Ministry of Magic, 0900 hours, June 17th, 1996 AD

Hank Riggins was a simple man, a man with simple needs and simple dreams. He was content with his lot in life, or at least as content as he could be. At this moment in time, this simple man was mopping the chambers of the Wizengamot, whistling along with the tune that was playing on his portable magical radio.

For nearly three decades, Hank had performed his duties to the best of his abilities. He took pride in his work even though most every person in this august chamber looked down on him with disdain. He wasn't bothered by that too much. With his limited magical ability, the life of a janitor turned out to be the most he could hope for. He also knew, though not proud to admit it to himself very often, that had he been magically more powerful he would probably look down at himself too.

After decades of doing the same job over and over again, his muscle memory automatically grabbed a rag and wiped down the seats, polishing each and everyone until it shined. When he'd reached the end of the last row he turned to survey his work and caught sight of the raised dais upon which were supposed to sit the ceremonial seats of the minister and the chief warlock as well as some of the other high ranking members of the government. Where the two most powerful men in the wizarding world had their thrones, Hank was stunned to see that those two regal seats had been replaced by two seats he'd never in his life seen before. In all his time at the ministry, he'd never seen these particular ones before either.

He gazed upon them in curiosity, wondering how the heck they'd just appeared without him having noticed. He rubbed the back of his head in consternation, looking this way and that, hoping that the answer would just come to him. It astonished him to see that they looked brand new and that they were much more elegant and refined than the normal seats of the members. These were seats meant for Lords and Ladies, Kings and Queens even, Hank thought.

"Riggins! What the bloody hell is taking you so long? You've still got the courtrooms to clean!" the irritatingly high-pitched voice of his boss yelled at him from the entry way.

"Boss, you better come over here and take a look this." Hank beckoned. He didn't much care that his boss rolled his eyes and made his way toward him while muttering under his breath.

After an exaggerated groan of displeasure, Hank's boss made his way up into the gallery to the uppermost level. When he saw the seats, he frowned in confusion. "What the hell are these doing here, Riggins?"

"They weren't here when I started, Mr. Walker, and I only just noticed them when I finished with the top row." Hank said, pointing up to the rows above them.

Mr. Walker stepped up to the seats and examined them closely. His eyebrows shot up in to his hairline when he spied the crests that were beautifully embroidered on said chairs. The larger of the thrones held five sigils that resembled a griffin, a raven, a badger, a snake, and one he'd never seen before. The smaller of the two also had a crest he was unfamiliar with. "Oh, holy hell..."

"Sir?" Hank asked.

"Stay right here, Hank, don't let anyone into this chamber! I have to go get...crap, I don't even know who to get...I'm going to get someone!" Hank nodded, not quite understanding what the big deal was. He assumed that some new members had been added to the member roster and the magical chamber had made the seats appear.

It was more than half an hour later that his boss came back with two people Hank recognized immediately. Minister Fudge looked beyond annoyed and kept giving his boss evil looks. Chief Warlock Dumbledore gave the impression of being amused while he watched the two ministry men argue.

"Hank, how are you? How's the wife?" Albus asked when he'd ambled over to the janitor.

"I am and my wife are both well, Chief Warlock, and I'll let Cynthia know you inquired after her." he said with a slight bow, appreciative that this great man had taken the time to ask about him and his wife.

"That is good, Hank. Now, if you'd be so kind, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well, sir, I was polishing the seats in the chamber." he began, "and as I finished the last one, I noticed these had appeared here."

"Appeared, you say?" the Headmaster asked skeptically.

"Sir, I've been doing this job longer than I care to admit, but I do take pride in what I do. These were not here when I started this morning!"

Albus approached the object in question and scrutinized them closely. "Cornelius, if you'd join me, please?"

"What is it, Dumbledore? I haven't time for any of this, I am a busy..." Fudge's anger abated almost as soon as he spied the dais. "Where the hell is my seat? Albus, where is your seat, what is happening here?"

"I don't know, Cornelius, but I think that this heralds a change in the way the ministry will be able to function if what I think this means is true."

"I recognize the Founder's crests, obviously, but who does the big one in the middle belong to?" Hank asked before he shrunk back at the glare he received from his boss and the minister.

"That, Hank, is the crest of Pendragon." Albus replied indicating the larger seat. "This smaller seat that had a stylized owl adorning its face is the crest of Emrys." At the look of confusion from the three men before him, he rolled his eyes and explained. "Merlin."

History had taught them all that it had been the four Founders that had established not only Hogwarts, but the wizarding government known as the Wizengamot, as well. The seat for Emrys intrigued Dumbledore.

"Albus, why is the Slytherin sigil blacked out?" Cornelius asked with a hint of unease.

"If I had to guess, it would seem that I was perhaps mistaken in thinking that the Slytherin line still lived." a perplexed Dumbledore answered.

"Mistaken? Who did you think was the Slytherin heir?"

"Do you really want me to say his name, Cornelius? I know how poorly you react to his name being said aloud."

"You can't mean..."

"Yes, I do mean Voldemort, Minister. You saw for yourself that the man is not dead." Albus Dumbledore gave a great sigh and rubbed his nose. "He will not take this well were he to find out. It would be an affront to his massive ego, I should think."

"Then we must remove them all! Higgins, take these chairs and put them in storage!" the minister ordered in a rage.

"Stop!" Dumbledore said, grabbing Hank's arm before he could comply with the order. "It is certain death for anyone not of these families to touch them. Only the person that is allowed to sit there could do so..."

"What are you saying, Dumbledore? Does this mean that there is an heir to the Founder's walking amongst us? An heir to Pendragon still lives?"

"Yes, Minister, that is exactly what this means."

"Do we know who they are, Albus?" Fudge asked fearfully.

"As far as I know, or knew, the Emrys line is supposed to be extinct. If the family has managed to hide itself..." he replied. "As for the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff families, they had supposedly squibbed out centuries ago...it could be possible that they once more have managed to produce a wizard or a witch. I have a suspicion about the Gryffindor line, but..."

"But what, Dumbledore, what is it?" Cornelius all but yelled.

"But...if it is true, then things might not go well for wizarding Britain at all. The young man is on the precipice that could lead to him turning dark." Dumbledore thought that getting the minister on his side, in this instance at least, could only help the situation. That Harry Potter was the Gryffindor heir was not something that could be disputed. That he was also born from the Ravenclaw line meant that that young man could rightfully claim that title as well; this frightened him more than he could express. Were the young man to discover his true heritage after he'd so painstakingly tried to suppress the information for decades would not bode well for anyone. Not for the school, not for the Wizengamot, not for their society, and certainly not for him.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1043 hours, January 13th, 1012 AD

The young girl who sat cross-legged on the floor peered intently into the mirror before her. She'd always assumed that the mirror was a sort of storytelling or teaching device, but it had only told one story so far, and she'd been enraptured by this particular tale for a very long time. Her grandfather sat at his worktable doing whatever it was that grandfathers did at worktables, smiling at the intense fascination on the face of his granddaughter.

"Grandfather, can we not help this boy?" the young girl asked.

"Unfortunately, Olivia, we may not. The boy has yet to be born."

That didn't make any sense to Olivia and she turned to him with a frown. "Is this a real story, Grandfather? Or are you saying that this mirror shows the future?"

"Yes, child, to both your questions." the old man replied. "It tells of a very particular future, one that shows the story of this boy, although unfortunately it is not a very happy story so far, I'm sad to say. At least not yet..."

"Those people are so mean to him! We have to help him, can't we, please?" she implored. The bloodied and bruised boy held his injured nose in his hand, whimpering in pain.

"I know he is in a bad situation, child, and we will help him in time, but for now there is nothing we can do. Olivia, do not despair, for there will come a time when he will get the help he needs."

"That is a good thing." she said, turning her attention back to her story.

"And have you discovered his name yet, child?"

"No," she said sadly. "Although the fat one calls him freak; what does freak mean, grandfather?"

"I do not know, Olivia, but it does not sound like a good thing."

"I shall call him my Prince!" she announce with a fanfare. The old man's eyes rose in surprise, wondering how she'd come up for that particular appellation for the boy.

"You should head to bed, Olivia, before your mother comes looking for you." he told the now pouting child. "He'll still be here in the morning."

"Oh, alright then, I guess I should before Mother comes and yells at the both of us." she sighed. She leaned into the mirror and placed a kiss on the cheek of the boy reflected therein. "Goodnight, my Prince, I will see you in the morning."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, August 14th, 1020 AD

The years passed and Olivia had, unfailingly, visited her mirror every day.

"At long last I now know my Prince's name, Grandfather. His name is Harry."

"Oh? And how did you figure that out?" he asked, his eyes sparkling in amusement.

"It was written on the letter he just received from Uncle Godric's school. You know, he kind of looks like my friend Harrison, although Harry is much more handsome than Harrison."

She was growing very fond of the boy, impressed by his courage and determination. He was a slight and undernourished raven haired boy with radiant green eyes and a heart of gold that endeared him to her all the more. She'd seen when the dark wizard had tried to kill him as a baby, was very happy that he'd survived, but was also saddened that he lost his mother and father in the process. She yelled and screamed at the mirror, incensed at the mistreatment that he had to endure at the hand of his relatives. She cried when she saw the pain and the desolation reflected in his eyes. She could almost feel his happiness when he'd made it to her uncle's castle at Hogwarts, a place Harry very quickly came to love as a sanctuary from his awful life.

He showed himself to be brave when he'd confronted a troll in defense of a young witch. Olivia had shrieked in horror when he confronted the basilisk but had cried with joy when the phoenix had healed his wounds. She cheered for him when he confronted the dragon, and again when he'd rescued his redheaded friend and the young Veela girl from the bottom of the Black Lake. She trembled in fear as he again confronted, on his own and with no help, the dark wizard that had murdered his parents. She had been amazed that he'd stood up to him, unyielding and courageous in the very face of death.

She was frustrated too, as she could not understand the way that people treated him so coldheartedly. Did they not know who he was? Did no one realize who they were abusing? The professors seemed indifferent and even his so called friends seemed to abandon him at highly suspect times, disregarding the fact that he'd never given them any reason to doubt him. The man that looked like a bat made human was truly evil, but the man who bore a passing resemblance to her grandfather was beyond evil. It was he that was the cause of most of the misery in Harry's life.

She'd cried right along with him when, just a few short days ago, the boy had lost his godfather and one of the only remaining links to his parents. The look of anger and hurt in his eyes tore at her heart and she wanted nothing more than to go to him and help him through his sorrow. She listened intently to the prophecy that the evil old man had recited to him, and shook her head sadly at the burden that was placed on his narrow shoulders.

"Olivia." a stern voice said from behind her. She squeaked in fright as she stood quickly, only to be confronted by the amused face of her grandfather.

"Grandfather!" she cried indignantly, holding a hand to her chest in an effort to calm her pounding heart. "I told you not to do that!"

The old man chuckled, "Hasn't your uncle Godric tried to teach you to be aware of your surroundings, or have you been too involved in your story?"

"Too involved in my story..." she answered with eyes downcast and blushing slightly. "But it's such a good story!"

"It is, my child, but one should not dwell on stories and forget to live life, yes?" he said with sparkling eyes. She looked to him and nodded in agreement. "Has not the young son of Baron Brickenden come to town to visit you, Olivia?"

Olivia grimaced in disgust, "He is horrible, grandfather, and he smells too! I bet Harry does not smell."

"And how would you know that?" the old man asked, raising an eyebrow at his granddaughter. "Have you a fondness for the boy in the mirror?"

"How could I not? He is brave, and kind, loyal, intelligent...adorable..."

"Oh, Olivia...you know the boy doesn't yet exist?"

"So?" she asked sarcastically.

The old man shook his head, his eyes sparkling in amusement. "Well, if you're not going to visit with young Brickenden, you might as well come with me, Olivia."

"Where are we going, Grandfather?"

"We go to court, my child, to see the king."

"Grandfather?" Olivia asked as the old man gathered his staff from next to his work bench.

"Yes, child?"

"Harry heard a prophecy and, well, it was remarkably similar to the one that you told the king." she said, smiling up at him when he placed an arm around her shoulder and led her from his suite.

"I know, Olivia." he replied.

"You know?" she accused. "You have been watching Harry, too!"

"I have been watching that young man for a very long time, my dear. He's rather amazing, is he not?" Olivia felt her cheeks warm, but nodded in agreement. "For a very long time, many in his majesty's court believed the prophecy to be about you."

"Me? I can't be the Chosen One; I'm not in any way powerful enough to confront the Dark Lady!"

"You demean yourself by speaking that way, Granddaughter. All your tutors are very impressed with your skills, despite your tender age."

"You think Harry is the Chosen One then, Grandfather?" she asked.

"I do, my dear." he replied morosely. .

"It is too bad I will not be there to help him..." she said sadly, not catching the resigned look that her grandfather directed toward her. With her arms wrapped around her grandfather's arm, she was led to the castle. The on-duty guards waved them through the double doors that led to the king's gathering place.

Her grandfather patted her hand and indicated she should sit next to him. She gave him a nod and a smile before allowing herself to be seated. Olivia looked around and was a little taken aback at the looks of unease on the faces of the gathered knights.

"What news of Morgause?" she heard the king ask.

"She gathers her army, my Liege. She'll soon have enough men to raze Camelot to the ground." one of the knights told the king.

"How much time do we have to prepare?" Arthur asked in a serious tone.

"Not long, my King, a year at most." the knight replied.

Arthur stood from his throne and began pacing, obviously deep in contemplation. "Well, we must see to our defenses. Lord Gryffindor, how stands your castle?"

The knight in the crimson and gold tabard knelt before his king, "Completed, my King. She stands ready."

"We will use it as an evacuation point for the women, children, elderly, and infirm. See the quartermaster, Godric, make sure that you are well stocked with provisions should the need arise."

"I will, my King." Godric replied with a low bow.

"Attend me, Merlin!" Arthur then called out.

She felt her grandfather stand from the seat beside her and watched as he made his way to Arthur. "My Lord?"

"Do we have any hope of defeating Morgause's army?" Arthur asked.

"There is always hope, Your Grace."

Arthur sighed sadly. "So the dream that is Camelot is doomed to fall?"

"She may, but if she does she will not be forgotten, my King." Merlin whispered.

"You will see to it that she is prepared?" Arthur questioned, glancing over Merlin's shoulder.

