c15

Lord Voldemort had spent much of his time alone since the disaster in the ministry of magic; two weeks of near solitude. He was in no mood to neither entertain nor be in the company of others, he had too much to think about for such distractions. There had been some well received news for the Dark Lord however and that came in the form of Fenrir Greyback returning from the continent with around fifty of his kin. The Dark Lord had expected many more but they were a welcome addition nonetheless. He suspected that word of Harry Potter and his actions had spread rapidly and caused many of them to not join his service, something that would be rectified with the boy's death.

Lord Voldemort was still plagued with worry however. A sense of fear and unease had settled within him, much to his annoyance. He had never had reason to fear anyone or anything but Harry Potter had changed that. The Dark Lord had technically killed him twice, yet he still breathed and fought back. That would simply not do. The Dark Lord despised insolence but it was something he would have to tolerate for the time being. Potters day would come but Lord Voldemort was no fool, there was one thing he needed first before he would chance an encounter with the boy again; that damn prophecy.

He had been pondering the blasted thing since that night and drew nothing but blanks as to what the contents could be. It angered him, it annoyed him and it worried him, something that angered him further. The Dark Lord had allowed himself to be trapped in a vicious cycle and he knew he needed to act drastically to break it.

This is why he had sent for one of his oldest and most loyal followers. The man had heard the first part of the prophecy and passed on what he knew to his master but it was not enough. Lord Voldemort needed more and he would get it by any means necessary.

The man he was waiting for entered the room and prostrated himself before him in his usual fashion.

"My Lord" Snape intoned with a bow.

"Ahh Severus, I believe it is time that we have a talk" Voldemort replied casually.

The potions master remained silent but it was clear that he was nervous, a talk with the Dark Lord never ended well if it did not go the way he wanted.

"What news is there of Potter?" Voldemort asked the man.

"He has not been seen since the night Black died" Snape informed him.

"I see" Voldemort mused. "When is the funeral?" he asked further.

"Tomorrow my Lord" Snape answered knowingly. "Are you planning an attack?" he added.

"No Severus I will grant the boy the grace of a funeral, call it a gift if you will" the Dark Lord explained with a smirk.

The truth was he knew that the funeral would be very heavily guarded and near impossible to stage an attack. It would be a blood bath that his men would be on the receiving end of and he simply did not have the disposable numbers right now.

"That is generous of you my Lord" Snape intoned with a bow.

"It is indeed" Voldemort agreed. "However that is not why I requested your presence Severus" he told the man.

"How can I be of service?" Snape asked.

"It was you, was it not, that brought the prophecy to my attention all those years ago?" he began rhetorically. "I want to know who gave the prophecy" he stated firmly.

"I can't tell you my Lord the headmaster forced me to give an oath" Snape replied desperately, knowing that that mean nothing to the man.

"That is a shame Severus" Voldemort said casually. "But I really do need that information" he finished dangerously.

Snape just stood rooted to the spot, he knew the man would get the information he wanted one way or another even if that forfeited his life.

Voldemort stood and drew his wand. He walked slowly towards the man casually.

"It seems having you as my spy has benefitted me very little Severus" he said irritably. "You have bought me nothing overtly useful since my return and the one thing I want is something that you can give" he added dangerously.

"My Lord I have information" the potions master said desperately. "You have not been available to receive it" he pointed out.

The Dark Lord paused. It was true that he had instructed his men not to disturb him unless it was of the utmost importance.

"Ok Severus" he granted. "Share with me what you have" he requested firmly taking his seat again.

"Potter has been spending quite a lot of time at Hogwarts" Snape began frantically. "He has been in the company of one of my fifth years, Daphne Greengrass, it seems they have become very fond of each other" he informed the man.

"Interesting" Voldemort mused. "Something to think on" he added. "What else?" he questioned with a frown.

"He has also become very fond of a muggleborn first year" Snape continued. "She's an orphan like him, her name is McDonald or something" he explained with a frown.

"Very interesting" Voldemort said with a smirk. "I have just the thing for her".

He looked at Snape critically waiting for him to proceed.

"He has already completed his OWLS to a very high level" he continued weakly.

"His magic is beyond foolish schooling" Voldemort spat. "If you have nothing else Severus then I am afraid I will have to take what it is I do want".

"No please my Lord" Snape pleaded. "I can still be useful to you".

"The most use you can be is giving me what I want" the Dark Lord responded drawing his wand. "I do hope your oath was worth it Severus". "Crucio" he finished with a sadistic smile.

Snape collapsed to the floor in a heap and screamed his throat raw. He knew if he told the man then his magic was forfeit and maybe even his life.

"Who was it Severus?" Voldemort asked desperately after he had lifted the curse. "Who gave the prophecy?"

Snape was silent but jerked involuntarily. He knew he could not hold up long under the Dark Lords power. He steeled himself knowing that more was to follow. But the pain he expected did not come. Instead he was hit with a bludgeoner to the knee. It seems the Dark Lord had become more inventive with his punishments and interrogations; he did not just rely on one curse anymore.

Snape knew he was in for a very painful experience; the Dark Lord was unforgiving and unrelenting. Either his mind would break or his body would. It mattered not because he was a dead man no matter what.

The spells continued to inflict pain on the potions master for an inordinate amount of time. It is strange the punishment that the human body can absorb and still function to a degree of clarity. Severus Snape was certainly surprised by the resilience he demonstrated but a large part of him wished that he was much weaker and would succumb to the inevitable much quicker. He had lost consciousness several times throughout the ordeal but found himself awake once more after only a moment.

He was in so much pain that he could not even hazard a guess as to what damage had been done to him. He could feel many broken bones and several trails of blood running from the many wounds he had received. The worst was the smell however. The sweet and sickly smell of burnt flesh and iron that plagued his nose caused him to vomit several times. He could also smell urine but chose to ignore that one. He refused to accept that he had pissed himself although he knew that was a common side effect of great physical trauma.

Despite all that had been done to him he refused to relent, he owed that much to Lily, he had failed with every other promise he had made to her after she had passed, but he would not fail this time.

"Come Severus, even you know now that you will have no quality of life after this" Voldemort cut in. "Just tell me what I want to know and I will heal you" he promised with a faux sincere tone. "Tell me now" he roared as he fired another string of curses at the downed man.

Snape just lay on the ground unmoving; it seemed that his body had finally had enough.

"Ennervate" the Dark Lord shouted, pointing his wand towards the man.

Nothing happened.

Voldemort began waving his wand over the man and found that he was still alive, just. He smirked to himself; he knew what would work now, something he wouldn't try on a strong willed man unless he knew he could defeat them, a mistake he had made with Harry Potter.

He readied himself and faded into a thick black fog to enter the man's mind. He entered and found that it was in a deplorable state; it seems that Severus had had some very powerful mind defences, something the Dark Lord was pleased no longer remained.

It took him quite some time to find what he was looking for but he found it eventually. He watched the memory of Snape spying in the Hog's Head and immediately recognised the voice; he had after all heard it at Hogwarts when he was possessing that fool Quirrel.

