Fallout

Saturday November 26th 2:30pm.

Harry, much to his displeasure, was still stuck in the hospital wing under the watchful eye of Poppy, and would be until the next morning. Given that it was a Hogsmeade weekend Daphne had gone to the village after a few hours talking with Harry, leaving him to the mind numbing silence of an empty hospital wing.

They had decided that it would best to go together to the Yule Ball, which was now under a month away. Daphne had not been planning on originally going, so had to do all the necessary shopping to get ready. On Harry's dime of course.

Usually Hermione and Ron would have visited but at Harry's insistence to her after breakfast they had gone to the village as well. Given the articles last night and this morning he had eaten lunch in the hospital wing and was passing the time by reading.

"Mr. Potter, I understand that you will be unable to meet with me for training today." Harry looked up from the book to see Minerva McGonagall standing near the entrance. Floating in front of her was a tray with a pot of tea and three cups. "I was wondering it you would join me and Poppy for tea instead?"

Harry nodded. "Of course, Professor. I could use a spot of tea."

And so Harry found himself spending the best part of an hour talking, joking and laughing with two members of staff, something he had never envisioned. As the warmth of the tea seeped through his body, he started to relax for the first time since the attack.

Harry finally asked the question he had been wanting to since Minerva walked in. "Professor, what's going to happen to Draco?"

Minerva watched him for a moment, and Harry almost looked away under the scrutiny of the Gryffindor head. "I think it's best if the headmaster tells you himself. Poppy has Harry's magic recovered enough for him to show you something?"

Casting a quick diagnostic spell, Poppy looked thoughtful. "His magic is mostly recovered. At lot was drained to sustain him after the attack, it shouldn't have recovered this quickly. I was going to recommend using little magic all week to allow it to recover, but if it recovers as it is... This evening he could duel Albus himself and not be any the worse for wear. Most interesting."

"That is nothing. Prepare to be astounded. Harry show here the Phoenix." Minerva looked so excited one could be forgiven for mistaking her for one of her students.

"Are you sure, Professor? I thought we were keeping that secret?" Harry hesitated.

"You can trust Madam Pomfrey. We will just say this falls under her healer-oath, so she can't tell anyone." Minerva's excitement levels kept rising.

Harry pushed himself off the bed he had been sitting on, and took a moment to gather himself. Taking a breath he completed the change. Replacing the dark haired boy was a golden Phoenix.

Poppy let out a shocked gasp. "A Phoenix? What a stunning piece of self-transfiguration! I didn't know it was possible to turn yourself into a creature without uttering a spell, outside of being an animagus, how did Harry manage it? And he can fly? That shouldn't be possible." She half turned to Minerva to get her answers while keeping her eyes on the Phoenix.

Harry was circling around the room, dipping and diving, and enjoying the freedom of flight. Minerva was also watching him while she answered the nurse. "He is an animagus. He underwent the transformation last weekend, and I was astonished that he was a magical creature. It's never been recorded before, a magical animagus. It was even more complicated by Harry having a second animagus form, which also has never happened! Over the last week I have read every book, article and theory about animagi that I can get my hands on, and while there are theories that a magically powerful individual might have form of a magical creature without the abilities, such as a Phoenix would struggle to fly on wing strength alone without the magic that it had, but its tears would be useless for healing and its song wouldn't uplift."

"Harry can obviously fly, what about the other traits? Are his tears able to heal, and his trills? What's his other form? How is is possible that he has two forms? And how does he have a magical form?" Poppy lost her breath as questions tumbled out. If only she could write about all this, it would raise her profile in the magical medical world.

We haven't tested his tears yet, so we don't know if they work. However his singing is amazing, if you wouldn't mind showing us Mr. Potter." They pair stopped to listen to his song, which filled them with happiness. It was magical, literally. "His other form, is a Basilisk! You can't tell anyone about either though. But two! Two magical forms. I don't know what to say."

While she was surprised, she was in too good of a mood to be worried about his second form. It wasn't until he had stopped singing that she was able to think logically and realise why they wouldn't want the information getting out. "Wait there a moment." She returned from a cupboard with an small empty vial. "Harry, if you would be able to cry in this vial please, I will be able to test the tears."

