Chapter Seventeen - The Weasleys

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!

Chapter Seventeen - The Weasleys

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―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

With eight sitting down to eat, the table didn't need to be stretched or chairs be conjured. So seating was comfortable.

Seating went clockwise: Wendell, Andromeda, Harry, Tonks, Monica, Sirius, Hermione and with Ted on Wendell's right.

"Alright, Harry," said Wendell, as they all sat. "Tell us what we've got."

Indicating the dishes, Harry replied, "Slow-cooked roast lamb in a water-based herb sauce; roasted potato, sweet potato, carrots and brown onion sprayed before final baking with a very light cannola oil to give them crisp; steamed shucked corn and peas; with lamb gravy. For dessert, it's my own invention; pear cobbler in a pie flan with a rolled oats crumble, with your choice of thickened unsweetened cream or vanilla ice-cream dollops on top to cut through the sweetness for those who prefer their desserts with less of a sugary bite."

Tonks turned to look at him in awe and asked, "You cooked this?"

"Yep," he smiled. "I found that I'm pretty good at it. Before I got my Hogwarts letter I was going to see if I could apply for an apprenticeship as a chef when I got older."

"Please, help yourselves," smiled Wendell remembering the wizarding custom, while also reaching for one of the serving tureens.

After her first cut and bite of lamb Tonks quietly moaned. When she swallowed her mouthful she said, "Merlin! The lamb just dissolves in your mouth!"

She then very quickly sampled the rest before turning to look back at Harry, again in awe. "Marry me!" she begged.

Scandalised, her mother exclaimed, "Nymphadora!"

Ted snickered.

"What?" Tonks innocently asked back. "I can't cook like this!"

Harry laughed and said, "Now you see why I had aspirations of being a chef when I grew up."

Monica glanced to her own daughter and saw the slight frown she was giving the Tonks girl. Her eyes twinkled with mirth as she watched.

It was lost on Hermione, though. The girl didn't see it; but Wendell saw both his ladies' reactions.

As the meal progressed, Ted and Wendell fell into an animated discussion about the differences in law between the wizarding world and muggle just as Harry thought they would; Monica was quizzing Sirius on the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, with specifics of Harry's parents; Hermione was talking across the table with Tonks about working in the Ministry and as an auror and why aurors were now conflicted about serving a duty or two in the Granger home (the conflict was due to feeling like idiots on one hand against the opportunity for a delicious meal on the other); and Harry was talking with Andi, jumping subjects between healing and cooking techniques.

When the dessert was served the Grangers went for the unsweetened cream while Harry, Sirius and the Tonkses went for the ice-cream. Then Tonks also added a dollop of cream, because she wanted to sample both.

One of the subjects raised was Harry finding out from Sirius that Lady Griselda Marchbanks of the WEA had been appointed Headmistress.

"How'd they manage that?" asked Harry. "I thought they couldn't fire him."

"The Wizengamot couldn't fire him, dear," said Andi. "But, the School Board found a way around that."

"Well, they didn't actually fire him," said Ted. "Just replaced him. Dumbledore is the only remaining member of staff who holds tenure. However, his tenure only applies to being a professor.

"So, they removed him from the post of Headmaster, declared it vacant, invited Griselda Marchbanks to fill the post, ratified that and she's now Headmistress.

"Dumbledore's back to being a normal professor; of Transfigurations, I believe. And Griselda has no plans on even allowing him to be Deputy Headmaster or a Head of House."

Sirius added, "When he came here earlier today and tried to get in, he had actually left the school without authorisation. Apparently, Lady Marchbanks is unhappy with him about that. And was even unhappier when she found out he won't be able to return to the castle until after lunch on Monday; which means he'll have missed the morning, too."

"But, with no classes on―" said a confused Hermione.

"Irrelevant," he grinned. "He's required to be at the school on time and during school hours unless given leave to be otherwise. Even if classes aren't on at the moment, he still left the school during school hours without authorisation from the new Headmistress. He's in trouble with her for that."

Harry was snickering and said, "Therefore, he's now either simply 'Professor Dumbledore' in the informal; or 'Albus Dumbledore, Professor of Transfigurations' in the semi-formal. He must really hate that."

"Worst than that," grinned Sirius. "He's lost control of the wards of the castle. Marchbanks wrested control of them from him, plus the Headmaster's... Headmistress's... office and apartments.

"From what I've been able to find out, he was away from the castle trying to go visit Minnie - where she's now back living in her family village in the highlands of Scotland - when the wards were stripped from him. He quickly tried to apparate back to the castle and bounced off the wards.

"When he bounced off yours it was the second time that day he'd hit wards and bounced."

Harry outright laughed, but he wasn't the only one.

The Granger adults only appeared amused at the laughter.

Wendell asked, "I take it it's a 'big thing' to bounce off wards?"

"As well as being rude? Try it with some wards and it'll kill you," replied Sirius, turning serious. "He was lucky neither set of wards were set to kill. That's why he was so battered and bruised after hitting the wards here. He'd only just recovered from his attempt at the castle a couple hours earlier."

"I just had these ones set to stun," explained Harry. "He dislocated his shoulder when he landed on the ground from bouncing off the wards. The wards didn't do that."