At least Snape had been honest about only hearing the first part of the prophecy as the Dark Lord saw him expelled from the premises for his snooping. He extracted himself from Snape's mind and smiled as he pressed his wand to the man's mark to summon two of his followers. He had the perfect plan to remind Potter that he should not be taken lightly and the perfect people to execute it.

He waited impatiently for the two men to arrive watching the form of Severus Snape draining the last dregs of life it possessed. He waved his wand over the man once more and found that there was no response at all, Severus Snape was dead.

(BREAK)

Harry Potter had spent the last two weeks in a self-imposed isolation. He needed time and space to put everything into perspective. The only exception to this isolation had been Sirius to whom he had spent a reasonable amount of time with arranging the funeral and so forth.

Harry felt something that he had not ever felt before in his life, he felt numb. Any compassion he had ever had had died along with the older man, a man that he missed more and more as each day passed. Although he had not seen him much save for meal times the emptiness the man left behind permeated throughout the house. He had felt it the instant he had returned, the very day that Arcturus had passed on.

He arrived back in the drawing room to find a very inconsolable Elgar who had forgone his usual professional manner in favour of demonstrating his grief at the loss of his life-long master.

"I'm sorry Elgar" Harry said sincerely to the elf.

"It's not your fault Lord Black" the elf replied dismissively with more than a hint of pain in his voice. "I shall be gone be the evening" he added with a firm nod.

"Why?" Harry asked incredulously.

"My service with the Black family is to end when Lord Arcturus passes" the elf informed him sadly.

"Is that what you want?" Harry questioned the elf with a frown.

"No Sir" Elgar answered firmly. "But you's has your elf sir" he added sadly.

"Elgar there is always a place for you here" Harry said placing a hand on his shoulder. "If you want to stay then you can, this is your home and I'm sure you would be a great help to me" he finished resolutely.

"You would keep Elgar?" the elf asked clearly surprised.

"I would love for you to stay" Harry replied genuinely. "You can carry out the same duties, nothing has to change" he explained to the elf.

"Elgar would like that Lord Black" the elf responded with a bow.

"How about you just call me master Potter as you always have" Harry suggested. "Arcturus was your master and I don't expect you to call me Lord Black if it upsets you".

"Thank you Master Potter" the elf said gratefully.

Harry bonded the elf to the house of Black and allowed him to continue the service he had been carrying out for many decades, it was the least he could do.

The two weeks that had passed since the death of Arcturus had been trying for them both. They shared a relationship similar to what they always had but Harry made an extra effort to ensure that the elf was coping as best he could. He could see the heartbreak that he himself felt reflected in Elgar's eyes and wanted to help him as much as he could.

Today was the day of the funeral, something Harry did not feel much like facing but knew that it was his duty as both a friend and the head of the family to do so.

He knew the media and many people would be in attendance, Arcturus was the last living Baron after all so it was expected. He had made sure to invite all of those he wished to attend personally; even Elgar and Dobby would both be there, much to the Black elf's relief.

He had spent much time along with Sirius at the Black crypt preparing for the day. He had ensured that the security of the venue was as good as could be provided; no one would be in attendance without him knowing about it. He had made sure that there was enough seating for the ample number of guests and that the wake was catered and provided for sufficiently. He just wanted the day to go ahead without any issues or problems.

He was the first to arrive at the crypt followed closely by Sirius who hugged his godson as he arrived.

"Are you ready for this?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"We have to be" Harry answered flatly.

This was something that Sirius had noticed about his godson since his grandfather had passed. He seemed to have taken the man's words on board and began including him in everything the way the man wanted. It was them against the world and Sirius would have it no other way. He was proud to be the young man's confidant and would mirror his sentiment; it was them the way his Grandfather wished it would be.

"We will get through this, all of it" he said resolutely.

They spoke for only a few minutes when the first guests began to arrive, Dobby and Elgar had been here all morning preparing for the service. Albus Dumbledore was the first to arrive and greeted the duo solemnly.

"I am truly sorry for your loss" he intoned to the pair sincerely. "Although we didn't see eye to eye on most things he was a great man in his own right" he finished genuinely.

"Thank you Professor" Harry said gratefully.

"Thank you" Sirius replied with a bow.

A flood of guests arrived after the headmaster; The Tonks', Narcissa, the Greengrass's and many others Harry did not recognise, even Cornelius Fudge appeared much to Harry's surprise.

"I am saddened by your loss Lord Potter" the man intoned with a bow. "If there is anything I can do then please do not hesitate to ask" he added.

"Actually Minister there is" Harry responded thoughtfully. "I would like immunity from prosecution, you know I am his number one target and he and his followers will be coming for me, I would like to be able to defend myself and any other who needs it without worry" he explained to the man.

Fudge looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded.

"Consider it done, I doubt there would be anyone who would argue with your logic" Fudge said in agreement.

"And my godfather also, he spends most of his time with me" Harry pointed out.

"I will have the paperwork sent out first thing tomorrow, but do keep it quiet" he requested. "It would not do to see I am essentially giving you a hit-wizard licence" he finished firmly.

"Of course Minister" Harry answered with a grin.

"Clever" Sirius said as Fudge walked away.

"He was hardly going to deny me was he" Harry replied.

"He knows you are going to do what you want anyway, it was in his best interest" Sirius said with a shrug. "This way he is part of the solution and not hindering the effort".

Seeing that the venue was full of people and the service was about to begin the two took their seats on the front row with the rest of the Black family.

The service began and Harry found himself simply staring at the ornate, black coffin where the older man was now resting. He was completely transfixed on the wooden construct and heard very little of the monotonous proceedings. The man carrying out the service clearly knew nothing of the man and read from simple pre-written passages.

"Are there any among you who wish to say a few words?" the man questioned the crowd after he had finished his ramblings.

Harry immediately stood. He was not well versed in speeches and such public events but he wanted to say something, he knew it was expected of him at the very least being the new head of the Black family. He approached the podium on the raised dais and took a deep breath, the crowd watching with unwavering attentiveness.

"It is my duty of the new head of the Black family to say a few words about my predecessor" he began.

There was some murmuring amongst the members of the crowd that clearly did not know he had been named as the new Lord Black.

"But I do not stand here out of duty today" he continued. "I stand here privileged and simply as Harry James Potter". "I've heard Arcturus described as a miserable old git, a cantankerous bastard and even surly and unfriendly and I have to say that I agree with all of those" he said with a smirk. "But I have heard him described as one thing that I will never see him as and that is heartless" he stated sincerely.

Some members of the crowd mumbled at this but allowed Harry to continue.

"Although he will kick my arse for saying this, Arcturus Orion Black had the biggest heart of any person I have ever met" Harry went on. "At the risk of his own life and for the sake of an old friend he rescued a skinny, under-grown and underprepared fourteen year old boy from the direst of situations. He welcomed that boy into his home, he cared for him, he healed him, he fed him and he clothed him but above all that he taught him who he was and gave him what he needed to be strong, the way he needed to be to handle what it is he faced and still faces" he explained. "That skinny kid was me" he added sadly. "I owe my life to Arcturus Orion Black and I stand here today proud to call him nothing short of my friend. He gave me something that I had never had before; a place to call home. He gave me strength and he gave me hope when I needed it most. He told me all about my family and he showed me what it was to be a man of both of my lines and I will take those lessons and honour him and his memory until the day I die" Harry vowed.