"She is already more than capable, Arthur." Merlin replied proudly, stealing a glance toward his granddaughter.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Wales, 0630 hours, September 21st, 1021 AD

The battle lines had been drawn. Soldiers faced each other across the open field, grim determination on both sides as the armies awaited the clash to begin.

"Lord Gryffindor!"

"Your Majesty?" answered the young man, who knelt before his monarch. "Orders, Father?"

"How stands the castle, my son? Are the women and children evacuated?"

"Camelot is as secured as we can make it; my mother, your queen, along with the women and children are away and making their way towards my castle, my Liege."

Arthur cast his gaze across the field and stared intently at the enemies front lines. "We will await their attack. The more time we spend here biding our time for the battle to begin, the longer my people have to escape. A word, please, Merlin."

"Your Majesty, how may I serve?" asked the aged wizard with a low bow.

"You and your family will away from here as well. Gather your son and daughter-in-law and collect your granddaughter, make for my son Gryffindor's castle."

Merlin frowned at his king. "My Lord, my family has already left; I however will not leave you. It is my duty to stand or fall by your side."

Arthur shook his head sadly, leaned into his old friend and whispered, "Nay, old friend, your fate is to make certain that we who perish here today will not have died in vain. The army of Camelot will fall I fear, despite out best efforts. It will be up to you to see the dream of my people come alive again in the future, however distant that may be. You know your granddaughter has a destiny to fulfill, one which will see Camelot come to life once again. We've been assured by yourself that castle Camelot will still be standing, thanks to your magics, but the castle is just a thing. The dream and our hopes of our people must be kept alive as well. Olivia is the child of us all and within her resides those hopes and dreams. Make sure she knows to bring the young prince to the throne room. The gifts I left him will help him learn what he needs to know."

"My Lord..." pleaded a teary eyed Merlin.

"Do as I have commanded of thee, Merlin. Go to your family. Gryffindor, you will escort Lord Merlin away from this field of battle. Make sure your friend Salazar accompanies you, he at least will see to it that my commands to you are followed." Reluctantly, Godric bowed his head in acceptance of his lord's command.

"Father..." Godric said through teary eyes.

"It is alright, my son." Arthur said, placing a hand on Godrics shoulder. "It is my fate to fall this day, just as it is your fate to make sure our family lives on. Give my love to your mother, my beloved queen; tell her I will be waiting for her on the other side when it is her time."

Arthur took Godric into his arms and clasped him fiercely. "Tell that lovely wife of yours to keep you in line. Remember that from the love you share with your Rowena will the Chosen One come. Take care of Helga, as well, my son. My sister is a lot of things, but a warrior she is not."

"I will, Father."

"Go now, my son, remember me and take care of our people." Arthur watched teary-eyed as his son made for his mount.

"My King!" yelled one of soldiers that stood beside his king's horse. "It is she!"

Sat astride a horse that was as black as midnight, the beautiful and arrogant form of Morgause looked disdainfully upon Arthur and his gathered army. She merely whispered, her voice carrying across the large expanse of the battlefield. "You cannot win, Arthur. Lay down your arms and I will grant you and your men clemency. They may join my army and together we will conquer the world. Yield and I will give you a quick death."

"Dark One, we will not yield to you. My men and I will fight and die 'til the last, certain in the belief that we fight for the Light."

"The Light," she scoffed, "how quaint...and how very foolish!"

"Make ready the archers, Lancelot." Arthur whispered to his companion. "If we get lucky maybe one of the lads will put an arrow through that bitches' throat."

A commotion amongst the men drew Arthur's attention away from the battlefield; he turned to see what was amiss.

"OLIVIA!" yelled Merlin, his face having paled in fear when he saw his granddaughter break through the advanced picket line of the army of Camelot. "Get thee back, child!"

"I will not let good and honest men fall when I could have prevented it!" she yelled back in response. The men of Arthur's army looked on in awe on the young woman who rode her white stallion calmly into the middle of the field of battle, willing to give up her own life to help her people.

With a look of curiosity, the evilest Dark Lady in centuries studied the approaching girl. "You think you can stand against me, child?"

"Perhaps not, Morgause, but I will die a thousand deaths before I let the darkness that follows you taint this land or its people."

"A thousand deaths, you say? That is certainly something that can be arranged!" Morgause said with an evil smile that looked out of place on her stone cold face. Her men laughed at her little joke, the sound echoing throughout the valley. Reaching to her side, she drew her sword from the scabbard at her hip. She dismounted and strode with determination toward the girl.

"Your death shall be excruciating, little one, the tales of your pain will be spoken of for hundreds of years." she promised. "I never thought I'd believe in prophecy, and yet, I find myself intrigued by it. How you, merely a lass, could ever envision to destroy me is beyond my ken. I am immortal, child, you cannot kill me. Abandon this course of action, stand at my side and all your wishes will come true."

Olivia knew she didn't stand a chance against this woman, this Dark Lady that threatened all she held dear. She heard a small note of unease in the voice of the Dark Lady which gave her a moment of hope that she could succeed in defeating this daunting opponent, but she resigned herself to her fate, promising that she'd take the evil one down even as she herself fell. She drew her own blade, a gift from her aunt, the Lady Rowena, and brandished it like she'd been taught for years. She was no battle hardened veteran, to be sure, but she was a passable swordsman if her Uncle Godric hadn't been overly boasting about her skill. Olivia paid no mind to the sound of the hoof beats behind her, something that in hindsight she should have paid notice of, suddenly finding herself enveloped in heavy ropes.

"You will stand aside, Olivia, I command this!" Arthur yelled at the prone girl.

"No, my King, please! Allow me to fight the enchantress, I beg of you, my liege." Olivia beseeched.

"Merlin, take your granddaughter away! You know what you must do. Our future lies in her hands and in the hands of the Chosen One. Do it now! Olivia, child, I regret that we must take this action, but know that we all love you and are doing what we think is best for you and the future of our people. Go!"

Merlin extended a hand and levitated Olivia, placing her before him on his horse; he looked at Arthur with a tear in his eye, spun his horse, and galloped off.

"Grandfather, put me down, let me go!"

"Regrettably, I may not, my child." Merlin said sadly. "You've known for a long time that it is your Harry who is the child of prophecy, Granddaughter. That burden is his to bear. The bravery you displayed in facing the evil one will give courage to our men. They will fight with all that they are to see the evil one vanquished."

"So we go to Hogwarts?" she asked irritably.

"Aye, lass, we travel to your destiny, Olivia." he replied.

It took the better part of a day and a half of hard riding before the rider and his bound granddaughter reached their intended destination.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 1325 hours, September 23rd, 1021 AD

"We will do as my father has asked of us, my wife. We must seal her away; it is the only way to protect her."

"But beloved, she could be trapped here for centuries before someone finds her...before someone awakens her."

"Aye, that is a possibility." the large man said with a tear trailing down his cheek.

"But why? Surely our good King will be able to rid us of the Dark Lady given time."

"Elara, dearest, for the love you hold for me and the love you hold for our daughter, know that this is the best course of action. The Dark Lady would hunt her down until our Olivia lies dead at her feet. Yes, we might get lucky and end her reign of terror, but what if we don't? Would you risk our daughter's life on the slim possibility that our Lord King will defeat her? The Dark Lady believes our daughter to be the one prophesized. She would do anything and everything to see Olivia dead at her feet."

"But Arthur will win! Arthur always wins against the Dark." she fumed. "Besides, your father will not allow this to happen to his only granddaughter!"

"'Twas Merlin himself that begged me to allow this to come about, my wife." he told her softly. "He is well aware of what is happening to Olivia. It is he that has convinced me of this course of action."

"He wouldn't! He adores her as much as we do; he wouldn't let anything happen to her!"

"Which is why he has prepared this room for her, why he has enchanted this part of the castle to protect her; the only person who'd be capable of finding this place will be one of Godric's descendants. Only a Gryffindor by blood will be able to dispel the enchantments that keep her asleep and I would only entrust a Gryffindor with her safety." Gareth told her.

"She's too young!" she said, trying yet again to convince her husband away from this course of action. "She's only a child!"

"She's fifteen, my wife, and an adult by the laws of our land; she is a grown woman and no longer our little girl. Had we been more traditional you know she'd have been married off and had children by now. We can only hope the future holds more promise for her than the slight chance of one she has now, in this time and place."

Elara could think of no other reasons to object and hung her head in defeat. Gareth placed an arm around her shoulder and gently guided her towards their sleeping child. The beautiful young lady was encased in crystal and looked to be merely asleep.

"Goodbye, my daughter." Gareth said mournfully, placing a hand on the crystal sarcophagus. "May your future be bright, full of promise, love, and happiness."

Elara could not control herself any more as she launched herself toward her daughter's crystalline prison and sobbed in grief.

"Come, my love, let my father finish the task at hand. We have something to do that will hopefully allow us to see our daughter once again." Gareth said as he took hold of his wife's shoulders and led her from the room.

"We could see her again? How?" Elara asked.

"Merlin's apprentice, Albion, has been researching a method of preserving a part of someone's soul in a portrait." Gareth explained to his stunned and hopeful wife. "When we pass, that part of us in the portraits will awaken."

"My son, my daughter." spoke the old man softly, announcing his presence to the pair.

"Father!" exclaimed Elara as she raced into her father-in-law's arms.

"You understand that it's for the best, my daughter?" Merlin asked as he stroked her hair.

"I will abide by the wishes of my lord husband and yourself, Father. I don't agree, but will hope and pray that Olivia has the life of harmony that she so richly deserves. I feel as though a piece of my heart is being ripped from me."

"We all feel the same, daughter. But do not worry overmuch, my dear, for I have seen the likely future for her and it is...well, it is simply amazing; she will find the love of a true and gentle lad, one whose honor and courage will rival that of our young Sir Galahad. She has the strength, the ability, the power, and the intelligence to be able to stand ably by this young man's side and help him become legend, and at his side she will become legendary in her own right." he told the couple before him. "Her destiny lies far in the future. She would have no hope of defeating Morgause in the here and now, but in the future..."

"Truly, Father?" Elara asked with hope in her words.

"Truly, my daughter. Now, time for both of you to go see my boy Albion, he is in his workshop awaiting your arrival."

Gareth and Elara, with tears in their eyes, gazed one final time at the face of their beautiful child. "Goodbye, Olivia." they said. With his arm around his wife, Gareth nodded toward Merlin and left the room with his sobbing wife.

"Godric." spoke Merlin.

"My Lord?" said the young man who'd been hiding disillusioned in the shadows.

"The castle, she is ready?" questioned the old man.

"She is, My Lord. The castle has herself seen to it that this section will never be discovered by anyone who is not of my blood." replied Godric. "Hogwarts will protect her until such time as she is awoken and will do what she can to help her and my descendant."

"Very well, my boy; you, along with your wife and friends, have done a wondrous thing here. This castle, this school, will stand for millennia. It will in the distant future become a bastion for the Light and a place where all magicals will freely come to gain knowledge and instruction." Merlin said proudly to his onetime pupil.

"It has all been Rowena and my Aunt Helga's doing, my Lord; I only did what they told us to do. Salazar and I merely followed their instructions, lest we find ourselves hexed into oblivion." Godric said with a chortle.

"Ah, I see...you and young Salazar understand the ways of women, then?" Merlin asked with wry grin.

"Nay, Lord Merlin, we just know that making Rowena and Helga happy in turn makes us happy; who could ask for anything more?" said Godric with grin.

"You've explained things to your son?" Merlin questioned seriously.

"We have, Rowena and me both. He knows one of our descendants is fated to help rid this world of the immortal evil that plagues it. Harrison is young, and hardheaded, but will come around eventually and do his duty for his family." Godric stated.

Merlin chuckled at the plight of father's with teenaged sons. "Is your Harrison still up to his elbows in clay and mud?"

"Indeed he is, My Lord. 'Artistic expression' he calls it! As if making clay pots is somehow a noble undertaking! He grins like a fool anytime someone calls him 'that potter boy'!"

"Be not too hard on the lad, Godric. We all went through that phase when youngsters ourselves, even if we don't care to remember. I seem to recall you had a gift for writing poetry..." Merlin said with a wry smile.

"Humph!" Godric mumbled indignantly. "I did, or at least I thought I did, until Rowena nearly lost herself in laughter after I read her one my best. That was the day I decided to set aside the quill for good and joined my father, our good King Arthur, with protecting Camelot."

Merlin nodded in understanding, "It is time, my boy. Go now, Godric, seal this part of the castle until such time as your heir is able to free my granddaughter."

"My Lord," Godric said with a bow before he too left to accomplish the task set to him.

"Olivia, my dear sweet child, I know you would have stayed and taken up sword and wand to see your family and people safe, for such is your bravery. But this is not your fight; this fight belongs to Arthur and his Knights. Unfortunately, the time has come for the dream that was Camelot to come to a close, at least for the time being. It will be up to you and your prince to restore the dreams that we all had for this place." Merlin said with a sigh. He reached into his robes and pulled a tattered piece of parchment from within it. Unfurling it, he read the words aloud, words that he'd written down a lifetime ago as a young man, a time when his gift of Sight was new.

"When the daughter of the past meets the son of the future, then and only then will the immortal darkness be put to rest for once and all. For theirs is the power that darkness will never know, theirs is the power the darkness knows not."

"I will see thee again one day, my child. Until that day, may the hand of the Maker keep you safe." he said with finality. The aged wizard walked to his granddaughter's sarcophagus and placed a tender kiss on its lid. "Until our next adventure, my sweet Olivia, sleep...and dream, dream of a life hope and happiness."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 0445 hours, June 18th, 1996

Sirius was dead.

Sirius was dead and it was his fault.

Everyone seemed to think so, hell, even he thought so.

His visit to the infirmary had been met with silence and looks of uneasiness and fear from his best friends who'd accompanied him on the mission to the Department of Mysteries. He'd done all in his power to keep them safe, but could understand the look in their eyes. He apologized profusely to Hermione for her injuries, begged her to forgive him for his part in her pain, but it seemed she would have none of it as she rolled over in her bed so that her back faced him.

Ginny looked torn; half of her had envisioned a life for herself that included being the wife of the boy-who-lived, her other half picturing a dismal future where she'd be murdered or raped by Death Eaters because she was close to him. She turned her back toward Harry as well and started crying. To the boy in question, her gesture spoke volumes.

"Get away from me, you asshole!" Ron bellowed at the top of his voice as Harry approached him. "I nearly died tonight and all because of you! No more! I am done being a target for those animals! Stay the fuck away from me and my family!"

