Part 17

A/N

Thank you for all of the super positive reviews on the last chapter. I'm so glad you guys liked it! I saw one of you picked up where Fezziwig's name comes from J. I told you I'm terrible at naming, right?

- Well, I hadn't mentioned it before, but it's coming up. Charlie is a beast speaker. It's why he was able to finish his mastery so young. Problem with writing all this world but then trying to split it up and backfill detail scenes is I can't remember what I've revealed, and what's still to come. Surprise!

- Yes, the homage to hunger games was on purpose.

- I split the chapters so you see the fall out of dementor attack in this one. I probably should have added more in the last chapter, but I had SO MUCH I wanted to set up in that chapter! Told you I was dissatisfied with it!

- If you want a rough estimate of the first 15 chapters, look back to the beginning of the last chapter. This one's another one that was energizer bunnying me. I couldn't get what I wanted in this chapter, so the second task will be next chapter. Sorry!

~~back to the lack of action, Jackson.~~

"Hey Sirius. Is that Dr. Dan I see in the background?"

"Hey, kiddo. Yeah, it is."

Harry had come out of the shower and was getting ready to read in his bed when he heard the mirror pinging him.

"Hello, Harry," the doctor's voice came from couch behind Sirius.

"I've been trying to contact you all night." Sirius's voice was a bit worried. Harry didn't blame him – Hogwarts had been all sorts of dangerous to Harry – and Harry felt a bit guilty.

"Oh, tonight was games night. We had a massive Cluedo competition. It's a new, magical version the Weasley twins came up with. It's brilliant. Hermione won, of course."

"Of course," Sirius agreed somberly.

Harry noted the seriousness of Sirius's tone. It wasn't relief at finding Harry okay. It was something else.

It was something that wasn't good.

Harry's stomach fell, and his tone turned wooden. "What's going on?"

Running his hand through his hair, Sirius sighed. "We finally got word – the DMLE has finally tracked who sent the dementors after us." Harry saw Dr. Dan's hand rub on Sirius's thigh. Sirius had been treated by Panakos at Hogwarts the night of the attack, and when he'd got home, Daniel had been a wreck. He'd heard that there'd been a dementor attack on the Boy Who Lived at Hogwarts, and he'd known Siri had been there.

You never really know just how scary it can be to lose a loved one until tragedy strikes.

Sirius reached down and grasped Daniel's hand.

"Was it Fudge, then?" Harry asked, as the Minister was Sirius's prime suspect. Harry had left the investigating to Sirius, knowing his godfather would let him know when there was anything to know. The papers and Dumbledore had both pushed that it was a "rogue" attack. Harry thought that the chances of that were about as big as the chances he'd name his firstborn after Snape. But, for the first time in his life, Harry had adults in his life that he completely trusted. He'd studied and worked and played, the last month, with the attack in the background of his mind, and trusted that Sirius and Robbie would keep pushing until they got to the bottom of the attack.

Apparently, they had.

"Fudge's undersecretary, Delores Umbridge, was the one who signed the order," Sirius continued in a haggard voice. It was one thing to suspect that his own government was trying to kill him. It was another to have proof. "But they're both implicated. Robbie's going to have a field day going after them, even if the prosecutor's office actually manages to file charges and get a conviction."

"It might happen." Harry knew that Sirius had deep, valid issues with the minister, so tried to give some reassurance. "You've told me that the makeup of the Wizengamot is a lot more anti-Fudge these days."

"Yeah, but summary execution? – it's a huge black eye against the government and our country. They'll try to hush it up." Harry shook his head, unable to argue Sirius's point. Daniel remained quiet – supportive but grim – in the background.

Harry sighed. "Did they say why?"

"Robbie said Fudge and Umbridge thought, if I were out of the way, Fudge could take you're your guardianship and have access to your vaults."

Harry saw red. Money? They'd attacked Sirius and Harry for money?

Sirius saw Harry's ire and tried to reassure him. "Gringotts assures me this would not have come to pass. The vaults would have locked down."

Harry shrugged. "They watched over my stuff pretty well when Mum and Dad were killed. That's not… I'm just crazy mad they tried this all for money. Money!"

"I do wonder what would have happened if the dementors had gotten both of us."

"All the death eaters would burn again. Of course, Fudge doesn't know that. But it's what would happen. And they'd realize it was Fudge's fault, and he'd be the one kissing a dementor. Then he'd find out why you can't take it with you when you go." Harry's voice was full of disappointed hopes.

"What's that?" Sirius asked.

