Beverly

Sunday, 13th August, 5:27 a.m

21.4 hours after the start of Harry's trial Behind Malfoy Manor

By now, night almost had ended; the sun had not quite risen, but the eastern sky was bright yellow.

The foursome stepped out the back door onto a cobblestone path that winded its way through a garden of flowers. About thirty feet away from the manor house, the foursome came across three humans.

All three humans were in stasis. Draco lay on the cobblestones in a position of sleep; he was not breathing, and his head was tilted slightly up but no pillow was holding his head up. A blond woman in her thirties, seemingly asleep, lay next to Draco; she likewise was not breathing, and her head was tilted up but that head lay on no pillow.

"Oh no, Beverly!" Hermione said loudly, in a worried voice. Hermione rushed over to the third figure.

The third figure in stasis was standing; she was also the only figure who was naked.

The hands of eighteen-year-old Beverly were in front of her, with her fingers curled round prison bars that were no longer there. Beverly was gaunt; a starveling. Bruises covered every inch of her body. She had dried blood below her nose, below the right corner of her mouth, and on her inner thighs. Something white and disgusting was in the girl's honey-blond, curly hair.

The in-stasis girl was staring at something at knee height, and a few feet in front of her—the face of a house-elf, Harry guessed. The girl did not breathe; the girl did not blink; the girl did not react to Hermione standing two feet in front of her.

Harry walked over to Hermione and the in-stasis girl. He asked, "What can you tell me about her?"

Hermione answered, "Her name is Beverly Pickford, she's the only child of my mum's older sister Elizabeth, she's a bit over two years older than me, and she's my Dudley."

"She hits you?"

"Not in about ten years, no. But she never passes up a chance to insult me and to mock me, and her words hurt. Imagine Pansy Parkinson if she had Lavender Brown's looks."

Hermione paused a moment and said, "Mum wrote two months ago that Beverly had disappeared, and Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Cecil were frantic. But how did she wind up here?"

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Goldy told me that somehow Lucius knew she was your cousin, and he kidnapped her. I'm sorry, Hermione, I thought Voldemort and the Death Eaters were more important, so—"

"Ssh," Hermione said. "I love you, Harry, but you have one big fault that drives me mad: You blame yourself for everything. No way are you to blame for even one second of Beverly's plight. You hear me?"

Harry nodded.

Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek. Then she said, "Now, let's wake Beverly up, get her healed, and take her home."

Behind them, Remus spoke: "She'll be desperate for clothes to cover herself when she comes out of stasis. Here, take these." Remus handed over a long blue dress and a pair of women's trainers.

Hermione drew her wand and bespelled the clothes onto Beverly's unmoving body.

Hermione took a deep breath, pointed her wand at Beverly, and incanted, "Restart time."

Beverly gasped. For a few seconds, her head was whipping round—she looked at the flowers, and at the almost-sunrise. Then she faced forwards again, to look at Hermione. "Where am I? What's happened? Miney, you have a stick like the blond-haired man?"

Beverly grabbed Hermione's shoulders. "Miney, you have to get out of here—the blond- haired man wants to kill you!"

Then Beverly's eyes moved to Harry's face, and Beverly immediately stepped back. "Please don't hurt me," Beverly whimpered.

Harry gave her a gentle smile. "My name is Harry Potter, and I'm here to rescue you." "How? You're not wearing a gun."

"Magic," Harry said. Beverly's eyes went wide. "Just like the blond-haired man used on you. He's dead, by the way." Beverly sighed in relief. "Magic, just like Hermione can do." Beverly looked worriedly at Hermione.

A new voice—Draco's—yelled, "What am I doing outside? Where's my wand?"

Harry looked over. Sirius and Remus were standing close to Draco and the blond-haired woman. The blond-haired woman was sitting up.

Draco continued yelling: "Goldy, bring me my wand!"

Pop. Before Harry could object, Goldy had appeared next to Draco, handed him a wand, then disappeared.

Draco then looked about. When he saw Harry, Hermione and Beverly, Draco leapt to his feet. "Potter! What are you and the mudblood doing here? How did you get through the wards? Muggle, you're out? You will be punished!"

Harry said, "Beverly, get behind me." Then Harry turned to face Draco. By then, Hermione was standing to Harry's left, shoulder to shoulder, wand pointing forwards.

"Eep," said Beverly.

Harry wandlessly Summoned Draco's wand to himself, then walked over and handed Draco's wand to Sirius. By then, the blond woman was showing her bare left forearm to Sirius; Harry did not ask why.

