Chapter 794 - Ch: 3-4

Chapter 3

Dementors, Dolores, Dark Lords and Dobby

Author's Note: The response to this story is already so incredible! 50+ reviews (on FFN) EACH for the first two chapters, and that is in less than twenty four hours since the first chapter has been published! That is amazing! Thank you all!

In this chapter, there is a small mention of a specific plot point in this story, which is one of the things I have taken from DrT's "Re-Ordered" story, which I have said parts of this story is inspired from. This plot point is known as "Bonding". While I do not intend on going as wild as DrT did with his story, I do intend to bring some of it into my story. I know this will likely scare off some readers, but I am not leaving this out of my story. It is one of the main reasons for writing this story.

Warning: Severe Character Bashing: Dumbledore, Fudge, Umbridge; Manipulative!GreaterGood!Dumbledore plotting

Thursday, June 24th, 1995 – Moments after Harry Potter left the Headmaster's Oiffice.

Albus Dumbledore emitted a heavy sigh as he watched the door of his office close, after Harry Potter left the room. He wasn't sure what he felt about Harry Potter right now. It seemed as if Harry had suddenly decided to become a bit more independent and more confident this evening. He thought, after Harry's experience in the graveyard, that the boy would be terrified and withdrawn due to the events. But it only made him stronger, it seemed. Instead of asking for Dumbledore's help about what he needed to do now, Harry had his own suggestions and added his own thoughts – dangerous thoughts, in Albus' opinion – into the mix. It was most unfortunate, in Albus' opinion, that Sirius and Amelia seemed to agree with and approve of Harry's suggestions.

One of Harry's suggestions shocked Albus as much as it irked him, simply because it worked against a plan he had been forming ever since Harry gave him Voldemort's wand. Harry suggested that Albus keep Voldemort's wand at Hogwarts, where he could be the guardian over it, so he could make sure Voldemort didn't get it back. Even more infuriating, Amelia agreed with Harry, even though it would go against DMLE procedure!

Albus had been quite ready to hand Voldemort's wand over to Amelia so she could take it to the Ministry... for the very reason Harry used as a reason against whyshe shouldn't take it with her. He had hoped that one of Voldemort's followers would steal the wand, and bring it back to Voldemort. It would create a backlash against Amelia Bones concerning her role as the Director of the DMLE, something he decided needed to happen sometime in the future, because she would definitely hinder his dreams for the Greater Good.

Now he had no idea how to get Voldemort's wand back to its owner. If he lost it, he would get a lot of suspicion cast his way. If he gave it to Severus, so he could give it to Voldemort, which would secure his position further in Voldemort's inner circle, then he would have to use Severus as a scapegoat when it was discovered Voldemort had his wand back. Severus would be on a one-way trip to Azkaban, something which would hinder his future plans. If Voldemort didn't have his own wand when Harry dueled him in the prophecized final duel between the two, then it might mean that Harry would defeat Voldemort, something he didn't want to happen! He needed Voldemort to kill Harry, satisfying the Prophecy, so he could jump in and kill Voldemort, securing himself once again as the true Leader of the Light.

However, Harry defeating Voldemort now seemed entirely possible, for one big reason Albus couldn't ignore.

Somehow, Harry Potter had gained a ton of magical power, skill and knowledge in recent days and weeks, without Albus being any the wiser!

Ever since Harry returned from the graveyard, Albus' Legilimency probes seem to have no effect on the boy. He couldn't read the boy's thoughts at all. He didn't know if it had to do with Voldemort's return to full strength, and the connection with Harry's scar. Or if it was something else entirely. After all, he had been able to read Harry's mind that morning, and had felt exactly how nervous and scared Harry was when it came to the Final Task.

But that nervous and scared little boy... seemed to be gone by the time Harry entered the maze. A more confident, strong, and somewhat independent boy entered the maze. Albus had been amazed by Harry's performance in the maze. It seemed as if fortune and luck were shining upon the young man. Either that, or Harry had prior knowledge of what was inside the maze, Which was, of course, impossible. But how else could he have made his way through the maze's winding path without taking any wrong turns, nor arriving at dead ends, and having to turn around? Albus wasn't sure how to answer that most puzzling question.

Even more puzzling was the boy's sudden power and knowledge when it came to spells and enchantments! Harry had dominated each obstacle he came across, using powerful spells – including a spell-chain against a beast, and an enchantment that vanished one of the traps! The boy had immediately identified the Boggart, and the Blast-Ended Skrewt and Acromantula were no match for the boy! How was that possible?!

Somehow Harry had been able to prepare and study for whatever he encountered in the maze, without Albus Dumbledore discovering such a thing!

Albus didn't want to admit, but he was rather terrified of the Harry Potter that had entered the maze, and ermerged from the graveyard with Wormtail and Voldemort's wand in tow. This was a Harry Potter who could defeat Voldemort. Even worse, he hadn't asked Albus for any help at all in his apparent journey obtaining such power and knowledge!

He needed to do damage control... and fast. He needed to figure out what was going on with the boy!

"Albus," Sirius growled, breaking the Headmaster from his thoughts, "I do not appreciate what you just tried to pull. You better not tell me not to tell Harry about the Great Alliance. The Great Alliance is his family's legacy. It is his birthright! As far as I can tell, Harry knows very, very little about the House of Potter, his legacy and his birthrights. That changes now, Albus."

Albus frowned. This was exactly what he didn't want to happen. Especially since Amelia Bones was still in the room. He knew he needed to tread lightly.

"I understand that, Sirius," Dumbledore said. "I just feel it should wait for a while."

"I disagree," Amelia said. "This is the perfect time. I've already started teaching Susan about the Legacy of the House of Bones. After all, Harry is near that age – fifteen, of course - when a young witch or wizard should begin to set their eyes on the future. And I'm not just talking about Bonding, romance and searching for a future mate."

Albus stopped himself from grimacing when Amelia mentioned 'bonding'. He hadn't been able to prevent Harry from attending Poppy Pomfrey's lesson about the Bonding process a few months ago. It would hve raised unnecessary questions if he had. He had, after all, never prevented any other student from attending in the past. He had hoped Harry wouldn't get any ideas from it – at least ideas that Albus Dumbledore didn't favor. Fortunately, Harry seemed rather disgusted right now with the idea of Bonding. But that wasn't out of the norm for young teenage boys. He just hoped Harry's attitude about "Bonding" remained the same for the foreseeable future, at least until Albus could use it to his own advantage.

"The return of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter is exactly what we need right now, Albus," Amelia said. "After all, if Voldemort had succeeded that Halloween night in 1981, the House of Potter would have gone extinct. What better way to respond to Voldemort's return than with a return of our own? Bringing the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter back to its prime would be a great victory for the Light. As the Leader of the Light, I am sure you agree with me."

Dumbledore knew he was trapped. If he denied Amelia's point, it would make Amelia, Sirius and many others suspicious of him. Suspicions he had been trying to hide for quite some time. He had no choice but to agree. He would simply need to keep a close eye on the future when it came to Harry and what he learned about his legacy and family.

He also hoped Harry, and Sirius, didn't discover a truth he had been trying to hide since Halloween of this year. He hoped they didn't discover exactly what happened the moment Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Somehow... he knew it was futile to hope for such a thing. He would need to prepare for when that revelation was discovered.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Sirius, feel free to inform Harry of the Great Alliance, of House Potter, and of his legacy. But I hope you make him understand he can't take complete control of his House until he reaches his majority."

"I know exactly what I am going to tell him, Albus," Sirius said, firmly. "It would be the same stuff James Potter would have told him... and I am quite sure James would have informed Harry long before now of these things. What I am saying is the lesson I will teach Harry is long overdue. He is the future Lord Potter, Albus. I will make sure he understands exactly what that means. As his godfather, in the stead of his late, and dearly departed father, it is my responsibility to teach him what his responsibilities and rights are. Due to my own mistakes, I have not been able to be a part of his life until now. I intend to make up for that, and teaching him about his legacy sounds like a fine start to me!"

Dumbledore merely nodded, fighting back the urge to scream and yell at the mutt. He knew he could say nothing. He just needed to keep a close eye and ear on Harry's future lessons with Sirius. However he coiuld not stop thinking about the fact that things would have been so much easier had Harry not brought Peter Pettigrew back with him from the graveyard! It would have been so much easier to control this man had he still been a fugitive, running from the law!