"The poor Headmaster," said Hermione, a little sadly.

"No, Miss Granger," Andi firmly rebutted. "That's the lingering effects of the potions speaking. You need to accept that everything that has... and likely will... befall that old man is entirely his own fault and cause.

"His own behaviour has caused him to lose his multitude of positions, just as it has for quite a few others who had fallen under his sway. His own arrogance had him trying to apparate into the castle when he knew he couldn't when he felt the wards shift away from him; and when he tried to apparate into your home, here.

"If he had any respect for you and your family he would have apparated to the path outside your property line and walked up to the door and knocked, just as we did and Dora did later. It is the height of ill-mannered rudeness to do otherwise. The fact he felt himself above such is arrogance in the extreme."

When Hermione sadly nodded that she understood, Harry said, "I'm actually looking forward to what will befall him yet.

"After all the manipulative things he's tried against me I feel Kismet must be a god or goddess, after all."

"Harry, that's not nice," said Hermione.

"Hermione," he said back. "After finding out what he did to you, what he did to me, what he did to a whole lot of others, do you expect him not to be punished in some way? He escaped what I firmly believe is a very well-deserved prison sentence―"

"As do I," said Andi, while Sirius nodded.

"... So proper punishment has to come to him some other way," he continued to explain. "If he is not punished then he will go on believing himself to be in the right."

"It is the foreknowledge of what punitive action will or should be taken that should sway man from taking unjust action which would be met with such. If it does not, then that punitive action becomes the righteous reaction and must be dealt," said Wendell. "If the punitive action is not delivered when the unjust action is taken then the strength of the law is weakened.

"It's one of the precepts I learned when studying to be a JP."

"That's quite profound," said Ted.

"Which proves I did not come up with it," smirked Wendell.

That had both men, and quite a few others, laughing.

Looking across the table, Harry could see Hermione now understood.

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―==(oIo)==―

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Soon after dinner and with the thanks of the Tonkses for a delicious meal - and the thanks back of the Grangers for the alert regarding the potions issue with Hermione - the Tonkses soon walked out the door, down the path and apparated away.

But, before she left, Andi told Harry she'd have what potions he needed to take delivered to him by house elf the next morning, together with instructions on when to take them and how often.

Harry didn't remember until the very last moment to give Ted his letter, so raced upstairs, grabbed it, and returned with it before handing it over.

"I was going to mail this but, when I found out you were coming over, I delayed sending it to hand it to you," he explained. "Please consider it and let me know when you can."

Ted quickly read it, gave him a nod and said, "As soon as I can, Lord Potter."

Sirius informed Andi he'd be along in a little while and hung back to talk to Harry.

"Now, Harry," he said, turning to his godson. "When Andi looked like she was going to tear off and hunt down Dumbledore, why did you choose to physically restrain her?"

"How else..." he began to ask when it dawned on him. "Oh, damn."

"You're legally an of-age wizard, Harry," he gently reminded him. "That means you're legally allowed to use magic outside of school."

Harry sighed and said, "I should have either petrified her or tied her with an Incarcerous." He also only remembered then that the property had a ward that blocked 'The Trace' and he'd forgotten that, too.

"Exactly," said Sirius.

"My only excuse is that I'm not used to being able to do that," he sighed.

"Something to work on, then," said his godfather. "I'd recommend you start performing little bits of magic about the place while you're here."

"I'd thought of that before but, with Hermione not being allowed, I didn't want it to seem like I was rubbing her face in it," he explained.

"No, he's right, Harry," she piped up. "You need to get into the habit. I understand."

Harry nodded to her and said, "Thank you." But also swore to tell her about the ward, so she could cast magic, too.

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―==(oIo)==―

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The next day was a Sunday so, if it was like the Dursleys, it would be a very laid back day. He had no idea what times the Grangers would awaken but, if Hermione developed her habit from her parents, then they'd not be sleeping in, either. So he was up early to try and beat Dobby to the kitchen.

He already knew he was wasting his time as he knew Dobby knew when he woke. However... maybe... he'd one day catch the elf flat-footed and beat him to the kitchen.

Harry had just walked into the kitchen to see how Dobby was getting on with breakfast - already started, so he lost again - when he noticed Hermes, Percy Weasley's owl, sitting on the window ledge looking at him.

'Of course the damned bird would aim for the kitchen,' he thought. "It's a Weasley owl.'

He grabbed an owl treat from out of the container left on the fridge, moved over to the dinette and opened the window there. And Hermes flew in before alighting on the dinette table.

Harry removed the letter that was apparently for him and gave the bird the treat. It immediately flew out, again.

"Damned bird is as 'stuck-up' as its master,' he distractedly thought.

After first checking to make sure it was for him and not Hermione he unfolded it, sat at the table and read it.

~ # ~

Harrikins!

Mum asked Ron to send you a letter inviting you to come and stay with us for the break. With the Durlays locked up she thinks you have nowhere to stay. Don't know why.

But Ron refused. The git. He's now de-gnoming the garden and isn't allowed back in the house until dinner.

So, we said we'd write to 'Poor Harry' and let him know he's invited.

You ready?

You're invited to come stay with us for the break that has no end in sight! Yay!

There, done.

Of course, we know you're probably with Sirius, catching up with one another and getting to know one another all over again, but that's Mum for you.

