Chapter Seventy Seven - Making Changes

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. Me, I'm just a PR professional. I don't profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world. However, its her sandbox and she's left the gate unlatched so we can go in and play a bit. Which, I've done.

Chapter Seventy Seven - Making Changes

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

At breakfast the next morning, Harry was worried about what the morning mail would bring.

He'd managed to chow down on a reasonably filling breakfast with his friends at the Slytherin table, and was drumming his fingers on the table top in a staccato rhythm while waiting for the owls to arrive.

Twice, Susan reached out and pushed down on his fingers in a futile effort to get him to stop. Both times, he looked at her and sheepishly apologised with only a smile.

When they started to stream in, he kept his eyes scanning the ceiling space looking for Hedwig. He almost missed her when she glided in, banked around over the head table, and came stooping towards him.

When she landed, he offered her both a big smile and three strips of bacon, as he quickly stripped her of her load of the Daily Prophet and a letter.

The letter was from Cygnus, explaining that the story had broke.

With a sigh, he quickly opened the Daily Prophet looking for the story. He found it on the bottom of the front page.

THE REASON FOR THE MARK

Many who attended the final task will remember some miscreant fired off the Dark Mark into the sky just before the final task was to be started, reports special correspondent, Monty Wordsworth.

This is similar to what happened during the early hours of the next morning following the Quidditch World Cup. What many don't know is that one of Hogwarts's own, our newest Lord, was abducted on the night. Through means unknown a rescue party of our finest aurors set off in pursuit.

They eventually caught up with the culprits in a graveyard in a small village in northern England near the Scottish border, and not far from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It is believed the perpetrators were involved in a ritual most foul when the rescuers arrived.

A great battle commenced, during which many of our previously respected pillars of community were killed. The perpetrators fought to the last man. And our newest Lord was saved.

Below, we have included a list of those who died, that night. We have held off on reporting them earlier, out of respect for their families.

We have also been informed information has been withheld, for now; but will be made available once investigations are complete. We have been assured that will occur some time next week.

We, at the Prophet, are thankful our brave law enforcement officers were on time to rescue our young hero. And hope he will soon be able to put this horrid incident behind him.

The list of names included all the ones Harry knew to have died. However, some were also missing. Thankfully, the names of the masked morons were all named as perpetrators, while the names of the fallen from the rescuers were named as rescuers.

Looking up from the article, Harry turned to Daphne and said, "Well, that wasn't as bad as I thought it as going to be."

"No," she smiled. "However, you're probably going to get further questions from other students as to what happened."

"Hmm," frowned Harry. Motioning for the others to draw in closer, he said, "If anyone asks you anything about this - other than they already have - please, just say the aurors are still conducting their investigations, and you'll have to remain silent about it until it's all made public. Hopefully, that should stave off a lot of the questions."

"Yes," said Susan. "But it will do nothing to stop the rumours flying."

"This is one of those times where the rumours will do less damage than the truth," said Harry. "Luna's article in the Quibbler will answer all their questions before they head home - I hope."

"It won't stop them," she sadly smiled.

"No, it won't," he said. "However, all they'll get out of me after that is, 'The Quibbler has all the information I'm willing to divulge on the subject. I suggest you acquire a copy of it and read it for yourself.' I think I'll be giving that answer a couple of dozen times once the story has broken wide open."

As the group sat in silence for a few moments, Daphne said, "Well; I, for one, want to go and have a look at these founders' apartments we'll probably be spending our last three years of schooling here within. Shall we go?"

With a grin in response, Harry stood and assisted Daphne to her feet. Once everyone was up, he led the way out of the Hall. Many eyes followed them, especially him. But, he was more than used to that.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

Not far from the new entrance to the Infirmary on the third floor, Harry showed them a huge portrait of a roaring Gryffin that went almost to the floor. "It's behind here," he said.

He stepped forward and showed the Gryffin his ring. "I am Lord Gryffindor. Please open."

The Gryffin in the painting, which no one had seen move before, turned its head to look at Harry and the ring upon his hand. Upon seeing it, the Gryffin turned more fully to face Harry and said, "Welcome, young Lord Gryffindor. It has been many a year since I last hosted one of your line. Your password?"

