Harry gently knocked on the Headmaster's door. The guardian at this point just moved out of the way on it's own rather than wait for him to pull on the magic, thankfully.

After the... incident with the runes, he felt a bit nervous about this meeting.

The door opened, showing two slightly nervous professors and a stranger. Minerva gave him a small smile. "Come in, Mr. Potter." She waved a hand to her left. "Mr. Shacklebolt is here from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the DMLE."

The man had hard edges but a smile on his face. He smiled and held out a hand. "Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mr. Potter." As they shook his smile turned a bit dark. "I understand you were in the area when the possessed Mr. Quirrell was... detained?"

Harry gave a nod. "Do you need a statement?"

He shook his head. "A copy of your memory would be more than enough, but we are more concerned about who we think was possessing the teacher." His face was stone. "We have reason to believe it was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Harry's face took a dark turn that shocked Minerva. "Ah, that bastard. I suppose I should be more shocked, but after what he did to me it's hard to be surprised."

Filius looked a bit shocked, but moved on. "We were talking with Madam Bones, and she mentioned that you have an amazing memory."

The boy softened. "Ah, Susan's Aunt? Well, she is right. I have sorted most of my memories from birth at this point."

Minerva stepped in, unpleasant as this was. She placed a hand on a stone bowl on the desk. "Mr. Potter, this is a Pensieve. It can magically hold memories and play them back for others in third person, and is useful for both legal work and investigations."

She sighed. "We were hoping you could show us the night of His attack, so we could find out WHY he seems to be back as a ghost... thing."

Harry leaned forward, frowning slightly. "Why is there an orange in it?"

Minerva blinked. Looked down.

That old bastard.

"No reason." She quickly tossed the orange to an eager looking Filius. "Now, for most wizards you simply place the wand to your temple, think about the memory you wish to view, and pull the strand of magic and place it in the bowl."

She looked up. "Now, as you have mental defenses it will be a bit different. You will have to push your memory into the wand as you pull it, as your memories don't just saturate your magic like an untrained mind would."

Harry took a deep, slightly shuddering breath. "Well, that sounds... nice. Do I have to relieve the memory itself?"

All three adults shook their head. Minerva gestured a hand. "The untrained minds have to, since it is the only way to ensure the CORRECT memory is selected. You should be able to just pass it to the wand though."

Harry took a deep breath. 'Watcher, pass me the night.'

'Yes Rinpoche. Your point of view or his?'

Harry paused. "Ah... did you want my point of view or Voldemort's?"

He was a bit set back from the two slight gasps. "Uh... sorry, didn't realize the dark bastard's name was that big a deal."

Filius glared slightly at the other two. "Mr. Potter, he left a bit of impression. Saying his name would activate a nation wide Taboo he had created, allowing him to know the location of the person even behind most wards. Saying it normally caused an attack... back THEN, anyway."

His gaze softened. "Now, what do you mean by 'his perspective'?"

Harry's gaze hardened. Even as he answered, the air began to settle and a chill began filling the room. "That bastard put something dark in me that night. A black creature, something like an evil baby. I killed it when I was eight."

He looked up and saw three white faces, etched in horror. He gave a weak smile. "It was behind a lightning bolt shaped scar on my forehead. Whatever it was, it attacked my power, it attacked the red threads protecting my house, and it corrupted my Aunt and Uncle, making them do dark things. When it tried to take me over, I was in my mind at the time."

He frowned. "It was trying to make ME become angry and twisted... which of course, worked to some extent. Unfortunately for IT at the time, I was NEXT TO IT in my mind. I stabbed it to death with magic."

Harry sighed, not really focusing on the horrified adults. "After I killed it, lots of its memories filled my mind. So I had to lock them all away, after filtering out the anger and hate that those memories were stuffed with."

Wow, they were quiet.

Minerva tried to take a calming breath. "Mr... Mr. Potter, would you allow us to verify that the... creature is really gone?"

Harry shrugged. "Sure, it was a few years ago though. Anyway, as long as I don't have to view the memories themselves I don't mind copying them and giving you those." He gave her a firm look. "Just know, most of them were so filled with... well, darkness, that I couldn't even review them. Murder, rape... I just don't want to know it all."

Kingsley seemed unable to talk, but Filius stepped forward, pulling the boy to the desk. His wand flickered, and a glass bottle with a glass lid appeared. "Harry, could you fill this with a copy of... that bastards memories?"

Harry nodded. "It should be everything he remembered up till that night when he tried to kill me." He gently placed his hand over the opening.

'Watcher, you know what to do, right?'

'Already prepared, Rinpoche. This will likely feel... nasty though.'

Harry sighed. "Of COURSE it would feel gross. Darn it."