To save us from Mum's shrill voice claiming we never sent you the invitation because we never heard back, please do us the righty by writing back.

We'd appreciate it.

F & G

~ # ~

With a snort of amusement he thought, 'Typical twins.'

He refolded the note and put it in his pocket. He'd show Hermione when she came down for breakfast.

And, as if he'd called her down just by thinking about her, he heard her bare feet trying to both run down the stairs and be quiet at the same time so as not to disturb her parents.

She almost gaily bounced into the room a few seconds later. "Good morning, Harry!" she chirped.

"Morning, Hermione," he said.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked.

"I haven't had a chance to check," he replied. "I'd just walked into the kitchen when I spotted Percy's owl, Hermes, sitting on the windowsill, staring at me as if I'd done something wrong.

"Hermes?" she asked, abandoning looking at what Dobby was preparing and coming around the kitchen bench.

Harry pulled the letter back out of his pocket and handed it to her. "The twins somehow convinced him to loan them his owl. I suspect their mother's shrill voice in that."

As she read through it, she frowned. "So, Ronald's still being a git. And they think you're with Sirius."

The venom she put in the name 'Ronald' pleased him.

"Yep, to both," he replied. "And I'm kinda happy with everyone thinking I'm with Sirius. Less chance of people turning up here uninvited, that way."

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―==(oIo)==―

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A little later in the morning Harry was back in his room when he learned Andi was back at the Grangers; even though he'd already felt the ward that alerted him to there being a magical on the property. When she was let in by one of the aurors of that morning, Dobby popped in to inform him she was there.

Setting aside his current letter, he went downstairs and found her talking with Monica and Wendell in the parlour.

"Good morning," he smiled. When he saw the rack of potions she was carrying he snarked, "You're a little tall for a house elf."

The look she gave him had Monica snickering at him.

"That's enough out of you, scamp," Andi sternly said.

Harry impudently grinned and gave a shrug back. "I have to find my amusement, somewhere."

After she rolled her eyes at him she gestured for him to come forward. "I've just been discussing with the good doctors here your treatment," she explained.

When she showed him the potions and how the vials refilled after it was taken each time, she explained, "When it no longer refills it means that particular course is complete. Hear me well; it is not complete until it no longer refills. Got me?"

"Errr... yes?" he replied.

After another pointed look he sighed and said, "Yes, Healer Tonks."

Then she used a charm to copy the instructions and handed him one. He took one look at it and blanched. "No way!" he quietly exclaimed.

"Yes way!" she shot back. "Or, you're coming home with me, where I can keep an eye on you and make sure you take them."

"He will," said Monica, who also turned 'that look' on him.

'Jeez!' he thought. 'What is it with older women and that look. Or, is it just mothers?'

"Fiiiiiiine!" he sighed. "I'll be the good little wizarding Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House and take my medicine."

"Good boy," said Andi, as if there could be no other answer.

"When do I start?" he asked, defeated.

"Now," she replied. Handing the rack to Monica she pulled two out and said, "Down these. You might want to take the blue one first. It tastes worse and the green one will help wash the taste out."

Harry gave her his own 'I'm only doing this because you're making me' look, uncorked the blue one and downed it. Wrinkling his nose at the taste, he then uncorked and downed the green one. At least this one had a slight minty taste to it.

Taking them back she said, "Now watch." And dropped both, re-corked, into the rack in their right places. A few moments later, they both slowly refilled.

"See?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," he quietly replied.

"Good," she nodded. Turning to Monica she said, "I'll leave these in your capable hands. I need to head off because I have a shift starting soon at Saint Mungo's."

"Take care," said both Grangers. Harry just gave her a nod.

She was gone a few seconds later.

With a sigh and another look at the rack, Harry said, "I'll be back up in my room writing letters."

"And I'll put these on the bench in the kitchen," said Monica.

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―==(oIo)==―

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He was only partway up the stairs as Hermione was coming down. "Who was that?" she asked.

"Andi," he replied. "She came to personally deliver my potions."

"She's gone again?"

"Yep. Had to get to Saint Mungo's to start a shift."

"Where're the potions?" she asked.

"Your mother's putting them on the kitchen bench," he distractedly replied.

"Thank you," she said, continuing down.

As he continued up, Harry frowned for a moment before he leaned over the bannister to call to her. "And don't go playing with them!"

"I won't!" he heard her call back.

When Harry re-entered his room it wasn't to write more letters, as he'd told the Grangers and Andi. Yes, he had been writing letters, but most of the time he spent analysing his relationship with Hermione and the rest of the girls at school, as Wendell suggested.

He had been going through each of the girls he actually had anything to do with and thinking about how he felt around them, if they actually meant anything to him, did he actually want to spend any more time with them, if he thought they'd want to spend any more time with him, did they see him as just Harry, that sort of thing.

And, no matter how many other girls he thought about while building his list, there was only one girl who fit the bill of 'girlfriend material'. "Hermione," he sighed.

'Face it, ya git!' he thought. 'You're in love with your best friend. And not as a "big sister", either.'

But, how did he tell her? And, if he told her, would it ruin what they now had? Was it worth the risk? What if she would be appalled by the idea? But, maybe she wasn't. According to Wendell, she loved him back. And, he was her father and should know, right?

