Harry Potter and the SG1 Adventure Author: Phantom1s Classification: General/Adventure Rating: R This story is post OoTP. After Sirius's death, the Weasleys, McGonagall, Remus, and Tonks all decide to intercede on Harry's behalf before Dumbledore can completely break Harry. Little do they know that Dumbledore has seen the error of his ways. Now with everyone on the same page, they get help from unlikely source to deal with Voldemort once and for all. The pairing are Harry/Ginny, Jack/Sam, Ron/Hermione, Daniel/Janet, Remus/Tonks, Albus/Minerva =============================================================================== Prologue Scotland Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster's Office Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. Yes he was reinstated as Headmaster and yes Fudge finally admitted that Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort, had returned, but it happened at a very high cost. Sirius Black, the Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, and Godfather to the Heir Apparent of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Potter and Black was dead. And it was Albus's fault, and he knew it. If he only trusted Harry and told him the truth sooner, things might have turned out better. "Fawkes my friend, I have made a mess of things," Albus said to his familiar. "-Yes you have Albus,-" a voice said from nowhere. Albus jumped to his feet, wand in hand looking for the source of the unknown voice. "You won't be able to do anything to me," the man said as he appeared. He was 6'6" with broad shoulders and long blonde hair. His robes were blood red trimmed in gold with a hood, which covered his face. The man carried a tall regal looking staff with a ruby sitting on top, but what catch Albus's attention was the sword and scabbard the man wore on his belt and the family crest over his heart. "You're Godric Gryffindor!" Albus said as he fell back into his chair. Fawkes, who had remained quiet up to this point, flew over to Godric and landed on his shoulder. He was still small, thanks to a premature burning day when he took a killing curse for Dumbledore at the Ministry of Magic. "Hello old friend. Do you think Albus realized what he has done yet?" Fawkes gave a series of loud shrills then looked over at Albus. "Yes I agree. But Moros, Nicholas, Salazar and the girls will be here soon and then we will handle those issues my old friend. Albus and I need to speak privately, why don't you go and check on the young girl or even better, go and enjoy yourself at a volcano for a little while? We are going to need you to be a full strength for what lies ahead," Gryffindor said. Fawkes shrilled again and Godric chuckled. "Yes old friend, you are right. I do not want your innocent ears to hear the words that I will be using," Godric said. Fawkes shrilled one more time before he disappeared in beautiful ball of fire. Once the firebird was gone, Godric waved his hand towards the wall of portraits of former headmasters and headmistresses of his school, causing them to fall into a deep sleep. Godric then turned to a table which held all of Dumbledore's trinkets; with another wave of he is hand, all of the devices stopped working except for one. This one had not moved in years and at first look, Godric thought that it no longer worked. The truth would be far worse. "Now that we are alone and cannot be disturbed or overheard, it is time that we got down to business," Godric said as he poured himself a drink and then conjured a red overstuff armchair to sit in. As he sat, Dumbledore saw that both Gryffindor's scabbard and staff shrank so that Gryffindor would be more comfortable when seated. Once he was seated, Godric Gryffindor spoke in his commanding voice. "Albus Dumbledore, you are very lucky that Harry is still alive, because if he died at the hands of his relatives, which if not for his powers he would have, then this world, and all of those who have become allies of the Tau'ri, would fall to servants of darkness." "Excuse me, but who, or more importantly what, is the Tau'ri?" Albus asked. Godric snorted into his drink cup. "Did you ever read the books that we left here for you?" Dumbledore looked at him with a very blank look, which worried the founder. "You know, the ancient tomes about what magic is and where it comes from? It is called the Room of Knowledge, one of the most closely guarded secrets that have been passed down from headmaster to headmaster throughout the centuries?" Dumbledore looked shocked. "I have never heard about such books or of such a place. I can ask the ghosts and even Hogwarts herself, but no one has ever mentioned this secret to me." Godric rose from his chair and turned to the portraits of the Headmasters and Headmistresses, he waved he hand, waking them all back up and spoke in a commanding voice once again. "Which one of you did not pass on the information about the Room of Knowledge? How many generations do not know the true meaning of our power?" None of the portraits answered. "Answer me or else I shall let my wrath strike down upon you ALL!" Albus watched as Godric brought his staff above his head, gripping it tightly in his hands, and saw the staff and his hands engulfed in fire. He then started to bring the butt end of the staff to the ground. Before it hit one of the portraits spoke up. "ALL RIGHT I DID IT!" Godric stopped and slowly allowed the fire to disappear before he walked over to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black and stared at him. "WHY?" Godric asked. "Because what is contained in those tomes and that room is blasphemy! We are not the product of some muggles and their experiments thousands of years ago!" the portrait said. "What did you do with the books and scrolls from the Room of Knowledge?" Godric asked the portrait, ignoring the murderous looks many of the older portraits were giving Phineas and the questioning looks the others and Dumbledore were giving. "It is all still there. I permanently sealed the entrance on the fourth floor and sealed the one in here with a spell that is powered by the magic that keeps my portrait active. I also warded the entire room and spelled all knowledge so that no one could communicate about the room to anyone. These measures are tied into my magic as well. The only way to break the spell is to destroy me. And since any magical portrait in this room cannot be destroyed, the Room of Knowledge is in essence, gone," Phineas finished smugly. "You know, for a Slytherin, you are an idiot. I am one of the builders of the castle. I have the ability to control and destroy anything bonded to this castle!" Phineas' eyes went wide as the implications of what Godric Gryffindor said and what he had just told him. He didn't have a lot of time to think about it because Gryffindor spoke in his commanding tone once again. "Phineas Nigellus Black, you have been found guilty of breaking your bond to Hogwarts and to the magical world. I hereby call upon Hogwarts and the ancient magic which created her to render your punishment." A moment later, the man in the portrait began to dissolve. He tried to escape, but was sealed within the frame. After only a few moments, the portrait was dissolved into nothingness and the frame was absorbed into the wall. As the portrait was destroyed, the magic which had been tied to it broke, revealing a previously unknown doorway where Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait once rested. Dumbledore, and many other headmasters and headmistresses always wondered why his portrait was away from the others. Phineas said it was so that he could have piece and quiet. The portraits that remembered the Room of Knowledge began to quickly explain what was contained within it. Gryffindor turned to the other headmasters and headmistresses and spoke once again, silence reined. "What you have seen here is true retribution for crimes so heinous in nature that if the person were still alive, he or she would be beheaded. Let this serve as a warning to all of you, you are bond to serve Hogwarts and her Headmaster for all time. If you break that bond, then you shall suffer the same fate as Headmaster Black. Now for those of you who can now speak of the Room of Knowledge please explain about the room and what is contained within the room to the other portraits." Godric turned to the other corporeal being in the room and spoke. "Headmaster Dumbledore, if you can come with me. We have precious little time to waste," Godric said. As Albus rose from his seat and made his way over to the doorway Gryffindor was standing in front of. Right before they stepped through, the only instrument that Godric had not been able to stop let out a loud screech and fell apart. "Oh no! The Blood Wards around Harry have fallen!" Albus said. =============================================================================== Three Hours Previously London, England #12 Grimmauld Place Basement Kitchen Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Percy Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Ronald Weasley, and Ginny Weasley were sitting around the table in the gloomy kitchen of the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix having a meeting. The subject of the meeting was Harry Potter. "I say that we go over there, let Bill drop the wards, grab Harry and get him back here. I know for a fact that Sirius left Harry this house and everything that he owned including a fair amount of money so that if necessary we can hide him easily. If Dumbledore has a problem with it, he can go screw himself. It's time we take care of Harry. We should have done it years ago," Fred said. Everyone agreed with the sentiment, though not with the plan. "Hold a minute Fred. Does anyone know if made Harry his heir, or just a beneficiary of his will?" Percy asked. It had been a long year for Percy Weasley. Shortly after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Percy was promoted to Fudge's personal assistant. Knowing that something was wrong, Percy spoke to his father and eldest brother and decided that he could be an invaluable spy for the Order and for Harry. Even though he thought Harry was reckless at times, Percy believed in his parents and they believed in Harry. Also Percy knew that The-Boy-Who-Lived could be a rather large obstacle for anyone who wanted power; in this case that person was Minister Fudge. As Fudge's Personal Assistant, Percy could pass information to the Order regarding Fudge. It was after that meeting that `Percy the Super Git' was born and the beginning of the year of hell for Percy. Christmas was the toughest time for him because it was his first Christmas without any family except for Penelope, his girlfriend, who was Percy's contact with his brother Bill. What was worse were the howlers Fred and George sent him because of him returning the Weasley Family Jumper Molly had sent him. He did in fact send it back, and told Bill through Penny that he wanted it back after this mess was dealt with. When Ron and Ginny returned to the Burrow after leaving King's Cross, they found Percy in the kitchen drinking firewhiskey with Charlie, who had returned to England a few days earlier. After learning the truth and a few well aimed punches from Ron and a series of bat bogeys from Ginny, Percy was welcomed home by his younger siblings with smiles and long overdue hugs. Fred and George had already made their peace with Percy earlier. He also told them that he had procured the licenses they needed for their new business. Molly later commented that it was the first time Percy had a triumphant look on his face when dealing with Fred and George. "Harry has been Sirius' Heir since he was a baby. In fact Harry underwent the Heir's Ritual for Lily, James, and Sirius just before they went into hiding. Why?" Remus asked. "Because the Potters and Blacks are not just pureblood houses, they are very old houses," Percy explained. "How old?" Kingsley asked beginning to understand where Percy was going with this. "If I am correct, Harry is Heir Apparent of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter, which were members of the original Council of Twelve. And as the Heir Apparent of these houses with no living guardian, no head of house to which he is the Heir Apparent, and is over the age of 15, Harry is entitled to become the head of those houses and emancipated. Once he completes the inheritance ritual at Gringotts, he will assume the Lordships of his houses and take full control of their holdings and magics," Percy explained. "What do you mean Ancient Houses and in the name of Merlin's underpants is the Council of Twelve?" Ron demanded. "You really need to learn how to read Ronald. I am sure Miss Granger would appreciate that," Percy snapped back with a small smile. He knew how much Ron liked Hermione, just like everyone else who went to school with them. "I can read, and Hermione said she liked it when I read her some of my poetry," Ron mumbled. "But to answer your question Ronald, after King Arthur became King of the British Isles, Merlin formed the first Magical Government of Britain. It was called the Council of Twelve, modeled after Arthur's Knights of the Roundtable. The council was made up of the twelve original magical families of what are now England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Man. Of the families that made up the council, only a small handful of them are known to us today. They are Black, Dumbledore, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin families. It was also rumored that the Pendragon and Ambrosius families were also two additional seats, but that was never proven. It was proven however the Merlin remained Arthur Pendragon's advisor on magical matters for many years and even trained the young king in the magical arts. "Under order of King Arthur and the following Monarchs, the council ruled magical Britain fairly until 1252 when the first incarnation of what would become the Ministry of Magic was formed by permission of the Monarch. The push for a Ministry of Magic and an elected Minster came from the establishment of the position of the Muggle Prime Minister. The surviving families of the Council of Twelve were given seats on the new legislative council, which was named the Wizengamot. The Ministry itself became the executive branch of the magical government and grew in function and control. Over the years, many of the original families have died out and new ones have replaced them based on when a family's magical branch was first founded. Now there are some families which have been removed over the years because they had commited crimes so grievous in nature that there was no other choice. "The only remaining families of the original twelve are the Dumbledores, Gryffindors, whom changed their name to Potter to blend into the landscape of people, Blacks, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Slytherins. One of the safe guards the Council of Twelve put into place when the Ministry was first formed was that it only took a majority of the original 12 families to overrule the Wizengamot or to take control of the ministry if needed. Any of the families who have joined the twelve since it's inception cannot vote in this matter." "And Dumbledore has known about how important Harry is regarding his families?" Arthur asked. "In regards to politics, I am not sure. I would assume that he knew of the situation regarding the Potter and Black Family Lordships though. But as to the fact Harry is the Heir to Godric Gryffindor, I know for a fact that Albus knew," McGonagall said. "How?" Tonks asked. "Since the deaths of each of the founders, Hogwarts has always informed the Head, and their Deputy, if one of the heirs had returned to Hogwarts sometime while the student was in school. I believe it has something to do with the magical maturity of an individual and which latent abilities surface. There are many people descended from the founders, I for one am descended from Godric Gryffindor in fact, but I do not possess the correct latent abilities to make his heir. Now I will not bore you with the details about which abilities are tied to which founder because it is a secret that only the head of the school and the deputy knows about due to our bond with the castle. Once the Deputy or the head retires and leaves their position, the memories are magically removed by Hogwarts. "When James Potter was in his 7th year at Hogwarts, Hogwarts informed me one evening that he was indeed heir to one of the founders, though I did not know which one James was descended from at the time. Hogwarts also informed me that Lily Evans was a descendant of a founder, though not an heir herself. That was during her 5th year if I remember properly," McGonagall stated. "When Harry came to Hogwarts, Hogwarts informed me shortly after the Opening Feast that the heir of multiple founders had returned. Later on that first year, shortly after Harry saved the Philosopher's Stone, Sir Nicholas and a ghost I had never seen before came to speak to me one night while I was grading papers. Sir Nicholas informed me that the other ghost was... well Hogwarts herself. She explained that Harry was special and that I should look after him because the Headmaster was not looking after his best interests. "I was then visited last year this time by Hogwarts, The Grey Lady, The Fat Friar, The Bloody Baron, and Sir Nicholas; moments before I learned about what that foul woman Umbridge planned to do with Hagrid. They told me that Harry was the heir to the four founders and that I, when the time was right, would know what to do. "Since that night, I have been unable to speak of any of my visits by the ghosts or even write it down. I do not know why or how, but I feel that since I can now speak of it, this is a sign that the time to act has come." "I agree Professor. I've only met Harry a few times and he always seemed like a nice kid. And if Sirius named him his heir, then I am bound to help him regardless if my mum was tossed out of the family or not. Sirius treated me like family, and that means a lot to me," Tonks said. "Very well then, I believe we are all in agreement about what needs to be done?" Everyone nodded their heads. "William, can you disable the Blood Wards?" Minerva asked. "Yes I can. But it might be painful for Harry and his blood relatives," Bill said. "Can you make the process more painful for his aunt and cousin?" Ginny asked with righteous anger in her voice. "Yeah, I can," Bill said with a smirk. "Excellent. William, Fredrick, and Miss Weasley, please go to Privet Drive and retrieve Mr. Potter. Ginevra, Ronald, please hand me your wands please," Minerva said. Taking the two wands and sitting them on the table, she waved her own wand over them and muttered a spell, causing the two wands to glow orange. When she finished, she handed the wands back. "There, your wands are now free of the trace which the Ministry uses to track underage magic. William, I assume you know the spell I used?" "Of course, the trace is a huge inconvenience for curse breakers." "Excellent. When you see Mr. Potter, please perform the same spell," she said smiling before she turned to the others. "Remus, I want you to go to Gringotts and speak with Griphook. He was the Potter Family Account Manager if I remember correctly. Explain to him that we need Sirius' Will read and also that Harry needs to undergo the Inheritance Ritual. Molly, I would like you, Percy, and Ronald to return to the Burrow and pack up your belongings and return here. Once Dumbledore learns about the failure of the wards at Privet Drive, he will go to the Burrow to look for Harry. Kingsley, I would you to head to Miss Granger's home and inform her and her family about what is going on and that I would suggest they move here immediately. "Arthur, Charles, George, and I will follow you once we remove Albus's control of the wards here --" Minerva was stopped mid-sentence by the fireplace flaring and Hermione Granger's face appearing. "Death Eaters are attacking. Send Help, PLEASE!" she said before she pulled her head out of the fire. Ron didn't even wait and ran for the fireplace to aid the love of his life. The sound of the fireplace whooshing snapped Minerva into action. "William, you and Ginevra go to Privet Drive and get Harry. Everyone else shall portkey to the Granger's." Within moments, everyone who was in the meeting was gone. The only things that remained in the kitchen were four ethereal figures and the remains of an insane house elf that had been kept alive due to dark magic. These figures kept themselves and the elf remains hidden from room during the meeting so that no one could see them. The four ethereal figures looked at each and smiled. The eldest of them, a man nodded to the others. "It has begun. Oma will be returning Daniel Jackson soon enough. The pieces are beginning to align. But first Tom Riddle must be handled, once and for all." "And what about Voldemort? Even though he is a Goa'uld, we cannot due anything regarding him. The others will not let us," the woman who wore robes of black and yellow said. "That is why our heir is cunning, smart, loyal, and brave. He and his friends will help O'Neill and his team rid the galaxy of the Goa'uld," the other man said. He had black hair and wore robes of green and silver. "Salazar is right Helga. Come, we must finish our business soon," the other woman said. "Alright Lady Ravenclaw, you win. By the way, I spoke to the Potions Master in his dreams. He understands what is required of him from now on," Salazar Slytherin said. "And I shall remind him when we return to Hogwarts later." "Then let us go. Merlin, were you able to insure that we will be undetected by the others when we perform the ritual?" Rowena asked. "Yes. England will experience an earthquake that will cause an electromagnetic blast which will shield our activities for a short time. Nicholas and Perenelle have also made sure that the stone is destroyed as well as all the notes and materials used to make it originally," Merlin said. Moments later, the four figures turned into white orbs and disappeared. Chapter 1 #4 Privet Drive Surrey Smallest Bedroom Harry Potter was alone. Sirius was dead and it was his fault. Well it wasn't completely his fault. Dumbledore was to blame for not telling him the truth, Snape was guilty because he couldn't let go of an old school grudge, and Bellatrix was to blame because she actually pushed him through the Veil of Death. The past year had been a total clusterfuck and Harry had a bad feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better. But Harry knew he was going to do everything he could to prepare. Currently he was rereading his Defense Against the Dark Arts texts from his 3rd & 4th years when he heard something strange outside. Getting up from his desk, Harry was able to see out his window and saw two cloaked figures moving along the edge of the property where the wards stopped. The two figures suddenly stopped and shot spells at an empty patch of ground. A moment later, the taller of the two cloaked figures reached out and removed an invisibility cloak from seemingly midair, revealing the form of Mundungus Fletcher. A moment later Dung was on his feet and was apparated away. The smaller of the two figures looked up at Harry's window and saw Harry. When she removed her hood, Harry saw the fiery redhead and chocolate brown eyes of Ginny Weasley. For the second time in his life, Harry could have sworn that his heart stopped. "Harry! Get packed, you're leaving here and never coming back! Bill is going to bring down the blood wards!" Ginny screamed. A moment later the front door opened and Vernon Dursley came barging out the front door. "You fucking freaks!! I said leave us alone!! And you, you're probably just like that whore Lily, unable to can't keep your legs closed. If you weren't a freak I'd let my Dudley show you what a real man --" The man never finished what he was going to say because three stunners hit him; one from Bill, one from Ginny, and the third from Harry, who had appeared between Vernon and Ginny with fire in his eyes and magic flowing off of him in waves. Bill ran over to check on the man, finding he had a very weak and erratic pulse. Bill knew he wouldn't last long and he had no intention of trying to save his life. Deciding to carry on, Bill stood up and faced Harry who was staring at Vernon. "Harry, I need you to listen to me. Vernon is going to die; there is nothing I can do. His heart is failing and from the look of the diagnostic spell I used, it's been failing for months. I am sorry, but we need to get moving. Now, I've placed Muggle Repelling Charms and Magic Masking Wards around so no one will notice anything that has happened here tonight. So get going." "Ok Bill," Harry said. "Good, now we don't have a whole hell of a lot of time, Hermione is in trouble and I think you want to go help her. Ginny, do you remember the charm McGonagall used on your wand?" Ginny nodded. "Good do it on Harry's and then get him packed." Ginny took Harry's wand and started to remove the trace. "Harry, when the wards come down, it is going to hurt, a lot. There is nothing I can do about that, sorry." "You're really going to drop the wards the old codger put up?" Harry asked. "Don't worry; I do this all the time. However I usually don't have a living person connected to the wards," Bill smiled. "It will be a lot easier, but as I said, it will hurt like hell." "What can I do to help?" Harry asked as Ginny handed Harry back his wand. "I need a vial of your blood, after you invite me and Ginny into the house, and I need to know where the center of the house is. That will be where the control stone should be located." Harry led them to the front door and opened it for them. "Harry, you need to verbally invite us in," Bill said. "Bill, Ginny, please come in," Harry said. As soon as they entered, Harry felt sick. Bill examined him and explained while his forehead was scrunched up trying to solve a problem. "The blood wards are tied to you and powered by you Harry. With two magical people entering the house, it looks like the wards have become strained because they are trying to do something. I think it is trying to either mask our magical signatures or force us to do something to you. That is weird because it can cause a magical overload in your core. Now, if we were doing this was in a month, you'd not feel a thing because enough of your magical would have already the wards and they would have drained themselves trying to do whatever they are doing." "Are these Dumbledore's wards?" Ginny asked. Bill waved his wand in front of him and looked at something Harry and Ginny could not see. After a moment he answered. "The base wards have Dumbledore's magical signature, but there have been several revisions to the wards, each one by someone different. But that won't matter in a little while now will it?" Harry shook it his head. "Good, now where is the center of the house?" Harry, who was now breathing deeply, trying to get past the nausea, pointed to the cupboard not realizing what he was saying. "Probably the cupboard under the stairs, it's where I used to sleep until I got my Hogwarts letter." Bill filed that piece of information away for later. He performed a charm on Harry which extracted one vial of blood before then made his way to the cupboard. During the time Bill was extracting Harry's blood, Petunia and Dudley appeared from the kitchen. Seeing the two of them, Bill stunned them and then turned to Ginny. "It will be less painful if he is wherever he sleeps when the wards come down. I would assume that it is upstairs." Harry nodded and Ginny helped him up the stairs to his room. As soon as they were inside Harry's room, Ginny helped Harry onto his bed and then looked around the room, finding his stuff all over the place. "Harry is there anything hidden that I should know about?" She asked. "There is a floor board beneath the bed that is loose. I have some food and my cloak hidden there." Closing her eyes, Ginny pictured Harry's room and felt all for all of Harry's possessions, both visible and hidden, using magic. After having them firmly pictured in her mind, Ginny spoke. "Pack all of Harry's things." She overpowered her spell, knowing that the Dursleys probably had hidden some of Harry's things over the years in other parts of the house. Sure enough a moment after the contents of Harry's room was packed, the door to the bedroom burst open and two small trunks entered the room and shrunk themselves as they entered Harry's trunk. After making sure Harry had a jacket and his wand out, Ginny shrunk his trunk and sat down on the bed next to him. Harry, who had sat up to sit next to Ginny, winced. Ginny could tell he was in pain because of the beads of sweat on his forehead besides the wince. "I'm going to get a cold cloth, just rest here ok?" Harry groaned. Ginny left the room and made her way downstairs to where Bill was swearing. He had emptied the entire cupboard and had charmed a camera to take pictures of everything inside and outside as he worked on removing the floorboards by hand. The wards protecting the stone prevented any magic from being used to expose the stone. Ginny spotted the remains of a small bed with blood, stool, and urine stains on it. It was too much for Ginny. She turned to Petunia, who was still unconscious, and with hatred in her eyes, caste one of the Unforgivables at the horse faced woman. "CRUCIO!!" Bill jumped to his feet as soon as he heard Ginny mutter the curse and watched as Petunia screamed in agony. "GINEVRA!!" Bill shouted. She stopped, looked at her wand and then at Bill, and then back to Petunia. She dropped her wand and crumpled to the floor in tears. Bill scooped her up and held her tightly. "It's ok Gin-Gin. It'll be okay. I know she deserved it. Hell, I thought about giving her an AK myself. But Harry wouldn't like it. He would say that no one deserves to die. I think he knew I was lying about that whale of an uncle. Our three stunners weakened his heart, but he could live if I got him to St. Mungo's but I am not going to. The bastard deserves to die. We are going to keep this between us, ok?" She nodded, still crying a little bit. "Alright, go upstairs and be with Harry. I am going to collapse the wards now that I have gotten to the damn stone. When that happens, Harry is going to feel extreme pain; in fact he'll probably pass out from the pain. Once the wards are down, get Harry downstairs and then we'll leave here forever." "Ok Bill." Ginny kissed her brother's cheek and headed upstairs. After finding the towels, she got one wet and took it back to Harry. As soon as Ginny was out of the room, Bill turned around and caste a few curses at Petunia and Dudley. The first would insure that they remain unconscious for a few days but in extreme pain. Returning to his work, Bill began to chant in an old dead tongue. Little did he know he was actually chanting an ancient tongue that once belonged to the people who lived in the Great City of Atlantis. Chapter 2 Higher Plane of Existence "Daniel, you must return soon," Oma Desala told her pupil. "But why?" Daniel asked. "Because it is your destiny to help the chosen ones defeat the minions of evil that infest your galaxy. One day you will return here with your mate. When you do, you shall rejoice with us," Oma said. "Will I remember anything about my time here?" "Yes. You will remember what you must do for Samantha and Jonathan to be happy. And you will remember all of the linguistics you have learned here and you will know two of the chosen ones when you meet them. You will also remember everything we have learned about Anubis." "Very well Oma. I am ready." =============================================================================== Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster's Office Albus was trying to use the floo, but it was no use. He turned to the other wizard in the room and spoke in a deathly calm voice. "Let me out of here Gryffindor." "No, you do not need to keep up this charade for my benefit. Your weapon is being cared for as we speak, which is all that you care about. You need your weapon to kill Voldemort and secure your place as the Leader of the Light." Gryffindor closed his eyes and smiled. "Yes your weapon is doing very well indeed, for a person with feelings that is." "But those wards were the only thing that protected him from Voldemort!" Albus shouted. Godric smiled. "But what of your Order of the Phoenix? Aren't they charged with protecting Harry? Isn't that why they wear invisibility cloaks and hide around that house day and night? Or are they there to keep an eye on Harry and make sure that no one contacts him? After all, isn't that the reason why you had Arabella Figg move into the neighborhood? I mean, your weapon couldn't be loved growing up could he? He needed to be tough so that `Grandpa Albus' or his agents could save him from the Dursleys and have him be grateful?" Dumbledore dropped into a chair looking despondent. For the first time in a very long time, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore took a very long look at his actions regarding one Harry Potter. Coming to a conclusion, he spoke to Gryffindor. "I really made a mess Godric. I am not sure what I can do to fix this." "Well I always knew he had the ability to learn, even if it takes a lifetime," said another male voice. Albus looked around and saw two white orbs enter his office and coalesce into his mentor Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle Flamel. "Nicholas, Perenelle, what are you doing here? I thought you both died two years ago?" Albus said, shocked. "To a well organized mind, death is merely the great adventure, Albus. I believe I taught you that lesson first thing when you became my apprentice. Did I not?" Nicholas said. "Yes you did," Albus said, looking like a 3rd year being scolded for not turning in his homework. "And let me tell you my old friend, the next great adventure is an adventure indeed." "Nicholas, it seems that Phineas Black did not pass on the secret of the Room of Knowledge and therefore Albus knows nothing about the Alterrans, the stargate, and who we are descended from," Godric said. "Well then Albus, sit down, it seems we have a tale to tell. Perenelle, my wife, can you please go and check on the new bonded pair. I am sure the Ministry will be looking for the source of the magical release." "Of course my dear," Perenelle said as she prepared to head for Privet Drive. "Perenelle, can you please tell Harry... Tell him that I am sorry and I hope to speak to him soon. Also I believe that Grimmauld Place would be the safest place for him physically, but not emotionally," Albus said quietly. "Albus, I'll handle Harry and his soulmate. You listen to Godric and Nicholas." With that, she was gone. Nicholas began. "Albus, humanity as we know it is not the first incarnation to inhabit this planet. Our predecessors, called Alterrans, lived and evolved on this world many eons ago. Eventually, these people explored the stars through a device they built called the Astoria Portia. Others have called it the Chappa'ai, and the humans who know about it today call it the Stargate. This device allows near instantaneous transport between worlds hundreds of thousands of light years apart. "While the Alterrans evolved from a technological stand point, they also physically and spiritually evolved. They performed the first feats of what we call magic. The Alterrans explained it as the ability to manipulate and control a natural energy that permeates all living things through the universe. "The spiritual evolution of the Alterrans led to them to the path of something called Ascension. It is this level that Merlin, whose name was once Moros, achieved with his kin eons ago." Godric took over the story. "By preparing the mind, and soul, a person can shed their physical form and evolve into a life form that exists on a higher plane than our own. 100,000 years ago, a great plague covered this galaxy; many Alterrans ascended, but those who did not took their largest city ship, Atlantis, and left our galaxy to establish a new empire in the Pegasus Galaxy. Before they left, they seeded Earth, and many of the worlds they had inhabited with the next generation of humanoid life. Though at the time this humanoid life was little more than primates. "Thousands of years later, the Great City of Atlantis was abandoned by the Alterrans. Before they returned to Earth, they submerged the city and placed it in a deep sleep. The Alterrans that returned ascended, left Earth to explore and check on the state of the galaxy, or decided to remain on Earth and intermingle with humans. This is where the mythology of Atlantis evolved from. The Alterrans told their descendants the story and they passed it on to their children. "One of the first to ascend after his return from Atlantis was Moros. After living as an ascended being, Moros returned to this plane of existence 2000 years ago and checked on his children throughout the galaxy. Many of them were evolving peacefully, but some were warring with themselves. However when he reached Earth, he saw that a large number of these children were showing many of the advanced abilities that his fellow Alterrans had shown in their evolutionary process. "Deciding that these children needed help to learn and control their abilities, Moros, who started to go by the name Myrddin, ascended once again to meet with the great council. After eight hundred of our years, the Great Council of the Alterrans gave Moros permission to live amongst one of these groups and help guide them in the use of their powers while others ascended beings retook human form and taught other groups all over the world at the same time. "After nearly two-hundred years of living amongst humans, Merlin, as he was known by, found four individuals who were powerful in their own right and taught them all he knew. It wasn't just magic that we learned. We learned different sciences, art, history, and all about ascension. "After we learned all that Merlin could teach us, we founded Hogwarts to help teach future generations how to harness their power. We then worked with Merlin to organize the first magical government of Great Britain. It was then that we constructed the Room of Knowledge, which holds all of the secrets of what Magic is and how to control it. We left access to only the head of this school so that they could judge how much to teach in any given year. "Over time, lessons have been lost and our people have become lazy. In fact they have become so lazy that they now require wands to do everyday spells. In our day, we used wands for the first three years and then we did everything wandlessly or with the use of a staff," Godric finished. "What of the muggleborn? Are they descendants of the Alterrans as well?" Albus asked. "Some are, but many are just the next step in the evolution of humanity. In fact in many ways, they are magically stronger than the purebloods," Nicholas said. "Because the purebloods are literally devolving because of the lack of new genetic material," Godric stated. "My god," Albus said. "Now you understand; now onto other matters that are just as important. Harry Potter and his soulmate have a large part to play in the survival of this galaxy. They will fight, using all that they have learned from you, from us, and from others. They will have allies, and they will have enemies worse than anything you have ever thought possible," Nicholas explained to his young friend. "What can I do to help?" Albus asked. "That is what we must discuss..." Albus listened for the next hour as Godric and Nicholas explained what they were doing. As the wards began to drop, Ginny held Harry tightly. Seeing Harry was in pain, she did something that her mother had done to her many times when she was not feeling well. She kissed Harry's forehead, right on the scar. As she kissed him, she poured every bit of love and compassion she had for Harry Potter: The-Boy-Who-Lived, and later for Harry Potter-the man, into the kiss. Little did she know that the pure love contained within her kiss did something extraordinary inside of Harry because buried within the cursed scar Harry carried on his forehead was a small piece of a soul. This soul was not his own, but rather the soul of Tom Riddle the dark wizard and a piece from the parasitic snake that Riddle had carried within him since he was a child, this snake had gone by many names during the six-thousand years he been marooned on Earth, but for the time being, he called himself Lord Voldemort. For when Ginny's love touched the splinter of soul, it could not handle the amount love it had been blasted with and broke apart within Harry's body; the dark evil presence was cleansed, leaving the magic, memories, knowledge, power and abilities that had been locked inside the soul sliver alone. Free from the dark soul and magic that imbedded them in the scar, these remains merged with Harry along with a genetic marker that would make him very unique in the future. When Ginny's magic touched Harry's soul, for the first time ever she felt complete, as if part of her had finally been found. Her magic flared and mixed with Harry's, causing a very advanced form of empathic legillimency between the two of them, allowing them to see each other's memories and the emotions behind them. After their lives flashed before they eyes, Ginny broke the kiss from Harry's forehead and looked into Harry's eyes. With the soul fragment gone, Harry's magic was no longer needed to protect him from the dark infection from the sliver of soul, his magic could do other things, Ginny watched as Harry's emaciated body slowly began to grow. Muscle mass was added to his arms, legs, and torso, and Ginny could see his skin becoming a healthier pink than what it had been. However the largest change was Harry's eyes. While they had always been bright, now they looked like two blazing emeralds. When Ginny looked into them, she saw many emotions stored behind them: Hurt, Anger, Rage, Compassion, Love, Understanding, Cunning, Bravery, Intelligence, and Loyalty were all there. There was also lust and the longer Ginny looked into Harry's eyes, the more prevalent the lust and love within them became. As if she had no control over her own body, Ginny lowered her head and kissed Harry on the lips. The moment their lips touched, their souls and magics reached out to each other's like magnets. And all at once, they knew they were home. As they deepened the kiss, their magics shared everything that was them, not just memories like had happened earlier. Their knowledge of spells, quidditch tactics, general information, their abilities, their power, and their very magic was shared between them. However, their souls still had not bonded. What happened next would finish the soul-bond that had started to form so many years ago. As Harry and Ginny were kissing and sharing their innermost selves with each other, Bill finished his work and was finally able to shatter the master ward stone dropping the last, and strongest bit of the blood wards. The resulting magical backlash of the wards falling did several things. It first knocked Bill off his feet and into the wall, causing to lose consciousness. Second, the magic raced through Petunia and Dudley Dursley causing extreme pain in their bodies. Thirdly, the kinetic energy of the wards collapsing caused all of the windows and doors of the house to be sucked into the house. A second later that house blew apart, shattering wards and windows within 30 miles of the house. Fourthly, the magic that Dumbledore had infused the blood wards with, the love Lily had for Harry by sacrificing herself so that Harry could live, sought out somewhere to live. Because of the darkness contained within Dudley and Petunia, it chose the only other blood connected to it, Harry. When the magic entered Harry, the connection he had with Ginny allowed her to absorb some of this powerful magic. This magic is what their souls needed to finish their soul-bonding. A soul-bonding required huge amounts of love, power, and magic itself and normally required a powerful witch or wizard to actually seal the bond only after dozens of meeting where the bonder would infuse the love of the couple with the extra magic required. Soul-bondings were recorded in an old tome located in one of the deepest levels inside the Ministry of Magic. In fact the last soul-bond was over 500 years ago. The bonded couple's names were Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. By the time Perenelle Flamel reached Privet Drive, the house was in shambles thanks to explosion. Muggles would assume it was a gas leak. Perenelle found the Dursleys right away. Vernon had evidently died outside the house, while Petunia and Dudley had been blasted through the plate glass window from inside the house. By the looks of their bodies, Perenelle knew that their deaths would be attributed to the wounds that they presented especially Dudley and Petunia's slit wrists and necks thanks to them flying through the window before it exploded. Vernon had a long shard of wood piercing his chest, right thru his heart. However, she also detected the remnants of spells in his body, thanks to using a passive magical scan of their bodies. Knowing how they felt about magic, Perenelle knew what had probably had transpired, and chose to ignore the scans she made. As far as she was concerned, they deserved it. Perenelle made her way inside the remains of the house and spotted Bill Weasley right away. He was unconscious with a bad head wound and was suffering from magical exhaustion, though he was protected by a shield that was being sustained by someone other than him. Quickly stabilizing him, she placed him on a magical stretcher and had it follow her up the stairs. The only room that remained mostly in fact was the room which she found Harry and Ginny in. They were lying together on the remains of a small bed, holding each other tightly. Perenelle found that their bond was complete and very strong. After thinking for a moment about how the bond could have been sealed, Perenelle smiled realizing what had sealed the bond. Perenelle, who double checked the arrhythmic calculations for Nicholas and Albus when they first built the wards, knew that the wards were infused with Lily's love and sacrifice for Harry. When the wards collapsed, the strong love that was what the wards were based on sought out someplace to live. It chose Harry and it was the combined magic of Lily Potter's blood, Albus Dumbledore's desire to protect Harry, and Nicholas' desire to preserve his bloodline that sealed Harry and Ginny's bond. Doing a quick scan on the two of them, Perenelle saw that besides the stress of the new bond forming, the only thing wrong with them was that they were unconscious thanks to the magical backlash from the wards falling. Deciding she didn't need to do anything for them, Perenelle began to look around the room for Harry's possessions, she quickly reached out with her magic and found a shrunken trunk in Ginny's pocket. "Good girl Ginevra," Perenelle said quietly. As she surveyed the room, she noticed that a snowy owl entered through the window and waited on top of her cage. "You must be Hedwig." The owl nodded. "You are a very smart owl. I have come to take Harry away from this place. His Headmaster has learned the mistake he made long ago. And by the looks of the rescue attempt, I would say that his friends have decided to take action as well." Hedwig flew over and sat on Perenelle's shoulder and nipped her ear. "Let us be off then." She quickly banished Hedwig's cage and transfigured the small bed into a double wide stretcher before she grabbed part of it in one hand and Bill's in the other hand. A moment later they were gone, just as the muggle authorities showed up. The four of them arrived in the private office of Master Griphook. "My name is Madam Perenelle Flamel. I bring with me the Heir Apparent of the Noble House of Weasley and the Heir Apparent of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter. We require medical attention and an audience with Lord Ragnok!" Master Griphook, who was not alone in his office, immediately got up made his way to the door. "Guards! I require a healer and a squadron of the Elite Black Guard to protect this office. Sliphook, inform Lord Ragnok that I require his attention immediately." He closed the door and turned to the man he had been meeting with. "Mr. Lupin. I am sorry but I must reschedule --" "What in the hell happened and who are you? Perenelle Flamel died two years ago," Remus said to the witch as she began to use wandless magic to check on her charges. "I am Madam Perenelle Flamel, my husband, Nicholas, took Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore as his apprentice shortly after he graduated from Hogwarts. You are Remus John Lupin a werewolf bitten when you were seven years old by Fenrir Greyback. You were sorted into Gryffindor House and made lifelong friends were James Potter, Sirius Black, and Lily Evans. You secretly had a crush on Lily until she began to date James. You have since fallen in love with Sirius's cousin Nymphadora Tonks. Do you believe me now?" "Oh my god," Remus stated, dumbfounded. "What happened?" "In good time, Remus; please, return to those who care about Harry and bring them here. Things have changed recently and new plans must be made. Go quickly Remus, there is little time to waste." Remus bowed towards Perenelle then Master Griphook before leaving. "When he returns, please send him and the party that accompanies him to wherever I am," Perenelle said. Griphook nodded. "Of course, Ancient One." A moment later the healer entered and began to treat Bill immediately. Along with the healer, Lord Ragnok entered followed by his personal guards. "Madam Flamel, it is an honor to meet you again. It is not everyday that one of the Ancients Ones returns to us. My name is Lord Ragnok, Manager of Gringotts Bank London and Chairman of the Goblin Council. What can I do for you today?" "Lord Ragnok, I have come with Heir Apparent Harry James Potter for the reading of the Last Will and Testament of Lord Sirius Orion Black and for him to claim his inheritance and Lordships," Madam Flamel said. "Master Griphook, please send messengers to everyone involved in the reading of the Will of Lord Black. The reading of his will shall commence in two hours," Ragnok told his subordinate. "Mi Lord, the werewolf Remus Lupin was just here. He wished to expedite the Will reading as well. Madam Flamel told him to inform those who care for Mr. Potter to return quickly." "Even better; double the requirements of the will and make sure everyone needed for the reading will be here. Lord Black was the cousin of Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. I am sure someone will represent them." "Lord Ragnok, Headmaster Dumbledore, who I would assume is listed as a beneficiary in Lord Black's will, is currently in a meeting with my husband and cannot be disturbed. However, I can inform my husband through our soul-bond about the time of the will reading." "Very good Madam Flamel," Ragnok told Perenelle before turning to Griphook. "You have your orders." Griphook bowed and left the room. "Madam Flamel, while my healer is treating the Heir Apparent to the House of Weasley, I was wondering if you could explain to me what transpired to have you arrive in this fashion. All three of these people seem to be suffering from a magical backlash of some sort." "Of course, Lord Ragnok, Mister Weasley dropped the blood wards erected by Albus Dumbledore and my husband Lord Nicholas Flamel less than twenty minutes ago. Without these wards, Mr. Potter would have to be moved to a safer location. With the abuse his family had inflicted on him, it was worth the pain to free him from his prison. The magical backlash knocked him back and unconscious. I noticed he had a head wound that needed to be looked at. As for Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley, well I believe that you already know has happened to them," Flamel said with a slight smile on her face. The goblin looked at Harry and Ginny intently for a moment before waving his hand in front of them. "My word, they are bonded. This bond is not any normal bond; it is a bond of mind, magic... and soul. They are soul-bonded. The last occurrence of a soul-bond was --" "My husband and I, five-hundred years ago; I know. As rare as a soul-bond is, you should know, because goblins can feel magic this powerful, that Harry and Ginevra are only one set of soulmates who currently live that will develop a soul bond. There are three other couples, and only one them live in England." "I take it this is the will of the Ancient Ones?" Flamel nodded. "Very well would you like a cup of tea?" "Do you drink Earl Grey?" Flamel asked. "Yes, it is much better than any goblin brew I have tasted," Ragnok said. Chapter 3 Two Hours Later Gringotts Wizarding Bank Diagon Alley London Conference Room of Lord Ragnok Ragnok's private conference room, which no human had seen in five-hundred years, was full. Besides Ragnok, there was Griphook, Harry, Ginny, Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Bill, Percy, Charlie, Ron, Remus, Tonks, her mum and dad, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Amelia Bones, Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, Professor Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, and Severus Snape. The only people missing were Hermione Granger and Professor McGonagall. They were at Saint Mungo's where Hermione was still being treated for her wounds sustained in a horrific Death Eater attack which claimed the life of her mother and father. At the appointed time, Ragnok sealed the door. Everyone quieted down and turned to Ragnok. Before he spoke, a burst of flames appeared behind Dumbledore and Fawkes appeared, healthy and mature thanks to his trip to an active volcano, ferrying his two passengers, Professor McGonagall and Hermione. Ron was out of his seat and had Hermione engulfed in a strong hug before anyone could blink. He was still shaken up from what he had seen when he went to help Hermione earlier. =============================================================================== -*FLASHBACK*- Ron arrived through the floo and saw absolute carnage. The house was on fire and huge pieces of the walls, ceiling, and floor had holes in them from spell damage. Ron was just beginning to caste the first curse he could think of at an unknown Death Eater as Bellatrix killed Hermione's parents with two strong cutting curses that separated their heads from their necks. Ron knew he would always remember the look on Hermione's face as she was forced to watch her parents being executed. As her parents' heads hit the floor, something snapped inside of Hermione. Her stopped struggling against her captors and turned to face Ron. The look on her face scared Ron more than anything else in the world because it was the same look Harry had when he was seriously pissed off. The hatred in her eyes had only been reserved for people like Umbridge and Voldemort. With an unknown magical strength, Hermione's aura flared, causing everyone in the immediate area to back up, including the two Death Eaters who had been restraining her. That was all that Ron needed as he started to fire curses faster than he ever had before. At some point everyone who had been at Grimmauld Place arrived and began to battle inside and outside the house. After dropping the fourth Death Eater, Ron turned to find Hermione who had finally engaged the woman whom executed her parents, Bellatrix Lestrange. The two women had battled through the house and were now in the backyard when the spells really began to fly fast and furious. The following four minutes was a display of some of the most powerful magic that two witches had ever used on one another. Hermione, who was not only literally a walking encyclopedia of knowledge, but a powerful witch to boot, caste dozens of different curses and spells; some dark, some light, but all very lethal. Bellatrix tried to defend herself by conjuring barriers, summoning objects, and doing everything that Voldemort had ever taught her but it was no use. She was no match for Hermione, who not only was pissed off with righteous anger, but continued to motivate herself by chanting the names of Bellatrix's victims over and over again like a mantra. It also did not help Bellatrix any that Hermione started to caste spells wandlessly as well as with a wand and even caste different spells at the same time. By the time the fighting was over, Bellatrix Lestrange and five of the Death Eaters who joined her inside the house were dead by her wand. The four living Death Eaters had been bound and knocked out by Ron. The remains of Bellatrix Lestrange and her wand looked as if someone had melted her into a pool of goo, which as Ron later realized, was pretty much the truth. He continued to hold Hermione who cried and cried until she collapsed due to grief and extreme magical exhaustion. Knowing that she needed medical treatment, McGonagall had taken her Saint Mungo's for treatment. Ron made McGonagall swear that Hermione would be at Gringotts for Harry, no matter what. -*END FLASHBACK*- =============================================================================== "Mione? Are you ok?" Ron asked. He was not sure how in the hell Hermione was handling everything. "Oh Ron, they're gone! That bitch Bellatrix Lestrange killed them!" Hermione cried into Ron's shirt. "Shut up you fucking Mudblood!" Draco screamed. Before he could even blink, Draco was thrown up against the wall behind him and was turning blue. Everyone turned and saw Hermione with her hand out, holding Draco there and choking the life out of him, without a wand. "Listen to me, you fucking ferret! If you open your mouth in my presence again, I will do EXACTLY what I did your dear auntie. Do you understand?" Hermione said in a deadly tone from where she stood in Ron's arms. "So the mudblood has --" Narcissa began but was cut off by hitting the wall behind her, being pinned like her son. "Mrs. Malfoy, do not fuck with us today. You and your son should really learn to hold your tongue, especially when you are around a group of people who like to do nothing more than rip you apart piece by piece," Harry said, who like Hermione, was doing this magic wandlessly. "Harry, let her go. She's not worth it," Ginny whispered. Harry thought for a moment before he nodded and released the woman. He then looked over to Ron and motioned for him to speak to Hermione. "Mione let him go. He isn't worth pissing off the goblins over." "Miss Granger, please continue teaching the Malfoys this lesson. Lucius never seemed to have learned this lesson and neither have they. To see this has made my day," Ragnok said. Deciding to stop Hermione however he could, preferably before Draco died, Ron kissed her on the lips and poured all of the feelings he had for her into it. This distracted Hermione enough so that the spell which was slowly killing Draco released, allowing him to fall to the ground. After she broke the kiss, due to a lack of oxygen on her part, she burrowed into his Ron's chest and whimpered again, physically, emotionally, and magically exhausted. Ron gently picked her up and carried her to his chair where he sat down with her in his lap and spoke word of love into her ear. Once Ron was seated, Lord Ragnok spoke up out of concern. "Miss Granger, are you in need of medical care?" "No sir. I am just exhausted and doing that took a lot out of me. Does someone have any Pepper-Up Potion?" Lord Ragnok snapped his fingers and four potions appeared in front of Hermione. "Take them in order of size Miss Granger: A calming draught, followed by a Pepper-Up Potion, then a strengthening potion, and finally a magical restorative draught that only we goblins make." "Thank you sir," Hermione said as Ron started feeding her potions. Once Hermione had taken them all, Lord Ragnok spoke. "Am I to understand that Miss Granger's parents are dead?" "Yes sir," Ron said. "They will killed by Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione killed the sick bitch in retaliation. I have never seen magic like that performed before in my life. I think she could have given Professor Dumbledore a run for his money." Dumbledore nodded. It was an unknown fact that a witch under extreme duress could channel and use more magic than any wizard. "Very well; Miss Granger, please accept my condolences for your loss. I know that this has not fully hit you yet. When it does, please take the potions I will be sending with you today. Nothing against your St. Mungo's, but they often are forced to water down potions in order to make them last. These potions are the full strength versions." Lord Ragnok snapped his fingers again and a small trunk appeared in front of Hermione. It then shrank to the size of a deck of cards. Ron handed the potions to McGonagall, who had remained standing behind Hermione. She motioned for Severus to inspect the potions before moving to sit next to Nicholas Flamel, leaving the seat next to the Headmaster empty. After verifying the potions and pulling out another couple of potions from his robes and adding them the trunk, he shrunk the trunk again and handed it back to Ron, who put it in his pocket and then went back to holding Hermione. Ron nodded his thanks to the goblin leader who nodded back and carried on. "Miss Granger, your parents, Dr. and Dr. Granger, made a magical will very recently. Because of certain facts that will become apparent in the near future, Master Griphook and I handled their will and will handle their estate. We shall add their will reading to the list of items we must handle today since their will ties into Lord Black's." Hermione nodded, not paying a lot of attention. "Mrs. Malfoy, do you or your son require medical attention?" Master Griphook asked. "No. But we shall file a formal complaint with the Ministry of Magic and push for Miss Granger and Mr. Potter to be arrested and charged with assault," Narcissa said. "You can try, but you will find it very hard to accomplish, Human. Especially after Lord Black's will is read. I would recommend you shut up and do not speak or else I will allow Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to finish what they started. Miss Granger's magic will be recharged in a matter of minutes thanks to our potions and I am sure your son has given her enough reason to end the Malfoy Line. Let alone what Mr. Potter could do to you." Narcissa and Draco paled. "Now, if there is no further business, then we shall begin the reading of the will of Lord Sirius Orion Black." He picked up an official looking piece of parchment before starting. "Before we begin with the actual will reading, Lord Black asked that I read the following parchment, his will said it was a history lesson for those of you present. "-Upon the death of the previous Lord Black, Sirius Orion Black became Lord and Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black even though he was sent to Azkaban Prison without the benefit of a trial.