Chapter 34

Arthur Weasley the new Minister for Magic apparated to Godric's Hollow after a short while at the Ministry of Magic. He had met with all the department heads of different sections, asked for each and every employee to be checked for the imperious and also to testify if they were a death eater under six drops of veritaserum instead of the required three.

The moment they said they were not a death eater and they were not sympathetic to Voldemort's causes they were given the anti – dote. Percy Weasley and Dolores Umbridge were removed from their positions because they were very close to the former Minister for Magic who had already been declared as of dubious character.

Umbridge was asked three more questions. Had she sent the dementors to Privet Drive and had she almost cast the cruciatus before she was stopped by one Hermione Granger and had she handed out punishments with a blood quill that was considered illegal by the Ministry of Magic?

She had struggled hard but had not been able to overcome the veritaserum and the veritas spell and admitted to doing all the three things. The moment she admitted to her crimes she was arrested on charges of illegal punishments and ordering dementors to attack an innocent underage wizard. She had also misused her position in Hogwarts when she had been sent of behalf of the Ministry as the DADA professor by making life very difficult for the students by her silly and stifling decrees and illegal punishments.

Umbridge screeched and asked to be allowed to go free because she had done all that with the express permission of the former Minister for Magic. But the moment she testified under a truth spell combined with veritaserum, she was given a life imprisonment sentence at Azkaban.

Percy Weasley was demoted because he had sympathized with Fudge and Umbridge and since their roles in the war was highly suspicious; he was removed from his current position and was sent to work at monitoring the many floo entrances at the reception Hall of the Ministry of Magic.

Percy was livid and he stormed away after he listened to the Minister's very cold and formal words and apparated to The Burrow to wait for his father to come home so that he could give the new Minister a piece of his mind and also get back his job. He also tried calling Hogwarts from there all the time but there was no one at the Headmaster's office and there was no one at The Burrow.

Percy waited until lunch before sending a Patronus to Ron and Ginny and knowing from them there was no one at Grimmauld Place, apparated there. Ron and Ginny had been terrified to leave Grimmauld Place and they had been left alone there for the last two days. Dumbledore had not come and nor had their parents. When Percy had messaged they had at once asked him to come over.

Percy got the shock of his life when he saw his brother and sister all alone and he heard all that his brother and sister had to say and he suddenly understood Dumbledore's actions far better and also understood his defense of the Boy-who-Lived.

"So Dad knows. That is why he punished me like this." And he told Ron and Ginny briefly about being demoted to monitoring floos in the Ministry.

"But Percy how could dad punish you. It is not as if he is someone of importance at the Ministry and has the authority." Ron asked him very puzzled.

Percy grimaced and looked straight at Ron, "Did dad say he would not have anything to do with all three of us?"

Ron nodded and Ginny's eyes filled with tears.

"Ron he has become the new Minister for Magic." Percy told him in a very low and disturbed voice.

"What!" shouted two voices, both amazed and shocked.

Ron's face was red with an effort not to cry. Ginny on the other hand was crying.

"Harry pushed him for Minister and dad accepted is what is doing the rounds at the Ministry. He had already arrested Umbridge and has given her life in Azkaban for almost casting an unforgivable at Harry and sending the dementors to his home last year."

Ginny fainted on hearing that and Ron looked as if he would join his sister.

Percy hastened to Ginny's side and enervated her and she held on to Percy tightly as she sobbed loudly.

"What happened?" Percy was bewildered and slowly Ron and Ginny told him everything. He was horrified. He had never accepted money from the Headmaster because he had truly believed Harry to be absolutely delusional. Once Voldemort came on the scene, Percy started working in secret to aid Dumbledore when he learned of the Prophecy, after the mess at the Ministry's Department of Mysteries two years ago.

He had been initially shocked to know Ron and Ginny were also in the loop but then it had made him triumphant and very glad and also gave him hope for the rest of the family to be alienated from Harry Potter whom he now thought was a danger to them.

Deep inside he had not agreed with the money taking, but he realized that as far as Ron and Ginny were concerned that was what was keeping them in line and obedient to Dumbledore and also keeping this away from their parents. So he had not said anything and in fact encouraged Ron and Ginny to try and sway the Twins and Bill and Charlie to their point of view.

But the imperious had shocked him and if Harry and his parents knew, well he could understand everything much better now. Dumbledore was a fallen man and no wonder he had seconded Amelia Bones for his father to become the new Minister.

Fudge was missing and aurors had broken into his home and found the broken wand and an empty house. They were now searching for him and he was already declared a fugitive. His vault was also empty and the goblins had told the aurors he had converted all his money into muggle currency. The muggle police were also informed and were searching for him.

The two brothers and sister sat there desolately wondering what and more importantly how everything had gone wrong in such a horrible manner no less. Now Ron and Ginny were beginning to understand all that they had lost and they did not like it one bit.

