Chapter thirteen part two

"Dowell tried pinning some of the blame for Lucius being released on Sirius. He stated that if Sirius hadn't kicked Narcissa and Draco out of the Black family he could've helped Narcissa and the whole thing never would've happened. Sirius simply pulled out the marriage contract between Narcissa and Lucius and pointed out the clause which said that the contract would become void if either of the party joined any group which threatened the Magical world. Sirius was rather pleased to have smacked Dowell soundly and further explained that he had kicked Narcissa out of the family because she had supported the ideals that Lucius' former master spouted and Draco was a known bully in Hogwarts that frequently targeted you. He took great joy in reminding everyone that, until he has a child of his own, you are his heir and he doesn't want any of the Black fortune going to the Malfoy's."

"I bet that shut Dowell up real quick." Harry smirked, snickering as Lucas chuckled and nodded.

"Anyway, warn Neville, the twins and Hermione before breakfast. The story will be front page and will likely cause some trouble. Keep a watch on Malfoy's son too." Lucas said, Harry and Dean nodding in understanding.

"Well, Malfoy junior has been keeping his nose clean. He's been taken under an older Slytherin's…guidance…wait, Spencer Dowell! Does Oliver Dowell have a son?" Harry asked, making Lucas blink.

"As far as I know he has three children: Spencer, Tristian and Sara." Lucas said, raising and eyebrow as Dean and Harry looked at each other.

Harry and Dean explained what Millicent had told them about Draco and Spencer. Lucas was certainly slightly concerned in learning that Draco is being 'trained' to become the perfect Slytherin. However, he reminded them to just keep out of trouble and keep on top of their work. The boys promised to do so and ended the conversation. Instead of going to bed, Harry and Dean called Neville over and hurriedly explained what was going on to the blonde. Neville was shocked and rather worried about the release of Lucius Malfoy though he quickly became relieved when he was told about the restrictions that Malfoy senior is now under. Neville called Hermione and the twins using his communications mirror. All three of them were shocked and concerned, though they were glad that there was so many restrictions on the cruel man. Of course they knew that Draco would become insufferable with his dad free.

"We just need to watch our backs. There's something about Spencer that puts me on edge." Dean said, shuddering lightly as the others nodded in agreement.

"The good thing is that Millie, Daph, Tracy and Blaise are our inside to the Snake pit. I'm sure they'll warn us if something stirs up." Harry said, making Hermione sigh.

"It makes me feel like we're using them…" She muttered, blinking when the others voided that.

"We're not using them, Mione. Susan and Hannah would warn us if something was happening in Hufflepuff just like we would warn the others about anything happening in Gryffindor." Harry explained, watching as Hermione sighed but nodded in understanding and agreement.

They soon ended the conversation and headed to bed. The next morning, after their morning workout, the trainee Assassins headed down to the Great Hall and joined their friends at the Hufflepuff table. Hermione felt slightly bad that they had an advantage over the others; especially since she, Harry, Dean, Neville and the twins know about what's going to be in the papers. She forced herself to remain cheerful and happily struck up a conversation about the upcoming Easter break and their classes. As always, halfway through the meal the post owls began arriving. As the student body began reading their mail and the Daily Prophet, another hush fell over the hall as they began reading the main article of the newspaper.

Lucius Malfoy released on parole!

By Matthew Scott

In a shocking turn of events yesterday afternoon Lucius Malfoy, who had been incarcerated due to his actions as a Death Eater, was released from Azkaban due to good behavior. The Wizengamot, however, has enacted a set of rules that Mister Malfoy must abide by less he be arrested and placed back in prison. Mister Malfoy will be subject to snap Auror inspections of his home and other properties, must report to the Auror Department every two weeks and cannot travel outside of the country. He will have to follow these 'rules' for two years and even after that he will have to report back into the Ministry every month.

Mister Malfoy was released from his incarceration due to the declining health of his wife: Lady Narcissa Malfoy. Sometime during the previous winter, Lady Malfoy had fallen ill and none of the Healers at St. Mungo's have been able to find out what illness has afflicted her. With her health in decline, Heir Draconis Malfoy (11), reach out to a fellow housemate whose father is a well-respected lawyer. Mister Oliver Dowell was rather concerned to learn about the potential fate of Heir Malfoy should his mother pass away.

"Heir Malfoy would have been sent to one of the two orphanages here in our world. It is known to many that Lord Black has removed Lady Malfoy from the Black family and has also removed her son from the family. Because of this it is extremely likely that Lord Black wouldn't have helped Heir Malfoy if his mother is overtaken by her illness. Miss Andromeda Tonks had stated that she is, unfortunately, much too busy to raise another child since her own daughter: Nymphadora Tonks (17), is a Metamorphmagus and will hopefully be joining the Auror corps. Too many children, heirs and heiresses are already living in an orphanage because their parents and/or guardians are locked away in Azkaban and I refuse to allow another prominate heir fall into the same category as the others."

Mister Malfoy has already reunited with his son and, after a health evaluation at St. Mungo's, has been released to Malfoy Manor where he is now caring for his wife. Lord Dowell has also extended an olive branch towards other families who have a loved one currently residing in Azkaban but he has also set limits as to whom he will help.

"Mister Malfoy was a model prisoner during his incarceration in Azkaban. There have been five reported riots and attempted uprisings in the prison. Mister Malfoy was not a part of any of those riots and uprisings. The guards have confirmed that Mister Malfoy has been nothing but polite and quiet during his time at Azkaban and has only requested various books of different subjects to read from in an attempt to continue to educate himself about what is changing in our society. I will only help other prisoners who have displayed the same model behavior. People who are showing true remorse and are attempting to better themselves deserve to be helped and rewarded. As such, I will only help prisoners who have 'kept their noses clean' so to say."

