HPWW101-110

Chapter 101

"Ron Weasley is certainly no longer a friend of mine," Harry frowned. "He never was. He used to report on what I was doing to Dumbledore. I even think Dumbledore paid him to do it."

"I don't think he was a friend, either," agreed Wendell. "But learning he was effectively a spy against you? That's a little sickening."

Harry nodded.

"What Hermione is having a little trouble with at the moment, is that the 'Harry' she thought I was, was only a... façade... I surrounded myself with to protect myself and my secrets from Dumbledore. She's now 'met' the real Harry and is having some problems putting the fake Harry and the real Harry into context. I also had to come down a little hard on her to get her to start rethinking who I am."

Wendell frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"The Harry she thought she knew was not much of an 'achiever'. That is, it didn't look as if I applied myself as well as I should. In that, I'm sorry to say, I deceived your daughter into thinking I was not as smart as I am. I would deliberately write my assignments to be... adequate. Hermione would demand to review my assignments, which I would let her do, and she would make some changes to improve them, which I would mostly incorporate. It did not harm my persona to allow her. However, real Harry is pretty much on a par with her when it comes to cleverness and smarts.

"I hated that Hermione thought she had to help so I would consider her worthy to be a friend. I've even told her numerous times she didn't have to, but she'd insist and I was feeling deeply guilty for hiding the truth from her. She never had to do that, but 'fake' Harry needed to hide until he could strike back - that was at the First Task.

"However, irrespective of the difference between fake Harry and real Harry, my feelings for Hermione are no different. She

does not know it, but her friendship has been my 'emotional rock' that has kept me both anchored and centred. I would not have made it to the First Task to bring everything to light if it hadn't been for her. I probably would have lost my 'nana somewhere around the middle of second year.

"I owe that girl so much - for being my friend, for being my rock, for just being there - I could spend the rest of my life and my entire fortune towards her happiness and still not repay her for both what I said before and for the fact I deliberately tricked her. That's why coming down hard on her over the past week has been so hard."

Wendell sighed and asked, "Why couldn't you have told her before now? She'd have kept your secret."

"Because Severus Snape is an expert at the magical art of Legilimency," he explained. "It is a skill that allows him to see into a person's head and see their memories and read their surface thoughts. If he'd seen what she knew about me, or read her surface thoughts about me, he'd have immediately taken that information to Dumbledore."

"If that happened, Dumbledore would have wiped her memories of it and then tried to use other methods to take my memories. If he couldn't, he'd have used potions to enforce my loyalty to him. And may have even used those same potions on her. Those are the sort of potions he used on Poppy Pomfrey. I couldn't let that happen to her."

"You did it to protect her," nodded Wendell. "And myself," added Harry.

"What about if this Snipe character had used Legilimency on you?"

"It's another mind magic," he replied. "I seem to be significantly immune to that, as well. I don't know how, but suspect to the point of belief it has something to do with my mother's blood protection she placed on me; because any book that was any good in the school library on the subject of either Occlumency, the magical art that protects the mind, or Legilimency has been removed to the Restricted section. No

guesses for who ordered that. Eventually, I had to go and buy my own from a shop in Diagon Alley.

"However, I still couldn't do it. I think it's that same protection from mind magics that's stopping me learning Occlumency, which is of course another mind magic."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Harry and Wendell had 'retired to the parlour' when Monica came back down leading Hermione.

Harry took one look at the girl and was on his feet, looking at her with a scowl on his face. Looking directly at her, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head. "Mum and I just needed to talk."

"You've been crying," he firmly said.

"I've not been crying because I've been hurt, Harry," she carefully said. "I've been crying because I'm happy."

Harry stared back for a few moments, trying to figure that one out, before he gave a single nod and said, "Well; alright, then." And sat again, still keeping an eye on Hermione.

Turning back to Wendell he said, "Now, I've also promised my godfather, Sirius Black, that I would ask you if he could come visit me while I'm here. One of those trials that I - and Hermione too, I suppose - mentioned that occurred over the past week was his. Madam Bones pulled a 'shoofty' and snuck his trial in between the ones publicly announced. He's finally been found innocent of the crimes for which he was dumped in Azkaban prison, without a trial, in the first place. And he can now move on with his life."

"He's truly innocent?" asked Wendell.

"Innocent? Heavens no!" Harry chuckled, beginning to relax again. "But he's definitely not guilty of any of the crimes they

pegged him with. No, Sirius likes to portray this image he's a 'bad boy'; but he's not committed a crime beyond something like failing to register something."

Both Granger adults looked at one another for a moment.

"He can visit," said Monica. "I take it he just wants to catch up?"

"That and he also wants me to visit his Healer; who also happens to be his cousin and, to some degree, mine," replied Harry.

"Why does he want you to visit a Healer, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Because he knew my parents and my size, compared to theirs, concerns him," replied Harry. "He's right to worry. The Durs... I didn't eat well while I was with my relatives."

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"Harry, you have nothing to worry about telling my parents or I how they treated you," she said. "They didn't feed you well, did they?"

"Not really, no," he replied.

"Madam Pomfrey should have... Oh," she said suddenly understanding. "That's one of the reasons why Dumbledore had her on loyalty potions, isn't it?"

"And one of the reasons she came all too close to breaching her medi-witch oath," he added. "Yes; that was my logical conclusion, as well."

"Have your godfather bring her here, if he can," said Wendell. "If either had any ill-intent towards you, those wards you had erected would stun them,

wouldn't they?"

"Yes, they would," he nodded.

"Then, have them come here," said Wendell.

"More and more I actually like the idea of these wards," said Monica. "Thank you for having them erected."

"You're welcome," smiled Harry.

"Harry," said Hermione, bringing his attention to her. "How much did these wards cost? They had to be expensive."