Sirius grinned, and handed Draco's wand to his mother. "Here, you hold his wand, Cissy. I trust your judgement, even if you did block me losing my virginity to Angela Filch, that one Valentine's Day."

As the blonde took the wand, she said, "Indeed, nothing shows I have good sense more than the fact I tried to keep you from corrupting my best friend."

"I didn't corrupt her, how can you say that? I'm wounded down to my soul. Angela was two years older than me!"

"Sirius Orion Black, even when you were a thirteen-year-old virgin in Gryffindor, you were an evil charmer."

The blonde stopped her banter. "Siri, Draco asked good questions. How did Draco and I get out here in the garden, how did you four get here without the wards cooking you, how did the girl get out of the dungeon, and what's going on?"

Draco said, " 'What's going on' is that Potter and Granger are invaders here. Mother, give me back my wand so I can deal with them."

Harry walked up to Draco and the blonde. "Don't try it, Malfoy. It would be hugely stupid, even for you." Harry held his right fist up, and let Draco and the blonde see the Malfoy Head of House ring.

"Impossible!" Draco snarled.

The blonde curtseyed. "My lord, I am at your service. I am Narcissa Black Malfoy, widow of Lucius. But if I may ask, how are you Lord Malfoy?"

Harry replied, "Yesterday at my trial for use of underage magic, Lucy tried to AK me. He did it in front of sixty or seventy witnesses—in a courtroom. Anyway, Lucy tried to kill me, I blocked his curse, then I killed him. Nastily too—Lucy died screaming."

Narcissa breathed, "Right of Conquest. Merlin! You're Lord Malfoy by Right of Conquest, since yesterday. But why didn't Gringotts tell us this?"

Harry answered, "Maybe because Slicesword was surprised when I showed him basic courtesy yesterday? I got the impression the goblins don't like your family. Maybe because Malfoy Manor was hosting a special houseguest?"

Narcissa gasped. "You can't go in there! Yes, it's your house now, but you can't go in there! The Dark Lord is in there, plus thirty or forty Death Eaters. You'll be dead as soon as you step out of the kitchen—if you even make it that far."

Sirius laughed. "Not so, Cissy—it's Voldy and the Death Eaters who all are dead." Narcissa stared; Draco scowled.

Sirius explained, "I myself put two Piercing Hexes through the Dark Wanker's heart, whilst Harry's lovely betrothed, Miss Granger, beheaded him. Harry personally ended Snivellus."

Harry said, "We made a mess of the ground floor, though. We got rid of the dead bodies, but all your furniture on the ground floor is kindling now. Widow Malfoy, my apologies."

Narcissa looked gobsmacked. "You're telling me that the four of you killed the Dark Lord,

and thirty-odd Death Eaters, without any of you suffering even a scratch?"

"We did. We succeeded so well because of books and cleverness and friendship and bravery. And being careful, in the form of advance planning."

"I see," said Narcissa. Harry guessed she did not know what else to say.

Behind Harry and Hermione, Beverly said lowly, "Miney, you killed someone? With magic?"

Both Harry and Hermione turned a bit, to face Beverly; in that moment, Draco made his move. He snatched his wand out of his mother's hand, pointed it at Harry, and yelled, "Ava

—"

Harry wandlessly, wordlessly Summoned Draco's wand again. Harry then Incarcerous'd Draco immobile. Harry wandlessly commanded, "SPEAK-speak-speak-speak TRUTH-truth- truth-truth: Tell me exactly why you tried to kill me just now."

"You might be Lord Malfoy now, by some silly rule; but I'm a Malfoy by blood. If I kill you, I'll be Lord Malfoy when I turn seventeen. Also, no way should a half-blood be Head of House Malfoy."

"SPEAK-speak-speak-speak TRUTH-truth-truth-truth: What have you done with Beverly here?"

Draco smirked. "You mean Mudblood Granger's cousin? I shagged her..." Thirty seconds later, after a disgusting and explicit description of his activities, Draco continued, "I sticking- charmed her hands to the wall, then I made my left fist hard with Duro, then punched her out. I'd show up just after one of the elves gave her food, then I'd vanish the food. All the while, I would tell her that everything I was doing to her, I would do worse to Granger when I got Granger in our dungeon."

Harry asked over his shoulder, "Beverly, how much of that is true?" Silence.

Hermione asked quietly, "Beverly? Harry needs to know."