"It's something I read… you can't take it with you when you go because money burns." And the fires of hell or hades or whatever final destination awaited Fudge and his ilk… they were certainly hot enough to burn any kind of money, even Galleons.

~~scene~~

The bludgers were being sent furiously from one set of beaters to the other, each trying with little luck to affect the play of the other side. This was a chaser/keeper match, and Ron Weasley was proving to shine.

Ron had been asked to play keeper by a trio of Beauxbatons chasers (one of whom was a muggleborn) who'd watched him practicing with any comers on the field. They'd already talked a pair of Durmstrang beaters into joining the effort and were still looking for a seeker. Ron offered that his sister could play seeker as she was small, light, had excellent flying skills and a good eye.

Today, in the fourth round of the tournament, they were up against a team Ron was desperate to beat.

Draco Malfoy sat atop his broom, sneer firmly in place. He'd put together a superior team, consisting of a Durmstrang keeper, the requisite female was a Beauxbatons mudblood chaser. The rest of the team were Slytherin. Of course, none of the Slytherins had played before, let alone together. Bole had most of the remaining starting Slytherin team on his roster.

"Oh, excellent save! GO RONALD!" Hermione shouted.

"I never figured you for a quidditch groupie. OI! BAD FORM! Keep it clean, Stigil!" Harry shouted at the Slytherin beater who'd tried to whack at one of Ron's chaser's brooms with his bat. Madame Hooch's whistle called the foul at the same time.

"Not a groupie, but I've learned the game watching you play. Elle a marqué! Excellent!" One of the Beauxbatons chasers on Ronald's team had scored and Hermione cheered.

It was then that Ginny spotted what Harry had seen five minutes prior and Draco wouldn't ever see unless someone pointed his face at it… the snitch. The youngest Weasley bore down on her borrowed broom and nabbed the little golden ball, raising it as the whistle blew.

Draco's team had lost in a landslide. The Slytherin was, of course, a little bitter about that.

"Should have figured a Weasley would spot the golden snitch – they're so poor they have to grab at any gold they can get." Draco's sour-grapes attitude came through loud and clear, and visiting students looked at him in distaste. He'd lost fair and square, and it was mostly his fault.

"Well, if you weren't so busy looking for ways to cheat, you might have been able to see the snitch yourself," Ron tossed back. "But a Malfoy never can win if the odds aren't stacked for them. I almost pity you."

"I don't need your pity, Weasley."

"You don't have it. I said almost. You're too foul to actually pity." Ron turned away and thanked the visiting students who'd played. It had been, mostly, a good game.

As much as Draco hated losing, he hated being dismissed. But as there were two teachers now watching his every move, he would have to wait for any payback.

~~ scene ~~

It was a Monday evening in mid-December. Harry had heard from Sirius that the litigation against Umbridge and Fudge was scheduled for the first week of January. Robbie hoped that, by forcing the matter into the public domain through a very prominent lawsuit, the Wizengamot would have their wands forced into bringing charges against the murderous pair.

As Harry was writing down the outline for the chapter he was studying, he was being observed. He knew he was being observed – he almost always was when he was in a public arena – so he ignored it. Tonight's topic was history, and Sirius had got him some excellent magical history tomes to go along with his muggle history books. It was interesting looking at events side by side. He was about to point it out to Hermione – one of the very obvious parallels from around when the Napoleonic wars were taking place – when he noticed Krum watching them. Again. The famous boy had been at the outskirts of their study table a few times now, and it looked like tonight would be the night he worked up his courage.

Since the announcement of the Yule Ball, Hermione had turned down a few offers. Harry had watched as a boy asked to speak with her, spoke earnestly, then lost some of their posture in defeat. Hermione was a kind girl: she'd turned down each offer that Harry had seen with a smile and a kind word, always stating that she had prior plans. But still, every potential suitor got the standard rejection line.

Harry thought she, like he, was going home for the holiday. But when he had asked if she was going home for Yule, Hermione had blushed and smiled and shook her head no.

She was staying at school which meant she was attending the ball. Which meant she already had a date.

Harry's gut clenched. He didn't quite know what the feeling was, but he was happy if Hermione was happy. And it looked like yet another would-be-Romeo was about to get turned down, as the Bulgarian bloke was now walking toward their table with purpose.

"May I join you?" Viktor asked, to the two of them, but only really looking at Hermione.

Harry was going to let Hermione make the choice. She was the one who the guy obviously wanted to spend time with.