He didn't know the main variable, so couldn't logically solve the problem. Did she, or would she, love him back?

He sat at the desk and leaned back on his chair while fiddling with his quill. His list, now written, laying on the desk before him.

He'd once heard Vernon say to Petunia, "Always make a list when you're trying to work something out, Pet. It makes it much easier. The trick is working out the important categories. That's hard."

He found it actually worked. It was not something he expected, truth be told.

Eventually, to clear his mind before he next analysed his list, he decided to finally finish his letter to the twins. His letter had to be carefully written because, if any other member of the family got hold of it, he didn't want them learning anything important he wouldn't want them to know - especially Ron and Molly.

~ # ~

Fred and George Weasley

The Burrow

Ottery St. Catchpole

Devon

Hi guys,

I know you've probably been wondering, 'What happened to Harry Potter to make him so different?' So, I thought I'd let you know more of what's going on.

As I said in the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the Harry Potter everyone thought they knew wasn't real. It was a personal façade I created well before I started at Hogwarts to hide the real me; to protect the real me.

When people in the wizarding world think of 'Harry Potter', they think of all different possibilities. For example, some think he's some mythical child hero they read about in a fictional book (or books) about his life and his adventures. Some think he's nothing but a fraud, a liar and a cheat. Some think he's this small, scrawny, underfed, innocent little boy, who turned up at Kings Cross Station wearing what amounted to little more than rags. Some think he's a 'Dark Lord Slayer', ready to go out and kill the next one who pops up. Some think he's a Dark Lord himself, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Some think he was Dumbledore's personally-trained replacement. And a very small few had no idea what to think of him.

Of all those, the last is probably the most accurate. They, at least, reserved judgement.

I am, in reality, Lord Harrison 'Harry' James Potter, Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, Heir Tertiary of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, Member-in-waiting of the Wizengamot, by right of blood 'One of the Seven'. I am the only born child of James Charlus Potter and Lily Marie Potter née Evans. I'm also, Marauder-wise, son of Prongs, godson of Padfoot, honourary nephew of Moony and once-honourary nephew of the since Marauder-disowned Wormtail (Pettigrew). And known, Marauder-wise, as 'Prongslet', 'Pup' and 'Cub'. A war orphan.

Now, think about that name I wrote at the top of the previous paragraph. That's my true name with the diminutive of my first name included in quote marks. Now think of what name came out of the Goblet of Fire? See the issue? My real name did not come out of the Goblet. Therefore, I am not required to compete.

However, Albus Too-Many-Middle-Names Dumbledore, Igor Karkaroff, Olympe Maxime, Barty Crouch Sr and Ludo Bagman all said I had to compete. In that room at that time were also Cedric Diggory, Victor Krum, Fleur Delacour, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and the one everyone thought was Alastor Moody, retired Master Auror - adults all. Of those, I know for fact Albus Dumbledore, Barty Crouch Sr, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape all knew my real first name is Harrison, not Harry. I'm also pretty sure that Ludo Bagman also knew that and Karkaroff and Maxime probably did, too. And yet, not one of them said that, as the name was not Harrison Potter - or, better still, Harrison James Potter - the contract forcing me to compete was void.

Not one of them stepped forward to say something along the lines of, "Now, wait a minute. His name's not actually 'Harry Potter'."

Instead, something else happened that even I did not foresee at the time.

Albus Dumbledore had claimed 'magical guardianship' of me. We three, as do practically everyone else now, know that he actually wasn't - it was Sirius Black. However, Albus Dumbledore was registered at the Ministry as my magical guardian, legally; even though magically it was Sirius Black.

I now remind you of what Dumbledore said when he first announced the Tri-Wizard Tournament coming to Hogwarts on the evening of the 1st September. He said, in part, "Only those who are of-age are allowed to compete."

In that ante-chamber off the Great Hall after my alter-name came out, he said, "I'm sorry, Harry. But, I'm afraid you must compete."

He was then backed up by the others. Not one stepped forward to say, "No" - except Snape. When pressed, Ludo Bagman, Barty Crouch Sr, Igor Karkaroff and Olympe Maxime all individually agreed.

Therefore, on that night, the following legal entities all verbally and individually declared me of-age: My legally recognised magical guardian, the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Highmaster of Durmstrang Institute, the Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, the Director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation of the Ministry of Magic and the Director of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of the Ministry of Magic.

Of all those, I actually only needed the first one to declare it and the third and fourth to agree. That they all resided inside the body of one wizard, Albus Dumbledore, is irrelevant. Because, legally, he is (was) four different people; three of whom each had the authority, with the backing of the other two. That all those others were there and agreed was, as the muggles say, 'icing on the cake'.

So, because I was declared of-age on that night, I instantly became a full adult under Wizarding Britain law; with all rights and responsibilities of an adult under law. I cannot even be considered to 'only' be an emancipated minor because of the legal definition of 'of-age'. As such, as the then Heir Apparent of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, I also instantly became a Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House, One of the Seven.