Sobbing Beverly replied, "It's all true. I was scared, I was helpless, and he, his father and some other men in black robes used me like a sex toy. I couldn't warn you, Miney, and I was sure I was going to die. It all was worse than awful."

Harry stared into Narcissa Malfoy's eyes. "How much of this did you know about?"

"I knew that Lucius liked to collect Muggle teenaged girls for 'entertainment,' but that the latest one was 'special.' I didn't know, or want to know, who she was or what Lucius and Draco did with her."

Hermione looked at tied-up Draco and laughed scornfully. "So you get your jollies by raping my cousin?"

Draco smirked instead of replying.

Hermione's eyes bored into his. "Guess what, you foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach— Beverly also is your cousin."

Hermione ticked off on her fingers, "Ramses Malfoy, your great-great-grandfather. He had a Squib son, Stefanus Malfoy. Stefanus was kicked out of the Malfoy family and had to live in the nonmagical world; he changed his name to Stephen Moffitt. Stephen Moffitt had a daughter, Connie, who eventually got married. Connie Moffitt Taylor has three children: Elizabeth, Fitzwilliam, and Emma. Those children have a total of five children of their own. You're looking at two of the five, cousin. Understand? You raped your third cousin, you disgusting Inbred pervert beast!"

"Oh, Draco," Narcissa said sadly. Draco, to give him credit, looked bothered by this news.

Harry stalked up to roped-immobile Draco. "I've known you for almost four years, Malfoy. In that time, you've pulled a whole lot of entitled-Pureblood bullshit, and not once were you punished for it. Snape gave you a blank cheque to misbehave, and Dumbledore gave you unlimited second chances. All this leads to you thinking you can kill me today and suffer no punishment. But Draco, Snape is dead, your daddy is dead, and Dumbledore can't coddle you till 1st September."

"So what are you going to do, Potter?" Draco sneered. "Kill me whilst I'm tied up and helpless?"

"Nope, I won't kill you," Harry replied. Draco's sneer got bigger.

Harry sneered back. "I'll do worse than kill you."

"You'll get him expelled?" Hermione asked.

Harry cast a Silencing Charm on the blond boy, because Harry knew that within seconds, Draco would be yelling.

Harry drew his wand, and pointed it at the lightening sky overhead. "I, Harry James Potter, Lord Malfoy, cast Draco Lucius Malfoy out of House Malfoy. I cast him out, I cast him out, I cast him out. I take from him the Malfoy name, the Malfoy magics, and all hope of Malfoy inheritance. Beginning this minute, he may not enter any Malfoy house; the house wards shall treat him as an enemy. Beginning at 7:00 a.m, he may not enter any Malfoy lands or grounds; the Malfoy area-wards shall treat him as an enemy. So mote it be."

Light flashed, and Draco soundlessly screamed in agony.

Harry looked about. Hermione, Sirius, Remus, and Narcissa all looked shocked. Beverly looked puzzled.

Harry walked up to Draco and said, "I give you one more punishment, Draco No-Name, before I send you away from here, never to return. You've always mocked me because of the cursed scar that I had on my forehead. I give you six cursed scars on your forehead, that will never heal, never close."

Harry pointed his wand at Draco's forehead. Harry waited till Draco quit silently screaming again, then Harry dropped the Silencing Charm. Harry conjured a hand mirror, and showed Draco his forehead.

"NOOOO!"

Cut into Draco No-Name's forehead, in big letters, was the word RAPIST.

Hermione said in a cruel voice, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't Houseless witches and

wizards have lower status than even Muggle-borns, Draco No-Name?"

****

Harry was not completely heartless. After Harry cancelled the Incarcerous on Draco No- Name, Harry paid, out of the Malfoy vault, for Draco No-Name to have a twenty-day stay in the Leaky Cauldron. Draco would get lodging and three meals a day, up through noon on 1st September.

Harry explained to Narcissa that it was not his intention for Draco to ever be homeless, between today and Draco's seventeenth birthday. During the next two years or so, anytime Draco was not at school, Harry would pay for a stay at the Leaky, or Draco could stay at a Muggle hotel (£250.00 per-day limit). But never again in his life would Draco walk through the house or grounds of Malfoy Manor, or walk through the house or grounds of the three other Malfoy-owned properties.

Harry let Narcissa hug Draco goodbye. Then Goldy elf-popped Draco No-Name to the Leaky Cauldron. But just before this, Harry remarked, "Ferret, if you try to kill me again, you'll die

the same way your father did."

As soon as Goldy returned, Harry Potter and his companions (including Beverly) left Malfoy Manor.

