Chapter Text

Code Vein

For as long as he could remember, Harry dreamt of a mother with platinum silver hair and glowing blue eyes. These dreams only happened when his relatives had been especially harsh or neglectful. Something that he occasionally deliberately provoked when he hadn’t seen her for too long. She was dead, she freely told him that when he asked during a particularly long visit after he’d got onto the roof of the school without permission. From her he learnt all about math, science, reasoning, and her own language and literature. Reluctantly, she also taught him about revenants, the great collapse, and the importance of blood.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

A 10-year-old Harry looks up from the work he’s doing, “Mum?”

Cruz Silva looks over at the foundling who visits occasionally, “Yes Harry?”

“If you’re dead, how can I still visit you?”

“My body is still alive, though it’s now driven by a parasite, code named BOR. I have been unable to pass on because of this. When you come here, you are always very close to death. I still remember the first time you came, a babe barely able to walk. I had to feed you then, and you visited almost every night.”

“What does BOR stand for?”

“Biological Organ Regenerative, my father helped develop it during the great collapse.” – Cruz’s eyes unfocus – “Our world was invaded by beings from beyond our dimension. I was a child at the time, and I remember how everything fell to ruin so quickly, like a house of cards with it’s support cut. Air and Sea travel became hazardous once you left sight of land, where the invaders prowled the world. Occasionally they would come ashore around the world and seed monsters, the news showed that these monsters were all but immune to conventional weapons. We were moved by the government to a city with a lot of other scientists and they bio-engineered an existing parasite that created zombies in order to make it work faster and more resiliently. But that’s enough from me, show me your homework.”

Harry looks up at her, his green eyes glowing for a second, before he hands over the tablet with the exercises she’d given him completed.

“Well done, I can see that you understand the concept so we’ll move on next time. Don’t forget to eat your fruit.” Cruz holds out a blood fruit to Harry and shakes her head sadly at the slight hint of fang when Harry takes and drinks it.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 A couple of weeks after his 11^th birthday, Harry again visits his mother, “Hi Mum, I’m a wizard.”

Cruz just raises an eyebrow, “Oh?”

“Apparently, my birth parents didn’t die in a car crash. Hagrid, he’s a massive man easily as tall as the ceiling at my relatives home, he brought me my letter for a school called Hogwarts.”

Cruz nods seriously, “I see, and what did your relatives do to you this time?”

Harry smiles widely, his eyes glowing with Misama, “Absolutely nothing, now I know magic is real I figured it must be magic that kept bringing me here.” Frowning he continues, “It still took me most of a week to do it.”

“No frowning, you did it that’s what’s important. It took you longer than that to understand Hammurabi’s theorem.”

“I know Mum, but I wanted to be able to see you whenever I wanted, not just when things were rough.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Cruz looks down at the wrapped package with a confused expression, it was apparently a celebration called Christmas and Harry had found a way to bring her a present. Carefully unwrapping the present, she takes out a couple of books, a photo that moves without any sign of technology, and a sealed pot of ink, a quill, and a large stack of parchment.

She looks up at Harry and opens her arms, “Thank you Harry, how did you manage this?”

Harry hurries over and then settles into her lap, “I wanted to. I’ve never been able to give you anything, but you’ve given me so much.”

“Silly boy, you’ve already given me so much just by visiting.”

“Mum, what happens if I don’t want to be a boy?”

“Then you’d be a silly girl that’s already given me so much just by visiting.”

“That might be nice. I wish I didn’t have to leave.”

“What about your friends?”

Harry sighs, “Hermione’s great, but she remembers stuff rather than knowing it. I mean, what’s the point in knowing the exact wording that was used in a theory if you don’t actually understand why that theory exists.”

“Harry, some people learn by doing, others by reading, others by thinking, and any of a multitude of different ways. You are a very creative person, this means that you need to know the boundaries and limits and you then colour in your own space. You seemed to learn best when I gave you the basic grounding in things and then you had to work out the applications yourself. It’s likely that your friend is more structured than that. What about your other friends?”

“Actually, she’s the only one that I’d really call a friend.”

“What about Ron?”

Harry shakes his head, “He’s alright, but he treats me like some sort of prize or possession. I didn’t really notice before Halloween, but since then Hermione’s opened up a bit, and he also trapped me in a proposed duel. Not that it was a duel, we ended up running from the caretaker and finding a 3 headed dog. Neville is a better friend than Ron is, and the only time I ever get to talk to him is in Herbology when he relaxes. However, I think Ron’s a fun guy to be around, just don’t trust him as a friend as all he wants to do is goof off. Oh, would you mind if I did my homework here?”

Cruz laughs, “As long as it doesn’t interfere with your mundane studies.”

“Thanks Mum, and thanks for looking after me.”

“You are my child, and I do what I do out of love. Same as I agreed to go through Q.U.E.E.N for my father, because I loved him.”

“What happened to him?”

“He’s dead, my body killed him.”

“Oh, sorry to hear that.”

“It’s ok, it happened decades ago.” Opening one of the books she shakes her head, “What language are these books written in?”

“English.”

“Huh, I guess you’ll be teaching me to speak the English of your world then.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry appears in front of Cruz beaten and bloody, so she quickly hurries over and pulls out a blood fruit before forcing it down their throat. As the fruit enters their system, their eyes flicker open, “Hi Mum, sorry to drop by like this.”

“Oh Harry, what have you done?”

Harry coughs and spits out some blood, “I killed Professor Quirrell and stopped Voldemort from getting the philosopher’s stone. Here, can you look after it for me please?”

“Shouldn’t you take it back with you?”

“Voldemort isn’t dead, and there’s nowhere safe from him there.”

“Harry, you need to find somewhere else to be, as you’re vulnerable when you come here, and if he’s hunting you, you could be killed while visiting.”

“I can’t Mum, you know that, I’m still a child.”

“Oh my dear child, if I could I’d spirit you away to the Union and find a magic school over there.”

Harry laughs weakly, “It’s the United States here mum, you know that.”

“Of course, silly me. Still, I’m going to teach you how we made mistle, as I don’t trust that you won’t need it before long.”

Harry coughs again, a mixture of phlegm and blood this time as his lungs continue to heal, “Thanks Mum, you’re the best.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry blinks as he wakes up in the Hospital wing, sitting nearby is the headmaster, “Harry my boy, I’m glad to see that you’re awake.”

Harry frowns, “Why wouldn’t I be awake?”

“You took a bludgeoning curse to the chest, something that has killed many others. Ah, but you are young so your magic was still flexible enough to help.”

Looking around he notices all the cards and gifts, “What are these?”

“Ah, well we were trying to keep your escapades secret, so naturally the whole school knows.”

Harry turns his gaze to the headmaster, and his eyes glow with light, “What do they know?”

“Why, that you went through the 3^rd floor corridor of course.”

“I see. Headmaster, can I stay here over the summer?”

“I’m afraid not Harry, you must return to your home and your family.”

“Why?”

“Because your mother laid a set of protections on you as a baby, and only living with your blood relatives will keep them going.”

After a few minutes of conversation, the headmaster makes his excuses and leaves. As soon as he’s out the door, Hermione rushes in followed by Ron, “Harry, you’re ok!”

Harry smiles at Hermione, “I am, thank you, what about you and Neville?”

“I’m fine, you know that. I’m not the one that faced a dark wizard. We got our exam results, I’ve got yours here.”

Harry smiles at the way Hermione bounces excitedly as he opens the folded parchment, “O’s in everything except potions and history. Though I have a note on my Astronomy that I need to use the Latin names for constellations rather than Indian names.”

Hermione huffs, “How did you do so well when I hardly ever see you studying?”

Harry laughs, “If by hardly ever, you mean an hour an evening, then it’s because we think differently.”

Ron grouches, “Yeah, think differently. At least you know how to have fun.”

Harry shakes his head in disappointment, “And that is why you’re just a mate while Hermione is a friend. Hermione, think about it this way, can you describe a creature that’s a cross between an elephant and a kangaroo?”

“What? No! There’s no such thing.”

“Imagine one then?”

“Well, erm.”

“How about a platypus?”

“Oh, that’s easy, it looks like a creature that was made by committee, it’s a mammal that lays eggs like a reptile, has a bill like a bird, and venomous claws like a snake or scorpion…”

Harry holds up a hand, “See, this is the difference, I could describe or draw the first one, but I know where to find the information I need about a platypus. You on the other hand remember those facts, but find imagination and creativity harder.”

Ron scowls, “Hey, what about me?”

Harry shakes his head, “You’re a lazy slob who is only interested in chess. If it wasn’t for us you wouldn’t have done any studying at all. Hey, Hermione could I get your telephone number, and maybe address?”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Cruz sighs and puts a piece of paper in the book she’s struggling through as Harry appears holding a struggling humanoid, “What have you done this time Harry?”

Harry lets the humanoid go, as it starts looking around in confusion, “This is Dobby apparently, he doesn’t want me to return to school next term.”

The now named Dobby startles and begins wringing the dirty tea towel that he’s wearing, “The Great Harry Potter mustn’t go back to Hogwarts, there is great danger there.”

Cruz shakes her head, “What danger is there for my child?”

“Dobby can’t say, bad master has forbidden it.”

“Then what about his friends?”

“Friends who don’t even write?”

Harry looks confused, “Why would Hermione write? I’ve spoken to her a couple of times over the phone, and she’s in France at the moment, I got a postcard the other day.”

Dobby looks like the world’s just stopped making sense, “But Dobby has been catching all your mail”

Harry just looks relieved, “Oh, great, thanks for that. I dread to think what Vernon would have been like if an owl turned up to deliver post. He has enough trouble with Hedwig. Oh, hang on, if I brought you here I can bring Hedwig here.”

As Harry vanishes, Cruz looks at the distraught Dobby, “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what manner of being are you?”

“Dobby is a house elf miss…”

“I see, and what is a house elf?”

“House elves are like Dobby.”

“Ah, I mean things like do you go to school, have jobs, earn money, use wands, that sort of thing.”

“Oh, noes, Dobby just have jobs to do. Dobby is a good elf and doesn’t take money.”

“What about school and wands?”

“Elves learn from other elves and no need wands. We use wish magic.”

“I see, and how did you come to be in my son’s bedroom?”

“Dobby elf popped there.”

Harry reappears with Hedwig on his shoulder, “Sorry for taking so long, I had to dismantle Hedwig’s cage as Vernon had locked it. Oh, and Dobby, you’re currently passed out on my bed. I might be keeping you here until Vernon’s guests leave, but there’s no reason you body can’t be comfortable.”

Dobby bounces in excitement, “The great Harry Potter cares about Dobby’s comfort. Dobby isn’t worthy of such comforts and will iron his fingers when he gets home.”

Harry kneels down in front of Dobby as Hedwig takes flight, “Dobby, as one servant to another, you are always worthy of comfort and decency.”

“How can the Great Harry Potter be so kind, even when Dobby was going to get him in trouble with the Ministry.”

Cruz shakes her head, “I have taught Harry better than that. Now, before I will let Harry return you to the living world, you will promise me that you will not do anything to get Harry in trouble with the ministry before they have boarded the train.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry stands beside the bed where they’ve put Hermione, still crouched down holding her mirror at an angle, even though they’ve laid her on her back. Coming to a decision, he pulls up a chair and sits beside her before laying his head down as he grasps her hand. Searching for the same feeling he gets when he takes Hedwig to see his mother and stretch her wings, it takes him nearly 15 minutes to find her presence and get a good grasp on it.

Hermione pulls in a deep breath and stumbles backwards for a moment before she registers the different surroundings, “Harry! Run, it’s a Basilisk.”

Harry carefully pulls Hermione into a hug, “It’s ok, it can’t find you here. I’d like you to meet my mum, Cruz. Mum, this is my friend Hermione Granger.”

Hermione looks over, “Pleased to meet you Mrs Potter.”

Cruz laughs, “No child, I’m not their birth mother, I’m Cruz Silva. Harry found their way here as a toddler, and I’ve been looking after them and teaching them whenever they make it here.”

Hermione frowns as she works her way through the sentence, “Is there more than one person?”

Cruz laughs while Harry looks confused, “No Hermione, Harry once asked me what would happen if they didn’t want to be a boy. Since then, I’ve referred to them using the English gender-neutral pronouns. When Harry’s ready, they’ll let me know who they are, and I’ll start using their pronouns.”

Harry gapes, “You remember that?”

Cruz gets up and ruffles Harry’s hair before drawing them into a hug, “Of course I did, you’re my child.”

While they’re sharing a hug, Hermione manages to get her thoughts into some sort of order and the fact that she’s no longer in Hogwarts becomes clearer in focus, “Ah, I’m sorry to interrupt, but where are we?”

Cruz breaks the hug and turns to face Hermione while Harry dries their eyes, “We don’t know. What we do know is that only souls or spirits and non-living things can come here. Not even plants can be brought here, though pots and dirt can. Apparently it’s very useful when you’re repotting flowers. Also, what happens here is reflected in the waking world. Harry comes here most nights to do his home work and mundane studies.”

Hermione rounds on Harry, “So that’s why you’re always going to bed early.”

Harry smiles sheepishly, “Guilty as charged. I’ve been keeping my books and things here after some money went missing during first year.”

“I want to read your notes so that I don’t fall behind.”

Harry is about to agree when Cruz interrupts, “Miss Granger, would you care to rephrase that.”

Hermione swallows, “Sorry Harry, would I be able to read your notes so that I don’t fall behind please?”

“Sure, not sure you’ll be able to read them though.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

Harry just starts to laugh while Cruz explains, “I don’t actually speak the same language as you, though it’s called English. Much the same as they language spoken in the Union and Confederacy is English but bears only superficial relationships with English English. From what I can tell, the biggest difference in the language development was that the Library of Alexandria was never burnt down in my world. As such, the written language borrows more from cuneiform and hieroglyphs than it does from roman letters. Equally, there was no Christianity, so Gaelic and Norse are still common languages. As I have been Harry’s main teacher growing up, I taught them in my own language rather than the language they taught at school.”

Harry shakes their head, “I’m going to head back before someone tries to wake me, I’ll see you both tonight. I figure that you’re better off here than laying in the hospital bed as a statue.”

“Thank you Harry, I think I appreciate that.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Hermione screams as Harry appears holding a sword, and covered with cuts and abrasions, a massive tooth sticking out of their back where their kidneys should be. Cruz hurries over and pulls the tooth out without care, even as she pulls a blood fruit out from somewhere and feeds it to Harry. Hermione looks aghast as black veins bulge taut against Harry’s skin, and their back arches in agony.

When the blood doesn’t seem to do anything, Cruz looks down at her child sadly, “Harry, you’re dying and there’s only one way I can save you.”

Even as Hermione collapses to the floor and starts crying, Harry reaches up and touches his mothers cheek, “I love you, and I trust you. Give me a BOR parasite.”

Standing up, Cruz steels herself as she draws a wickedly sharp sabre. Taking a deep breath she brings it down in a precise arc that cleaves through Harry’s ribs as though they were made from paper. Immediately heart-blood and ichor begin to fountain out of the small incision she made in the heart. Stabbing the sword into her own heart, she pulls out a parasite and weakly drops it into Harry’s heart, where it immediately burrows in, and starts to connect to the chambers. Suddenly, the wound starts healing rapidly. As the wound on the heart seals over, Harry bursts into golden motes before recoalescing into a young woman with long straight white hair, and features that look like Cruz’s even though the nose is definitely Potter. Of course, there’s still the scar just above her eye. A moment later her killing curse green eyes open, glowing from the ichor flowing through her veins.

Harry smiles, over at her mother, who’s wound has already healed, “Thank you, and I guess I’m your daughter now. Can I have a blood fruit and the philosophers stone please?”

“Are you sure? Remember, it was the Mistle that broke me.”

Harry smiles, showing fang, “Oh, I’m sure. It just has to be linked to a soul, and Tom is trying to steal someone elses.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 In the Chamber of Secrets, Tom looks dispassionately at the dead basilisk, and the dying Harry Potter lying on the floor in front of its mouth. With a shake of his head, he turns his attention back to the girl and his connection to her. Because of this he misses the tooth in the back of the body disappear, as well as the massive rent opening up on the chest. The mournful song of the Phoenix barely moves him, as it cries desperately into Harry’s heart.

What does catch his attention is the golden light that fills the chamber momentarily. Spinning around with his stolen wand, he watches aghast as a young woman with platinum hair stands up holding the sword lightly in one hand. A split second later, he’s already in motion, the wand spitting hexes and curses at the woman, even as she turns into smoke and disappears. As he looks around, a tinkling laugh catches his attention, and he spins around before raising the wand when he realises that the girl has his diary.

“It’s too late you know.” Tom speaks urbanely even though he hasn’t quite got enough energy for corporality, “I’ve already got her soul, a few more minutes and she’ll breath her last.”

She smiles up at him while she places a red gem on top of his horcrux, then places a blood red fruit on top of that, “I don’t think she will, as you’ll be far too busy. You wanted immortality? Well, I’m going to give it to you, I hope you enjoy it.”

Tom watches for a moment as she stands and slices open her wrist, blue ichor spilling out and over the three components. As the first drop touches the fruit, he springs into motion firing curse after curse at her and the pile of things. Alas, it’s far too late, and when the ichor touches the fruit, it sprouts white roots that dig deeply into the floor, through the philosophers stone and his diary. Even as his spells find their mark, he feels his connection to Ginny snap as something else usurps the connection. Turning to flee, he gasps as the wand falls from his insubstantial grasp, even as he’s dragged back towards the growing tree. The girl explodes into golden motes of light before reforming next to a tendril that’s growing out of the floor on the other side of the chamber.

