Chapter Text
Chapter XXVIII: Hogwarts Reborn.
It was several days before the new curriculum was properly put into effect, and everyone settled into the new format for the ancient school. Every lesson was now related to battle preparation for those above the fourth year, the lower three were however taught purely theoretical, owing to the demand to focus on training those of age. House boundaries were almost entirely forgotten, as many classes now included Veela and adults in their numbers.
Harry spent a week in near constant meetings with the Order, the Ministry, the teachers or the Veela, Centaurs and Goblins, each discussing and revaluating potential strategies and scenarios for the upcoming battle, which now seemed closer than ever. The Ministry needed information to relay to the Muggle and Magical communities, the triumvirate of magical creatures discussed their role, and made the necessary requests. Harry instructed the teachers to make sure that everyone could stand up to a full-grown death eater at the minimum, and the Order acted as his informants on what was happening in the enemy's ranks. However, nearly two weeks into January, the day finally came.
"Master!" Cissa yelled, waking Harry from his sleep. "Mistress' water broke!"
"Where is she?" Harry asked, sitting bolt upright at the news.
"Hospital Wing, under heavy guard" Tonks said, throwing him a change of clothes, "we won't let her be taken." Harry quickly changed, before focusing on being at his fiancée's side.
"Harry!" Hermione breathed, her hand quickly clasping his.
"You again!" the midwife scowled. "Can't keep your cock in your pants?" Harry recognised seven St Mungos midwives gathered around Hermione.
"I will not take such insults at a time like this!" Harry snarled, staring through the rude midwife.
"Harry! Don't start a war whilst I'm in labour!" Hermione screamed, as her contractions had begun. "This day is too important for petty squabbles!"
"What's so special about this baby?" the rude midwife asked indignantly.
"First child of all four Founders," Harry stated.
"Children!" Hermione screamed again, as another contraction hit.
Something twinged in Harry's mind, he felt incredibly uncomfortable, and not just because Hermione was crushing his hand.
"Where's Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked, looking around the otherwise empty hospital wing.
"She's been… she's indisposed at the moment" the midwife said calmly. "She called us, before attending to other, more important matters."
Harry smelled a lie, and subtly slid the wand Dumbledore had given him, into his hand.
"Shouldn't you roll up your sleeves?" Harry asked calmly, gently releasing himself from Hermione's iron grip, and standing slightly back from them.
"No, silly boy," the midwife chuckled. Harry acted quickly, and on instinct.
"Mione, hold on!" Harry said, before firing several spells at the lead midwife, as well as a protective bubble around Hermione.
"Clever boy!" the midwives mocked, their midwifery gowns shifting to reveal their death eater robes.
"How'd you get past the enchantments?" Harry asked, as he began to duel the seven midwives all at the same time, his new wand seeming to have a mind of its own.
"A simple trick," one of them chuckled. "We'll bring your unconscious body to our lord, and he'll reward us well."
"I'm still standing, so that won't be happening," Harry said slyly. "I've faced far worse than seven dusty old women!"
"We outnumber and outmatch your lone skills, we will win," the lead smiled, stepping forward to press her advantage. "And we're far from normal old women!"
Harry let one of their spells hit him, feeling the Crucio curse surge through him momentarily, before sending it through the link, but not to Hermione. Moments later twenty three witches appeared in the room, wands drawn and immediately engaged the now outnumbered midwives. As Order members hurried through the main doors, the midwives quickly found themselves surrounded, outnumbered and with no means of escape.
"Curse your whore's link!" the lead midwife screamed, as her companions were quickly knocked out.
She tried to apparate away, but failed. She lunged for Hermione, who hit her with a full body-bind curse, and watched as she collapsed to the floor.
"How the bloody hell did they get past the barrier?" Moody growled, as the other Order members tied the death eaters up, and dragged them from the room, except for the lead, who was strapped to an empty bed.
"What happened?" Pomfrey asked, as she stumbled in from the supply closet.
"Death eaters disguised as midwives, take care of Hermione!" Sirius said quickly, as Harry's harem flocked to Hermione's side. Harry's attention was on the death eater midwife.
"Got any veritaserum?" Harry asked Pomfrey as she bustled to his fiancée, she shook her head, and Moody laughed heartily.
"I've got a vial, let's get some answers" Moody chuckled, hobbling over to the restrained death eater, and poured the clear liquid down her throat.
"Bastard!" she cursed, before the potion took effect.
"Lord Potter, it's your castle, it's your fiancée who was attacked, so it's your interrogation" Moody stated, and Harry smiled.
"How'd you get into the grounds?" Harry immediately asked.
"With the rest of my people, who you didn't scan" she laughed.
