Seeking Harry Potter, Part Four...
It was a glorious day! The sun was shining and Harry could see the entire battlefield from the low ridge he stood upon. The battle of Hastings was an important event in his country's history. It had taken him half a day to track down apparation coordinates for the area. He might not be apparating, but the coordinates did provide him with an easy way to find places.
He had taken the walking tour of the Battle Abbey and was now sitting on the ridge where the defending Normans had regrouped. He read from the tour book he had bought, then looked out over the battlefield.
He sat at the base of a tree and considered the history, then he sighed heavily. He wondered if the battle had been worth it. For that matter, had his own battles been worth it? Considering the way 'his side' was treating him, he wasn't sure any more.
"I can hear your thoughts, m'lord," said the ghost.
He looked up in surprise to see the ghost of what appeared to be a Norman knight.
"Was it a terrible battle for you?" Harry asked.
The knight turned to look at him. "You have seen the dogs of war unleashed, m'lord. Tis not a pretty sight under any circumstances."
"It's enough to make you wonder why we did it."
The ghost shook his head. "We had our duty, m'lord. In my case, I owed my duty to my liege lord. You had a duty to a higher calling. No warrior can ask for more than that, nor should we want to."
Harry sighed. "It just seems so futile. Is duty all that drives us? Shouldn't there be more? What about those that didn't survive? Did they deserve their fate?"
"There is always more, m'lord. Even I can see that there is more ahead for you. We fight because we have to. We fight to protect those we love and, hopefully, we return from the field to them. You have the look of battle about you, even now. There is no shame in being a warrior and no shame in surviving a battle when so many others have not. Honor the fallen and raise a cup in their memory, but always remember that forward is the only way you can go."
Harry looked over the battlefield, his eyes distant. "Forward. As much as we'd like to go back, we can't." He glanced over to the knight. "No regrets, eh?"
The knight smiled slightly. "Aye, m'lord, no regrets. Find yourself a shapely wench and revel in being alive. Do it for those who cannot."
Harry stood and turned to face the knight. "Thank you, sir knight. Your words are a comfort. I have been trying to understand, to make sense of it all, and your advice has helped."
The knight bowed and started to fade. "Aye, we all try to understand. Remember me, m'lord. We who have fallen are your comrades."
The knight faded away and Harry stood. "I will remember you, sir knight, and those I have lost."
Turning away, he walked down the hill to the apparation point so he could return to his tent.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank (August 27th)...
Harry sat back on his chair and stared at the Goblin. "I'm what?" he exclaimed.
"Emancipated, Mr. Potter. The Ministry awarded you an Order of Merlin, first class. That automatically conveyed emancipation upon you, over and above what your godfather and guardian expressed in his will," Ragnok replied with a smug grin.
"What does this mean for me?" Harry asked. He glanced around the room.
He was alone with Ragnok, leader of the Goblin Nation and chief manager of Gringotts. Ragnok had requested the meeting shortly after Harry had killed Voldemort. That Ragnok had requested a private meeting was even more surprising. The head of the Goblin Nation routinely refused to see heads of state, and yet here he was, asking Harry for a meeting.
For the past three weeks, since the battle on Privet Drive, Harry had been dogged by Order members. Remus, Tonks, even Dumbledore, followed him whenever he made a public appearance. He had led them on a merry chase, bouncing around the country, rarely staying in one place long enough for them to catch up with him. Even now, a fuming Tonks waited for Harry in the lobby of Gringotts. She had been denied admittance to Ragnok's chambers and escorted to the lobby under guard.
The only place they hadn't found was his little spot in Scotland where he had his tent. And they hadn't found that because he didn't want them to.
Ragnok smiled, showing his pointy teeth.
"It means, Mr. Potter, that you are an adult and therefore all your family rights and privileges become available to you. You are both Lord Potter and Lord Black, a member of both the inner court of the Wizengamot and of Her Majesties court."
Ragnok leaned back on his chair. "After an American named Gates, you are Gringotts second largest depositor world wide. Your assets include controlling interests in one hundred and sixty seven companies and substantial investments in another three hundred plus companies, both muggle and magical. From the Potters, you own twenty two homes in various countries, and another nineteen homes from the Blacks."
"The Black Loan Institution holds the notes and substantial loans to eighty percent of the old pureblood families in Britain alone. That includes the Malfoy's, the Zabini's, the Fudge's and the Parkinson's, to name a few."
Ragnok paused and grinned at Harry, making him feel decidedly uncomfortable. "In short, between your Potter family holdings, your Black family holdings, and the debts owed to you, you control a substantial portion of Wizarding Britain and its economy. Should you decide to liquidate your Gringotts accounts in favor of, say, a Barclay's account, you would devalue the Galleon by over nine hundred percent and throw the economy into ruin."
Harry noted the fear that flickered in Ragnok's eyes and he sat up straighter. "Director Ragnok, let me state right now that I have no intention of removing my family's assets from your establishment. Gringotts has always treated me fairly and I see no reason why that relationship should not continue," he replied.