Harry watches dispassionately as Tom’s soul fragment is linked to the new Mistle network. According to her mother, it will slowly grow Mistle nodes for a few miles around the parent tree. In that area it will absorb all of the Miasma that the BOR parasites produce and channel it into the person linked into the network.

“Well, that’s something you don’t see every century.” Harry looks around before spotting the sorting hat lying on the floor, “Well, what are you waiting for, pick me up.”

Harry smiles as she looks down at the sword she’s holding. It takes her a few moments to work it out, but she’s able to find the mental trigger that allows it to dissolve into the same dust she does, waiting to be called when she next needs it. Walking over to the hat, she scoops up her own wand on the way, and does the same thing.

“Well, that’s much better. Hats are supposed to be worn, not left on the floor. That’s what Mats are for. Now what do we have here. Well, I’ve got good news for you girl, you’re still alive after all that. I still think you’d have done well in Ravenclaw.”

Harry laughs as she goes over to check on Ginny and Fawkes, who appears to be unconscious near the basilisk, “If I was interested in knowledge for knowledge sake I would agree. However, my mother taught me better. I’m surprised that Hermione wasn’t sorted there though.”

“Indeed.”

Chapter Text

Code Vein – 2

Harry looks down at Ginny, who is still unconscious on the floor, “Do you think she’ll recover?”

The hat on her head grumbles, “Put me on her head and we’ll find out.”

Being careful, Harry takes the hat and, lifting Ginny’s head, places it on her. It takes a few minutes for the hat to stop humming and harring, but eventually it speaks up, “I can find no signs of possession, and she appears to still be in there.”

“That’s good. Hopefully she’ll be able to recover. Do you do that at the sorting?”

“Not anymore. Put me back on your head. It used to be that everyone was tested, including the headmaster and deputy. Of course, that was back in the first few centuries the school was open, when demon summoning was still a common theme. Especially for home protection. Of course, occasionally it would go wrong.”

“What about angels?”

“No such thing, one pantheon’s angels are another pantheon’s demons. Now what do we have here, hmm. Well, your possessed alright, benign human possession. If you die in a highly magical area it will probably turn into a ghost.”

“Does that happen a lot?”

“Hmm, it used to. If someone died a violent death it could shatter their soul. If you were close enough, a bit of the soul could get lodged in you. Can’t get rid of them like you can demonic possession either, as they’re not tied to another plane.”

As the hat falls silent for a little while, Harry searches around for Ginny’s wand. Finding it she puts it in Ginny’s pocket before hefting the girl over her shoulder. Making her way over to Fawkes, she gently picks the phoenix up and walks back towards the entrance.

“Did you know you’ve got a parasite in your heart?”

Harry stumbles at the sudden noise, “Yes, yes I did. It was the only way we knew of to save my life. I’ve probably also lost large chunks of memory, so it’s not something we did lightly.”

“Why’s that?”

“The parasite only works on dead bodies. The natural parasite that it was engineered from makes zombies.”

“Who’s that?” Ron’s voice comes down the corridor.

Harry shakes her head, “It’s Harry, I’ve got your sister. She’s alive.”

“Oh thank Merlin. Are you OK mate?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, there’s just been a couple of side effects. Listen, I need you to help pull Ginny through, and then Dumbledore’s phoenix.”

“What’s wrong with my sister?”

“I don’t know, she’s unconscious, that’s why I need your help. How’s Lockhart doing?”

“He’s gone, whatever he did I don’t think he’s there anymore.”

At the mention of his name, Lockhart comes back with his glowing wand, “Hello, do you live here?”

“No, sorry, but we are leaving if you could help me move a young girl through the gap.”

“Oh, certainly.”

Lockhart promptly drops the wand, plunging the entire tunnel into darkness. The only available light the emerald glow of Harry’s eyes.

“You know, that’s right freaky that is.”

“What’s that?” Harry materialises her own wand and casts a Lumos.

“Your eyes, they’re literally glowing.”

“It’s one of the side effects I mentioned. I’m just lifting up Ginny, be careful of her head.”

“I know, I know.”

Together, the three of them managed to manhandle Ginny and Fawkes through the gap, Harry deftly follows suit which leaves Ron gaping.

“You’re a bird.”

“I don’t think you’ll find I am. I’m still mostly human.”

“I mean, you’re a girl.”

“Of course, I did mention side effects didn’t I.”

“But how?”

Harry shrugs, “I came as close to death as it’s possible to get without actually dying, so my recovery was equally spectacular.”

It doesn’t take them long to reach the bottom of the pipe, and looking up they can see the faint twinkling of light from the bathroom. Harry discretely leans against a wall while she gets her broom from her stash and says hi to her Mum and Hermione. When she gets back, Ron’s saying.

“…how we’re going to get up there, as it’s a long way, and the sides are slick.”

Harry gives small smile, “Well, I was going to just fly up and get a teacher to help.”

Ron spins around, “Fly up, are you crazy? Wait, where did you get your broom from?”

“Now, that would be telling.” With that said, she mounts her broom and carefully ascends the pipe into the bathroom.

As her broom crests the lip of the pipe, Harry suddenly finds herself facing a bevy of wands pointed in her direction. Desperately she calls, “Ginny’s alive, but unconscious. We just need help getting the others out from down there.”

Snape snaps, “Who are you?”

“I’m Harry Potter.”

“Harry’s a boy, who are you really?”

The sorting hat takes this opportunity to speak up, “This really is Harry Potter, and she’s suffered some unfortunate side effects from being bitten by a Basilisk before being healed by a phoenix.”

The headmaster carefully says, “What sort of side effects?”

“Nothing that I’m obliged to tell you about. There’s no sign of demonic possession, though she has a benign human possession. That should sort itself out later in life. Miss Weasley is also clear of possession.”

“Harry is possessed?”

“Really Albus, I said it’s a benign possession. It use to happen fairly commonly amongst warriors, as dying a violent death can shatter a soul. When she dies, the bit of soul might turn into a ghost, but until then it will remain inert.”

Albus strokes his beard, “I see. Well, we need to get the other people out of the bottom of the pipe. Harry, would you mind terribly if I borrowed your broom?”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 After a deft bit of spell work to get everyone out of the pipe, Harry finds herself sat in the headmasters office with Professors McGonagall and Snape while the headmaster examines his familiar. She glances up to the sorting hat, which has been placed on a shelf along with a lot of other knickknacks. Coming to a decision, she stands up and, ignoring the glares from the two teachers, grabs the sorting hat and places it back on her head before taking her seat again. Closing her eyes, she sends herself to the place she meets her mother.

When she opens her eyes again she can see Hermione and her mother staring at something beside her.

“Well, this is awkward.” Harry’s head swivels to look at the huge bear of a man standing next to her. He easily breaches 6 foot tall, and has a warriors build. A bushy, chestnut beard graces his face while what hair remains on his head is tied back in a long, grey, ponytail.

“Who are you?” Harry demands.

The man gives a loud belly laugh, “I suppose I deserve that, Godric Gryffindor at your service, more commonly known as the sorting hat.”

Cruz cocks her head to one side, “How can you be a hat?”

“My Lady, that is a question with a very complicated answer. One that I fear we do not have the requisite amount of time to delve into. If fortune favours me, I will return in order to bask in your radiant beauty, as well as indulging your curiosity.” He turns to face Harry, “Now young sorceress, what prompted you to bring me to this place?”

Harry swallows, “Er, I just thought you might get bored on that shelf, so I figured I’d introduce you to someone you can talk to. Assuming I’m not the only one that can come here on my own.”

Godric laughs good naturedly, “There’s the chivalrous nature of my own house. I believe that I will take you up on that offer. When we return, if you allow me to, I shall examine the memory of you coming here to see just how you are doing it.” He turns back to the other two, “Young wizard, know that I am proud to have you in my house. Though I stand by my thoughts that you would have done better in the house of ravens.”

Hermione bristles, “What do you mean Wizard?”

“Peace young lady, it is the style of magic you are most accomplished with. Your talents lie with cold logic and research, which is the path of wizardry, others take to the subtle arts of potion making, animals and plants better, and they are witches. That is why this is a school of witchcraft and wizardry. When I return, I will endeavour to explain the reasoning better, as it stands I fear we have already tarried longer than the professors will stand. If you would do the honours, young sorceress.”

Harry loops her hand through the offered elbow and concentrates on returning with Godric.

“…Potter, are you paying attention?”

Harry looks over at McGonagall, “Sorry professor, I was just chatting with the sorting hat while we were waiting for the headmaster.”

Godric sniffs on top of her head, “At least someone can see the benefit of talking to me, unlike some I could mention.”

McGonagall sniffs, “Well I never.”

The headmaster smiles genially, his eyes twinkling with amusement, “Indeed, you’ll be pleased to know that Fawkes is just suffering from magical exhaustion. Something that I never thought I’d see. Now Miss…”

Albus cuts off as the door to his office slams open and a blond man with aristocratic features strides in, closely followed by Dobby. As she turns with the others to see who’s barged in, Harry looks curiously at the house elf trying to work out why he looks familiar and why, just that she feels sorry for him. She does, however, recognise the man from the alley when he took the book from Ginny’s caldron. The man himself is wearing posh white robes, and white silk gloves. One hand rests on the silver pommel of an ornately carved ebony cane.

Albus turns his gaze to the intruder, “Mr Malfoy, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

Malfoy sneers, “I have here a writ from the board to dismiss you as headmaster and close the school while we search for the beast now it’s killed a student.”

“Ah, I don’t know where you got your news from, but the student that was kidnapped has been successfully rescued. She is currently being seen to by Madam Pomphrey.”

“I see, how… fortunate.”

“Maybe you should take a seat, as we were about to ask Miss Potter here about what happened.”

“I think I shall.”

Swallowing hard, Harry explains their adventure up to the point where the sorting hat arrived. When that point arrives, she shakes her head, “From this point, I think it would be best if the sorting hat took over, as he will have a far more coherent view on the situation. I’m afraid that my own memory of the situation is somewhat hazy due to the consequences of being healed from near death.”

From the top of her head, the sorting hat looks down at her, “Of course I can young lady.”

As the sorting hat starts to talk, Harry closes her eyes and sends herself to see her mother, “Sorry to rush, but I’m looking for one of my notebooks.”

Quickly locating one, she rubs it over the loose basilisk fang, watching it steam and smoke as the venom from the tip leaves it scarred and pitted. Smiling, she then wraps it in one of her old, smelly socks and leaves again. As she opens her eyes, the sorting hat is just getting to the part where she made the tree.

“I’m sorry to interrupt Mr Hat, but I think at this point I should return the diary to Mr Malfoy.” At the same time, she lightly tosses the wrapped notebook over to land in his lap, “After all, he did give it to Miss Weasley in Diagon Alley.”

Wrinkling his nose, Malfoy pulls the sock of the notebook with two fingers and throws it over his shoulder, where Dobby catches it. As his glove starts to smoke, he quickly places it on the desk. A look of frustration passing over his features almost faster than it could be seen.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I should have mentioned that I wrapped it in the sock because of the basilisk venom from the fang I was bitten by.”

Stripping off his gloves, he holds them out behind him, “Dobby, take these back to the house and see if they can be salvaged.”

When there’s no answer, and the gloves are still in his hand, everyone turns to look at the house elf. Dobby is standing there absolutely motionless, though a couple of feet from his previous position, staring cross-eyed at the sock that is lying on his head and flopping down over his face.

“Master gave me a sock…” he breathes almost silently

“Dobby, did you hear me.”

Gingerly, Dobby reaches up to the smoking garment and takes it in his hands, “Master gave Dobby a sock, that means Dobby is free.”

Angrily, Malfoy stands and stalks to the door, “You cost me my house-elf, you will pay for that. Oh, and while I did lose a diary in Diagon Alley, it wasn’t that one.”

Albus coughs, “Lucius, I believe you owe Miss Potter an apology, as it was clearly your own inattention that freed your elf. Also, thank you for the clarification on the diary.”

Once the now named Lucius has left, Albus turns back to Harry, “Miss Potter, I believe that earlier in the year you were warned that if you broke any more rules I would have to expel you.”

Snape sneers as he anticipates what’s coming, though as he looks at Harry, the sneer is not as pronounced as it normally would be. Harry on the other hand shakes her head, “I’m sorry sir, but I don’t recall that. Just as Dobby looks familiar, but I don’t know why.”

Dobby’s ears droop at that, “The great Harry Potter has forgotten Dobby?”

“Yes. I’m sorry Dobby, but I have. It is almost certainly a side effect of being so close to death, though the sorting hat assures me that I didn’t actually die.”

“Indeed you didn’t, if you had, then the benign possession would have left as well, and we’d likely have a new ghost in the school.”

Harry nods, “Anyway, as you seem to know me, I would like to get to know you again.”

“Great Mistress Harry Potter wants to know Dobby, Dobby is not worthy.”

“Dobby, I think we should talk about this later when I’m not in a meeting with the headmaster, deputy headmistress, and a head of house.”

McGonagall sternly says, “Indeed, I think we need to talk about your future accommodation going forward. Both in school and out.”

Albus adopts an injured expression, “I don’t think we need to worry about her home situation.”

“Headmaster, of course we do. It would hardly be appropriate for her to return to her relatives like this, after all, she lives in the muggle world. What would they say about her eyes, or even her teeth? Don’t pretend you didn’t notice her fangs.”

“Regardless, I was saying about rules and being expelled. It appears that I must now swallow my words, as both you and your friend Ron have performed a great service to the school.”

“I’m sorry headmaster, but Ron isn’t my friend. We are friendly, however the only reason I went with him is that it was his sister’s life on the line. As it stands, that was probably a good thing in hindsight given what Professor Lockhart tried to do.”

From the corner where he’d been lurking unnoticed, Lockhart says, “I’m a professor?”

The headmaster nods, “Ah, yes. Indeed, that is yet more paperwork I need to do, as I need to find a replacement for the rest of the year, and find a new teacher for next year. But, returning to your own accomplishments, I think that we will need to give you both an award for special services to the school.”

Professor Snape smirks as he adds, “Given your self-proclaimed amnesia, I think that you should have remedial lessons to ensure that you haven’t forgotten any important lessons from the last two years.”

Looking like she’s sucked on a Lemon, Minerva is forced to agree.

Harry herself grimaces, “While I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything important, given the way Dobby here seems to already know me, I can’t say it’s true.”

The hat still on her head speaks up again, “I would be more than willing to tutor you in what you need to know, after all I have been known to be a dab hand at teaching. It will get me off of that shelf more than once a year, and the Professors will keep much of their precious personal time while I do. Why, I believe that today has been more excitement than I’ve seen in the last 300 years.”

Minerva frowns, “We would still need to supervise her practical work, as you are only a hat.”

Harry can’t help giggling at that, “Is there something funny Miss Potter?”

“Not really, just the reference to the sorting hat as ‘only a hat’ struck me as funny.”

“I see, maybe we need to include lessons in deportment so that you know what will be expected from you given your new gender.”

Harry sobers, “Yes Professor.”

“Very well, be off with you while we discuss things.” As she gets up to leave Minerva adds, “And leave the sorting hat here so that we can ascertain it has sufficient knowledge to tutor you in the required subjects.”

Harry quickly flees the room, but pauses outside the door, her enhanced hearing allowing her to follow the conversation inside.

Snape says, “Well, it’s clear from Malfoy’s reaction that he did indeed send the diary to the school. What are we going to do about it?”

Albus shakes his head, “That will be a conversation for another time, but I think it’s clear that Voldemort isn’t as dead as we hoped. This diary may well provide us with the clues we need to work out how he cheated death.”

Harry shakes her head as she walks down the stairs, the only thing they’ll be learning from that diary is that it was covered with basilisk poison.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 As Harry’s idly making her way to the hospital wing, in order to check on Ginny, there’s a soft pop beside her and Dobby appears.

“Dobby never thought that the great Harry Potter was so great. Or that the Great Harry Potter was female. You didn’t need me to save your life, you slayed the beast yourself.”

Harry stops and turns to face Dobby while crouching down, “What do you mean save my life?”

“Dobby knew about the monster, but Dobby was forbidden from saying anything. So Dobby did his best to ensure you were safe away from the school.”

“What about now?”

Dobby looks downcast, “Dobby is free, so Dobby can say what he wants.”

“Dobby, look at me. Why are you down?”

“The Great Harry Potter is asking after Dobby’s health?”

Harry laughs self-deprecatingly, “Really, I’m not great. But, yes, I’m asking after your health.”

“House elves need family, they need a bond otherwise they weaken and can die.”

“Don’t we all. I have my mother, but she can’t exactly come here. I have a friend too, but you can never have too many friends. Though making them can be hard.”

“Will the Great Harry Potter be Dobby’s family?”

“Sure.”

“The Great Harry Potter is the best Mistress ever.” Dobby flings himself at her as he starts to cry.

Shaking her head with a smile, she easily picks him up and carry’s him to the infirmary with her.

As she enters the hospital wing, Madam Pomphrey turns to her with wand drawn, “Who might you be, young lady?”

“I’m Harry Potter.”

From a bed, surrounded by redheads, Ron perks up, “Harry, I still can’t believe the new look.”

“How are you doing Ron?”

“Better now you’re here, apparently I’m not allowed to leave until Madam Pomphrey has finished examining me.”

Pomphrey’s eyes dart up to Harry’s scar before she harumphs, “I see, well you should have come straight here rather than galivanting off with the headmaster.”

“They wanted to know what happened.”

“And they could have waited until I had examined you, now on the bed young lady, or I will be forced to make you.”

Harry grumbles good naturedly as she climbs onto the bed, “I don’t suppose it would help if I said that Fawkes healed the basilisk venom, would it?”

All eyes in the room turn to face her as the wand that Madam Pomphrey was just putting away, is whipped out again, and she starts casting a massive battery of diagnostic spells.