It has also been confirmed that Mister Malfoy, having been convicted of criminal behavior, will not be allowed to retake the mantel of Lord Malfoy or take his seat on the Wizengamot. This is also due to a law that had been past a year ago which prevents convicted criminals from sitting on the Wizengamot in any capacity. The Malfoy lordship and seat will remain vacant until Heir Malfoy comes of age to inherit the title and seat.

Lord Dowell has not yet revealed which families he will be able to help get on parole. There will be more to come as this story develops.

Much of the student body turned their eyes towards the Slytherin table. Sure enough, Draco sat with his group of friend calmly eating his morning meal. However, the sense of dread which had hung around him since his return from the Christmas holidays has disappeared; the worry lines on his face have vanished and he was more animated when speaking with his friends and betrothed. Many of the students who have suffered the loss of family and friends due to the war were angry and looked as if they wanted to hex Draco. However, the staff had obviously picked up on those feelings and wands were soon placed on the table beside their plates in a clear message to the student body. Others who had a parent or even both parents, who had been Death Eaters, saw a spark of hope return to them.

This could potentially mean the release of their parent(s) from Azkaban. However, it also made them wonder and hope that their parent(s) had remained out of trouble during their sentence. If their parent(s) get out of Azkaban then they can finally go back to their homes and some semblance of a normal life. Harry and the others looked to Millicent and saw that there was very little emotion on her face as she re-read the article.

"Millie?" Susan asked, her voice soft as the large Slytherin sighed and folded her copy of the paper.

"I know you're wondering how I'm handling the news. Honestly…I hope my dad doesn't get out of Azkaban. I…I wouldn't want to live with him if he did. I love my dad, don't get me wrong, but he murdered and tortured others. Just because he's sorry for what he did doesn't mean he should be given praise for behaving well in prison. If Lord Dowell approaches me about getting my dad released I will refuse." She explained, the others looking at her in surprise.

However, they didn't say anything more as Millicent returned to her meal. Instead, they changed the topic to their assignments and projects in their classes. Hermione and Eliana gushed about going to see another of the Wizarding towns while Jillian, Neville, Millicent and Susan happily talked about their upcoming trip to Buckingham Palace. Harry, Dean and Hannah grinned as they listened to the excitement spreading throughout their friends. Harry and Dean were especially glad that the tense atmosphere was quickly being swept away. The fact that Lucius Malfoy is now free is very worrying and it made them worry about how many other Death Eaters will be released. However, one of the good things is that the Malfoy's still don't have nearly enough money to offer up to anyone who wants to make a huge change in the laws and such. They simply don't have the money to bribe people without having to seriously consider on how much they'll have to offer. Draco still has to have his schooling paid for along with supplies. Not only that but there's the general living expenses that everyone goes through and needs.

-I'm just glad that Sirius found that one Horcrux in Grimmauld Place.- Harry thought, finishing up the last of his breakfast.

With the destruction of another of Riddle's Horcruxes they officially have three down. The Goblins are still trying to find a way to harness the magical signature in the former Horcruxes to locate the others. Lucas and Delilah have a small team of Assassins combing the country in an attempt to learn more about Riddle and where any possible Horcruxes may be. As soon as Riddle becomes mortal again, Harry can issue the command for someone to kill Riddle and it'll still fulfill the prophecy since Harry had been the one to issue the command; thus Riddle would still technically die by Harry's hand. However, they had to make sure that all of the Horcruxes were destroyed before attempting to find and kill Riddle. None of them wanted to take a chance at the Dark Lord only to have him come back time and time again.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

Valentine's Day came and Harry, Dean, Neville and Blaise gave each of the girls their own personalized card, some sweets and a new charm for their bracelets. Daphne, Tracy and Blaise were officially brought into their ever growing circle of friends and thus, were shown the Room of Requirement. The trio was in awe over the room and took turns showing the others their homes by having the room turn into an exact copy of their homes. Their classes were steadily getting more and more difficult and their professors were quizzing them and slowly getting them ready for exams. Some of their classmates and even a few from other Houses came to them asking questions about Defense and what they could do to better themselves. At the urging of Professor McGonagall, Harry and Dean offered their services as tutors to their fellow First Years and soon found themselves tutoring a decent group of First Years from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Dean was even more shocked when Lavender and Parvati showed up to his tutoring sessions.

It was late-February when Harry managed to visit Hagrid. The snow was all but melted though the weather is still clinging to the last chill of winter and the days were frequently spent inside due to rain or thunderstorms. Even though it's overcast, Harry and Mira set out to Hagrid's hut where the kindly man was sitting on a large tree stump whittling a decent sized block of wood. Fang slept nearby while Norbert perched on Hagrid's shoulder peering down at what his bonded human was doing with great interest. However, Norbert looked out and let out a happy, squalling cry when he saw Mira flying towards them. Hagrid looked over and beamed when his familiar took off to greet Mira while Harry trotted towards him.

"It's good to see ya' 'arry." Hagrid said, smiling brightly as Harry grinned up at him.

"How have you been, Hagrid?" Harry asked, happily sitting down on the steps to Hagrid's hut.

"I've been good! Got me a new wand an' everythin' after my lawyer settled the mat'er 'bout me expulsion. 'm allowed to take some classes now an' Professor McGonagall an' a few others are gonna teach me over the summer; start gettin' me caught up." Hagrid explained, proudly pulling out a rather handsome chestnut wand.

"That's great Hagrid! I'm glad things are looking up for you." Harry said, beaming as the large man smiled happily and put his wand away once more.

Hagrid happily told Harry about the various creatures he's spotted in the forest. He talked about the health of the Fire Lizards living near the lake and informed them that some of them have officially moved away and likely went to Harry's family's estate. He also mentioned the arrival of several new Fire Lizards, in which Harry told him that they're likely from the estate. However, Harry became concerned when Hagrid sadly mentioned that something appears to be hunting some of the Unicorns in the forest. He found a faint trail of Unicorn blood one evening and two nights later Rowan had come and had taken him further into the forest where they had discovered the dead body of a male Unicorn. Neither the Centaurs nor Hagrid have been able to discover what had attacked and killed the stallion.