****

Five minutes later

Soon after Draco had been taken away, Narcissa had watched Goldy, Hunky and Raspy elf- pop away Potter, his Muggle-born betrothed, and the Muggle blonde. Right afterwards, Siri and his scarred werewolf friend had said goodbye to Narcissa, then they had Apparated away. In theory, Narcissa now was alone at Malfoy Manor, except for the house-elves.

Yet five minutes after the departures, Narcissa still had not worked up the courage to walk from the back garden, through the back door, and into the kitchen. For five minutes, Narcissa stood on the back doorstep, as the sun rose and as fear stayed her hand.

Narcissa's fear was not that Potter—correction: not that Harry Potter, Lord Potter, Lord Malfoy and Lord Nott—had lied to her this morning. Draco's letters home had given no hint that Harry Potter was like Millicent Bagnold and Albus Dumbledore, who each could look you in the eyes and lie smoothly. No, if Harry Potter the not-liar had told Narcissa that he and his team had killed the Dark Lord and all the Death Eaters, then Narcissa was sure that Potter believed that this was what had happened.

But what if Harry Potter was wrong? If there was a surviving Death Eater inside the house— or, Merlin help her, if the Dark Lord had survived—Narcissa would be a dead woman within minutes of reentering Malfoy Manor.

But after five minutes of Narcissa standing at the back door but not opening the door, the blonde got an idea. "Goldy," she said lowly.

Pop. "Widow Narcy calls Goldy?" "Who is inside the house?" "Hunky and Raspy. Hunky is—" "No wizards?"

"No wizards. All dead, and new Lord Malfoy sended them away." "Where is the snake?"

"Big snake was in the dining room, but now is dead and vanished." "And the Dark Lord?"

"Dead. Most of his body was vanished, but we finded no head."

"Lord Malfoy or one of the others took the Dark Lord's head?" "Yes."

"Very well. Return to your duties."

As Goldy popped away, Narcissa turned the door-lever, opened the back door, and stepped into the kitchen.

The kitchen was clean—in particular, the walls and floor were clean. But as Narcissa was shutting the back door, she smelled the faint odour of blood—an odour that Narcissa had become quite familiar with, these past weeks. Someone bled to death here, Narcissa realised.

As soon as Narcissa stepped out of the kitchen, she smelled a new odour: the house smelled faintly of pineapples.

Narcissa rushed to the dining room. The giant snake indeed was gone.

Narcissa next rushed to the master bedroom—Lucius's and her bedroom, until 24th June. Narcissa noted in passing that outside the master bedroom, the Dark Lord's detection-wards in the corridor were gone.

The Dark Lord was not in the master bedroom. Neither was the bed's topmost feather mattress, one of the pillows, either of the bedsheets, or the coverlet. The master bedroom smelled faintly of blood.

"YES!" Narcissa yelled. "Harry Potter truly did it, he killed the Dark Lord. I HOPE YOU DIED SCREAMING, YOU BOLLOCKS-LESS, NOSELESS FREAK! I HOPE YOU DIED BEGGING FOR MERCY, AS THE BOY-WHO-LIVED LAUGHED IN YOUR FACE!"

Then Narcissa wept.

She wept for her romantic fantasies that had died by the time that Draco had been born. She wept for the long-gone rush of desire that Narcissa the bride had felt for her handsome new husband. But for Lucius himself, her husband until yesterday when Harry Potter had killed him, Narcissa shed no tears, because she despised him.

Narcissa wept for her son—now disowned and forever disgraced, but maybe now Draco would live to an old age.

Then Narcissa wept for joy. She was free—free of Lucius, and free of the Dark Lord. Only Sirius Black and Harry Potter commanded Narcissa now.

"Goldy!" she called out.

Pop. "Widow Narcy calls Goldy?"

"Bring me a bowl of ice cream. Three scoops—I don't care what flavour."

Fifteen seconds later, Narcissa was eating chocolate ice cream, pacing around the bed where Lord Voldemort had been murdered, and planning the rest of her life. Narcissa did these things with a smile—she was free.

****

Meanwhile (still early morning) At Saint Mungo's

The foursome had left Narcissa at Malfoy Manor. Sirius and Remus had apparated to Grimmauld Place, whilst Harry had ordered the Malfoy house-elves to take himself, Hermione and Beverly to Saint Mungo's.

Now Harry and Hermione were trying to get medical treatment for Beverly. They were making little progress.