-" "Excuse me Lord Ragnok, but I thought Sirius's parents disowned him?" Remus said. "It is alright Mr. Lupin. Many people thought that as well. Lord Black, upon his birth, was brought into Gringotts where we performed a ritual that made him Heir Apparent to the Ancient and Most House of Black. Once this ritual is complete, nothing, except death or the charge of line theft, can change the results of the ritual. "I would like to take this moment and explain that once it was revealed that Lord Black had inherited the title and power from his father, the Minister of Magic should have made sure that he had a trial before the Wizengamot. Unfortunately, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot is no longer entitled to this information thanks to a ritual eight hundred years ago when the offices Minister of Magic and Chief Warlock were held by one person for a short time. Because he was power hungry, he chose to combine the powers of the two offices temporarily. When the person in question perished, many of the powers and responsibilities did not return to their rightful positions thanks to poorly performed rituals." "So Sirius should have gotten a trial and it is all Fudge's fault," Harry said. "Yes." "Figures." "Yes, Fudge is incompetent, but that is a discussion another time." Lord Ragnok turned back to the letter in front of him. "-When Lady Potter gave birth to her son, she and Lord Potter brought their child here to undergo the same ritual that Lord Black underwent when he was an infant to make him Heir Apparent. Lord Black also performed the ritual on baby Harry, making him Sirius Black's Heir Apparent. When Lord Black became the Lord and Head of his family after his personal release from Azkaban, young Harry became the Heir Apparent of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black as well as Potter.-" "So, now that we have this history out the way, I give you the Last Will and Testament of Lord Sirius Orion Black." With a wave of his hand, the center of the table opened and a large pensieve rose. After it was in place, the torches in the room died down and an image appeared. -I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound mind and judgment hereby make this- -Last Will and Testament. All previous wills are null in void. First, I have- -placed Mr. Stephen Douglas and his law firm on retainer. Any legal problems- -regarding this Last Will and Testament should be handled through him and his- -law firm. They can be contacted through Master Griphook of Gringotts- -Wizarding Bank, London.- -So, now that bit is out of the way, lets get to business shall we? As- -Lord of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, I hereby dissolve the- -marriage of Narcissa Black-Malfoy and her Death Eater husband Lucius Draco- -Malfoy and declare any union between the two to be null in void. I also- -charge Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy of Attempted Line Theft by presuming that- -their child Draco Malfoy should be named as the next Lord Black. I also- -hereby declare that any children Narcissa is the mother of, shall have their- -Black Family Magic removed but that the child and mother still be bond to the- -Ancient and Most Noble House of Black as cast-offs.- There was a sudden flash of light from the pensieve as both Draco and Narcissa slumped over. Their Black Family Magic had been bonded. -So what does this mean? Well if he is in the room, you can see Draco is- -in pain because he is no longer a Malfoy or a Black. He is without a surname- -and family, though he is still bound to the Ancient and Most Noble House of- -Black to do no harm against the house or its members.- -Moving on, I hereby dissolve the marriage of Bellatrix Black-Lestrange- -and her Death Eater husband Rodolphus Lestrange and declare it to be null and- -void. I also charge them of Attempted Line Theft and that any children- -Bellatrix have their Black Family Magic removed.- Like before, there was a sudden flash of light from the pensieve then it went back to normal. -I hereby declare that Bellatrix Black, Narcissa Black be expelled from- -Most Noble and Ancient House of Black but remain bound to the orders of Lord- -Black for eternity.- Again, there was a sudden flash of light from the document then it went back to normal. -As Lord to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, I hereby declare- -Andromeda Black-Tonks, her husband Theodore `Ted' Tonks, and their Daughter- -Nymphadora Tonks be reinstated into the Black Family. I also formally- -recognize the Squib Line that descends from my Great Aunt Cassiopeia as- -members of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black with all the rights and- -privileges that go with it. At this time the remaining members of this line- -is the Granger Family consisting of Daniel Granger, his wife Emma Granger,- -and their only child Hermione Granger.- -As is my night as Lord Black, I declare that Hermione Granger, Andromeda- -Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks, receive all money and heirlooms they should- -rightfully have as daughters born to the House of Black. I also declare that- -Emma Granger shall receive the heirlooms and monies entitled to her by- -becoming daughter of the House of Black through marriage.- Instead of a sudden flash of light from the pensieve, there was soft red glow that encompassed Ted, Andromeda, Nymphadora and Hermione. After the glow faded, the three members of the Tonks family along with Hermione each wore a necklace bearing the Black Family Crest. Andromeda sobbed softly into her husband's shoulder, everyone heard her whisper, "Thank you Sirius, you have no idea what this means to me." Sirius chuckled and continued on. -Sorry everyone, I had to set right some wrongs that have been committed.- -Allowing Narcissa or Bellatrix to reproduce with their husbands is a major- -wrong as far as I am concerned. In Bellatrix's case it was because she is a- -lunatic. In Narcissa's case it is because her husband is an ass, a lunatic,- -and a fucking prick.- -That and I always was pissed that Andi was punished for following her- -heart and married Ted. Giving birth to Dora was just a really cool bonus.- -As for the Grangers, well when I learned the truth about who you are a few- -months ago, I knew I had to act. Not for your sakes Dan and Emma, but for- -Hermione's sake. If you want to more why, ask one of the Weasleys or- -Professors McGonagall or Dumbledore.- -So without further ado, here I go with the rest of my will.- -Firstly to Remus John Lupin; Moony my old friend, I know that you are- -depressed after losing me again. I can only say that I am sorry and that I- -will miss running with you during the Full Moon, even when I was locked up in- -Grimmauld Prison. Because I will not be there anymore to help you, I am- -leaving you 2 million galleons for the Wolfsbane potion.- -Stephen has already contacted a Potions Master and will make sure that- -the potion is delivered to you every month. I also leave you the Black- -Family House in Hogsmeade with another million galleons to fix it up. That- -should take you a few months to get fixed up. After you fix up the house I- -want to make sure you never have to worry about money again. So I am leaving- -you 10 million galleons.- -I know you hated when James and I paid for things, but I really don't- -care; you are my brother in everything but blood so deal with it and don't- -try to give it to Harry, he'll agree with me. He is James and Lily's son- -after all.- -Moony, I also leave you with my most precious procession; I name you as- -Harry's Godfather and ask that you take over his guardianship, just like how- -we talked about. Please look out for Prongs Jr. and help him with whatever- -he needs.- Remus just smiled, tears falling freely, "You win, you god damn flea bag." -To the remaining members of the Black Family, that means Andromeda, Ted,- -Dora, Dan, Emma, and Hermione: Andi, thank you for your unwavering belief in- -me and my innocence; as well as raising Dora not to believe all of the- -pureblood shit that we knew was false. I leave you 10 million galleons on- -top of whatever you were supposed to get by being a Black.- -Ted, you have the strongest handshake of anyone I have ever met, except- -for Hagrid. You keep my cousins safe and loved; to you I also leave 10- -million galleons as well as a crate of Jameson Whiskey, aged 75 years.- -Dora, my sweet Auror of a cousin. I love you like a little annoying- -sister and so I am going to give you some advice. Take the god damn werewolf- -that you love and snog his brains out! I know he loves you just as much as- -you love him; he is just shy and worried about his furry little problem.- -Like your mother, I leave you 10 million galleons on top of whatever you were- -supposed to get by being a Black.- -Dan and Emma; I did not know you well and for that I am sorry. However- -you have raised one of the smartest and bravest people I have ever met in- -either the muggle or magical worlds. She is also one of the two best friends- -Harry could ever have. Please accept 20 million galleons from the family- -trust and a small box of family jewelry.- -Hermione, I'll deal with you in a little bit. I want to handle the- -adults first. I promise there is no prank, for you at least not that I know- -of.- -Next on my list of the Weasley Family, and I am going to be this by age- -so deal with it. To Arthur and Molly, first off I want to say thank you for- -everything you have done to help not only me but for Harry too. You have- -loved Harry like a son and have done everything you can to help and nurture- -him as he has grown up.- -Arthur, you are a brave and loyal man. It has been my honor to meet you- -and get to know you. Molly, you and I have not always agreed on what is best- -for Harry, but your heart is always in the right place. If things were- -different I definitely would have been coming to you for advice while raising- -him.- -So that being said, I leave you 10 million galleons each plus 5 million- -galleons for renovations at The Burrow. I have also left instructions with- -the Black Family Account Manager to send out the best wardmasters and ward- -the Burrow with the best wards today. They will include the Animagus- -detection, Anti-Portkey, Apparition, and intruder wards as well as the next- -generation of offensive and defensive warding. Trust me, the Burrow will be- -safe. They are also constructing a decent Quidditch Pitch with rings and all- -of the safety and security charms and wards. I know Charlie was offered the- -starting seeker job for Puddlemere United and that Bill was offered a try out- -with the Irish National Team. With Ron wanting to play professionally as- -well, I thought why the hell not.- -Speaking of the elder children, Bill and Charlie Weasley you're up.- -Boys, I need you to do me a huge favor. Take care of your parents and watch- -out for ALL your siblings including Hermione and especially Harry. For some- -reason he can find trouble anytime and anywhere. I personally think he gets- -it from Lily. James was a perfect child and never got in trouble.- Everyone could hear Dumbledore, Remus, Snape, and McGonagall muttering "BULLSHIT" under their breaths while everyone else openly laughed. -Bill, I leave you 10 million galleons plus an additional 5 million for- -your marriage to a certain woman... Charlie, you get the same thing, 10- -million galleons plus an additional 5 million for you if you ever marry a- -woman, NOT A DRAGON!! I doubt you will, but who knows. There is no clause- -for the two of you to receive the money, except for the marriage bit. I- -thought about doing something, but I decided against it. I personally like- -Bill's long hair and I wanted Molly to be able to curse me one more time.- Everyone laughed at this truth while Sirius continued. -To Percival; first off I know the truth about you and I say that the- -sorting was right when you were placed in Gryffindor. It just took a few- -years for it to come out. Percy, please enjoy life, and pull the stick out- -of your ass before you go and find out what Penelope Clearwater is doing.- -By the way, Miss Clearwater works at St. Mungo's and will be receiving an- -invitation to dinner from you for tomorrow night at 8:00pm. The dinner- -reservation is already made and is at the Savoy in Muggle London. You have- -an appointment at 3pm tomorrow with my tailor for a new Armani Suit.- -With that said, settle down with a good woman (Miss Clearwater), and give- -you mother grandchildren. With this in mind, take 10 million galleons. By- -the way, you're welcome and if I were you, I'd tell her everything. I know- -she knows about you being a spy, but you might want to tell her how much you- -really love her.- Percy was sitting there gobsmacked. He wanted to thank Sirius, but had no idea how to do it except to go on this date. -Fred and George Weasley, trouble makers extraordinaire, I leave you- -copies of my notes on pranks and also 25 million galleons. It's 10 million- -each and 5 million for materials that you'll need for the shop. Also, there- -is clause to this, and Molly I give you permission to hug Harry in my stead- -and kiss McGonagall for this because it was her idea; you both have to return- -to Hogwarts this summer and take your NEWTs in Charms, Potions,- -Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Arithmancy and earn at- -least `Exceed Expectations' in these subjects. I know how smart you are- -thanks to seeing the notes you thought you hid in your room this past- -summer. Also, if you earn `Outstandings' in all of your NEWTs, you will- -receive the deed to #93 Diagon Alley and the flat above it plus 5 million- -galleons to get the placed fixed up.- Molly leapt to her feet, ran around the table and hugged Harry tightly before kissing Minerva and Albus's cheeks before returning to her seat. Fred and George shook their heads as Charlie handed Bill ten galleons for the bet he lost. -Next on my list is Ron Weasley. Ron thank you for being Harry's best- -friend; I know he may be moody and depressing at times, but thank you for- -being there for him, I even forgive you for not believing him during the- -Tri-Wizard Tournament because I didn't believe him at first either. Once I- -had calmly talked with him, I realized he was telling me the truth.- -Ron, I leave you with some advice and some money of course; first, take- -some extra time and think before you say anything. It is not a race, and you- -may find that you get better results if you think before you speak. To help- -with this I leave you a book I received from Remus, How Not to Stick Your- -Foot in Your Mouth.- -Next and I know anyone who has seen you at meal can understand this, SLOW- -THE FUCK DOWN WHEN YOU EAT! THE FOOD ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE!!! I understand- -living with 5 older brothers makes you horde food, but please it is- -disgusting, and coming from me that is saying something. Besides, I think- -that a certain someone would appreciate it if you didn't look like a pig.- -To help you transition from the current Ron to more refined Ron I leave- -you a unique pensieve; it is called an absorption pensieve. You view memory- -extracts and then absorb them. I am including abstracts covering many- -different fields including dancing, proper study habits, and etiquette.- -Please do not angry get with me Ron, because I am already dead and it is not- -healthy to hate the dead. Plus I was worse then you are until I received a- -similar gift from Harry's Grandparents. So from one best friend of a Potter- -to another, enjoy them.- -Also all the men under 30 years old, this means Bill, Charlie, Percy,- -Fred, George, Ron, and Harry, are receiving the same thing, I forgot to- -mention it before hand. Now Ron, this pensieve will also play a large part- -in the last 2 pieces of advice I leave for you so listen closely to what I am- -going to tell you. First, you need to view the first abstract before you do- -anything else. It will explain how to complete something very important. I- -won't say anymore, but trust me.- -Now that you understand that hint, please put as all out of our misery- -and ask Hermione to go out with you. I don't care if you have to beg, do- -it. You both like each other; we all now it, you know it, so please do it- -before someone snags her up and I lose 10,000 galleons to Kingsley and Dora- -on the bet I made. This leads to my last piece of advice before I move on,- -pun intended.- -Ron, you are a very noble and strong person, you are unique and do not- -need to live up to ANY ONE! Not Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Harry,- -or anyone else. That said, you do have 2 major character flaws, don't worry- -most Gryffindors have the same ones, and they are tied together, your- -jealousy and your temper. Just think everything out before you do something- -rash. Read the book and view and the memories I left for you, trust me on- -this. Also, do not be jealous of other people because of what they have or- -who they are.- -Normally if someone is rich, then their life is not the bed of roses that- -you think it is. They are normally friendless, loveless, and mean to other- -people. Or else they are like Draco Malfoy and are spoiled so rotten that no- -one wants to be friends with them anyway. Remember, you are richer then most- -people in the world because of your loving family. That said, I also leave- -you 10 million galleons, and no you may not go out and buy a new broom. The- -Weasleys are all getting new brooms from me so save your money. Just- -remember an old saying I heard a long time ago, `Money does not buy you- -happiness.' Also I leave 5 million galleons for when you get married to- -Hermione.- -Now I have dealt with all the all the male Weasleys I need to move onto- -the seventh Weasley child and the only female Weasley in 7 generations,- -Ginevra Molly Weasley. Ginny, thank you for talking to me while we spent the- -summer together in my parents old home; you gave me something that I have- -craved since I was thrown in Azkaban, Harry's life story.- -Take good care of him for me and please accept 10 million galleons to- -spend on anything you want. I am also leaving you an absorption pensieve- -with abstracts covering many different fields. Mr. Douglas has a letter to- -you that I wrote please read it later when you're alone.- -Hermione Jane Granger, bookworm extraordinaire, best friend of Harry- -Potter, and daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black; thank you- -for being Harry's best friend; I know he may be moody and depressed, but- -thank you for all always being there for him. I am glad you cared enough for- -his safety to report the Firebolt to Professor McGonagall though I must say- -that if I wanted to off someone, I would never use a broom.- -I feel that now is the time for an explanation, as you heard earlier, I- -officially recognized your family as members of House of Black. This means- -that your family is protected by many different laws including laws in both- -the muggle and magical world. You are also entitled to a dowry and a- -personal expense account from the House of Black. The personal vault is- -yours to do with as you wish and the dowry vault is for when you get married.- -You are also entitled to some of the jewelry from the family vault.- -Now you'll notice that your parents did not get the dowry or the personal- -vaults that is because you are descended from the Black Family through your- -father. Men in the family use the main vault, sorry. So welcome to the- -family and do me a favor, be the sister that Harry needs and remember to- -embarrass the hell out of him as often as possible.- -So with the history lesson over with, I can get to your share of the good- -stuff. Hermione, I leave you with some advice and some money; first, take- -into consideration that some of your friends are not bookworms like you are.- -So try not to harp on them so much about doing homework. Also, you need to- -remember that all work and no play make people very cranky, including you.- -Just ask anyone in Gryffindor Tower, or the Hogwarts Library, hell all of- -Hogwarts knows how cranky you get. Forge and Gred thought it was just your- -time of the month.- -To help you with this situation, I leave you a book I received from Lily,- -Harry's mom, How Not to Stress Yourself Out By Studying Too Hard. Lily used- -this book and received 13 NEWTs while James got 10, Remus 12, and I got 8. I- -am also leaving you an absorption pensieve with abstracts covering many- -different areas of life and magic including dancing, proper study habits,- -Magical Law, a Complete History of House Elves, Centaurs, and other Magical- -Creatures as well other lessons that I will not mention here, but just trust- -me, you'll enjoy them. Oh and Ginny, you get the same lessons.- -Next, Hermione in the name of Merlin, please do us all a favor and ask- -Ron out if he doesn't ask you soon. You both like each other, we know it,- -you know it, so please do it before Harry or Ginny hex you both since I am- -not there to do it myself. This leads to my last piece of advice, Hermione,- -you need to think a little bit less with brain and more with your heart. The- -mistakes we learn in life are sometimes the most important lessons you will- -ever learn.- -That said I also leave you 10 million galleons beyond what you are- -entitled to as a daughter of the House of Black as well as a complete copy of- -the books in the Black Family Library. Some of these are in parseltongue so- -I also leave you a potion that will make you into a parselmouth, just like- -Harry.- -To Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Filius- -Flitwick I leave you all copies of books that are in the Black Family- -Library. Each set of books relates directly to your field of study. Also to- -each of you I leave 10 million galleons and the Parseltongue potion. Albus- -your collection of books is a complete set of all the books from the Black- -Library. Please feel free to copy any of the books your want for your other- -professors.- Albus's eyes twinkled wildly. Even though he did have many books, the Black Family collection was quite extensive and would be a great asset to the school and for his plans on teaching Harry. -Minerva, besides the Transfiguration books, I also leave you with 2- -special books. The first is The Marauder's Guide to Becoming An Animagus.- -It includes all the notes on our Animagus experience along with notes about- -Moony's transformations. The second book is an idea we had all bounced- -around when Lily was pregnant with Harry. The Marauder's Guide to Hogwarts:- -Everything You Need to Know-From the Astronomy Tower to the Dungeons.- -We were going to give it to Harry and any of the other Marauder kids- -before they went to Hogwarts. It includes a complete history about all four- -houses, including Quidditch Cups, House Cups, who the Head of Houses are,- -where the dorms are, who all the Hogwarts Ghosts are, etc. This way they- -would know where everything is including the bathrooms. It also explains- -what courses are offered and if any prerequisites are required for the- -class.- -We included our own comments on the professors, classes and Hogwarts in- -general and charmed it to be self updating so it is current as of right now.- -I thought it might be a good starting spot for an official book for all first- -years, some sort of a personal guidebook.- Minerva was weeping at the amount of work the Marauders put in their books. She vowed to make sure every student in the school had a copy. -To Filius Flitwick I also give you a book, The Marauder's: Charms for Fun- -and Stress Relief. It is a book covering a number of charms we used to help- -us with everyday life inside the castle and out. These included charms that- -made our trunks shrink and grow without our wands, to the hangover charm we- -used on Frank Longbottom, to the charm James placed on the Quidditch Pitch to- -make sure anyone who fell off their broom would land safely. I know this- -last one wore off by the time Harry arrived at School. Please feel free to- -recast it ASAP. Also in the book is the theory and research Lily did.- -To Severus Snape I want to first apologize for everything we did to you- -when we were younger. After Harry talked to Remus and me about the memory he- -saw I realized what I did to you and how it had affected not only Harry, but- -many other people.- -I leave you copies of all the Black Family potion books including a copy- -of the Family recipe book; you'll understand it when you see it. I am also- -giving you my copy of --_A Marauder's Guide to Potion Making_--. As you- -know, Lily and I were very good at potions, use it well.- -I am also giving you three extra vials of the Parseltongue potion so that- -you can examine it and possibly make more. Finally I leave you with a little- -bit of advice, first off Harry is not James. He has no memory of what we did- -to you. As Molly has reminded me on many an occasion he may look like James- -but he is not James.- -My second piece of advice is to remember that as a professor, you have a- -unique opportunity to help shape the next generation of Witches and Wizards.- -Teach them what you know, help them meet their potential. When you one day- -leave onto the next great adventure, who will carry on the exact science of- -potion making?- After the discussion he had with Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor when he was summoned to the Headmaster's Office, Severus knew he needs to make amends. -Too bad he had to get the last word though. Bastard!- -Now, as for the last piece business here today, I Sirius Orion Black,- -Lord and Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, declare that Harry- -James Potter, my godson and Heir Apparent, undergo the Ancient Goblin Ritual- -of Inheritance within the same day that my Last Will and Testament be read.- -I also leave him everything else that I have not given away.- -This includes the family home in London, the houses and flats around the- -world, the Private Island in Bermuda, the Heirlooms, junk and money left over- -as well as Black Castle in Yorkshire. As of the time when I made this will- -you should have over 20 billion galleons still in the family vaults plus all- -of the stock and businesses my family owned in the muggle and magical world.- -This does not include the special vaults for Dora, Andromeda and Hermione.- -Griphook is the senior account executive for the Black Family, so- -schedule a meeting with him as soon as you can. You are also receiving an- -absorption pensieve; your abstracts are a complete set of everything that the- -others have as well as some on the operation of our government.- -This leads me to the next item on my list; you are now the Head of the- -Black Family and will officially receive your Lordship after the Ritual of- -Inheritance. It is nothing to worry about, but I had a rather large bet with- -Griphook and I am curious to see what else you inherit.- -Now, as for being the lord and head of the family, there are a number of- -things that you are entitled to do, firstly you are now considered an adult.- -Yes that means no more underage restrictions on magic. Next, all marriages- -involving members of the family must be approved by you with the exception of- -Andi and Ted Tonks since I approved it in my will as the final act as Lord- -Black. You also have the power to disband marriages, declare contracts null- -in void, make someone a member and disown a member of the House of Black.- -You also have three seats on the Wizengamot. The first one is the Black- -Family seat which is also one of the seats on the council of twelve, which- -you should already know about, but if you slept through Binns' class like I- -did, you need a refresher so use the pensieve I left you. Anyway, the two- -other seats are the Lestrange Seat and the Malfoy Seat and on top of that,- -you are also now the Head of the Houses of Malfoy and Lestrange thanks to an- -old contract that was broken when Rodolphus and Lucius killed a person in- -cold blood and enjoyed it. If you want details, ask Griphook. Finally as- -the head of the family, you control all wards and properties owned by the- -House of Black and it's now lesser houses meaning Malfoy and Lestrange.- -Finally Harry I offer you some advice to you. Be nice and give Draco and- -Narcissa a place to live somewhere outside of England and some money. If you- -want, Griphook already has the information ready and they can leave at once- -for their safety. Up until she married Lucius, I always liked Cissy. They- -are collateral damage in this war, and I want like to see them taken care- -of. If they ever clean up their act, you can bring them back into the- -family.- -Next, unless you killed me yourself, MY DEATH WAS NOT YOUR FAULT! Ok,- -now that's out of my system, you need to learn to love. It was the one thing- -I never did and after seeing your mum and dad together I wish I had. Finally- -enjoy life, beat Voldemort and never forget I Love You.- As the image of Sirius faded, the torches relit and everyone looked around. There were many teary ears and a number of blank faces. "This concludes the reading of Mr. Black's Last Will and Testament; if there is anything you need regarding the legal side of this will; please feel free to contact Mr. Douglas at his law firm. Bastards," he said to Draco and Narcissa. "As per the former Lord Black's Last Will and Testament, you are now without family and money. As you have no family, there is no recourse for you except for Mr. Potter's gratitude. Mr. Potter, do you wish to, as your godfather suggested and -`Be nice to Narcissa and Draco no surname'-?" "Master Griphook, may I see the file you have prepared for this contingency," Harry said. As he read the file, Harry nodded a few times and shook his head a few times. Along the way, he conjured a quill crossed out a few items and rewrote a few others, never once seeing the shocked looks of everyone at his ease with wandless, wordless, and gesture less conjuring. Finally Harry looked up from the file and turned to Draco and Narcissa. "Alright, here is the deal and you had better understand exactly what I expect from the two of you. First off, you will make unbreakable vows with me that you will not serve Voldemort, his supporters, or any future dark wizard. You will also avoid the dark arts at all cost except to defend yourself and while in school. In return for this, I am prepared to help you start over." With Dumbledore and Flamel as the binders, Draco and Narcissa made their unbreakable vows. It was a testament to them that they agreed so easily that they were not dark, they had just did whatever they could to survive living underneath Lucius' thumb for so many years. "Alright, here is the plan: I am ready to send you away to the United States of America, to the city Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is quiet and far away from any of the bigger magical areas that might have someone from your past waiting for you. Now, the house I am letting you use is the home that Sirius bought for the two of you in case you wanted out. It is a nice home in the magical community there. Draco, you will attend the Pacific Institute of Magic and travel there via portkey everyday since they do not have on campus housing. You are required to participate in Quidditch and other school activities and maintain an Exceeds Expectations level in all of your classes. Also, you will have weekly sessions with a mind healer from the USDM, both of you will, actually. "Narcissa, you will be required to work. The days of living off your ancestors has come to an end. Sirius set you up to teach Advanced Charms, Runes, and Arithmancy through an extension program through the Pacific Institute of Magic to the United States Department of Magic Personnel. The USDM will be made aware of your location and your previous ties with Voldemort and Dark Wizards and you will be monitored for usage of the Dark Arts and contact with anyone from England or known Dark Wizards. "At Sirius' request, your information will be listed as Narcissa Grey and Draco Grey. Sirius set you up with one thousand galleons; I have decided to change that to fifty-thousand galleons each to invest for the future. Narcissa, I know all about you and your time at Hogwarts and how you, Andy, and Sirius played when you were younger. I do not believe you are a bad person, just... misguided, along with your son. "Though understand this, if I ever come across either of you again serving Voldemort or getting into any trouble, even if it is a parking ticket, I will kill you on the spot. Do you understand?" "Yes," Draco and Narcissa answered. "Good. Master Griphook, if you would please escort them to their portkey. Oh and make sure they get their new possessions, especially their absorption pensieves." With that Draco and Narcissa left the room. Chapter 4 "That was very well handled Mr. Potter. I know for a fact that while they may have been annoying, neither of them is dark. They are both products of their fathers. But that is in the past, and we must move forward. As per Mr. Black's will we have moved the proper galleons and possessions to the proper vaults. Anyone who did not have a vault must sign some paperwork; these people will be Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Ginevra Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, and Mr. Remus Lupin for your Wolfsbane account and your home maintenance account." Griphook passed out the proper documentation to the correct parties who quickly reviewed them and signed them. Gringotts considered 15 years old to be the legal age for a witch or wizard to own their account. After receiving and verifying all the paperwork was in order Griphook then passed out the new keys. "Mrs. Tonks, Miss Tonks, and Miss Granger, we also have the Black Family personal and dowry accounts to handle. I just need your signatures on these documents as well as three drops of blood from of you. This bonds you to your personal vaults, dowry vaults, and access to all Black Holdings except for the main family vaults. "As per Black Family decree when the account was created, any female child who is born to a member of the Black Family shall be given a dowry vault and a personal vault. Each account shall start with 100,000 galleons and grow by 10,000 galleons a year until they marry. Mrs. Tonks, your dowry and personal vaults now contain 5,600,000 galleons each. As per Black Family decree, Mr. Tonks was to receive the dowry vault upon your marriage. Since you are already married, would you both like to add contents of these two vaults to your existing vault?" "Yes please Master Griphook and thank you for you efforts." "Miss Tonks, your dowry and personal vaults now contain 2,700,000 galleons. If you wish, I can have your personal vault transferred to your existing vault." Dora merely nodded. "As per Black Family decree, your dowry vault will remain off limits until your marriage. Miss Granger, now that you have a vault of your own from the primary inheritance, would you like a separate vault opened for your allowance from the Black Family or have it added to your new vault?" "Just add them all together and Master Griphook, please make it a large vault, I have a bad feeling that I am going to be getting more blood money when my parents' wills are read," Hermione said. "As you wish, Miss Granger; your new vault now contains ten million one hundred seventy thousand galleons. Like Miss Tonks, your dowry vault is off limits to you until you are married. It currently contains 170,000 galleons." "Very well," Hermione said. She was not paying a lot of attention to what was happening around her. "Mr. Potter, we need to discuss the Black Family Estate along with a few other matters regarding members of your family. Would you like to conclude all of these matters at once?" Lord Ragnok asked. Harry thought for a moment, -I would like to get everything settled.- "Lord Ragnok, Master Griphook yes I would, providing that I am not interfering with you earning profits." "It is no problem. Severus Snape, I must ask you to leave at this time," Griphook said. "As you are not a member of the family, you cannot remain. Mr. Shacklebolt, Madam Bones, I must ask the same of you too." "Very well," Snape said as he rose. "Professor?" Harry called out. "Yes Potter." "I am sorry for what my dad and Sirius did to you. No one deserves it. I also want you to know that it must hurt you to know where your godson is and that you cannot see him. For that I am sorry, because I know how it feels to be able to see my godfather." Snape looked at Harry for a moment before answering. "Potter... Harry, you are not your father. You may look like him and you may be arrogant, but you have earned that arrogance in what you have faced. I am sorry for the way I have treated you. I vow to do better." He then turned to Dumbledore, "I shall return to Hogwarts and continue on my potions that I left." "Your possessions are waiting for you at the front counter Mr. Snape. Good day," Griphook said then turned to the other two who were leaving. "Madam Bones, Mr. Shacklebolt, thank you being witnesses to the reading of this will. You were specifically requested by Lord Black." "The honor is ours. I must return to the office and start the paperwork to clear Sirius's name. Would it be possible to get a copy of anything you have regarding him being the Secret Keeper for the Potters?" "Of course; it shall be in your office by the time you return," Griphook said. After they left, Griphook spoke again. "Mr. Potter, I must say that are you truly your mother's son. She was one of the most compassionate humans I have ever met, just like you are. You are a rare wizard indeed." Ragnok agreed. "Indeed, but let us return to business. Mr. Potter, first off, I want to explain what is left to do here today. Before you claim the Lordship of over your families, we need to perform an ancestral tree ritual which will show what families you are descended from what other inheritances you are entitled to." "What do I need to do?" "Simply place seven drops of blood into this inkwell. Once it is done, ancient magic will take over from there," Lord Ragnok said. Harry did as he was asked and placed seven drops of blood into the inkwell Ragnok provided. Once the blood was mixed with whatever was inside it, the peacock quill that Ragnok had placed on the parchment rose dipped itself into the inkwell and began to write on the parchment. It first wrote Harry's name first at the top of the page, with a double golden line connecting to Ginny's name which was to the left of his own. To the right of his name and one line lower was Sirius' name which was connected by a dotted silver line. A solid black line connected Harry's name to his parents' names which were below Harry's; from there it went on to include his ancestry. The quill wrote for five minutes, when it stopped, the ink faded away and showed a small summary of any inheritances and Lordships he was entitled to. *Harry James Potter* _Heir Apparent_ Ancient and Most Noble House of Dumbledore _Unclaimed Lordship_ Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black, Potter/Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin _Unclaimed Lordships_ Noble House of Flamel Houses of Malfoy and Lestrange (Defunct) through House of Black _Wizengamot Seats_ Ancient and Most Noble House of Black* Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter/Gryffindor* Ancient and Most Noble House of Hufflepuff Ancient and Most Noble House of Ravenclaw Ancient and Most Noble House of Slytherin* Noble House of Flamel *Is a seat on the Council of Twelve of Great Britain _Unclaimed Titles_ High Lord of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry High Lord of the Council of Twelve of Great Britain _Bonds_ Soul-bond to Ginevra Molly Potter nee Weasley Animal Familiar: Hedwig Family Bond: Ancient and Most Noble House of Dumbledore, Noble House of Weasley, Granger Family, Lupin Family, Tonks Family After reviewing the parchment, Ragnok muttered a spell in gobblygook, making five copies of the parchment. He then took the original and rolled it up and placed it on top of an ornate box that Ragnok had brought in and placed on the conference table. The parchment flashed white and disappeared. The top of the box now contained the Family Crests of Black, Dumbledore, Flamel, Potter/Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Lestrange, Malfoy, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin as well as the Hogwarts Crest. All of the Crests were in full color except for Malfoy and Lestrange, which were only outlined with a black diagonal line across them. Once the Crests appeared, Lord Ragnok turned to Harry and Ginny, who both wore brand new rings on their left ring fingers. Ragnok knew what they were; they were the visual proof of their soul-bond. The rings, which were wedding rings, were a part of their skin and could never be removed. "Mr. Potter, this box contains the family signet rings and the appropriate matching ring for your mate. You and Ginevra Molly Potter nee Weasley are now considered married in the magical and muggle world thanks to the soul-bond you have recently completed. For confirmation, please look at your left ring fingers. Those rings were created by the magic of your soul-bond and I am certain that no one can ever take them off. "Now be aware, once either of you place a ring on your finger, it can never be taken off by anyone other than yourself. Each ring that are Mr. Potter's, except for the Heir's Ring, are Family Signet Rings. Mrs. Potter, your rings will be the ladies' ring. These rings will allow you to control everything associated with that family as well as unlock the magic of that particular family within you. "Finally, this box will also serve as the official mail delivery service from Gringotts Bank. If this box is ever lost or stolen, the box and the contents will appear on my desk immediately," Ragnok said. "At this time, I would like you take these rings and place on them on the fingers that I tell you to. First please take this ring, it is the Heir's Ring from the Ancient and Most Noble House of Dumbledore and place it on your left index finger. Mrs. Potter, there is no corresponding ladies' ring for you." Harry turned to his Headmaster and looked him in the eye. "Why am I the Heir Apparent of your house sir?" Dumbledore, who had remained very quiet up to this point looked Harry in the eye and spoke in calm tone. "Because when I told you that I cared for you too much, I meant it. James Potter was not only my godson, but the son of my friend. When you came to Hogwarts and I began to watch you, I could not help but love you like the grandson fate stole from me. So I contacted Gringotts and declared that you would be my heir. As your magical guardian at the time, you did not need to undergo another ritual." Harry was shocked at Dumbledore's actions. The man really cared and Harry could feel that he cared. Harry got up from his chair went over to Dumbledore and hugged him tightly. Both men had tears in their eyes. "I am so sorry Harry. I have wronged you in ways that I can never begin correct. I can only beg for your forgiveness," Dumbledore muttered. "I do forgive you, sir." "Good. For the record, William and Ginevra beat me to the punch in retrieving you. I would have done it a few hours later with Nicholas' help." "It's alright. It is in the past," Harry said. "I should get back to Lord Ragnok." Dumbledore released Harry and nodded. "My apologies Lord Ragnok," Harry said. "I am ready to continue." Harry took the ring and placed it on the correct finger. When he did, he felt a jolt of energy pass through his body and settle where he knew his magical core was. Seeing that the ring was in place, Ragnok continued. "Mr. Potter, this ring is the Black Family Signet Ring; place it on your left middle finger. Mrs. Potter, please do the same with yours." Molly finally had enough "Ginny don't!" Molly screamed but was ignored as both her and Harry placed the rings on their fingers. The magic that was released caused a silver aura to form around both of them before the magic entered and settled into their cores. "Molly. They are soulmates; their very souls and magic are now bonded. They cannot be separated, even if they wanted to be," Dumbledore said. "But they are just children!" Molly said jumping up from her chair. Ragnok had enough and used his magic to forcibly place Molly back into her seat. "Mrs. Weasley, speak or try and get up again and I will be forced to detain you. Their soul-bonding has been foretold since the time of Merlin. Remember that a soul-bond cannot be forged be anything other than true love between two people. Unlike wedding bonds that can be made while one of the people is under the effects of love potions. Do not cross me madam. You will not like the results." Molly shrank back into her seat, trying not to make a sound. Arthur looked at his wife for a moment before turning back to Harry. "Now moving on, Lord and Lady Black, the next set of rings belongs to the dishonored and defunct Houses of Malfoy and Lestrange. They are to be worn on the same finger as the Black Family Ring. These rings will merge with the Black Ring. With these rings, all Malfoy and Lestrange holding, properties, vaults, businesses, etc, will belong to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black as the senior house." They as they were told and watched as the rings were absorbed by the Black Family Ring. Like the other rings they put on, magic settled into their cores, but there were no auras, this was because the families were defunct and dishonored. However Harry now knew exactly where all of Lucius' secret storerooms were. With a mental command, he ordered all of the Malfoy and Lestrange Properties to seal them selves until Harry could inspect them. "Next are the rings of the Noble House of Flamel. This ring will go on your right middle ring." This time there was an orange aura that surrounded Harry and Ginny. For the first time, there was also a physical change to them. Both of their bodies began to grow in height and muscle. "This is a common occurrence when dealing with distant families like this. When the magic within the rings merged with your magic, it caused some of the dominant traits of family to come out as well as caused your body to adjust to the new amount of magic that is now within it, hence the growth spurt. Continuing on, Lord and Lady Black-Flamel, the next rings are from the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter/Gryffindor. This is your primary family and will go on your right ring finger." Harry and Ginny put on the rings and watched in amazement as they were both wrapped in Gryffindor Red auras with hints of gold. Ginny's hair turned brighter red and Harry's turned even blacker. They both also grew a few more inches and added more muscle. "Excellent. Lord and Lady Potter-Gryffindor-Black-Flamel, the next rings are those of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. These rings are to be worn on your right ring finger and shall merge with the Potter/Gryffindor ring." Harry and Ginny took the rings, first Hufflepuff, the Ravenclaw, and finally Slytherin. After the rings were in place, the rings merged with the Potter/Gryffindor ring, creating a new ring with the Hogwarts Crest with a red phoenix behind it. The power released knocked the wind out of Harry and Ginny for a moment. Their auras flared with the colors of the four Hogwarts Houses before settling down. Their bodies also changed dramatically. No longer was either of them short anymore, Harry was now almost pushing 6'3" and Ginny 5'11" and both had eyes that twinkled, much the same way Dumbledore did. Harry had removed his glasses and saw that he saw better without them. "Excellent. Lord and Lady Potter-Gryffindor-Black-Flamel-Hufflepuff- Ravenclaw-Slytherin, It has been many years since a consolidation of magic and power of this magnitude has happened in England. You are now the most powerful couple economically, politically, and terms of magic in Magical Britain," Ragnok said. "Lord Ragnok, there is one more thing, which will seal their magic and finish the transformations they have started. Harry, I want you to call the Sword of Gryffindor to you. You know how to do it, just think," Nicholas said. Harry thought for a moment before he stood up and raised his right hand and willed the sword to appear. The moment the sword appeared, four ethereal figures, which had remained out view of everyone in the room removed their traveling cloaks and stood behind Harry and Ginny. "I, Salazar Slytherin, give you all that I was and all that I am." He placed his hands on both of their shoulders before he dissolved into a ball of green light and hovered over the couple. "I, Rowena Ravenclaw, give you all that I was and all that I am." She copied Slytherin's action and dissolved into a ball of blue light and joined the green orb above the couple. "I, Helga Hufflepuff, give you all that I was and all that I am." She copied Slytherin and Ravenclaw's action and dissolved into a ball of yellow light and joined the other orbs above the couple. "I, Godric Gryffindor, give you all that I was and all that I am." He too copied the other founder's actions and dissolved into a ball of red light and joined the other orbs above the couple. The four orbs merged into a white orb and descended into Harry and Ginny. When the white aura faded, Harry and Ginny Potter were standing wearing dress robes of Gryffindor Red with silver, gold, black, and bronze highlights. On their hips were scabbards containing swords. Harry's was the Sword of Gryffindor and Ginny's was Gwendolyn Gryffindor's sword. "The four founders have now given you all of their magic, memories, knowledge, power, and abilities. This will aid you in your pursuit to defeat Tom Riddle. By doing this, the Founders will never again be able to return to this plane of existence," Perenelle said to Harry and Ginny who were checking each other out. "Thank you for the information Madam Flamel," Ginny said. "You are welcome Lady Gryffindor. Unfortunately, Nicholas and I must depart as well. We have been on this plane of existence for far too long." "Six hundred and eighty four years is long enough to remain here. Before my wife and I depart, remember that death is indeed the next great adventure and that you are all family, and family stays together," Nicholas said to the assembled group. "Albus, it has been a pleasure being your master, then your colleague, and always your friend. Learn to forgive yourself and trust those around you. Lord and Lady Gryffindor, it has been a pleasure and honor to watch over you and give you all that we acquired while on Earth. Be happy, be true, and love each other. Also, view the contents of the pensieve in our vault with Albus, Minerva, Ronald, and Hermione; there are answers to many of your questions there. "Until we meet again during the Next Great Adventure," Nicholas said as he stood, wrapped his arms around his wife and together they dissolved into an orb of white light and disappeared. The room was quiet for a few minutes before Lord Ragnok, who had been rendered speechless, spoke. "Griphook, fetch the Last Will and Testament of Daniel and Emma Granger. Lord and Lady Black need to be present for the will reading. Because of the status of Miss Granger as a youth, the head of her family needs to be present." The goblin bowed and left the room. Chapter 5 After Griphook left, Lord Ragnok spoke to Harry. "Lord Potter, Griphook is the Estate Manager for the Black, Flamel, and Potter Families. With your permission, I shall order him to take over all of your other accounts including the Hogwarts accounts. They have been handled by the Ministry of Magic's Goblin Liaison Officer for the last one hundred years. As you are now the High Lord of Hogwarts, I would recommend that someone else handle the accounts because the Goblin Liaison Officer is, to be frank, an idiot." "Then please have Master Griphook take over all of my accounts. I also want a top to bottom review of all my accounts. I want to know if anyone has been stealing from me. Please pay special attention to the Potter Estate, which should have remained inactive until my 11th birthday and then only small withdrawals. As for who has been using the Hogwarts and Black accounts, I am not sure." "Of course Lord Gryffindor, Master Griphook shall now handle the Black, Flamel, and Potter Estates and all of the Hogwarts Accounts." Ragnok took three files from the goblin that had just entered and the room after confirming what they were, turned to speak to Harry. "It will take a few days to get all of the information on the Flamel Estate together due to the fact the Lord Nicholas had spread his wealth all throughout the world. Until then, here is a detailed break down of Black and Potter Estates as well as the Hogwarts accounts for you to review." The goblin handed over three folders; one had the Gryffindor/Potter Family Crest on it, a second had Black Family Crest on it and the last being the Hogwarts Crest. Harry opened the Black family folder first while Griphook returned and prepared the reading of the Grangers' Will: -_*Black Family Assets*_- -_*Cash on Hand in Vaults 21, 23, 25, 188, *_- -23 billion galleons, 300 sickles, and 34 knuts- -_*Dowry Vault for Nymphadora Tonks*_- -2,700,000 galleons with 10,000 galleons added per year- -_*Dowry Vault for Hermione Granger*_- -1,700,000 galleons with 10,000 galleons added per year- -_*Personal Vault for Nymphadora Tonks*_- -2,700,000 galleons with 10,000 galleons added per year- -_*Personal Vault for Hermione Granger*_- -1,700,000 galleons with 10,000 galleons added per year- -_*Personal Properties*_- -Black Home, London (Location Unknown due to Fidelius Charm)- -Black Castle, Yorkshire- -Flat Knockturn Alley, London- -Flat, Muggle London- -Flat, New York City, America- -Beachfront Home, New Orleans, America- -Ranchero Buenos Aires, South America- -Flat, Tokyo, Japan- -Estate, Versailles, France- -_*Investments**_- -_*Rental Properties*_- -Number 33, Diagon Alley London-100 Galleons per month- -Number 87, Diagon Alley London-75 Galleons per month- -Flat above 33 through out Diagon Alley-40 Galleons per month- -Flat above 83 through out Diagon Alley-30 Galleons per month- -Zonko's Joke Shop Building, Hogsmeade-70 Galleons per month- -Madam Puddifoot's Building, Hogsmeade-70 Galleons per month- -Yearly Income from Rental Properties-5,460 Galleons- -_*Stocks-Magical*_- -Nimbus Broom Company 35%- -Daily Prophet News Corp. 35%- -Zonko's Joke Shop 20% - -Firebolt Company 40%- -Madam Maulkin's Robes For All Occasions 15%- -Yearly Stock Dividends from Magical Stocks-240 million Galleons- -_*Stocks-Muggle*_- -Microsoft Corp. 30,000 shares- -The Walt Disney Company 20,000 shares- -British Airways 10,000 shares- -Virgin Inc. 10,000 shares- -Mutual Funds 3.5millions pounds sterling- -Last Year's Yearly Stock Dividends from Muggle Stocks: 10,645,842 Galleons- -Total Investment Income per year: 250,651,302 Galleons- -_*Expenses***_- -Dowry Vault for Nymphadora Tonks-10,000 galleons per year- -Dowry Vault for Hermione Granger-10,000 galleons per year- -Personal Vault for Nymphadora Tonks-10,000 galleons per year- -Personal Vault for Hermione Granger-10,000 galleons per year- -Maintenance of Personal Properties-24 million galleons- -Maintenance of Rental Properties-10 million galleons- -_*Gringotts Fees*_- -Family Vaults Maintenance-57,500,000 Galleons (.25% of Vault's Value)- -Dowry Vaults Maintenance-13,500 Galleons (.25% of Vault's Value paid from Family Vaults)- -Handling of Magical Stocks-360,000 Galleons (.15% of Stocks Value paid from Family Vaults)- -Handling of Muggle Stocks-26,614 Galleons (.15% of Stocks Value paid from Family Vaults)- -Total Yearly Expenses: 91,920,114 Galleons- -* Does not include any jewels, loose gemstones, weapons, furniture, family heirlooms, etc- -** Does not include personal purchases (Food, Vacation, Leisure, Clothing, etc)- -_*Potter/Gryffindor Family Assets*_- -_*Cash on Hand in Family Vaults 10, 11, 12, 20, 22, 714, 1002*_- -87 billion galleons, 987 sickles, and 4 knuts- -_*Education Trust Vault*_- -94,438 galleons- -_*Subbasement Vault 2*_- -1,465,211,469 galleons- -_*Personal Properties*_- -Potter Manor (Lionfire Hall) with 200 acres, England- -10 acres of land with ruins, Godric's Hollow- -Little Manor, Scotland- -Flat, Muggle London- -Flat, New York City, America- -Beachfront Home, Santa Monica, California, America- -Evan's Ranch, Colorado Springs, Colorado, America- -Flat, Chicago, Illinois, America- -Ski Chalet, Toronto, Canada- -Flat, Tokyo, Japan- -James' Place, Australia- -House, Cairo, Egypt- -Dragon Manor, Romania- -_*Investments**_- -_*Stocks-Magical*_- -Nimbus Broom Company 45%- -Daily Prophet News Corp. 30%- -Zonko's Joke Shop 20% - -Firebolt Company 15%- -Madam Maulkin's Robes For All Occasions 25%- -Weasley Wizarding Wheezes 30%- -Yearly Stock Dividends from Magical Stocks: 180 million galleons- -_*Stocks-Muggle*_- -Microsoft Corp. 40,000 shares- -The Walt Disney Company 50,000 shares- -British Airways 30,000 shares- -Virgin Inc. 23,000 shares- -Apple Inc. 12,000 shares- -General Motors Corp 14,398 shares- -Aston Martin Co. 10,987 shares- -Cunnard Inc. 25,231 shares- -Time Warner Inc. 37,985 shares- -Mutual Funds 3.5 millions pounds sterling- -Last Year's Yearly Stock Dividends from Muggle Stocks: 56,075,837 galleons- -Total Investment Income per year: 236,075,837 galleons- -_*Expenses***_- -Maintenance of Personal Properties-39 million galleons- -_*Gringotts Fees*_- -Family Vaults Maintenance---217,500,002-- galleons (.25% of Vault's Value)- -Education Trust Fund Vault Maintenance---236-- galleons (.25% of Vault's Value paid from Family Vaults)- -Subbasement #2 Vault Maintenance---36,630,287-- galleons (.05% of Vault's Value paid from Vault)- -Handling of Magical Stocks---270,000-- galleons (.15% of Stocks Value paid from Family Vaults)- -Handling of Muggle Stocks---140,190-- galleons (.15% of Stocks Value paid from Family Vaults)- -_*Total Yearly Expenses: 293,540,715 galleons*_- -* Does not include any jewels, loose gemstones, weapons, furniture, family heirlooms, etc- -** Does not include personal purchases (Food, Vacation, Leisure, Clothing, etc)- -_*Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry Assets*_- -_*Cash on Hand in Vaults 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6*_- -243 million galleons, 209 sickles, and 54 knuts- -_*Needy Student Trust Vault #7*_- -2,065,438 galleons- -_*Subbasement Vault #3*_- -12,432,907,026 galleons- -_*Properties*_- -Hogwarts Castle and Grounds- -_*Investments and Income**_- -_*Stocks-Magical*_- -Floo Inc. 35%- -Flourish and Blots 30%- -Diagon Alley Apothecary 20% - -_*Yearly Stock Dividends from Magical Stocks: 80 million galleons*_- -_*Stocks-Muggle*_- -Scholastic Inc. 10,000 shares- -The Walt Disney Company 5,000 shares- -Bloomsbury 12,000 shares- -Apple Inc. 5,000 shares- -Time Warner Inc. 17,985 shares- -Mutual Funds 7.5 millions pounds sterling- -Last Year's Yearly Stock Dividends from Muggle Stocks: 19,075,837 galleons- -_*Student Tuition*_- -17,248,000 galleons per year (392 students paying full tuition)- -Total Investment and Income per year: 116,323,837 galleons- -_*Expenses***_- -Maintenance of Properties-19 million galleons- -_*Gringotts Fees*_- -Main Vaults Maintenance--- 121,500-- galleons (.05% of Vault's Value)- -Needy Student Vault #7 Maintenance---1,033-- galleons (.05% of Vault's Value paid from Family Vaults)- -Subbasement Vault #3 Maintenance---1,243,291 --galleons (.01% of Vault's Value paid from Vault)- -Handling of Magical Stocks---120,000-- galleons (.15% of Stocks Value paid from Main Vaults)- -Handling of Muggle Stocks---47,690-- galleons (.15% of Stocks Value paid from Main Vaults)- -Total Expenses Gringotts Fees---22,119,289 galleons- -_*Professor and Staff Payroll (per year)*_- -Headmaster-Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore-97,850 galleons- -Deputy Headmistress/Head of Gryffindor House/Transfiguration-Minerva McGonagall---90,250-- galleons- -Head of Slytherin House/Potions Master-Severus Snape---80,750-- galleons- -Head of Ravenclaw House/Charms-Filius Flitwick---80,750-- galleons- -Head of Hufflepuff House/Herbology-Pomona Sprout---80,750-- galleons- -Divination Professor-Sybil Trelawney-61,750 galleons- -Divination Professor-Firenze--- 15,833-- galleons- -Muggle Studies Professor-Charity Burbage-61,750 galleons- -Ancient Runes Professor-Linda Smith-57,000 galleons- -Arithmancy Professor-Victoria Vector-57,000 galleons- -Game Keeper/Care of Magical Creatures Professor-Hagrid-49,667 galleons- -Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor-TBA-52,250***- -Caretaker-Argus Filch-35,000 galleons- -History of Magic Professor-Benjamin Binns--- 61,750-- galleons****- -School Mediwitch-Madam Poppy Pomfrey-56,000 galleons- -Kitchens Supervisor-Dobby-48 galleons*****- -Hospitality Supervisor-Winky-48 galleons*****- -Total Professor and Staff Payroll Expenses: 938,446 galleons- -_*Hogwarts Board of Governors (per year)*_- -_*Governors Salaries*_- -Gryffindor House Representative #1----232,750-- galleons- -Gryffindor House Representative #2----232,750-- galleons- -Gryffindor House Representative #3----232,750-- galleons- -Hufflepuff House Representative #1----232,750-- galleons- -Hufflepuff House Representative #2----232,750-- galleons- -Hufflepuff House Representative #3----232,750-- galleons- -Ravenclaw House Representative #1----232,750-- galleons- -Ravenclaw House Representative #2----232,750-- galleons- -Ravenclaw House Representative #3----232,750-- galleons- -Slytherin House Representative #1----242,250-- galleons*- -Slytherin House Representative #2----232,750-- galleons- -Slytherin House Representative #3----232,750-- galleons- -Governors Salaries Total --2,793,000-- galleons- -* Includes 9,500 galleon stipend for Chairman of the Board- -_*Governors' Support Staff*_- -Chairman's Personal Assistant-90,250 galleons- -Personal Assistant for each Governor (12) --1,083,000-- galleons- -Board of Governor's Personal Chief 97,850 galleons- -Official transcriber for Board of Governor's-80,750 galleons- -Governors' Support Staff Total---1,271,100- -_*Board of Governors Expenses-Other*_- -Rental Space of Offices and Conference Room-24,571,731 galleons- -Dress Robes for Each Governor (3 Sets plus traveling cloak)-1,700 galleons- -Board of Governors Office Supplies 942,194 galleons- -Board of Governors Expenses-Other-Total---25,515,625 galleons- -Total Expenses for Hogwarts Board of Governors---50,087,356-- galleons- -_*School Expenses (per year)*_- -Eyelop's Owl Emporium---26,000 galleons- -Flourish & Blot's Bookstore-32,500 galleons- -Apothecary in Diagon Alley-500,000 galleons- -Food stores-35,000,000 galleons- -Cleaning Supplies (Care Taker) 600,000 galleons- -Gamekeeper Supplies 1,743,912 galleons- -Other Classroom Supplies 4,378,569- -On Call Service with St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies-1,000,000 galleons- -Hogwarts Express Operation & Maintenance 1,000,000 galleons- -Total School Expenses: 44,280,981 galleons- -Total Income for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry--- 116,323,837-- galleons- -Total Expenses for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry---115,840,297-- galleons- -Total Profit for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry---483,540-- galleons- -* Does not include any jewels, loose gemstones, weapons, furniture, family heirlooms, etc- -** Does not include personal purchases (Food, Vacation, Leisure, Clothing, etc)- -*** Due to Curse on position, starting pay is much hirer to lure people to teach- -**** Salary donated to Needy Student Vault due to Professor being a ghost- -***** Position is filled by Free House- Chapter 6 As Harry and Ginny were reviewing the numbers in the portfolios they were given, Griphook prepared the Will of Hermione's parents. Lord Ragnok excused himself, knowing he had no reason to remain for this reading as well as Andi and Ted Tonks. They gave Hermione their condolences and told her that if she wanted to talk, they would always listen. Harry and Ginny finished reading at the same time Griphook finished his preparations. Griphook looked at Harry, who gave the goblin a quick nod and began. "This is the reading of the Last Will and Testament of Doctors Daniel James Granger and Emma Dawn Granger. The primary beneficiary, Hermione Jane Granger, is present as well as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot of Great Britain and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore; Head of Gryffindor House Minerva McGonagall; Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black; Lady Ginevra Molly Potter, Lady of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black; Arthur and Molly Weasley of the Noble House of Weasley; William Arthur Weasley, Heir Apparent of the Noble House of Weasley; Charles Patrick, Percival Ignatius, Fredrick Fabian, George Gideon, and Ronald Bilius Weasley of the Noble House of Weasley; Nymphadora Tonks, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black and Remus Lupin of the Lupin Family. This proceeding is being conducted by myself, Master Griphook of the Gringott Clan of Goblins in accordance with the rules and regulations ordered by Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain, and the Government of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of England." Griphook activated the pensieve and sat down as two images rose from the pensieve. Dan Granger started. -We, James Granger and Emma Dawn Granger, being of- -sound mind and judgment hereby make this, our last will and testament. All- -previous wills are null and void.