"Were there any wounds on the body?" Harry asked, frowning as Hagrid sighed and tilted his head.

"It looked like someone was drinkin' the Unicorn's blood. Norbert said he could sense death an' decay around the Unicorn but it didn't belong to the Unicorn." Hagrid said, lightly scratching his head as he puzzled over his familiar's words.

"So something other than the Unicorn was radiating death and decay; likely the attacker." Harry said, Hagrid blinking before he nodded lightly.

"I suppose."

They talked for a while longer about Harry's classes, his friends; in which Hagrid was surprised and proud that he's making friends with Slytherins as well, the latest articles in the paper and various other topics. However, Harry was shocked when Hagrid appeared to suddenly remember something and pulled out a crudely wrapped package. He raised an eyebrow when the large, gentle man handed the package to him.

"Hagrid?" He asked, looking at the small package before looking up at Hagrid.

"It's a gift; somethin' to say thank ya for helpin' me find Norbert an' getting' the mat'er settled with me schooling." Hagrid said, watching as Harry's face softened and he smiled softly.

"You don't have to thank me, Hagrid. You're my friend." Harry said, though he pulled out a small pocket knife Sirius had gotten him for Christmas and cut off the rope which held together the paper.

Mira flew over and perched on his shoulders, peering down at the present with interest while Norbert landed on Hagrid's shoulders and rumbled in content. Tearing off the paper, Harry's eyes widened when he saw a small, brown leather pouch with two pull ties. However, the ties were in such a way that they could be connected on the other ends and form a kind of necklace. Harry could feel the magic radiating from the pouch and instantly knew that this wasn't an ordinary pouch at all.

"It's a Mokeskin pouch an' it's bottomless too. Thought ya'd like it more than some book or somethin'." Hagrid said, smiling as Harry looked up at him and beamed.

"Thanks, Hagrid! This-This is an amazing gift." Harry said, already thinking of everything he could keep safe and hidden in the bag.

[You could keep many things hidden from others. I would have your father look at all the enchantments on the bag.] Mira suggest, Harry nodding slightly.

[I need to give Hagrid something for this. This…this is priceless! I was wondering where I would hide the Sorcerer's Stone when I finally got it. This answers that question.] Harry responded, Mira rumbling in agreement.

Harry spent some more time with Hagrid and learned more about what the gentle half-Giant liked to do in his free time. He happily took Hagrid up on his offer for lunch and stepped inside the slightly camped but welcoming hut. Hagrid soon had a plate of rather…interesting looking sandwiches and what seemed like a bowl of tea. Though the bowl is actually a mug that had simply been made to be a proper size for someone of Hagrid's size. Harry sent a note with Mira to Dean so none of his friends would worry about where he is, though he knew Dean wouldn't worry too much since he has his own map and could easily find him. Hagrid's cooking skills were…slightly lacking and Harry instantly knew what to get the large man. Hagrid admitted that he enjoys cooking even though he doesn't look like he would. Harry made a note to order a few different cookbooks for Hagrid since he figures that the man would benefit from learning how to make some actual good tasting food that's edible to others besides himself.

After lunch, Harry finally said his goodbyes and promised to stop by again soon. Heading back to the castle, Harry met up with the others in the library where he told them about the pouch Hagrid had given him. All of them were happy that Hagrid has a wand and will be continuing his education during the summer. It was Daphne who really pointed out the many uses for a Mokeskin pouch like Harry was given and all of them agreed that it was a great gift. Hermione felt rather guilty for not having visited Hagrid as much as she should've, to which Dean and Neville agreed. Once their assignments were completed, they headed back up to the Room to work on some of the new spells the twins had taught them. Daphne's parents had also given her a rather interesting book on various cantrips for beautifyn various cantrips for beautifuutifuing oneself and getting ready for photos. All of them had a ton of fun testing out the various charms like the teeth glint and blushing charms along with various hair styling charms. The twins demanded to try a charm which made your cloak billow and had the others nearly on the ground as they strutted around the room striking various poses.

It was while his friends were distracted by the twins did Harry write a note to his parents and give the note and the Mokeskin pouch to Mira. If his parents thought that the pouch would effectively hide the Sorcerer's Stone then that's where he'll keep it once he manages to somehow acquire it. Since bringing Hermione, Neville and the twins in on the mission, Hermione has been trying to help him find a solid way to effectively convince the headmaster that the stone had been destroyed. None of them know if the stone would appear out of the mirror if it was destroyed or if the destruction of the mirror would mean the destruction of the stone. They don't want to take any chances when it comes to convincing Dumbledore that the stone is destroyed and it would lift the large target that Dumbledore had placed over Hogwarts. Merlin, it will remove the target off of the Flamels as well.

All of them settled down and eventually got back to finishing the last of their assignments and little projects. The twins made good use of the potions stations which the Room provided and they were also extremely grateful for the ingredients that were provided as well. Since they've stopped 'fudging' their classwork, their grades have skyrocketed even though they had gotten a letter from their Mum scolding them for dropping Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. Instead they decided to take Ancient Runes and Arithmancy which will only help them further in their desired career choice. Hermione, Blaise and Millicent loved watching the twins and asked them plenty of questions about what they were making and the properties of the potion or salve that they're brewing. Thankfully the twins didn't mind answering their questions and often had them help prepare various ingredients for them.