"Yes, well, moving on," Albus said. "Amelia, many years ago, when you finished your education and left these hallowed halls, I met with you, Sirius, Harry's parents and a few of your friends, and fellow classmates, all of whom were finishing their education as well, and going out into the world to begin their adult lives. I gave all of you an invitation. You, my dear Madam Bones, were the only one in the group of friends to deny my invitation. Today, I bring up the invitation again. I am reforming the Order of the Phoenix. As Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the Order needs you, Madam Bones. We need your help, and your assistance, and I firmly believe you need our help as well. After all, you will never find a more dedicated group fighting to see Voldemort's true end, than you would inside the Order of the Phoenix. So, Madam Amelia Bones, will you accept my invitation into the Order of the Phoenix?"

Albus hated groveling, but he knew – as much as he hated the thought – that the Order of the Phoenix needed Amelia Bones. He needed her on his side, and not opposing him or the Order. Otherwise her future path and strategies might hinder his. Also, she might block him from bringing Aurors into the Order, and that was something he couldn't risk. He needed Aurors in the Order. He needed their talent and skills. So, unfortunately, he needed her close, where he could influence her in the future. Therefore, he had to swallow his pride and do some groveling.

"What will I have to do if I join?" Amelia asked. "I can only assume you want me to join for a reason. Do you want me to help you bring some of my more loyal Aurors into the Order?"

"That would be a great help, Amelia," Albus said, smiling. "Alastor Moody – if he forgives me for my part in his transgressions over the past many months – will likely rejoin the Order. With his help, we might be able to bring in one or two Aurors. Sirius' cousin, Nymphadora Tonks – I believe you are familiar with her?"

"She just joined the Auror Department this past year as a Rookie," Amelia said, nodding. "Her talents as a Metamorphmagus has given the Auror Department and the DMLE a few new strategies and tools we wouldn't have had without her."

"Alastor Moody mentored her at the Brighton Auror Academy for two years," Albus said. "I am sure he can influence her to join the Order. What we need is more Aurors in the Order. More fighters."

"Fighters?" Amelia asked. "As I remember, the only fighting your Order did last time was responding to attacks and skirmishes by Voldemort and his followers. Most of the time your Order showed up late to these attacks and skirmishes, and innocent lives were lost – mostly innocent Muggle lives, Albus – before your Order even responded. Are you going to tell me that your Order will take a more aggressive approach this time, instead of merely responding to attacks? Because if not, I will deny your invitation right here and now and focus on my job in the DMLE, so I can focus on the coming war against Voldemort."

Dumbledore sighed. This was exactly why he didn't like Amelia Bones very much, and why he wasn't in favor of her becoming the Director of the DMLE years ago. It wasn't her young age, or the fact that she was a woman. No... it was that she was a force of reckoning, and someone who wasn't afraid to stand up to him. Like she was doing right now.

"I cannot see the future, Madam Bones," Dumbledore said. "I can promise you this, however. Without a few Aurors on hand in the Order of the Phoenix, and without your assistance, we might be forced to take the same approach as last time."

"So you're saying it is with my help, and my Aurors, that will change the way the Order acts during the upcoming troubles?" Amelia asked.

"Yes," Albus agreed. "That is exactly what I am saying."

Amelia sighed. "Very well. I am not going to accept or decline your invitation right now. I will think on it for a little while, and I will give you answer, whether by owl or face-to-face, in the near future."

Albus was about to reply, when the wards on the stairs coming to his office alerted him that Filius Flitwick was making his way to his office, and he was moving quite quickly. He stood, just as the door of his office opened and the tiny Charms Professor hurried in.

"Albus!" Filius exclaimed, "Cornelius Fudge is making his way up the driveway in a carriage, and he has two Dementors in tow!"

"Shite!" Sirius exclaimed, "Do you think he's here because of me?"

"I doubt he has discovered you're here, Sirius," Amelia said. "I think he's here to silence Crouch, Junior and Pettigrew. I don't think he wants the public to know that a long-thought-dead Death Eater was teaching the students for several months. I also think he wants to silence Pettigrew, to stop the public from learning that the Boy-Who-Lived was nearly kidnapped or worse... and possibly to stop you from obtaining your freedom. Though I don't know how he thinks he could get away with any of those, since there were a great number of witnesses who saw Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior!"

"No... Fudge doesn't want that part about stopping me from obtaining freedom... Lucius Malfoy does," Sirius said. "He wants his son to be the future Lord Black. He wants the Black fortune. Therefore, Malfoy wants, no, needs me eliminated."

Meanwhile, Albus was hastily writing a letter to Madam Pomfrey. He handed the parchment to Sirius.

"Sirius, go to the Hospital Wing," Albus said, "Give Madam Pomfrey this letter. This will explain that you are under my Sanctuary, and that the Director of the DMLE believes you are an innocent man. This should allow you to remain close to your godson for the evening. Amelia, Filius, come with me. Cornelius Fudge needs another reminder about how much I loathe Dementors!"

Ignoring Filius' sputters and questions about Sirius' presence, Albus led the group out of the office. Sirius headed off toward the Hospital Wing, while Albus followed Amelia and Filius toward where the prisoners were being kept temporarily. After all, that was exactly where Cornelius Fudge would be headed with the Dementors.

Less than ten minutes later, Albus, Amelia and Flitwick arrived at the classroom where Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior was held, just in time to find Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge marching down the corridor from the opposite direction. A man Albus identified as Walden MacNair was leading two Dementors down the corridor shortly behind the Minister and his stooge.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Albus exclaimed, with a loud, booming, clear tone, as he pointed the Elder Wand down the corridor.

A large, magnificent silver phoenix emerged from his wand, and flew with blinding speed toward the two Dementors. Then, in a moment that amazed all who witnessed it, the Patronus went straight through the Dementors, who collapsed, as if boneless, to the ground.

Albus Dumbledore – so-called Leader of the Light - had just destroyed the two Dementors.

Cornelius and Umbridge were ready to yell at Albus, but the only sound they made were yelps and shrieks as Albus cast spells in their, and MacNair's direction. Suddenly, Cornelius, Umbridge and MacNair found themselves pinned to the celing, facing the floor several feet below them.

"CORNELIUS FUDGE!" Albus boomed, his voice so loud that he could have fooled anyone into thinking he was using the Sonorous Charm. "HOW DARE YOU BRING THOSE FOUL DEMONS INSIDE MY CASTLE!"

"Y-you can't d-do this, Albus!" Cornelius stammered. "I am the Minister of M-Magic! Put me down! Now!"

"Cornelius," Albus growled, "I told you a year ago would happen if you ever brought Dementors into my castle again! You defied my orders, Cornelius!"

"How d-dare you speak to Cornelius like this, D-Dumbledore!" Dolores Umbridge stammered, "He is the M-Minister of Magic!"

Albus swiped his wand, and Cornelius, Umbridge and MacNair crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. They screamed in pain, and Albus wasn't sure whether they were injured or not.

"You brought Dementors into Hogwarts where the most next generation of our society is currently residing!" Albus thundered, "What if they had gone rogue, hmm? What if students were Kissed? Hmm? You came here to silence two prisoners, I assume? And you failed. Your quest for damage control will backfire, Cornelius! Tomorrow morning, everyone will read the Prophet and find out exactly what you did tonight! If you try to prevent this, Cornelius, I will go in front of the Wizengamot and ask them to boot you out of the Minister's Office!"

"How dare you, Albus Dumbledore!" Umbridge snarled. "The only thing the public will learn about the Prophet tomorrow is that you have greatly overstepped your boundaries, and that your days here as the Headmaster of Hogwarts are reaching their end!"

"Dolores, shut up!" Cornelius growled. "We would not have been here with those demons if it wasn't for you!"

Umbridge's eyes widened, and her face went red and purple as she stared at Cornelius in shock.

"Is this true?" Amelia asked. "Did Madam Umbridge convince you to bring the Dementors here, Minister?"

"It is, Madam Bones," Cornelius said.

"Cornelius!" Umbridge gasped.

"Do I have your permission to arrest Madam Umbridge for endangering hundreds of students, Minister?" Amelia asked.

"Cornelius!" Umbridge's tone was pleading now.

Cornelius hesitated for merely a moment, before he nodded. "You do, Madam Bones."

Before Umbridge could react, Amelia sent ropes toward the foul woman. The ropes surrounded Umbridge's body, tying her up, causing her to tumble over on the ground.

"Thank you, Cornelius," Albus said. "You have done the right thing. Because of this, I have changed my mind, and will not go to the Daily Prophet to inform about the Dementors tonight. However, if you make any more foolish decisions like this again when it comes to my castle, if you try to endanger my students ever again, Cornelius, I will ask the Wizengamot to force you out of office. That is a promise."

"I-I understand, Albus," Cornelius said. "I-I apologize for this evening's events. They were most regrettable."