- -If anyone besides Sirius Black is seeing this, then we are dead. It is- -our wish that all of our muggle, assets, except those that our daughter- -wishes to keep, be sold off and that the money goes to our daughter. This- -includes our dental practice, house, cars, furniture, and clothing. The- -exception is the fully restored 1969 Aston Martin which I want Hermione to- -keep.- -Hermione, love; we discovered recently that you are not a muggleborn- -witch like you thought. Instead you are the first witch born to a line of- -squibs that dates back five generations. This line is an unrecognized- -offshoot of Sirius Black's Family.- -Sirius told us shortly before we made this will that he was going to- -formally recognize our family as being part of the House of Black. I am sure- -that you can look up what that means. Sirius explained it to us, but most of- -it still went over our heads.- Emma Granger turned from her husband and spoke to the room. -Hermione, two nights ago I had a vision. I saw our deaths at the hands- -of Death Eaters. Knowing there was nothing we could do, we decided to make- -this will. It was pure luck that we learned about what Sirius had left us- -due to his untimely death.- -Sweetheart, do not mourn for us. We are in a place with our other loved- -ones where we can watch you easier. We never understood much about magic,- -but we knew you were destined for great things. Take care of your little- -brother Harry and please ask Ron out if he doesn't ask you out soon.- Dan took back over because his wife was crying so badly. -As Hermione is still a minor, I would normally like Arthur and Molly- -Weasley to assume Hermione's guardianship until she is of age, however,- -because of the events over the last few years, I cannot ask Arthur and Molly- -to take on this responsibility. Instead, I formally ask Lord Black to- -emancipate my daughter, Hermione Jane Granger, a daughter of Ancient and Most- -Noble House of Black. This way she can make decisions herself and not be a- -burden on anyone.- -Arthur, Molly, please understand, this in no way is a reflection on you- -or your family. You have opened your home and your hearts to us and our- -little girl and it is the reason why we want Hermione to be emancipated.- -This way, if she pulls her head of the sand and sees how much she loves Ron,- -she'll be able to take the bull by the horns and snog him senseless.- -These are our final requests, live well. Hermione, we do not want to see- -you for many-many years to come.- And with that, the pensieve images faded. "Lord Black, do you wish to emancipate Miss Granger?" Griphook asked. Harry and Ginny spoke for a moment before Harry stood up and addressed Hermione. "Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, as is my right as Lord Black, I hereby emancipate you." Hermione was wrapped in a silver aura for a moment before it faded. Hermione's Black Family necklace, which she received earlier, changed shape; looking similar in shape to the one Tonks wore. Harry smiled at Hermione and then spoke again. "Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, as the Head of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter, I hereby adopt you and make you a member of our family and give you the title, power, and responsibilities of my sister." This time Hermione was surrounded with a deep red aura and her necklace changed again, it now bore both the Potter and Black Crests. "Now, even though you are free, there is a catch. You have to smile. I know it hurts Hermione, but it will get better, you have my word on that. Now, for the rest of the summer, I am going to give you a choice about where you are going to stay. You can stay either at the Burrow, which I know Molly and Arthur would enjoy, Grimmauld Place, even though no one will be living there, Lionfire Hall with Ginny and I, or the Little Manor which I am giving to you as my sister. It is walking distance to Lionfire Hall. But we can decide that later. I believe that we have other business here today," Harry said. For the first time since she cursed Draco, she looked up and smiled. She stood up, crossed to Harry and hugged him tightly before hugging Ginny, she then returned to Ron who hugged her tightly and whispered his unconditional love in her ear. Anyone in the room that possessed Mage Sight, which mean the Potters, Dumbledore, Bill Weasley, and Griphook, saw the formation of a bond between Ron and Hermione. They all smiled, knowing that Hermione would be fine. "This concludes our business here today," Griphook said. "Master Griphook, a moment please," Harry said, getting everyone's attention. "Yes Lord Potter?" The goblin responded. "I would like to have the contents of the Lestrange and Malfoy Vaults examined for any dark or cursed artifacts. Any artifact that is found to be dark or cursed I would like have placed in a separate vault under the Black Family Portfolio. The remaining gold and contents can be combined and placed into another vault as well, once again under the Black Family Portfolio. Please take the fees from the Black Family Vault." "Of course. Anything else?" "Yes. I have learned that there are several artifacts that have been stolen from my families over the years and have been used by Lord Voldemort in dark rituals. Is it possible to somehow summon them?" "What kind of rituals?" "They are Horcruxes." The entire room fell silent. Dumbledore's face paled and his eyes went wide, Remus looked like he was about to faint as was Bill. Griphook smiled. "There is. Do you know what they are?" "Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, located in the Lestrange Vault; a locket belonging to Sarah Slytherin, location unknown; Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, located somewhere within Hogwarts; and a dagger from Godric Gryffindor, located at Godric's Hollow I believe. There is also a snake, Nagini, his familiar, which is a horcrux as well." "Do you wish the artifacts to remain intact?" "All but Nagini please." "I need two drops of blood on this parchment and twenty hours." Harry gave the blood and watched as one of Griphook's assistants left the room. "I think under the circumstances, we should leave here and meet up somewhere else," Dumbledore suggested. "I agree. How about we return to Grimmauld Place?" Minerva said. "No. I hate that house. Let's go to..." Harry looked through the Potter Family File. "...Potter Penthouse. It is here in London and has a house elf stationed there. We can have dinner and talk," Harry said. "I believe that would be a grand idea," Dumbledore said. "Good. I'll create the portkey," Ginny said. She conjured a long rope and turned it into a portkey. While that was happening, Harry spoke with Griphook. "Master Griphook, thank you for all the help you have given us today. I have only one last favor." "What can I do for you Lord Gryffindor?" "The possessions listed in the wills; can you please arrange to have them delivered to Potter Penthouse, as well as the pensieve Mr. Flamel spoke of?" "Of course." "May you coffers overflow with gold, Master Griphook," Harry said as he and the others all disappeared thanks to the portkey. Chapter 7 Colorado Springs, Colorado Cheyenne Mountain Stargate Command Base Commanding Officer's Office Thirty Hours Earlier Major General George Hammond was reading over reports in his office. It was what he did most of the day. It was a boring job, probably the only part of his job that was boring. As the Commanding Officer of Earth's first line of defense, George's job was anything but boring on the whole. Take the current situation. Here before him were reports from and about his flagship team, SG-1 and about how Doctor Daniel Jackson, who died in the infirmary from radiation poisoning, somehow ascended to a higher plane of existence but is somehow still influencing people. George was not skeptical of this because he too felt the linguist's presence all around him, especially at home. George's wife, Martha, had a rather large collection of ancient books that Jackson would have loved to read. On more than one occasion, George would discover that one of the books was missing from the shelf, but sitting on the small table next to his late wife's comfortable reading chair. So it was really no surprise to him that as he was reading about Colonel O'Neil's capture and subsequent torture by Ba'al, that he was disturbed by Doctor Jackson and another woman. Both of them appeared a ball of white light. "Doctor Jackson! What in hell!" Hammond yelled. "General, please sit down," Daniel said calmly. "I thought you died. Even after your body disappeared, we thought you had died. Teal'c and Jacob have taken it hard. But Major Carter, Colonel O'Neill, and Doctor Frasier have taken it far worse." "I know, and I am sorry for that and I will make it up to them one day. George, my body was dying and there was nothing I could do about except to ascend or die. I plan on returning soon, but I need to learn a few more things first," Daniel said. "You were with Teal'c in his dream? And you were with Jack when Ba'al had imprisoned him? And you've been with Jacob and Sam too?" "Yes I have. I have also spent a lot of time shadowing you. You really need to cut down on the red meat. The girls are going to want to dance with their grandfather when they get married?" Daniel said. "How did you know?" George asked. "I followed you to the Academy Hospital and when Janet finds out, she is not going to be happy with you," Daniel said. "Have you been following her?" George asked. "No. I love her George, more than I have ever loved anyone or anything else. Even more than I loved Sha're. If I followed her, I would have descended in a heartbeat to hold her in my arms. I have however followed Cassie and spent time with Janet in her dreams. She blames herself for not being able to save me," Daniel said looking dejected. "General Hammond, Daniel Jackson has done many things that will ensure that the children of the Ancients survive and thrive. As he said, he will return one day, until then, we have come with information that will be vital to Earth's survival," Oma Desala said. "There is a Goa'uld on Earth, General, in the United Kingdom to be exact. He has set himself up as a self stylized Dark Lord," Daniel said. Hammond look dumbfounded. "A Dark Lord; as in -Star Wars-, Dark Lord Evil?" "Close; General, you need to contact President Owens and meet with him and Mr. Benjamin Anderson as soon as possible. Explain to them that Lord Voldemort is a Goa'uld." "Who is Benjamin Anderson?" "Benjamin Anderson is the Secretary of Magic for the United States Department of Magic. The creature that is known as Lord Voldemort in England was born Tom Riddle in the mid-1920's and was taken over by the Goa'uld when he was 5 years old. The symbiote and the host are one person now." "Sir, there are things that you will not understand yet, but you will after meeting with President Owens and Secretary Anderson. Once they understand the situation, you'll be able to send SG-1 to help out. I will descend by then and be ready to help deal with this threat," Daniel said. George thought for a moment before nodding his head. "Very well; I'll do as you ask. But remember this, when Doctor Frasier decides to use extra dull needles on you, I want you to know that you are to blame." "I understand. I'll see you soon," Daniel said and with a mock salute that reminded George of Jack O'Neill, Daniel and Oma were gone in flash of white light. George thought for a moment before reaching for his phone. "Sergeant, I need you to contact SG-1 and get them to my office in twenty minutes." "Understood sir; what reason do you want me to tell them?" Walter Harriman asked. "Just that it is urgent." "Understood sir. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are off base so it will take a little bit of time to get them here." "Understood Sergeant," Hammond replaced the phone in the cradle and picked up the red phone. "Mr. President, this is Major General Hammond. I need to meet with you and Secretary Anderson as soon as possible. We have Intel that says that Lord Voldemort is a Goa'uld." "How in the hell do you know about Lord Voldemort?" President Owens asked in shock. =============================================================================== Colorado Springs, Colorado Home of Colonel Jonathan `Jack' O'Neill Living Room Jack O'Neill was nursing his 7th Guinness of the day. The three months since they had lost Daniel had been hard on Jack. He didn't realize how much Daniel had wormed his way into his heart until he gone. Daniel was the little brother that Jack always wanted and needed. He was annoying and got into more trouble than anyone Jack knew, but he was family. Curled up next to Jack was his Second-in-Command Major Doctor Samantha Grace Carter. She had been the only bright spot in the darkness that had enveloped his life. Their relationship had started off innocently enough in the beginning, but had grown into so much more. =============================================================================== -*FLASHBACK*- It had been a week since Daniel had ascended and no one had seen or heard from Jack. General Hammond had given SG-1 and Doctor Frasier two weeks of downtime to help cope with the loss. For the first week Jacob Carter and Sam went to visit her brother and his family. Because of the strain of lying to their family, Jacob and Sam had gotten permission to brief Mark, and Cindy his wife, about the Stargate Program and what they both really did. They took it well overall. When Jacob explained about Selmac, Mark looked ill. After a long discussion with Selmac, Jacob, and Mark, a lasting peace was made. On their third day in San Diego, the family went to Sea World and enjoyed themselves immensely. Selmac truly enjoyed herself, commenting later on that she had never seen aquatic animals like the orcas allowing people to pet them before. It was during their day at Sea World that Mark mentioned that his little sister needed a boyfriend and offered to set her up his friend Pete. "That's alright Mark. I'm happy where I am right now," Sam told him. "Alright; I won't push. Just remember to enjoy your life," Mark told her. The night Jacob and Sam returned to Colorado Springs, there was an urgent message on Sam's home telephone. "Major Carter, it is I, Teal'c. I understand your wish to spend time with your family but a situation has developed. No one has seen or heard from O'Neill in seven days. Major Dixon stated that O'Neill's conveyance has been parked at O'Malley's for the last seven days and that there seems to be no one home at his residence. He would have tried to O'Neill's residence but does not know the security codes to disable to security system that was installed at your insistence. General Hammond has dispatched a team to investigate O'Neill's cabin, but have turned up nothing. "General Hammond has asked that you go to O'Neill's house and see what you can find out. I would go, but I have been ordered to remain at Stargate Command and familiarize Jonas Quinn with all appropriate procedures. Please inform me when you have returned." And with that the line went dead. "Oh god" Sam muttered. "Sammie, what's wrong?" Her father asked. "Jack's missing," Sam told her dad. "I knew someone should have stayed with him. After all Daniel was the closet thing he had to family." "Alright, what does George want us to do?" "I need to go by Jack's house and check it out." "Why?" "Because the only people who have the keys and the pass codes to his alarms are Cassie, who is with Janet visiting her parents in Kansas, Teal'c, who is handling Jonas Quinn, Daniel, and me." "Alright kiddo, where is his truck?" "At O'Malley's," Sam said. "Do you have keys to it?" Sam nodded her head. "Alright, O'Malley's is on the way to Jack's anyway, so drop me off, I get Jack's truck and go back to the SGC and confer with George and see what I can find out. You go to Jack's." A half hour later Sam was parked outside a small cemetery a couple of blocks away from Jack's house. She went by his house first and saw that it was indeed empty and by the looks of it no one had been there for at least a week. The cemetery, a rather private one in the middle of nowhere, was where Charlie O'Neill was buried and where Sam knew Jack would be. Jack had brought her, Teal'c and Daniel here after their return from Netu. No one else even knew about it. Jack had bought a fake plot in the cemetery in town so that people could visit Charlie. The body was that of a young orphan boy who had died of exposure. As she got out of her car and approached where Charlie was buried, she heard Jack talking drunkenly to no one in particular. "I mean, come on... why do I have to be the man who gives the last full measure of devotion and not get anything in return? Haven't I given up enough? My dad was taken from me when I was 11 and my mother died shortly after I graduated from the academy. Then I lost you and your mom. "Now I've lost one of the two brothers I have in Daniel and I just want to say to hell with it. I want to kiss Sam, tell her I love her, marry her, and have a life with her. Is it too much to ask?" Jack was drinking a Guinness and playing with some grass. His jacket was discarded, even though it was nighttime and cold. Charlie's grave had a shelter built over it so at least Jack had some protection from the elements. An eternal campfire gave the place warmth. It was fueled by a propane tank that the Cemetery caregiver changed monthly thanks to the money Jack paid for the up keep. Jack looked so broken to Sam. Never in her life had she seen him so defeated. Not even after `killing' her. But she knew what Jack needed, she needed it too. Deciding to screw the regs for once, she approached the gravesite and spoke up. "No. It's not Jack. It's not too late. I'm here, and I want that life too," Sam said softly behind him. Jack jumped to his feet and began to fall over thanks to the large amount of alcohol he had been drinking over the last few days. "Sam? When did become an angel? Did I fail you too, like I failed Daniel and Charlie?" Jack asked. Sam's heart went out to the man in front of her. She loved him, and he loved her and at that moment that was all that mattered. She knelt down in front of him and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "Come on Jack, let's get you home." -*END FLASHBACK*- =============================================================================== In the three months since Sam found Jack in the cemetery, they spent all of their downtime together, getting to know one another. They had made love a number of times and talked about the future. Jack had also talked to a lawyer in the JAG Corps and learned that even though Jack was active duty, since he had retired, he could date Sam and marry her if her wanted to and not worry about the Air Force doing anything to them. "Jack?" Sam asked. "Huh?" "When are we going to talk to General Hammond?" "I already have. I told him that if he wanted to make a stink out of it, then he can try and we'll win. George said as long as we are professional on base and while off-world, then he doesn't care what we do." Sam was shocked. "Then why are you so gloomy?" "I miss Daniel," Jack said. "He should be here with Janet and we all should be looking to get Teal'c a girl and be happy." "Thanks Jack, I didn't know you cared," a voice said. Sam and Jack were on their feet in an instant ready to attack with their pistols drawn. One of the first things Jack did when Sam started sleeping over was show her where all of the guns were in the house. There were three guns hidden in the couch alone. The source of the voice appeared, it was Daniel. "Daniel?" Jack said. "Yep; how is my big brother doing?" Daniel said. Jack crossed to Daniel and hugged him tightly before throwing a right hook, laying Daniel out. "What was that for?" Daniel asked. "For dying on us you selfish son-of-a-bitch," Jack said. "Well it worked didn't it? You and Sam are together and no one can stop you." "He's right Jack," Sam said. "I know," Jack said skulking. "Jack, you are not a child. You hold a Bachelors' in English Literature, a Masters and a Doctrine in Military History and Tactics, a second Masters in Aeronautical Physics and I know for a fact you are working on a second Bachelors' and Masters in wormhole physics. So for the love of god can you --" Jack stopped Sam's rant by kissing her deeply. When they came up for air Daniel laughed. "I am very happy for you two. But I do have a reason here tonight. First, Jack, stop the damn drinking. We're going to need you sober for the upcoming fight. Second, I need you to get Janet cleaned up. I am going to descend in two days and I want her there as well as both of you, Teal'c, Cassie, and Jacob. Jacob will be here tomorrow and he'll fill you in on the details." "Why now?" Sam asked. "Because I have learned all I can bring with me when I descend. Also, trouble is brewing back home and we need to be ready. Also, Walter is going to be calling you in a few minutes. General Hammond wants to talk to you." "Very well, Daniel, we'll be ready." "See you soon big brother, and take care of my sister," Daniel said before he disappeared. Ten seconds later Jack's phone rang. He picked it up and answered. "We know Walter. We're on our way." =============================================================================== Twenty-Four Hours Later Washington DC The White House The Oval Office President Owens sat in his chair reading a report behind the resolute desk. After almost four years in office, there were some things that he still was not used to. Everyone knew that there were secret government organizations and military bases, but no one had any idea one of them was under Cheyenne Mountain or that this particular base was the front line for the defense of Earth from aliens who would enslave humanity if possible. Then there were secrets much closer to home. The first night in office, President Owens was informed by the bust of Benjamin Franklin that the Secretary of Magic would be arriving for his meeting. A moment later, a tall man dressed in a modern business suit appeared out of thin air. Over the next three hours, Secretary Anderson explained about the magical world and the current policies and climates. Unlike places like England, the Americans tried to integrate themselves into the mundane culture as much as possible and help the betterment of mankind. Secretary Anderson also explained the Magical World's current politics on a world wide scale, paying special attention to England, who seemed to be stuck stuck in the Victorian Era. One of the things that Secretary Anderson explained to the president was that the President of the United States was the leader of the United States Magical Government which was run by the Department of Magic. Many of the magical governments of the world were set up this way, including England. The US paid a lot of attention to England, Canada, France, and Germany because that was where many of the witches and wizards emigrated from, like their mundane counterparts. Since then, every three weeks Secretary Anderson would brief President Owens on the comings and goings of the USDM and its citizens and the magical world as a whole. Most of the information was simple, the current state of the dragon population, the comings and goings of the Native American Medicine Men and other information. They usually met at night and had a night-cap, but on more than occasion they met in the middle of the day. Usually Jason Bartel, the White House of Chief of Staff, would attend these meetings and ask questions which Secretary Anderson was more than happy to answer. Lost in his thoughts, the President did not hear when his Chief of Staff entered the room. "Mr. President... Major General Hammond is here to see you." Owens nodded. "Any word on Secretary Anderson?" "He's in my office." "Show the General in." A few moments later, Major General George Washington Hammond was saluting his Commander in Chief. "How are you doing George?" the President asked. "Very well, sir, thank you. How are the children?" Hammond asked. "Alright; Alex has been accepted to the Air Force Academy and Ariel has been accepted to Georgetown." "Excellent news." "So what the hell is going on? You said that Lord Voldemort is a Goa'uld? How in the hell do you know that and how in the hell do you know about Voldemort at all?" "Doctor Daniel Jackson and another ascended being named Oma Desala came and informed me. They also said that Daniel would return to us soon with intelligence on a new Goa'uld, Anubis, and a few others." "Alright. Well then let me explain who Secretary Anderson is. Benjamin Anderson is the Secretary of Magic for the United States Government and oversees the United States Department of Magic." "Magic?" "Yes. It is real General Hammond," Secretary Anderson said as he entered the room. For the next three hours, Secretary Anderson explained the magical world to General Hammond; from the earliest known forms of magic throughout the world, all the way to the latest news, including everything that the USDM knew about Lord Voldemort. "So the British are just realizing that this monster is back?" Hammond asked. "For the purposes of full disclosure, it should be noted that many of the older magical governments do not interact with the mundane governments as much as we do. Neither Prime Minister Blair nor Her Majesty the Queen have any idea what is going on with the magical world," Anderson stated. "If they did, I know for a fact that Tony and the Queen would go through the roof. In fact Tony and I just spoke about that the other day," President Owens said. "I bet Prime Minister Blair was not happy," Anderson said. "No. And he is going to throw a shit fit when he reads my report. It is the strangest thing, the British mundane government requests reports about their magical people from a foreign government," Anderson said. "Well things are about to get much worse I'm afraid," Hammond said. "Why is that?" Anderson said. Hammond smiled. "How much do you know about Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado, Secretary Anderson?" "You're Major General George Washington Hammond, Commanding Officer of Stargate Command; the front line facility for the defense of Earth from aliens," Anderson stated. "How in the world do you know that?" Hammond asked shocked. "Because I made sure he was read in before the meeting General," President Owens stated with a smile. "So now that you are shocked, what does the Commanding Officer of the SGC want with me? How do you even know who I am? According to my information, there are no magical people under your command and the wizarding community in Colorado Springs is pretty small." "Secretary Anderson, according to Doctor Daniel Jackson and Oma Desala, Lord Voldemort is a Goa'uld." Secretary Anderson was shocked for a moment before he spoke in a high voice. "How in the world can you be sure?" "Because Daniel Jackson and I examined him," said a disembodied voice. A moment later a bright orb of light appeared and coalesced into the form of Oma Desala. "Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, may I present Oma Desala. Miss Desala is an ascended being from the race we call the Ancients. Oma Desala, may I present President William Owens and the Secretary of Magic Benjamin Anderson." "It is an honor to meet you gentlemen. To answer your question, Mr. Anderson, we ascended beings are not confined to the normal rules of physics. There are events happening in this galaxy right now that will lead to the destruction of all that we hold dear. Because of this, the Ascended High Council decided that they must break our rule of non interference in the lower realms and has allowed me to do what I can within a set of rules. "Daniel Jackson has spent the last three of your months as an ascended being learning everything that he could about the Goa'uld including what happened to some of the Goa'uld that have been lost with the passage of time." "You mean Anubis and Voldemort," Hammond said. "There are others, but the biggest threats are Anubis and Voldemort." "Why them?" President Owens asked. "Anubis... fooled us and was able to ascend." "I thought it was impossible for a Goa'uld to ascend?" Owens asked. "General?" "As far I know that is correct," Hammond said. "It is. Anubis had help. He... fooled me into helping him. Eons ago, our people developed a way to aide those who wished to journey the path of ascension. Anubis was able to persuade me to part with the knowledge of where the soul remaining device in this galaxy located. Once he had it and ascended, I knew I made a grievous mistake. "It took the combined powers of the Ascended Alterrans to force Anubis to descend; unfortunately, he did not descend all the way. The host and Goa'uld merged and is now one entity that possesses much of our knowledge and a regenerated body that is by far stronger than anything else you will ever see." "Wow," President Owens said. "Then there is the Goa'uld that is now known as Lord Voldemort. Daniel Jackson and I traveled back to when Anubis and Voldemort were first hatched and followed their lives. Shortly after Anubis was made a System Lord, Voldemort came to Earth. Unlike most Goa'uld, Voldemort liked the cooler climates of what you call Europe and Asia. While he was exploring the planet, Ra left Earth and the Astoria Porta was buried; thereby exiling Voldemort on Earth. Four thousand years later, Anubis was banished by the System Lords and thought dead. It was during this time that he became obsessed with Ascension and ascended. "Over the course of the next five thousand years that he was on Earth, Voldemort was able to stay alive by mating with indigenous snakes and using what little technology he had with him when he went on his journey, was able to transfer his consciousness into one of his offspring. Each time he took over a body, he would lose more of what made him a Goa'uld. "In 1931, according to your calendar, Voldemort found himself in England on the coast where he came into contact with a young boy. Voldemort was weakened from his journey across the English Channel and was close to death. As he laid there, this boy spoke to him in the language of the snakes, magical people of Earth call it Parseltongue. The boy, named Tom Riddle, agreed to help the snake however he could. Voldemort took his chance entered Tom Riddle's body and began to process of taking over the body. "But something happened which Voldemort had not prepared for, Magic. Because Tom Riddle was magical, his small amount of magic caused Voldemort to not take complete control of the boy. Instead, Voldemort could whisper suggestions into his host's ear and use the power of suggestion to his advantage until he was strong enough to try to take over the boy again. "Six years later Voldemort, thanks to time and the magic that he been exposed to, was able to takeover the host. The side effect was that he lost his body, but his mind was imprinted on young Tom's and he lost most of his memory, but none of his desires. Because of the young age of the host and the condition of the parasite Voldemort, the two grew into one entity; there is no difference between Voldemort and Tom Riddle anymore. They are one in the same. Voldemort's parasitic body was broken down and absorbed by the body," Oma finished. "So what do we do?" President Owens asked. "I would suggest that Secretary Anderson makes contact with the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in Great Britain." "Amelia!! A very good lady married an old friend of mine actually, Kingsley Shacklebolt," Anderson said. "I cannot say anymore. Although the council has agreed to intervene, I am still limited in what I can do. I can only advise you and that is not for much longer," Oma said. "What about Doctor Jackson?" Hammond asked. "He has spoken to Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter and they are aware of what needs to be done before he can descend. He will rejoin your plane soon. Now, I must depart. My time is limited and I must see to one other matter." Before anyone could say anything, Oma morphed into a ball of white energy and was gone. "Anderson, get a hold of this Amelia Shacklebolt. I would like to speak to her as soon as possible," Owens said after a minute. "General Hammond, I would like you to remain in town for a couple of days. I have a feeling you are going to need to be here for this meeting." "Understood sir," Hammond replied. Anderson made his way to the bust of Benjamin Franklin and spoke to it for a moment before returning. "Mr. President, Director Amelia Bones and her niece will be here tomorrow morning." Chapter 8 Current Time London, England Potter Penthouse Potter Penthouse was located mere blocks away from Buckingham Palace and the Parliament Building in the Whitehall District of Muggle London. Many magical folk would be worried about being so close to muggles, but Potter Penthouse was very well warded and protected. It also helped that the entire building was owned by one of the Potter Family's muggle front companies. Currently the penthouse was playing host to Lord and Lady Potter and their family. Max, the penthouse's official house elf was thrilled to be serving a master and mistress once again. "Max is very happy to see you Lord Potter. It has been many years since I had last seen you. You were a small lad at the time. It was shortly before Master Charles passed away." "Max, you speak very well for a house elf," Hermione said. "I and my ancestors were required to study and learn by Master Arthur Potter when he first bought this building one hundred years ago. Since that time, we has been serving the Potter line. I is the only elf left here though," Max said somewhat sadly. "Max, how many generations of my family have you served?" Harry asked. "Well over fifteen generations, Lord Potter sir. I myself was a wee elf when Master Arthur brought us here from Potter Manor. I have been tending to the penthouse alone since Master James and Mistress Lily were killed. With Lord Potter returning, I can now see Potter Manor again." "Why have you been unable to leave?" Ginny asked. "Because when Harry's parents left Lionfire Hall, it went into sleep mode. Anything bound to the Manor was placed into stasis," Remus said. "When they were killed, all of their properties entered sleep mode." "That is not completely true Mr. Wolf-man. Potter Manor is sleeping, but the grounds are still active. Master Griphook runs the farm and the business side of Lionfire Hall," Max said. "Max, have any of my family members ever had a senior elf; someone who was in charge of all the elves?" Harry asked. "Of course Master Harry; Lenny was the Potter Family Head Elf, but he died three years ago." "Would you like it?" "No Master Harry. I am too old to be a good Head Elf. If it is alright, I would like to remain here. This is my home." "Very well," Harry said. "Harry, may I make a suggestion?" Professor McGonagall asked. She had been nursing a butterbeer and talking to Remus about something Harry was not sure about. "Of course." "Harry, Dobby has not settled in very well at Hogwarts. Because of his wish to remain free, Winky and he are often times ignored by the other elves. I think he would make a perfect Head Elf for you." "Professor Dumbledore, would you mind if I stole two of your employees?" Harry asked. "No Harry I do not. Especially since they are your employees because of your position as the High Lord of Hogwarts," Dumbledore informed the young man. "Dobby, Winky, I need you!" Harry called out. Two small pops signaled the arrival of the two elves. "What can Dobby and Winky do for you, Lord Harry Potter sir?" Dobby asked. "First off, you may call me Harry Potter or just plain Harry. Secondly, Dobby I would like you to be my Head House Elf. I am now Lord Potter and am the head of many different families including the Blacks, Gryffindors, Flamels, Potters, and also the High Lord of Hogwarts. I need someone whom I trust to be in charge of all the elves and the properties. Do you want the job?" "Yes Harry Potter sir. I's be honored to be Lord Harry Potter's Head House Elf. But I's only be having one request sir," Dobby said. "And what would that be?" "To bound Winky and Dobby as Elf Couple," Dobby said nervously. "Done. In fact Winky, I want you to serve as Dobby's executive secretary. That means that you will control his life. Do you have a problem with that?" "No Master Lord Harry Potter Sir. Dobby is a bad elf and needs Winky to tell him what to do," Winky stated firmly. Harry stood up, but remained silent as he thought through the memories he had been given by the different Signet Rings he had been given and also by the founders and their ritual. Finally after a full minute he knew the correct wording for what he wanted to do. "I, Lord Gryffindor, Harry James Potter, Lord and Head of the Houses Black, Flamel, Lestrange, Malfoy, Potter, and the High Lord of Hogwarts, do hereby adopt the House Elf named Dobby and the House Elf named Winky and make them official members of my families." A bright red light surrounded Winky, Dobby and Harry. When the elves touched the ground, their clothing was changed and looked very similar to the dress robes Harry and Ginny were wearing, including the House Crests. "As per my power as the High Lord of Hogwarts and Lord of the Houses of Potter and Black, I now officially bind you together as husband and wife. I pronounce you Elf and bride." With that, a strong blue binding light surrounded the elves, making them husband and wife. "Dobby and Winky Potter, by the ancient magic, I hereby declare you, Dobby Potter, Head Elf of the Houses of Black, Flamel, Lestrange, Malfoy, Potter, and of Hogwarts and you Winky Potter to be the Executive Secretary for the Head Elf." Dobby and Winky's robes were changed once again, this time they included the official insignia of the Head Elf and executive secretary. "Now, as members of my family, you are to pick out any suites you wish. I would prefer that you both live at either Lionfire Hall or at Hogwarts in your own suite. Also, I need you to make contact with all of my properties and house elves. I want to know what is going on with them. We are in need of at least one house elf for Grimmauld Place," Harry stated. "Harry, if you are sending them to your properties, might I suggest they also secure the Malfoy and Lestrange holdings?" Dumbledore asked. "I already did, but there is something else I want them to do. Dobby, I want all of the Malfoy and Lestrange properties to be searched for dark and illegal items as well as anything else you think might be evil. Also, I want to have a meeting between you, Ginny, myself, and the head elves of each property. " "Very well Harry Potter Sir." And with two pops they were gone. That done, Harry sat down at the dining room table. Seeing this action, everyone else in the room sat down as well. Harry wanted answers and he was going to get them come hell or high water. "So can anyone tell me what in the hell happened between Ginny and me?" Harry asked. "I think I should start Harry," Dumbledore said. "It seems that the Weasleys, Professor McGonagall, Miss Granger, Nymphadora Tonks, and Remus Lupin care about you better than I have over the years. It was not until Godric Gryffindor pointed out how my actions might be interrupted that I realized how badly I have failed you. While I was preparing to retrieve you from your relatives, the Blood Wards imploded upon themselves. By the time I was yelled at by Nicholas Flamel and Godric Gryffindor, you had already been taken by Perenelle Flamel to Gringotts." "We've already made peace with the past Headmaster; let us go on from here. Do you know what happened at Privet Drive?" Harry asked. "I think William and Ginny are the best to answer that question. But I will tell you that that myself, the Weasleys, Miss Tonks, and Remus were discussing taking you away from Privet Drive including destroying the Blood Wards. Shortly after we made our plan, Miss Granger was able to contact us at Headquarters saying that she was attacked. William and Ginevra made their way to Privet Drive while the rest of us made our way to the Granger's House," Professor McGonagall stated. "I was the first one through the floo. When I arrived I saw absolute destruction. The house was on fire and huge pieces of the walls, ceiling, and floor had holes in them from spell damage. It looked a million times worse than the Hall of Prophecies did after our reductor curses. I engaged some Death Eater when I saw that bitch Bellatrix kill Hermione's parents. She didn't use the killing curse; she used two very strong cutting curses that separated their heads from their necks." "Bellatrix always preferred Diffindo Maximus. It is what she used to kill Edgar Bones and Fabian Prewitt," Remus said, looking apologetically at Molly. "Anyway, I know for a fact that I will always remember their bodies and the look of horror on their faces. But the look on Hermione's face as she was forced to watch her parents being executed is the one thing that I will never forget," Ron said. "When my parents' heads hit the floor, something snapped inside of me. I stopped struggling against my captors and turned to face Ron. I must have scared him because he looked like he did when Harry was seriously pissed off at someone or something," Hermione said flatly. "Yeah, she looked like you alright Harry. I mean the look in her eyes, I'd swear that she was going to kick Umbridge's or Voldemort's ass," Ron said before taking a breath and pushing on. "Suddenly it looked like someone cast a lumos spell all over Hermione because she began to glow, startling almost everyone in the room, including me. But that was the distraction I needed because I started to fire curses faster than I had ever done before. I have no idea what I was casting, the only thing I knew was the Hermione was in pain and there was no way in hell anyone was going to hurt her anymore. At some point everyone else who had been at Grimmauld Place arrived and they all took on the other Death Eaters both inside and outside the house. "After I dropped my 4th Death Eater, I noticed that Hermione had finally reached Bellatrix because there was a path bigger for Hagrid to walk through between us and there was a lot of blood and body parts strewn around. They were in the backyard and I knew that one of them was going to die that night. And I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Hermione would beat Bellatrix." "The four minutes that their duel lasted were the longest four minutes of my life," Molly said. "I had seen my brothers, Gideon and Fabian, duel; I had even seen Dumbledore duel, but what I saw out of the duel between Hermione and Bellatrix is something that I will never forget." "As you are well aware, Hermione here is not only a walking encyclopedia of knowledge, but a powerful witch to boost. Because of this, she used dozens of different curses and spells; some dark, some light, but all very lethal on Bellatrix. Bellatrix tried to defend herself by conjuring barriers, summoning objects, and doing everything that I am sure that Voldemort had ever taught her but it was no use. She was no match for Hermione who was chanting something," Arthur said with a smile. "I kept chanting all of the names of the Bellatrix Lestrange's victims. Each time I chanted a name, I felt as if I was powered by more magic. I have never felt anything like that before, even with so much rightful anger coursing thru me, I still chanted. I wanted her to know pain she caused me and her other victims. I wanted her to suffer," Hermione said as she cried into Ron's shoulder. "You were also casting spells wandlessly too Hermione. And these were not simple spells. You conjured spears, stakes, and caste a deep purple spell that ripped Bellatrix open from her neck to hip. You are brilliant, love, but scary," Ron said as everyone laughed. Hermione kissed Ron tenderly as a thank you for making her laugh. "By the time the fight was over, Hermione had killed Bellatrix Lestrange and five of the Death Eaters who joined her inside the house. I killed one and permanently incapacitated three more. The remains of Bellatrix Lestrange and her wand looked as if someone had melted her into a pool of goo, which was pretty much the truth," Ron said. "By the time I reached her, she was in shock. McGonagall quickly created a portkey and took her to Saint Mungo's while the rest of us got cleaned up and headed back to Headquarters where we found Kreacher's remains. After changing, we went to Gringotts and met up with you," Ron finished. "By the way, it is time for your next potions," he said to Hermione. Ron expanded the trunk, gave Hermione her potions, and put the trunk away as Bill and Ginny explained what had happened at Privet Drive, including the condition of Harry and the small closet where Bill discovered the Ward Stone and the aftermath of the dropping of the wards, including being transported to Gringotts. "So when you entered the house, Harry was in pain?" Dumbledore asked. "Yes sir. Bill said if it was a later in the summer it wouldn't have been so bad," Harry replied. "That cannot be Harry. Nicholas and I built those Wards ourselves and they were powered by two ounces of the Elixir of Life. There should have been no way for them to hurt you." "What about the protection from my mother?" "We used seven drops of blood on the ward stone and five drops from you. The wards only needed you and either Petunia or Dudley to be in the house with you for a month for them to work properly, but the power came from the Elixir." "Could you have made a mistake Albus?" Minerva asked. "You know Professor; there was something weird about the Master Ward Stone. It was black like onyx and had a number of protective spells on and around it. Many of them were quite lethal," Bill said. Dumbledore thought for a moment and then his eyes went wide as he mumbled one name "Fudge!" "What did that fool do now?" Harry asked. "Shortly after the Blood Wards were erected, Nicholas and I were called away to a meeting of the ICW. The wards were still in a state of flux at the time. To be honest, I thought I might have to move you because there seemed to be no love in the home. I asked Fudge, who was in charge of the Obliviators, to see to the wards and if necessary, contact Minerva and have you stay at Hogwarts until I returned. "Fudge must have done something to the wards because when I returned, the Wards were no longer in flux. I checked the devices that were tied to your health and they showed fine. I questioned Fudge and he said that Vernon had received some bad news at work and that he was upset. After a few days, he calmed down and so did the wards." "That fucking bastard! I'm going to kill him. That's it!" Harry bellowed. "Professor Dumbledore, what about this soul bonding? Can you tell us anything about it?" Ginny asked, trying to get Harry to calm down. "It might be easier if we saw your memories. Max, did Charles leave a pensieve here by chance?" Albus asked the elf. "Of course sir; Lord Harry, would you like me fetch it?" Max asked his master. Harry nodded his head. "Wait what about the pensieve from the Flamel Vault!" Ginny said. "Good point. Let's see what the pensieve has to say," Harry said as tapped the pensieve on the table. This was not a normal pensieve. It was a one time use pensieve, which was why no one thought about it earlier. The images of Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel rose from the pensieve and spoke. -Hello Harry, Ginny, Albus, Minerva. If you are watching this, then we- -are truly gone. If everything went according to plan, then you witnessed the- -four founders of Hogwarts give all that they were to Harry and Ginny before- -leaving this plane of existence.- -As Albus and Minerva are learning, what we call magic is part of the- -natural evolution of humanity. Our predecessors, called Alterrans, first- -developed this ability millions of years ago. When they left our plane of- -existence, they seeded Earth with a genetic code that created the next- -evolution of our kind, humans, or better known throughout the galaxy as- -Tau'ri.- -What you call purebloods are the last descendants of the remaining- -Alterrans and the first of the Tau'ri to develop our gift. Muggleborns are- -some of the first to evolve to this state.- -We are telling you this because Perenelle and I ascended to this higher- -plane and so the past, the present, and the future. Harry and Ginny are- -going to be instrumental in saving the galaxy. Soon you meet those who have- -already ventured out to the stars. Become their friends and let them aid- -you. When the time comes, aid them in their fight.- -If you want to learn more, talk to Albus and allow you to look around the- -Room of Knowledge. Farewell and we will see you soon during the Next Great- -Adventure.