The alliance met again at Longbottom Hall. Susan, Hannah, Harry, and Neville relaxed with games in the family sitting room.
“Have you ever seen a game called Monopoly?” Harry asked.
“No, what is it?” Neville asked.
“It’s a board game that has been around for ages. Gus talked about it. Apparently, it can take days to finish one game. It’s a muggle game, but there might be a wizard's version of it.”
Exploding snap stayed the game of choice.
After a day, Amelia took Harry to Blackmoor Park to see if it was habitable. The house was in perfect condition. The house elves had kept the house and grounds in readiness for the return of the Earl of Blackmoor.
They finished a tour of the lodge. “Aunty, I would like to see Sirius. I want to see if he can be persuaded to give up being thirteen.”
“Very well, Harry. The healers didn’t want too many visitors before this. They hoped that a period of calm would allow him to move on, but they couldn’t wait forever. Carers can be found for him, but it will be a struggle to keep him anywhere. He is constantly trying to escape and get back to Hogwarts.”
“What about his parent’s house in London? I think it was Grimmauld Place.”
Amelia shook her head. “Grimmauld is right. It’s a terrible dump. Walburga didn’t look after it; the one house elf there was crazier than she was. She died six years ago, and the spiders have taken over since then.”
Harry said. “Sirius always said that he hated the place. I would still like to take him there and see if there is anything that he wants to take with him to Blackmoor Park.”
Amelia stopped, and Harry turned to face her. “Harry, did Sirius tell you he made your father his heir?”
“Yes, he did. I don’t know what that means now.”
Amelia nodded. “I have asked Sharpclaw for a ruling from Gringotts. Sirius’ original will is still in force. What happens now is that your father’s inheritance now belongs entirely to you. According to Wizard’s law and Gringotts, you are now Sirius’ heir. You are the heir to the House of Black. Suppose Sirius is finally declared to be unable to take the position of the head of the House of Black. In that case, the Wizengamot will appoint a Regent until you are seventeen. Then you will be the head of the House of Black and House Potter.”
“I don’t want to deal with being the Black of Black. I love Sirius, but if he stays crazy, I suppose I must do the job.”
-ooOOoo-
On the second last day of the Christmas break, Harry and Amelia went to 12 Grimmauld Place. A healer had gone with Sirius. The old wards on the house allowed Sirius to enter; once he was in the house, he could bring Amelia and Harry in.
“James! Where have you been? These healers have had me locked up for ages. Tell them to let me go, and we can catch the Hogwarts Express. Let’s make sure we really get those Slytherins running in circles this term.” Sirius took Harry by his arm and tried to drag him to the door.
Harry shook Sirius off and backed away from him.
“Sirius! I’m Harry. James was my father, and you are too old to go to Hogwarts.”
Sirius looked confused.
“Stop joking about, James! We have to get Remus and Peter. Where are they?”
“Sirius! I don’t know where Remus is, and Peter is in Azkaban. He was tried and convicted for murdering all those muggles.”
“No! Peter wouldn’t do that! He’s harmless.”
“Sirius! Can you check around the house and pick out anything you want to take to Blackmoor Park.”
“I like the old Park, James. But we have to go to Hogwarts.”
“Please find what you want to take, Sirius. You have to go there and stay. You’ve graduated from Hogwarts. You can’t go back there.”
Sirius glared at Harry, turned, and pushed past the healer. He disappeared out the door and stamped down the stairs.”
Harry spoke to Amelia. “He’s getting worse. I hoped he would recover once we got him out of Azkaban. I don’t want to face him again.”
The healer spoke to Amelia. “You should both leave now. He is getting agitated. We will get him to Blackmoor Park and get him settled there.”
Amelia and Harry flooed back to The Ossuary. Harry went to his room and sat quietly on his own.
Susan went to Amelia. “What happened? Harry is just sitting there and not saying anything.”
Amelia took Susan to her room. “Harry is mourning. His friend, the one ally he had for all those years in Azkaban, has slipped away from him and may not come back.”
-ooOOoo-
The Hogwarts Express waited for the returning students. Amelia had arranged for the Alliance to arrive together and get the same compartment. Daphne arranged with the Escort to meet Harry at the same time.
Harry arrived with Susan and Amelia. Moments later, Neville and Augusta Longbottom stepped out of the floo. Jane and Hannah Abbott came next. The group moved towards the train as Daphne and Lady Greengrass arrived. Neville stopped. A person who he didn’t want to see was hurrying up to him.
