Chapter 33
"Normal speech"
thoughts
'mental conversations'
Back at Longbottom Manor-
Hermione and Susan were going over the budget for Hogwarts when Emma came rushing into the room with such force, she caused the two to jump. Knowing that Harry had a few meetings for today, Hermione cautiously asked, "Is Harry ok? Has something happened?"
Sitting on the edge of the bed Emma replied, "There was an explosion in Diagon Alley. More specifically at Ted Tonks office. Remus, Narcissa, and Sirius took Andy there. Since Harry was at Gringotts already, I'm sure he is already there. I am just waiting for Narcissa to let me know what is happening."
Hermione closed her eyes and tried to focus on her bond. True her strength was returning quickly. However, her stamina hadn't caught up just yet. Ignoring the beads of sweat that were beginning to break out across her forehead, she was finally rewarded when she felt as if she was filled with warmth and asked, 'Is Ted alright? Please tell me that he is ok.'
Hermione felt Harry's surprise at her ability to reach him from so far away. Then she felt his remorse and guilt as he replied, 'I'm sorry Hermione. Ted didn't make it. We are gathering everyone and coming back shortly. Could you please let everyone know what has happened?'
'Of course love. I'll see you when you get back.' Hermione said as she felt the lone tear spill over and start to travel down her cheek. Opening her eyes, she saw that Susan and her mum were watching her closely. Hermione found herself overwhelmed at the moment and could only shake her head. Right now she needed to be strong… she needed to be the leader she was meant to be. Looking to her mum, she said, "Can you gather everyone? They need to know what is going on and I would like for them to be ready for when the rest return." Turning her attention to Susan, she said, "I'll need your help getting changed and making it downstairs. Andy and Dora have been there for me, and I refuse to let them down in their hour of need." Seeing that her mum wanted to argue with her, she added, "I know what you are going to say, but I have to do this. Andy and Dora are family, and I know that Andy has quite literally saved both our lives. She stood by you while you were grieving for dad. This is the least we can do."
Emma sighed worryingly and replied, "I know sweetheart, but I can't help but worry about you. Before you try to say anything, I am your mother and will always worry about my little hummingbird. I do agree with your decision to be by Andy and Dora's side. Just do me one favor, please be careful and try not to push yourself. No matter what you may be thinking, you are still recovering, and no one would think any less. There is no need to rush. Take your time getting ready, and I will gather everyone." She walked over and wrapped Hermione up in her arms and kissed the top of her head.
Susan waited for Emma to leave before asking, "Are you sure about this? I saw what really happened when you reached out to Harry and have a fairly good idea just how much it really took out of you." She paused for a second to put one hand on her hip and point a finger at Hermione as she said, "Don't bother trying to play it down either. I saw the way your aura dulled, and it still hasn't recovered."
Hermione had the decency to bow her head slightly as she blushed. "I have to do this." Letting Susan help her up and maneuver around her rooms she asked, "How long have you been able to read aura's?"
Susan shrugged her shoulders and replied, "It started the moment I placed the Hufflepuff ring on my finger and became Lady Hufflepuff. I started reading Helga's journals and began to explore my healing powers while you were… asleep."
"You really never left my side did you?" Hermione asked as she was straightening her robes.
Susan silent for a few minutes while she examined Hermione with a critical eye. Once she was satisfied, she said, "You should call you Phoenix to take you downstairs. I would prefer if you tried to conserve your energy and strength. And just so you know, I slept in the chair the majority of the time. For some reason, I was the only person Harry could trust. Before you say anything else, I promised you both that I would be there and you two are the closest thing to siblings that I have. No matter what is thrown in our direction, we will always support one another. Now, let's get this show on the road."
~FoF~
Emma quickly made her way downstairs, gathering the others as she went. Before anyone knew what was happening, Luna and Neville joined Draco in the library. Augusta was organizing drinks for everyone with the elves before joining them. When Emma walked in, she found Draco pacing near the fireplace, and he asked, "Any word?"