It was during the last bit of their study time when Mira teleported in with a short note from his parents. Harry waved off the concerns and curious looks from his friends and tucked his new pouch into one of his pockets. Casting a privacy charm around him, Harry opened the note and began reading:

Harry,

This pouch could be highly useful for you and your friends. We had two of our Enchanters examine the pouch and it is heavily enchanted. No one but yourself can open the pouch and, it is indeed bottomless and weightless. Not only that, but it essentially takes the item and places it into its own magic space, making it undetectable by anyone else no matter what spells are used to try and detect something on a person's body. Our Enchanters have layered an invisibility ward onto the bag. Once it touches your skin it will turn invisible to everyone aside from yourself.

Both of us think that this is an ideal thing to use for hiding the Sorcerer's Stone. Nickolas is working on a fake stone for you to destroy. It will take a lot to convince Albus that the stone was destroyed. We should have a suitable replacement after Easter. Nickolas and his wife are working together and are getting their affairs in order. They plan on safely destroying the stone once you and Dean complete the mission. They both agree that they have lived long enough and it's time to move onto the next great adventure.

On a less serious note: your mother and I are extremely proud of your grades. Minerva has approached us about possibly placing you in advanced classes but we both know that that will only draw more attention to you; attention that you don't want. The Daily Prophet has been asking for an article about how you're schooling is going thus far but we've managed to hold them off by reminding them that we have a contract with them that can easily be broken and we can easily sign a contact with other papers such as the Quibbler. You can imagine how they responded to that.

As for your continued concerns about Quirrell and his ability to teach, we've sent your concerns to Augusta and Lord Abbott. Both of them have attempted to speak with Albus but he is adamant that the scores in Defense are just fine. I have one of our people in the Department of Education trying to look into the notes and scores of the different classes and years. Lord Abbott and Augusta can only step in if the scores show a sharp decline. It is our hope that they're able to find something that warrants Quirrells dismissal.

Keep up the good work and don't forget to write. Tell Dean to write his mother and siblings more; to call them better yet. He seems to have forgotten to call and write as often as he promised to.

Love,

Your dad

Harry tucked away the note for later though he gave Dean, Hermione, Neville, Fred and George a meaningful look to which they nodded slightly. With Nickolas and his wife working on a replacement stone, that took a lot of stress and worry off of them. Besides, Nickolas obviously knows more about the stone than any of them possibly could and could, therefore, better replicate it and what it would look like when destroyed. All he had to hope for was a way to either release his magic in a powerful enough burst to destroy the copy or find a way to fire a spell strong enough to shatter it. If he was dueling with someone for the stone he'd have an easier way and reason to fire a spell and have it 'stray' enough to hit the stone. The others were rather curious about what the note said, though they didn't ask him about it; figuring that if it was something important then he'd tell them.

"So, Harry, Dean was telling us that you're skilled at Quidditch." Blaise said, grinning as the black haired boy looked at him.

"Yeah, I'm not that bad as a Seeker." Harry said, rolling his eyes as Dean snorted.

"Not that bad?! Harry, you're bloody brilliant as Seeker. One time he caught a Snitch in less than two minutes! His mum refuses to watch him on a broom because he pulls tricks and stunts that only professionals will dare to try." Dean exclaimed, grinning as Harry's face turned red in embarrassment.

"He's already promised to try out for the team next year." Fred said, pride in his voice as Hermione shook her head.

"Honestly, boys." She huffed, making Dean, Neville and Blaise laugh.

"Flint's captain of the Slytherin team. I can tell you already that he doesn't let girls on the team and mostly picks brawn over brains. So long as you're excellent at dodging, you'll stand a good chance against our team." Tracy said, scowling as she thought of the large, older Slytherin.

"We'll see what happens." Harry said, shrugging lightly as Dean chuckled and shook his head at his friend's modesty.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

March arrived and the last of the snow finally melted much to the relief of the students. Fifth and Seventh Years especially took to the warmer weather and many were often seen outside wandering around the lawns in an attempt to distract themselves from their impending exams. Neville was more than happy to receive frequent letters and calls from his parents. Apparently his great uncle Algie had been shocked when he learned that his parents are awake and perfectly healthy. Algernon hadn't wanted to believe it but when Alice sent him a howler scolding him for his past treatment towards Neville, he was forced to admit that the Daily Prophet hadn't been lying and had sent Neville a long letter apologizing for the way he treated his great nephew. There were some stories about a few Death Eaters who were appealing to Lord Dowell about getting their sentences reduced or getting on parole, though the lawyer was proving to be rather picky about which cases he took on. True to his word, though, he point-blank refused to take cases of those Death Eaters who rioted against the guards or caused trouble in prison.

Draco seemed much happier and was, once more, strutting around with confidence and a higher-than-thou attitude. There were a few incidents where he sneered and attempted to sabotage Harry, Neville and Hermione. However, he seemed to be learning from Spencer and was beginning to get others to attempt to attack Harry and his friends. He apparently loved winding Ronald up and somehow managed to point the redhead towards Harry, Hermione and Neville. Fred and George were all too happy to distract Percy or some of the professors in order for Harry, Dean and even Jillian and Eliana to prank their little, annoying brother. They were also more than happy to take the fall for their younger friends. Harry honestly began to dread the end of the year since that meant that Ginerva would be old enough to finally attend Hogwarts and he'll have to deal with the little redhead making cow eyes at him.

Plans were also being made for Easter break. The twins, sadly, couldn't escape the clutches of their mother and honestly did want to go home for the week. Harry completely understood, though he made sure that the twins understood that they'll be expected to keep up their training and workouts on their own time. Hermione and Neville will be returning to the estate with Harry and Dean though much of Neville's time will be spent with his parents who were going to be spending the week at the estate to get to know Harry better. Susan and Hannah were planning on going on vacation to Italy with Hannah's parents and Amelia will be joining them for a few days. Daphne, Tracy and Millicent weren't going anywhere special, just spending more time with their family. Blaise explained that he and his mum will be heading to Italy as well to visit some relatives, in which Susan and Hannah were more than happy to attempt to plan to meet up with the dark skinned Italian. Jillian complained about some of the meetings her mother will likely be in, though they have to go to Romania because of said meetings so she won't be completely bored. Eliana had to deal with the same thing, though her family is going to head to Greece in order to meet up with another group of Sirens and some of her relatives.

