Episode 11. Part 2

Episode 11. Part 2

***

- Severus! You're just..." Lord Malfoy was speechless when he saw his old friend trimmed and tanned, wearing a Muggle black shirt whose collar was not buttoned up tightly under his neck, so you could see someone's snow white fang dangling from his neck, accentuating the bronze tan. And that's not to mention the fact that Snape showed up to the meeting with an adorable companion!

- Who would do such a thing to you?! - Lord Nott muttered.

- "I'm afraid it was my fault, gentlemen," Lord Potter admitted, without a trace of remorse on his face. - We met on Nassau, during his vacation and my honeymoon. I was bored while my spouse enjoyed the spas, and I couldn't bear to look at the professor boiling under the bright sun in his black robes. Asked him to keep me company at masseuses and men's beauty salons a couple of times.

- And got carried away," Severus snickered.

- Like you're not happy," Harold snorted parried. The lords of the ancient pureblood magical families and the Death Eaters were unable to hide behind unflappable masks of surprise at the sight of the new appearance of an old acquaintance. And Snape was enjoying the hell out of it!

It was in Malfoy Manor, where the reborn Voldemort (gritting his heart and teeth to conceal his rebirth, taking a Muggle name) had invited power, power, money, and the title of the haves. No, he did not want to bring the lords to his side, to sweep them under his thumb. Not anymore. Nor did he need power over the mages of Britannia now. He simply remembered what he'd started it all for. And he wanted to change the society of the mages of his homeland, and for that he needed support. And he gathered everyone.

And everyone came. Except for the prisoners, of course. Even Lord Greengrass and Lord Pruett. And even Lord Longbottom and Lord Black, and the newly admitted Lord Crouch Senior, and a few other mages Lord Potter had brought along. As promised, Harold provided Thomas Marvolo Gonta, Lord Gonta, with an opportunity to gain strong allies. And when all the invitees were assembled, he introduced himself in full form, for the handsome fifteen-year-old he had become after Harold's suggested ritual did not look like Voldemort. It was a bit of a shame that he had to be reborn at the age of the man who performed the ritual, but he considered it a small price to pay, in fact, for the only opportunity to regain his own body without mutations, and thus for the opportunity to revive the pureblood Gont family. Yet those who saw his rejuvenated face doubted that he was indeed the Dark Lord. And it was only thanks to his assembled old guard that the invitees listened.

- Gentlemen, I have gathered you, my loyal companions, and you, lords, here today because each of you has power and authority..." Lord Gont, recognized by the found ancestral ring and magic, spoke at length about his plan to transform Britain's magical society. He spoke of the laws he wished to push through, the reforms he - not without the help of the audience present - wanted to carry out, and so much more...

- Harold, is this really..." Frank Longbottom asked the national hero and personal savior, barely audible but very surprised, listening to the ideas he liked. Of course, he was clarifying if Voldemort was really broadcasting or if it was all a silly prank. The latter he hoped, for he never thought he would agree with this, so to speak, man. But Potter nodded importantly, at the same time answering an unspoken question from Sirius and the other Lords he considered allies within the Wizengamot.

Thomas had been talking for a long time: it was getting dark outside the windows, though the gentlemen were getting ready for lunch. And Gonta's plan suddenly appealed to everyone, even the traditionally neutral lords, even the ardent opponents of Lord Malfoy and Co. Of course, much had to be adjusted, but still, it was unanimously accepted by default. The Lords of the magical families also had a duty. A duty to magic itself. A duty of care for the lives of ordinary wizards. And they had a duty to fulfill it.

The companions with whom most of the Lords had come had time to get bored in each other's company, but nevertheless the men lingered, discussing the final question on which the success of the plan depended: Harold was to remain a national hero and to shake Dumbledore's power and influence, no matter what... - Harold, do you realize that Dumbledore will try to smear you by all means? - Lord Travers asked, under Lord Flint's nod of agreement.

- Oh, of course he understands, otherwise he wouldn't have given all those rebuttal articles to the Prophet," Lord Pruett grinned. Lord Potter snorted:

- Gentlemen, if you are not aware, for the past month I have been enjoying a tropical climate in the company of my wife. I assure you that I have not given any rebuttal articles or interviews to The Prophet. I suppose it was my cousin's mischief, trying to protect my reputation," he added, leaning his head on his shoulder, a little thoughtfully. Surely he didn't know, for he hadn't allowed himself to read the press in the last month. However, the report caused a commotion at the table. The national hero grinned, more at ease than ever. "Gentlemen, I know you didn't expect this from my brother, but what does it matter if he acted in my interests, in ours? When I went to Nassau, I had no doubt that I could rely on him. And yes, I realize that I have become the unwanted pawn in Dumbledore's party. But it won't be easy to move me, I assure you.

- He'll need a new pawn. Do you know who that would be, Harry? - Lord Selwyn asked cautiously.

- The heir of the Longbottoms," Harold sealed, turning to the Lord of the family.

- What?" the latter immediately exclaimed.

- Frank, Dumbledore has been grooming your son since last Christmas, you know that," Potter calmly explained. - Neville told me that himself. I will do everything in my power to stop the Headmaster. - He's been saying that to everyone. - After all, your son is my vassal, and I promised to get him out of this story. Only I'm afraid it won't be easy...