"There were indeed," Albus agreed, "You may leave my castle on your own your other stooge and that filth with you. Madam Umbridge will likely find herself in a Ministry Holding Cell near the other two prisoners by evening's end."

"Yes... she will," Amelia said, "Shacklebolt! Tonks! Go collect Umbridge and bring her in with the others. Oh, and Fudge? I wish to meet with you tomorrow morning. What time is optimal for you?"

"Er... eight? Yes, eight-o-clock, tomorrow morning that is!" Cornelius said.

"I'll be there," Amelia said.

Before Amelia called her Aurors, Albus hadn't been aware the Aurors had arrived in the was so focused on everything involving Harry Potter and Voldemort, that he hadn't paid attention to his 'security system' alerting him of their arrival. Nor had he known that Cornelius, Umbridge and MacNair had arrived with Dementors, before Flitwick had informed him.

Along with Shacklebolt and Tonks, there were two other Aurors in attendance. Dawlish and Savage were currently inside the room with the two Death Eaters.

Albus watched as Walden MacNair used magic to collect the bodies of the Dementors. He was quite sure the demons were dead. He had summoned the Patronus with a lot of power, and the death of the Dementors was exactly what he wanted. He was one of a very small list of witches and wizards in the entire world who could produce a Patronus powerful enough to kill Dementors. Though the lad did not know it, Harry Potter was also amongst that list. Of the one-hundred Dementors who had come onto the Hogwarts Grounds a year ago, Harry had killed ten of them, while the rest of them had retreated in fear. As far as Albus knew, Harry didn't know exactly what he had done that night.

Cornelius and MacNair walked back down the corridor and out of sight. Meanwhile, a bound Dolores Umbridge was now hovering in mid-air as she was escorted down the corridor toward Albus by Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks.

"Albus, I need that writ of Sanctuary," Amelia said. "Then I believe it is time for the Aurors and I to return to the Ministry with our three prisoners."

Albus summoned Hazel the house-elf again, and asked for writing material, which the house-elf delivered. He wrote the official writ of Sanctuary for Sirius Black, and signed it with the titles of Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of the British Wizengamot, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Warlocks. Then he gave it to Amelia.

Amelia read through the writ, and nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you, Albus. I will be in contact with you soon about what we discussed this evening."

Albus knew she meant the invitation to the Order of the Phoenix, as well as Sirius' future trial.

"I look forward to it," Albus said.

"I assume your guest will be well looked after until it is time for him to come to the Ministry?" Amelia asked.

"Absolutely," Albus agreed.

"Excellent," Amelia said. "Then I bid you good evening. We will be leaving soon."

Albus nodded. It was then that he noticed Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall had arrived to the scene.

"Severus, Minerva, greetings," Albus said, as Amelia joined her Aurors inside the classroom were the prisoners were. "Minerva, I trust Alastor Moody has been located?"

"He has," Minerva said. "He is currently in the Hospital Wing with Poppy. Also... well... as I was returning from the Hospital Wing, a large black dog was making its way there. Do you know why?"

"Ah, yes," Albus said, smiling. "The dog is a loyal friend of Harry Potter's. Harry is staying the night in the Hospital Wing, and I believe the dog is going there to keep him company. I have been told that he is house-trained."

Severus' expression when he heard about the black dog was rather comical, at least to Albus, who knew that Severus knew exactly who the black dog was.

"You are excused, Minerva, Filius," Albus said. "Thank you for your assistance this evening. Please make sure the students – aside from Mr. Potter, of course – are in their Common Rooms at the very least. Minerva, please make sure none of your Gryffindors have decided to try and find Mr. Potter. You may tell Mr. Potter's closest friends that they can visit him in the Hospital Wing tomorrow if he is not in the Great Hall for breakfast."

"Of course, Albus," Minerva said. "I am quite sure the Gryffindors have decided to have a party – even though Mr. Potter is not there to celebrate with them."

"I am sure that is the case as well," Albus chuckled.

Minerva and Filius said farewell then walked away. Albus walked in the opposite direction and Severus followed him.

"Albus," Severus said, in his silkiest tone, "Correct me if I am wrong, but that black dog Minerva mentioned... am I to understand that the dog is -"

"The dog is a good friend of Mr. Potter's, Severus," Albus said, firmly. "I do not want you to go anywhere near the dog, nor Mr. Potter before the end of term, Severus. The dog will be here for the foreseeable future – until the Ministry decides to give him his freedom... if you get my meaning."

"And when will that glorious event take place?" Severus asked, his lips thin.

"Before the end of term, I assume," Albus said; he was sure Amelia would convince the Minister to give Sirius Black a hasty trial. "I repeat... do not cross paths with the dog, Severus. Or you might find his bite is far, far worse than his bark."

Severus' lips thinned. "As you wish, Headmaster. However, in return, Potter best keep a short leash on the mutt."

"I am sure he will," Albus said. "You are excused, Severus. Please make sure the Slytherins are not breaking curfew."

"Of course, Headmaster," Severus said.

Albus and Severus went different ways as they reached the Grand Staircase. Albus sighed, tiredly, as he headed back toward his office. His night was not yet over. He needed to figure out what to do when it came to Voldemort's wand. He also needed to Floo Garrick Ollivander and speak with him. He hoped, for his old friend's sake, that the man would agree to come to Hogwarts for protection and Sanctuary. Otherwise, he would likely be the first of Voldemort's new victims before the upcoming war even began.

Speaking of old friend, he realized he needed to meet Alastor Moody in the Hospital Wing. But he decided that could wait until the following morning. He was far too tired to have that discussion with his old friend right now.

Thursday, June 24th, 1995 – Riddle Manor – Late Evening

Lord Voldemort fumed silently, as he paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, in the study of Riddle Manor. He was still reeling from the events that transpired that evening. If his plans had gone off without a hitch, Harry Potter would be dead, and he would be currently meeting with his Death Eaters as he hatched the beginnings of a long plot that would see his official rule in Great Britain, without most of the cowards and fools knowing he was even back in power, until he made the first devastating strike!

But almost nothing had gone right! Aside from gaining his body back, all of his plans for that evening had gone horribly wrong. Harry Potter not only survived the encounter in the graveyard, but had a stunning victory against him. His familiar, Nagini, was dead. Wormtail was likely now in custody of the DMLE and Auror Departments. Barty Crouch, Junior had not returned to him yet, so it was assumed he too was discovered and captured. And last, but most certainly not least... the Potter brat had stolen his wand!

There was also the fact that the Potter brat had likely already let Albus Dumbledore know that he, Lord Voldemort, had risen again! That was almost as bad as not having his loyal and faithful wand anymore!

Voldemort was quite thankful that Riddle Manor was close enough where he could simply walk to it, without Apparating. He was one of a very few number of wizards and witches in the world who could wandlessly Apparate. However, doing so, usually made him magically exhausted after one jump, and he had to rest for hours before he could even attempt to Apparate again. He would need to rest before he even thought about Apparating somewhere. He was not as strong as he thought he would be.

Which meant something in the ritual went wrong. Wormtail did seem rather hesitant to give his hand, and had definitely not done so with any confidence. After all, it wouldn't have been the only mistake Wormtail had made that evening. Obviously the worthless idiot hadn't tied Potter to the headstone as well as he could have, since Potter had been able to escape from his bindings. The Potter brat certainly didn't give his blood willingly, so it could have only been Wormtail's fault that the ritual hadn't gone off perfectly. If it had, he wouldn't be feeling as weak as he did. He hoped, with some rest and recuperation, he wouldn't feel so weak anymore. He hated feeling weak.

He needed a wand. He had two options in obtaining a wand. The first was meet with Garrick Ollvander and get a new wand from him – probably through force. However, he knew Albus Dumbledore would likely realize that Ollvander would be in danger. Which meant that before the night ended, Garrick Ollivander would either be seeking Sanctuary in Hogwarts Castle... or long gone from Great Britain. So going to Ollivander was not an option.

Which meant Voldemort needed to obtain a wand from one of his followers. He couldn't summon any of his followers without two things: a wand... and a follower who had the Dark Mark Tattoo. (He had no idea that Harry Potter knew this information, and Albus Dumbledore did not.)

This meant he was going to have to Apparate to one of his followers' residences the following morning when he felt stronger. But which follower? Which follower – who wasn't in Azkaban and therefore couldn't be considered his most loyal - could he trust to 1) not attack him when they realized he had no wand, and 2) give their wand to him? Then there was another pressing question: which of his followers had the most optimal wand that he could use, and trust it wouldn't backfire on him. He heard horror stories of improper wands backfiring on their owners. He couldn't have that. Especially since he would need the wand to kill, not only Potter and Dumbledore, but any other future threats!