"Veela?" Harry breathed, and she managed to nod. "What's your name?"
"Alcyone, leader of the seven sisters" she said proudly.
"You're one of the Pleiades from our early days!" Hippolyta yelled angrily, as she seemed to fly across the room. "You were tasked with warding off evil, not encouraging it!"
"I am doing my duty!" Alcyone spat. "This false utopia is evil! The so-called 'Dark Lord' will usher in a true Eden, and end the spread of evil." Hippolyta scowled and before she lashed out, Harry stopped her.
"She's not worth it" Harry said, he saw the unbridled fury in her eyes. "She has lost herself to madness."
"How can you be sure?" Hippolyta growled at him, lowering her hand.
"She's under Veritaserum, she can't lie," Moody informed her.
"If she's blind enough to see Voldemort as 'good', then there is little hope for her," Harry said softly.
"I trust your judgement Lord Potter, I will speak to her sisters, maybe I can help them see the light again," Hippolyta smiled.
"You're blind Queen Hippolyta! Blind to his guiding light!" Alcyone yelled, as Hippolyta glided from the room.
"There is no light in death, I have been reborn enough to know that better than most," Hippolyta said, her voice carrying across the room.
"Are there any other spies inside the castle?" Sirius asked the bound dark Veela, who laughed.
"Spies?" she laughed. "No spies, just believers in the true master!" Harry looked at her, and then withdrew his wand, making her tense at the sight. "No! It cannot be!"
"What are you yelling about?" Sirius asked slapping the insane Veela.
"He has what he has no right to! Only our master is more worthy of such a weapon!" Alcyone screamed. "Surrender it to him at once!"
"What are you raving about?" Moody growled.
"The false lord has the Death Stick! He has a Hallow!" she yelled, Sirius and Moody both looked at the wand, then at Harry.
"Please explain" Harry asked the Order members, before silencing Alcyone with a knockout blow.
"Harry!" Hermione yelled, getting his attention again.
"Master, come quick!" Rosie yelled, as Luna hurried over to him, and dragged him toward the panting, sweating Hermione.
"What's happening?" Harry asked, as Hermione secured her grip on his hand.
"She's about to give birth!" Pomfrey quickly said, "Ladies help me deliver!"
Harry watched as they bustled to help deliver the twins, his gaze was then drawn over their heads, where he saw the faint outlines of the Founder's ghosts.
"Harry!" Hermione screamed, drawing his attention back to her.
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The births were fairly intense for all involved, especially Harry, who hadn't been present at the births of his other children, but he had to be there for his fiancée, or he'd have never heard the end of it.
"Oh Harry, they're beautiful." Hermione breathed, as she held her new-born son and daughter in her arms, Harry brushing the sweat-stained hair from her face.
"Like their mother" Harry said softly, before kissing her temple.
"What about their names?" Lavender asked, brandishing the parchment with the children's names.
"Isn't it obvious," Hermione chuckled. "They're descended from all four Founders, so they should have their names."
"Godric Salazar Potter, and Rowena Helga Potter." Harry smiled, and Hermione nodded in agreement.
"We are honoured by the dedication descendant" Godric said proudly, as the four Founders' ghosts appeared in the throng of witches, gathered around Hermione's bed.
"Even if the order isn't entirely desirable," Salazar muttered aloud.
"I like it," Helga chuckled.
"Certainly memorable and unique names," Rowena added. "I wouldn't think that anything else would suit them."
"Then that's what they'll be called," Hermione smiled. "Godric Salazar," she emphasized this by kissing her son's forehead. "And Rowena Helga," she kissed her daughter's head.
"Now ladies, I think that Miss Granger Ravenclaw needs some rest," Madam Pomfrey said, ushering them away from the bed.
Harry gave Hermione a fleeting, yet passionate kiss, before he bumped into a familiar Veela.
"Circe! What are you doing here?" Harry asked, as the elder Veela, whose gaze was fixed on the new-born babies.
"My queen wishes to speak with you," Circe stated flatly. "Do you also want me to test your children's blood?"
"What?" Hermione exclaimed, holding her children close to her chest.
"Be gentle," Harry stated. "Hermione, it'll be alright."
Circe gently prodded the infant's mouths with her index fingers, gathering a tiny amount of saliva, before bringing it to her own mouth and tasting it. The moment her lips closed around her fingers, her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked from Harry, to Hermione, to the two babies.
"What is it?" Harry asked immediately, as he had a rough understanding of what Circe could tell from DNA.
"Your children, are perhaps the strongest essences I've ever tasted." Circe breathed.
"What about the percentages?" Harry pressed.
"Both are half Veela, half human, but with several magical traits that will come naturally to them." Circe stated, before dashing from the room.