As she held it out he flew over and let some tears loose, which were caught in the glass. Before any thing else could happen there was a knock at the door, and a first year put there head in. "Madam Pomfrey I cut myself, I was told you could heal it." The girl said walking in.

At the knock Minerva was worried that Harry would get caught, but before the girl could see the Phoenix disappeared in a swirl of flame. Poppy spoke up, also covering up her shock. "Yes dear, come here and let me look at it. Oh how did you manage that?" It was an ugly looking cut on the girls shin.

"The stairs changed on me and I fell." She was obviously trying to hold back tears. She was directed to sit in the chair that Poppy had evacuated so that the nurse could look at it better. Forgetting about the open vial in her hand, Poppy spilled the contents into the cut. In front of the three occupants, two staff and a child, the flesh pulled itself together and the cut healed. In seconds it had disappeared, not leaving a scar to show the earlier cut.

The girl was shocked. "Madam Pomfrey what was that? How did it heal me?"

"That my dear was Phoenix tears. They have amazing healing properties, so you are very lucky that I am friends with one who happened to give me some tears just today." Madam Pomfrey had a sparkling smile on her face. 'The tears work! Extraordinary.'

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey." The girl said as she skipped away, ready to join her friends and tell them how Phoenix tears had healed her.

The door had just closed when Harry came striding out of the nurses office. "You really can hear everything in there. Do you like your gossip Poppy?"

"Hardly, Mr. Potter! I need to make sure that I can hear if anybody comes in or needs something at all times. How did you get in there?" Poppy look scandalised at his words.

"Well I hoped I wasn't here when I heard the knock, and then I wasn't. I don't know how." Harry looked confused as he told her what happened. It wasn't often you changed local at thought alone after all.

It was Minerva who spoke up. "Given the flame as you disappeared, I would guess that you inherited another Phoenix trait. The ability to disappear in a ball of flame, only to appear in your target location. Absolutely stunning all around. I wonder what you gained from your other form... Poppy do you have empty bowl?"

The nurse went over to her drawers and started looking through them. "Will this do, Minerva?" Holding up a glass mortar.

"Yes it should work." With a wave of her hand all the furniture in the room was stacked around the edges. With another wave, a sponge and a rubber pair of gloves were created. "Follow me Poppy, you stay there Harry." As she walked to the office door she handed the sponge to Poppy and put the gloves on.

Taking the sponge back, as well as the mortar, she looked around the room once more. Happy with how it was set up she almost spoke up before she realised the risk. Running over to the door she locked it with several spells and covered the windows.

She returned to Poppy's side before speaking up. "Remember to keep your eyes closed, Harry. When you are comfortable, change to your Basilisk form. Cover your eyes Poppy."

They both covered their eyes, and it wasn't until Minerva heard a hiss she dared look. She was side on to the Harry-Basilisk. "It's okay to look now Poppy. Harry I am going to put the sponge in between some fangs, bite when I tell you to. Be careful not to do it early, or you might bite me. Okay Harry, bite now."

While Minerva was walking over to the Basilisk and getting the sponge filled with venom Poppy was just watching with wide eyes. Slowly she walked up and laid a hand on the giant snake. She didn't think she could be more surprised after this afternoon. "You're gorgeous Harry." Not many people knew that Poppy had been a Slytherin, and even before her time at Hogwarts had been fascinated by snakes. Her Patronus was a cobra.

She hadn't been paying attention so was shocked when the snake was replace with a boy once more. She looked over to where Minerva was squeezing the venom out of the sponge into the mortar.

Done with the task McGonagall stood up and said her goodbyes. "I really must go, I have much I still have to do today. I will get Severus to test the venom and let you know the results Harry. Thanks for having me Poppy, as enjoyable as always having tea with you."

/

Harry was once more by himself. His friends had yet to return. Daphne had yet to return. Poppy was off doing whatever she did between emergencies. And Harry was bored.