He walked towards the coffin and placed his right hand on it.

"Thank you my friend" he whispered. "I will lead your family proudly and bring honour to your name as I will my own" he added wiping away a stray tear.

He approached the podium once again and looked towards over the crowd.

"Now that is done there is something else I have to say and it is directly to the reason as to why we had to be here today" he began seriously.

The audience looked at him expectantly and he took a deep breath before continuing, attempting to control his anger, but he was already failing and he could feel his magic reacting to it.

"To anyone who carries the mark and follows the self-styled Dark Lord Voldemort" he said dangerously.

Many in the crowd gasped and flinched at the use of the name but Harry ignored it.

"I am coming for every single one of you, without mercy" he continued his anger becoming more apparent, his eyes glowing with the usual emerald fire.

"You have taken the last person you will take from me and now it is my turn" he said darkly. "I promise I will hunt every last one of you down until there is none of you bastards left" he added resolutely.

"You can't do that" a voice from the media broke in in disbelief.

"Actually" Cornelius Fudge replied. "He can, Mr Potter is a registered hit-wizard and we are at war" he explained. "I have personally signed the paperwork myself" he added giving Harry a firm nod.

The journalists began writing ferociously.

"And Tom" Harry cut in loudly. "I am coming for you too and I will be sending you to hell, even if I have to make the journey there with you myself" he vowed.

"Who is Tom?" one of the journalists shouted in question.

"Tom Riddle" Harry answered the man. "You are a journalist, work it out".

The journalists shared a look and a shrug; it was something they would have to look in to.

Harry left the stage and resumed his seat. A few other people gave speeches and to Harry's surprise even Sirius said a few words.

It was not long after the service that most of the attendees found themselves at the Three Broomsticks at the wake of Arcturus. Harry, Sirius and the rest of the Black family members had spent much of their time entertaining well-wishers and people offering condolences. One of the less enjoyable aspects of such an event.

Neither Harry nor Sirius were in the mood for this formality but both tolerated it for the sake of the man. The truth was that they both just wanted to be alone and figuring out what their next move would be, something that Arcturus would usually handle or at least have things to suggest. Nonetheless they were here and everything else would be put on hold for today while they both mourned and celebrated the life and passing of the older man.

Harry had just thanked what felt like the thousandth person for coming when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder; he turned to see Jonathan Greengrass looking at him with concern.

"How are you holding up Harry?" he asked in a caring voice.

Harry shrugged and ran is hand through his hair.

"I'm not sure to be honest" he answered the man with a sigh. "He's the person I got the closest to that I've lost, I feel either numb or angry" he finished with another shrug.

"It's understandable" Jonathan answered. "It might not feel like it now but I promise it does get easier, I went through the same when I lost my mother" he explained. "If there's anything you need then we are here for you" he said gesturing to his family. "Really, anything at all" he added squeezing the young man's shoulder.

"Thank you" Harry replied gratefully.

Jonathan nodded and moved aside to allow other people to have a moment with the teen.

Daphne approached him before anyone else could and took his hand.

"I'm sorry for not being around" Harry said to the girl who just shook her head.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, I know how much he meant to you and I really am sorry" she responded with a gentle squeeze of the hand she was holding. "Please just don't feel like you're alone" she pleaded. "I know you do but you aren't, my Dad meant what he said, they really do care about you" she continued. "I care about you" she added.

"You've seen what happens to people who care about me" Harry mumbled.

"Look at me Harry" Daphne request cupping his cheek.

Harry looked into her worry filled icy blue eyes and immediately felt a warmth he had started to become familiar with.

"Are you going to let that happen to me?" she asked him quietly. "Just imagine one of them taking me and doing god knows what to me" she instructed.

"I would make them wish they were dead" Harry growled in fury at the thought, the emerald fire in his eyes roaring in agreement.

"That's why I'm not worried" Daphne explained sincerely. "I know you wouldn't let anything happen to me or my family, so please listen to what my Dad said, we are all here for you, especially me" she said placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "Just write to me and see me when you can" She added with a sad smile. "I miss your letters and I miss you" she finished placing a kiss on his cheek before walking away.

Harry could see and feel the honesty coming from her and it made him smile the first genuine smile since the night Arcturus had died. He shook his head in realisation, the realised that he truly cared for the blonde girl more than he thought could be possible. The thought of her warmed him and he took some comfort in that. It did not help with the pang of loss he felt from the passing of his friend and mentor but it filled him with hope of something more, something special to cherish now and to look forward to also. It told him that he still had something worth fighting for other than the simple pleasure of living and the select few he held in any esteem.

"Lord Potter" a low and crackly voice cut in, disrupting his reverie.

"Hello Barchoke" Harry said greeting the goblin with a bow.

"We have business to discuss as you are the new head of the Black family, if you wish to retain my services of course" the goblin informed him.

"I don't see any reason to why I would need to find a new goblin to be in charge of the family finances" Harry replied with a shrug. "What business do we have?" he asked.

"Thank you Lord Potter" the goblin said, clearly relieved. "Firstly we have the reading of the will of Arcturus to be done first and then you and I need to discuss a few things as you are now the head of two families and the owner of a significant fortune" the goblin informed him.

"I didn't even think of that" Harry said ashamedly.

"That's why it is my job to handle it" the goblin replied. "The will reading should be done as soon as possible to deal with any issues that may arise from the passing of the former head" he explained.

Harry thought for a moment before replying.

"How about tomorrow?" he asked.

"Just as I would have suggested" the goblin intoned with a bow. "I shall inform all others named in the will" he added.

"Thank you Barchoke" Harry sighed offering the goblin his hand who shook it gratefully.

"I shall see you tomorrow morning at 9am Lord Potter" the goblin added as he bid his farewell.

The news of a will reading did not sit well with Harry, he truly had not taken that into consideration and it was something he did not want to face. He knew that it was just another of those duties that he would have to fulfil however and would take it in his stride, he just hoped that the formalities would end soon so he could grieve for his friend, something he had had very little time to do.

Harry shook his head sadly and returned to receiving the remainder of the guests. This day could not end quickly enough for the young man.

(BREAK)

As promised, Harry arrived at Gringotts at 9am to meet with Barchoke to listen to Arcturus's will and discuss the business mentioned the previous day.

Unsurprisingly he was greeted by Sirius, the Tonks family and Narcissa. They were quickly led through the same room that Harry had first come to with Arcturus all those months ago. He had a moment of nostalgia that was interrupted by the goblin who was keen to get started.

"We will first hear the will of Arcturus and then we can discuss it if necessary" he informed the group in a business like tone removing a sheaf of parchment from a case embossed with the Black family crest.

The Goblin cleared his throat before he began to read.

"I, Arcturus Orion Black being of sound mind and body hereby declare this my last will and testament dated the 23rd of May 1996. This will both replaces and takes precedence over any other will dated prior to this one".