In a written conversation with my account manager at Gringotts, carried out through letters carried back and forth for security and speed of travel by my loyal house elf, the Goblins agreed. Immediately on their agreement, I snuck out of the school - even though, as a supposed champion, I was lawfully allowed to come and go as I pleased - and went to Gringotts to complete the necessary parchmentwork, take up my Head of House ring and make a start on the massive backlog of House business parchmentwork that awaited me. A lot accumulates in almost fourteen years.

Now to bring you up-to-date with recent happenings.

I know some of this has been reported in the Daily Prophet, but I also know how much of a 'smotherer' your mother is when it comes to 'her kids' being kept up-to-date with what's going on in the wider world. I would also be very doubtful if you haven't read it since you've been home, anyway.

Sirius Black, aka my godfather, aka 'Padfoot', aka 'Snuffles', aka Lord Sirius Orion Black III of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, has taken up his Headship and, even though I no longer have any need of one, is now my Acting Regent. He and I are now 'catching up on lost opportunities'.

Hermione has informed me she has learned she was under a loyalty potion that dates back somewhere at either end of first year or the beginning of second year. It was keyed to Albus Dumbledore and your brother, Ronald. On learning of it she was at first shocked, then appalled, then furious. Now, she's joined what I'm sure is a very long list of individuals who, if they get the chance, will kill Albus Dumbledore. Little Miss 'You Must Respect Authority' Granger is gone; now, she's Miss 'Screw You! You Wrinkle-Arsed, Manipulative, Potion-Dosing Wanker!' Granger. Fair warning, guys: Don't piss her off.

While I no longer consider Ronald a friend, I do you two; so, you'd best let him know - or not. I've warned you, so I'm free of guilt if he falls afoul of her. The same sort of guilt Ronald should be feeling in not telling me a week in advance that I'd be facing a dragon in the First Task, as your brother Charlie bloody well told him to.

Sirius has also kept me apprised of what's happening at the school, as has Madam Bones.

Dumbledore has been ousted as Headmaster. As he holds tenure as a Professor, the only member of staff still there that does, they can't get rid of him completely until he does something so egregious against the school that they can terminate that tenure. But they could, and did, boot him all the way back to 'just' a Professor.

Lady Griselda Marchbanks has been appointed Headmistress. She's the lady that normally Heads the Wizarding Examinations Authority. She was once Acting Deputy Headmistress, before Minerva McGonagall ascended to that position. And was also Head of Ravenclaw House, before Filius Flitwick ascended to that position. She is not only this little thing who walks with a cane, she is a powerful little witch. Do not expect her to be as forgiving as Albus Dumbledore regarding your pranks. I have been informed she will not hesitate to hand you over to the DMLE if you harm someone with one or without. She's also not adverse to using that cane of hers as something the Irish call a 'shillelagh' - a long-handled cudgel. I've been told even sitting Lords have found themselves whacked across their shins with it when she felt they deserved it.

McGonagall's gone, completely, never allowed to even visit. Flitwick has lost his position as Head of Ravenclaw House - due, in part, to the bullying that Luna Lovegood has suffered - and is never allowed a position above simple Professor ever again. Snape's gone, prison for life. Sprout has managed to retain her positions, the only one of the senior staff to do so. Hagrid is back to being only the Groundskeeper and Keeper of the Keys and no longer CoMC Professor; and is forever banned from another position in charge of children, including leading the first years from the train to the castle over the lake. Binns has been exorcised, finally. Pomfrey, after finding out Dumbledore had dosed her with loyalty potions (like Hermione) and been Obliviating her, came all-too-close to losing her magic through breaking her oath as a medi-witch, so has quit.

If you think I'm the slightest bit sorry to have been the trigger that started all that happening, you are - like I've been calling a lot of wizards and witches, of late - daft morons.

I did not 'set' any of them up to take a fall, as some I've heard about think and have said. Each and every one of them, with the exception of Poppy Pomfrey, made their own choices and they were the wrong ones. I just brought it into the light of day. Now they're paying the price for those wrong choices. Therefore, for each of them, it's their own damned fault.

I have no idea when classes are going to recommence - and, therefore, the school returns to being a school again - but I've been assured Headmistress Lady Marchbanks will be working hard to see that happen as soon as possible. Just don't expect it to be until after the Christmas break at the earliest.

As for the invitation to come and visit, I don't think that would be wise due to Ronald's recent behaviour and my actions leading to your mother being fined for breaching the Statute of Secrecy back on 1st September, 1991. However, thank you, anyway.

Now that I know Dumbledore will still be a professor at the school, even if it's in a much diminished capacity, I'll be in talks with Lord Black and others as to whether or not I'll ever be returning to Hogwarts. As an adult, I have no legal requirement to. However, I do wish to complete my education. That may now very well be through private tutors. It's not as if I cannot afford them.

Because of her feelings towards Dumbledore, I'm in negotiations with Hermione's father about her joining me. As my best friend, bar none, I'm determined to protect her.

Take care, you two.

Harry

~ # ~

Because he wanted to make sure the twins received the letter and it wasn't first intercepted by Molly, Harry called Dobby. He felt safe doing so as Hedwig was already out delivering a letter to Angelina Johnson, in which he apologised for what he said about quitting the Gryffindor Quidditch team. But, stood by his decision.

"Yes, Master Harry?" asked Dobby.

Harry handed him the letter and said, "Sorry, buddy. I need you to act as an instant delivery mail owl again."

