# # #
That afternoon, after meeting with the staff in the staff common room, Harry sat with the other three heirs in the owner's suites to discuss whether or not to introduce the new school curriculum, in part or in full, immediately. They resolved to immediately replace the curriculum of all seven years of the History of Magic class, plus replace the teacher, introduce the Ethics and Morality Class and the Study Practices & Assignments Class for the First Years, and replace the 'Muggle Studies' class with the two simultaneous 'Studies and Traditions of the Mundane World' and 'Studies and Traditions of the Magical World' classes. Professor Burbage would be offered the Magical World class and would work with the four heirs on a curriculum for it.
They needed to find new teachers for the History of Magic, Mundane World, Ethics and Morality and Study Practices & Assignments classes. However, they would advertise internationally for the positions. They wanted a Mundane raised and experienced teacher for that slot. And they wanted someone with a knowledge of both British and International magical history for the first slot. That one would be advertised locally.
Neville was to immediately implement the school garden vegetable farm on the spare grounds. That would allow the implementation of the new wards. And he would also head the redesign of the old Hogwarts wards.
Susan and Hermione were to 'ramp up' their efforts in going through the laws to see what they could do to help Her Majesty's folks. Once they had the full list the four of them would then figure out what they'd tackle first.
Harry would sit with Headmistress McGonagall and Deputy Headmaster Flitwick as interview panel when they started receiving applications for the vacant positions. In the meantime, he'd start on preparing the employment advertising.
First of all, though, he needed to write yet another report for Her Majesty to let her know what was going on. She, Sir Anthony and Sir David all needed to be prepared with a rapidly accelerated timeline of when they'd need to act. He intended to visit with Sir David over the coming days for a one-on-one so he could answer any questions the man may have.
He also drafted a short piece for the Daily Prophet announcing Dumbledore had been permanently stood down, Minerva McGonagall was now the Headmistress and Filius Flitwick was the Deputy Headmaster. Once the heirs checked it he had that sent off immediately.
Neville had also let everyone know that, while he was sad to let Professor McGonagall go from the position as House Counsellor for Gryffindor, he was pleased to announce Professor Vector had agreed to take on the position. It would be properly announced at evening meal in the same manner as Harry had announced Sirius to the position of House Counsellor for Slytherin.
While the others were busily working on their own projects Harry was surreptitiously working on his greatest pranks ever. He had two ready to go and he was just putting the final touches on them both.
That evening the four heirs carried out their check to ensure all members of their Houses were present, but Neville went last. Very soon afterwards, Gryffindor had a new House Counsellor, Professor Vector.
# # #
The next morning, Harry and Neville decided to attend the Slytherin Gryffindor First Year double potions class. This was the first morning when they didn't hold one of their school wide lectures in the Great Hall. So, classes could return to normal.
Harry thought it would be wise to watch Professor Snape in his element to ensure the man could actually teach. He knew the man only held the position because Dumbledore wanted him close by, but that didn't mean he couldn't teach.
When they entered the two Houses were sitting on opposite sides of the room. But, Harry and Neville decided they'd sit together between the two.
Professor Snape entered the class from the hallway at exactly 9.00am, the time the class started. He strode down the length of the room from the door, mounted his dais next to his lectern, and said, "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can show you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death. Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention."
Looking over at Harry, he said, "Ah, Mister Potter, our newest celebrity. Tell me, Mister Potter, what would I get if I added root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"
Harry replied, "The Draught of Living Death. It's a powerful sleeping potion."
Frowning, the Professor asked, "Where would you look if you wanted to find a bezoar?"
"In the stomach of a goat; or probably in your potions store. It's a fast and effective way of curing most poisons."
The frown became a glare. "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"
"They're from the same plant, aconite, and are often considered the same thing. However, they're not. Monkshood refers to the flower of the plant; which looks like a purple monk's hood, hence the name. However, wolfsbane refers to the roots of the plant. While the roots of the plant are not poisonous, the greenery and flower most definitely are. And, that's important to know because the root is the main ingredient in Damocles's Wolfsbane Potion, for which he earned the Order of Merlin about 15 years ago."
He could see the Professor was furious, but had stopped asking questions. Harry asked back, "So, tell me, Professor. Since I've just answered questions relating to Third, Fifth and Seventh Year studies, have you just given me an oral examination for my OWLs?"
Professor Snape spluttered, then roared, "Get out! All of you, get out now!"
Harry tapped Neville in the ribs and whispered, "Stay. We need to fix this right now. He'll attack with Legilimens and I'm going to use it against him."
Neville nodded. He had a very good idea what Harry was going to do.
