c14

Ever since the death of his mother, sister and the Lovegood girl, Bill Weasley had been in a near catatonic state. He barely ate, barely slept and barely showered; he simply sat still, lost in his own thoughts. He pondered his workmanship on the wards surrounding his family home to the point of questioning his own expertise. He wrote down every ward he had placed from beginning to end, the order in which he had weaved them and every other detail he could think of and could come up with no reason why they would fail how they did.

Regardless of who by or how many times he was told that he was not to blame, that was the only conclusion he could fathom. He must have made a mistake somewhere; he must have done something to cause them to attack the people within them. He was not aware of any spell no implement that could have such consequences on wards and if Bill Weasley knew one thing, it was wards.

He was excellent with them, far beyond the ability of most wizards and even most goblins, yet he had clearly made an error within his scheme.

He was sat in his family home clutching a letter he had just received from his younger twin brothers, a possible saving grace if you will. He shook uncontrollably from the emotion he was feeling and for his own sake and sanity he hoped and prayed that what they had written was true.

His shaking turned into sobbing, but even he could not give a reason as to why he cried the way he was. Relief? Perhaps. But in all likelihood it was the vast range of emotions he was experiencing at one time that caused this effect. He simply fell to the floor, crying and laughing simultaneously until he vomited. He would not take the word of this letter as gospel but it had ignited a spark of hope within the man. He needed to confirm it; he needed to know the truth.

"Harry" he whispered hoarsely shaking his head.

He had to speak to the young man, but he first needed to pull himself together. He needed a few decent meals and some rest; he needed to be alert and coherent if he was to believe. He even knew himself that in his state he would listen to no man, even one as honest as Harry Potter.

Bill's last thoughts were with his mother and sister before he simply lost consciousness; his body and mind could not cope with the neglect anymore. He needed sleep and that letter had given him respite enough to allow it to come.

(BREAK)

Harry Potter awoke feeling more carefree than he had in a very long time. He had managed to expose Tom and even made a fool of him with the fake prophecy he had given. He wished more than anything that he could have seen him listening to it and the aftermath of the spell he had placed on the orb. He chuckled despite himself at how angry he knew the man would be.

Harry however, was not naïve. He knew he had been quite fortunate in the encounter and had surprised Riddle; he knew it would not happen that way again. Tom would no longer underestimate him and would learn from his mistake, maybe. He had never shown any signs that he had learnt from his previous ones. He continued to goad the teen and underestimate him time and time again, maybe he was just that foolish.

He was proud of how well he fought the man. The power and the speed had taken him by surprise but he did manage to adjust and knew that he fought better than anyone else could have. It gave him the first glance of real hope that he could in fact win, but that did not mean who slack or become negligent in his training. He knew they were well matched and he had to keep improving and keep working on every aspect of his ability to get better. He had already vowed many times that that is what he would do, but he reaffirmed it once more.

He pulled himself from his bed to prepare for the day; he had after all promised a young girl that he would take her to breakfast. He also remembered his promise of a donation to Dumbledore and he drew up the bank draft to give to the headmaster when he saw him.

He showered; dressed and made sure he had everything he needed. He decided that he would use the portkey that he still had from the previous night to take him directly to the hospital wing. He could also return that to Dumbledore this morning.

"Hogwarts Help" he mumbled, gripping the necklace and disappeared with the familiar jerking sensation around his stomach.

He appeared in the hospital wing, immediately faced by a very stern looking and disapproving Madam Pomfrey, who frowned at his sudden arrival.

"I do not appreciate intrusions like this Mr Potter" the witch informed him with her hands on her hips. "This is a hospital, not an arrival point" she added.

"But if I couldn't get here this quick, how would I receive the medical attention of your delicate and caring hands, I have been your most frequent patient of the last few years haven't I?" he questioned.

The matron frowned at him further but he could see a slight tug at the corner of her lips which turned into a reluctant smile from the no-nonsense woman.

"Away with you" she commanded shooing him towards the bed of the first year who was giggling at the conversation between the two.

"Hello Natalie" Harry said greeting the girl. "And how are you this morning?" he asked.

"Hello Harry" the girl returned brightly. "I'm all better now, how are you?" she added.

"Well" Harry began scratching his chin. "I am quite tired, I was up all night counting down the minutes until I could come back and take you for breakfast" he explained seriously.

The young girl just giggled at the boy.

"Don't lie to me Harry Potter" she replied. "You have crusty bits in your eyes" she said pointing at his face.

Harry immediately rubbed his eyes and found nothing. He looked at the girl and frowned.

"You tricked me" he stated. "It looks like I will have to keep an eye on you". "Are you ready?" he asked her.

"Yep" the girl responded simply and stood holding out her hand. "You have to escort me properly" she insisted.

"Of course my lady" Harry answered with a bow and took her hand as requested.

The two made their way through the castle towards the Great Hall meeting no student on the way, clearly everyone was already at breakfast. They could hear the chatter as they approached and as they entered all talking ceased immediately. Harry found himself faced with hundreds of faces showing looks of sock and awe.

"I didn't know you had that effect on people" he whispered to his young companion.

"They're looking at you" the girl replied shyly.

Before he could respond he was cut off by a very angry voice.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER" a familiar female screamed at him.

He turned and saw a very angry blonde marching towards him from the Slytherin table.

"Uh oh" he said in realisation.

"Are you in trouble Harry?" Natalie asked him worriedly.

"You know I think I might be" he mused aloud. "Hello Daphne" he said greeting the girl.

"Don't you hello Daphne me you prat" the girl retorted heatedly. "What is this?" she hissed at him waving a copy of the Daily Prophet under his nose.

"A newspaper" Harry replied dumbly.

"I know it is a newspaper you idiot" the girl responded angrily and hit him with the object. "I meant this" she added unfolding the paper so he could read the headline.

Potter Vs You-Know-Who In Ministry Showdown!

(He's Back!)

Underneath the headline was a picture of the two duelling. Harry could see himself launching Riddle across the room with his spell and he had to admit, it did look quite impressive.

"Ah" he uttered, not sure what else to say.

"Ah?" Daphne questioned. "Is that all you have to say?" she asked further and began hitting him with the paper again. "Of all the reckless and irresponsible things you could do" she growled, continuing her onslaught.