To think half an unforgivable had placed Umbridge in Azkaban for the rest of her life. They had cast four of them. Ginny trembled and Ron was raging at what he had lost and was fuming at the unfairness of it all.

Half an hour later of sitting in a haunted silence they looked up hearing the sounds of apparition.

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Arthur Weasley the new Minister of magic apparated into Godric's Hollow and went straight to his sleeping son and the other two. Snape, and Arran whose eyes were slightly red told him they were doing fine and seeing for himself they were still recovering, Arthur slumped tiredly onto the sofa in the living room.

The portraits had been told all that had happened and now Sirius smiled at Arthur.

"Congratulations!" he said.

Molly beamed proudly as Arthur smiled at him. "Thank you Sirius. I only hope I will be up to doing all this."

"Of course you will dad. What a pessimistic comment." Charlie smiled at his father equally proudly.

"I think we should call for all members of the Order of the Phoenix and tell them to patrol the grounds tomorrow Mr. Weasley and also ask Dumbledore to strengthen the wards against dementors, vampires and werewolves." Harry told him when the owl he had sent to Voldemort came in.

Harry drew his wand and checked it for portkey and other spells and then drew the letter and read the words aloud.

All of them were silent and after a moment Snape came and stood close to Harry. He had not received a response to his letter and he was scared. Arran came to stand by his side as well looking very determined.

"Do we have to do this Harry? I have already lost too much to this war my dear." Molly was trembling. The relaxed atmosphere of a minute ago was gone and all of them were now very tense.

"Mrs. Weasley all that we have done yesterday will be in vain if we do not do this. I will try my best to kill him and I am sure Voldemort will tell Severus or Arran about the other horcrux. He has to for resurrecting once again. They will destroy it at that time if he does not write an answer now.

"If I do not kill him; be rest assured I will take him down with me and then the same status quo remains, destroy the horcrux and Voldemort is gone. I have made Snape and Arran the executor of all my assets and they will continue all that we spoke about the other day and Mr. Weasley as Minister and Amelia Bones as Auror Head will give you all help needed and I will talk to guys from my portrait." He finished softly smiling at everyone.

No one smiled back. Snape and Arran stepped closer and Snape was trembling very badly and Arran who was already upset about his parents was shaking as well.

"Guys this is war. We have killed so many people yesterday and by doing so broke so many families, even though they were death eaters. We did because all of us wanted to save our world. Tomorrow we must do this. This way no one else will get hurt." Harry ran down at the silence in that room.

"Let him try to kill you Harry,"

"We will simply,"

"Annihilate him."

The Twins spoke in a very ugly serious tone that looked out of place.

Harry nodded seriously. "You must kill him if he finishes me off and tries to escape. Only then would he turn to Sev and Arran with the information about the horcrux."

There was silence that seemed to stretch forever. All of them contemplated about this boy who was willing to die so that all of them may win. They really did not know what to say. Snape felt his as if heart was shattering into pieces. He had protested right from the time Harry had put forth this proposal. At the time no one else had said anything because they still had all the death eaters to kill and one more horcrux to destroy.

Now Snape did not know how he was to live the rest of his life without this child. Harry had made him and Arran the sole beneficiaries in his will and had taken a promise from him and Arran that they would continue his dreams if something happened to him.

At that time Arran and he had been smiling and sarcastic telling Harry he was going nowhere; now Snape could smell the terror on Arran as well. Arran had not said a word but Snape knew Arran loved Harry as he did and he saw Harry as his family and his link to the Sirius and Regulus Black more than his mother who had been born a Black.

At that time the second owl came from Voldemort and Snape hurried and casting the revealing charms saw a box that was literally pulsating darkness.

Arran leviated the box and Snape took out the parchment and began to read. He read swiftly and then he went to Harry and swept him off his feet and swung him round and round uncaring about the tears that were running down his face.

Arran and the others looked dumbfounded at this and Harry was squealing to be let down.

Then Arran grabbed the letter from Snape and read it swiftly and then grinned and read it to the others.

"YAY!" everyone screamed and then there was a huge impromptu party at lunchtime.

All of them were in high sprits and Snape dashed off a beautiful letter to Voldemort saying all the right things and suddenly the mood was different.

Harry grinned at everyone feeling relieved inside. He too, had been terrified of dying especially when he had found Snape, Hermione, Arran, his parents and Sirius and when they were winning the war. But he had pushed those feelings down and had quietly prepared his portrait and had started updating it.

Snape had stared at the portrait and had refused to speak to Harry, but the time they had in between planning, ordering for his portrait and preparing his will had been very little and Snape had no time as did the others to think, contemplate and discuss it.

They had been jumping from one thing to another and suddenly when it came to Harry meeting Voldemort where he may be killed had done nothing for Snape and the others who were terrified that Harry would no longer be on the scene after tomorrow. The fact he had made wills and portraits only increased the fear.