"As I said to your father, I really don't know," he replied. "But, it doesn't matter to me, anyway. I've got far more money than I could spend in ten lifetimes.

"I've got so much it actually makes me a little uncomfortable. And, if I can put a little of it to what I

consider important, then how much it costs me is irrelevant."

"You're avoiding the question," she declared. "Yes; I am," he shot back.

"Hermione, that's enough," Wendell firmly stepped in. "It's not your concern."

Hermione stubbornly stared at her father for a long moment before she sagged in defeat. "Sorry," she said.

"As I told you at Hogwarts, Hermione," said Harry. "There are things I need to do, simply as the Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House as one such example, you cannot be privy to. My business dealings, unless it relates directly with you, is one of them.

"I don't mind you asking the odd innocent question, because I know your 'curiosity to learn something

new' strongly drives you; but, when you know I'm deliberately avoiding answering a question, you need to accept that and let it go."

"Sorry, Harry," she said again.

And Harry could see she meant it. "You're forgiven," he smiled.

As things settled down again, Harry pulled out his communication mirror to call Sirius.

"Padfoot," he whispered across the glass.

A long moment later and his own reflection was replaced by his godfather's visage. And Hermione moved to sit beside him.

"Hiya, Pup!" said Sirius. "How goes things at the Grangers?"

_ ̳_

―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After speaking with his godfather and letting him know he and Hermione had safely arrived he passed on the Granger's permission for him to visit.

"Good," said Sirius, "Let them know I very much appreciate it."

Harry looked to the Grangers to see both Wendell and Monica nod back.

Looking back down at the mirror he said, "They heard."

"Let them know I'll be over first thing in the morning," said Sirius. "You and I have quite a few things to talk about. I also promised you I'd let you know why I was late to the trial, this morning. That's part of it."

"Got a time in mind?" asked Harry.

"Eight thirty suit you?"

"Eight thirty would be fine," he replied. "Was Cousin Andi very upset with you for being out so long?"

"No," he replied. "As I said, she could see me from the Black Seat and I indicated to her I was heading back to her place right then.

"It was also her who let me know Dumbledore escaped a prison sentence when she got back. She was right ropable about that."

"How did that happen?" asked Hermione, leaning in.

"Dumbledore's welded-on supporters in the Wizengamot managed to get to a few others, of course. It was enough for him to escape the prison sentence but not enough for him to escape losing his positions as Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock. There was quite a bit of back-room dealing going on

there."

"That's what I figured would happen and happened," nodded Harry.

"Anyway, we can talk more about that tomorrow morning," said Sirius. "I've got parchmentwork I need to get through dealing with the House of Black finances I promised the goblins I'd get back to them as soon as possible; and then Cousin Andi's going to dose me to the gills on restorative and healing potions that're going to knock me out for the night."

"Then you'd best get onto that," smiled Harry. "I don't envy you."

"No need," laughed the old dog. "She's still quite determined to get your health up to scratch, too. Mirror off!"

And the mirror faded back to a normal reflection.

"So, wizards and witches do have a way to contact others without using owls," said Wendell.

"These are one of a kind," said Harry, waving the mirror a bit. "Actually, that should probably be two of a kind - the one I have and the one my godfather has. They're something my father, godfather and two friends created while they were at school, so they could stay in contact with one another while one of them was in detention. That happened a lot."

"If your godfather could remember how they did it he should market them," said Hermione. "He'd make a fortune."

"He already has one," Harry grinned. "But, yes; I can see what you mean. I'll suggest it to him. It might be just what he needs to firmly re-establish his relationship with Moony. And Moony doesn't have a fortune, so it would be a way to help him without Moony getting on his high-horse about charity."

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Chapter 103

When Hedwig hadn't turned up that night Harry was getting a little worried about her.

That worry was relieved the next morning when, just as they were sitting for a breakfast cooked by Harry, she came swooping in with his morning's copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry was quick to relieve her of her load and offer her two slices of trimmed bacon; grilled, rather than fried.

"Prek," she softly barked.

Harry just nodded to her as she plucked them from his fingers and flew back out.

"That sounded like she was trying to talk to you, Harry," said Monica.

"Probably," he shrugged. "I don't understand Snowy Owl, so she can be saying anything from 'Thank you' to 'It's about bloody time, you ignorant human!'. How would I know?"

That had all three Grangers bursting into laughter. Somewhere in there Hermione still managed to fit in a, "Language, Harry."

He was also surprised to see a second owl also come swooping in. This one went to Wendell. It, too, was carrying the latest morning copy of the Daily Prophet.

Seeing Harry's surprise, Hermione smiled at him and said, "Daddy subscribed. He likes to know what's going on in the world his daughter is now a part of."

"He knows a lot of what's written within is rubbish, right?" he asked.

"I do," replied Wendell, still chuckling but now unfolding his own copy to read it. "I've had the skill of being able to read between the lines for many years."

Of course, the lead story was on Dumbledore's trial. Harry read through it and was pleased to see his 'letter' was quoted in a few places. But, even better, it was quoted accurately and not even out of context.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Right on time, Sirius was 'Dobby express' apparated to the path immediately just inside the gates of the property.

Dobby immediately popped away leaving Sirius to walk to the front porch on his own.

The two aurors moving fast to the front door alerted

the others to guests.

Seeing one of them almost run to the door, Monica asked, "Guests?"

"That'll be Sirius," replied Hermione, checking the time on her watch.

Harry walked into the parlour, waiting for him to come in, with a grin on his face.

When he saw his godfather about to speak, once he was close enough to speak without raising his voice, Harry got in first. "You forgot you didn't know the co- ordinates, didn't you?"

Sirius gave a pained look and said, "You could have told me."

"Actually, no, I couldn't," he replied. "I'm not skilled in Apparation, so I only know what co-ordinates are supposed to be, not what they are.