"But I told you" Harry tried weakly attempting to defend himself from the furious girl.

Everyone in the room was in shock at the girl's reaction. The boy had just duelled the Dark Lord and won yet she was completely undeterred by this.

Harry fought he was about to be saved as he saw Dumbledore rise to his feet to seemingly intervene. The headmaster however was stopped in his tracks by a firm hand on his forearm and a glare from his deputy. It seemed Harry was not the only one facing the ire of an angry woman this morning.

"You did" Daphne agreed. "But I did not expect a full bloody battle in the Ministry, what the hell were you thinking Potter?" she asked angrily.

"Erm" Harry said trying to formulate a good answer.

"You weren't thinking were you?" she questioned the dumbstruck boy. "You could have been killed" she shouted.

"I'm Sorry" he tried.

He was more frightened now of the angry blonde than he had been Tom last night. That thought reminded him of his grandfather and what he said the day he fought Gaulitier about being more afraid of his grandmother. Harry had to fight the grin that threatened to break across his face with everything he had. He knew it would only make her angrier.

"Oh you will be sorry" Daphne promised. "If you ever do anything as stupid and reckless as that again, the Dark Lord will be the least of your problems, get it?" she asked poking him firmly in the chest.

Harry himself was in shock by her reaction and had not expected to be chided how he had been. He must have really upset her to cause this and he did feel a little guilty, even though he knew he had done the right thing.

"Got it" he replied in a subdued voice. "Can I get some breakfast now?" he asked. "I did promise Natalie I'd have it with her" he finished.

Daphne looked at him critically for a moment before responding.

"You clearly can't be trusted to supervise a young girl alone" Daphne stated simply. "Not until you are responsible enough to not be such a prat" she declared. "Come on Natalie" she said to the girl offering her hand who took it and shot a sorrowful look towards the older boy. The two began walking off when Daphne turned to Harry once more.

"You can join us" she told him. "Merlin knows you can't be trusted by yourself".

Harry followed the two girls to the Slytherin table and was surprised that no one protested at his presence. He guessed that it had a lot to do with the article and that none would want to challenge him. He looked towards the Gryffindor table to see a pair of redheaded twins looking towards him and laughing. Harry grinned as he saw them both be swatted by Alicia and Angelina respectively for their insensitivity.

He turned back towards his present company and came across the very amused faces of Tracey and Astoria.

"Hello Tracey" he greeted.

"Potter" she said with a nod, still grinning.

"Good Morning Astoria" he added to the other girl.

"Hello Harry" she replied, her eyes full of mirth.

"Is she always like this?" he questioned the pair with a whisper.

"Never" Astoria answered shaking her head. "It seems that that is reserved for you and Dad once when he forgot his and mum's anniversary" she informed him.

"What happened?" Harry asked curiously.

"She turned his hair pink every day for two weeks" Astoria answered casually.

"I can hear you" Daphne cut in. "And Harry will get worse than pink hair for a couple of weeks if he does something like that again" she told them.

Harry grimaced at the thought. He did not like an angry Daphne Greengrass, even though she did look very beautiful in a rage he mused to himself. The glint in her blue eyes definitely had his attention; he would have to remember that as a warning sign. Although he was around six inches taller than her and had at least five stone in weight advantage, her anger was not something he wanted to provoke again.

Daphne saw him staring at her and just frowned at the boy. She was angrier that he had gotten that kind of response from her than what he had actually done. She knew things like this were going to happen, that she had no control over but it had truly worried her that it had happened the way it had. The boy could have been hurt or killed and he didn't seem all that concerned by it. He needed to understand that his actions affect other people, especially those that care for him.

Harry saw Dumbledore leaving the hall and remembered that he needed to talk to the man so made his way over, watched by every student in the hall.

"Professor" he called to the old man.

"Ahh Harry, it is nice that you could join us for breakfast" Dumbledore greeted him with a smile.

"I just wanted to return this" Harry said quietly handing him the portkey he had been given the night before.

"Hold on to it Harry" Dumbledore replied pushing the necklace back towards the boy. "You never know when it may come in handy" he added knowingly.

"Thank you sir" Harry said gratefully. "Oh and there was this also" he added handing him the bank draft he had drawn up.

"This is most generous of you and many in this room will benefit from it" the headmaster explained appreciatively.

He opened the parchment and was taken aback by what he read.

"This is double what you initially offered" he stated confusedly.

"I have more money than I will ever spend" Harry shrugged, "and the way things are I might never get a chance to spend any of it" he continued a little sadly. "In the event things go badly I have made arrangements for the school to receive annual donations from my wealth so that it will always have funds available and you have more money on its way from the sale of some artefacts found in a very hidden place in the school" he informed the man.

Dumbledore was overcome with emotion by the generosity and decency of the young man in front of him. Despite how terrible his life had been he had become one of the best men he had ever known.

"Hidden room you say" Dumbledore mused scratching his chin.

"I think you came across it filled with chamber pots at one time" Harry said with a grin.

"Ahh, that hidden room" the headmaster acknowledged with a nod.

Harry returned the nod.

"And remember what I said about Natalie sir" he added.

Dumbledore smiled and placed his hands on the young man's shoulders.

"The world rarely sees men such as you Harry" he said sincerely. "I can't speak for anyone else but I couldn't be any prouder of you and I am sure your parents would feel the same" he finished giving the teen's shoulder a squeeze.

"I do try sir" Harry responded.

He leaned in so he could talk a little quieter.

"Do you have any idea on how to deal with an angry woman?" he asked half-jokingly.

Dumbledore chuckled in amusement.

"I always find that if you are quiet and simply nod at the right moment, the storm usually passes much quicker" he said, his eyes twinkling.

"Is that so?" the irritated voice of Professor McGonagall cut in causing Dumbledore to physically cringe.

"I was just offering Harry some of my years of wisdom" he replied innocently to the irritated Deputy Headmistress.

"Hmm" the woman intoned disapprovingly. "It doesn't seem that your wisdom stretches far enough to look over your shoulder before offering advice on the opposite sex" she said casually.

Dumbledore cringed again at the tone.

"Come along Albus" McGonagall instructed taking the man by the arm. "We still have a conversation to have about your reckless adventure with Mr Potter and co" she informed him as she started leading him away. "And you can explain to the phoenix why he was left here while you risked your life you foolish man" she finished sternly.