Hermione had not said a word because she had been from the beginning with Harry and she knew how important this was for him and so did McGonagall, but she had been feeling exactly the same way Snape had. How could she ever move on and live a life without Harry was something that would simply not come to her. She had stayed silent and had prayed something would happen to make this confrontation unnecessary.

Now that they had the last horcrux, and Voldemort was prepared to die, it was absolutely fine.

"Destroy it right now." Arthur Weasley told Snape.

"No, don't." Harry told them.

"But why Harry? It would be all for the best." Arthur argued.

"Mr. Weasley, we must not touch it until tomorrow evening, until Voldemort dies. The moment he dies Sev and Arran who will be here guarding the horcrux will destroy it. I will have my earring activated and they will know at once. They must not and will not come to Hogwarts to watch the duel. Until then I feel we should not do anything. We should simply sit tight on this. We do not know if Voldemort has an additional charm on this that he has connected to him. We should not alert him to anything and make him go underground." Harry argued back.

Snape nodded wiping his eyes and Arran who had slung his arm around Harry's shoulder also nodded dashing his other had over his now very red eyes.

"Harry is correct Arthur. Arran, Molly, Hermione, Pansy and in fact all of us here will stay here to guard this thing. You must be there as the new Minister. Kingsley, Tonks, Amelia Bones, Brian Wheeler and all the aurors will be there and they along with the Order whom we will now ask Dumbledore to gather together and be ready to fight if Voldemort looks like escaping." Snape told him with a smile.

Arthur Weasley sent a patronus to Dumbledore and all members of the Order to come to Grimmauld Place in an hour where they would be holding discussions with Harry Potter about the duel tomorrow and also asked Dumbledore to write the secret of the house for him to allow a few others to be there as well.

After talking and planning some more, all of them apparated to Grimmauld Place leaving Dobby and Winky with the healing patients and telling them to come for the others if they so much moved. Apparating to Grimmauld Place they found Percy along with Ron and Ginny looking very scared. Arthur looked coldly at them but did not say a word and waited for Dumbledore to arrive.

He came in five minutes and was a bit unnerved to find all those who had seen the memories the other day. He flushed and handed a slip of paper to Arthur who gave it to Harry who apparated at once with Snape and Hermione.

In five minutes there were sounds of apparition and Dumbledore and all the Order members who had come almost the moment they had received the summons were totally stunned seeing the faces of Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and two unfamiliar persons.

Dumbledore drew his breath sharply and Moody had his wand out when he saw the Sirius look alike and another person, a girl who was stunning and holding on to the boy's arm.

"Come on all of you. Arran you know this place, this is Grimmauld Place – the home of the Noble and Ancient House of the Blacks. Wait for a minute for Harry to come and show you around. He would want to I think." Molly beamed and called Dobby and Winky to make some tea and snacks for all of them.

Arran nodded and looked around his mother's home and his eyes fell on Ron, Ginny and Percy and his lips curled. They were gaping at him and Ron and Ginny were sweating with fear.

No one spoke to the three and in fact no one spoke at anyone else until Harry came back half an hour later with more Slytherins. They had been at the shop and now were at Grimmauld Place looking around with just a tinge of fear.

Moody was itching to have a go at all of them but at this point he did not quite dare. So he sat still and alert and watched all of them.

All of them had read the Quibbler that had details of the various attacks and also about the challenge and now they were looking eagerly at Harry for some explanations.

"Please sit down all of you." Harry's quiet voice carried to everyone and all of them sat down and there was only silence.

Next Harry to everyone's surprise requested Molly and Hermione to bring the Slytherins some thing to eat and drink. Once that was done Harry went to one side of the room and stood there surveying all of them silently for a minute.

"I called all of you here today to inform you that the war with Voldemort will come to an end tomorrow. Voldemort has accepted my challenge for a duel."

All of them gasped and squeaked as they understood what Harry was telling them.

"I am going to try my best to kill him tomorrow. If I don't and am injured, I will be wearing a portkey that will take me to safety and at that time I want all of you Order members who will also be helped by the entire auror squad to simply cast cutting curses and if you can manage it killing curses at him so that he does not escape from there alive."

"Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Harry he cannot die like that," When he was cut off by Harry.

"Yes I know Headmaster and all his horcruxes are destroyed."

Dumbledore gasped and all of them squealed in fear. Horcruxes?

"Voldemort had made many horcruxes and all of them have been destroyed. So no need to worry Headmaster. And before you begin to look suspiciously at all of them here," Harry swept his hand to indicate the Slytherins and Arran and Ria, "these people are mine and are with me and have been cleared by both veritaserum and the veritas spell by the Ministry and you may verify with Amelia Bones who personally checked each and every one of them. So I will not tolerate any name calling or insulting comments directed against them."

There was a silence and Dumbledore was astounded. All his horcruxes destroyed and Harry had so much of backing? He felt the feeling of sheer jealousy and bitterness sweeping through him. Harry had the power, the people and he was the major player in the Wizarding World today.