Harry hesitated a bare moment before he said, "Courage under fire."

The gryffin bowed as the painting slid smoothly along the wall. Once it had gone far enough, Harry saw that the small section of wall that was below the portrait was actually the riser for a step. It was the bottom step of a half-flight leading up.

He led the others up and to a door that opened as he approached. Stepping within, he was in a small - for wont of a better term - living room. As the others filed in behind and were looking around, one of the castle elves popped in.

"Lord Gryffindor," it bowed. "Welcome, sir. We have awaited you for a long time."

"Hello," said Harry. "And, who are you?"

"I am called Frosty, my Lord," it, Frosty, replied.

Hermione snickered. "That's the name of a mascot for a muggle breakfast cereal," she said.

Harry grinned at her and said, "I remember. My cousin loved them."

Looking down at the elf he asked, "Care to show us around?"

"Of course, my Lord," the elf bowed again. He suddenly popped over to a door on the right side and said, "In here, you will find a small potions laboratory."

Harry walked over and looked within. Indeed, it was a small potions lab; complete with racks of empty potions phials, a shelf with cauldrons, draws with athames and bolines, a cabinet of empty jars ready for potions ingredients, and a wash station.

Next door, still on the right, was the armoury. Most of the wall hooks were bare, but there was obviously room for many and various weapons.

The elf then led them across to the other side of the living room. The left-hand side.

"In here is a small kitchen and pantry," he said.

Again, they filed in and looked around. The kitchen was large with a large stone oven with a huge hotplate on top. In the middle of the room was a large table with old fashioned chairs sitting around it. Off to the side was an empty pantry.

Back in the family room the elf stood at the foot of a flight of stairs that were alongside the stairs leading up from the entry.

"Up here, my Lord, is the bedroom. Hogwarts has also provided an attached bathroom."

Giving a shrug, Harry led the group up the stairs and into a huge bedroom. It was almost of a size of the living room downstairs. In the middle of the opposite wall sat a huge four poster bed draped in reds and golds. Through a door off to the side and near the opposite wall they found a huge bathroom with a sunken roman style bath. Next to that on the same wall nearer to the stairs they just ascended was a walk-in robe with plenty of hanging and shelf space.

Back in the living room, Harry gathered his friends. "Well? What do you think?"

Hermione grinned and said, "It needs modernising."

"Yeah, it does," chuckled Harry. "Hang on."

Turning to Frosty he said, "Frosty, can you - modernise - this place for us? Lady Daphne and I may want to use this place when we return to school on the 1st of September, next year."

"Frosty can do that," he replied, before drawing himself up. "Frosty would be honoured to do that."

"Thank you, Frosty," smiled Harry. "I shall leave things in here with you, then."

Turning to the others he said, "Shall we go and have a look at Salazaar's private quarters?"

"Oh; yes, please!" said Daphne.

As they walked down the stairs, the back of the portrait of the Gryffin slid to the side, allowing them egress.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

Leading them just down from Godric's private quarters, Harry came to a blank section of wall. He scanned it carefully.

"What are you looking for?" asked Susan.

"There's supposed to be a small carving of a snake in the middle of one of the bricks, here somewhere," he replied, not taking his eyes off the wall.

The others than moved forward scanning the large stones bricks.

"Here," said Hannah, indicating a section of wall.

Harry moved over and looked for himself. He saw it carved in low relief directly into the stone.

"Okay, back up," he said backing away a little.

When he was a couple feet away he concentrated on the snake carving and, in parseltongue, said, §Open in the name of Lord Slytherin.§

The small carving seemed to enlarge and the snake - a basilisk, he could see, now - turned to look at him. He showed it the ring.

It looked to study the ring for a few moments before it said, §I recognise you, Lord Slytherin. A new password, if you would?§

Concentrating a little to speak English again, Harry firmly but quietly said, "Cunning and guile."

The snake carving nodded once, accepting the password, before it reverted to its normal form. As soon as it did, the bricks started to fold out of the way, similar to the portal into Diagon Alley. The carving of the snake had moved to a position alongside the arch.