This was going to take some thought.

Aside from losing his wand, there was one other loss Voldemort regretted most that night. The loss of his familiar, Nagini. Not only was the snake a Horcrux – which meant one of his Horcruxes was now destroyed – she was also the one he trusted more than any of his Death Eaters. Without her, he felt quite vulnerable. Not because one of his Horcruxes were gone, no.

He was quite sure the rest of his Horcruxes were well-protected. He wouldn't risk going to retrieve one or more of his Horcruxes. What if Dumbledore and his Order somehow discovered what he was doing? Dumbledore discovering he had Horcruxes was something he could not risk happening.

Ever.

No, Voldemort felt vulnerable without his trusted familiar for one important reason. Nagini could have defended him, if he was attacked before he could get a wand. Without her, obtaining a wand from one of his followers was definitely a risky prospect. Especially if their loyalties were no longer toward him. He wasn't stupid to not believe that there wasn't a scenario where some of those followers of his, those who avoided going to Azkaban, hadn't decided that their life was far better when he wasn't in power.

"Harry Potter will come to rue the moment he defied me tonight," Voldemort vowed. "I was going to give him a quick, painless death this evening. After all, I am a merciful Lord. But I am not merciful to those who have defied me. Potter's parents are good examples of that. And so, too, will their son. Harry Potter will know pain. He will know true fear. He will know despair. Before I kill him, I will make sure his friends, allies and anyone who believes he can defeat me will die! Then, and only then... will I give him the death he will be begging for!"

But first... before he could confront Harry Potter again, he needed to find out what the rest of the Prophecy said. After all, he didn't know if the Prophecy had anything to do with the reasons the boy was so lucky when it came to coming out alive after their confrontations. First, that Halloween night. Then ten years later in the Forbidden Forest. Then when Potter had confronted him when he tried to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. And finally that evening. He knew that only he or Harry Potter could take the Prophecy Orb from its shelf in the Department of Mysteries. And he wasn't about to go down there himself! No... no, he would need Potter to get it for him. For that, he needed to hatch a most cunning plan. That was to be his first long-term goal.

"But first I need a bleeding wand!" Voldemort growled.

No... first he needed to sleep. He was weary. When he awoke, he would get a wand. Then he would summon his followers and find out which of them were loyal to him... and which of them would suffer a coward's death.

Friday, June 25th, 1995 – Hogwarts Hospital Wing – Very Early Morning

The following morning, Harry awoke a lot earlier than he normally would have in his fourteen year old body – especially after such a harrowing evening - due to the Alarm Charm he had set on his pillow. He cast a wandless Tempus and found it was fifteen minutes after five-o-clock. He had chosen to woke up this early for one reason in particular. He wanted to do something before anyone else was awake to witness him doing it.

He made sure the privacy curtains were completely closed around the hospital bed, then cast privacy and silencing charms on the curtains, so nobody outside the curtains would hear anything odd.

"Dobby!" Harry called.

Dobby the house-elf appeared a moment later on the end of the bed. Harry fought back tears as he looked at his old friend. Dobby had sacrificed himself for Harry and his friends. Harry had visited Dobby's grave at least once a year at Shell Cottage, usually on the anniversary of his death. Bill and Fleur Weasley had moved out of the Cottage when Fleur was pregnant with their second child, and it was used as a holiday house for the extended Weasley family. It was so wonderful to see him again.

"Harry Potter calls Dobby?" Dobby asked.

"First, Dobby, I know that you are not a free elf," Harry said, "I know that you bound yourself to me moments after I freed you from Lucius Malfoy two years ago."

He found this piece of information several years after Dobby's death. He had been having a conversation with the house-elf Kreacher, when the elf only had a couple more years to live, since he was so old. He asked the elf why he didn't want to live the rest of his life as a free elf. Kreacher told him he wouldn't live more than a month if he was a free elf. When Harry brought up Dobby, Kreacher told him Dobby hadn't been a free elf, that he had been Harry's elf after Harry freed him from the Malfoys.

"Dobby said he was free, because it made you happy, Master Harry," Kreacher had said. "Dobby would have done anything to make you happy."

Dobby looked nervous. "Dobby is sorry to have lied to Harry Potter. Dobby will punish himself!"

"No!" Harry Potter said, firmly. "You will never punish yourself. Do you understand, Dobby? If you feel you need to punish yourself, you will explain to me the reason why. Then I will decide what happens after."

"Great Master Harry is so good to Dobby!" Dobby exclaimed.

"Don't call me Master either, Dobby," Harry said, sighing, "'Harry' or 'Harry Potter' is fine. Hermione would never forgive me if she heard you call me Master."

Dobby nodded firmly. "Dobby will do this for Harry Potter and his Hermy. What does Harry Potter need from Dobby?"

"Can you summon me some writing material?" Harry asked.

Dobby snapped his fingers and parchment, quills and a small inkpot appeared in front of Harry. Harry proceeded to pen a letter to Keeper Ragnok the Sixth, the loyal Potter Family Account Manager at Gringotts. He told Ragnok that he would meet him at Gringotts within the next couple of weeks or so. He also gave Dobby written permission to retrieve anything from any of the Potter Vaults for him. Also, he explained that he had not received any previous correspondence at all from Keeper Ragnok or Gringotts, and he explained why – including telling him that Dumbledore was likely responsible for it.

"Give this to Keeper Ragnok the Sixth at Gringotts," Harry instructed Dobby. "This will grant you permission to get inside my Vaults. I need you to retrieve a jewelry box from my Family Vault.

Harry described the jewelry box he was looking for.

"Come back to me as soon as you are finished," Harry said, "I will still be here."

"Dobby will deliver the letter to Goblin Ragnok and find the jewelry box, Harry Potter," Dobby promised.

"You are excused to do your tasks," Harry said.

Dobby nodded, bowed, and vanished. Harry vanished the writing material, and laid back on his pillow. As he waited for Dobby, he closed his eyes and focused on the mindscape. He had discovered late last night, while going through his mindscape before he fell into a deeper sleep, that, he had some control over his connection with Voldemort whilst inside his mindscape. He could use the connection to spy on Voldemort's current or recent thoughts without the Dark Bastard finding out.

Harry's mindscape was a copy of the 'man cave' he built in Potter Manor in the future. He had enchanted the room using Technomancy, so he could use electronics and magic in the same room. Like the 'man cave' in the future, this one had a computer system, a television complete with video game consoles and DVD/Blu Ray Player.

The Blu Rays discs had some of his most precious memories. The DVDs were where he stored those memories he only wanted to remember when he needed to fulfill his need for vengeance. When he was finished exacting his vengeance, he could put away those DVDs, and never need to watch them again. After his vengeance was complete, he could live the life he wanted – with Hermione, he hoped - and make a whole new shelf of Blu Rays.

The computer was where he stored all the knowledge he had gained over the years, including his research into different subjects, as well as all of his plans he had made for when he had come back in time. One of the files, for instance, was his Pensieve studies of the maze for the Final Task.

He turned on the television, and switched channels until he came to what he had coined "VNN: Voldemort News Network", which was where he could search through and study Voldemort's recent thoughts. He smirked at what he discovered. Voldemort did not know that Harry killed Nagini to destroy the Horcrux within it. He just thought Harry had destroyed her because she was a threat. Voldemort had no intentions on seeking out his other Horcruxes, because he didn't want Dumbledore or the Order finding out about them. That was a very good thing, since it gave him, Harry, time to hunt them down before Voldemort discovered what he was doing.

Voldemort's current plan was to meet with one of his followers, so he could get a wand from them. Lucius Malfoy was on the top of a short list, currently, as he thought the man's wand might be a good match for him. Harry wasn't sure how he felt about that. What if Voldemort wanted to know about his diary? What if he discovered it was destroyed? Would he decide to risk Dumbledore finding out about his Horcruxes, and check on them anyway?

Going to have to keep a close watch on that, Harry decided. With any luck, when he realizes the Diary isn't at Malfoy Manor, he'll believe Malfoy placed it somewhere else. He is feeling paranoid and vulnerable, after all. Maybe he won't ask Malfoy about the diary, because he doesn't want the information of his Horcruxes getting out. 

Feeling better about the Malfoy and Diary situation, he continued his perusal of Voldemort's thoughts. So Voldemort thought Harry's escape from the graveyard was due to the unknown second half of the Prophecy? Interesting. And possibly useful. Harry wasn't worried about Voldemort's plans for the Prophecy. It wasn't different to anything he had done the last time. Besides, Harry was planning on retrieving the prophecy soon enough anyway, and possibly making a fake copy in case Voldemort decided to get his hands on it without using Harry as a gopher. So that wasn't a big concern at all.