Before they could reply, Hermione slowly made her way into the room with a great deal of assistance from Susan. Draco came bounding across the room and said, "You should be resting. I know your healers said that you aren't supposed to tax yourself. That being said, have you heard anything?"
Hermione couldn't help but sadly smile at his concern. With a nod of her head, she replied, "They should all be back soon, and we should have a few calming drafts close by." Draco saw her small stumble and quickly scooped her up to bring her over to the loveseat as she protested, "This is unnecessary Draco. I need to move around to gain back my strength."
Draco shook his head as he gently placed her down and said, "I know Mione, but I have a feeling that you are going to need to conserve your strength. Is there any possible way you could tell us what is going on? Mother and Andy rushed out of here before we could even blink."
As he turned to resume his pacing, Susan came up beside him and put a soft hand on his forearm to stop him in his tracks. Draco put his other hand on top of hers while returning his attention back to Hermione as she said, "There was an attack on Ted's office. The assailant blew up his office. Harry was at Gringotts when it happened." She dropped her head slightly before continuing, "Ted didn't make it. Amelia is heading the investigation, and the rest should be back at any moment."
Susan pulled a shocked Draco in for a hug as she tried to offer him her support. When she pulled back, she looked him in the eye and said, "Your family is going to need you Draco. They will need all of the support only you can give, and you need to know that we are all here to help with whatever they need."
Draco had to close his eyes for a moment as he tried to get the room to stop spinning. All he could do was bury his head in the crook of Susan's neck and breath deeply. Granted, he only recently reconnected with his Aunt and her family, the hurt was still unbelievable. His heart ached for the loss of his Uncle, but more so for his Aunt and Cousin. "Is that why you came downstairs?"
Hermione softened her features as she replied, "Andy has done so much to help us, it is the very least I can do. She, just like you, will most likely be family one day."
As Draco went to pull away from Susan, the bells chimed to alert them that someone was arriving. With that sound, Emma swiftly swept out of the room to greet the others, knowing exactly what Andy was going through, and determined to be by her side not only in an attempt to pay back her surmountable debt but also for the close friendship they have reformed.
Just as she walked into the other room, a crack tore through the silence mere seconds before Andromeda appeared, wrapped tightly in her sister's arms. Rushing to their side, she said, "Oh Andy, I am so sorry. If you need anything, you only need to ask. I also want you to stay with us, you shouldn't be alone, and Dora is more than welcome to join us."
Andy did her best to stay upright as she felt herself being wrapped up tightly in Emma's bear hug. After a few minutes, she made her way towards the others, in complete shock and unable to process everything. However, that all changed the moment she saw Hermione walking towards her. When Hermione was only a few steps away, Andy crumpled to the ground, just to be surrounded by Hermione's arms. The two developed a close relationship while Andy was caring for her. In between the sobs, she said, "You shouldn't be out of bed."
Hermione softly chucked as she replied, "I remember being told that I am allowed to move around. Don't you worry about me, what can I do for you? You know that Harry and I will do anything you ask." Hermione looked around the room, and when her eyes landed on Narcissa she asked, "Where is Harry?"
~Small jump back in time~
In a hidden alley-
Albus stood in the shadows as he watched the billowing smoke floating towards the sky. He was waiting for confirmation that his plan for destruction had succeeded. This was just the first step of his master plan of bringing Harry back to heel. Since his original plan to merely destroy the boy and claim the Longbottom Heir was actually the chosen one had gone up in smoke since the boy's Grandmother wouldn't allow him to access their ancestral home. Muttering a curse once more as he felt his anger rise at another mission failing, all he knew was that the Mudblood was undoubtedly the cause of all his suffering.
Hearing the soft footsteps coming from behind him, he made no move to acknowledge the fact that his informant was coming close. However, before the person in question could utter a single word, he said, "No need to say anything. I see the Metamorph's despair from here." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the man. Waiting for his signal, he saw the young Lord in question making his way through the thick crowd. Slightly shocked at the massive amount of space the other members of the wizarding community were giving him, he went to make his move when he saw that this was because the boy encircled by a horde of Goblins. Taking a closer look, he saw that they were members of the Director's personal guard.