Hermione Granger walked up to Neville and stopped in front of him.
“Neville! I must apologise for all the horrible things I’ve been saying to you. I was completely wrong. I don’t know how I will make it up to you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
Neville started to reply, ‘Oh! Oh! Oh! Hermione, what’s happened? Why did you change?”
“Can we talk on the train? Please, can I sit with you?”
Harry was several steps ahead of Neville and had stopped to see what was happening.
Neville didn’t reply. Hermione looked around and walked up to Harry.
“Harry!” Hermione’s voice broke and quivered.
“Harry, please let me apologize to you. Please forgive me. Let me tell you what happened. Please may I sit with you on the train?”
Harry felt a rush of relief. He was still deeply saddened by seeing Sirius drift away from him. He also had to be cautious. Hermione was the victim of an evil attack which may not be completely over. He wanted to help Hermione, but his own problem with feeling and showing emotions were still holding him back. Hermione was a hug giver. She needed a hug, but Harry couldn’t give it to her. Susan, Hannah, and Neville hugged Hermione. She looked at Harry, waiting for him to respond.
Harry turned to Hermione and held out a hand to her, although he still didn’t touch her. “Please come and sit with us, Hermione.”
Hermione let a breath out and seemed to wilt in front of Harry. The Alliance and the Escort moved onto the train and found an empty compartment.
Harry sat in the corner next to a window in the compartment, and Hermione sat opposite him. She was shaking. She would not look at anyone for more than a second.
Blaise was the last to arrive. The eight firsties had just enough room to sit on the bench seats.
Hermione started talking. “First, let me tell you about what happened two days ago, that was last Friday. Gringotts invited my parents to apply for their own vault at Gringotts. My mother inherited some money, and she wanted to have a way of letting me use some of it in the Wizarding World. The vault was set up, and their bank transferred the money. The account manager then offered us a way to use the money in Wizard’s shops. Gringotts gave the three of us Gringotts rings. These rings with the Gringotts crest go on the right hand's little finger.
This is how they work. When you buy something from a shop with a Gringotts vault, they will show you a bill. You touch the Gringotts seal on the bill with the crest on the ring, and the bill is paid. You don’t need to carry all those galleons around with you.
As soon as I put the ring on, something changed. I realized that I had forgotten some things. I also knew that I was convinced that some things were true, which were not. I was so confused.
The meeting was over, and we left the bank. Mum and Dad were not happy. They were nervous and upset. They tried to get me home as quickly as they could. I was utterly confused.
When we got home, Dad sat us down around the kitchen table. He was steaming angry.
He started talking. ‘Hermione, do you remember that we withdrew you from Hogwarts? Do you also remember that we arranged for you to transfer to Beauxbatons?’
I smacked myself on my head. I said, ‘YES! I left Hogwarts! I had my transfer notice from Beauxbatons. I had an appointment for the language test to assess how much French study I needed before starting the lessons.’
I hit myself again. I said, ‘Headmaster Dumbledore came to visit. He chatted happily with us as though he was happy with my transfer.
Then he pointed his wand at me. I couldn’t move. He did the same to Mum and Dad.
Then he pointed his wand at me and cast Legilimens at me.
Then he said, ‘You will forget about transferring to Beauxbatons. You will stay away from Harry Potter. He released the troll. He has been trained to use Dark Magic by Death Eaters. He used Dark Magic to kill the troll. You will break off your friendship with Neville Longbottom. You will make friends with Ronald Weasley. Ronald is a proper wizard.’
Then he cast Legilimens at my father and then my mother. Professor Dumbledore gave them similar instructions. He used his wand again, and I went to sleep.
When I woke up, I was angry. I was angry at Harry, at Neville, and at everything. I felt angry about something that I couldn’t remember. I went back to Hogwarts, and you all saw what I did.
My anger was building up all the time. I couldn’t talk to anyone civilly when we went on the Christmas break. My anger drained away when I put my Gringotts ring on, and I started remembering what really happened.
I’m so sorry.”
Harry was relieved. He sensed that Hermione was absolutely truthful. She had thrown off the compulsion charms and was now in control of herself.
Harry replied. “It wasn’t your fault, Hermione. You were put under a powerful magical compulsion. You are a first-year student. There is no way that you could have the magical power needed to resist that Legilimency attack. Gringotts put mind magic protections on their rings so that people are not magically compelled to use them to give away their galleons. That protection was enough to help you to fight the spell.”