In five minutes he had changed the Minister for Magic and he had brought his own man Arthur Weasley as the new Minister. He had destroyed all the horcruxes and he had made Voldemort accept his challenge. Dumbledore had become a nonentity in one day.

He could not even raise objections because Harry had those memories that would place him in Azkaban in ten minutes if he dared to put a step wrong. He sighed. He was very envious of the way Harry had gathered all these people to him and the enormous control he had over them.

"I only want an oath that none of you will leak what I have told you here to anyone."

All of them still in a daze gave their oaths, including Dumbledore, Moody, Percy, Ron and Ginny, the last three very sulkily.

Then Harry thanked all of them and slowly all the Order members left one by one.

"Harry," Dumbledore called out softly to him as he was standing up to walk away with Arran to show him around the place. Only Harry's side remained apart from Percy, Ron, Ginny, Dumbledore and Moody.

Harry turned around politely and looked enquiringly at Dumbledore.

"I wish to apologize," Harry lifted a hand and stopped him.

"Please do not say a word more Headmaster. Please do not apologize for failing to get Sirius a trial and for paying money to these two to spy on me, to bind my magic and my gifts and most of all for not training me right. I looked up to you and trusted you implicitly, only to find you have not only betrayed that trust but you were even planning to do something to Sirius had he not fallen into the veil and you did nothing about the imperios and I know you have listening charms in our dorm. So please don't insult me by apologizing and hoping all this will simply vanish."

Harry looked very sadly at him, "While I could forgive you for everything," and watched him sag in relief, "I can never forgive you and Moody for wishing Sirius dead." He finished softly and turned away.

Dumbledore crumbled, totally crushed and defeated in front of all of them. He realized he had to be mentally prepared to give up his position as the Head of the Wizengamot and also as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Dumbledore bit his lips at all that he had lost. He turned heavily and apparated away.

"Potter?" a gruff voice called out to Harry in the stillness of the room.

Harry turned to see Moody looking at him with a flush on his cheeks that made him look very strange.

"I realize that we were wrong in treating you thus and also all that about Sirius and your money. I was with Albus when we took you out of the wreckage at Godric's Hollow and at that time your entire aura was Black and there were fumes coming off it. I am afraid I let it go to my head especially when Albus told me there was a mental link with You-Know-Who and I was afraid he would manipulate you through the link. I never aspired for your money or anything else.

"I made those very insensitive comments only because at that time I thought Sirius did not understand the link and you having visions only strengthened my belief about You-Know-Who's manipulations. I never meant harm for Sirius or you for anything else. I thought you must die because of the link that would either destroy you or join you with him. I agreed that when you did go down you must take You-Know-Who with him. When I knew Sirius would not agree with this, well this was war was all I thought.

"That was why I also joined in the binding of powers and gifts and the scheme to break you. I am also prepared to go to Azkaban if you wish me to for all this because I understand all this is of my own making and I deserve the punishment. All this I swear on my magic and I understand you will not want me around and I will not disturb you longer but my paranoia went a bit too far and for that I am truly sorry."

Harry was dumbstruck when he saw the swirl of magic that surrounded Moody and saw him still standing. All the others too were stunned. No one had heard the auror talk so much and never had they ever seen him admitting to anything wrong. Well until now he had not done anything wrong except that he was suspicious of his own reflection.

Harry was silent for a few minutes and Moody looked straight at him, standing erect and proud. He had made a terrible mistake but he was willing to make amends, even go to Azkaban and pay for them. His extreme paranoia had caused him to do all this and now he was man enough to not only take the blame and the responsibility for his actions but also the punishment.

"Well Mr. Moody. I have something you could do you to correct the wrongs that you have made. Are you interested?" Harry asked the standing at attention auror.

"Yes Mr. Potter." Moody stepped forward and laid his wand at Harry feet. All the others were totally taken aback at the gesture.

Harry was shocked and he summoned Moody's wand and looked at Moody who was once again standing straight and looking at him steadily and with no emotion except acceptance of his position and acceptance of what ever punishment Harry would give him, in his eyes.

"I need a defense against the dark arts teacher at the University I am planning to open this September. Would you be interested in the job? You must at least work for ten years before I can truly forgive you." He asked the old auror with a small smile stretching his hand holding the Moody's wand towards him.

With Moody it had not been personal. He would have taken this stance with anyone and he would not have backed off. Harry could understand that.

"What?" there was a stunned cry from most of them in the room. Harry did not react but kept looking at the old auror and slowly saw Moody's face light up in comprehension of what Harry was offering him and he smiled.

"I do not deserve it but I will accept it to do amends. Thank you Mr. Potter." the old and still formidable auror said gruffly.

"Please call me Harry or Potter as usual. No Mr. Potter, please." Harry smiled this time more widely and Moody cleared his throat gruffly.

"It an honor lad and I will call you both. Thank you and I accept and I will teach well and strongly until you ask me to leave." he turned around and looked at all the others.