"Come now Minerva, be reasonable" Dumbledore pleaded. "You know he is difficult at the best of times" he pointed out.

"You should have thought of that before you went gallivanting" she responded in a no-nonsense tone.

"And people ask why I never married" the headmaster mumbled petulantly. "Yet I may as well be" he added with a chuckle.

"Excuse me?" McGonagall questioned as they left the hall and disappeared from sight.

Harry stifled his laughter at the headmaster's plight and returned to his seat to continue his breakfast.

"Don't think your off the hook yet Potter" Daphne said as he sat down not even looking at him as she spoke. "We will be having a conversation too" she added with a glare.

Harry swallowed hard and nodded. He wasn't sure if he was envious of Dumbledore in this moment having to deal with McGonagall and a phoenix instead of the angry blonde he was currently sat with.

(BREAK)

Marlene McKinnon was making breakfast after a long and nervous night. She had been worried about Sirius from the moment he left until he returned and told her that the plan had gone off without a hitch. She was relieved beyond words and was just grateful that the loveable rogue had come back to her.

She sat down and began eating her toast when a tap on the window indicated the arrival of the newspaper. She retrieved it and sat back down to finish her meal when she caught site of the headline and the subsequent image on the cover. Upon reading it her eyes turned a dangerous shade of amber and she growled throatily in anger. She shot to her feet and stalked towards the staircase; her fiancé had a few questions to answer and they had better be good answers.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK" she screamed from the foot of the stairs and began stomping up them.

(BREAK)

Sirius was woken by a tone of voice he had not heard in many years and he knew he was in trouble for something. An angry Marlene was never a good thing for him and he immediately looked for a suitable hiding place to wait her anger out.

He panicked as he heard the furious footsteps getting closer and realised he was cornered; there was nowhere for him to go. In a moment of childish foolery he simply pulled the duvet over his head and feigned sleep, hoping that she wouldn't want to wake a sleeping man. When he would reflect on this moment later he would realise how naïve he had been. He couldn't control the nervous shudder that had taken over his body and completely stiffened from fear as the door of the bedroom burst open. All he could hear for a few seconds was the heavy and laboured breathing of the woman he loved before he was unceremoniously struck by a powerful stinging hex on his behind. He let out a very dog-like yelp as he jumped in the air and landed back on the bed with a thump. In front of him stood a very angry woman with bright orange angry eyes that made him cringe involuntarily.

"Without a hitch?" she questioned him rhetorically. "What the hell is this?" she asked throwing the paper at the man who picked it up and read the front page.

"Well it worked" he stated flatly.

"I don't give a shit if it worked" the woman hissed at him. "You said you were going to bring him out in the open, not start a bloody battle you idiot" she shouted firing another hex at the man who dived to the floor and attempted to crawl under the bed.

"Oh no you don't" Marlene shouted and got him with another stinging hex.

"Will you stop doing that?" Sirius shouted extracting the top half of himself he had managed to get under the bed back out. "I have sensitive skin, it will welt for days" he whined.

"I'll give you sensitive skin" Marlene said threateningly. "Well?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"Well what?" Sirius asked dumbly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well I didn't know it would go like that" Sirius pointed out.

"But you had an idea" Marlene stated simply.

"Well when he turned up it all just kicked off" Sirius explained with a shrug. "We are all fine, none of us got hurt and as you can see Harry kicked his arse and I got one of the LeStranges" he finished.

"It doesn't change the fact that you are all idiots" Marlene replied. "You had better tell me when things like this happen or you are going into something dangerous" she said firmly.

"I will from now on" Sirius promised. "I'm sorry, do you forgive me?" he asked hopefully.

"Not yet" Marlene responded. "You had better start working on a damn good apology Sirius Black or you will be sleeping in a kennel for the rest of your life" she informed him seriously.

Marlene left the room leaving a very cowed Sirius Black in her wake.

Sirius just shook his head and rubbed his throbbing bottom.

"That really is going to bruise quite badly" he mumbled with a pout.

(BREAK)

Jonathan Greengrass woke in his usual fashion. He showered, dressed and got ready to open the shop.

He made his way to the kitchen for breakfast and to spend some time with his wife before they both left to get on with their respective days.

"Hello dear" he said hugging her from behind and placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Good morning" Ophelia replied tiredly. "Busy day?" she asked taking her seat at the table.

"Not so much" Jonathan said with a shake of his head while pouring his coffee. "Just some auditing and making a list of some ingredients I need to get on my next trip out" he explained.

He took a sip of his coffee as he unrolled the morning newspaper and immediately sprayed the coffee from his mouth all over his unsuspecting wife, covering her in the brown liquid and some spittle.

"You better have a damn good reason for spitting at me Jonathan Greengrass" Ophelia said dangerously wiping her face with a napkin, her bright blue eyes glinting dangerously.

Jonathan just gaped momentarily at the paper before snapping out of his stupor and pushing it towards his furious wife.

"Oh dear" she said simply after reading the article. "It is rather an impressive photo" she added waving her wand over herself to clean the mess. "I don't think Daphne will be impressed though" she said knowingly.

"She is going to kill him" Jonathan said a little gleefully. "He has no idea what he has done".

"Jonathan Greengrass" Ophelia intoned warningly.

"Well the boy is hardly going to be intimidated by me" Jonathan whined pointing at the photo. "I have to be content knowing that Daphne takes after you" he explained.

"Meaning?" Ophelia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That you are willing to put me back on track when I stray on to a foolish path" he answered diplomatically.

"Jonathan, we have been married for over 15 years, don't try and butter me up" Ophelia stated. "What did you really mean?" she asked.

Jonathan took a deep breath. This type of honesty would either go very well or very badly. He knew he had no choice. He had to explain himself or his wife would just assume the worst and he didn't even see this as a bad thing. It was actually one of the things he loved about the woman.

"Well" he began carefully. "Mostly you are quiet and the most loving and caring person I know" he continued. "But when you lose your temper you're like some kind of terrifying beast" he added reluctantly. "And Daphne is just like you" he finished.

"See that wasn't so hard was it?" Ophelia asked sweetly after a moment's silence.

Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't getting a tongue lashing.

Ophelia stood and placed a kiss on her husband's cheek.

"But if you dare say that again you will spend many nights on the sofa" she informed him casually and left the room.

Jonathan cringed at that. The few times over the years he had been banished to the sofa had not been pleasant; he was convinced that his wife cursed it to make it purposely uncomfortable.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into Harry" he mumbled shaking his head.

"I heard that" he heard his wife shout from the next room.

Jonathan cringed again and stayed silent; he knew he was already pushing his luck. A stop for flowers and chocolate on the way home was in order to placate the woman. He just needed to work out how much he would need to appease her.

(BREAK)

Harry managed to finish his breakfast without further provoking the ire of the still annoyed teen sat next to him, something he was thankful for. He could see that both Tracey and Astoria were simply waiting to see what would happen next between the two and were unusually quiet but had clear looks of amusement and anticipation.

"Would you like to come for a walk around the lake?" he asked Natalie, who had been rather subdued and silent throughout the meal. "You can come too if you don't trust me not to influence her with my recklessness" he added to Daphna who had looked at him with a raised eyebrow questioningly.

"You can count on it Potter" Daphne replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Ok" Natalie answered simply looking between the two with concern.

"And what about us?" Astoria cut in.

"No" Daphne said vehemently as she stood and helped the younger girl to her feet.

Astoria huffed and folded her arms indignantly.

The trio exited the castle into the sunny grounds and walked towards the lake in silence with Daphne holding their younger companions hand. After around 10 minutes of walking they reached the opposite bank of the lake and Harry paused, looking to the other side lost in thought. He knew that the conversation with the young girl was sensitive and he did not want to upset her by bringing up bad memories or inadvertently insulting her. He sat on one of the rocks on the shore line and gestured for her to join him. Natalie approached looking both confused and a little nervous.

"Can you promise that you won't be upset with me until you've heard what I have to say?" Harry asked the girl who nodded with a frown.

Daphne's expression mirrored that of the younger girl, but she let him proceed.

"Do you remember telling me that you were an orphan?" he questioned her quietly.

Natalie nodded. "Yes" she answered shyly.

This was news to Daphne who had no idea. She felt saddened for the young girl and put a supporting arm around her shoulder.

"Well I asked Professor Dumbledore about you" Harry informed her.

"Why?" Natalie asked in confusion.

"I wanted to know more about you" Harry stated simply. "Did you know that I am an orphan too?" he questioned.

Natalie just shook her head in reply.

"Well until I was 11 years old I thought my parents were killed in a car crash; that was what I was told" he explained to the girl.

A look of recognition overcame the girl and her lip started to tremble.

"I didn't know the truth until I found out I was a wizard" he continued. "My parents were murdered by that man you saw me fighting in the paper" he added in explanation.

"Why are you telling me this?" Natalie asked quietly.

Harry breathed deeply before replying.

"Because I want you to know that I understand what you are going through" he said. "And I want to help you, that's why I am going to be paying for your education and anything else you need, I want to look after you in any way I can" he explained further. "I can't take you away from the orphanage permanently but I can make everything else easier" he finished sincerely.

"Why would you do that?" she asked sceptically. "What's in it for you? People don't do things like that for nothing" she added with a frown.

"The only thing in it for me is knowing that you are happy" Harry said simply. "And because I remember how it feels" he continued. "I spent my whole life wishing that someone would care for me, would rescue me from the hell I grew up in" he added sadly. "Do you know about my life?" he asked her.

Natalie shook her head.

"After my parents were killed I was sent to live with my aunt, uncle and cousin and they hate magic" he began bitterly. "They hated my parents and they hated me, they treated me worse than a house-elf. Every day I was made to do chores; cook, clean, garden and anything else you can think of. They barely fed me enough to live on and I never had anything of my own" he continued. "They beat me and they always told me I was nothing but a worthless freak, I spent the first ten years there living in a cupboard under the stairs even though they had enough bedrooms" he finished, breathing deeply again.

Both Natalie and Daphne looked horrified at his explanation of his life.

"I never had anyone who cared about me" he continued. "That was what I wanted more than anything" he said with a shake of his head. "Just someone to be proud of me and be there for me when I needed it as every child should have, that's why I want to be there for you, just so you know someone cares about you and will look after you" he explained to the girl. "There's nothing else in it for me" he finished sincerely.

Natalie flung herself into his arms much to his surprise and began sobbing. Harry just held her and comforted her as best he could. He chanced a look at Daphne and could see that she was crying silently. He opened his other arm to the blonde and she fell into it at his invitation. The trio stayed this way for several moments until Natalie slowly extracted herself from the pair.

"Do you mean it?" she whispered at the older boy.

"I really mean it" Harry answered with a smile. "Here" he said handing the girl a necklace he removed from his pocket. It was a simple silver chain with a red ruby on it.

Natalie hesitantly took the piece of jewellery and just admired it.

"Why would you give me this?" she asked.

"It is very special" Harry answered the girl. "It belonged to my Grandmother" he explained. "She was a very special lady and my grandfather gave her this, it has some very useful spells on it" he said with a nod.

"What spells?" the young girl asked.

"Well" Harry began. "It will protect you from most minor curses but the really useful one is a connection spell" he informed her.

Natalie looked confused so Harry continued.

"It is connected to me so if you ever need me then you just hold the stone in your hand and think of me and I will come" he explained.

Natalie just stared at the chain in awe.

"You'd do that for me?" she questioned disbelievingly.

"Of course" Harry answered with a smile. "That is what I am here for".

"Thank you Harry" Natalie said sincerely and hugged him again.

"You're welcome" Harry responded with a small smile.

Daphne pulled herself away from Harry and just stared at him, her eyes still full of tears.

"You prat" she mumbled at him shaking her head.

"What did I do now?" he asked incredulously.

"How can I stay mad at you when you do things like that?" she asked with a pout.

"You can't" Harry said with a grin. "But I did it for her" he added with a nod towards the younger girl.

Daphne nodded and smiled softly at him.

"How are you such a good person after everything?" she questioned him gently and ran a hand down his cheek.

"I'm not perfect, I've made a lot of mistakes" Harry said flatly. "I just remember that feeling of wanting to be saved and it didn't happen until Arcturus came along" he added with a shake of his head.