The other students scrambled to pack their things, pick up their small cauldrons and flee the classroom. Harry and Neville packed their things but were in no hurry to leave. Professor Snape just glared at the two of them. He now had his wand out.
After the other students had left, Harry looked at the Professor and asked, "What would you get, Professor, if you took Damocles's Wolfsbane potion, followed it with an inert infusion containing the virus Canine Hepatitis, and let the virus run its course before killing it a week after the cycle passes, just treating the symptoms rather than the cause; then dose the patient with one of those bezoars of yours?"
"You'd kill the werewolf!"
"No, you'd cure them!"
The Professor, near choleric with rage, attacked exactly as Harry thought he would; with Legilimens. Harry let him in to his mental prison, and then locked him in there with him. Harry had it set as a black room without boundaries.
With Snape standing, Harry appeared about ten feet from him. The Professor launched a couple of Curses at him. They had no effect. Harry calmly said, "Come now, Professor. There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this mind."
Snape yelled, "What is this, Potter?"
"You know very well, what this is. It's my mind. At least, it's the part of my mind I let you into. Clearly, Dumbledore didn't tell you he'd already tried to use Legilimens on me... and failed."
Snape closed his eyes and grimaced. He then opened them in shock and stared at Harry.
"No, Severus. You cannot leave until I allow it."
Snape snarled, "What do you intend to accomplish by holding me here? You cannot hold me forever!"
Harry smiled and said, "No, but I can make it seem like it is. No, I'm keeping you here to... re-educate you."
Appearing around them was the scene of a small English village. They were standing in a meadow not far from a lake. There were two young children, about eight or nine years old, sitting together under a large oak tree near the edge of the lake and about twenty feet from them.
"Do you recognise the scene, Severus?" asked Harry.
The Professor walked to stand a little closer to Harry as he stared in shock at the two children. "It's.. it's... me and Li... Lily. Your mother. When we were young children. We had yet to receive our Hogwarts letters. I... knew I was a wizard, but Li... your mother... didn't."
"Yes," said Harry. "It was also the time when you first demonstrated magic for her. You were still quite shy, but Lily had managed to bring you out of your shell, a bit. She wanted to be friends with you."
Harry and Snape watch as the young Severus caused a little bit of wandless magic and made butterflies appear to dance around Lily's head.
Harry said, "That was actually quite impressive, you know. The fact that you could cast wandless magic at such an early age. And you used it to impress someone you started to feel... even then...love for."
The scene changed. They were standing together just outside the door to a neat little cottage. Lily, slightly older, came running up the path. She banged on the door and called, "Severus! Severus!"
A young Snape opened the door and ducked outside, quietly closing it after himself.
"Lily?" he asked excited. "You got yours, too?"
Both children held their Hogwarts letters in their hands and danced about.
Harry said, "You didn't tell her you received a beating from your father, did you? You didn't tell her about the abuse you suffered because you were a wizard, and he wasn't. I know what that's like."
"You don't know, anything!" the older Snape roared, visibly shaken. "Release me from this, immediately!"
"It's exactly the treatment I received at the hands of Vernon Dursley," Harry firmly shot back.
The scene changed again. The two children were sitting across from each other in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. However, there were no other children with them. The door suddenly flung open and there stood a young James Potter and Sirius Black.
"Ah!" exclaimed James. "Firsties!" He then cast a minor spell and all of Lily's hair disappeared. Both boys laughed.
Severus shot to his feet, drew his wand, glared at the young James and Sirius, and yelled, "You leave her alone!" He then pushed both back out of the door before slamming it shut.
Lily had reached up with her hand and felt her bald scalp. She screamed. Severus was beside in a flash. He spent time comforting her. "It's okay, Lily. It's only a minor spell. It'll wear off very soon, and you'll have all your hair back. I promise"
Lily clung to him and sobbed.
Harry said, "That was a very brave thing you did, Severus. You stood up to two bullies who were bigger than you, and you stared them down."
The scene changed and they were in the Great Hall. The First Years were undergoing the sorting.
A younger Professor McGonagall held her scroll and called, "Evans, Lily!"
Lily, with her hair back, tremulously left the side of young Severus and walked forward. She walked forward and climbed onto the stool while the Professor held the Hat aloft. As it was placed on her head there was a few moments before the Hat called, "Ravenclaw!"
Smiling, Lily looked back at the young Severus before heading for the Ravenclaw table amongst applause mainly from that table.
The sorting continued apace until it reached young James. Before the hat even landed on his head, it called, "Gryffindor!" And young James joined his friend, Sirius Black, at that table. They were sitting with a young Remus Lupin, and a freshly sorted, and thinner, Peter Pettigrew.
"Snape, Severus!" called Professor McGonagall.