It doesn’t take Dobby long to stop crying, though there are two false stops where he realises that ‘The Great Harry Potter’ carried him to the hospital wing, and also kept holding him while he was crying. Unfortunately, the examinations that she’s put through by the Madam are not nearly as quick, as they involve not only spells but also potions followed by spells. It’s even more frustrating because she can’t just go and visit her mother, and Hermione as well, to relax and talk about what happened. At some point, Professor McGonagall comes in and smiles at Harry before saying something to the Madam. It’s while she’s sitting there, magically stuck to the bed, as her bladder fills uncomfortably from the 2 pints of water that she was made to drink an hour earlier, that the cherry is finally added to the ice-cream. A white robed healer from St Mungo’s comes through the floo and starts casting spells at Harry and then whispering excitedly to the Madam.

“Excuse me!” Harry calls loudly, “I really need to go to the bathroom, and I’m not sure I can hold it much longer.”

The male healer comes over and casts a couple of spells, “Just a few more minutes Miss Potter, you need a full bladder for a couple of our diagnostics. Absolutely remarkable, you appear to have had a complete sexual change, the gold standard diagnostic for sex will be confirmed in a couple of minutes, but you are the oldest person that this has ever happened to. Not only that, but such a dramatic change to appearance is absolutely unheard of from spontaneous magic. According to your healer, you have no signs of any of the potions or rituals that could have accounted for this. You are going to be immortalised in medical history, there is so much different that your name will be appearing in journals for years while we decipher everything that Healer Pomphrey’s scans have documented.”

Harry looks pained, “Look, I really need to pee, and I don’t want to do it on the bed.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, you’re stuck there with a medical sticking charm and it won’t let you void your bladder. Don’t worry though, we’ll switch the contents into the toilet before we remove the charm.”

Harry doubles over as her abdomen cramps, “It hurts.”

“That means that your bladder is full, Healer Pomphrey, I will observe.”

Pomphrey bustles over and starts to cast a lengthy spell, as the spell hits, Harry doubles over as a wave of nausea and cramping take over her world. The pain is so bad that she can only whimper while clutching her abdomen, a flush of liquid escaping her leaves her feeling damp. Though the need to pee diminishes.

“1.2 million ovum, uterus is fully functional and has gone through a full menstrual cycle with no complications. There is no extraneous uterine lining elsewhere in the body, and she will be able to lactate for a child. Her biology is also still compatible with other humans, though she will probably have trouble conceiving with a non-magical partner. In short, she is a newborn pubescent woman.”

A wave of her wand saw Harry cleaned up and her bladder and bowels cleared as the sticking charm released, “My apologies Miss Potter, but a change like yours needs to be thoroughly documented and investigated so that we can catch any complications or incomplete changes before they cause a problem. Standard procedure is to obliviate you of the examination, however the patients are normally between 3 and 5 years old. As such, we can give you a choice about whether to forget the last 3 hours or not.”

Harry shakes her head vehemently, “I’ve lost too many memories as it is, and I have no idea which ones. So I’d prefer to avoid losing more.”

Pomphrey nods, “Understandable, you’ll be staying overnight for observation, and it looks like you have some dietary changes, so you need to visit every Wednesday evening until the end of the year so that I can monitor your intake and tell you if there’s anything you’re missing. However, before I allow you to sleep, the Deputy Headmistress wishes to speak with you.”

Much to Harry’s relief, both the healers depart to her office, and they pull back the curtain as they leave. Much to her annoyance, seconds after the door to the office clicks closed, Arthur Weasley walks over, as solemn expression on his face.

“Miss Potter, House Weasley owes you a debt that can never be repaid for you have given us the life our daughter. Tell me, what can we do for you?”

Harry is about to brush him off when she really looks at his expression, “Mr Weasley, my first inclination is to say that I would have done it for anyone. However, your expression says there’s more going on that I don’t understand. Please, take a seat and explain why this is so important.”

Arthur sits down with a sigh, “With the name of Potter and your scar it’s hard to remember that you know next to nothing of your heritage. Many of us treat magic as though it’s alive. I don’t think it is, at least not in any sense that you or I would understand it. However, it does seem to act on its own, especially through blood, especially the blood of family. Part of that is through the form of debts, not monetary rather the debts that we feel. Our own magic reinforces those feelings until we act on them, and that feeling will only go away when we feel we have discharged the debt. In our traditions, the greatest of these debts is called a life-debt. Not because you saved a life, but because the person that holds the debt feels that it can only be repaid with their life. There is more to it than that, but that’s the school level version of it.”

Harry smiles, “Thank you, and at the moment I think I need to process what happened today. No offence, but I grew up lonely, and I have got used to the solitude. It gives me time to think, I remember I enjoyed my time with your family last year, however I don’t think I could stand living there longer than that.”

“I understand, and it would be impossible this year anyway. We haven’t told the children, but I won the Ministry sweepstake this year, and we’ve won enough money to take the family to see Bill in Egypt. I hope that they holiday will do Ginny some good and chase away the memories of this year.”

Harry reaches out for Arthur’s hand, “Mr Weasley, as someone who is adept at hiding their feelings, when you look at Ginny, don’t do it during the day when there’s things to do and fun to be had. Watch her in the evenings and the times that people are quiet, check in on her to see if she’s having nightmares. I’ll tell you now as others probably won’t, but she was possessed by a dark artefact for most of the year. The sorting hat said there’re no more signs of possession, but I can’t imagine it was pleasant to experience. If she’s not healing by the end of the summer, take her to see a counsellor or doctor so that she can talk to someone guaranteed to keep what she says private. My mum has done that for me more than enough times in the past, and it really helps.”

Arthur nods gravely, “I will take your words to heart.”

The door opening catches Harry’s attention, “Looks like Professor McGonagall has arrived.”

Arthur gives her a wan smile, “I’ll leave you to her tender care.”

Harry smiles, “Thanks.”

McGonagall strides over, “Miss Potter, you will be pleased to know that we have agreed that the sorting hat can tutor you on the theory you may have forgotten. You will be expected to visit the headmasters office after classes every day until the end of term exams. There he will supervise you while you receive your tuition. Additionally, your things are being moved into the girls dorm where you will be sleeping from now on. At the weekend, one of the female professors will take you to Hogsmeade to get the required garments you need for your new body and school uniform. Your outer robes should still be sufficient until the end of the year. Do you have any questions?”

Harry nods, “Just one, is there anywhere else other than my relatives over the summer?”

McGonagall’s expression softens, “I’m sorry Miss Potter, I don’t have an answer for you yet. If I had my way, you’d stay with me if there was nowhere else. However, the headmaster is your magical guardian, so it’s ultimately his decision.”

“What’s a magical guardian?”

“It is the magical that has the legal responsibility to see to your health and wellbeing. For most people, it’s their parents. However, as muggleborn and muggle-raised like yourself don’t have a magical relative that can deal with the legal responsibilities in the magical world, they have a magical guardian in the school. We are responsible for ensuring their health and wellbeing while they are of school age.”

“Can I change the person who is my magical guardian?”

McGonagall shakes her head, “No, they would need to be shown to be negligent or incompetent, and the ministry would then assign a new guardian. Even if you could, in the current political climate, I would strenuously suggest that you don’t. Corruption is rife in our government, and I’m sure that gold would quickly pass under the table to ensure that old followers of You-Know-Who would become your magical guardian. At which point your life would very quickly be put in peril.”

Her tone indicating the exact opposite, Harry shakes her head, “I see. Thank you for telling me.”

“I may have disagreed with the headmaster when he placed you with your relatives, however it was the only legal recourse he had that would avoid the politics and corruption of the Ministry. I fear that you wouldn’t have survived the year if you had been subject to having a regent declared.”

“I think I’d like to sleep now.”

McGonagall smiles sadly, “Sleep well Miss Potter, and ask Pomphrey for a dreamless sleep potion if you can’t sleep.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry appears in the place his mother lives, and is immediately hit by a Harry seeking Hermione, “You’re alive! Are you OK? What took you so long? What’s it like being a revenant? Did you save Ginny? Was that really Godric Gryffindor?”

“Hermione!” her mother says sharply, “Remember what I told you and give Harry some space.”

Reluctantly Hermione lets go, “Sorry, I was just so worried.”

Harry relaxes a little, “It’s ok, I just need to decompress for a bit. Just, give me 5 minutes.”

Hermione walks back and picks up the tablet she was reading from and frowns at it while Harry sits down comfortably.

After a few minutes, Harry asks, “How are you getting on with my notes?”

Hermione glances up, “They’re pretty good, when I can read them. Why don’t you just write them in English?”

Harry laughs, “I do write them in English.”

“No, I mean English English, our English. Oh, you know what I mean.”

Harry’s eyes go distant, “Because I wasn’t allowed to growing up, the Dursleys wouldn’t let me excel or do better than the whale. So most of my education came from Mum. The English she taught me is very different to the English we speak at school, but I guess I’m bilingual in that way. Though you could make yourself understood there, and you would be able to get by with out learning it, the sentence structure and alphabet is completely different.”

Hermione glances at Cruz before she says, “Can I give you a hug?”

Harry sighs, “Sure, I’d appreciate it. Also, I’m doing ok. The worst part of it is the missing memories, like I know we’re friends, but I don’t remember how we became friends.”

Hermione sits down next to Harry and hugs her, “You saved me from a Troll after that git made me cry in charms.”

“That git?”

“Ron, it’s what I call him in my head. He’s a lowest common denominator, and he keeps trying to pull everyone down to his level.”

“Ah, I see. Well, I do know that he’s not one of my friends, and maybe now I’ll be in the girls dorm I’ll be able to make more friends without him barging in. I think I’ve been able to have 1 good conversation with Neville since we started school. Of course I could have just forgotten the others.”

“What’s that like, the memory gaps that is.”

“Scary, as I know they’re there, I just have no idea what I’ve forgotten until something prompts it. Like I knew Dobby looked familiar, but I had no idea why. Same as I remember we’re friends, and a lot of the stuff we’ve done together, like the philosopher’s stone and brewing Polyjuice in the loo, did we ever finish that by the way?”

Hermione smiles, “We did, and Ron persuaded you to impersonate Crabbe and Goyle to find out if Malfoy was the heir.”

Harry puts her head in her hands, “Oh god, really? What was I smoking?”

“I think it was the same thing as the duel during first year, where he just stuck his opinion in and wiggled it about until we both agreed with him.”

“I remember that, didn’t we discover Fluffy that night?”

“We did.”

Cruz smiles as she watches Harry slowly relax and unwind by talking about the things that happened at school. While she’s sure that there will be gaps in Harry’s childhood too, most of those are probably best forgotten anyway. The good memories she’s sure that she can share when they come up.

Chapter Text

Code Vein – 3

The next day was strange, everyone just kept staring at her. Some of those stares, especially from some of the older male students, left her feeling very uncomfortable. Surprisingly, the house gossips, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, were absolutely brilliant.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Early morning, before breakfast, Professor McGonagall leads Harry up the stairs to the second year girls dorm. As she opens the door, Harry looks around curiously before averting her eyes, as the girls are all in the process of getting up and dressed.

“Girls, sorry to interrupt your morning, but I would like to introduce your new dorm mate.”

All the girls stopped what they were doing, and swivelled to face the two of them, with Fay even poking her head around a door that presumable leads to the bathroom, a toothbrush in her mouth. Suddenly uncomfortable, Harry tries to step behind the professor. However, McGonagall puts her hand on the small of her back and pushes her forward.

“This is Harry Potter, she’s moving from the boys dorm after being involved in a magical event that has left her as much a witch as the rest of us. Be gentle with her, as she’s new to this. One of the professors will be taking her to get the necessary foundation garments and changes to the school uniform at the weekend.”

Lavender, with a towel wrapped around her, walks over from where she was brushing Parvati’s hair and stands up straight next to Harry. After turning left and right a couple of times she says, “Well, we’re about the same size, so you can borrow some of my clothes until you’ve got your own. We can’t have a witch as pretty as you are walking around wearing those rags. Fay! Hurry up in there so that Harry can shower. I’m sorry I don’t have any stays that you can use today, all of mine have been broken in.”

Silently McGonagall leaves, as a confused Harry asks, “Stays?”

Lavender nods, “Uh huh, they’re a support garment, though Granger has a training bra from the muggle world. They do the same job, however once we’re older we’ll learn support charms. My mum says that they feel like you’re wearing stays, so that’s why we have to wear them now.” She lifts a lock of Harry’s hair, “I love your hair, it’s a pity it’s dead straight, as until we learn styling charms the only thing we can do with it is braid it or leave it long.”

“I’m done, Harry can take the shower now.”

“Go on, do you have a large towel?”, Lavender indicates the towel she has wrapped around her.

Harry shakes her head, “No, sorry. I, uh.”

“Parvati, grab one of your towels, mine are being cleaned.”

Once Harry finished her shower, Lavender brushed her hair for her and Parvati showed her how to brush Lavenders hair. All the while they talked about fashion, makeup, and, unfortunately, boys. Once she was dressed and down at breakfast, they were the ones that stood up to McLaggen, a 2^nd year creep that Harry had heard the girls on the quidditch team complain about a couple of times. This also happened when Malfoy came over to chat her up in his smarmy way.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Potions was also odd, as Professor Snape didn’t seem to be as abrasive towards Harry as normal. Finally she was done with classes for the day, and slowly makes her way to the headmasters office on the 3^rd floor. Going up the spiral staircase feels odd, like she should be in trouble, but she knows she isn’t. Finally, she reaches the top and, before she can knock, the headmaster calls “Come in Harry.”

As she walks through the door, Fawkes trills happily to see her, and Harry smiles, “I’m glad to see that Fawkes is up and about.”

The headmaster nods, “Indeed, he was most disgruntled to find himself lying down this morning. However, I don’t think you are here to chat. I have set up a desk by the window there. I hope you’ll forgive me if I seem short, I have a lot of paperwork to do, and I need to cover Lockharts lessons as well.”

Harry looks around and spots the desk, with the sorting hat sitting on it. As he does, the sorting hat looks at her, “Well, come on and put me on already. I hope you know how to meditate, as we’re doing these lessons in your mind.”

Shaking her head, she sits down and places the sorting hat on her head, closes her eyes and takes the two of them to her mother.

“Are you really Godric Gryffindor? Why are you in the sorting hat? What happened to the other founders? What was life like back then?”

Godric laughs and ruffles Hermione’s hair as she gets close enough, “You remind me of Rowana young wizard. Now, I am supposed to be tutoring Miss Potter on the things she should have learnt in the first two years.” Hermione looks downcast at that, “However, I don’t think there’s anything stopping me from tutoring two people instead of one. Come, let us find the Matriarch of this place and we can begin.”

As they walk over to her mother, Harry can almost see literal stars in Hermione’s eyes. When he reaches Cruz, Godric bows, “My lady, would you care to join us as I instruct the children in the ways of magic?”

Cruz laughs, “Certainly kind sir. It will be a most welcome distraction, much like the children have been while they’re here. Hel, we sound like someone from the middle ages.”

Godric laughs, “Nay fair lady, we sound nothing like English from that period.” Standing, he puts a hand on his chest, “Eft he axode, hu ðære ðeode nama wære þe hi of comon. Him wæs geandwyrd, þæt hi Angle genemnode wæron. þa cwæð he, ‘Rihtlice hi sind Angle gehatene, for ðan ðe hi engla wlite habbað, and swilcum gedafenað þæt hi on heofonum engla geferan beon.’”

Cruz shakes her head, “I’ll be honest, I have no idea what you just said.”

“It was a passage from Aelfrich’s ‘Homily on St. Gregory the Great’, it was quite popular at the time we build our school. Anyway children, it’s time we started, and I’ll start the same way that we did when the school was founded.”

Godric takes a few steps away before turning to face Harry and Hermione, “The first and most important lesson you need to learn about magic, is that you are only limited by your own thoughts and will. While you are here you will be taught the basics of witchcraft and wizardry. However, we are not ignoring sorcery or battle magic, you will be expected to partake in the exercises that will expose those talents. Yes Hermione?”

Hermione puts her hand down, “Um, what’s sorcery and battle magic?”

Godric strokes his beard, “Ah, yes, you don’t have the basic knowledge that was common in my era. Simply put, there are four major ways of performing magic, all of which have some level of overlap. Sorcery is the foundation of all magic, and it is what our children exhibit as they’re growing up. A sorcerer can use their magic purely on willpower, intent, and desire. Most of the famous magical artists were sorcerers, as it is a skill that is strongly linked to creativity.

“Next we have Battle Magic, which is magic channelled through your body and weapons. Someone, like myself, can use their magic to make impossible leaps, cleave through things that our weapons shouldn’t be able to, shrug off blows that would fell a dragon, and even spit fire from our weapons.

“Following that, is witchcraft. This encompasses working with the natural world through animal husbandry, gardening, and potion brewing. Don’t be mistaken for thinking that there is no magic in this craft, for while it may not be as obvious as the other three. There is true magic involved. The accomplished witch can heal the direst of injuries with a potion brewed from the right plants and animals, they can send you into an enchanted sleep, and they can ensure full and bountiful crops.

“Lastly, we come to wizardry, the study of magic itself and the application of magic through rigorous study and development of spells.”

Hermione frowns, “Wait, I’m sure that we use spells in Herbology, and Potions has all sorts of reaction tables.”

“Indeed, I believe I did say that there was overlap. What you need to remember is that first lesson, you are only limited by your own thoughts and will. Tell me, what is a wand? You bought one because it was required for your schooling, but what is it?”

Harry is about to speak while Hermione is deep in thought, but Godric raises his hand, “Hold young sorceress, the wizard needs to work this one out for herself.”