"Director," he began, looking thoughtful, "would it be safe to assume that, as one of your largest depositors, Gringotts might be willing to offer me services that, well, you wouldn't normally offer to your regular depositors? Something that will be profitable for both of us?"
Ragnok nodded and grinned slyly. The wizarding world was about to get a kick in the pants that would make Riddle look like a kitten. Leaning forward, the head of the Goblin Nation rubbed his hands together with glee. "What did you have in mind, Mr. Potter?"
The Hogwarts Express (September 1st)...
Harry stepped into an empty compartment and closed the door. Hedwig had gone on ahead, and his school supplies were all in his trunk in his pocket. Two conversations he'd had on the platform were very important and had given him a lot to think about.
He arrived at the train station dressed in his very finest, as befitted the head of two noble houses. He wore an black Acromantula silk cape over a dark blue pants and shirt. The bottoms of his pants were tucked neatly inside his dragonhide boots. His hair had grown long, and in the old tradition, he had tied it back with a white ribbon, signifying he was unattached.
He had read up on the old traditions, and while he had discarded a lot of them as being outdated, some, he decided, were exactly what he needed and adopted them wholeheartedly.
As the platform filled up with families, he drew a lot of attention from the girls and the older women. But the people he wanted to talk to hadn't shown up yet.
He had been standing by the train when Neville came up to him. He seemed hesitant to approach him.
"I'm still your friend and fellow Gryffindor, Nev," Harry said with a smile.
"Harry... I'm not sure how to say this, but thank you. If you ever need anything, we Longbottoms will stand beside you. We're in your debt," Neville said fervently.
Harry blinked in surprise and grinned. "I take it this is about Bellatrix?"
Neville swallowed convulsively and nodded.
"Neville," Harry said, clapping a hand on his friends shoulder. "Bellatrix was a stain that needed removing. What I did, I did for all of us. But I hope with all my heart that you and your family can find some measure of peace from it."
Neville straightened and looked him in the eyes. "All the same, Harry, we owe you for what you did. You and I have been touched by those monsters more than most."
Harry's eyes darkened with remembered grief. "You have no idea, my friend. Someday, I'll tell you the story. But you're right, we have been touched by them. No more though. We're free of them now."
"That we are," Neville replied, then he looked around nervously. "Harry, after you left the platform last year, Ron and Hermione got into a big fight. Right in front of her parents, if you can believe it. And when Hermione called Ron lazy, he tried to hit her. Her dad stepped up and blocked his hand. Mrs Weasley was furious and dragged him away."
"Ron tried to hit Hermione?" he asked, nearly gaping in shock.
When Neville nodded, Harry motioned for him to continue.
"There's not much else to say, except that I owled Hermione about some homework questions and in her reply she told me she and Ron had broken up. Her father forbid her from dating him anymore, but I got the impression she had already made that decision for herself," Neville said in a rush.
Harry's expression was dark and his magic was barely under control. He was angry, but a part of him was standing up and cheering. He could ask her out now!
"Thank you, Neville. Maybe it's time for me to find the Weasleys," he said, his tone seething with anger.
Neville blinked at him. "Er... right. I'll just go hide then," he said with a bit of grin.
"Neville?"
"Yeah?"
"The house of Potter is honored to call the house of Longbottom friend."
Harry flashed his friend a grin, then he turned away, walking the length of the train, back to the entrance. His cape billowed out behind him and his pace could only be described as implacable.
Neville, watching Harry as he walked away, squared his shoulders and lifted his head in pride. Harry had used the old forms, acknowledging his family and calling them friends. Accordingly, the Potters would consider any attack on the Longbottom family as an attack on themselves.
Near the entrance, Harry came upon the Weasleys, who were trying to manhandle two trunks and other items towards the train.
Ginny and Molly stopped, seeing Harry approach. His expression alone was enough to make them take a step backwards.
Ginny's eyes widened as she looked closely at Harry. He looked a lot healthier than previous years and for the first time in a while she wondered what would have happened had she not been dating Dean Thomas. He cut a dashing figure, but more importantly, the air around him roiled as magic poured off him. Harry was seriously pissed off.
Harry walked up to Ron and spun him roughly around. "If I ever find out you tried to hit Hermione again there won't be enough left of you to fill a spoon."
"Oh, sure, taking her side as always, Harry! Well, I'm not putting up with it any longer. If you think she's that great, you be friends with her, but count me out. My parents punished me all summer because of our little fight and I'm sick of it."
"You tried to hit her!" Harry said between clenched teeth.
"Oh, come off it, Harry. You've been angry with her yourself, you know," Ron countered.
"Yes, I've been angry. I've also been irritated and annoyed with her. But I have never tried to hit her! What is wrong with you? I know your parents raised you better than that."
Ron threw his hands up in the air. "I can see how this is going. Fine! Be that way. I don't intend to talk about it anymore. Go be with the mudblood, then." With a final glare, he turned and stepped onto the train and out of sight.