"How can they be half Veela?" Hermione quickly asked, allowing Pomfrey to put them in their individual cots beside her bed.
"I'll explain later, for now rest." Harry said softly, before kissing her again, and quickly walking out of the room.
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He found Hippolyta at the top of the Owlery, where she seemed to be communing with the Owls.
"Hello my lord," Hippolyta said softly, Harry could see tear tracks on her elegant face; she was caressing a Snow Owl that he recognised as Hedwig. "I came here, to take comfort among equals."
"Hedwig seems to like you," Harry chuckled, as he watched Hedwig purring at the Veela queen's touch. "I knew Veela were bird-like, I didn't realise…"
"Please remember I owe my immortality to birds," Hippolyta chuckled. "But all creatures are equal in my eyes; the food chain exists to keep things in balance."
"You okay?" Harry asked, kneeling beside her, and smiling as Hedwig bustled closer to him. "This because of Alcyone?"
"Yeah," Hippolyta sighed. "Her, and her sisters."
"Tell me about it," Harry said warmly, and Hippolyta chuckled. "No I mean literally, tell me about her and her sisters."
"Oh!" Hippolyta blushed, she stopped caressing Hedwig who stretched her wings and took off. "Where do I begin?"
"How'd they get their immortality? Was it the same reason as yours?" Harry asked, putting an arm around her and comforting her.
"No, they were blessed." Hippolyta smiled weakly. "As the Greek myths say, they helped found some of the major poleis, and... I don't remember the rest, but I do remember that it's not permanent."
"And this change in their views?" Harry followed up his line of questioning.
"I don't know, and that's what worries me" Hippolyta said, quickly getting to her feet and walking to the window, where the Veela nest was visible on the edge of the forest. "And what's worse is I do not know if they're alone in their views."
"Can't you publically confront them?" Harry asked, as if it were the most obvious solution in the world.
"They have friends, family, and likely, supporters among my people," Hippolyta listed. "A public confrontation could split my people at this vital time."
"But, wouldn't leaving it until the battle make it worse, if there are other traitors among your people." Harry asked, feeling he needed to support the queen in her hour of need. "If they turn on us, during the battle, it'll have far greater ramifications than if you confront the threat now. Plus, if they are outed as traitors, any support will vanish if they are punished properly."
"I don't know, I guess I best deal with this problem as soon as possible," Hippolyta breathed. "Where are they?"
"Alcyone is imprisoned in the dark tower; her sisters are in the dungeons." Harry stated, having overheard where Moody and Remus had caged them. "All are under constant surveillance."
"Think they'll allow us to drag Alcyone down to the nest for judgement?" Hippolyta smiled cruelly. "Obviously she'll be restrained, and preferably gagged."
"We'll see," Harry chuckled, taking her hand and leading her out of the Owlery.
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"You can't be serious?" Moody said gruffly, as he stood between Harry, Hippolyta and Alcyone's cell.
"What's better than one Veela, angry because the enemy influenced her people, than the whole nest, angry for the same reason." Harry grinned. "Surely you've seen what happens when Veela get angry, imagine that rage, made personal, and focused on the death eaters." Moody grinned.
"Alright Potter, but she's not being unchained, and for everyone's sake, she'll be silenced." Moody stated, unlocking the door, and levitating the unconscious Alcyone out of the cell.
He cast several binding spells on the unconscious Veela, and followed Hippolyta and Harry from the tower.
'Get the Centaur to guard the Veela nest, having the traitors in the open may cause problems.' Harry sent over the link. 'Fleur, see if you can get some extra help in guarding them, whilst their on trial.'
'From where?' Fleur asked.
'You know where,' Harry chuckled. 'The only place left that isn't on our side, yet.'
'Yes master' Fleur said warmly, understanding his sly reference. 'I'm sure Luna can help me with them.'
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"What are we doing down here?" Gabrielle asked, as she, Fleur and Luna approached the edge of the lake.
"Getting help for the Veela trial." Fleur said simply. "From the one creature in the grounds of Hogwarts, that isn't currently on our master's side."
"And how do we get their attention, the lake is very large, and extremely deep," Gabrielle commented, as she and her sister stopped by the water's edge, and Luna waded in.
"Leave that to me," Luna said brightly, before dipping her head under the water.
"Of course, Luna can speak Mermish," Fleur sighed, as she heard a faint singing under the water.
Minutes passed, before Luna returned to the water's edge, and several figures swam, just under the surface, toward them.
"Follow me," Luna said softly, gesturing toward the water.
As their heads slipped under the water, Fleur cast bubblehead charms on them, so they could breathe, as the merpeople stopped a short distance away. Their leader was seven feet tall, from the crown on her head, to her long, fishlike tail, and was clad in rusted chain armour. Her hair was fiery yellow, to match her intense stare and yellow teeth, which all contrasted with her slime green skin.
