching for them.
All of them stopped at the sight of Harry's parents and Sirius with tears in their eyes and Harry looking very uncomfortable and sad. Hermione went up to him and hugged him as did Neville and Arran.
Remus saw the pensieve, shriveled up and his eyes full of shame went up to them. "I spit on your face Moony." James shouted at him.
"God James you think I wanted to! The wolf in me was killing me and it took so long for me to accept Siri's death." Remus cried in a tortured voice.
His eyes were turning amber and Remus went on not minding all the others in the room. "But that despair is nothing compared to what I feel for Albus and Moody." he started growling and the others stepped back in fear.
"Lupin! Stop that. You wish to transform here?" Snape asked him acidly.
Lupin swallowed hard and looked with shame at James and Sirius. James smiled sadly at him. "Sorry Moony. But you left Harry so alone." James's tortured voice almost killed Lupin.
"We did not give our lives so that my son would live under the cupboard and be used for his fame and money and then discarded like a ragged doll. How dare Albus?" Lily screamed, tears running down her face again.
Lupin started growling again.
"Petrificus totalis." Arran hit him straight on. "Remus you must control yourself. Else all that we have planned for tomorrow will be in vain."
James, Sirius and Lily stared at the young man who looked so much like Sirius and then James looked around at the strange group of people who had chosen Harry as their leader and had pledged to fight on Harry's side.
He was suddenly proud of his son and blinked his eyes as they threatened to fill up with tears once again.
"Shall I release you and will you behave?" Arran was asking Remus and James grinned at the sight. The moment Lupin's eyes turned amber James and Sirius knew he could not help it and while they would scold him, they would also understand.
The way he had blasted Snape for what he thought was wrong behavior towards Harry and the way he had transformed after seeing the second Order meeting had redeemed Remus in James's and Sirius's eyes. The oath he took later only strengthened that belief.
"Snape?" James called out to him after whispering something to Sirius who nodded whole heartedly.
Harry suddenly became very tense as Snape raised an eyebrow towards James.
McGonagall who was thrilled to see three of her favorite students now came to stand by Snape and was ready to scold James and Sirius if they put a foot wrong and James, seeing that rolled his eyes.
Arran had released Lupin and he went to stand near the portraits. James took one look at that miserable face and grinned. The change in Lupin was startling. He straightened up and years rolled off him and he grinned back. He had been forgiven.
"Pull a stunt like that again Moony, I will come out of the bloody veil and kill you." Sirius told him, shaking his fist at him and then all was fine among the friends. They would discuss the rest in private.
James then turned to Snape and shocking the others and knelt down. "I am dead you know. But I think I am still the head of the House of Potter because Harry will respect my wishes. The House of Potter owes you a life debt, Snape that can never be fulfilled. You saved my baby and you gave him purpose and lots of love to live again. Else he would have wasted away.
"The House of Potter and the House of Black," Sirius knelt down as solemn as Harry had ever seen him, and James took out his wand and Sirius his and they touched their hearts with it signifying they were speaking only the truth, "forever holds you in the highest esteem and gratitude as it understands the extent you went to save our child when he was in the clutches of Voldemort and Dumbledore. Thank you."
Harry who was so scared that they would badmouth Snape had his jaw hit the floor. Snape was so shocked him self. He realized what James and Sirius had done. They had effectively declared him as guardian of Harry. Snape just nodded, he could not speak for the life of him
Lupin was looking so sad that he was not there for Harry. James called out to him and he and Sirius who had noticed as well spoke to him in whispers comforting him and after a while Lupin started looking almost his normal self.
Then Arran clapped his hands and brought the room to order.
"Now we have got all the important bits out of the way, let us plan for the morrow." He said gaily and that broke the tense and emotional atmosphere and all of them started talking and planning and plotting.
They spent the whole day plotting and planning and Snape was with them and refused to obey the summons of one Albus Dumbledore who had called for a frantic meeting of the Order. Snape and the Slytherins had not gone anywhere, while McGonagall and Weasleys had. They came back with news that Dumbledore did not remember where Harry's aunt's home was and he was scared for Harry.
Harry had laughed at the sarcastic account of his Head of House. She had been very happy to see James, Lily and Sirius and she had so much of the tension leave her.
Harry had dragged Hermione and had introduced her as 'my best friend' and blushed and then scowled as some one whispered 'whipped' very loudly and the whole room snickered and McGonagall snorted. James, Sirius and Lily had looked on baffled as Harry whirled around, "Who was that? Care to come in front of me?" he asked angrily.
