Chapter Text3 rd July 1995
Harry held Hermione's hand tightly as they watched Theo walk inside the mausoleum carrying the urn with his father's ashes. Only a small group of adults accompanied Theo; Sirius in his role as Lord Black, and Andy and Ted as Theo's foster parents. The rest of the family funeral party remained outside of the white edifice at the far corner of Nott's estate.
A brush of wind swept through the small family graveyard and Harry shivered despite the warming spell.
Hermione pressed closer in response and he leaned into her gratefully. She had been a rock since his return. After hugging him tightly enough that he had trouble breathing, the pair of them had spent most of their waking hours together, both within the alliance group of heirs gathered at the Estate and alone. They'd talked about their experiences in the battle; shared how terrifying it had been; shared their fears for the other. They'd come through it closer than ever.
Harry wore the necklace Hermione had gifted to him at Christmas again. She had given it back to him and when he'd touched it he'd felt how it sang with Morgana's magic. The necklace was imbued with Morgana's blessing. He'd tried to give it back to Hermione but she had been adamant it was his. Instead, Harry had created a similar necklace; he'd imbued it with the family magic protection and gifted it to her. She had immediately put it on.
It made him feel better to know she was protected especially as the DOM was still investigating the implications of Morgana choosing Hermione as her avatar. Hermione would be spending part of her Summer helping the DOM research and she was very excited about it.
Harry let his gaze wander.
To his right, a heavily pregnant Narcissa sat on a conjured bench. Lucius sat beside her. He would never walk without a limp again and he would always suffer pain. Harry felt it was poetic justice given Lucius's previous crimes. The Malfoy patriarch was family and had helped them but it didn't negate that Lucius had only done so because he had been trapped into it by primacy and vows securing his compliance.
Draco hovered by his mother. The blond Slytherin was much more solicitous of her than of his father, Harry noticed. He had certainly taken on a maturity that had been lacking prior to the battle. Draco had admitted to Harry he had been given a wake-up call seeing Diggory die and taking part in the Hogwarts spell. His whole life had been rearranged for him in the space of a single moment. Harry wondered again at what the Hogwarts spell would mean for Draco – and for Ron, Luna and Sue. Minerva had agreed to allow a meeting in her office with the dragon once Hogwarts was approved as structurally sound enough.
The Hogwarts' Headmistress sat on another conjured bench with Dora; Remus stood beside his wife, their hands clasped together. They looked sombre and tired. Harry knew they'd already attended a number of funerals during the week Harry and Sirius had been at the Valley, and in the couple of days since their return.
Sirius had point-blank refused to let Harry attend every funeral, noting it would take its toll and it wasn't necessary. They would attend Lord Nott's because of Theo; Dumbledore's because it was right to honour the sacrifice he'd made for the two of them; and, they'd attend the Ministerial memorial service for all the men, women and magical creatures who had been killed or injured in the battle. Harry hadn't argued, grateful in truth and relieved not to have to attend every funeral. He'd felt regret over missing the Diggorys – although Remus had informed him that had been kept to close family only – and Caro's.
Bill was absolutely heartbroken. Harry could appreciate why. He knew the pain of having a loved one sacrifice themselves for you. He and Hermione had spent the previous evening just sitting beside the eldest Weasley in the drawing room doing nothing more than simply providing a comforting presence.
Theo finally emerged from the mausoleum, flanked by Andy and Ted. The Slytherin looked pale but composed. Harry had spent some time with him that morning and knew Theo was grieving deeply for his father, no matter the mask he wore for the rest of the world. When Theo had asked Harry to tell him exactly how Benjamin Nott had died, Harry hadn't been able to refuse him, especially not after the sacrifice Nott had made to protect his family.
Harry couldn't help be grateful his own father had survived and he watched comforted as Sirius left the mausoleum and helped Theo seal it. He squeezed Hermione's hand. The reception would be held back at Nott Manor and everybody would be waiting for them.
They walked slowly up the path to a small shed. It was actually a magical lift that would take them back to the manor.