He handed him the letter and said, "Can you please put a charm on this so only Fred or George Weasley can read it and deliver it into their hands? They should be at The Burrow. Just don't do it until one or the other is alone, or the two are together alone. Got that?"

"Yes, Master Harry," replied the elf. "Dobby understands." Before he popped away.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

At The Burrow, Dobby had handed Fred the letter from Harry and the twins had read it together.

"What do you think?" asked Fred. "Do we tell Mum about the letter or show it to her?"

"I have a better idea, my slightly more daft brother," declared George. "Let's take it down, call a 'Burrow' meeting of those here and read it to them."

"Capital idea, my uglier brother!" replied Fred. "That way, we get to see the expressions on their faces as they hear what Harry has to say."

"Brilliant!" cried George. "We can switch off reading a paragraph each so we can take turns watching their expressions!"

"Also brilliant!" cried Fred. "It will take time, though. Harry sure wrote a lot."

"Do we have anything better to do?" asked George.

"Nope!" grinned Fred. "Lets!"

And the two dashed upstairs and down, knocking on bedroom doors as they went. At each door they yelled, "Meeting in the kitchen!"

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After everyone at the Burrow at that time assembled around the kitchen table, demanding to know what the twins thought they were doing calling a meeting, George brandished the letter from Harry.

"We have, here, a missive most massive," he declared.

"A note most notable," added Fred.

"Written by the personal hand of..."

"Lord Harrison James Potter of..."

"The Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter!"

"What?" asked Molly, quickly wiping her hands clean of baking flour.

"I thought we were clear," said George.

"It's from Harry," said Fred.

Molly immediately rounded the table and plucked it from George's fingers.

"Hey!" they chorused in indignation.

However, before she even had a chance to read it, the whole text immediately blurred until it was illegible.

"It has a secrecy charm on it," she grumbled, thrusting it back into George's hands. "You're going to need to read it to me."

"That was our plan," said George.

"Until you snatched it away," said Fred.

"Don't be rude!" she snapped back. "Now, read it to me!"

The two glanced at each other with both thinking, 'And she calls us rude?'

With the text back to rights, George cleared his throat and began to read. "To Fred and George Weasley, The Burrow, Ottery Saint Catchpole, Devon. Hi guys..."

Fred began, "I know you've probably been wondering, 'What happened to Harry Potter to make him so different?' So, I thought I'd let you know more of what's going on."

Then George took over again.

As they each read, the other watched the rest of the family. Sitting at the table was Ron, Percy and Ginny with Molly at the counter and Arthur having just entered, wondering what was going on, hearing the boys read, quietly finding out from Ginny it was a letter from Harry and then just as quietly taking a seat to listen. Bill and Charlie were both out of the country again.

As they read they had to stop at one point when ordered to do so by their father, who was getting sick of hearing Ron muttering snarky comments, and said to him, "You will keep your opinions to yourself, or you can go and wait for me in the shed to come and deal with you."

Ron immediately clamped his lips shut, folded his arms across his chest, scowled and shut up for the rest of it. Even listening to a letter from Harry being read aloud was better than the alternative.

Fred finished the last line with, "Harry."

The table was silent for a moment before Molly shrilly stated, "He can't just quit Hogwarts! What about his education!"

"He said he's looking at hiring private tutors for him and Hermione, Molly," said Arthur. "Therefore, he's considering his education."

"Hogwarts is the premier school of magic in the world," declared Percy. "He won't get that with tutors."

"Hogwarts is nothing at the moment except a... a... boarding house!" declared Ginny. "Where's the education?"

"And that's Potter's fault," sneered Ron. "He's the one who had everyone arrested and taken away."

"Ronald!" snapped Arthur. "Stop speaking like a... daft moron! It's thinking like that is why Lord Potter is of the opinion the rest of the wizarding world are such!"

"He explained what happened in the letter in extensive detail," said George. "You were obviously not paying attention or refusing to listen."

"Do we need to read the relevant parts back to you? Slowly?" asked Fred.

"Pausing after each sentence to see if you understood?" asked George.

"Boys; that's enough!" snapped Molly.

"Is it?" asked Percy.

The fact he'd just 'back-chatted' his mother had immediately shut everyone up. Percy never did that.

"Whether he likes it or not, whether he understands it or not, Ron must accept the fact the boy he knew as Harry Potter had everyone fooled as to who he really was - including the man who used to be Headmaster of his school, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the ICW," quietly said the boy. "And he managed to do it before he even started at Hogwarts. Which means he did it starting back to when he was ten years old or earlier.

"Do any of you have any idea just how incredibly smart you would have to be to pull something like that off? He was in close contact with Dumbledore, more than any other student I've known including the Head Boys and Girls, for over three years. And the man never once had any clue.

"It's no wonder he thinks the rest of us 'daft morons' because, compared to him, we probably are!

"To top that off, the boy is the Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House and Heir Tertiary of another. He is 'One of the Seven', so is his godfather and he's friends with the Heir Apparent of a third, Heir Apparent Neville Longbottom, that we know of at least!

"It is also well-known that almost immediately after the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Lord Harrison James Potter - at fourteen - swooped in and wrenched control of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance right out of the hands of Dowager Lady and Regent Augusta Longbottom of Longbottom, a powerful political heavyweight that the Dark Houses fear for good reason.