Luna held tightly to Neville's hand and looked to Harry, the boy who'd befriended her, the person she considered her best friend and brother. Harry looked toward her and cocked an eyebrow. "I'm with you Harry, I always will be. Neville and I knew what we were in for and went anyways because it was the right thing to do. We went because we wanted to be there for you."

"I agree with her, Harry. I will always stand by your side, regardless of the danger." Neville said nervously. "Although I may need your help explaining to Gran how I broke my wand! I think I'd rather face Dolohov again than have to face Gran!"

"Go, Harry, get some much needed rest. We'll see you later." Luna told him. She let go of Neville's hand and ran to Harry, crushing him in a hug. "You're my best friend, Harry. Never forget that I love you."

Harry stared at her intently with those amazingly green eyes of his and saw the truth of her declaration. He gave her a squeeze and shook Neville's hand. "If I don't see you guys later, I'll catch up to you on the Express, yeah?"

With a final disappointed look toward the Weasleys' and Granger, he turned and strolled out of the infirmary.

"I'm telling you, that stupid git is going to get us all killed!" the redhead raged.

"Didn't we all agree to accompany him, Ronald?" Luna asked softly. "None of us had to go, it was a decision that he left up to us. I for one am proud to have been there by his side while we confronted those sick bastards."

"But we could have all been killed." he pointed out, again, at the top of his voice.

"Oh, shut it, Weasley! I've had enough of your resentful and jealous attitude toward Harry. You covet everything that Harry has but it never enters your tiny insignificant mind what he's had to endure his entire life. His parents killed, his godfather killed, forced to live with a family that hates him...and yet he still has the courage to fight for all of us against the dark. What have you ever done?" Neville yelled back at the redhead.

"You leave my brother alone, Longbottom!" Ginny said as she stepped in front Ron. "We should never have been there in the first place. We're just kids, for Merlin's sake!"

Luna looked upon the girl she'd once called a dear friend and sighed. "We are indeed merely children, Ginevra, but you thought you were adult enough to make the decision for yourself, as did Ronald, Neville, Hermione, and I."

"And look what that got Hermione! She almost died because of him!" Ron yelled.

"No, idiot, she almost died because some Death Eater decided to try and kill her. Don't heap blame on Harry that he doesn't deserve." Neville countered.

"I'm tired of always being in danger." Hermione whispered from her bed. "I've almost been killed every year at this school..."

"And you're blaming Harry?" Neville asked in astonishment.

"Yes...no...I don't know. All I know is that if he hadn't been here at Hogwarts..." she continued.

"If Harry hadn't been here at school you would have died in your first year, Granger!" Neville said heatedly. "You too, Ginny! Harry saved your father's life as well, didn't he?"

"Enough, Neville, let them be." Luna said quietly and placing a hand on his arm. "If they want to turn their backs on their friendship with Harry, let them. They will in time see the error of their ways and be shown to be the spineless sheep that Harry is always on about."

"I'm not a sheep!" Ron said, jumping from his bed and advancing on the slight blonde girl.

Luna's eyes widened in alarm seeing the look of fury in the redhead's features as he stalked towards her with clenched fists; she was grateful when Neville pushed her behind him and shielded her from Weasley.

"Touch a hair on Luna's head and I will disembowel you with a rusty spoon, Weasley!" Neville said calmly, but with steel in his voice.

Ron looked down at his clenched fists and unclenched them feeling ashamed at what he'd been about to do. "You don't honestly think I would have hit her?"

"Yes, actually, I do. You will stay well away from Luna and you will stay the hell away from me. That goes for the two of you also!" Neville said with a glare at the two girls before him.

"Neville, you can't really believe that Ron would have hit Luna?" Hermione asked.

"He would have hit me, Granger. He can no more manage his anger than he can control his jealousy. What it is you see in this hopelessly incompetent wizard is completely beyond me. You will remember this moment. You will remember that he tried to hit me when he lays a fist on you for the first time. This moment will haunt you for the rest of your life. Harry loved you for so very long, Hermione, and you just didn't see it. The connection you shared with him has been irretrievably broken I should think. I also don't believe that apologies from the three of you will be enough to get him to let you be by his side ever again. He may forgive you, but you three will never share in his life. He will look to new friends, new mentors, and will do all he can to end the evil that is Voldemort. Where once he would have done that for you Weasley's, or for you Granger, I think that his main concern from this point on will be to end that madman's life so that he may live his own life in peace without having to look over his shoulder. Don't be surprised if the next time he sees you lot he ignores you completely. The time has come when he will look on the three of you as being in the same category as Pettigrew, Malfoy, and even Voldemort. Come, Neville, I want to make sure that Harry is okay. Losing Sirius will be very hard on him."

"What about losing us, Luna?" Hermione asked tearfully.

"Not as hard you may think, Granger. Today was the last time he will befriend those he cannot count on. Were I you, I think I'd be thankful if he ever looked in my direction again. Come, love, the air is becoming a bit rancid in here." she said, as she yanked Neville toward the exit.

Neville couldn't help but hurling one final barb before he was dragged out of the infirmary, "Spineless, cowardly, useless, sheep!"

Hermione watched the retreating forms of the two who'd stood by Harry when she hadn't. "This is a mistake, guys. We shouldn't have done that."

"What? No it's not! Dumbledore told us we have to distance ourselves from Harry." Ron responded angrily.

"You don't get it, Ron, as usual." Ginny sighed in exasperation. "Dumbledore only thinks he knows Harry, but he hasn't a clue. Luna is right. Harry is not going to forgive us for this. We'll never get back into his life now!"

"Of course he'll let us back in! How's he supposed to defeat you-know-who without our help? He can't! He needs us! We'll just apologize and everything will go back to normal again." Ron sounded less than convinced, even to himself.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts Great Hall, 0515 hours, June 18th 1996

"The headmaster requires your presence, Potter." said the cold voice of the hated potions master. "I believe he has things to discuss with you regarding that mongrel you called godfather."

It took all of Harry's frayed self-control to not break the nose of the greasy bastard. Taking a deep breath to control himself, he turned to the man, "Tell the headmaster I will be right...hang on, you know what? No! I won't go see that old goat. He and I have had all the conversations I can tolerate. If he needs to talk to me he can wait until September 1st."

"I don't believe there is a choice, Potter. You will go where I tell you to go, you pompous child. Now, come along!" Snape hissed.

"And I said no! Go tell the headmaster I'll see him in a few months when classes resume. Until that time, you and he can both go to hell!"

"You will come with me, Potter, one way or another." the greasy potions master said through gritted teeth as he drew his wand and aimed it at Harry. With a gleam of pleasure in his eyes, he cast his spell, "Crucio!"

Harry was too stunned to even think about evading the incoming spell, never having once thought that the hateful man before him would cast such a hex on him. The pain from the curse was mindboggling; every synapse in his system was firing with pain and he, prone and writhing on the floor of the great hall, could only bear it for so long.

"Imperio!" Snape said to Harry. "Follow me, Potter."

Harry was doing all he could to overcome the compulsion he felt to follow the man, even through the pain he still felt because of the curse that coursed through his body. He struggled and fought with all his will and might.

"NO!" Harry yelled.

He'd overcome the curse and in less than a heartbeat had drawn his own wand and aimed it at the detested professor. Snape's eyes widened in shock at seeing someone he considered a lesser wizard overcome a spell that very few were able to throw off. He looked down the shaft of Harry's wand and stared at the fury the green eyes held.

"I'll see you expelled for aiming a wand at a professor." Snape gloated with an evil sneer.

"And I'll see you in Azkaban for using Unforgivables on a student!" Harry retorted. "With any luck you'll get the same cell Sirius had!"

Harry took a step back when he saw the man's eyes narrow and his hand grip his wand tighter.

Quicker than he thought possible, the greasy haired potions master cast a spell in his direction. Harry's off arm snapped as the bone breaking curse glanced off him. He fell to the ground in pain, clutching his arm tightly against his body.

Snape stood over him and chortled in glee. "With the Dark Lord once more arisen, it is time to choose sides. I've now chosen. He will reward me for bringing you to him." he tilted his head and regarded Potter clinically. "I've always wanted to have you under my wand, Potter. Does that hurt just a bit? Did you really think you could stand against me? I think I like you there you know, on the ground before me where you belong...beg me for mercy, Potter. Maybe, just maybe, I'll consider granting you that request. C'mon, Potter, beg me for mercy!"

Snape's eyes widened in surprise when the arrogant child seemed to shrug off the pain that he was obviously in and stood before him defiantly. "I'd rather die than bow to you, Snivellus!"

"Why you little piece of shit...!" the man spat.

Knowing that Snape was about to curse him again and that he'd never stand a chance against the adult, Harry quickly snapped off a spell that banished the professor into the wall behind him before the professor could even think to defend himself. Harry was very satisfied when he heard several of the man's bones break but his mind focused on the present and he began to panic because of what he'd just done. Harry turned on his heels and ran, the pent up grief and pain he felt drove his legs into the depths of the castle.

It was not but a few minutes later that the headmaster, wandering the halls in search of his missing professor and Mr. Potter came upon the injured form of Snape.

"Severus!" Albus gasped as he knelt to help the man.

"It was Potter! He took me by surprise and cursed me when I informed him that you were expecting him in your office. Enough is enough, Headmaster. I want to see that boy expelled and charges brought against him for attacking a professor!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 1833 hours, September 22nd, 1021 AD

Olivia was still enraged when she was finally let loose from the bindings her grandfather had placed her in.

"Why?" she yelled in rage, "I could have helped end her miserable existence!"

"No, child, you would most certainly have perished." Merlin replied. "However, I think there is a way for you to help in the defeat of the Immortal Dark."

Olivia frowned in confusion, "How? You said that Harry..."

"I know what I said, Olivia." he said, cutting her off. "I've discovered a method whereby you could be transported to the time and place where Harry is."

"But...wait...how?"

Merlin sighed, "It is a highly complex spell, my child, but there are some...consequences."

"Explain!"

"I'd cast a spell that would put you to sleep."

"That can't be all of it, can it?" she retorted impatiently.

The old man shook his head. "The spell would have you slumber until such time as he awoke you."

"He? You mean Harry? But you said he was of the future..."

"Aye, he is my dear, many hundreds of years in the future."

"But that would mean..."

"That all you know would be gone. Your parents, myself, your friends...the world you know would be completely gone and changed in ways you couldn't even begin to comprehend."

"I don't know if I could do that." she muttered quietly.

"It is your choice, Olivia. It will always be your choice."

"And if I should allow you to do this to me?"

"Then you could stand at Harry's side as he ends the evil that threatens our world. You saw the Dark One from his life, that evil being is merely a reincarnation of the Immortal Dark."

"And he and I could end him?"

"Aye, lass, and when you do a golden age such as you could never even imagine will begin."

"And if I stay?"

"Arthur will fall, Camelot would be destroyed, and Morgause would hunt you and all those you hold dear down until you are all dead. She can't allow you to live with the threat of prophecy hanging over her, even though her interpretation of it is incorrect. Once that happens, darkness would envelop the entire world as her evil takes over."

"I have no choice then, do I?"

"You do...and yet you do not." he replied sadly, shrugging his shoulders.

"My parents?" she asked.

"I've already explained it to them, child. While they don't want you to choose this course of action, they also understand that it would be your decision."

"I will never see them again, will I? Or you?"

"Perhaps..." Merlin replied enigmatically. "Go spend time with your family, Olivia; I have preparations to make if you are willing to go forward with this."

"I will do it!" she said, with but a moments consideration. She gave him a wide smile, "I really get to meet Harry?"

Merlin rolled his eyes and sighed exaggeratedly, "Yes, child, you will indeed meet young Harry."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Unused Hallway, Somewhere in Hogwarts, 0615 hours, June 18th, 1996

The troubled young man ran as fast as he could through the halls of the castle, looking back over his shoulder every once in a while to make sure he hadn't been followed. It was then he realized that he was kind of lost. He'd never been in this noticeably older and unused section of the castle before.

As the adrenaline rush subsided, Harry fell to his knees and cried out in frustration, anger, pain, and grief. He knew that Snape would somehow turn the whole ordeal around so that it was he that would be blamed. He doubted that anyone would believe that a sitting Hogwarts professor would use an unforgivable curse on a student. For now though, he needed to find someplace safe to hide himself and try to heal.

He brushed the dust off his knees as he stood and glanced around the hallway he found himself in. It was a very old section of the castle, given the inches of dust that had settled on some of the flat surfaces. The tapestries that hung from the walls were aged and threadbare, adding to his conclusion that he was indeed somewhere where no other person had passed in countless years. He tore a section of his robe and pieced together a brace for his arm, wincing in pain but still managing to accomplish the task.

He made his way along the hall, stopping every once in a while to open the doors he'd pass and take a peek inside. Finally, as he reached the end of the hall, he found a room where he thought he could settle down and calm himself after his ordeal with Snape. Harry threw himself onto a cot in the corner, barely noticing the cloud of dust that formed as he did so. He took a moment to pull off his shoes and laid down, hoping to find some comfort and peace in this abandoned section of Hogwarts. But peace would not come as the frustration and horror of the last few days began to overwhelm him. He broke down completely, despite his battle to control his emotions. It was hours later that exhaustion finally overcame him and he drifted off into a nightmare filled sleep, tossing and turning on the bed.

"He has been through too much for one so young." commented the ghostly form of Sir Nicholas as he gazed at the fitfully sleeping young man.

"That he has, but our young prince will have his lady beside him soon." added the Friar. "She, along with his true friends will help him be rid of the anguish and torment he has endured his whole life."

"I shall come to him when he awakens, gentlemen," said the Grey Lady as she drifted into the room. "As hard as his life has been, we all know he still has much more to go overcome..."

"He will triumph!" the shackled form of the Bloody Baron growled, speaking aloud for the first time in decades.

"He will indeed, my Lord Baron." agreed Nicholas.

"Come, let us leave him to his rest, fitful though it may be." suggested Helena to the assembled ghosts.

"Helena, might I suggest you have a word with his bonded elf? Young Dobby would be a great help to our prince. He will need those he can trust completely; he will need the companionship of that excitable little individual." the Friar offered.

"I will do so presently, if only to make sure that Harry gets some food in him when he awakens. It is appalling the way the staff and students treat this young man. If I could I would take my father's sword to the headmaster for allowing such abuses to be heaped on him..." Helena said furiously.