"Firstly, as you are hearing this then clearly I have passed on. If what a certain young man has told me is true then I shall now be with my wife and sons, finally existing in some form of peace, I hope".

"To Andromeda Tonks, I leave you the sum of 5 million galleons in the hope that it gives you the security you deserve in life and an apology. I apologise for not standing by you when you chose to flee instead of marrying a husband of your fathers choosing, he was a fool as was I for allowing him such liberties within the family. I only hope that the new head has a much more firm hand to prevent things like this happening again. Again I apologise to you and hope you can forgive a man for his mistakes".

Andromeda smiled at the rare sentiment shown by her Grandfather, the apology meant more than the gold ever would. She and Ted had had to work hard for what they had but they had always managed.

"To Theodore Tonks, as the husband of my granddaughter that gold is as much yours as it is hers. What I give to you is both my blessing and acceptance into the house of Black. I never got to know you but I trust my granddaughter's judgement; you must be a good man to win her over to the point of risking expulsion from the family. Continue looking after the way you have all these years and welcome to the family".

Ted pulled his wife into a one armed hug. He had never expected any form of acceptance by the older man and having it truly meant a lot to him.

"To Narcissa Malfoy, I leave you the sum of 5 million galleons under the condition that your idiot husband does not get a single knut of it. I also leave you a bracelet from your grandmother, one that is connected to the head of house ring. Should you need it it will work as a portkey that will take you directly to whoever is head of house. It is tied to the Black blood so only yourself or a member of the family can use it, remember that because the consequences of someone else using it will be most unpleasant".

Narcissa just smiled sadly at what had been left to her. She wished that her grandfather would accept Lucius but knew that would never happen.

"To Bellatrix Lestrange….

Everyone in the room stiffened at this.

"I leave you with the offer of sanctuary by the house of Black if you choose to accept. You are much better than you have shown and I find myself disappointed in your choices. I give you this ring that will work in the same manner as your sister's; I trust that she will get it to you".

Narcissa took the ring from the goblin and nodded her agreement and turned to Harry.

"Did you read the note?" she asked him.

"Not yet" Harry replied having forgotten all about it. "I will read it later" he added.

"Bella is keen for you too, she says it is something that will interest you and Sirius" she explained.

Harry looked towards Sirius who just shrugged in reply and the group waited for Barchoke to continue.

"To Nymphadora Tonks, you may not be a Black by name but you are by blood. I leave you the sum of 5 million galleons and a book of the Black family magic. You have every right to learn it and I implore that you do, it might just save your life. Use the money to build a good life for yourself once this war is over".

Tonks looked at her mother who nodded her agreement with what Arcturus had said.

"To Sirius Orion Black, I also leave you the sum of 5 million galleons and a final request. I have watched you grow into a very capable wizard over the last months and I am proud to call you my grandson. I know the family has not always been good to you but carry the name of Black proudly, you certainly do it justice. Protect our blood Sirius and bring honour and respect to our name once more. Find yourself a woman who makes you happy and just live as best you can. Trust Harry and protect him as you should always have. The chance to raise him as you would a son was taken from you but in him you have a brother, hold onto that Sirius you have no idea how important that will be in the days to come".

Sirius placed an arm around his godson's shoulder and nodded firmly. There was nothing that would stop him being there for him now.

"And finally to Harry James Potter. What can I say? I have watched you grow from a meek boy into a man I am proud to call not only a friend but also family. I am proud of you Harry no matter what happens but make sure you fulfil what you have set out to do. Never forget who you are and where you come from, I know both Charlus and Dorea would just as proud as I am at the man you have become. I leave you the sum of 5 million galleons and the house we have shared, that is your home now, something I know you have always craved. Trust Sirius and I know that between you both those bastards don't stand a chance. Protect our family Harry, it is precious and all we have left". "And remember to live, kill that bastard and make our family grow, I have a faith in you that I haven't felt since I fought side by side with your grandfather".

Harry fought the tears that threatened to fall. He really had no idea how much he meant to the older man but hearing it in his own words made it very real and he appreciated it beyond the comprehension of words.

"I will be waiting for you all on the other side and hope that we do not meet until the time is right. But until then, look out for each other and you will all make it through this storm of that, I have no doubt".

"That concludes the will of Arcturus Orion Black" Barchoke informed them, placing the parchment back in the case. "Any questions?" he asked the group.

They all shook their heads respectively.

"Ok then our business is done but I must speak with Lord Potter" Barchoke said dismissively.

The group bid their farewells and left after Harry had told them to come to him if they needed anything. He pulled Sirius back as he was about to leave.

"I want you to stay with me" he said to his godfather/ "I'm still not very good at dealing with the goblins" he added.

Sirius looked towards Barchoke who nodded his consent.

"What business do we need to discuss?" Harry asked.

"Well as you are now the head of two families you need to decide if you want to combine the two fortunes or leave them separate" Barchoke informed him.

"Keep it separate" Harry instructed. "The Black line is still alive, it would be disrespectful to merge everything as things are" he explained.

"As I would have suggested" Barchoke intoned with a bow. "Now it is my duty to inform you that as a head of two major wizarding families you have the right to marry two witches, one for the continuation of each family" he told the shocked teen.

"I am only almost sixteen" Harry began. "But I definitely won't take two wives" he said firmly. "Marriage is not something I will even consider until I am older and the war is over" he finished with a nod.

"Very well" Barchoke replied. "Now would you like to go over the finances or would you like me to continue as the former Lord Black had instructed, it was very profitable and there is nothing I think you will disagree with" he explained.

"Then carry on" Harry instructed. "If you don't see any need to change anything then I trust your judgement".

"Then we are finished here" the goblin declared. "I will of course keep you up to date with everything and you can contact me any time you wish" he finished with a bow.

"Thank you Barchoke" Harry said sincerely and shook the goblins hand. "Shall we go and read that letter from your cousin?" he asked Sirius.

"Best get it out of the way I guess" Sirius shrugged. "Merlin knows what that mental cow wants" he added shaking his head.

The two left the bank and disapparated to the drawing room of the house that Harry had just been left by his older companion. He felt a stab of sadness at the realisation followed by a wave of comfort, the man cared enough to give him a home and that meant more than anything else to the younger man.

He led Sirius to his room where he had left the parchment on his desk the day he had received it. He picked up the folded note and tried to open it but to no avail. He frowned and tapped it with his wand causing the seal to come loose. He unfolded it and read:

To Potter,

I have a proposition for you that I believe will be beneficial to us both. I only ask that you meet me with an open mind and not hand me to the aurors or attack me. You have my magical vow that I will come alone and not attempt to harm you. You will get what you want and in turn I shall too. I look forward to hearing from you. Just write you reply on the back of this parchment and tap it with your wand, it will find its way back to me.

Kisses,

Bella

Harry frowned as the parchment glowed blue, sealing the vow she had given. He handed the note to Sirius who also frowned after reading it.

"What do you think?" Harry questioned his godfather.