"However, I will admit that I could have asked one of the aurors on shift... but, where's the prank in that? Think of it as a lesson to remember to find out, in future."

Sirius pouted for a moment before his face broke out in a grin and he chuckled.

Walking forward the rest of the way he grabbed Harry in a hug. "Alright," he said. "I deserved that." Holding Harry back out at arms length he asked, "How about inviting me in and introducing me to everyone?"

Leading the way back into the dinette with Sirius in tow, he walked into where everyone, bar the aurors, were waiting. Monica and Wendell had rearranged things at their surgery to have the day off. It was a Friday.

Looking to the Grangers, Harry gestured to Sirius and said, "Everyone, this is Lord Sirius Orion Black

Number Three, Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, a.k.a 'Padfoot', a.k.a my godfather, a.k.a. 'Hey You', a.k.a. 'The Mutt', and names it's impolite to use in present company." Looking to Sirius he said, "Sirius, you know Hermione. And these are her parents, Doctors Wendell and Monica Granger."

Sirius gave Harry a light clip to the back of the head, meant more in warning than anything else, and walked forward holding his hand out to Wendell. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir. Call me Sirius. You have a lovely daughter and I cannot fathom what possessed you to allow my smart-alek reprobate of a godson into your home."

Grinning back, Wendell accepted the offered hand and shook it. "My daughter begged me to and he's actually proven to be quite the polite young man. And call me Wendell."

Sirius widened the grin and completed the handshake before offering his hand to Monica. Expecting a

handshake, she was surprised when he accepted her hand by the fingers, brought her knuckles to his lips as he bowed forward, and very lightly brushed his lips on them before gently releasing them again. "A great pleasure to meet you, too, Ma'am. Please, call me Sirius, handsome, darling, whatever."

Hermione rolled her eyes where Sirius couldn't see her, but both Wendell and Monica could.

Also grinning, Monica said, "It's nice to meet you, too, Sirius. I'm Monica. And welcome to our home."

Stepping back, Sirius said, "Seriously, though; thank you for allowing Harry to stay here. I'm much more comfortable with him out of Hogwarts, at the moment. I don't trust Dumbledore one whit of a moment of time not to try something I'd definitely disagree with.

"Which reminds me," said Sirius spinning to look at Harry. "You and me need to talk."

"Yeah, you owe me an explanation as to why you were late, yesterday," nodded Harry.

"That forms part of it, yes," his godfather agreed. "But, there's a lot more than that I need to tell you about."

Harry noticed that his godfather was being quite, well, serious. It was not something he knew to be the man's normal default behaviour.

"Well, if you don't have anywhere to hurry off to, it can wait a bit," he replied.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After a shared cup of tea with the Grangers and Sirius getting to know one another, Sirius asked for somewhere private to talk to his godson. Wendell directed them to his office on the same floor and left

them to it.

Hermione looked like she wanted to join them but Sirius told her, "I'm sorry, Hermione; but, for this bit, I need to speak with Harry alone. When we're done with that we'll come out and rejoin you."

Hermione gave a sad nod to which Harry gently smiled back.

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Chapter 104

"Don't forget; we need to take you shopping, this morning," she reminded him.

"I remember," he replied with a smile, before following Wendell and Sirius from the room.

In the office and sitting across the desk from one another, Sirius immediately got down to business. "Firstly, what has Dumbledore told you about why you and your parents were attacked back when you were a baby?" he asked.

"Nothing," Harry immediately replied. "Except that my parents were fighting against Riddle, but had to go into hiding as he'd targeted them."

"Did he say why?"

"No," he replied. "And no matter how hard I pushed to learn more he wouldn't tell me."

Sirius sighed and said, "Well, then; I will."

Harry sat up straighter so he could better learn what he was about to be told.

"Back a few months before you were born, a prophecy

was given. I don't know the details of it because it's stored inside what's known as a prophecy orb in a section of the Department of Mysteries in the basement of the Ministry of Magic.

"The only people who can touch the orb - and, therefore, hear what's in it - are the people who it involves. One is you, and the other is 'the Dark Lord'. Dumbledore knows what's in it because, according to the little card that identifies the orb, the prophecy was spoken to him by the person who gave the prophecy."

"If that's the case," said Harry. "Then anyone can know of what the prophecy said just by Dumbledore telling them."

"Yes," nodded Sirius. "But, can you see him doing that? Especially after you just told me you've already asked him why Riddle is after you and he refuses to answer?"

"No," Harry frowned. "So, how do I get to hear it?"

"You need to go down to the Department of Mysteries and ask," Sirius immediately replied. "I need to organise with you and them a time when you can do that."

Harry thought about that for a few moments before he said, "When we can, I think."

"I agree," said his godfather. "But, it's already been fifteen years. There's no need to go running there right now. It can wait a couple of days, or even weeks, at least."

Harry gave a grunt and nodded back. "Yeah. It's not as if it changes anything, does it?"

Once he saw that Harry would agree, Sirius told him what he actually wanted to tell him about.

"This has to do with why Riddle is still managing to be on this plane of existence; why he hasn't passed on to

his... Next Great Adventure," explained Sirius.

The way Sirius emphasised it, Harry even heard the capitals.

He gave another nod and Sirius began to tell him a tale of his morning the previous day.

He spoke about how he met, as previously arranged, a team of Unspeakables who needed to get into the Black Townhouse, which was a property of the Blacks on Grimmauld Place in South London.

"It's actually the place where I grew up and ran away from, when I was sixteen," he said. "I ran to the home of your grandparents, Fleamont and Euphemia Potter, and your father's when he was a child. They welcomed me into their home with open arms, as they said they would if I needed a place to escape to. But, that's a story for a different time. This is about the Black Townhouse.