Harry also found it very interesting that Voldemort was a bit weaker than he should have been, thanks to the ritual going slightly wrong.

He thinks Wormtail messed up the ritual, because of his hesitation to cut off his hand, Harry mused, with a smirk. He doesn't realize that it was my willingness to give Voldemort blood, because I needed him to have a body so he could finally be destroyed after his Horcruxes are destroyed. The portion of his soul in his own body can't be destroyed if he is in a vaporous form. It doesn't work like that. All the research I did told me that.

Harry withdrew from his mindscape, just as Dobby returned with the jewelry box that Harry was looking for.

"Goblin Ragnok says he looks forward to meeting the new Lord Potter," Dobby said. "He also says he already knew Dumbledore was blocking you from recieving your post. Goblin Ragnok says Dobby is welcome inside all of the Potter Family Vaults from now on."

"Thank you, Dobby," Harry said. "Hold on one moment. I am going to pick a few pieces of jewelry here from the box, then I want you to take it back to where you found it."

Harry's eyes widened as thought crossed his mind. "Oh! I almost forgot! I also have one other job for you. A very important job. "

"Dobby loves very important jobs!" Dobby exclaimed. "What very important job does Harry Potter want Dobby to do?"

Harry smirked and reached behind his pillow, and brought out a small mason jar with tiny holes cut into the lid. Grass and leaves were inside the jar, as was a large, and very annoyed, water beetle.

"Dobby," Harry said, "This beetle is an Animagus named Rita Skeeter. I caught her here in the Hospital Wing last night trying to spy on me. Your job is to make sure she cannot escape this jar, and to... 'babysit' her, shall we say? Look after her, give her grass and leaves. Keep her healthy. Do this until I ask you to bring this jar back to me."

"Dobby will look after Skeeter-Bug, and make sure she cannot flee!" Dobby exclaimed. "Skeeter-Bug will not escape, Dobby promises!"

"Thank you Dobby," Harry said.

Harry opened the jewelry box and rummaged through it until he found the things he wanted: three pieces of jewelry and a small mokeskin bag. Then he handed the box back to Dobby, and said he was excused after he brought the jewelry box back to the vault. Aside from watching 'Skeeter-Bug', he could do anything else he wanted. Dobby accepted his tasks, bowed, and vanished. Harry then relaxed back against the backboard of the bed, and began his work on enchanting the jewelry. One of the pieces of jewelry was for him, but the other two were for Hermione.

One of them, he would give to Hermione before he revealed to her his secrets. He had no doubts about telling her the secret of his time travel. She needed to know what the Weasleys and Dumbledore were capable. The first piece of jewelry he would give her would have various enchantments on it, that would prevent anyone – Dumbledore and Snape – from taking the information out of her head.

The other piece of jewelry was a promise ring, and it matched his own. If she accepted to become his girlfriend, they would wear matching rings to signify that they were a couple. Hermione's promise ring would have nearly all the enchantments the Lady Potter ring did. She would be protected from most hexes, spells and curses, and also the ring would protect her from all mind magic, especially Love Potions and Potions of a similar nature.

When he was finished placing the enchantments on the jewelry, which took roughly twenty minutes to complete, he placed the three items in his mokeskin bag, and put it around his neck. Then he dropped the various spells around his bed, and went back to sleep for a short while.

Sorry for the odd ending to the chapter. I could have put the scene at the start of the next chapter, but I decided ending the chapter with another Harry PoV.

Don't worry... Dolores Umbridge's pain isn't done yet. Harry hasn't gotten his vengeance against her yet. That will come...

The part with Rita Skeeter wasn't in the first draft of this chapter. Then I remembered her and added the part about her in the jar. We'll see her again eventually.

Next Chapter: Lucius Malfoy has an early morning visit from an old friend. Hermione visits Harry in the Hospital Wing, where she finds Harry ranting at Madam Pomfrey. A very adorable Harry and Hermione reunion. Then, Harry leads Hermione and Sirius to the Room of Requirement, and tells them his time travel secrets, and what took place in his future. I wanted the 'will you be my girlfriend' conversation between Harry and Hermione next chapter, but it will take place in two chapters.

Chapter 4

Poppy's Plight and Truth Telling

Author's Note: Harry's tale to Hermione and Sirius is really depressing and Dark. It has very dark topics. Heed some of the warnings below. This chapter also gives more hints about "Bonding" and describes parts of how Bonding works.

Trigger Warning: Tales of: Potions Poisoning, Rape via Potions, Domestic Abuse, Miscarriage, and Graphic Violence and Murder.

Other Warnings: Severe Character Bashing: Dumbledore and Ron, Ginny and Molly Weasley. Minor Poppy Pomfrey Bashing

Friday, June 25th, 1995 – Malfoy Manor – Early Morning

Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his favorite recliner, nursing a snifter of bourbon, and watching a piece of parchment burn to ashes in the fireplace. Lucius normally loathed anything created by Muggles, but they sure knew how to make good alcohol. Normally, Lucius never started drinking so early in the morning – especially at seven-o-clock in the morning – but he felt that only a good Muggle bourbon would remedy the headache he had from the news he had received.

Lucius Malfoy had been at Hogwarts the previous evening to watch the Final Task of the Triwizard Tournament. Turns out he wasn't able to 'watch' anything aside from the beginning and end of the Task. Most of the spectators' view was blocked by twenty-foot hedges. Those idiots in the Tournament Committee had fudged up not one, but two Tasks when it came to spectators viewing them. The Second Task was pretty much the same thing, what with the Champions being deep in the lake for most of the Task, leaving the spectators staring at the calm surface of the Hogwarts Lake for upwards of an hour.

Lucius had gone to the Task with Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. He had been rather smug at the fact that Fudge had invited him instead of his Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge.

Lucius grimaced at the thought of that foul woman's name. She was the reason he was on a drinking binge that morning.

He thought the previous evening couldn't get any worse than not being able to watch most of the Final Task. He had been very, very wrong. It had been announced at one point that the Potter brat had succeeded in grabbing the Triwizard Cup, winning the Tournament. But, the boy was supposed to be Portkeyed back to the front of the maze. Except he wasn't. Not immediately, anyway. There was a lot of fuss and worry about where the boy was. Lucius had been rather gleeful, thinking the stupid brat had been killed by a faulty Portkey.

Then he had felt his Dark Mark Tattoo growing painfully hot. He had known what it meant... that somehow, somehow, Voldemort had rose again. But before Lucius could have thought too much on it, the Potter brat had returned to the front of the maze like he was supposed to.

Things just got more hectic from there. Potter had brought Peter Pettigrew with him from wherever the Portkey had taken him. The fact that Pettigrew was alive and apprehended, meant that, if Lucius didn't do something, Sirius Black would be a free man and therefore able to be Lord Black, instead of Lucius' son, Draco! He would no longer be able to get his hands on the Black fortune, nor the Black library of books full of Dark magic and other subjects.

Then it just got worse. Barty Crouch, Junior – one of Voldemort's more faithful Death Eaters – had been revealed to be alive, and posing as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody as the Defense Professor since September!

As soon as DMLE Director Amelia Bones was confirmed to have Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior in custody, and Lucius heard that the prisoners would be interrogated with Veritaserum. Lucius got the hell out of Hogwarts, and had gone to the Ministry of Magic. There he had found Dolores Umbridge, and had hatched a plan with her. The plan was simple. Dolores Umbridge, as Lucius' puppet, would convince Fudge to take two Dementors to Hogwarts. The Dementors would Kiss Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior before they could say anything – whether it be about Sirius Black being an innocent man, or revealing who all the loyal Death Eaters were.

Lucius had been living a wonderful life of luxury over the last thirteen years, ever since he had convinced the Wizengamot with the 'Imperius Defense'. But now... now with the possible risk of the Ministry discovering that he was a truly loyal Death Eater during Voldemort's last reign, meant that his life of luxury was being threatened.

Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior needed eliminated. He thought when he woke up that morning that he would receive the good news of Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior being given the Kiss.

The news he had received was anything but good. Not only were Pettigrew and Crouch, Junior alive and still in custody, but so was Dolores Umbridge. The two Dementors she had brought with her to Hogwarts had been destroyed by Albus Dumbledore's Patronus, and Umbridge had been arrested for endangering the student population of Hogwarts.

Now, Lucius had to assume that Umbridge had admitted, under Veritaserum, that he was responsible for creating the plan to bring the Dementors to Hogwarts. He was quite surprised Aurors hadn't knocked down his doors and woke him up in the middle of the night.