"Did we all see the Death Eater attack Harry?" asked Nicholas of the assembled ghosts.

"Aye, we did. This, I think, will be used to get this young man deeper into the clutches of that blasted twinkly eyed bastard of a headmaster. Any bets on the old man accusing Harry of going dark?" asked the Bloody Baron.

"No, Baron, I don't believe that will be necessary, as it is more than a certainty that he would do such a contemptible thing." Nicholas replied. "The magic that bound our obedience to the headmaster of the school has been torn asunder by his own actions. We are now able to act in defense of the school and the students. As we speak, Hogwarts is slowly switching her allegiance."

"Has Snape, that cowardly snake, reported Harry to the authorities?" the Friar questioned.

"He has indeed," the Baron answered, "The portrait of Salazar in his office has confirmed that the man called the DMLE after his visit to the infirmary. He believes that that vile man spoke directly to the Bones woman. I do not think that he informed Albus of his request to her to see charges pressed against Harry."

"I think we should speak to Director Bones if she happens to stop by. If memory serves, Madam Bones is a fair and honest woman, being held back from doing her duty by those that wish the status quo to remain unchanged. She was a fine 'Puff." the Friar said proudly.

"Agreed." they said in unison.

"I will take Harry to the Lady Olivia in the morning." Helena stated. "She will be disoriented, something I believe I can help with."

"Hogwarts truly admires that young man, my friends; she cares for him like he was her very own child." Nicholas commented as he watched Harry toss and turn. One by one the ghosts vanished through the thick walls until only one remained.

"You must awaken my granddaughter, young Harry, both your destinies await." spoke the elderly looking apparition.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogsmeade Station, June 19th, 0845 hours, 1996 AD

"Where's Harry?" asked Hermione as she stood on the platform at Hogsmeade Station waiting to return home for the summer holidays.

Luna, who'd been walking by hand in hand with Neville, couldn't help but to comment. "And what possible reason could you have for caring about where Harry is, Granger? I thought being associated with him endangered your life and you wanted nothing to do with him?"

"He's my best friend, Luna, I just want to make sure that he's okay." she said sadly to the silver haired witch. Luna snorted disdainfully.

"If I remember correctly, you gave up the right to call yourself his friend, never mind best friend." Luna breathed out slowly as she allowed Neville to boost her into the train, trying to calm herself from going after the Gryffindor witch. Neville glanced at Hermione and shook his head sadly.

Ginny, struggling with her trunk, came running as fast as she could to meet up with her brother and Hermione. "Did you guys hear what Harry did last night?"

"Great, now what has he done?" Ron asked hotly. "Come on, let's find a compartment and you can tell us what you heard."

Luna and Neville were cuddling in the only compartment that wasn't full, and not asking for permission, the three Gryffindors stowed away their luggage and sat. Neville sighed deeply at seeing who had joined him and his girlfriend.

"I thought we told you three to stay away from us?" he asked.

"Stuff it, Longbottom. Everywhere else is full. Now, Ginny, what was this about Harry?" Ron asked his sister while he glared at Neville.

This mention of Harry caused Luna and Neville to sit up and pay attention. Despite their searching, they were unable to find their missing friend, something that had both of them very worried.

"Apparently Harry attacked Snape last night!" Ginny said. "They say he used an Unforgivable on him!"

"Harry attacked Snape and used an Unforgivable on him?" Luna asked, with disbelief and skepticism dripping from her voice.

"He's going dark." Ron said in a huff, folding his arms before him and sitting back in the seat.

"No, he can't be!" Hermione cried.

"I'm telling you, he's going dark. Next thing you know he'll be attacking the rest of the staff before he starts in on the students." Ron added.

"Every time it's the same with you, isn't it, Weasel?" Neville scoffed. "Those dark bastards killed his parents and you think he's going to join those bastards? Is that really what you believe, you dimwit? Dark is the last thing Harry will become. Anyone who knows him even the slightest bit should know that to be an unalterable fact of who he is!"

"Let them be, love. They just don't want to hear it. Explain to me again how you all are not sheep?" Luna asked irritably.

"He attacked a professor, Luna!" Hermione insisted.

"And how the hell would you know that, Granger? Were you there to witness the act? Besides, this is Snape we're talking about here! That man is not exactly a towering example of nobility and trustworthiness now is he? And you are all doing it once again! You hear some second or third hand rumor about Harry and you believe it as if it were carved in stone." Luna responded. "You're supposed to be the smart one, Granger, how is it that you don't use that brain of yours? Neville, let's go, I think I'd rather sit with the Slytherins than with these people!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 0930 hours, June 19th, 1996 AD

Something in the back of Harry's mind was intruding into his still sleepy unconsciousness. A smell that he was all too familiar with and one that made his stomach grumble in hunger. "Bacon?" he asked groggily as he stirred from his sleep. His broken arm ached in pain, something he'd have to take care of sooner rather than later, but definitely after breakfast.

"Harry Potter sir is awake. He will eat now!" Dobby said excitedly as he grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him from his bed and toward the veritable feast that lay spread out on the table. Harry winced in pain, but allowed the elf to lead him.

Harry, slowly coming out of his sluggishness, took the time to look around and notice the difference in the room he'd fallen asleep in. No longer did it look dusty and spartan. Somehow, in the middle of the night, Dobby had taken it upon himself to clean the place up and bring some furniture that was much more contemporary than the wooden and deteriorating ones that had been left behind so many years before.

"Dobby?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir?"

"What are you doing here?"

"The Lady Helena asked me to look after you while you are here. This room very dirty, so Dobby clean, furniture is bad, so Dobby gets new."

"That one looks familiar..." Harry said pointing at a comfortable looking wingback chair.

"I...uhm...borrow it from headmaster whiskers, Harry Potter sir." Dobby said lowering his head.

Harry looked stunned at his little friend for a few seconds before he burst into laughter. "Dobby, you are the most brilliant elf on the planet!"

Dobby puffed out his chest in pride, "Harry Potter sir eats now. Harry Potter sir not eats in a long time."

He was happily stuffing himself when the Lady Helena decided to make her presence known by gliding into his room.

"Mr. Potter." she said with a nod of her ghostly head.

"You're the Grey Lady, aren't you? Are you the one Dobby called Helena? If you are, then I must thank you for getting him to help me out. " Harry asked, somehow not at all surprised that a ghost had stepped into his lodgings.

"Not many in the castle know me by that name, Harry. As for Dobby, he is doing this gladly. You may not wish it to be true, but this young elf has bonded to you. He will always answer your call, keep your secrets, protect you when he can, and be a steadfast and loyal attendant." the Lady replied.

"Why would he do that? I don't think I want nor need a servant."

"He does it because he loves you, Harry; you saved him from a life of abuse and misery. You are giving him a chance to fulfill his destiny: to have a family of his own to take care of." she said with a smile.

"He does realize that the Potter family consists of exactly one person, right?"

Harry had never heard the Grey Lady laugh before; it was quite musical, despite it emanating from a ghost. "That may be true at the moment, Harry, but it will not always be so."

"Like I'll live long enough for that..." Harry muttered.

"One must always have hope, young man." she said sadly. "So, Harry, I've come for a specific reason. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Harry quickly finished off his breakfast, a little amazed at himself for having put down so much food. But, he acknowledged, he hadn't eaten in a really long time. "Where are we headed? Who are we meeting?"

"Someplace that only you may go, to someplace that you're intended to go, to meet someone you're destined to...well, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, shall we? Steady there, young Gryffindor, you'll meet them soon enough."

The young Gryffindor was led through a meandering hall, certain that without the Lady Helena as an escort he'd have been lost ages ago. "Where'd that door come from?" he asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

Helena glanced at the boy, indicating with a ghostly hand that he should approach the massive bronze and oak doors before him. "Only you can open these doors, Harry."

"Why me?" he asked curiously.

"All will be explained, Harry. Come now, lad, we've not got all day you know."

"It's locked." Harry said as he tried the handle.

Helena rolled her eyes, "Try harder!"

Harry shrugged his shoulders and attempted to move the ancient handle. "OW! It bit me!" he said pulling his hand quickly from the door and holding the finger that had been pricked to his mouth.

"It did not bite you, young one; it merely took a sample of your blood. Go on now, try again." she prompted.

"Are you mental? There's no way in hell I'm placing my hand anywhere near the vampire doors!"

"Are you or are you not a Gryffindor?" Helena asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Fine!" he mumbled in resignation, gingerly taking hold of the handle by his fingertips. He heard Helena snort loudly. Ignoring her as best he could, Harry opened the door without too much force or any more loss of blood.

He was a bit stunned to find how very large the room was that he'd entered. It somehow reminded him of the Chamber from second year, but where it was dark and oppressive this room was bright and airy. Instead of grotesque statues adorning the walls, this room was filled with bookcase upon bookcase lining its every wall. He thought that Hermione would have loved this place and hoped to bring her here sometime, until remembering that she'd wanted to keep away from him from now on. He sighed sadly before turning to Helena. "You brought me to a library?"

"Not just any library, Harry. It contains the personal collections of Merlin, Arthur, Salazar, Helga, Rowena, and some of the more studious of the knights of Arthur's round table. That section over there was my mother's," she said, pointing at the largest section of bookcases. "That one over there belonged to my father."

"Why would this be at Hogwarts? And why has no one discovered this in all that time." Harry asked.

"Many thought that Camelot would fall to the Dark, and be razed to the ground. Precautions were taking to insure that all these books and scrolls were protected. It's the reason that they are here." Helena answered.

"Who were your mom and dad?" Harry asked curiously as he stepped farther into the room, taking a moment to peruse those tomes she'd indicated.

"Godric and Rowena." she replied.

Harry's eyebrows shot up into his hairline when he heard that. Even to him, essentially a muggleborn, the names Godric and Rowena conjured up images of the legendary heroes of magical Britain. "Why does nobody know this, Helena? I imagine people would be falling all over themselves trying to speak to you about that time, or about your parents."

"And that is precisely why I haven't told anyone. No one living but you knows this Harry..." she said.

"But," she continued, "This is not the reason I brought you here. The reason you are now here lies just beyond that door." She couldn't help her chuckle when she heard the young man groan.

"Am I going to have to give up even more blood?" he asked. She nodded, trying to suppress a grin. "Fine...whatever...lead the way then, Helena."

Harry winced when he felt the needle prick his thumb, but gritted his teeth and opened the door. At her insistence, he walked in first and stopped suddenly when he saw what lay therein. The room itself was simple, lacking any furnishing or decoration and the only lights in the room emanated from the equidistant sconces that held flaming torches. Apart from the torches, the only thing in the room was a crystal sarcophagus that had been placed at its center. Curious, he approached the grime covered tomb and tried to peer into it. Using his robes and uninjured arm, he was just able to wipe some of the dirt that had obviously been accumulating for centuries. His eyes widened in wonder at the sight before him: a beautiful girl lay within, looking as she'd just fallen asleep. Golden blonde hair framed her face like a halo, while the alabaster skin and rosy lips just added to her beauty.

"Who is she?" Harry whispered in obvious wonder.

"The Lady Olivia Emrys, Harry." Helena said respectfully.

"Emrys...like, as in Merlin...are you serious?"

"Aye, lad, Olivia here is Merlin's granddaughter."

Harry shook his head in disbelief, "How is that even possible...?"

"Magic is a wondrous thing, don't you think? Merlin was great sorcerer, one who accomplished many miraculous things in his long lifetime, this being but one of them." she indicating the crystalline crypt.

"But why?" he asked curiously. "How could he do this to his own flesh and blood, imprison her like this?"

"Because it was a sacrifice she herself was willing to make to see peace restored to the land and its people. At the time when she was born, a prophecy was made that many of us at court believed, one that we thought regarded that young lady over there. It was a prediction that declared that she would have to have to confront the most evil witch that had ever lived. So, Merlin locked her away and hid her from the world until such time as the true prophesized champion was born."

Harry sighed deeply and shook his head, knowing somehow who she was referring to. "Me?"

"Don't tell me you haven't felt this all your life, Harry, that almost sixth sense you have to feel when evil is near, when danger is close, when the Dark is planning its next move..."

"If that were true, then my godfather would still be alive." Harry snorted.

"Sirius Black sacrificed himself for you, Harry, much like your parents did all those years ago." Helena said sadly.

"I never wanted anyone to sacrifice themselves for me!" Harry groaned in frustration.

"Do you really think that the Lord Black didn't know that what awaited him at the Ministry was not a trap? It didn't matter to him though, because all he cared about was making sure that you left there alive."

"It should have been me..." Harry whispered.

"Perhaps, but it was not. Harry, the last thing that Sirius would have wanted is for you to carry the burden of his sacrifice. He died willingly, giving his life to preserve yours. Don't allow his death to have been in vain. Live up to the person he wanted you to become, the person your parents wanted you to grow up to be."

"And how the hell would I have a clue about what they would want, huh? No one has ever told me what they wanted for me, what they wished for me. Any question I ask about them gets no answer or I get the 'You look like your father and you have your mother's eyes' rubbish! That is the extent of what I know about them. I'm at least grateful that I know their names!" he vented.

"Harry, we know about your lack of knowledge about your family and your parents. We will strive to put that to rights."

"How?" he asked, his anger slowly fading away and with a hopeful look towards the Ravenclaw ghost.

"Sir Nicholas will help us in that endeavor, Harry. I'm surprised you never asked him before about James or Lily. He was the Gryffindor ghost when they attended Hogwarts, after all. In fact, he's been a ghost at Hogwarts so long that he probably knows all the Potters' from the time of the Founders until you got sorted into his house." she replied.

"But..." Harry stammered.

"Not now, lad, we need to wake the Lady Olivia. She needs to come out of her long slumber."

Harry sighed. "What do I do?"

"Summon the sword of your ancestor, of course." she said. "Come now, Harry, you've used it once before, haven't you?"

"Ancestor's sword...you mean the Sword of Gryffindor?"

"Aye, lad, one and the same." she said with a smile.

"I'm related to Godric freakin' Gryffindor?" he asked in disbelief.

"You are indeed! My father sired two children with Rowena: myself and also my younger brother, Harrison, your many times great-grandfather."

"So then you're like my great aunt or something...?"

Helena chuckled a bit at his look of disbelief, "Yes, but if you ever call me auntie I will get Peeves to become your very own personal poltergeist and I will make sure that he pranks you for the rest of your days."