"What do you want land-dwellers?" the leader said fiercely. "Why do you summon Murcus, chieftainess of the Dark Lake Merpeople?"
"We come representing the interests of the Lord of Hogwarts Castle, and its grounds." Luna said, as she, Gabrielle and Fleur treaded water. "He requests your aid in a delicate matter."
"We answer to no 'Lord of Hogwarts'!" Murcus snarled.
"He does not command you to help, he requests your aid" Fleur said quickly. "My people are in a moment of crisis, and he would like you to help."
"Your people?" Murcus tilted her head.
"Veela." Fleur stated. "The Lord has permitted my queen and her matriarchs, to settle in the Dark Forest." Murcus seemed stunned by this. "Is something wrong?"
"Your people were stories told to me when I was younger," Murcus said softly. "A relation of the Sirens, my kin, whom were lost to us centuries ago." Murcus looked at her escort, and signalled for them to lower their tridents. "It's an honour to finally meet a Veela." Fleur and Gabrielle blushed.
"The Lord of Hogwarts is three-quarters Veela, and has brought the Veela Queen, Goblin King, and Centaur Chieftain, in an alliance against the dark lord." Fleur said quickly. "He requests your aid, in the trial of seven traitorous Veela."
"We know of this 'Voldemort', and the threat to all magical creatures," Murcus hissed. "If he has dared influence the kin of my kin, we will not stand back any longer."
"Thank you Murcus, I'll make sure the Lord of Hogwarts knows…" Luna began, but Murcus had more to say.
"Tell the Lord of Hogwarts, that if he wants our help, this trial will need to be at the water's edge," Murcus snarled. "We cannot set foot on land."
"Understood." Gabrielle said quickly.
"I'll call to you from the trial's location." Luna added.
"I'll ensure you and the Lord have an audience together." Fleur finished, Murcus smiled.
"This Lord, who is he to the one called Dumbledore?" Murcus asked.
"They're sort of equals." Fleur said. "Dumbledore is Headmaster of the School, and the Lord owns the grounds, castle, and Hogsmeade by ancient right."
"I look forward to meeting this Lord, and the Queen of your people," Murcus smiled, extending a webbed hand, which Fleur cautiously shook. "Farewell."
With that Murcus and her escort turned and swam away. Fleur, Gabrielle and Luna returned to the shore, and quickly dried themselves off.
"That went well," Gabrielle smiled. "They don't seem quite so scary when you get to know them."
"It was only the mention of 'Veela' that helped us Silver," Fleur stated.
'Master, they'll help with the trial.' Luna said over their link. 'But it needs to be near the edge of the water.'
'Understood, come to me.' Harry responded.
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Fleur, Gabby and Luna, appeared at Harry's side, as they entered the Veela nest. Harry saw the Veela giving them strange looks, with Moody getting the strangest stares.
"My queen, why is Alcyone in chains?" a Veela asked, nervously approaching them.
"Why are the humans here?" another asked.
"My sisters, gather at the lake's edge, there is a matter we must address." Hippolyta said grimly.
The Veela swarmed to the small inlet of the lake, where Harry had fought off a hundred dementors two years before, Luna sprinted ahead and dived into the water.
"What is she doing?" Hippolyta asked, as she and Harry stopped on the shore.
"Calling for support" Harry stated. "Alastor, levitate her over the water, I believe the natives have a solution for us." Moody saw the fins of merpeople approaching and understood.
"Here ya go" he grunted, as Alcyone's unconscious form floated over the surface of the water, a watery cage formed around her.
'Ladies, bring the other sisters of Alcyone to Luna,' Harry instructed.
Moments later all seven sisters were caged in watery cells, and the inlet was surrounded by Veela, with the Centaur patrolling the perimeter.
"Greetings Harry," Firenze greeted Harry, as he galloped to the small peninsula of land, where Harry, Hippolyta, Fleur, Gabrielle and Luna were standing. "Thank you for including us in this important matter."
"This betrayal affects everyone in the ground of Hogwarts," Harry said simply. "An example needs to be set, and the many creatures united against that which will mean you harm."
Their conversation was interrupted by a pillar of fire appearing beside them, which quickly shifted to reveal Dumbledore, and a pillar of water erupted from the inlet, with Murcus encased safely within.
"I believe that's everyone." Harry stated, but was quickly corrected, when the far bank of Veela split, revealing a large group of Acromantula."
"Do not forget us, we may be divided, but we call this forest home," the spiders stated.
"Very well," Hippolyta said clearing her throat. "Let the trial of Alcyone and her sisters begin."