"Oh Harry let them be. They are sooo immature." Hermione said her nose in the air. Harry smiled at her and nodded his head, pacified as James who had caught on by then, grinned.
"They are right!" he told Harry surprised.
"What dad?" it sounded very nice Harry thought in satisfaction.
"She has you whipped." James laughed and Sirius laughed along with him while the rest snickered.
Lily looked at Harry's flushed face and Hermione's red one and smacked at her husband and Sirius. "Stop that right now. you are not kids anymore."
"Of course Lily." James snickered and McGonagall said loudly, "Now who is whipped Potter?"
"He is a mushy wushy professor." Lily told McGonagall airily as James flushed in mortification of being called mushy wushy whatever that was, while the others shouted with laughter.
Harry laughed thrilled at the conversation. This was how it was in a family. He had always dreamed of such scenes of gentle teasing and flushing with embarrassment and denying loudly.
Snape rolled his eyes and nudged Harry. Harry clapped his hands and asked for silence. James, Sirius and Lily were astounded he got it in a minute. All of them had settled down and were looking expectantly at Harry.
"Okay now we have to plan for not only taking down Voldemort and his only horcrux, but also for the aftermath of the Wizarding World. Last year we had spent much time discussing this and I have come up with a few ideas that will work during and after the war.
"The first thing we need is our own publication. I thought of the Quibbler if Mr. Lovegood is agreeable because it is already running and we don't have to start from the beginning. Otherwise we start our own publication. We can talk with Luna and ask her if she will join us and help us by publishing a few articles that we will write. We will choose topics of blood purity, the muggles/ wizards' ratio, the meaningless killing and how Voldemort is killing not the muggles and muggleborns in large numbers but the purebloods.
"We can even name families that have so far perished. That will make the pure bloods think more carefully on their status with Voldemort and blood. The next important thing we do with the press is to say that we are with the purebloods in securing the silence of the muggleborn students in respect with the Wizarding World."
There were many gasps at that. "Bravo!" shouted Arran and Draco echoed it. "You will in effect be jerking the rug from beneath old snake face. Great Harry!" Arran beamed and everyone echoed it and James was bursting with pride as were Sirius and Lily.
"We will tell them that all the parents of the muggleborns should be spelled to stay silent. It will be for their protection as well as ours. If we phrase it rightly then the muggleborns will agree with us themselves."
Harry stopped to see the reactions and he was gratified to see all of them were impressed. Harry had not spoken about this to anyone in detail and even Snape only knew the general outlines. Lily, James and Sirius were looking so proud that Harry blushed and then continued.
"The next thing is the way the Wizarding World deals with half breeds. They are termed dark creatures and are allowed to rot and die. We will try through our writings influence the people as much as we can and push for equality for all of them."
"They will never give it Harry." Lupin told him sadly. Most of the others agreed.
"They will if we start a revolution. We stress the contribution of the goblins, the centaurs, the werewolves, the elves, both the high elves and the house elves, the vampires, the half giants, everyone really. We need all of them to maintain a magical balance. Else we could be destroyed. Each of the so called half breed creatures has a use in society that cannot be ignored. By doing so what we are doing is pushing them to extremes, where they end up taking revenge against the wizards.
"If we present it in the correct manner, then I think we will be successful. If each creature have their own council and have say two representatives on the Wizengamot then the rights of all are taken into account. We also start a job counseling center for all the half breeds to sell our idea. At first no one will give jobs to them. So we help them to start their own small businesses by helping them with loans that they can repay leisurely.
"We also provide the wolfsbane to all werewolves at half the cost so that the fear of werewolves is lessened. That way we start the process of integrating all the half breeds into mainstream society.
"We also start a counseling center for house elves and encourage them to come to us with their problems if they are being treated unfairly. Yes initially there will be little or even negative response but slowly things may improve." Harry was awarded with a brilliant smile from Hermione and everyone rolling their eyes. This one was only for her and they were sure this would definitely not work.
"The third thing is to start a School."
"What!!!" there were many exclamations.
"Why? As a competition to Hogwarts. That will never do Harry!"
Harry clapped his hands loudly.
"No." he said flushing and smiling uncertainly at the others. Snape smiled back encouragingly at him and Harry took a deep breath and started again.
"We start a School for the children. A day School where they are taught the basics in Magic, Wizarding Culture, Math, English and Latin. We also teach them our history and feed them with the stories of old. We start them at six as they do in muggle schools but have them six days a week instead of five. The sixth day goes in physical training and games both muggle and magical.