After a few minutes Hermione looks up, “According to Spellman’s syllabary, a wand is a magical focus made from magically reactive wood and core that comes from a magical creature.”

“Miss Granger, what is the key part of that definition?”

“A magical focus?”

“Indeed, now what does focus mean?” Hermione takes a deep breath and Godric continues, “I don’t mean the various dictionary definitions. What do those definitions have in common?”

Hermione’s mouth opens and closes as she runs through all the definitions in her head, “To concentrate or bring to bear?”

Godric nods approvingly, “Indeed, and it is absolutely required for wizardry, where knowing exactly how much magic, what type, and even how focused it is, is important. However, there are applications of magic where that focus makes it much harder. The first spell you ever learnt here used to be a teaching aid.”

Holding out his hand, a glowing ball of light appears floating over his hand, and easily illuminates the area, “Now do the same with your wand.”

“Erm, I can’t as my wand didn’t come with me.”

Godric sighs, “Miss Potter, if you would.”

Harry materialises her wand and casts a lumos, a brilliant point of light appears at the end of the wand, though it doesn’t illuminate nearly as much as Godric’s light does.

“Miss Granger, which of these two lights would you prefer if you were tidying up a room?”

Hermione looks between the two lights, “Er, your one sir.”

“How about if you were inspecting a carving for flaws?”

“I guess Harry’s one, as it would throw sharper shadows.”

“Indeed, the lesson here is that sometimes less precision is better than more. A lesson that took Rowana nearly 2 decades to learn after we started the school. Oh, she was a wizard without peer, but she’d often come up with massively elegant solutions to problems that Salazar or I could fix with a mere thought. Now, I’m going to have both of you start on the exercises we gave to the students who were older when they were discovered. They should allow you to get in touch with your magic, and loosen it up so that you can perform focus-less magic.”

At dinner, Ginny Weasley shyly approaches Harry, “Excuse me Harry.”

Harry half turns to face her, “Can I help you?”

“I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life.”

“You’re most welcome, I’m just glad I could get there in time. How are you doing?”

“I’ve got lots of blank spots, but I think I’m doing ok. Erm, could we be friends?”

Harry takes one of her hands, “I don’t know, friendships take time to develop, and I’ve only ever had one friend before.”

“I know, Ron won’t shut up about how you’re best friends.”

Harry shakes her head with a sad smile, “It’s not Ron, it’s Hermione. Ron needs to do more growing up before he has a chance of being a friend. However, I’m certainly willing to try. I also know about the debt, and your father has been very helpful with my understanding of that.”

Ginny nods firmly despite the tears in her eyes.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 It’s only a few weeks later when the Mandrakes they were looking after finally mature, much to Hermione’s relief, as Godric has worked out how to visit on his own. An unfortunate result of which is that he and Cruz are starting to do adult things together. Much to Hermione’s frustration, Godric’s only answer to ‘How do you do it’ is ‘I just do’. Privately, Harry was sure she was more upset that this was something that couldn’t be found in a book, only done.

Either way, she found out from Madam Pomphrey when she was going to administer the restorative during one of her weekly check-ups. She used that information to let their house mates know, so that there would be friends around while the draft worked its magic. This was actually to cover the fact that Harry needed to bring Hermione back to her body.

Chapter Text

Code Vein – 4

A week after she’s been freed from her petrification, Hermione screws up her courage and knocks on the door of her head of house.

“Come in.”

As the door swings open, Hermione walks in, the letter in her hand held out as a shield, “I’m sorry to bother you professor, but I’ve got a letter from my parents for you.”

Professor McGonagall looks up, “Miss Granger, I can’t say I was expecting to see you. Or maybe I was expecting to see you last week.”

Hermione smiles weakly as she hands over the letter, “Harry’s been letting me borrow his… her notes.”

The professor laughs, “I’m surprised you can understand them, I’ve heard many of my lions complaining about the fact they seem to be written in code.”

Hermione nods, “If he hadn’t been helping me learn to read them, I wouldn’t be able to understand them.”

“Hmm, mmm… Miss Granger, are you aware of the contents of this letter?”

Hermione nods, “I wrote to my parents when I woke up, as Harry can’t go back to her old area, and I owe him my life.”

Professor McGonagall purses her lips, “The Troll?”

Hermione nods, not trusting her voice not to give her away.

“I see. What about the fact that you live in the muggle world?”

Hermione pulls a pair of glasses with red lenses in them, “Her eyes glow green, so these will stop the light from passing through. When we get home, we’ll be able to try other colours to try and give Harry as much colour vision as we can.” She fishes around in her pocket again and pulls out a bit of card with a colour wheel on it, “See, mauve is a mixture of red and blue, so depending on how green Harry’s eyes are, we could get very close to clear. Well, that’s what mum and dad say anyway.”

Professor McGonagall taps her finger on the desk as she thinks, coming to a decision she nods, “Miss Granger, may I keep these glasses. I will need to speak with Miss Potters magical guardian, and then we may need to do some work on the glasses to ensure that Miss Potter can’t accidentally reveal that she is magical. Your parents say that they can deal with the teeth, but what about her hair?”

Hermione smiles widely, “White hair isn’t unknown in the muggle world, so we probably don’t actually need to do anything about it. If necessary, we could also put a little colour into the hair and make it look like it was deliberately bleached.”

Professor McGonagall slowly blinks at Hermione as she tries to make sense of that statement, “I must confess that I’m not sure I understand what you mean by bleached, so I will take your word for it.”

As the Professor turns back to her paperwork, Hermione stands there for a moment before she realises that the conversation is over.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Poppy looks at the sunlight streaming in through the window onto Harry’s head before shaking her head, “Well, if it wasn’t for the fact you are sitting here during the daylight, I would have said that you were some sort of vampire. As it stands, you need human blood for sustenance, fresh pigs blood may do as well.”

Harry pulls a blood fruit out of her bag, “There’s a tree growing down in the chamber, and it had several of these on it. Could I eat these?”

Poppy takes the fruit and inspects it, “I’m not sure, I’ve never seen anything like this. I’d have to take it to Professor Sprout to investigate. Before we do that, I would like you to drink a blood replenishing potion. If that works, then we will ensure that you get a regular supply. Otherwise, we may need to give your hosts over the summer the same supply.”

Harry nods, “I understand, do you know where I’m going to be living now?”

Poppy shakes her head, “That, young lady, is a question for the headmaster. Now, off with you, you have classes to get to.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

With a tired sigh, Albus looks up at the three staff members in front of him, “Thank you for coming, Minerva I believe that you requested this meeting?”

Minerva nods, “I did indeed, but first I think we should hear Poppy’s diagnosis of the young Miss Potter.”

Albus frowns, “I understand that she’s a late changling, is there more that we need to worry about?”

Poppy nods, “Indeed, I showed the results of the diagnostics to a colleague without any context, and his response was that I should request for the DMCC to stake the patient before they go on a rampage. She is now vastly stronger than any witch or wizard, she requires blood to live, and shows a remarkable level of regeneration. While she cannot ingest blood replenishment potions, it doesn’t stop them from being effective for her donors. There is a plant growing in location she changed that produces fruit that is compatible with her physiology, Pomona is still examining it in case we can get it to germinate.”

Minerva nods, and takes out a letter and duplicates it for the headmaster, “Thank you Poppy, I was given this letter by Miss Granger shortly after she was released from her petrification. The lass claims to owe Harry her life, and so feels that this will help pay it back. They have also come up with an ingenious method for concealing Miss Potters glowing eyes, Filius, if you will?”

Filius nods and lifts up a pair of light purple glasses, “These glasses were originally red, however, after working with Miss Potter we have changed the appearance to one that she prefers after discovering that they could be charmed to be clear from one side. I subsequently applied a sticking charm to the arms, and an imperturbable charm to the frames and lenses to ensure that they cannot be broken or removed accidentally.”

Albus plucks a lemon drop from the bowl on his desk and pops it in his mouth while he thinks. After a couple of minutes he looks back at the professors, “Am I to understand that you wish me to allow Harry to reside with the Grangers despite the protections on his current home?”

Minerva nods, “You said that they were blood protections, Miss Potter no longer shares the same blood with any of them.”

Surprised Albus looks at Poppy, who nods, “Indeed, though it’s not a normal part of the diagnostic process, we do check the parental relationships so that their records can be updated. Miss Potter is still a Potter, however physically, Lily is no longer her mother.”

Albus glances over at some of the doodads that he has on his shelf, and sighs at the weakening movement of the one that monitors the wards, “What reasons do you have against sending Harry to her home, with the Dursleys, with those glasses.”

Poppy is the first one to answer, “First and foremost, none of his relatives are magical, and so the blood replenishing potions won’t work for them. Additionally, the only person that can get to the tree that produces the fruit she can eat is Harry herself.”

Minerva grins as she takes over, “Even if you ignore that, her appearance is so strikingly different to before that nobody would believe she was Harry Potter. That’s not even accounting for the fact that an attractive young woman has vastly different needs to the scrawny young man she was before. That’s before even considering that her family may not even accept her as she is now. After all, have you even informed them of her change?”

Albus shuffles uncomfortably as he glances at the sheet of parchment with that particular task on it, as it sits depressingly close to the bottom of the pile of things he needs to deal with. Regrettably, Minerva’s eyes follow his gaze and a snap of her wand has it flying over to her hand.

“Well I never, Albus you’ve known about this change for almost a month, and you still haven’t done anything about informing Miss Potter’s guardians. If it wasn’t for the fact that she’d likely end up with Malfoy or Nott, before ending up in a ditch somewhere, I’d report you to the Ministry myself.”

“I’ve had more important things to deal with, such as the board of governors.” Even as he says it, Albus knows it sounds weak.

“More important than the child that is in your care specifically?”

“Minnie…”

“Don’t Minnie me Albus, you know full well that being a magical guardian is more important than any other job you have. Even if they are all shouting at you to get things done.”

“But I…”

Filius and Poppy stay silent as they see another side to both the headmaster and their colleague.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 “Miss Potter.”

Harry looks up from her meal, sat beside Hermione, to see Professor McGonagall looming over Ron on the other side of the table, “Yes Professor?”

“I have here a copy of all of your new paperwork, now that your magical guardian has finally got it done. The ministry has updated your birth certificate, and also feminised your name. So officially you are now Harriet, though you can still be called Harry if you wish. There is also a passport here, though you will need to go to Globus Mundi Travel agents to get a photo placed in it.”

Harry’s eyes widen slightly as she takes the packet, curiously she starts to flick through it while the professor carries on, “Miss Granger, I have here a letter for your parents to sign, there’s three additional copies, one for our records, one for the Ministry, and one for the Dursley’s, Harry’s previous guardians.”

Harry’s eyes snap up at that, “What about the Dursley’s?”

“After investigating your home situation, your magical guardian has determined that you are too well known in your previous look to return there. Those forms are guardianship papers to grant Miss Granger’s parents legal guardianship over you, in addition to the Dursleys.”

Harry almost whispers, “I don’t have to go back to my relatives?”

Professor McGonagall’s eyes soften, “No Miss Potter, once those papers are signed and owled to the right people, the Granger family will be able to look after you.”

Harry is out of her seat and about to drag Hermione with her, “Come on Hermione, we need to find Hedwig so that she can deliver the papers.”

“Miss Potter! Sit down right now!” Professor McGonagall’s whip crack voice stops her in her tracks. Sheepishly she sits back on the bench, “As I was going to continue saying, Miss Granger, we have already sent your parents a letter to inform them that we would like to take them up on their generous offer, pending approval from Harry’s current guardians. As the Express leaves tomorrow, it was felt it would be wiser to have you give them over by hand, than to send them by owl. Not to mention that they wouldn’t be able to owl off their copies until you got home anyway.”

Harry slumps in her seat, “I’m sorry professor, I hadn’t thought of that.”

Ron carefully swallows his current mouthful of food, “Ere, mate, we’d have offered our home, but we’re already booked for a holiday. Not sure I’d want to stay with Hermione though… ow!”

Ron cuts off as Professor McGonagall pinches his ear, “Mr Weasley, personal opinions like that should stay personal.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 They’re almost at Kings Cross when Hermione looks at Harry, “Harry, um, do you think your mum would look after my trunk for me?”

Harry snaps out of her thoughts as she turns away from watching the buildings go past as they make their way through northern London, “Sorry, what was that?”

“Harry, are you ok?”

“Hermione, is this real? Am I really not going back to the Dursleys?”

“Yes it’s real, you’re coming home with me.”

“Hermione, what’s a normal family like?”

Hermione pulls the girl into a hug, “Oh, Harry you’ll have plenty of time to find out. Though we’re not exactly normal, but that’s because of Mum and Dad’s work.”

“I’m not going to be called a freak am I?”

“No, no, never that. Mum and Dad are both Dentists and they work at Barts teaching hospital. This means that over the holidays they have a lot more time off than other parents. But during the term they work more than other parents. I never really saw them growing up, you know. Aunty Jane used to look after me after school, often into the night when they had to work late.” Hermione shakes herself, “If you’re lucky, we may even get to meet her, she’s not actually my aunt, that’s just what I called her. I’m babbling aren’t I.”

Harry slowly unscrunches herself, “No, you’re fine. It just doesn’t seem real.”

Hermione nods, “It was a bit like that the first couple of days I was with your mum. But it’s real. Do you think she’d mind looking after my trunk until we get home?”

Harry smirks at her, “Why don’t you take it, and ask?”

“Harry, you know I can’t do that yet.”

“Only because you keep over thinking it. Even the ‘sorting hat’ thinks you should be able to do it now.”

“Please Harry, I don’t want to be dragging it around on the way home.”

Harry’s smirk fades as she sees the look on Hermione’s face, “Ok, but you need to keep trying to get there. Even if you have no talent for sorcery, you should be able to do it a bit.”

As the train slowly comes to a stop at Kings Cross, Harry pulls both trunks down, and collapses while she disappears to see her mother for a moment, taking the trunks with her.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

Sebastian and Naomi both watch the divider on platform 10 for Hermione and Harry, though their eyes keep twitching every time someone comes through. Sebastian has already checked the main concourse for the morbidly obese man that Harry left with last year, so they’re hoping that Hermione’s bringing the young girl home.

They’re not waiting for too long before Hermione walks up to them with the young woman that must be Harry.

“Mum, Dad?”

Sebastian jumps at Hermione’s voice and looks around for a second before seeing her standing in front of him, “Where did you come from?”

“We walked up to you from the portal over there.”

Sebastian blinks a couple of times before Naomi asks, “Hermione dear, where’s your trunks?”

Hermione beams, “Harry’s mum’s looking after them. Harry, this is my Mum and Dad, Mum, Dad, this is Harry.”

Harry looks at the two adults, suddenly nervous, “Um, hello Mr Granger. Hello Mrs Granger.”

Naomi crouches down slightly, “Harry dear, you can call us Mum and Dad, Aunt and Uncle, or Naomi and Sebastian while you call us family. Now, would you like to come with us, or would you prefer to return to the Dursleys?”

Harry freezes and stares at Naomi, fortunately Hermione speaks up, “He’s never going back to the Dursleys. Oh, sorry I mean She’s never going back to the Dursleys. Professor McGonagall gave me some letters for you. When she did, Harry almost dislocated my arm trying to pull me to the owlery to send them to you.”

Naomi looks Harry in the eyes, “Is this true honey?”

Shyly Harry nods, not trusting herself to speak. When Naomi pulls her into a hug, Harry can’t help tensing. To which Naomi only pauses long enough for Harry to pull away if she wanted to, before she finishes the motion, “Oh honey, I don’t know what you went through there, but if you ever want to talk about it…”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry kicks her heels on a waiting room bench in The Royal London Hospital, Hermione sat next to her has her nose in a medical text book that was lying around. Tears come to her eyes once more as she looks down at the four photos she’s holding. They were taken in Diagon Alley this morning, where they stayed overnight in an Inn. After that, they took the tube to Whitechapel, where the hospital is. As she looks at the full body shot, Harry’s glad that Gladrags sells a selection of muggle clothing, as these are far nicer clothes than the robes she was wearing at school. Next is her passport photo. Isn’t that a fabulous thing, having her own passport.

Harry resists the urge to get her new passport out of her bag, instead looking at the last two photo’s again, it doesn’t matter that they’re similar to the first one, they’re the first photo’s she’s ever had of herself. As she reaches the last photo, she reaches up to the pendent lying around her neck, and tears start to fall again as she remembers Naomi picking it out for her.

“Hermione, do your parent’s normally work on Sundays?” Harry nudges Hermione a couple of times, then repeats her question.

Hermione looks up from her book, “Huh? No, not normally. I seem to remember that last year they said that they’d taken shifts on the day I came back and the day after so that we have the first week together at home. It also gives them an excuse to give me my yearly check-up in front of the students. You’ll probably be getting yours today too.”

Harry shuffles nervously, “What’s it like, as I’ve never been to the dentist.”

“Mum and dad are really gentle, you’ll need to sit with your mouth open for quite a while though as they look inside with a small mirror and scraper to check your teeth for weaknesses. If they’ve only got a couple of students, they’ll probably have them look in too, otherwise they’ll use a camera. It’s really quite fascinating when they do that.”

“Do you know how long they’ll be? As I want to show mum my photos.”

Hermione shakes her head, “Sorry, no. It depends on what they had scheduled first.”

An hour later, Harry finds herself lying back in a large chair with Sebastian leaning over her with a camera. Around her is a large crowd of dental students.