Sirius and Theo went first along with Narcissa. When the shed flashed empty, Lucius, Draco, Dora and Minerva were ushered into it next. Remus accompanied Harry and Hermione.
They exited out of a broom closet in the hall of Nott Manor.
Remus pointed them towards the left. "There's been a room set aside for you young people. Theo will join you once he's made the rounds with Sirius."
Harry nodded. Hermione tucked her arm into the crook of his and they made their way into the room.
It was crowded.
One corner of the room was filled with the heirs who had Houses which held détentes with the House of Black. With Harry's testimony of how the likes of Selwyn and Wilkes had defied Voldemort, and after holding talks with them, the Ministry's emergency tribunal had declared them free of all charges. Sirius had told Harry he'd supported the decision. There was no evidence that they'd acted criminally and, rightly or wrongly, they'd been cleared from their activities as Death Eaters at the end of the previous war. They'd all received an official warning for showing up in response to Voldemort's call in the first place but otherwise they'd been exonerated.
Harry turned his attention aware from that corner as Hermione tugged him over to the side of the room where the alliance heirs had settled. There was a flurry of greetings. Although he'd seen those staying at the Black Estate, there were a few who hadn't actively been involved with the battle and who'd remained in their own homes such as the Sapworthys and Inglebees. They finally settled onto a large settee.
"Merlin, this is depressing." Draco commented as he took the chair next to Harry, glaring at Lydia Inglebee who had been creeping closer and closer.
"It is a funeral." Neville commented dryly from beside Hermione.
Sue tucked up between Neville and Ron gave a snort of agreement.
"I know that." Draco said tersely. "I'm just…"
"Stating the obvious." Blaise chipped in, sitting down beside him.
"Theo seems to be holding up." Sue sighed heavily. "Bad enough that Ced didn't make it, but I don't know what I would have done if…I mean, Dad's ankle is still giving him gyp but at least he's alive."
"At least he'll walk without a cane eventually." Draco pointed out.
"We all came a little too close to losing our Dads." Ron said.
Neville ducked his head and Harry shot Ron a look for his insensitivity, because it wasn't like Neville's Dad was going to ever recover. The redhead winced but he shrugged helplessly even as Hermione gave him an exasperated glare.
"Hey guys." Lavender greeted them in a subdued voice and Blaise sprang up to make room for her and the Patil twins to sit.
Blaise darted a look at Padma. "Would you like a drink?"
"Thank you." Padma blushed. "I'll come with you."
Harry's eyebrows rose a little as they walked away. "When did that happen?"
"When they rescued me." Lavender said with a small smile.
"Blaise really likes her." Neville confirmed, a hint of mischief entering his gaze. "Especially since he finally realised she's not a Gryffindor."
"Well, at least something good came out of the whole thing." Lavender said brightly.
Parvati rubbed her arm soothingly.
"How are you doing, Lav?" asked Ron a touch awkwardly.
Lavender shrugged but Harry saw the pleased glint in her eye at the question. "Better." She fidgeted with a button on her skirt. "Colin wrote to me and apologised. He's offered for him and Dennis to transfer schools."
"That was good of him to offer." Hermione said quietly.
"I told him not to be daft." Lavender said baldly. "It wasn't his fault." Her eyes flickered to Sue briefly. "I refuse to let that little bitch win."
Sue flushed red before she paled. "If you're expecting me to defend Hannah, don't." She tossed her hair back behind her shoulder angrily. "She is a little bitch."
"She's a victim too though." Hermione remarked, wincing as the other girls turned to glare at her. "Look, I'm not defending what Hannah did but Crouch did seduce and manipulate her. She was effectively brainwashed."
Sue shook her head. "The Hannah I knew would never have allowed that to happen. She was smart. Merlin, she used to tell me off for being too gullible and trusting!"
"Crouch was incredibly clever." Harry said before Hermione could respond. "Hermione's right; we shouldn't forget that he used her even if it doesn't excuse the actions she took."
Sue glared at him. "You can remember all you want. Personally, I'm never forgiving her!" She shoved off the sofa and stormed away.
Neville sighed and waved everyone else back. "You're not wrong, Harry, but neither's she. I'll go talk with her."