"Of course," Hermione smiled. She didn't meet Cassanova's eye, but instead, smiled down at the table, blushing.

And the light bulb lit. Hermione liked Krum. She might even be going to the ball with Krum.

"Yeah, have a seat." Renewing the privacy ward and silencing spell, he turned a friendly face to the older student. "I've been meaning to tell you; we saw you at the cup. Excellent flying. I bet Lynch is still hearing ringing in his ears." Harry welcomed the guy the best he could, with neutral quidditch talk. The grin on Viktor's face said it was appreciated.

"Yah. Vell, deir chasers vere simply superior." He shrugged in a nonchalant way. "Sometimes, dat is how de game goes, no? I haf vatched you play. You are quite good. Vill I see you on the pitch for Englund?"

Harry blushed but shook his head with a smile. "Nah. I'm for being a healer. Quidditch – flying, really – is just a pass time for me. And it gets Hermione all in a frazzle, which is worth it."

"Really," Hermione huffed. "If you flew like a normal person, not haring off here and there as though your broom was on fire. Both of you! I ought to petition Firebolt to slow those terrible brooms of theirs to half speed if you are riding them."

Viktor smiled at her, enjoying her bit of temper. They got down to studying, speaking quietly sometimes, but mostly just doing their work together in quiet fraternity. None of them acknowledged the PotterSpotters or the Krum Fangirls and Fanboys who were priming the pump for gossip.

Krum had become inured to it and Harry still did his best to ignore it all.

Hermione didn't notice it that evening, but would when the gossips turned their mean teeth on her. But that had a few weeks to brew.

"Seven thirty," Harry sighed as his alarm charm on his watch went off. "Bollocks. Time to go get beat up by Nev."

"Beat up? You are going to fight?" Krum asked with a confused look.

"Fencing," Harry corrected with a sigh. "Neville will be fencing. I'll be tripping, falling, wincing, and just losing in general. My friend is amazing, and I'm still learning. I'm getting better. I last a whole two or three minutes before he gets me with a fatal hit."

"I may come?" Viktor asked. "I like the fencing."

"Yeah, sure. More witnesses to my humiliation."

"Not me, I'm meeting Luna," Hermione piled up her books and moved with the boys to the library door. "See you!" Hermione waved at the two boys before turning toward Ravenclaw tower.

Harry and Viktor proceeded to the gymnasium area of the castle. There were weight rooms and equipment rooms, now many of them freshly supplied with muggle workout gear made wizarding world friendly. The new clubs had brought a lot of students back to this area of the castle. Healer Panakos was both happy and frustrated. Children – even magical ones – should have more daily exercise than simply climbing stairs. But the increased number of injuries did worry him some. None had been terrible… yet. But children had the strange capacity for turning almost any innocent activity into a limb-threatening exercise.

An hour or so later, Harry limped into the common room, followed by a triumphant Heir Longbottom. "You have to guard your flank."

"You keep saying that. I still don't know how I'm supposed to guard my flank and wield that epee."

"It's in the posture. I think all the growing you did affects how you carry yourself."

Harry shrugged. "Probably. I'm just glad it hasn't affected my flying."

"All of us in Gryffindor are glad about that," Katie said with a smile. "Hey, Neville."

"Hullo, Katie," Neville smiled. "Faye," Neville nodded and blushed at Faye Dunbar, whom he'd been crushing on that term. He fell into conversation with the two girls as Harry looked over and saw Ron, looking pale and frustrated, on a couch.

Harry fell into the seat next to his friend. "What's wrong, mate? Humdinger got your pudding?"

"You hang out with Luna entirely too much. Luna. I could ask Luna?" The last was obviously thinking aloud, but Harry got the gist.

"You're staying over break?"

"Yeah. Parents are going to visit Bill since Hogwarts is hosting so many fun activities, and Charlie is here, too. So now, I have to find a date. A date, I tell you. I'm fourteen years old. I don't want to find a date."

"Then find a friend," Harry suggested offhandedly.

"A friend?" Ron looked quizzical, then his face cleared. "A friend! I could ask Hermione!"

"Uh, no you can't," Harry corrected. Ron looked at him with a baffled expression. "Well, you can, but she'll turn you down. She has a date."

"Our Hermione? Has a date? Who is he?" Ron demanded. Harry shushed him and put up a privacy spell.

"I don't know. I just know she's staying and she's turned down at least three blokes who asked. Ergo, she has a date."

"Well. Well, then. We need to find out who it is and give them a talking to." Ron had his mulish look on and Harry took a slow breath.

