Time Bubble – 8th July 1995
Sirius was talking.
Harry shifted in the bed and frowned at the murmur of voices coming through the open bedroom door. They'd been given their old cabin back once Harry's physical injuries had healed enough for him not to need the immediate care of the clinic. He had physio, check-ups and mind healing sessions scheduled but they didn't mean he and Sirius couldn't live in their own space.
It was almost nostalgic coming back to the cabin. It was familiar and Harry automatically associated it with Sirius. He snuggled further into the bed and let himself drift.
"…and I'm impressed at your own commitment to your health."
It was Noshi talking with Sirius.
Harry frowned a touch. Had Sirius been badly injured? He'd been close to the bomb explosion but Harry was certain that he had contained that. But then Sirius had been in a fight for his life with Crouch for long minutes before Harry's showdown with Voldemort. And Crouch had been a sadistic bastard.
Concerned, he started listening intently.
"…it's important that I'm healthy for Harry." Sirius said.
It was the end of a sentence but Harry knew it summed everything up; Sirius was going to heal so he could be there for Harry. Not that Sirius hadn't been there already. His father had barely moved from his side for the past two weeks. Which explained why Sirius was having a consult with Noshi in their cabin with Harry only a few feet away in bed.
"Physically, you simply need rest. Your wrist has healed well." Noshi advised. "You are doing the physio with Harry?"
"Yes, every day." Sirius confirmed.
"Your scan shows you are following the nutrition plan." Noshi commented.
Sirius gave some kind of positive noise which Harry could barely hear. "It encourages Harry."
Harry frowned. That explained why Sirius had actually eaten the grilled banana thing the other night. Sirius wasn't against bananas but as a side-vegetable…he had made a disgusted face but had soldiered on anyway and now Harry knew why. Harry really didn't have much of an appetite and wasn't all that bothered about eating but Sirius insisted they be together for meals and Harry couldn't bear the disappointed look Sirius would aim his way if he didn't eat at least half of his meal. He hadn't insisted Harry eat the banana things.
"…concerned you're not getting the time you need with the mind healer." Noshi's voice travelled low into the bedroom.
"I talk with you." Sirius replied.
"I am not a mind healer." Noshi reminded him.
"No, but it's the talking that's the point, isn't it?" asked Sirius.
Talking which Harry still didn't want to do.
"Then I am at your disposal, my friend." Noshi said warmly. And Harry loved him for that; for just being there for Sirius.
"Harry's my biggest concern right now but you know that." Sirius said matter-of-factly. "But I know I need to deal with my own…baggage so I can be there for him."
Harry felt his eyes sting at the reminder of just how much Sirius loved him.
"Where would you like to start?" asked Noshi.
"That's the question, isn't it?" Sirius murmured lowly. "Because it's not just what happened on the solstice eve." He sighed heavily – loud enough that Harry could hear it. "This whole year has been both the best and worst of my entire life in some ways."
Noshi made some kind of humming noise.
"I loved James and Lily and I'll always treasure my memories of them; there are a lot of very good, very special memories. But being Harry's father…it's the very best thing I've ever done." Sirius continued. "I didn't have the best childhood. My father and mother…they were examples of how not to be parents and there are days when I think I'm getting it horribly wrong but it's still…seeing him grow and learn and flourish…it's incredible and I wouldn't want to give it up. And I don't care if it was…if Death sent me to him or if it was Fate or…anything like that. I just love him and he's…he's my world."
Harry felt a tear trickle from his eye and he brushed it away.
"I feel guilty sometimes that James doesn't get to be here, that my choices and suggestions even led to him not being here, but…but he's forgiven me for that part and I know I'm doing what James asked me to do; to take care of his son and for every time I feel guilty I try to remember that." Sirius said. "I spent a lot of years where I didn't fulfil my promise because I was an idiot but I made things right and I think I can be proud of that."
"So this is why this has been the best year." Noshi said. "But you also said it was the worst."
"Losing James and Lily was awful but…is there anything more terrifying as a parent than your child being in danger?" asked Sirius after a long pause when Harry wondered idly if Sirius would ever answer.
"I do not believe so." Noshi replied.
"All year…" Sirius stopped, his voice thick with emotion. "Riddle was…the prophecy was one thing. It was terrifying on its own because Riddle targeted Harry because of it and Harry wouldn't ever be safe from him until it was resolved one way or another. And finding that out…realising that…it was heart-breaking."
He sounded so tired, Harry mused.
"I tried everything I could all year so he wouldn't have to face him and it wasn't enough. In the end…Harry still ended up having to kill the bastard." Sirius made a sharp sound – somewhere between a yelp and a bark. "I hate that I couldn't save him from that."
"You hold a lot of rage about this." Noshi commented.
Harry frowned.
"Not so much with the holding, and more with the rage." Sirius responded brusquely. "I'm furious. I want to dig up Ignotus and punch his face for putting himself in the position where Death could exploit him. I'm angry at Death because he dealt with Riddle using an innocent boy. I hate that someone made a prophecy about it all and someone overheard it and Riddle decided to act on it. I could throttle Albus for all the years he just sat on his dumb arse waiting for Harry to act when he could have been doing something. I'm so angry that even with all we did to help, Harry still had to face the bastard."
Wow.
Harry had never heard that amount of anger in Sirius's voice before.
"But I know my being angry doesn't change anything." Sirius said finally. "Harry was in danger and it was terrifying but…I know we might not have been able to stop it from happening but I made sure he had everything he needed at the end to survive it. And he did. And that's what I have to focus on; that he's alive and Riddle is dead."