"You see, from basically a year or two after I... left, my mother was in the house on her own except for a house elf named Kreacher. When my mother died quite a few years ago, the house elf decided to serve her portrait she had painted in her place. However, as you know, a house elf slowly begins to die if they're not properly bonded. And Kreacher bonded himself to the portrait. The only magic sustaining him was the wards on the property, which was nowhere near enough.

"So, Kreacher used as little magic as possible to draw out his service to my mother's portrait. As a result, the townhouse has fallen into bad disrepair. In a nutshell, it's now a dump. But, it's still protected because the wards on it are still strong.

"As I'm the Lord Black the Unspeakables needed me to get into the property. They could have got in by brute-forcing their way in but, as the property is in a high density muggle residential area, they'd have had to breach the Statute of Secrecy while doing so. And

even the Unspeakables are leery about doing that.

"Once I was declared innocent they knew that I, as Lord Black, could simply let them in."

"Why'd they need to get in?" asked Harry.

"They believed there was an artefact in there that forms one of the reasons how Riddle is still about and causing mischief," replied Sirius. "They were right. And they found it."

"They intend to destroy it though, right?" asked Harry, a little worried.

"Yes, Pup," his godfather was quick to assure him. "I believe they would have done it by now, too."

"Does that mean that Riddle's gone now, too?"

"No. Riddle created, at least, more than one of these things," replied Sirius. "They found another in the

school when they went there a couple days ago."

"Oh, I remember that," said Harry. "That is, I remember them visiting. They removed a curse from the DADA position and banished Binns."

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Chapter 105

Sirius gave a single nod and said, "They also found another one of these artefacts in a small town in northern England up near the border with Scotland, another inside a vault in Gringotts and they believe that diary you had to deal with at the end of your second year at Hogwarts was yet another."

"Merlin!" groaned Harry. "How many of these bloody things are there?"

"No idea," replied Sirius. "That's something they wouldn't tell me. All they told me was 'a few'.

"An answer that's about as useless as tits on a bull," grimaced Harry.

Sirius gave a short snort of amusement at the analogy, as he'd never heard it before. "Quite. But, I told them I was going to tell you what I've now told you. They weren't bothered by it because, since you'd already come across one and destroyed it... that diary... they want you to let them know if you come across any more. And definitely don't tell Dumbledore about it."

"Oh, that's never going to happen," Harry firmly stated. "The 'telling Dumbledore' bit, I mean; not the telling the Unspeakables."

"I knew what you meant, Pup," Sirius lightly smiled.

Harry thought about that for a few moments before he asked, "Does them not being upset about you telling me this have to do with that prophecy?"

"That's my guess," nodded his godfather. "Nice deduction."

"Then I also guess we'll probably learn the answer to why when we hear that prophecy," nodded Harry.

Neither of them yet knew there was now a mild charm on them both not to go in and listen to that prophecy, just yet. The Unspeakables placed the one on Harry that day they attended the school; and the one on Sirius was placed just the previous day. Another was placed on Dobby not to remove either.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After recovering from his 'ordeal' the previous early

evening, Dumbledore rose that morning with a determined plan. He was going to go visit his loyal deputy - or the witch who was supposed to be his loyal deputy - and convince her to work with him to convince those who needed convincing to overturn the ruling of the Chief Adjudicator at her trial.

As he knew the woman to be an early riser he needed to get down to breakfast early so he could be on his way as soon as possible. So he was up and ready for the day, walking through his office and down the stairs, timed to be in the Great Hall the moment the breakfast was scheduled to begin.

He could have eaten his breakfast in his rooms, as he did his previous evening's dinner, but knew he also had to put in an appearance in the Great Hall to show the staff and students he was back and in charge.

At that time of the morning, only the early risers were present. But it would be enough for the word to quickly get about.

Striding into the room from the Professor's entrance behind the staff table with his head high, he quickly made his way to his wooden 'throne' and, immediately after taking his seat, quickly looked about.

At that time there were only about a quarter of the Ravenclaws who were usually awake and down by this time; a handful of Slytherins; a few Hufflepuffs; unsurprisingly, no Gryffindors; and only two Professors, Sprout and Babbling. Sprout was always an early riser, who liked to get an early start in her greenhouses, and Babbling, the Ancient Runes Professor, stated her mind was sharper in the morning if she made an earlier start to her day.

"Good morning," he almost cheerily nodded to the two professors, determined not to let what happened the previous evening dampen his mood or become more widely known. His greeting was met only with blank, semi-hostile stares from both before he turned his attention to building himself a decent Hogwarts

breakfast. It was far better fare than he had 'enjoyed' for the past week and a bit.

'Once I get things back to rights, they'll come around,' he thought, ignoring the looks he received from them. 'If not, I can always fire them.'

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Chapter 106

The breakfast turned out to be such a welcome after his long stay in a holding cell, Dumbledore actually stayed a little longer than he planned. It wasn't until the mail owls all streamed in that he realised how late it was and was quick to leave again.

However, this time he left by way of the main doors into the room, so the students could see him and

know he was back. That way was a little longer to get back to his office so he could apparate out to McGonagall's ancestral lands in the Scottish highlands, but the walk helped to get his blood pumping and his mind sharpened.

Almost as soon as he walked into his office he apparated out. He never noticed the owl-delivered scroll, sealed with red wax and stamped with the Hogwarts Seal, sitting on his desk with the rest of his 'redirected' mail.

He appeared a long moment later on the outskirts of a small Scottish settlement that was the home village of the Stewart Clan, Minerva McGonagall's ancestral clan seat. He had to apparate in quite a distance out as the village was, like most such magical settlements in Scotland, under one massive anti-portkey anti- apparation ward schema, to name two of the wards over the area. Only those of Stewart blood could portkey or apparate directly into the village. He knew her small home to be among the private residences

just beyond what could passably be called the Village Square.

As he walked in and made sure he did not seem threatening at all, quite a few of the Highlanders of Clan Stewart stopped to watch him for a few moments before then deciding to ignore him and get on with what they were doing. He was, after all, only a Sassanach - an Englishman.