Beverly had been assigned a junior healer named Avery, whom Harry had recognised as a boy who had been a Slytherin prefect during Harry and Hermione's first two years at Hogwarts.

The healer's only "treatment plan" for Beverly had been to pull out a pain-relief potion that he happened to have in his pocket. The potion would be effective for twelve hours only. Yes, the healer had a prescription pad, but he refused to write on it. His diagnostic spells were quick and basic, and resulted in no healing spells (beyond Episkey) and no prescriptions.

It was obvious that Healer Avery absolutely did not care whether Beverly Pickford the Muggle was injured or well.

Beverly was cringing, at the Pureblood healer's obvious disdain for her; but Hermione was getting angrier by the second. "That's it?" Hermione yelled. "For two months, my cousin has been starved, raped, and beaten by both Malfoy wizards and by assorted Death Eaters, and all you're giving her is a pain-relief potion? And if you hadn't had that in your pocket, she wouldn't be getting even that?"

Healer Avery sneered, "This is a hospital for magicals, and she's a Muggle. We're busy; we have more important things to do than to treat a Muggle girl who was probably asking for whatever Lord Malfoy did to her. I'm done with her and I'm definitely done with you, mudblood; go pay the cashier."

Hermione drew her wand then. But she didn't point it at Healer Avery; instead, she pointed it at the ceiling—

"I call upon Magic to judge whether Healer Avery has kept his healer vows; if not, I ask Magic to punish him. If Healer Avery is without grievous fault, then let Magic's punishment fall on me instead. So mote it be."

Healer Avery suddenly stood straight, with his arms pulled down and his hands pulled down at his side, as if he had been hit with a Petrificus Totalus. But instead of his body looking grey and stonelike, suddenly two blood-red snakes appeared, one by each of Avery's feet.

The snakes slithered up Avery's body, in an upward double-helix, till Healer Avery had a blood-red snake-head staring at each ear. Healer Avery had been turned into a caduceus, except with no wings at the top.

The snake-head by Avery's right ear said, "§He is hateful, and he favours treatment only for people like himself.§"

The snake-head by Avery's left ear said, "§Yes, he scorns medical treatment for those he considers lesser beings, and avoids treating them when he can.§"

"§He has broken his healer vows.§" "§Agreed.§"

The blood-red snakes disappeared then, and Healer Avery turn blackest-black for an instant. Then Avery dropped to the floor screaming. It took a second healer to diagnose Avery: He had lost all his magic, and even had lost his magical core.

Hermione said to him, "You'd better leave, Avery, before someone calls Security. You're a Muggle now, and Muggles aren't wanted here."

Meanwhile, Harry had Diffindo-removed the left sleeve of Avery's healer-robes. Harry explained his action this way: "I see no difference between a Death Eater who tortures a Muggle, and a blood-snob healer who refuses to treat a Muggle. So I expected to find a Dark Mark when I removed that sleeve."

****

But it turned out that Purebloods feel entitled, even when they no longer have magic. Aurors were called, because "The mudblood was creating a disturbance," and "The mudblood stole a Pureblood's magic."

"No, you're not taking Hermione," Harry told the two Aurors, when they tried to put magic- suppression cuffs on Hermione.

The Aurors pointed their blue wands at Harry. Suddenly those blue wands flew out of the Aurors' hands. Harry caught the two wands easily. Harry did not use the wands against their defenceless former owners, he merely held the blue wands out of the Aurors' reach.

Harry explained the facts to the two Aurors: "One of you has the Dark Mark; I can sense it. Yesterday in Courtroom Ten, I killed nine people wearing the Dark Mark. So don't tell me, 'I'm an Auror and you have to do what I say.' I ignore the words of Death Eaters if I'm not killing them. Now, I'm going to send a message-Patronus to Director Bones, she's going to come here, then I'll do whatever she wants. If Madam Bones hears us out, then tells you to arrest my betrothed, I won't lift a finger. But if you take some silly conspiracy theory like 'We Purebloods are magical weaklings because Muggle-borns steal our magic,' and you try to use this as your reason to arrest my betrothed before Madam Bones arrives—well, you'll both die. So which will it be? We wait for Madam Bones, or I put you both down like rabid dogs?"

****

Seven minutes later

Madam Bones heard out Avery the now-Muggle, Hermione and Harry. Madam Bones briefly spoke with both Aurors, then Stunned the Auror with a secret Dark Mark.

Next, Madam Bones talked to Beverly about everything that had happened to her at Malfoy Manor. But to Harry, it quickly became obvious that Beverly was overwhelmed by everything and had no useful information; Madam Bones did not talk to Beverly long.