Battering away random beetle, he didn't dare make his move to capture the Boy Who Lived. Instead, he decided to gather more evidence of the changes the little chit has gone through. Muttering to himself about partially foiled plans, he saw that Fudge was keeping his word and attempting to stop the DMLE from investigating. As he continued to watch, he never realized that the beetle somehow attached to his hair. As he began to chuckle at the stupidity of Fudge, the twinkle in his eye quickly turned to one of fury as he watched Fudge systematically be picked apart by a mere fourteen-year-old boy.
Deciding that there was nothing left for him to see, the last thing he heard was Harry's booming voice say something about the Wizengamont meeting that was scheduled to take place in a few days and having Sirius Black standing before them for his trial. When he went to apparate away, he was so distracted from the gleam in the Head of the DMLE's eye, that he ended up leaving behind a small portion of his beard, but not the beetle that made herself at home amongst the top of his head.
The Burrow-
Arthur Weasley had just arrived home and was slowly making his way towards the house as he tried to stop his mind from spinning in every direction from all that he has learned within the last few hours. His children's education was taken care of, his daughter was being seen to by the best Goblin Healers available, and all of this was because of Harry Potter. After all his wife has done to him, he still helps them. Everything his family had was mainly owned by the Potter Family. As he tried to push through the kitchen door, he found that he couldn't open it and thought, 'That's odd, Molly should be home.'
After a few seconds, the door handle gave way, and as it cracked open, he heard Molly say, "What do you mean that Harry managed to get Sirius Black a trial? What does this have to do with Amelia Bones and us? I thought you had taken care of her and Cornelius! What good is paying the man if he doesn't keep his end of the bargain?"
"If you had kept your mouth shut, I wouldn't have to clean up your mess. All you had to do is brew the potions and ensure that the Half-blooded bastard and Mudblood ingested them." Albus sneered. Arthur tried to stop the door but suddenly found himself under the Imperius Curse. Albus made him walk in while he said, "It seems I must tie up yet another loose end of yours. For your sake, I hope his affairs are in order."
3/25/18
A/n 2: Don't hate me! Arthur has only been placed under the Imperius Curse at the moment. As for what happens to him, only time will tell.
I wanted you all to have a little something while I continue to work on this baby, and hope you enjoy your little present.
Chapter 34
"Normal Conversations"
Thoughts
'Mental conversations'
Longbottom Manor-
Emma, Narcissa, and Hermione finally convinced Andromeda to take a calming draught and was resting in one of the guest bedrooms. Remus held Dora close as they were seated by the fire in the same room since Dora didn't want to let her mum out of her sight. With Neville and Luna exploring the Greenhouse, Draco sat alone in the informal parlor staring into space and enveloped in silence.
This is where Susan found him an hour later. Something ached deep from within her when she saw him. When she was close enough, she softly touched his shoulder and asked, "How are you holding up?"
Without even realizing it, Draco gently placed his hand atop hers as he continued to stare off into space as he contemplated the question. His father had taught him that it was weak to show emotions, and he found himself battling his way through all the confusion, unsure how to answer. Taking a deep breath, he finally replied, "I find myself struggling at the moment. I never had the chance to get to know my Uncle, but have grown close with my Aunt and Cousin. My father drilled into me to never show emotions, that they were a sign of weakness. All my life I have tried to emulate him and worried that I was a disappointment. What do I do now? How can I be the head of the Malfoy Family with no backbone and no clue of who I truly am?"