Arthur smiled first and Molly gave a small sob of relief and happiness and the others grinned.

"It is okay Moody and next time you want to do stuff like this for heaven's sake consult more than one man." Arthur told him shaking his hand and Moody grinned and then looked around at the others suspiciously pulling out the wand he had Harry had just given back to him.

"You have taken their oaths haven't you?" he asked in a gruff whisper.

Harry started laughing. He just could not help it, Moody had just been on the brink of Azkaban and he says a quick 'thank you' and starts off all over again.

"Moody is it?" Arran drawled looking at him amusement dancing in his eyes that were still a bit red and slightly puffy.

Moody nodded his wand on the alert and his magical eyes staring straight at Arran.

"I was the one with all the ancient magic stuff with Rabastan. Want to discuss all that with me?" he asked casually.

Moody's eyes rotated so fast it was nauseating. "What? You were the one whom mpghn." Arran had placed his hands on Moody's mouth and dragged him alone and spoke softly to him for a minute. Moody nodded furiously.

Harry grinned. Who knew what Arran was pouring into Moody's ears?

"Hey Arran! Come on. Let me show you your mom's place. Your grandaunt is also here, screeching away to glory. You can fill his ears with rubbish later." Harry laughed.

"Potter, lad's not filling me with rubbish. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! He was telling me about how to get into Alecto's home and also the homes of Zabini and a few others. Apparently Zabini still has the inferi running around."

Harry rolled his eyes. Clever Arran. He had diverted Moody's attention from once again getting into suspicions all the while. Snape sneered at him and dragged Moody into a sarcastic argument and suddenly it was like old times in the Order of the Phoenix only without Dumbledore and far more comfortable.

Harry dragged Arran off to the dark hallway and went to the curtains and called, "Kreacher!"

There was a sharp crack and an old elf came muttering, "Well the filthy half blood has come to the great House of my Mistress," he glared malevolently at Harry and then looked at Arran and stopped in shock and then bowed low.

"Master?" it asked him greatly confused to see Arran with Harry of all people.

Arran did not answer but crouched down.

"Kreacher, how are you? Are you doing okay?" he asked gently.

To Harry's shock, Kreacher jumped into Arran's arms and held on to Arran just like Dobby did to Harry and sobbed.

"Master these people are plotting to kill you. Please go away from them and be saved." It sobbed on Arran's chest.

"Kreacher, what have I told you about Master Regulus?" Arran asked it.

Kreacher looked at Harry suspiciously and then looked at Arran.

"Mother and father are dead Kreacher." Arran told it softly and looked into its eyes communicating something all the time.

A few minutes later Kreacher sighed and nodded. Arran straightened and smiled. "I don't need to keep her photo anymore."

"Is that you Arran?" a soft voice came from above them. Kreacher looked and smiled at the portrait of Mrs. Black.

"Aunt Wilhelmina, this is a pleasure. How are you?"

She smiled sadly at him, "Sirius is dead as Regulus was, do you know?" she asked him and Harry stared and was unconsciously moved deeply by the sadness in her voice, a voice that had only shrieked insults all this while, even at Sirius, especially at Sirius. He started moving away to give Mrs. Black and Arran privacy, but Arran dragged him back.

Arran nodded at his grandaunt's portrait that was drinking Arran's features. "You look so much like my Reg and Siri, Arran. I feel very glad you have come here at last. How did you manage to come here? This place is still under Dumbledore's control."

"Draco is also alive aunt, and he will be here soon. We Blacks will soon be roaming here."

She smiled sadly at him.

"We allied with Harry, aunt." He answered her query from before.

"He is with Dumbledore." She replied quietly.

"He is not and I will give the Quibbler and The Daily Prophet to Kreacher and ask him to read it out for you. Sirius has his own portrait at Godric's Hollow and he along with Harry's parents would love to come here and talk to you in greater detail. I will ask him to come by bringing a portrait from there and aligning it with the magic here." Arran told her determinedly.

She smiled and a glow lit up her face when Arran spoke of Sirius. "When? I wish to make amends and make him understand that though we were dark wizards and with Voldemort earlier, I behaved so badly because of Dumbledore and his Order. I did not want them here. Is Reg's portrait there too?" she asked hopefully.

Arran shook his head. He turned to Harry, "May I go to Godric's Hollow and ask them?"

"Sure and bring the Hogwarts portrait. All of them will have more space to move." Harry grinned a bit stunned at him and a second later Arran disappeared.

She turned to look at Harry.

"We were with Voldemort until Reg died." She told him quietly. He sent a letter that came to me and his father the moment he died. In that he told us all about Voldemort. But we were too deep and Sirius was already gone; he had left the house and was living with the Potters. Within a month of Regulus's death my husband died of a broken heart when we realized we had lost both our children.

"I died within a month of Sirius being declared a death eater. I knew he wasn't; he loved your father but who would believe me and where could I go to establish that. I had let him down as well. Then after thirteen years he came back here and started working with the damn Order that had done nothing for him. I went mad and since Kreacher and I could do only this screeching and insulting, we did that. Sirius never understood."