- The image faded and the pensieve shriveled up and disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Is it true?" Harry asked Dumbledore. "Yes. But I only learned about the Room of Knowledge mere hours ago so please bare with me." "Very well. Let us finish with this business before we move on then," Harry said. A few minutes later the entire group entered the pensieve Max brought in and watched Bill's, Harry's, and Ginny's memories of the events of Privet Drive. Twenty minutes passed before the group exited the pensieve. When they sat down Dumbledore, Percy, and Bill looked at each other in shock. "It is a soul bond, of that I have no doubt. I have read about them, but what else was released?" Percy asked. "If I didn't know better, I would say that there was a piece of a soul in Harry's scar," Bill commented. "Harry was a horcrux. Well at least his scar was a horcrux," Dumbledore mumbled. Harry and Ginny looked at each other, communicating in silence. After a moment Ginny spoke to the group. "Tom Riddle was obsessed with immortality. In his quest, he made horcruxes, seven of them in fact," Ginny said. "Though six of them were intentionally made, the one in my head was an accident I would assume," Harry said. "Agreed. Anyway, as we all know, 7 is the most magical number. He thought if he made six horcruxes, splitting his soul seven times, then he would be immortal and strong. Thank god our bond destroyed the piece inside you Harry," Ginny said. "Albus, but a soul bond needs an outside magic to seal it. How did Harry and Ginny's bond seal?" McGonagall asked. "I believe that when the Wards fell, it created a magical backlash. Because of the love and magic contained within Lily's blood, which is what the wards were based on, it passed through anything that contained her blood. Dudley and Petunia could not handle the amount of pure love that shot through them and passed out before being ejected through the front window. However, when it encountered Harry, who was already bonding with Ginny, it entered them and not only sealed the bond, but matured it to the point where it is stronger than Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel's bond and they had been bonded for well over five hundred years." "So what does this mean?" Tonks asked. "That Harry and Ginny are married and considered adults; also that my time as the Leader of the Light draws to a close. With Harry now an adult, I can take a step back and allow him to lead," Dumbledore said. Before anyone else could say anything Max reentered the room. "Lord Potter, there is a Kingsley Shacklebolt outside the wards who wishes to speak to you and Lord Dumbledore. He said it is urgent." "How would Kingsley know we are?" Harry asked Dumbledore. Dumbledore held up his phoenix pendant. "This allows all members of the Order to apparate or portkey to one another. Each pendant is tied to one person by their blood. If the pendant is ever lost, it turns to dust and crumbles. The only places where they do not work at are Hogwarts, a location under a Fidelius Charm, or any highly warded property. Even Unplottable locations we can get to." "Potter Penthouse and all Potter family properties have wards that will not allow to apparate or portkey in without your permission Lord Potter. Only a phoenix is immune to these wards," Max said. "Max, show Mr. Shacklebolt in, but check him for any tracking charms and remove them if there are," Harry said. "Of course Lord Potter." Ten minutes and fifteen different charms later, Kingsley Shacklebolt was sitting in the sitting room of the penthouse. "Damn Fudge. I knew he didn't trust me, but this is ridiculous. Seven different tracking charms is a little much. I need to be more careful from now on. Who knows how much information Fudge has gathered? "Anyway, Albus, Amelia fire-called me at home about an hour ago; the Secretary of Magic for the United States Department of Magic has requested a meeting with her tomorrow morning to discuss Lord Voldemort. Evidently they have some information on Voldemort that they wish to share with us." "How is she getting there?" Dumbledore asked. "Amelia and Susan took off from Heathrow on a chartered British Airways flight with Prime Minister Blair. Albus, this is big. I do not know how big yet, but I have a feeling we might be getting more help." "I hope so Kingsley. We can use all the help we can get." "Also, I finished checking out the wards on Downing Street, there were some holes in them. I've strengthened them the best I can, but I really need a ward and curse breaker to look them over." "I'll go. I also need to contact Gringotts. If the wards around Downing Street have been compromised then they need to check out Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle," Bill said. Before Bill even stood, the front door opened and Griphook walked in. "Lord Gryffindor, please excuse the interruption but this important." "Master Griphook, please sit down. We have much to discuss with you as well. Would you like anything to drink?" Griphook nodded. "Earl Grey Tea with a touch of Firewhiskey, if you would please Max." "Griphook, Kingsley Shacklebolt has informed us that the wards around Downing Street have been weakened. We are worried about the safety of the Queen," Harry said without any preamble. Griphook nodded as he sipped his tea. "I know. Lord Ragnok has already dispatched some of our finest wardmasters to rebuild the wards around Downing Street, the Parliament Building, Buckingham Palace, and Windsor Castle. As you are the High Lord of the Council of Twelve, you are to be informed of any issues regarding our charges." "That makes me feel much better. What about the items we discussed?" "The Malfoy and Lestrange Vaults have been cleaned out and all of the dark artifacts have been catalogued and placed in a high security vault. The Hufflepuff Cup has been exorcized, the soul fragment within it gone. It is no longer a horcrux. The remaining items are being collected as we speak and dealt with appropriately. Nagini is proving difficult to obtain though." "Excellent work Master Griphook. Please pass my thanks to Lord Ragnok and your entire staff for their strong work ethic," Harry told the goblin. "It is an honor to work with wizards who treat us as equals. Also, William Weasley, you have officially transferred to Lord Ragnok's personal staff. You are hereby the liaison for Lord Gryffindor and the Order of the Phoenix to Gringotts. Miss Delacour will join you on the staff when she returns from France." "Thank you sir." "Also, we have sources in the American Muggle Government that say that the Americans have become very interested in Lord Voldemort. They believe that he is even worse than we have thought." "I just made them aware of this Master Griphook. My wife, Amelia Bones, was asked to brief the Secretary of Magic for the United States Department of Magic. Amelia and our niece went with Prime Minister Blair to America," Kingsley said. "Excellent. Then I shall return to Gringotts if there is nothing else." Griphook finished his tea and departed. "Well then, I believe that we have other things we should be doing today," Minerva said to the group. "I agree. I want to go to Lionfire Hall and see my ancestral home; Hermione do you need to go anywhere?" Harry asked. "Master Griphook said that they would take care of everything. I just need to go to the office and empty out the safe and collect the personal affects. And I think I need to go to the house and see what is left." "There is nothing left of the house, but your father's car shed was intact," Arthur said. "Harry do you know where Lionfire Hall is?" "I know where it is. I take it you want to drive the Aston Martin there?" Remus asked. "Yes. I learned how to drive two summers ago and received my license last summer," Hermione said. "Well it is a pretty long drive. Lionfire Hall is just outside Godric's Hollow, so I would say about five or six hours from your parents' house," Remus stated. "Hermione, I would prefer Ron, and if they are willing, Remus and Tonks to go with you. Worse case scenario is that they simply shrink the car and you portkey to Godric's Hollow," Dumbledore said. "But the Aston Martin only seats two comfortably," Hermione said. "Hermione, I saw the car shed and checked it out. The Aston Martin was there as well as a newer Mercedes Benz. We can take both cars. Remus and I can take the Benz and you can follow us, we can stay in communication by way of a communication charm," Tonks said. "Ok," Hermione said. "Excellent. Professors, I think you can return to Hogwarts and take care of my school. By the way, as the High Lord of Hogwarts, I would like to do a top to bottom review of all Hogwarts records for the past century. Also please inform the Board of Governors that they are officially fired. "Arthur, I think it would be a good idea if you, Kingsley, and Percy returned to work and see what Fudge is up too. Forge, Gred, go to work. Molly, Charlie, I would you to accompany my wife and I to Lionfire Hall and check it all out. Charlie, I know there are a lot of magical animals at Lionfire and I would like you to check them out. Molly, you can make sure the Manor itself meets your approval for your daughter to live in." Harry did not give Molly a chance to argue with her. Ginny was his wife and there was nothing that anyone could say or due about it. "Harry I do not feel comfortable --" Molly started to say. "Molly, we are married! Ginny is my wife! Get used to that idea. Now, you can either play nice, or you can go home. Though beware, I do not forgive easily. I'll give you thirty seconds to decide," Harry said as he watched his wristwatch. At the end of the thirty seconds, Harry spoke up. "Everyone has their assignments; we'll meet up for dinner at Lionfire Hall tonight. Everyone but Molly Weasley will be welcomed." Harry then stood up from the table and made his way to the floo. Ginny rose and spoke to her mother. "This is your fault. And by the way, be glad that Harry likes the rest of the family. Charles Potter, Harry's grandfather, gave Daddy the money to buy the Burrow on a forty year payment plan. We've been late for the last five years. It is well within our rights to take the Burrow. Daddy, Bill, Percy, Twins, Professors, we'll see you at dinner. Charlie, let's go." Charlie followed her and was gone. Professor Dumbledore turned to Molly. "What part of a soul-bond did you not understand Molly Prewitt?" Dumbledore stood and let his aura flare. "They are bonded in a way that only be completed by true love. Harry has undergone untold horrors at the hands of the Dursleys, Voldemort, and his Death Eaters. The one thing that brings him joy is your daughter. Get over yourself Molly. I know the truth that was spoken at Gringotts." And with that Dumbledore apparated away, straight through the wards. Everyone else but Arthur left, without saying a word. "Molly, I thought that I knew you. But after hearing what I did at Gringotts, and now this action, you have tied my hands. As the Head of the Noble House of Weasley, I order you, Molly Weasley nee Prewitt, restricted to the Burrow until such a time that you have learned your lesson," Arthur said before he too left. Now alone, Molly did the only thing she could do and floo'd back to the Burrow. Chapter 9 Lionfire Hall, or better known as Potter Manor, was the ancestral home of the Potter Family since Godric Gryffindor first had the home built. The estate was located just outside Godric's Hollow and encompassed over three hundred and fifty acres of land. Harry and Ginny had taken the floo to a small wizarding pub in Godric's Hollow itself and made twenty minute walk to the property with Charlie giving them space, but still keeping them in eyesight. Adults or not, Ginny was still his kid sister and Harry was still his little brother. This gave Harry and Ginny both a chance to cool down a little after dealing with Molly. "I can't believe her!" Ginny screamed. "I know. But at least the rest of the family seems to have accepted us," Harry said. "Yes. But still..." "I know sweetheart," Harry said as he wrapped her arm around Ginny as they walked on. After reaching the edge of the property, Harry closed his eyes and demanded the wards to let him see his ancestral home. A moment later the estate appeared behind a large wall with a gate in front of them flanked by two large lion statues which stood upon pedestals on either side of the gate. Charlie stood next to them looking around and not seeing anything. Harry placed his hand on his arm and then he too could see the gates. As they approached the gate, the two statues sprang to life and began to pace in front of the gates and growled. Harry simply raised his right hand and spoke to the two lions. "Thank you for protecting my home." Both lions turned to Harry and bowed before they returned to their pedestals and their statue forms. Once the lions were back as statues, the gates opened and Harry Potter took his wife's hand began to walk towards the manor itself with Charlie following. As they continued to walk towards the mansion, they saw many different forms of wildlife: Lions, tigers, bears, hippogriffs, griffins, unicorns, panthers, deer, wolves, and many other small, medium and large creatures, some magical some not. "Harry, I am going to check out the animals if that is alright with you?" Charlie asked. "Why don't you come up to the manor with us and then we go on a tour alright?" Harry suggested. "You're the boss little brother." As the three of them approached the manor doors, they swung open and exposed a very well lit entry hall. Inside were six house elves, each one wore clothing with the Gryffindor/Potter crest on them. "Lord Gryffindor, my name is Brent, I is the head house elf and chief butler for Lionfire Hall. This is my wife Brianna, who runs the kitchens, and our sons Jama and Rama, who handle the stables and the grounds. Then we have Tana and Anga our daughters whom help with the Mansion. Welcome to Lionfire Hall. It has been many years since we has being seeing you last." "Thank you Brent. May I present my wife and soulmate, Lady Gryffindor Ginevra Molly Potter, and her brother Charles Patrick Weasley of the Noble House of Weasley," Harry said. "Lady Gruffindor, it is an honor to bes seeing yous. Beastmaster Weasley, you is almost as well known to wes as Hagrid. Hes bes a great tender of animals." "Thank you Brent," Charlie said, somewhat surprised. "Would yous be liking a tour?" "Yes thank you. Brianna, we will be having twenty guests for dinner tonight. Please have dinner ready by 7 seven o'clock," Ginny told the little elf. "Of course Mistress Gryffindor; Brianna will start preparing. Wills this be an official dinner?" Brianna said. "What does that mean?" Harry asked "Begging your pardon sir, but it is customary for the Lord and Lady of the Manor to host a dinner party their first night in residence," Brent explained. "Then yes, it will be a formal dinner. Here is the list. Please let them know," Harry said as he handed the list he conjured over. Brianna looked over the list. -Lionfire Hall Official Homecoming Dinner- -_*Hosts*_- -Harry and Ginny Potter, Lord and Lady of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black, Potter/Gryffindor, Noble House of Flamel, High Lord and Lady of Hogwarts, High Lord and Lady of the Council of Twelve of Great Britain- -_*Guests*_- -Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Lord of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Dumbledore- -Minerva Michelle McGonagall, of the Clan McGonagall- -Rubeus Hagrid- -Severus Snape (+1)- -The Noble House of Weasley- -Arthur William Weasley, Head of the Noble House of Weasley- -Molly Weasley (Undecided)- -William Arthur Weasley- -Fleur Delacour- -Charles Patrick Weasley- -Percival Ignatius Weasley- -Penelope Clearwater- -Fred Weasley (+1)- -George Weasley (+1)- -Ronald Bilius Weasley- -The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black- -Andromeda and Theodore Tonks- -Nymphadora Marie Tonks, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black- -Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black- -Remus John Lupin, Uncle of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter- Brent took Harry, Ginny, and Charlie on the tour of the Manor and the grounds. After seeing the master suite, main sitting areas, armory, potions, lab, main bedrooms, guest rooms, formal dining room, and game room, Brent took them outside. "Lionfire Hall is the name of the ancestral manor itself. The rest of estate is simply called `Lionfire Estate'. The entire estate consists of the main manor house, two sets of stables, two barns, workshop, boat house, 20 acres of open grass land, over 300 acres of farm land, and almost three quarters of a mile of forests. We also have a rather large lake completely stocked with many different muggle and magical water faring creatures. "As you know we also have many different forms of land dwelling and air borne animals." Harry was impressed with estate. It was huge, but Harry had no idea where the money came from to pay for all of this. Also, this much work for six little elves seemed cruel, Harry needed to fix that. "Brent, with this much stuff to do, why don't I hire you some help? And while we are at it, where does the money come from to buy things?" Brent smiled slightly, "Lord Potter, we is a fully sufficient estate here. All of the employees, which not only include us elves, but fifteen other creatures including veela, vampires, and a couple of werewolves live here on the property. Many of them live on the far side of the meadows in the outlying buildings. The wards on the property, which was recently upgraded by the goblins, allow us to leave whenever we wish. We is been selling things in the local market for many years and no one is any wiser. We have our more human looking employees handle the selling and buying of goods and services. However, Griphook is very good to us and makes regular stops to check on us." "Hey Harry, do you mind if I go out and check on that griffin we saw. She looked like she was hurting. If there are people here to help, I can get her over to them and then go and get cleaned up for dinner," Charlie asked. "Go ahead Charlie," Harry said. Charlie nodded and took off at a jog for the griffin they saw earlier. Harry was surprised that so many people were working for them on the grounds. He just assumed that the elves were the only people who worked for him. Ginny, who was just as surprised as Harry, decided that she wanted a few changes to be made around the property. After finishing the tour, where Harry and Ginny met many of their staff and learned about the griffin Charlie saw earlier, the group returned to the sunroom where Brianna had prepared tea. After having to order Brent to set down and join them, Harry spoke up. "Brent, Ginny and I want to make some changes around Lionfire. Many of them are simple, but there are going to be some major ones. We wish for you to officially become the General Manager of Lionfire Estate. Now are you all paid?" Brent simply nodded, unable to speak due to the fact that he was shocked that Lord and Lady Gryffindor had given a lowly elf this position. At this point Ginny took over, "Excellent Brent, now everyone will receive a hefty pay increase and I want all the employee's residences to be cleaned and remodeled. You will be responsible for everything that happens here, that includes the health and safety of everyone here. Once a month, I think on the first of the month, we are going to hold a meeting, whether it will be here, Hogwarts, Gringotts, or anther location; at that meeting you will present me with a monthly report. "This report will detail everything Harry and I need to know about the estate: profit and loss reports, general welfare, etc. We'll have Griphook train you on what you need. Do you agree to these terms?" "I, Brent, chief house elf of Lionfire Hall, accept this challenge and this responsibility." With that done, Harry and Ginny retreated to the Master Suite so that they could lie down for a while before dinner. Hermione, Ron, Dora, and Remus all took a portkey to the Granger's residence. When they arrived, they took a moment to check out the damage. According to the official report, the muggles in the neighborhood were told it was a gas explosion and that Hermione had been out with friends when the accident happened. The house itself was in shambles. The front door had been blasted in, but was covered by plywood along with most of the other windows on the first floor. Hermione lead the group around back to where the sliding door was. This door was blasted apart as well but the plywood had been installed with hinges to serve as a door. Walking into the house Hermione pulled out her wand and began to blast different things out of her way. Remus and Dora remained downstairs and began to pack up the fine china and silverware which had somehow remained undamaged. Ron and Hermione went upstairs to the master bedroom. Hermione quickly sorted out her mother's jewelry and shrunk her cedar hope chest along with a few pictures and small items. After they were shrunk, Ron placed them in a box. Finally Hermione and Ron moved to her room where she shouted out "PACK!" and watched as the entire packed into the second trunk that Remus had given to Hermione before they arrived. Finished upstairs, the two returned to the living room where Dora and Remus were waiting. "Did you get everything you wanted?" Remus asked. "Except for Mum and Daddy to come back, yes," Hermione said. "I know baby, I know," Ron said. "Ron what am I going to do?" "You and I are going to take your car and drive to see Harry. We are going to have dinner and then I am going to get you very drunk and put you to bed for the night," Ron said matter of factly. "Only if you are sleeping nearby," Hermione admitted to her quasi-boyfriend. "Only if you agree to go out with me," Ron said cheekily. "Alright, Ron I will go out with you," Hermione said as she kissed Ron's cheek and headed outside. As they sealed the house, a man appeared. He was a tall white gentleman with auburn hair and blue eyes. He was dressed in a muggle business suit and carried a clipboard. "Miss Hermione Granger?" he asked. "Yes," Hermione answered her wand still in her hand along with the others. "I am Mr. Stephen Douglass. I was asked by Master Griphook of Gringotts to handle the provisions on your parents' Last Will and Testament. I am retained by the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black for all legal services." "Mr. Douglas, I am Nymphadora Tonks, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. We have retrieved everything Miss Granger wants from the house. We are going to be taking the Aston Martin and the Mercedes Benz in the car shed with us today. Is there anything you need from us?" Tonks said. "No. I have everything I need. Miss Granger, would you like to keep the house and rent it, or just sell the lot?" Douglas asked. "Deal with the insurance company, rebuild the house, and then sell it. If there is anything of value, sell it. I have all I want from here. As for the Dental Practice, Dr. Bartlett was an old friend of theirs and they always asked him to look after the practice when we traveled. He'd take good care of the patients. If he wants it, he can buy it for a very reasonable price. I am going by the office to clean out what I need from it. The deeds to the office, the house, and all the important papers are there. Here is the combination," Hermione said handing him a piece of parchment. "Very well Miss Granger. I shall take care of everything and owl you of necessary. Also, I am sorry for your loss. If you wish, I do know a muggle therapist who knows about our world." "Thank you sir, I will think about it." Hermione and the others moved to the car shed where the Aston Martin was sitting under a tarp. After pulling it off; Hermione took a moment to stare at it. It was blue, the same blue as Ron's eyes, and was in perfect condition. The tires were in good shape and so was the body. Hermione began to go through the checklist her dad and she made up when they were restoring the car. Hermione explained what she was doing to Ron, who was very eager, while Remus and Dora did the same thing to Mercedes E-Class Sedan. They checked the oil, water, power steering, and transmission fluids. They then checked the windshield washer fluid before inspecting the belts and then the tire for any cracks, holes, or hazards. Seeing that it was safe, Hermione jumped in behind the wheel and started the car. The Aston Martin came to life and sat there purring. Dora walked over and cast the communication charm on the car that would allow Hermione and Ron to talk to Remus and Dora. Once done, the two cars pulled out of the car shed and headed the Granger's Dental Practice. After a quick trip inside by Ron and Hermione, the two cars took off for the Lionfire Estate. Just before they left the Granger's dental practice, Remus sent a patronus message to Harry. -"We're leaving now. See you in a few hours."- Albus and Minerva returned to Hogwarts through Albus' office. Once they cleaned the soot off, Minerva noticed a change in the office. "Albus, where is Phineas and where did that door come from?" "Minerva, I think you should sit and have a drink. The tale I am about to tell you will literally knock your socks off. You have already heard part of it," Dumbledore said. After pouring Minerva a drink, Albus sat down and began to explain all about the Alterrans and the origins of magic to the secret love of his life. Severus Snape was looking over the potion he received from the mutt Sirius Black's Will Reading. It was a very strange potion, it included small amounts of phoenix tears and basilisk venom and a number of components that Severus had not figured out yet. But the study of the potion was just an excuse to keep him away from what he really needed to think about. "Harry James Potter," Snape murmured. "How could I have been so wrong about you? How could I not see what was wrong with you?" Being a half-blood, Severus was raised in an environment where he was hated by a parent. His father, a muggle, tortured him mentally, physically, and emotionally because he did not understand magic. His mother, an alcoholic, never did anything because she was too scared of Tobias, Severus' father. Severus had gone to the muggle authorities but Tobias Snape was a wealthy and powerful man in the muggle world and carried a lot of weight with the authorities. Because of that, he always walked with a swagger. It was that same swagger that Severus had seen in James Potter. Severus had seen it in his own father and transferred the hatred he felt for his father to his new school rival. "You know, if it wasn't for the fact that he swaggered like my father, I might have been friends with him and the others," Severus said. "Thanks Severus. I never knew you had a heart," said a voice. Severus jumped to his feet, wand in hand, and looked around the room. There was no one there. After a few minutes, Severus lowered his wand and began to relax. "BOO!" the voice said. This time Severus spun and launched a curse right at the ghostly vision of James Potter. The spell went right through him. "Sorry Severus. I couldn't resist," James said. "What have I done wrong to deserve this punishment?" Severus asked no one. "Snivillus, shut up," James said. "I don't have time for this. I only have precious few minutes here and I need you to listen to me." Snape saw the determined look in James' eyes and knew he was serious. Snape sat down in a conjured chair and waited. "Thank you," James started. "Now, first off, Lily would be here, but she is getting Sirius situated in his new home on the other side of the veil. So that leaves me. If I had it my way, I would never even come here, but I learned that I screwed up when we were kids and Harry thought that I had drugged Lily in order to marry me." "What! That is just plain stupid. Even you wouldn't drop that low to do something like that," Snape responded. "Thank you Severus, I appreciate it. Now while I am here I need to tell you something. I am not very good at this, so bare with me," James exhaled a deep breath and spoke again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did to you in school. It was unfair. Also, I can understand how you would hate me because I was a spoiled little brat. It was one of the reasons why Lily wouldn't go out with me. "Then when we started dating in our 6th year, we had a long discussion about you. I was ready to start over with you, but then you had taken the Dark Mark and I couldn't see past it. When we had that duel in our 7th year, I was ready to kill you. In fact I would have, except for Lily made me take an unbreakable vow not to purposely kill you in the duel." "That is why you didn't finish me off!" Snape said. "You knew I took the mark, but you still did not kill me. Black couldn't believe it if I remember correctly." "Well Sirius was always a hot head. In fact I need to have a chat with him about that temper. It caused Harry to live with the Dursleys. But that is neither here nor there." "Then why are you here?" James took a deep breath. "To ask for your forgiveness and to tell you about your godson, Severus." "Draco is gone. My godson is in America, thanks to Black and your son, Potter!" "Drop the act Severus. You know as well as anyone that if Draco and Cissy did not leave, then Voldemort would have marked Draco and given him a suicide mission to kill Dumbledore or even yourself. You don't want Draco marked anymore than you wanted to be marked, but it was a means to an end." "How did you know?" "That you killed your father? My father and I were the two Aurors to find the body. After we completed our investigation, I asked my father to bury the case because the bastard deserved it," James said. "And that moment of weakness has plagued me for twenty years now." "Not for much longer." James stopped and looked off into the distance, not seeing anything. "I only have a few minutes left so let me tell you a few things that Harry didn't mention. Draco is a bright young man. He is going to excel in America and he is going to great things. He'll make you proud Severus. And he is going to become a force for the light. He is going to work with people that will literally reshape this world into a better place. Just watch. You need to be patient and love him, even from afar." "How do you know this?" "Sorry Severus, that is against the rules." James looked off into space for a moment before returning to the conversation with Severus. "I need to go. Severus, I'm sorry. Don't worry about Draco, and please do not blame my son for my actions. And don't blame Sirius either; he was in just as much trouble as you were growing up." "Yes. He was abused as much as I was. Could you imagine if things had happened differently? You, Black, Lupin, and myself all friends?" Severus laughed. "You would have been a great Gryffindor, but probably ended up in Ravenclaw. But think about the pranks we could have pulled," James laughed. "It would have been interesting, providing the castle survived," Snape agreed. "Yes it would have been." There was a gong sound coming from nowhere. "My time is up, take care Severus, and do yourself a favor, go with Albus and Minerva to dinner tonight and give Rolanda Hooch a fire-call." And with that James Potter was gone, leaving Severus time to think. After a moment he made his over to the fire and floo called Albus, telling him he would like to join him and Minerva for dinner tonight. Albus agreed and forwarded the request to Lionfire Manor via Fawkes. He also sent a note to Minerva to invite Rolanda Hooch to dinner as well. -`I wonder what made Severus decide to join us,'- Albus thought as he went back to his paperwork. Molly Weasley arrived to an empty Burrow. The chickens were quiet, the gnomes were hiding, and the ghoul in the attic wasn't banging on the pipes. In one word, the Burrow was empty. It was at that moment that Molly knew had messed up. Molly fell to her knees and cried. Cried for everything that that had happened. She cried for Sirius, she cried for Harry, she cried for Percy, and she cried for her family. She knew her daughter, she would not forgive. It was in the female Weasley nature to forgive easily. Ginny was still a Weasley, even though she was now a Potter; -Ginny Potter, Lady Gryffindor and the Lady of the Hogwarts, who would have thought?- When she was little, she said wanted to marry `The-Boy-Who-Lived' and now she was. She was in her thoughts and did not hear Fleur Delacour enter the kitchen. Fleur, who had been dating Bill for the past year, knew that Molly spoke without thinking and decided she needed to talk the Weasley Matriarch. "Madam Weasley? Are you alright?" Fleur asked. Molly jumped to her feet in surprise. "Oh, Fleur, what can I do for you?" "I came to talk to you about your youngest children." "You heard?" "Bill told me about the soul bond." "Oh Fleur I have made a right mess out of things," Molly wailed. "I know, Mamma, but it is fixable." "How?" "You know how to fix this. What has the Weasley Matriarch given each new couple for over seven hundred years?" "The Weasley Family Grimoire? The Potters are a much older family; their grimoire contains better spells and knowledge than ours." "That is not true. The Potters have been well known for their dueling skills and their Defense Against the Dark Arts. However the Weasleys are renowned for their wards and their healing. It is one of the reasons why their soul-bond is so special, both families gain in the end. Besides, it is the Weasley Grimoire, and if I remember correctly, it can only be given to a new couple by the Weasley Family Matriarch only if the Matriarch approves of the union and if they are in truly in love." "Yes," Molly said, brightening up. "Are you sure Fleur dear?" "Yes, Mamma Weasley. I am sure. I hope that when Bill and I are married, you will extend the same honor to us," Fleur said as she held out her engagement ring. "Oh Fleur! Of course. But first thing's first. I need the family grimoire. Can you contact Bill and ask him to talk to Arthur for me?" "Of course; I should be going. I will see you at dinner," Fleur said as she left. Molly paid her no mind as she went to get the Grimoire. The Family Grimoire was the source of power for many magical families. The grimoire contains the history of a family and also any spells, potion instructions, or other knowledge that are considered family secrets. The magic that is imbued when a magical grimoire is created is part of the magic that is passed down through the bloodline of a family. When a child of the family married, it was customary for a small piece of the grimoire of the bride's and groom's families to be brought together to create a new grimoire. When the Patriarch and Matriarch of a family die, the master grimoire is passed to the oldest son, or Heir Apparent of that line. When a daughter from a family marries into a family whose history is older than their own, an ancient spell is used to create a new grimoire. Unlike the other versions of the grimoire, this is a complete copy, including the magic. This spell could only be used by the rightful Matriarch of a family for this purpose. The purpose of this spell would be to give the new couple a good start by combining the magics of both families along with their histories. Also by the Matriarch being the only person who could caste this spell, it signified that she accepted and welcomed the new family. Ron, who had learned to drive from his father when he was young and received further instruction from Hermione, was driving, allowing Hermione to sleep. The last set of potions included a mild sleeping potion which allowed her to sleep. She had not slept since her parents' deaths and Ron was really worried about her. They talked a little, but Hermione was beginning to pull a Harry and shut him out. Ron knew that was not a good thing and vowed to make sure Hermione would be ok. Even if he had to piss her off to no end to release the anger she had built up. He only hoped that Madam Pomfrey hadn't left Hogwarts for the summer. They had just past Godric's Hollow and were following Remus as he turned down a dirt road that was not there when Ron first looked. As soon as he turned onto the road, the dirt road changed into a perfectly paved road that led through woods and fields. Ron was listening to -The Who- on the CD player in the car and started looking for the Manor. "-Ron, you need to stay close, the wards protecting the manor require you to be led in by someone who has been there before,-" Remus spoke through the communication charm. "Understood Moony," Ron said as he pulled up to the bumper of the car Remus was driving. A moment later the woods opened up and Ron saw Lionfire Hall. As he crossed the border he heard Godric Gryffindor speaking in his head, -`Welcome brave Gryffindor. You and your mate are always welcome here.'- The Manor itself was lit up. Every window had light coming from them and the main entrance looked as if there were thousands of fairies lighting it. -"Ron, there is a garage around back of the Manor. It is where we used to park the motorcycles and cars when James and Lily lived here."- "Understood Moony; I'll follow you." A few minutes later, both cars were parked and engines off. Hermione had woken up and was amazed at the Manor. As they got out, Rama came up to them. "Welcome Lady Hermione and Sir Ronald to Lionfire Hall. I am Rama and I shall take care of your vehicle. Lord and Lady Gryffindor are inside waiting for you." Ron handed the keys to the car over to the elf as they walked out. As they exited the garage, they turned with Remus and Tonks and saw Jama and Rama placing both cars up on magical lifts and beginning to service the cars. "They always service the vehicles when they get here, even if they had just serviced them. They'll also place a number a charms on them like invisibility, autopilot, and flying. They will be the safest cars in the area," Remus explained. "Wow," Ron said. "They really don't need to," Hermione said as they left the garage. Everyone knew she wasn't feeling well when she didn't go on about Elf Rights. "Now, remember, this is a formal dinner tonight. Harry has already prepared a number of things for you, so just go with the flow until you're told otherwise," Remus said as they entered the main entrance. As they crossed the threshold, their clothing was transfigured into formal robes. "Announcing Lady Nymphadora Marie Tonks, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, escorted by Lord Moony, Remus Lupin," an elf in formal attire cried as they entered. "Announcing Lady Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter escorted by Sir Ronald Bilius Weasley, of the Noble House of Weasley." After they were announced, Harry and Ginny appeared and welcomed them to their home. "Welcome to Lionfire Hall my friends. Just so you know, tonight we shall be proceeding by the proper rules of protocol," Harry said. "Hence they formal robes, right Harry?" Ron asked. "Yes. Now everyone else should be here within the hour. I would suggest that the two of you go up to Hermione's suite, change into your formal robes and sit down with the absorption pensieves and brush up on proper etiquette and protocol," Ginny said. "That's a good idea. Dora and I are going to go to Grimmauld Place for a moment, if that is alright with you? I have some old formal robes there and Dora has some of the Black Family Jewelry there as well," Remus said. "Not anymore. Dobby and Winky found me four elves to serve Grimmauld Place. I have already had them move your personal items to the Marauder's Den in Hogsmeade. That is your home now Remus, and don't think about arguing with me. Anyway, Brent said that both of your formal attire is upstairs in your old suite here Remus," Harry said with a fierce look. "Alright Harry. I assume that you made sure I have new robes as well?" Remus asked. "No. Dobby and Winky said and I quote, `Sir Moony needs proper clothing because he is Lord Potter's favorite teacher.' Oh Hermione, as a member of the family, the elves have made sure you have the proper attire, same with you Ron as her escort." Everyone nodded. "Now remember, the other guests will arrive in about an hour and my wife and I have yet to christen this house, so no funny business," Harry told his uncle with a straight face. Remus blushed and Dora's hair turned bright red. They both muttered something and left. As they were leaving, Harry caught Hermione's look. Deciding to change his plans, he kissed Ginny's cheek, asked her escort Ron to their suite and took Hermione out for a walk on the back garden. "It's a little much isn't it sis?" Harry asked as they looked over the gardens. "I lost mum and dad, then learned I am part of Sirius's family, and now I am a Potter too. All I want is my family back!" Hermione cried and fell into Harry's outstretched arms. `-Ginny, I could use a little help here!-' `-I'm dealing with Ron at the moment. Use that knowledge you downloaded.-' "Hermione, sis, there is not a day goes by that I don't miss them. I only remember my parents' death, not anything else. You got to be with your mum and dad for almost 16 years. I would give up everything for that chance. And then there is Sirius. I lost him the same night mum and dad died. Then I found him and lost him again in a way that I know is my fault. "Hermione, I understand what you are going through, I really do. But you know I discovered? It gets easier. It got a lot easier when I met my brothers in Ron and the Twins, and then I met my sister in you. You guys are my family. And although my soulmate owns my heart, there will always be a part that belongs to you and Ron." "I understand. But I fell like part of heart is missing. I killed Bellatrix Lestrange Harry. I killed her. I reduced her to liquid goop. How can I ever be forgiven for that?" "Do you regret doing it?" "Yes and no. Yes I regret killing her. Killing is wrong, it is a sin. But she deserved it. If she didn't die than who knows how many people would have died at her hand," Hermione said through some tears. "First off, the commandment thou shall not murder, not kill. You did not murder Bellatrix; you killed her in self defense. Never forget that. Also, as long as you fill remorse, you're fine. If you don't believe me, then let this be all the answer you need." Harry called for his phoenix friend Apollo. Apollo was Fawkes's brother and had been friends to Potters for hundreds of years. Apollo looked at Hermione and began to sing. The song was a mournful song, which reminded Hermione about her parents but there also a strange joy in it as well. As Apollo finished, Hermione looked a little better. "Better sis?" Harry asked as Apollo settled on his shoulder. "Yes. Thank you Harry." "Good. Now go upstairs, get ready, kiss Ron and tell him how much you love him," Harry said as he walked Hermione back inside. "How do you know I love Ron? Or that Ron loves me?" Hermione asked her brother. "Because you two have been dancing around each other for years; now if you hurry, you might be able to share the shower with him," Harry told his sister as started to climb the stairs. A few minutes later Ginny came down the stairs laughing. "What?" Harry asked. "Ron and Hermione threw me out of the suite because they wanted to have `happy time'. When I closed the door, I saw them beginning to glow." "Another soul-bond; that is unusual, we have a few minutes before the others arrive," Harry said walking his wife towards the living room. An hour later Rama and Jama had hitched a war unicorn and a wild unicorn to a carriage and began to transport people from the apparition point outside of the manor wards to the main entrance of the manor. The wards around the manor itself would not allow anyone who had not been keyed to them to enter without the permission of Harry. Harry had already keyed Ron and Dora to the wards. Hermione and Remus were keyed in because they had both adopted into the Potter Family, Remus many years ago, Hermione only hours ago. The first to arrive were Ted and Andi Tonks. As always, Brent announced them. "Announcing Lady Andromeda Nicole Tonks, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, and her escort Sir Theodore Herman Tonks." After the pleasantries were made, they were served drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere. As per tradition, Andi brought a gift for the Lord and Lady of the Manor. In this case it was a small photo album of Sirius when he was younger. The next couple to arrive was Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. Dumbledore wore midnight blue dress robes made of velvet and silk while McGonagall wore robes of Gryffindor Red and her family plaids. "Announcing Lady Minerva McGonagall of the Clan McGonagall of the Highlands of Scotland, Professor and Head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and her escort, Lord Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot of Great Britain, Defeater of Grindelwald, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards." "Lord and Lady Gryffindor, it is an honor to once again dine at Potter Manor. It has been many years since I last enjoyed a formal dinner here," Dumbledore said. "Thank you Lord Dumbledore, the honor is ours," Harry responded in proper fashion. "Lady Gryffindor, the gift we bring is for Lord Gryffindor, it is something that Hogwarts herself created just before we left," McGonagall said. Minerva removed a small package the size of a chocolate frog card and expanded it. When Harry looked at it, he cried. It was a portrait of his parents and Sirius. "According to Hogwarts, they will awaken after the ambient magic of Lionfire Hall has infused it. Unfortunately we have no idea how much they will remember about their lives --" Harry wrapped McGonagall and Dumbledore into a tight hug. "Thank you. This means a lot to me." Harry snapped his finger and one of the elves appeared. "Please hand this in the hall of portraits and place a ward that will tell us when they awaken." "Of course Master Gryffindor, sir," the elf said before disappearing. Albus and Minerva crossed to speak to Remus and the Tonks family, who were discussing the last times they were all in the home. Next came the last minute couple added because Albus requested it, even though Harry already put the man on the guest list. "Introducing Miss Rolanda Hooch, Instructor of at Hogwarts, and her Escort Lord Severus Tobias Snape, Head of the House of Prince, Professor of Potions and Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The couple in question arrived in dazzling robes. Snape's were black with silver and green accents, while Madam Hooch's were dark blue with silver and bronze accents. "Lord and Lady Gryffindor, it is an honor to join you for dinner this evening," Snape said. "Thank you Lord Snape, the honor is ours," Harry responded in proper fashion. "Lady Gryffindor, Miss Hooch and I bring for you memories of our youth. You will find hers contain the quidditch finals of her four years with the Holyhead Harpies when they won the Quidditch Cup each time. My memories include times with Lily Evans before she started school and also a few random times during the years," Severus said as he handed them the vials. "Thank you," Harry and Ginny both said. "Also, there is a memory that I wish to sit with you when you watch it. It was from earlier today. But besides that, I have a number of memory extracts regarding Potions Making, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Sword Fighting, and some on recognizing the Dark Arts. There are enough for the rest of the Quartet," Snape finished. "Once again, thank you sir, you too ma'am. Please enjoy the evening," Harry told his guests. Over the next ten minutes, more people arrived: Fred and George were the next to arrive, escorting Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet respectively. Each couple brought some of their prototype defensive products including cloaks and instant darkness powder. Charlie arrived with Hagrid Charlie handed his brother-in-law a new pair of dragon-hide boots and matching vest and for Ginny a new pair of boots and matching gloves, both made from the same hides Harry's was made from. Hagrid brought Acromantula Silk. It was enough to make Hagrid a few robes. The elves took it immediately and placed it under the proper stasis charms. Percy arrived in proper robes with Penelope Clearwater, who was smiling because Percy was finally back his family. Though having the date at the Savoy the night might have added to her smile. Percy brought with him two series of books, -_The Complete Works of William Shakespeare_-- and --_The Ministry of Magic: Everything You Need to Know._- The Shakespeare collection was first edition written on parchment and held in a leather bound book. It was a true find. Penny also brought two collections of books. -_The Complete Sherlock Holmes_- by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle and -_The Greatest Generals in History: Muggle, Wizard, Goblin, and Squib_- compiled by Penelope Clearwater with a foreword written by Albus Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel. The four sets of books were truly priceless and would placed in a place of honor in Lionfire Hall. While thanking the couple, Harry noticed the engagement ring on Penny's finger and made sure that Percy knew that he knew and wished them well. He also mentally reminded himself to give them a nice wedding present, a few hundred thousand galleons. The last two couples arrived within minutes together. "Announcing Madam Fleur Delacour of French House of Delacour, escorted by her fiancé Sir William Arthur Weasley, Heir Apparent of the Noble House of Weasley." This of course brought the room to their feet with congratulations. Fleur and Bill presented Harry and Ginny with ancient books on wards and curse breaking as well as deserts from France. Finally Brent announced the last invited couple. "Announcing the Matriarch of the Noble House of Weasley, Lady Molly Weasley of the Noble Houses of Prewitt and Weasley escorted by Lord Arthur William Weasley Head of the Noble House of Weasley." After a few tense moments, Ginny greeted her parents. "Lord and Lady Weasley, welcome to Lionfire Hall. Lord Weasley, you are always welcomed here. Lady Weasley, you have dishonored my family and I cannot stand for that. I give you one chance to redeem yourself." "Lady Gryffindor, I am sorry for what I said to you and your husband. I cannot take back what I said, but I wish to present to you our gift." Molly handed the new grimoire to Ginny. When she touched it, the grimoire flared with magic and disappeared from her hand. It reappeared floating in the air along with the grimoire of the Black, Flamel, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Potter, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin families. "I Molly Anne Prewitt Weasley, the rightful Matriarch of the Noble House of Weasley do hereby give Lord and Lady Gryffindor a grimoire of the Noble House of Weasley with my blessing for a happy and productive life. I only hope to lots of grandchildren from them, but not for a few years." When the words were out of Molly's mouth, the grimoires merged into one new grimoire and Harry and Ginny were engulfed in an aura of Weasley Red. When the glow stopped, Harry could feel where the other Weasleys were and also now had a faint speckling of freckles. Harry and Ginny thanked Molly before giving her a one crushing hug, and then asked everyone to join them for dinner. Dinner was a loud affair and reminded Harry that life was getting good. Fawkes and Apollo flamed in and gave their two Knuts about different things being talked about; mostly they responded in just short songs and chirps but occasionally they cuffed different people on the back of head. Albus and Harry received most of the cuffs to the amusement of the gathered family. At the end of dinner, Albus stood up from his seat and spoke. "Lady Gryffindor, dinner was excellent. Please thank your staff for the meal." "Thank you Lord Dumbledore." Ginny said formally. "Yes thank you Lord Dumbledore. However, there is something that we must discuss here tonight. And it may not be pleasant," Harry said. "What is that?" Dumbledore asked. "As you said earlier today, your time as the Leader of Light has come to an end; this war is not yours to fight, it's mine," Harry said. "I agree, but you must have a leader, Harry. Though you are powerful, you still lack the wisdom to lead. I thought about this situation this afternoon and I believe that I should still remain the Leader and you as my chief Lieutenant." "I don't think so. You see Lord Dumbledore, I know for a fact that you are past your prime. Your duel with Tom Riddle in June cost you a lot of power. You are relying on your ties Hogwarts to recharge your magic. Now that I am the High Lord of Hogwarts, most of the magic that you were using is now mine. I am sure you feel it. I can see it in your posture and they way you talk. You are tired and old. I'm sorry Albus, but your time has come and gone. You and I both know it. "You are still a leader in our world and the second best tactician I know, second only to Ron; I would be honored if you to step aside and let me, `The Chosen One', take my rightful place as Leader of the Light with you at his side as my chief advisor," Harry told his mentor. Dumbledore thought for a brief moment before answering. It was true, a number of the strands of magic that connected Albus to Hogwarts were now gone. Though they were not critical to his living, they did make him slow down a little bit more than he would have liked. What Harry said was true, he was old and it really wasn't his war to fight. As he was thinking he remembered what Nicholas had told him earlier that day. -"You need to trust in him Albus. You trained him well. Even if you were an ass for the way you did it. He is smart, resourceful, cunning, loyal, and very brave."- With a smile Albus looked at his protege and nodded. "Harry, you are correct. At long last, you have learned the one lesson I hoped I would be around to see. Mark this day, for it is the day that the apprentice overtakes his master," Dumbledore bowed his head to Harry. "You are right Lord Gryffindor, it is time for me to step aside and allow our new leader to step forward." "Thank you sir," Harry said to his Headmaster. "Call me Albus, Harry." "Alright, Albus it is," Harry said with a smile. The group retired to the main sitting room where they discussed fun topics including the Marauders and Hogwarts and some funny stories about a young Albus Dumbledore and also many stories about a young Minerva McGonagall. No one realized that Minerva and Albus were just as bad with pranks as Fred and George. They just were better at hiding what they did. Ted and Andi talked in detail about how Lily, who grew up only a few blocks the Tonks, used to talk to Ted and Andi about James and how they used to talk to Sirius and made sure he understood what Lily wanted so that they could get together. They compared their relationship to that of Hermione and Ron. The group stayed up late talking and enjoying the company of the others. Finally at 2am, Harry called the evening to a close when he saw both Ginny and Hermione were asleep. After saying their goodnights, Harry and Ron carried their women bridal style to their beds while Remus escorted Dora to their room. Mrs. Weasley helped Ron change Hermione out of her clothes before Ron climbed into the bed next to Hermione after removing his robes, shoes, and socks. Molly was about to say something about them sharing a bed, but when she looked at Hermione's face when Ron wrapped his arms around her, she saw Hermione visibly relax. She knew they were made for one another and so she kissed their foreheads and left the room, closing the door as she left. She checked on Harry and Ginny to find that they were both asleep in the same manor. With her youngest children safe, Molly headed downstairs and took the floo home with her husband. All was right with the world, for the time being. Chapter 10 The Same Night Washington DC, USA Amelia Bones was worried. Though she was a pureblood, she was well versed in how the muggle world worked. Her father was Arthur Weasley's mentor and was fascinated by muggles just as much as Arthur was renowned for. That was why she knew something was wrong when she was summoned by the Secretary of Magic for United States Department of Magic to meet with the Muggle Prime Minister of Great Britain and the President of the United States of America. Also the complete secrecy of the trip troubled Amelia deeply. Normally the Minister of Magic would receive a formal request from a foreign nation, but this had come through the back channels and she was sworn to secrecy via unbreakable vow. Not even international portkey or floo would work for this trip. She would be traveling like a muggle on a chartered British Airways jet with Prime Minister Blair. Taking Susan had been a requirement because even though her husband would have no problems watching over her, Amelia felt that something was wrong and wanted the last link to her brother close by. On the trip over the Atlantic Ocean, Amelia had spent her time reading reports and having a few conversations with members of the Prime Minister's Security Force who were also Aurors and worked for her. They said that nothing out the ordinary was happening except for the Prime Minister getting rather upset earlier in the day after talking to the US President. After touching down in Washington DC, the entire entourage made their way to Blair House, the official offices for the Muggle Vice-President of the United States and the residence of any foreign dignitaries visiting the US; after settling into her and Susan's rooms, Amelia apparated to the Department of Magic while Susan watched TV and relaxed. The United States Department of Magic, like many other magical governments, was well hidden from muggles. In this case it was hidden under the Lincoln Memorial. Even though Amelia and Susan were traveling as muggles, US law required that they check in with the Department of Magic because of Amelia's position in a foreign Government. Arriving at the secluded apparition point, Amelia made her way to the entrance guardian of the Department of Magic, Abraham Lincoln. "Madam Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic of Great Britain to check in and see Secretary Anderson." The statue was charmed to only react to magical people while to mundanes he remained still. Honest Abe nodded and a small door opened next to him. After Amelia entered, she was escorted to the Secretary's office. "Amelia, my dear how are you doing?" Ben Anderson asked her. "Very well Mr. Secretary." "Come now, its Ben when we are alone. Would you like a drink?" "Kentucky Bourbon please, Ben," Amelia said as she sat down on the couch. After accepting her drink she sipped it and felt some of the stress melt away. "So how are King and Susan? Did they make it on this trip? "Susan is at Blair House settling in and catching up her TV watching. She spends the first five weeks of summer vacation catching up on her TV watching and she is catching up while here." "Sounds like a typical teenager, no matter if they are mundane or magical," Ben laughed. "Yes, you're right, she is typical. Susan had a rough time at Hogwarts with Dolores Umbridge, one of Fudge's Toads, trying to take over. As for Kingsley, he is alright; working for Dumbledore and his Order plus his Auror duties as always. He is investigating Fudge at the moment regarding Mr. Potter and what happened at Privet Drive over the years." They both enjoyed their drinks and relaxed a little before Ben brought the reason Amelia had been summoned. "Amelia, what can you tell me about Tom Marvolo Riddle and Lord Voldemort?" "Is this an official request?" "If it needs to be," Ben said. He really liked Amelia and he did not want to put her into a difficult position by leaking confidential information to a foreign government. Amelia took a deep breath and started. "Lord Voldemort has returned, as Dumbledore and Harry Potter have said all along. He dueled with Dumbledore in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. It was one of the most amazing duels I have ever seen. As for Tom Riddle, I believe he was a student at Hogwarts fifty years ago." Ben put his glass down and looked right at Amelia. "Amelia, Tom Marvolo Riddle is Lord Voldemort. Also, there is something else about Voldemort that you need to know, but you do not have the clearance, yet." "What in the hell do you mean, Ben?" "Amelia, tomorrow you are briefing President Owens, Prime Minister Blair, General George Washington Hammond, and me on Voldemort. At that time, you'll be briefed on what we know about Voldemort. Also, I'll ask Martha and Grace to show Susan around tomorrow. Alright?" Knowing this wasn't a debate, Amelia relented. "Of course Mr. Secretary," Amelia said, rising from the couch. "Goodnight." "Here is a portkey back to Blair House. It will take you to the Magical Arrival area. The Secret Service is already aware. Good night Amelia." "Good night Ben." The next morning Amelia was standing in the Oval Office. "Madam Bones, may I present the President of the United States of America, William Owens and this is Major General George Washington Hammond United States Air Force. General Hammond is the Commanding Officer of a Top Secret facility that you will learn about momentarily. And of course you already know Prime Minster Tony Blair of Great Britain. "Gentlemen, this is Madam Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of Ministry of Magic of Great Britain," Anderson said. "Madam Director, it is an honor to meet you," President Owens said. "It is an honor to meet you as well Mr. President, General Hammond. Prime Minister, it is good to see you again," Amelia said. "Now I know you are wondering why you are briefing a room full of mundanes, or muggles are you call them." "To be honest, yes I am Mr. President. Normally the Minister of Magic meets with foreign heads of state." "Well Fudge is an ass and is very close to getting his ass handed to him. If he says everything is fine one more time..." Blair said. "I learned more about what is happening in the Magical UK from Secretary Anderson, yourself, and President Owens in twenty four hours than what I have learned from Fudge since he took office." "Tony, settle down. I do not want your wife mad at me for your high blood pressure again. Director Bones, I would like to know everything you know about Lord Voldemort." "Well sir, I prepared what I know about the Dark Lord, but I do not know a lot; the two people who the most about him are Albus Dumbledore and Harry James Potter." "Who are they?" Hammond asked. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is the Headmaster of one of the oldest magic schools in the world, Hogwarts, and also serves as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot of Great Britain. The Wizengamot is similar to your House of Representatives, and he holds a position similar to your Speaker of the House of Representatives." "How does a Headmaster/Politician know so much about a Dark Lord?" Hammond asked. "Dumbledore is not just the Headmaster. In 1945, he defeated one of the darkest wizards to walk in earth: Gellert Grindelwald. He was the power behind Adolph Hitler in your Second World War and the Third Reich. When Voldemort first rose to power in the 1970s, it was said that he feared Dumbledore and that was why he never openly attacked Hogwarts." "And what about Mr. Potter." "Harry James Potter is known as `The-Boy-Who-Lived'. When he was fifteen months old, he somehow managed to survive the Killing Curse and destroyed Voldemort's body, causing us to have thirteen years of relative peace. Unfortunately Mr. Potter's parents were killed in the attack that claimed the Dark Lord's body. Afterwards he was forced to live with his muggle relatives who despised magic. Since he has arrived at Hogwarts, Mr. Potter has faced Voldemort four times and his followers in direct confrontations at least four times. Because of the failed curse, we believe Mr. Potter has a link with Voldemort." "So Mr. Potter is what, fifteen years old? What kind of government are you wizards running over there?" President Owens asked. "It is pretty terrible sir. The entire thing is corrupt. Personally, I feel that Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix are doing more for our people then the government is. The Minister himself has taken thousands of galleons in bribes," Amelia admitted. "What is the Order of the Phoenix?" President Owens asked. "It is a vigilante group that Dumbledore created during Grindelwald's Campaign of Terror. In the 1970s Dumbledore recalled the Order to fight Voldemort. My own brother Edgar, who was killed during the first war, was a member and my husband, Kingsley Shacklebolt, is also a member. Kingsley is an Auror and does all he can to help weed out the corruption, but it is an uphill battle." "It sounds like things are bad there," Hammond said. "And I am afraid that if what we believe about Lord Voldemort is true, it is going to get worse." "What do you mean?" Amelia asked. "General Hammond, why don't you explain about the SGC?" President Owens instructed. Hammond looked at his Commander in Chief for a moment. "Sir, what about the confidentiality agreement?" "Director Bones is the new Minister of Magic of Magical Great Britain, General. She is exempt due to her new position," Prime Minister Blair said. "Excuse me?" Amelia asked shocked. "This is for you, Madam Bones." The Prime Minister handed her an envelope. "I was supposed to give this last night, but I was detained by my wife saying I needed sleep." Amelia opened the envelope and read the letter: =============================================================================== -To: Director Amelia Bones, Director of Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic of Great Britain- -From: Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II- -Re: Her Majesty's Minister for Magic and Her Majesty's Ministry of Magic- -Madam Bones:- -It has come to my attention that the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain- -has failed in its duty to protect my citizens. Because of this, I hereby- -declare on that on this day and at this time the following measures shall be- -enacted.- -Cornelius Oswald Fudge is to be removed from his position as the Minister- -of Magic and arrested on charges of Corruption, Embezzlement, and failure to- -execute the duties of his office.- -Madam Amelia Bones is named as the new Minster of Magic effective- -immediately.- -Delores Jane Umbridge is to be removed from her position and placed under- -arrest on charges of torture, corruption, and failure to execute the duties- -of her office.- -All Departments of the Ministry of Magic are to shutdown for a thorough- -top to bottom review by Minister Bones and a committee made at her- -discretion.- -Minister Bones shall meet with the members of the Council of Twelve to- -confirm the new direction of the Ministry of Magic.