"Riddle wasn't the only threat." Noshi commented. "He is not the reason Harry is here."
"No," Sirius's voice was rough, "that's on me."
That was…that wasn't right.
It wasn't Sirius's fault.
"You blame yourself." Noshi said softly.
There was a long silence and Harry waited anxiously, torn between wanting to hear Sirius's reply and wanting to run into the room and hug Sirius, tell him it wasn't his fault.
"I was eleven when I first met Rabastan Lestrange. He came to the Estate for the Summer, he and his brother, because they'd petitioned to be part of the House and Grandfather wanted to assess the family." Sirius said tersely. "He was actually a nice kid in a way that his brother wasn't; quiet, intellectual. He liked the piano. He'd read to Regulus and he'd help Narcissa pick flowers for her mother." He paused. "And I killed him."
"Because he was a Death Eater." Noshi pointed out.
"Because I wanted him dead." Sirius contradicted. "The Lestranges were Riddle's best Death Eaters. They were brilliant, powerful and the reason why Riddle was able to make the headway he did. They were fervent in their beliefs, in their devotion to Riddle. If they'd lived, they would have been a threat. More of a threat than Crouch on his own and he was…he was their legacy."
Harry listened as though he was spellbound; he'd never heard Sirius talk about the Lestranges in such a way before.
"They would have hunted Harry." Sirius continued. "And I couldn't let them have that opportunity. The family magic…calling Judgement on them gave me a politically correct way of killing them, of taking them out of the picture early. I don't regret it. After what they did to Frank and Alice, it was a better death than they deserved."
"But?" prompted Noshi.
"But it made Crouch target Harry because he wanted revenge on me." Sirius concluded. "I'm not saying Crouch wouldn't have targeted Harry anyway – he fell in with Riddle easily enough, and was happy to do his dirty work but…if Rabastan had already been dead by someone else's hand when Crouch was liberated from his father's basement, do I think he would have come after Harry so fiercely? No." There was another heavy sigh. "That was to get to me."
"And he succeeded." Noshi said quietly.
Harry wanted to deny that, wanted Sirius to deny it…
"Yes." Sirius said making Harry's heart hurt with the plain simplicity of it. "Because there's nothing more terrifying than watching your child in danger and Crouch knew that."
"You've been tortured for an entire year." Noshi summarised.
"That's one way of putting it." Sirius allowed. "But it's over and in the end Crouch lost. Harry's alive; I'm alive. And maybe we survived because we had a lot of luck with the way things played out despite Crouch's best efforts to burn the world down, but…Crouch is dead, and we're not so I'm going to count it as a win."
It was a practical way of looking at it, Harry mused. He wasn't sure he could be that sangfroid about it because if Sirius had been tortured by Crouch using Harry, Harry had been tortured too knowing he was Crouch's way to hurt Sirius.
But wasn't Sirius right?
Did it really matter how much hurt Crouch had inflicted on both of them? How much hurt Riddle had inflicted.
They had survived it.
They were alive.
And maybe that was all that mattered.
He snuggled into the warmth of his covers and between one breath and the next fell asleep again, the sound of voices fading into nothingness.
o-O-o
28th June 1995
Minerva wasn't surprised she was the last to arrive in Remus's office. She had spent the morning at Hogwarts overseeing what seemed like two hundred things before she had been able to make her way to the hastily called War Council at the Black Estate.
It would have helped if they'd held the meeting first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening, Minerva thought grumpily. She was staying at the Estate after all. She had moved herself and her remaining staff there the day before on the advice of the healers. It had been a relief.
Hogwarts was in disrepair and quite frankly the dragon in Albus's – in her office was enough to freak anyone out.
She allowed Remus to show her to a chair and ply her with a strong cup of tea – Merlin knew she needed one, and only wished it could be a shot of whiskey.
She glanced around the room, acknowledging the other attendees with a firm nod; Amelia, Cornelius, Bertie, Augusta and a very grumpy looking Moody.
"Thank you all for coming," Remus said, his soft tone commanding the room instantly, "I realise we're all very busy but we have news of Sirius and Harry and I wanted to make sure you all received it. Furthermore, we've had no official debriefing since the battle and the Minister has agreed we should not wait any longer."
"Shall we begin with the news from Lord Black?" Amelia asked before anyone else could say a word.
Remus nodded. He picked up a parchment from the mantle and cleared his throat. "Sirius writes, 'Harry woke from his healing coma last night.'"
Minerva felt the rush of relief so keenly she briefly closed her eyes.
"'Physically the healers are assured he will recover. But I can't say I'm not concerned. He's quiet and withdrawn. He waged a war that would take its toll on any seasoned fighter and there is a lot for him to come to terms with; his actions, the actions of others; grief and betrayal; hope and sacrifice. We may need some time at the Valley.'" Remus continued, his own tone shaking with emotion. "Of course, thanks to the time bubble we'll be home on the first of July. I need you to ensure Harry returns to a world in control and normal, if still with the final threads to weave on dealing with the aftermath. He needs a solid ground underneath him and I need you and the others to make sure he gets it."
Minerva found herself nodding and realised she wasn't the only one.
"'Give our thanks to all. There are no words which could adequately express the gratitude that we have for those who fought beside us, whether that was through wands, words or prayer. We are honoured by the sacrifices of all. Take care of each other; we'll be home soon.'" Remus concluded and lay the parchment back down.
"Well said." Cornelius said a touch pompously, raising his cup in silent salute.