"If she hadn't given a vow I would throw it in the fire" he replied still frowning. "But I guess it couldn't hurt to see what she wants, it might be worth our time" he finished shrugging.

"Then we need to plan" Harry declared. "Even if she has given a vow I don't trust her at all, let's see what we can come up with, I'm quite interested in meeting the famous Bellatrix Lestrange" he finished shaking his head at his own anticipation.

"I wouldn't be so keen" Sirius intoned. "She's not the most pleasant person and I am guessing 15 years in Azkaban did very little to improve her mental state" he added knowingly.

(BREAK)

It would take two weeks for the duo to feel both comfortable and ready with the plan they had come up with to meet with the deranged woman. In that time they did something they had never done before; they trained together on a daily basis.

Harry had to admit that he was very impressed with the skill of his godfather and shared the sentiment with the man.

"You've really been training" he said to the man in disbelief at his prowess with a wand.

"Every day" Sirius replied. "Fudge might have got his head out of his arse but there still aren't enough capable aurors, so it looks like it is up to me and you for now" he said with a shrug. "The way it should have been from the start" he added placing his arm around the teen's shoulders.

"It looks like your grandfather was right" Harry responded with a grin.

"What do you mean?" Sirius questioned with a frown.

"That this war needs another Potter-Black alliance" Harry answered with a smile.

"Then we will make sure we give them everything the Potters and the Blacks have" Sirius vowed with a grin. "We will show those bastards why they shouldn't have ever messed with our families" he added.

"Our family" Harry corrected. "We are one big family now" he said with a smile.

"The way it should be" Sirius agreed returning the smile.

The two trained together putting together the skill they both possessed. The learned how to fight in tandem with one another and soon realised that they shared a style very similar and just as effective as their grandfather's before them. It warmed Harry to no end that he had his godfather to rely on and he could see the same feeling reflected in the other man's eyes. It was them against the world and neither could be happier about it.

Harry made sure that he wrote regularly to Daphne since the day of the funeral. Realising how much he truly cared for the girl had made it one of his priorities, and something he would not take for granted again. He found himself looking forward to her replies even if she just told him about the day she had or what she had planned with her family and Tracey. It gave him a semblance of normality, something he would need if he was to function in a normal society after this war was over.

He found that he did indeed miss the girl and looked forward to seeing her again. He would lie awake in bed at night writing to her and thinking of the time they had spent, and it just had not been enough; he vowed to change that in the near future.

They had decided between them that the cave in Hogsmeade that Harry had met Sirius during fourth year would be a good place to meet with Bellatrix; it was well out of the way and they were guaranteed privacy. Sirius would be there under the invisibility cloak to make ensure nothing untoward happened.

They apparated to the cave and Sirius hid beneath the cloak as Harry summoned the woman to them by replying to the note.

Lestrange,

Use the ring your grandfather left you, I trust your sister gave it to you. It will bring you directly to me. You have my vow that I will not attack you and I have not informed anyone outside the family of this meeting. I'm waiting.

Potter

He tapped the note with his wand as instructed and after a moment it disappeared in a burst of Black flames. Now all that was left to do was wait for the woman to appear to which she did less than 10 minutes later.

"Potter" She called as she appeared in the dark cave with her wand drawn.

"Put it away Lestrange" Harry commanded as he emerged from a shadowy corner, his own wand in hand.

Bellatrix complied and placed her wand up her sleeve. She raised her hands to show that she was unarmed as she stepped closer to the teen who returned the gesture by replacing his own wand in its holster.

"My, my, my" Bellatrix intoned stroking Harry's cheek who recoiled from her touch. "You have become quite the man Lord Black" she added biting her lip.

"What do you want?" Harry asked impatiently.

"What, no flirting or fun?" Bellatrix asked with a pout. "I'm sure we could have lots of fun" she whispered sultrily into his ear and ran her tongue across his lobe.

"I don't think so" Harry said pushing her away with a grimace. "You're old enough to be my mother and the years haven't exactly been kind to you" he added gesturing to her emaciated figure and gaunt looks. "Now what do you want?" he questioned her again.

"Hmph" Bellatrix frowned petulantly and folded her arms. "Fine" she said irritably. "By now I'm sure you have figured out that it was my darling husband who killed my grandfather" she stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes" Harry growled angrily.

"Well then how about I give him to you" she offered casually.

"And why would you do that?" Harry asked with a disbelieving frown.

"Call it family duty and doing us both a favour" Bellatrix replied with a shrug. "I want rid of the Neanderthal and you want your revenge and no one harms a member of my family" she huffed indignantly.

"You care about your family?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course" Bellatrix simpered. "I made my choices a long time ago but I do not take my blood for granted, I am a Black, a member of the greatest wizarding family in existence" she added sincerely.

"Even though most of them fight against your master?" Harry questioned further.

"The Dark Lord has become rather boring" Bellatrix said pacing the cave. "Believe it or not he was once very handsome and very well put together, he feared no one and I followed him proudly" she proclaimed. "But now all he does is moan about Harry Potter and how you have defied him and how he wants to kill you, it is rather boring" she finished.

"That hardly justifies a change of heart" Harry pointed out.

"It is power that attracts me Potter, not foolish ideologies and I have seen him vulnerable" she replied with a frown. "Now don't get me wrong I still despise the mudbloods but I am intelligent enough to know that our kind cannot survive with just purebloods, there isn't enough of us and you and the Dark Lord are living proof that blood does not denote power. He fears you but you don't fear him, I can see it" she continued looking the young man in the eye. "If you had come along much sooner maybe my life would have been different but I made my choices long ago and I have to stand by them" She finished firmly.

"You know he is a half-blood then?" Harry asked a little surprised.

"Of course, you don't think I would follow someone with a clearly made up name without knowing everything about him do you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "It's like I said it is power that attracts me, not blood nor beliefs" she reaffirmed.

Harry thought about everything she said and found that Arcturus had been right about her. She was indeed very intelligent but she had certainly made poor choices in life.

"What do you want in return for handing over your husband?" he asked sceptically.

"If I survive the war I want a low security cell with no dementors or other horrible creatures" she answered firmly.

"You do realise I am not an auror" Harry responded with a raised eyebrow.

"No but you will have more say than most once this is all over" Bellatrix said knowingly. "You will be able to do that at the very least" she added.

"So you think I will beat him?" Harry asked the woman.

"Oh that I have no doubt of" Bellatrix replied lustily. "He already fears you and that is half the battle won".

"Fine if I can do it then I will" Harry conceded. "But there is something else I want from you" he added.

"Anything" Bellatrix replied biting her lip again.

"I want to know of any major attacks in advance and you will not fight to kill anymore" he said with a non-compromising tone.

"You want me to spy?" she asked squinting distastefully.

"Call it family duty" Harry responded with a grin.

"Fine" Bellatrix sighed. "But I don't know about everything" she said warningly. "You can't hold it against me if I just don't know".

"I won't" he said with a shrug.

Harry suddenly frowned as a wave of magic passed over him. It was not a comforting magic but was more of a warning. It took him a moment to realise what it was and he stiffened in realisation.

"Natalie" he whispered.