"No, we don't." Harry contradicted his friend, shaking his head and hoping to make Ron see reason. Hermione would not take well to meddling.

"Look, mate, you don't have a sister. But you know how blokes are. Anyone thinking they're going to put their filthy mitts on Hermione had better know that if they don't respect her, they'll face our wands."

"Honestly, I'd be more afraid of facing her wand than yours or mine – put together!" Harry chuckled. "And I don't think Hermione would appreciate your meddling."

"We'll see. We'll see… but wait! If Hermione's already taken, who the bloody hell am I going to ask?" Ron fell back again in frustration.

Harry was watching Neville talking with Katie and Faye across the room. "What about Katie?"

"She's older than we are. She wouldn't want to go out with me." Ron's shoulders sagged.

"She's the youngest in her year, and she's quidditch mad. Just like you." Encouragement and truth rang in Harry's voice.

Ron raised his eyes, questioning, back to Harry. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Harry smiled a little with a nod. "I think Fred and George are taking Angelina and Alicia. You should ask Katie."

"I don't even have decent robes." Ron's sigh was half discouragement, half wish.

"Use mine." Harry offered. "Stop making excuses."

"Aren't you using yours?" Ron's voice was full of inquiry.

"Nah," Harry dismissed the idea with a wrinkled nose and a grin. "I'm going home. First time I'll have a Christmas with family since… well. First real Christmas for me. I'm going home."

Ron smiled a little, humbled by the reminder of the things Harry'd missed out on in his life. "Then, thanks. I'll take you up on the robes. Since you aren't a shrimp anymore, they'll probably fit without charms. Thanks."

"No worries. Now. Go ask Katie."

"What, now?" The idea made Ron pale, and his freckles stood out in contrast.

"Yeah, now." Harry gave Ron a small shove to the shoulder. "Even if she says no, you'll be doing Nev a solid. He wants to ask Faye but can never get her alone."

"Oh, well, then." That was enough of an excuse to get Ron to move. "Why didn't you say so? Cheers! Wish us both luck!"

"You few, you merry few…"

"Ha!"

Ron made his way to the trio and asked if he could interrupt in his Ron way – bumbling but adorable to many. Harry didn't see the charm, but knew others did. He watched as Ron just blatantly asked Katie, no prep, no prevaricating – if she wanted to go to the ball with him. When she shyly smiled and said yes, it was pretty obvious Ron was shocked. Happy, but shocked.

At the same time, Neville seemed to have gotten a positive response from Faye.

And the Weasley twins weren't in the common room at the time, so there wasn't even any mean-spirited teasing about the invitations and acceptances.

Harry watched the new awareness in his friends' eyes. Suddenly, the people in their house weren't just friendly, good eggs, but potential girlfriends. Potentially more than that, as most magicals seemed to form partnerships in school.

Harry's smile was poignant as he realized it was just another thing he was excluded from. He wasn't ready to look for that. And he pitied any girl who he dated – the PotterSpotters, like GinGin – would make their lives hell, he knew. He'd have to be ultra-sure that it was worth it to a girl to put her through that.

Besides, he was just starting to be a little comfortable in his own skin. He was just starting to forgive the people around him for being normal people when his life had been utter shit. He was just starting to realize that every person had struggles, and though his own were more potent than most, it didn't mean that he was alone.

He was just starting to live a normal life.

He wasn't quite ready to bring a relationship into it.

~~ scene ~~

"Are you sure that you want to go to London? Hols here are going to be fantastic this year!" Neville turned to Harry the night before the train was to leave for London. Harry was one of the few above year 3 planning to be on it.

Harry shrugged, walking down to the games club classroom with Neville. The clubs had all taken over unused classrooms in the castle, including one for games. Tonight, just before the train left, they were going to play a bunch of muggle games, so the number of students in the room would probably be smaller than usual.

It was getting better, but some of magic-raised still eschewed anything that "stunk" of muggle.

Harry tilted his head at his friend. "I thought you were going to bring those muggle divination tools that Hermione got you tonight?"

Neville shrugged. "Maybe another time. I don't think they work, at all, and I'd hate to disappoint anyone with something boring."

"Too bad," Harry shrugged a bit. "If anyone could get them to work, I bet you could. With your heritage."

"Yeah. I actually did a term end paper in divination using them and comparing to the wizarding tools I have. Though," Neville paused, tilting his head in thought, "Augusta bought me those, and they were used and not good quality. I should have got into my mum's stuff and used her things. But Gran said I couldn't."