So bored in fact that he was making a list. A list of goals he needed to achieve shortly, for the tournament, his personal life, his studies, and for his houses. Only one of which would be achievable before classes on Monday, his visit to the bank.

It was all changed when he heard a tapping at the window, which grew more and more insistent. He looked over to see dozens of owls tapping on the glass all carrying letters. Walking over he open a window to let them in, and they were all pleased to swarm the room.

He should have planned for this, knowing that there would be all sorts of public backlash to his engagement. "Poppy, could you come out here please?"

She coming rushing out of her office like there was a fire. "What is it Mr. Potter? Oh I see. I assume they are all for you, because of today and yesterday's articles? I will fetch Albus, don't touch anything before I get back." And with that she went on her way.

While he was waiting a bright red red envelope burst open and the voice of Molly Weasley came out. "What do you think you are doing Harry Potter! Marrying such a woman! I AM DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE! I didn't raise you like that! WHAT MUST GINNY BE THINKING! UNDO THIS NOW!" The envelope then disintegrated into dust.

Thinking quickly he pulled all the howlers off the owl legs to protect them and cast a quick fire charm at them. He was pleased to see them all burn to ashes, without spewing forth their fowl words. Calling for Dobby, he asked the house elf to bring him some owl treats, which he was more than happy to do.

With owl treats in hand he went around the room, giving each a treat and apologising for not taking the letters away yet. It was to this scene that Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Poppy Pomfrey entered the room.

"Ah yes, I see what you were saying Poppy. I will help out Harry of course. Minerva you can go back to your duties, we will finish our meeting later tonight." With a smile to the two women he turned back to the owl influx.

"Actually Professor McGonagall, can I ask a favour of you? I doubt anybody will try anything with me, but I'm worried for Daphne. She went to Hogsmeade and I am worried for her safety. Can you please check on her and warn her about the mail?" It was Harry of course who voiced his fears.

"Of course, Harry. I will do that now. Good day Poppy, we will talk later Albus." With that the transfiguration teacher left the rest to the owl filled room.

Harry watched as Dumbledore systematically went around the room casting spells at the letters. For all but two he pulled them off and put them in his pocket, before returning to Harry and handed him all the letters from his pocket. Harry gave all the owls without a letter a second treat and sent them on there way.

While he was doing that Dumbledore had used magic to seperate the remaining letters from the owls and put them in a conjured box, without touching them. "I will take care of these, the ones I already gave you should be fine. Don't touch any mail for the next little while until you have had a Professor make sure it is safe."

Harry was giving the last two owls a extra treat so didn't realise the Headmaster was leaving until he had almost reached the door. "Professor before you go can I ask you some questions?"

"Of course, Harry. How may I help?" Albus inquired as he turned around.

"What have you done with Draco Malfoy?" Since Minerva didn't tell him, he had been worrying over it for hours.

"As I'm sure you understand, it's a complicated matter. Draco and his father are claiming he didn't know what the curse did. And with the article today taking their side it further complicates things. Expulsion, therefore, is not an option." Albus looked apologetic for this.

"You can't do nothing! He attacked me from behind! With a deadly spell! For no reason! What did you do last night?" Harry was more than a little annoyed by the Headmasters words.

"I sent him home while I told the Malfoy's that I had more evidence to collect. I will have a course of action by tomorrow evening when they return." Once again he prepared to leave.

Frantically Harry thought of possible punishments that were acceptable. The problem was that he wanted Draco hung, drawn and quartered. Until a brilliant idea hit him. "Sir, how about this; suspension. Say that he is not welcome at Hogwarts until next year. It will be seen as a just punishment, and will embarrass them. He will have to attend classes with the year under us for the rest of his schooling."

"It's an idea that I will mull over. Good day Harry." This time Harry didn't stop him from leaving, deciding the rest of his questions could wait.

/

Sunday 27th November, 9:40am.

Harry and Daphne were sitting next to each other across the desk from Daffodil Smith, Harry's personal solicitor. The young couple were waiting for her to speak. After all it was what Harry, and soon enough they, were paying her for. The silence stretched onwards, further agitating the teens.