"How did Kreacher betray Sirius then? If he had not lied to me, I would have never gone and if I had never gone Sirius would have never ventured out." Harry's voice still choked with grief as he glared at Mrs. Black and then at Kreacher.

"Do not blame him Mr. Potter. Lucius had Narcissa place him under the imperious and he ordered Narcissa who is a Black, to make him say those words if any member of the Order would ask him that question, especially you, Mr. Potter. Narcissa had no choice. She would have been killed for being a traitor after watching Draco being tortured and killed. They had that over her head all the time."

Harry was stunned. "How did you know Arran?"

"I met with her Harry. Once I read the journals from Regulus I was able to come here as I shared the same blood. I used to come here a lot until Sirius escaped and then I stopped coming because aunt told me it would be dangerous and told me to stay away until she could speak with him and that never happened thanks to Dumbledore and Sirius's own stubbornness to even look at his mother." Arran had come with a small portrait in his hands.

"Lucius removed the imperious once Sirius fell into the veil; rather Narcissa did, didn't she Kreacher?" Kreacher nodded his eyes full of tears that were pouring down.

"He insulted all of you and Sirius on my commands Mr. Potter. I wanted all of them to leave and wanted some time alone with Sirius so that I could talk to him and tell him the other side of the story especially about Regulus's great sacrifice and bring Arran, Draco and Ria here. But that was not to be as Sirius was never alone and he was always very short and rude because he knew us as we were; death eaters and would not give us the time of the day. That made me scared to confide such things to him, especially when I was not sure it would be kept from Dumbledore."

Two streams of tears rolled down her eyes.

"Hello Mrs. Black." Lily's voice sounded softly and she whirled around and not answering Lily, looked beyond her who had spoken softly, to see Sirius who was standing stiffly and glaring at his mother.

"Can all of you give me some privacy with my son?" the insane until now Mrs. Black asked them.

Arran had brought another portrait and he now took it into the meeting room and hung it there. It was the picture of Hogwarts. There had been four portraits of the School hanging at various places at Godric's Hollow and Arran had brought one to stick it up here. The portrait that he had in the hallway was a plain one with a few chairs.

He put it up and went to tell Lily and James to come here and meet the rest.

James and Lily came very fast giving Mrs. Black and Sirius the time to talk and understand each other; a task they had failed in their lifetime – now they would try to overcome the failure.

Harry came with his parents and looked very sad. Snape went to him and soon Harry was leaning on him and telling him everything in soft tones and getting comforted by him, who had an arm firmly around the boy he had not thought, would live beyond tomorrow just a few hours ago.

Ron and Ginny looked at Harry stunned and shocked to see him leaning on the bloody greasy git for support and Snape of all people holding him tightly and apparently comforting him.

The other Slytherins by now had made them selves comfortable and were watching the show. They had taken to glaring at Ron, Ginny and Percy when ever they turned to look at them and these three had to turn away blushing.

Ron and Ginny wanted to run away and hide in their rooms but did not quite dare.

"May be if we apologize like Moody, Harry will forgive us." Ron whispered to Ginny. She looked at him for a moment in hope and then her eyes fell again. She shook her head, Harry had not even looked at them and though Hermione had, it was only to glare at them her lips curling up when she had looked at them as if they were some slimy things and then had gone to chat up with the Slytherins.

While she was so free with them; she had not even come to the dark corner where they had been sitting not even to shout at them.

Molly, after a while when all of them except the three isolated Weasleys had relaxed fully, sent the Slytherins to the topmost floor with Kreacher and told them to stay there until the next day when the duel would take place.

"Wait until tomorrow dears and then Harry, Severus and Amelia Bones and Brian Wheeler will come and take you to the Ministry and declare you completely innocent and allow you to go to your homes and live your lives in peace. Now all of you go up where Kreacher will show you where you can take some rest until then. Relax and Kreacher will bring your dinner to you if you don't feel like coming down. Those who do want to come down, come down by eight for dinner, alright? Even if we are not there Kreacher will serve you."

The Slytherins were more than glad to leave and soon Moody also left after Harry who seemed fine now, told him the secret of Godric's Hollow, "Come there tomorrow Moody and we will start making preparations."

The old auror grinned at him and turned and apparated away to his home to spend the rest of his day in a peace that had been missing for the last few days.

"You are a fool Potter." Snape drawled the moment Moody had left. Only the Weasleys

"But why Severus?' Harry asked him with a dramatic grin, all recovered from the anger and the sadness after talking to Mrs. Black; anger towards Lucius Malfoy and Dumbledore and sadness for her and Sirius.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Forgiving Moody was one thing. Making him the DADA professor and that too for ten years was entirely another. You, you..., yes that is it. You Gryffindor." He insulted cheerfully giving Ron and Ginny a heart attack at seeing a cheerful Snape and making the others snicker.