There was a noticeable excitement in the air of the school the closer April thirteenth came. On the thirteenth students going home left early in the morning and would remain home until the twentieth when the Hogwarts Express brought them back. The week home was much needed, especially with the ever looming exams. Sadly, Albus couldn't keep his crooked nose out of Harry's business and Harry found himself, once more, summoned to the headmaster's office. It wasn't that surprising when Albus attempted to dismiss Minerva when he saw her enter his office but she and Harry were quick to remind him, once more, that she has to stay. Harry was rather annoyed when the headmaster tried to 'convince' him that it wasn't safe for him to go home for the holiday.

"Professor, once again you have no say as to where I spend my holidays. As for my safety, I have one question to ask you: how can you continue to claim my family's estate isn't safe when you have never been able to locate it? No one outside of my family and close friends has ever set foot on our estate. Unless, of course, you're telling me that you've had people attempting to spy on my family?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes as Albus' eyes widened in shock.

"N-No, of course not, Harry-"

"Then the family estate should be just as safe as it always has been. Also, Headmaster, I've told you time and time again that I do not appreciate the familiarity you take with me. Unless, of course, you're giving me leave to use your name, Albus." Harry said, fighting back the urge to smirk as the headmaster looked rather flustered.

"Mind your tone, Potter! You're just as arrogant as your father." Severus snapped, loathing in his voice as Harry looked at the pale man with a raised eyebrow.

"Considering I never knew my biological father you have no base to insult me like that, Professor. My adopted father is a very kind and fair man." Harry said, watching as a faint flicker of pride flashed through Severus' eyes even though his scowl deepened.

"Now H-Mister Potter." Albus admonished, making Harry roll his eyes.

"It's Potter-Othello, Headmaster. Just like I told you last time. Now, unless there's an honest reason for me being here then I have some assignments to finish." Harry said, meeting the Headmaster's gaze dead-on.

He easily batted away the Legilimency probe which made Albus flinch slightly. However, Albus wisely dismissed Harry and Minerva, making them shake their heads as they walked out of the office. Harry was rather disturbed that the headmaster continued to try and keep him away from his family, though he also understood why he'd want to do that. His family has always been one of the few who aren't firmly in the headmaster's 'camp' so to say. Professor Snape had told him that Albus was surprised that he hadn't attempted to get onto the Quidditch team this year and the aged Wizard is actually wondering if he has his dad's talent in flying and Quidditch. Harry had scoffed at that and was greatly disturbed with how the headmaster has a tendency to compare him to his parents. Many of the senior staff members have been talking about his grades already and Professor McGonagall has already told him that they're wondering if he'll be like his mother had been when he's finally old enough for their classes.

It's annoying that so many people seem content to compare him to his parents. Yes, he understands that they're war heroes but that doesn't suddenly give them the right to compare him to them. He's his own person and has his strengths and weaknesses just like everyone one else does. Yes, his parents were powerful and were great people, but they had their flaws and it's one of his pet peeves being compared to them all the time. It's one of the main reasons why he hates being called the Boy-Who-Lived. It's a constant reminder that his parents had died and he had survived. What people also tend to forget is that it had likely been his mother's work that allowed him to survive the killing curse. He's just glad that his dad had gotten his birth parents honored with Orders of Merlin which are now in his family vault in places of honor. He has plans to have the medals moved to whichever Potter property he'll call home when he comes of age.

"He'll never quit, will he?" Harry asked, looking up at his Head of House.

"No, I don't think he will. You play a major role in all of his plans. Without you, they'll crash and burn and, in his mind, so will our world. I believe he no longer thinks you have a Horcrux trapped behind your scar. He was rather…alarmed and shocked when you arrived at school without your famous scar." Minerva said, making Harry snort and shake his head.

"He's a fool. He believes that he's the only one who can know everything about Riddle and what he did to remain alive. I bet he hasn't even been looking for any other Horcruxes." Harry said, disgust in his voice as Minerva nodded lightly.

"Severus told me that Sirius had found one in Grimmauld Place a while ago. A locket that had once belonged to Slytherin I believe?" She asked, Harry nodding his head.

"Yeah. He found it hidden in Kreacher's old 'room'. He brought it to Dad and they, with the help of the Goblins, removed Riddle's soul piece. This time, though, they trapped it and the Goblins are trying to use it to hunt down the others. They want to see Riddle's destruction just as much as we do." Harry answered, making his professor shake her head.

"I would be more cautious, Mister Potter-Othello."

Minerva and Harry turned and watched as Severus walked towards them, his cloak billowing behind him as always.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, frowning as Severus flicked his hand and expanded the privacy shield around them.

"Albus is becoming…frustrated with your lack of loyalty and admiration towards him. He had been hoping that you would see him as a kind of mentor and would respect him like many others do simply because of his name, titles and history. However, the fact that you're not is-"

"Setting him on edge." Harry finished, the Potions Master inclining his head slightly.

"My point is, watch your food and drinks. I advise that your friends do the same. He is also most…displeased that you haven't made any move to become closer to Ronald Weasley. The plan was for the boy to chase away any other potential friends from getting close to you and he would keep you humble because of his family's lack of wealth. However, he is glad to see that you are at least friends with the twins though he wishes they were more…under his thumb." Severus said, making Harry and Minerva shake their heads in disbelief.

"Mum and Dad taught Dean and I enough detection charms they poured from our ears. However, mine and Dean's rings and the charm bracelets that the girls wear should protect them as well. Neville has his heir's ring and so does Blaise. We'll still keep a look out though. Thank you for the warning, Sir." Harry said, Severus nodding slightly before he swept away down another hall.