Susan moved to face him and put both of her hands on his knees to steady herself as she crouched in front of him and looked him in the eye as she replied, "Despite your father's influence, you are an amazing young Lord who is trying to put his family first. The fact that you are trying to figure everything out, your true self is already beginning to show. You will always do what is right, and since you are a Malfoy and a Slytherin, you will always come out on top and get the better end of the deal. You are already doing everything you can for Andy and Dora, by simply being there for them. You're supporting your mother and her new Paramore as well. All that is left is for you to take care of yourself. You wouldn't want to drive yourself into the ground with the weight of the world on your shoulders like Harry and Hermione now would you?"
This caused Draco to smile since he knew exactly what she meant. With a shake of his head, he asked, "Why are you so nice to me? You deserve someone better than I could ever be. I was horrible to you while we were at Hogwarts, and I find myself shocked at how you have helped me. You truly have helped in so many ways, and have yet to leave my side. I keep waiting for you to realize how much of a terrible person I am, and for you to tell me that you will never see me as anything other than broken."
Susan had started off smiling, but then it morphed into a frown. Once Draco finished his rant, she said, "First off, you are not a horrible person. Honestly, I find it sweet how you care for others, especially your mother. And if we are being honest with each other, the more I get to know you, the more attractive I find you. Before you attempt to argue with me and try to talk your way around it, I heard what you said to Neville the other night… and you're wrong. You deserve to be happy, and you are the one I want to be with. I have no wish to be with anyone else. What I truly want is to be able to explore the feelings we share." Seeing that Draco was ready to protest, Susan quickly continued, "Let's start slow. You deserve to be happy, and don't you dare tell me that I deserve someone better. You, Draco Malfoy, are the one I want to get to know, the one I want to attempt to be in a relationship with. If you want to be a better wizard, then be a better wizard. All I ask is that you let me share this experience with you, including all the ups and downs."
Draco was in awe as he witnessed Susan's fiery display of emotions as she exploded, her fierce emotions matching her fiery red hair. Not sure how he was going to get her to stop, he decided to pull her in for a kiss. When he pulled back, he saw that her eyes were slightly glazed over and chuckled, "Then we shall give it a try. Since that is decided, what next?"
Her smile seemed to light up her eyes and caused her heart to skip a beat. "That was easier than I thought it would be." Cupping the side of his face, Susan replied, "We start by being there for Andy and Dora. After that, we'll figure it out."
Lord's study at Longbottom Manor-
Hermione was hunched over an ancient oak desk as she poured over the financial reports for Hogwarts. Now and then she would snort at the fictional report, all while her quill continued its constant scratching. Augusta had come in earlier to check on her and to see if she had any questions. Reaching the end of the page, she rubbed tiredly at her eyes and stretched her arms up to the sky as she tried to stretch away some of the tension in her lower back, unaccustomed to the strain of being hunched over for so long.
Standing in the doorway, Harry watched every move she made, ensuring he kept their bond closed. The moment she closed her eyes, he slowly opened their link and said, "I hope you haven't been looking those reports over all day. I know your healers said that it was okay for you to move around, but I do hope you've managed to get at least some rest."
Giving her soul mate a tired smile, she lazily opened her eyes. Grateful for the moment of peace with her beloved, Hermione said, "Hey you, how did everything go at Gringotts? And just so you know, I have not overdone it, and did get some rest earlier."
While Hermione was speaking, Harry quickly shed his formal robes as he walked to her side. The moment she stopped, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his head in her recently tamed curls. Inhaling deeply, he was immediately rewarded with the scent of warm vanilla and old parchment. As he was pulling back, he gave her a chaste kiss before settling her back in the chair and replied, "Everything went as well as it could. I hope you don't mind, but I told Ragnok to charge Ginny's medical care to our vaults. As for the meeting with Bill and Arthur, we managed to come to a compromise. House Potter will be responsible for Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron's expenses for the upcoming school year. I also had him sign a contract agreeing to just that with a clause that states that I reserve the right to pull this funding if any of them cause any trouble, and/or fail to pass their classes with at least an acceptable."
