Chapter 043
With his teeth gritted in frustration at his own 'saving people thing', as Hermione called it, coming to the fore he took a few moments to clamp down on his emotions.
Eventually he growled out, "Fine!" After a quick glance to Neville, he stared back at Augusta and said, "Because Neville tried to do the right thing, even though you blocked him at every opportunity, I give you this one last chance."
When the woman, though her own Occlumency was clearly in use, appeared to sag in relief a little, he again spoke. "However, there are conditions.
"One: You will immediately take Neville to Ollivander's and get him his own wand. His father's wand, which you've been forcing him to use, is ill-suited to him. That is the reason he struggles so much in the wand-based classes. The wand is fighting him. Remember; the wand chooses the wizard, or witch. You have apparently forgotten that.
"Two: You will render all assistance to Amelia Bones in her efforts to see Albus Dumbledore and his lackeys convicted of the crimes she has filed against them concerning me - plus that fumbling fool, Fudge, and Barty Crap Senior. You will use your current and soon to be no longer authority as Regent Longbottom to force the Lords and Ladies of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance to also support and aid her in her efforts.
"And, three: You will then step down as Regent. I don't care what excuses you use to do so. I don't even care if you announce I forced you to do it. But, you will do it.
"I grant you this extra opportunity to head off me terminating the alliance only because your grandson, and rightful Lord Apparent of your House, has begged me to. Even with that, this is your last chance. So, am I clear and will you comply?"
She stared back for a long few moments until she seemed to reach a decision. Then she slowly, but barely, gave a single nod back. Her eyes never left his.
"I will have your verbal acquiescence," he growled.
Her eyes flashed with anger for a flicker before she hissed, "Yessss... Lord Potter."
"Good," he snapped. "Your verbal acceptance of my demands is noted. In that case and based on your acceptance of my demands, as long as you're complying and continue to comply, I'll withhold informing the other Houses I'm terminating the alliance."
Snapping his gaze away from hers he turned to Neville and said, "I'll see you this evening, Neville. Your grandmother is taking you to Ollivander's to get you a properly matched wand right now. Something she bloody well should have done before your first year."
Harry heard the other boy sigh in relief before he, Neville, then turned and stood.
"Grandmother," he said, brushing down his robes. "Shall we go?"
After the two Longbottoms left the room, one of the two until now silent aurors behind Harry let out a clear breath of relief.
Without even turning to see which of the two it was, as it really didn't matter to him, Harry smirked and said, "That's what happens when you piss off the rightful Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House."
Standing himself, he glanced to the two aurors and said, "Alright, you two, I think it's time for dinner."
Without waiting for acknowledgement, he simply strode out the door; head held high and with a light smile on his lips.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
That evening Neville returned to the Gryffindor common room with an expression of pleased wonder on his face. As soon as he saw Harry, who was also there, he ducked over and wrapped him in a hug.
"Thank you!" he quietly whispered into Harry's ear before backing off and showing his new wand.
In a clearer voice he said, "Cherry wood and unicorn tail hair; twelve inches."
"It works better for you?" asked Harry.
Without replying Neville spun slightly to the left and whipped his wand out to point in the general direction of a couch. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he firmly but still quietly intoned.
Suddenly, one of the throw pillows on that couch shot up into the air and smacked hard into the ceiling with a 'foomph!' sound. A bare moment later Neville released the charm and the pillow fell back to land with a muffled thud back on the cushion of the couch.
He spun back to grin at Harry.
What the boy didn't see was the expressions of shock on the faces of his housemates. Harry just smirked back, as he wasn't anywhere near as surprised as the other housemates clearly were at his sandy-haired friend's magical power.
"I told you," he smirked. "You have far more power than that wand you were forced to use otherwise demonstrated. It was holding you back, quite significantly."
A little more serious, Neville returned, "Yeah. When I levitated that rickety chair of Ollivander's off the floor, expecting it to only hover a little, it shot up, smashed into the ceiling and broke apart.
"Right then Gran could see that she'd done wrong by me. I could see she was clearly ashamed. She spent the short trip back here profusely apologising."
"So she bloody well should have," Harry firmly nodded. "And more. Now you're going to have to learn to back off on the force you use when pumping your magic to cast a spell."
"Yeah, that's what Ollivander and Gran said," the other boy grinned.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The next morning Harry checked to see if Dumbledore and/or Snape had returned and discovered they apparently had not. He was pleased with that.
That meant, so far, he'd have another day of being free of Snape's vitriol and Dumbledore's attempted obliviates and manipulations. He had little faith, yet, of the Wizengamot actually getting it right and putting both men on trial, let alone getting convictions. But, so far, signs were that it was going to happen.
If Snape did return and said one bad word against him, however... well, Harry already knew exactly what he'd be doing in return. He'd 'end' the man in such a way that he couldn't be touched for doing it. He'd use the life debt.
As he sat at breakfast with Neville, with Hermione sitting on the other side still clearly a little unsure how to deal with 'new' Harry, the mail owls came streaming in.
Besides his copy of the Prophet, Harry was unsurprised to see quite a number of owls headed in his direction.
'Ah!' he thought, 'The wizarding public are now making their collective move.'
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