They all followed his example; a toast to Sirius's words of thanks, to the news of Harry's recovery.
"I think I'm not the only one who thinks it's best they're not here right now." Amelia said, setting her cup down with a decisive click. "If they need a stable ground…we've a lot of work to do."
Cornelius nodded gravely. "Perhaps we should take one item at a time starting with the debrief and then moving onto what needs to be done now. Amelia, you were at the cemetery."
"Peter Pettigrew has been able to fill in some of the missing gaps for us. To give Snape credit he was able to activate the mirror soon after Harry arrived there but we don't really have a good picture of what happened without Pettigrew's testimony." Amelia began, rising and wandering over to the mantle to take centre stage.
Minerva glanced at Remus and wasn't surprised to find him scowling at the mention of the former Marauder.
The tale Amelia weaved seemed like a horror story; torture, a sickening ritual and at the end the call for the Death Eaters.
"Pettigrew has verified in his statement that the Ancient and Noble Houses held to the détente with the House of Black – and that's certainly what the evidence suggest and what those of us who listened heard." Amelia grimaced. "Nott died for his defiance; Selwyn was tortured; Malfoy was almost killed." She gestured. "Harry revealed himself to save Malfoy and Snape finally spoke the secret to bring in the cavalry. Snape was immediately attacked by the snake."
"What is his condition?" Cornelius asked.
Amelia looked over to Minerva.
"He was given an antidote to the snake venom but remains unconscious." Minerva reported crisply. "The healers now believe he will recover although that wasn't certain two days ago."
"Once we arrived at the cemetery, we engaged with the Death Eaters who were still under Riddle's banner." Amelia said tightly. "We lost Keith Brooks and Darren Chambers. Chambers was killed by George Goyle; Brooks by a Darius Stimpson. Stimpson was an auror in the last war; he retired ten years and he was never identified as a Death Eater until now. Eight others in the cemetery fall into the same category. We're doing veritaserum interrogations to ensure they tell us of any other named associates we can track down."
Moody snorted at the back of the room.
"At some point," Amelia continued, "we were all transported to Hogwarts. We have eye-witness testimony of Harry performing such a spell but don't know why."
"I'd say because Crouch yanked Black back to Hogwarts with the cup portkey." Moody said. "They arrived before you lot."
"Well, as that concludes the cemetery." Amelia said dryly. "Perhaps we should examine what happened at Hogwarts?" She looked at the former auror with a raised eyebrow.
Moody gave a huff and motioned for Amelia to resume her seat. He ambled to her previous position by the mantle. "Let's start with the successes."
Minerva sat forward, intent on listening.
"The evacuation worked like a charm. The drills worked. All non-combatants were off Hogwarts' grounds within twenty minutes of the alarm being sounded with the exception of one small group of students who were in the school." Moody said gruffly. "The infirmary was locked down and remained locked down; it wasn't breeched during the battle."
Minerva nodded. It was a blessing that it was intact but it was almost the only part of Hogwarts un-ravaged by the intruders.
"Albus held the frontline with the werewolves, elves, and a group of aurors and Unspeakables." Moody's magical eye whirled. "Before the defences were raised, we lost an indeterminate number of elves, three wolves, four men and two women. Five others sustained serious injuries."
Minerva closed her eyes briefly. She'd had no idea the losses had been so great.
"Is there anything the packs need, Remus?" asked Amelia quietly, breaking the sombre silence.
"Those wolves came from Gregor's and Robert's packs. Their bodies have been returned to them and they have already performed the funerals." Remus said. "Sirius left provision to aide any family they had left behind."
"Please convey our deepest sympathies and thanks." Cornelius murmured. He turned to Amelia and Bertie. "I know arrangements have been made for our own men and women."
The two directors nodded.
"Their families have been informed and the bodies released to them." Bertie said sadly. "I think a memorial day would be appropriate but we should allow the families their own mourning period first."
"Of course." Cornelius agreed.
"Our biggest weakness was the school." Moody continued brusquely. "We didn't find the cabinet Crouch was using to infiltrate it until well into the invasion. It was in the Divination classroom. We believe Crouch used the Abbott girl to open it and allow Riddle's forces into the castle." He looked over at Minerva. "Sybill Trelawney was killed."
Minerva hadn't liked the witch; she had a strong cynicism of Divination on a personal level and Sybill seemed to embody the fraudulent and scatty nature of the subject. But Minerva felt a moment's sympathy for Sybill's end; for the horror and pain she must have felt.
"Sybill's cousin has been contacted and she has asked Hogwarts to make whatever arrangements we feel are necessary." Minerva said briskly. "There will be a short funeral towards the end of the week for those wishing to remember her. The notice will go in the Prophet tomorrow."
Moody cleared his throat. "Letting the students raising the defences attend the tournament task and not having them in the office was a big mistake. The group were attacked on their way through the castle. The Diggorys were killed; the rest of the adults sustained injuries. The other kids luckily got away." He shifted his weight. "Flitwick and his crowd were able to get hold of the situation eventually but Crouch did a lot of damage to the castle. Five aurors were killed in total, two more wolves and eleven were injured."
"Several of the children have given statements in the last few days to explain what happened to them." Amelia added. "Neville and Blaise came across Hannah and she joined them proclaiming to have gotten separated from Susan. They headed to the Headmaster's office and met up with the others. Hannah revealed herself to stop them raising the defences at which point Susan turned up and managed to knock Hannah out. A group of them stayed back in the corridor to hold off an attack by Carrow and forces; the others managed to get to the office and raise the defences via a painting of a dragon."