"Wow!" whispered Tracey.

"Wow, indeed," smiled Harry back.

When the movement ceased, they were looking at an archway that led down a half flight.

Moving down the stairs, Harry came to a door. He opened it and stepped into a just as large, if not larger, living room as the rooms of Gryffindor, now a floor above them.

Again, an elf popped in. "Greetings, Lord Slytherin," it bowed.

"Hello, there," said Harry. "And you are?"

"I am called Maisey," it replied.

"Care to show us around?" he asked with a smile.

The Slytherin rooms were, indeed similar to the Gryffindor suite. However, the potions laboratory was much larger, and the armoury much smaller. The kitchen was of a similar scale. And they were flipped with the potions lab and armoury of the left and kitchen on the right.

However, instead of one, huge, master bedroom up a short flight of stairs; this flight of stairs led down to two similar sized bedrooms. Each had its own bathroom and walk-in robes.

"Why two?" asked Tracey.

"Lord Salazaar Slytherin often had his sister come to stay," replied Maisey.

Back in the living room Harry thought hard about something. He had an idea.

"Maisey?" he asked.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Can the apartments of Gryffindor and Slytherin be linked through an internal flight of stairs?" asked Harry.

The little elf took on an expression that looked like she was staring off into the distance for a few moments, before she snapped out of it and looked back at Harry. "Yes, my Lord," she said.

With an almost audible groan a new doorway appeared alongside the door leading to the egress. "Through there, my Lord," said Maisey.

Harry walked over and opened the new door. Beyond was a narrow flight of stairs leading to the right. He quickly ascended them and opened the door at the top on the right, again. Opening the door and walking in, he found himself back in the Gryffindor suite living room.

"Excellent!" he beamed. "Maisey! Frosty!"

The two elves appeared standing alongside one another.

"I want these suites to stay interconnected just as they are, alright?"

"Yes, my Lord," they both said with a small bow each.

Daphne giggled. "Only you would think of linking them to make one massive apartment."

Harry grinned back.

"And what are you going to do with all this room?" asked Tracey. "You've now got three bedrooms with their own bathrooms, two kitchens, two armouries, two living or common rooms, and two potions labs spread over an effective four levels."

"Now that I know I can do it - and, have done it," he replied. "I'm going to have to give it a lot of thought. However, I'm thinking of converting one of the living rooms into a collective study area and dining room, one of the potions labs and one of the kitchens into bedrooms for guests, and one of the armouries into a personal library cum office."

"So, five bedrooms, then," said Tracey. "Thinking of starting that family early, are you?" she smirked.

Harry started before he realised she was just teasing. "Well, I was thinking - since Daphne would be living here with me from September - you might want one of the existing bedrooms in the Slytherin suite.

"However," he sighed, "since you're going to pick on me..."

Tracey squealed and just about tackled him to the ground with her big hug. "No! I was just teasing! I'll be good! I promise!"

Laughing as she clung to him, babbling away, the others joined in.

"Come on," he said, chuckling. "Let's go back down to the Slytherin suite and see what we can do about converting and modernising the combined suites."

He led the way back down to the Slytherin living room.

Calling Maisey and Frosty again, he said, "Alright, you two. Here's what I want you to do to convert the two suites, and to have them ready before the 1st of September..."

The elves listened closely as Harry gave them their instructions. His friends, especially Daphne, gave their own suggestions.

Both elves were eager to get started.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

That afternoon, Harry and Daphne rejoined the Headmaster in his offices for an extensive planning session.

"Something I want each member of staff to do over the coming few weeks, is to make a list of any improvements they want to make in the school," said Harry. "Tell them to go nuts with it. I have a great deal of money sitting around doing barely anything of value and I'm willing to spend, spend, spend. Tell them to hand their lists of suggestions to you to be correlated. Then, you and we will make decisions."

Flitwick was madly writing away as Harry was giving voice to his thoughts. The little man was almost bouncing in his seat in excitement.

"I'll also be dumping money into a - 'Hogwarts Improvement Fund' - which can be drawn upon to send staff on a fact-finding trip to other schools of magic to learn what they can of how they do things there. I'd not be surprised, in the least, if there were many things other schools do that can be implemented here.