Neville tried to put the woman who had mostly raised him into a new category in his head – Augusta. The woman who had fathered his own father but then betrayed the family.

But sometimes, the little boy still put her in his head as Gran.

"You think your gran could have sabotaged any talent you had." It wasn't a question but a statement.

Neville changed the subject.

"So, the muggle tools that Hermione gave me actually did work for scrying. I had a phrase come to me – for the sleepers to wake, Janus must serve. Whatever that means." Neville's chuckle was dry and disappointed.

Harry stopped, forcing his friend to do the same. "Your parents are the sleepers."

Neville pursed his lips and took a shaky breath. But his nod indicated he believed the same. "But what does Janus have to do with anything. They're already in the Janus Thickey ward." His frustration was evident.

"Come on, mate. Let's skip the games and go fence. You need to beat something up." Harry turned direction and Neville followed.

"You're volunteering?" Neville had been sparring against Krum and Harry the last few weeks, and against Krum, he'd gotten better. Harry often paid the price. Though Harry was also getting better, he couldn't approach Neville's expertise.

"Taking one for the team," Harry sighed. If he got injured, Dr. Dan would heal him up in a trice. He could do it on either side – muggle or magical.

Harry was strapping on his safety gear and stopped.

"Nev, who's the god Janus?"

Neville stopped and looked at Harry. "He's the God of transitions. He looks backward and forward."

"Or muggle and magical?" Harry's tone took on a pitch of excitement.

"What?" Neville asked, confused.

"Janus serves. Dr. Daniel Zhou – my Dr. Dan. The one who saved my life. He's a full medical on both sides. Duality. Both sides."

Neville felt a bit of shock, then, through the numbness that he'd built around his heart, he felt a tiny ray of hope.

"Janus serves…" he whispered.

"Mate, you need to write to someone you trust. Has Mr. Steppenage contacted you yet?"

"The WCS bloke? Yeah. He's the one who helped me claim my Heir ring and lock down everything from Augusta."

"You should write him, like now. Ask if he can help you get different treatment for your mum and dad. If it's bills, I'll spot you until you can pay me back. I can ask Dan tomorrow. Tonight. I can ask him tonight. On mirror."

"Harry." Neville tried to calm the excitement in his own gut, but his friend's enthusiasm was contagious. "It's not an emergency. It can wait until tomorrow."

Harry stopped and looked his friend straight in the face.

"No, Neville. It's waited long enough. I'm mirroring tonight to see what we have to do to be able to get Dan to evaluate my godmother and her husband. It's an emergency. Every second we wait is a second they sleep. They've slept long enough."

Neville looked at Harry, his eyes serious as he thought about what Harry said. Then he nodded. "You're right. I'll write to Mr. Steppenage now. Can I borrow Hedwig?"

"Yup. I'll bet she's waiting for us in the dorm right now."

Neville didn't take that bet. And when he went to bed that evening, he had a hard time falling asleep, possibilities filling his mind.

~~ scene ~~

Much to Dumbledore's voluble disappointment, Harry didn't stay at Hogwarts over break. Instead, he made his way to London, to Grimmauld place, and spent Yule with Remus and Sirius.

Remus lived in Grimmauld place with Sirius, though he had income from selling the balm, Sirius wanted his friend close. Of course, Livia practically lived at Grimmauld, also. They both were living almost normal lives under the influence of Fezziwig's new wolfsbane vaccine. They were talking wedding, and Sirius insisted they save money for their own place by forgoing rent and staying with him.

So, Harry came home to family.

"Harry!" Remus cheered as Sirius brought the boy through the door that evening.

"Hey, Remus!" Harry smiled, giving the werewolf a hug. "Hey Livia!" he nodded to the other werewolf and she smiled back.

"I've never seen the platform so deserted," Sirius proclaimed. "I think every other student 4th year and above stayed at the castle."

Harry nodded. "The clubs have been crazy popular. And there's the quidditch tourney. They'll probably get a few games in if the weather holds."

"Your team's not scheduled?" Livia asked.

"Nah. We just played on Sunday. Kicked the bums of the mostly Puff team. Bones and Abbott gave me the stink eye. Again."

Sirius tilted his head. "Amelia Bones's niece doesn't like you?"

Harry shook his head. "She and her BFF call me 'snake boy'. I'm a parselmouth, so I'm eeeeevil." Harry rolled his eyes. "I wonder if they know Master Patil is a snake speaker? Would they boycott potions?"