"No one is perfect Harry" Daphne replied. "That doesn't mean that you aren't an amazing person" she added. "You really care about that miserable git don't you?" she asked him.

Harry chuckled at her description of the older man.

"You've noticed that about him then" he stated. "But yeah, despite the fact that he is a miserable git, as you so eloquently put, I do care about him, he was there for me when I needed it most and gave me what I have now" he explained to the girl. "I will always be grateful to him for everything he has done" he added sincerely.

The three of them spent the remainder of the morning by the lake, just talking and having fun, Harry even taught the two some useful spells that would come in handy if the need ever arose.

As lunch time approached Harry began escorting them to the castle. They were almost at the door when they were interrupted by the arrival of a house-elf.

"Elgar?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Master Potter sir" the elf addressed Harry in a panic. "Lord Black is sick sir and he needs your help" the frantic elf explained.

"Take me to him" Harry requested his happy demeanour immediately vanishing.

The elf grabbed hold of Harry by the arm and the two disappeared.

Daphne saw that Natalie was looking really concerned so she placed an arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sure he will be ok" she said reassuringly as she led the younger girl into the castle.

(BREAK)

Harry arrived in the drawing room along with Elgar to find Arcturus barely conscious and slumped over his desk looking very pale, his breathing heavy and laboured.

He rushed to his side and tried to rouse the man who just looked up at him and babbled incoherently.

"What happened?" Harry asked the elf.

"He was just coughing sir and fell like that" the elf explained worriedly.

Harry just nodded and reached into his shirt to remove his Hogwarts portkey. He grabbed Arcturus by the shoulder.

"Hogwarts Help" he said desperately knowing the need to get the older man help was dire.

The pair arrived in the hospital wing with Harry having to pick the man up in his arms to prevent him from falling. It was then that Harry realised just how old Arcturus was. He felt very light in his arms and for the first time, Harry saw him as vulnerable, something he hadn't even considered. Instead of the usual full of energy, aged man that would usually be in front of him, was an elderly man cradled in his arms, nothing more than sick and needy as many older people found themselves.

"Madame Pomfrey!" Harry shouted for the healer.

"I told you to keep the noise down in here Potter" Madame Pomfrey said irritable as she came from her office. "Oh" she intoned as she saw the older man in his arms. "What Happened?" she asked, now in full healer mode.

"I don't know" Harry answered weakly. "His elf came and got me, he was coughing and just ended up like this" he explained.

"Put him on the bed" Pomfrey instructed.

Harry did as he was told and stood back to let the healer do her job. He was scared for the older man, a feeling he had never felt except for when Hermione had been paralysed in their second year.

Madame Pomfrey began waving her wand over the older man, trying to determine what was wrong with him. She frowned at the diagnostic results and shook her head sadly.

"He's been cursed" she said simply. "I don't know what it is but I can ease some of the symptoms" she explained.

Harry released his wand and sent off two separate patronuses.

Madame Pomfrey began administering potions to the older man and after a few minutes the door to the hospital wing opened and in came Albus Dumbledore looking very concerned.

"What happened?" he asked Harry gravely.

Harry explained what he knew to the old man who just nodded sadly.

"I see" he replied. He then stepped forward and began waving his wand over the man, mumbling in several languages, many that Harry did not recognise.

During this process the doors opened once again to admit a very confused and concerned looking Sirius who just looked at Harry clearly wanting an explanation which the teen gave.

"It is a curse of Nordic origins" Dumbledore informed the duo. "We need Severus immediately, curses are his forte" he explained and sent of his patronus to fetch the man.

It was a long and worrisome ten minutes before the potions master entered the room looking his usual surly self. He sneered at the presence of Harry and Sirius before addressing the headmaster.

"This had better be important Albus, I was busy" he said grumpily.

"Baron Black has been cursed" Dumbledore informed the man. "I was hoping you could shine some light on the matter".

Snape just huffed and approached the heavily breathing man and began waving his wand over him, mumbling in a similar fashion to Dumbledore.

"Nordic" he said neutrally after a moment and raised his eyebrows. "It is a conversion curse" he continued. "It turns oxygen into carbon monoxide, something muggles die of from exposure to because of some of their foolish devices" he explained.

"Can you reverse it?" Sirius asked the man reluctantly.

"It is too late" Snape answered shaking his head. "Had we gotten to him sooner he could have been saved without the counter" he continued. "The curse has done irreparable damage and it can't be undone, his organs are starving and failing" he finished with a shrug.

Harry and Sirius shared a look before Harry spoke.

"Who?" he asked the mean simply who just looked at him casually.

"This would be one of the Lestrange curses" he answered. "I have seen Rudolphus and Rabastan use this before" he explained.

"Rudolphus" Sirius growled angrily. "I killed Rabastan as soon as the fight started" he told the other three.

"So there's nothing we can do?" Harry asked disbelievingly.

Snape just shook his head.

"We can alleviate some of the symptoms and take any pain away, that is the best we can do" Madame Pomfrey cut in sadly.

"Do what you can" Harry instructed quietly and sat in the chair next to the bed lost in thought. Sirius took the seat on the other side of the bed.

"Lestrange" Harry hissed angrily, his magic reacting to his mood.

He shared a look with Sirius and they both nodded knowingly at each other.

(BREAK)

Bellatrix Lestrange was sat in a living room in Malfoy manor with her younger sister absentmindedly twirling her wand through her hair as Narcissa rambled on about something inconsequential.

She was thinking about her grandfather, a man she had not seen in many years, a man she had believed dead for some time. It seemed that no one saw fit to inform her that the man was still alive, including her sister.

The duo was interrupted by the arrival of Rudolphus who was in a towering rage. He slammed the door as he entered and simply glared at the two while breathing heavily. Bellatrix ignored her husband; he was nothing more than a simpleton, a moron at best.

"I'm going to fucking murder that cousin of yours" he roared angrily pointing at his wife who just raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"You'll do nothing of the sort Rudy" she told him casually but there was an undertone of danger to her voice.

"He killed my brother you whore" he screamed. "I'm going to gut him like a fucking fish" he proclaimed making a clumsily violent gesture with his hand.

"You will touch no member of my family" Bellatrix hissed threateningly. "Your brother was an idiot and got what he deserved" she added.