Hermione knew that there was more to it, and quickly urged him as she shuffled to the edge of her seat. "Bbbuuuttt…"
Seeing Hermione surrounded by so many ancient tomes and parchment, eager for new information made Harry's eyes dance with mischief as he felt her desires rage through their bond. His eyes then sparked with a hidden fire and did his best to keep the lust at bay as he huskily replied, "Originally, I had intended to make the Weasley Family pay back every Knut if Ronald causes too many problems and reminded the Head of the Weasley of their Vassalage to House Potter after all. Then Arthur pointed out that due to Molly's carelessness, not only is their vault empty, but he will also be losing his next few months of pay to settle the rest of the debt. He looks like he aged another thirty years due to everything that has happened, and I honestly feel terrible for him. So I decided that any payment House Potter makes for the upcoming year will be a gift. If certain members of House Weasley cause any disturbances, then the funding for said individual will cease after the year. Despite the trouble with two of its members, the rest still feel we are family. Now, how do the financial reports look? Ragnok thought they would be… amusing, and said that if you or Susan have any questions, just to owl him."
"Oh, they are something else alright, but this is not the correct report," Hermione replied. Forcing herself to tear her eyes away from the scrumptious sight before her. She shuffled several parchments and continued, "Most of this is fiction at best. The more I analyze, the more questions I have. Did you know that the only DADA Professor to receive their full pay was Remus Lupin? Even then, his salary was significantly lower than it should have been. At first glance, everything is as it should be. It's only when you look deeper and use some common sense do you realize that all is not as it appears."
"Tell me, how is it possible for a ghost to spend gold? Professor Binns is still receiving a salary, but where does it go? It looks as if the Headmaster has been skimming from the top, and has deliberately cut back on essential expenses. The school has been underfunded for quite some time. It would also appear that your trust vault has been supplementing Hogwarts and the Headmaster. He has been the only staff member to receive a steady increase in salary. Also, did you know that he changed the student tuition? No, let me correct myself, he has been charging Muggleborns more and more for their education while having the Purebloods barely pay for anything at all. We need to fix this Harry. It looks as if Dumbledore has been purposely running the school into the ground, and the student's education is suffering greatly, thus turning sub-par alumni out into the world."
Harry's had started spinning as Hermione's mind began to race in a million different directions. Putting a finger under her chin, he gently but firmly forced her to look into his eyes as he said, "We will do something about it, I promise you. But all of that can wait for now since we are supposed to be heading back to the Surrey house and have to prepare for our debutant ball and the Wizengamot meeting. I also managed to get Sirius his trial after backing Fudge into a corner."
Squealing with delight at the prospect of Sirius being free, Hermione propelled herself into Harry's awaiting arms. "That's wonderful! How did you manage that?"
Seeing Hermione fight back a yawn despite her excitement, Harry replied, "You're tired. Let's take a nap and I'll tell you all about it while we are in bed."
Noticing that the twinkle was back in his eyes, Hermione's voice turned husky as she asked, "How much sleeping do you actually purpose?" Finding herself suddenly swept up into her beloved's arms, she squealed, "Harry! Put me down! I can walk you know!"
Harry laughed at her as he tightened his grip on her hip and in a husky tone replied, "Maybe I just wanted to keep you close."
Time skip- only a few hours-
After a round of passionate lovemaking, Harry carefully crawled out of bed so as not to disturb a slumbering Hermione. He managed to use the loo and make it back into the bedroom without waking her. When he was getting dressed, she began to toss slightly and made him freeze with one leg frozen mid-air as he was putting on his trousers. Thankfully, he was only stuck in such an odd position for only a minute.
Once she had settled with a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, it only took him a few more minutes to finish getting dressed. He raked his gaze over her sleeping form once more, and before he left conjured a single red rose that he left on the pillow beside her. Silently stalking out of their rooms, he made his way toward Emma and Narcissa's suite, wanting to check on Andy and Dora. He decided that he would grill Remus on his intentions towards his close friend later. Right now he wanted to be the rock the Tonks women needed and deserved as they worked through everything. After a gentle knock on the door, he waited patiently for someone to answer, allowing his mind to wander. Unfortunately, his thoughts turned to wondering if Ted would still be with them if he hadn't claimed his birthright.
