The letter from Sirius was folded and tied up in the bundle. One weight started to lift from Harry’s chest. Sirius had taken his seat in the Wizengamot. Dumbledore had opposed him, but the Ancient and Noble House of Black had regained one position of power and influence.
Harry picked up The Escort in the Slytherin Common Room. They met the walking club at the stairway down to the lake.
Hermione looked at Harry, who seemed to be staring at something in the distance.
“Can I ask you something, Harry?”
Harry returned to the present, “Oh! Of course, Hermione!”
“What’s going on? Harry, you have always been different, but now you seem much more different. Is something wrong?”
Harry gently laughed. “I’m sorry, Hermione. You know me. There are always things happening, people making plans for me, which I keep trying to avoid. In the end, I can’t avoid them. You have most of what has happened in your notebook. The last parts of those plans are coming closer, and I can’t keep dodging them forever.”
Hermione looked around at the gang surrounding them.
“Are you afraid of something? Is there anything we can do to help?”
Harry nodded and kept walking.
“So what is it? Is there a threat?”
Harry looked up, “I’m on an up-and-down ride between dread and elation. I’m desperately unhappy one minute and then crazy happy the next.”
Tracey gasped, “Harry! You have to go to the Infirmary and get a Calming Draught.”
“Something bad is happening, isn’t it, Harry?” Daphne asked.
Harry looked down and kept walking. “A lot is going on. I’m waiting for one last thing to happen, and then it will end. I wonder how long Calming Draughts work for?”
Tracey said, “My mother says that you can survive on two a day. Any more than that is unhealthy.”
They walked on in silence.
Hermione tried again. “Are you going to tell us what it is?”
Harry replied, “No, Hermione. I know that this looks bad, and in some ways it is. Be patient, it won’t be long now.”
Tracey shook her head, “If you are worried about Madam Pomfrey telling the headmaster about you getting Calming Draughts, ask Professor Snape. He makes them for the Infirmary. From what I’ve heard, he doesn’t report everything to Headmaster Dumbledore.”
Harry looked at Tracey, “You’re right, Tracey. Professor Snape doesn’t tell the headmaster everything. I’ll go and ask him.”
-ooOOoo-
“I’m sorry, Harry. This must end. I can’t go on like this forever. The fact that I’m alive is against the laws of life and death. I’m only here because Lord Voldemort tried to cheat Death. You know what happens to anyone who tries that. Hades, the Ruler of the Underworld, has a warm welcome waiting for them, warm as in a lake of burning molten sulphur with their name on it.”
“Tom, are you sure about this? This Ruler of the Underworld guy seems to be pretty tough.”
“The deal I was offered is still good. The way will be open as soon as that last artefact has been cleaned. I will get a free pass straight to the Elysian Fields.”
“I don’t know how to feel about this, Tom. You have been with me, looking over my shoulder for nearly my whole life. You’ve given me advice whenever I’ve asked, and you always seem right.”
“That’s because I’ve made a huge number of mistakes, most of which I’ve been able to hide from you. All I did was persuade you not to be the same failure I was.”
-ooOOoo-
The Wizengamot sessions were over. The vote favouring Sirius being appointed Harry’s Magical Guardian was overwhelming. Even Lucius Malfoy voted for Sirius.
Three days later, Harry received a note from Cyrus Greengrass confirming that the goblins had performed the cleansing ritual on Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem. The cleaned artefacts were now all stored in the Department of Mysteries vault.
Lessons at Hogwarts continued as the Christmas break approached. Breakfast was finishing as the morning mail arrived. Harry never took the Daily Prophet as his Escort and Alliance partners quickly found any article mentioning him. This morning was no exception. Several papers were pushed at him, showing the article on the first page.
Who is the Heir of Slytherin?
Answer: Harry Potter
By Rita Skeeter
Readers may have heard rumours from Hogwarts that an ominous message was recently found written in blood on a wall at Hogwarts. The message was this.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE
All students and alumni of Hogwarts, which is most of us, know the stories about the Chamber of Secrets and Salazar Slytherin.