They all turned to look at Minerva.
"It is quite the painting." Minerva confirmed dryly. "She admits it will take four Heads of Houses to send her to sleep – four Heads of Houses who have previously been the students who originally woke her."
"A problem for another day," Moody said, "the kids did good. The defences came up and we were solid. We were able to contain the rest of the forces." He paused and looked over at Bertie.
Bertie pressed his lips together, sorrow all too evident in his tired eyes. "Bill confirmed that Neville destroyed the final item in the treasure hunt; the snake. Bill, Caro, and the snake were all transported from the cemetery into the corridor where the students were holding off Carrow. Caro gave her life to save Bill." He lowered his tear-filled gazed. "She will be missed."
"Which brings us to the ritual." Moody said.
Minerva exchanged a brief look with Augusta and it was the Longbottom matriarch who stood.
"The ritual went well." Augusta confirmed. "Morgana tested us before she would reinstate the blessing and then demanded Hermione's necklace. As soon as Morgana had it, Hermione herself disappeared from the circle and we all saw events through her eyes."
"Namely, Harry defeating Riddle after you ladies changed his blood out." Moody said bluntly. "Nifty little spell that, ladies."
Minerva smiled satisfied, sharp and vicious as any cat.
"Which brings us to the last of the reports from the battle itself." Remus said. "Sirius duelled Crouch; that much we know."
"He killed him." Moody confirmed. "He contained Travers and we all went to help the lad. Once Harry had his protection back, Riddle was toast; he fell to his own killing curse – Harry sent it straight back to him."
"And as we had dealt with the anchors he had to this life," Bertie added, "the curse acted as normal rather than disembodying him as it did in 'eighty-one."
"Everything was over we thought but when Poppy went to make the official notice of death for Crouch, she noticed a strange reading and it became apparent that Crouch had turned himself into a bomb." Remus finished.
"Examination of Poppy's brief diagnostic and the magical residue suggests Crouch imbibed a potion able to transmute the magical energy of spells into a reservoir in his own body's cells." Bertie jumped in. "It was ingenious. Every hit he took in the battle, whether physically onto his person or magically into his shield, or when Riddle called for his Death Eaters, all of it went to lay down the foundation for his energy overload post mortem. Having read Madame Pomfrey's diagnostic there was enough energy to have destroyed not only the school but the shockwave into the earth would have created earthquakes and devastation across Britain." He frowned. "A similar potion was invented by Albus to assist with replenishing magical reserves during battle. It's one of the uses of dragon blood and it contains Effafet feathers."
"The feathers that Crouch talked to Snape about?" asked Remus incredulously.
Bertie nodded. "Crouch must have been laughing himself silly at the time."
"According to Neville, Harry invoked the family magic to save everyone." Augusta said.
Remus sighed. "He did. I think he realised just what the explosion would do and decided it wasn't enough to transport us out or for only some of the magic to shield us." He cleared his throat. "He was obviously successful but he was also badly injured and this is when things got…"
"Unreal?" suggested Amelia wryly. She picked up her cup and put it down again. "I really need something stronger."
Moody handed her his flask.
"According to the reports, the spirit of Merlin appeared to demand the price for using the magic." Bertie said, stepping in.
"Death stepped in to tell everyone it couldn't be Sirius or Harry because of some magic Harry had done as the Master of the Hallows so Albus stepped forward." Remus agreed.
Minerva felt another rush of grief and had to lower her gaze, blinking furiously. For all his faults and flaws, Albus had been a good, dear friend and mentor to her for more years than she cared to remember. She would miss him.
"When his sacrifice was accepted…Helen Jordan immediately ordered Sirius and Harry to the Valley clinic and we began clean-up." Remus finished.
"How is Hogwarts?" asked Cornelius.
Minerva took a breath and steadied herself. "Most of the corridors and many of the classrooms sustained smoke or fire damage. The Quidditch pitch and stands are almost fully destroyed. The elves have begun work rebuilding and we expect to be complete by mid-Summer. I don't advise the children return until all the structural work is complete and that will be post the end of the school year. Fortunately only a couple of exams were outstanding and those can be sat at the Ministry."
"A sensible approach." Cornelius said. "If the Ministry can help with the rebuilding in any way…"
"Thank you, Minister." Minerva said. "I believe given that the Hogwarts defences remain in place that we will be fine. But I will keep your offer in mind."
"So talking of clear-up…" Amelia grimaced, "we have twenty-eight people in custody. Ten were identified as known Death Eaters including Peter Pettigrew and Dennis Travers. The rest are mercenaries."
Cornelius sat forward. "The Wizengamot is due to sit tomorrow. We propose to call for an emergency tribunal session to sit upon Lord Black's return to discuss the matter of how to deal with the trials." He spread his hands. "There is too much conflict for anyone to sit impartially and we'd rather have his oversight."
"The mercenaries should be a simple matter." Amelia said. "Those Death Eaters such as Goyle or Travers who actively fought against aurors are similarly easy to deal with. Pettigrew is a problem since he ended up assisting Remus."
Remus shook his head, his eyes glinting amber. "You know he only did that to save his own arse."
Amelia inclined her head. "Regardless we have a number who answered Voldemort's call but who then refused to fight for him; that's where we potentially have difficulty."
"Indeed," agreed Cornelius, "especially as most sit on the Wizengamot."
"So we have a political minefield to navigate and the tribunal to take place." Remus said making a note. "Augusta, can you and Daniel make progress organising the alliance?"
"Leave it with me." Augusta confirmed.