"How's that tutoring going, then?" Remus asked, changing the subject slightly as they all walked to the sitting room where the yule log was ready to burn and the Christmas tree was up, ready for the family to decorate.

"Oh, it's brilliant. Do you know, there's a whole branch of healing magic for snake speakers?"

Livia nodded, "It makes sense. Look at the caduceus: a snake wrapped around a staff."

"Yeah," Harry nodded enthusiastically. "When I leave Hogwarts, I'm thinking of uni and med school while. Then I'll do a healing mastery, probably in India, where there're plenty of masters who are speakers. At the same time, I can volunteer at muggle hospitals, because I'll have my certs there."

"That's a really long-term goal!" Sirius smiled. One of the things Fiona had said would show that Harry was healing was for him to actually be planning a future. When Sirius had first taken Harry, the most Harry would plan was a few weeks. Maybe a summer event. He didn't think about the future at all, as though he felt he didn't really have one.

Harry shrugged and changed the subject. "A real tree. Did you get fairy lights?"

"They're waiting to come out," Sirius acknowledged, rubbing Harry's head with affection.

Harry and Sirius had sent Dobby ahead with Harry's trunk and bag and they'd spent the time after the train haunting shops, looking for Christmas decorations and tree ornaments. They had also gotten some of Lily's ornaments from the bank storage. The group spent the early evening finishing up the decorating of the tree, listening to music on a CD player Sirius and Remus had rigged to work in a magical home, and drinking mulled wine. Daniel joined them when he got off shift, and Harry felt like his little family was complete.

They burned the Yule log at Yule and exchanged one gift. Harry had drawn a few portraits from memory of his dad for Remus and Sirius. Remus gave Harry a figurine of a Peryton and a copy of The Book of Imaginary Beings. It was an illustrated copy, and Harry knew from Luna that those were hard to find.

Sirius presented Harry with a new art box. This one has a pastoral scene carved, some willows with wyvern in it hidden amongst the scene, as well as holly and phoenix. "Steven Twig made it for you. I commissioned it. His wife designed it."

Harry had gifts for Livia and Dan, and they for him, and the exchanges and conversation almost kept Harry from wondering about Hermione dancing with Krum at the stupid ball.

He wasn't jealous, exactly. But he really hoped that he didn't lose Hermione if she really had a boyfriend now. She was so important to him.

"I'm going to talk shop for a minute, Harry," Daniel said as he sat next to his young patient. "You look healthy, but how do you feel?"

"I feel fantastic. Honestly. I mean, I have some growing pains, but that's normal, right? Healer Panakos said that when he cleared me for quidditch."

Daniel sipped at his wine. "Indeed." Apollo Panakos was an excellent healer, and Daniel was pleased with Harry's overall health. It was a success sstory in so many ways.

"I wanted to ask, though," Harry began. "Have you been able to look at Neville's parents?"

"Mmm, no." Daniel shook his head regretfully. "Mungo's is waiting on family court ruling to see if Neville can change the current treatment plans."

"Would Alice being my godmother allow me to have any sway on it?" Harry asked.

Daniel tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "It couldn't hurt. Tomorrow, we'll put together a petition to give to Steppenage to pass to family court."

"Speaking of court," Sirius said. "Our civil suit against Fudge and Umbridge is the first week of the year."

"What does Robbie think?" Harry asked.

"He thinks we have a good shot at bankrupting them. In addition, the world court is watching, since he announced the petition in the Wizarding Times."

"Someone plays dirty," Livia commented.

"Nah, he just plays to win," Sirius corrected.

The case opened January 3, as January 2 was a holiday. Harry sat in the audience with Remus while Sirius sat next to Robbie at the petitioner's table. Fudge, Umbridge, and several of their bootlickers sat at the defendants'. The Judge opened the trial with a question.

"Master Stenwick, why are Black and Potter suing Minister Fudge and Undersecretary Umbridge in civil court? This seems very much to be a legal matter."

"Sir, I will prove that the primary motivation Fudge and Umbridge attacked was money. They had plans to take the Black and Potter funds under their own control. Additionally, a good portion of their estates came from the Harry Potter books, that no one in House Potter ever gave permission to write and from which House Potter did not profit but was put in danger."

Robbie presented several pieces of evidence, including sworn affidavits from Gringotts and official Ministry documentation on the dementor orders.

The trial was short and to the point; Umbridge and Fudge both lost their estates to Black and Potter (and in the following week, they lost the rest of their lives to terms in Azkaban. After all, the cells that had for so many years held death eaters were sadly unoccupied.)