The young Severus sat on the stool and scrunched up his eyes looking to be in furious concentration.
The Hat was quite a while before it finally called, "Slytherin!" And a very dejected looking young Severus looked at young Lily. They were both sad. Severus walked over to join the Slytherin table.
Harry asked, "You really wanted to be in Ravenclaw, didn't you?"
Snape quietly said, "Yes. I wanted to be with Lily. I argued with the Hat for what felt like hours. It told me I should probably have gone into Gryffindor but I was too ambitious and cunning. It also looked to put me into Ravenclaw, and I begged it to, but it said I would truly find my way in Slytherin."
The scene changed and it was a warm summer's day outside the castle on the grounds. A now mid-teens Lily was sitting under a tree talking to an equally older James and his friends.
"No!" the older Snape bellowed. "I will not watch this! Release me right now!"
Harry said, "You must, Severus. It's the key to everything. It's also the answer to your salvation!"
A young Severus with longer hair came running across the grass from the castle. He appeared excited and happy. "Lily! Lily!" he called. "I did it!"
The older Snape tried to turn away. Harry wouldn't let him.
Lily, having heard him call her name, was rising to her feet. "Severus?" she asked. "What's going on?"
"I got it! I got an Outstanding in Potions! Professor Slughorn wants me to aim for maaaa...!"
Severus suddenly flew up into the air hanging upside down by his ankle. His robes fell to be billowing around his face. His pants were reefed 'up' to be about his ankles, leaving him hanging with his old underwear on full display.
The four Gryffindor boys - Potter, Black, Pettigrew and Lupin - were all roaring with laughter. Lily turned on Sirius and cried, "Release him! Release him, this instant! You bully!"
With a twitch of his wand, Sirius released the Curse causing young Severus to fall to the ground head first. The four Gryffindors walked off laughing. James turned to Lily and said, "Are you coming?"
She angrily replied, "No."
Turning to help the young Severus to his feet, she asked, "Severus, are you alright?"
Rising to his feet, the young Severus yanked his arm out of her grip and snarled, "Let go of me, you filthy mudblood!"
Lily reeled back in shock.
The older Severus was leaning over with his hands on his knees and groaning.
Harry paused the mental replay and went for the kill. He said to the Professor in a firm voice, "And that was the moment, Severus. Right then. If you had held your tongue, young Lily would have cut all ties to James and his friends. You two would have grown closer together. Eventually, you would have married. And all the major points in your life, from that moment forth that occurred, with the exception of you earning your Mastery in Potions, would not have happened."
As he spoke, Harry's voice rose in volume and anger. "You would not have joined Voldemort and become a Death Eater, you would not have been placed under a compulsion charm by Dumbledore and made to run to Voldemort and told him of the first two lines of the prophecy, you would not have then realised how badly you made a mistake - though, it really wasn't - and run to Dumbledore begging for his help, he would not have been able to manipulate you like his personal little play toy puppet. And you would not have... through your own actions... caused the death of your true love, Lily Evans-Potter. And I would have been your son!"
Harry waited for a few moments before continuing in a calmer and softer voice. "I am not my father, Severus. I am not James Potter. He's dead. I, however, am much more like my mother. I may have inherited many of my father's looks; but I have my mother's eyes and cheek structure. I did not inherit my father's mean, cruel streak, either. Instead, I inherited my mother's caring nature, her love for others, and her softer side."
Not expecting an answer anyway, Harry asked, "Do you know she forgave you, Severus? She forgave you only days after all this happened." He gestured with his hand at the scene before them. "She desperately wanted to reconnect with you. But, you continued to shut her out. Your own guilt kept you apart after that. And you, knowing the guilt was your own, grew to hate. And you let the hate rule your life. And now you aim that hate at me!
"You seem hell-bent on taunting me as my father taunted you. You want to blame me for my father's actions; a boy not even a twinkle in his mother's eyes when it all occurred. When you look at me, you see him. And you can't let it go. I have offered you help, Severus. I see in you a brilliant man. A man still capable of a great many things. A man seeking redemption, but unable to find the solace of it. And now I'm offering you, again, help in finding it. I can give you that solace, Severus. All you have to do is let me."
And Harry abruptly released the Professor from his mind prison.
# # #
When Harry released the Professor, the man collapsed to the floor where he stood. Neville immediately jumped forward and helped him back to his feet while Harry brought one of the student stools over for him to sit upon. The two of them then guided the Professor into sitting on the stool, and waited to ensure he had his balance upon it. And Harry noticed Susan and Hermione were also there.
"How'd it go?" Neville asked Harry.
"As expected," he replied. "When did Susan and Hermione turn up?"