Harry rubbed his head tiredly. "That could have gone better."
"I can't say I blame her." Lavender said a touch coldly. "What Abbott did was unforgiveable."
"No argument." Harry raised his hand in surrender and glanced in Hermione's direction with a silent plea for her to let it go too.
Hermione subsided and Lavender shifted in her chair.
"At least they've finally brought charges against her." Parvati said, jumping into the silence. "Do you know when she'll stand trial?"
"All the trials will take place this month." Harry said. The Ministry was keen to hold them early to enable the wizarding world to heal as much as it could and move forward.
Blaise arrived back with Padma, carrying drinks. A crease appeared between his brows as he noted Neville's absence. "Where's…"
"Harry and Hermione upset Sue by defending Hannah." Lavender said bluntly. "Neville went after her."
Blaise raised an eyebrow at Harry.
"We were not defending her!" Hermione said fiercely, jumping to defend Harry. "We were just pointing out that Hannah's a victim in this too."
Blaise gave an exaggerated wince. "Well, I can see why that would have gone down like a lead balloon."
"Harry and Hermione are right though." Padma said settling into a chair.
"Padma!" Parvati looked at her sister outraged.
"No," Padma said firmly, "Hannah is a fifteen year old girl who had an evil predator target her." She stared down her twin. "If you had an attractive man flatter you with compliments and tell you that you were beautiful and adored and the best thing that had ever happened to him, how long do you think you would hold out before believing it and falling under his spell?"
Harry was impressed at Padma's argument. He could see it hit instantly with Lavender and Parvati. His eyes widened as he caught sight of Sue and Neville approaching behind Padma.
"Of course, she should have told someone but she didn't." Padma continued. "And because she didn't, she ended up more and more under his control to the point where he was able to convince the sky was green and the grass was blue; that her family and friends were wrong and he was right. She made her choices under that delusion and the choices she made were horrible and criminal."
Harry cleared his throat; he should attempt to curtail Padma's lecture before Sue erupted – she'd grown steadily red-faced behind the other girl. Blaise was sending a pale Neville a frantic questioning look and Neville shook his head in response.
"She should be punished for those choices but…" Padma sighed and pointed at her sister beside her. "You don't blame Creevey for attacking Lavender, do you?"
"Of course not!" Parvati said. "He was imperiused!"
"And so was Hannah really." Padma argued. "Only because he manipulated her without a spell, she'll face the full weight of the law instead of being acknowledged as a victim of Crouch herself." She grimaced. "Really, Crouch would have been kinder to her if he had imperiused her."
"I hadn't thought about it like that." Sue said, drawing everyone's attention.
Padma flushed bright red, turning to face her. "Sue, I'm…"
Sue shook her head. "Don't apologise." She inched around the group and retook her seat.
Everyone settled back into position.
"It's…it's easier to stay angry with her." Sue admitted. "Because if I'm angry I don't think about how much I miss her. She was my best friend."
Harry gave her a sympathetic smile. "I think Sirius and Remus have some understanding of how you feel. Pettigrew did the same thing to them; to my parents."
"Sorry for storming off before." Sue said. "I just…"
"You're entitled to your opinion and your feelings." Hermione replied gently. "Hannah was your best friend."
Harry nodded. "Look, there's going to be a lot of decision making over the next month about the people who hurt us, who were on Voldemort's side of this. We're probably not going to agree about everything especially when it hits close to home." He looked around the group, determination shining from his green eyes, unaware that most of the room had stopped to listen. "But we didn't go to war for them to win by us tearing each other apart in the aftermath. Let's not give them that. We can disagree and we can feel angry and hurt and…and whatever we need to feel but no matter what, we stand together."
"We stand together." Sue repeated decisively. "I agree."
"Sounds good to me." Blaise said raising his glass.
They all followed his example in a silent toast.
Harry handed his drink to Hermione. "I think I'd better go wrangle Theo out of the main room."
"I'll come with you," Draco said, already moving, "I want to check on Mother."
Harry exchanged a softly affectionate look with Hermione and fell into step beside Draco.