It was almost twenty minutes before he was through the centre of the village and out into the homes on the other side. And half that time later he was at the front gate of McGonagall's home.

Barely pausing in his stride, he opened the gate and walked up the short path to her door.

A firm but polite knock on her door and he waited, mentally reviewing what he needed to talk to her about and his plan for getting her back into the castle as his deputy, once more.

Almost before he realised it, the door was yanked open by the very witch he wanted to see. However, it was instantly apparent she would not be welcoming him.

Minerva McGonagall stood there with an expression of great fury on her face and her wand in her hand.

"Minerva?" he politely asked. "Whatever is the matter?"

That triggered it.

McGonagall immediately launched into screaming and verbally cursing him in a combination of Gaelic Scottish and English Scottish before she started flinging curses and animated transfigurations at him. If it wasn't for her opening with invective first, he knew she'd have likely killed him.

"Ye glaikit bludy buggerin' auld rockit!" (You stupid

bloody buggering old fool!)

Her wand whipped up and she cast a banishing charm at him. One he didn't have his own wand out and ready to defend against. The curse sent him flying backwards, back to and through her front gate.

"Ah lost mah jab, fur ah trusted ye!" (I lost my job because I trusted you!) she screamed as she stalked out the door and after him.

Then she began to transfigure various rocks and garden decorations into almost fantastical beasts she then sent after him.

"Tha thu dad ach fèineil, suas Sasannach fhèin le delusions fèin airidheachd!" (You're nothing but a selfish, up himself Englishman with delusions of self entitlement!) she screamed.

By then he'd managed to get himself to his feet, drawing his wand as he did so, just in time to destroy

and banish away the animated transfigurations.

"Bi falbh còmhla riut! Chan eil riamh dorcha mo gan rithist, tha thu geal-whiskered wanker!" (Begone with you! Never darken my stoop again, you white- whiskered wanker!)

The next few attacks came by way of curses, followed up by the transfiguring of some other piece of detritus out of the 'street' that attacked him from behind. He'd managed to spell swat the curses aside but was nearly bitten on his leg by the tin lion that came at him from outside his peripheral vision. He was lucky it only managed to get a 'bite' of his robes.

He banished that but had to dive out of the way of her follow up 'grey' curses she'd sent at him while he was dealing with the lion.

She screamed at him, yet again, "If ye ever come 'ere again ah will demand Chief 'Amish declare blood feud oan ye 'n' yer brother!" (If you ever come here again

I'll demand Chief Hamish declare blood feud on you and your brother!)

As Dumbledore rapidly retreated back the way he'd come, he was glad the woman had stopped at her front gate. He knew that if he attacked her in the settlement, the wards based on ill-intent against a member of the Stewart Clan would quickly deal with him. She had once told him that any outsider acting with ill-intent in the village quickly found themselves stunned, bound, waking without any magical item that was on their person and in the only secure cell they had - the settlement's short-term gaol.

Once he was far enough away from her he felt safe enough to turn around so he wasn't dodging backwards, he was met by hostile stares of those who'd come out of their homes to see what was going on. Of the adults they, too, had their wands out and were glaring at him. He could see mothers chivvying their children back into the homes or away from the street between the buildings.

"Errr... Good morning," he tried to cheerily say. "It seems my good friend―"

That was as far as he got before one of the burliest of the men standing there and frowning at him took a step forward, raised his off arm and pointed to Dumbledore's right. "Th' ward line's closest tha' wey," he growled.

"Ah, yes," replied Dumbledore. "But the apparation point is that way." And gestured with his own hand behind the man.

His face turning from frown to anger, the man firmly pointed in the same direction again and said, "Wance ootside th' wards ye kin donder aroond." (Once outside the wards you can walk around.)

Not wanting to push it in a place he had no hope of being able to properly defend himself if the villagers developed a mob mentality, Dumbledore sighed and

quietly said, "If you wish. I am disappointed you feel it necessary to force one of such advanced age as I to make such an unnecessary trek."

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Chapter 107

When the man was unmoved, Dumbledore gave him another disappointed look, turned and made his way up a bisecting lane-way in the direction the man indicated. He didn't need to turn around to know he was being closely followed to make sure he didn't deviate from the direction he was forced to take.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

If Dumbledore had chosen not to try and rush things and took his time to first contact his ex-deputy via floo or owl, he would have at least checked his mail. That scroll with the red seal of Hogwarts upon it that sat in the middle of his desk was a missive sent on behalf of the Chair-wizard of the Board of Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Bartholomew Creston. It was to inform him that an emergency Extraordinary Meeting of the Board had been called for the Board to discuss what to do from there with he, Dumbledore, unexpectedly not being incarcerated as a result of his trial. And that he was required to attend.

That meeting was scheduled only ten minutes after he apparated out. But, even then, with the advantage of near instant travel through the floo or via apparation or portkeys, that was hardly a problem.

That meeting went ahead, as scheduled.

Dumbledore did not like the Board entering the

grounds of the school and holding their meetings there as 'they could cause disruptions in the students' days' (read: they could find out about something he didn't want them finding out about), so he came up with an excuse to get them out. During Riddle's reign of terror, he had what he needed - student security. So, the meetings had been moved from Hogwarts to a boardroom set aside for them at the Ministry. He just never let them back.

As the Board waited past the appointed time before carrying on with the business of getting the meeting started, Dumbledore still had not turned up.

The chair-wizard, Creston, after starting the meeting finally said, "Well, he's either just being 'Dumbledore', or he's being arrogantly rude. You'd think, with the disruptions Lord Potter's actions have caused the school, he'd put in the effort to want to help resolve them. I say it's time to vote on whether we want to keep him as Headmaster or not."

"I so move," said one of the Board members, Thistlethwaite.