- -The Order of the Phoenix shall be legalized and charged with leading the- -fight against the self stylized Lord Voldemort and his followers.- -Minister Bones, the Council of Twelve, and the Chief Warlock of the- -Wizengamot are to meet with Prime Minister Blair and myself to self improve- -muggle/wizarding relations.- -So Mote It Be.- -Sincerely:- -Her Royal Highness- =============================================================================== Amelia read the letter twice before she said out loud. "I accept." The parchment glowed white and so did the new Minister of Magic. Back in London, at the Ministry of Magic, Fudge was forcibly ejected from his office and sealed in a cell. At the same time, every sensitive area of the Ministry was sealed, pending the new Minister's appointment of a department head. Even the Department of Mysteries was sealed, which didn't bother them because the Unspeakables there were already in a lockdown mode. Giving the newly appointed Minister a moment, General Hammond prepared his notes. "Madam Minister, are you ready to continue?" "In a moment please General," Amelia said before turning to the bust of Benjamin Franklin. "Can you please inform someone to contact my niece and ask her to contact Kingsley and inform him about what has happened here. Also tell him I officially appoint Arthur Weasley as my Deputy Minister and Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I shall return later today." "Of course Minister," the bust said before going blank. "Go ahead General. I am ready." "That's what you think," Hammond muttered. For the next four hours, Hammond explained in detail about the Stargate Program, the missions of SG-1, and all about the Goa'uld. Including what they knew about Lord Voldemort. "So let me get this straight, Lord Voldemort is a snake?" Amelia asked. "Yes," Hammond said. "Ok. There is a prophecy about him and Mr. Potter, but I do not know what it is about. I do know that Dumbledore wants Harry protected and if the rumors are correct then only he can defeat Voldemort. However, even if he is the only one who can rid us of this menace, I would like to get some help if it is available." "Are you sure about this prophecy?" President Owens asked. "Yes. We magical people take prophecy very seriously. Seers, those who make prophecies, are very rare and many of us believe that the universe itself creates them as need," Secretary Anderson stated. Amelia ignored him as she looked over her notes and continued, as if she had heard Anderson. "This... Goa'uld is it? This Goa'uld is evil and basically immortal?" Hammond nodded. "He is also an alien of unknown power and strength?" Again Hammond nodded. Amelia turned to Prime Minister Blair. "Prime Minister, as the Minister of Magic, I formally ask the muggle government for help in this matter." "Agreed," Blair said before turning to the President. "Mr. President, we need help; I believe our best hope would be to get SG-1 to England as soon as possible." "I concur. George, I want SG-1 here within forty-eight hours for a full debriefing on magic and on Voldemort. Also, contact Jacob Carter; he might be able to help." Hammond nodded. "In the mean time, Secretary Anderson, how many War Mages can we send to England?" "Without rescheduling, I can get one squadron ready to move out in an hour for the Minister's personal guard and a second on the ground in seventy-two hours." "Do it," Owens said. "Minster Bones, whatever you need, just ask." "Thank you Mr. President." As Amelia was finishing up, Fawkes appeared in a ball of flames and dropped a note in front of Amelia. Fawkes then landed on the resolute desk and began to sing, bringing comfort to all those in the room. Amelia grabbed the note and began to read: =============================================================================== -Amelia:- -Kingsley has received your message. Fudge is under arrest and is being- -held in a special cell with Delores Umbridge. I believe that the Ancient- -Magic that helped to create the Ministry is holding them there. I am unsure- -how to free them. All that I know for certain is that they are being cared- -for by the Ministry House Elves. Speaking of the Ministry, the building- -itself is in a state lockdown. All departments are sealed waiting for your- -appointment of new Department Heads. Only Arthur, myself and the newly- -minted High Lord of the Council of Twelve have been able to enter the- -Ministry any further than the Atrium and not into any of the department- -except for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I assume this is- -because you named Arthur the Director of the department.- -Arthur, serving as the Acting Minister since you are away, has ordered- -all Aurors and other key Ministry personnel to report to Hogwarts where we- -have setup temporarily. All nonessential personnel have been told remain at- -home until further notice.- -As I have stated, Arthur and I are at Hogwarts along with the new High- -Lord of the Council of Twelve getting ready to convene a session of the- -Wizengamot. When Fudge was arrested, I received several folders of- -information that I believe he hid using the magic of the Ministry, which is- -out of line. Based on this information, I plan on trying Fudge on the- -reasons given me within two days.- -Arthur has appointed Kingsley to serve as the Head of the Aurors until- -further notice and plans on dispatching Aurors to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade,- -and St. Mungo's to make sure they are well protected. Kingsley also wishes- -to know who you want to serve on your personal protection detail.- -Under the circumstances, I would suggest returning as soon as possible so- -that we may get our government back on its feet. Fawkes is very willing to- -bring you and Susan if you wish.- -Always at Your Service:- -Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore- -Chief Warlock, Wizengamot of Great Britain- =============================================================================== "Gentlemen, I must return to England at once," Amelia said. "I take it you are going with the phoenix?" Anderson stated. "Yes. Fawkes will take me and Susan back home." "Safe trip Minister; our top team, SG-1, will arrive in England in a week, but I'll have some our War Mages there in an hour. Where should I send them to?" "Send them to Diagon Alley and have them report to Kingsley there or Alastor Moody. Kingsley is my new Head Auror and he will want to interview whoever will be on my personal detail. Alastor is an old friend and Mentor to many of us. I trust him with my life." "Excellent. We'll be in touch before SG-1 arrives then. Do you have a location in mind to serve as a base of operations?" "Only one: Hogwarts itself. It is highly fortified, easily defendable, and I now that Dumbledore spends his summers there and I'll make sure Mr. Potter is there as well. I need to speak with the Headmaster first. I'll floo you," Amelia said. "Good. We'll talk soon," President Owens said as Fawkes flamed Amelia away. Once Amelia was gone, Hammond was on the phone. "Sergeant, inform SG-1 to gear up for an Earth side mission. No we have a Goa'uld on Earth... Jacob is here too? Excellent... send him as well. Good... I am glad Doctor Jackson is back... yes him and Doctor Frasier too... No Cassie needs to stay there. She can watch my granddaughters because I am going to going with SG-1. Have them fly to DC... I'll brief them here. Eight hours. Thank you Sergeant." Hammond turned to the President. "SG-1 and General Carter are gearing up as we speak. They will be here in eight hours. Secretary Anderson, it will take some time to convince Major Carter about Magic. I would recommend that you prepare a full briefing and a lot of actual examples." "Understood General; I'll have my people ready." Anderson then left the office. "Mr. President, under the circumstances, I believe that it might be prudent to get Prometheus ready for immediate departure if needed. Knowing SG-1, they're going to need all the help they can get," Hammond said. "Do it. Tony, are you going to have any issues with US military personnel on your soil carrying out a covert action?" Owens asked the Prime Minister. "No. The queen and I have already spoken and we agree that we need your help. Just ask them to leave your Yankee flags in their pockets," Blair said with a smile. =============================================================================== Seven Hours Later Scotland Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Office of the High Lord of Hogwarts Harry, Ginny, Kingsley, Alastor Moody, Albus, Minerva, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hermione, Ron, Severus Snape, Bill, and Arthur Weasley were all sitting around in Harry's office. It was an almost exact replica of Albus's office, except that instead of just former Headmasters and Headmistresses, the founders and the former Lords and Ladies of Hogwarts hung here as well. "...And that is why the Americans are so interested in Voldemort," Amelia finished. "They found the Astoria Portia. Amazing. Simply amazing," Albus muttered. "What do you know about the Stargate Albus?" Amelia asked. "That the Alterrans built them thousands of years ago and that when they returned to our planet from Atlantis that many of them evolved to a higher plane of existence. Those that did not ascend lived with and eventually married with the next evolution of humanity and that magic as we know it is an evolution of humanity. Many of the pureblood lines are descended from Alterrans who either did not ascend, or those who descended and took human form once again; also the muggleborns of today are the next evolutionary step in our own development. They are not weaker than any pureblood and in fact are many times stronger thanks to the inbreeding purebloods partake in," Albus stated calmly. "Any other questions?" "How do you know..." Amelia asked shocked. "Merlin, who was an Alterran himself named Moros, descended along with a few others to teach humans how to harness and control their abilities. After many years, Merlin took on four apprentices and trained them in magic, science, literature, mathematics, and many other fields. These apprentices eventually built a castle where their people could learn to properly control their abilities," Harry said. "The Founders!" Hermione said. "Ten points to Gryffindor dear sister," Harry said. "Each of the Headmasters learned the truth about our heritage by studying a room called the Room of Knowledge until Phineas Nigellus Black sealed the room. Minerva and I are now learning all that we can about where we came from," Albus said. "Wait, so Lord Voldemort is really a snake, who took control of Tom Riddle as a child and has merged with him so much that they are now literally the same person?" Ron said. "Yes and that even though the snake has lost most of its memory, it is still bent on domination," Amelia clarified. "And that if he got a hold of another Goa'uld and told them about us..." Harry asked. "Then the Goa'uld would enslave us all and take us for hosts," Severus said. "Exactly," Amelia said. "And you said that the Americans are sending their best muggle team to aid us in dealing with Tom and his little snake?" Ginny asked Amelia. "Yes. Now that we have the Ministry getting back into working order, we want to handle Voldemort. Lord Gryffindor, I would like SG-1 to use Hogwarts as their Base of Operations for this mission." "Either here or Lionfire will be available to them. When are they arriving?" Harry said. "End of the week. We should have enough time to put everything together," Amelia said. "Good," Harry said. "Kingsley, end of the week, I want you to take an international portkey to Washington DC and meet with SG-1. Make sure they are prepared for our world. It's not that I don't trust the Americans, it's just that with Fudge screwing up for so long, I don't want to take any chances." "Agreed; a wise idea no matter what. How are they going to be able to see the castle?" Kingsley asked. "I have already spoken to Hogwarts and Ginny and I will look through the old tomes. I think that we'll be able to key them into the wards so that they can see and interact with everything," Harry said. "I spoke with Secretary Anderson an hour ago and he said that he was preparing an in depth briefing for this team. He also sent me detailed files on the team that they are sending," Amelia said, opening a folder with computer printed paper inside. "Along with SG-1 Major General George Washington Hammond, Major General Jacob Marcus Carter, and Major Doctor Janet Suzanne Frasier will be coming as well. General Hammond is the Commanding Officer of Stargate Command, the Top Secret American base where the Stargate is located. He has a very impressive career and is a family man. His wife passed away a few years ago and spends most of his free time with his two granddaughters whom he spoils rotten. "Next is General Carter. General Carter retired briefly before being recalled and is officially assigned to Cheyenne Mountain though spends most of his time off the planet. General Carter is host to something called a Tok'ra. They are cousins of the Goa'uld but do not take unwilling hosts. They want to defeat the Goa'uld and live in peace. General Carter has served with General Hammond many times over the years they are close friends according to this report. He is widowed and has two children and two grandchildren. His eldest child is Marcus Anthony Carter, his son, whom he was estranged from until a few months ago. Marcus lives in the San Diego area of California with his wife and their two children. His other child is Doctor Major Samantha Grace Carter. "Major Frasier is the Chief Medical Officer, the head muggle healer, of Stargate Command. She is to be addressed as Doctor Frasier. She has designed several healing devices and ways to locate a Goa'uld within a person. She is divorced and has one adopted child, Cassandra. Cassandra Frasier is fifteen years old and is quite bright." "What about SG-1 itself?" Harry asked. "The Commanding Officer of SG-1 is Colonel Jonathan Patrick O'Neill, though he prefers to go by `Jack', of the Clan O'Neill of Ireland. He is a professional solider and been doing Black Ops, unofficial missions for the United States Air Force, for the last fifteen years all over the world including the countries of Iraq, China, and North Korea. "Colonel O'Neill is divorced; this was mainly due to their son, Charlie, accidentally shooting himself with the Colonel's personal weapon. His wife never forgave the Colonel for not locking up his gun. After she left him, the Colonel volunteered for suicide missions, hoping to die somewhere far away." "To live with so much grief..." Minerva said. "I know how he feels," Remus and Harry said together. They looked at each other and then back to Minister Bones. Taking her hint, the Minister continued. "When the first trip through the Stargate was planned, O'Neill volunteered. His orders were to use a muggle device to destroy the gate on the other side. For some reason, O'Neill disobeyed orders and refused to destroy the gate. A year later, the SGC was launched and Colonel O'Neill was placed in command of SG-1 and made the 2IC, Second-in-Command, of the SGC. "Also according to his file, he has several commendations for valor and has received several military honors. He is a man of honor and often relieves the tension by telling jokes." "I like him already," Ron said. "His 2IC is Major Doctor Samantha Grace Carter. Major Carter holds advanced degrees in Astrophysics and Wormhole Theory --" "Astro-what?" Snape asked. "Astrophysics. It is one of the many fields she studies. Major Carter is very smart and is studying things that wizards cannot even comprehend. I have read some of her theories and they sound rather fascinating," Hermione said. Snape scowled, but remained quiet. "Major Carter is a skilled marksman and has an ability to figure out impossible problems. Her file notes of many times where the Earth and the Galaxy have been saved by her last minute ideas. Like Colonel O'Neill, she has numerous commendations for valor and has received numerous military honors in both the advancement of science and military service," Minister Bones stated. Harry and Ginny both looked over at Hermione and nodded. This Major Carter was another version of Hermione. "Next we have Doctor Daniel Jackson." "I know that name. He had some crazy ideas about the pyramids of Egypt. He believed that they were older than the muggles first thought. We've known this for years of course. He also thought that the pyramids were ancient landing sites for Alien spacecraft. I always thought he was an absolute nutter. But after hearing all this, maybe he was right," Bill said. "That is correct. Doctor Jackson holds advanced degrees in Archeology, Anthropology, and Linguistics. He speaks and reads: Old, Middle, and Common English, Gaelic, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Austrian, Italian, Polish, Russian, Ancient and Modern Mayan, Cherokee, Lakota, Modern and Ancient Egyptian, Syrian, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese. He also can read many forms of Ancient Runes including Norse and Druidic. He is not in the US Military but is trained to use their muggles weapons. He is considered by many to be a defacto diplomat because of his linguistic skills and according to numerous entrees made by Colonel O'Neill he has a girl on every planet. "The last member of SG-1 is an alien. His name is Teal'c and he is from the planet Chulak. Teal'c is a Jaffa, a genetically altered humanoid species who are the soldiers of the Goa'uld. The Jaffa are treated like indentured servants or slaves and are raised to believe that the Goa'uld are their gods. Jaffa, at the age of thirteen, are implanted with a baby Goa'uld symbiote which serves as their immune system. The symbiote lives in a pouch in the lower abdomen where it matures. The symbiote gives the Jaffa super human strength and the ability to heal rapidly. "Teal'c no longer carries a symbiote and now relies on a medication to survive. He was at one time the First Prime, or Senior General, to the Goa'uld Apophis. He is a certified instructor of hand-to-hand combat and weapons proficiency and can kill a person bare-handed. He looks like a large man from Africa with a tattoo on his forehead made of solid gold," Amelia finished. "Thank you Minister. Kingsley, after they are thoroughly briefed, I want you to return them here along with any equipment they may have. Please inform them to leave it turned off until they arrive because of the magic interfering with their technology. We don't want any of their stuff to blow up." "The USDM War Mages have shielded their equipment to work around magic," Amelia said. "We'll put them in the guest quarters on the 7th floor between mine and Albus's offices. The Room of Requirement can be utilized by them for any training they may have to do," Harry said. "Lord Hogwarts Sir, does you wish you to place them in separate rooms or pair them up?" a small house elf named Miffy said. Miffy was the Head House Elf for Hogwarts and appeared when Harry silently summoned her to discuss where their guests would be staying. "Let's give them their own suites, but with interconnecting doors," Harry said. "Miffy will get started at once." The elf was gone in a small pop. "Good. Now I would like to pair up each of the Americans with one of us. Minister, under the circumstances you will be paired with Prime Minister Blair for obvious reasons." "I agree. In fact I have meeting with him shortly so I thought that with the Chief Warlock, myself, and the High Lord of the Council of Twelve together and on the same page, I would like to brief you about the current condition of the Ministry." Harry and Albus nodded. Everyone else remained quiet, knowing they had more meeting after this. "All of the wards are being examined as we speak by Gringotts Wardmasters. The floo, apparition, and portkey areas are to be guarded twenty hour hours a day, seven days a week. Also, wards have been installed that will transport anyone bearing the Dark Mark to holding cells. The goblins have also installed additional wards over all entrances that will cancel out the operation of invisibility cloaks, spells, Polyjuice, glamours, possession, and the Imperious Curse. "All money transactions are to be handled by Gringotts. Period. This includes payroll, fines, reimbursement, etc. Kingsley and a small team of trusted Aurors and Unspeakables are interrogating all Ministry Personnel. Anyone found to be working for Lord Voldemort will be arrested and held for trial. "I have also finished staffing key positions within the Ministry with people we trust. Arthur Weasley was the temporary Director of the DMLE and is my choice for the new Deputy Minister position and the permanent Director of the DMLE. Kingsley has agreed to run the Auror and Hit-Wizard Office. Rufus Scrimgeour, the former head of the Auror Office, is going to be in charge of security for the Ministry, Diagon Alley, and other locations. This will happen outside of the Auror Office and allow the Aurors to do more work than patrolling these areas. "Percy Weasley is going to serve as the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Percy has already contacted the USDM, the French Ministry, and Canadian Ministry, and they are sending us some help until we get back on our feet. "Amos Diggory will be in charge of the Department of Magical Transportation. He is already redesigning the floo network and is retooling the entire department. Amos is also talking to the USDM about their mirror traveling method. Amos also believes that it might be possible to use the lay lines to power ward stones that could stop all portkey and apparition done by someone wearing the Dark Mark through out Great Britain. It is interesting, but it is still a theory. "The one Department that I need to find the Director of is the new Department of Muggle Affairs. This department will dove-tail into many different departments and will relate with the Muggle Government including Child and Social Services, the Obliviators, and Magical Reversal Squad. "My first choice already has a job as my Deputy Minister and my second choice is still in school and probably will be working with Lord Gryffindor for many years." Amelia looked right at Hermione, who blushed. "Do you have a third choice?" Dumbledore asked Amelia. "Yes. Miss Tonks, do you think your father would like the job?" "My father, Ted Tonks, Muggleborn and Hufflepuff, correct?" Amelia nodded. "He would not only work for the Ministry as a Department Head but as the Director of Muggle Affairs no less? Yea, I know he would." "Excellent. I'll owl him when I return. Is there anything else? Then I shall return to the Ministry. I will return for dinner tonight," Amelia said. A second later she was through the fire and heading back to the Ministry of Magic. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes before Harry spoke up. "Ok the Ministry is in good hands. When SG-1 arrives, I want each of them paired with one of us. They are not magical and cannot see many things we take for granted like the moving staircases, though I hope I have solved that particular issue. I have already informed Hogwarts and she will do what she can to protect them and make them feel welcome. Albus, I want you and Minerva to work with General Hammond. Remus, Dora, you take General Carter. According to his file, General Carter likes to be hands on and asks lots of questions. I would assume that he is just as smart as his daughter. "Poppy will take Doctor Frasier. I assume they'll spend most of their time in the hospital wing. Ginny and I will take Colonel O'Neill. Hermione, Ron, you have Doctor Carter. Ron, keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. Many things will go over your head, but deal the best you can and do not complain. I also want you to work with Moody and this Teal'c person. He knows Goa'uld strategy. Bill, you and Fleur will take Doctor Daniel Jackson. He'll have a million questions, enjoy. "Albus, we are also going to need to get the War Room ready before they get here as well," Harry said. "I have had the elves preparing it since we arrived back last night from dinner," Albus said. "Good. Also, I'll have the elves prepare replicas at Lionfire, and Grimmauld Place," Harry ordered. Dobby who had been hiding in the shadows disappeared into the shadows to carry out his Master's orders. "Alright, they are scheduled to arrive at the end of the week. Until then, Severus, I want you to keep up your contacts with the Death Eaters. If they wipe their asses, I want to know what kind of toilet paper they use. Hermione, you go home and sleep. Ron, make sure she sleeps, or at least gets into bed. Whatever you two do after that is your business. The Floo address is Little Manor. "Everyone else, carry on with your normal routines. Albus, Minerva, Ginny and I need to speak to you privately," Harry said. Everyone departed for part unknown leaving Harry, Ginny, Albus and Minerva alone. "Alright Harry. What did you want to talk about?" Albus asked. "We want to take our NEWTs and Ginny's OWLs as soon as possible; Ron and Hermione too," Harry said. "Why?" Minerva asked. "Because after Riddle is gone, we want to disappear for a while; as the golden quartet, we'd never get a moment's peace. Plus we'll be very busy managing Hogwarts and our investments," Ginny said. "Very well," Albus said. "On a related note, I am pleased to see you taking your rightful place as the Leader of the Light. It suits you just fine." "Thank you, Albus. And thank you for listening to me at dinner last night. This is my war, not yours," Harry told his mentor. "Yes it is your war Harry. But remember, if you need any help, I'm only a floo call away," Albus said. Chapter 11 Four Days Later Washington DC, USA United States Department of Magic Secretary Anderson's Conference Room Samantha Carter was going out of her mind. In the last four days, Sam had learned everything that she thought was a myth was quite real. -Though it really shouldn't surprise you Samantha; after all you travel to other planets through a stone ring.- It was still hard to imagine that magic existed and that witches and wizards lived in secret communities throughout the world. Then add to the list was that a long thought dead Goa'uld was living on Earth and that it's host was magical. This Lord Voldemort was going to be a dangerous Goa'uld to eliminate. Not only was he intelligent, but he also had the ability to use magic and was not afraid to kill with it. Sam and the other members of SG-1 had spent the last four days watching videos and memories of battles with Death Eaters and Voldemort himself as well as real live examples of magic. The images of Voldemort in the late 1970s were terrifying. According to what they were told, he was even more snake-like now. As she was looking over her notes, a black man entered the room. He was taller than Teal'c but not quite as broad in the shoulders. He was bald and had a gold hoop ear ring in one ear. He was wearing black trousers with some sort of snake or alligator skinned boots. After looking at them again she realized that they could have been dragon-hide as well. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt with some sort of robes over it all. Sam could clearly see three knives on his person and a possible quarter staff shrunken down and placed on his belt. "Doctor Major Samantha Grace Carter?" the man asked. "Yes?" "My name is Kingsley Shacklebolt. I am the Head Auror for the British Ministry of Magic. I have come to bring you and your team to Scotland." "Scotland? I thought your Ministry was located in London?" "It is. But the Minister suggested that your base of operations be where Dumbledore and Lord Gryffindor are staying: Hogwarts Castle." "Ah. That makes sense. By the way, please call me Sam." Sam extended her hand the man. "Please call me either King, or Kingsley, Sam. Do you know where Colonel O'Neill, your father, and Teal'c are? General Hammond and Janet Frasier are already waiting for us at the portkey station and I just spoke to Doctor Jackson, who is in the men's room and heading that way." "Hold on. I'll check." Sam keyed the radio that she carried with her. "Sierra Gulf Beta to Sierra Gulf Alpha; Colonel, can you hear me?" "-Sierra Gulf Alpha here, Carter; what's up?-" "Sir, the Ministry Official from Britain is here to escort us to our meeting with Dumbledore and Lord Gryffindor." "-Understood; are we traveling by key-pork?-" "Portkey; yes sir. General Hammond and Janet are already at the portkey station waiting." "-Meet you there in five. What about our gear?-" "It is already shrunken and ready to go." Kingsley said. "-Already taken care of, sir; See you there. Carter out,-" Sam said before turning back to Kingsley. "Give me just a minute and let me pack." "Allow me Sam," Kingsley said. He released his wand from his wrist holster and pointed around the room and said "Pack." All of Sam's things packed themselves into his bag. "Nice trick." "Thanks I do try." Five minutes later, SG-1, General Hammond, Jacob Carter, Doctor Frasier, Kingsley and Secretary Anderson were all standing around a large metal ring. "Ok everyone; this is where I leave you. Kingsley, take good care of them for me please," Benjamin said. "Of course and thank you for sending the War Mages; I feel better knowing that my wife is well protected," Kingsley said. "No problems," Benjamin said. "Ok everyone, we are going to portkey to Hogwarts Castle in Scotland. When we arrive, bend you knees much the same way you would when landing a parachute. You may feel some dizziness when we arrive. It is the muggle repelling charms, Harry has already told Hogwarts to let you see it, but it may take a moment for the wards to recognize you. Any questions?" Kingsley explained. "Yes, will we be meeting the good witch or the bad witch when we arrive in Oz?" Jack asked. "Neither. This trip is to Hogwarts, but if you want to visit the Land of Oz, I would be more than willing to take you. In fact there is a portal in Kansas so you can literally walk back home if you wanted. Though the Cowardly Lion hates it when I come by, I make him sneeze," Kingsley said without missing a beat. The look on Jack's face was priceless. "No. I am not pulling your leg, now if everyone would please grab the ring tightly. And we're off. `To Hogwarts'!" The portkey activated and the group disappeared. Harry was walking down the main staircase with Ginny when he felt the Wards tell him about an incoming portkey. "Miffy!" "Yes Master of Hogwarts, sir!" "Please inform everyone that our guests are arriving in the Entrance Hall?" Harry asked. "Of course; Miffy be doing that right now." And she was gone. Ginny snapped her fingers and both hers and Harry's clothing was changed into formal robes including their swords in their scabbards. They arrived in the Entrance Hall just as the portkey arrived. Everyone looked winded and a tall man with glasses stumbled and fell to the ground. "Kingsley, I see you informed most of them about portkey travel," Harry said smiling. "Yes I did. I was British SAS before I joined the Aurors and that was how I learned," Kingsley said. "Ok. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Harry James Potter and this is my wife, Ginny Potter." "Aren't you a little young to be married?" Jack asked. "No," both Harry and Ginny responded. "We're soul-bonded. In the wizarding world, soulmates, no matter how young, are considered adults. Also Harry recently became the head of one of the ancient families and inherited the lordship that came along with it," Ginny said. "Actually I became the head of many different families dear," Harry corrected her. "How many titles do you have?" the man on the floor asked. "Officially my full name and title is Lord Gryffindor, Harry James Potter, Lord and Head of the Ancient and Most Noble Families Black, Gryffindor/Potter, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin; Lord and Head of the Noble House of Flamel; Head of the Defunct Houses of Malfoy and Lestrange; High Lord of the Council of Twelve of Great Britain and High Lord of Hogwarts. I am also known as The-Boy-Who-Lived and The Chosen One." "Boy, that's a mouth full," Jack said. "I know. That is why I prefer to go by Harry, or Lord Gryffindor," Harry said. "Anyway, welcome. Please join us for lunch. The rest of family will be here in a moment. This is a large castle after all," Harry said as he escorted everyone into the Great Hall. The four house tables were gone. Instead a large circular table was sitting in the middle of the room. "Please sit; just allow a seat or two between yourselves so that the others can join us," Harry said. Just as everyone sat down, the doors opened and Albus and Minerva walked in followed by Ron, Hermione, Bill, Fleur, Remus, Dora, and finally Poppy and Severus. Once everyone was seated Harry stood up. "Welcome everyone. The house elves have prepared a great meal. Just choose what you want from the menu in front of you by tapping it with your finger. Now tuck in." Lunch was somewhat quiet. SG-1 talked to each other and not too many of the witches and wizards and the magical people did the same thing. After fifteen minutes, Harry had enough. "Colonel O'Neill, I understand you were Air Force Special Forces. Did you serve in Desert Storm?" Harry asked. O'Neill was surprised at the question. "Yes I was. I ran a number of Black Op missions, including two attempts to take out Saddam Hussein." "Killing Saddam would have been difficult. He had Ancient Egyptian wards around all of his locations. You probably got nasty surprises when you tried to enter," Bill said. "You could say that. It took out half my team on the first attempt." "How would Saddam get his hands on magic?" Sam asked. Fleur laughed. "Saddam Hussein was a squib and was very inbred. His father and his mother were first cousins. He had a number of old friends who are... what is the world Bill... dirty?" "Yes dear, dirty is correct. Saddam is mad as a hatter because of his inbreeding. There are things that we in magical world cannot fully explain, but from what I understand the more times someone marries within their family, the more likely there is a chance of problems occurring," Bill said. "That's correct Mr. Weasley," Janet said. "Please call me Bill. There are too many Mr. Weasleys running around here." "Ok Bill. The reason why inbred peoples start having mental and physical disorders is because a fetus is made up of 32 chromosomes, sixteen from the mother, and sixteen from the father. When you start getting matching chromosomes from both parents, there isn't enough information for the body to grow and develop properly causing mutations in the genetic code, giving different viruses and other diseases a chance to thrive. It is one of the reasons the American Department of Magic believes that within the next one hundred years, the pureblood families of Europe, especially the UK, will be reduced to Squibs or very weak magic users. Too weak to go to Hogwarts or any magical school," Janet explained. Poppy simply nodded, already knowing this information. Everyone was quite for a moment. If that were true, then Hermione and Harry were very badly needed individuals because Hermione is a muggleborn and Harry being a pureblood with generations of squibs and muggles on his mother's side. Bill saw that Colonel still was thinking about Saddam and decided to answer the question on his mind. "Colonel, one thing you need to remember about our world, is that there are good magical people and bad magical people. Just like muggles. Some are smart; some are stupid, most of the bad guys that we hear about are fanatical. Saddam got a few of the bad ones together who knew wards and placed the ancient wards around his palaces because he knew that many nations did not have integrated magical and muggle military teams," Bill explained. "You know that is a very good point George," Jacob said for the first time. "Think about how SG teams or even the military in general could benefit from magical users in their ranks, openly serving." "In the general Military that would not work very well," Albus said. "There is the International Statue of Secrecy which states that we cannot use our powers on or around muggles except in cases of life and death. However, for your teams that travel through the Stargate, there is merit to having magic users there. If I am correct, the Stargate Program is top secret?" "Yes it is," Hammond answered. "Then in your nondisclosure agreement, which could be a magically binding contract, we can disclose the magical world and everything about it. Magically binding documents, unbreakable vows, wards, healing, plus offensive and defensive spells, there almost no limit," Albus aid. "There is one downside to that," Teal'c said. "What is the downside?" Hermione asked. "From what Secretary Anderson stated, there are very few magic users in the United States that are strong enough to do any of things you have spoken about. Also, if one of the magic users were to be captured, they would make a very powerful Goa'uld," Teal'c said. "I don't think a Goa'uld can penetrate a magical person," Janet said. "I was talking to Poppy here and we think that the case of Voldemort is a fluke. We think that he was so young at the time that his magic was not strong enough to repel that symbiote. When it became strong enough to forcibly eject it, Voldemort's body had become so dependant on the symbiote that it caused the two entities to merge. The symbiote body was broke down and absorbed into the blood stream while the consciousness settled into Tom Riddle's mind, almost like split personalities. When the time was right, magic caused their personalities to merge into one. The result was Lord Voldemort," Janet explained. "I hate to change topics here, but what else have wizards have found around Giza? I mean I know that the pyramids were used as landing sites and all --" Daniel asked. "Daniel. Please don't talk about Egypt!" O'Neill yelled. "It's alright Colonel. This was the point of my questioning. I want all of us to talk to each other," Harry said. "Oh. By the way how did you know about Operation Desert Storm anyway? I thought the British Wizards ignore the mundane world?" O'Neill asked. "I was raised by my muggle relatives for the first eleven years of my life. I know a great deal about the outside world. Hermione here is muggleborn. She is the first magic user in her family," Harry explained. "That isn't true Harry. I come from a line made up of mostly squibs for the last five generations with muggles married into it." She then turned to Sam. "Major Carter, I have read all of the articles you have published on wormhole theory. And after learning about the Astoria Portia, what do you think the limitations..." Hermione began to speak to Carter. "Here we go. She'll be gone for hours," Ron complained. "Though it is nice to see Hermione smiling again." "You love Hermione, don't you?" Jack asked. "How... how can you tell?" Ron asked. "Because you have the same dreamy look in your eyes that I have for Sam. Ron, do yourself a favor and tell her how you feel. Trust me on this, you'll be better off," O'Neill said. "I already have. What about you and Major Carter?" "It's complicated. The United States Air Force does not allow commanding officers and their subordinates to date or fall in love. We did it because I had already retired from the Air Force and they dragged me back in, so we're exempt, but it is still difficult; when we are missions or on the base, we have to act professional. Though trust me, if I had it my way, I would kiss her all the time and marry her sooner rather than later." Around the table, conversations were picking up between the two groups. "Are you telling me you had drinks with General Eisenhower regularly?" Jacob Carter asked. "Yes. He liked aged firewhiskey. He introduced me to Jack Daniels. It does have some kick, though it has been many years since I had any," Albus said. "So you actually have medicine that will help wake up and restore a person's natural energy levels?" Frasier asked. "Oh yes. We have a number of potions including Pepper-Up, which is what I mainly use to restore the energy levels; Strengthening Potions, which help restore physical strength to person, and a number of others. Though many of them taste terrible according to my patients," Poppy said. "If they tasted good, they wouldn't work!" Janet said, causing both women to laugh. Kingsley, Remus, Dora and Teal'c were discussing different styles of hand to hand combat. "I use many different forms of fighting including some that Jaffa have been using for thousands of years," Teal'c said. "It is strange, you smell different from anyone I have met before. You smell of forests, deserts, and of a snake," Remus said. "Remus Lupin, you are a very strange person. Why do you care what I smell like?" Teal'c said. "I'm a werewolf. I have an increased sense of smell, even when I am not transformed along with increased strength, stamina, and speed," Remus said, somewhat reluctantly. One of things Harry had pointed out was that he needed to be honest with the Americans. "You do not look like any sort of animal I have ever met Remus Lupin." "You see Teal'c, my boyfriend only transforms into a werewolf once a month. The rest of the time he is a scholar and a normal wizard who just has heightened senses and low self esteem." "Would it not be better to say that you are a normal wizard who transforms into a werewolf once a month, Remus Lupin?" "If only it was that simple my large friend," Remus muttered. "You see Teal'c, many people fear werewolves, for good reason, but they do not understand that most people who become a werewolf are not given a choice. Remus was bitten as a child," Dora said. "There is no honor in attacking the young. It is a cowardly act. I would be honored to help you seek vengeance on this werewolf who attacked you," Teal'c said with determination. "Why? You just met me?" Remus asked. "As O'Neill says, I am a good judge of character. I feel no dark feelings from anyone in this room. I feel peace and openness from almost everyone in this room. Only from the man with greasy hair do I feel anything else. From him I feel annoyance. Almost as if he left something important to come here to eat. It reminds me of how Daniel Jackson and Major Carter react when O'Neill and I force them to eat." Remus laughed loudly. "That is our Potions Master, Severus Snape. He probably left a potion to simmer. He is not the most sociable person in the world either, but he is getting better. He is also our spy in Voldemort's Inner Circle." "Indeed." "Well lunch was delicious, but I feel it is time to get started. Albus and I have scheduled a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry for this evening. For now, I would like for our American friends to have the opportunity to explore the castle and probably setup some of their equipment," Harry said. "Thank you Harry. We would appreciate it. Where is our gear?" Sam asked. "Your personal clothing has already been taken to your rooms and your other equipment has been moved to the Room of Requirement on the Seventh Floor," Ginny said. "What is the Room of Requirement?" Daniel asked. "It is a magical room that gives the user whatever it needs," Harry stated. "Why don't we go ahead and give the grand tour right now. You can ask questions as we go." "Sounds like a plan. By the way, does Oz really exist?" Jack asked. "Of course Australia exists," Hermione said. "No, I meant the Land of Oz." Remus and Dora fell over laughing. Minerva answered. "Yes it does. I take it you have seen the muggle film -The Wizard of Oz-?" "It is one of Jack's favorite movies," Daniel said. "Ahh one of the Americans attempts to reveal the magical world. Anyway, to answer your question Colonel, yes the Land of Oz does exist. It is in another dimension and there are gateways between their world and ours. One of them is in Kansas." "Oh, ok," Jack said. "Does Kingsley really cause the Cowardly Lion to sneeze?" Everyone laughed as Harry and Ginny started the tour. "What in the hell is that?" Jack asked. They were outside the castle looking over grounds. "That is a Thestral. They pull our school carriages between Hogsmeade Station where the Hogwarts Express is, and the castle. You can only see them if you have seen death," Harry said. "How many deaths does it take? I've seen a lot of death first hand." "Doesn't matter; one death is just as bad as another," Harry said. "Why do you use a replica steam locomotive to get to Hogwarts?" Sam asked. Poppy answered. "Allow me to explain, many wizarding families bind an infant or toddler's power so that they cannot lash out and hurt themselves or others when they are young and cannot control them. This is normally very good because accidental magic, magic that is done accidentally, has the ability to kill. The family normally removes the bind on their magic shortly before they board the Hogwarts Express the first time. You see when a person's magic is released from the binding it normally overwhelms the child and causes them to tire easily. It is one of the reasons why we have the train take so long to make it to school. This allows time for many students to sleep off any fatigue they may still have. In Muggleborn children, we bind their power when their accidental magic triggers certain sensors. Then after they receive their Hogwarts letter and a visit from a member of the staff, we explain what has happened. That staff member then arranges to escort the new student and their family to Diagon Alley to buy supplies. At the end of the shopping trip, the professor removes the block. It normally takes a few days for the child to get accustomed to their power, and the Hogwarts Express gives us the perfect option without worrying the child. Besides, many witches and wizards never travel through the countryside and this is some of the prettiest countryside in the world." "That makes a lot of sense," Sam said looking at her dad. "Accidental magic, would it involve making a wish and getting it?" Jacob asked. "Wishing Magic is indeed as form of Accidental Magic, though it is very rare. It takes a child with immense powers to perform it and normally a child's magic is already bound so that cannot happen. I know for a fact that Harry had many cases of wishing magic when he was between three and ten months old. He used to wish his godfather Sirius, who was a huge black dog Animagus, to be in his play pen with him. That and he always wanted treacle tart," Poppy explained. "Interesting; Madam Pomfrey, is there a way to test to see if someone is magical?" Jacob asked. Poppy nodded. "Of course, why?" "Because when Sam was an infant, she used to wish for toys to appear. She would occasionally wish for something to happen up through her early teens," Jacob explained. "Remind me to test her when we return to the castle," Poppy said. The group continued on until they were at the Paddock Hagrid had built inside were two unicorns. "They're real?!" Janet said. "Yes they are. These are indeed the mythical unicorns. There are also black unicorns called War Unicorns, but they are very rare. And over there in the other paddock is Buckbeak, a hippogriff. Hippogriffs are proud creatures and easily offended." "Sound like Jaffa," Jack said. "Indeed," Teal'c replied. "So how many of the mythic creatures are real? Chimeras, Dragons, Phoenixes, Centaurs, High Elves..." Daniel asked. "Yes to all. In fact there is a phoenix close by," Ginny said before she and Harry transformed into matching phoenixes; a moment later Fawkes flamed to their location and began to sing. "That's impossible!" Sam muttered. "No, it is magic. Difficult magic yes, but magic nonetheless. Harry and Ginny are Animagus. They have the ability to transform into an animal. Most witches and wizards cannot become Animagi because of the difficulty. Also magical animagi are thought to be impossible, though we see that Harry and Ginny can," Albus said to the group. Harry and Ginny both transformed back into their human forms. "We are also the only people to have multiple forms," Ginny stated. "Wow," Daniel said. "And of course we have the Black Lake and merpeople," Ron said as they walked towards the lake. There were some merpeople sunbathing on the rocks as the group approached. They took one look at the humans and disappeared back into the water. "They do tend to be kind of shy around humans. We also have Gracie, the Giant Squid. She is harmless unless I ask her to defend the school," Albus said. "What kind of defenses does the castle and grounds have?" Jack asked. "The primary defensive measures are the ancient wards. They include many different layers including ill intent, muggle repelling, Anti-Portkey, Anti-Apparition, and Animagus Detection Wards," Albus said. "I have am also raising wards to prevent anyone baring the Dark Mark to enter the grounds, as well as floo wards, anti-portal wards, and if Bill can figure it out somehow, offensive wards that will shoot spells back out. As it stands there are wards that reflect everything. Oh and there are physical repelling wards. The problem is that many of these wards take a lot of time and to magic to erect. As the High Lord of Hogwarts, I am directly tied to the castle and the lay lines that she sits on so I should be able to do it without killing me," Harry said. "Ok, what else?" Hammond asked. "The suits of armor, gargoyles, and Hogwarts herself can become motivated to fight. The castle ghosts often times cannot touch anything, but they can distract someone when they pass through them because of the temperature change," Albus said. "Also, there is a rather large armory of weapons that is now open to the defenders of Hogwarts including swords, axes, crossbows, bows, arrows, etc.," Harry added with a smirk. "So if we add some of our heavy artillery weapons, you wouldn't mind?" Jack asked. "Nope. As long as we can hide them until the last possible moment," Harry added with a smirk. "This is the Room of Requirement. We were not sure if you needed a place to train or not. The room will be able to create anything you wish. The only things it cannot create are complex items like gunpowder and potions; though it will provide the ingredients to create gunpowder and potions," Hermione said. "Wow. This is really advanced. Sir, think about how much money we could save if we had something like this at the SGC?" Sam said. "Yes, but what are the limitations of things created in this room?" Hammond stated. "I am not sure General, but it would be an interesting experiment," Hermione said. "Let's test it. Do any of your use weightlifting equipment?" Remus asked. "Treadmill, chin up bar, weight lifting station, and some normal free weights," Janet replied. It was the normal setup anywhere. "Ok, I know what all of them are, so give me a moment to think... and here you go," Remus said as he opened the door and showed off the room. It had five treadmills, three weight stations, two chin up bars, and a sparring mat. "Wow," Daniel said. "This is indeed adequate," Teal'c answered looking around the space. "This room can create anything we need, as we already said. We can test what can and cannot be made later. It's getting late in the day, let's finished the tour and then get ready for dinner," Harry said, ushering everyone out of the room. Harry led the group down a couple of corridors past the gargoyle guarding Albus' office and finally to a long corridor. "These are our VIP guest rooms. This will be you are staying while here. Each person has their own room, and they are clearly marked on the door frame. Down the hallway and to the right is my office and suite; behind us is Albus' office and suite. My office guarded by statue of a griffin, and Albus' is protected by the gargoyle. If you need to enter just speak to the guardian and they will inform us." Ginny spoke up again, deciding that it was time to move along. "The only things you need to know are that all meals are served in the Great Hall. Breakfast is at 8 o'clock in the morning, lunch is at 1 o'clock and dinner is at 6 o'clock. If you need anything, please just ask for a house elf. Dress is casual for all meals, except for dinner tonight. As you are visiting dignitaries, tonight's dinner will be formal. "Please wear your dress uniforms. If there is nothing else, then we will see at dinner." The group broke up and headed their own directions. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon so everyone had a few hours. George and Jacob headed to George's room discuss what they had already seen, Teal'c was going to meditate for while, Janet and Daniel were going to have a long overdue discussion privately, and Jack and Sam decided to take a small nap. Albus and Minerva headed to their offices; Ron, Hermione, and Professor Flitwick were heading to the library to do some research on charms that would power electronics. Severus had to return to his potions, Poppy wanted to sort out the hospital wing because she knew they injuries would be heavy with Harry in the castle, Bill had an appointment at Gringotts he was going to be late for, and Harry and Ginny were off to their suite for a little private time. That left only Remus and Tonks who decided Harry and Ginny had the right idea and headed to the Marauder's Den in Hogsmeade. At 5:45, everyone was mulling about in the Entrance Hall. The Air Force Officers were all decked out in their dress blues with all of their ribbons and awards. Daniel was dressed in dark blue suits with matching tie and gray shirt. Teal'c wore a traditional Jaffa ceremonial robe over dark blue slacks and long sleeve shirt. Both men also wore their civilian medals which they received from the US government. Like the week before, the witches and wizards were wearing their formal robes. Harry and Ginny, as the High Lord and Lady of Hogwarts, were the hosts for dinner and were moving about with grace dignity. Jack noticed Harry's and Ginny's robes were different from everyone else's. They both had hoods on their robes and they were also armed. "Good evening Harry. I was wondering, why are yours and your wife's robes different from everyone else's?" Jack asked. "Well first off, as I told you earlier today, two of the titles I have are High Lord of Hogwarts and High Lord of Council of Twelve. The hood on my formal robes represent that I am a High Lord. As my soulmate and wife, Ginny is considered the High Lady of Hogwarts and High Lady of the Council of Twelve," Harry explained. "That makes sense. What about your blade?" "Ahh, well you see one of my ancestors was officially knighted by the monarch of the time, with it came a hereditary title, Lord Gryffindor, and the title has been passed down through the generations to me. One of the things I am allowed to do is to carry my family sword in public at any official function, though this sword is always with me regardless." "And your wife carries her because of the bond thingy," Jack stated. "Yes," Harry said. At six o'clock on the dot, the bells in the belfry of Hogwarts chimed as Harry made his way to the doors of the Great Hall which was still sealed. "Welcome family, friends, guests, and honored dignitaries. This is the first official state dinner at Hogwarts Castle in almost six hundred years. After we enjoy our dinner, it will be time to get to work, so please enjoy yourselves while you feast on the best Hogwarts has to offer. As per tradition, I would like everyone to pair up with a member of the opposite sex if possible. The crier shall announce you when you enter." With that said, the doors opened and the couples began to line up. As per protocol, the first to enter was Harry and Ginny. Dobby was the Crier for the evening. Following them were Amelia Bones, escorted by Kingsley. Next was Prime Minister Blair and his wife, after them was George Hammond, who entered alone, followed by Jacob Carter, who also entered alone. Remus and Tonks were announced next followed by Poppy Pomfrey, and then Rolanda Hooch was being escorted by Severus Snape. Snape did not have his usual sneer on his face, which made everyone happy. Then came Daniel and Janet, followed by Teal'c. After them was Percy and Penny, then Fred and George with Alicia and Angelina. Charlie was announced next, alone as always then things got interesting. "Announcing the Heir Apparent of the Noble House of Weasley, William Arthur Weasley, who is escorting his fiancee, Madam Fleur Delacour, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Delacour." When they entered, everyone saw that Bill was wearing a katana sword on his hip and traditional wizarding robes of black trimmed with gold and red with his house crest over his heart. Fleur was wearing a glowing gown light blue in color that looked like it made out of the wind. As she walked it flowed around her. They made their way to one of the few remaining tables where they were seated. Once they were seated, the menus appeared and the table began to place their orders. "Announcing Lord Pendragon Ronald Bilius Weasley, Lord and Head of the Magical House of Pendragon and member of the Noble House of Weasley, who is escorting his soulmate and wife, Lady Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter." When they entered, everyone saw that Ron was now wearing battle robes and armor done on royal blue with highlights of purple with gold, silver, and bronze trimmed. On his belt was a sword that many people in the room knew of, though many thought it was just legend, `Excalibur'. Hermione was wearing matching robes that matched Ron's battle robes. As soon as the entered, Harry rose to his feet and saluted his friend. The entire room joined him standing, though many did not know why. After they took their seats, Ron nodded to Harry who explained what Ron now was. "Many years ago, when King Arthur left for Avalon to sleep, he embedded his magic, knowledge and very life force in his trusty sword, Excalibur. What many people do now know is that Excalibur is the brother sword to the Sword of Gryffindor and that the Lady of the Lake which Merlin entrusted the sword to was actually the Grey Lady of Hogwarts. She has held the sword in trust until Ronald here, my brother in spirit and magic, decided to admit how much he truly loved my sister, causing their soul-bond to form. "When the bond formed, the Grey Lady fulfilled her duty and presented Excalibur to Ronald. When she did, Ronald became the Heir of Arthur Pendragon in blood, soul, and magic. I say to you brother, Welcome Home," Harry finished and applauded his brother. After the applause died down, Dobby moved on. "Announcing Lord Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot of Great Britain, Defeater of Grindelwald, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, escorting Lady Minerva McGonagall of the Clan McGonagall of the Highlands of Scotland, Professor and Head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The two professors entered. Like the others, they both wore stunning robes, made of the finest materials. However unlike the other men, Albus did not carry a sword; he carried a regal staff. It was made of yew and topped with a dark purple amethyst stone. Like the other couples, when they sat down, their table began eat. "Announcing Lord William Arthur Weasley Head of the Noble House of Weasley, Director of Department of Magical Law Enforcement for the Ministry of Magic of Great Britain, and Deputy Minister of Magic for Great Britain; he is escorting his wife Lady Molly Weasley of the Noble Houses of Prewitt and Weasley, parents of the High Lady of Hogwarts." The two Weasleys entered, Arthur wore an ancient looking sword on his hip, obviously the Weasley Family Sword. Both of the robes were matching deep red with brown trim. Finally, the last couple was ready to enter. Dobby opened the scroll of parchment, looked shocked, but read it anyway. "Announcing Colonel Jonathan Patrick O'Neill, member of the Noble Clan of O'Neill, Commander of SG-1, Second in Command of Stargate Command, descendant of the Alterrans; he is escorting his soulmate: Doctor Major Samantha Grace Carter, member of the Ancient and Most Noble Clan of Kilpatrick, Second in Command of SG-1, and Earth's Ambassador to the Tok'ra High Council." When the entered, they made their way to their seats at Harry's table and began to eat. Halfway through dinner Sam asked the question that was on her mind. "Harry, why did were Jack and I announced as soulmates and members of magical clans from both Ireland and Scotland?" "Because you both are; one of my abilities is to see bonds. A soul-bond is pure white in color and not only wraps around a couple, but penetrates them as well. You also have what is called a family bond with Doctor Jackson, Teal'c, Generals Hammond & Carter, and Doctor Frasier. It is stronger than anything I have seen except for the bond between myself, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. "As to the question about why you were introduced as clan members, well Jack descends from a long line of squibs in from the Clan O'Neill, which by the way, married into the Clan McGonagall of Scotland about eighty years ago. You are a very weak wizard Jack. You probably will never be able to handle a wand, but you can see and respond to magic and I bet you can even master legillimency, occlumency, and other mind arts. "As for you Sam, you are in the exact state that Jack is in. You are descended from squibs through the Clan Kilpatrick. Your magic is stronger than Jack's but still very weak; probably from damaging your magic core with your Wishing Magic when you were younger. You are also a natural Occlumens, which is why you can remember information so well." "Oh, what do we do about the soul-bond? Because we are in the military, we are not allowed..." Sam mumbled. "I think General Hammond has something already lined up for you. For now, eat. We have work to do later," Harry said before diving back into his steak. After the formal dinner the group retreated to the War Room. The War Room was on the third floor and was laid out with desks surrounding a central platform where a large pensieve. Along the walls were maps of Great Britain with other maps showing detailed areas from the larger area map. "Nice place Albus," Hammond said as he entered the room. "Thank you George. Please enter and sit down," Albus said. After everyone was seated, Albus began. "This is the War Room. It has served me since Grindelwald's Terror and through the Voldemort's first rise to power. It is one room that I wish I never have to enter again. "Around you are maps of Great Britain and parts of France, known areas where Voldemort is recruiting and carrying out operations. If you want to see a specific area, just tap your wand and one of the maps will bring up the specifics. It has taken almost an entire year, but we can now get real time data about anything going on in the areas the maps cover. Let me show you." Albus scrolled to Scotland and tapped on Hogsmeade. The map changed and a real time view of Hogsmeade appeared. "As you can see it shows who is there, what is going on, and what, if any wards, charms, spells, or enchantments are being used. Death Eaters are represented by the Dark Mark. Members of the Order of the Phoenix are represented by the phoenix, Hogwarts Students are represented by the Hogwarts Crest, normal witches and wizards are represented as blue dots, muggles yellow, magical creatures by brown dots." "This is better than anything we have in our arsenal, sir," Sam said. "Based on what I have read and learned, the charms to create the maps alone must have taken ages." "The smaller version, which has given us the ability to see real time images, was developed by me and some friends when we were in school. In order to get it to work on this scale, well I have no idea how Albus did it," Remus said, looking at the Headmaster with a curiously. "That is a discussion for another day Remus. For now, how much of Lord Voldemort do you and your team know General?" Albus asked. "Doctor Jackson, if you would?" Hammond said. "Of course; Headmaster, do you have anyway to project my information?" Daniel asked. "The USDM sent me this pensieve and a computer that you can use. They have been designed to work around high concentrations of magic, like Hogwarts," Albus said. Daniel plugged in his flash drive and began his lecture. As he talked, every image he displayed was shown in three dimensions so that everyone could see it. "First off, our information comes from various sources including books, texts, scrolls, and in a lot of the cases regarding Anubis, my personal experience. I spent the last three months human time as an ascended being of pure thought and energy learning all I could about Anubis and Voldemort. "According to our information, Voldemort and the Goa'uld Anubis are siblings, brothers to be exact. They spent their early years in obscurity until about five thousand years ago. Anubis began his rise to power as a Goa'uld System Lord. The Goa'uld System Lords are the upper level of Goa'uld society and who controls the galaxy. "A thousand years ago, Anubis was banished by System Lords because he wanted more power. They defeated his armies and banished to an obscure part of the galaxy. It was because of this banishment that we believe that Anubis became obsessed with Ascension." "What is Ascension?" Ron asked. "It is an evolution to a higher plane of existence where we exist as pure energy. Merlin, the Hogwarts Founders, Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel have all ascended," Albus said. "Well that makes things easier. How do you know about it?" Daniel asked. "After your lecture, I will explain," Albus said. "Very well," Daniel said, continuing on. "While Anubis was helping rule the galaxy, his brother, Voldemort, came to Earth, we are not sure why though. Unlike most Goa'uld, Voldemort liked the cooler climates of what is now Europe and Asia and not the deserts of Egypt and the modern day Middle East. While he was exploring the planet, Ra left Earth and the stargate was buried thanks to a slave rebellion; which basically exiled Voldemort here on Earth. Whether Ra knew Voldemort was still on Earth when he left, no one knows, but I would assume that was the case. There are many reports about Goa'uld keeping close tabs on other Goa'ulds that are on their planets. They are a paranoid bunch." "Why would one snake want to exile another snake?" Remus asked. "Probably because Voldemort was Anubis' brother and wanted to use him as leverage against Anubis or because Ra didn't like Voldemort. We really don't know. One thing you need to remember about the Goa'uld is that they trust no one except themselves. Allies come and go faster than some people change clothes," Jacob explained. "Over the course of the next five thousand years, we believe that Voldemort stayed alive by performing many archaic rituals that the Unas, the first hosts to the Goa'uld, created. Voldemort, in his parasite form, mated with indigenous snakes from Earth. He would then take the strongest offspring and, using both the Unas ritual and what little technology he had with him when he went on his journey, transferred his consciousness. His old body would die, but the memories and the essence of Voldemort would live on. The side effect to this ritual, as we have learned from the Tok'ra, is that each time Voldemort possessed a new snake, he would lose another piece of his memories and also another piece of what made him a Goa'uld." "But from what we have learned from you and your reports, Voldemort has not lost his desire for immortality," Jacob added. "Yes, Voldemort has been seeking immortality for himself for a very long time. Well over five thousand years," Daniel told the room. The room fell quiet with that thought. "Where was I? Oh yes, in 1931, Voldemort found himself on the coast of England where he came into contact with a young boy. Even though Goa'ulds can swim, they get tired just like we would if we were to try to cross the English Channel and was close to death. As he laid there, a young boy spoke to him in the language of the snakes. This language is known to the High Priests and Priestesses so that they could speak with the Goa'uld in their natural forms. I understand that you call it this language parseltongue. The boy, named Tom Riddle, agreed to help the snake however he could. Voldemort took his chance entered Tom Riddle's body, probably through the back of the throat, and began to process of taking over the body. "But something happened which Voldemort had not prepared for: Magic. According to what the USDM has explained to us, magic is defensive in nature when inside the body. It is the reason why you do not get the cold or the flu, correct. "Yes that is basically correct. Our magical core is what sustains us and nourishes us. The food we eat and the water we drink help recharge our core. It is one of the reasons why it is so dangerous for us to suffer from magical exhaustion. Certain forces like adrenalin, caffeine, and potions can affect our magic, but only temporarily. The only thing that can replenish our magic is time and subsistence. However, we do have wizarding aliments. Dragon Pox, Wizarding Flu, and a number of others that are by far worse than anything you could imagine. We are also immune to cancer, most STDs, and AIDS. However Dementia, Alzheimer's, and Mental Disorders while rare, do exist in our world," Poppy explained. "Thank you Poppy, that makes sense. Because according to what are were able to gather from the different reports we have read, Voldemort did not possess young Tom right away. Instead he used every bit of his strength to attach himself to the brain stem and went into a dormant stat, thus allowing him to heal and Tom's magic to not attack any longer. "It wasn't until many years later that Voldemort tried to take over young Tom Riddle once again. During that time, Tom benefited having the Goa'uld inside him. According to the records from the orphanage, Tom was never sick after that summer and no longer needed his glasses." "I took Tom his Hogwarts Letter when he was eleven years old, I did not detect any sort of possession or a second entity inside of him like I do with Jacob Carter and Selmac," Albus said to the General. "Yes; many of the worlds that we have visited have people with telekinesis say that when they look at a Tok'ra and their host, they can feel both of us very strongly. However, when they saw a Goa'uld, they said that there was one weaker and one stronger. One of the people, his name was Lionel, said that when he met Anubis, he felt only one presence, and it was truly dark and evil," Selmac said. "When did Voldemort possess Tom Riddle then?" Kingsley asked. "Well in the summer before he went to Hogwarts, Tom Riddle's library traffic went up all over two-hundred percent of what it had been. Most of the information he read was on Ancient Egypt, Sumatra, Persia, Greek, and Rome. He also studied the mundane legends of Western Europe, the United States, and the Far East. The rate that he read leads me to believe that Voldemort became strong enough and struck Tom Riddle in the middle of the day. This would be when his internal magic would be at it's weakest and his concentration was on something else," Daniel continued, throwing up titles of books and some of the notes that the muggle had on Tom Riddle. "There was an unintended effect to this attack. Tom's magic killed the parasite; the body was then absorbed by Tom's body, including the protein marker. Voldemort's consciousness was imprinted onto Tom's brain, but not many of his memories due to him losing them through his time on Earth whenever he took a new host. When that happened, they became one person." "Thank you Doctor Jackson. This explains what happened to Tom and why he chose the path he did. It seems that Voldemort's quest for immortality was not lost through time. While a student, Tom Riddle, who is descended from one of this school's founders, discovered a hidden chamber that discussed many dark, evil ways of gaining immortality," Dumbledore said. "Albus, I think Salazar Slytherin had also met Voldemort or read about the Goa'uld. One of Slytherin's ancient ancestors was said to have served his god in a temple in their native land. He spoke to the snake-like forms," Harry said. "That would be correct. We have discovered the temple where Ra housed the Goa'uld hatchlings. The High Priests and Priestesses would have cared for the hatchlings. After Ra left, many of them were forced to flee Egypt and could have made it to Western Europe," Daniel explained. "I concur Daniel Jackson. When a Goa'uld leaves, he takes the Goa'uld larvae with them, either killing the Priests outright or just leave them to their fates," Teal'c said. "So when Tom Riddle/Voldemort discovered the Chamber of Secrets, he might also found out about who he really was?" Ginny asked. "The only information the Chamber of Secrets might have contained would have been family legends. Until the Stargate was discovered in 1928, no one even knew it was here," Albus stated. "That is what I was told as well. But there are some drawings that might have awoken memories in the snake. Doctor Jackson, I would like you to take a look at them a little later," Harry said. "Of course." "Professor Snape --" "Call me Severus, Harry. You have earned that right," the Potions Master said. "Has Voldemort in the last twenty years or so tried to get into any government controlled businesses?" Harry asked. "All that I know for sure was that he his agents in America told him about a group called `The Trust'. They could get him whatever he needed in terms of weapons and information on the Goa'uld. He has started to use that term a lot in the last few months. Now I understand why." "If he were to make contact with a Goa'uld, then he could blend with it and relearn all of the knowledge that he has lost," Selmac said. "Oh god," Sam said. "Major Carter, contact the SGC immediately. Then get a hold of Agent Barrett. Tell them that there is a possible Goa'uld on Earth that needs the help of the Trust," Hammond ordered. Sam nodded and left the room right behind Amelia who was on her way to fire-call the Prime Minister and Secretary Anderson of the USDM. The Prime Minister had returned to Downing Street after dinner earlier. While they were gone, Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, and Hammond explained about The Trust and some the things that they had done including kidnapping Hammond's grandchildren, which really pissed off everyone in the War Room. "Jack, how much knowledge would someone need to use some of the weapons the Trust has at their disposal?" Remus asked. "Not a whole lot. Most of it is point and shoot. To fix something if it breaks, well that would be Carter's department." "Excuse me, Severus. You are the spy correct?" Janet asked. "I am Doctor Frasier." "Did Voldemort brand you at all? Normally Jaffa are tattooed on their forehead, and then when they become First Prime, the Tattoo is cut up and the gold is poured in." "He branded me with this." Severus rolled up his sleeve and showed Janet the Dark Mark. Jacob, who had been talking to Minerva about the animagus transformation, turned to look at Severus. "That son-of-a-bitch used his own blood in the tattoo!" Jacob yelled as he jumped to his feet. "He has been gaining his memories back. If each of his followers has this tattoo, he could not only control them, but also locate them from any distance." Janet, who carried a small Alterran hand scanner with her all times now, was scanning the Potions Master. "You are being poisoned. Mostly from the blood in the tattoo but there are two others poisons that I can detect. They look inert at the present time though." "You are correct. The two poisons are from one of my former associates after Harry and his friends escaped the Department of Mysteries. Delores thought I needed a reminder of who is in charge. I have already taken the antidotes for them. They should be out of my body within days." "Amazing. Albus, the readings on this look just like the readings I would see if I ran the diagnostic spells on Severus, and it takes only moments," Poppy exclaimed. "I know. Alterrans were the first magic users on Earth. Their technology uses energy to recreate the effects of their magic. I am sure that many of their technologies will make sense to us," Albus said. "Janet, can you remove the Dark Mark?" Daniel asked. "I am not sure. I assume you already have tried?" she asked Severus. "Yes we have tried. From what I know, the curse and magic attaches itself to my soul and my magic. I am hoping that one day I can find a way, before I am killed by it." "I'll work with you and Poppy and see what we can come up with," Janet said. "Perhaps we can get back to Tom's history. Though this new information is startling, there is little we can do about it right now," Harry stated. Everyone agreed and settled back down. Sam and Amelia reentered just as Albus stood up, ready to continue. Once they were ready Albus continued. "When Tom Riddle was sixteen, he discovered a way to split his soul into multiple pieces and encase them in objects. This way if his body was destroyed, his soul would remain earthbound." "But what about a body? A soul needs a body. Without it, I would assume it would be a like a ghost," Jacob said. "Very close General. When Voldemort attempted to kill me with the killing curse, the spell rebounded and obliterated his body. His soul and his magic fled England to the forests of Albania where he hid as a shapeless dark specter," Harry stated. "Why there?" Hammond asked. "The area is surrounded with black magic and is considered by many to be haunted. It is also rumored to be where the Dark Wizard Grindelwald had one of his storehouses," Albus explained. "When Voldemort failed to kill me and his body was blown apart, his soul was already so unstable that a piece of his soul broke off and imbedded itself inside of my scar," Harry said pointing at his fading scar. "Now if any of you are religious, then you will know already understand that a soul is meant to remain whole and untouched. To rip a soul apart the way Voldemort did is against the acts of nature itself. "But to answer your earlier question Jacob, there are ways of making a new body. They involve black magic of the blackest order. Normal magic cannot bring the dead back to life or generate a new body or body parts if it has been too long," Harry finished. "How does one make a horcrux? According to ancient writings found in present day Syria, many of the priests would encase the soul of a convicted person into a jar, so that they would remain trapped here for eternity," Daniel said. "Very close Doctor Jackson. First, the spell to make a horcrux I will not tell anyone. This is the blackest, evilest kind of magic. There are some magics that should just fade away into the echoes of time and this is one of them," Albus said. "There are many things that should just disappear Headmaster. I know Jacob, Jack and I have seen many things that we have created here on this planet that we wish we could have not made," Hammond said, thinking about the poisons, WMDs, and other evils they had seen and helped create. "Yes I know. I saw the damage to Hiroshima to end World War II. But the problem for us is that Tom did not stop with a single horcrux, which had been done before. No Tom planned on splitting his soul into seven individual pieces," Albus said. Jacob lowered his head, when he brought it back up; his eyes glowed for a moment, signaling the Selmac was speaking again. It had taken a little while for everyone to get used to this, but people eventually accepted it. "What you have said about generating a new body sounds like things I have heard about from some the most ancient texts ever found throughout the galaxy. They are very dark and only the evilest of creatures have been rumored to attempt them. "When you described the differences about being placed under your mind control curse by others compared to Voldemort, they sound as if they are being done differently." "Explain please," Ron asked, baffled. "If someone other than Voldemort put someone under the curse: unless a person is told to forget, or has their memory altered, they remember everything that they were forced to do. Correct?" Most people in the room nod. "However when Voldemort does it, it sounds very much like the experience former Goa'uld hosts have described when the Goa'uld first takes over. They can see and hear everything, but cannot control themselves and eventually give up. When the unwilling host would get control for whatever reason, they often times had huge junks of time missing from their memories. This is because the unwilling host fought bravely and gallantly against the Goa'uld." "That is the possession that Tom had over me," Ginny said. "Excuse me?" Janet Frasier asked. "Please allow me to explain. Tom placed wards and enchantments on his horcruxes to protect them; he then hid them or gave them to some of his most trusted servants to protect. The first one he made was a diary when he was sixteen. Now one thing about Tom Riddle is that he liked to collect things, especially personal effects of those who he had tormented. "The diary itself contained a record of all the things he had done since coming to Hogwarts. The people he cursed, the pranks he pulled, the girls he raped, the things he stole, everything. Including that through his mother, who died when he was born, his was descended from Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of the school," Albus said. "It has been thought for hundreds of years that Slytherin was a dark wizard who hated muggles and muggleborn. The truth was that he disliked muggles because he thought they killed his daughter and his wife. They did kill his wife, but his daughter was taken by the muggles and raised as one them. "Because of everyone thinking Slytherin was dark, and that Voldemort himself was a member of that house, Slytherin House here is Hogwarts considered dark and has produced more dark and witches than any other house here at Hogwarts. Which by the way is not true at all; it just appears that way because the other houses hid their dark secrets better," Harry said. "Correct Harry; but back onto topic, the diary was a weapon. When a person would start writing in it, the sliver of soul inside of the diary would slowly possess the person writing in it, slowly draining their life force and giving the specter more and more power," Albus said. "I fell victim to this diary when it was slipped to my three years ago by one of Voldemort's followers," Ginny said. "Ginny, did you receive any help from a therapist or psychiatrist?" Janet asked. "I spent a great deal of time with a Mind Healer from St. Mungo's, our wizarding hospital, and then the family went to Egypt on a vacation. The vacation helped more than anything. But it was strange; I kept having weird dreams and images of the ruins, like if they were new or something. Harry and I have learned that through the horcruxes that we were in contact with, we also received the memories of Tom Riddle and the little snake fucker. No offense Jacob, or you Selmac," Ginny said. Harry pulled Ginny into his lap where she clung tightly to him. "None taken Ginny. After dealing with Jack, we've learned to deal with the rude comments. But in your case, you're right," Jacob said. "Harry, you saved her didn't you?" Sam asked. "Yeah, I did. Ginny was forced to go into the Chamber of Secrets for the final time. He was going to drain the last bit of her soul, which would give him a new body. Anyway, Ron and I learned how to get in, but we got separated and I entered the Chamber by myself. I found Ginny unconscious the specter of Tom standing over her. Once I learned who he was, Riddle called forth one of main defenses of this castle, a basilisk..." Daniel took a deep breath in surprise, "...and I was forced to kill it as a twelve year old boy with a family heirloom, my sword. Though I didn't know I was related to Godric Gryffindor at the time. I pierced the diary with the fang of the basilisk, which destroyed the horcrux because of the poison contained within the fang." "Wow. You either are the luckiest kid I've ever met, or the stupidest. But you did get the girl," Jack joked. "Yeah I did. It was worth it," Harry said before kissing Ginny sweetly on the lips. Everyone turned away for a moment because they looked way too sappy. "Thank you Harry. Now, to answer Doctor Jackson's question, in order to create a horcrux, you must murder someone. This is not a regular murder. You must plan and carry out premeditated murder. Tom Riddle made his diary by killing his own muggle grandfather, Tom Riddle Senior. At the same time, Voldemort created his second horcrux, a family heirloom passed down through the Slytherin line until it came to his maternal uncle Morfin Gaunt. Voldemort took the ring after wiping the memories of his uncle. The ring was made a horcrux when he killed his father, who was a muggle. He killed his paternal grandmother just for fun at the same time. He hid the ring in the ruins of his mother's old hovel and gave the diary to one of his followers. "The third horcrux was another Slytherin Family Heirloom, a locket. It, like the fourth horcrux, a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff of the other founders of Hogwarts, belonged to a collector. Tom killed the collector to create the third horcrux, but we do not know who he killed to make the fourth. He hid the locket in a cave on the coast of Dover where the orphanage he grew up in would take the children in the summer. This cave was where he would torture his fellow students and then modify their memories. Tom was nine years old when he first raped. He performed soddemy on a seven year old boy. The first girl he raped was fourteen when he was fifteen. These are not pleasant images and once he is gone, I plan to remove all of these memories and place them in pensieve forever," Harry finished. "The fifth Horcrux, which we have recently retrieved, thanks to the goblins, was the diadem of the third founder of Hogwarts, Rowena Ravenclaw. The diadem was hidden in the Room of Requirement and was created while he was in Albania in the 1950s. He killed an Auror who was tracking him, my nephew Robert," Albus said. "The sixth planned horcrux was a dagger that once belonged to Godric Gryffindor, the last of the founders of Hogwarts. He planned on making it with the murder of Harry when he was fifteen months old." "Headmaster Dumbledore, why would Lord Voldemort wish to kill Harry Potter as a defenseless child?" Teal'c asked. Albus looked to Harry who nodded. "Because almost two years previous to him trying, I heard a prophecy: "-The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...-" "My parents, who were members of the Order of the Phoenix, defied him three times before I was born at the end of the seventh month, July. When he tried to kill me, he marked me with this scar which contained a sliver of his soul, making me his equal. When Ginny and I bonded, the sliver was destroyed because it could not handle the love we had for each other because Tom Riddle did not know love. When the horcrux was destroyed, the magic and knowledge contained within the sliver was absorbed by my body and magic. "The power he knows not I believe is love, as I said, and the power of muggle technology, which he may now know much more about thanks to this Trust you were speaking of. The power of love opened doors to me, which has resulted in your arrival here, and of course one of us must die and we can only die at the hand of the other," Harry said. "That is a pretty good translation of the prophecy Harry. I would agree with your conclusions, except for the power he knows not. It could just be love, but I am unsure," Daniel said. "But Voldemort did not make a horcrux that night; at least not the one he thought he did?" Sam asked. "Correct Major Carter. We believe that after killing James Potter, and then killing Lily Potter, after she sacrificed herself to save Harry, Voldemort's soul was too unstable. When he cast the killing curse at Harry, very ancient magic, which Lily invoked by sacrificing herself to save Harry, protected him and caused the curse to rebound and destroy his body." "Two years ago, Voldemort was able to build himself a rudimentary body when one of his followers found him in the forests of Albania. In this form they returned to England where Voldemort killed a man, Frank Bryce and created his final Horcrux, his snake Nagini, which I know believe was one of the Goa'uld's own descendants." "It was later that school year that I was abducted and watched as Lord Voldemort was reborn into a new body. He used my own blood as a part of his new body. Because of this, he could touch me, which he was unable to do before," Harry said before calling up the image of Lord Voldemort. Everyone in the room looked at the image, the Americans all looked shocked. Selmac spoke first. "He looks like a human hybrid snake." "Yes. From what we know now, I think that as the soul of Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort was ripped apart; the remaining pieces of the Goa'uld inside of him took over his DNA and made him evolve into this," Albus said. "You know, with a soul in shreds, literally, Voldemort cannot ascend. One of the main parts of Ascension is that the soul is pure and whole. Now I see why," Daniel said. "So what is the plan?" Jack asked the room at large. Chapter 12 Harry stood up and made his way to the platform. "To lure Tommy boy into a trap; the only horcrux he has left is Nagini his snake. The goblins were instrumental in helping as retrieve my family heirlooms and made sure that the soul fragments within were destroyed." "You want to ambush him," Daniel said. "Yes." "Where?" Sam asked. "There is no better place than here at Hogwarts. The ancient wards will protect the rightful heirs to the four founders," Harry said. "But I thought you said he was the last descendant of Slytherin?" Jacob asked. "He thought he was. I am descended, through my mother, from the daughter Salazar Slytherin thought he lost. Even though women cannot inherit in our world, when he attacked me, he tried to kill the Heir Apparent of an ancient bloodline and a member of his own bloodline, to say nothing about his body being destroyed. The ancient magic made me the heir of Salazar Slytherin and since I was already the last descendant of the others founders, here I am, the High Lord of Hogwarts," Harry said. "Alright son; how soon do you want to spring the ambush and what can we do to help?" Hammond asked. Harry looked over at Ron and Moody who stepped up and began to explain their plan. For the next four hours, the group discussed how to make this trap work, including killing Nagini and eliminating the Death Eaters and other dark creatures. It was decided that SG-1 would also go out on some solo missions with the intent of eliminating Voldemort's supply and communication lines plus dealing with The Trust. Finally when the plan was finalized, Albus asked Harry a question which everyone had been wondering. "Harry, how are you going to make sure that Tom comes here?" Harry's smile was worthy of the Marauders, "I am going to insult him until his temper and his arrogance force him to act," Harry said simply. "-The Quibbler-, the -Daily Prophet-, -Witch Weekly-, -Quidditch Today-, and of course Severus here will all carry my message." "How very Slytherin of you Harry," Snape said. "Thank you, I do try," Harry said. "Hey Jack, Harry sounds like you," Jacob laughed. The members of SG-1 laughed while Janet explained the joke to the others. "Colonel O'Neill has a nasty habit of pissing off the Goa'uld on a regular basis." "Maybe we can compare notes. I want Tommy spitting mad," Harry said. "We'll see Harry. For now though, it is almost 2am. We've been in here for almost eight hours, I think we should pick this up fresh tomorrow morning at breakfast," Jack said. "Agreed. Breakfast is at eight folks, good night," Harry said, dismissing the group for the night. Severus headed to his private quarters in the dungeons, Minerva and Poppy headed to their offices. Kingsley, Alastor, and the Weasleys were staying in some of the VIP quarters on the 6th floor. Amelia had to return to Griffin Hall, the official residence of the Minster of Magic to check on Susan and her friend Hanna Abbott. Albus, Harry, and Ginny led the remainder of the group up to the 7th floor, discussing various things including the current whereabouts of Peeves. Jack had been interested in the poltergeist since he first read about him in the briefing notes in Washington DC. Also, Jack liked anyone who could appreciate a good joke. "I had a little chat with him last week after he flooded Ron and Hermione's suite. I reminded him that their suite had not been used in over six hundred years and did not have many of the enchantments on it that the rest of the castle does," Harry said. "What enchantments?" Sam asked. It seemed that once she got over the fact that magic existed, she wanted to more and more about it. "Basic enchantments to make floors, furniture, etc water resistant, anti-fungal, cleanable, easily repairable, and not able to be harmed by fire or water. The enchantments were created about five hundred years ago. Now every piece of home interior bought in the magical world has these enchantments. The house elves do a good job of placing the enchantments on areas of the castle as we open them, but it takes a lot of magic. When the students are not here, the house elves do not have as much magic to use. So they were trying to gather more magic before placing the enchantments. Unfortunately, Peeves struck first. It took Ginny and I hours to calm down the elves, at least none of them killed themselves," Harry said sadly. "Why would they do that?" Daniel asked. Harry looked over to Hermione to give the answer. She nodded and then turned to Teal'c. "Mr. Teal'c, your people were slaves to the Goa'uld for centuries, correct?" "Yes. And many still are." "And though you are free, many of your people do not understand this concept." "Indeed." "You see Doctor Jackson, for the house elves it is the same thing. Overall they are considered slaves. Not even worth the attention of their masters. They cook, clean, perform laundry, weed, and paint, mow lawns, replace windows, and do anything that their masters tell them to. The problem is that House Elves are bound to serve a family or a place. Like here at Hogwarts, they are bound to serve the castle and its inhabitant's wishes and desires. If they are freed, they will slowly lose their magic and will die. "What I have been trying to do is bring to light how wizards and witches treat House Elves. Now Harry is a perfect example. He does not treat them like slaves, but as employees with the rights and privileges of any other employee. And not just here, Harry has dozens of properties and each one has at least one elf there. Each one is treated with the utmost respect. Even though they are treated so well, once in while they will relapse into their slave mode when something happens." "That's awful," Janet said. "Have you lost any of the elves?" "No Miss Janney," came a voice from behind them. They group turned around and saw one of the little creatures, though unlike any of the other elves they might run into in the castle who wore little uniforms, this one was wearing a business suit and cloak over it. "Dobby. What are you doing here?" Harry asked his Head Elf. "Dobby and Winky have just returned from Black Island. Minky told Dobby that yous is still up and that yous need your rest. Dobby came to make sure Master and Mistress of Hogwarts gets rest," Dobby explained. "Dobby here is my Head House Elf. He oversees all of the elves bounded to my various properties and families. His wife Winky is his executive assistant. She runs his life, and in turn my life as you can see. They seem to be happy about this arrangement so I do as they say," Harry explained to the group. George and Jacob laughed at the comment. "Dobby, we are going to bed now, but let me make the introductions. This is --" "Begging you pardon Harry Potter sir, but Dobby is already knowing who everyone is. Dobby only wishes everyone goes to bed to get some rest. It is not healthy to not sleep. If Master Harry does not get to bed, Dobby will be forced to tell Madam Poppy who will make Master spend time drinking potions." "Good night everyone," Harry said quickly, wanting to avoid Poppy. Everyone broke up at the top of the stairs on the 7th floor and headed their own ways. George and Jacob made a right turn and headed to their suites, which were close to Albus office and decided to have a night cap with the Headmaster when he passed them. As they passed their guests' suites, Harry and Ginny noticed that Jack and Sam walked into Jack's room and Janet and Daniel entered Daniel's room. Teal'c looked at the now closed doors, bowed his head and entered his own suite for the night. Ron and Hermione were staying on the 7th floor in one of the suites built for when one of the Lords or Ladies of Hogwarts' family came to visit. The entrance was fifteen feet away from the entrance to Harry's office and suite. When they reached the Griffin guarding Harry's office, the quartet said their good nights and headed to their own suites. Jacob and George were having a nightcap with Albus when Jacob brought up a question that had been plaguing him since he first learned about Harry and Ginny. "Albus, how do you feel about underage students sleeping together? Yes Harry and Ginny are adults now, but what about Ron and Hermione?" Albus smiled. "I am confident that they will be fine. First off the entire castle has a spell cast over it and the food that is a better form of birth control. Everyone in the castle including us adults are `on the pill' as you mundanes would say it. As for their ages, both couples are soulmates and are soul-bonded. The love and complete faith and trust between each other is indescribable to most people. As you both have served in the military, you may have a small idea on how much trust they have. "And of course I know the four them very well. Harry is much like the grandson I never had, though my treatment of him in the past has not proven that. He is my heir and I do love him. Ginevra is the youngest of seven children and the first daughter in seven generations. She is hot tempered, opinionated, and loves with every part of her being. Ronald is Ginevra's older brother and is just as hot headed as his sister. He also has a mind made for strategy and tactics. He is loyal to a fault and has literally followed Harry to hell and back. He does have a streak of jealously which is calming down with age." "Why the jealously?" Jacob asked. "The Weasleys are an old family, approximately seven hundred years old. They are considered a Noble House here in England and have a seat on the Wizengamot. The Weasley family fell on hard time about two hundred years ago when one of the sons supported a new dark lord. When he was defeated, the Weasley fortune was confiscated, though the family had disowned the son when the learned of his betrayal. Since then, the family has done alright, but with seven children, money does not go very far. Ron, being the youngest boy, had lots of hand me downs from his elder brothers while Ginevra, being the only girl, got many new things. "The one thing the Weasley family does have is an abundance of is love. As Harry told Ron once, he would give up every last piece of gold in his vaults, which is quite a bit, to have his parents back and be in a loving family. The Weasleys have basically adopted Harry, often times in the past they had demanded that I allowed Harry to go straight to their home for the summer then returning to where the Blood Wards were. They are the reason Harry is not a Dark Lord, they showed him what love is. I thank Merlin for that, because I lost sight of the trees whenever I looked at the forest," Albus said as he looked out the window, thinking about the mistakes he had made over the years. "The responsibilities of command, Albus; we understand them well," George told the Headmaster. "Yes, you both would understand my situation, though, what are you going to do regarding Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, Doctor Jackson, and Doctor Frasier?" Albus asked. "What do you mean?" George asked. "If I am correct, isn't it against regulations for a commanding officer and a subordinate to engage in any sort of relationship or a doctor and one of their patients? Albus asked. George smiled. "Picked up that sexual tension did you? Well I allow it because first and foremost they have been nothing but professional while on base or on missions. Secondly because in regards to Jack and Sam there is nothing I can do. You see Jack retired from the Air Force after the first mission to Abydos. When he returned to the service, several of the regs no longer applied to him, though no one, including myself, bothered to inform him of that fact. "Thirdly, because there is a lot of money on the outcome of their relationship and I admit the President and I have betted quite heavily on them getting together. Fourthly, to ensure that we win the bet, the President, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Secretary of Defense, the Air Force Chief Staff, the White House Chief of Staff and I amended the regulations three months ago to allow couples the chance to date if they wanted to as long as they are professional on base. In the case of Sam Jack, this gives the Air Force cover to `officially' recognize their relationship. "Besides the money, however nice the purse may be, I convinced the President to amend the regs because of the high stress we live under at the SGC. We are ultra top secret and our own families do not know what we actually do. It makes dating and having relationships outside of the Mountain almost impossible. Neither of these couples has been told of the change to the regs, though I need to tell them soon. But if I did not know how in love they were with each other, I wouldn't know by how they behave while in uniform. They are professional when they are working and that is all that matters to me," Hammond stated. "Though that professionalism will be tested here. I am sure." Jack was up with the sun the next morning. After untangling himself from Sam, he made his way to the shower to get ready for the day. After his morning routine, Jack dressed in a pair of BDUs and headed outside to see where the battle would take place. Even this early, the castle seemed alive. -`Though from what everyone has said, Hogwarts really is alive,'- he thought. The portraits were all waking up and giving him strange looks. The suits of armor were all snapping to attention as he walked past. Jack thought it was just how the castle responded to anyone, how little did he know. Because he had the ATA Gene, which allowed him to run Alterran technology, the castle recognized him as one of Merlin's people and responded appropriately. After exiting the main doors, Jack heard the unmistakable sounds of metal clashing. Deciding to investigate, Jack made his way around the castle to an area that had been setup for training sometime during the night. When he saw it, he spotted Teal'c going blow for blow with Harry. Harry was using his sword and Teal'c was using a short sword in one hand, and a broad sword in the other. Jack watched for almost ten minutes as the two men fought. Harry was quicker, but Teal'c attacks were fierce and powerful. Jack was so engrossed that he did not hear Minerva walk along side of him. "I see Harry has found a new sparring partner." "Sorry professor, I didn't hear you come up," Jack said as he jumped. "Please, call me Minerva, and it is alright. One of the benefits of being an animagus is that some of our abilities, characteristics, and instincts carry over to our human form. I am a cat and have been known to be very stealthy." "This still seems so unreal. Magic and everything you can do," Jack admitted. "As does traveling to other planets, Colonel O'Neill," Minerva said. "Stop, if I can you Minerva, then you can call me Jack." "Very well Jack; I am sure your mate is having a harder time accepting what we do as reality than you are. Samantha does seem to be more... scientific than the rest of your group." "My what... Sam... mate? NO! She is a subordinate!" "Jack O'Neill, do not try to lie. I am a professor and have survived Harry Potter's father and his friends, the Weasley Twins, and Harry Potter himself. I know when someone is lying. Now, how long have you and Major Carter been together?" Minerva asked with a serious tone. "You remind me of my grandmother," Jack muttered. "I had better; she was my sister after all." "Excuse me?" "Carol McGonagall of the Clan McGonagall married Seamus O'Neill of the Clan O'Neill, bringing the two clans and countries together." "But you... you aren't that much older than I am!" "Thank is very sweet Jack, but I will be 93 years old on my next birthday. Witches and Wizards live longer than mundanes do Jack. Now how long have you and Major Carter been together?" "Three months. And I am happy. Happier than I have been in a long time; I planned on retiring from the military so that I can marry her," Jack admitted. "That won't be needed Colonel," a voice said behind them. Jack turned and saw Jacob staring at Jack. "You already know that the fraternization regs do not relate to you because you were asked back. Also, George has already gone to the President; as long as you two keep it professional while in uniform, you two can date and get married. Oh and Jack, please make an honest woman out of my little girl. As to your question Minerva, I think Sam is trying to figure out how your world works. Now that she has seen some of it, she'll try to copy the effects until she can do it herself. It is her nature. When she was a teenager, she watched as my brother and I did brakes on his motorcycle. Three days later, Sam was trying to install brakes on her bicycle," Jacob said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Harry wanted me to watch them spar for a while." He then left Minerva and Jack to get a closer look at Harry and Teal'c. Minerva laughed and headed back to the castle, leaving a dumbfounded Jack to his own devices. "You fight very well Harry Potter," Teal'c said as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. "You too Teal'c; since I placed the Signet Rings on, I have been absorbing a lot of information including various types of sword fighting. It seems like the entire Gryffindor line were experts with the blade. I have inherited all of their powers and knowledge. I just need someone to fight against to draw the knowledge out," Harry said. "Harry, did you hurt Teal'c?" Ginny asked as she walked up to the two men from the castle. She stopped in front of both men to inspect them. "Ginevra Potter, your mate is a formidable warrior. It has been many years since I have trained at that level," Teal'c said. "Thank you Teal'c," Harry said as he bowed. "Is it breakfast time?" he asked his wife. "Yes it is. Come on, everyone else is inside already." With a wave of her hand, both men were clean, their clothes dried, and did not smell. As soon as they were seated, Harry and Teal'c dug into the breakfast the house elves provided. They were soon joined Sam and Hermione, who were talking about some sort of technology. "So if we were able to merge mundane technology and magic, we could build a satellite that could detect magic, like wards or that charm which can hide a location..." "You mean a Fidelius Charm?" Hermione asked Sam. "Yes that's it!" Sam said. "How could you find something under a Fidelius?" Ron asked as he sat down at the table. "Isn't that the point of the charm; you know, to hide the secret within a person's soul?" Ron asked the two resident geniuses. Hermione looked at the man she loved in a new light. "Ron, how in the hell did you know that?" "Sweetheart, I think you fail to realize that while I may not understand females, I do listen to you and if you were to take a closer look at my room, you'll find a hidden bookcase filled with books on wards, charms, and transfiguration," Ron said with a smile. "The reason why I let you rant is I because I like to hear you talk most of the time." Hermione looked dumbfounded at Ron and then turned to Harry and Ginny. "Did you know?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Did you ever try to look at his comic books or the quidditch books he reads? They're really school books, but they're charmed to look like fun books." "Bill did it for Ron so that the twins and Percy would leave him alone," Ginny said. "Hermione, don't worry, Jack does the same thing. One of the reasons he always wanted me to fishing with him up in Minnesota was so that he could show off his book collection and degrees. He has Master Degrees in Military History, English Literature, and Aeronautical Engineering and PhDs in Military History, American History, and Mechanical Engineering." "Carter, are you telling them all of my secrets?" Jack asked as he entered the Great Hall. "Yes she is Jack. I don't think she has read -The Art of War- before. She forgot the lesson about not showing all your cards," Harry said smiling. "Actually Harry, she learned it from me," Jacob said as he sat down. "Also there is no harm in learning all you can about your friends, providing they don't mind." "Good point," Ron said as he kissed Hermione's cheek. "By the way Hermione, do you have an answer for the question I asked you yesterday when we by the lake?" "Yes. I thought I properly showed you how I felt last night," Hermione whispered. "But if not, allow me explain; yes I love you, and yes I would love to be your girlfriend, but since we are now soul-bonded and considered married, I guess we can skip that step," Hermione said before kissing Ron again. "You still need to chat with Harry about us though. He is Lord Black and I am under his protection," Hermione finished with a small smile. Ron turned to look at Harry who smiled. "We'll talk later Ronald. This discussion needs to be done properly," Harry said before shifting gears and topics. "Alright we have work to do. Albus, any word from Severus?" He knew Severus had been called away late last night. "He made it back to Spinner's End a few hours ago. He was very weak from his meeting," Albus said sadly. "What happened?" Jack asked. "Voldemort likes to torture his followers whenever he feels like it. I would assume that with Bellatrix dead, Rodolphus Lestrange now knows that I not only control the Black Family Estate, but the estates of the dishonored Houses of Malfoy and Lestrange too. With Bellatrix dead, Lucius in prison powerless and broke, two of the Death Eaters largest sources of money and supplies now cut off, and Draco and Narcissa disappearing, I would assume that Voldemort is pretty pissed off and took it out on his followers," Harry stated. "You are most definitely correct Harry. According to Severus Voldemort was, to put it in his own word, `in a mood worse than a 5 year old brat'. Poppy and Doctor Frasier went over to check on him earlier this morning. Doctor Frasier believes she may have a way to limit the effects of the Dark Mark on him. She said with a little more research, she may even be able to remove it," Albus said. By this time, everyone was sitting around the table enjoying breakfast. Harry decided it was time to put everyone to work. "I think we need to up our training a little. With Ron now yielding Excalibur, he is going to need some time to get really good with her. Ron, Hermione, I would like you to work with Teal'c if he has no problems. Ron, I want you focus on mastering Excalibur; Hermione I want you to become a master with the staff. Spend the day working on technique and not on magic." "We've never touched either weapon before Harry," Ron told his friend. "Ron, close your eyes and place your hand on the hilt of Excalibur," Harry order his friend. He did so. "Now summon the magic within it to you. Will yourself to absorb all the magic that is contained within the sword." Ron did as he was told and after a moment Excalibur and Ron began to glow in a purple aura. After a few minutes, it faded. When Ron opened his eyes, his blue eyes looked like blue flames dancing. "Better?" Harry asked. "Yes. But it is going to take a while to process everything. I need to meditate for a while," Ron said. "I can teach your several methods Ronald Weasley," Teal'c said. "What about me Harry?" Hermione asked. "I didn't forget, hold on a second. Winky!" Harry called for his little friend. "Yes Master Harry." "Winky, I need you to go Lionfire and get the packages Brent and the others prepared and bring them back along with Ron and Hermione's absorption pensieves from their room." "Of course Master Harry." Winky disappeared with a pop and reappeared a few seconds later next to Ron and Hermione. "One of the things that are done at Lionfire to make money is to create memory extracts to be used in absorption pensieves. These extracts are made from memories from me, Albus, Alastor, Merlin, and many others. So go ahead and pour them in and the place them in your head like any other extract." Ron and Hermione did as they were told and soon were processing all of the information they had been given. "Teal'c, I think they are both going to need help mediating." "Indeed Harry Potter. I shall instruct them on the proper way to meditate." Harry moved on. "Jack, I would like you and Sam to join me and Ginny this morning." "Where we heading?" Jack asked. "Diagon Alley. I need to speak to the goblins and I think that you and Sam should under go the inheritance ritual. This way, if there is anything out there that you are entitled to, it can go to you and possibly out of the hands of our enemies. Also, since you are both squibs, I want you to get familiar with how magic feels," Harry said. "Good idea kid." "Thank Jack. Albus, General Hammond, I would like you to look over the intelligence we have already and see if you can find a pattern. General Carter --" "Please call me Jacob." "Alright Jacob, I would like you and Daniel to work on setting up a shooting range so that we can work on our marksmanship. Afterwards Daniel, you can go play in the library. The Chamber of Secrets is accessible only by Ginny and me and the tunnel leading to it needs some repair work, so it maybe a few days before we can get in there. Minerva, could I ask you to go and check and see how badly Poppy and Doctor Frasier have abused Severus. If he is up to it, have him return to the castle," Harry finished with a smirk. "Oh yes, Poppy and Janet seem to be two peas in a pod. Though I daresay he would be safer here than at his home," Minerva said. Everyone at the table shuttered at that thought. Between big needles and foul potions, everyone had bad dreams of the two healers. "Maybe, but this way I can put the three of them to work," Harry finished. By the afternoon everyone was working hard. Bill had shown up with Fleur and they had gone over the wards around Hogwarts with Remus and Tonks, strengthening and reworking them. They also added wards to the secret passages, sealing them off. They also added wards around the dueling areas and the shooting range so that no stray bullet or spell could hurt anyone. Albus and Hammond had seen a definite pattern to the attacks and were in the process of mapping them out to see how accurate they were. Minerva had returned with Severus, the later locked himself in the dungeons working on different potions. Poppy and Janet were working in the infirmary, seeing how the Alterran scanner and magic worked together. Daniel, after helping with the shooting range, locked himself in the Room of Knowledge. Thanks to his retained memories and power from when he was ascended, Daniel was able to quickly read and process the books in the room. Many of these books were the journals that Merlin, Morgan Le Fey, and even Oma Desala had written while on this plane of existence. They also spoke about Alterran technology and how their city ships and outposts were powered. This amazed Daniel and he decided to hold onto this information to show Sam later. Meanwhile out in the dueling area, Hermione and Ron were fighting and pushing themselves harder than ever before. After spending a few hours meditating with Teal'c, which allowed all of their new knowledge to be sorted and filed in their minds, they began to duel. Ron was a master with the sword. Probably better than Harry was, though not by much. Ron used Excalibur like an extension of his body. He was smooth and precise with his actions with no wasted motion. Hermione was a very good with the staff. She learned quickly from her memories and also from the personal tutelage she got from Teal'c. Teal'c explained that the Jaffa staff weapon, which launched energy bolts, could also be used to for close quarter hand to hand combat. When they fought each other, Hermione and Ron found that they were unable to land a blow because of their mental link. They could see everything that their opponent was planning. When they fought Teal'c two on one, they won six out of every ten times. It showed how good of a fighter Teal'c was that wasn't beaten more often. Now Ron and Hermione were starting to use non lethal spells in their duels at the recommendation of Teal'c, Jacob, and Professor Flitwick. Teal'c did everything he could to try to defeat the duo, but he was defeated eight out of every ten times they fought. Ron was a fan of augmenting his reflexes and speed with magic, making him that much more deadly while Hermione like to use spells like Stunners to knock Teal'c out. As the day wore on, Jacob and Selmac started making notes on tactics and ways to possibly defend against magical attack. One of the things that Jacob saw was the when they got upset, both Ron and Hermione would channel their magic through their weapons. From what Albus and Minerva had explained earlier, Jacob knew that wandless magic was very rare, but accidental magic was common place until a child began school. Like many things, magic reacted to emotions and Selmac knew that was the key. One of the benefits of having Selmac was that Jacob only required a few hours asleep a night and so spent most of the night with Albus over firewhiskey discussing magical theory after George had retired. Albus did not require much sleep himself because his magic handled many of the duties sleep did. All he had to do was rest his mind for a couple of hours to dream. It was one of the benefits of being old and magically powerful. Selmac was, of course, soaking up all the information she was exposed to and filing it away. Next to Jacob, Filius Flitwick was sitting in a conjured chair with an umbrella over him taking notes as well. These notes were on dueling, stances, and general form of the three individuals. This information would be used later to help the fighters improve. Filius, who was a multi-time dueling champion, loved to help groom the next generation of duelers. It was one of the reasons why he loved teaching so much. As the duel continued, Filius looked over his notes: -Ron is considered a power user. He uses a lot of power and brute force,- -both physically with his sword and with his magic to get what he wants.- -Though he also has an excellent tactical mind, he does not take the time to- -use it often because he is in the middle of the fight.- -Hermione's staff fighting technique is flawless and her arsenal of spells- -is quite impressive. While she does not quite match the power Ron possesses,- -she still ranks as a power user with an emphasis on knowledge. She usually- -takes the quicker side of the attacker unless Ron has a plan for the attack- -or the defense. Hermione cannot think quickly on her feet however.- -Then there was Teal'c. The man is a machine. He can fight and fight and- -fight until he either won, or was subdued with multiple stunning spells,- -binding spells, or is subdued in some other manner. His form is flawless;- -there is absolutely no wasted movement. Whether he is fighting, eating,- -walking, or meditating. Besides his age, size and skill at combat, Teal'c- -also uses his vast experience as First Prime and member of SG-1 to his- -advantage.