"I mirrored them a few moments after the Professor, here, launched his attack. They've been waiting and watching ever since."
The Professor was still quite dazed. Tears brimmed his eyes.
"Do we need to fire him?" asked Susan.
Harry shook his head. "I don't think so. It'll be up to him, though."
With a raspy voice, the Professor softly said, "I can hear you, you know."
Harry replied, "We know."
The four heirs were sitting in the front row of student desks and waited for the Professor to gather himself. When he did, he looked at Harry and said, "You were waiting for that, weren't you? Waiting for me to use Legilimens on you."
Harry replied, "Yes. I'm just sorry I had to goad you into it."
Turning away, the Professor asked, "That cure for werewolves you mentioned - Canine Hepatitis. It'd actually work?"
"Yes."
"How do you stop it from killing the patient? Canine Hepatitis is fatal in almost all cases."
Harry replied, "The virus is fatal because the body overheats to the point it can no longer sustain life. Effectively, it cooks itself. Secondly, the virus is fatal in full canines. Werewolves are only partially canine. The virus does not attack the human part. What you need to do is infect the patient on the first night of the change, as soon as they change. Then you hit them with a massive dose of the virus throughout the body. Keep the patient cool using cold packs and ice; especially around the head; that's where the body heat does the most damage. Then, let the virus run its full course over the next few days. Keep treating only the symptoms, and do not attack the virus itself.
"Once the lycanthropy period passes, then hit the patient with the best healing draughts you've got. It may not work on the first pass through of a full moon, but my research indicates it will within no more than three. You can have the patient cured of lycanthropy within three months."
Susan said, "We've all looked at Harry's notes and we all concur. Our problem is, who is going to believe four eleven year olds invented the cure for lycanthropy?"
The Professor thought a bit and then nodded. He said, "I am. You four can do things no eleven years old should be able to do. Po... Lord Slytherin has just provided me ample demonstration of his skill in Occlumency. I have no doubt his skill in other areas of magic may be just as... formidable. Plus, I already saw what you four did to Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey and that oaf, Rubeus Hagrid. That shouldn't have been possible, either."
Remembering, Harry said, "There's one more thing I can do for you, Professor. But I must have your absolute faith and trust to pull it off. As I told you in the infirmary on the first night, I can fix what Dumbledore did to you."
Frowning, the Professor said, "I would know, first, what it is you're planning to do."
Harry replied, "I think he's tweaked your emotional response mechanisms; especially, those related to anger and frustration. I think he's put in place triggers for them so that, whenever you look at me or think of me, it hyper-activates those emotional responses. I'd like to go in and remove them."
Frustrated, the Professor shook his head. "It can't be you," he said. "It has to be one of the other three." It was only then that Harry noticed the man had not looked at him since he came out of Harry's mind trap.
"That sounds... a wise course of action, Professor," said Harry. Turning to the others he said, "Okay, who feels the most confident they can help the Professor."
Hermione said, "We've already discussed it, Harry. It's going to have to be me."
Harry frowned, but nodded. Turning to the Professor he said, "When and where do you want to do this?"
"Now," he replied. "And it better be in the infirmary." He then stood up and strode for the door. The four heirs hurried after him.
# # #
Striding into the infirmary, the Professor called, "Madam Pomfrey? I need a bed!"
Madam Pomfrey came hurrying out of her office calling, "Severus? What's wrong?"
Turning to the sound of her voice, he said, "These four are going to do their... thing with me. Now."
"Oh," she exclaimed. "Well, wherever you feel most comfortable, I suppose."
The Professor walked over to the nearest bed and lay upon it. "You may need to ready a healing draft, Pomona. I may need it very soon."
The medi-witch scurried into her office and came back with a couple of vials. She placed them on the bedside table.
The four heirs stood two to each side of the bed. Hermione and Susan closest to the head.
Susan said, "I think I need to join you, Hermione. I'll be your backup."
Hermione nodded and said to Harry, "You provide the extra magical power for me; and," looking at Neville, said, "you provide the extra magical power for Susan."
When everyone agreed, Hermione said to the Professor, "Okay, Professor, you know you're going to need to drop your Occlumency shields. Please do it now."
Hermione concentrated a bit, nodded to Susan and said, "Legilimens!" a mere fraction of a second earlier than Susan. Both boys were pushing magic into the girls. Harry could feel the slight drain on his magical core.
The Professor's eyes glazed over.
The drain increased for a bit about thirty seconds in, but eased back off again shortly afterwards.
Ten minutes later, both girls came up from their focus. Hermione swayed a bit, but Harry was there to steady her. Susan reached over, unstoppered one of the vials, sniffed it, and upended it into the Professor's mouth. "Headache reliever," she said. Then she reached for the second one and did the same thing.