“Are you doing ok there Harry?” Slightly wild eyed, Harry none the less nods, so Sebastian continues, “Good girl. It won’t be too much longer, as it’s unusual to see extended cuspids.” Speaking louder, Sebastian points his intraoral camera at the teeth, “As you should all be able to see from both the x-rays and what I’m showing you on the camera, these teeth are naturally formed cuspids that are unusually elongated. Unlike the stories, these teeth are not retractable, and many parents find them distressing. So when you come across teeth like these in your practice, try to stress that they are perfectly natural and don’t need any sort of cosmetic shaping. While inspecting them, you’ll want to pay slightly more attention to the points here…”

Harry zones out as she watches the screen while Sebastian taps her teeth with his tool.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry gazes out of the window as they leave Theydon Bois underground station in a black SUV. Beside her, Hermione’s nose is back in a book again, this time something by a Stephen Hawking.

“Are you alright back there Harry?”

Harry looks up at Sebastian’s voice, “I’m fine.”

Naomi turns around in her chair, “Are you sure, you’re very quiet.”

“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just…”

“This is all new, and you’re not sure if it’s going to be taken away from you. Sebastian and I bought a couple of books when we received Hermione’s letter. I’m sorry that we’re using the car if you’re uncomfortable, we’d normally walk as it’s less than a mile to the station, but we were expecting to have your trunks.”

Harry smiles wanly, “It’s ok, I left them with my mum.”

“You have a mother? Why were you living with the Dursleys?”

 Harry’s about to answer when Sebastian calls, “We’re here.” And they do a sharp turn, and then drive through a pair of gates that start to close behind them, past a fountain, and pull up in front of a massive house.

Gawking, Harry doesn’t notice Hermione get out until she’s opened her door and is tugging on her arm, “Come on slow poke, I’ll show you to your room. Then I’ll show you to my house by the pond, and the Library, then the pool, and finally granny’s house.”

Naomi laughs, “Hermione, tonight we’re just going to show Harry to her room, and eat some of the food that I’m sure that Jane’s left for us. After that, we can talk about the ground rules and have a tour of the grounds. I’d also like to talk to Harry about her mother.”

Hermione steps back with a pout, “Mrs Cruz is brilliant, she’s been teaching me to read English, well her English anyway not English English. I think she knows almost as much as you and dad do.”

Naomi laughs and shakes her head, “Well come on, then your father needs to put the car in the garage.”

As they walk into the massive house, and Harry gawks at the interior, Naomi sighs, “Sorry about the size of the house, but Sebastian’s grandparents bought it in the height of the blitz in World War 2. He was a technician at Stapleford airfield you see. He moved his whole family out here, including his parents, and it’s been in the family since then. Anyway, your bedroom is by the stairs here.”

Naomi indicates a door to the left before she continues walking past up a single step and past a closet through a single door, “Our bedroom is this one towards the front of the house, and Hermione’s is the one down that corridor. We’d have put you in with Hermione, but we both thought you might like your privacy.”

As they’re walking back to Harry’s room, Harry nervously ventures, “Um, what about the other bedrooms?”

Naomi waves her hand, “They only get used when we have guests. Well apart from the smallest room, that’s where we store all of our hobbies that we’re not currently interested in. Now this is your bedroom, it’s the only other one with an on-suite bathroom.”

Harry goggles when the door’s opened to reveal a room that’s bigger than the Durley’s living room, and steps back shaking, “Through here is your bathroom… Harry, Harry honey. Hermione, run and get your father, tell him we need something calming.”

Carefully, Naomi picks Harry up with a grunt, and frowns as she feels the girl shivering. Carefully, she lays Harry on the bed and sits beside her, stroking her hair, “Shh, shh, you’re safe here.”

It takes an hour, and several refreshes of Chamomile tea with honey, before Harry comes out of her anxiety attack to find she’s not alone, and the bedroom door is still open. In front of her, the far side of the bedroom is almost a complete wall of square leaded glass.

“Are you ok honey?”

Harry looks up at Naomi, “They’re not bars, just windows?”

Naomi nods, “Yes Harry, they’re just windows. The only lock in the room is on your bathroom so that nobody can walk in on you accidentally.”

“There’s no cat flap?”

Hermione giggles, “We have a cat flap, but it’s in the kitchen. I’ll show you later.”

Hesitantly, Harry gets up from the bed and cautiously walks over to the windows. There, she lifts up the latch and pushes it open with a little effort, as the paint sticks. Reaching up, she runs her hand over the leading of the window panes, and feels the slight bumps on the in and outside of the glass, “They’re just windows, not bars.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 “Harry?”

Harry pulls her attention from the window looking out at the swimming pool at the sound of her name, “Yes Hermione?”

“Why is your draft version of your potions essay better than the one you’re going to hand in?”

Harry looks down in alarm at the sheets of parchment in front of Hermione, her heart sinks as she realises that one of them is written in her mothers English, “Um, that one’s for mum, and that one’s for the school.”

“But this one is so much better than the one for school. Why are you hiding what you can do?”

“Hermione,” Sebastian’s voice comes from the doorway causing Harry to jump, “don’t pry. Just accept that she has good reasons for it. Now Harry, I came over here to talk to both of you, as there seems to be something odd going on around the house.” Harry and Hermione both look up at Sebastian, “Have either of you been cleaning up before Jane gets here?”

Harry shakes her head, “No Sir, not since you told me off for doing breakfast and cleaning when we were going to Thorpe Park last week.”

“Harry,” Sebastian says gently, “please don’t call me Sir, I’m not that sort of person, and you’re not in trouble. Now, there’s not going to be any punishment, are you sure you didn’t do any cleaning up?”

Harry shakes her head harder, “No, er, Sebastian, I thought you’d been cleaning up so that I wouldn’t.”

Sebastian shakes his head, “Only to clear the table, and it’s not just the kitchen, it’s the whole house, including the laundry.”

There’s a slight pop, and a house elf appears standing by the window, “Dobby has been getting lots of work. The Great Harry Potter Miss is a truly good master. Dobby sorry Dobby not been cooking, Dobby not know how oven work.”

Sebastian sags against the doorframe holding his chest, “Where did you come from?”

At the same time Harry says, “Dobby? How did you get here?”

Dobby looks between the two of them for a moment, “Dobby elf popped here. Dobby been feeding Hedwig owl too.”

Sebastian shakes his head, and goes to the other room of the library where the kitchen is, to splash his face with water. While he is, Harry says, “Dobby, how are you doing? I’m sorry about not looking for you after the hospital wing, but my examination was quite, uncomfortable, and I completely forgot. Oh, and thank you for looking after Hedwig, is that why she didn’t come looking for me?”

Dobby nods, “Dobby took good care of Miss Harry’s Hedwig, made nest over pond and find mices in the storeroom for her when she arrived.”

“Thank you Dobby, you’re the best.”

Shaking his head, Sebastian comes back in, “Did I miss anything?”

Hermione shakes her head, “No daddy, Harry just thanks Dobby for taking care of Hedwig.”

“That’s good… Um. What I originally came here to ask is if we could see if it’s safe to meet your mother tonight, as it’s the weekend, and then we’re going to France for a month. We’ve been able to borrow an emergency defibrillator in case there’s any problems.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 It’s late evening when the family all sit down in the old ballroom, having pushed the chairs away to the walls.

“Dobby,” Naomi calls softly, “could you join us here please?”

There’s a soft pop, and Dobby appears with the rest of them, “Dobby’s here.”

Naomi smiles, “Dobby, Sebastian and I have been talking. We would like to know more about you, and what house elves are. Do you have any dietary requirements?”

“Dobby is a good elf, Dobby has a nest in the warm room.”

Naomi shares a glance with Sebastian, “Dobby, what sort of food do you eat?”

Dobby shakes his head, “Dobby gets enough scraps, Nami Grangy not need worry.”

“Harry, could you try asking him please?”

Harry looks stricken for a moment before she asks, “Dobby, what was your life like before we met in the headmasters office?”

Dobby starts to pull at his ears painfully, “Dobby was a good elf, but bad master made Dobby iron his fingers, or slam his head in the oven door, when Dobby wasn’t a good elf.”

Harry’s voice hitches in her throat, “Dobby, what do house elves need to eat?”

“We’s only need scraps to eat.”

“No, I mean, what do you need to be healthy, is there anything that will make you sick if you eat it. Like furry bread makes us sick.”

Dobby yanks on his ears, “Dobby is a bad elf as Dobby not know answer.”

Harry shakes her head, but Naomi answers, “No Dobby, you’re not a bad elf for not knowing. If you pretended to know, then that would be bad. Can you read and write?”

Dobby shakes his head, “Dobby is a bad elf, Dobby doesn’t know how to do that.”

“Dobby, not knowing how to do something doesn’t make you bad. It just means that you will need to learn. Now, Harry said something about needing magic. What does that mean?”

Dobby lets up on his ears for a moment, “Elveses not have own magic, if no bond, get sick and die in few years.”

“Well, you can’t sleep in the boiler room as you could die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Tomorrow, we will sort out one of the bedrooms upstairs for you.”

“Dobby is a good elf, Dobby only needs a small cubby hole to sleep in.”

“Dobby, you are going to need a desk, a chair, and a bed. They won’t fit in a cubbyhole. I’m sure you’ll also end up with your own little bookshelf too once you’ve learnt to read and write.”

“Dobby is a good elf.”

“You are, which is why we will help you. You should also be wearing something better than an old tea towel.”

Dobby shakes his head, “No give Dobby clothes. Dobby is a good elf.”

Harry picks Dobby up easily and holds him in a hug, “Dobby, what does giving clothes mean to you?”

“It means Dobby is a bad elf, and Family no wants Dobby any more.”

“Why does it mean that?”

“Dobby not know. Dobby is a bad elf.”

Naomi shakes her head, “Let’s come back to that another time. Sebby, are you sure I can’t persuade you to let me do this?”

Sebastian shakes his head, “No Nem, you know you did better at the paramedic stuff than I did.”

“Fine! Harry, how does this work?”

Harry shakes her head at the change in topic, “Um, I’ll show you with Hermione first.”

Grabbing Hermione’s hand, she does the thing that allows her to transfer, and appears near her mother, “Hey mum, hello Sir Gryffindor.”

Godric laughs, “When are you going to start calling me Godric.”

“Um, I’m going to try and get Hermione’s dad now. Bye!”

Harry comes back to her body, to the feeling of someone touching her throat gently. As she opens her eyes she can see Sebastian leaning over her, while Naomi does the same with Hermione.

“That freaky, your pulse just sped up just before you opened your eyes.” Harry flinches before she registers the context, “Oh, sorry. Not you, the situation.”

It takes Harry a couple of minutes to calm down from hearing that word, and once she’d done she looks at Sebastian, “Are you ready?”

Sebastian nods, “You’re going to take me there, slow count to thirty, and then bring me back?”

Harry nods, “Yes.”

Naomi stands up and brushes herself off before getting a large bag, and pulls out a respirator mask and the portable defibrillator, “I’m ready if you die.”

Sebastian kisses his wife on the forehead before lying down, “Hopefully it won’t come to that, as the children were still alive.”

“They have magic, we don’t.”

“I know, that’s why we’re trying it for 30 seconds. I’m ready whenever you are Harry.”

In the end, the journey to see his mother is anticlimactic, even though it took a lot more effort to do than Hermione did the first time.

When she returns, Naomi is just calmly monitoring Sebastian’s pulse and breathing. Harry looks down at her hands, and sees a glowing blue orb there. Then she starts to gibber when Sebastian doesn’t get up.

Naomi looks up at the noise, and sees Harry starting to freak out at something, “Harry, Harry, I need you to breath in and out slowly. Do you think you can do that for me? In… and Out… In… and Out…”

After several repetitions, and exaggerating the motions herself, Naomi can see that Harry is starting to get control of herself, “Harry, did you leave Sebastian behind?”

Harry shakes her head frantically, and lifts her hand, “I think he’s here.”

“Honey, whatever you’re looking at, I can’t see. So why don’t you try putting it back in Sebastian the same way you took it out?”

“But what if I muck it up?”

“Then you’ll take him back to see your mother and the sorting hat, and try again once you’ve spoken to them.”

“I don’t know how to do it though.”

Forcing herself to stay calm, Naomi continues to talk Harry through her breakdown, “Harry, don’t think about that. Do you know how you took him to see your mother?” Harry nods, “Well, why don’t you try doing that backwards, start with whatever you felt and reverse it. If you pulled, push, if you tugged, shove. Can you do that for me?”

Silently Harry nods before taking Sebastian’s hand and closing her eyes.

Naomi continues to calmly talk to Harry about this while she’s trying things. But after several minutes nothing’s worked, and Harry’s about to give up when something gives slightly, as though she’s found the edge of a root she needs to extract. With renewed hope, she tries to follow that edge with the glowing ball, something that’s easier said than done.

By the time she opens her eyes, the sun has long fallen below the horizon, and the whole house is in darkness. Draped over Sebastian, Naomi is sobbing quietly.

“Mia, why are you crying?”

Naomi screams when Sebastian pulls her into a hug, and then she starts to laugh hysterically.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

A tanned Harry smiles as she walks up Charring Cross Road, from Tottenham Court Road tube, with her new family. It took most of the month in France, but Harry finally started to let her guard down around Sebastian and Naomi, along with Freda, Sebastian’s mother. Glancing over at Hermione, who’s nose is stuck in a book again, she sneakily reaches out and takes her free hand as they pass by the different book, music, and even the occasional electronics, shops.

Abruptly, she stops to stare in a window for a moment, causing Hermione to exclaim as she almost drops her book.

“Harry! Did you have to… what are you looking at?”

Harry points at a GRIDPad SL that’s sitting in the window display, “Mum sometimes uses something like that. I didn’t know we had them here.”

Sebastian shakes his head, “They’re not very popular yet, we had some of the originals at the hospital a couple of years ago. We couldn’t use them as they need to be plugged in to access networked resources, and they also interfered with some of the sensitive diagnostic machines, like the EEG and ECG. However, as we’ve stopped, we should probably think about getting you a computer for the Study so that you don’t need to keep using Hermione’s or ours.”

Harry raises her hands, “You don’t need to do that si…papa, I don’t need a computer.”

Sebastian sighs, “Harry, Naomi and I spend a lot of time at the Hospital. So, while it’s not a true substitute for us being around, it’s something we like to do. Besides, you can also help find some educational games for Dobby to play while you’re at school. Also don’t forget we’re heading to John Lewis, Selfregies, and finally Liberty, to buy furniture for your room, as well as things for Dobby’s room.”

20 minutes later, Harry and Hermione are about to grab her parents hands when Sebastian says, “Naomi, where are you going? We’re here.”

As soon as Sebastian grabs her hand, Naomi’s eyes clear and she looks at the pub, and then back at Sebastian, “Seb, what? How?”

Sebastian double checks the pub and looks around, “I have no idea. It’s just there. You know how we always have no idea how we could miss it when we’re holding Hermione’s hand? Well it’s like that now.”

It’s almost lunch time when the four of them finish the school shopping, slightly later than they expected due to some paperwork that Harry had to go through with Sebastian, due to her change in appearance and mother. That and the quiet conversation that Sebastian had with her in the vault.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 As Harry stooped down to pick up a scoop of Galleons, Sebastian crouched down next to her, “Harry, could you get 42 Galleons and then give them to me. Naomi and I spoke about this on holiday, and as your guardians we can’t allow you to use your parents money for your school expenses. What we’re going to do instead is set up an investment trust for you, and everything that you take out of here we will add the pounds equivalent of to your trust. That way, when you’re 18 you’ll have money on both sides of the divide to help you with whatever you want to do. We can also use it as a way to teach you about money and investments.”

Harry rocked back in surprise, “But I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Harry, children are never a burden. You especially are not a burden, I’ve never seen Hermione not nose deep in a book when she’s not at school. You’ve already got her playing in the pool, and showing you around the village. You’re the sister that she’s always needed.”

“Why doesn’t she have a sister?”

Sebastian’s eyes went distant, “There were complications when Hermione was born. If you want to talk about it, we can do so once we’ve got home, alright?”

Harry nodded, “Ok.”

“Good, now put the money back and count out 42 Galleons. That’s more than we should need for today, but we budgeted a little slack for just in case.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Just before they get to the Leaky Cauldron, Naomi turns around to face the children, one of which is looking longingly over at flourish and blots.

“Children, it’s almost lunch time, however, as we’re eating in Chinatown, we thought we’d give you July’s pocket money. Harry, would you be a dear and call Dobby please?”

Naomi has to call Harry’s name a second time before she softly calls, “Dobby!”

Dobby appears next to them all and sees the shopping. With a click of his fingers it disappears, as does the house elf.

“Harry, would you mind calling Dobby back please?”

When Dobby reappears, he says, “How can Dobby help the Great Mistress Hari Potter?”

Naomi smiles, “Dobby, can you wait here a moment before disappearing.”

With that said, Sebastian pulls out 6 galleons that he kept back and hands two of them to Dobby, “Dobby, this is your pocket money, there is only one rule for spending it. You cannot spend it on anything to do with the upkeep of the house, grounds, or our food.”

Dobby stands there staring at his hands while Sebastian hands Harry and Hermione their own pocket money, “Be back here at 1, you should be able to hear big ben from here.”

Hermione immediately runs off to Flourish and Blotts, while Harry walks over to the Broom Shop to look for a new pair of gloves with comfort charms. With the remaining 8 sickles and 15 knuts, and the money she didn’t spend last year, she’s able to buy a book on blacksmithing, figuring that she should learn to make the weapons that her mother used to use.

Sebastian turns to Naomi, “We’ve got 3 galleons left, do you want to have a look around the junk shop?”

Naomi smiles, “You still know the best way to this girls heart.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 “Dad, Harry. Dinner’s ready. What are you doing?”

Harry looks up from the sheets of paper and parchment on the desk, and brings the stuffed unicorn she bought in Hamley’s to her chest, “Um, papa? Papa is showing me how to read my Gringotts statement, and also taking me through the trust they set up for me. I had no idea about any of this.”