- Finally after the last hour duel, Filius shot sparks into the air, ending the duel. After conjuring comfortable chairs and requesting drinks for everyone, Filius and Jacob got to work explaining what they had seen. Teal'c took his criticism very well and offered suggestions to Ron and Hermione on how best to do certain things. The single biggest thing they needed was practice. Teal'c believed that if they could work on the weapon skills for four to six hours a day everyday, that there would be a very good chance of being unstoppable with the melee weapons. It was during this discussion that Harry, Ginny, Jack and Sam returned from Diagon Alley. "Ronald Weasley, you must always make sure that you have a battle plan. Even when we are in a retreat, Colonel O'Neill always has plans," Teal'c said. "And remember Plan A almost never works. In fact don't even both with Plan A, B, C, or D; go straight for Plan E," Jack said as he sat down next to Sam and kissed her gently. "How did everything go at Gringotts Harry?" Hermione asked. "Not bad. Lord Ragnok has confirmed that the horcruxes have been destroyed. He also, for a price, gave me a current list of all the properties owned by known Death Eaters. He also gave us lists from six months, twelve months, and twenty-four months ago. We've already given the information to Albus. He is sending out a few teams to check out the properties that have disappeared from the lists. General Hammond said he wanted each team to take a camera with them to record the area so that we can look it over when they return." "Not a bad idea. If one of them has disappeared, then it is probably under a Fidelius Charm," Ron said. "And if we can get a recording of the area, then we look over it at our leisure here." Everyone nodded. It was a great idea and what surprised many was that Ron picked up on it. Evidently having Arthur's memories helped him more then he realized. Sam nudged Jack, reminding him of something. "By the way T, while we were speaking with the goblins, they said that they could forge knives, swords, and various blades." "Indeed. Then these goblins must be great metal and weaponsmiths," Teal'c said. Part of his job on a mission was to judge the weaponry they came across on a daily basis. Most of the weapons were either junk, or they were stolen from the Goa'uld who had stolen it originally. It was very rare for Teal'c to find a truly exotic weapon that worked. "Harry thought you needed a weapon that was as he put it, `you'," Jack finished. Harry pulled out a small box and enlarged it back to normal size and handed it over to Teal'c. Teal'c opened the box and pulled out the stuffing to reveal the main contents, a weapon. It wasn't just any weapon; it was a bat'leth, the sword of honor used by Klingons in Star Trek on television. "It seems that Lord Ragnok and a few of the goblins watch television and have experimented with forging bat'leths before but they have never found anyone to actually use one. Jack explained that if there was one person on this planet that could do it, it was you," Ginny told the Jaffa as he held the blade. Teal'c took the weapon and inspected it closely. "The sword, because that is what Ragnok considers it, is made from various materials. The outer shell of the weapon is made from titanium and granite, for strength and rigidity. According to Warhammer, the senior weapon forger, Goblins have been using the combination of the two materials for over two hundred years now. The handle grips are made from the hide of a vipertooth dragon. The actual blade itself is one piece and made from a blend of titanium, clay, pumice, iron, steel, and a few other types of metal giving it a razor sharp edge and perfect balance. On one side of the blade is the symbol of Earth on the stargate and on the other side the symbol for Chulak," Ginny said. "The bat'leth is charmed to never go dull, never tarnish, unable to be summoned by anyone who means the warrior the blade is bonded too harm, and to shrink and expand on command. It is also charmed so that when you wear it on your back, it will disappear from view. I could hug you and not feel it. It will also pass any known detection without setting it off," Harry finished as he handed Teal'c the scabbard for it. It too was made from the hide of a vipertooth dragon and also had various runes on it. "Thank you O'Neill, Major Carter, Harry and Ginny Potter. It truly is a great weapon. I am honored to receive a weapon of this caliber," Teal'c said rather touched. "Well Jack thought it would be a cool weapon for you to have, oh, I forgot the best thing. We had to take apart your staff weapon to do it, but the bat'leth will also fire blasts of plasma from the outer tips. While not as powerful as a staff weapon, it is close," Harry said. Teal'c scooped Harry up into a hug before putting him down and heading back into the dueling arena to try out his new toy. "What did you have to give the goblins?" Jacob asked. "I find it strange that they gave you the weapon for nothing." "Well, we did locate living family members from four of the oldest families from Scotland and Ireland. That freed up a lot of paperwork. Evidently there hasn't been a male O'Neill heir to claim the title in five or six centuries. In order to claim the inheritance, one had to be magical, as well as mentally tough with high moral fiber," Harry said. "Evidently I am not just an O'Neill, but I'm also descended from the Ancient and Most Noble Clan of Connor as well. Besides a lot of gold and jewels, I also inherited some land in Ireland and a small home on a lake," Jack finished. "As for Samantha here," Ginny giggled. "Let's just say that --" "I am descended from the Ancient and Most Noble Clan of Alpine through the Kilpatrick Clan and the Ancient and Most Noble Clan of Stewart through my mother. I also got a lot of gold, which came from a number of different Death Eaters, five or six properties including a manor house, and also some believe it not some naquadah in it's raw form. Evidently the last bit that was on Earth was mined from the Scottish Highlands after a meteorite hit," Sam said. "Great news," Jacob said. "They also want to talk to us once Voldemort is dealt with; they know about the SGC and want to contract out a lot of our work to them," Jack said. "What was George's response?" Jacob asked. "From what I know about the USMG, they work heavily with the goblins. It was only a matter of time before they approached the SGC," Filius said. "Good point. The British Magical Government hasn't given them a lot of good reasons to trust us. Anyway, I also had to give up my trust fund vault; not the contents of the vault, just the vault itself," Harry said smiling. "Why?" Flitwick asked. "Because they need more vaults of that size. They also wanted an audience with Minister Bones, which was easy since she was already there handling some other business. From what I understand of the meeting before we left, Gringotts will cease any vault tied to a known Death Eater as long as they are proven guilty in a court of law and tested with Veritaserum. Evidently the goblins want to work with this government since they are holding up their part of the bargain," Ginny said. During dinner that night, Albus felt someone cross the wards of Hogwarts. Before he could question Hogwarts, he heard Harry in his head. `-Relax Albus. Rita Skeeter is here at my invitation. We are going to give her the story to lure Tommy here.-' `-How are we able to communicate?-' Albus asked. `-That would be because of the connections that are shared between you, the High Lord, the High Lady, and myself Headmaster,-' Albus heard. It took a minute for him to realize it was Hogwarts herself speaking to him. The doors to the Great Hall opened and Rita Skeeter walked in. She was no longer looking like a librarian who also worked as a hooker. She wore forest green robes and carried a medium size bag with her. Her glasses were black rimmed and very simple, her hair was long and blonde, tied up in a simple ponytail. "Miss Skeeter, welcome to Hogwarts," Albus said standing. "Thank you Headmaster. It has been a long time since I have been here. Well over twenty years," Rita commented. "But Miss Skeeter, you were here not even a year ago for the TriWizard Tournament," Minerva said. "Well yes and no. It was Rita Skeeter who wrote about Lord Gryffindor, but she was not me. It seems that when I stopped writing two years after the tournament..." She looked squarely at Hermione, "I began to realize that there was something very wrong with me. After writing the article about Lord Gryffindor last year, I began talking with Xeno Lovegood of -The Quibbler-; I spent some time with a private healer and learned that I had been poisoned for almost fifteen years," Rita said. "Why would anyone want to poison a reporter?" Daniel asked. "Because I was on the trail of the truth about Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and Sirius Black," Rita said before looking at Harry. "Lord Gryffindor, I know I have made your life a living hell, and for that I am sorry for that. I want to do you justice and also help restore journalism to what it should be. Not the crap that I have written." Harry shook his head. "What truth are you talking about?" "I know for a fact that Sirius didn't betray James and Lily. The reason I know is because Sirius and I were engaged and we made unbreakable vows to each other never to hurt each other or our friends directly. We both grew up in less than stellar homes and we wanted a nice normal life together, just like what James and Lily had," Rita said. "Who was your bonder?" Minerva asked. "Lily. She insisted on it." "It does sound like Lily," Filius said. "She would help anyone who needed it." "I agree," Rita said, sitting down. "Anyway, Regulus Black, Sirius' little brother, came to me about six months before Harry was born and gave me a bunch of information on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. When I spoke to Sirius about it, he got really upset. He said we couldn't trust Regulus because he was a Death Eater. He loved Regulus, always did, but James, Lily and you were his family." "I know that Regulus never fired on Black or any of his friends," Severus said. "It would make sense," he said looking to Albus and Harry. "Lord Gryffindor, Headmaster, I want the information I have to be put to good use and take Voldemort down. I have detailed information on who are the Death Eaters, who are the Inner Circle members, who the spy was," Rita looked at Dumbledore who nodded. "Who are the sympathizers, where the money comes from, where their safe houses are, and information on some dark rituals he has used." Everyone in the room except for Rita looked at each other; she had information about the horcruxes. "Rita, how would you like the exclusive of all exclusives?" Harry asked. "I would love it. What will it cost me?" "Your notes and anything Regulus gave you, and also your word that you will change anything I say and that the -Daily Prophet-, the -Quibbler-, -Witch Weekly-, -Quidditch Today-, and every other medium available will get a copy of this. I want everyone to know what I have to say," Harry said in a serious tone. "Of course. I do have one small request; Sirius told me that if anything ever happened to him, he had named you his heir. I was wondering if you would allow me a chance to say goodbye wherever he is buried," she asked with tears in her eyes. "Rita, I cannot. Sirius fell through the veil in the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries. There was no body. Though I know he left something for you in his personal affects. Where are you staying?" Harry asked. "I really am not sure. Since I started seeing the healer, I lost my job at the Prophet and my family has disowned me. I am actually without a family now," Rita said almost crying. "Is this because they knew you learned the truth?" Jack asked. "Yes." "Rita, I want you eat something and give me a moment ok. Dobby!" "Here you go Harry Potter sir. Winky be hearing what Miss Rita say and so Winky has Dobby going to Grimmauld Place to get the package," Dobby said. "You two are too much some days. Thank you." Harry opened the small box as Dobby departed. Inside were two small envelopes and a small jewelry box. Harry opened the letter address to him: -Harry:- -If you are reading this, then Rita Skeeter has returned. This is not the- -Librarian Whore who you have met, but the love of my life.- -Something happened to her and I'll bet money that it was her family that- -did it. After I escaped, I looked her up and saw the potions she was- -taking. They were pretty bad stuff. If she is there now, then she somehow- -broke free.- -Harry, I loved her once and love her still. Look out for her, please.- -Love Always,- -Padfoot- Making his choice, Harry summoned Dobby again. "Dobby, make sure the Black Family Flat in London is ready for Rita, she shall remain there until further notice." Dobby nodded and vanished. Harry turned his attention back to Rita. "Rita. I have something you should look at. But first, there seems to have been a grave miscarriage of justice. You were expelled from your family because they could no longer control you, well I cannot let that stand. Rita Elizabeth formerly of the family Skeeter, as the Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, I hereby make you a member of our family and give you the title, power, and responsibilities of aunt. From this day forward, you will be known as Rita Elizabeth Black. Do you accept?" "I do my Lord," Rita said. The changes in her were immediate. Her hair became a little longer; her clothing became a little more formal, her eyes turned a little gray and she grew in height about inches. She now looked almost like she could be Dora's elder sister. Like the other Daughters of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, Rita wore a necklace with the Black Family Crest. "Good now, my Head Elf Dobby Potter will take you to your new home, it is a Flat in Muggle London." "Is it the one Sirius lived in after he graduated from Hogwarts?" Rita asked. "I believe so," Harry answered. "Good. I chose that flat with Sirius. It is a penthouse that is on the top floor of a building about three blocks from the building that Charles Potter owned." "Excellent. Tomorrow I want you here so that we can do the interview. After that, we are going shopping and I need to speak to the goblins about getting you on a person expense account. You cannot get a dowry vault, but you will get the personal expense account until you decide to marry one day. Also, how would you feel about becoming the Editor-in-Chief of -The Daily Prophet-?" "Are you serious?" "No, he is no longer with us. But I do want you to run the family paper. Between the Black, Potter and Malfoy shares, I own ninety-five percent of -The Daily Prophet- and I'll have the rest by tomorrow. In fact Dobby!!" The House Elf appeared. "Please inform Lord Ragnok and Master Griphook that I need to own -The Daily Prophet- by tomorrow and that Lady Rita Black will be running it for me." The elf disappeared. "Now, why don't you enjoy your dinner while we finish our discussions; you will have full disclosure tomorrow," Harry said. Rita nodded and went back to work on her dinner. Harry turned to the others and spoke. "Ron, how did you and Hermione do with the melee weapons?" "Great Harry; Teal'c thinks we need to work four to six a day in order to be true masters of the weapon. But he said that we are better than most people he has ever faced right now." "It is true Harry Potter. Both Hermione Weasley and Ronald Weasley are masters at the craft. The only people they may be able to beat are some of the Jaffa masters and a few of the Goa'uld themselves. I am confident that they can defeat any Death Eater." "Good. Teal'c, tomorrow I want you to work with Remus, Dora, Bill, and Fleur on weapons. Ron, Hermione tomorrow you are with Jack and Sam on muggle weapons. I want you comfortable with the P-90, Glocks, Berettas, Zats, and hand to hand. Severus, I would like you to learn the weapons as well." "We may need more ammo than we brought with us," Sam said. "No problems. Albus and Harry have already created portkeys to go between the SGC and here," George said. "Also, Teal'c, I am going to contact Master Bra'tac and see if he has anyone available to aid us in this fight." "Master Bra'tac will bring Rya'c I am sure. They would do well in this fight and in training our fighters." "Exactly. Harry, with your permission, I would like to bring back another one of our SG-Teams with me. SG-9 is the second best training team. The best being SG-1," George said. "Do it. Albus, once we get the second team here I want every member of the Order of the Phoenix to undergo weapons training. Not everyone needs the melee weapons. In fact the only other people I want to rush up on their melee are you, Minerva, Severus, Neville, Luna, and Charlie Weasley. Everyone else needs to work on the mundane guns and hand-to-hand combat. "Now, from what I have seen -- I think Filius can enchant the guns for a number of things. I was thinking anti-jam, always cool, perfect sight, true flight, weightless, no recoil, and possibly never empty clips. What do you think Filius?" "I would say most of those are easy. The never empty clips actually the easiest. All I have to do is charm the clips to hold one thousand times their normal size, and remain the same weight they are when empty. Then charm the clips so that when you drop them back into either an ammo case or even a pocket, to refill them," Filius said while thinking out loud. "Wow. Think about that, never run out of ammo ever again," Daniel said in awe. "You know that brings up something else I want us all to think about," Harry said. "SG-1 and the SGC have done a lot for our world, and I thank you for it. I would like to thank you somehow and I think that maybe a partnership would be the best way." "What are you thinking Harry?" Sam asked. "Well the guns are but one idea and it is a great idea. But what about warding the SGC or Area 51? The White House is already warded and so is the US Capitol. We can erect wards that will detect if a Goa'uld crosses them, or if someone wishes to cause harm, or dozens of other things. We can charm equipment to work on magic and not electricity. Our potions and healing spells could save countless lives. There really is no end in sight." "Those sound like great ideas, but let's deal with Voldemort and The Trust first, shall we?" George said. "Good point. So everyone have their assignments for tomorrow?" "No. I do not have an assignment Harry," Minerva stated. "Find out when we can take our OWLs and NEWTs and get me that report I asked about regarding the curriculum and the funding of the school." "Of course." "Teal'c I need to speak with Lord Ragnok tomorrow, but Ginny and I want to work with your tomorrow afternoon." "I look forward to it Harry Potter." "Ok. If there is nothing else, then enjoy your evening. If anyone wants, the Astronomy Tower already has the telescopes set up to see the meteor shower and the new moon. Ron, I will meet you in my office in an hour." Harry got up, walked over to Rita and escorted her out of the Great Hall and to her new home. The rest of the group broke up for the night. An hour later, Harry and Ron were sitting in Harry's office. Ron knew what this meeting was about. Hermione was the Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black and Harry was Lord Black. He needed Harry's permission to marry Hermione, even though they were soul-bonded. "Lord Black, I wish to speak to you about a rather important matter," Ron said. Because of the circumstances, Ron called Harry by his Black Family Title. "What can I do for you Lord Pendragon?" Harry responded. "Lord Black, I wish to ask your permission to formally marry Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. We are soulmates and have recently completed out soul-bond." "How do you plan to support her?" "As Lord Pendragon, I have a rather nice inheritance which has gained quite a bit of interest. Hermione, myself, our children, and possibly our grandchildren will not need to work. However we will be active. As Lord Pendragon, I have a seat on the Wizengamot and the Council of Twelve. That will take a good part of time. Hermione will want to work for the government in some capacity. Also, we still need to beat Lord Voldemort and I plan to stand beside you till the end." Harry smiled. "Lord Pendragon Ronald Bilius Weasley, I Harry James Potter, the Lord of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black hereby give you and your soulmate Hermione Jane Granger, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black my blessing. May you future be bright." Chapter 13 The following week was a very busy week around Hogwarts Castle. Thanks to the charms and enchantments, no one outside the castle grounds knew what was happening within. Plans were made to relocate the village of Hogsmeade to a location in Northern Ireland. This is intended to be only temporally, but if anything happened, the village could remain there. At the same time, illusions of the village and her people would remain in place to trick the Death Eaters. The only hold out was Aberforth Dumbledore, who wanted to stay and fight with his brother. Finally Harry said that he could stay and fight along side Albus. Albus was not very happy about this because he wanted his brother safe. Harry told the man to deal with it. In the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid had talked to Aragog and had convinced the Acromantulas to help in the battle with the promise of eating the dead Death Eaters. Harry had spoken to Majorian and the Centaurs about defending the castle. After displaying his power by summoning the Sword of Gryffindor from lightning, Majorian and the others agreed to defend the forest. They were given Military grade compound bows and arrows with explosive tips. The centaurs did not like the compound bows and decided to use their own, but they did like the arrows. They were also given crossbows with standard bolts, explosive bolts, and shredding bolts that shreds everything that it touches. These were tools of war and the Centaurs had already pledged to return the weapons when the battle was over. At the training area, Teal'c, Harry, Ginny, Remus, Master Bra'tac, Rya'c, and Jacob were putting the Order of the Phoenix, the Ministry Aurors and Hit-Wizards, and the DA through their paces. They were tough taskmasters, but they wanted everyone to survive. The shooting range was just as busy. Daniel, Sam, Jack, and SG-9 were running the different ranges getting everyone comfortable with shooting. With the charm work Filius and Dumbledore did, the weapons were now almost indestructible. The only other charms placed on them were never wear charms on the moving parts and a blood binding charm that would allow only the people bonded to the weapon to fire it. This was already in the plans for the new magical upgrades to the SGC. Also outside the castle, Jacob Carter was overseeing the installation of high powered weapons turrets in front of the main doors, on the parapet walls, and other locations around and on the castle. All the around the perimeter of the castle, House Elves were digging holes and lowering claymores then running the wires back to the control center for the fighting. There would be more claymores placed throughout the grounds. The plan being that the Death Eaters would never see them coming. They were also burying large drums of gasoline and napalm bombs that would hopefully destroy the dementors. This idea would be verified by the F-302s when they blew up Azkaban Prison. In the Unites States at Area 51, the Prometheus, the first Earth built space cruiser was being given upgrades that will allow it to work around Hogwarts and other highly magical areas as well as an invisibility booster that could be turned on and off by the crew. The F-302s that would be on board the Prometheus were receiving similar upgrades. Also at Area 51, two new satellites were being built that allow their cameras and sensors to record and penetrate magical protections like wards. These will be placed in orbit by Prometheus when she returns to Scotland for the final battle. Inside the castle, Severus and the Weasley Twins were brewing potions in the dungeons. Severus at first had been hesitant to allow the twins anywhere near his potion supplies but soon learned that they were brilliant with potions and could be serious when the need called for it. In fact he found that he was beginning to enjoy the presence of the twins. =============================================================================== -*FLASHBACK*- "For the record, your portable swamps and fireworks were great ideas. Worthy of the Marauders," Severus told the twins. "How would you know --" "Professor Severus `I cannot laugh' Snape?" "Because I was often on the receiving ends of their pranks while at Hogwarts and James Potter thought that if things would have been different, I would have been a Marauder too." "NO WAY!!!" -*END FLASHBACK*- =============================================================================== Severus and the twins were making Pepper-Up Potion, Strengthening Draught, Skelegrow, and a number of other potions for use in the hospital wing and the triage center that Janet Frasier had setup in the Great Hall. Molly Weasley was in her element working with Janet as they had mundane science and magic working side by side. However the real potion making magic was being kept secret. The only thing people knew for sure was that the results were loud, explosive and very dangerous. So it was a typical Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes line of products mixed with a touch of Severus Snape's influence. Yes people were very afraid. Ron and Hermione were studying new charms, wards, hexes, and strategies whenever they were not outside physically training. They wanted to make sure that their side would win. They even performed a blood ritual that increased their stamina, physical strength, and reflexes. Even though it was considered dark magic because it was blood magic, it was something that Albus suggested and helped prepare for. In fact Harry's entire inner circle that were able to underwent the ritual. Ginny, Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Dora, Jack, Sam, Daniel, Neville, Luna, Janet, Minerva, Filius, Severus, and Kingsley all underwent the ritual. Teal'c could not because it would interfere with his tretonin treatments. Jacob did not because of carrying Selmac. George could not because of his age, and Albus had and Mad-Eye already had underwent the ritual in World War II and Remus underwent it during his 7th year with James and Sirius in order to help survive the werewolf transformations. Also around the castle, Minerva and Albus were creating transfiguration traps. Many of them included pits that would contain conjured animals, some of them had spikes, and many other traps would launch projectiles at the enemy. Minerva, unlike Albus, had no issue with killing the Death Eaters. Also on the castle grounds were two battalions of goblin elite soldiers. They made their camp on the west side of the castle against one of the cliffs. Come to find out, this is where the goblins that helped build Hogwarts lived. Their commander, Master Griphook, took his orders directly from Lord Ragnok. The warriors themselves were not normal soldiers, they were members of the Elite Black Brigade, the most ruthless and honored group of warriors ever known to exist. They were fiercer than the Templar Knights of the Crusades and the American Special Forces combined. Their orders were to aid and protect Hogwarts at all costs. As well as the battalions of soldiers, Master Griphook also brought two squadrons of weapon and metal smiths. They were charged with forging and supplying the various weapons the Light Side would use in the battle. Each of the Jaffa was given bat'leths and new armor that would deflect most curses and projectiles. It could also deflect one killing curse taken in the chest by breaking out away from the warrior. After that, the Jaffa would be vulnerable to attack. Bra'tac mentioned that this armor was lighter and stronger than anything he had ever seen before, but there were ancient tales about the first Jaffa on Dakara who had armor much like these. Besides the various blades and staffs being constructed forged, the goblins also built new and improved guns based on the weapons SG-1 had brought with them and those that Filius had charmed. The standard P-90 was now lighter, stronger, and never would jam or run out of bullets. The bullets were also goblin made and could either stun, kill, or explode, depending on the selection of the user. The P-90s also were also charmed to work only for the person they were issued to. The Beretta side arm was charmed the same way and was just as accurate as Sam could attest. Being the best marksman of the group, Sam was the official firearms tester. As a doomsday scenario, Harry had asked Hammond to prepare a dirty napalm bomb. In case the side of light failed, Prometheus could drop the bomb in the valley and incinerate entire valley Hogwarts sat in if necessary. Hammond didn't like it, but he ordered one be built. Harry and Ginny spent their time preparing Hogwarts for the final battle, including the mobilization of the gargoyles, suits of armor and outer defenses of the castle it self including the normal wards like portkey and disapparition wards plus the more powerful wards that had not been used in centuries. They also weaved the wards Bill and Fleur erected into the fabric of the other wards, making them even stronger. Harry and Ginny also spent a great deal of time strengthening their connections to Hogwarts so that they could call upon the magical reserves of the great castle when needed and use the castle to boost their own natural senses. The final thing they did each night with the aid of Albus and Minerva was weave all of the new defenses into the castle's defensive systems so that they could control everything from one location. This would also have the benefit of one type of magic controlling everything. When they were not at the shooting range, Jack and Sam were checking out the booby traps and making sure that the War Mages the Americans sent were in good spots to play sniper. They also went out a few missions with Harry and Ginny around Little Hangleton, where Tom Riddle's Grandfather once lived. On more than one occasion they captured and interrogated low level Death Eaters to find out what was going on since Severus had not been called in several days. Come to find out, Voldemort was hiding, building his forces and bidding his time. The foursome knew the only way to get Voldemort to leave his well warded location was to call him out. With that in mind, Harry scheduled the interview with the new Editor-In-Chief of -The Daily Prophet-. Jack and Sam decided to leave Tom Riddle a few small gifts around his place during their last recon mission before the interview was scheduled to be published. SG-1 and SG-9 went along the perimeter of the wards and buried blocks of C-4 six inches deep with remote detonators. Sam was able to determine the exact center coordinates of the space within the wards and began work with Severus, Fred and George on a package that would be delivered to Tom when the article came out via Prometheus' Asgard Transporter Beam. The transporter beam could beam things and people into a warded are, but not out of a warded area. Since the Asgard sensors did not detect the package as a threat, it would be able to send it. Out of all of the weapons that SG-1 had and all of the weapons the goblins forged, there was one that was just beyond cool; it was the goblin made fifty-caliber sniper rifle. It was a one of kind weapon, built for one reason and one reason only: To kill. The rifle was only the one made and it was a true work of art. The rifle was made of the same materials that the bat'leth was made from and was dark in color. The barrel was charmed to always remain cool and to suppress any noise coming from it. The bullets were a combination of mundane, wizard, and goblin technology. Each round was an enchanted hollow point bullet that would fire straight and true to its target. Inside the tip, a very fast acting poison was inside that would spread through a body within minutes. The scope itself was charmed for up to 75 times magnification. When Sam test fired the weapon, she was able to hit an ant from five miles away. During the battle, Sam's job was to kill Voldemort's snake, Nagini. As long as it lived, there was still a horcrux inside of him. After the snake was dead, Sam could continue to snipe the enemy or could join the main fighting force. Jack was going to be her spotter. The other thing that was going on in the castle was the creation of new battle robes for the witches and wizards. Madam Maulkin and her staff, along with her two new apprentices in Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, were sewing them together and enchanting them. They were white robes with comfort charms and could repel most spell fire and could block many melee attacks and projectiles. They also created protective clothing that would deflect not only medium level spells, but bullets, knives, swords, and staff blasts. They also absorbed most of the energy from a zat blast. They were designed to be worn under the field uniform that the SGC used. It was comfortable thanks to the built in heating, cooling, and drying charms. Madam Maulkin also designed a tool that would remove the undergarments in case of an emergency. Any other time it could only be removed by the wearer. Thursday evening represented the one week mark from when the crash training course started. As a reward for the great work, Harry, Jacob, Filius, and Jack decided to have a dueling tournament. Rita Black's interview with Harry was scheduled to be on the front page tomorrow, and from there the battle could come at any time. So it was decided to have the duels as a way to have fun and keep the troops ready. They would be non-lethal duels with melee weapons, hand-to-hand combat, or magic used only. The tournament would consist of every member of each group, the Jaffa, the Goblins, the Wizarding Adults, and the Wizarding Teens, dueling within their own groups. Their winners would face off the other winners. After that, the top eight overall competitors, based on score, would then face against an eight man team led by Harry, Ginny, Albus, Ron, Hermione, Remus, Dora, and Kingsley. Jacob, Albus, Mad-Eye, Bra'tac, and George would be the referees for the duels with the head referee being Albus. As the duels began, Severus was summoned to a Death Eater Meeting. Shortly before leaving, Jack placed a GPS tracker on him so that Prometheus could beam him out if necessary. "Sierra Gulf Alpha to Prometheus, come in Prometheus," Jack said through his radio. "-This is Prometheus. We read you five by five Sierra Gulf Alpha," the voice of the Prometheus Captain said. "We have one of our own going into the snake pit. I've tagged him please keep an eye on him for me." "-Understood Colonel, we'll keep an eye on him; Prometheus out.-" Jack returned to the dueling area and watched as Master Griphook beat one of Bra'tac's best fighters. It took a while, but it was a clean fight. Jack was amazed at how well the Jaffa were adapting to using the bat'leths. They looked like they had been using them for years, not days. As the next duel started, a silvery doe appeared out of nowhere. It looked like a solid ghost. It walked up to Harry and spoke. Harry was immediately on his feet and spoke in a loud voice. "This tournament is on hold. I need three teams ready move out in ten minutes with a fourth and fifth remaining here to protect Hogsmeade and the Castle. Group One will go to Diagon Alley and defend it and Gringotts. Master Griphook and Kingsley, you're in charge there." The first group took off with a goblin portkey. It included two squadrons of goblins and many Order members and Aurors. "Albus, you take group 2 to the Ministry." Two more squadrons of goblins left with Albus and the remaining Aurors and Hit-Wizards and half the remaining Order members. "Group three is heading to Ottery St. Catchpole. The Death Eaters want to destroy the home of Weasleys, the Burrow. Bill, Arthur, you're in charge there. Get the wards up and make your stand." Most of the rest of the Order and two-thirds of the DA took another portkey. "Those of you who remain; Minerva, you're in charge here. SG-9 man the bug guns; Jacob, take the tactical station in the War Room with General Hammond; DA members and those remaining Order members and goblins, patrol the grounds in teams of 3. SG-1, Remus, Dora, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Bill, and Fleur; I need you to armor up and be ready to move out in five minutes. Severus is in deep trouble. Voldemort has learned he is the spy. Poppy, Janet, Mum Weasley, get your hospital wing ready to treat the wounded." Harry and Ginny flamed away to get their new battle robes. When they returned, everyone was ready. Harry pulled out a metal ring, enlarged it, and made it into a portkey. "We are going to the Little Hangleton Cemetery. Be ready for anything." Jack, Sam, and Daniel put their new P-90s on their shoulders. Teal'c, Rya'c, and Bra'tac held their bat'leths in the attack position. Neville withdrew his battle axe, Luna pulled out her matching short swords, Hermione had her staff in her right hand, and Ginny was holding her sword. Harry and Ron pulled the brother swords and crossed them over each other. "Three... two... one..." The portkey took off. When they landed, the magic users quickly placed communication charms on the non-magic users. This way everyone could hear everyone without alerting the enemy. "-What do you think Harry?-" Jack asked. "-Meeting must be up in the Manor. Snape said this was where everyone apparated and disapparated from. I think we should take cover,-" Harry said. "-Agreed. Daniel, Carter take a tree each for covering fire. Luna, you got your bow with you?-" "-Did the wrackspurt get into your head again? Of course I do.-" "-Good. Take the tree fifteen feet to your right. Once you're set, use the invisibility mode to hide. Teal'c, you and Bra'tac see what you can find out by doing your tracking thing. Hermione, Neville, take the east and see what you can find. Harry, Ron you go west. Gin-Gin, you're with me. Check in ten minutes.-" "-Sierra Gulf Delta to Sierra Gulf Alpha; we've got movement coming from the manor. It looks like eight bad guys dragging one behind them,-" Daniel said to Jack. "-SG-Delta, this is Flames, give me a direction to look,-" Harry said. "-NNW bearing 359 degrees; range 100 yards.-" "-Got it Delta; Confirmed the Death Eater being tracked is our Potions Master. It looks like Lucius Malfoy and a few others are escorting him down. Looks like Voldemort got some of people out of Azkaban.-" "-Flames, Sierra Gulf Alpha, we have more Death Eaters coming down as well.-" "-Ideas?-" Jack asked. "-Everyone cloak. Ginny, you and I can flame in, grab Severus and flame away. Once we are gone, throw your surprises and use your emergency portkeys to get back to Hogwarts.-" "-Flames, portkey wards just went up.-" Hermione said. "-SHIT!-" "-Okay folks, change of plans, Gin-Gin, get Snape, tree cover, take out as many as you can then get to the ground and provide cover fire. Everyone else, pick a bad guy and attack,-" Jack ordered. "-On three; one... two... three!!-" Ginny transformed into her phoenix and flamed to Severus and flamed him to safety behind a headstone. Still in her phoenix form, Ginny looked over Severus and saw that he had been worked over pretty well. Using her tears, Ginny healed what she could before transforming back. Once she was human again she reached for the med-kit which was part of her robes and pulled out potions and started to pour them down Severus throat. "-How is he Gin?-" Harry asked through the link. "-He'll live. They worked him over pretty badly. How are we doing?-" "-We could use a new plan.-" "-Are any of us down?-" "-Nope. Bra'tac and Teal'c are talking about some battle on Chulak where they killed one hundred warriors. They are having a ball.-" Severus opened his eyes. "Ward stones. Need to destroy them." "Can you move?" "Give me a Pepper-Up and a Strengthening Potion," Severus said. Ginny handed them the potions. He drank them down and then stood up. "-I thought you might want this,-" Ginny said as she pulled out Severus hand crafted katana. She had it in her pocket shrunk down. "Thank you. And if you would please place your charm on me." She placed the communication charm on him so that he could hear everyone. "-This is Severus. Ginny and I are going to try and destroy the ward stones. If we can take enough out, the wards will fall.-" "-We'll cover you,-" Sam said. When they came out from behind the tombstone, they say carnage. The graveyard looked like a bomb had gone off. Teal'c and Bra'tac stood over four bodies, Jack stood over 2 more. Ron and Neville had four bodies under their feet. Hermione was dueling with another Death Eater who suddenly dropped like a stone. Ginny saw the arrow in the Death Eater's back, Luna had taken care of business. There were still at least three more Death Eaters in the cemetery that were well covered from the snipers and the ground forces. Ginny and Severus could not find any of the ward stones. They were all on the other side of the wards. These wards were designed to be a trap. "-No joy on the ward stones!-" Ginny yelled. "-Sam, contact Prometheus. See if they can help.-" "-Prometheus, this is Sierra Gulf Beta. We are under fire from hostile forces. Can you beam us out?-" "-Negative Sierra Gulf Beta; we cannot get a lock on your signals.-" Suddenly Harry had an idea. "-Ginny, flame Severus outside the wards; if that works you and I can get everyone out.-" Ginny tried but failed. "-Not working Harry. They placed wards to prevent magical creatures from passing. I don't think house elves can get through either.-" "-Damn wait! DOBBY!!!-" A moment later Dobby appeared in the shadows. "Is Harry Potter alright; Dobby could not reach you by normal elf ways. Dobby had to use Dobby's new magic." "Dobby, we're trapped. I need you to open a shadow and help us get out of here. We need to get just outside the wards." "Dobby will do. Dobby can only take two people at time Harry Potter sir." Dobby disappeared with a pop, a moment later Severus and Ginny were thrown through the shadow of a tree outside the wards. "-We're out Harry.-" Neville and Ron were the next to appear from the shadow; a second later Bra'tac and Rya'c and a second after that Teal'c and Sam. It was almost a full minute before Luna and Daniel appeared followed by Hermione and Jack. The last person inside was Harry and he was looking quite upset. He slammed the tip of his sword into the ground and forced magic through his hands into the sword. The magic blew through the sword and outwards knocking all of the Death Eaters to the ground. Harry then reached above his head and withdrew a staff from nowhere. The staff was as tall as Harry and made out of Holly. On top of the staff was a six inch diameter diamond infused with a perfect two inch diameter emerald. When Harry touched it, he and the staff were surrounded in green flames. Harry then smashed the staff into the ground, causing a rather large magical explosion. The explosion was contained within the wards. A moment later Dobby appeared next to Harry and grabbed him, his sword, and his staff, then dragged him to a shadow and dragged him through the shadow world and out of the shadow next to everyone else. Ginny caught Harry and began to check him over with Sam. "Ginny, I see no injuries here," Sam said. "Looks like magical exhaustion. Everyone, use your emergency portkeys to return to Hogwarts; Severus, you can use Harry's." She then turned to the little elf. "Dobby can you get Harry back to Madam Pomfrey?" "Dobby can." He touched Harry and disappeared. Everyone else activated their portkeys, leaving Little Hangleton. =============================================================================== Later That Night Office of the High Lord of Hogwarts Scotland "What happened in the graveyard Hermione Weasley?" Master Bra'tac asked. "Well, I think it was a well orchestrated trap. According to Albus, none of the other teams had any trouble. Voldemort knew that Harry would want to help Severus and so he planned the attack perfectly. The wards stopped anyone from physically crossing the wards as well as all portkeys, apparition, and any form of magical creature passing through the wards. We could travel within the wards, but not through them." "That was why I was able to grab Severus, but not flame away," Ginny said. "Yes. And Dobby said he could not get to Harry through normal House Elf means, he had to use his new powers. What in hell was that about?" Daniel asked. "When Harry freed Dobby, Dobby was able to learn new types of magic. When he became our new Head Elf, Harry also adopted Dobby as a member of the family. His name is Dobby Potter. Dobby now has access to the Potter Family Magic. He quickly studied and learned that he was a Shadow Mage. Dobby is literally a master of the shadows. He can manipulate the shadows, use shadow based spells, and can even travel through them. That is what he did with us. "You might know Shadow Mages by their other name: Ninja," Ginny finished. The group was sitting around Harry's office. The portkeys returned everyone to the hospital wing, after being given their standard post-op physicals SG-1, Bra'tac, and Rya'c were released. Poppy released Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna and Ginny at the same time. Severus spent another hour being examined before he was released with orders to rest and drink the potions. Harry would be spending the night in the hospital wing recharging from magical exhaustion. Thanks to his connection with Hogwarts, he would be fine by morning. Janet had joined the group when they left the hospital wing. She said it was to keep them out of trouble. "Where did that staff from? I thought only wizards like Merlin the Great and Albus Dumbledore used them," Teal'c asked. "Harry has been working with the best wandmaker in England on his staff. I know he received word that it was ready today, but it had not bonded to him. Harry's magic is very strong and summoned it from Ollivander's workroom. Albus and I have spoken to the wandmaker. In order to penetrate the wards, Harry's wand had to go through another dimension. The amount of pure power to accomplish that is staggering. Summoning that staff is probably why Harry is exhausted," Severus said. "We create openings into a different reality all the time. That is how we enter hyperspace. A very fast way of getting between places in space. It does take a lot of power. The thought that Harry could open a small window by himself is a little terrifying to be honest," Sam said. "Try being married to him. Some days I am not sure that he'll live because of some hair brained idea he has come up with," Ginny said. "Tell me about. Between Daniel being a klutz and Jack being Jack, some days I don't know if I am coming or going!" Janet said before she kissed Daniel. "Hey I go off world with these two so don't even start with me," Sam retorted before kissing Jack softly on the lips. They were all drinking firewhiskey and were now drunk. Well all except Teal'c who could not drink. Bra'tac and Rya'c returned to their quarters to meditate. They were running the morning sparring sessions. "Major Carter, you are the one who often comes up with the Hair Brain Ideas. If anyone should complain, it should be I. Between your ideas, Daniel Jackson's ability to get into trouble, and O'Neill's ability to be bored, I should be sainted by one of your religions," Teal'c replied with a straight face. It took a moment for Ron and Hermione to bust into laughter followed by everyone else. Teal'c was the perfect straight man for a joke. "Severus, do you know what Harry's staff is made from?" Hermione asked. "Yes I do. First off, his staff is what is called a Grand Sorcerers' Staff. It is not simply a larger version of a wand. It contains more cores and stones to help focus and control magic. I do know that final step requires the user's wand to actually merge with the staff." "Harry asked me if I can finish his staff. Can you walk me through it?" Ginny asked. "How long have you been able to communicate with Harry through telepathy?" Severus asked. "A few days now; we have to really concentrate on each other. With Harry unconscious, it makes things easier for him," Ginny replied. "Very well. Would everyone like to watch this?" Everyone nodded. "Then gather around the table." Severus walked over to where Harry's staff, sword and wand were sitting. He put on a pair of Dragon hide gloves and grabbed the three items. He then carried them over to the coffee table in front of the couches. After laying the sword down to the side, he placed the staff in the center of the table and the wand above it. "Now, as you can see, the main part of the staff itself is made from holly wood, like Harry's wand. It is always a good idea to use the same wood as the wood of the new staff user's wand. Next six different woods are inserted into the body of staff; Yew, Oak, Walnut, Pine, Rosewood, and Holly wood are the most magical woods there are in the world. The inserts run three quarters of the way up staff from the base tip, as you can see." Severus showed the group the six different woods that had been inserted into the body. "Since the main body is made from Holly, the Holly insert is from holly that is native to another location. I think Ollivander said the wood for the Holly insert was from America. The purpose of the wood is to absorb more ambient magic and spells fired directly at the staff, thus protecting it from harm. The different woods take the absorbed magic and channel it into the stones around the handle. These stones are the same as the top of the staff. This staff holds a large, perfect diamond over 6 inches in diameter. Fused inside of the diamond is a 2 inch in diameter flawless emerald." "Why two stones? And how?" Sam asked. "Diamonds do an excellent job as a conductor of energy and of course they are very hard, making it a great way to protect the stone within. Emerald channels magic better than almost any stone there is, plus Harry has a natural infinity to emerald. The girls think it's the eyes, I am not sure." Sam, Hermione, Luna, Sam and Janet giggled. Severus ignored them and moved on. "Harry grew the emerald stone first then grew the diamond around it along with the other stones he would need for the staff." "You mean Harry grew the stones using magic?" Hermione screamed. "Yes." "But that is impossible. You are not supposed to be able to conjure or transform precious metals and jewels. It's supposed to be impossible. It was one of the first things that we were taught when we first went to school. It was why goblin made jewelry was in such high demand. The goblins were the only creatures to mine the metals & jewels." "Hermione, this is Harry, when have normal rules of magic ever applied to him?" "Good point." "May I continue?" Everyone nodded. "Thank you. Along the whole length of the staff are different runes. These include runes to help channel the wielder's own magic better into the staff, and for the staff's power to be channeled back into wielder if needed; there are also runes to make the staff shrinkable, unable to be summoned by anyway but its owner, and other runes that give the staff additional physical strength, make it lighter to carry, but also harder and heavier if you need to hit someone with it. All of the runes and symbols are drawn in gold, silver, blood of various magical animals including unicorns, griffins, and phoenixes, all freely given, and melted black onyx. The melted onyx was the hard part; Harry, Ollivander, Albus and I had to caste a gold smelting spell four times together in order to melt the stone. "Now, while the outside looks remarkable, it is the inside that really makes everything work. In the middle of the staff is where Harry's original Holly and Phoenix Feather wand will go. When we bond the wand to his staff it will be absorbed and placed there. This serves as the primary core for the staff. Because the staff is much larger than a normal wand, it can channel more power so it needs more cores to handle the additional power. "Around the wand are the heartstrings of both a Vipertooth and a Hungarian Horntail Dragons, both of them were elderly dragons; around the heartstrings are multiple phoenix feathers, courtesy of Fawkes and a few of his friends, two tail and two chest feathers of each. I have no idea from where so don't ask; over the phoenix feathers are the chest feather and tail feather of a Golden Griffin courtesy of the Alpha Male of the pack that lives on the grounds of Lionfire Estate. Now, binding this mix of cores together are two tail hairs and two mane hairs of a war unicorn. This keeps all the cores from ever physically separating. Are you following me so far?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Well after the cores were bound together tightly, they are placed in the center of the hollowed out center of the staff. Next Ollivander took the blood of the two dragons that donated their heartstrings and poured them over the cores and into the staff. Since blood is one of the places where magic is the strongest, the blood began to bond to the core and the wood, making it all compatible with each other. From there Ollivander took blood, venom, and powered fang of a basilisk, the basilisk Harry defeated in his second year to be exact, and poured them into the top and bottom of the staff like the dragon's blood. "According to Ollivander; the magics within the two types of blood did not like each other for a little while. Ollivander had to deal with Chaotic Magic for a few hours as the magics finally settled down enough for him to continue. Ollivander and Harry then took the bloods of a War Unicorn and a filly, both of which were freely given, mixed them with the tears and ashes of a phoenix, once again Fawkes, before Harry poured them into the staff like the other blood. This caused the staff to glow many different colors for a little while as the different magic in the materials Ollivander and Harry had chosen battled each other. The benefit of this battling was that the entire staff was infused with multiple magics that all finally accepted that they were all now part of one single magical item. "Once the core was completed, Ollivander began to create the channeling stones that are within the staff. The channeling stone, a flawless emerald, encased in flawless diamond. The complete stone was shaped into one cylindrical column with the emerald being two inches in diameter with the diamond being three inches in diameter. The upper column is fused to the cap stone; the lower column is fused to a smaller stone which rests against the cores. On the bottom of the cores is another column of emerald and diamonds that run to a smaller stone imbedded in the bottom tip of the staff. Like the other stones, it is made from an emerald encased in a diamond. All of the stones on the outside of the staff are all fused to the central stone in the same manner. "The two focusing stones which are what Ollivander call the stones that touch the cores, have a few strands of unicorn hair and the tail hair of a thestral wrapped loosely around their ends. When they touch the magical core, the hairs bind themselves to the core and the stone, ensuring a solid physical and magical connection. Once completed, Ollivander let the staff set for a day in bath of diamonds and emeralds to help balance the power within. Now we are ready to insert the wand and bond the staff to Harry. "All we have to do is place the wand on top the staff like so," Severus placed Harry's wand on the staff about half way up with the tip pointing up. A second later the wand was absorbed into the staff and glowed green. "And we also have to do the same thing with the sword. It contains the wand core of Lord Godric's first wand." This time, Severus placed the sword tip towards the bottom of the staff. Everyone watched as the sword was absorbed into the staff. Once it was gone, the staff glowed red and the sword appeared in the emerald in the capstone. A second later there a bright light and sword was laying next to the staff, but with glowing with a soft internal pulsating light. "Now, to bind the staff and the sword together and to Harry, I need three drops of his blood." Dobby appeared in the room next to a shadow. He handed Severus a vial with blood. After inspecting it, Severus nodded. He poured three drops of blood on the sword and the staff. The blood was absorbed by both. The pulsating light faded from both. "When Harry summons his wand tomorrow, his staff will come. The staff has a few different sizes. Full size, which is that it is now, the second is called user height. If Harry ever shrinks or grows, so will the staff. The third is called half staff, which allows the user to use it like a club. The next is quarter staff, which is really useful. It is perfect for fighting with a melee weapon. The last is the wand size. For casting, full size and user height are the most powerful followed by the wand size. The others use too magic keeping the staff that small. When the staff is in wand size, the staff looks almost identical to the wand inside the staff except that it has the capstone on the back of the wand." The following morning, Rita Black's interview with Harry was on the front page of every newspaper and magazine in the Magical World. When Harry was discharged from the hospital wing, with orders to try not to return too soon, he made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast. As soon as he entered, he knew Voldemort was going to be pissed off. On the front page of the Prophet was a picture of Harry standing tall and proud, with the remains of a dark cloak smoking under his feet. Everyone once in a while the picture would rub his heel into the cloak. The caption beneath reads: -The Chosen One Speaks Out About Death Eaters, You-Know-Who, and the new Minister of Magic.- "It looks good doesn't it?" Harry asked the group at his table. "Wait till you read it. Just make sure you aren't drinking or eating anything," Jack said looking over at Daniel who still had stains on his shirt. "Allow me Daniel," Harry said as he waved his hand over Daniel, cleaning him up. Harry sat down and read the main article. =============================================================================== -Last week, I was given free access to Harry James Potter, known to many- -as The Chosen One. Well, from the last time I saw him a few months ago, a- -lot has happened.- -RB: So Harry, what has happened since we last spoke?- -HJP: Well, many people realized I was right and not some attention seeking brat. I watched as Delores Umbridge took control of Hogwarts thanks to (Former Minister Cornelius Oswald) Fudge, I took my OWLs, saw my godfather die at the Ministry of Magic, watched as Albus Dumbledore proved why he is the greatest wizard of the age as he dueled with Voldemort in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic, was possessed by Voldemort, learned that there was indeed a prophecy made about me, became soul-bonded and married, came into my full inheritance including owning Hogwarts and my seat on the Wizengamot, and calling on some unconventional help to help with Voldemort. Oh and preparing the school for the fall by removing the board of governors.- -RB: Wait; let's take things slowly shall we. We know that Fudge and Umbridge have been sentenced to the Veil of Death. (At the time of publishing both are indeed dead.) But Sirius Black, escaped prisoner of Azkaban and betrayer of your parents is your godfather?- -HJP: Yes he is, but is innocent of all other charges. Thanks to evidence presented to the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Sirius Orion Black, as the Lord of the one of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Great Britain, had never been a trial at all. Because of this, a special tribunal has been assembled and looked over all the evidence and found the former Black to be not guilty. It was also proven that then Undersecretary Fudge, as the head of the Obliviators, used his influence to send Black straight to Azkaban when he was caught. The Ministry of Magic has paid his estate 15 million galleons as compensation. That money has gone to the Padfoot Foundation for Orphans and Wayward Souls.- -RB: We'll get back to the Padfoot Foundation later, what about being possessed by You-Know-Who? How did it feel?- -HJP: My head hurt like it was used as a bludger in the Quidditch Word Cup. It was the most pain I had every experienced. I told Dumbledore to kill me, hoping it would stop the pain. When I said that, I thought about Sirius, and seeing him and my parents again, the love I felt for them pushed Voldemort out of my head.- -RB: Ouch; sounds painful.- -HJP: It didn't tickle.- -RB: Now you said that recently became soul-bonded. If rumors are true then are you and Miss Granger now Mr. and Mrs. Potter?- -HJP: Rita, let us put these rumors to rest now. No, Hermione is not Mrs. Potter. While she is soul-bonded, it is to my best friend Lord Pendragon, Ronald Weasley, Heir by Blood and Magic of Arthur Pendragon; Hermione is now Lady Pendragon Hermione Weasley, Daughter of the Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Black and Potter.- -RB: Then who are you bonded to?- -HJP: My wife; Lady Ginevra Molly Potter nee Weasley.- -RB: Wow two soul bonds, that is incredible. The last couple with a soul-bond were...- -HJP: Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. I know.- -RB: So knowing that you are an adult, did you go to Gringotts and get your inheritance?- -HJP: Yes I did. First I learned that I was Sirius' Heir, so I became Lord Black, and then I received my parents' inheritance, including the family signet rings for the Black Family, and Potter/Gryffindor Family. During the reading Sirius' Will, I learned that he caste the former Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy and Draco Malfoy out of the Black Family after dissolving their marriages. Because of this, the Houses of Lestrange and Malfoy became defunct and dishonored and all that they became a part of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. Sirius also welcomed his cousin Andromeda, her husband Ted, daughter Dora and a squib line back into the family. The squib line produced their first magical child in generations in Hermione Weasley nee Granger.- -RB: Wait, the Potter/Gryffindor Signet Ring, that means that you are the...- -HJP: The last Descendant of Godric Gryffindor and now hold the title of Lord Gryffindor, yes. After that I received the rest of my inheritance including the Signet Rings of the Flamel, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin Families. Once that was all said and I done the goblins told me that my new proper title was Lord Gryffindor, Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Most Noble Families Black, Gryffindor/Potter, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin; Head of the Noble House of Flamel; Head of the Defunct Houses of Malfoy and Lestrange; High Lord of the Council of Twelve of Great Britain and High Lord of Hogwarts.