"Some of the things I want included in those lists will be replacements for the school brooms, the telescopes, potion ingredients, cuttings and seedlings for the greenhouses, worn out furniture, et cetera," he said. "I also want to see the library enlarged and include more copies of many of the books that are often used. Too often, students cannot get a book because someone else already has it checked out."

"Just those?" asked Flitwick.

"Definitely not," Harry replied firmly. "I expect to see a whole raft of new books included. We should also be stocking at least half a dozen of each book that appears on the students' booklists for every year. They'll be available for those students who have lost or irreparably damaged their own."

Flitwick was busily writing things down, again. "Madam Pince will be pleased," he mused.

Harry snorted before he continued, "I also intend to revamp the pay structure so Professors are better paid. I want pay levels at the point where applicants are literally pleading to be selected. To be recognised as a Professor will, again, be considered a high honour, and someone worthy of great respect."

'That will get the staff on Harry's side, right there,' thought the Professor. "You're not bribing the staff to make them accept all this, are you?" he grinned.

"Definitely not," replied Harry. "Because, in return for that, I'll expect greater professionalism from the - my - staff. Plus, I want the four Head of House positions to be removed from existing Professors. The four Heads of Houses will have only that position. They won't be Professors, but they will be entirely responsible for the students in each of their Houses. I'll be expecting them to spend most of their time looking out for the best interests of their students, including being available to their students at all times of the day; if, for nothing else, just being a shoulder to cry on because they're feeling homesick.

"The four Heads of the Houses will also be the magical guardians for the muggleborn students in their Houses; unless one is organised for them, in advance. So, they need to be wholly focussed on the well-being of the students under their care.

"I know that won't be popular; but, Professors will be Professors only. Their role is to teach. The only exception to that rule will be the role of Deputy head. That person, as well as being responsible to teach, will be the final arbiter of discipline of students. The Head, you, will be the final arbiter of discipline of staff.

"Professors Sprout, Babbling, Sinistra and Vector will need to decide whether they want to give up their roles as Heads of each of the four Houses, or lose their status as Professors to be those Heads of Houses. Sorry, but I do not feel they can designate sufficient time to both jobs to do justice to either job."

Harry waited until the Headmaster stopped writing and looked up again. "That will not be a popular decision, Lord Potter," he said. "However, I can see where you're coming from. You do not want to see another Miss Lovegood situation, do you?"

"Exactly, Professor; to name only one example," replied Harry. "But, I've learned the bullying can often be even worse in Slytherin and Gryffindor Houses. It's just not as long term or as many students involved."

The Headmaster nodded but had a slight pinch to his cheeks as he was clearly reminiscing about Harry's second year.

"Headmaster, I also task you with finding, over the summer break, four trustworthy and empathic individuals who epitomise each of the Houses to become the Heads of the Houses. They will not be recognised as Professors but will have the authority to give and deduct House points, and issue detentions. They will also be recognised as fully-fledged members of staff.

"As I mentioned in the staff meeting, I won't directly interfere. However, things need to change - quite radically, in some instances - and I've got the gold to throw at the problem," he continued.

Looking over to where the Sorting Hat sat on its shelf next to where Fawkes's perch once stood, Harry said, "As for you, Hat..."

"Yes, Lord Potter-Slytherin-Gryffindor?" it replied.

The little professor appeared a little startled when Harry chose to converse directly with the ancient magical artefact.

"You are, without doubt, the pre-eminent expert on the history of the school. Why none of the recent Heads have ever sought your advice is beyond my ken," said Harry.

"Thank you, my Lord," said the Hat. "Those who should have been seeking my advice stopped doing so centuries ago."

"Well," said Harry. "I'm fixing that."

Turning back to Flitwick, he said. "Hat will provide you, if you ask, with the real history of the school; and not the trash you've probably read and believed to be truth. Hat is a font of both great wisdom and great knowledge on the school, and how it was run in its infancy. I want this school back to that standard with modern methods complementing, rather than fighting against, those issues. I want the truth taught.