Harry turned to Ginny and Molly, noting that both women were pale.
Ginny was trembling with rage that Ron would call her best friend a mudblood.
"I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..." Harry began.
Molly held up a hand. "No, Harry, you were right. He was raised better than that. I don't know where his head is, but it isn't where it should be," she told him. With a shake of her head, she smiled and hugged him.. "You're looking well fed and rested. I'm sorry about what the Order was putting you through."
Harry shrugged and grinned. "It's alright, Mrs. Weasley. In a way, it was kind of fun...for me anyway. I'm sure the Order was annoyed."
He wasn't about to tell her about the ten Order members that had been on the platform when he arrived. He had disarmed them and sent them to unused cells at Azkaban. They'd be found in a few days, he was sure.
He turned to Ginny and gave her a brief hug. "You're looking great, Ginny. You're going to drive Dean crazy this year."
Ginny smiled shyly and stepped out of his hug. For the first time in over a year she was tongue tied around him, and not because she was crushing on him. Between his looks and the magic roiling around him, he was an incredibly imposing figure.
"I best get to my compartment," Harry told them both with a brief bow. He turned and walked back up the train toward the engine and vanished into one of the carriages.
He closed his eyes, calling up his image of Hedwig and started his meditation exercises. He had picked up several books on Tai Chi and meditation, finding them very helpful. Using the books he had expanded on what the old man had taught him, he now meditated every day.
The door opened, admitting Neville, Luna and Hermione. They looked at Harry with varying degrees of shock. He was hovering four inches above the seat and glowing slightly.
"Harry?" Neville said.
He lowered back to the seat and opened his eyes. Seeing his friends, he smiled. "Hi guys. Come on in."
Hermione's feet seemed to be rooted to the floor until Luna nudged her. Shaking herself slightly, she took a seat directly across from Harry.
Harry smiled weakly at her, a little hurt that she hadn't given him a hug, as she usually did.
In Hermione's defense, it needed to be said that this was a different Harry than she was used to seeing. He was taller and had finally seemed to fill out. An air of confidence and contentment surrounded him; something not usual in her normally reserved friend. All of these changes in him caught her off guard, and she was unsure how to react.
"How are you, Harry?" she asked softly.
He shot her a worried look and made a decision to talk to her later. For now, he'd keep things casual. "I'm fine, now. My injuries are mostly healed. I've spent the last month sightseeing and backpacking around the country, basically trying to find out who I was."
Luna giggled. "You're, Harry, You've known that since before we met you. But I do hope you found yourself. I'd hate to be lost and not able to find myself." Her vague expression cleared and her gaze become sharp as she looked into his eyes. "You've always known what you needed to do, Harry. It's just taken you a while to come to terms with it."
"Well, I think you look great, Harry, I never seen you this rested and happy at the start of a term," Neville said, trying to jump in after Luna's odd comment.
"Yes, well, I didn't have anyone feeding me half a grapefruit once every three days this summer like in the past," he replied easily. A lot of his anger over the Dursleys seemed to have bled away in the last month.
Luna looked up from her magazine and frowned. "Hermione, trade spots with Neville. I want to play some wizard's chess with him."
In short order, Hermione, to her surprise, found herself sitting next to Harry, while the others immersed themselves in their game.
Harry looked at her, still hurt by her welcome. "Are you mad at me, Hermione?" he asked softly.
She looked at him and shook her head. "No, why?" she asked, suddenly feeling very awkward. Her Gryffindor courage was fast slipping away.
"Oh," Harry replied, then he looked down at his feet for a moment. "I really missed you this past summer. I would have written more, but I couldn't give the Order any ideas."
"I missed you, too," she whispered.
Both of them blushed and said nothing when he laid his hand atop hers. She turned her hand slightly and laced her fingers with his. Both buried their heads in a book. Neither wanted to break the contact. Neville and Luna exchanged a very satisfied glance.
Hogwarts, Start of Term Feast...
Harry looked around the hall and smirked. He had killed Voldemort barely four weeks ago. Almost instantly, the former Death Eater families had started screaming that they were under the Imperious curse and, of course, the Ministry was buying it lock, stock and barrel. Of the twenty plus Death Eaters that had been on Privet Drive, few were from Voldemort's inner circle. And those that were had been escaped convicts, like Bellatrix LeStrange and her husband. The rest had been arrested and released.
There hadn't been a single conviction so far. He knew it wasn't the fault of the Aurors. They had made the arrests, but the Wizengamot refused to convict anyone. If the Ministry couldn't provide justice, then it would have to come from another source.
He smirked because they thought they had gotten away with it. But he knew better. Justice came in many forms.
Draco and several other Slytherins laughed and pointed in his direction. They had gotten away with murder. Harry smiled at Draco. It was a hard smile and didn't reach his eyes.
Draco's expression slowly changed from elation to worry. Potter was up to something, but he had no clue as to what.