Then Madam Bones threw a fit. Glaring at a dozen well-fed healers, Madam Bones said—

"Healer Avery lost his magic because he put his blood-purity prejudices before his healer vows. I don't see anyone stepping forwards to do the job that Avery should have done! Instead, you're waiting to see me arrest the witch who had the courage to refuse to accept unacceptable treatment! This Muggle woman, Miss Pickford, is a victim of many wizards' mistreatment of her, and this means it is Saint Mungo's duty to give her every treatment she needs. And that is exactly what she'll get, or I will start turning healers into Muggles. Now move it!"

Suddenly Beverly was being diagnosed, and bespelled, and salved, all whilst Hermione watched from a few feet away.

Madam Bones then ordered the not-Death-Eater Auror to take the stunned Auror back to the DMLE and to toss him into a holding cell.

****

After the two Aurors were portkeyed away, Harry said to Madam Bones, "Thanks for your help. Again."

Madam Bones smiled. "Just one more interesting thing in what is turning out to be quite an interesting day for me. I've a murder mystery in the Ministry Atrium to solve."

Harry smirked. "The Atrium, eh? What sort of murder mystery?"

Madam Bones smirked back. "Since you have no way of knowing otherwise, I'll tell you. Thirty-two Death Eater corpses showed up in the Atrium, between five and six this morning."

Nineteen hours ago, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and Madam Bones had heard Ragnok share shocking news about the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters who were "guests" in Malfoy Manor. By Madam Bones's smirk, Harry was sure that she remembered Ragnok's words.

Madam Bones continued, "Walden Macnair was beheaded, but not well—it took two tries by the witch or wizard to sever Macnair's head from his neck. The magical signature of Macnair's attacker is unknown."

"Whoever did it, probably never had practised the Diffindo spell with a man's neck before."

Hermione was blushing, Harry noticed.

Meanwhile, Madam Bones was saying, "Perhaps. Severus Snape was beheaded, and by his own wand, but I've heard nothing to suggest he was suicidal."

"And the other thirty Death Eaters? Tell me what they died of."

"We don't know—their bodies have no magical residue from hexes or curses. All we know is that their lungs show scarring, and the water in their mucous membranes was turned into hydro-something acid."

"Hydrochloric acid," Hermione prompted.

Madam Bones pulled a small notebook out of her pocket and flipped through it. "Hydrochloric acid, correct," she said. Madam Bones then nodded, as if a suspicion had been confirmed.

Harry said, "Madam Bones, I'm going to say something that will shock you." Harry winked. "Since yesterday, I've been Lord Malfoy, by Right of Conquest. This morning, I went to Malfoy Manor and gave to those Death Eaters what they've enjoyed giving to Muggle-borns: panic, dread, agony and death."

Madam Bones's jaw dropped. "You killed those Death Eaters by yourself? You're that

powerful?"

"Not alone, no. I had three people with me, but they always were following my directions. The Death Eaters were killed in Malfoy Manor by order of me, Lord Malfoy."

And thus their killings were 100-percent legal, Harry did not need to add. "And You-Know-Who didn't try to stop you?"

Harry grinned at her. "Oh, him we got rid of first." "Ri-i-ight. 'Boy Who Lived' and all that."

Harry said, "You're right about Snape. It was I who Diffindo'd him, but I used his own wand to kill him."

"And the other thirty Death Eaters? Who died, with no trace of magic to say how they died?"

"That, Madam Bones, I'm going to keep quiet about. All you need to know is that the other thirty Death Eaters died in Malfoy Manor, their killers killed them following my orders, and none of us used any Unforgivables."

"Thus, how they died is outside DMLE jurisdiction. Very well. May I ask who your assistant killers were?"

"Again, I'm going to stay silent; however, tomorrow you will find out the names of my three helpers." Harry, who normally avoided publicity, had decided tomorrow to hold a press

conference in the Ministry Atrium.

Madam Bones nodded. "Got it: you won't tell and I can't make you tell."

Madam Bones then looked meaningfully at Hermione and added, "I cannot guess at all who even one of your assistants might be."

Then Madam Bones changed the subject: "What can you tell me about Miss Granger's Muggle cousin Miss Pickford, who's a crime victim?"

"Lucius Malfoy somehow found out that she's Hermione's cousin. He kidnapped her, imprisoned her, tortured her and raped her. All the while, he taunted her with all the things he would do to her cousin Hermione. Draco likewise treated Beverly horribly, but it was all perfectly legal, because she's a Muggle, right?"