If you have lived elsewhere for your entire life, here is a short version of the story.
One of the founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, disagreed with the three other founders on the school’s future direction. Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Godric Gryffindor continued working at Hogwarts, but Salazar Slytherin left. Before he departed, Slytherin was rumoured to have built a Chamber of Secrets somewhere under the school. The Chamber of Secrets was also rumoured to be the home of a monster placed there by Salazar Slytherin. The Chamber could only be opened by Slytherin or his heir. The monster would then be unleashed to slay Slytherin’s enemies.
Many searches have been made for this chamber. It has never been found.
Also, it has been assumed that the House of Slytherin was extinct. It is not so!
There has always been a House of Slytherin on the Roll of Magical Houses kept in the Records Office of the Ministry of Magic.
The records show the head and heir of each Magical House, and there have been records for the House of Slytherin since records have been kept. For the House of Slytherin, most names listed have not been prominent wizards or witches. Unlike other houses, Slytherin allows witches to be heiress and inherit the headship.
The names listed also show exciting facts. The Heir of Slytherin need not be the son or daughter of the current head. The Slytherin head-of-house may nominate another descendant to be heir or may nominate an unrelated person to be heir. This has happened since the days of Salazar Slytherin himself. His sons and daughters went with Slytherin when he returned to his home in Spain. However, Slytherin nominated a person unrelated to him to be the Heir of Slytherin. From that day on, the Heir of Slytherin has been a person not descended from Salazar Slytherin.
Why is it so? This author must confess that I do not know.
However, I can guess. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He had the magical gift of speaking to snakes and other reptiles. Is this gift inherited? Maybe it is not always. According to the legend, Salazar Slytherin placed charms on the Chamber of Secrets so that only a Parselmouth could open it. If the children of Slytherin did not have the gift, then the Heir of Slytherin had to be someone else. That person had to be a Pareslmouth. The Parselmouth gift is rare in this country and Europe, but it is not unknown. The most notorious Pareslmouth was ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’, so the Parselmouth gift has been taken as a sign of a dark wizard.
Which brings us to the names on the Roll of Magical Houses.
The head of the Magical House of Slytherin is Tom Marvolo Riddle. The name of the Heir of Slytherin is Harry James Potter.
Tom Marvolo Riddle was a student at Hogwarts who graduated in 1945. There has been no mention of him since then, apart from his name being on the Roll of Magical Houses.
Harry James Potter, on the other hand, is well known. He is ‘The Boy Who Lived’ and is now a second-year Hogwarts student who recently attracted some attention. Master Potter was held in the high-security cells at Azkaban until released and then enrolled as a first-year student at Hogwarts.
Recently, my article was published in this newspaper mentioning Master Potter. The response from the public was impressive, to say the least. The Daily Prophet has been deluged with letters from Master Potter’s supporters demanding that the truth be told about Master Potter and his record as a student at Hogwarts.
The Daily Prophet has requested clarification of Master Harry Potter’s record at Hogwarts from Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, but we have received no response.
There are some questions about Master Harry Potter which need to be answered. How did he come to be the Heir of Slytherin? Is Master Harry Potter a Parselmouth? The only other known Parselmouth in this country was ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’. Is there any connection between the vanquished Dark Lord, Tom Marvovlo Riddle, and Master Harry Potter?
Headmaster Dumbledore and Minister Fudge have been asked to comment on these questions. No answers have come from them yet.
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Blaise leaned towards Harry from across the Slytherin table. “What are you going to do? Can you do anything?”
Harry shook his head. “I’m not going to do anything. This is an attack designed to get a response from the headmaster. He might answer them; he might not. I don’t know.”
Harry avoided looking at the teacher’s table. Dumbledore was there, reading The Daily Prophet.
Classes began and carried on in the usual way. There were no reports of trouble, although the atmosphere in the school was tense.
At lunch, a Slytherin prefect approached Harry. “The headmaster wants to see you after lunch, Potter.”
Harry said, “Very well.”
The prefect glanced around and asked quietly, “Are you really a Parselmouth?”
“Yes, I am. Is that a problem?”