Hermione said, "It's done. Dumbledore was not very subtle with what he did, either. Besides also tweaking with the professor's emotional response centres, he also put in place a shield to prevent the Professor from even going anywhere near it himself. It was pretty nasty. Susan and I had to work together to bring it down."
"But," she said, "we've fixed it. We haven't altered the Professor's emotions in any way. All we've done is remove the alterations that were already in place. How he behaves from here on out is entirely him."
Madam Pomfrey came around and checked the Professor out more closely. "He appears to be... deep asleep," she said.
"Yeah," said Susan. "He was going to come around suffering from a massive headache. So, I triggered his somulus state as we left. He should wake anywhere from half an hour to two hours from now."
Harry told the medi-witch, "Tell him to come up to the owner's suites when he feels up to it. There's no rush."
Before they left, Harry said to the medi-witch, "Before we go, please dose these two with magical core revitalisers. What they did, though they won't admit to it, took a lot of magical power to achieve."
She hurried back into her office and came out with another vial for each of the girls. "Straight down with them, both of you. I'd prefer you remained here for at least a few hours, but I suppose this will have to do."
The two girls dutifully downed them straight away with both wrinkling their noses at the taste. Then the four left the medi-witch to minister to her temporary patient.
# # #
A little over an hour later, back in their common room, they received a knock on the door. Neville called, "Come in!"
Professor Snape walked in. He took one look at Harry and frowned a little, but his expression brightened almost immediately. Neville asked him, "How're you feeling, Professor?"
"Much better, actually," he said. "I came to thank you all, Lords and Ladies. And to apologise to you, Lord Slytherin. My behaviour these past few days..."
Harry held up his hand to stall the man, "No apologies are necessary, Professor. You weren't yourself. However, from this moment forward..."
"Understood, My Lord," replied the Professor. "But, thank you, again."
He then bowed, turned and left the room.
Susan, looking up from whatever project she was working on, asked, "Do you think we're going to see any behavioural improvements out of the man?"
Hermione said, "Yeah, actually, I do. But I think Harry's right in getting in a chemistry 'slash' potions master to teach the younger years. Professor Snape is too valuable an expert in potioneering to let him go without giving him every chance."
Harry said, "And I think he'll make a fantastic teacher for the Fourth Years and up; plus, when we get the Potions Pre-Mastery course up and running next year."
He then said, "I need to call Sir David. I need to talk to him about all the changes that have occurred over the past few days. Plus, I want to find out if he's found me an electrician with experience in the magical world, yet." And he went into his private quarters to his desk.
He didn't see it, but the other three all looked at each other and grinned.
# # #
After talking for a few minutes on the mirror with Sir David, Harry came back out into the common room and said, "Yeah, he wants to see me. Who wants to come with? He's made sure his office is clear of staff for us."
Neville said, "Yeah, why not. I've not actually met him yet."
Harry thought for a bit and said, "Lady Hogwarts, please drop the anti-apparation wards on the owner's common room."
"Alright, Nev," he said to Neville. "You've not been there before, so I'll side-along apparate you direct to his office so you know where it is in future."
Neville nodded and walked over to where Harry was standing. They gripped each other about the waist and Harry disapparated them.
Their arrival in the office of the Head of MI5, startled the man. "Damn it, My Lord Potter!" he exclaimed. "You scared the bejeezus out of me!"
Harry grinned and said, "Sorry, Sir David. I guess you're still not used to dealing with magicals."
"Well, I'm getting better," he huffed. "I'm just not used to people... apparating... directly into my office, yet."
"It will come with experience, Sir David, I assure you," said Harry. Turning to indicate Neville, he said, "This is Neville Longbottom, Earl Gryffindor, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom."
Having already walked around his desk, Sir David offered his hand to Neville and said, "Welcome to my humble little demesne, Lord Longbottom, Her Majesty's MI5 intelligence service."
Neville shook the man's hand. But, he wasn't used to being so easily treated as an adult on equal footing with another just yet.
"Hello, Sir," replied Neville softly.
Sir David smiled and, taking pity on Neville, said, "You address me as 'Sir David', My Lord."
"Hello, Sir David," replied Neville a little more firmly.
Sir David smiled at him and ushered his two guests to his conversational table.
Once sitting, he said, "Now, My Lord Potter, as I said on your mirror thing, I've found your electrician. Actually, I've found three of them. And they now all work for us on a... contractual... basis."
"Excellent," said Harry. "I wanted to see about getting my manor house wired and hooked up to the electricity grid. They can do that at any time as I'm now living full time, for the moment, at Hogwarts Castle in Scotland. Then in late June, I want to get as large a team of electricians as possible to set about wiring the castle. We may need to consider having a generator arrangement to which to connect it, though."