Madam Bones made the rocking-hand gesture. "Lucius could have been arrested for Muggle- Baiting, if I'd known; but the law doesn't treat torturing and raping a Muggle any more harshly than working a Marauders prank on a Muggle."

Harry shrugged. "The DMLE doesn't need to be involved with the blond boys, if you don't want to. Lucius is dead, and I've dealt with Draco."

"Oh?"

"Draco isn't dead, but right now, I'm sure he's wishing he were."

****

Ten minutes later

On the road south between London and West Sussex County

Beverly and a sackful of healing potions(!) were riding in a blue car with government number-plates. Riding in the car with Beverly were her cousin Miney and Miney's boyfriend Harry. Driving the car was a black-skinned Auror (magical policeman) named Shacklebolt.

Shacklebolt looked strong enough to snap Beverly's spine without a wand; but fortunately, Shacklebolt was one of those people who acted calm all the time. Beverly felt safe with "Shack," just as she now felt safe near Harry (even though Harry was three years younger than Beverly). Shacklebolt was wearing a suit and tie, instead of the long robes that magical men wore (and that Shacklebolt himself had been wearing, till he magically had changed them). Shacklebolt had showed Beverly an identification card that said he was an MI-5 agent, and this ID badge looked completely real to Beverly; but Miney had said that the badge was a magical forgery.

The reason that this magical policeman was pretending to be a nonmagical MI-5 agent was because of a law called the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. This law said, "You are not allowed to tell someone who does not already know that magic is real, the truth about magic." Every magical person on the planet was bound by this law; this law also applied to

nonmagical people like Aunt Emma and Uncle Dan—and now the law applied to Beverly herself.

From behind the wheel, Shacklebolt explained to Beverly, "You can't tell even the people whom nonmagical law lets you tell things to—your parents, your spouse, your doctor—Miss Granger, whom am I missing?"

Miney looked Beverly in the eyes and said, "You can't tell your vicar, nor any psychologist or psychiatrist, nor a solicitor or barrister, anything about magic. If somehow you wind up in a Queen's Court for something, and the truth is that magic was involved somehow, you have to lie in court."

Beverly was more than a bit of a rebel and a rulebreaker, so she asked, "What happens if I tell Mum and Dad what really happened to me during the past two months?"

Miney shook her head. "Don't even think of doing that! What would happen is, Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Cecil would be made to forget everything you told them; and you would be sent to Azkaban, the magical prison. Azkaban is a place of horrors. There are monsters there called Dementors who'll suck out your soul if they can; and even when they can't, they being near you makes you clinically depressed all the time."

Beverly stared at Miney in horror. "You're joking."

"I'm not. But lucky for you, since all three Grangers know about magic, you can talk either to me or to my parents."

Harry suggested, "What about the Squib Directory? Beverly can talk to anyone listed in there."

"Great idea!" Miney said. She gave Harry a quick kiss. "Dobby!"

Pop. One of those tiny bat-eared people appeared from nowhere, inside the moving car. The little person looked at Miney and said, "The Great Harry Potter's Miss Hermy calls Dobby?"

It was Harry who spoke: "Dobby, find my trust-vault key, buy a copy of The Wizarding Britain Squib Directory, 1995 edition, and bring the directory here. Dobby, this is Beverly Pickford, one of Hermione's cousins. Beverly, this is Dobby, the house-elf who is one of my closest friends."

The little creature grinned a wide smile, then popped away.

A minute later, little Dobby handed Beverly what at first seemed to be just another telephone directory.

Hermione said to Beverly, "You can discuss any magical topic, when you hire anyone listed in this book. The book is a bit of a misnomer though. Some of the people listed aren't Squibs, they're Muggle-borns who've chosen to leave the magical world."

Auror Shacklebolt asked, "Is this something that interests you, Miss Granger? Leaving the magical world?"

"Sometime I consider it, yes," Miney replied.

****

Miney, her boyfriend—actually, her "betrothed"—and Shacklebolt talked during the drive, whilst Beverly listened.

The magical man with the horrible face had frightened Beverly, the one time she had seen him. He had especially frightened her after he had pointed his wand at her, and she had felt pain beyond describing, in every part of her body. The one time the horrible-faced man had visited the dungeon where Beverly had been imprisoned, both the blond-haired man and his blond son had grovelled in front of the ugly man—

—and yet, this same evil, scary, horrible-faced man had been killed by Miney's boyfriend. The blond man who had tortured and raped Beverly, he likewise had been killed by Miney's boyfriend.