"What's your problem, Harry?" Hermione asked. "You look like the kneazle that caught the mouse."
He turned his attention to her and smiled. Ron was at the other end of the table and they both ignored him.
"His loss is my gain," Harry murmured to himself, then his grin widened.
"What was that?" asked Hermione.
He reached across the table and placed his hand atop hers. "If I asked you if you'd like to go out on a date with me, would you be interested?"
Hermione blushed to the tips of her ears and suddenly the sound level in the Great Hall dropped to nothing. Even the sorting paused as everyone strained to hear her reply.
"Why now, Harry? And why me?" she asked, so intent on his answer that she hadn't realized that everyone was listening to them. She wanted to go out with him. She wanted a lot more than that, actually. But she also wanted desperately to know his reasoning. He was Harry Potter! He could have anyone!
Harry shrugged his shoulders and looked her in the eye. "The truth? I love Ron like a brother and knew he liked you. I figured to let him have a shot. But I never expected him to mess it up so badly. Now that he has, I don't have to stand aside for him anymore. And why not you? You're beautiful, and more importantly, you're my best friend in the world and one of the few I trust with my life. Besides, it was killing me to know that you and Ron were together."
Harry looked down at the table. The last part of his reply was nearly a whisper that only she could hear. Somehow it didn't surprise her that he had found out Ron and her dating. They had tried to hide it from him, to her shame. His answer thrilled her, though. Maybe it wasn't an admission of love, but it was still early. From his reply, she gather there was a lot of hope for their relationship.
Hermione smiled at him. "If you asked me on a date, I'd say yes, Harry. I'd like to date my best friend."
A huge sigh of relief ran around the Great Hall with a few girls glaring at Hermione. Up at the head table, a clean shaven Albus Dumbledore frowned at the pair. At the other end of the Gryffindor table, Ron Weasley turned puce and moved to stand up.
"Mister Weasley, the sorting and feast are not yet over. Sit down," Professor McGonagall told him sternly.
Harry leaned across the table and pulled Hermione's hand up so he could kiss her palm. She shivered at the new sensation. "That will have to do until I can kiss you proper, after the feast," he said softly.
A beam of curse light arced from the Slytherin table towards Hermione's exposed back. It splashed harmlessly against a shield that had been invisible up to that point. Hermione jumped to her feet and she looked at the shield curiously for a moment before turning back to Harry.
He grimaced slightly. "I will protect you Hermione. I may not fight your battles for you, but if I can prevent you from getting hurt, I will."
She frowned, thinking for a moment. She could understand how he felt. In truth, she would do the same for him whenever possible. Sitting back down, she reached for his hand.
"I do expect the staff to investigate and find out who fired that curse," Harry called loudly. "It came from the table of snakes."
"POTTER! Twenty five points from Gryffindor for slandering my students," Snape shouted as he sprang to his feet.
Harry ignored Snape and glared at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, are you or are you not going to investigate who fired the curse?"
Dumbledore smiled benignly, his eyes twinkling wildly. He reached with his mind to see what Harry was thinking, only to be soundly rebuffed.
Harry grabbed his mental probe and violently shredded it. "STAY OUT OF MY MIND, OLD MAN, OR YOU WILL REGRET IT!"
Dumbledore rocked back on his chair and massaged his now pounding head. Harry's words echoed and bounced painfully inside his head. He looked up at the young man to see him staring back, his eyes lit with power.
"I don't think that will be necessary, Harry. It was probably a mistake. Someone demonstrating something, perhaps, and it went astray," Dumbledore said in his usual grandfatherly fashion.
Harry stood and glared up at the head table. "A mistake," he drawled as he conjured a crystal vial. A murmur rippled through the hall at his display of wandless magic. He lifted his wand to his temple and pulled a small thin silvery vapor out and placed it into the vial.
Harry's eyes grew distant for a moment, then there was a flash of light. A brilliant white phoenix with black tipped wings appeared and circled above him. Harry lifted up the vial and the phoenix snatched it from his fingers, then vanished.
He turned and smiled at Hermione again. There was a sharp snap and she squeaked as she appeared on his side of the table. "I'd feel better if you sat next to me, Hermione," he said softly.
Hermione nodded dumbly. Everyone had known he was a powerful wizard, but in the span of only a few minutes he had demonstrated abilities no one had known about!
"Harry, may I ask whose phoenix that was? And what you gave it?" asked Dumbledore. The Headmaster didn't like the way this encounter was heading. Harry's attitude towards the Order seemed to be shifting to include the staff. He still wanted to know why he hadn't heard from the Order members he had posted at the train station.
"No, Headmaster, you may not ask. It's private. You'll find out in time, I'm sure, but that's all I'm willing to say for the moment. Perhaps it was a mistake," he replied with a sneer, throwing the old man's words back at the man.
A titter of laughter rippled through the room and Dumbledore frowned.