"I wish I knew how he did that." Harry said, frowning as he watched the man's cloak snap around his heels and flare around him.

Minerva laughed softly at that, hiding her mouth behind her hand as Harry huffed. They eventually split up and Harry thanked Minerva for sticking by his side and ensuring that he wasn't alone with the headmaster. He met up with his friend in the library and told them about the meeting with the headmaster. All of them were shocked at the sheer audacity that the headmaster had in trying to convince Harry that his own family couldn't keep him safe. Hermione was very disturbed that the headmaster was taking a rather…unhealthy interest in Harry. It was hard for her to wrap her mind around the fact that Professor Dumbledore wasn't everything that she had read about the man. Her ingrained trust and faith in authority has been seriously tested since coming to Hogwarts. The headmaster is more like a story-tale villain in the way he keeps trying to pull the strings behind the scene. She knows that the man has a lot of titles and power; something that can and has corrupted the best of men in history before. However, it's…it's just hard for her to accept some of the things he has tried to do to her friend in the past.

Thankfully life continued as normal as possible for children attending a school that taught magic. Hermione started panicking late March about exams and started coming up with a study schedule. Of course the others rallied around Hermione and attempted to calm her down; reminding her that there's still plenty of time before exams since they aren't until the first week of June. Fred and George, thankfully, came to the rescue by way of having Hermione help the Fifth and Seventh Years in their House come up with study schedules that'll help them prepare for their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. It wasn't uncommon to find Hermione talking to a group of older students with a calendar on the table while the older students had planners out on the table with quills in hand. This managed to stop Hermione from stressing about her own exams and she thankfully realized that her friends were right. Though she did get them to agree to let her make up a study schedule for all of them after Easter break.

April finally arrived and brought a pleasant surprise for Harry. Sirius and Kano had finally settled on a wedding date and he and his friends got to get out of the school during a Hogsmeade visit to see the grand opening of the second store of P&M Jokes and Games. Remus already plans on running this shop while Sirius handles the original shop in Diagon Alley. The owners of Zonko's didn't look too happy from where they stood watching the ceremony from the front door of their shop though they didn't look hostile. Of course they knew that Gambol and Japes in Diagon Alley considered P&M huge competition. What made them nervous was the fact that the owners of Gambol and Japes had reported a huge loss in business because of P&M and they've actually had to downsize because of it. Now that competition has arrived here and they've already had competition from Wonderland Toys which is a rather nice toy shop that had opened a few years ago ever since more and more people began moving here to the village.

Fred and George were proud to see some of their products on the shelves in the store. Remus pulled them aside and reassured them that they'll be getting a cut of the profit from each item they had helped to alter or had designed every time one was sold. The twins hugged the older man with tears in their eyes; hardly able to believe that their dreams really are coming true. Their Dad had set them up with their own vault the day they had told him about the contract they had signed with Remus and Sirius. Now they won't have to burden their parents with having to pay for their school supplies and sending them to college. They both want to get degrees in business and finance to better help them be prepared to become full partners with Remus and Sirius or even open up their own business in the future.

"Mum will go ballistic when she learns how much we're making." George said, watching as children and their schoolmates filled the shop and the noise level increased with their excitement.

"Dad will be happy for us though." Fred said, his brother nodding in agreement as Hermione shook her head.

"I just can't believe your mother would be so against you doing want you love. Being part of a big business is a great accomplishment and you're also inventing products." Hermione said, the twins shrugging lightly.

"She just thinks that in order to have a good, comfortable life you need to have a solid career in the Ministry. She's only just realized that Charlie's not going to quit his 'hobby' and get a job in the Ministry. He's happiest with the Dragons and loves what he does; same with Bill. You can bet that she wasn't too happy when he was snatched up by the Goblins. But Bill is one of the most sought after Curse Breakers now. Mum is steadily realizing that he's well respected, even by the Ministry." Fred explained, the others listening intently.

Harry was always rather shocked and, quite frankly, appalled whenever the twins told him and the others more about their mother. For a mother to try and push her children towards a career that she wants them to take is…well it's horrible to think about. That will only drive the children away faster and he had a feeling that Bill and Charlie fled the country to get away from Molly's iron fist. He was glad that Mister Weasley seemed to be taking control once more; a marriage should be a partnership not a dictatorship. He shuddered to think of what Ginerva is like and how she would be in any kind of romantic relationship. He had a feeling that she would try to take control of the relationship just like her mother does.

"We should start packing up for the holiday. There's only three more days!" Jillian said, making the others chuckle at her excitement.

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The thirteenth of April finally arrived and the students were up bright and early; eager to get away from the school for a week. There were very little people who plan on staying behind and Harry learned from Hagrid that those who are will actually be taken to Diagon Alley to stay in the Leaky Cauldron while the professors perform an inspection of the dorms and do some deep cleaning of the school. According to the gentle half-Giant, the entire castle gets fumigated during the summer holiday which is why no student is allowed to stay over the summer. After a hurried breakfast, the students all made their way out of the castle and to the waiting carriages. Susan led them to a compartment and they were glad that the Hogwarts Express is enchanted so its compartments actually expand so it can seat enough people. Fred and George stayed with them for a little while before they headed to another compartment with their other friends. Surprisingly, Draco and Ronald didn't bother them at all during the entire train ride. It was a very welcomed change.