"Okay, okay, no calling you auntie..." Harry said holding his uninjured hand up before him defensively. "You said summon?"

"Aye, simply hold out your hand and ask for the sword to come to you."

Harry looked at her skeptically. "Right..."

But, he did as he was asked, "Uhm, sword, would you mind appearing..."

Helena laughed delightedly when the legendary sword materialized, something that caused the lad to fall down on his backside in surprise when it had suddenly appeared in his outstretched hand.

"Now what?" Harry asked as he staggered to his feet. Helena cocked an eyebrow at him and then nodded at the sarcophagus. "Wait, you want me to smash the crystal?"

"Yes." she replied succinctly.

"Okay, if you say so. I sure hope you know what you're doing." Harry took a few steps toward and approached the crystal casing. Lifting the sword above his head, he swung with all his might. The crystal shattered to bits and pieces of it flew off in all directions. Harry had instinctively held his hands to his face, worried a little that the flying glass would shred him into ribbons. All he really managed to do was to further damage his arm. He was feeling decidedly woozy from the pain.

He slowly opened his eyes and sighed in relief, as he seemed to have survived the scattering debris. His eyes widened as he gazed upon the young woman and he gasped; she was truly stunning. "She's beautiful." Harry said reverently.

"She is, Harry, considered the greatest beauty of her time. But don't be fooled by her looks as she is also extremely intelligent and very knowledgeable in magic and combat." Helena said as she floated over to Olivia. She looked exactly as she remembered her, despite the passing of what to her had been centuries.

Harry was startled out of his trance when he heard the young woman take in a deep breath. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. Her eyes locked on his and he saw a flash of fear before they softened. It seemed to Harry like she recognized him.

"It is you..." she breathed. She stumbled from the stone altar and fell into Harry's arms. Olivia drew back from him when she heard him wince in pain. It was then Olivia noticed him clutching his arm, holding it gingerly and close to his chest, obviously in a great deal of pain. "My Prince, you are injured!"

"It's nothing, I'm fine..." he managed to say before his eyes rolled back in his head and he started to collapse onto the floor. Olivia managed to catch him as he fell and gently lowered his body settling his head on her lap. There was an obvious fracture in his arm, something she'd have to tend to, so she drew her wand and started casting diagnostic spell to ascertain the level of injury. She cast some numbing charms, hoping to ease some of his obvious pain.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 1015 hours, June 19th, 1996 AD

"Dobby!" a concerned Lady Helena called out.

"You called, Lady Hele...what's happened to my Master Harry?!" the elf yelled. When he saw the young witch next to his unconscious master with her wand drawn, Dobby got angry. "You will not hurt Harry Potter sir!"

With a snap of his fingers, Olivia was pushed back against the far wall and held there, unable to move.

"Release me, elf! Your master is injured; I am only trying to help him!"

"Dobby, let her go, she had nothing to do with Harry being unconscious. I had not realized that he was this seriously injured and I'm quite certain she was just trying to help. Put her down, please?" Helena begged.

The angered elf nodded and snapped his fingers again, releasing the girl from her magical bindings, falling to the floor in a heap.

"Would you be so kinds as to take Harry into the next room, Dobby and place him on the sofa by the fireplace? The lady will attend to his needs and get him healed, we will join you shortly. She'll do no harm to Harry, I promise." Helena asserted.

Dobby sniffed loudly as he looked furiously at the witch; never turning his back to her he walked over to Harry and levitated his unconscious master into the library as directed, all the while glaring at the witch that he assumed had dared attack his master. Helena chuckled quietly at that, knowing full well that the now very powerful elf could have done a lot more harm to Olivia had he wanted to.

"Well?" Helena asked angrily. "There was absolutely no need for you to berate Dobby, Olivia."

"Oh, well you will forgive me if I'm a little unsettled! I just woke up after who knows how long, found myself faced by someone I thought was a dream only to find him injured and in pain...did you really expect me to just accept that and start prancing about in happiness?" the recently awakened witch scoffed.

"You're right, Liv, forgive me?"

"No one has called me that since..." Olivia frowned. "I do not know if I can do this, Helena. It seems like only yesterday that you and I were out riding our horses or learning from grandfather."

"You'll have plenty of time to acclimate to your new home, my dear, and I daresay that the lad will be a most gifted tutor."

"I should see to my Lord's injuries." Olivia whispered.

"You should, and you will. I would however caution you to treat that young man respectfully. The past couple of days have been very difficult for Harry."

"Do not worry, I will." she told Helena, who had a curious look on her ethereal face. "I know about the deceitfulness of his friends and I know how he sustained his injuries. I am also aware that he has recently lost his godfather..."

Helen looked intently at the recently reawakened witch, "You've seen him before, haven't you? Olivia, how do you know him?"

Olivia nodded, "Do you remember that mirror that grandfather had in his study? I watched his whole life in that mirror. Every day I would sit before it and watch. I would cry, and wished I could help...he has had such a horrible life."

"You know then how his life has unfolded?"

"Yes." Olivia replied sadly. "I know about his home life, his adventures, his...friends..." she scoffed at the last, her deep blue eyes becoming unforgivingly cold. The farthest the mirror had shown of Harry's life, the farthest it had ever taken her, had been when Harry had battled the man that looked like a vampire; she hadn't seen his life unfold beyond that point in time. But it had been enough. Enough to show her how seemingly twisted the world had become.

A realization came upon her, finally realizing something about the woman before her, a girl that she'd known so long ago. "Uhm...Helena...?"

"Yes, Olivia?"

"You are dead...you are a ghost?" she said in stunned understanding.

"Yes, I am, lass." Helena chuckled. "I'll tell you the story some other time, dear."

"How long have I been asleep?" Olivia asked in a whisper.

"Olivia..."

"HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN ASLEEP?"

Helena sighed, "Almost a thousand years, my friend."

"A thousand years..." Olivia said softly. She was staggered by the amount of time that had passed. The tears stained her cheeks when she realized that she'd never see her parents or her grandfather again.

"I know that it will take some time to get used to the idea, Liv, but you are safe for now."

"For now?"

Helena cocked an eyebrow, "You do remember why you were sent here, do you not?"

"To help the Chosen One fight the Dark." she replied automatically. "Oh."

"Come then, let's help Harry get better, shall we?" she said with smile. She was a bit surprised, and somehow not at all surprised, to see the slight pinking of her friend's cheeks. Her eyebrow quirked in curiosity as Olivia walked by her; it seemed to Helena that her young friend had some affection for the young prince. She chuckled quietly, thinking that the future would be most entertaining indeed.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 0830 hours, June 21st, 1996 AD

DMLE Director Amelia Bones trudged up the path to Hogwarts castle after the short walk from Hogsmeade. She'd chosen to do that instead of flooing into the headmaster's office directly, in order to gather her thoughts about what she'd heard so far. What had truly happened between Harry Potter and the Potions instructor? There was just something about the tale that didn't quite ring true. It had her investigative senses itching. When her niece had exited the train, it was the first thing out of her mouth after hugging and greeting her: Harry Potter had attacked Professor Snape! And it hadn't been just her. Up and down the platform, heated conversations were taking place as kids spread the gossip to their parents. Knowing a bit about the spitefulness of Snape towards his students, and Harry Potter in particular, she was almost positive the tale was contrived to make Harry appear the villain. Hopefully, she'd be able to set things to right.

"What do you think?" Amelia asked tersely of the pink-haired Auror that walked next to her.

"I think it's a load of horseshit... sorry, ma'am...what I meant to say was that I don't believe that Harry has done anything that he's been accused of." Tonks answered.

"Why?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Harry's a good boy, although he's more a young man than boy now, I suppose...in any case, he's a bit moody and has got a bit of a temper, but not enough of one to go after a professor without a very good reason. Snape and he don't get along, ma'am; that man hates Harry with a fiery passion. You can see it whenever they're in each other's company; the hatred the man exudes...boss, that man should be nowhere near children. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we find that Harry had just been defending himself from an attack by that vile bastard."

"Yes...that's something that I've thought as well. My Susan is always going on about how abusive the professor is toward the student body, especially Mr. Potter."

"But Merlin forefend he discipline any of his saintly Slytherins!" Tonks complained.

In short order, the two women had been escorted to the Hogwarts main entrance by Hagrid. The large man was beside himself with worry over his young friend, and hoped that they'd be able to exonerate him from the accusations that had been aimed at him by the head of Slytherin.

"Madam Bones, Nymphadora," Minerva greeted the pair with a nod of her head, "I'm to escort you to the headmaster's office."

"Lead the way, Professor." Madam Bones acknowledged. Amelia could feel fury that was hidden just beneath the surface of the usually stoic Transfigurations professor.

"Are you okay, Professor?" Tonks asked.

"No, I am not!" she hissed in exasperation. "This accusation that Snape has leveled at Mr. Potter is a complete and total fabrication, but I can't prove it! It is easy to see the look of glee on the bastards face, thinking that Mr. Potter will be expelled or sent to prison."

"Does the headmaster not see that?" Amelia wondered.

"Oh, don't get me started on Albus! That old goat would move heaven and earth to see Severus protected." ranted the Transfiguration professor. "There is something going on between those two, I just can't put my finger on what that could possibly be. Since he first started all those years ago, that man has demonstrated again and again how horrid an educator he is, and excepting his Slytherin's, there is not a single student in this school that doesn't hate that man!"

"So why does the headmaster allow him to remain at the school?" questioned Tonks.

"I don't know...truly Nymphadora, I don't know. Albus holds the man as trustworthy for some reason and thinks that we should all trust him as well, based solely on his word. He's a Death Eater, for goodness sakes! Why he was even allowed to step into this castle, full of children, is beyond me." Minerva explained.

It wasn't a moment or two later that a confused Minerva saw the gathering of the school ghosts blocking their path. "Sir Nicholas?"

"Ah, Professor McGonagall, Madam Bones, Nymphadora, a pleasure to see you all; we were all wondering if we might have a word before you go to your meeting."

"What is this about, Sir Nicholas?" Amelia questioned. She'd never been approached by the school ghosts before, excepting the Friar when she'd been a student, so she was very curious about what was happening.

"Madam, we four witnessed the incident of the other night which occurred between Mr. Potter and that Snape person." Nicholas said.

"Young Potter was the one attacked, Madam." the Friar continued.

"WHAT!" Minerva and Amelia yelled.

"It is true," Helena added, "Harry was confronted by that man in the great hall. Snape wanted Harry to accompany him to a meeting with the headmaster. When Harry declined the invitation, Snape pulled his wand..."

"...and cast the Cruciatus on the boy!" the Bloody Baron finished in his monotone voice.

"HE DID WHAT!" all three women yelled angrily.

"Harry merely defended himself, Madam. He did not pull his own wand until after he'd thrown off the Imperius, and only then to banish the professor against the wall when the man had cast the bone breaking curse upon him."

"The Imperius, too! Oh, Harry..." Tonks winced.

"Have any of you an inkling of where Mr. Potter is or could be?"

"We do." Helena said, and held up a hand to silence the three women. "He is being well looked after. He suffered a severely fractured arm, as well as a couple of deeply bruised and cracked ribs thanks to that poor excuse of a human being. We will not, however, tell you where he is. Hogwarts herself is protecting that young man from those that would do him harm. You will not find him."

"I must inform Albus..." McGonagall said, starting again toward the headmaster's office.

"You will do no such thing!" Helena snarled. "Harry has suffered enough at the hands of you people!"

"'You' people'? What do you mean you people?" Minerva spluttered indignantly.

"Has he not been abandoned by most of his friends and Housemates? Has he not been neglected by staff and student alike, on top of being harassed by a hate filled professor? Has he not been condemned to a life of torture by a manipulative and conniving old man who cares more about his schemes than the welfare of his students? Those people; you people!" the nearly headless Nick roared with a glare at Minerva. "Of all people in this school, it should have been you that was his champion, Deputy Headmistress, his defender against those who would do him harm. But you did, and do, nothing. You make me ashamed to have been a Gryffindor and to see how far that once noble house has fallen. The Founders of this great school would be disgusted at the behavior of everyone in this school."

Minerva looked outraged at the slight against her character and House. "How dare you accuse me of not looking out for one of my cubs?"

"Name me one time when you stood up for the boy, just one single time." Helena hissed.

"Well, there was..."

"Stop, just please stop! You're lying to yourself if you believe anything you are about to tell me. Harry hasn't asked you for help in a very long time, has he Minerva? Have you ever wondered why?" Helena asked, piercing the Gryffindor head with her gaze. "You know what, it doesn't matter; the time has come for some major changes. It is Harry who will instigate them when he returns. Do not stand in his way; I assure you that you'll not like the outcome if you do. Come gentlemen; let's leave the ladies to their duties. Madam Bones, a word in private if I may?"

Amelia nodded and walked away from Minerva and Tonks, following the Grey Lady to the end of the corridor.

"Is Mr. Potter really being protected and cared for?" a worried Amelia asked.

"As I've said, he is being well looked after, Madam. For now, however, I would like to know what you intend to do with regards to Snape." Helena asked.

"See that greasy bastard in Azkaban is what I intend to do!" Amelia answered angrily.

"If I may counsel...?" Helena asked.

"Certainly, please advise me." Amelia prompted, curious to hear what the Ravenclaw ghost might have to say about the situation.

"Do nothing. I certainly understand that your instincts are telling you to throw the proverbial book at the man, but you can't. The headmaster is still powerful and influential. Should you arrest that snake, it would only be a matter of time before Albus has him freed and all your hard work would have been for naught."

"Why would I do that, even if what you say might happen actually did happen? You said the man used two Unforgivables on Mr. Potter! He should be kissed, or at the very least be sentenced to Azkaban for the rest of his days. What possible reason could I have for not going after that man with every resource I have available?"

"Because, as I've already stated, nothing will come of it if you do."

"I suppose you have a suggestion then?" Amelia asked, resigned and frustrated, knowing full well that the ghost was correct.

"I do." she said curtly. "Allow Mr. Potter to handle it himself. Be here on September 1st for the opening feast. I promise you that that man will have his comeuppance. Harry will see to it that Snape gets the punishment he deserves."

"There's still the matter of the accusations against Mr. Potter..."

"Worry not, Amelia. The foolish people of wizarding Britain will think and believe whatever the Ministry or Dumbledore tell them to, regardless of proof. Again, allow Harry to take care of that as well." Helena sighed and looked pointedly at Amelia. "The time has come for our society to change, Madam Bones."