"For example," he said, turning once more to the Hat. "Hat, was Salazaar Slytherin a pureblood extremist?"

"Ha!" said the Hat. "Sal was what you would now consider a half-blood. Godric and Helena were first generation - what are now called muggleborns. Rowena was the only one born of two parents who were magicals. And both parents were first generation magicals."

That left Flitwick quite stunned.

"And why do you think people believe him to have been a pureblood supremacist?" asked Harry.

"Because of the ongoing strife with witches and wizards being persecuted, Sal wanted to find and bring to the castle any child who showed accidental magic at a very early age, and foster them with magical parents. In other words, he wanted to take them from their non-magical parents - by force, if necessary - to protect them from persecution and harm.

"Sal was not against muggleborns; he was against muggleborns being raised outside of the magical community. He wanted to ensure their protection. It was that idealism that saw him at odds with God, Row and Hel. That's why he left. The fighting broke out later among his supporters and the others."

Turning back to the Headmaster, Harry said, "See? Hat has all that knowledge - all that truth - at your disposal. He was ignored because pureblood supremacists don't want people to learn the truth. What he knows, if shared, will turn many of the belief systems of Wizarding Britain on its head. I just hope you won't be like the last few iterations of Headmasters and ignore him."

Stuttering a little, shocked, Flitwick replied, "I assure you, Lord Potter, I will not. It had just not occurred to me, before, to make use of the Hat's knowledge, like that."

Harry smiled and said, "Thank you. And, I'm sure Hat is only too eager to assist."

"I am," said the Hat. "It will be nice to fall back into the role of trusted advisor, once again."

Smiling, Harry said, "You may even want to consider him being a guest lecturer in History of Magic. Oh, yes! You're also going to need to hire a new History of Magic Professor. I'm going to banish Binns for good. We don't just need a good History Professor; we need a great History Professor. We need one who will replace the dearth of history taught, with the abundance of history available. If the students are not taught what led to the rise of dark lords of the past, we'll just get more of them.

"An 18th century Irish Statesman, Edmund Burke, said, 'Those who don't know history, are destined to repeat it'."

Flitwick nodded and wrote down a couple more points.

"Now, this point you can consider cast in iron," said Harry adopting a stern countenance and staring at the new Headmaster. "Under no circumstances is Albus Dumbledore allowed onto school grounds, in any capacity. Do whatever you need to do to set the wards accordingly. If he uses Fawkes to get in, I want him automatically and immediately bounced right out again.

"I also understand we will probably have to allow a portrait of him to hang in here, if for nothing else but historical reasons. However, that portrait is to be static only. I don't want him poisoning the thoughts of future Headmasters with his 'Greater Good' nonsense."

Flitwick sadly smiled and said, "You really don't like the man, do you?"

With a snort, Harry replied, "The depths to which I despise the man is infinite."

Harry thought for a bit before he said, "It's not as if the man is evil. He's just - uncaring of the individual. When he looks at a situation, he sees the forest, but not the trees; and not the wildlife that exists within that forest, especially nor the individuals.

"Dumbledore thought of me as a weapon. A weapon he was attempting to mould into a particular form. Then he planned on aiming me at Riddle, and setting me loose to deal with him. In other words, I was not even considered by him to have any say in the matter. The prophecy said I would face Riddle in a fight to the death, and Dumdum was bent on ensuring that would happen. Everything else - including the fact I was a living, breathing human being - was just a nuisance to his plans he had to work around to achieve his goal.

"Hell, it wasn't even important to him I win the fight; just that I face him. If I lost the fight, them the prophecy was still complete. That then meant anyone could face Riddle and, sooner or later, someone would kill him. I think Dumdum even hoped it would be him.

"However, if I did win the fight, then Dumdum could step forth and say it was all according to the plan he created. That he shaped me to be Riddle's killer. And, thus, ensuring Dumdum's god-like reputation and inclusion in history's pages as one of the greatest wizards ever to walk the earth; if not the greatest. It was all part of his 'Greater Good'."

Harry sighed as Daphne leaned in to hug him as Harry practically spat out the last few words.

"And how do you know this, Lord Potter?" Flitwick quietly asked, clearly curious.