As a result, now Shacklebolt was acting deeply respectful to Harry—whom Shacklebolt was treating like a fifteen-year-old King Arthur. Shacklebolt was acting deeply respectful to Miney too—whom Shack treated like a teen-girl version of Merlin.

Even more strange, Harry in the car was treating Miney like she was as knowledgeable as Merlin, but also like she was as beloved as Queen Guinevere.

Beverly realised: Both Shacklebolt and Harry respected Miney. Then Beverly realised: But nobody respects me.

Beverly before her kidnapping had been a mean-mouthed party girl, an unlikable little girl in a young woman's body. Beverly, before her kidnapping, had been attractive enough that young men had sought her out for sexual favours; and this same attractiveness had given Beverly high status amongst other girls; but nobody chose to be in her company because of her.

Beverly had insulted, had mocked, and had belittled younger Miney, simply because Beverly had had the power to do so, and Miney could do nothing in return. But then the blond man had kidnapped Beverly, and she had discovered what true abuse of power was.

Beverly could not escape the conclusion that she and the blond man were alike: they both had abused their power. Admittedly, Beverly's "power" had come from nothing more substantial than her (former) good looks, but still, Beverly had abused that power.

Beverly felt deep shame. Miney deserved better from her.

****

The car was stopped at a red light when Harry pointed to the Squib Directory and said, "Beverly, I've no idea what people are listed in there. They could all be plumbers, for all I know. But if you find any psychologists, or psychiatrists, or rape counselors, or mind-healers

listed, I'll make you an offer. If you can get yourself to somebody's office, I'll pay for all your sessions."

Beverly said, "No, Harry, you don't need—"

"Actually, I do. Lucius Malfoy turned your life to shit, and I'm Lord Malfoy now, so it's my job to make things right for you. Also, if your parents get billed for the sessions, they might ask questions to either you or the shrink that can't be answered honestly without violating the Statute of Secrecy."

Beverly looked over at Miney. "What should I do?"

Miney said, "Accept the offer. Let Harry do this. Harry has the money, and he has a 'saving- people thing.' "

****

Still early morning

At the Grangers' house in Crawley, West Sussex County

The stop here was only for ten minutes—mainly to drop off the Wizarding Britain Squib Directory and the potion-prescriptions. The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy meant that, because it would reveal the secret if either of these items were found by either of Beverly's parents, the directory and the prescriptions had to be kept where Beverly's parents could never find them.

On the other hand, it was okay to take the sack of healing potions to Beverly's house in Littlehampton. This was because the sack was under something called a Notice-Me-Not Charm—which, Miney explained, meant that until and unless Beverly pointed out the sack to her parents, her mum's and dad's eyes would slide past the sack.

At the Grangers' house, Aunt Emma hugged Beverly fiercely and said, "Call us or write us anytime. We're here for you."

Aunt Emma clearly meant every word. On the other hand, Beverly could not shake the feeling that her own mother, deep down, would be embarrassed at having a rape-victim daughter.

Now Aunt Emma glanced at Shacklebolt, then whispered in Beverly's ear. "My mum, your Granny Connie, knows about magic too. Hermione tells Granny Connie things in letters that Hermione would never think of telling her father and me."

Beverly looked at the older woman in surprise. "Why doesn't Miney tell you? I trust you."

Aunt Emma laughed mirthlessly. "Because since Christmas of '91, Dan and I always have been thisclose"—Aunt Emma held up thumb and index finger, a quarter-inch apart—"to pulling Hermione from Hogwarts, because the school is too dangerous. The only reason we haven't pulled her out yet, is because of her friendship with Harry."

****

Minutes later

Standing in the sitting room of the Granger house, Harry and Hermione watched through a window as Kingsley Shacklebolt drove away in the blue car, with Beverly sitting in the back seat.

Dan Granger said, "Pumpkin, your mother and I have ten minutes before we need to go to work. So in those ten minutes, tell us everything about your 'betrothal.' "

Harry and Hermione were in the middle of explaining to the Grangers that this betrothal contract was nothing to worry about—if a "promise ring" came with a written contract, this is what the promise-ring contract would say—when suddenly Harry forgot where his godfather Sirius lived.

Hermione, who was talking at the time, stopped talking, and looked at Harry in surprise. Harry thought, Sirius just put up a new Fidelius Charm. Dumbledore will go spare for sure.

________________________