"Hogwarts is under control with Minerva in charge." Remus said giving her a small smile.
"We will need to deal with the fallout of the spell." Minerva asserted. "The dragon is very clear that the students pledged themselves to her. They and their families need to understand the specifics of that sooner rather than later."
Remus made another note. "Was there any fallout for the Wiccan ritual?"
"Apart from Hermione becoming Morgana's own avatar on the battlefield?" Minerva remarked sharp enough that Remus winced. "I'm not certain any of us can know what that will mean for Miss Granger in the long term."
"I can begin to research the matter." Bertie said.
Minerva nodded, grateful. Hermione was a brilliant young woman and deserved to understand the ramifications.
"On a personal level," Augusta added, "I believe each of the women involved has confirmed a sense of connection and a heightened maternal instinct."
"It is likely that we will continue the coven in some form." Minerva said. And in Minerva's view, it was very likely that Hermione would become the High Priestess for that coven in time.
Bertie caught her eye and they exchanged a brief knowing look.
"Then we also have the fallout for those impacted by Hannah Abbott's betrayal including Hannah herself." Augusta waved at Remus to make a note. "I'm at a loss how we can even begin to address that situation."
"In some respects it's a criminal matter," Amelia said, "but complicated by the fact that she was seduced and there is evidence Crouch used compulsion charms and potions." She rubbed her head. "But I can appreciate the complexity given Susan's friendship with her."
Remus made another note. "That leaves us with looking after the injured…"
"In hand." Amelia said. "All are at Saint Mungo's and receiving treatment."
With the exception of Harry and Sirius themselves.
"And the funerals." Remus finished. He coughed. "Theo Nott has confirmed he won't hold his father's until Harry and Sirius return but I don't see the need to delay any of the others."
"I think you and I both know Harry will want to attend the funerals." Minerva argued. "Albus's in particular but I know he was also close with Caroline."
"And from all reports Harry grew close to Diggory during the tournament." Augusta added.
Remus held up his hand. "Do we really want Harry to spend his first weeks back attending nothing but an endless round of funerals? Is that going to help him or simply place more pressure on him?"
"I suggest we allow most of the funerals to proceed to their families' wishes in the matter." Bertie said decisively. "Some may want to wait; some may not. Caro's father has already stated he'd like to place his daughter to rest within the next couple of days."
Minerva acknowledged that truth with a sigh. She nodded. "I can hardly argue with a family's right to bury their child."
Amelia glanced at her, sympathetic. "The Diggorys will be buried tomorrow. Amos's brother sent word this morning."
Minerva fervently believed it would upset Harry to return and discover the funerals had already taken place but she appreciated that they had no right to insist that the families waited. She hummed. "There is something with which the Ministry could assist…"
"Anything." Cornelius offered immediately.
"Albus's funeral." Minerva stated baldly, fighting back emotion once again. "I will need assistance. He is to be interred on Hogwarts' ground – that was agreed with the board of governors some time ago but his funeral should be about more than the school."
"Of course." Cornelius said. "I'll have someone from the Ministry contact you to assist later today."
"Well, we have a plan to get us back to normality." Remus lifted the parchment he had been writing on.
"We also need to get a hold of the press – not that it's been bad or inaccurate but we could do with setting their agenda rather than reading it in print." Cornelius said. "I'll liaise with Brian on a few articles to make sure the ground is laid for Harry's return."
The meeting broke up shortly after and Minerva waited behind as Remus showed the others to the floo.
Remus shut the door behind him on his return, and sighed at the sight of her. "Minerva."
Minerva stood. "What did Sirius say you didn't want the rest of them to know?"
He looked at her with narrowed eyes for a long moment before he caved and picked up the letter. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He handed her the parchment.
Minerva watched as a hidden segment was revealed, written in Sirius's beautiful prose. She frowned as she read of Harry's unwillingness to speak, Sirius's concern that it wasn't a passing phase and about Harry's mental health in general. She handed the letter back to Remus. "You can't be surprised that Harry is having difficulty dealing with everything that happened."
"No," said Remus defensively before he sat down with a heavy thump and nodded, "maybe? I just…he's just been so…ever since Christmas Harry's taken more and more of a leadership role and I guess I've managed to convince myself that he was coping."
"He was." Minerva said. "But now he isn't." She said simply. "If anyone was due for a meltdown, Remus, it was Harry."
And in some ways she was pleased. It meant that Harry was allowing himself to feel the effects of his traumas and deal with them. It was a much better scenario than him repressing it all and turning into a bitter old man down the line.
"You don't seem overly concerned." Remus remarked as though he'd read her mind.
Minerva gathered her purse and shook her head. "Harry's in the right place to receive the healing he needs and he has the one person with him who can help him through this, who he would want with him to help him. And I can't help but think it's best for everyone he's doing this there in relative privacy rather than when he returns here and will have the attention of our entire world once more."
Remus nodded. "You're right. I hadn't considered it in that way."
She sighed. "I wish I was there to support them through this but there is enough to do here and I believe we will help Harry best by ensuring things are not in chaos on his return as Sirius has directed."
Her words echoed in her head as she headed back to Hogwarts.
She made her way through the corridors to Albus's – her office. She had been avoiding it a lot, partially out of respect for Albus and partially because it was daunting; she was Headmistress and the school was her responsibility. And there was the bloody dragon who claimed to be Hogwarts on the wall.
She squared her shoulders.
She was a McGonagall.
The Regent Apparent for the House of Potter.
And the Headmistress of Hogwarts.