Rudolphus grinned triumphantly.

"I already got that old bastard grandfather of yours" he boasted smugly.

"You did what?" Bellatrix questioned casually while Narcissa looked on in concern.

"Cursed the old shit in the back while you were playing with him" Rudolphus informed proudly not sensing the danger.

As quick as a flash Bellatrix had her wand pointed at her husband.

"Crucio" she screeched in fury.

Rudolphus screamed in pain under his wife's curse and fell in a heap, twitching and jerking uncontrollably.

"You dare raise a wand towards my family?" she questioned the man who was screaming still.

"Bella stop" Narcissa tried. "We don't know what he did" she added.

Bellatrix reluctantly lifted the curse and glared at the man.

"What did you do to my grandfather?" she hissed.

Yes, she had tried to curse the man herself, but only half-heartedly. She only used family magic against him, spells he could defend against with ease. She didn't want to cause him harm she just wanted him to leave her alone.

"My Grandfathers curse" Rudolphus answered hoarsely with a grimace.

"Crucio" Bellatrix screamed again at the answer she had received. "You dare you filthy pig? You dare attack a member of the Black family with your unworthy magic? I should kill you right now" she screeched, her eyes ablaze with fury.

"I'm your husband" Rudolphus gritted out through the pain.

Bellatrix lifted the curse once more and looked at her husband with disgust.

"Through a marriage I never wanted" she spat bitterly. "Why do you think I never let you share my bed you vile creature, I would rather lie with a half-blood" she finished venomously.

Rudolphus just gaped at his wife in shock and could find no words to say.

"Speaking of half-blood's I think I will leave you for Potter to kill" Bellatrix said gleefully. "He and my grandfather are very close according to Cissy, you are already a dead man" she added with a cackle. "Oh Rudy, Potter is going to tear you limb from limb" she goaded him in a sing song voice. "And I will watch and enjoy the show" she informed him with another cackle.

"I'll rip that little bastards head off" Rudolphus roared in anger.

"Ha" Bellatrix exclaimed. "You did see him duel the Dark Lord did you not?" she asked the man. "I thought I would get a go at him but even I am not so foolish" she said sincerely.

Rudolphus looked murderous at his wife's words but before he could speak Bellatrix continued.

"Now Potter" she mused, "Is a real man" she said biting her lip and playing with her hair. "If he wasn't a half-blood then he would be worthy of a witch like me" she added confidently. "He's powerful, he's very handsome and I bet he knows how to use his wand" she finished licking her lips.

"Bella!" Narcissa tried reprimanding her sister.

"Oh come on Cissy, you've seen him up close, you know what I mean, don't tell me you wouldn't want some fun with him" Bellatrix replied with a raised eyebrow.

Narcissa began to sputter incoherently.

"He's the same age as my son" she responded weakly.

"Then he will have a lot of stamina" Bellatrix returned, her eyes alight with excitement.

"I'm going to kill that prick" Rudolphus shouted getting to his feet and leaving the room in a rage.

"Go get him Rudy" Bellatrix said quietly with a girly giggle.

"What do we do about grandfather?" Narcissa asked clearly unsure.

"Can you find him?" Bellatrix asked.

"I think so" Narcissa answered.

"Ok" Bellatrix began as she went to the table and pulled some parchment towards her. "This is the counter-curse" she informed her sister while she wrote. "And this is a note for Potter" she added in amusement. "For his eyes only" she said firmly, sealing the note with a tap of her wand. "I haven't done anything to it" she finished sincerely.

"You better not, he will kill me if I try to give him something cursed" Narcissa said knowingly.

"Find him quickly" Bellatrix instructed her younger sister.

Narcissa nodded and left the room.

Bellatrix laid on the sofa and continued twirling her hair with her wand, humming a casual tune.

(BREAK)

It had been three days since Harry had disappeared with the elf and Daphne had not seen him since. He had sent her a message informing her that things weren't looking good and that she needed to focus on her OWLS. He wished her luck and told her that he would let her know any developments.

She was worried about the boy knowing how much he cared for the man but she took his advice and busied herself with her last minute revision and preparations. She had little doubt that she would do well, especially with the extra tutelage she had had from Harry.

So far the exams and practical's had been relatively easy for her and she was grateful for the advice she had been given by the boy. She had managed all the extra credit sections and even performed extra spells. One of her examiners asked if she knew Harry and told the girl that he had assessed him personally and was still suffering from disbelief at the young man's ability.

There were only a few of the exams left and then she could relax again for the summer, something she definitely needed after this year. She just hoped that Harry would be able to spend some time with her over the holidays. She knew it would be a very long few months without him if she didn't see him. That was something she did not want to think about. Despite her earlier confusion and conclusions about the boy she had to admit he had more than proved her wrong. She was becoming painfully fond of him now; something she never thought she would be capable of with anyone let alone Harry Potter.

All she could do was wait and see what would come and deal with it as it did and hope that it would all fall in to place how she wanted it to. She just wanted Harry to be happy and safe. She wanted him to have the peace he wanted more than anything but not at the expense of his life; that would not do. She wanted his happiness to be with her and she would do everything she could to make that happen.

(BREAK)

Harry and Sirius had spent most of the past 3 days in the hospital wing with Arcturus, each leaving to fetch clean clothes and a shower respectively.

Arcturus's condition was slowly getting worse as time went by but he was comfortable at least and experiencing no pain. He had his moments of consciousness and clarity but slept mostly. He only woke to request that the family gather to discuss things so Ted, Andromeda and Tonks had also been present most of the third day waiting for the man to wake.

It was just before dinner when the man came to and saw those gathered around him.

"Good" he said weakly. "We have things to talk about" he informed them as seriously as possible. "I need to talk to Potter and Sirius alone first" he explained to the other three who left immediately to give them privacy.

Harry and Sirius gathered closer to the older man and waited for him to begin.

"It's time for you to take over Sirius" he said to his grandson with a nod.

Sirius shook his head at the man.

"I can't" he said sadly.

"Why not?" Arcturus asked clearly surprised.