Dumbledore stared at him in astonishment for a moment longer before turning back to McGonagall and signaling her to continue with the sorting. Harry had spent the last month humiliating both him and the Order and he knew he would have trouble bringing Harry to heel this semester.
"Harry?" asked Hermione in a meek voice.
Harry turned to look at her worriedly. "Please don't be afraid of me, Hermione. I'm still Harry and I would never do anything to hurt you."
Hermione nodded, reassured. "Where did you get that phoenix from?" she asked.
Harry sighed and hung his head for a moment. "That was Hedwig. She died in the fight, saving my life. She flew in front of a curse and vanished in a ball of flame. It seems that a higher power decided her sacrifice was worthy of being brought back as my familiar, only in the form of a phoenix. She found me after I was released from St. Mungos."
Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she heard the raw pain in his voice. This was the first time she had really had a chance to talk to Harry since the end of last year. Even with Voldemort dead, the Order had kept him isolated until he'd been able to break free of them.
She had loved his owl and was a little jealous of the close relationship he had formed with his familiar. That relationship had bordered on magical and now it was obviously so. She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. She knew that the loss of Hedwig, even if it were for a short while, had been keenly felt by her friend.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't know. The Headmaster said we weren't allowed to talk to you because it would endanger you. I tried calling you on the phone several times in early July, but the Order had somehow blocked my calls," she said, her eyes filling with tears.
He turned and her face up with a hand under her chin. "Hey, it's going to be alright. It's going to be better than you can possibly imagine. Voldemort's dead and I'm taking steps to neutralize his followers. For the first time in my life I can look at the future and know I can actually have one. I'd really like that future to include you."
He chuckled at her surprised look and he leaned in to kiss her. It was a soft kiss, gentle and sweet. From the outside it looked like a simple kiss, lacking in any passion. To Harry and Hermione, it felt as if the entire universe had been reduced down to just them. Both shuddered at the flood of emotions they felt passing between them.
Separating, they took a moment to recover. Then Harry turned and began to pick up platters, offering them to Hermione first.
"I wanted to come to you after the battle, Harry, but the Order wouldn't let me. The only way I even found out about your injuries was through the Prophet," she told him. Her opinion of the paper was evident in her tone.
Harry placed a large slab of ham on his plate. "I'm fine, now. I'm still healing and things occasionally hurt, but I'm recovering in more ways than one. The Order has been controlling my life since I was born and I'm putting a stop to that," he replied with a grin.
Her eyes widened. "But, Harry, Dumbledore..."
"Has no authority over me anymore, as you and he will come to learn in the coming days. I can't explain here, Hermione, but please, trust me on this. Tomorrow we'll have dinner and talk in the Room of Requirement. I'll explain it all to you there. It won't be pleasant, for either of us, but I'll tell you anyway."
Hermione eyed him uncertainly, but nodded in acceptance.
After dinner, Professor McGonagall called out for Harry, instructing him to remain behind while the other students left for their common rooms.
Harry smirked to himself and leaned over to Hermione. "Now the fun begins," he whispered, then he gently kissed her on the cheek and nuzzled her ear.
She shivered. What ever had happened to Harry since his battle had been good for him. He seemed more open and more willing to show affection than she thought he would ever be capable of.
Something about Harry made her lose control, unlike Ron. Twice tonight her own body betrayed her, surrendering to sensations and rendering her mind temporarily stunned at the feelings he'd invoked.
He stood and made his way up to the head table, where Dumbledore, Snape, Remus and McGonagall eyed his approach. Remus had turned out to be a disappointment. He had hoped the man would try to step into Sirius' shoes, but he hadn't. He was standoffish and aloof, preferring the role of professor, rather than friend. That he supported Dumbledore was obvious, and it pained Harry to know just how disappointed Sirius would be by it.
Snape sneered at him and looked as through he were examining a bug. Harry restrained the urge to wink at the man. As amusing as it would be to watch the greasy git turn purple with rage, he wanted to find out what Dumbledore was up to this time.
He noted that the teachers were still seated and looked around for a chair. Not finding one, he shrugged and sat down on thin air and arranged himself comfortably.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked. All of his teachers were eying him incredulously. That he was sitting on nothing was extraordinary enough, but he had done the magic without a wand or an incantation!
McGonagall opened her mouth to say something, but Dumbledore stopped her with a look before turning back to Harry.
"Yes, Harry. We've noted in the last few days that your family has disappeared. I was hoping you could shed some light on the subject?" he asked with a twinkle.
Harry shrugged his shoulders and managed to look unconcerned. "They're gone and won't be coming back, Headmaster. I strongly suggest you don't worry about them any longer. I know I won't," Harry replied, then he picked at a nail, trying to get the dirt out from under it.
"Potter, don't take that tone with the Headmaster! Answer him!" snapped McGonagall.
Harry looked at the Professors, smiling for a moment. "Very well. It was wonderful, the most perfect revenge that could have possibly happened. And the best part is that all I did was redirect the spell cast by the old fart here. And anyone checking the illegal spell will find the Headmaster's signature all over it."