"With that control he then dragged the Heirs of the allianced Houses who attend Hogwarts into a private meeting and effectively laid down the law with them. When Heir Secondary Ernest MacMillan apparently got upset about it and verbally abused Lord Potter in that meeting, Lord Potter did not hesitate one moment in kicking the entire House of MacMillan out of the alliance due to the insult - made in private. And then proceeded to make sure that news was very publicly known.

"And Ron, here, wants to insult him? He wants to verbally abuse him? Publicly?"

Percy gave his mother and father a moment to absorb all that before he quietly asked, "Knowing, as you now do, the following facts: One, the Harry Potter you thought you knew was a lie; two, he is now a full adult, with all the responsibilities and rights of such; three, he clearly knows and understands the law and he apparently demonstrated that knowledge during the First Task; four, he is now the Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House, one that makes him 'One of the Seven', and the Heir Tertiary of a second of the same rank; five, he has already shown he knows how to wield that power by wrenching back control of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance right out of the hands of Augusta Longbottom, with no effort at all; six, he knows Charlie told Ron to tell him the First Task involved getting past a dragon and Ron didn't tell him, putting his life at risk; and seven, he knows that whole thing on the First of September in 1991 at Kings Cross Station was a set-up and, apparently, has known that all along - do you really not think he knows that, if Ronnie-boy here continues to insult and or verbally abuse him, he has the right by our laws to kill him? Seriously?

"If you want Ron to live past the first twenty four hours he's back in Hogwarts castle when classes restart, if Lord Potter is also there, then you'd better do something about his behaviour and attitude - fast!

"If you don't believe me..." He then indicated the family clock, where Ron's clock hand was pointing to 'In Danger'. "Look there!"

Molly's eyes snapped to the clock where her eyes verified for her that Percy spoke true. She blanched.

"Awww... That'd be right!" Ron loudly complained, not even looking at the Clock and leaning forward a little. "Harry-Bloody-Potter writes a letter and everyone jumps to do his bidding! Can't you see―"

That was as far as he got before his mother's open right hand connected with the left side of his face so hard it knocked him completely out of his seat and onto the floor. She'd had to lean all the way across the table from where she was standing to reach him; but the table wasn't that wide, just long.

Into the deafening silence following the loud 'crack' of palm meeting cheek flesh, followed by the sound of Ron crashing to the floor, Molly quietly said, "Arthur; take Ron out to the shed. Keep him there until you are informed his clock hand no longer points to 'In Danger'. If that means you have to decide that Ron will be taken to Muriel's, where he will remain until she manages to get it into his head why it's a bad idea to upset the Nobles, then so be it. At that time you can also inform her, in Ron's case, corporal punishment is a valid teaching tool."

"That... is a damned fine idea, Molly," Arthur just as quietly said.

He then turned to look down on the floor where Ron lay, rubbing his cheek with unshed tears filling his eyes. The hand-print from his mother's hand was already blooming red on the skin of his face, in detail.

"Ron," he said. "Go out to the shed and stay there... Right now... I will be out to join you and start to deal with you, in a few minutes."

"B-but―" started Ron, before his father rode right over him.

"NOW!" bellowed Arthur.

Ron scrambled up off the floor and, nearly tripping over his own robes in the process, bolted out the back door; flinging it open, causing it to bounce off its stop and swinging back nearly shut as he ran.

A few seconds later, Molly quietly - almost plaintively - asked her husband, "You don't really think Harry would―"

As he looked back at his wife with a worried expression, Arthur merely pointed to the clock.

None of their other four children present said a word, except Percy. As quietly as he spoke before, he said, "Your five youngest children were all sitting at this table. Of that five, only Ron's was pointing at 'In Danger'. Of that five, only Ron seems intent on upsetting Lord Potter.

"It could be for another reason, of course - one we are all unaware of. However, if after Dad has spent time with him in the shed his clock hand suddenly moves back to 'At Home' with the rest of our hands, you will know.

"If after that his hand again moves to 'In Danger', then it is likely he is again thinking of upsetting Lord Potter."

Arthur looked to his eldest still living at home and pridefully said, "I can see why you've been moved from International Magical Cooperation to the Minister's Office."

"Actually, I'm currently on loan to the Wizengamot Administration Services, at the moment. They needed more wands to take care of the massive amount of work brought on by the dozen trials that've just happened," replied Percy. "But, thank you." He was pleased to receive the recognition.

"That experience across multiple departments will stand you in good stead," smiled Arthur. "It'll get you moving up the ranks in no time, if that's your desire."

"Thank you, Dad," blushed the young man. "That was my thought, too."

Arthur sat there for a few more moments finishing his tea. With a sigh, he finally said, "Well, now that I've calmed down a fair bit, I'd better go deal with Ron."

He rose and slowly left out the back door.

Ron's clock hand moved back, for the time being, about five minutes later.

Molly saw it happen and sighed. She sent Arthur a messenger Patronus telling him that.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Once he'd eaten his lunch and taken his potions, after being reminded, Harry gave that a little while to settle in by reading more of the Weekend Daily Prophet; before he returned to his room to go over his 'list'.