""What are you going to do? - Lord Gont asked, squinting. The boy did indeed strike him as an equal and even a match for the wizard, unlike most of those present, who, being pureblooded, would have assumed much of themselves but flinched when he spoke.

- "For starters, I'll support your bills in the Wizengamot," Potter shrugged. - And then - my friends and I have plans, after all, unlike you, I'm really fifteen. So I'll be out of the game for another month.

- What?! But Dumbledore during that time..." cried Lord Nott.

- Let him feel victorious in a few small victories," squinted the Boy Who Survived for Nothing slyly. - Winning one battle isn't winning the war. Let him forget about it..." The Lords and the Eaters looked at each other silently, drawing their own conclusions from the little remark...

***

- At last! I thought I'd never see you again! - Bem exclaimed as he met the nearly full complement of Pied Pipers on the portal court of his home in Nigeria. During the past school year, his father, the ambassador to England, had learned through some channels that his son had made friends and suggested that the family invite them to Africa. Bem was happy when the Pied Pipers decided that such a trip would be very interesting. So all the days since the Potters' wedding, he has been bouncing around impatiently, riddled with siblings with stories about friends.

- Hey, buddy! - Draco exclaimed cheerfully, not hesitating for a second to throw off the mask of arrogance he'd been wearing in front of his father, who'd escorted them to the portal to Nigeria. He put his arm around Harold's and Blaise's shoulders, almost hovering over them, and said: - We've got good news for you: Victor's got a lot of training to do right now, but the game (his first game since Durmstrang) has been postponed. So he'll play it in a week and a half and come right back to us! - He made a sly look on his face. "By the way, Potter, be honest with me, you made them postpone the game.

- Pfft, I have nothing better to do than be interested in Quidditch! - Crossing his arms over his chest, Harry snorted.

- Of course you're right, Draco," Fleur grinned charmingly at her husband. - He even bought tickets to the match for all of us, bought an entire box, and arranged the international portkey. He was the reason the game was postponed. He asked the Flamel... FLYOR! It was a surprise, actually! - Lord Potter was sincerely indignant, but now his wife snorted: "And you won't leave me in the company of socialites. You should know, hubby, what silly conversations your English Ladies have!

- As if the Lords were any different from them, except the topics of conversation," Harry muttered, pouting resentfully.

- The Potters," the Weasley twins rolled their eyes in sync, to the laughter of the others. The rat-catchers were about to "return to nature" in the wilds of Africa.

***

Nigeria was fun, if only because the students of prim England could feel like children again... pretending to be natives and, with the help of their mentor Bem, learning the wild magic of those very natives. The bald, gaunt old man showed real magic, the kind that children are fascinated by. And in general, although civilization was advancing into Africa, the local sorcerers were in no hurry to succumb to it, remaining children of nature, using its gifts, but also taking care of it. Perhaps it was this that allowed the Pied Piper, who easily grasped the essence of such a life (thanks to the cousins' unusual approach to magic, which had already become customary), to become animagi in just a week and a half. The Africans had a peculiar approach to this section of magic, much more dangerous, but also fast.

Most interestingly, after this training, the Pied Piper began to be able to use magic without wands. Weakly and tentatively, but they were learning to desire, and magic answered them willingly. Harold looked at his friends and wished they would stop doubting and believe in themselves at last. At least Dudley understood his brother's handling of magic. But they weren't going to waste a month of vacation studying, so first they stomped their feet dancing ritual dances with the natives, then they cheered on their fellow Bulgarians at the Quidditch game, then they celebrated the victory of his team, since it was Victor who caught the Snitch. And then we traveled around Europe a little more before heading back to Africa. Everyone was happy with the vacation... But it was too good...

***

***

- Sire, what is it that makes you so gloomy? - Zabini whimpered, curious.

Harold had recently received a letter from an important-looking owl. He was instantly distracted from his fireside chats and began to read it. The pied pipers watched with interest the change of emotion on the face of their, as it were, leader. First it was curiosity, then surprise, then suspicion, and then surprise again. It ended with Potter's face taking on the familiar expression of grim-faced equanimity for anyone who wasn't his friends. Dudley and Fleur and Blaise and the twins and Faye and Sally and Terrence tried to look over the shoulder of the only acting Lord among them, but somehow all they saw was blank parchment of a letter. It was... intriguing.

- A summons," Harold explained. Dudley squinted predatorily: not good. - 'Guys, Bem, I'm sorry, I think I might have to go back to England early.

- Potter? - The whole fair bunch immediately turned serious.

- Cousin? - Harry looked at his brother, but decided to decline his actual offer of help, veiled by the question, "Don't, Dudley. You've proven during my honeymoon that you can manage without me, and quite successfully. I want to test myself, too. With that," Potter shook the envelope in his hand, "I can manage on my own. - He got up and went to pack his things. After him, all the older Pied Pipers disappeared. And while the twins and Lee simply wanted to find out what was wrong, Crum offered the services of a personal lawyer, and Fleur asked if she should contact her father. Only Harold shook his head at every suggestion: he had an idea how to turn the situation to his advantage. After all, there was no going to Azkaban for the charge...

***