All of them were getting antsy the longer the train ride lasted and they began glancing at their watches or eagerly looking out the window as the world flew past them. Conversations were filled with what they hoped to do or see during the holiday or what they hoped to do for Easter. When the conductor came on the intercom and announced they'll be arriving soon, everyone hurried to pack up whatever they had pulled out and to shrink their trunks and store them away safely. Peering outside, they groaned when they saw the cloudy, overcast sky. Hermione cracked open the window and they could smell the tell-tale scent of impending rain. Shutting the window, they anxiously waited and watched as the train slowed down and finally pulled into the station before coming to a stop. Like always, it took a few minutes for them to get out onto the platform due to the crowds of students trying to push their way off of the train. On the platform, they all noticed that a lot of the adults were glancing towards a back section of the platform. The twins were the one to spot what was going on and hurriedly explained that Neville's parents are on the platform. Neville quickly said his goodbyes to the others and hurried through the crowds to get to his parents, which made the others smile.

"Have fun at your new place." Hermione said, smiling as she reached up and hugged Fred before hugging George.

"Thanks. Don't stress about your exams yet." George said, smirking as Hermione flushed and rolled her eyes at him.

"We'll make sure she doesn't." Dean said, chuckling as Hermione punched his arm.

The twins headed off and rejoined their family, to which Harry spotted Molly fussing over Ronald while Ginerva kept looking around the platform as if she were searching for someone. Harry groaned softly; instantly knowing that she was likely hoping to catch sight of him. He, Dean and Hermione said goodbye to Jillian, Eliana, Hannah, Susan and the others. All of them promised to keep in touch before splitting up and heading through the crowds in order to find their parent(s) or guardian(s). Harry, Dean and Hermione made their way in the direction Neville had gone in and soon found Sirius, Cassie and Emma waiting for them along with Frank and Alice. Neville happily introduced them to his parents and Harry found himself choked up at seeing his godmother standing there happy and healthy. Alice, instead of saying anything, smiling warmly at Harry and pulled him into a warm hug. Harry closed his eyes and swallowed back tears as he hugged her back. Pulling away, he swallowed heavily and smiled up at Alice, making her smile warmly back at him.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Sirius said, the others nodding their agreement.

Sirius pulled out a portkey and waited until all of them had a hold of it before activating the device. As soon as they touched down in the entry hall of the manor, Harry was bowled over by Eliza as she squealed his name. Dean found himself mobbed by his siblings and Ricki was soon jumping out of his human's pocket and watching from a safe distance as was Mira while the two boys were hugged and bombarded by questions. Kano arrived when she heard the commotion and laughed when she saw her two students fending off questions. Harry, however, looked around for his parents before looking at Kano with a questioning glance.

"Business. I know it's not fun, Harry." She said, sympathy in her voice as Harry nodded.

"I know, I understand." Harry said, his smile slightly strained as Eliza hugged him tightly while Sirius ruffled his godson's hair.

Harry, Dean, Hermione and Neville headed off to their rooms, or in Dean's case: house, to put away their things. Neville was pleased to see that they had been given a small 'apartment' in the manor for the holiday. Alice and Frank happily told their son about everything they've done so far, including the fact that Frank has retaken his seat on the Wizengamot and officially hand in their resignation to Amelia.

"The award ceremony will be a few days before Easter. Thankfully we won't be expected to stay around for the entire ceremony." Alice explained, Neville nodding his head in understanding and acceptance.

"Did you tell our other relatives?" Neville asked, Frank nodding as he watched his son unpack his supplies to study.

"Yes. Your aunt Nadine was shocked to see us but she was happy. Your cousin Markus didn't really remember us since he was a newborn when he last saw us." Alice answered, Neville listening intently.

"Will we be visiting them over the summer?"

"Of course. Lucas and Delilah explained that your training can take place after any trips we want to take. I know that Emma is hoping to take Hermione on a trip to France this summer and then there's Sirius and Kano's wedding at the end of the summer." Alice explained, watching as her son smiled happily.

"Good. I know Harry wants to go to some of his homes this summer. He's told us about the different houses and countries where his homes are located." Neville said, excitement in his voice as his parents chuckled.

Meanwhile, Hermione happily answered her mum's questions about how school is going. Emma smiled as her daughter chatted away about her friends, classes and professors. It's such a nice change seeing her normally shy and quiet daughter to happy and bubbly. Hermione has completely changed from when she and Richard had sent her off on September. She had been shocked on how quickly and painlessly her divorce had been and everything had been finalized once she and Richard had settled their affairs. After that, their case had settled quickly and she's now Emma Mayweather once more.

"Mum, is the divorce really finalized?" Hermione asked, making her mother blink a few times to clear her mind.

"Yes, it is. I've also opened a vault in Gringotts and got all of our money transferred there. You also have a separate vault for yourself which holds your school fund and the money Richard and I had put away for you as a college fund." Emma explained, smiling gently as Hermione looked at her with surprise before hugging her.

"I'm glad things happened so quickly." Hermione said, pulling back and smiling as her mum kissed her forehead.

"So am I, sweetie. Richard didn't fight anything and has agreed on the amount for child support that our lawyers set. Apparently he's going to sell the house and move closer to his sister. He also has to find some replacements for employees. Apparently Miranda, Chris and Piper didn't take too well to his treatment of us and quit." Emma explained, Hermione's eyes widening in surprise.

"I…I didn't expect that." Hermione muttered, Emma nodding her head in agreement.

"I know. I feel bad for Richard so I gave him some recommendations to a few people who can take their place. I don't want him to fail in the business." Emma said, Hermione humming lightly as she went back to unpacking and put her dirty clothes into a hamper.

"So, how has your training been?" Emma asked, smiling as Hermione lit up and began chatting away about her training.

In his room, Harry sighed softly as he put his things away while Mira looked out the window. Yes, he knows that his parents have very important jobs and that he'll likely have the very same job when he's an adult. However, sometimes he wishes that his parents don't have to go on missions. An overwhelming sense of anxiety would fill him while his parents were out on missions and he couldn't make himself relax until both of them came home. His parents had told him the dangers of their 'jobs' when he was old enough to understand. He knows that there is always the chance that a mission will go wrong and both of them could die during a mission. If that happened then Sirius would take full custody of him and Kano would take custody of Eliza. New leaders would be sought for the Brotherhood and life would carry on as normal. Harry never wanted Eliza to go through life without knowing her biological parents like he has. Yes, Sirius, Remus, his parents, Minerva and a few others have done their best to ensure he knows his biological parents. But…it just isn't the same.