"It shouldn't be too hard to get them to print a retraction. Between your word and other eye witnesses they will be proven wrong, and they were stupid to write it in the first place. Agitating a Lord twice over, and the heir to another family? It's career suicide, and company suicide. You could destroy the Daily Prophet if you wanted to, and they will remember that pretty quickly." She paused to look back down at her notes.

Harry looked at Daphne and raised an eyebrow. The young Slytherin spoke up. "I still want this reporter, Cieriana Belsar, to be fired. No I want her destroyed so that nobody in the business will hire her again."

For the first time Harry was seeing just how ruthless Daphne could be, and it worried him. While he understood her anger, it seemed excessive to him. 'How will she be able to eat? I doubt she has other plans for her future, I can't do that to her.'

"I disagree. But I never want her to work for the Daily Prophet again." Harry countered. Daphne looked at him, disapproval evident.

"You can't be that gentle on them. You need to prove that you can't be attacked, that you won't sit down and be trampled on. We need to send a message now, not wait until it's too late." Daphne was not giving up on her plan.

Harry was really not liking this side of Daphne, but there was nothing he could do about that now. "Daffodil, what is your opinion?"

The lawyer in question looked at her notes and scribbled some notes before turning her attention back to the pair in her office. "We will get her fired. Behind the scenes we will pressure the bing names into not hiring her, Witches Weekly and the such, but anything public will not look strong. It will look vindictive."

"How are the rest of the lawsuits going? Are you making progress?" They had more business to talk about after all.

"We are in talks with the publisher of the Boy-Who-Lived series. We have reached an agreement that they will not publish any further stories and will stop printing new copies of the already published stories. We have yet to reach a financial agreement however." It is a tough position for the firm. Yes they could take it to court, and they would win, but it would damage Harry's reputation immensely. On the flip side, they needed to make enough money to be worth it without pushing away the other legal team.

"Well what are the talks currently about? How much are you asking for?" It was Daphne who asked the question.

"We started off demanding 200,000 galleons. They of course said they couldn't pay that and came back with an offer of 50,000. We were expecting a lowball offer but that was less then we wanted. We fear they are negotiating in bad faith." She handed Harry a copy of both the letters so far.

"Can we get a copy of their balance as we did with the Malfoy's?" Harry was planning something, Daphne could tell.

"Not unless we were taking them to court. Before then Gringotts would refuse to show us anything." The goblins were very specific about when they would breach client privacy.

"Tomorrow morning file the papers for the lawsuit. After that go to them, in person and tell them this is the last chance for them. 115,000 galleons, not a knut less. If they don't accept we will battle them in court, tell them I won't be going for money, I will be going for the company itself. Tell than it will be a dream come true to own a book publishing company. If they still refuse that amount go and get the balance straight away and we will go from there." Harry didn't know if it would work, but it seemed like the strong thing to do to him.

/

In their second meeting of the morning, the pair were visiting the goblins of Gringotts. The bank, where everybody liked to spend their Sundays. Walking through the front door together, they were instantly met by a security-goblin who offered to escort them to the Black family accountant.

"Mr. Goblin, what can you tell me about Account Manager Ironclaw?" Harry asked the guide.

The goblin looked at him shocked, and because of that took a minute to respond. "He is a serious individual. Not fun-loving. Does not like wasted time or words." The group walked in silence after that.

/

It had been a quick, efficient meeting. The guard had been right, Ironclaw didn't waste time. In less than ten minutes Harry had unrestricted access to the Black Family vault and Daphne had a personal vault set up with 1,450 galleons in it. It had started with 1,500, but Daphne wanted to buy some items while they were in Diagon Alley.

Harry on the other hand had visited Findore while the details were being finalised and had unsealed the Potter family vault. He also closed all but the Family Vault and transferred all the money into the one vault. With the new bank drafts for the Vault in hand, he had met Daphne and they had exited the bank together.

It didn't take long for them to regret the decision to spend time in the Alley as they were swarmed with people. Most people wanted to offer their congratulations, but not everybody. Many yelled hate-filled messages at the pair.