Harry smirked at Dumbledore. "I dropped an anonymous tip to the DMLE about the spell used on my relatives before I got on the Express. I imagine by now they have checked for themselves."
Dumbledore paled and stared at Harry incredulously.
"Petunia Dursley is currently in a mental hospital, recovering from injuries inflicted upon her by her soon to be former husband, Vernon. She's also quite insane and spends her day playing with colored paper and bits of string and babbling about ghosts from the past. It seems my dear auntie is seeing her dead sister accuse her of betraying her family. An ironic twist, if you ask me, and it seems to be entirely of her own making. I know I had nothing to do with it.
"Vernon was arrested by the muggle police. During the ensuing fight to arrest him, he killed a policeman. He's under maximum security guard awaiting trial. I understand he's had several potentially fatal accidents while in custody. Pity, that.
"Dudley Dursley, the cause of the entire problem, announced at the beginning of the summer that he was gay. The announcement so enraged Vernon that he went off the deep end. Dudley moved out after my battle with Voldemort. He couldn't take the constant fighting, and he didn't want his parents to know he was HIV infected. Petunia went nuts two days later, when Vernon beat her senseless."
Harry leaned back and looked hard at the Headmaster, his eyes turning to green flecked steel. "You see, Dumbledore, your compulsion charms to force them to beat and abuse me backfired when I redirected it onto them. They couldn't do anything to me, and I sat back and watched them destroy themselves. That was really quite sloppy spell work, you know. Barely acceptable by NEWT standards. If that's your best work, people have greatly overestimated you."
Dumbledore stared at Harry in shock. No one was supposed to know about the compulsion charms, especially not the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!
"But, Harry, they were your family!" protested Remus.
"You're an unconvincing liar, werewolf. Lily Evans nee Potter was the adopted daughter of the Evans. As it turns out, my mother was born Lily McGonagall, part of an obscure branch of that family that had emigrated to America. Her real parents were killed by accident. She was adopted by Frank and Rose Evans and brought back to England.
"My mother knew who she was. So did my father and Sirius. I can't believe you didn't know. It would appear that my parents and Sirius didn't trust you as much as you thought. So you see, Petunia is no blood relation to me. In fact, Professor McGonagall and I share more blood than Petunia and I. But then, the Headmaster already knew all this, didn't you, sir?" Harry asked scornfully.
"Harry, what I did, I did for the greater good," Dumbledore said, trying to get things back on track.
Harry looked at the man in disgust. "Remember those words, old man, because they will be coming back to bite your arse. Now, if you will excuse me, I'd like to go up to my room. Ron Weasley is trying to break into my trunk, probably for my invisibility cloak, and if I don't stop him in the next few minutes, the wards on my trunk will kill him. As it stands, he's already in need of Madam Pomfrey's services."
McGonagall paled as she stood. "I'll get Poppy."
Harry smiled. "Good night, Headmaster, Professors."
He shimmered and vanished, leaving Dumbledore, Snape and Remus staring at the empty space in shock.
"Headmaster?" asked Snape uncertainly.
The boy had leveled some serious charges against the Headmaster, and had exhibited a level of magical control he had never seen before. Even Voldemort hadn't had that type of wandless control. Now that Voldemort was dead, Potter was supposed to help Dumbledore build their idea of what the Wizarding world should be. That couldn't happen if Potter refused to cooperate!
Dumbledore frowned. "I know, Severus. He is increasingly turning against us, and we need to nip his relationship with Miss Granger in the bud before it goes any further. We cannot allow him sully the bloodline by marrying a muggle born."
Remus scowled. "How do you expect to do that, Headmaster? If what he says about those compulsion charms are right, he has every right to hate you and everything you stand for. That includes us, as well."
Dumbledore sighed and looked down at the table. "I should have removed those charms before the end of the last term. But that's water under the bridge. Now we must work on regaining young Harry's trust. I will ask Alastor to look into what's happening with his family, as well. We might need to intervene there."
"Surely you don't think you'll be able to convince him to return to the Dursley's, Headmaster?" Remus asked incredulously.
"I don't know, Remus, but we must take steps," Dumbledore replied sagely.
The three men stood and walked from the Great Hall, each lost in their own thoughts.
Gryffindor Girls Dormitory (September 2nd)...
Hermione stretched and slowly rolled over on the bed. Realizing she was laying on something soft and lumpy, she frowned. Opening her eyes, she spotted the stuffed animal under her thigh and shook her head. Grabbing it, she smiled when she was it was a teddy bear with a lightning bolt shaped line above one eye and a small broomstick in one hand. Neatly pinned to the bear was a note.
Unpinning the note, she opened it quickly.
Hermione,
I met this jolly fellow and thought you might like him. I've enchanted him with several special charms that will make him totally unique, like yourself.