"Dumdum may be a Master Occlumens; but, even he is not immune to the efforts of the Unspeakables," replied Harry. "He didn't even know they were doing it, either. While they were speaking with him about how the prophecy he'd just spent the last fifteen plus years of his life planning schemes around was now completed, they dosed him with potions and dragged the information out of him.

"And Dumdum still will not accept that the prophecy is complete. He believes their showing him the darkened orb is one of Riddle's tricks. He still believes his great plan is the only answer and, as his plan has not run its course, Riddle must still be alive and will soon be back.

"He's also waiting for the moment when the Board of Governors and the Ministry beg him to retake the Headmaster position, or some other position of power such as Minister. He's even prepared what he's going to say when they do. How humble he will be while still portraying the role of a great statesman.

"In other words, he's bonkers."

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

As the week progressed without classes, other than their being given assignments to complete during the summer break, Harry ran around getting business done.

He and Daphne visited, via the floo in the owner's suites, Gringotts. He created his Hogwarts Improvement Fund and keyed in Headmaster Flitwick and himself to access it. When he handed the key to the Headmaster and told him there was now one million Galleons sitting in the vault waiting for him to use it, the little professor looked like he was going to faint.

He also used the opportunity to move major funds about among his other Lordships. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin were on firm financial ground, so he just instructed Bloodfang to have at them and make him money. A job the goblin dove into with much glee. The goblin's only restriction was 'no illegal stuff'.

The Gaunts did not have a vault, and their account was in arrears, so he opened up a new vault for that House, and transferred from the Potter vaults to the new Gaunt vault another one million Galleons. Bloodfang received the same instructions for that account as with Gryffindor and Slytherin.

During the meeting, Daphne handed to the very happy goblin their written instructions on what outstanding debts he was to go after, which ones he was to 'excuse' and which to leave alone.

Before they were even out of the office, Bloodfang was madly writing away and barking out instructions in the goblin tongue to supranumeraries, who were getting called into his presence.

Bloodfang was so happy with Harry, he even allowed the two to leave via his own personal floo connection in the office - without charge. They floo'ed directly back to Hogwarts.

When Harry told the little professor about the behaviour of Bloodfang, Flitwick roared with laughter. When he'd finally settled down enough to talk, the Headmaster said, "That sounds like the happiest goblin I've ever heard of!"

"I think it was Harry's instructions for the Gryffindor, Slytherin and Gaunt vaults that really got him going," said Daphne with a grin. "Harry said, 'go make me money, just don't get me involved in illegal stuff'; and then set him loose."

Flitwick roared with laughter again.

Dewey also sent Harry a stack of documents that he needed Harry to sign to make a start on getting House Gaunt elevated. None of them required signing by a blood quill, so Harry was happy to sign.

Dewey did inform him, though, that he'd need to go into the office during the first week of the holidays to sign some documents as they did needed signing with a blood quill. However, there weren't that many.

Luna approached Harry on the Wednesday evening to let him know what she felt was bad news. "I'm sorry, Harry," she meekly said. "But, Daddy needs to publish a day earlier because he thinks he's going to need the extra day of printing time. We can't push back our departure for Sweden to search for the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks to a day later, otherwise we would have done just that."

Harry gathered the girl in a big hug and said, "That's quite alright, dear Luna. I'm just happy we got as many days as we did. I kind of expected the story to break much sooner."

Holding the upset girl out at arm's length, he calmly said, "Thank you for telling me. It means I can now prepare myself for what's going to happen tomorrow."

As Aunt Amelia, Uncle Algie and the others were also already aware of the story, Harry only had to let them know the issue was coming out a day sooner than anticipated. He sent off Hedwig with the letter to Aunt Amelia, and used school owls and his mirror for the rest.

Harry wasn't concerned they'd be upset with the news, as each was already prepared for when the story broke.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

\""/

The next morning, the entire group gathered and headed down for breakfast early and sat at the Gryffindor table. They all wanted to ensure they'd be finished eating before the mail owls arrived.

As he'd kept an eye on the head table, as soon as Harry saw Professor Flitwick arrive, he hurried over and whispered, "Q Day!"