"And you think a barely fifteen year old wizard is going to accomplish that?" a clearly skeptical Amelia asked.

"That young man has faced hardships that even you would have been hard-pressed to have survived, Madam." Helena shook her head in displeasure. "I think everyone has forgotten exactly who Harry Potter is."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand, what exactly do you mean by we've forgotten who Harry Potter is?"

"Either you are willfully ignoring our people's history or this world is really far worse off than I'd ever imagined." said the now angered ghost. "Does not the Bones family have an alliance with the Potter's? In fact, aren't most of the Ancient Houses of magical Britain actually vassals to House Potter? Longbottom, Black, Greengrass, Nott, Davis, McMillan, Bell, Abbott, Boot, Davies, Corner...and many more families that compromise most of the older members of wizarding Britain."

"What? No...That's impossible! House Bones has never been subservient to anyone, allied certainly, but not subject to anyone."

Helena chuckled without a hint of amusement. "How quickly they forget."

"Excuse me?"

"You really don't know, do you? How sad...and how depressingly enlightening! Go back to your home this evening and search through your family grimoire. You are friends with the Dame Longbottom, are you not? Ask her about the Potter's as well. In fact, you should ask the Lords and Ladies of all the Great Houses to go through their family history. You have all failed in your duty."

"I don't understand, please...?" Madam Bones pleaded. She never got an answer, as Helena merely glided away and disappeared through a wall.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 0914 hours, June21st, 1996 AD

"Gently, my Lord, you still need time to recuperate." Olivia said soothingly, helping the young man sit up in his bed.

"Master Harry sir, you need some food." said the elf, placing a loaded tray on Harry's lap. Despite the soreness he still felt over his entire body, he was really hungry. "You be asleep for two days now, Master Harry."

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry said sincerely.

"Of course; call for Dobby if youse need anything, Master Harry sir." distracted by the food, Harry didn't even hear Dobby pop away.

"Please eat, my Lord. You will need your strength to make a quick recovery." the young lady entreated. "As Dobby mentioned, you have been asleep for two days."

"Thank you." Harry whispered.

"My Lord?" a frowning Olivia asked.

"Thank you," he said again, a bit louder. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"It is my pleasure, my Lord." she said shyly.

"So, you're Olivia? I'm Harry." he said, extending his hand in greeting.

Olivia looked alarmed at the gesture she'd only ever seen men give each other in greeting, but not being aware of what else to do, she took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I take it you never shook anyone's hand before?" he asked curiously.

"Nay, my Lord, it is a gesture given between men and not between men and women." she replied.

Harry frowned, "How long have you been asleep, Olivia?"

"Helena tells me that it has been almost a thousand years since I was brought to this place." she was surprised to see the look of compassion and concern coming from the young man.

"I'm sorry about that, Olivia. You must be missing your family something awful." he said softly. She almost melted when she saw the sympathy and worry that his eyes conveyed.

He remembered something else that Helena had said earlier and just had to ask, "Are you really Merlin's granddaughter?"

"Yes I am, my Lord..."

"Please just call me Harry, Olivia; I'm no one's lord, okay?"

"Forgive me...Harry...I keep forgetting that you are unaware about a lot of things in your life."

Harry eyed her warily, "What do you mean unaware, Olivia? You know me somehow, don't you? How is that possible?"

"...it is difficult to explain, but perhaps you will allow me to show you instead?' she said, standing and extending a hand toward him. He nodded and accepted her help in rising. He winced at the pain he felt from his still tender ribs.

"I will be able to give you a pain potion in an hour or so, Harry. The potions I had to use to fix your arm and ribs would become ineffective if combined with those for pain-relief." Olivia told him. He gave her a grateful smile and nodded in understanding.

"So, where are you taking me?" he asked as he was led toward a room over by what the ghost of the Gray Lady had said was the Merlin section of the library.

"My grandfather's workshop should be right through that door. Inside we should hopefully find the answer to the question you asked me about how I know you." she replied.

"It's amazing to me, you know, to think that the legendary Merlin was actually here..." he said with not a little awe.

She gave him a small smile, "His main workshop was obviously at Camelot but once in a while he'd come here to Hogwarts. I think he used this place as a refuge, to get away from all the court intrigue he usually had to contend with. It was something he really hated."

As she approached the door, she turned to him, "Are you ready, my Lord?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office, 0930 hours, June 21st, 1996

"Madam Bones, there really was no reason for you to travel all the way to the castle. The problem will be dealt with internally by Hogwarts, as are all such transgressions involving student and staff. There is no need to involve the DMLE in any of this." Dumbledore explained in that manner that Amelia found so annoyingly infuriating.

"Oh? And here I thought that your Potions professor started proceedings against Mr. Potter for the attack on his person, was I mistaken? Did you not, Professor Snape, floo me on the night in question to make sure that the most severe charges I could level against Mr. Potter were imposed?"

"Those were merely words spoken in the heat of the moment, Madam." Albus answered for his professor.

"Is this true, Professor Snape?" Amelia asked, turning to look angrily at the sallow-faced man.

"Indeed, Madam, something I did without thinking. I was angered, after all, at having been accosted by that poor excuse for a student." he muttered, angrily. "He's an arrogant brat, nothing more. He'll be dealt with as the headmaster has stated, by the staff."

"You really don't like Mr. Potter, do you, Professor?" Amelia asked.

"I don't see how that is relevant to this discussion, Amelia. The professor and Mr. Potter do not see eye to eye on a number of issues, but Harry is young and needs to learn how to control himself." Albus interjected. Amelia rolled her eyes and glanced at Tonks who she could tell was getting really angered at the insulting words about Harry.

"Shouldn't it be the other way around, Headmaster? Harry is the teenager, Snape the adult; why are you insisting that Harry is the one that needs to learn self-control? The entirety of Britain knows what a petulant and spiteful adolescent your potions instructor is, if anyone in this school should be accused of being an arrogant brat, it is definitely him." Tonks said, pointing angrily at the red-faced Severus.

"Auror Tonks..." Amelia warned. She didn't disagree with the assessment at all, but Nymphadora would have to learn to be a bit more diplomatic. Tonks looked at her boss, giving her a curt nod, and stepped back.

Extending a hand toward the Potion Master, Madam Bones asked. "I would examine your wand, Professor."

"What? No, I will not give you my wand! Headmaster, please?" Snape pleaded with a look of alarm.

"Why do you need Severus' wand, Amelia?" the headmaster asked curiously.

"Did I forget to mention the fact that there were witnesses to the event between the professor and Mr. Potter? These witnesses claim that it was in fact Professor Snape that attacked Harry without provocation, Headmaster."

"Preposterous! Whoever your witnesses are, they're lying!" Snape sneered.

"Are they also lying about the fact that you used the Imperio and the Cruciatus on the boy?" Amelia asked. "They also reported that Mr. Potter fled in not an insignificant amount pain and sporting at the very least a severely injured arm. Even if the witnesses are lying about the use of Unforgivables, why would they lie about the injuries Mr. Potter had sustained? Which begs the question: is this the way you normally deal with students under your care, Professor Snape? Because if I should I find even a hint of you casting a curse at an underage student, nothing and no one will save you from my wrath! Finding yourself tossed into Azkaban will be the least of your problems!"

There was a momentary look of fear in the eyes of Snape, a look that definitely proved to her that the ghosts had not lied about the events that took place last night in the great hall. "So I ask you again, Professor, will you allow me to examine your wand? I wish to know if you have indeed cast those spells on an underage student."

"Amelia, your witnesses are obviously mistaken if not outright lying. The observers to the incident could have been confounded by Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said.

Tonks snorted and gave the headmaster a searing gaze, "Yeah, 'cause when I get my arm broken or have spells cast at me with intent to do me harm my first thought is to make sure that any witnesses have been made to forget what they saw!"

The angry glare that Dumbledore directed to the young Auror was met by an equally angry stare.

"We shall investigate this matter further, Headmaster. Until then, do not leave the castle, Professor Snape, as I will most certainly have more questions for you in the near future and more than likely for you as well Headmaster." said Amelia, inclining her head at the old goat. "Now, what exactly is being done to find your missing student, Albus?"

Dumbledore frowned slightly, thinking that the woman before him had given up way too easily, especially if she indeed had witnesses to corroborate Harry's likely version of events. She was planning something, he thought, he would have to do his best to find those witnesses and change their minds about what they'd seen. Severus was too important to the war effort, especially now that Tom had been seen by a great many people. Albus gave a resigned sigh, "The elves, ghosts, and all the professors are searching the castle as we speak, Amelia. He'll be found; I'm sure of it."

"You don't sound too convinced there, Headmaster." Tonks pointed out. Dumbledore glared at the young Auror again.

"As of this moment, I am opening an investigation into the disappearance of a student." Amelia declared. "If Mr. Potter happens to turn up your first call better be to me, Headmaster, or I will make it my personal mission in life to crucify you and this person you pass off as a professor. I will have a squad of Aurors in the castle tomorrow to assist in the search..."

"Now, Amelia, surely that is not necessary. I'm sure the staff will manage to locate Harry before too long." Albus implored.

"Be that as it may, this is going to happen whether you like it or not." Amelia growled. "Come on, Auror Tonks, let us leave these gentlemen to their search."

Tonks opened the office door for her boss and was about to follow her out when she decide to have a little word with the greasy bastard. "If I find out that you actually Crucio'd Harry or cast the Imperius on him I will call you out, Snape, and it won't be a fifteen year old wizard that you'll be facing in that duel."

Snape managed a half-hearted sneer. "You think you could face me, you insolent bitch?"

The cold smile she gave him actually sent shivers up and down his spine. "Taking out cowardly Death Eaters is my job, Snape, don't you ever forget that!" she gave the headmaster a glare and then followed her boss out of the office.

The headmaster waited until the door had closed behind Tonks before directing a look of pure fury at Snape. "You lied to me, Severus?"

"Headmaster..."

"You did, didn't you?" Albus shook his head in disappointment. "Ah, Severus, you should know better than to let your emotions run away with you like that, and did you really feel it necessary to cast two Unforgivables on Mr. Potter?"

"I did what I did, Headmaster. I will not apologize for that. My emotions were indeed...frayed...and they just got away from me. Do we have any idea where the boy ran away to, Headmaster?"

"No, although the wards don't show him as having left the school grounds as of yet, which is something that we should be eternally grateful for; as angered as he probably is, he could cause us all much trouble!"

"I shall scour the castle. If he's as injured as I believe he is, he'll need to find someplace to hide and heal. He couldn't have gotten too far."

"Hogwarts is an ancient castle, Severus. There are places that even I have never been to in the more than sixty years I've been here." The headmaster shook his head, "I must stress that if you do find him, do not confront him. Make sure he cannot slip away and send for me. I don't believe he will take kindly to seeing you."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 0935 hours, June21st, 1996 AD

"Hey, that kind of looks likes the Mirror of Erised." Harry said as he walked up to the large mirror that was stood against the back wall of what was obviously an ancient laboratory of some sort.

"You have seen the Mirror of Erised?" Olivia gasped. "I thought my grandfather had destroyed it."

"It's been a few years since I've seen it, but I don't think it's been destroyed. I saw it my first year here at Hogwarts, it was hidden away, just not very well. The headmaster moved it so I couldn't find it, but it made a reappearance when I confronted Voldemort later that same year." Harry explained.

"Ah, yes, the Philosopher's Stone incident, I remember it well. I did not realize that particular mirror was that of Erised. You were very brave, Harry." she almost laughed when she saw him blush. He really was a rather humble person, she opined. "But this mirror here, well, this was my window into your life."

"What do you mean 'window'?"

"Look." she instructed. Harry stood before the mirror and watched with raised eyebrows as an event from his past flashed on the mirrored surface like some kind of movie. She saw the look of awe as he stared into the reflective surface, a that look quickly turned into one of shame as he looked on. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, my Lord, your young life was horrible and not in any way your fault."

Harry sighed deeply and closed his tear-filled eyes. "I think I'm done with being ashamed about things I had no control over. It's just that I can't believe my life was like that, you know? Why did no one ever help me?"

"I think you know the answer to that question, Harry." she said softly.

"Of course...Dumbledore." he said after a moment's thought, knowing somehow that it was the truth. "But why, what did I ever do to him to deserve such treatment?"

"Nothing at all, Harry, you did nothing at all. The reason behind his treatment of you is his absolute need to control every detail of your life. From how and where you were raised, the people you were allowed contact with, the House you were placed in," she sighed deeply, "even which friends you made..."

"Wait, the friends I made, you can't mean...?"

"As sorry as I am to tell you, yes. The friends you made were not the ones I think you would have made if you had been given the choice. The redheaded boy is definitely not your friend, neither is his sister. I am unsure of the bushy-haired girl, but I do not think she was ever a friend either. She is wholly under the influence and control of your headmaster, and will obey him in all things, always. She seemed to care, sometimes, and at other times she would act as though you were somehow beneath her." Olivia said.

"Potions or mind control of some kind, maybe?" Harry asked.

"No," she said shaking her head, "No, I do not think so. I think she made a choice to act against you for some reason."

"Dumbledore again, I imagine." he repeated angrily. "What about Luna and Neville? I could never believe that..."

"They are different and are true friends, Harry. May I show you something?" she said, gesturing toward the mirror. Harry nodded and turned to look into the mirror. Olivia pulled her wand and pressed it to the mirror. The reflective surface seemed to turn liquid, churning like a whirlpool before settling down. "The mirror has the ability to show the future, the present, and even the past. For now, let us watch the present."

"Hey, it's Luna and Neville." Harry said with a grin.

"Just listen to them, Harry." Olivia requested.

"You think he's alright?" Neville asked the witch who was currently seated in his lap.

"I'm certain of it." the blonde replied. She looked up at him and gave him a tender kiss. "Don't ask me how I know; I just know that it's true."

"Have I ever doubted you before?" he asked with a frown.

"No, sweetheart, you haven't and I can't even begin to tell you how much that means to me." she said. He smiled down at her and nodded.

"I'm worried for him. I just wish I knew where he was, you know? After those three turned on him like that, after all the years of supposed friendship...! I only wish that Harry was with us right now or at least that we knew for certain that he was okay." his anger prevented him saying more. Neville was shaking with barely suppressed rage. "I admire Harry's ability to forgive and forget, but sometimes...sometimes people are just not worthy of that forgiveness."