Harry was so absorbed with his thoughts, that he jumped slightly when Emma startled him as she said, "You don't know that Harry. Accidents happen every day, and none of this is your fault." Seeing his gapping expression, she added, "My daughter isn't the only one who can easily read you, Harry. After all, she had to get her brains from somewhere."
He let Emma wrap him up in a tight embrace and did his best not to flinch, which was quickly becoming the Granger Special. When he pulled back, he took a second to look over her shoulder and found Narcissa sitting with Andy, and that Dora was wrapped up in Remus's arms. Harry sighed heavily and said, "I never could get anything past Hermione, and I don't even know why I thought I could get by you as well. I just wanted to see how Andy and Dora were doing."
Emma stepped aside and opened the door a little more so that he could freely enter the suite. As they were walking towards the others, Emma asked, "How is Hermione feeling? I do hope she wasn't hunched over that desk for too long. I believe she was looking over the financials for Hogwarts."
"I'm sure she would still be sitting there if I hadn't interrupted her. I did manage to get her to take a break, and left her sleeping." Harry replied with a slight tilt of his head as he attempted to hide the slight blush that was slowly creeping up. Remus was the first to look up thanks to his enhanced hearing and began to pull away from Dora, only to be stopped by three separate glares- Emma's, Narcissa's, and his own. Taking a seat next to Andromeda, Harry put his arm around her shoulders. Making sure his tone was as gentle as possible asked, "How are you Andy? Can I get you anything? Do you need me to take care of anything for you?"
Andy's shoulders shook and her eyes were filled with unshed tears as she tried to ask, "How is Hermione feeling?"
Warmly chuckling, "She is taking a nap. You should know that that alone is a miracle. She was in the process of reviewing Hogwarts financials."
"Excuse me, but unlike someone else I know, I have been following the healer's orders." Hermione stated as she slowly made her way into the room. Sopping to hug her mum, she sent a smile to Narcissa who ended up pulling Emma into her lap. "Augusta wasn't sure if you were up to it, but tea is being served in the library. How about we all head down and join the others? I think we are going to be heading back to Surrey in a bit, and I certainly hope that you'll be joining us. No, you won't be a burden, and you are always welcome. The same goes for Dora, and I hope she knows that as well."
Despite being old enough to be Harry's mother, Andy found herself wrapped in a warm cocoon of safety. She clung to him as she felt her mind shatter at the loss of her husband. She completely uprooted her life to be with the love of her life. Yes, she was placing her complete trust in the muggleborn Hufflepuff, and giving up everything she ever knew. And she truly felt blessed to have found Ted while they were at school together, and then Nymphadora was born.
After what seemed like a lifetime, her younger sister was back in her life, and she was able to reconnect with some of her old friends The only thing that was missing was her heart, her beloved, her best friend. Besides feeling the giant hole in her heavy heart, the wound was far too new, and all she could say at this point was that she felt numb. So much so, that she let Harry help her to her feet without even realizing that he was also guiding her towards the door with Hermione on her other side. Once they had stepped into the hallway, she had finally managed to find her voice and croaked, "I need to plan a memorial."
"All of us will help Andy. You do not have to do this by yourself, this is why we are here. No matter what you think, you and Dora aren't alone… you will never be alone." Hermione warmly replied as she gave Andy's hand a gentle squeeze and sent a comforting gaze to Dora who was still in Remus's arms. Eventually, they made it to the library, they were greeted by Susan and Draco. Seeing the two holding hands, Hermione arched her brow and silently said, "Oh, we are so having a chat later."
Susan smiled back and gave her a small nod before she turned her gaze towards Andy and her aura. She easily saw that the Healer's colors were dull, and how heavy her heart was, but this wasn't all that surprising. Bring Andy in for a giant bear hug, Susan managed to pass on some calming vibes. Noticing the surprise on Andy's face, she said, "One of my gifts that was recently awakened. When things seem to settle, I had hoped you wouldn't mind training me." Susan knew she could ask Madam Pomfrey, but she was hoping that this would give Andy a chance to focus on something else and keep her distracted.