But it wasn't getting arrested by Aurors that Lucius was worried about most. No, if he was arrested, he could pay Fudge a bag of gold, and he'd be a free man again in a few hours.

No... Lucius' biggest worry was that Lord Voldemort had risen again. He hadn't been summoned yet by the Dark Lord, but he knew it would happen soon. Now he was just wondering what he should do. Should he return to Voldemort's side? If he did, would Voldemort ask him about the Diary the Dark Lord had given him to protect and guard? How was he supposed to answer the Dark Lord if that question came up? Any answer he gave the Dark Lord would surely end with his death!

Should he leave Britain and go off to one of his properties on the other side of the world? Should he take his wife and son with him, if he did? If he did flee, would Voldemort be able to find him through his Dark Mark?

Suddenly, Lucius felt a presence knocking on the Wards of his Manor. He felt chills and goosebumps go down his spine, as his magic told him who was knocking on his Wards.

Lord Voldemort had come to Malfoy Manor.

Lucius gulped down the rest of his bourbon, hoping it wasn't the last glass he would ever have.

Friday, June 25th, 1995 – Hogwarts – Early Morning

While Lucius Malfoy was greeting his old 'friend', Hermione Granger was making her way to the Hospital Wing, so she could visit her best friend, Harry Potter. She hadn't even bothered waiting for Ronald Weasley. She would have likely been waiting another hour for the prat to wake up, and then she knew there was a chance he would say he was hungry, and wanted to have breakfast, before he would visit Harry.

As if breakfast was more important than knowing how their best friend was doing! Hmmph!

She had been up half the night worrying and fretting over Harry. She hadn't even been able to see him after he came back from apparently being kidnapped – kidnapped! – via a Portkey that was supposed to take him to the front of the maze. She had watched in wonder and shock as Harry had told everyone about how he been sent to a graveyard and found Peter Pettigrew waiting for him. Harry had apparently dueled with Pettigrew, won the duel after cutting off the man's hand, and bringing him back to Hogwarts via the same Portkey he had been kidnapped by! And then... then he stunned Professor Moody. But it turned it out really wasn't Professor Moody, but a Death Eater who was supposed to be dead.

Hermione shuddered. She had been taught Defense for the whole year by a Death Eater! She had been placed under the Imperius Curse by a Death Eater! That thought was too horrible for her to ponder on any further.

She had wanted to race down the stands toward Harry Potter and hug the stuffing out of him and ask him if he was okay. But before she could, he had been escorted away back to the castle by the Headmaster. She had been forced to return to Gryffindor Tower, where her fellow Gryffindors – including Ron! – decided to have a celebration in Harry's name – without Harry even being there! Hermione had refused to celebrate without Harry being there, and she went to bed. However, she couldn't fall asleep until past midnight because she was worrying about Harry. Lavender and Parvati had come to the dormitory sometime after midnight, and told her that McGonagall had come to speak to everyone. Apparently Harry was spending the evening in the Hospital Wing, but that he would be fine, and that nobody had permission to visit him until the following morning.

It was only then that Hermione had fallen asleep, if only so she could get up early and go see Harry. Which was exactly what she was doing now.

As she reached the Hospital Wing, she smiled as she heard Harry's familiar voice. He was ranting to who she assumed was Madam Pomfrey about how he was 'fine'. Hermione sighed and shook her head. He could be laying in a bed in the Hospital Wing with two broken legs and a neckbrace, and he would still say he was 'fine'.

Hermione stepped into the Hospital Wing, and Harry sitting on a bed with Madam Pomfrey standing nearby. But it was the other person in a bed neighboring Harry's which Hermione was shocked to see.

What the bloody hell was Sirius Black doing in the Hospital Wing?

Friday, June 25th, 1995 – Hogwarts – Moments before...

"Madam Pomfrey, I'm fine!" Harry said, waving his arm – the one which had been sliced open by Pettigrew – which was wrapped in bandages which looked like it would appear normal attached to a Mummy. "Look! Waving my arm around and not wincing or grunting in pain or anything! I AM FINE! NOW RELEASE ME FROM THIS BLASTED PRISON YOU CALL A HOSPITAL!

"There is no need to scream, Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey scoffed.

"Better let her do what she wants, pup," Sirius said. "She is the warden here, after all."

"See?!" Harry exclaimed, glaring at the Hogwarts Healer, "He called you a warden! This is coming from a man who spent twelve years in AZKABAN PRISON! Even he compared this place to a prison, AND HE WOULD KNOW!"

Suddenly an angelic voice Harry had once thought he'd never hear again spoke up: "Harry? Why are you yelling at Madam Pomfrey? You've never treated her like this before!"

Harry's anger at the fact that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't release him so he could find Hermione Granger, suddenly abated as his gaze found the girl in question. Harry hurried to his feet, and, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's protests, he hurried over to Hermione and grabbed her in a bear hug. He took in the scent of the shampoo in her hair and knew she must have taken a shower before she came to see him. He now knew what he would smell if he sniffed Amortentia.

"H-Harry?" Hermione asked, "Are you okay? You... the only time you ever initiated a hug with me was when I woke up after my Petrifaction."

"I... I thought I'd never see you again," Harry mumbled in Hermione's hair.

"What?" Hermione asked. "Harry? What are you talking about?"

Hermione wrenched herself out of his grasp and looked at him.

"Do... do you mean when the Portkey took you out of Hogwarts?" Hermione asked. "What happened to you last night, Harry? And what is Sirius doing here, and in front of Madam Pomfrey? He is a fugitive! He could get arrested!"

"I'm here under the official protection of Sanctuary," Sirius informed Hermione.

"Sanctuary?" Hermione asked, looking at Sirius, "But this isn't a church!"

Sirius shrugged. "People have been married here. People have had babies here. In fact, I think people have gotten married right here in the Hospital Wing while in the process of having babies! I think that qualfies Hogwarts as a place of Sanctuary!"

Hermione snorted, then turned back to Harry with a sobering look. "What happened to you last night, Harry?! Tell me! Now!"

"I fully intend to tell you what happened last night," Harry said, "and more. But I am not doing it here in the Hospital Wing. That is why I was yelling at Madam Pomfrey. Because she was stopping me from seeing you, so I could talk to you."

Hermione sighed and looked at Madam Pomfrey. "Is Harry in imminent danger of dying, Madam Pomfrey?"

"Of course not!" Madam Pomfrey scoffed. "I was simply waiting -"

"For Headmaster Dumbledore's permission to release me from the Hospital Wing!" Harry growled. "Like she always does! The Headmaster is not, nor has he ever been, a qualified Healer. He doesn't get a say whether or not I should be kept prisoner here!"

"Is this true, ma'am?" Hermione asked.

"The Headmaster is my boss, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey said. "I do what he says."

"Is he the reason you never gave me the Magical Vaccines you give every Muggleborn or -raised student during the first week of their First Year?" Harry demanded. "I had to get those secondhand from an Apothecary via Owl-Order, when I overheard Dean Thomas complaining about the Vaccines he had gotten and how they tasted so horrible! I investigated why I wasn't given them. I asked you why you hadn't given them to me, and you told you needed permission from the Headmaster. And you never got it! Again, he is NOT, and has NEVER BEEN a Healer! I had to research the Vaccines, and purchase them from an Apothecary on my own!"

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, "You never told me that!"

Sirius looked venomous and he stood up. "Is this true, Poppy?! You, a professional Healer, had to ask Dumbledore about giving my godson his Magical Vaccines that every witch and wizard should have?! Why did you not give them to my godson?!"

Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened. "I... I don't know."

"You don't know?" Harry echoed, "Sounds like a case of Obliviation to me."

Hermione gasped, but before she could say anything, Sirius spoke up again.

"Release us both, Poppy," Sirius growled. "Or I swear I will have Director Amelia Bones open up an investigation towards you and your history with my godson."

Madam Pomfrey mumbled her permission to release them, before she retreated to her office.

Sirius waved his wand, and his Hospital Robes were suddenly replaced with the clothes he had been wearing the previous day, which had been cleaned by house-elves.

"Come on, Harry, Miss Granger," Sirius said; then smiled when Hermione mumbled 'It is Hermione', "Hermione, it is. Let's go find a place to have that talk Harry wants."

"I know the perfect place," Harry said, grinning.

Ten minutes later, Harry was pacing back and forth in front of the blank wall near the portrait of Barnabus The Barmy. Hermione was in the process of asking what Harry was doing, but her question was broken off when she gasped out loud, as large oak doors materialized on the walls.

"Hermione, Sirius," Harry said, "Welcome to a place the Marauders never found: The Room of Requirement."

"I feel like I've been here before," Sirius muttered.