Women, not all of them young, yelled at how Harry had broken their hearts. Others called Daphne all sorts of hateful names. Harry was getting really annoyed and about to do something about the crowd when he was saved.

"Okay everybody, back it up! Leave the poor kids alone! Get out of here!" The crowd slowly dissipated, leaving the pair a clear view of Kingsley Shacklebolt and an average height woman with vibrant pink hair. "Lord Potter, can we be of assistance to you?"

Harry looked at Daphne and gave her a reassuring smile. "We don't want to be a hassle Auror Shacklebolt. We were just going to to do a touch of shopping before... Well I think we might just head back to Hogwarts."

"I was just taking the Rookie here to patrol the Alley, why not allow us to join you for your shopping? Tonks here hasn't had any practice on bodyguard duty, would you help me train her? You will be doing the Auror department a service." It was a great opportunity for Kingsley to solidify his plans with Harry to meet up at a later date. He also wasn't lying, Tonks could use the practice.

"Sure, of course anything I can do to help the D.M.L.E. Daphne if you wouldn't mind leading the way, I believe you wanted to go dress shopping for the Ball?" He smiled at her and held his arm out for her. She hesitantly took the offered arm and they set out.

"Auror Shacklebolt, how is the Auror department going?" Harry made polite conversation with the man.

"The usual. Big demands, while at the same time budget cuts. We only took in 3 Aurors from the last training class, even though 7 made the cut. Simply couldn't afford any more. Don't get me started on the other areas budget cuts are affecting us, we were supposed to get some light body armour for strike teams and the such, but that's not going to happen." Kingsley realised the rant he was on and quickly looked to move the conversation in a different direction. "What was it you wanted to arrange with me the other day Lord Potter?"

"Harry, please, not Lord Potter. That can wait to a later time, however I may be able to be of assistance with your other problem. Would you be able to get the Head of the D.M.L.E to meet with me at 5 tonight?" Harry had an idea.

"Madam Bones is quite busy, but I'm sure she will be able to make time. Where do you want to meet her?" Kingsley was very interested to know what the boy was thinking.

"Would her office work? If you meet me at the ministry atrium at 4:50 to guide me that would be greatly appreciated." Harry was staying tight lipped about what he was planning.

Reaching Twilfitt and Tattings, an upper market clothing store that Harry had never visited the group, bar Tonks who stood watch at the door, entered. "Welcome to Twilfitt and Tattings, how may I serve you today?" This came from a elderly man, standing behind a counter.

"Ah, yes sir you can. The young lady here is in need of a beautiful dress for the Yule Ball." It was Harry who answered the man.

"Are you sure this is the right store for you children? Off the rack dresses that are suitable for the Yule Ball start at 150 galleons." He left his disbelief in their ability to pay unspoken.

"Off the rack won't do. She needs something spectacular. Given the time left before the Ball, you should have plenty of time to make it. Daphne dear, how about you tell him what you would like." Harry smiled at the girl he would be taking to the Yule Ball.

"If you don't mind, I want it to be a surprise. Is there a side room where I can be measured and look at materials and the like?" She directed the question to the man still standing behind the counter.

Still not believing they could pay, he rang a bell and a middle-aged witch came out from behind a curtain. After explaining what they were wanting she guided Daphne behind the stage, also looking skeptical.

"Auror Shacklebolt, I need to return to Gringotts briefly, would you accompany me?" Turning to the Auror Harry indicated at the door.

Kingsley nodded and opened the door for them. "Of course, Harry. But I insist you call me Kingsley." The pair had an enjoyable walk and talk to and from the bank, Kingsley waiting while Harry wrote a note out and asked one of the tellers to deliver it for him, handing him a galleon for his trouble.

The seamstress and Daphne were finished when they got back, waiting in the main room. "Daphne here has excellent taste, sir, if expensive." That came from the seamstress.

Handing the man a slip of paper, the witch left, and the mans eyebrows raised. "That will come to 735 galleons, payment up front."

Harry wrote out a bank draft. The mans shock grew when he realised first that it was a valid draft, and second the account it was from. Before he could apologise the group had departed.

A/N: Chapter 17! Hope you are all excited