That was their code for when Harry expected The Quibbler to come out. The professor looked back and firmly nodded his head. Reaching into the pocket of his robes he withdrew a set of small clips of parchment and made sure each piece was handed to an already attending professor, or placed on their plate before their chair for when they would arrive, as Harry headed back to his seat.

Everything was now in place.

After they'd finished breaking their fast, Harry sat back with a cup of tea in his hand and waited.

Though it felt like hours, it was only about fifteen minutes later when the mail owls flocked in through the owl windows in the peak of the ceiling.

Harry quickly handed his strips of bacon set aside for Hedwig to the snowy owl as he released her of her package.

He quickly opened the paper and immediately found the article. Unbelievably, to him, it was on the front page. Though, it was 'below the fold'.

He quickly scanned it into his memory and handed the paper to Daphne. And, while scanning the House tables, he read it in his mind's eye.

He quickly determined it was Luna's best work. It contained everything about what had happened. And, it even included quotes from Madam Bones and Unspeakable Croaker. Croaker never spoke to the media, so it was a real scoop for the girl.

Both Aunt Amelia and Uncle Algie confirmed Riddle had been resurrected on the night; and that Harry had killed him again; this time in a one-on-one duel. They even managed to include a small wizarding photo of Harry striking Riddle with the 'killing blow' of a Bludgeoning Hex to the chest. There was nothing about him using the Cutting Charm to decapitate the body.

Uncle Algie also confirmed that they knew how Riddle had managed to come back and that, this time, he was never going to be coming back. The threat of Voldemort was over, for good. A wizarding photograph also showed 'an' Unspeakable in full Unspeakable robes with the cowl up distorting his face, while holding up a glass container with Riddle's head within.

When he'd finished reading the article, Harry looked at Luna and said, "Girl, I am most impressed! Outstanding work!"

Luna gave a sheepish little smile and blushed. He'd never been able to make her blush before, no matter how ribald he spoke around her. Damn, the girl even managed to make him blush by out-ribalding him in return!

As others in their group finished reading the article they each congratulated her. Harry thought he even caught tears of happiness in the girl's eyes.

Catching her eye again, Harry said to her, "Dear Luna, irrespective of the sums agreed to in our little contract, you have my permission to sell that article to other media organisations and get whatever you can for it. Use the money to fund your excursions, or use it to fund your education, it's up to you."

Luna dropped her eyes and nodded her head. But, Harry could tell she was right pleased.

Harry watched as other students who received the Quibbler read the article. Some looked over at him in awe; others looked over at him in shock; but, most didn't know what to make of the whole thing. Harry just drew in his magic - enough to make his eyes glow just a little - and held it as he smirked back at all of them.

The first major point occurred when one of the Slytherin students screeched, "WHAT?!" and stood up holding the paper in his hands.

"He can't be!" the boy screamed, angrily staring straight at Harry with both fear and loathing. "It's not true!"

That was just what Harry needed to happen. He'd prepared for this.

Slowly standing up, still oozing a little magic, Harry slowly walked from the Gryffindor table to stand just in front of the head table. He kept an eye on the Slytherin table, and the angry student in particular, the whole way. Everyone was silent. No one made a sound.

Once in position he shot his wand into his hand and slowly raised it into the oath position.

"I, Harry James Potter, swear on my magic and my life, that I did face in one-on-one magical combat, in a duel to the death, the wizard Tom Marvolo Riddle, who also went by the soubriquets Dark Lord and Lord Voldemort; that I did kill him in that battle; and that all other information provided concerning that battle in today's issue of the Quibbler is true and correct in every instance. So say I; so mote it be!"

Harry flashed as the magic recognised the oath. Stretching his arm to point his wand out towards the doors to the Entrance Hall, he cast, "Expecto Patronum!"

Prongs leapt forth in all his glory. He appeared in form, an almost solid, misty silver. Harry held him there and pumped more magic into him as he then took on an almost golden tinge.

While continuing to hold the patronus, Harry smirked and quietly, but clearly enough, said, "Enough said."

He then released the form to fade away.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

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