She took a deep breath and entered.
o-O-o
Time Bubble – 15th July 1995
Harry yawned and stretched atop his bed.
He cast a quick tempus spell and frowned when he realised it was early evening. He'd taken a post lunch nap as he was still prone to exhaustion and his post lunch flight around the Valley as Snitch had knocked a fair bit of energy out of him.
He clambered to his feet and headed for a warm shower. The past week had been better, Harry mused. He'd managed to physically regain some strength and doing something, rather than simply sitting drowning in thoughts of everything that had happened, had helped him regain some perspective.
He still didn't want to talk about it, but he was beginning to accept his own actions and others.
The routine of his treatment helped. Every morning he was up early to do a Tai Chi class; that was followed by a jog and some gym time. He and Sirius exercised together just as they had the previous Summer and Harry enjoyed the faint competitiveness of sprinting the last distance to the gym or performing his exercises before Sirius; teasing Sirius without words about his age.
They'd return to the cabin and would have breakfast together. Harry had made efforts since overhearing Sirius talking with Noshi to eat more so Sirius wouldn't have to force himself into eating things he didn't like so Harry would eat. It helped that with Dobby there, the elf was feeding them their favourites most of the time and had stopped experimenting. Truthfully, with the resumption of his physical exercise regime, Harry was hungry; his body demanding the fuel even if his mind still wasn't in a place to enjoy food as anything other than that.
Late morning was spent in art therapy. Harry had four days before handed Sirius a paintbrush and an easel. He remembered the mural and how Sirius had been responsible for drawing and painting it. He figured if art therapy was good for him, it would be good for his father, and Sirius was happy to indulge him.
Sirius had already completed two paintings; one of James and one of Lily. Both of them as school children, smiling and happy. They were stunning pictures. Sirius had gifted them to Harry who had immediately displayed them in the den.
Sirius was working on a picture of the Marauders; the Forest in the background, Hogwarts in the periphery with the four Marauders front and centre.
Harry didn't have to be a mind healer to realise the paintings were an act of mourning; of remembering the good times and grieving their loss.
His own paintings were more abstract, mainly a confusion of colour and splatter without form. Healer Fay seemed pleased with them noting that Harry was using the paint to express his emotions and the confusion he was feeling.
Confusion was probably apt, Harry thought as he left the shower and went to put some clothes on. He wasn't sure what to feel and his moods had a tendency to swing from apathy to anger within the space of a thought.
Spending time in his animagus forms helped.
It had been Sirius's suggestion. Animals ran on instincts and needs; things were much simpler for them. Padfoot was Sirius's retreat when the world got too much to deal with because as much as he kept his own brain, he could let himself sink into the animal's world for a while.
It was another way to gain perspective, Harry mused as he pulled on a t-shirt. Because his animagus forms could see he was safe, fed and warm; that he was loved. They didn't wonder if he'd done the right thing; didn't feel guilt over the death of Riddle only an animalistic satisfaction at the elimination of a threat; didn't feel guilt over the death of Dumbledore only a sense of rightness that the elder had gone before the youth.
He glanced at himself in the mirror and was pleased; he looked better. He grimaced at his hair and went to find Sirius.
His father wasn't too far away; bustling in the kitchen with Dobby. He was humming off-key some tune they'd heard at the clinic's gym that morning.
Harry watched for a long moment, drinking in the sight of his father. Sirius was alive and healing.
And so was he.
Sirius finally caught sight of him, smiling widely. "Hey. I'm making tea. Noshi finally got a delivery from London so proper tea and not that awful stuff they usually serve. I was thinking it would be nice with some scones and jam."
"Sounds great." Harry winced at how hoarse his voice sounded after weeks of disuse.
Sirius froze and darted a look at him before he casually went back to making the tea, although Harry didn't miss the flash of relief that crossed his face. "Let's go on the deck. It's a nice evening."
Harry watched as Dobby arranged the tea-tray and rolled his eyes when Sirius levitated it through to the outside rather than just letting Harry carry it. They settled at the table and poured the tea.
Sirius regarded him thoughtfully as Harry sipped the tea enjoying the soothing liquid against his squeaky throat. "Good?"
Harry nodded. He tightened his grip on the cup. "Do you…do you remember when we were here last year and we promised we'd talk about our school years every year?"
"I remember." Sirius said.
Harry set his cup down, his hands beginning to shake. "I think…I think I'd like to talk about my fourth year now."
Sirius reached out a hand and Harry grasped it, holding it tightly. "Whenever you're ready, Harry."
Harry took a deep breath and began.
o-O-o
Time Bubble – 5th August / Real time 1st July 1995
Sirius smiled softly as Harry finished saying goodbye to his friends. He'd reconnected with Noshi's grandchildren once he'd gotten back on his feet and spending time with them had helped Harry's recovery. He could be normal with them; just another teenager.
Sirius was pleased that the six weeks they'd stayed at the Valley had helped Harry heal, not only from the physical injuries he'd sustained, but also from the emotional and mental trauma of the previous year.
Harry wasn't completely recovered though.
Physically, he still tired easily after spell-work, but he had regained the weight he'd lost and he looked fit and healthy. Emotionally, Harry was also still prone to mood swings and hours where he'd retreat again into silence. But there was a steel core inside of his son which had helped him survive for years and Harry had made strides in his therapy - enough that the clinic was supporting their decision to return to England and the aftermath of the war.
"Noshi." Sirius took the healer's outstretched hand and shook it warmly. "Thank you again."