Neville turned to Harry. “Legilimens is a mind-reading spell. It is not supposed to control the subject's mind.”
Harry had to be careful. He must try to conceal that he had one of the greatest experts on Legilimency riding around in his head.
“I have had training in Legilimency and Occlumency from Gus Rookwood. He and Severus Snape were the only Death Eaters who could turn aside a Legilimency attack from Lord Voldemort. That makes him an expert in anyone’s book.
He told me skilled Legilimens can plant suggestions and false memories in unprepared minds. It is not like the unforgivable Imperio curse, where the victim is taken over. The victim must have a high level of trust in the wizard casting the Legilimens spell. Dumbledore used Hermione’s trust in him to plant those suggestions and false memories. He may have also used obliviation to stop Hermione from remembering that he cast the spells.”
Blaise asked. “Are we safe? Can he do that to any of us?”
The group looked at Blaise and then at each other. “Are we safe?” Susan asked.
Harry said. “Dumbledore was confident there would be no problems if he was discovered doing this. Hermione is muggle-born, and her parents are muggles. All he has to do is claim they would endanger the International Statute of Secrecy. Wizarding authorities would shrug and look the other way.”
Daphne laughed. “If he tried that with any pureblood family, he would be sent to Azkaban. Muggles are not protected.”
Hermione had been nervously playing with the ring on her finger. Harry pointed to it. “Never take that off Hermione, at Hogwarts or at home. This is one of the reasons why old families give their children rings. They are Goblin made and have those protective enchantments on them.”
Harry paused and then continued.
“Susan, Daphne, and Neville have their heir’s rings. They are Goblin made and have those protective enchantments on them. I also have my heir’s ring. I will get another ring for you, Hermione. It will help to protect you. There is ancient magic existing which we can use to give you more protection. As a Potter protectee, you are entitled to wear a House Potter ring. This simple white gold ring has the Potter crest on it. It is Goblin made and will extend the protection given by the Gringotts ring. It has other powers. It will warn you if any food you are about to eat or drink has been contaminated with potions. You will also get a warning if you are about to be endangered. Do you want to have one, Hermione?”
Hermione smiled. “Yes, Harry, I will take it.”
Harry nodded. “Ardent!”
The ancient Potter head elf popped into the compartment. She was wearing a stained apron over her House Potter uniform.
“Yes, Master Harry.”
“Ardent, please go to the strong room at the manor and get a House Potter ring.”
“Yes, Master Harry.” The elf popped away.
Minutes passed; another loud pop heralded the arrival of the elf. Ardent gave Harry a small wooden box and then popped away.
Harry opened the box and offered it to Hermione. “Please place the ring on your right-hand ring finger.”
Hermione carefully took the ring and slid it onto her finger. It was much too big for her finger. The ring glowed with a blue light and shrunk to fit her perfectly.
“House Potter magic has accepted you as a member of the house. When Professor McGonagall and the headmaster see your rings, you may have to answer some direct questions. Tell them the truth, they may not like it, but there is nothing that they can do.”
Harry looked around the compartment. “If you have house rings or heir’s rings, I suggest you wear them all the time.”
Tracey folded her hands. Harry noticed her discomfort. “You don’t have one, do you, Tracey?”
Tracey shook her head.
“Write to your father. Ask him to ask Lord Greengrass for a Greengrass house ring.”
Daphne put her hand on Tracey’s arm. “I will ask Daddy as well. I’m sure he will give it once he hears about Hermione.”
Blaise spoke. “My older brother is the heir and wears the Zabini heir’s ring. My mother can give me a house ring. I will ask for it as soon as we get to Hogwarts.”
-ooOOoo-
The train had left the station while they were talking. The conversation became more relaxed as the journey progressed. Hermione listened as they discussed their time at Greengrass Manor. Hermione was upset to have missed out on the sleigh rides.
Blaise laughed. “Mage Potter can call up more snowstorms at Hogwarts. Lord Greengrass told us that Harry did that on the nights we were there. We had a foot of snow each night, and the days were bright and clear. Everywhere else was dry with no snow.”
Hermione dug out her notebook she had started in her first week at Hogwarts. It had everything that she had seen or heard Harry do. She had neglected it since the encounter with Dumbledore; she had a lot of catching up to do.