"Are you sure… I'm not sure I'll be much company, let alone be able to teach." Andy's reply was a half-hearted attempt to dissuade the young witch. Instead, she allowed Susan to pull her over to Emma and Narcissa. Despite being in Hufflepuff, Susan let slip about needing training while with the three and had a good feeling that it was not only a good idea for Andromeda, but also for Emma.
Meanwhile, Draco had gone over to speak with Neville and Luna while Hermione and Harry went over to Augusta. Once everyone had a cup of tea in hand, Augusta said, "I hope you all know that you are more than welcome to stay for as long as you need to. Are you still planning on heading back to the Surrey house in a bit?"
Taking a tentative sip of his tea, Harry placed it softly on the table that was beside him and gave her his full attention as he replied, "We have already monopolized your home and time, and couldn't possibly impose on you for much longer. Besides, Narcissa needs to oversee everything for the ball anyway, and the only way to do that is by being there. We haven't decided where we will be heading afterward, but I want you and Neville to know that you are both welcome wherever we may end up."
Seeing her opportunity to join the conversation, waited for Harry to take a sip of his discarded tea before asking, "How are the plans for Sirius's trial coming along? I'm not sure if you know, but Harry Managed to back Fudge into a corner, and his trial will take place during the first Wizengamot meeting. I do have another question for you though. Do you still sit on the Board of Governors for Hogwarts? Are you able to discuss who the other members are?"
Augusta smiled warmly at the young witch. It was nice to see that she was recovering quite well. "As for the first question, everything should be all set, I just wished Ted was still with us. Thankfully he had duplicated everything and only had a few files with him at his office. As for the board, I do still have a place, as well as Amelia, and I'm sure we could convince Narcissa to take the Black Family seat. Six other families comprise the rest of the board. They are Fawley, Burke, Sewlyn, Travers, Wilkes, and McDougal. And as for your unasked questions, the seats are passed down from family member to family member."
Hermione chewed on her lip as she gathered her thoughts. "Does the Headmaster and/or Deputy put together the budget for approval? While I reviewing the records, I noticed several discrepancies and was wondering if anyone reviews the parchment before putting it to a vote."
"That would require common sense my idea," Augusta replied with a hearty laugh. "You also need to remember that Lucius was the head of the board. With his departure, no one stepped up to review them, and I have a very distinct feeling that Dumbledore did something to discourage anyone from reviewing them too closely." A predatory gleam filled her eyes as she leaned forward and asked, "What have you found? It may be just enough to finally get the old coot not only banned from future meetings but potentially removed from his position as Headmaster."
"Once we publicly claim that we are the Heirs to the Founders, the board will be obsolete," Harry interjected as he watched Andy out of the corner of his eye. Then a thought struck him and he asked Hermione, 'How do you feel about asking Augusta to be one of our advisors? We do need to finish picking the rest of our council. The only person I asked without discussing it with you first was Ragnok. I hope you don't mind.'
'I think that's a great idea. We could eventually ask her to spearhead Education reforms. We both know that Ragnok is better situated to handle our finances.' Hermione replied as she smiled at him.
Augusta eyed the pair warily and said, "You plan to disband the board? That would leave the Headmaster with free rein to do as he pleases."
"The Headmaster will have no say over Hogwarts. Since the Founder's Heirs will be coming forward, we not only will have complete control over the Hogwarts and her grounds, but also Hogsmeade." Harry replied with a playful smirk that was eerily reminiscent of his father.
Grimmauld Place-
Sirius Black and Bill Weasley crept through the Black ancestral home as carefully and cautiously as possible. Sirius's instincts were screaming at him to run. Taking a second to look over his shoulder and ensure that Bill was okay, he heard a crack from in front of him. It took only a second for their wands to be trained on the demented house elf. Due to his previous experience with this particular house elf, the tip of Sirius's wand glowed as the elf muttered, "Blood traitor has returned to the Noble House of Black… Oh, what would my mistress say to Kreacher for allowing this stain to step foot in this home."