Noshi shrugged away his gratitude. He let go of Sirius's hand. "I will not see you here again, my friend."
"You won't mind if I think that's a good thing, right?" Sirius asked, pleased at Noshi's words. He remembered all too well the previous year when Noshi had forewarned of their return to the Valley.
Harry stepped up beside Sirius and reached out to shake Noshi's hand. "Thank you, Noshi."
Noshi clasped his hand and hummed.
Sirius's heart sank.
Noshi let Harry go and smiled at him. "Your daughter will bring her husband here after a potions accident freezes his hand. She will be carrying their child."
Harry's face brightened with happiness. "I'm going to have a daughter?"
"Please tell me she isn't named Quaffle." Sirius begged.
They all laughed.
Sirius checked the time. "Come on. The portkey Amelia sent should activate in a few moments." He held out the shoe to Harry who grimaced and grasped it.
"Why can't they just use something normal?" grumbled Harry as they nodded a final farewell to the medical staff.
"A shoe is normal." Sirius pointed out.
The hook and swirl of the portkey travel prevented Harry from replying and a second later they stumbled into a landing in Amelia's office. Sirius managed to steady Harry with one hand and rebalance himself all at the same time.
Harry pulled a face. "I really hate portkey travel."
"Harry!" Remus pushed his chair back and bounded over to hug Harry.
Sirius smiled at a beaming Amelia. "Thank you for the shoe home."
Amelia rounded her desk and surprised him with a hug. "Welcome home, Sirius."
Remus finally let go of Harry and Sirius found himself released from Amelia's embrace and swept into Remus's. "Moony."
"Padfoot." Remus sounded like he was blinking back tears.
Sirius patted him carefully on the back. Remus's hold loosened and he stepped away, surreptitiously swiping at the corner of his eye.
"I'm just so glad to see you both." Remus said. "When you left…"
Sirius put an arm around Harry's shoulder. "It was tough but we got better."
Amelia waved at the chairs in front of her desk and the tea service she had set out. "Remus and I thought it might be a good idea to bring your up to speed before you ended up back in the thick of things."
Sirius nudged Harry into one chair, took one for himself and Remus slipped into the one that was left. "That's a good idea."
"How long has it been for you since the battle?" Amelia asked.
"Six weeks." Harry replied as Sirius had just taken a sip of his tea.
"You need to keep in mind for most people only seven days have passed." Remus cautioned.
Sirius frowned because he didn't think Harry needed the reminder. He nodded at Amelia. "Why don't you fill us in?"
And she began.
It was a long debrief. Harry was pale by the end of it and Sirius noticed white lines of tiredness and tension around his mouth and eyes when Amelia finally came to a halt and requested a fresh pot of tea.
Sirius waited until Harry's hand were wrapped around his tea, the warmth of it comforting his son. "What's on your mind, Harry?"
Harry's lips quirked sideways into an unhappy frown. "Mostly?" He shrugged – a distinctly teenage variation of studied disinterest. "I know there are bigger things to talk about but all I keep coming back to is Hannah."
"Understandable." Remus said soothingly. "She was a friend and she betrayed you; she broke her oath of fealty ten times over."
"She betrayed everyone." Harry corrected firmly. "I'm not even the person she betrayed the most." He looked over at the Director of the DMLE. "How's Sue?"
Amelia winced and sat back. "Pretty much as you expect her to be; angry, upset, struggling to understand what happened to Hannah."
"What exactly did happen to her and what's going to happen now?" asked Harry bluntly. "I mean, you kind of skimmed over that."
Sirius wasn't surprised when Amelia glanced in his direction for permission. Sirius gave it with a quick nod. Harry deserved to know the truth of why.
Amelia sighed heavily. "What happened was that Barty Crouch Junior groomed her."
"Groomed?" questioned Harry.
"It's a term used to describe how abusers approach and seduce their victims." Sirius explained crisply.
"Well, Crouch was classic in his grooming technique. To begin with, he courted her with love notes that flattered her; told her how important she was, how special, how pretty and grown-up she was for her age." Amelia said. "She had kept all of them and most of the early ones only have a compulsion charm to read them and keep them secret, nothing more. He used his elf to send her letters once Hannah started back at Hogwarts and so they began exchanging letters." She tapped the side of her cup. "His letters…I suspect that there is more truth in them than perhaps he even realised. His heartbreak at losing his first love certainly rings true. He coaxed her into telling him her secrets; convinced her that she was the only guardian of his secrets. He set up an intimacy between the two of them in their correspondence, effectively cutting her off from her parents and friends through creating this…this secret club between them."
"Which left her isolated." Remus added. "She came to view him as the only person who understood her; who truly knew her."
"Why didn't anyone notice?" Harry wondered.
Sirius reached across and squeezed his shoulder. "Because he was clever. And he had her pretending to be in love with Neville which distracted everyone."
Amelia nodded. "Susan said to me the other night that she wonders in hindsight how much of Hannah's love-struck comments which she assumed were about Neville were really about Crouch." She sat forward clasping her hands on top of her desk. "After Yule Hannah must have had second thoughts because then he potioned her for over a month with a suggestibility potion and the letters had stronger compulsion spells on them including one to fully believe the content." She sighed. "Eventually, he met her disguised as a Durmstrang student in late January and progressed their relationship further. We think they were secretly dating through most of this year. Susan's depression after the second task gave Hannah an excuse to pull away from Neville without suspicion, and a ready excuse for her changed behaviour when people did notice."
Harry gave a nod of understanding.