"Our family has a reputation to uphold and I'm not the man to do it" Sirius began his explanation. "Even though I'm innocent I went to Azkaban for 12 years for murder and betraying my friends, people will never forget that and they won't trust or respect me" he continued. "And I plan on marrying a werewolf, something no one will approve of" he added. "Harry is my heir, is and will be respected more than anyone, it should be him" he finished with a firm nod.

"That might be the most sensible thing you've ever said" Arcturus responded frowning and turned to Harry.

"Then it is up to you to take the lead Potter" the older man said to the shocked teen.

"Me?" Harry asked with a hint of sadness.

"Yes" Arcturus replied irritably.

"But won't the line die out if I take over, I'm a Potter" Harry pointed out.

"You can choose to take the Black name or you can even pass it on to one of your sons if you want" Arcturus explained. "But even if you don't then I am proud to say that my line was absorbed into one such as yours" he said sincerely. "It has to be you Potter, there is no other man who I would allow to take it if Sirius won't" Arcturus finished firmly.

Harry conceded with a reluctant nod.

"Good man" Arcturus said. "And remember you are a Black by blood as much as you are a Potter, you even look like one of us" he mused.

There was a comfortable silence while Arcturus gained his breath before he spoke again.

"Now you two" he said seriously. "You have to rely on and trust each other no matter what" he continued. "There are very few people you will be able to trust implicitly but I know you two can without any doubt" he said confidently. "I can see how much you care for each other, either of you would give your lives for the other, never ever lose sight of that" he added firmly. "You will need each other, you can't do this alone" he finished firmly.

Harry and Sirius shared a look and a nod in agreement with the man's words.

"Now fetch the others" Arcturus instructed.

Sirius left and returned a moment later with the other three.

They all gathered around the bed again waiting for the older man to talk when the doors burst open and Narcissa Malfoy entered looking frantic.

"I have the counter-curse" she explained to them hurriedly, waving a piece of parchment at the gathered group.

"What the hell are you doing here Cissy?" Andromeda asked angrily drawing her wand.

"Enough" Arcturus croaked and coughed violently. "She is a Black regardless of her moron of a husband, she should be here" he added after composing himself.

Andromeda put her wand away and Harry snatched the parchment from Narcissa's hand and read it.

"Where did you get this?" Harry asked sceptically.

"Rudolphus told Bellatrix what he did and she gave it to me" Narcissa explained. "She damn near tortured him to insanity for it" she added with a shake of her head.

"Good" Harry said with a feral grin.

He turned to Arcturus and drew his wand.

"Don't" Arcturus said firmly.

"But it might work" Harry responded incredulously. "You have to let me try" he added vehemently.

"No" Arcturus said firmly with a shake of his head.

"But it might save your life" Harry said disbelievingly.

"That's not what I want" Arcturus replied casually.

Harry looked at the man dumbfounded for a moment before he could speak.

"You must be joking" he stated simply and then frowned. "You can't just give up" he added angrily.

"Everybody out except Potter" Arcturus commanded the group who hesitated momentarily before leaving with looks of disbelief adorning their faces.

When the two were alone Arcturus looked at Harry critically for a minute before he spoke.

"What happened after you got hit with that curse in the graveyard?" he asked the young man casually.

"I spoke to my mum and grandfather" Harry answered in confusion.

"And what did they say to you?" Arcturus followed up.

"They told me they'd all be waiting for me" Harry replied with a shrug.

"Exactly" Arcturus said knowingly. "I have people waiting for me too" he added.

Harry just looked at the man sadly.

"I have my sons and my wife waiting for me Harry" Arcturus continued with tears in his eyes. "17 years I've been without her and I have never stopped missing her" he continued in an unusual emotional voice.

Harry nodded his understanding.

"You know" Arcturus began with a chuckle. "I've been mad at Charlus for allowing himself to die from that curse for 15 years" he explained with a shake of his head. "Now I find myself in the same position and I understand. He loved Dorea so much that the chance to be with her again was all he could think about and that is how I feel about Melania" he explained.

"But what will I do without you?" Harry asked emotionally.

"Oh come on Potter there's nothing else I can teach you" Arcturus pointed out. "You're a better man than most and more capable than any I have ever met" he continued sincerely. "Some people just don't want to be saved and you have to accept that" he intoned with a slow nod. "A part of life is letting those go that we care about, no matter how painful it is at the time" he finished.

"But I'll miss you" Harry said weakly.

"And I will be waiting for you when your time is done" Arcturus replied with a gentle smile. "I'll be there with Charlus, Dorea and all the Blacks and Potters, you don't think this friendship is just for here do you?" he asked the boy seriously.

Harry shook his head and laughed reluctantly.

"I hope not" he answered genuinely.

"Just make sure you kick his arse and send him to me and Charlus so we get a turn too" Arcturus said good humouredly.

"I will and Rudolphus too" Harry promised.

"Good" Arcturus replied with a smirk. "Now we have to talk about the family" Arcturus continued. "I don't care how you run things, I trust your judgement, but I have one request" he informed the teen.

"What's that?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Don't turn your back on them, if they seek help then give it to them" he pleaded. "They are our blood and as a Black we always offer help and sanctuary to our own no matter what" he said firmly.

Harry though for a moment and just nodded. He would respect that one request from the man.

"Thank you" Arcturus responded gratefully.

"That doesn't mean I like any of this" Harry replied sadly.

"You don't have to like it, you just have to accept it, it's my time and I get to go on my terms" the older man explained. "Now get the others".

Harry left and retrieved the others as requested. The group stood silently and waited for Arcturus to speak.

"Potter is going to be the head of the family" he informed them casually.

They all looked shocked except for Sirius who nodded his agreement.

"I gave my reasons for not taking over" Sirius explained to the group.

The Tonks' just nodded in agreement and Narcissa looked nervous.

"What does that mean for me?" she asked with concern lacing her tone.

"Your grandfather's offer still stands" Harry answered the woman. "But so does my promise" he added. "How is Lucy anyway?" he asked.

"He got away from the ministry unscathed" Narcissa replied with a shrug.

"Shame" Harry said coldly. "There's always next time" he added with a grin.

"Lucius may be many things but he is no fool" Narcissa responded. "He won't fight you".

"Who says he has a choice" Harry returned angrily his eyes flashing dangerously. "I am going to kill that bastard if I get the chance" he promised looking the woman in the eye.

Narcissa swallowed deeply and nodded. She knew the boy meant it.