"And I second," another immediately said.

"Very well," said the Chair-wizard "I need a formal motion."

Thistlethwaite said, "I move that, 'Due to the actions of the current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore, that the position of Headmaster hereby be deemed vacated. And that the School Board of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry immediately seek to fill that vacancy with all haste.'"

"I second," another immediately stated.

"I'll accept that motion as two as I believe we need to vote upon the first before we vote upon the second," said the Chair-wizard "Therefore I accept that the first motion be, 'Due to the recent actions of the current

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore, that the position of Headmaster hereby be deemed vacated.' Member Thistlethwaite, do you so move?"

"I so move," declared Thistlethwaite.

"And I so second," said the original seconder, Paulson.

"Accepted," declared the Chair-wizard. "Do I have a speaker against?"

When he was again greeted with only silence, he said, "There being no speaker against the motion I move to the vote."

The result was a unanimous decision to declare the position of Headmaster vacant, effectively removing Dumbledore from the position.

"With the motion agreed, we now move on to the

second part," said the Chair-wizard "'That the School Board of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry immediately seek to fill the vacancy of Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with all haste.'"

"I so move," declared Thistlethwaite. "And I so second," said Paulson.

Again, there was no speaker against and the vote was unanimous 'For'.

"Then let us now move to discussing candidates and filling that position," said the Chair-wizard

Of course, it is very rare that a matter comes before the Board where the decision is not already known. And filling the position of Headmaster/mistress was no exception. Lady Griselda Marchbanks, also in attendance, was the Board's chosen successor.

However, that was not because she was the best of a bunch. No, she was the only one who could fill the position at short notice. And she and the Board all knew it. With the dismissal of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Flitwick - the only ones, except Sprout who flat-out refused it, who had the qualifications to ascend to the position - they had to either go to a retired member of staff who had at least Head of House experience, or seek a competent replacement from overseas. Marchbanks, as a retired Head of House (Ravenclaw), plus adding to that experience as the Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority within the Ministry for the past two plus decades, was the only one both available and willing to take the role; albeit reluctantly. She was even, for a time before McGonagall was ready for the role, Acting Deputy Headmistress.

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Chapter 108

Another member immediately said, "I move that, 'Lady Griselda Anne Marchbanks, currently of the WEA, be considered for the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and be immediately confirmed into that position."

"I second," said another.

The chair-wizard immediately looked to Marchbanks and asked, "Lady Marchbanks, do you accept being considered for the role?"

"Of course I do, Bart," she snapped back. "It's been about all we've talked about for the past three days."

"Griselda," the Chair-wizard sighed. "You know we have to do this by the numbers and exactly by procedure, or Dumbledore will use it as way to have it overturned."

"Very well," she grumbled. "I so accept."

"Thank you," he said. "With the acceptance of the nomination for the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by Lady Griselda Marchbanks, do we have another?"

No one made a sound.

After leaving it for a good five seconds, the Chair- wizard said, "Being no further nominations for the position of Headmistress or Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I seek a mover of a motion for Lady Marchbanks to be accepted in the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Another member who had remained relatively quiet to this point, a wizard well-known for his leanings towards the Light, stated, "I move that, 'Lady Griselda Anne Marchbanks, currently of the WEA, be accepted

and appointed to the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, effective immediately."

"I second the motion," said another Light witch.

"Do I have a speaker against?" asked the Chair- wizard. When he was again greeted with only silence, he said, "There being no speaker against the motion I move to the vote."

With yet another unanimous decision in the affirmative Lady Griselda Marchbanks became Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as of that moment - Headmistress Lady Griselda Marchbanks.

"Congratulations, Headmistress Lady Marchbanks," said the Chair-wizard "On behalf of the School Board of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry I bid you success in your role and look forward to hearing from you of the great strides you are making in

bringing our school back to a fully functioning educational entity."

The entire Board rose and applauded her. Marchbanks sat there, took it and grumbled about 'uppity youngsters'.

Moving on to the position of Deputy, the School Board were unsure of who to appoint to the position at that time, but knew it would not be Dumbledore or Flitwick. They considered offering the position to Sprout, but decided to leave it to Marchbanks to figure out whom that would be.

Less than fifteen minutes later and as planned prior Marchbanks flooed into Sprout's office and, accompanied by the Herbology Mistress, walked from there to the Great Hall. They were met by most of the staff still in attendance, who had been contacted earlier by Sprout by notes delivered by house elf and told to be there. Missing were Dumbledore, Trelawney, Hagrid and Filch.

There were quiet groups of students in 'street' clothes sitting in small groups at the four House tables all wondering why most of the remaining teaching staff bar Dumbledore, Trelawney and Sprout but including the new medi-wizard, had gathered in a group behind the head table.

When they saw the little elderly witch who used a cane slowly walk in, accompanied by Sprout, they knew something was in the wind. Many knew the little witch to be Lady Griselda Marchbanks of the WEA, so knew something big was about to occur.

Marchbanks, after quickly greeting the staff, stood at the head table at the Headmaster's position and quietly declared, "I, Lady Griselda Anne Marchbanks, having been appointed to the position of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, hereby take up that position effective immediately. As I say, so must it be, so let it be written."

There was a tremendous flash of light of a powerful just-taken wizarding oath that centred on the little witch. And the castle seemed to shudder just a little. The latter was almost unnoticeable to those not in the room at the time. It was unnoticeable to those who were almost blinded by the flash of light.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

While the trip from the apparation point to McGonagall's home took him almost thirty minutes, the trip back was almost an hour and ten. It was even longer for Dumbledore than it could have been, due to him starting to feel the effects of McGonagall's attacks upon his body. He knew he had to have at least bruised his tail bone and possibly his right ankle. If he didn't want to further injure himself he had to walk carefully and, therefore, his pace and length of stride were slowed and shortened.