"But that is Harry." Molly beamed not being able to forget Harry had allowed the Weasleys to handle Ron and Ginny privately and saving them from an eternal shame. The shame was there in all their hearts and Molly was sure it would burn until they died, but at least that shame was not made public.

Harry smiled at her and Snape rolled his eyes.

"Father?" Percy called softly at that time.

Arthur Weasley who had been laughing at Harry and Snape turned and stiffened when he realized it was Percy who was calling him.

"Yes Percival?" he asked coldly.

Percy gulped but went on bravely.

"Father I have done no wrong. I have only merely fished for information and gave Dumbledore when I got any from Fudge's office. Yes I did not want any of you to be with Harry," here he blushed and valiantly continued, "I thought to associate with Harry was dangerous and so I tried my best to pull Ron and Ginny away. You cannot demote me dad, I have done no wrong."

"But you are not correct Percy." Arthur Weasley told him softly, "I think it is dangerous to associate with men like Fudge and women like Umbridge who are best friends with Malfoy and who misuse their authority by sending dementors and casting unforgivables," here he glared at Ron and Ginny and watching them gulp he turned to Percy once again, "and as Minister I can hardly allow you to be in a position of responsibility because you have shown only poor judgment in your dealings with people."

"That is not fair father. All of us trusted Dumbledore as well and you are also part of those persons." Percy protested.

"Yes and the moment I knew him and my children were committing not just mistakes but grievous offenses that by right should land them in Azkaban; after all I gave that punishment to Umbridge, I made sure to move away at once. Have you done so Percy? Why even Moody was prepared to go to Azkaban for the mistakes he committed."

"I was spying for Dumbledore."

"Yes, but you did not distance yourself from the Minister and nor you did like Severus did, inform the Order about your spying. And you also knew about Harry magic being bound and his gifts sealed. That Percy is a crime that can get you life in Azkaban. Why do you think Dumbledore is so meek? You did not care for Harry's power's being bound because all of you had mentally killed him off. Well I say none of you have any right to kill another person unless you are all death eaters?"

"That's not fair dad." Ron shouted coming to stand along with Percy, "all of you killed yesterday. So does that make you death eaters, you and your precious Boy-who-Lived."

SLAP!

Ron was stunned and he turned to look at Hermione who was shaking with anger with her hands ready to slap him once more.

"You Ron have cast two unforgivable curses and are part of a scheme to kill the Boy-who-Lived. Shall I ask your father to open that case publicly?"

Ron held his cheek and kept looking at Hermione in shock.

"Or you think you are justified because Harry is the Boy-who-Lived, he is public property meant to be used and thrown away oh and let me not forget after robbing him of his money as well? Perhaps you think Harry is fit only to be killed?" she shouted.

"You don't talk. You are always with him and never with me." Ron shouted bitterly jealous she had sided with Harry.

"You mean I should have been with you and helped you to make better plans to kill Harry? She asked him scathingly before she continued angrily,

"You are way behind the news Ron. Dumbledore had fallen, Moody has admitted to his mistakes and the death eaters are all gone. Most of these slimy Slytherins were the ones who helped us to win the war. Not brave Gryffindors like you and Ginny and Percy who wanted Harry, Harry's money, Harry's houses and let me not forget Harry's life and win the war after God knows how many deaths of innocent people. But you Gryffindors don't care do?"

Ron looked at her in anger and defeat. "You will never understand."

"Understand what?" Charlie asked Ron, "Understand you are miserably jealous of Harry. Oh but we all do Ronnie. And of course we all understand Ginny is a slut. No doubts there as well and Percy the sycophant is also a wonderful assessment of his character."

"I am not a slut Charlie. Don't say that." Ginny simply howled.

"I am not jealous of Scarhead here." Ron was shouting now shaking with jealousy, bitterness and anger and words fell off his mouth; words that should have never been said.

"So I cast the imperio. So what? It was to make Harry be less reckless and less inclined to kill off people close to him like he did to Sirius. Yesterday Harry cast the killing curse and killed off God knows how many people. Is that fine? No one seems to be arresting him. Yes, I took money, so what; it is not as if our pathetic dad was smothering us in riches and luxury was he?

"All the time wearing secondhand clothes, eating leftovers worrying about how to make ends meet and even buying floo powder has to be planned. And mum pretending as if dad was doing fine and was the best when dad has no ambition and he is not worthy. He could not even get us new books and wands HEY! OUCH, OW, OW," suddenly Ron screamed.

SLAP! PUNCH! WHAM! BIFF! PUNCH!

"Ouch, ouch, stop it you stop it." Ron was screaming and along with him Hermione was screaming too, "Stop it Harry, and stop it. You will kill him."

Arthur, Molly and Charlie were standing there stunned at Ron's bitter words.

Harry had been listening in sheer disbelief to Ron's words and the moment he heard all that come out of his mouth Harry lost control, he did not even realize he was kicking Ron, he went punching and hitting Ron and Ron after the initial shock and a few yells was hitting right back.