"Easy, love, calm down." she said soothingly, dragging a hand tenderly across his cheek. "Don't worry about them; they'll get what's coming to them in the end. Actually, I think the whole school will get what's coming to them."

Neville looked at her curiously.

"Haven't you always felt like Harry has been fated for more? Sure, he has Voldemort to take care of, but I only think that that he will be an insignificant inconvenience. I think he's going to turn our world on its head and change things that have needed changing for a long time. I think that was has happened to Harry has been orchestrated since he was a baby and perhaps even before that. He has unfortunately trusted the wrong people, not something he'll allow to happen again I should think. We just need to be there for him when he needs us, you know? As much as it pains me to see him suffer so, losing those three will be hard on him, but will release him to do the things he's destined to do."

"I was always kind of jealous of those three, you know?" Neville began. "'The 'Golden Trio' people called them. They went on adventures and seemed so heroic. But to find out that Ron has always hated Harry? That really opened my eyes. I wish I'd said something at the time, but I was so introverted back then, so shy, I didn't think Harry would have listened to me. Ron would say such awful things about him, all behind his back and poor Harry hadn't a clue. Ginny... is an opportunistic gold-digger, wanting nothing more than to sink her claws into Harry. Even the other girls in the dorm don't trust her very much, she doesn't have many friends. And then there's Hermione..."

"She's too far gone, love. We could give her a mountain of incontrovertible evidence that shows how corrupt the people at Hogwarts really are, especially Dumbledore, and she'd not believe a word of it. She believes in the old goat too much to see him as anything other than the infallible Lord of Light." she explained. "She lost the most important part of herself, though, and she'll never get it back. She had the start of something really special, magical even, with Harry."

"I think he might have really loved her, you know?"

"I do, and I think she may have felt affection for him at one time, too. But, she decided to follow her head and not her heart. The life she thinks she'll have will not be the life she actually has." she said sadly.

Luna closed her eyes for a moment not really wanting to think about it all at the moment, as it was too infuriating, "I miss my brother."

"I miss him too, Luna." Neville said, hugging her tighter into his body.

"He'll call for us soon, I think."

"You've had a premonition of some kind about Harry?" Neville wondered.

"Something like that, although I think Harry is actually watching us right now...aren't you Harry?"

"How does she do that?" Harry gasped.

Olivia laughed merrily, "She is a special girl, that one."

"Yeah, she really is, isn't she?" Harry said with a smile. "Neville's a lucky guy."

"You are lucky to have her love too, Harry. She loves you like the brother she never had. She will do her best to show you how much you mean to her. And as for Neville, I am sure that he is quite well aware already of how lucky he is to have won her heart, my Lord." Harry frowned slightly at her, "Sorry, Harry..."

Casting a glance back at the mirror he asked, "So this is how you know about me, then?"

"It is," she smiled. "When I started visiting my grandfather in here, I would sit in front of that mirror for hours and just watch you. I called it the Mirror of Harry."

"Not much to watch..." he said sadly.

"I disagree, Harry." she said softly. "My grandfather was greatly impressed by you, as were many others..."

"Hang on a second, are you telling me that Merlin knew who I was?!" Harry gasped. Her giggling was answer enough, he thought.

"While you were sleeping, Helena has told me a little about the time I find myself in now. I do not think my grandfather would be very pleased that he is thought of in such a manner, deified as it were. He was a great man, for certain, but he would also be the first to say that he had many faults as well." she explained.

"Not much in the way of history is taught in this school. I only know a little about him because I was curious and read what I could find about him. Admittedly, it wasn't much" he shrugged. "I'm guessing the books have it wrong?"

"I do not rightly know, having not read any, but when have you known a book to be unbiased or entirely correct?" he chuckled at her question.

"Not often, I suppose." he answered, and then remembered something else she'd said, "You said other people watched me as well?"

Olivia gave him a nod, but decided to change the topic, "Helena mentioned that Dumbledore informed you about a prophecy that foretells of a confrontation between the Chosen One and this Dark Lord, is this true?"

At the slight nod from Harry, Olivia continued, "One of the things grandfather was not as well known for was his gift of Sight...prophecy, some would call it. A foretelling similar to the one you heard was also heard back in my time, a prediction of a clash between the Lord of Dark and the Chosen One."

"And that prophecy was about you?" Harry asked.

"For a long time, many believed that to be true. Even I thought so to at one point, a notion that my grandfather was quick to disabuse me of." Olivia said softly. "No, Harry, the prophecy, like the one you heard from the headmaster, is about you."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Bones Manor, 2125 hours, June21st, 1996 AD

Amelia closed the ancient Bones Grand Grimoire before her, put her head in her hands, and wept.

She'd not believed the ghost of Ravenclaw when she'd accused her of forgetting her family history, but now, after having pored over the tome, she was saddened in the extreme at what she'd unwittingly allowed to transpire.

The one thing about it all that intrigued her was why she could not remember hearing any of this from her father. He was really big on family honor, something that had been drilled into her and her brother since they'd been very young. Even when father had passed away and her brother had taken up lordship of the family, it was her brother who should have taken over the passing-on of those teachings, but she'd never heard any of this from him either. Amelia had been terribly saddened, but also felt somewhat honored, because the death of her beloved brother had her now being the one to pass all the family history onto her niece. But with all the bad things happening in their world, she'd never even bothered to learn her family history for herself. She'd lost herself in the war and all the trials and tribulations of the aftermath that happened after a baby had saved their society from blinking out of existence.

What intrigued her even more though had been the gentle prodding that seemed to emanate from the Bones Book. A prodding that had caused her to turn away and walk out of her home office, confused about why she'd been in there in the first place, until she was able to overcome the spell through sheer force of will. It had been as if something had snapped within her mind, allowing her enter once more into the office and take up reading a book she'd never been even slightly curious to read before.

"Auntie, are you okay?" the shy voice of her niece beckoned from the office door.

"No, Susan, I am not fine by any stretch of the imagination." she replied sadly. "Come here, dear, I need you to read something for me."

"What is it, Auntie?"

"You know this is our family grimoire, yes? Well, there is a section here that I need you to read and understand. I will wait while you do this." Susan frowned but complied with the request. Amelia was not at all surprised when her niece's eyes glazed over and she stood, dropping the book on the table before trying to exit the office.

She quickly stood and grabbed Susan by the shoulders and shook her, "Susan!"

"Auntie...why am I in my dad's office?"

"Sit!" Amelia directed, placing the book before her once again. "Read!"

"Is this...? I thought I wasn't allowed to read this until..."

"Read!" Amelia commanded. She sighed in relief when Susan grabbed the book and placed it on her knees. Amelia watched attentively as a whole range of emotions flitted across her niece's face. With tears in her eyes, Susan closed the book and looked questioningly at her aunt.

"Why did you never tell me about this?" Susan questioned with a hint of anger in her voice. "I should have been standing at his side this whole time, Auntie!"

"Because I didn't know either, Susan; it wasn't until this morning when I was at Hogwarts that I...that I..."

"What?" Susan asked exasperatedly.

"The Ravenclaw ghost chastised me this morning, accused me of not knowing my own family history. She also implied that I'd forsaken an allied House. More than that, she accused me of going against someone we Bones' owed allegiance to, someone we were duty bound to help and protect."

"Harry doesn't know any of this, does he?" she guessed.

"No, Sue, I don't think he does. I got the impression from the ghosts that it was something that would be taken care of very soon. It is likely that Harry Potter will shortly know all of this information about his family and his place in our world. I hope I am allowed to beg his forgiveness for this and be allowed to rectify all the ills he's suffered because our family never came to his aid." Amelia replied dejectedly. "If he chooses to be vindictive because of the way circumstances have unfolded in his life, things in Magical Britain could become very difficult."

"Circumstances in his life...you've no idea, have you?" Susan snorted. "You've no idea the life he's had, Auntie. The rumors, Auntie...if even half of what they say is true about him, then his life has been one of extreme suffering since the day his parents died!"

Susan stood angrily from the desk and paced the room, seemingly in deep thought.

"He's a very nice boy, Auntie, and normally I would say that he is very forgiving...but this..." she muttered unhappily when she turned her attention back to her aunt, "You know, this may explain why he was always so hard to get to know, or even get close to."

"What do you mean?"

"His friends, Granger and the two youngest Weasleys, they made it very difficult to get near him. They gave many of us the impression that Harry wanted nothing to do with anyone other than them. We took them at their word. And as strange as it sounds, the headmaster or Snape seemed to be nearby whenever we wanted to speak to him and they would spirit him away from anywhere there were people around him. It was almost as if they didn't want anyone to get too close to Harry. Auntie, is this why I felt a need to be with him? An oath our family gave a thousand years ago?"

Amelia gave her niece a nod, "I felt it too, this morning when I was at the school. It kind of felt like a wall being shattered within me; once the wall fell I had this overpowering urge to locate Harry and protect him. When I heard what had happened in the great hall, when I heard about his injuries, it was like my magic took over and was insistent that I do something, anything, to help him. Even now, I can feel myself being pulled toward him somehow."

The ladies sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. Amelia was the first to break the silence when she'd remembered something her niece had said. "Sue, what did you mean when you said 'we tried to get close to him? Who are we, exactly?"

"In truth, Auntie, most of the ancient families that have kids at school attempted to approach him. Hannah, Ernie McMillan, and I think Justin Finch-Fletchley tried; I know a couple of the Slytherin girls tried as well, but...well, they're Slytherin's so no one expected them to succeed at getting close to him. A few Ravenclaws I know of tried too. I don't recall any of the Gryffindors, though I probably just assumed they'd spoken to him in their common room."

"Were most of these kids who tried to approach Harry from the Great Houses?" Susan thought about that for a moment before nodding in agreement with her aunt's observation. "So you, your friends, and others, never tried harder?"

"Not really, Auntie. When he started the DA, we got to talk to him quite a bit, but it was usually just about what he was teaching us. If the topic changed to something more personal, he was spirited away by his friends. I suppose we all thought that he really didn't want to know any of us."

"Trying to keep him away from all the Heirs, I suspect." Amelia theorized. "I'm beginning to think those people were less his friends and more his minders."

Susan agreed. "Yeah, I can see that now. Aside from those three, I've only seen him in the company of Neville and Luna."

"Neville Longbottom?" Susan nodded in answer. "That's something anyway, I must contact Augusta soon. Who's Luna?"

"Uhm, Lovegood I think, Luna Lovegood." Susan answered. "She's a Ravenclaw, one year behind me. She's quite intelligent from what I understand, though a tad ditzy. It was actually she that gave me some insight into Harry's life before Hogwarts. Mind you, she was never very detailed in her description, only that he'd a hard life growing up and that the rumors that had been circulating for years about him having grown up in privilege had all been nothing but lies."

"It is something that I will have to look into sooner rather than later, Susan. So, Luna Lovegood; Xeno's daughter, I imagine. He's kind of ditzy too. But that is good, the Lovegoods might actually be able to help us." she said with a frown. "Susan, I need you to do me a favor and do something I never thought I'd ask you to do, I need you to call a meeting between as many of the heirs of the Great Houses as you can, those you think you can trust."

"You want me to do what?" Susan asked in not a little surprise.

"I get the feeling that there is some sort of grand conspiracy going on here. If, like me, the Lords and Ladies of those houses have withheld information from their children, then those same children may not be aware of some of the consequences they could face because of their parents ill-conceived choices. Susan, I can't begin to express how badly this could go for us."

"I don't understand, Auntie."

"I know you've learned about the noble and ancient houses, all those families that make up the Great Houses, yes? Well, don't you think it a bit more than unusual that they never stood up for Harry Potter? Ancient families that should have known better than to go against oaths that are centuries old did so, whether willingly or not is something else entirely." Amelia took in a deep breath. "There are some things I can't tell you yet, but there is some information that I do want you to spread as far and as wide as you can. I'm sure the rumor mill is awash with stories about what happened between Harry and Professor Snape. I'm l also pretty sure that this is what actually happened in the great hall between Harry and Snape..."

Susan's eyebrows threatened to disappear into her hairline as she listened to the tale. She shouldn't have been surprised to learn that not a single one of the rumors that had been bandied about the school were anywhere near what she was being told by her aunt, though it did now make sense to her, seeing as how the reviled professor was being touted as the calm and benign educator that had been waylaid by the criminally minded Harry Potter. She wondered how the rumormongers among the student body had gotten it so wrong. Could the stories have been fed to them to cast Harry in the worst light?

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 2345 hours, June21st, 1996 AD

Harry had been gone for a few of hours now and Olivia was starting to get worried. Looking a little nauseous, Harry had fled through the doors that led up to one of the towers that rose above the castle. She knew he needed some time to himself, given the information about the prophecy she'd imparted on him. Harry, however, was never one to share his feelings. That much she knew from her observations of him, but she knew that he would eventually talk, especially when he'd gotten to know her much better. As strong as Harry was, he was still a teenage boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She knew he'd be able to bear the weight, eventually, especially once his instruction gave him all the tools he would need. With determination, she made the trek up to the parapets of the tower in search of her young prince.

Her eyes widened in surprise at seeing him. He actually had a wide smile on his face, something that surprised her to no end, thinking that she'd find him distraught. She glanced in the direction that he was looking and smiled when she saw the form of his familiar. The majestic owl alighted on his shoulder and he began to pet her gently, smoothing down the feathers on her chest.

"He is beautiful." Olivia gasped.

"She is indeed beautiful, aren't you, Hedwig?" the majestic bird preened at the compliment before she glanced Olivia's direction; she could almost swear that the bird was scrutinizing her.

"Forgive the intrusion, my Lord, it was not my intent to disturb you and your familiar enjoying time together." she apologized, regretting having interrupted their bonding.

"Hedwig, this is my friend Olivia." he said, ignoring her apology. Hedwig jumped off Harry and glided toward Olivia. She almost squeaked when the bird landed on her shoulder. Hedwig gave her a penetrating gaze, giving Olivia the distinct impression that she was being judged even more than she had been previously by the majestic owl.

"What do you think, Hed?" a grinning Harry asked.

The owl turned to gaze at Harry and bobbed her head enthusiastically before rubbing her head in Olivia's cheek. The tickling of the feathers made Olivia giggle, "So, do I pass the test?"

"I think you did. She's a good judge of character, is my girl..." Harry frowned, his eyes then widening as he seemed to suddenly come to a realization. "You tried to warn me, didn't you, girl?"