"Huh?" Bellatrix asked dumbly.

"Do you know of any attacks tonight?" he asked her urgently.

"No only that Lucius has been sent to do something" she informed him shaking her head.

"Sirius we have to go" he called to his godfather. "Contact me through your sister" he instructed Bellatrix. "I will find a way so we can stay in touch" he added.

Harry grabbed his godfather's arm as he approached and the pair vanished from sight silently, leaving a very bemused Bellatrix in their wake.

(BREAK)

Lucius Malfoy, along with Fenrir Greyback and a score of his own men arrived at the orphanage where the McDonald girl spent her time away from Hogwarts. It hadn't taken too much effort to find the place but they had waited until the full moon was only a day or so away to make the werewolves more feral in the attack, even werewolves were reluctant to attack children unless they had little control of themselves and the days leading up to the night of the change were perfect.

Greyback had wanted to do it on the night of the full moon but Lucius had firmly disagreed, he did not want to be killed by a group of werewolves and the Dark Lord did not trust only them to carry this out, they were nothing but mindless fools and he did not want risk it failing. So Lucius had been tasked to help them, much to his chagrin. He hated the disgusting creatures but would do as his Lord had bid.

The group approached the orphanage and casually knocked on the door. After a moment the door was opened by a squat and middle-aged muggle woman.

"Good evening Madame" Lucius drawled with a bow. "I am looking for a Natalie McDonald, I am a representative of the school she attends and I just need a few moments of her time" he explained.

The woman just frowned at him.

"The lady who came said we would only be contacted by her and she would write first" she explained. "I will therefore have to decline your request" she finished and made to close the door.

Lucius placed his foot in the doorway to stop it from closing.

"I must insist on seeing her" he said threateningly.

"For fuck sake Malfoy just move the bitch" Greyback growled and barrelled into the door knocking the woman to the ground. "Where is the McDonald girl?" he questioned angrily.

(BREAK)

Natalie McDonald had not been happy since returning to the orphanage for the summer holidays. The other children had refused to speak to her, thinking that she got preferential treatment for being sent to a private school and she missed the castle and being able to do magic.

She had spent the holiday so far in her room completing her homework, something she had promised Harry that she would do as best she could. She wanted the older boy to be proud of her and she wanted to show him how much she appreciated him looking after her.

She was currently sat in her room as she spent most of her time when she heard a loud shout followed by a loud bang coming from downstairs. She shrugged and continued scratching away with her quill; this was not an uncommon occurrence in the home. There were around 20 children living here so it was rarely quiet.

She was pulled from her work again as another shout, much closer rang throughout the house.

"Where is the McDonald girl you bitch, I won't ask you again?" a very loud and animalistic voice questioned someone in fury.

Natalie stiffened in fear. Why would someone be looking for her? She panicked and jumped off her bed and rolled underneath. It was then that she remembered her necklace that Harry had given her. She removed it from her top and clutched it tightly thinking of the boy as he had told her to. She just hoped that he would come.

(BREAK)

Harry and Sirius arrived on a street with houses lining either side. They both heard the commotion coming from the building directly in front of them and Sirius placed a firm hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Werewolves" he said knowingly sniffing the air in confirmation.

"But it's not a full moon" Harry pointed out.

"They are more resistant to magic closer to the full moon and its tomorrow" Sirius replied knowingly, living with two of them himself.

"Silver then" Harry instructed to which Sirius nodded.

The pair hurriedly began conjuring silver daggers and arrows to stab with or banish towards the werewolves.

"Let's go" Harry said.

The pair entered the house to hear screams sounding from several directions.

"Split up?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"Yeah" Harry agreed reluctantly. "But call if you need me" he added firmly.

Sirius nodded his agreement and broke off. He headed upstairs while his godson remained on the ground floor.

Harry entered the first room he came to to see two shabbily dressed men attacking a woman who could not be any older than 20. He felt his anger rise and he quickly banished two daggers into the backs of the attackers who screamed in agony as they hit the floor.

He helped the woman to her feet who had luckily only suffered a few cuts and bruises.

"Stay here" Harry commanded and exited the room before the woman could say a word, he didn't have time to waste.

He entered the next room to half a dozen of the werewolves in the company of Lucius Malfoy who blanched at the teen's entrance.

"It's Potter" he shouted in a panic.

Harry did not hesitate and began banishing his projectiles indiscriminately towards the small crowd of people dropping most of them instantly. He felt a great feeling of satisfaction watching one of the arrows embed itself in Malfoy's shoulder causing the man to scream.

"Oh I've been waiting for this Lucy" Harry growled menacingly. "Remember when you tried to use the killing curse on me in my second year?" he asked. "Maybe I should return the favour" he added, not waiting for the man to answer.

"Potter wait" Malfoy pleaded pathetically.

"Actually, that curse is too quick for someone like you" Harry said amusedly.

Before he could continue he felt something solid impact against his side that sent him crashing into the wall. Shaking away the cobwebs he saw Malfoy disappear, clearly the man had a portkey.

Harry growled and turned towards the werewolf that had crashed into him, only to see the large man already in full charge towards him. Having very little time to react Harry simply braced himself and waited for the impact and he quickly found himself on his back below a furious hulk of a man.

Harry placed a hand on the man's throat to keep him at a distance and used his free hand to reach for one of the daggers he had conjured. He pulled it from his belt and rammed it with all of his force into the man's gut feeling a warm and wet liquid spread all over his hands and torso after he had done so.

The werewolf roared in pain and Harry seized the advantage by rolling the man on his back so that he was on top now. After firming his position he began perpetually stabbing the man with the dagger every place he could reach, it did not take long for him to fall still from the wounds he had received.

He stood and realised that he was covered from head to toe in blood, he could even taste it in his mouth. He spat disgustedly and checked himself over for any wounds that he had not felt, and much to his relief, found nothing.

He was pulled from his self- checking by shouting and screaming coming from upstairs.

"Sirius" Harry shouted and ploughed his way as quickly as he could through the house following the trail of bodies that had obviously fallen victim to his godfather.

He charged up the stairs and raced across the landing where he could spot a few more bodies. He came to a door that had simply been ripped from his hinges and entered the room to see Sirius on his back with what appeared to be a half-transformed werewolf on top of him attempting to rip him to shreds.

Harry roared in fury and fired a blasting curse at the beast catching it in the back and sending it into the wall.

Sirius immediately sprung to his feet and began savagely stabbing the creature repeatedly until it moved no more.

"Greyback" he groaned hoarsely and fell to his knees.

"Sirius" Harry cried and ran forward to help the man.

"It's just a few scratches" Sirius informed him. "I'll be fine" he added reassuringly. "Where's Natalie?" he asked worriedly.

"Natalie?" Harry called. "It's safe now, it's me Harry".

Harry heard a shuffle and turned to see the young girl pulling her shaking body from beneath the bed in the room. She ran forward and flung herself into Harry who just pulled her tightly into her arms.

"You came" she sobbed into his chest.

"Always" Harry replied emotionally. "We have to get out of here" he added. "Just grab your wand, everything else can be replaced" he instructed.