The Twins ran to hit Ron when they heard their mother sob and sway and ran to her; Harry was doing a good job after all. Charlie after the initial shock was holding his shaking father and was trembling him self.

It was Snape and Arran who finally tore them apart when it became apparent that Harry would not stop and they might end up killing each other. Hermione was trying to pull Harry away and was thrown by a hit from Ron and Ginny who was trying to pull Ron away was also hit by Ron's punch.

Harry went on hitting Ron and then Percy, who had joined to help Ron after he saw the blows Harry was handing out. Harry finally fell on Pansy and Blaise who struggled to hold him because he wanted to kill Ron once and for all and was screaming to be released by them when Snape and Arran came and took over from them.

Harry had two black eyes, a broken nose, cuts on his cheeks, and had been punched just about everywhere. Ron was worse, his jaw was hanging rather strangely, he too had two black eyes, his three teeth were broken and he was bruising all over. But the fight was not over yet.

"How dare you?' Harry screamed at Ron, Percy and Ginny and the three of them saw why he was feared and respected. Harry even with all these injuries was leaking so much magic and power it was frightening. The Slytherins who had gone up to rest had come back at the noise of the screaming and yelling and everyone was looking at the stand off between the two formerly best friends.

"How dare you say all this against your parents?" Harry screamed again.

"Do you know what it is to be without them? How difficult? If my parents or Sirius were here for me from when I was a baby do you think my magic would have been bound or they would have allowed Dumbledore, Moody or you three to plot against me and kill me off?" Harry shouted loudly, glaring at them.

Harry turned and suddenly dragged Arran forward, "This is Arran Lestrange and he gave me the secret of the wards around his home so that I could kill his parents and grandparents and do you know he is a billionaire Ron. Draco Malfoy allowed Amelia Bones to kill his father and you know how rich he is. All of them here," Harry swept his hands at the Slytherins, "are so rich, so rich that the money you have been taking from Dumbledore is not even equal to their pocket change."

Ron flushed and tried to sneer defiantly at Harry, "But they were not blessed to have parents like yours. Yeah so your parents got you second hand stuff and your dad did not lick Fudge's boots like Percy and work his way up the ladder. BIG DEAL Ron! What you don't realize is that they love you; they would protect you with their lives and would have died for you without another thought DAMMIT! You are PATHETIC Ron and I really don't know how you were born in this lovely family. Do you know how many times I have wished for my parents to be there for me like yours was there for you? How much I envied you for your family? How jealous I was?" Harry's voice broke there and it was a minute before he continued in that horrifying silence.

"How could you say that your parents are not worthy? How dare you say that? What do you know of unworthy parents Ron? Do you know how the kids of unworthy parents really suffer? Do you really have any idea? I know Ron and it is not pretty because I broke those families last night and made all these out here orphans and you dare talk like this about yours? DAMN YOU, damn you Ron, damn you, damn you," Harry's voice slowly toned down and he sank to his knees and hid his face in his hands that were shaking very badly.

Snape and Arran who were blinking their eyes furiously to stop the tears that would not listen to them and gathered Harry into their arms; most of the Slytherins there were crying and Ron for the first time realized he had gone too far in saying all the harsh things that he had said in his rage.

Snape wiped his eyes angrily and taking out his wand slowly began healing Harry. Ginny did the same with Ron, seeing no one was coming near him. Snape rolled a small bottle of healing salve towards her and she blushed through her tears as she took it and applied it on Ron and Percy and then on her swollen cheek.

There would be no forgiveness and no reconciliation she knew. Ron was feeling devastated and he looked around at the others to see all of them crying, Harry's emotions getting to all of them. The Slytherins silently went up to their rooms and stayed there.

The Weasleys were standing there, tears streaming down their eyes too astounded to take all this in; they could not believe their son's opinion of them.

The mood in Grimmauld Place was very sad and full of despair and added to that the depth of Harry's grief had mixed with his magic and it affected everyone in that room who were already very sad, taut and stressed out.

No one spoke anything after that out burst. Snape had Harry almost on his lap and was slowly stroking his head and trying to calm him down. Arran was sitting with Snape and holding on to Harry's hands tightly and was muttering softly, "Not your fault Harry" over and over again.

Molly Weasley was totally distraught and distressed and Arthur was shriveling inside with the words of his youngest son ringing in his ears. His two sons and daughter thought him a failure as a father and as a person. That thought kept going round and round in his head and he leaned on Charlie and held on to him as if he was going to die and Charlie was his last hope.

The rest of the Weasleys were simply blown away by the accusations of Ron and Harry's words in response that almost hit them in their gut. Even Snape had not realized the depth of Harry's feelings and the guilt he had been harboring for instigating the attacks the night before.

There was only silence in Grimmauld Place that evening and Ron finally realized his jealousy had taken him to a place from where there could be no return.