The older boy shook his head. “Er! Also, are you the Heir of Slytherin?”
“Also, yes. Is that a problem?”
“No! No! No! Not at all; I thought you were in the wrong house when you were sorted. Obviously, I was wrong. There is nowhere else you could be.”
Frances Selwyn joined the group around Harry. “Potter. Harry. Er! I have just heard from my father. Our business problems have been fixed. Those threats that we were getting from Malfoy have stopped. It seems my father has acquired two business partners who made the problem disappear.”
Harry smiled, “Your father’s business owns plantations of potion ingredients in Central and South America. Is that right?”
Frances Selwyn nodded.
Harry said, “Those plantations were being raided and pillaged by thieves who couldn’t be stopped.”
Miss Selwyn’s eyes widened. “Yes, how did you know?”
Harry replied, “Lord Greengrass and Lord Black bought a share of your plantations. Lord Greengrass has many business investments in parts of the world where the rule of law is not always enforced. He protects his investments by bringing in useful people who specialise in removing threats. So, your family’s plantations are safe, contracted deliveries are being made, and the money your family business owes to Mister Malfoy is being paid.”
Blaise Zabini snorted. “My mother is always careful to be honest with Lord Greengrass. She doesn’t want to attract the attention of Mister Abbott.”
Frances Selwyn turned to stare at Blaise, “Mister Abbott?”
Blaise said, “Yes, little Hufflepuff Hannah’s father runs the biggest mercenary army in Central and South America. He doesn’t do business in this country and goes out of his way to be friendly with the British authorities. Director Bones is in a family alliance with the Abbotts.”
“That’s right,” Harry said, “Mister Abbott is one of the people Lord Greengrass finds useful.”
“Does Draco know this?” Frances asked.
“I’m sure he doesn’t. Draco never bothered doing much research.” Harry said.
Frances returned to her friends along the table. She beckoned them closer. “Don’t say or do anything about Potter or any of his little friends.”
“What? Why?” several voices said.
Frances turned to look at the Hufflepuff table. She caught a glimpse of Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones laughing over The Daily Prophet article.
“Just don’t! Spread the word!”
-ooOOoo-
Harry approached the teacher’s table. Professor Snape was finishing his lunch. “Yes, Potter. What is it?”
“Headmaster Dumbledore has summoned me to his office, professor.”
“Ah! I shall accompany you.”
They walked out of the Great Hall.
“Did the headmaster inform you that he had called me in?”
Professor Snape replied, “No, he did not.”
The gargoyle guard stepped aside, and the rising staircase carried Harry and the professor to the headmaster’s office. They waited at the office door until they heard the headmaster’s voice, “Enter!”
Dumbledore was seated at his desk. He stared at Professor Snape.
“Severus, I did not invite you. This is not a formal interview. You may go.”
Professor Snape glanced at Harry. Harry blinked and said nothing.
“Headmaster,” Snape said, “I must be present at any meeting between any member of Slytherin House and yourself. We have discussed this rule, and nothing has changed.”
Dumbledore sighed and showed his disappointed grandfather’s face to the professor.
Turning to Harry, Dumbledore said, “Mister Potter, are you the Heir of Slytherin?”
Harry answered, “Yes, headmaster, and here is my heir’s ring.”
Harry approached the desk and displayed the Slytherin heir’s ring to the headmaster. Dumbledore frowned.
“How did that happen?”
Harry retreated to where Professor Snape stood and replied, “That is not something I wish to discuss, headmaster. The next question I think should be answered is about my Parselmouth gift. The answer is that I am a Parselmouth, and I don’t know how long I have been able to use that gift. In Azkaban, small lizards emerged from hibernation in the middle of summer. Summer did happen in Azkaban, but it was very short.”
Snape asked. “The lizards could speak Parseltongue?”
Harry nodded. “Yes, they were not very bright but could hold simple conversations.”
Dumbledore shook his head. “Mister Potter, you know that many students here at Hogwarts will treat you in a hostile manner from now on.”