All up, from the time he first arrived to the time he began to approach the apparation point it would be almost two hours

From where he was trudging towards the apparation point from almost ten minutes away, a particular sensation shot through Dumbledore's body. The effect caused him to stumble so badly he almost fell flat on his face. He had just felt the wards of Hogwarts shift away from him as if ripped from his soul.

Utterly shocked to his hand-knitted woollen socks, Dumbledore regained his balance and stood there for a long moment, horrified. "No!" he exclaimed.

Then he put on a burst of speed and almost ran the remaining distance to the apparation point. It took him almost three minutes to reach it, rather than the ten it would have taken at his current pace.

He barely paused before he apparated out and away,

only to feel himself bounce off a powerful ward and end up sprawled on the cobbled path just outside the front gates of Hogwarts. Both the collision with the wards and the undignified landing hurt.

Stunned almost unconscious, it took him a moment to realise what had happened and, slowly but painfully, rise to his feet. He'd just bounced off the wards of Hogwarts. And that confirmed what he dreaded; he no longer had control of the wards of the school.

"No!" he again exclaimed in horror.

He whipped his wand out and began casting diagnostics on the wards, wanting to believe there was something wrong with them, rather than he losing control of them. However, the diagnostic results all came back the same. The controller of the wards was now someone else, not he.

He had no idea he'd been seen by some of those in Hogsmeade, or that he'd been cursing up a storm as

he waved his wand at the wards.

In the castle, Marchbanks had quietly said a few words to the rest of the staff and organised a meeting for later that day in her office, before leaving through the Professor's entrance and making her way towards said office. She had some 'cleaning up' to do.

However, she'd only made it a small partway there, a couple minutes, when she felt the wards inform her someone powerful had just tried to apparate into the school, but crashed into the wards.

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Chapter 109

She stopped for a moment in her walk, smirked to herself, turned around and began to walk to the

Entrance Hall; her cane, tapping away each second step. Estimating the distance and paces of the individuals involved - her and Dumbledore - she knew she'd make it there in plenty of time to greet him as he walked in through the main doors. His distance was almost five times greater than her own. She knew there was no need to hurry.

Albus might think he was a master of the craft of always looking like he knew what he was doing, but she'd perfected it before he'd even attended Hogwarts as a 'Firstie'.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After the minor injuries he sustained in the Stewart Village, followed by the 'rude' bounce off the Hogwarts wards, Dumbledore was now limping a little more. However, he was ignoring the pain in his 'dignified haste' from the gates to the main doors of

the castle. After all, he convinced himself, it wouldn't do for the students to actually see him running.

It wasn't as if he could, anyway. That three minutes of running from where he felt the wards ripped from his control to the apparation point outside the main entrance to the village had winded him enough he couldn't have run the distance from the gates to the doors if he'd tried. And it would leave him panting in over-exertion as he walked in through the doors if he'd succeeded. Not a good look.

Finally reaching the doors and ignoring the looks he was receiving from the students who were outside at that moment, he strode in with his head high and posture erect.

Marchbanks was waiting for him in the middle of the Entrance Hall. She stood there, leaning slightly on her ever-present cane, smirking at him as he walked in.

"Good morning, Albus," she said. "It's about time you

got back from wherever you went. Were you not aware you were required by the School Board to attend an emergency Extraordinary Meeting, this morning?"

"Griselda?" he frowned. "Why are you here? And I don't have time to pander to the whining of the Board, this morning. I have far too much important and urgent business to attend."

"Oh?" she asked, as it appeared he was about to turn away and head towards 'his' office. "And what sort of important and urgent business took you away from what should be your duties to the school? After all, you'd already been away for a week. I'd think your duties in the school would be far more important than anything outside of it."

"If you must know," he snapped, "I went to see Minerva to see if we could come up with a way to get her reappointed to her proper post as Deputy Headmistress.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things I need to do."

"I will not excuse you, Albus," she returned. "As Headmistress, I need to speak with you about what, if any, role you will continue to play in this school."

With a start of shock he stared at her. "What?" he exclaimed.

"You heard me, Albus," she smirked. "If there's a problem with your hearing then that is something we'll have to take into consideration―"

"I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Griselda," he snapped.

"No, Albus, you are not," she calmly replied. "Your failure, whether through arrogance or inattention, to attend the emergency meeting of the School Board was the last straw for them, as they say. You have been removed from the post as Headmaster and I have been appointed in your place."

"No, damn it!" he snarled. "I will not allow this! They have NO RIGHT!"

Then he spun on his heel and stormed off, towards what was now his old office.

Snickering under her breath, as she knew where the man was heading she turned to serenely follow along. Again, she knew there was no hurry as Dumbledore would not be able to get into the office until she allowed him to.

Immediately on the switching of the wards to her, the gargoyle that guarded the office stairs entrance would now only respond to her until she set a password with it that would allow the staff and anyone else to enter.

A couple of minutes later the old man stormed down the passage way that was the last until the gargoyle. As he approached, he snarled at it, "Sugar Quills!"

However, it didn't move.

Now having to stop before it, he snarled, "I said, 'Sugar Quills', blast it!"

Again, the gargoyle didn't move.

"Blood Pops!... Lemon Drops!... Ice Mice!" he finished with a yell.

Finally, after the morning he'd had let alone the previous evening in that very office, he snatched his wand out of his belt and cast an overpowered blasting curse at the base of the statue.

A split-second later he was unconscious, lying sprawled on the floor about ten feet back from where he'd stood when he'd cast. The last thing he saw was his curse reflected back at him.

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Approaching about two minutes later, Marchbanks hobbled forward until she stood looking down at the old man lying so undignified on the floor. His wand was in the passageway a little apart from him, obviously released from his hand as he dropped.

Merrily cackling to herself, she summoned his wand off the floor and into her hand before she dropped it onto his chest.