I know you are wondering how I managed to get the bear up to your bed. That's hard to explain, exactly, but I'll try. During the fight with Voldemort and his Death Eaters, I got hit by a curse. I don't know what the curse was, I'm not even sure it's something that you can learn. Remember when we learned how some curses can interact with others to produce unexpected results if the curses meet midair? That's what I think I got hit with. It was strange. Up until that point I had been barely holding my own in the fight and then... pow! I get hit with this weird multicolored light and my brain feels like it's on fire for a second. Then the tables were turned and I won.
Something changed in me that day, something changed my magic and my control over it. I can do things that you think are impossible, like delivering a bear to your bed while you slept and not triggering the alarms.
And do you have any idea just how cute you look when you're sleeping? Incredible!
Sometimes I find what I can do frightening and my power is still growing. Believe me when I say I'm not bragging, but there isn't a person in this school that has anything close to the level of magic that I have. It scares me, Hermione. You're the only person I've told this to and I hope that you'll keep my secret, as well as help me learn to understand this power of mine. You're the only one I trust enough to help me.
I know this is a poor excuse for a romantic love letter, but I promise to do better in the future. In the meantime, I do have one question for you. Would you like to be my girlfriend? Officially? Openly? In front of the whole school without having to hide it? With no Voldemort, I don't have to hide who I care for. He's ruined so much of my life and kept me from living, and that stops here. Give your answer to the bear. Your response will wake him and I'll know it.
Love,
Harry
P.S. I'll envy the bear every time you hug him, wishing it were me.
Hermione smiled to herself and reread the letter again. A single tear ran down her cheek. Harry might not think his letter was romantic, but she did.
Tucking the letter way, she turned to the bear. "Yes, I would love to be Harry's girlfriend." she said clearly. Realizing what she'd done, she blushed furiously and looked around, hoping she hadn't woke up the other girls in the dorm.
A movement caught her eye and she turned back to the bear. Her jaw dropped open as the stuffed creature yawned.
The bear rubbed it's eyes sleepily and stood up. Crookshanks stood and backed away from the bear, fuzzing up and hissing as he went. Hermione looked at the bear in disbelief, then the bear walked over and grabbed her arm, hugging it. She laughed and picked it up, holding him tightly to her.
The bear made a rumbling sound in his chest and he cuddled with her. She was amazed at the level of magic involved in animating the toy, but more interestingly, she felt Harry when she hugged it. It was something she'd have to talk to him about.
Throwing open the curtains, she slid her feet into her slippers and placed the bear on her bed.
"Hermione, what's with the bear?" asked Lavender. She was eying the thing as it fussed busily with Hermione's pillow.
"Harry gave him to me," she said, trying not to laugh as she watched it.
"Oh, he's wonderful," cooed Parvati. "I've never seen anything like him."
"Yes, he is," Hermione said in a dreamy tone, then she shook her head, embarrassed. The two snickered at her reaction.
"It's finally happened," Lavender said with a laugh.
Hermione turned to look at her suspiciously. "What?"
"You've fallen in love," Parvati answered smugly.
Hermione blinked and stared at them in surprise.
Lavender sat on the bed facing Hermione and Parvati joined her. "Look, Hermione, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone knew that you would fall for either Ron or Harry, although most of us suspected it would be Harry.
"Some of us, like Parv and myself, will go through a dozen guys before we find the one that's right for us. But both you and Harry won't do that. Oh, don't get me wrong. I'd love to date Mister Dreamy Green Eyes , but I'm not his type," Lavender said.
"So what is his type?" asked Hermione. She was curious. She'd never had this type of conversation with her dorm mates before.
"You are," replied Parvati, then she frowned slightly. "Hermione, if what the papers say is true, Harry's had a terrible life growing up. In many ways, he's still that hurt and hopeful eleven year old we met on the train six years ago. He still looks at the world with a sense of wonder that even you've lost. Even I can tell he walks around hoping that someday someone will love him. It's an emotion he has little experience with. But when he looks at you, everyone can see the love and hope in his eyes.
"He needs what only you can offer him," Parvati said after a moments thought. "Of all of us, Hermione, you're the only witch in the school that can understand how he was raised and what it's done to him. While Lavender and I would be expecting Harry to take the initiative and getting frustrated and mad when he didn't, you'll take him by the hand and show him what to do. He respects you and he'll always put your needs above his own."
"I envy you, Hermione," Lavender said seriously. "He's going to live a life only found in storybooks. I think, someday, he'll be more famous than Merlin, and he's so totally in love with you."
Hermione placed a hand to her chest. "In love with me?" she squeaked.
Both girls nodded.
"He is," insisted Parvati. "He watches you, Hermione. Not like the way Seamus watches me, like he's stripping off my clothing. No, when Harry watches you, he looks at your face, your eyes. I watched him when you and Ron started going out last year. He'd sigh and look like someone had killed his puppy, then his expression would go blank, or he'd smile at the both of you. He never wanted either of you to know how much he was hurting, but we all saw it."
Hermione reached out and grabbed her bear, holding it tight to her. "Why hasn't he ever said anything to me?"