Through Robbie, Sirius made a press release. He and Harry were using the money made from the lawsuit to help heal society. They were awarding funds, through a new trust called the Lily Potter Fund to the Healers' Clinic, the Orbona Children's Home, the Eleanor Bull Home for the Elderly, and Hogwarts and St. George's schools. Harry had made the suggestions, and Sirius was very proud of him for those decisions. And Sirius wasn't the only one.

~~scene~~

When Sirius delivered Harry back to school, as break had ended the following Sunday, Dumbledore had practically accosted them at the door.

"Mr. Black Doggy, Headmastery Dumbley doors wishes you to bring Harry Potter to his office, please." The Hogwarts elf greeted the pair as they entered the castle.

Harry sighed heavily. What could the old codger want now?

"Thank you. Can you take Harry's things to his dorm?"

"Gaynor do." The little elf bowed then took Harry's bag and trunk away with a pop.

Sirius and Harry walked in silent mutual support. They were silent as they mounted the twirling steps – both knew that Dumbledore had eyes and ears everywhere in the castle.

"Sirius, Young Harry, do come in!" Dumbledore smiled beatifically over his glasses. Harry breathed deeply, doing some little meditation to help what occlumency he had. "Welcome back to Hogwarts. I trust you had a blessed Yule?"

"We did. The Yule Ball was certainly a success," Sirius conceded and Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes. Though we missed young Harry there, I do not blame you." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Few young men are willing to attempt the perils that a ball contrives to produce."

Yeah, kids his age didn't like to dance, and they also spoke in plain English, Harry thought with just a trace of bitterness.

"I don't know," Sirius confided, giving just a little. "Most of the lads my age would have put up with the dance to be able to hold a bird for a while without risking detention or points."

Dumbledore smiled both at the idea and the conversational play. It seemed that giving the pair a few months had won back some good will.

"Well," Dumbledore began again. "I wanted to say how proud I am of the fact that you are using the funds you've recently won to help others. It really shows the mettle of your character." Though he included both Sirius and Harry in the compliment, he looked only at the Boy Who Lived.

"Thanks," Harry said. He said no more.

Dumbledore lost a little of his perkiness at the dismissal. He did take some encouragement from the fact that Harry didn't seem angry, just bored. Albus couldn't know that Harry was working to remind himself that Dumbledore didn't matter. That he was nothing. And that in just a few short years, Harry could relegate the old geezer to the dustbin of the past.

"I have to unpack and get ready for classes. May I go?" Harry asked Sirius. The older man looked at the headmaster with a quirked brow.

"Of course, of course, my boy," Dumbledore said charitably.

When Harry had gone, Sirius turned back to the Headmaster. He'd thought about the interactions with the old man for months, and he needed to know why Dumbledore kept pestering Harry. "Why, when it's pretty obvious that all of Harry's enemies are now under fire, are still all up in Harry's business? He should be no different to you than any other student at this school."

Dumbledore weighed his options and decided that he needed Sirius on his side. Yes, the burning had taken out much of Tom's base. Yes, it looked as though Voldemort might be gone. But Dumbledore didn't trust looks. He'd been fooled before. "Harry is the subject of a prophecy." The admission was quiet.

"A prophecy?" This was not something Sirius had expected.

"Yes. Concerning Voldemort."

"Really?" Now the disbelief came into Sirius's tone. Everyone knew the dark bastard was done. "Well, it's done now, yeah? Prophecy should be darked out, as Voldemort is gone."

"I…" It hadn't occurred to Dumbledore to check the actual prophecy orb, though he was convinced that the war was not over. "I am uncertain."

"Check. Because that dark bastard is done. Everyone knows it. You said the name; you always do. Your magical levels were higher than the dark wank, so his curse didn't affect you. But the rest of this bloody society? You say Voldemort, they shudder from the curse. Or they used to. They don't anymore."

"That proves nothing." Dumbledore pushed the thought away.

Sirius tried another angle. "You've got a pensieve. Let me hear this prophecy."

Dumbledore believed that letting Sirius see the prophecy could be a way to get Sirius to understand the onus Dumbledore has been under. And it might convince Sirius to allow Dumbledore to have more interaction with young Harry.

Dumbledore went to the corner cabinet and pulled out his pensieve. Extracting the memory, he put it into the stone container then stepped away to allow Sirius to view it. Surely, upon hearing the prophecy, Sirius would understand the important role Harry had to play?

Sirius, though, thought differently than the headmaster. When Sirius came out of the pensive, he looked Albus straight in the eye.