"May I have a house elf, please?" she sweetly called.

With an almost silent pop one stood almost to her side. "Whats can Nippy bes doing for new Headmistress lady?" it asked.

"Nippy, is it?" she asked.

"Yes, Headmistress lady," the elf replied with a small bob.

With a pleased smirk at the elf she indicated Dumbledore and said, "Would you please pop Albus, here, to the Infirmary and into one of the beds there? Place his wand on the bedside table and inform the school medi-wizard he stunned himself trying to curse the gargoyle to the new Headmistress's office."

"Yes, Headmistress lady," the elf replied with another short bob before it and Dumbledore disappeared in a flash of elf magic light.

Chuckling to herself again, Marchbanks looked to the gargoyle and said, "I am Lady Griselda Marchbanks, new Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. By tradition, I demand access to the spaces beyond you so I may take up my duties.

"The new password shall be, 'May I please pass'."

The gargoyle gave a short nod and stepped to the side. As she then stepped through the stairs beyond began to ascend, carrying her aloft.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After his meeting with Sirius, Harry escorted him back to the front door and away before going to find Hermione. She was waiting for him with Monica in the dinette.

As soon as he looked in, she looked up at him and asked, "Ready to go shopping?"

"Yep," he replied. "Where's your... Wendell?"

"He won't be coming," replied Monica. "He used the excuse he needed to go back to the surgery to catch up on office paperwork. It's the one he often uses

when he doesn't want to go anywhere." "Why not?" he asked, confused.

"Because, at his core, my husband is a coward," she replied.

Harry thought that was a bit harsh, but that it also wasn't his place to say anything so didn't. It didn't seem to bother Hermione. If anything, she smirked at her mother.

Less than two minutes later they were downstairs, out through the connecting door to the garage and into Monica's BMW.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Three and a half hours later, Harry came staggering in through the same door in deep shock.

Not even feeling as if he had the energy to get up to his room, he made it as far as the upper ground floor before he collapsed on one of the armchairs in the parlour and groaned.

Hermione and Monica had followed him in and up and looked at him with matching smirks.

"Whatever is the matter, Harry?" asked Hermione, overly sweetly. "You look as if you've gone five rounds with a hippogriff."

"You two are evil," he moaned. "It was inhuman what you two made me do!"

That had both Granger ladies openly grin back.

He'd just closed his eyes in bliss at being able to just sit and relax for a while when Monica said, "Why don't you go up and change into a set of those clothes you just bought. Wearing transfigured clothes from

wizarding robes can't be all that comfortable.

"I'm still being bossed around?" he whined, starting to sit up straighter. "I thought turning Harry into a dress-up Barbie doll was done with!"

Not waiting for a response he groaned as he rose to his feet and trudged his way to the stairs. If he'd looked back he'd have seen the current female auror stationed with them suddenly fade into view as a disillusionment charm faded away. And all three ladies grinned at one another.

"Put on the light green collared T-shirt, black jeans and trainers, Harry," Hermione called up the stairs. "And grab the dark green V-necked sweater if you're a little chilly!"

Once they heard Harry's door shut up the stairs, all three broke out into laughter.

"He's right," grinned the auror. "You two are evil."

"Oh, diddums!" giggled Hermione. "He's just a boy. It's in their nature to complain about clothes shopping."

"Tea?" asked Monica.

"Yes, please," said Hermione. "You'll be joining us ladies, Henrietta," she added to the auror.

"Well, I suppose Tomas will be alright on his own," she replied. "He is, after all - as you put it - just a boy."

With the three laughing they went to the kitchen.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

In her new office, Marchbanks set to work. First, she had the elves clear out all of Dumbledore's personal effects and take them to the private apartment of the

Transfiguration Professor. Then had the elves collect her own from her private residence where they were already packed and waiting and put them in their place.

Once everything was as she wanted it, she went down the stairs to the office.

As with the Head's apartment, she had the elves clear out all of Dumbledore's personal effects, including Fawkes's roost, and had them moved to the Transfiguration Professor's office next to the same apartment. And was surprised when a lot of things remained she thought were the old man's personal effects.

A quick call for an elf and asking for an explanation, she was told that none of what was left was actually the Headmaster's personal property.

"It belongs to the school?" she asked.

"Not all, Headmistress lady," replied the elf.

"What doesn't?" she asked. "And do you know who it belongs to?"

The elf then indicated various things around the office and to whom they rightfully belonged. She was shocked. She had no idea that, according to what she'd just learned, Dumbledore was such a thief.

"Alright," she sighed. "The possessions that rightfully belong to each person, I want you to clearly label with a name for that person. I then want you to create for me a written list of the lot. And, finally, you can shift it to secure storage. Then I am to be the only one to know where that is and I am to be the only one to be able to have you bring something back out of it.

"After it's all done, come and give me the list and let me know it's done," she instructed. "But, not a word about this to anyone else, got that?"

"Yes, Headmistress lady," the little elf replied before it popped away. Suddenly, all the items that had been identified as belonging to others also quickly flashed away.

Less than a minute later the elf was back and handing her a scroll, she asked it to wait. Unrolling it she found a detailed list with items rightfully belonging to six different individuals of more than two dozen items. Well over half of them belonged to Lord Potter, mostly books.

Rolling it up back up with a sigh, she placed it in a pocket of her robes and then set about, with the help of the elves, reorganising the office. She needed that done before she could move her own office furniture, supplies and items in.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

More than half the castle away, Dumbledore suddenly woke to find himself staring at an amused medi-wizard with a wand in his hand. He was lying on a bed in the Infirmary.

"What happened and who're you?" he immediately demanded.

"In order, you were delivered by an elf to the bed here, unconscious due to a reflected Bombarda curse, I believe," replied the wizard. "And, secondly, I'm Medi- wizard Robinson. I'm the new medi-wizard for the school."