"How goes your mission?" Kano asked, making Harry look up at her sharply in surprise.

"Huh? Oh! It's slow going, since Professors Snape and McGonagall haven't noticed anything strange. Tonks has been helping Professor Snape train Dean and I in dueling and how to, hopefully, last long enough in case we find ourselves up against one of Riddle's manic followers who is trying to steal the stone. Hopefully Dean and I can get in, find and acquire the stone, destroy the fake and get out without too much trouble. Hermione, Neville and the twins want to help us as well." Harry explained, pulling out the last of his books and setting them on his desk neatly.

"Sometimes it's good to be over prepared in a mission. All of us are very proud of how you're doing in school and Minerva and Severus are very impressed with your training." Kano said, pride in her voice as Harry flushed and looked down at the ground bashfully.

"I…I've noticed that Elliot has been falling behind in training." Harry said, watching as Kano sighed and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Normally we don't talk about the training of other trainees but Elliot is a part of your peer group. He is falling behind in his training and isn't keeping up with his morning runs or other workouts. He knows that he needs to keep up his workouts and he hasn't. Minerva and Severus are going to be speaking with his father about this tomorrow. If he continues to fall behind then he'll likely be removed from training. He's not taking things seriously and he's also doing poorly in his classes." Kano said, Harry frowning as he thought of the other boy.

"I just…I don't understand him. Elliot has bothered Dean and I during training and when Hermione, Neville and the twins joined us he would make snide comments to them about how he so much more advanced than them. It's kind of funny though, Hermione flattened him in sparring on her fourth day of training." Harry said, smirking lightly at the memory.

"Mind yourself, Harry. It's not nice to make fun of others." Kano warned, watching as the boy flushed and ducked his head.

"Sorry."

"Now, go shower and change. We're going out tonight for dinner." She said, standing up from the edge of the bed where she had been seated.

Meanwhile at the Burrow, Fred and George seriously contemplated diving for the fireplace in the living room and flooing to the Estate. They haven't been home for more than two hours and already their mum is breathing down their backs about their rooms and workroom. She also snipped at them for their abhorrent behavior towards Ron and the fact that they haven't done anything to get Harry to even begin to accept their little brother into his circle of friends. Thankfully Ronnikins had dug his own grave with that one. She had been harping about them when Ron had mentioned seeing them head off with Harry and his group of friends but Ron had interjected with a snide comment that made their mum turn her ire towards the youngest male Weasley.

"It's not like I want to be a part of their group anymore. Sure Potter's loaded and there's a hot Siren but they're constantly studying or exploring the school. Lavender and Parvati told me that the bookworm Granger has begun waking up early to go on morning runs and to workout in the gym with them. Bloody mental they are; getting up at five in the morning." Ron scoffed, blinking when Molly turned towards him.

"If you would get up that early then you could have joined them, Ronald! Besides, according to Professor McGonagall you're just barely passing your classes. What have your father and I told you about improving your grades?!" Molly hissed, her eyes narrowing as her youngest son slowly shrank down in his seat.

Fred and George had taken the opportunity presented to them and had booked it out of the kitchen and hurried up to their rooms. There they set about arranging the rooms to their liking and adding personal touches from the boxes of things that had been saved from the old house. Percy, the lucky git, had managed to escape to his new room a few minutes after they came home so had been blissfully spared their mother's shrieking voice. The twins, after personalizing their rooms, met up in their workroom where they locked and warded the doors. Looking around, they were greatly pleased at what they saw. There are two potions workbenches with spots to hold three cauldrons on each bench. A door near the back of the room led to a small private storage room which also held a decent amount of potions ingredients already. There's a counter at the back of the room with two cleaning stations and more cupboards for storage. There are also four more plain workbenches for them to work on various projects. The twins were also pleased to see stacks of journals and parchment along with Dicta-Quills so they can take notes about their projects.

"We have to repay Dad for this." Fred said, looking around in wonder.

"Totally. No wonder why he hasn't let Mum come in here. She'd go mental if she saw how much we can get done in here." George muttered, grinning as he looked over the small storage room.

"We'll, the door's locked to our magical signatures and blood so none of them will be allowed inside. Dad's already explained that we're to keep this place clean." Fred said, his twin nodding in agreement.

"Look, the builders also included a ventilation shaft." Fred added, nodding towards the metal grating.

"Good thing too. Remember that one time when Mum found out we were experimenting due to the fumes coming from our room? We accidently rotted the floor below Ronnie's bed." George said, smirking while his twin laughed.

"Completely worth it." They chimed, grinning as they high-fived each other.

Before they could do or say anything else, a knock came at one of the doors; from Fred's room. Frowning, they looked at each other before they noticed a small painting on the wall between the two doors. It's split in half and it took the twins a moment to realize that the painting looked out to both of their rooms: Fred's on the right and George's on the left. Fred's half showed Ginny standing at the door to the workroom, a slight pout on her face as she tapped her foot on the floor.

"Fred, George, open up! Mum want's us all downstairs to go over the new chores list." Ginny called, knocking once more as the twins looked at each other.

"Neat." They said, another smile crossing their faces before they walked to the door and opened it.

Ginny tried to peek into the twins' workroom but was forced to back up less they knock her over. Looking up at them, she frowned when she saw the knowing looks on their faces. Instead of saying anything, the little redhead huffed and walked out of the room and into the hallway. The twins rolled their eyes before they too headed out of the bedroom and downstairs.

"Definitely gonna have to keep her, Ronnikins and Mum out of the workroom." George muttered, his brother nodding.

"Definitely."

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