"I've never heard of this room before!" Hermione said, "What does it do?"

"It gives you whatever you want – within reason, of course," Harry said.

"So, yeah, metaphorical question here," Sirius said. "Say I was really horny and couldn't wait to bring Amelia Bones back to my dormitory, in our seventh year, so we could shag. Would this room have turned into a broom closet?"

"Yes," Harry said, "and that is far more than I ever wanted to hear about your sex life, dogfather!"

"Okay... I've been here before," Sirius said. "I just never realized what this was!"

Harry rolled his eyes and opened the door, then lead Hermione and Sirius in.

"Whoa... this looks exactly like the sitting room at Potter Manor!" Sirius barked. "How the hell do you know what that room looks like, pup?! When did you go to Potter Manor?!"

It was indeed the Sitting Room of Potter Manor. A roaring, warm fireplace was near a couple comfortable chairs, a loveseat, and a sofa that sat around a coffee table.

"Sit down, Sirius, Hermione," Harry said. "And I will tell you everything."

Harry and Hermione sat down together on one of the loveseats, while Sirius took one of the chairs. Harry pulled the mokeskin bag from around his neck and took it off. Then he opened it, and pulled out a gold bracelet. He offered it to Hermione, who stared at him questioningly.

"This is for you, Hermione," Harry said. "It has several different enchantments, some of which guards you from Legilimency and other mind magic. Only you can remove it from your person. If you don't accept it, I cannot tell you everything I want to tell you. Sirius has already Mastered Occlumency, and it still works even after all those years in Azkaban. So I don't need to give him anything like this."

"How do you know that, pup?" Sirius asked.

Harry didn't answer him. He merely held his hand in front of Hermione, with the bracelet in his palm. Hermione looked into his eyes, then looked down at the bracelet. She picked it up, then placed it around her wrist.

"Never remove it, Hermione," Harry said. "If you do, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape and other Legilimens could take the information from your head."

Hermione gasped. "Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn't do that!"

"Oh, yes, he would," Sirius retorted. "How do you think he knows everything that goes on around Hogwarts all the time? It isn't just his spy – I mean security system of portraits, ghosts and those knight statues. He uses Legilimency constantly on everybody who doesn't have good Occlumency shields."

"But that is illegal!" Hermione gasped.

"So?" Harry asked. "He would never dare using Legilimency on those who has even passable Occlumency abilities, because even a novice at Occlumency could sense a Legilimency attack. If you don't know Occlumency, you won't know you're being attacked with Legilimency. So how are you going to report a Legilimency attack if you don't know it happened?"

"Exactly," Sirius said. "Wait... are you telling me you're an Occlumens, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry said, "And for you to understand that, I need to explain the rest of my story."

Harry inhaled and exhaled, then looked at Hermione, then Sirius, then back at Hermione.

"Yesterday evening, as Minerva McGonagall was him to the Quidditch Pitch for the Final Task," Harry said, "Fourteen year old Harry Potter collapsed onto the Hogwarts Grounds and went unconscious. While unconscious, his mind was merged with another, along with their memories, magical power, knowledge, skill, et cetera, et cetera. That other mind... belonged to thirty-nine year old Harry James Potter who traveled back in time from the year 2019."

Hermione's and Sirius' eyes widened as they stared at him.

"So... so... you're saying..." Sirius stammered.

"You're from the future?!" Hermione asked, finishing Sirius' thought.

"Yes and no," Harry said, "I am still the fourteen year old Harry Potter you know. I just have the memories, and magical knowledge skill and power... et cetera, et cetera... of thirty-nine year Harry Potter."

Hermione began to reply. Then she shut her mouth and stared at him for a moment.

"Well... I was about to say that time travel like that was impossible," Hermione said. "But... then I realized that might not be true twenty-five years from now. How did you do it?"

"I'm more interested in the 'why', Hermione, than the 'how'," Sirius said.

"'How' is a complicated ritual, and that is all I will say," Harry said. "Can you imagine if that information got out to anyone?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "Right. Nevermind. I don't need to know."

Harry smirked. "Do you want to go back to the Hospital Wing, Hermione? I bet that hurt terribly to admit."

Hermione slapped his shoulder. "Shut it, you. Unless the next thing that comes out of your mouth is, as Sirius said, 'why' you came back in time."

"I came back in time for you, Hermione," Harry said, bluntly.

Hermione stared at him, questioningly. Then her eyes widened. "What happened to me in your future, Harry? What was so bad that it forced you to come back in time?"

"Ronald Bilius Weasley murdered you," Harry growled.

"What?!" Hermione shrieked, as her eyes went misty. "Explain right now, Harry James Potter!"

"The summer before our sixth year, Molly Weasley brewed a series of different Potions," Harry said. "Variations of Love Potion, Attraction Potions, Revulsion Draughts, and others. And she placed these Potions in food she put in Care Packages and sent them to you and me. She didn't want them to immediately work, because that would raise suspicion. The Potions merely caused me to become attracted to Ginny Weasley, and you to start heavily fancying Ronald Weasley. The Revulsion Potions didn't make you and I hate each other. But we certainly started behaving uncharacteristically towards one another. You got mad at me over a book, Hermione! You jinxed Cormac McLaggen, because if you hadn't he would have gotten the Keeper Spot, instead of Ron Weasley. You went on a date with Cormac McLaggen, when Ron decided he wanted to snog and shag another witch before he became shackled up with you! You got jealous because Lavender Brown got to him first. At least, that is what the Potions made you do."

Sirius looked murderous, and Hermione had tears rolling down her face.

"Then the Love Potions really began to do their work on me," Harry said. "And it caused me to start Bonding with Ginny Weasley."

Hermione gasped. Sirius cursed.

"This is exactly why Love Potions and Potions like that are so heavily banned and made Taboo," Siirus snarled. "All someone needs to do, is give someone else a Lust Potion, then the witch – whether they are the aggressor or victim – needs to perform fellatio and swallow the wizard's semen – and the Bonding process begins."

"But... wait," Hermione said, "I thought the Bonding doesn't settle into its first stage unless it happens several times."

"Three times a week to start," Harry said. "However, Ginny was so adamant to Bond with me, that she did it much more than three times a week. Even though I knew about the Bonding process, the Potions made me love-blind, forgetting all about how the Bonding process worked. At least once a day, Ginny dragged me into a broom closet and... furthered the Bond. It got so bad that... even when I wanted to break things off with Ginny after she missed giving me my dose of Potions... she convinced me that we should fake breaking up, so she wouldn't become a target of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. I was so deep in the Bonding with her that I agreed. A month later, when I went to the Burrow, the 'Bonding' started up again. Then... on my seventeenth birthday, we had sex."

"And the first stage of the Bond settled," Sirius guessed.

"Yes," Harry said. "Ginny and her mother had won. And so did Ron. I would eventually marry Ginny and have children with her. And you, Hermione, got married to Ron and had kids with him."

"Why did they do this, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Because they were afraid you and I would get together and begin the Bonding process," Harry said. "Albus Dumbledore shared the same fears. When I finally discovered all of this well over two decades later, I found out that Albus Dumbledore and Molly Weasley plotted together. Molly wanted me to marry her daughter, so the Weasleys could get a share of the Potter fortune. Dumbledore simply didn't want me to get together with you. Because you would help me become smarter, stronger, and more willing to fight, survive, and win the war against Voldemort."

"Voldemort returned, didn't he?" Hermione whispered.

"He returned last night, Hermione," Harry said. "But only because he needs to have a true body before I can kill him. Believe me. This time around, so far, is so much better than it was last time."

"I think you better start telling us the whole story, pup," Sirius said. "Then we can understand how it is 'better' this time."

So Harry started the story of the original timeline. He explained what happened the first time around in the Third Task, and the horrors afterward. Just telling the tale from Voldemort's second rise to his fall took upwards of thirty minutes. Sirius' face went pale when Harry told him about his death. Then his expression simply went rigid and angry. Hermione's tears had stopped falling some minutes ago, which meant she was simply feeling numb from his story.

"Years passed," Harry continued. "I became an Auror and would rise through the Ranks until I was Head Auror. I became the DMLE Director, replacing you after you were killed, Hermione. You were an apprentice at the DMLE, and also a prosecutor for several years before you finally became DMLE Director. Ron tried to become an Auror, with your influence... but it wasn't for him. He worked with George at their shop. Apparently George was a hard boss for him, because Ron would come home to you several times drunk, and angry. He drunkenly beat you several times to remedy his anger.

"You... you should have had four children, instead of two, Hermione. One of his beatings was when you were pregnant with little twin girls. You miscarried and... because of what Molly and Ron did – Potions, Obliviations, Compulsions, whatever – you told the Healers and me, that you fell down the stairs and that is how you got bruised up and lost your babies."