- -RB: We have always thought that You-Know-Who was the last descendant of Slytherin. Why are you?- -HJP: Well you see, Slytherin had a daughter, who was the oldest. She and her mother were out one day when they were attacked by muggles. Sarah Slytherin, Salazar Slytherin's wife, was killed and his daughter was thought killed as well. In reality the muggles took her back to their home, found a wizard to bind her powers, and integrated her into their village. Her bloodline runs through the family name of Evans. The first magical child of that line in a thousand years was my mother Lily. When Voldemort killed my mother and tried to kill me, Ancient Magic, which Voldemort thinks he know but he really doesn't, ripped through his body destroying it and making me, the only surviving child of Slytherin's eldest child, the new Heir of Slytherin.- -RB: What about Slytherin being a dark wizard?- -HJP: He was. There is a difference between dark and evil. The rumors about Slytherin being against muggles are only half right. When word reached Hogwarts, Slytherin lost it and went out hunting the bastards who killed his wife and daughter. Godric Gryffindor went with him. They found and killed the men who killed Sarah Salazar was killed in the process. Godric brought Salazar's body back to Hogwarts for burial. His son, Salazar II was the evil wizard who resented the other founders because they lived and his father did not. That is where you get the blood feud thing.- -RB: Wow. So you now control Hogwarts, are married, and you are also the High Lord of the Council of Twelve. Can you tell us about it?- -HJP: Sure the Council of Twelve was first magical government of Great Britain. After King Arthur became king of the British Isles, Merlin formed the first Magical Government of Britain. It was called the Council of Twelve, modeled after Arthur's Knights of the Roundtable. The council was made up of the twelve original magical families of what are now England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Man. Of the families that made up the council, only a small handful of them are known to us today. They are Black, Dumbledore, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin families. It was also rumored that the Pendragon and Ambrosius families were also given seats, but that was never proven. It was proven however the Merlin remained Arthur Pendragon's advisor on magical matters for many years and even trained the young king in the magical arts.- -Over the years, the council ruled magical Britain fairly under different- -monarchs until 1252 when the first incarnation of what would become the- -Ministry of Magic was formed by permission of the Monarch. This was mainly- -because of the creation of the position of the Muggle Prime Minister. The- -surviving members of Council of Twelve were given seats on the new- -legislative council, which was named the Wizengamot. The Ministry itself- -became the executive branch of the magical government and grew in function- -and control. Over the years, many of the original families have died out and- -new ones have replaced them based on when a family's magical branch was first- -founded. Some of the families have been removed because members have- -commited crimes so grievous in nature that there was no other choice.- -One of the safe guards the Council of Twelve put into place when the- -Ministry was first formed was that it only took a majority of the original 12- -families to overrule the Wizengamot or to take control of the ministry if- -needed. Any of the families who have joined the twelve since its inception- -cannot vote in this matter.- -RB: So you really shouldn't be messed with.- -HJP: That's about right.- -RB: You mentioned it earlier, what is the Padfoot Foundation for Orphans and Wayward Souls?- -HJP: The Padfoot Foundation for Orphans and Wayward Souls is a foundation chartered to help all of those who need it. The Foundation will be opening three orphanages for magical children and two for muggle children. We will also provide counseling and outreach support for everyone.- -RB: What about this business with you being called `The Chosen One'?- -HJP: It's true. Before I was born a prophecy was made about me and Voldemort. If he wants to know what it says, he'll have to pry it out of my cold dead fingers.- -RB: Are you afraid that he'll try to attack you?- -HJP: He already ahs repeatedly. The last time was a trap last night. My friends and I took out eight out his followers and we made it out without a scratch. No one matter what he tries, I'll be ready for him and so will the Ministry. Diagon Alley is now being patrolled by a joint force of goblins and the new Security Forces being led by Rufus Scrimgeour. The portkey and apparition wards are goblin made and next to impossible to break. Add to that the wards that detect anyone bearing the Dark Mark and the wards to reverse the Imperious Curse, Mind Controlling Potions, Possessions, and most concealment charms, well Voldemort and his followers are in deep trouble. The Ministry, St. Mungo's, and other establishments also have these wards as well, so there are not many places Death Eaters can hide.- -RB: Do you have any words for You-Know-Who?- -HJP: Yes I do. Your mother was freaking inbred squib who couldn't whore herself out so she used a love potion to entrap your father. Your father was the worse kind of muggle and you are a half-blood freak who was beaten by a baby. You are nothing but any ugly, moronic, inbred wizard who only got as powerful as he has by using his family's name and cheating! I am not going to waste my time on you Tom Riddle. You are not worth it, you yeast infected tampon. You know, if you got some action more often, then you might not be such an ass.- =============================================================================== Harry finished reading the article and smiled. "If that doesn't piss off old Snake Face, I have no idea what will?" "I agree with you Harry," Jack said. "Have Janet and Poppy come up with a way to remove Severus's Dark Mark?" "Poppy said something about needing me, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Albus, you and Sam. She said to eat a big breakfast then report to the hospital wing." Everyone nodded and continued to eat. Afterwards they all headed up to the Hospital Wing along with Minerva, Daniel, and Teal'c; when the arrived Severus was lying on one of the beds. "Good. I need everyone to pair up by couple. Harry, Ginny, stand at the head of the bed; Hermione, Ronald, I need you both to stand at the foot of the bed. Jack, Samantha, I need you on the far side of the bed. Albus, I need you over here. Everyone take your magical foci and place them over Severus. Jack, Samantha, place your right hands over Severus. Everyone link hands with your partner and think about the love you have for one each other. Albus, I need you to perform the spell. Here it is on the parchment." Albus looked at the parchment, memorized it and began to chant in Gaelic under his breath. Magic began to pool around the couples and run through them and into Severus. The pink magic began to attack the Dark Mark, but it was not strong enough. Poppy turned to Teal'c. "Teal'c, are Sam and Jack your family?" "O'Neill is my brother and I consider Major Carter to be my brother's mate," Teal'c said solemnly. "Stand behind them and place a hand on each shoulder. Think about your love for them," Poppy instructed. Teal'c did as he was told and the pink magic became brighter and stronger. "Daniel, do you love Janet?" Poppy asked the archeologist. "Yes I do, with all my heart. Jack is the brother I never had, and Sam is my sister I always wanted, but Janet is the one I love with all my heart. She is the best thing that has happened to me since I lost Sha're." "I love you too Daniel," Janet said as she kissed Daniel. "Ok you two, stand between Jack and Ronald. Hold out your hands and concentrate on the love you have for one another. By this time, Remus and Dora had entered the Hospital Wing along with Bill and Fleur. "You four, get over here. Bill, you and Fleur stand between Albus and Hermione; pull your wands and think about the love you have for one another. Remus, you and Tonks do the same thing, but stand between Ginny and Albus." No one questioned what was happening and did as they were told. Poppy looked the group and saw the magic getting stronger. As it was beginning to work, Severus began to scream out in pain. Voldemort was torturing Severus. Knowing she needed more love, she turned to the only two people left in the room. "Minerva, you love Albus don't you." It was a statement, not a question. "Yes I do. But he has never shown any sign that he feels the same way about me." "You are both stupid. He loves you, he is just afraid of getting hurt. Stand next to him, grab his hand and tell him you love him. Concentrate on the feelings you have for him. Rolanda, take Severus' hand and tell him you love him. Channel all of the love you have for him through your body and into his body." Ro did as she was told. When she joined the group, the pink magic grew brighter and stronger; no one moved, only Severus' screams and Albus chanting could be heard. Finally Harry turned and kissed Ginny deeply. The magic swelled. Taking their hints, the other couples did the same thing and kissed their partners. When Minerva kissed Albus, he stopped chanting but the magic surged even more. Causing the Dark Mark to lift from Severus' skin and float above him encased in pink magic. Fawkes and Apollo flamed into the room, took the black magic in their talons and erupted into flames, destroying the Dark Mark. When it was no more, Fawkes and Apollo landed on one of Remus' shoulders, using his talon, Fawkes cut through Remus's robes at his shoulder and into his skin, causing Remus to moan. Fawkes and Apollo then bit themselves, causing the blood to drip onto Remus open wound. A black specter of a wolf seeped out of Remus's wound. The two phoenixes once again took the dark energy into their talons and destroyed it with Phoenix Flame. Apollo then landed on Remus' shoulder, cried on his wound and healed it. They both then burst into flames and had a premature burning day. Everyone who was in the ritual began to get dizzy, Poppy quickly caste a freezing charm on the room, freezing everyone in place; she then quickly levitated every couple to magically expanded bed to rest. When she reached Teal'c she saw that he was alert and looking around. She unfroze the Jaffa who aided in placing everyone on beds. Once everyone was settled, Poppy cancelled the charm, then lifted Fawkes off the ground and placed him between Albus and Minerva who were curled up into each other and then put Apollo in bed with Harry and Ginny. Teal'c offered her a cup of tea and showed her over to a bed herself. Once she was resting, Teal'c stood guard over his extended family in the Hospital Wing. =============================================================================== At the same time Riddle Ancestral Home Little Hangleton, England At the ancestral home of the Riddle Family, Lord Voldemort was pissed off. The Potter Brat had taunted him openly. He explained that he was indeed the High Lord of Hogwarts, in control of Hogwarts, and more importantly the vaults of the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. That money was badly needed now since Potter had control over the Lestrange and Malfoy fortunes now. His other followers were throwing money at him, but it was not enough. He needed more money. Then there was the insult that Potter claimed to the Heir of Slytherin when Tom Riddle was the last heir of Salazar Slytherin, not some half-blood brat? To top it off, Potter called him -`A Yeast Infected Tampon' who needed to get laid more often and was not worth his time.- `-I cannot have sex because I sacrificed my manhood to grow stronger! Of all the things I have done in my quest for immortality that ritual is the one thing I wish I would have done. Bellatrix would have made me a great concubine.-' To top it off, Potter stated that if he wanted to know the full prophecy, then he would have to pry it out of his cold dead hands. Voldemort knew he had to do something and soon. With the new wards around Diagon Alley, St. Mungo's, and the Ministry, the only choice left was to attack Hogwarts. Even as the High Lord of Hogwarts, Voldemort knew it would take Harry years to learn all of the secrets of the castle. -Yes the time to attack was now.- He summoned his servant Wormtail, though mostly useless, Wormtail was a good servant around the manor. That was about all he was good for. "Wormtail, assemble my commanders. Potter has pissed me off for the last time. I want them here immediately." "Of course my lord; I shall summon them at once." Wormtail placed his wand on his Dark Mark and summoned the Commanders. They appeared moments later. "My followers; the time has come to take Hogwarts and kill Potter and that muggle loving fool. Once Hogwarts is mine, we shall destroy the Ministry and I shall rule supreme." Those summoned cheered at the news that war was coming to Hogwarts. Voldemort raised his arms to call for quiet. "We shall attack in four days. I want the vampires, trolls, giants, werewolves, Death Eaters and Inferi. Once we have Hogwarts, I shall rip the prophecy from Potter's mind before I kill him and use Hogwarts as the center of new world." Once again the Death Eaters cheered. "To honor the occasion, I shall not punish any of you, but rather the traitor who was in our ranks. Severus Snape escaped last night, only by Potter's luck. But he shall not escape this. Wormtail, give me your arm." Wormtail presented his Dark Mark to Voldemort who stabbed his wand into it. At Hogwarts, Severus began to scream and Voldemort used the link caused pain worse then the Cruciatus Curse. As Voldemort tortured the former spy, he did not feel the magic surrounding the Dark Mark. When the love based magic attacked, Voldemort flinched, but continued to torture Snape. Each time the love magic swelled, Voldemort became more and more uncomfortable. When the love based magic hit him the last time, he felt pain worse than when he possessed Potter at the Ministry. His entire body began to burn from the inside out as he screamed loudly. He tried to break the connection to Snape, but could not. Just before he thought he could not handle anymore, the pain stopped and Voldemort fell limp to his throne. He looked at his arms and saw how badly they were burned. He rose to his feet and addressed his Death Eaters. "Potter will die in four days! Be ready!" Voldemort then left his throne room and returned to his private quarters. He removed his robes and prepared to lay a potion bath that kept his body together when he spotted it. It was a tattoo. It was red and in the shape of a heart with writing inside it in blue: -Lord Voldemort loves Moaning Myrtle.- Voldemort let out a bloody curdling scream. -*"POTTER!!!!"*- Meanwhile in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts, the eighteen people who were involved in the removal of Severus' Dark Mark all smiled and returned to their dreams, or in Teal'c's case he returned to his vigil. Chapter 14 The two days after the article were a busy time around Great Britain. The Forces of Darkness were busy preparing for the final conflict. A number of rogue goblins were making armor and weapons for the trolls and giants as well as swords for the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters were preparing battle plans and brushing up on their spell work. A few were also quietly preparing their escape routes because they had a feeling that Potter was going to win and win big. At the Ministry of Magic, a large number of marriage licenses were issued. Diagon Alley was busy with people stocking up on supplies. In the village of Hogsmeade, everyone was preparing for the move to Northern Ireland. It would happen the night before the battle. Thanks to Severus' contacts and some of the recording devices SG-1 had brought with them and placed around known Death Eater hang-outs, it was learned that the attack would happen in two days. Four days after Rita Black's article came out. Training continued around Hogwarts. Everyone was given orders and they ran simulations over and over again until it became second nature. Each member of the Army of Light was now highly dangerous and well trained. However the most dangerous person on the side of light was Severus Snape. Besides the potions and poisons that he brewed, Severus also knew lots of spells, and many of the more lethal ones were extremely dark in nature. One of the things Snape had done as a spy for the Order was to compile a collection of books that were filled with dark and evil curses. Snape had memorized the books and could use all of the curses if he ever was forced to. The problem was that in order to perform some of these spells, Severus's soul would be badly tainted with remnants of black magic. To make sure that would not happen to him or to the others who might use these spells Severus prepared both a cleansing ritual and a protection ritual. The cleansing ritual would cleanse the soul of any dark remnants which was caused by casting Black Magic. The protection ritual would protect the soul from absorbing any remnants of black magic. After the battle, they would undergo the rituals again. Harry, Severus, Ginny, Mad-Eye, Bill, Fleur, Ron, Hermione, Albus, Minerva, Kingsley, Dobby, and Amelia would be undergoing to the rituals. Jack, Sam, Teal'c, Jacob, and Bra'tac would also undergo the ritual. They figured they had seen enough evil in their lives that it wouldn't hurt to be protected. Bra'tac later commented that he had not felt so light and happy in many years. Jack figured that the Tok'ra, Free Jaffa, and the SGC would want to be able to perform this ritual since it worked so well. It went onto the ever growing list of stuff they would love to get after Voldemort was dealt with. SG-9 and a squadron of British SAS officers raided a warehouse in Dublin that was owned by The Trust. They discovered Earth based weapons, Goa'uld weapons, and other alien technologies there as well as a Goa'uld parasite in stasis. During the firefight, the stasis pod was destroyed, killing the Goa'uld. Thanks to the connections with the magical world, Obliviators were sent out by order of the Minister of Magic to help clean up the mission. It was the first time the muggle and wizarding worlds worked openly in Great Britain. It would not be the last. The night before the battle, Harry ordered everyone to bed early, except for those who were on guard duty. There were two people on the Astronomy Tower, a six person guard around the castle herself, and another twelve people patrolling the outer edge of the wards which had been extended to cover the Centaur's huts and the illusion of what was Hogsmeade since the entire village had been moved an hour before. Harry, was wearing pajama pants and a loose unbuttoned shirt, was standing on his balcony looking out over the Forbidden Forest. Ginny was asleep in their bed, exhausted from the sex they had earlier. "Penny for your thoughts?" A voice asked him. "You know, I think you're more than a squib Jack?" Harry asked the voice. He knew who it was thanks to his heightened senses. "I think so too Harry. Since I have been here, I have felt extra energy inside me. It has eased the pain in my knees and given me extra strength and stamina. Also a number of things have worked for that hasn't worked for SG-9 or Janet. Daniel, thanks to have once ascended, would be considered a squib too," Jack admitted. "Albus told me as much. After everything is said and done, we need to go on vacation together. I have some property in America. A place called Evan's Ranch." "How about some fishing? I have the cabin and I would love to have you guys come up." "What about Sam? I know you two can be pretty loud," Harry said, laughing a little. "Well I might have to learn how to caste a quieting charm won't I?" "Too much information Jack!" Harry said laughing. "You think we're going to win tomorrow?" "Yes. Because the other option is unacceptable" Harry said solemnly. "You know, we still have the explosives around Riddle's Place and the thing those twins made," Jack said. "Can you have Prometheus drop it in the morning and set off the explosives? Say about 0730?" "Sure." Jack said. "Jack?" they heard a voice coming from inside Harry's office. "We're out here Samantha," Harry called. A moment later Sam and Ginny, who were both wearing T-shirts and boxers that belonged to their men, walked out onto the balcony and into the arms of their men. "What are you two doing out here?" Ginny asked the two men. "Talking about a nice long vacation; of course that depends on if the damn snake heads in the galaxy leave us alone for a while. We were thinking about my cabin or Harry said he has a couple of places we could disappear to for a while," Jack said. "Shouldn't you also think about winning tomorrow's battle?" Sam asked the two men. "We're going to win. Because the other option is unacceptable," Harry said solemnly. "And with that, I think I want to cuddle with my husband. Jack, Sam, see you in the morning," Ginny said as she led Harry back to their bedchamber. Jack kissed Sam deeply and passionately for a moment before they too retired to their bedchamber for a quick lovemaking session and then sleep. The next day would be a very long day indeed. Dawn broke over Great Britain. Voldemort knew that Hogwarts and the grounds looked peaceful; he knew that by the end of this day, he would be dining on a throne made of the remains of Potter, the Muggle Loving Fool Dumbledore, and all those who stood against him. He smiled as he made his way to his throne room. The small voice in the back of his head told him not to get too overconfident, but he ignored it. Many people would call it his conscious, but it was really the little bit of the Goa'uld that did not merge with him all those years ago. It had been with him for so long that he forgot it even existed anymore. When he was resurrected, the remains of the physical snake were no longer part of him, but the consciousness was still there, as it always did. It didn't speak often, but when it did it made no sense at all. "Yes Nagini, you shall enter on my shoulders. You may kill the Potter's Whore, but Potter himself is mine," Voldemort told his familiar. "Yessss Massster," the snake responded. On board the Prometheus, a clock showed 0730 hours. The captain smiled and gave the order to deploy the package and set off the explosives. At Riddle Manor, a large fifty-five galleon drum appeared in Voldemort's throne room. As the explosives sent off around the wards, Voldemort and his commanders quickly apparated out of the building as the drum exploded, releasing the toxic contents that were within it. As Voldemort looked from a nearby hill, Riddle Manor, his base of operations was melting away. The wards had already fallen thanks to the physical blast from the explosives. Voldemort remained silent, but his eyes were red with fury. -Potter would pay for this!- Meanwhile the Army of Light was preparing in the castle. Harry approached General Hammond, there was a job that he wanted to make was completed if the worst happened. "General, can I talk to for a moment, alone?" "Of course Harry," Hammond said. Harry led him down the hall and into a classroom. After placing a number of privacy wards and charms, Harry spoke. "Sir, I know you are overseeing the battle from the parapet wall. I would like you to take command of the wards and defenses of Hogwarts." "Harry, I do not possess any magic. I don't think I can," Hammond said a little shocked. "Not to worry. This gauntlet will allow you to communicate with the castle and her power. All you have to do is think about an action and she will respond to you." "Are you sure Harry?" "Yes sir I am. This is my fight, and I need to concentrate on Voldemort. I cannot run the defenses and fight my fight at the same time. Also there is something else. If something happens and I fail, I want you execute the Doomsday Scenario Version 2." "What is version 2?" "The dirty bomb you ordered built may not be enough. When you give the order, the Room of Requirement will create three nuclear bombs, each bomb is approximately thirty times more powerful than the ones that fell on Japan to end World War II. At the same time, Hogwarts will use all available magic to raise the strongest shields known to wizard kind to hold in the nuclear blast. At the same time, all of the emergency portkeys will activate, taking everyone to White Sands New Mexico as well as the goblins and centaurs. Anyone not wearing a portkey should be able to be beamed up to Prometheus. Everyone is being injected with the tracer as we speak. Operations Doomsday will also portkey the Hogwarts House Elves, Libraries, potions stores, portraits, and anything else of value. As soon as everything is gone, the heart stone, which powers Hogwarts, will release all of its power, igniting the bombs in the Room of Requirement and the Dirty Bomb. Anything not destroyed by the nuclear blast will be vaporized by the magical backlash." "Very well Harry." "One last thing sir, a personal favor, you could call it." "Of course Harry." Harry held out a small leather pouch. "They are letters to specific people and my updated will. I have made you executor of my estate. In the short time I have known you, General, I have seen that you are a man of honor and integrity." "I am honored Harry. But do you think you're going to need all of this?" "No. I plan on winning, but a Boy Scout is always prepared." Hammond laughed. "You have spent too much time around Colonel O'Neill." "Yes sir I have." Harry looked at his watch. "Sir, it's time for Phoenix Flight to get to work." "I'll give the order," Hammond said before turning to his radio. "Prometheus, this is Sierra Gulf Command Alpha. Come in, over." "-This is Prometheus. We read you.-" "Phoenix Flight has a green light. I say again, Phoenix Flight has a go." "-Understood.-" On board the Prometheus, the Captain ordered his comm officer to open a channel to the F-302 squadron. "Phoenix Leader, this is Prometheus. Orders from Mon-High, You have a go. Level it." "-Prometheus, this is Phoenix Leader, I copy and confirm, one island fortress going bye-bye; Phoenix Leader out.-" Ten minutes later, a squadron of F-302 fighters appeared thirty feet above the North Sea. Their scanners were locked on their target: Azkaban. The island had been evacuated of all non-Death Eaters. The plan was to eliminate all of the Death Eaters imprisoned and those who were ordered to break them out. The Ministry had recently reached a deal with the Goblin Nation for them to run the new Azkaban Prison, but only if the Dementors remaining on the island were destroyed. As the closed in on their target, scanners showed people appearing all over the island. The Death Eaters were arriving to spring their comrades. "-Phoenix Leader to Phoenix Flight, bring the rain!-" The twelve F-302s launched their payloads, two naquadah enriched missiles enchanted to penetrate the wards. As fighters crossed over the prison, they released their last piece of ordinance: Napalm Bombs. When the fires finally subsided, there was nothing but rubble left on the island. "-Phoenix Leader to base. Mission accomplished, returning home to rearm for phase two.-" The fighters all headed up into orbit where Prometheus was waiting for them before descending to Hogwarts. As they left, three large sailing ships appeared out of nowhere. They carried the goblin construction crews that would build and run the new Azkaban Prison. =============================================================================== Same Time Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Scotland Neville was running down the hall when he came across Ron and Hermione who were adjusting their armor one last time. "General Hammond said the Prometheus spotted the Dark Army; the appeared out of nowhere about ten minutes ago. They are about thirty minutes from Hogwarts," Neville said out of breath. Ron looked at his wife and then at Neville before he activated the communication charm. "This is Lord Pendragon. All hands, report to your battle stations. The Dark Army approaches. I say again battle stations, set condition Red!" The torches and candles throughout castle began to burn pure red and pulsing. "You and Harry have spent too much time watching TV with Jack and Teal'c," Hermione said while laughing. "Probably. Come on, let's get to work," Ron said as the threesome headed to the Entrance Hall. Once they arrived, Harry and the others who would be outside were waiting. House Elves were popping in and out of existence relaying orders and information. Ron, who Harry had placed in command after himself and Albus, took command immediately. He looked to Luna first. "Report." Luna lost her dreamy expression and spoke in a quick, efficient, tone. "All units report ready. General Hammond has control of the wards and defenses, Albus and Minerva are ready to lead the Order out from the far side of entrance hall and the DA is ready to go under Neville's and mine command. Fred and George Weasley have tied in their long range weapons and aerial weapons into Hogwarts so that General Hammond can command them." "What about SGA?" Ron asked. "All members of Stargate Alliance are ready. Teal'c will be joining your group. Master Bra'tac and his Jaffa will attack from the hidden tunnels in the grounds. Doctor Jackson will be with Professor Lupin and Auror Tonks. Lupin has gotten fifteen werewolves to join our side. Though he is no longer a werewolf, he still retains the benefits. Colonel O'Neill will be spotter for Major Carter. Once she has taken out Nagini, they will try to even the odds before joining the fight in earnest." "And our magical allies?" "The goblins and centaurs will attack from the Forbidden Forest as planned. Lord Ragnok has informed his troops that he will personally pay a bounty of 500 galleons per Death Eater, dead or alive. Hagrid says that the Acromantulas are ready to clean up any of the bodies. "I spoke to Minister Bones five minutes ago. USDM War Mages and the Ministry Aurors are ready to portkey into behind the Dark Army. Also Phoenix Flight and the Prometheus are in position ready to deploy as needed." "I take it Azkaban was a success." "Leveled. Sixty confirmed Death Eaters KIA." "Thanks Luna. Go to Neville, we have a war to win," Ron said as he hugged the young woman. "You take care of yourself and Hermione. I want to be godmother to one of your kids," Luna said before her and Neville took off to meet with the DA. Ron and Hermione made their way to Harry and Ginny who were perfectly calm. "Good morning, you ready?" Harry asked. "I think so," Hermione said. Ron nodded. "Well then I think it is time I address the troops. Don't you think Lord Pendragon?" Harry asked his brother in law. "Yes I do Lord Gryffindor." Ron and Harry turned to the assembled crowd and opened the communication charm so that their voices reached the entire Army of Light including the F-302 fighters and Prometheus, and as far away as Downing Street where the Prime Minister was listening. "Good morning," Harry began. "In less than fifteen minutes, we will engage one of the largest armies ever brought together. It's purpose is to annihilate us and our way of life. We are all that stands between the Darkness and the innocent. We shall not fail in our task. Today Lord Voldemort and the evil surrounding him will fall for the last time. I ask you to remember that who we fight against are the enemy." The crowd roared with applause. Ron took over. "Those who have been placed under the Imperious Curse will be safely transported away as they cross the wards so if someone threatens you, take them out. Do not think twice, because if you do, then you shall fail." A loud chorus of applause erupted from the entire castle. "After we are done here today, mind healers will be available to help you deal with what you see today. If necessary, they will obliviate and replace your memories of the battle. You will remember the battle, but not the specific people you came into contact with." "-Hogwarts, this is Prometheus, the Dark Army is approaching the outer boundaries of the wards,-" came the link. "Understood; General Hammond, raise the Wards," Harry said out loud. A moment later and everyone felt the last wards snap into place. These would take anyone under possession or the Imperious Curse and release them before sending them to the Ministry for processing. "Let's do it!" Harry called and he, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Filius Flitwick, Teal'c and Severus Snape all stepped out the front doors and placed themselves squarely between the castle and assembled Dark Army. Harry watched as the Dark Army slowly close ranks. Out of the almost eight thousand witches, wizards, trolls, werewolves, vampires, and giants that assembled, only a little over two-thousand-five-hundred remained after passing through the wards. Those who were either possessed or under the Imperious Curse were removed first and transported to a secure facility where they would be examined and questioned; the next wards were to poison any werewolf with silver nitrate and a compound that Prometheus could lock onto and beam the werewolves out to another secure location. The Vampires were destroyed by the third set of wards. As the Dark Army crossed the ward, it activated a spell called the Sunshine Spell. It created the effect of a thousand small suns to brighten the day, killing all of the vampires. Harry cast a wandless sonorous spell on him self so that the Dark Army could hear him. "Tommy, you really should not try to draft people into service. They will disappear at the worst possible time." "-Griffin One, this is Sierra Gulf Alpha, it looks like the snake man is using five Inner Circle Death Eaters as Field Commanders,-" Harry heard through the communication charm. "-Sierra Gulf Beta, do you have clear shots at them?-" "-Affirmative.-" "-Take them out, and then take out the primary objective.-" A moment later Five Death Eaters: Lucius Malfoy, both Lestrange Brothers, Walden Macnair, and Dolohov were dead, each killed by Sam and her sniper rifle. Ten seconds later, Voldemort screamed in rage Nagini was blasted by the force of the bullet. "-Griffin One, this is Sierra Gulf Beta, primary and secondary targets eliminated. Happy hunting.-" "-Sierra Gulf Alpha and Beta, first round is on me.-" "-Affirmative.-" With a holy cry, Voldemort ordered his army to attack Harry and the others. Little did the Dark Army know that they had just entered a kill zone. As soon as the Death Eaters crossed their paths, Bra'tac and his teams went into action, decimating many of the foes quickly and efficiently from behind. Dumbledore and the Order made their entrance known as they engaged the enemy while Harry and Ginny made their way towards where they knew Voldemort was waiting. Nineteen hours. It had been nineteen hours since the Battle of Hogwarts had begun. It had been nineteen hours since hell was brought to the earth. But in the end, the Army of Light was victorious. Over a thousand Death Eaters were killed with another three-hundred captured; many of the pureblood families were decimated. The dementors were gone, thanks to napalm. Four thousand Dementors had been eliminated thanks to the chemical fire. That did not include any of the dementors that were at Azkaban at the time it was destroyed. It would later be said that Napalm was even more dangerous than Fiendfyre. The Army of Light was not spared from the effects of the war. Though none of them died, many were injured. The worst of the injuries were sustained by Colin and Dennis Creevey who caste the strongest shield charms they could to protect their Headmaster from an exploding hex that was launched at his back by an unnamed Death Eater. Unfortunately they could not shield themselves and were thrown over two hundred feet, shattering many of the bones in their bodies and rupturing many of their internal organs. If not for the House Elves quick action of casting preservation charms on the two boys, they would have died. It took Poppy Pomfrey, Severus Snape, and a team of Healers from St. Mungo's along with the power of Hogwarts herself to save their lives. They would be out of the hospital wing in a few weeks. Severus Snape would forever need to walk with a cane, a bone shattering hex to his knee from Theodore Nott saw to that. Besides that, he would be fine physically. Emotionally, it would be years before he could heal properly. Rolanda Hooch would be instrumental in his emotional healing. He killed or disabled two-hundred Death Eaters alone and killed two trolls on his own. Albus and Minerva were both a little worse for wear overall; they had numerous cuts, bruises, and battle wounds. Both of the them would be walking with canes for a few weeks. As a practical joke Fred and George Weasley made them matching canes. They were painted in Fawkes' and Gryffindor's colors: Red, Black, and Gold. The heads of were a phoenix; the grand wings folded back, allowing for Dumbledore's and McGonagall's hands to comfortably wrap around its body. It's head was proudly raised and easy to see. Overall they were rather dignified canes. Not anything that people would associate with the Weasley Twins. There were multiple runes etched around the cane, one of the runes was supposed to make the canes indestructible, another to make the canes unable to be summoned except the proper owner and another rune to make the canes free standing. It was a little known fact that Fred and George made McGonagall's cane as gift after they left Hogwarts. They just never had a chance until now and decided to make the mate for Minerva's new mate, the Headmaster. Phoenix Flight, normally called Blue Squadron, and the Prometheus were already heading back to Area-51. Their jobs were finished. The magical upgrades were left in place as a thank you present. General Hammond was going over all the different reports that were coming in. Prime Minster Blair, Secretary Anderson, President Owens, Minister Bones, and the Queen herself wanted detailed reports on what had happened. George was more than willing to pull the reports together for Harry and Albus, who would be doing the briefings for the British Officials. He also knew he was not a young man anymore and could not help with the clean up too well. Rya'c and the Jaffa Bra'tac brought with him were lightly injured, but were quickly healed by their symbiotes. Teal'c and Bra'tac were fine after a quick visit to Janet and Poppy and a few potions. All of the Jaffa fought admirably and brought great honor to their families. Their bat'leths deflected many spells and curses into their enemy. The goblin warriors considered the Jaffa worthy friends and brothers in arms. Before Master Griphook left, he told Master Bra'tac that if the Free Jaffa ever needed anything, the Goblin Nation would be honored to provide it. Jacob and Daniel had been providing cover fire and for the Army of Light. After Jack and Sam finished their sniper duties, they met up with the other two and laid down fields of covering fire, keeping the Death Eaters in one-on-one or one-on-two match-ups with the Army of Light in the advantage. None of them were even grazed during the battle, after the battle however, Daniel fell over and broke his arm, in typical Daniel fashion. Poppy healed in less than a minute. Neville and Luna, leading the DA backed up the Order and the Aurors who were beginning to tire from the battle. Neville killed Fenrir Greyback shortly before he could attack Dora with his battle axe. The rest of the DA had minor injuries except for the Creevey brothers and were already helping with the clean up. The Weasley Family was spearheading the cleanup of the Hogwarts Grounds and surrounding areas. As for the four main fighters, they fared well as well. Ron and Hermione together caste a path of death and destruction that would be matched only by Harry's and Ginny's; between Ron wielding Excalibur, and Hermione's destructive wandless magic, they were not many things that stood up to them. They killed three of the giants and dropped eight of the trolls as well as almost three-hundred Death Eaters. Harry and Ginny Potter entered the fight transformed in their lion forms. Before the Death Eaters could react they had already taken a dozen down each. After the transformed back to their human forms, the used their swords and wands, or in Harry's case his staff. Channeling magic through their foci and their weapons proved devastating to the Dark Army as they were mauled in large numbers. By the time they stopped to look around, Harry and Ginny were in the middle of the Dark Army. Wrapping their arms around each other, Harry placed the tip his Staff into the ground and channeled their magic and love into the staff. The magic then pushed from the capstone down through the cores and into the ground. The resulting magical explosion knocked down all of the Death Eaters within in fifty feet of them. From there the couple made their way towards Voldemort, quickly killing anything that got in their way. Death Eaters, Vampires, Werewolves, Rogue Goblins, Giants, Trolls, it made no difference. When they reached the location Voldemort was fighting in, they quickly caste wards to prevent stray spells from escaping. Before the last wards went up, Harry pushed Ginny outside of the wards. This fight was going to be one-on-one. Ginny knew that it had to be this way, so she turned and engaged the nearest Death Eater. The duel was brutal inside the dome. Voldemort and Harry traded spell for spell. Harry's only saving grace was his ability to flame around the area. Voldemort quickly learned that the spells rebounded inside the dome and started using more dark curses than the Unforgivables. After four hours, Harry made a critical hit on Voldemort with a well placed cutting hex. This allowed Harry to bring his sword down across Voldemort's wand arm, cutting the arm off at the wrist. With Voldemort in agony, Harry quickly opened a portal and sent Voldemort's wand to Ginny who was still fighting outside. Harry then took the opportunity to down several potions including a more potent Pepper-Up Potion. Refreshed, Harry turned to face Voldemort, who took the opportunity Harry had given him and used his wandless magic to conjure a silver arm and hand for his missing appendage. He then pulled out his custom made sword, it was just as long as Harry's and had two razor sharp edges. The entire blade curved inside like a reverse scimitar. They dueled for hours on end. Both were master swordsmen, but Harry was better. Unlike Voldemort, Harry didn't have to maintain his body by using magic. Instead Harry augmented his strength and reflexes using his magic, which gave him the advantage he finally needed. As Voldemort thrust forward, Harry ducked out of the way and spun on his heel before slamming his sword into Voldemort's chest. Voldemort was frozen in fear as Harry spoke in a deep voice. "Tom Marvolo Riddle and the Goa'uld name Voldemort. You have tried to obtain immortality through means so evil that there is no hope for reform. I find you guilty of splitting your soul eight times and making seven horcruxes. The diary of a sixteen year old Tom Marvolo Riddle, the original Slytherin Signet Ring, the Cup of Healing which was made by Helga Hufflepuff, the locket that Salazar Slytherin gave his wife Sarah when they were married; the Diadem of Knowledge which was created by Rowena Ravenclaw, the unintentional Horcrux contained within my scar, and finally the horcrux within the snake Nagini. "These horcruxes have been destroyed, the soul fragments within released. As the High Lord of Hogwarts and the rightful owner of the items you have stolen, I carry out the sentence of death by Phoenix Fire. May god have mercy on your soul." Harry then channeled phoenix magic through his sword and into Voldemort's chest. The magic erupted into flames inside of Voldemort, burning him from the inside out. By the time it was completed, Voldemort was nothing but ash. The entire time, Harry had tears in his eyes. As the ashes fell to his feet, Harry dropped to his knees, summoned the ashes and placed them in an Egyptian canopic jar and sealed it. He then banished it to the magma chamber of Mt. Etna where it was consumed in magma. Harry dropped the wards, held Ginny closely before jumping back into fight. The fight was over within three hours. As the Dark Army learned about Voldemort's death, they quickly surrendered. That night, Harry and all of those who felt they needed to, underwent the cleansing rituals before retiring for the night. Chapter 15 It took four days for the grounds of Hogwarts and the surrounding areas to be cleaned up from the Battle. Hogsmeade was returned and reports were being finalized. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Severus, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and many others removed their memories of the battle. Instead of destroying them, they were added to a special pensieve that would be secured in a vault at Gringotts. The purpose of the pensieve would be document the battle for all time. Surprisingly Jack, Teal'c, and Bra'tac all asked to have memories removed and have parts of their past's obliviated. After all three talking with General Hammond and the head Mind Healer, they all agreed that was a good idea for the continued mental health of the three men. Hammond took custody of the memories and asked that they be placed in the same vault as the Historical Pensieve, but still separate. Lord Ragnok, Harry, Albus, and Minister Bones agreed. The Free Jaffa had returned to the SGC under the leadership of Rya'c. They would return to Chulak and continue to fight the Goa'uld. Their armor and bat'leths as well new robes and dragon-hide boots were given as gifts of thanks. SG-1 was scheduled to return at the end of the negotiations that were ready to take place as well as General Hammond and Jacob. Jacob had left for a day to update the Tok'ra High Council on the outcome of the battle and to get a list of things they would like to trade with the Magical World. Neville, Luna, and the DA were already disbanded and told to return home and that all summer homework was waived. The Potters and younger Weasleys told their friends that they were not returning to school in the fall as students. Harry and Ginny would serve as the High Lord and Lady of Hogwarts and Ron and Hermione had duties to attend to as Lord and Lady Pendragon. Come to find out Arthur Pendragon himself did have a seat on the Council of Twelve, not his family. As his heir, Ron now was required to serve on the Council while Hermione wanted to start working on the rights of others. The negotiations were taking place at Hogwarts. Because of the various areas that needed to be covered, Minister Bones, Secretary Anderson, Prime Minister Blair, President Owens, General Ryan who was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Military of the United States of America, General Hammond, Jack, Sam, Teal'c, Bra'tac, Jacob, Harry, Ginny, Lord Ragnok, Master Griphook, Albus, and five members of the International Confederation of Wizards would be present. United States Senator Robert Kinsey was invited, but was transported to the dungeons of Hogwarts when the wards told Harry that he wished to cause harm. After being questioned under Veritaserum and under the supervision of Minister Blair, President Owens, Secretary Anderson, Generals Ryan, Carter, and Hammond; Harry and Jack questioned Kinsey about he wanted to harm the negotiations. After learning about his involvement with the Trust and various rogue government programs, the group decided it might be best if the Senator disappeared. That evening Aragog and his children feasted on one more human body. The only condition Harry placed was that the body could never be found. Finally the time came and Harry welcomed everyone to Hogwarts. "Good evening everyone, I would like to welcome everyone here to Hogwarts; goblins, Jaffa, Tok'ra, humans, mundanes, wizards, witches, civilians, military, Americans, British, and those of other nationalities. You are all welcomed here. We are gathered here to usher in a new day understanding between our people. Together we have defeated an evil that if it would have been left unchecked, would have destroyed our world and those of our allies. "Today is the second step. The first step was defeating the evil, the second step is the exchanging of ideas and goods. Let us begin; Madam Bones, you have a list of things the magical world wishes to get, correct?" "Yes." Madam Bones rose from her chair. "We are looking for modern conveniences like TVs, computers, radios, kitchen supplies, etc and people to train us in their use and construction." "That should not be an issue for us to take care of," Minister Blair said. "Thank you, but we also wish to get medical supplies, technology, and knowledge, weapons that fire spells instead of bullets, and education of the math of sciences of the day. We are tired of being centuries out of date," Minister Bones finished. "I think the USMG can help you with those items Minister Bones. We have been fully integrated with the mundane world for hundreds of years now. What are you missing though are enough qualified teachers for the math and sciences. What we can there is to offer positions in our colleges and universities until you build your own. I would recommend that you offer schooling beyond Hogwarts for these higher level classes in math, science, and medical fields," Secretary Anderson said. "I agree Mr. Secretary. In fact Hogwarts itself will handle the burden of educating Magical Great Britain and offer to absorb the Department of Magical Education into the new Education System of Magical Great Britain. Madam Bones, I believe you already have our proposal on this matter." She nodded. "Then I will close this matter," Harry said sitting down. Minister Blair stood up next. "We would like better communication between the two governments and Her Majesty the Queen wishes to have a weekly meeting with someone other then the Minister of Magic. She wishes to meet with someone from your legislative branch." "I do believe that the High Lord of the Council of Twelve Lord Gryffindor Harry James Potter and Lord Pendragon Ronald Bilius Weasley would be the best people to meet with Her Majesty," Dumbledore said. "I think that Lord Dumbledore, as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and either Master Griphook or Lord Ragnok of the Goblin Nation be included as well," Ron said. "I agree," said Harry. Albus stood, "I accept the position Lords Gryffindor and Pendragon." And then sat back down. "As do I," Lord Ragnok said. "Excellent," Minister Blair said. "We would like many of our locations warded with the new improved wards that I understand the Ministry of Magic uses as well as knowledge of your healing abilities, veritaserum, and the weapons upgrades down on the weapons that SG-1 used in the battle." Master Griphook stood up. "The wards are Gringotts designed, owned, and patented. They are expensive to erect and to up keep, but doable. Also, we refined the process that Filius Flitwick of the Gringotts Clan used to enchant the original versions. As for healing, we have healing techniques that work on goblins that we are willing to share, for a price of course." "As for the healing techniques and abilities, I believe that St. Mungo's Hospital For Magical Maladies and Catastrophes would be the best place for the USMG, mundane, goblin, and magical healers can exchange the information," Minister Bones said. "I think we'll go next," General Hammond said. "I speak for the Free Jaffa, the Tok'ra, and the Stargate Program. We would also like magical healing techniques and technologies as well as knowledge on potions. We would also like our weapons upgraded by magic including our hand mounted, ship mounted, and every type of weapon we have. We would also like to limit how many people can use a specific weapon. "We are interested in portkeys, portals, armor, shielding, and whatever you can offer us regarding stealth and hiding. We would like our facility warded to the fullest extent and a number of on planet locations to become invisible as well as locations off planet that need to secured for only selected entry. "Finally we also would like enough bat'leths, armor, robes, and boots for every Free Jaffa. We would also like these to be used by only one person if possible." Minister Bones stood up, "We do not have enough dragons on this planet for the boots. However, if you had planets where we could transplant a number of dragons and their handlers and helped us provide food and water for them, then in a few years I am sure that there would be enough scales and hides for everyone." Hammond, Teal'c, Jack, Bra'tac, and Jacob talked for a few moments before George stood. "It will take a few days to find three or four suitable planets." One of the ICW Wizards stood up. "We shall go to the Dragon Consortium and begin to gather enough dragons and trainers for four camps. Is there a limit on the size of the dragon?" "The stargate is a ring twenty-two feet in diameter; anything smaller than that travel. The dragons might need to be sedated before they go through. Gate travel tends to disorientate animals," Hammond informed the handlers. President Owens stood up next. "Most of our needs are being met by the USDM, but we do have a couple of needs. The USDM does not have the manpower or knowledge to study a number of advanced fields including warding, transfiguration, potions, defense against the dark arts, charms, and enchanting. To put it simply: We are need of teachers. We are also in need of wardmasters to check over the various places like the White House, US Capitol, and the Supreme Court Building. They were warded by Gringotts over two-hundred years ago and have not been checked since. We are also in need of wards on a number of government buildings and some of the private secret buildings like Sears Tower in Chicago, Rockefeller Tower in New York, and the US Bank Building in Los Angeles. "We would also like to hire a number of people to work with the Central Intelligence Agency and our interrogators: Master Occlumens, Pensieve Makers, and Mind Healers." "We could do the same thing with the Americans that we suggested with the British in regards to training," Albus said. "Agreed." "The last item we want to discuss is the Stargate Program. The program and the related programs are very expensive to operate. The United States government has been paying for everything lately, but we are now coming to a point where we can no longer handle the costs alone. A few months ago, we informed the governments of the industrialized world. They agreed to share the cost, but there have been... complications." "Yeah, they want control," Jack said. "Yes. What we are looking for are partners to help defray the costs and also to help us keep it a secret. That includes memory charming those governments who know about the program." "I think we can handle the memory charm part. The problem is that our economy is based on gold and other materials mined in the earth," Minister Bones said. "The Goblin Nation would be willing to work with you if we can have mining rights to other planets," Lord Ragnok said. "How about we give you the mining rights, as long we get two types of metal we need. Both are foreign to Earth. One is called naquadria, and the other is trinium. Is we give us all of that you find, whatever you find is yours," Hammond said. "Agreed. Also, I noticed that your large craft and your smaller flying crafts are made out of metal. Yes they are made out of refined naquadria called naquadah and we use another form to make explosives and power generators." "We would also like to help you with the construction of your warships and also possible some cargo ships," Lord Ragnok said. This was music to the American's ears. Goblins were renowned for metal working abilities. If they wanted to help build ships and fighters, it would be a huge advantage. =============================================================================== The conference had gone well and already the IOA was a distant memory; though the obliviators and Hit-Wizards who had gone out made sure to note where the IOA representatives hid their own money, including account numbers. The SGC did not return anything that the IOA member countries had already given them either. There were also countless alien technologies that had found their ways to other countries. It was all returned and under lock and key. Harry and Ginny decided to host a dinner at Lionfire Hall for all their friends and family before SG-1 had to return the US. "Well Gringotts wants me and Fleur to go to the US and lead the warding teams," Bill said. "Cool congrats. Where are you going to be first? You can use one of my places around the country," Harry said. "Thanks Harry. We'll let you know." "Well the SGC has hired me to supervise the dragon habitats and the staging area next to Cheyenne Mountain," Charlie said. "Wow. Well I have the ranch there, so the offer is open to you as well," Harry told Charlie. "Thanks but I am going to rent from Jack." "Yeah, me and Sam are building a new house for us. Sam is not going to sell her house." "I want to leave it for when dad visits." Sam said. "With this new Alliance, I am going to be spending more time on Earth so it is a good thing," Jacob said. "Albus, have you had any luck with being able to caste a Fidelius Charm to hide a planet yet?" Albus shook his head. "Not yet. After talking with Mr. Thor, I believe the best thing to do would be to use some of his shield generators and caste an invisibility charm to them." Thor had arrived in orbit the day after the battle to speak to Jack about a new threat in the universe. After introductions, he and Albus began speaking about ways of protecting planets and hiding them. "Albus, what about casting the Fidelius Charm on the shields themselves and overlay the shields? It would take more time, but it would work better and we could move the satellite network to another planet if needed," Remus offered. "An interesting idea, Remus; can you come by tomorrow so that we can run the numbers on this?" "Of course." "Well the Minister is assigning me to the SGC as security personnel along with a team of Aurors. We'll portkey in and out everyday," Dora said. "Well Harry, what about you and the other kids?" Remus asked. "Well Lord Pendragon and myself will be helping rebuild the Wizengamot and meeting with the queen. Lady Gryffindor and I will be at Hogwarts doing our duties and expanding the education system of Great Britain. Also the Hogwarts School of Advanced Learning will be based out of Black Castle in Yorkshire. The Headmaster will be Professor Remus Lupin. He will report to the Hogwarts School Board which will be chaired by Augusta Longbottom and myself. Albus will also report to the Board," Harry said with a smile. "I am taking a job as the liaison position for the ISP, The International Stargate Program. It is the body that actually makes all the treaties and agreements between the various groups and organizations. I am actually going to working in the British Ministry of Magic and have direct access to Arthur as well," Hermione said. "Well, I would like to invite all of you to come to the SGC in a few months and spend some time with us. Maybe even go off world to one of the dragon colonies," Hammond said. "I would be honored for you to come to Chulak. We shall celebrate our battle together," Master Bra'tac said. "Maybe I can introduce you all to my buddy Thor," Jack said. A moment later a white light appeared and an alien was standing in their midst. "Or you can meet him now. Everyone, this is Thor, Supreme Commander of the Allied Fleet. Thor, these are our new friends. At the head of the table is Lord Gryffindor Harry James Potter, to his left is his wife Lady Gryffindor Ginevra Molly Potter. To Harry's right is Lord Pendragon Ronald Bilius Weasley and his wife Lady Pendragon Hermione Jane Weasley. Next is Arthur Weasley, his wife Molly, their son Bill and his fiancée Fleur, and the Minerva McGonagall. I believe you already know everyone else except for Fred, George, Charlie, and Percy Weasley and their dates." "Greetings," Thor said. "Headmaster, I was going some research in those texts you left me. I believe that we can utilize your Fidelius Charm on our satellite shields and weave them into place." "We were just discussing that Thor," Jack said. "We really have not given your kind enough study. Headmaster, I will contact you tomorrow at our regular time." And with that, Thor was gone. "He does that a lot?" Ron asked. "Yes," came Daniel and Sam. "Indeed," Teal'c answered. Harry raised his glass. "A toast: To the future, wherever it may take us." _______________________________________________________________________________