Hermione sticks her tongue out, “Ugh, I hate those lessons. It’s always the same thing, over and over again.”

Sebastian smiles, “That’s right my little queen, it’s always the same thing over and over again. Such is the life of an adult. Maybe I should include you in your mother and I’s monthly look at our finances.”

Looking stricken, Hermione flees the room before turning back, “Um, Harry, would you like to look at our Arithmancy books after dinner?”

Harry’s about to respond when Sebastian puts a hand on her knee, taking a moment to think, she answers with a smile, “Sure, um,” Hugging her unicorn for comfort Harry continues, “couldweplayAtmosphereafterwards?”

Hermione laughs, “Of course we can silly.”

Once they’re all sat around the table in the kitchen diner, Naomi drags over a seated barstool that they ordered from Liberty while they were there last week. Softly she then calls for Dobby, “Dobby, you may serve up as long as you serve yourself some and join us at the table.”

Dobby appears wearing socks on his ears, hands, and feet, “Dobby is a good elf, Dobby cannot eat with family.”

“Dobby, sit! You may be a house elf, and bound to Harry for your survival. That doesn’t mean that you can’t eat with us. Even Harry eats with us, and you know she only needs to feed from Hermione occasionally. So if she can do it, so can you.”

While Naomi is lecturing Dobby, Sebastian quietly serves up the food and brings it over to the table. While they’re eating, and Naomi is treating Dobby like a particularly recalcitrant 4 year old, Sebastian broaches a subject that he and Naomi have been discussing since June.

“Harry, Hermione, your mum and I are working the rest of the week. But at the weekend we’d like to try visiting Harry’s mother again. Harry, I know that it’s a lot to ask, but everywhere else you both go, we can in theory visit if necessary, except there. If the sorting hat is there, then maybe you could ask it to help you work out what happened last time.”

Harry snatches the unicorn off the floor beside her, and buries her face in it’s head, “Ok. I’ll ask.”

“Harry, you can say no. We’ll be disappointed, but it’s your decision. If you do, I still want you to ask and learn. As it’s better to know and not need, than to need and not know. So I’m going to ask again. We would like to try visiting your mother again at the weekend, do you think you’ll be up to it?”

Harry shakes her head in the negative, and Sebastian smiles at her, “That’s ok, we’ll put it off until you think you’re ready. Can you take letters through?”

Harry nods, and in a small voice says, “I can, I keep all of my school stuff there.”

Sebastian nods, “Then we’ll be penpals until you feel ready to try again.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Hermione looks over at the notepad that Harry’s scribbling on as she’s looking at one of the pages in the Arithmancy book.

“Harry, what are you doing?”

Harry looks up from her work, “I’m trying to understand why 3 is such a special number based on the examples in the book. So I’ve been dividing one zero, one zero zero, and one zero zero zero, in different ways, but it keeps dividing correctly.”

𒐕𒑊𒑊𒑊÷𒐗 =𒑱𒑊𒑊

Hermione looks at the equation, her eyebrows furrowed, “Harry, I know you make notes in your mothers English, but could you try that equation in our English?”

10÷3=3⅓

After laboriously writing the sum out, and then doing the math long hand, Harry frowns at the final simplified equation, “But that’s stupid, why do it like that when this works even better.”

𒌋÷𒐗=𒐗;𒑱

“See, there’s no awkward division hanging around. You’ve got a nice, neat number.”

Hermione looks up as she thinks back on Harry’s early assignments, “Harry, have you always been doing your math like this and then converting it back to English?”

“Well, it is English, but yes. Arabic numbers never really caught on my mum’s earth.”

“That explains so much about your early essays. Why didn’t you learn to do decimal in your head?”

Harry shrugs, “The Dursleys punished me if I did better than Dudley, who’s thicker than two short planks, so I didn’t see any reason to do so.”

“How did you manage to survive dad’s lesson on your money?”

Harry grimaces, “By adding it up as I went along.”

Hermione huffs, “Well, that’s no good. Come on, let’s show this to dad, and then we can play your game.”

One explanation later, Sebastian looks at the sheet of paper and scratches his chin absently, “I think this would be better talked about in the study tomorrow. However, off the top of my head I can think of a couple of ways to help you with this. A good quality scientific calculator would be my first suggestion, but that will only work here. Setting up a spreadsheet in Lotus 123 on the computer would work too. Harry, have you ever used an abacas?” Harry shakes her head, “I’ll see if I can’t buy you a good quality one during my lunch hour tomorrow. Then you can use it at school to do your schoolwork. You’ll need to work at it, as they’re somewhat tricky to learn.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Halfway through August, the happy mood of the holiday is shattered when Minister Fudge quite literally turns up on the doorstep.

Dobby pops into the “Missy Mummy,” a name Dobby adopted for Naomi when she wouldn’t stop teaching him table manners or life skills, “Minister Fudge is at the doorway.”

Naomi looks up from where she, Harry, and Hermione, are packing for a trip to the Southend Central Museum and Planatarium, followed by a visit to Southend pier and Peter Pan’s playground after dinner.

“Who?”

“The Minister of Magic.”

Naomi huffs, “Well tell him to come back tomorrow, we’re getting ready to go out.”

Dobby disappears with a pop, before reappearing a moment later, “Dobby is sorry, but Mini Fudge says that it’s urgent he speaks to The Great Hari Potter Miss.”

Naomi sighs, “Ok you two, keep loading the car and I’ll go and see what he wants. Hermione, you’re only allowed one book for the journey, and it has to be fiction. No, Dobby, you’re not allowed to help either, as this as much about learning what’s needed for a trip as it is packing the car.”

A minute later she comes back into the garage with a puzzled expression on her face, so Hermione asks, “Are you ok mum?”

Naomi shakes her head, “I left the kettle on.”

“Mum, there isn’t a kettle in here. What did the Minister want?”

“The Minister, oh right, I’ll go and see what he wants.”

A minute later she comes back in looking puzzled again, “Mum, how did it go?”

“Oh, I came back because I think I left the oven on.”

“Dobby, do you think you could take mum to see the Minister?”

Dobby takes Naomi’s hand and disappears with a pop, reappearing on the porch where a portly man, wearing green robes with a matching bowler hat, stands looking at the door impatiently. Behind him are a couple of burly Aurors who look like they were chosen for their size more than their intelligence.

Naomi puts her hands on her hips, “Well!?”

The Minister turns around quickly, “Madam, we thought you were in the house.”

Naomi pins him with a glare, “Well, I would have come through the house, but for some reason I couldn’t get to the door. How can we help you?”

“I’m here to talk to Harriet Potter, to ensure that she’s safe.”

“Not until you’ve told me why you want to talk to her, as I’m one of her legal guardians.”

Fudge takes off his bowler hat and turns it worriedly in his hands, “Well, you see Madam, there’s an escaped convict on the loose, one Sirius Black, and we have reason to believe he’s after Harriet.”

Naomi nods, “We saw something about that on the news. He’s a terrorist that escaped from a maximum security prison up north isn’t he? It was in the news over a week ago.”

Fudge coughs, “Yes, well, it took us a while to find her address, as her wand isn’t showing up on the trace. Neither is the wand of one Miss Granger, a muggleborn that shares this address.”

“Well, you’ve delivered your message. Now if you don’t mind we’re about to go to Southend for a day trip.”

“Um, about that, we’d really rather you didn’t. As it could be dangerous for Miss Potter to be out and about. We would also like to place some protections over your property so that if he does come here, he won’t be able to get in before the Auror’s arrive.”

“No, you can put up the protections, as long as they don’t stop us from getting into our own home, but we’re not putting our life on hold because of a prisoner that was last seen in the North of England. I would also like you to leave a list of whatever protections you do put up.”

“Yes, well it will take us an hour to put them up.”

“That won’t work, as I said we’re going out today and won’t be back until late evening. I’m working tomorrow, but my husband should be around for the day if you could do it then.”

One of the Aurors speaks up while the minister is thinking, “Either way ma’am, we will need to see both of the children, and their wands. As evading the trace is a very serious issue.”

Naomi sighs, “Dobby, could you tell the children to get their wands, and come around to the front please?”

While they’re waiting for Harry and Hermione, Fudge suddenly exclaims, “I know, we’ll assign you a guard until Hogwarts starts, that way you can still go about your business and we know that the girl-who-lived is safe. Dawlish, head back and ask Madam Bones for an Auror who can blend in.”

Dawlish disappears with a crack, and while they’re waiting, Harry and Hermione both come round the side of the house carrying their wands. Once they’re standing just off the porch, the second Auror draws his wand and casts a rather complicated charm. Once he’s finished, he nods, “Everything seems to be in order Minister.”

Hermione, ever inquisitive, asks, “What was that spell?”

“It checks to see if the trace has been tampered with, as well as checking your magical maturity. There have been families in the past that have forced their children’s magic to mature in order to evade the trace. As you can probably imagine, this can cause problems for them growing up.”

Naomi nods, “Thank you for that explanation, Hermione, Harry, put your wands away and make yourselves a drink. We’re going to be a little late leaving.”

In the end, it takes them another hour to leave with a young trainee Auror who has been assigned this as part of her final evaluation. Her cover story is that she’s a university student earning a little money by playing chaperone to the children while the parents do their own thing over the summer. Much to Naomi’s annoyance, that extra hour meant that they got caught in the holiday traffic on the A127, and then it took them another hour to find a parking space, despite being during the middle of the week.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Cruz looks up from the latest letter from the Grangers, and then at both of the children in front of her. Wordlessly, she hands the letter over to Godric, “Harry, I think it’s time to teach you to defend yourself without your wand. I know you’ve been doing a few things with Rick here, but I’m going to give you one of the Queens Ogres, and I want you to start practicing with it. It will allow you to safely drain monsters if you come across them.”

Godric nods, “Indeed, and the young wizard should join the young sorcerer in learning the sword, as it’s far easier to learn when you’re facing a student of roughly equivalent skill, with a master correcting you, than against a master.” Hermione looks longingly at the pile of books, seeing her look, Godric laughs as he continues, “Also, I believe that I will add a request to your parents that all of your books on magical subjects be sent here. As it is past time that you should have learnt to come to this realm on your own. If you fail to learn the necessary skill by the end of the week, I will instruct young Mrs Potter to no longer bring you to this realm upon sleeping.”

Hermione’s eyes widen, “You wouldn’t.”

“Aye lass, I would. It’s not uncommon for students to need, an incentive to learn skills that they find difficult. If you haven’t learnt the skill by the midwinter holiday, I will have the school bar you access to the library.”

“But…But…But how will I do my homework?”

“By only using the materials that are in your textbooks. Hmm, oh that’s the other thing to add to the letter to your parents. The professors are talking about allowing you the use of a time turner in order to attend all of your classes. I do not believe that you would be well served with either Divination or Muggle Studies, for that matter young sorcerer neither would you if you were so inclined to take those courses. In the time that I’ve known either of you, you have shown no special insight into the events of the future, or those of distant locations. It is also quite clear that you are currently living in the muggle world, so any studies that you may partake of in the school would be dwarfed by your lived experiences.”

Cruz returns with something that looks like a leather coat, and two queenslayer blades, along with a strap of leather, “Ricky, would you be able to wrap the hilt of Hermione’s sword please? Only she’s still human so the ichor channels will cause her damage if you don’t.”

Godric sighs, “Certainly my lady, young wizard, come and watch as I do this, as undoubtably you will need to learn how to do this yourself.”

While Godric shows Hermione how to wrap the hilt, Cruz shows Harry how the ichor channels work, both in the blood code as well as the sword. Hermione is barely able to keep her eyes on the actual wrapping process, as the fact the blade is easily longer than she is tall keeps drawing her attention. However, it doesn’t escape her attention that when Godric grips the hilt nearer the blade, short needles pop up along the side of the grip. Needles that look like they’re insanely sharp. From that point on, her eyes don’t waver from what Godric is doing, as she tries to commit it to memory.

When he finishes, Godric hefts the blade a couple of times with a grunt as he finds the balance point on the grip, “My lady, while I wouldst not normally question the weapons of another master. I do have to ask why these swords are overlarge?”

Cruz looks over, “Leverage. The monsters attacking our world were immune to conventional weaponry, with wounds that would heal over almost as fast as they were inflicted. These swords were designed to be used one handed by revenants to inject ichor in quick, precise, strikes and stabs. The blood code itself contains ‘teeth’ under the shoulders, and while it’s worn it will act as part of the user. It also takes in a little blood from the enemy with each strike of an ichor weapon, that can then be used to power some of the effects inherent in a Revenants blood code.”

Godric nods, “How did you get them so light?”

“Titanium alloy, I’ve got the ratios on a tablet somewhere as I seem to still have access to the mistle network at home. It took them a long time to develop the alloy, but it was needed.”

Godric nods sagely, “I must confess that I do not know what Titanium is.”

Cruz nods, “Neither did I, however one of Harry’s primary school books had a table of elements, so I was able to match up the names from my world with the names from this world.”

As Godric’s eyes start to sparkle, Harry and Hermione grab their swords and flee back to their house.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Sebastian looks over at the Auror who’s hair has just turned bright pink as she laughs at Naomi arguing with Dobby about using utensils for eating.

“Hello Miss, I don’t think we’ve actually been introduced.”

The Auror gets control of herself, “Sorry, I’m Auror Tonks. Well, Trainee Auror, but Madam Bones has made this part of my final evaluation.”

Sebastian nods, “Understandable. Do you have a first name we could use, as I don’t think a university student would go with Tonks.”

“Um, I really don’t like my first name.”

Sebastian chuckles, “You’re not alone in that, Hermione used to hate hers until she started reading Shakespeare. I should also point out that we don’t know your actual first name, so whatever you tell us is what we’ll know you as.”

The auror thinks for a moment, “Dora, you can call me Dora.”

Sebastian smiles, “Nice to meet you Dora. Now, do you mind explaining what was funny?”

Dora shakes he head, “It’s just the fact that I have never seen someone able to keep a house elf sat at a table for long enough to even start doing this.”

Sebastian nods, “And how many people would have even tried?”

Dora immediately sobers as she thinks about it, “Honestly, I can’t think of anyone that would.”

As Harry finishes her food and puts her utensils down looks over at Sebastian and hesitantly asks, “Papa, erm, would it be ok if I went to see my mother now?”

Sebastian smiles, “Sure, just remember we’re watching a film at 8.”

Dora looks over at Harry in surprise, “Now hold on, I wasn’t told you have a mother. As I’m supposed to be looking out for you I need to know where you’re going.”

Harry looks back at Sebastian, who laughs, “Go on, you may as well take her with you.”

Harry nods reluctantly, and leads Dora into the living room before sitting down, “You’ll want to be sitting down for this.”

Dora shakes her head, “Sure kid, but I’m not going to just fall asleep so you can sneak off somewhere else.”

Harry just takes her hand, and pulls Dora to see her mother.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Dora looks out of the dining room come living room at Harry slowly getting used to moving a sword around that is longer than she is tall. The blood red coat moving around in ways that are contrary to the wind or her motions. With a shudder she turns back to look at Hermione, who’s sitting on a couch desperately trying to get to her books. Personally, she’s in two minds about the whole thing. On the one hand, lessons taught personally by Godric Gryffindor. On the other, she looks at Harry again and then down at the sword that’s sitting in her lap, having Godric try to find out if she’s a battle mage.

After a few minutes, she heaves the sword off her lap before standing up and carrying it over to the couch that Hermione’s sitting at. Sitting down again Dora carefully touches the girl’s knee.
“Hey, how are you getting on there?”
Hermione jumps with a shriek before looking at Dora, “Don’t do that…”
Dora laughs, “My mentor would be screaming about ‘constant vigilance’ if I had that reaction. Anyway, back to my question, how are you getting on there?”
Hermione pouts in response, “It’s horrible, Harry took the keyboard for my computer earlier. However, nobody is willing to explain how to get there on my own. They won’t even give me a book about it.”
Dora chuckles, “You already know why. How are you getting on with finding your own magic?”
Hermione crosses her arms and hunches back into the cushions, “I haven’t. What does it look like? How do you find it? Does it have a sound, colour, or texture? Why can’t it just be written down?”

Dora looks around the room for a moment, before spotting the notepad and pen beside the phone. A quick swish of her wand has it in hand, “How would you draw Harry practicing with her sword?”
Hermione thinks for a moment with her arms still crossed, though her posture does relax while she’s thinking, “You’d need to start by outlining the pose that you want, first with a simple stick figure outline, and then the basic ovals over that. Once that’s done you’d sketch in the background. With the sketch done, you then start to add details to the basic sketch.”
Dora smirks as she shoves the pad and pen at Hermione, “Go on then.”
Hermione startles, “B…But, I can’t draw.”
“You just told me how to do it, something I presume you learnt from a book?”
“Yes, but that’s different, isn’t it?”
“Is it? Can you draw a straight line and a circle?”
“Of course.”
“Then you know everything you need to know in order to draw Harry practicing her sword work.”