Keeping his wand on the elf, Sirius sneered, "Enough of your vial Kreacher! You will not address the Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black as so. Where is the locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin? I know it's here."
Kreacher still maintained his crazed look as he spat, "Kreacher knows not what you speak of. Master Regulus never mentioned the Blood Traitor…"
"As Lord Black and the Head of this family, I order you to tell me the truth! Give me the locket so that it can be destroyed."
Instantly Kreacher's body language shifted from defiant to confusion as he replied, "You can destroy such an abomination? Kreacher has failed the Great Master Regulus, and asks for his head to be mounted on the wall with the others."
Bill remained silent, knowing that the Blacks were notorious for being a bit unhinged. He kept a close eye on the two as Sirius replied, "I will do no such thing to you. Lord Potter will see to the locket's destruction. As for you, Once I am free, I will need an elf who will help me to rebuild the glory that is due to House Black."
The house elf continued to eye the intruders closely before moving to the parlor. Not uttering a sound, the elf reached into the China Cabinet and pulled out the locket in question. As he was handing it out he asked, "You finish Master Regulus's work? He died defying the Dark Lord. Master Reels was the last great Black."
Choosing to ignore the dig, Sirius replied, "I will. I order you to clean this house from top to bottom while we see to this. When it is finished, I want to know all of the things my brother did." Sirius couldn't believe he felt pity for such a vial creature. Seeing that Bill had the locket secured, he said, "With that at least taken care of, was there anything else you needed to see to? I have a very bad feeling that the old Coot is up to no good. Any way I could convince you and your team to show me your plans?"
Knowing that Sirius was simply concerned with his Godson's safety, Bill replied, "Let's head to Gringotts first, and then we can go over what we put together. But, if you feel like something needs to change, we have to wait for Tonks and Lupin. I don't want to bother them if we don't have to." With Sirius quickly agreeing to his terms, the duo set about leaving. Just as they were about to head out of the front door, Bill was suddenly struck with a feeling of doubt. Instead of voicing his concerns, he said, "Why don't you head back to the manor to check in with Harry and Hermione while I take this to the bank? I can join you after I give this to the Goblins." What he didn't say was that he would be stopping by the Burrow to check on his family. For some reason, his gut was telling him that something was afoot.
The Burrow-
Despite the early hour, the first thing Bill felt as he crossed the boundary to his childhood home was how heavy and thick the air felt. He felt the dread with each step he took. The eerie silence caused the tension to reach a breaking point as he surveyed the odd-looking home before him. Smoke bellowed out of the chimney like clockwork, and the hay field he was standing in held a warm gentle breeze that caused the tall immature hay to sway. Unsure why the dread was acting like a rock that settled in his stomach, he silently moved closer with his wand at the ready. Ensuring he remained undetected, he cast several charms that not only ensured his silence but also checked the wards.
It would appear that his mother decided to cast her own wards that would alert her to an arrival. There also appeared to be some type of ward that contained a compulsion and deterrent, but he had no clue as to who they were keyed to. As he tried to decide his next move, he cast a revilo charm and was shocked to find three magical signatures. One belonged to his mother, another to his father- which was weird considering the time of day, and the last magical signature was masked.
"Shite…" Bill muttered as he seemed to have been frozen in place, disturbed by his findings. Suddenly the door flew open, causing Bill to crouch and make himself as small as possible. He may not have been close enough to see who stepped outside, but their robes spoke volumes. Worrying about his family would've to come later, he had to get back to the bank and speak with Ragnok as soon as possible. If something happened to his father, he needed to make sure that whoever the attacker was did not force him to change his father's wishes. What Bill didn't know was that the Dastardly Duo believed that Arthur was still under their thumb, and not the Head of House who already declared his heir.