"Actually, Harry," interrupted Neville. "Hermione's working on a magical electrical power generator, at the moment. She's having a few problems, I believe. But she thinks she'll have them solved well before June, though."
Harry was surprised. "Really?" he asked. "I had no idea."
Sir David said, "Anyway. I can get the electricians out to your manor but you're going to have to grant them access. I believe you have some pretty good wards protecting the place from... prying eyes. I admit to having a few of my boys and girls out there to have a look for it, but they couldn't find it."
Harry grinned. "No, they wouldn't. One of the wards stops non-magicals from stumbling upon it by accident. I can, however, come up with a... magical key... for want of a better term, that'll allow your people to find it."
"Rune stone?" asked Neville.
Harry nodded. "I think it would be the safest way. That way, Sir David's people can find the place in future. That is, so long as they carry the stone with them."
Sir David asked, "So, you can magically make something, even something as big as a castle and it's grounds, disappear from view. And all someone would need to find it was to carry a... rune stone... on their person?"
Harry replied, "Well, a rune stone is what we call it. It can actually be pretty much anything, really. Even a... say... badge, or a mundane ID card, can be made a rune stone. If the person has that item upon them, then they could see through, and even enter, the wards."
Sir David wrote all that down. "And what about something like, say, a jet fighter?"
Harry grinned and said, "Yep!"
"And it would be invisible to everything? Even radar?"
Harry thought about it for a minute and said, "If we could get a... magical taste... of the technology. Such as radar, lidar, whatever. Then, yes, wards can be created to protect it and make it disappear from the naked eye."
Sir David continued to write down on his pad. "You've given me a lot to think about, yet again, My Lord," he said. "I'm going to be talking with the magicals we've already located and see if they have this knowledge."
Harry asked, "Can I ask if Madam Bones's records of students helped?"
Sir David looked up in surprise and replied, "Oh, yes, My Lord. Once we had the lists we then had our computers programmed to start searching for them. It took a while to fine tune everything. But, before very long, it was churning out the names and addresses of people by the dozens!"
"Our biggest annoyance, though," he said. "Was just how many returned to the mundane world for only a short time before they headed overseas. A lot of them emigrated to the United States. And our friends over there are not being very helpful in tracking them down for us."
Harry snorted and said, "Then it wouldn't surprise me, in the least, to learn the US Government is making use of them."
Sir David said, "That was our thought, as well."
"And, Sir David," said Harry, changing the subject, "I trust Her Majesty is happy with the reports I've been sending via you?"
"Yes," he said. "She was no less shocked than I when we learned your castle is... as you said... sentient. And that it insisted you take the reins immediately."
Neville snorted and said, "No matter how hard we told her not to, she forced the issue by making the Sorting Hat announce us. At that point we had no choice but to accept."
"Yes," replied Sir David. "So Lord Potter's report informed us."
He then leaned forward and asked, "I take it this... Sorting Hat is also sentient?"
Neville nodded and said, "It belonged to my ancestor, Godric Gryffindor. To stop arguments about which House a new student would be placed into, the Hat was enchanted to do it for them. It has the ability to read the minds of new students and, based on what it finds, place the student into the House which best suits them. The Hat takes its job very seriously. And it never tells anyone what it finds inside those minds. It also likes to sing."
"Incredible," said the Head of MI5.
Harry grinned and said, "Keep the evening of the 1st of September free in your calendar for next year, Sir David. I'll take you to see it for yourself."
"Really?" he asked, surprised. "My... I think I'd really like that."
"Of course," said Harry, "we also expect you to come and visit us in the castle soon, anyway. I'd love to introduce you to the staff. We just need to get them over this whole 'Magical Secrecy' schtick they've got going on in the magical world."
Sir David, coughed a bit, clearing his throat, and said, "I also have a message from Her Majesty for you."
Interested, both Neville and Harry sat forward, "Yes?" asked Neville.
"She advises the efforts towards ridding the magical world of those laws she is not happy with, are progressing," he said.
"Ah!" replied Harry. "Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff are working in concert with that. However, it is safe for me to report we have now made our presence felt with the Wizengamot. Her Majesty's throne and the four heirs' chairs are still hidden, for now. However, the entire Wizengamot felt our ire on her behalf.
"They don't, yet, understand what that fully means. But, very soon, they will. As we no longer have the luxury of waiting the year out and having everything prepared in advance. We four are now... scrambling... with the much accelerated timeline to get things done."
Sir David said, "They're going through every law and treating them all with a fine tooth comb approach. I think they're still thinking longer term. I have to say, though, that many of the laws they're going through are leaving them feeling quite... perturbed."