Malfoy visited the compartment. Crabbe and Goyle lurked in the corridor.
Draco shut the compartment door behind him. “Heir Potter!”
“Yes, Draco. What can I do for you?”
“My father wishes to extend an invitation to you to visit Malfoy Manor during the summer break.”
Harry waited. Malfoy was twitching and jerking. He gave the impression that he was being controlled by a nervous puppeteer.
“I will accept your father’s invitation, Draco. Send him my thanks, will you?”
Draco nodded, turned, and left the compartment. He closed the door behind him.
Susan snorted. “What was THAT?”
“That was Lucius Malfoy taking control of Draco, at least for long enough to make him invite me to Malfoy Manor. We shall see how long it takes Draco to shake the leash off and revert to his antagonize, bully, and threaten behaviour.” Harry raised his hands, palms upward in a hand shrug.
Daphne spoke. “Vinnie and Greg won’t understand that. Pansy will be angry. To keep them under control, Draco will probably send them out to do some dirty work for him.”
The compartment was silent for a while. Harry looked at Blaise.
“Blaise, how will you handle the situation if Draco pressures you to do something for him? Something that will hurt one of us.”
Blaise nodded. “Malfoy knows what my situation is. I am a part of my mother’s business. She has told me to ally myself with you, Harry. So, here I am. I can tell Draco to keep his threats and bullying. They won’t work on me.”
Harry spoke again. “What will you do if your mother tells you to switch sides?”
“That is always a possibility. I have kept my mother up to date with what you have done at Hogwarts, Harry. Right now, there is no danger that there will be any change. You can forget about me changing sides by adding how you impressed Lord Greengrass.”
“Well, Blaise, what about if Draco demands that you prove your pure-blood status by insulting the half-bloods and muggle-borns.”
“I won’t tell you that I am something I am not, Harry. If my mother wants me to switch sides and spout a lot of bigoted insults. I will do it. I am not bigoted, but I will act like it to fool Malfoy that I am on his side. I am not on Malfoy’s side. I am on my side, and my mother has told me to get close to you and support you if I can.”
“OK, Blaise, please let me know if there is any change.”
Blaise nodded and gave Harry the thumbs-up sign.
-ooOOoo-
“Some of these kids are already acting like fully trained spies. That is something that I would have expected from Severus Snape, not a firstie. Blaise has been trained since he could toddle by Sabrina Zabini. I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“Thanks, Tom.”
-ooOOoo-
The train arrived at the Hogsmeade station, and the teams moved towards the carriages that carried the students to the castle. Harry passed a thestral who turned his head to sniff at Harry’s hand. Harry patted the soft muzzle.
Hannah saw him touch the thestral. “What are you doing, Harry? There is nothing there.”
Harry turned to Hannah. “He is a thestral, Hannah. He is the winged horse-like creature who is pulling the carriage. Hogwarts has a thestral herd, and all the carriages are pulled by thestrals.”
“They are invisible! Why can’t we see them?” Susan asked.
“They can only be seen by anyone who has seen death. I have watched people die, lots of them. Dying prisoners would be put in cells near me until they passed away. Gus said that being under constant dementor attack would finish them off.” Harry stopped talking. He saw that Hermione was pale and shaking.
‘Neville, Hermione, get into this carriage with me.’ Harry climbed into the next carriage.
Daphne and Tracey squeezed into the carriage as well.
“Neville, Hermione is going to need your support. They are going to be cruel to her in Gryffindor. There will be no mercy, and she can’t expect any support from the Professors. Stay with her as much as you can. Don’t argue with anyone; it will only make it worse. Whatever you do, don’t take off your rings. Neville, you have been concealing your heir’s ring. It might help if you show it. Hermione, whatever happens, don’t take off your rings. It is illegal for anyone to order you to remove your Gringotts ring and your House Potter ring.”
Hermione nodded. Neville nervously put his arm around her shoulders. Daphne moved to Hermione and took her hands.
“Stay strong, Hermione. You can overcome them.”
The carriages arrived at the castle entrance. The teams met together. Harry gave them a last-minute talk.
“The Alliance should stay together until we get into the Entrance Hall. Neville, let Hermione hang onto your arm. You two go straight to the Gryffindor Tower and unpack. The Slytherins will stay with me, and I will go as slowly as possible. I want them to see me using my staff. That should take some attention from Hermione.”
The teams nodded and set off in the middle of the crush of arrivals.
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