"Now all that is left is for me to pass on the headship" Arcturus cut in removing his family ring. He looked at it lovingly before holding it out for Harry to take which he did hesitantly and with no small amount of sadness.

"This may feel a little strange" Arcturus warned him. "Put the ring on" he instructed.

Harry placed the ring on his left middle finger and waited.

"I, Arcturus Orion Black, hereby name Harry James Potter as my successor as head of the Black family, may you carry the name proudly and bring honour to our great house" he finished.

Harry felt a huge wave of magic pass through him and he felt quite light-headed from the influx.

The group watched as Harry's eyes changed to a cold steel grey briefly before turning back to the usual emerald green.

"It is done" Arcturus informed them. "The ring carries a few useful protections for the whole family, you will feel a connection to everyone with Black blood" he explained. "You will get all the relevant knowledge of the family, safe houses and so on" he finished.

Harry nodded and could feel the magic tingling within him. He didn't feel any more powerful but he was more aware of the magic within him.

"Now leave me in peace" Arcturus commanded. "I need some sleep, I'm not quite dead yet" he finished irritably.

The gathered people congratulated Harry on becoming head of the family. Before they left Narcissa asked to speak to Harry privately and handed him the note that Bellatrix had given her. He just nodded at her and pocketed it.

Harry and Sirius remained for a while and just spoke, something they had not had much time to do over the last few months and something they both appreciated very much.

They both knew Arcturus didn't have much time left and opted to stay close by and be here when the time came.

Internally Harry was feeling more than a little heartbroken. He truly cared for the old git and was struggling to accept that he was going to die and that he wanted to. He was going to miss him and fought continuously against trying to counter the curse. He knew Arcturus would be furious.

Harry understood how he felt, he felt it himself and there were times he couldn't wait to be with his parents but that did not make it any easier for him. All it felt like was that someone else he cared about was going to be taken away from him again, something he had a lot of experience of. He wanted to scream, shout and cry but instead he allowed those emotions to simmer under the surface. Now was not the time to let them out and he knew it. He fought the tears for the sake of the older man knowing that he would prefer Harry to be strong until the time was right to let it out.

(BREAK)

Narcissa Malfoy exited Hogwarts and disapparated back to the manor to inform her sister of the day's developments. It had taken her three days to track her grandfather down and even then it was all for nothing.

She entered the living room where she and her sister spent most of their time to find Bellatrix lazing on the sofa as she usually did when she had nothing better to do.

When Bellatrix saw her sister enter the room she sat up and looked at questioningly.

"Well?" she asked when Narcissa said nothing.

Narcissa shook her head.

"He wouldn't let the curse be countered" she told the other woman.

"Why?" Bellatrix asked with a frown.

"He said he wanted to go" Narcissa explained with a shrug.

"Unbelievable" Bellatrix said in exasperation. "What about Potter?" she added.

"I gave him your note I don't know if he's read it yet though" Narcissa replied. "He really has it in for Lucius and Rudolphus though".

Bellatrix cackled with glee.

"Maybe we can both be rid of our idiot husbands then" she exclaimed hopefully.

"I don't want rid of my husband Bella" Narcissa responded sadly. "I already lost my son" she added shaking her head.

"Oh come on Cissy Lucius is a moron and you know it, he is definitely going to get himself killed this time he is next to useless with a wand and his connections are gone" Bellatrix pointed out.

Narcissa said nothing; she knew her sister wouldn't understand having been in a marriage she detested.

"Potter is the head of the family" Narcissa spoke quietly.

"What!" Bellatrix screeched.

"Sirius didn't want it and Potter is his heir" Narcissa explained.

"Interesting" Bellatrix intoned tapping her chin with a finger. "I guess I can't kill him even if I wanted to then" she added with a frown.

"But he can't kill you either" Narcissa informed her.

"Why not?" Bellatrix asked curiously.

"Grandfather made him promise to offer anyone with Black blood sanctuary and help if we asked for it" Narcissa said with a shrug.

"Very interesting" Bellatrix declared. "But that doesn't mean he won't let us be killed or order us to be killed" she added thoughtfully. "We are going to have to be neutral towards him" she finished with a nod.

"You think the Dark Lord will allow that?" Narcissa questioned with a surprised tone.

"He wants to kill Potter personally" Bellatrix pointed out. "I don't plan on fighting him, I don't quite fancy death yet" she added with a shrug.

"Me either" Narcissa agreed. "What do we do?" she asked.

"The Dark Lord is still sulking and is definitely scared of Potter" Bellatrix replied frowning. "He won't be looking to fight him any time soon, especially without knowing what that stupid prophecy says" she said confidently. "We just wait and see what happens" she finished with a shrug.

Narcissa just nodded her agreement.

"I wonder if he will take me up on my offer, it wouldn't hurt to score some points with the new head of the family either" Bellatrix mused aloud.

Narcissa had no idea what her sister had done but she knew it would not be taken well by the Dark Lord if her were to discover it. Chances were that it would be bad for her also.

(BREAK)

It was in the early hours of the morning that Harry and Sirius found themselve's sat vigil on either side of the bed that Arcturus was occupying.

For the past several hours they had felt him getting weaker and weaker and they were now simply waiting for him to pass.

Harry clutched the older man's hand and could almost feel the life draining from him; he could certainly feel his magic getting weaker. He had been fighting the tears to an unbearable degree and for the past hour or so they had been threatening to fall. He held strong however and his eyes remained dry despite how hard it was for him to accept the man's decision.

Harry felt the older man grip his hand quite firmly for a man who was on his death bed and returned the gesture but much more gently. He knew the moment was drawing ever closer and he steeled himself.

Arcturus opened his eyes briefly and looked at the two men and gave them a weak smile before he closed his eyes for the final time.

Upon feeling the man's grip loosen in his own Harry allowed his head to slump to his chest and the first tears to fall. He desperately squeezed the hand he still held willing the man to respond, but it was not to be.

Baron Arcturus Orion Black had passed on. He would be reunited with the wife and the son's that had long since left him, something he had been waiting for for many years.

Harry Potter openly wept over the body of the man that not only saved him but made him who he was now. He would never forget Arcturus Black, his personal saviour and friend in his greatest time of need, until the very end.