Harry nodded and said, "Ask them to.. expedite... the most heinous ones, if they would. The ladies are eager to start stripping the worst ones from the books. I know both ladies are feeling quite incensed about some of them."
Sir David snorted and said, "Why do I have the feeling you're understating their feelings on the matter?"
Harry grinned and said, "Asks the man who used the word 'perturbed' in a sentence? And it's because I'm a gentleman and would never use a phrase like 'ready to bust some balls' when it comes to the ladies."
Neville coughed and said, "Why not? I think it perfectly describes Susan's mood."
"Nev!" exclaimed Harry, turning to him. "What a horrid thing to say about Countess Hufflepuff! True; but, horrid!"
Neville and Sir David just chuckled in reply.
The meeting wound up soon afterwards.
# # #
After Neville left to solo apparate back to the castle, Harry then headed to Gringotts. He hadn't been in to see Blockrig for a while, and he wondered what his Account goblin would have for him by now.
After the usual greetings in gobbledegook, Harry got down to business.
"How goes things, friend goblin?" he asked.
"Things are well, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "All assets have been retrieved from Dumbledore, including all the missing funds. They're now safely secured in your main vault. One of them was a portrait of your parents, standing together with you in the arms of your mother. Your mother is asking about you.
"Mister Doge is working apace with his actions against all the various publishing houses and authors for the works where they claimed facts about you. He's particularly miffed over most of the ones where they claimed to have interviewed you as part of their material."
"Good," said Harry. "I take it he knows, now, that he's working for the Harry Potter?"
The goblin nodded, "Of course."
"Thank you," said Harry, grateful. "I didn't like the fact I, essentially, lied to him when we first met."
Thinking, he asked, "And how goes getting the House of Granger recognised as a Magical House?"
"It had stalled, somewhat, until Lady Granger was recognised as Countess Granger, and the four of you proved beyond any wild expectation you rightfully are the heirs of the founders. However, the Ministry is now tripping over themselves to push the paperwork through," the goblin replied.
"But, fair warning, My Lord," the goblin said more seriously, "We're hearing rumours that many on that body are very unhappy of your actions, and seek to discredit, or even, kill you."
"That's not surprising," said Harry. "We've completely upset the various balances of power right across the wizarding world. Many alliances and... bribes... will now be pretty much useless. Our enemies will seek to set things back to the way they were before we took our seats."
Nodding, the old goblin said, "And they fear that which they cannot change, that which they cannot control. It is a state with which they have little experience."
"Yes," said Harry. "But, things are also running out of control, at the moment, for us four as well. As you're aware, we were supposed to have a year in which to prepare. That year has now been denied us. So, I now have to deal with Riddle, the school and the Ministry at the same time. Plus, I'm going to have to deal with individuals such as Dumbledork, who are going to try and interfere with what needs to be done." And sighed. "I have to cut down the fronts."
Gathering himself he took his leave of the goblin and headed back to Hogwarts.
# # #
Walking back in to the owner's suites, Harry found the other three already there working on their own projects. Sirius and Remus were also there talking about lesson plans and... whatever else.
"Guys," he said. "I've just been coming to the realisation I'm trying to deal with, at the moment, three separate problems. Two, of which, are currently on accelerated timelines. It cannot continue."
"Well, it's about time!" said Sirius. The others all nodded. "So, you're finally going to ask for help, are you?"
Harry sighed and said, "You're all already helping. What I'm going to do is activate one of my and Myrrdin's fall-back plans. And it's going to be a shock, to everyone."
Sirius and Remus, and the three other heirs, all closed up what they were doing, and sat back to listen.
"Okay, spill," said Hermione.
Harry came forward and sat in one of the armchairs. Everyone else came to sit around in front of him.
Once everyone was sitting and comfortable, he asked, "What do you all know of the Tales of Beedle the Bard? And the items known as the Deathly Hallows?"
# # #
"You're the heir of all three Peverell brothers?" asked Sirius.
"Yes," replied Harry. "The Peverell family was an off-shoot of the Potter family."
"And the Deathly Hallows are family heirlooms?" asked Sirius.
"Yes," replied Harry.
Susan said, "I thought they were just bedtime stories my aunt used to read me when I was little. That they were a myth."
Hermione cut in and said, "Most modern myths have a basis in fact. In this case, in history."
"So," asked Neville, "What brought up this whole discussion. The Deathly Hallows have, if they're real, been lost for centuries."
"I know where all three are," replied Harry.
"What?" He was bombasted with sound.
"All three Hallows are currently here, within this castle," said Harry.