"What this will do is develop friendships at a very young level and since there will be no sorting the friendships will be among all children. When they attend Hogwarts they will not shrink away from the Slytherin or hope only to be a Gryffindor or look down upon Hufflepuff.
"Five years together will make them see each other in a different light even after they go to Hogwarts. The other thing this will do is it will raise the muggleborns to the same level as the pure bloods and those half bloods who are living in the magical world.
"They will become a part of it completely and wholly by the time they are eleven. Since we will invite the pure bloods as well to the School, there will be interaction among all sections of society as well as I hope understanding."
There was silence for a minute and then Arran stood up and started clapping. Harry blushed when the others stood up and started clapping as well.
A minute later Harry shouted, "Thanks a lot. But I have not finished. Next we start a wizarding academy or university."
The others were silent and sat down again and allowed Harry to speak.
"A wizarding university to specialize in all subjects including the Dark Arts and Blood Magic. That would make the pure bloods think favorably about it. we deal with all types of subjects and specialize in them, from ancient magic, to history, from Arithmancy to spell crafting to the forgotten arts.
"We will then create a better standard at all levels in our world.
"The last thing I wish to do is to start an orphanage for all the boys and girls who have lost their parents in this war and also for any muggle born who is shunned at home or squibs or werewolves who are not wanted by the aristocratic pure bloods."
Harry flushed as the silence was deafening and then Lily's sob broke through it. "Yes Harry, do this. If there was a good orphanage you would have been better off there than with Tuney."
Harry smiled nervously as he looked at his mother who had now controlled her self and smiled back brilliantly at him. He turned to the others and smiled when all of them whooped loudly making him laugh in relief.
"We could have the School attached to the orphanage also. There are so many possibilities. That is all. What do you guys think? Can we do all this?"
Snape stood up and went to Harry and hugged him fiercely. "You bet child. I will do this with you if it is the last thing I ever do."
"Me too, me too." Shouted everyone.
"But Harry all this costs a lot of money. Even if all of us contributed say half our pay it will still not be enough." Arthur told him worriedly. "What I suggest is the press, and the orphanage. The rest will come whenever we can find the cash. What do you all say are all of you willing to pay?"
"Yes!" came the unanimous shouts.
Harry gaped at Arthur. He was willing to give up half his pay? The Twins, who had been mostly silent especially after the imperious stunts by their siblings, nodded and so did Bill. Draco was nodding too.
"I have money I am siphoning off and so do all the others." he told Harry with a grin.
"I don't have the money Harry. But I will do all the legwork for you." Lupin told him. McGonagall, Snape and Hermione were the only ones who did not say a word.
Harry was so touched. He took a few seconds to blink his eyes furiously and then smiled at them. "I am not going to accept any money from any of you right away."
All of them started shouting and Harry clapped his hands desperately.
"Will you think me a show off if I tell you a few statistics?"
"Noooo." All of them chorused.
Harry swallowed. "Dumbledore wanted to get my money to rebuild the Wizarding World. Sirius also left me his wealth. The House of the Potters is worth about fifteen billon galleons and the House of Black about thirteen. Please in memory of my parents and Sirius; let this be my contribution to our world. Please. I am not trying to show off or insulting any of you; please don't take it like that, please,"
Harry was cut off by Arthur who came up to him and hugged him gently.
"No we are not Harry. Yes you may spend as much as you like and we will help you in any manner you like, be it with money or with our work or with our thoughts. You need not apologize for wanting to spend the money for the good of us all."
All of them more or less agreed and a very relieved Harry decided the first place of visit would be Luna's place and from there to Gringotts to ask them about the legalities and then to Grimmauld Place to meet the Order and Dumbledore.
"Harry I think we should split up. Hermione, Minerva, Bill and I will meet Lovegood. You, Severus and Remus, if James is willing to spare him meet with the goblins and in fact ask them to draw up the contracts as well. They would plug any loopholes from your side and leave as many for you to enter from the Ministry's side." Arthur told him and they agreed.
The Slytherins were to relax at Godric's Hollow until they were called. Neville would go back to avoid awkward questions from his Gran. James and Sirius wanted Remus to be with them and they were already talking with a privacy spell around them. Lily had rolled her eyes and moved to another portrait and was busy chatting with Arran, Ria and the others.
Snape would be with Harry and if Snape was called then Harry would manage on his own and come back using the portkey.
On that note all of them who had jobs to do left.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票