"I already have it" she informed him, removing the piece of wood from her sleeve.

"Good girl" Harry praised softly. "I'm going to apparate us away, it will be a little uncomfortable" he explained.

He removed his wand and fired off a patronus before hoisting his godfather over one shoulder and pulling the girl to himself firmly, disapparating to Grimmauld Place, he needed to get help for Sirius.

(BREAK)

Cornelius Fudge was sat in his office going over budgets and trying to find ways to supplement the auror force that he knew was not sufficient. It had been a long day and he had decided that he would take the work home with him and look it over in the comfort of his living room. He had just finished fastening his cloak when a large patronus entered the room and spoke in the voice of Harry Potter.

"Attack at orphanage in Whitby, several casualties and obliviation required" it spoke quickly.

Cornelius shook his head,

So much for going home" he mused. "This is what being a real minister is about I guess" he said to himself with a proud smile.

He sent out an alert to the aurors on duty and made his way to the atrium, he planned on attending with them. He wanted the people to know that he did care and that he would personally help when he could.

(BREAK)

Lucius Malfoy arrived in his own drawing room in a heap and yelped in pain as he landed on the shoulder in which the arrow still protruded from. He looked around the room to see man confused faces looking in his direction.

"What happened Lucius?" Voldemort questioned the man angrily.

"Potter came, my Lord" Lucius gritted out on pain.

The Dark Lord screamed in fury.

"Everybody get out" he spat. "Get out" he roared.

The assembled Death Eaters fled the room as quickly as their legs would carry them.

Bellatrix exited the room with a grin. 'The Dark Lord really is like a spoilt child' she mused thoughtfully. 'If he didn't want Potter dead so much I would question his obsession with him' she chuckled internally. 'But then again, who would blame him?' she thought, biting her bottom lip.

She continued walking to her room humming a tune to herself.

(BREAK)

Harry arrived in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place with Sirius draped over him and Natalie still clinging to him for dear life. After catching his bearings he found that many people were staring at him with looks of shock and horror etched on their faces; evidently they had arrived in the middle of an order meeting.

"Padfoot" Lupin shouted and sprung to his feet, quickly followed by Marlene.

"What happened?" she asked urgently.

"Werewolves" Harry answered simply.

"We got him Moony" Sirius cut in breathily.

"What are you talking about Padfoot?" Remus asked in confusion.

"Greyback" Sirius replied. "We got him for you, he's dead".

Remus pulled the man from his godsons shoulder and cradled him like a child. He began to weep as he hugged the man tightly.

"Thank you" he said throatily. "Thank you" he repeated gratefully.

"Are you ok?" Marlene asked him clearly concerned.

"It's just a few scratches" Sirius said dismissively.

"Well we had better get you cleaned up" Marlene said with a frown. "You too Potter you're covered in blood".

"It's not mine" Harry said and began cleaning the now congealing blood off of him with his wand.

"And what made you two think it was a good idea to get into a fight with werewolves" she asked firmly with a raised eyebrow.

"They came to save me" Natalie piped up quietly.

Marlene turned to look at the girl in surprise; clearly she had not noticed her presence as yet.

"And who might you be young lady?" Marlene asked.

"I'm Natalie McDonald" the young girl replied shyly.

"Ahh the one who calls him princess" she nodded jerking a thumb towards her fiancé. "He told me all about you".

"That was supposed to be a secret" Sirius whined still in his friends arms.

"Shut up Princess" Marlene retorted causing Natalie to giggle at the pout that appeared on Sirius's face. "Now how about we get you some hot chocolate while Harry and Princess get themselves cleaned up" she suggested.

Natalie looked at Harry nervously.

"It's ok" Harry assured her. "Marlene will look after you".

"Thank you" the girl said shyly to the older woman who took her hand and led her to the stove.

"Will someone heal my wounds now?" Sirius asked irritably.

"Shut up Princess" Harry mumbled and set to work on his godfather with the help of Remus.

Between the two of them it did not take long to close the wounds and administer a few potions to the grumbling marauder.

"I'll be as scarred as Moody" Sirius complained when they were finished. "Sorry Mad-eye" he added seeing the frown the gnarled man was giving him.

"They will heal fine" Remus informed him shaking his head. "You'll just need to find someone willing to put the ointment on for the next few days".

Sirius looked hopefully at Marlene who raised an eyebrow at him.

"It will be a cold day in hell before you have me smearing cream on your bum Sirius Black" She told him.

"I don't have any wounds on my bum" the man huffed indignantly. "And it would be an honour for anyone to be given such an opportunity to touch my perfectly formed buttocks" he added haughtily.

"There is a child present you mutt" Marlene chided him. "She does not need to hear the filth that comes from you" she added sternly.

"Yes dear" a cowed Sirius replied.

"Someone must have told him about Natalie" Harry suddenly said angrily.

He looked around the room and noticed there was one obvious absence.

"Where is Snape?" he asked the group.

"That is why we are meeting" Dumbledore replied sadly. "Severus has not been seen or heard from in several weeks now" he informed the younger man.

"Then he is either a traitor or he is dead" Harry said with a shrug.

"I believe that he is dead" Dumbledore responded. "He would not turn his back on us" he added knowingly.

"How can you be sure?" Tonks asked.

"Severus has his reasons" Dumbledore returned firmly.

"It doesn't matter" Harry cut in casually.

"Harry, Severus was a vital part of the order" Dumbledore said seriously.

"I have my own eyes and ears on Tom that funnily enough I trust more than I ever would Snape" he intoned with a frown at his own thoughts. "He was always a bastard to me and always would have been, I'm not sorry that he is gone" he finished shrugging again.

"You have your own spy?" Remus asked disbelievingly.

"I do" Harry answered simply. "If anything comes up that I think you need to be aware of then I will pass it on" he informed the group.

"That would be appreciated" Dumbledore said gratefully with a bow, purposely not asking Harry to reveal his source. He trusted the young man's judgement and would not question it. "What are you going to do about Miss McDonald?" Dumbledore asked.

"I haven't thought that far" Harry said sheepishly.

"She can stay here" Marlene cut in. "You and Sirius are too busy with training and whatever else it is you get up to, it would be nice to have some company" she explained.

"Is that ok with you Natalie?" Harry asked. "Would you like to stay with Marlene and Sirius? They can look after you properly, better than I can" he added a little sadly.

He knew it was what was best for the young girl. His life was not exactly stable enough for him to be looking after an eleven year old full time.

"Only if you promise to visit me lots" Natalie replied. "And you still look after me like you said you would" she said hugging the older boy.

"I promise" Harry responded a little emotionally as he pulled her into a hug.

"Then its ok with me" Natalie agreed with the older woman who smiled at her.

"Then let us find you a bedroom and we will have to take you shopping too" Marlene frowned as she led the girl from the room.

"Harry?" a timid voice questioned him from the doorway.

Harry turned to see a brown blur launch towards him and he barely managed to catch the excited girl in his arms.

"Hello Hermione" he greeted his friend with a soft smile. "What are you doing here?" he asked in confusion.