"Tell me you made that bastard pay for what he did to her," Sirius snarled.

"I did," Harry said, then sniffled. "But it was too late by then. A week after my daughter and your son, Hermione, started their first year at Hogwarts, I was at home. Ginny came into my 'man cave' with tears on her face. She told me you were dead. The next day I was immediately voted in as the DMLE Head, and I took over the investigation of your death.

"I didn't come home for a week, because I was so obsessed with the investigation – finding the murderer of my best and dearest friend. It was at a point where I wasn't eating. If I had been clear of mind, I'd have realized most of the meals I was getting came from either Ginny or her mother. One day, I woke up, and it was like a fog had lifted in my mind. I suddenly remembered memories and feelings I hadn't felt or remembered for a very long time. I was in love with Hermione Granger, and she was in love with me. Until we weren't… until we were suddenly infatuated with two Weasleys."

Hermione's eyes widened. "We did?"

"You visited me at the park near my house one day during the first week of the summer before our sixth year," Harry said. "You confessed your feelings for me."

Hermione blushed and Sirius grinned.

"We kissed and snogged that day," Harry said, smiling, then he frowned. "Two days later, the first care package from Molly Weasley came."

"Oh," Hermione said, frowning. "How did she find out?"

"One of Dumbledore's minions was following me around keeping an eye on me that summer," Harry said. "They reported what happened between us to Dumbledore, which I guess sparked off their Potions plot."

"Oh," Hermione repeated.

"Anyway, I immediately changed my investigation," Harry said, "I realized I must have been given constant Potions for what had happened to me. So I had one of my friends in the DMLE nvestigate the food Ginny and her mother gave me. It was dosed with several types of Potions. In the end, Ginny and Molly were arrested for these crimes… as was Ron Weasley. During Ron's interrogation via Veritaserum, I discovered…"

"He murdered me," Hermione said, hoarsely.

"Yes," Harry said, "In a fit of rage and spousal abuse, something that had been going on for years that he and his mother were able to hide, and able to convince Hermione to hide – due to Potions. Turns out, like me, you had been able to have a few days where you didn't take any of the Potions. You realized what was going on, and... well, it seems your next move was foolish. Instead of immediately coming to me, you confronted Ron, threatening to leave him. And he killed you in jealous rage."

"Ron, Ginny and Molly Weasley spent a mere five days in Azkaban Prison," Harry said.

"What?!" Sirius and Hermione bellowed.

"Why?!" Hermione demanded. "How did they get off?"

"They didn't," Harry said, smiling sinisterly. "I walked into Azkaban Prison and visited each of their cells. By the time I walked out of Azkaban, their bodies were broken and beaten – Ron's especially. Molly and Ginny I simply used my wand. Quite effectively, though. I cut out their tongues first so I didn't have to hear their rubbish.

"Ron... I used my fists, after I placed enchantments on them so my hands wouldn't bruise or get bloody and whatever. I wanted to do everything to him that he did to you, so he could feel the pain he wrought on you.

"Their headless bodies were discovered the following morning. Thirty Sickles were discovered by each of their bodies, and their heads were found on pikes in front of Azkaban."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Well done, pup!"

Harry looked at Hermione, who looked in his eyes. "I assume you're going to get your revenge on them again this time as well?"

"Yes," Harry said.

"Promise me you won't kill them," Hermione said, then smiled, "At least, not until I get my own hits in on them."

Harry smiled. "I promise."

Then he sighed and stared into the fireplace again, much like he had been doing as he told a lot of his story.

"I resigned immediately from my position as Director of the DMLE," Harry said. "Then I placed Potter Manor on lockdown and moved to Isle Potter – which is a private island that has been in my family for years. Nobody but myself knew about Isle Potter by then. Nobody alive anyway. I had taken the Potter, Peverell and Black libraries with me. And I began to do research. Took me over a year to get the ritual exactly how I wanted it. So much research and studying. So many dead ends."

"You created the ritual that brought you back here?" Hermione asked, amazed.

"Yes," Harry said. "But I never tested it. The only time I used it... was when I came back in time yesterday."

"That was dangerous," Hermione scolded.

"And impressive," Sirius said. "The very first time you used the ritual, it worked."

Harry shrugged. "I didn't care about the danger, Hermione. I was suicidal and desperate. I couldn't live in a world where you did not. Either I was going to die, or I was going to succeed and come back to you. Either way, we'd be together."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, sadly.

"I forced myself not to come back immediately when I perfected the ritual," Harry said. "Because if it worked, I needed to prepare for what would happen when I did come back. For three months I prepared for what would happen when I came back in time. Then I used the ritual. Only... it didn't work perfectly."

Hermione gasped. "What went wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Hermione," Harry said. "I wanted to come back a month ago. That was the only thing that went wrong."

"Are you sure?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "I have all my memories, my magical power, skill and knowledge from the future."

"Still," Hermione said, frowning. "something could go wrong. You could start losing some of those memories of the future... or something else could happen."

Harry shrugged. "I'll start a journal, and put my story in it. Only myself, or those I give permission to, will be able to see it. So if I do begin losing some of my memories, I'll have all the details – all the important ones, written down."

"Probably a good idea, just to be safe," Sirius said.

"I agree," Hermione said, nodding.

"Anyway," Harry said. "I wanted to come back a month ago. If I had, Voldemort would have been killed last night. I would have found and destroyed all the Horcruxes before I confronted him in the maze. But I came back only minutes before the Task started. Not a bad thing. I came up with several scenarios, including what really did happen to me."

"Which is what?" Hermione asked. "You still haven't told us what happened last night?"

"He told me," Sirius said, "And Dumbledore. Wait... why the hell did you tell Dumbledore, if he wants you dead?!"

"Because," Harry said "I need him to think I still look at him as the mentor, leader and grandfatherly persona. At least until I want him to realize what I truly think of him."

"Oh... why didn't I think of that?" Sirius asked himself.

Harry told Hermione exactly what happened the previous evening. Hermione looked quite proud of him by the end of his story.

"So... Voldemort doesn't have his wand, or either of the servants he had used over the past year," Hermione said, nodding.

"He'll likely have a new wand by the end of the day, if he doesn't have one already," Harry said. "If Garrick Ollivander isn't here at Hogwarts already, he either will be before too long, or out of the country far from Voldemort's reach. So Voldemort will have to find one of his followers who avoided Azkaban, and get a wand from them. Lucius Malfoy is his first choice."

"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.

Harry tapped a finger on his scar. "As long as the Horcrux is still inside my scar, I have a connection with Voldemort in my mindscape. A connection I can control. Basically I have a television in my mindscape that I call 'Voldemort News Network'. It allows me to keep a close eye and ear on Voldemort's recent thoughts, so I know what he is up to. For example... even though Nagini is dead, he doesn't want to seek out any of his other Horcruxes. He fears Dumbledore will find out if he does. Gives me time to hunt them down."

"Us, Harry," Sirius said. "It gives us time. You said... you said there is one in my old home. You said my brother... Merlin, I can't believe my brother turned out to be a good bloke in the end!"

"I can grab the Diadem from a variation of this room before I leave Hogwarts," Harry said. "This summer we can hunt the rest of the Horcruxes down."

"How?" Hermione asked. "Even if Sirius obtains his freedom, Dumbledore will force you back to the Dursleys probably."

Harry smirked, and told Hermione his plans for getting away from the Dursleys. Hermione rolled her eyes when he finished, and Sirius barked out a laugh.

"I will approve of that plan," Hermione said, "if you promise to meet with me immediately after you get away from those bastards!"

"Hermione, language!" Harry teased. "Yes, I promise I will go straight to your house when I am away from the Dursleys!"

"Good," Hermione said. "It will be a fine way to introduce my parents to my boyfriend."

Harry blinked. Had he heard her right?

"I assume that is why you told me all of this, isn't it?" Hermione asked. "Because you want to ask me to be your girlfriend?"

Cliffhanger! So what did you think of Harry's story, and of the whole conversation? Dark and depressing, huh? I absolutely loved the ending of the tale though – the part that began with the Weasleys' deaths, then Harry retreating to Isle Potter. Loved it!

It wasn't in my original plans to put in what happened to Poppy Pomfrey in this chapter – or the story at all. It was a last minute addition, but I decided to add it in, and name part of the chapter due to the scene.

Next Chapter: Harry answers Hermione's question. More is discussed, like what they should do about Ron Weasley. Then they head off to an eventful breakfast in the Great Hall. Also... a staff member of Hogwarts resigns.