"What?" He was, again, bombasted with sound.
He sighed again and said, "Look, I have to get rid of the threat Riddle and his followers represent. I was going to take this year and part of the next to do that. However, we're going to be busy with both redesigning the school and taking over the Wizengamot. I won't have time to deal with Riddle while all that is going on, and I cannot afford to allow it to wait until we've got the other two resolved. Hell, it may take many years for the other two to be resolved and, by then, Riddle will be back in physical form."
"And, what do the Deathly Hallows have to do with that?" asked Neville.
"What the stories don't tell you is the truth concerning where they come from," replied Harry. "They didn't belong to the incarnate form of Lord Death. They were... something else."
"What?" asked Hermione.
"A magical artefact so powerful the Peverell brothers spent their lives studying it," said Harry. "They first sought to destroy it, concerned it would fall into evil hands. But, were only able to split it into component parts. I intend to... reintegrate them... to deal with Riddle sooner, rather than later."
"The True Cloak of Invisibility, the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand, reunited," said Neville softly. "And they're your family heirlooms?"
"Yes," stated Harry matter-of-factly.
"The story states they will make the person who reunites them the Master of Death," said Susan. "Is that what you want to be?"
Harry shook his head and said, "That's where the story is in error. The person who reunites the three will not be the Master of Death. Instead, they will be the Herald of Magic. That... position... also grants them the ability to deal with other planes of existence, other states of matter."
Sirius cocked his head like Padfoot and asked, "What does that mean?"
Harry replied, "Well, I'll be able to deal with souls. I would be able to... force... spirits onto their, so-called, next great adventure."
"Wouldn't that be considered the Master of Death?" asked Remus.
With another shake of his head, Harry said, "No, because I will not be able to bring anyone back from the dead. I can only force those... in between... to 'go on'. I could, I think, also stop a soul from leaving its host. But, I think I'd have to be there when they die to hold the soul to their physical form."
Shrugging, he said, "However, that's only a small portion of what reuniting the Deathly Hallows will allow."
"Isn't that enough?" asked Hermione. "What else could you possibly want?"
"Nothing; but, the united Hallows make you the Herald of Magic," he replied before giving another sigh. "Basically, if Magic itself feels it's been abused or misused, I become the physical embodiment of it in retribution."
"Magic thinks?" asked Sirius.
Harry thought for a moment and replied, "When you turn a desk or coffee table into a lion, for instance, you have little understanding of the internal biology of the lion for it to assume its form. Magic, however, does; it knows what needs to go where. You give it the command and magic does the rest."
Hermione harrumphed and said, "That's probably why the castle is now sentient. If magic is sentient, and that much magic has... imbued... the castle over the last millennia, then it's no wonder the castle has become sentient."
Harry face-palmed himself. "Yep. Perfect sense!" Looking up, he asked the castle, "Is that what happened?"
All four received a sense of smug happiness back from the castle.
Turning to Remus and Sirius he said, "We just received clarification back from the castle in the affirmative."
Harry could see the other five thinking furiously. Sirius looked up and said, "I have one question for you, Pup. Will this be safe?"
Harry knew his godfather was worried about him; so, he didn't just give a flippant answer. Instead, with a firm nod he said, "Yes. At least, Myrrdin and I could not find fault with it."
"Then, why didn't you do it before now?" asked Remus, curious.
"Because it will probably make me the most powerful wizard, probably, on Earth. And, as the Queen said, 'Power corrupts - absolute power corrupts absolutely'," he replied. "I don't want to be seen as... taking over... amongst us four heirs. Even though that's what the four of us are going to be doing to the rest of Magical Britain; in the name of Her Majesty, of course."
Neville snorted, and said, "Harry, do you think you're better than us? Do you think you'd 'rule' us?"
Harry reeled back in shock and exclaimed, "Hell, no! We four stand as equals!"
"And we don't see you taking over, either," said Susan firmly. "You have given us so much, already. You clearly care about all of us. I know you don't have it in you to seize control."
"Actually," said Neville, "I'd be even more worried you'd take on even more work under some belief or sense of guilt you should work harder than the rest of us."
"Well, I would," said Harry, a bit sheepishly.
"Then, you'd be a bloody idiot!" said Susan.
"Susan!" said Hermione. "Language, dear lady!"
Neville just snorted while Sirius and Remus just looked at Susan with a sense of shock.
"What?" said Susan looking back at Hermione. "I'm right, aren't I?"
Sirius and Remus burst out laughing, soon joined by the rest.
The first to calm down, Sirius asked, "Okay, say you're going ahead with this. What's your plan?"
And Harry spent the rest of the evening before everyone headed to bed going over how and when he was going to reunite the Hallows.