"My parents are working in South America so Professor Dumbledore suggested I stayed here" Hermione answered. "I'm really sorry about Mr Black" she added sincerely.

"It's ok Hermione, I'm starting to accept the fact he's gone now" Harry replied a little unconvincingly.

"Why don't you and Miss Granger catch up" Dumbledore suggested. "We will be wrapping up here soon".

Harry nodded gratefully and allowed Hermione to lead him up the stairs to the room she was staying in. He sat on the bed next to his friend and pulled her into a hug.

"How are things?" he asked her.

"Not good really" Hermione responded sadly. "We got our OWL results today and Ron did really badly" she explained.

"How badly?" Harry questioned her with a frown.

"He only passed three of them and barely" she said shaking her head.

"So he didn't knuckle down and study" Harry stated. "That is his own fault" he pointed out.

"I know but I can't help but feel sorry for him" Hermione replied sadly.

The pair was interrupted by a knock on the door. Fred and George entered at Hermione's acknowledgement and froze briefly at the sight of Harry.

"Well if it isn't the Lord Potter and the Lord Black" Fred said with an elaborate bow.

"And what brings a fine man of such breeding to the company of us lowly peasants?" George added with a bow of his own grinning stupidly.

"Hello Fred, George" Harry greeted the pair with a shake of his head.

"Have you come to congratulate our fair lady here on her exemplary exam results?" Fred asked.

"I didn't know the results were coming today" Harry said truthfully. "How did you?" Harry asked his friend.

"Well she only went and got all O's of course" George answered for her.

"I got one E" Hermione pointed out with a scowl. "Defence against the Dark arts" she explained to a shocked Harry. "We didn't get enough practice it seems" she added with a deeper scowl.

"You still did very well" Harry praised and hugged her again. "You should be proud".

"What about you Harry?" Hermione questioned him. "What are you going to do without OWLS or NEWTS?".

"What does a man of such wealth need with exam results?" Fred asked haughtily.

"He has more gold than the ministry of magic, one does not need exams" George added with another elaborate bow.

"That is true" Harry mused with a grin noticing the offended look he was getting from his friend.

"Surely you don't mean that Harry?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"No Hermione" Harry appeased the girl chuckling. "I already did my OWLS" he informed her.

"When?" the girl asked disbelievingly.

"In January" Harry replied with a shrug.

"And?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"And what?" Harry returned with a grin.

"How did you do you prat?" Hermione asked impatiently, swatting the boy on the arm.

"I did fine" Harry answered with another grin.

"How did you do exactly?" Hermione asked irritably standing and placing her hands on her hips.

"Ok, ok" Harry conceded with a shake of his head. "Elgar" he called.

The elf appeared and looked at Harry expectantly.

"Could you please fetch my OWL results?" he requested of the elf who simply bowed and vanished.

"How many elves do you have?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"They need our magic to survive Hermione" Harry pointed out. "They die if they do not find a wizard to serve" he added in explanation.

"I didn't know that" Hermione whispered.

"Now you do" Harry said with a shrug.

Elgar popped back into the room and handed Harry the thick envelope he had received months before. He handed it to Hermione who began to read.

To Lord Harry James Potter,

Please find enclosed the results of you Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. You should be very proud of your achievements and it was a pleasure for both Professor Tofty and I to administer the tests for you.

Warmest regards,

Griselda Marchbanks

Head of the examination board.

Grades available

O= Outstanding

E= Exceeds Expectations

A= Acceptable

P= Poor

D= Dreadful

T= Troll

Please note that a + symbol after a letter indicates that extra credit has been awarded for the subject. The ++ symbols indicate that an additional OWL has been given.

Examination results for Harry James Potter:

Ancient Runes - O+

Arithmancy - O

Astronomy - O

Care of Magical Creatures – O+

Charms – O++

Defence Against the Dark Arts – O++ (Please see additional notes)

Duelling – O++ (Please see additional notes)

Herbology – O

History of Magic – O

Potions – O

Transfiguration – O++

You have achieved a total of 15 OWLS at a grade of Outstanding.

Additional notes

After much discussing between me and Professor Tofty we have unanimously decided that the magic you have demonstrated is way beyond that of school level ability. Therefore we have agreed that if you complete the theory work of your NEWT level education then we will be happy to award you your NEWTS also. Based on your practical ability we are expecting you to achieve similar grades to the ones shown above.

In addition to this we have discussed two of your grades in particular with Alastor Moody; Defence Against the Dark Arts and Duelling. We all agree that you are particularly beyond the level of both OWL and NEWT in these subjects and offer you the chance to obtain a mastery in both, supervised by Alastor who has agreed to supervise the theory work, having personally vouched for you duelling ability and skill in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Please contact Alastor Moody when it is convenient for yourself and he will explain the process to you. I look forward to meeting you again.

Griselda Marchbanks.

Hermione just looked at her friend in awe.

"Well?" George asked impatiently.

Hermione unconsciously passed the parchment to the redhead and continued to stare at Harry.

One of the twins let out a low whistle of appreciation.

"15 Owls at outstanding" Fred said in disbelief. "How the hell did you manage it?" he asked.

"Arcturus showed me how well both my parents and grandparents did" Harry said sadly. "I didn't want to disappoint them so I worked really hard" he explained.

"They would be very proud of you Harry" Hermione said quietly. "And you should be proud of yourself" she added with a smile.

"Thank you Hermione" Harry said sincerely.

There was another knock on the door and Bill Weasley entered looking a little nervous.

"Could I have a word with you Harry?" he asked the teen quietly.

Harry nodded and followed the man from the room.

"I just wanted to thank you" Bill said running his hand through his long red hair. "For dealing with Nott, the twins told me he was one of them that attacked the Burrow" he explained.

"Yeah he was one of them" Harry replied. "And I'm sorry for your losses Bill, they meant a lot to me to" he added sincerely.

Bill smiled at the younger man.

"It has taken a long time to start dealing" he admitted. "Until I got the letter from the twins I thought it was a mistake I made with the wards that killed them".

"No" Harry said firmly. "The wards were fine".

Bill just nodded.

"Do you know who else was involved?" he asked.

"Rowle and Rookwood" Harry answered without hesitation.

Bill growled angrily.

"I'll get those bastards" he vowed.

"I would do exactly the same" Harry replied with a nod. "If you need any help I'm here for whatever you need" Harry informed the man genuinely.

"Thank you Harry, I really appreciate it" Bill responded offering his hand which Harry took.

"Any time" Harry returned.

Bill smiled at the younger man and left.

Harry entered Hermione's room again and was stopped in his tracks as the Potter family ring glowed a deep gold and sent a warm wave of magic through him.

"Harry, are you ok?" Hermione asked frantically seeing her friend pause suddenly.

"I'm fine" Harry answered with a smile. "Actually I'm better than fine" he added. "What is the date?" he asked confusedly.

"It's just gone midnight so… oh Harry it's your birthday" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry smiled, Arcturus had been right. His Potter ring now recognised him as being of age. He smiled at the new knowledge the ring had given him.

Potter Manor can be found 10 miles west of the most southern point of Mount Snowden, Wales.