Before anyone else could comment, he could feel sludge flowing through his right arm. Down his shoulder, sticking to his elbow, dragged up to his palm...

Black ooze began filling the glass, clumping and dripping from Harry's hand. Even as the horrified adults watched, the obsidian liquid seemed to churn and twist inside the container.

As the last of the gunk seeped from his palm like a weeping wound, Harry shuddered. "THAT... that was gross." He turned to the stunned teachers and slowly grinning Auror. "Well, there you go. Has all his stuff, including the useful things."

Minerva was feeling an upset stomach as she looked at the vile liquid as Filius sealed it with the glass lid. "What could that monster know that was useful?"

Harry shrugged. "Money conversion rates, a few languages, that kind of thing. General wizarding knowledge of culture, locations, and stuff. He knows how to talk to Dementors and Snakes for one thing, that will likely be useful."

Harry moved his hand over the pensive. A silver memory streaked with gold floated from his palm. "Here, this is a memory of how to speak to both of them. Not sure how it will work for you, since it is nothing but knowledge, not a memory of a place or a situation."

He sat back in his chair, relaxing slightly. Looking at the adults, Minerva was still staring at the Jar in horror, Flitwick seemed eager to mess with the gold streaked memory, and Shacklebolt looked like Christmas had been extended to a week long.

The Auror gently lifted the sealed glass. His eager look faded a bit. It... pulsed. Almost like a heartbeat. And was warm. Eww. Still... he grinned. "There are SO many cases we can solve with this... hundreds of missing cases, people who were secretly working with him, secret strongholds that we can capture or bug for information..."

He looked at Harry with a hunter's grin, full of teeth. "Boy, you have done more today than anyone could have hoped. Killing the dark prick was one thing, but THIS may help us dismantle his whole support structure!"

Minerva took a deep breath. "Well... well. Thank you Harry. Please, I am sure your friends are waiting for you. I will let you know if we need any more assistance."

Harry sighed and gave a nod. His arm still felt... unclean from that. He headed for the door, deciding that an extra shower wouldn't hurt any plans for today.

He grinned slightly. Today he was going to continue planning and making gifts for Christmas... at least that would help him feel less corrupted and stained by darkness.

~~~Core Threads~~~

"Alright, so we all like Harry, right?" Tracey was looking at the group. Hermione seemed a bit embarrassed to be here, Daphne was just hiding behind her hands, Padma was just smiling, and Hannah was nodding.

Susan raised a hand. "I like him like a brother more than anything. Anyone else?"

Tracey grinned as she watched Hermione debate with herself. "Well, you may change your opinion if you get a new wand."

Daphne squeaked. "SHHH, shh. That never happened, none of it."

Oh, she had WAY more attention now than she wanted. Hannah was grinning and ooching closer. "So... WHAT didn't happen?"

Tracey grinned. "So everyone remembers what it felt like when Harry made your wands compatible with your cores?"

Several red faced nods followed.

Tracey began to smirk. "Well, we found out that the better Harry knows you and the more he likes you the more... intimate the feelings become."

Now Daphne was getting some VERY interested looks. She shook her head. "Nope, nothing. NOTHING happened."

Hermione seemed to still be having an internal debate. "So... what did it feel like? I noticed Harry sort of... ran off after you two had your cores settled."

Tracey opened her mouth before Daphne jumped from the couch, launched at her, and covered most of her face. "NOTHING, it felt like nothing, really boring. Right Tracey?"

Daphne forced her head to nod.

"Ok, we are done here? Good, everyone back to research."

Hannah seemed to be grinning now. "Oh, it must have been GOOOOD."

Tracey forced Daphne's hands to nod.

Padma grinned. "You know Daphne, right now you are sort of sprawled over Tracey and forcing her to admit that nothing happened. Not the best argument to convince us really."

Daphne paused, frowning. She sighed, sitting back in her chair. Tracey would just tell everyone when she left anyway.

Tracey smirked. "Felt like he was kissing our arm all the way to our core."

Daphne went white. WHY had she let go?

Thankfully the rest of the room was stunned to silence. Most carefully not looking at the other girls.

Hannah, still looking at an interesting part of the floor coughed. "So... what did it feel like when he actually reached your core?"

Daphne absently sighed. "Like the best kiss on the mouth ever."

She realized everyone was looking at her and went white again. "I... that was... I didn't say that out loud, right?"

Hannah was looking at her wand. "Wonder how often I can lose this thing..."

Susan swatted her arm.

Hermione giggled, slightly hysterically. "No wonder he doesn't like fixing boys wands."

Tracey nodded. "Thank goodness. It would be a loss to women everywhere."

Padma had a bit of dreamy look. "Hmm... maybe we should get spare wands? Wouldn't want our main one to break, right?"

Hermione was blushing. "Look, he probably doesn't even... I mean, we are a bit young you know? For kissing and stuff."

Tracey giggled. "For now, I guess. In a year or two I might get a few dozen wands though."

Hannah grinned. "We could be the band of wand sisters or something. With belts covered in wands."

Daphne had a bit of a look too. "Oh my... what would THAT feel like?"

Hannah looked confused... then blushed. "I just meant STORING the wands there, not... I mean..."

Tracey grinned. "Well, I got a plan now. Wonder if I could cast with my toes."

Daphne threw a pillow.

Tracey grinned. "So... anyone want to visit my mind? I may have a memory you girls would like to see."

Daphne threw all the pillows she could reach.