As Hermione looks at the pad, a tear starting to make its way down her cheek, Dora lays a comforting hand on her leg, “Hey, it’s not all bad. You’re at the top of your year at school. You can’t have got there without being good at learning. This is just another skill. You’ll likely never be the next Faulconbridge, but…”
Hermione looks up, “Who?”
“Oh, uh, famous wizarding painter. Did a couple of the landscapes on the grand staircase in Hogwarts. Anyway…”
“I don’t remember that in Hogwarts: a History.”
“It wouldn’t be, as that’s written for people who have never been to Hogwarts. You’d need to look at some of the books on high society or art history. Though you’ll probably only be able to get the art history books. Anyway…” Dora raises her hand to forestall the next comment, “Anyway, the same applies to what you’re trying to learn now. It’s not something you can parrot and then refine, you need to come up with your own way of doing it. You’ve already been taught everything you need to know, you just need to learn how to use that knowledge. Now, why don’t you tell me what happened to your father when Harry tried to take him to see her mother?”
“Oh, um. Harry pulled dad’s soul out of his body and…”
Several minutes later, Dora nods at Hermione while trying to avoid freaking out about soul magic, “There you go, you know what you’re trying to do now.”
Hermione looks at Dora confused, “I do?”
Dora nods, “You do, you need to separate your soul from your body first. Then send your soul to wherever Harry’s mother is.”
Hermione stares at Dora without blinking for a couple of minutes, “Oh, why didn’t I think of that?” With that said, she collapses limp on the couch.
In a panic, Dora casts a basic diagnostic on Hermione to see if she’s still alive. When the spell shows that she is, Dora slumps in relief.
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
Harry sits, clutching her unicorn, as she stares at the innocuous broom closet under the kitchen stairs. She flinches violently as someone touches her shoulder before saying, “I won’t do it again Aunt Petunia.”

A few minutes later, it’s almost like someone throws a bucket of cold water over her emotions as her anxiety is smothered under a wave of calm. As her mind clears Harry stares at the open door in front of her, specifically at the bundle of aprons hanging on the back side of the door, “Heh, heh, hahaha…” Her laughter cuts out as that artificial calm settles over her again.

Hermione walks around from behind her and crouches down, “Harry, are you alright? You weren’t responding to me, and you said something about Aunt Petunia when I tried to get your attention.”
Harry looks up at Hermione, and catches sight of Dora a few steps behind her, her wand held loosely in her hand, “I think so, I don’t know what happened. I was back at my relatives and… and… I don’t know.”
“Can I give you a hug?”
Before Harry can answer, Dora speaks up, “I think you should both move to the living room, and I’ll close this door. The spell I used can be harmful if it’s used too often.”
It takes another 10 minutes of sitting on the sofa being hugged by Hermione before Harry starts to shiver. As she does, Hermione looks over at Dora, “What’s happening to her?”
Dora shrugs, “Not sure, I’m not a Mediwitch, but I was told this is a normal reaction, and she’ll be fine in a few minutes. If we still go into London today, we can pop into Diagon Alley and buy a few calming draughts. They’ll last an hour or so, rather than the few seconds the spell lasts, and they’re safe for a couple of doses a day.”
Hermione looks at Harry, “What do you want to do? Head into London or find something to do here?”
Harry looks at both of them as she shivers violently, “I…I’m f…fine. L…Let’s g…go t…to L…London.”
Hermione scowls, “You’re obviously not fine.”
Harry shakes her head vehemently, “Y…yes I…I a…am.”
“I know, let’s go to the adventure playground in Fairlop Waters, that’s near a tube station. We could then hire a boat afterwards and go sailing.”
Dora puts her hands on her hips, “And how do we get there?”
Hermione smiles sweetly, “We get the tube to Leytonstone and change for a Hainault train, or we change at South Woodford and get a train to London via Buckhurst Hill. It’s the Al’s Barn leaflet by the phone.”

Dora leans over from her seat and grabs the bundle of activity leaflets to flick through. Once she reaches the right leaflet she grunts, “Fine, we’ll do that. You’ve got your travel cards, and I’ve got £20 for the day.”

Later that day Naomi looks over at the two exhausted girls sleeping together on a sofa, “So, Dora, how did you persuade Hermione to go to an adventure playground?”
Dora shakes her head, “I didn’t, it was her idea. Harry had a turn, and I needed to use a calming spell to snap her out of it. Harry was shivering from the aftereffects and trying to say she was fine to go to London. That reminds me, one of us should get half a dozen calming draughts and a couple of dreamless sleep potions from the apothecary in Diagon Alley. They’re safer than the spell, and they last an hour each.”
Sebastian nods, “I can probably do that during lunch if you write a list. I think I still have some wizarding money from last time. How are you getting on with your own studies?”
Dora glances over at the sword that’s propped up by the fireplace with a grimace, “I think I’d rather be under Moody’s thumb than those slave drivers. But I think I’m getting there, slowly. Listen, the kids are back at school next week. Um, do you think I could still rent the room I’ve been using after that?”
Naomi and Sebastian both share a glance before Naomi looks back at Dora, “Let’s talk about it once they’re back at school and you’re off the clock. How are you getting on with the exercises you’ve been given? Harry said that they’ve been pushing you hard.”
Dora sits back, “I think I’m doing ok, but it’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. My biggest issue has been training to use a sword, something that Godric seems to think is mandatory despite the fact we just don’t use swords anymore. I can’t even get Cruz on side either, as she’s just as bad, if not worse.”
Sebastian chuckles, “And I’m guessing that Godric is making it a condition of learning from him?”
Dora rubs her eyes in frustration, “He is, on top of that I’ve only got until the end of the week to prove I can get to them on my own, otherwise that’s it, lessons over.”

Naomi reaches over to pat Dora’s hand, “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get it. Also, I want to say thank you for being so patient with the children. I don’t think they’d have had nearly as much fun if you weren’t here.”
Dora waves her hand, “It’s all part of the job.”

Before the conversation can continue, Freda, Sebastian’s mother, walks in from the kitchen, “Good evening everyone. I hope you don’t mind me joining you for dinner, as Ethel’s unwell so our bridge game is cancelled.”
Sebastian smiles, “Not at all mother, we were going to wait until 7 to wake the kids up and order takeaway.”
Freda glances at the two girls and nods, “Why don’t we go to the Blue Boar instead? They do have a family room after all.”
═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════
Outside a home in Little Whinging a malnourished dog lifts its head to the sky and howls mournfully. The magical scent trail it had been following petering out at this home as the blood protections surrounding the home are fading away.
Nimbly it dodges to one side as someone throws a roll at it with a shouted, “Be quiet you mangy mutt!”. Quickly grabbing the roll, the dog trots off and begins its arduous journey to the north.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

With only a couple of days left of the summer holidays, Naomi lies back on the floor in the old ballroom, her head laying on a cushion. Harry is lying on the floor next to her while Sebastian, Dora, and Hermione are all watching from the chairs.

Reaching out with her hand, Naomi grasps Harry’s hand, “You don’t have to do this. Hermione or Dora could do it instead.”

Harry shakes her head, “No, I’ll do it, if something goes wrong, I’m the only one that can help you.”

“Well, I’m ready whenever you are.”

Harry licks her suddenly dry lips before pulling both of them to see her mum.

When they arrive, Cruz walks forward and pulls Harry into a hug, “Harry, I’m proud of you for facing your fear.”

Harry puts her arms around her mother and just allows herself to be held while Naomi looks around.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Miss Silva.”

Cruz looks up from Harry’s hair, “Cruz please. I’m no high born that requires that sort of respect.”

Naomi smiles, “Cruz then. How have you been doing? As letters are hardly a replacement for conversation.”

Cruz nods, “It has been somewhat lonely, but in a good way as Harry was here almost all the time last year. I’ve even had Dobby turn up occasionally. Come, I actually have some dedicated furniture now, as Godric was able to guide Dobby to some spare furniture in the school.”

As Naomi follows Cruz and Harry, who is still hanging on to her mother like a limpet, she asks, “What do you mean dedicated furniture?”

Cruz smiles softly, “Has Harry told you about how the Mistle can be used to store items?”

Naomi nods, “She has. Though the how of it still eludes me, and I consider myself to be an educated person.”

Cruz nods in turn, “I believe that there is an element of what you call magic involved in the process. But on my world we didn’t have an organised magical community, so it was subject to scientific study and analysis. Anyway, people don’t tend to store things that are designed as furniture, myself included. So I had to make do with chairs made from crates and clothes.”

As she’s talking, Cruz leads Naomi through a gap between a couple of bookcases to a section with an old panelled double bed, the panels of which are intricately carved with scenes of daily life and battles around a castle. Above the area colourful lengths of linin provide a ceiling of sorts as they sag between the bookcases that make up the walls, and the top of the bed.

Gesturing to a straw stuffed chair, Cruz says, “Take a seat, would you like some tea?”

Naomi looks around with an impressed expression, “Yes please. This is nothing like Seb described. I like it.”

Cruz smiles, “It certainly makes a difference. Hermione even has her own bookcase on the outside.”

Harry nods, “I like it too, as Mum and Ricky were…” she turns away with bright red cheeks.

Naomi laughs, “I’m glad that you’ve both discovered you’re compatible. What did you do before…?”

The faint sounds of Hermione’s voice comes through the gap in the bookcases as Cruz answers, “As I said, I used crates and clothes. I’ll show you the training area later, that’s where the crates are now, as they’re all full of weapons and armour.”

Naomi nods with a grimace, “The invasion?”

Cruz sighs, “Yes. Though, they’ve been used against the second and third generation Revenants far more often than they were ever used against the monsters.”

“Is that something that Harry will ever need to worry about?”

Cruz shakes her head, “No, well, hopefully not. We didn’t have the Mistle network at the beginning, and so if a Revenant took too much damage in one go, their BOR parasite could take over and they’d become what we called The Lost, or just Lost. Without any Lost around there isn’t any miasma either.”

Naomi interrupts, “Miasma?”

“A mix of spores and pheromones that the BOR parasite pumps out to attract a mate. Don’t worry, the Mistle would absorb them if they ever existed, and Harry knows how to use the network to retreat from a fight, so she should never be in a position where she could ever become Lost.”

Sebastian walks through the gap in the bookshelves with a smile, “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

Cruz looks over at Hermione, who’s got her nose in a book as she’s following her father, “Hermione, would you fill the teapot and heat it up please. Without your wand.” Looking back at Sebastian she smiles, “Thank you. Ricky has been a great help. I had no idea that there was so much spare furniture at the school.”

Hermione keeps reading until Sebastian turns around and puts his hand in front of the page. “Dad!”

Sebastian shakes his head, “Hermione, you’re in someone elses home. Now, I believe Cruz asked you to do something.”

Hermione looks around for a moment, “Huh?”

Cruz chuckles, “I asked if you could fill and heat the teapot without your wand.”

Hermione looks crestfallen, “But…”

Naomi curiously asks, “Why without her wand?”

Harry looks up from her hug, “Godric says that it’s because Hermione needs to practice her visualisation and willpower. Doing things like this help with that, and also keep her magic loose.”

Naomi and Sebastian both look down at Harry, and Sebastian asks, “What do you mean loose? Like stretching before you exercise?”

Harry shakes her head, “No, more like the hot tub after exercise. Um, using a wand needs a lot of control, so does using a sword. So, so using sorcery is like forcing yourself to relax afterwards and do things with less precision.”

Naomi and Sebastian share a glance and Naomi says, “Sharing a pint after work to unwind?”

Sebastian nods, “Sounds like it. Well, I trust that you’ll ensure that Hermione keeps doing that at school. Hermione, how’s the teapot coming along.”

Hermione’s head jerks up from her book and hurries over to a low table in a corner, “I’m doing it, I’m doing it!”

Naomi looks at the gap in the bookcase, “No Dora?”

Sebastian looks back briefly, “She’s determined to do it herself. I think she’s got a large case of hero worship, and she doesn’t want to lose access to her idol.”

Naomi laughs and the conversation turns to lighter things.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 “Professor, I’ve just discovered something strange in the Forbidden Forest.”

Professor Sprout looks up at the large bulk of Hagrid as he speaks from the greenhouse door. “What sort of thing?”

Hagrid scratches his beard awkwardly, “Well, I rightly don’t quite know. It looks like a pure white plant, but I tried to take a cutting and the cutting just disappeared a moment after I took it. Might be some sort of mushroom or toadstool, but I ain’t ever seen a one with leaves. It’s also glowing slightly, and the air smells weird around it.”

Sprout turns back to the plant she’s caring for, and gently pats the soil down a little firmer before she stands up and brushes her hands off on her coat. “Well, I suppose you’ll have to show me where it is then.”

A few minutes later, Sprout walks past Hagrid to look at the small plant that seems to be surrounded by smaller seedlings. Drawing her wand, she casts a few spells to try and narrow down the classification of the plant, and how large it is. “Hmm. Curious. This seems to be both a plant and a fungus. This part seems to be taking in air and something else and transporting it to the more fungus like mass underground. Plant itself is also the spores for the fungus, so when you tried to take a cutting, it just broke down into spores that were then carried away on the wind.”

Hagrid crouches down next to Professor Sprout, “Should I destroy it where I find it?”

Sprout shakes her head, “We’re going to need to report it to the Ministry. Destroying it could just make it spread faster, until we know if it needs to be contained to protect the statute, we shouldn’t disturb it.”

Hagrid nods, “Alright professor. Do you want me to keep an eye out for more of them?”

Sprout nods, “Yes please, I’ll be back later to sketch it.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 In his room, Dobby reverently puts the training book he was reading back onto his little bookcase on the shelf below his most precious possessions. Namely books by the likes of Mrs Beeton, Mrs Patton, and Mrs Smith. With his daily independent reading practice done, he takes Perfect Cooking off of the shelf and opens it to browse the different recipes and their associated pictures.

“Soon, soon Dobby will be able to make these without help from the Great Naomi Mistress. Maybe Dobby can find his own books too…”

Dobby’s eyes distastefully glance over to the wardrobe where he has a growing selection of clothing, hats, and dark glasses that allow him to spend short periods of time in the muggle world. Something he strenuously objected to, until the Great Naomi Mistress showed him to a shop dedicated to cleaning and mending, and the bookshop, with its shelves upon shelves of books dedicated to cleaning and cooking. All ready for the taking, if he’s willing to wear clothes long enough to pay for them.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry grabs her sword from the hooks that Sebastian put up by the garden door, and starts to fit the blade cover onto it as she calls back into the living room, “Come on Hermione, we need to get our practice in.”

Hermione looks away from the book she brought back from the other place, “But Harry, we’ve just been practicing for an hour.”

Harry shakes her head, “Hermione, you know Godric said we have to do half an hours practice here after every lesson. Otherwise our bodies won’t keep up with our development.”

Hermione looks back at the book, “But, I’ve still got half of our Arithmancy book to read. If I finish it tonight I can read our defence book on the train tomorrow.”

Harry raises a finger, “Or, you can do what mum said you should do, and only read the first half of the book before your first lesson, and we can play Hero Quest after dinner.”

Hermione huffs good naturedly, “It’s moments like this when I almost preferred the person you were before we came home.”

As Harry’s body language droops, and she turns away towards the garden, Hermione drops her book on the sofa and runs over to catch Harry’s arm, “Harry, Harry, I didn’t mean it like that. Please don’t shut yourself off.”

Harry looks at Hermione with dead eyes, “It’s ok Hermione…”

Hermione shakes her head, “No, no it isn’t. I was trying to tease you, Mum and Dad agree that you’ve improved so much since you got here, and I like you just the way you are, even when you’re stopping me from reading.”

For her part, Harry looks up at Hermione and forces a smile onto her face as she says, “Come on, let’s get the practice out the way, then you can go back to reading.”

Hermione shakes her head, “Nah uh, we’re going to get the practice out the way, and then we’re going to play Hero Quest until you can smile properly. I’m sorry I said…”

Harry raises a finger, “No Hermione, it’s my fault. I shoul…”

Hermione shakes her head, “It’s not your fault, you can’t help the way they treated you. I’m just glad you don’t remember all of it.”

Harry gives a wan smile as Hermione grabs her own sword and starts applying the protective cover over the blade. A smile that turns a bit more genuine when Hermione adds, “Besides, Godric said he’d stop teaching me if I didn’t do my practice, and we’re almost ready to start learning basic rituals.”

Shaking her head slightly, Harry opens the door to the garden, “Never change Hermione, never change.”

Absently, Hermione follows Harry out into the garden while she’s still fitting the covering, “Any idea what’s going on with Dora? I haven’t seen her much over the last week.”

Harry looks up from her own sword, “I think she’s been doing the loosening exercises whenever we’re home. Godric said something about not teaching her anymore if she doesn’t make it to Mum’s place on her own by the end of the school holidays.”

Hermione glances up to the first floor of the house, “Um, do you think there’s anything we can do to help? She did help me after all.”

Harry shakes her head, “I don’t think so, Mum thinks that she’ll always struggle with Sorcery because she’s an adult.”

Hermione frowns, “What does Sorcery have to do with it?”

Harry looks back at Hermione, “Hermione, I love you, but you can be awfully dense sometimes. What is Sorcery again?”

“Sorcery is the use of magic without a focus or incantation.”

Harry sighs, “And getting to Mum’s place is an act of magic that’s done without a focus or incantation.”

Hermione’s silent for a moment before her eyes widen, “Oh. Oh! So when I go and get books from the bookshelf at your Mum’s place, that’s Sorcery?”

Harry nods, “Yep.”

With the edge of the blade now safe, Harry brings her sword up into a ready position.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Cruz leans into Godric as the two children disappear, “Are you ever going to tell her?”

Godric leans down and kisses Cruz’s forehead, “Tell her what?”

“That she’s your heir?”

Godric shakes his head, “Maybe one day, if she ever masters Battle Magic. She’s not the only one that could draw my sword after all.”

“I thought you said she was a Sorceress.”

Godric nods, “She is, but Sorcery and Battle Magic are closely linked, like Witchcraft and Wizardry are. Hermione will probably never be an exceptional swordswoman, and she will always struggle with Sorcery, but she will excel at Wizardry, and by extension Witchcraft. Now, what is it you’re worried about?”

Cruz looks up at Godric, “Who says I’m worried about anything.”

Godric captures her lips with his own, “I do. I might not have known you for long. But I know you well enough that you wouldn’t be asking about her heirship if you weren’t worried about something.”