Once he'd checked everything through yet another time, he gave a sigh, decided the Hat allowed him in Gryffindor for a reason, 'manned-up' and went looking for Hermione.

Finding her about to make her own way up to her room, he asked, "Care to take a walk with me? We've been pretty much cooped up inside for―"

"I'd love to!" she suddenly interrupted. Then smiled at him.

Relieved, he said, "Great! I believe you wanted to show me the neighbourhood?"

With a smile back she said, "We'd best let the aurors and Mum and Daddy know. Come on." And grabbed him by the hand, leading him out of the kitchen.

Finding Monica first, she said, "Mum. With Dumbledore 'on ice', he's not a threat at the moment. So, Harry and I can go for our walk. I want to show him where I went to primary school."

She smirked and said, "I'll let the aurors know."

After both teens raced upstairs for Hermione to grab a cardigan and Harry to grab a 'hoodie' - it was a little chilly outside - they quickly ran back downstairs again. And met two aurors waiting for them at the door.

Harry sighed and said, "No need for you to tail us with Dumbledore out of the way. We need a bit of privacy to talk."

Hermione gave him a curious look while the aurors glanced at one another. The senior said, "I think that'd be alright. How long do you think you'll be?"

Harry didn't know but Hermione replied, "About an hour, I think."

The senior gave a nod and said, "If you're any longer than an hour and fifteen, we'll come looking for you."

"Thank you," said Harry, grateful and with a relieved little sigh.

The junior auror held the door for them and they passed through.

Harry said, "See you soon!" And they were walking up the path to the front gate.

Before they'd even reached it, the Senior Auror said to his female partner, "Follow them under disillusionment, Weston. If they don't get into trouble, don't let them know you're there. Step in if they do, but only if it's something they can't handle."

The female auror gave a nod, quietly said, "Will do," then raised her wand to tap herself on the top of her head and faded out.

To the male auror, a moment later the door looked as if it pulled itself shut.

He then went looking for the Grangers, finding Wendell in his office.

"Dumbledore's currently locked up so Lord Potter and the young Miss have gone for their walk," he explained. "They don't know, but Auror Weston is tailing them under a disillusionment charm."

Wendell gave a relieved smile back and said, "Thank you."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As they walked down the street outside of Hermione's home, while Harry was trying to think of what to ask her and talk to her about, Hermione beat him to it.

"I suppose you were wondering what Dobby and I were talking about, yesterday morning," she said.

"No, actually," he replied. "I'd actually forgotten about that. And I don't mind if Dobby talks to you, or if you talk to him. If Dobby feels I need to know of what you talk about, he'll tell me."

"Even if it breaks a confidence of mine?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied. "Because he's bonded to me, he must answer to me. It's the nature of the symbiotic bond."

She thought about that for a moment and said, "I wanted to know more about the bond. How it is that he is able to tell you off, like he did our first night home."

"Because I ordered him to," said Harry. "For the past little over three years I've had you telling me off when you knew I'd done something wrong, or when you thought I was going to do something wrong. But, you also explained why you believed or felt that way. I might not have always agreed with what you said, but I appreciate both the care you demonstrated by doing so and giving me a different viewpoint.

"However, house elves are bred and raised... and it is enforced by their bond... to do exactly what they're told by their masters; those to whom they're bonded. There are a few exceptions to that rule, and one of them is killing a human, but it's generally a pretty absolute rule.

"Just before I bonded with Dobby I told him I had some pretty firm rules that he had to obey. And that I was not going to bond with him without a change to the wording of that bond. Dobby agreed to them.

"The first thing you should know about our bond is that I bonded him to me, not as a servant, but as a loyal friend with servant being only secondary to that. But, what neither of us knew would happen, was that it made Dobby significantly magically stronger. It's been years and he still looks like he's one step away from bouncing off the walls with magical energy. He told me it feels as if he's fizzing with magic; whatever that means.

"Now for the orders I gave him right from the start: First, he is not allowed to punish himself for any reason. Second, if he's done something wrong or made a mistake with something he's to come to me to talk about it and we'll figure out how to fix whatever it is or was between us. Third, he is to make sure he stays healthy and doesn't overwork himself; and I included working until he was exhausted in that. And fourth, if he thinks I'm being an idiot about something he was to tell me and not put up with my complaining about it. That last one was what you saw.

"I've also been working hard with him on his diction and how he refers to me. I ordered him to call me 'Harry' but he said he couldn't because it was against some Code of Life house elves live by. The way it was explained, it sounds almost religious. I then argued if he had to call me 'Master' then he was to call me simply 'Master Harry'. He slips up with that every now and again and appends 'Potter Sir' to it. But, I've at least got him to stop adding 'Great' or similar words to the front of it."

"He told me he's not happy that you stopped him doing that," she smiled. "He thinks everyone should know just how great his master is."

Harry blushed and said, "Yeah, but it's embarrassing!"

"Is the Great Master Harry Potter, Sir, blushing?" she teased.

He stopped and turned to her with an almost horrified expression on his face, before he blushed so deeply it looked like he had third degree sunburn.

She freely and gaily laughed with that high tinkling laugh she had, before slipping her hand into his elbow and saying, "Come on. I wanted to show you where I went to school, remember?"

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