~~~Core Threads~~~

Goran was in the middle of cooking some muffins when his stone door opened, letting his Da in. He grinned. "Da, I think I found a way to make Hagrid's rock cakes edible by humans." He frowned at the oven. "Or how to make them explosive. It was a fine line, really."

Harry grinned. "Either way, well done son." He began organizing some diamonds and began crafting some diamond bars for later. "How was your day? Heard you and Hagrid were hunting."

He sighed, settling into a huge stone chair. "Apparently there are these huge spiders that I am NOT supposed to eat. One of Hagrid's pets became the size of a house and had thousands of kids."

Harry tilted his head. "What do they taste like?"

Goran shrugged. "Without sauce, a bit crunchy. I got to use some mustard half way through the second one before Hagrid caught up. Think crunchy crab, but you don't take off the shell."

Harry actually felt a bit tempted. "Well... it does sound nice. How far off did you guys go for them?"

Troll shoulders shrugged again. "Not far at all. Barely into the woods actually. The nest is only a few dozen yards in there."

The boy paused, a third diamond brick half created. "Wait... there are giant house size spiders within reach of students?"

Goran nodded, watching the ovens. "Probably why they call it the forbidden forest, really. That and the were-trees."

He rubbed his eyes. "What is a were-tree?"

"Rabbit by day, tree by night."

He frowned. "It honestly doesn't SOUND that dangerous."

Goran grinned. "The change is VERY quick. Anyone standing on top of one of the rabbit burrows is suddenly hurled fifty meters in the air. It's pretty hilarious."

Harry had a slightly glazed look. "So... those strange 'daemon birds' we see at nightfall?"

The troll nodded. "Just random animals launched. Although some do it on purpose for fun."

Harry sighed and went back to brick creation. "By the way, I sent another letter to Aunt Petunia. She's not happy that I will be spending the holidays here, but she understands that my son comes first, as confusing as the concept of me already having a kid was for her."

Goran paused. "Are... are you sure you want to be here Da? I never had Christmas before, it wouldn't be a big deal. I know I can't visit home."

Harry placed the most recent diamond bar down, and moved around, hugging his son. "It is your first Christmas. I created you, to a very real extent. And I will be there for you."

He smiled up at his slightly sniffing boy. "Besides, I am working on getting us a home. Us and future Potters... maybe even Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, if they wish to join us. And Big D, of course."

Goran gave a teary grin. "Big D will be pretty small compared to me."

Harry grinned back. "I am sure he will find it hilarious after a bit."

Before Goran could respond a timer went off and his face went a bit blank. "Oh... the explosive muffins."

Both looked at the oven in a mixture of eagerness and fear. "So... HOW explosive was the last batch you made?"

Goran was putting on an apron that seemed to be made from stone. "If I say run, could you shift us both out of here?"

Harry flexed both hands, glowing green. "Today we dine on muffins or chaos."

Goran was putting on heavy steel gauntlets. "Dear Merlin let it be muffins this time."

Harry shrugged, verifying no one was nearby. "Either way should be neat."

~~~Core Threads~~~

Professor Snape had finally thought of a way to put that blasted Potter brat in his place. He had adopted that animal of a son (Almost as bad as a REAL Potter).

The important thing though was that creature WASN'T a human... and so it was NOT against the law to use the Unforgivable curse's on it.

True it wasn't the Potter brat himself, but torturing an animal before execution would probably make his day complete. Especially if that Potter bastard cared for it.

He greased his way closer to the stone house near the half-giant's hut. It had taken over an hour to get this close. He was using some dark rings from the good old days of being a Death Eater, each made of blood-silver and etched with runes powered by dying children. HEAVILY illegal, but they would completely suppress his magical signature and presence to ENSURE he would get the drop on that troll abomination.

As he snuck into the open stone door, he saw a brief glimpse of Harry Potter and Goran fading away like mist... and a tray of muffins half spilled on the floor, glowing red and pulsing.

As he hurled the killing curse at both of them, they vanished... and the curse hit one of the muffins.

Everything went white.