Cruz looks back at the space the children disappeared from, “I’m worried about those dementor things you were talking about before they arrived.”

Godric lifts Cruz’s chin and kisses her once more, “Being my heir wouldn’t help with that. I rather think that your gifts are more likely to be of assistance that mine.”

Cruz pulls back a little to look Godric in the face, “Oh?”

Godric smiles, “Did you not tell me that Revenant’s were created to kill the unkillable? Or that you were the first ever Revenant?”

Cruz hits Godric on the chest, “What’s your point?”

“Dementors are generally considered to be unkillable, along with other pseudo-creatures like poltergeists and boggarts.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

Dora punches the air as she arrives in the spirit world, or the other place, or whatever it’s actually called. After looking around to make sure nobody saw her doing that, she walks over to the bookcase room and pokes her head round.

A second later, her hair turns bright crimson along with her skin, and she lets out an ‘Eeep’ a moment before the panels on the bed close with a loud clatter.

“Right, I’ll, erm, be back later when you’re not busy.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 Harry smiles brightly as she walks through Kings Cross Station with her new family. Dora, trailing behind them, still has bright red streaks in her hair, after her success this morning.

A glance over at the girl, who’s hand she’s holding, shows her that Hermione is still recovering from the families experimental use of the Knight Bus; something that was only necessary because of how long it took Dora to find her way back.

Abruptly, Harry stops as something occurs to her, “Hermione, is it me or have we just not received any mail from our friends?”

From the back of the group, Dora chuckles as Hermione frowns and says, “You’re right. Why didn’t I notice that before?”

Sebastian ruffles Hermione’s hair, “You, my lovey daughter, were having too much fun.”

Hermione looks a little stunned as Harry continues walking towards platform 9¾, “I was, wasn’t I.”

Harry nods, “This has been the best holiday ever. The best six weeks ever.” Impulsively, she turns around and hugs Sebastian and Naomi, “Thank you, thank you so much for taking me in.”

Naomi chuckles, “You’re most welcome, and don’t forget, it’s your home too now. Also, remember that we want you to do your best. Now, come on, you need to get to the train before it fills up.”

Harry smiles, “Yes papa.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 As Harry makes her way down the train corridor with Hermione, she can’t help smiling as she watches Sebastian dragging Naomi down the platform through the windows. Only a couple of minutes ago, they’d walked through the wall and Sebastian had gaped, before saying, “It’s a bloody 4-6-0. Naomi, it’s a 4-6-0!”

That’s when he’d bundled the two of them onto the train and started dragging mama down the platform.

“Harry! Come on in, we’ve still got a couple of seats.”

Harry shakes her head and focuses on the compartment that Lavender called out from. There she can see that Lavender and Parvati are sitting with a couple of other girls from another house, one with dark hair and the other with pale blond hair. When she looks back at Hermione, who shrugs, Harry smiles and slips inside. As she sits down next to Lavender, Harry says, “Sure. Hi, I’m Harry Potter.”

Hermione nods as she takes a seat on the other side, and closes the door, “I’m Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you.”

The dark haired girl smiles easily at the two of them, “Tracey Davis, and my taciturn friend is Daphne Greengrass. If you care about the whole high society dance, then she’s Heir Greengrass.”

Harry shrugs, “I’m actually new to the whole thing. Professor McGonagall said that she’s going to arrange a tutor for me, as my ‘social expectations have changed, along with your sex’.”

Parvati reaches over to pat Harry’s leg, “Don’t worry, we’ll help you too.”

Daphne abruptly cocks her head and asks, “What do you mean you’re new to the whole thing?”

Harry shrugs, easily hiding her discomfort at the question, “I grew up with my relatives outside the magical world.”

Daphne nods, “I see. You may call me Daphne in private.”

Harry winces, “See, I don’t actually know what you mean by that.”

Tracy glances at her friend as she waves her hand airily, “It means situations like this, where it’s not mixed company or in public. It’s a protocol thing, as Daph is the heir apparent to her family, in public her behaviour reflects on her family.”

Harry cocks her head, “Does that apply to me?”

Daphne shakes her head, “No, the Potters were always a merchant family, and only landowners through a technicality.”

Harry groans, “This sounds like it’s going to be a lot more time intensive than we thought.”

Lavender shrugs, “It’s not that bad. Parvati and my families are both merchant families too. So’s Tracy. You’ll have a few more expectations as you’re the heir to the family. But that’s only if you want to continue as a merchant family.”

Daphne nods and relaxes minutely, “Of course, given your fame, and being the last of your line, you could take your family just about anywhere. The right marriage could even see the Potter family on the roles of nobility.”

Hermione frowns, “How would that work?”

Daphne looks out of the window at the rest of Kings Cross Station, “The normal way would be to find a poor noble family that’s in debt, and take on their debt in exchange for keeping your own name. However, with so many fallen titles over the last two wars, you could apply to the Wizengamot to take on a title in recognition of your family’s services to the nation. This is the way the Malfoy’s are trying to get their title, though the current head of the family scuppered their chances for this generation. You could do something that means that the crown recognises you, and elevates you to nobility. Though that hasn’t happened since 1692. The last one would be discovering that you’re the heir to a mystical linage like the founders, Merlin, or Pendragon.”

Hermione frowns, “Mystical linage?”

Daphne nods, “It’s happened a few times in the past. The last was the Smith’s 300 some years ago when Pleasance Smith fulfilled the criteria to become The Hufflepuff. Unlike normal inheritances, a Mystical linage needs to be earned, and nobody is really sure what’s entailed.”

Tracy sighs, “Daphne, I’m sure you’ll have time to regale us with all of this later. For now, I want to know what’s up with Potter.”

Harry shakes her head, “Just call me Harry. And what do you mean?”

Tracy waves her hand up and down in Harry’s direction, “I mean this, your new look. Don’t get me wrong, it’s better than the half-starved rat look you had last year, but it’s a bit sudden.”

Lavender squirms in her seat, “Harry, do you mind if I take this one?”

Harry chuckles uncomfortably, “Sure, go ahead.”

Lavender smiles brightly, “So, you remember there were those petrification’s, and the heir business? Well, the heir kidnapped Weasley’s 1^st year sister, and Harry went with Weasley to rescue her. Only Harry got separated and had to go on alone to Slytherin’s chamber. When she got there, she found the heir draining the life out of his victim and charged in to stop him. Only, the heir called Slytherin’s monster to defend him, and it was an ancient basilisk. Not knowing what else to do, Harry called out for help and a phoenix brought her Gryffindor’s sword before clawing out the monster’s eyes. Bravely, Harry charged in to face the monster, and ended up shoving the sword through the top of its mouth at the same time he was bitten. Because of his heroic actions the phoenix tried to save his life with its tears, but the damage was so bad that Harry had a massive bout of accidental magic and turned into this beauty. Then she banished the heir, so that he could never trouble the school again.”

Harry groans, “I knew I should have kept my mouth shut. How much have you practiced that Lavender?”

Lavender smiles, “Not much.”

Parvati hit’s Lavender’s arm, “Not much? Lav, you’ve told that story at every single party we’ve been to this summer.”

Daphne arches an eyebrow, “Well, the question is, is it true?”

Harry sighs, “For the most part yes. Though it misses out the fact that we couldn’t have found the chamber without Hermione’s and Myrtle’s help. It also makes me sound like a hero, when I was just a scared kid that didn’t care if I died or not.”

Hermione reaches over and places a hand on Harry’s knee, “Harry, you never told me about that.”

Harry smiles shyly, “I’m a lot better now that I’m a girl. Also your mum’s helped a lot over the summer. That and our sword training, so that if it happens again I’m not just trying to stick the pointy end in the enemy.”

As the compartment falls to silence, there’s a loud whistle and the carriage jerks a couple of times as the train starts to move.

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 A couple of hours into the journey, Daphne looks up from a sheet of parchment she’s writing on while everyone else is reading or chatting quietly. “Potter. Do you still have Gryffindor’s sword?”

Harry carefully finishes the stroke of nail varnish she’s applying to Lavender’s finger before she looks up, “I do, why?”

Daphne shrugs, “It just occurred to me to ask. Do you mind if I see it one day?”

Harry shrugs and holds out her hand, “Sure. Be careful, I don’t have a scabbard for it, and the blade is poisoned.”

As she’s talking, golden motes appear above her hand and coalesce into the sword of Gryffindor.

Daphne’s eyes widen as she looks at the sword from her seat, “And you’ve been practicing with that?”

Harry shakes her head, “Odin’s tears, no. I like having sparing partners. Hermione, why don’t you grab your sword, as it’s safe for them to handle.”

Hermione looks up from her defence textbook and whines, “Harry!”

Harry smiles sweetly as she sends the sword back into wherever, “Maybe also grab a couple of games while you’re there. It will also give you a chance to grab any other books you want, too.”

Hermione huffs as she puts a bookmark in her place, “Fine.”

Daphne narrows her eyes as Hermione leans back in her chair, and the book disappears. “Potter, what was that?”

Harry grabs the nail varnish and Lavender’s hand again, “My teacher told me to say two words whenever someone asks me that. ‘Family Magic’”

“And Granger?”

Harry’s eyes narrow slightly, “What’s with the last names suddenly?”

Parvati glances up from her own book, “She’s acting as the heir to her house.”

Harry mulls that over for a minute while she carefully paints Lavender’s next nail. As she finishes the nail, a couple of boxes and a book appears in Hermione’s lap, while a sword, that’s almost as long as the compartment, appears in her hand. With that Harry smiles, “I suppose it would be true to say that because Hermione’s family took me in and treated me as one of their own, I’ve also taken them as my own family too.”

Daphne nods distractedly as Hermione stands up and puts the boxes up on the luggage shelf without letting go of the sword. “I can see that. Granger, how are you even holding that?”

Hermione smiles as she carefully turns the sword around so that the hilt is facing Daphne, “Daily practice. At the beginning of the holidays, it was all I could do to hold the sword off the ground for five minutes at a time. It’s not as heavy as my bookbag, but it’s so long that the tip feels far heavier than that if you get your grip wrong.”

Harry points the nail varnish brush at the sword, before moving onto Lavender’s thumb, “That’s also the reason why I’m going to be quitting the Quidditch team. I just won’t have time to keep up my studies, practice the sword, and do Quidditch, and I promised papa that I’d do my best this year, so I can’t let my studies slide.”

Tracy chuckles, “Malfoy’s going to be so upset.”

Harry chuckles, “Not as much as Oliver will be. I’m just glad I’m in the girls dorm this year. There, I think I’m done. How did I do Lavender?”

Lavender holds her hand up and looks at each finger critically, “Good enough, though it’s a bit uneven, so it won’t last more than a couple of days before it gets chipped. Come on, I’ll do yours now.”

Daphne finishes writing while Lavender does one of Harry’s hands, and Hermione places her sword on the luggage rack. As she sands off the ink, Daphne looks over at Harry, “Harry, well done on mentioning family magic, and I was impressed that you took the time to think about your response to my question about the book disappearing. You should remember that, too Hermione.”

Hermione looks a little confused, “Remember what?”

“Harry’s excuse for you being able to do the pulling stuff out of thin air magic.”

Hermione looks over at Harry, “I obviously wasn’t paying attention, what did you say?”

Harry smiles at Hermione, “Just that because your family took me in as one of your own, I’ve taken you into my family.”

Hermione frowns, “Why is that even important?”

Daphne sighs, “It all ties into Family Magic.”

Hermione shakes her head, “What’s Family Magic?”

Daphne looks at Hermione like she’s been a little dense, “It’s exactly what it sounds like. Magic developed by a family, and not shared outside the family. Usually because it gives them a competitive advantage. All of the established families have their own secrets. Oh, and it’s also legally protected, so trying to steal those secrets could see you punished with anything from a fine to a prison stay.”

Hermione frowns, “Why would you want to keep it secret?”

Tracy sighs, “Hermione, magical research is dangerous and expensive. My mother is a spell researcher for hire, and she only deals with customisations of known spells, usually for stadiums and theatres. She developed a couple of spells to help her with that when she left school, and kept them as family magic. Dad said that we could have made a fortune by selling the spells, but we could have only made it once. But by keeping them as family magic, we can repeatedly make the same fortune over a longer period of time.”

Harry looks up, “Like the recipe for Coca Cola. Is there anything stopping people from coming up with their own spells that do the same thing?”

Tracy shakes her head, “Only the danger involved. It’s why I’m taking Arithmancy this year. It might only deal with predicting numbers, but Mum says it ties in with the theory we learn in Charms and Transfiguration, and forms the basis of spell design.”

Harry nods, “I’m taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, as you need both to be able to perform rituals.”

Daphne shakes her head, “Careful, the Ministry’s banned rituals.”

Harry frowns, “I didn’t know that, thank you. I’ll have to ask my teacher about that.”

Hermione looks very put out as she says, “I’m only taking the two electives too, for the same reason. The library has a section for laws, I’ll look it up at the weekend.”

Lavender laughs, “Hermione, your face. Honestly, I’m surprised that you’re not doing every elective.”

Hermione sighs dramatically, “Harry’s, um, tutor was adamant that I don’t, and they got my parents to agree. So then I had to choose between rituals and Care of Magical creatures, and as I’m much better at wizardry than anything else, it wasn’t much of a choice.”

Tracy frowns, “You’re making it sound like the tutor is alive.”

Harry waves her free hand easily, “It’s not a secret that I was tutored by the sorting hat at the end of last year. That tutoring took place in a special place that my family can access.”

Daphne nods before standing up to look at the supposed games, “What’s Cluedo?”

Hermione looks up at the box, “It’s a murder mystery game. The aim of the game is to work out who killed the victim, where they were killed, and what the weapon was. At the beginning of the game, a random character, weapon, and room card is placed in an envelope. Once that’s done, the rest of the cards are shuffled and dealt out to each of the other players. You then move your character around the map of the house and make suggestions about who could have committed the murder, and what weapon they might have used. Once the suggestion has been made, each player, starting on the left, has to try and disprove it by showing one of their cards to the player that made the suggestion.”

Daphne nods, “Sounds interesting.”

Hermione nods, “It’s fun, and better when there’s more players. We keep plenty of pens and paper in the box for note taking.”

Lavender groans, “Note taking?”

Hermione nods, “Yep, it’s the only way to tell who’s got which cards. Don’t worry, we still have plenty of the original notes with checkboxes on them. Harry uses those.”

Harry laughs, “Yes, yes I do. That’s because I haven’t been playing the game for years like you have. I’ve still managed to win a few times.”

Lavender sighs, “Ok, fine. Let me finish Harry’s nails first. Parvati, you in?”

Parvati looks up from her book, “Huh?”

“A game that Hermione brought, do you want to play?”

“Oh sure.”

═══════ ೋღ ֍ ღೋ ═══════

 The sun is starting to set when the train slows to a halt. As it does, everyone’s breath starts to steam in the air and Tracy starts to shiver uncontrollably. A minute later she pulls her knees up to her chest and chatters, “I’ll be good, I’ll be good.”

At the same time Daphne starts to shiver more than the cold would suggest, as does Hermione. It’s also when they hear the first of the screams from further down the carriage.

When Parvati screams, “There’s something out there!” while looking out the window, Harry slams the table back into the wall, heedless of the snacks and game pieces dropping to the floor as she does.

Harry materialises her sword and the blood veil that she settled on, as she digs deeply into her blood to counteract the fear that’s starting to seep into her bones. “Hemione, take them to Mum and get back as soon as you can. Lavender, Parvati, get behind me.”

Hermione tears her eyes away from the door and grabs Tracy and Daphne’s hands, before slumping off the chair as her soul leaves her body. At the same time, both Tracey and Daphne stop shivering.

Behind Harry, Lavender screams as traceries of frost start to creep across the window in the compartment door, and Harry lunges forward to pull the privacy blind down over the compartment window.

As a shadow passes in front of the door, Hermonie starts to move again, and knocks a box across the floor with a clatter as her leg spasms. Before either of them can say anything, the door starts to rattle as the shadow fills the window again. Behind Harry, Lavender and Parvati both start to moan piteously while Hermione shivers on the floor.

“Hermione,” Harry hisses as the door starts to slide open, “take the others and I’ll find you once it’s safe.”

Harry curses under her breath when Hermione doesn’t move, and crouches down as a tail starts to extend from the bottom of her long coat.

Suddenly, there’s an unearthly scream from the other side of the door, and the shadow disappears towards the front of the train, followed by a flash of brilliant white light. A couple of seconds later, the sound of booted footsteps goes past the door, seemingly loud in the sudden silence. As they disappear off down the carriage, Harry nudges Hermione with her foot, “Hermione, take them and go. I’ll come and get you once I know it’s safe.”

Hermione looks up with wide eyes and nods before she grabs Lavender and Parvati’s legs.

Several minutes later a man calls out, “I’m about to open the door.”

When she hears that, Harry lowers her sword arm, but doesn’t quite relax. A couple of seconds later the door opens and a young man with a scraggly blond beard and sallow skin looks inside, “Is everyone ok in… Merlin’s beard!”

The man swears as Harry raises the tip of her sword slightly and says, “Who are you?”

“Professor Remus Lupin, and you are?”

“Harry Potter. What happened?”

Remus frowns as the train lurches forward, and looks like he’s going to say one thing, but instead says, “Dementors boarded the train to search for Sirus Black. Now is everyone alright in here?” Harry glances down at the girls’ bodies, and Remus grimaces slightly, “Point taken. You shouldn’t need your sword anymore. Can you make them comfortable, I need to check the rest of the train. I’ll be back in a bit with some chocolate, it helps with Dementor exposure. If they don’t come round before we get to the station, we’ll summon help from the school.”

Harry nods, “I will.”

With her acknowledgement, Remus moves down to the next carriage.