Harry nodded, “There have been a few odd looks, but my friends are all aware of my situation. They don’t have a problem with me and have been talking to their housemates.”
Dumbledore frowned again, “Mister Potter if there are any problems, I may have to expel you from the school.”
Professor Snape answered, “There are no grounds for doing that, headmaster. The School Rules have not been broken.”
Dumbledore stared at Professor Snape, “Be careful, Mister Potter. You may go.”
Harry and the professor left the office. As they walked away, Professor Snape said, “Please be careful, Harry. Dumbledore is quite capable of manufacturing a case against you.”
-ooOOoo-
Classes finished for the day. Harry’s Escort and Alliance stayed with him for the entire time. Harry could hear conversations around him wherever he went. The evening study group session finished, and Harry and the Escort arrived in the Slytherin Common Room. Draco Malfoy was waiting for them. He approached Harry.
“Potter, this is a message from my mother. She wants you to send it on to Lord Black.”
Harry took the folded parchment paper.
Draco looked at the Escort gathered around Harry. “My mother does not want to use the owl post for this. Please don’t let any word about this get out.”
Harry said, “Certainly, Draco. This will go straight to my godfather.”
Blaise and Harry went into their boy’s dormitory common room. “What do you think it is, Harry?”
“It can only be one thing: Narcissa wants to ally herself with the House of Black. She also doesn’t want Lucius to know.”
Blaise nodded, “Tricky! Narcissa could find herself out in the street if it doesn’t go well. There is no divorce, but Lucius could demand a separation and leave her with nothing.”
Harry called a Potter house elf to deliver the letter to Sirius.
-ooOOoo-
“This is goodbye, Harry. The last barrier has been broken down. I’m sorry to leave you, but my life has gone on for too many years as it is.”
“I’m sorry to lose you, Tom. I know you have been with me since I was less than two years old. I know nothing else but having you with me. We have been talking for years. Not having you answer when I have a question will be strange.”
“Nobody else has this sort of connection. You never asked me for answers to any test paper questions. If I had a tongue, I would have to bite it to stop me from yelling the right answer when you were about to make a mistake.”
“I’ll rely on Hermione for answers from now on.”
“No comment.”
“That’s odd. You have almost always had plenty of comments before.”
“Still no comment.”
“So this is goodbye.”
“Yes, go to sleep. When you wake up, you will be on your own. That is until Blaise gets you to go down to the Common Room. Then Daphne and Tracey will escort you to breakfast. Susan, Hannah, Hermione and Neville will be there. Dean, the Twin Terrors and Ginevra will be watching from their tables. Su Li and Luna will be there as well. Luna will see the change. You will have to tell her the truth one day. There is one of them who is certain to suspect something has happened.”
“She won’t give up asking until I tell her. Hermione will be relentless.”
“No comment.”
“If I need someone to nearly live in my head, would it be Hermione?”
“No comment. Go to sleep.”
-ooOOoo-
Night darker than night filled Harry’s room. Tom stood next to Harry. Harry stayed in a deep, dreamless sleep. A thin transparent blue cord attached Tom to Harry.
A tall person dressed in a black cloak appeared. This person’s presence was apparent because the profoundly deeper black of the cloak seemed to make a black hole in the darkness.
Although lacking lips and a tongue, Death spoke. His deep, baritone voice resonated in the minds of his chosen listeners.
“It’s time, Tom. The way is open.”
“Who will stop the nightmares from attacking Harry?”
“Harry is growing up. The protection you have given him is no longer needed. He is strong enough on his own.”
“Will Harry suffer any pain?”
“No. Harry will not feel a thing. You are leaving by your own choice. If you resisted, Harry would suffer.”
“I’m ready,” Tom said.
The room faded, and a broad expanse of dark ground became visible. A light showed in the distance.
Death took his scythe and swung it down. The blue cord was severed by the sharpest blade to ever exist.
Death handed Tom two copper coins.
“Normally, I would make these from the blood of the corpse. There is no corpse, however. You still need the fare for the Ferryman. He will take you to your place in the Elysian Fields. Well done, Tom.”
Tom turned and walked towards the light.
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