~~~Core Threads~~~

Harry had already started to shift them when he saw the killing curse aimed toward them. JERKING his magic they both reappeared near the castle...

CRUMP!

Goran and Harry looked at each other and slowly turned back towards the stone house.

There was a fine gray mist floating from what used to be Goran's roof. Even as they watched the could see pulses of air floating up, forming the gray dust into a small mushroom cloud.

Oh, there was Snape. He apparently had been thrown THROUGH the stone door. Well, what WAS the stone door.

Harry felt like he should be angry. Like he should be getting revenge or something.

But it WAS a nice explosion.

He was probably experiencing shock.

Goran coughed. "So... NONE of the previous batches did that. It was mostly broken muffin pans."

Harry gave an absent nod. "I think he hit one with a killing curse."

He looked at the boy in shock. "Why does he hate muffins!?"

Harry paused... "Uh." No reason to bother his son with the truth. "I think he has a history with them. At least, NOW he has a history with them." Harry frowned. "If he lives through this, I mean."

'Watcher, connect us.'

'Rinpoche, Susan is a bit... exasperated. Another letter then?'

Harry sighed. 'Hey Susan. Sorry for the bother.'

There was a BUNCH of noise for a second, but the general topic was "WHAT WAS THAT" followed by accusations.

The boy groaned. 'Look, we made muffins and Professor Snape tried to kill one with the killing curse.'

Well, THAT got them quiet. Tracey had a bit of a smile though. 'Muffins?'

Daphne had a more urgent question. 'Harry, is the bastard ok?'

Harry looked at the smoking form. 'Meh. Moving a bit, so probably.'

She sighed. 'Could you send him to the Hospital Wing? I don't want to know who he would be replaced with, really.'

Harry sighed before grinning. 'Mind if I leave some agents? I don't want to risk him using spells on me, my son, or muffins again.'

She shrugged. 'Sure, in fact it may make things better in the long run.'

Terry chipped in. 'Harry, you have Professor McGonagall inbound.'

'Got it.' Harry shifted over to the smoldering pile of stone and teacher. Reaching into the pile, he gripped the man's throat and lifted him to eye level.

Severus could barely breathe. His spine felt wrong, and apparently the wave of magic from the muffins had caused the rings on his left hand to ignite, burning through his fingers. As he looked into cold green eyes, he tried to shudder as the left eye began to fade into a glowing green ember.

The hand on his neck felt more and more skeletal.

"Mr. Severus Snape. I have a fair idea that you had not intended on Muffincide tonight. However, since you aimed at me and NOT my son, I have decided to be a bit... generous."

He pulled the shivering flesh toward him, whispering into his ear. "I will allow you to live."

Harry reached out again, turning those horrified eyes to face his own.

Severus felt like his world was flowing with pain. His eyes were being held still, his limbs were burning.

Those eyes, so cold, were looking into his soul.

He passed out, still staring into those eyes.

Harry moved his magic, repairing most of his teacher. He also reinforced the break in the bastards spine so it would not repair with magic. The loss of his legs would be a fair enough reminder to not attack children.

Even as the flesh rebuilt itself, he heard a gasp. "MR. POTTER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Harry glanced over his shoulder at Minerva. "Professor, I am repairing his body. He was thrown through a stone door by a powerful magical explosion." Seeing her expression he sighed. "He attempted to use the killing curse on a muffin."

Her righteous anger started falling apart as she watched scars and blood vanish from the Slytherin teacher. "Is he... is he alright?"

Harry shook his head. "He is unconscious, but I have been able to repair almost everything. There is some odd magic around his spine where he hit the stone door during the explosion though, and some dark magic residue on two of his lost finger stumps." He waved a hand, levitating the bloody robed teacher behind him as he began walking toward the castle.

Professor McGonagall followed, casting her own diagnostics on the man. "How did you and your son avoid the blast? It was... enormous."

Harry shrugged. "I found that I can make connections with magic and pull myself and others along them, moving us from place to place. It's harder in wards of course, but still doable. If Professor Snape had been closer to us I could have grabbed him too."

His eyes turned a bit dim. "Of course, if he hadn't tried to use the killing curse on our muffins, then the explosion would have been FUNNY instead of massive."

Minerva wanted to whimper. She had just finished bothering the DMLE minutes ago, and now she had another case. She began to glare at the greasy teacher in front of her. She had KNOWN he was planning something, but she had expected something stupid, like two years of detentions for Harry or minus a million points or whatever. Not an assault on the Harry's son's home.

Goran was waiting near the castle. "So... I probably shouldn't make Chaos Muffins anymore, right?"

Minerva's glare almost made him release his bladder. "Ah... right."