"Who leaked it?" the younger man demanded.

"Excuse me?" Albus had not expected that question.

"Someone leaked this. Because, this was given in 1979? Lils was pregnant? And the entire Potter family was wiped out." Sirius remembered those times well. Lily and James went into hiding. Flea and Phe got so sick from the dragon pox, and the rest of the Potters were all slaughtered.

"That could be coincidence," Dumbledore demurred.

"You know it wasn't." The accusation was cold and clear.

"You believe the prophecy?" Dumbledore felt somewhat vindicated.

"No, but someone did." Sirius's tone was cold and deadly. "You need to check to make sure it's done. When you see that it is, you should absolutely make sure that word gets out. Harry deserves to be freed from this burden that was put on him before he was even born."

Dumbledore eventually, after many days of doubt and second guessing himself, took the time to go to the hall of prophecy. He saw that the prophecy sphere was indeed black, indicating it was a fulfilled prophecy. What would the power he knows not have been? Dumbledore had a puzzle he wanted to figure out. But the salient point was that the prophecy had been fulfilled.

And it hadn't needed Dumbledore's hand, at all.

~~scene~~

Hermione had seen Harry come back with Sirius. She had been waiting for him. And then, she saw the Hogwarts elf approach and the pair move toward the Headmaster's office. Not five minutes later, Harry came back out, alone.

"Harry! Happy Christmas!" Hermione's greeting put a huge smile on Harry's face. They hugged, having missed each other the past few weeks.

"To you, too! Did you have a good time at the dance?"

Hermione's eyes lit with a smile. "I did. But are you okay? I saw where you just came from…" She left off how often Dumbledore made Harry furious.

Harry sighed. "He doesn't make me mad anymore, just tired."

They started walking back toward Gryffindor tower together.

"So, why didn't you stay over break? I can't believe you couldn't get a date for the ball." Hermione was worried that Harry was feeling lost. He was so isolated because of the PotterSpotters, and she'd been busy spending time with others… with Viktor.

Seeing the dreamy look come over her face, Harry felt a little lost. He would have taken Hermione to the dance – he'd have learned to dance for her. But she had someone else now. He only hoped that she wouldn't be the kind of girl to throw over her friends now that she had a bloke.

The prospect of Hogwarts without Hermione right next to him was bleak. Harry sighed.

"You know, having a family is so new to me that I wanted to have a real Christmas. And it was everything I ever wanted. I spent it with Sirius and Daniel and Remus and Livia. The Tonks family came over a few times, and so did Robbie and Astrid. It was great."

"And you got Fudge and Umbridge put behind bars for their evil acts with the dementors. That had to be one of the best presents of all." Hermione reached out and squeezed his hand as they walked.

"It was," Harry smiled. "Now, tell me about the dance. Did Creepy take pictures? I figure since I wasn't there, he might have actually used other people for his targets."

"He did. I got a great picture of Viktor and I – gave him a copy of it and sent one to my mum and dad. Ron and Katie looked great and I think they might start dating. How she can put up with him, I'm not sure…"

Harry could hear the ire in her voice. "Uh-oh. What's he done now?"

"Ron got really weird about me going to the dance with Viktor. It's not like he was jealous, because…well… Katie! But he still got all up in Viktor's business and was rude and mean."

Harry sighed, shaking his head. "I had a feeling he would. Look, that's just how Ron – and the twins, come to think of it – treated Dean when they found out he was escorting Ginny. Remember how they started talking about testing new products and looked at Dean, hard? I thought he would throw up before the house monitor interceded."

Hermione chuckled, but there was an edge to it. "You're saying he sees me as a sister now?"

"Maybe?" Harry answered warily.

"And he thinks I need him to protect me from people who would date me?" Her steps had slowed, forcing Harry to slow also. She stopped and turned to look at him, her expression grim.

Recognizing he was on thin ice at that point, Harry's answer was shakier. "Maybe?"

"What about you?" Hermione demanded.

Did he think of her as a sister? He wasn't choosing to answer that. Still, his eyes held hers solemnly.

"Hermione, I saw you punch Malfoy last year. I will never think that you can't take care of yourself."

Her satisfied smile and loosening posture showed he'd got the right answer this time.

"But I think you also know if you ever needed me to do anything, all you'd have to do was look uncomfortable, I hope. I hope you never have to ask. Because I've never had to ask you, and you've helped me, just by being you."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears and Harry thought he'd mucked it up again. But she hugged him, hard, and he knew, just knew, he had another memory for a patronus.