"Unfortunately, by the end of February it looks as though Crouch was confident enough in Hannah's feelings for him that he was no longer potioning or compelling her." Amelia said a touch bitterly. "Even now, she's utterly convinced Barty was a misunderstood, witty, intelligent man who was victimised by you, Sirius. She confessed she agreed to act as his agent in Hogwarts when he decided to in her words 'get rid of the traitorous elf who'd kept him prisoner' and break his cover in the school."
Sirius shook his head. Poor Leonard and Karen. The couple had to be distraught over what had happened to their daughter.
"They met in secret the night before the task and…and their relationship became sexual." Amelia continued brusquely. "She stated very firmly it was consensual but as she's fifteen and legally cannot consent, was thoroughly manipulated into it to boot, it's considered statutory rape. She still doesn't see that Crouch did anything wrong. She's fervent in her belief that she was the one to convince him to have sex; she was the seductress."
"It's not unusual for abusers to manipulate their victims into feeling that they are responsible for tempting them into inappropriate behaviour, or into believing the contact is about them being special and beautiful, even into believing they want it." Remus commented.
"That's awful." Harry stated bluntly.
"It is," Amelia agreed, "and unfortunately Hannah is so thoroughly entrenched in that mind-set that it may take many years for the damage Crouch has wrought to be undone."
"The mind healers could help her though, right?" asked Harry.
Amelia nodded slowly. "However it may be too late." She gestured across the desk. "Hannah was confirmed as mentally sound yesterday by the senior mind healer on her case. She is completely aware of right and wrong; she isn't legally considered insane or incompetent."
"So she'll face criminal charges." Sirius deduced immediately.
"Yes." Amelia pointed at a folder on the desk. "By her own admission, Hannah knowingly conspired to have Neville kidnapped at Yule. She opened up the vanishing cabinet and allowed vampires, mercenaries and Death Eaters into Hogwarts. She did so knowing that they intended harm to the students, teachers and tournament visitors. She conspired to commit murder and destruction in a terrorist act."
"I guess there are also charges pertaining to her attack on Susan." Remus murmured.
"And her attack on the Creevey brothers and Lavender Brown." Amelia confirmed.
Harry frowned. "What attack?"
"Hannah upon entering Hogwarts stunned the Creeveys and Susan." Amelia explained. "She imperiused the brothers to attack Miss Brown for no other reason than to keep them occupied and out of her own way. Luckily the Patil twins interrupted the attack before Miss Brown suffered anything more than bruises from being grabbed."
"Merlin." Harry muttered.
"All of that group were traumatised." Amelia confirmed. "And now she has been ruled as mentally competent, I can no longer refrain from formally charging her and arranging for her trial. I was holding off until the results from Saint Mungo's were known." She sighed heavily. "Unfortunately there is a very good chance she might be carrying the Crouch heir."
Harry blanched. "Seriously?"
Sirius had never felt less like drawing attention to the inherent joke about his name. He ignored it and focused on Amelia.
"They found a fertility potion in her system." Amelia said succinctly.
Sirius repressed the urge to sigh. "What do you intend?"
"She'll be remanded to a holding cell this afternoon, charged and her trial set for a date after we can verify whether she is pregnant or not." Amelia confirmed briskly. She gestured at the folder. "The Wizengamot may apply leniency to the sentencing given her age and that as the victim of Crouch, she was manipulated into performing the crimes and potentially does have a case for diminished responsibility. She'll end up in Azkaban either way especially now the Dementors are no longer a consideration."
Sirius frowned before he remembered how Remus had explained Hogwarts had killed the remaining Dementors as part of her defence; Cornelius had approached the goblins about a guard contract and it would be reviewed and hopefully approved in a special Wizengamot session. In the interim, a group of aurors and hit wizards were performing the duty of securing Azkaban.
"Of course, if she's pregnant, there will be arrangements made to ensure she receives care until the child is born." She continued. "Leonard and Karen will then need to make a decision on the care of the child." She looked at Sirius. "You could call Judgement on her; she took the fealty oath as Heir before Crouch got his hooks into her."
Sirius felt another pang of sympathy for the Abbotts. It was a mess. "Let's hope she isn't pregnant. I think we'll hold off on Judgement either way."
Harry gave a slow nod. "How much of this does everyone know?"
Amelia sighed. "Only the barest details; that she was seduced by Crouch and her known crimes. I've kept everything else under wraps to protect Leonard and Karen but some, if not all, of it will come out at trial." She picked up her tea. "I'm honestly not looking forward to explaining this to Susan."
Harry nodded. "Or Neville."
"I think they've been a good support for each other." Remus said. "I've noticed they tend to gravitate towards each other during meals at the Estate."
Sirius looked over at him in confusion.
Remus's cheeks went a touch red. "Ah, I guess I forgot to mention that the House of Black and its allies are currently in residence at the Black Estate? The healers thought it would be beneficial for us all to be together."
"Yes, you forgot to mention that." Sirius said dryly. He nudged Harry. "You still want to head home?" They had planned to go straight to Griffin House.
Harry bit his lip as he thought but he ended up shaking his head. "Let's go to the Estate. We should be there with everyone else."
"Is there anything else we need to know immediately?" asked Sirius, turning back to Amelia.
She shook her head. "I will need to interview you for your official statements at some point though."
Sirius reached into his robe and drew out two rolled-up parchments. "Our written statements. Let us know when you want to meet."
Amelia smiled at him. "Thank you, Sirius."
Sirius waited until Harry was on his feet before he moved them to the floo.
It was time to go home and begin rebuilding with their allies.