"He did last night," Lavender told her. "I think Harry's more afraid of you than he was Voldemort. He wants you on so many levels, but he doesn't understand it and it scares him. If the Daily Prophet was right, no one loved Harry when he was growing up. That has to affect a person."
Hermione frowned and considered what they had told her. Since the battle with Voldemort, the Daily Prophet had run a series of articles on Harry and had done an in-depth examination of how he was raised. The articles explained child abuse in detail and how it could affect children. Child abuse was fairly rare in the Wizarding world, since they were more concerned with blood lines and preserving the family.
"Last night was a big step for him, wasn't it?" Hermione asked.
"I think so. And our hero was probably terrified during every moment of it," Parvati said, grinning.
"So what do I do?" Hermione asked worriedly.
Lavender and Parvati exchanged a brief glance before turning back to her.
"Honestly?" Lavender asked. "I'd sit back and enjoy the ride. You don't need to learn how to catch your man; that's already happened. I think if you learned how to apply a little makeup, he'd appreciate that, but he fell for you as you are. He's opening his heart to you and is hoping you'll do the same. Isn't that what's important? Help him learn to love by showing what you feel for him. He has eyes for no one else but you." She sighed softly. "I wish a boy would look at me that way."
"Oh, and don't forget to kiss him senseless for that bear," added Parvati, winking.
Hermione smiled and looked at the bear in her arms. It looked up at her adoringly, then patted her cheek with one soft paw.
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts...
Dumbledore sighed and sipped his tea. Before him sat the heads of each house and several other Professors. The customary start of term staff meeting always gave him a headache.
"Headmaster, I'm concerned about Mr. Potter and what the papers had to say about him," Professor Sprout said.
"Now, Ponoma, you should know better than to believe anything written in the paper," chided McGonagall.
"Minerva, that boy has killed the greatest dark lord in the last ten centuries, and according to the paper he's been abused all his life! You know what that does to a child! We should be nurturing him, not hounding him. But so far all I've heard today is how we must keep him away from Miss Granger and make sure he behaves himself. Why, the Headmaster won't even lift his Quidditch ban!" sputtered Sprout.
Minerva winced. The Quidditch ban was something she'd tried to get lifted, as well. But the Headmaster was adamant.
Dumbledore frowned. "As much as I would like to continue discussing Mister Potter, we have other pressing matters. Minerva, how fares young Mister Weasley?"
"As Harry stated, he required Madam Pomfrey. He had numerous broken bones and burns. When I questioned Mister Potter, he demonstrated the wards on his trunk. The boy ignored three different warning wards before the trunk's defenses kicked in, which caused the damage. In fact, the Ministry requires only one warning ward on a lethally warded item. Harry had three, and a layered set of wards that caused increasing levels of damage. It's one of the most sophisticated wardings I've ever seen," McGonagall said, shaking her head.
"Poppy says Mister Weasley will be well enough to be released from the infirmary later today," she added.
"There you have it, Headmaster! I hope you will expel that arrogant brat now," Snape said smugly.
"He can't," Minerva countered. "In fact, Potter still has yet to decide if he will press formal charges against Weasley. The warning ward is required by law, and they were foolishly ignored by Weasley. In this case, Harry did nothing that you can expel him over. There are no rules stating students cannot protect their property."
"You're just saying that because you're related to him," snapped Snape angrily.
"I didn't know that until last night," retorted McGonagall uneasily. The fact that Harry was related to her disturbed her deeply. She had known that he was brought up in an abusive household and did nothing about it. To know she ignored the pain of one of her clan brought her deep shame.
"Enough!" barked Dumbledore. "Minerva is correct. We cannot punish Harry for protecting his property. However, I will announce that lethal wards are prohibited. That will prevent this from occurring again. Frankly, I am more concerned over this apparent breach between Potter and Weasley. They were the best of friends until this summer. Now they are fighting over Miss Granger."
"It's none of our business unless it interferes in classes, Albus," Flitwick protested. "Besides, from what I understand, Mister Weasley and Miss Granger had a fight and Mister Weasley tried to strike her. In front of her parents, no less! Mister Granger was most incensed. He has forbidden Hermione from having any sort of contact with Ronald. From what I saw last night, she agrees with her father. Harry has rightfully come down on Miss Granger's side."
Dumbledore rapped his knuckles on the desk. "Enough! It's time everyone understands that Mister Potter is at a pivotal period in his life. He stands at a cross roads that can either lead him towards the light, or towards the dark. It is our job to ensure that he remains true to the light. We should do everything in our power to encourage that, including pushing him towards someone like Miss Weasley, whose family has been on the side of the light for generations."
"Albus, Miss Weasley is dating Dean Thomas. In fact, I know she was happy that Harry and Hermione are getting together," Minerva said in a soft voice.
Dumbledore waved his hand dismissively. "No matter, we'll take steps to steer him properly. Now, let us get down to breakfast."