"Harry?" Olivia asked.

"She would never carry mail for Hermione, Ron, or Ginny. She'd never let them touch her, she'd never let them get near her if she could help it. You were trying to warn me, weren't you?" he said, walking over to his familiar and scratching her head. "But you always let Luna and Neville feed you. I'm sorry, girl; I should have paid more attention to you."

"That is so eerie..."

"What is?" Harry wondered.

"I've only known my grandfather to be so close to his familiar."

"Merlin had a familiar? I bet it was a phoenix, huh? No, wait! I bet it was a dragon!"

"Actually, it was a falcon." Olivia replied. "He was called Aderyn."

"Wow, that's really a nice name!" Harry said with a smile.

"Not really, Harry. It may sound nice but it really just means 'bird' in Welsh." she added with smile.

"Merlin called his bird...bird?" Olivia couldn't contain herself and laughed merrily at the flabbergasted look on Harry's face. Her infectious laughter caused Harry to join in her amusement.

She took his hand in hers, a bit forwardly she reflected, and pulled him towards the towers edge. They both looked out toward the horizon. She held tightly to his hand, noting the roughness of them; no doubt from his hours of flying and the endless work that his relatives had piled on him. His hand felt warm in hers though, familiar even, but more powerfully, she felt protected in his presence, something which she hadn't felt since that fateful day when she'd confronted the Dark Lady. To her, that confrontation was only a few days ago, but it had affected her deeply. Standing in Harry's presence eased some of the fear she was still carrying around with her from that fateful day.

"I have not been up here in a long time." she reminisced. She smiled when Hedwig jumped off her shoulder and flew off into the night. "I am sorry to have been the one to lay such a burden on you, my Lord. That was not my intention. I only wanted you to know about my grandfather's prophecy regarding you. You have faced this Voldemort many times in your life, Harry, at least now you now know why."

"In my time, the Dark Lady was named Morgause." she said softly. "She was true evil, unlike any we had ever experienced. She relished in inflicting pain, taking away peoples hope, torturing, murdering, destruction...she reveled in chaos and malevolence."

"Even her name sounds evil... it's not a nice name, is it?" he said with a shiver.

"No, I suppose not." she agreed. "She was kin to Arthur in some fashion, but I never learned the truth about how they were related."

"Kin? You mean she was his family?" he croaked.

"Yes." she answered simply. "It caused my King no small amount of pain, knowing that someone he was related to was responsible for the death of so many innocent people. Men, women, children, goblin, elf, centaur, unicorn...it mattered not to her whose blood was spilled in her quest to conquer everything; she gathered a massive army and made her way across Britain, destroying everything in her path. Camelot was the last bastion of the Light left in the country."

Harry heard the beautiful girl next to her start whimpering and was not surprised to see the anguish on her features. He squeezed her hand gently. Without warning, Olivia threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his waist and started crying with abandon. Without knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around her and held her gently while she cried.

Olivia didn't know what had come over her; she'd never hugged a boy before. The most she'd ever done is allowed her hand to be kissed by the sons of visiting dignitaries. Being held in the arms of her prince though was something that she would do as often as he allowed. "I am soaking your shirt, my Lord."

"It's alright, Olivia. You needed to get that out of your system, I'd think." he whispered.

Still holding him tightly, she continued softly, "When the Dark Lady's army approached the castle, the knights and warriors prepared to battle to the death in defense of Camelot. The women and children had been evacuated, but I stayed behind."

"Why would you do that?" he asked.

"Because I could not let those good men stand alone. I may not be strong in magic like my grandfather, or as good as Uncle Godric with a sword, but I vowed to take the fight to that evil woman and stand in defiance against her with my people. So, I challenged that bitch to a duel."

"That was very brave of you, Olivia." Harry said sincerely and with not a little awe. She tilted her head to look into his eyes and saw a genuine look of admiration and wonder directed toward her. She hid her face in his chest and blushed mightily.

"No, it was not, Harry. I was terrified." she whispered.

"And yet you stood up to her, to help your friends, to protect your family, and defend your people. Being afraid doesn't make you weak, Liv." she actually shivered in delight when he called her by that nickname, one reserved only for very close friends and family.

"You know, I just realized that I do not know what happened after I was put to sleep. I was taken from the field of battle by my grandfather and then put into that damned coffin soon thereafter. Do you know what happened that day? Since the current Dark Lord is not named Morgause, I imagine she was defeated?"

"We could go to the library at some point and look it up, just to be sure. I'm not so good with history," he said with a chuckle, "If I remember correctly though, the battle was really bloody. Both sides lost thousands of men. Arthur was the last to fall; it was he that finally killed Morgause. But, she killed him too, as he died a short time later from the injuries he sustained during their battle. I don't know what happened to your grandfather."

"I guess my uncle survived if this castle still stands?" she asked.

"He did, and lived a very long time after the fall of Camelot. I guess in its own way, Hogwarts became the, uh, what did you call it...bastion of the Light?"

"How about Camelot, does she still stand?"

"I don't know, I don't think so." he answered sincerely. "Heck, if Camelot still existed it would be a wonderful thing, don't you think?"

He looked down at her when she didn't reply. Olivia wore a look of concentration, her brows knitted in deep thought. "Harry, I think we should go to where Camelot is...or was..."

"Really? You think it might still be there?"

Olivia nodded into his chest, "Camelot was hidden behind multiple charms and wards; it took numerous spells by a great many wizards and witches to enchant the whole castle and the surrounding valley. No one could see the castle if they meant to do it or its people harm. As mighty as Morgause was, I don't think even she could have found the castle without a truly epic display of magic on her part. Arthur took a great deal of precaution planning their confrontation and made sure that the field of battle was nowhere near the castle."

"It sounds kind of like a Fidelius charm...was there a secret keeper?" It took him a while to explain the particulars of the charm to the attentive, and beautiful he noted, young witch that was holding him.

"I do not know if there was one as such, but I think that if there was it was probably Arthur. It is something that would explain why he needed to meet face-to-face with anyone who wished to live or visit Camelot. Every once in a while he and some of his knights would ride out beyond our land and greet those who would come for shelter or to find a new home."

Harry pondered that for some time, mulling the idea over in his mind. "You're right. If the charms had failed, a huge castle should have just appeared out of nowhere, right? The fact that no castles have suddenly just materialized anywhere means the charms must still be working."

"That is my thought as well." Olivia said.

"Hang on, that can't be right. It's been a thousand years! Even as long lived as we wizards tend to be, no one can live that long. The charms would have failed the moment the person who cast the spell died."

"Normally, I believe that would be correct. However, my grandfather tied the charm to the ley lines that criss-crossed the valley where Camelot was built and I do not think they were tied to Arthur directly, although he most certainly would have had control over them. It was the only way that enchantment would have worked, the castle was too large and the magic involved too powerful to be attached to a single person. When Arthur died, I think only one who was born and raised in the castle could ever hope to find it again. And, since I am most certainly the last person alive who has born in Camelot..."

"But that means...Olivia, do you know where Camelot might be?" he asked with wonder.

Olivia gave him a shy smile and nodded. "I do, Harry, and we need to get you there as soon as we can. I think I understand now what Grandfather was trying to tell me."

"Huh?" Harry asked with a frown.

"He told me that when I was awakened, I was to take you home."

"Home?" Harry asked with such emotion that it made Olivia tear up.

"Yes, my Prince, I will take you your home." she said tenderly.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Longbottom Hall, 1300 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

"Lady Bones, welcome to Longbottom Manor." Neville said formally and with a deep bow. "May I present my girlfriend, Luna Lovegood."

"Thank you for allowing me to visit you, Scion Longbottom," Susan curtsied. "Miss Lovegood, a pleasure to meet you formally."

"And you, Lady Bones." said the fair-haired witch with a curtsy of her own.

"So...what do you guys say, are we done with the formalities?" Susan asked with a smile.

"Please yes! I hate all this stuff." Neville complained.

"Oh, it's not that bad, love. You've just got to get used to it is all." added Luna.

"I suppose I should..." Neville said, shaking his head, "C'mon, Sue, let's head out into the greenhouse and we can sit and have something to drink and you can tell us what brings you here."

Susan was amazed at the beauty of the indoor arboretum they walked into, "You did all this, Nev?"

"Yeah, well, with some help from our house-elf Solly." answered a blushing Neville. "In any case, this was my mother's favorite place. It kind of got dilapidated after they...after they...you know..."

"It's okay, honey, we understand." Luna whispered, giving his hand a squeeze.

Neville gave her a short nod and continued, "So, after I realized I had a bit of a green-thumb, I decided to restore it to its former beauty."

"And a marvelous job you've done of it, Neville. I think your mother would love this place even more now." Susan said, smiling kindly at his slight blush.

"Susan, I believe you are here because of Harry?" Luna interjected, wanting to get to the heart of the matter without all the banter.

"How'd you know I was here about Harry?" a curious Susan asked.

"Logical, really, if you think about it for a moment: your aunt is head of law enforcement, given the accusations that have been flying around against Harry, I imagine she wanted to get to the bottom of it. I think she went to Hogwarts and was disappointed with what she found out...or didn't find out, as the case may be. But, being a highly trained investigator, she was more than likely able to cobble together some part of the events that transpired the night Harry supposedly attacked Snape. Lo and behold, it turns out he's innocent of anything that the greasy bastard had to say about him or the attack on his person. Now, I'm only guessing at why you are here, but I think it has to do with Harry's somehow. I'm guessing your aunt asked you to stop by and inquire of us both whether we know the location of our missing friend, or barring that, maybe ask if we have a way to contact him."

Neville and Susan looked at Luna with mouths wide in surprise.

"That was bloody brilliant." Susan choked out.

"Not really; like I said, logical if you think about it." Luna pinked a little when Neville kissed her cheek.

Susan nodded at the small girl, "Well, after Auntie got back from Hogwarts she hid away in the family library for what seemed like hours. I was getting worried about her, so I stopped by to check that she was okay. I was surprised that she had our family grimoire out, and even more surprised that she had me read from it."

"That's nice," Neville commented, "Gran hasn't even let me look at Longbottom book."

Susan turned to Neville, "Neville, I'm guessing then that you didn't know all this stuff about Harry's family history?"

"Stuff...what family history stuff are you talking about?" Neville asked curiously.

"It seems Auntie may be right about all of us..." the 'Puff sighed sadly, shaking her head.

"Gran hasn't thought to tell me anything about our family history or my duties yet. She made it seem that I would know about all those eventually, if and when I took up Head of House duties." Neville said with a frown. "Are you saying that there are things I should know, as an Heir, that have been deliberately kept from me? And that Harry has some part in it?"

Susan gave him a worried nod. "Harry has a very, very, huge part in the history of both our family's, Neville. And not just ours either, most of the families that hold seat on the Wizengamot are obligated to Harry."

"What are you guys talking about?" Luna wondered curiously.

"Tell her." Neville said to Susan who was looking at the blonde witch apprehensively. "Susan, Harry loves Luna like a sister, he trusts her more than anyone else on the planet. She needs to know, even if it's only to be able to help Harry when he needs it, and guessing by your demeanor, Harry is going to need it."

Susan deliberated with herself for a moment, "Well, Luna, I'm sure you know that most families, especially the older ones, have a family book that has lists of spells created by family members, a detailed history of the family, heck, I think there were even some recipes in mine if I remember correctly."

"I am somewhat familiar with them; the Lovegoods have one as well." Luna explained.

"Well, the section of the grimoire that my auntie had me read was a detailed history of the Bones family during the time of Camelot thru the founding of Hogwarts and the Wizengamot and all the way down to my grandfather. Most of it is rather unimportant at the moment, however, the section of the book that covers the time of King Uther and then his son, King Arthur was, to put it simply, eye-opening." Susan explained to the pair. "The brief bit I read about my family back in those days was really interesting, especially when it came to how the Bones' were some of Arthur's most loyal and stalwart subjects. What was even more fascinating was the rather detailed family tree..."

"If it's anything like the Longbottom grimoire then a large section of the book is all about the family tree. You know...Reginald begat Charles, who begat Frank, who begat Neville..." Neville said with a look to Luna.

"I see..." Luna said. "I have never read our book, nor has my father I think. I know my family is as old as both of yours, but...it didn't seem that important to either of us. My mom would have read it, I'm sure; she was always fascinated with history. But why is it so important? What information could my family's book have that would be so significant to us now? "

Neville turned to Susan, "She's right...why is that important?"

"King Uther Pendragon begat Arthur Pendragon, who begat Godric Gryffindor..." the redhead said solemnly, pausing for effect.

"...who begat Harrison Potter..." Susan continued, noticing the white-faced look of horror on the two teens before her. "...who, many centuries later, begat James Potter who begat Harry Potter."

"WHAT?!" Neville yelled incredulously.

"But that means...but that means..." Luna looked furious, enraged beyond anything Neville had ever seen before. Her usually light grey eyes now seemed to burn with silver flames. "Why would such information be hidden from us, but more importantly, why was such information kept from Harry?"

"I don't know, Luna, nor does my auntie. It is something she wants to find out too. She tossed out the word 'conspiracy'...I think she believes that someone has kept this information from being found out by anyone, especially those that would have access to that particular nugget of information."

"Why is your aunt bringing this up now, Susan?" Luna asked.

"Ancient oaths our family is still subject to...she's worried that we are still subject to them, although I don't think, at least she didn't give me the impression, that she would mind too much."

"What? I don't get it?" Neville queried.

"Nev, have you ever wondered why we were drawn to Harry?" Susan asked, turning to Neville.

"Drawn? No, not really I suppose...I admire him and what he's accomplished...I wanted him as a friend, you know? I wanted to stand with him through the ordeals he's had to face and the ones yet to come. It's one of the reasons I agreed so quickly to go with him to the Ministry."

"Would it interest you to know that I feel the same way? At least now that I know this information about him...it's like a block had been placed there to get me to avoid Harry, but not that's gone and in its place is a wish to be with him. It's hard to describe, but there's this pull that the oath is subjecting me to. A pull towards Harry, I'm sure of it." Susan said. "And it's not just me, many of the children of the Ancient families felt that way, talking badly about him or avoiding him. We were all of us pulled toward Harry without understanding why. But they, we, all either forgot or were never told."

"All of us whose families swore fealty to House Pendragon would have felt this pull, correct?" Luna commented.

"Correct." Susan replied. "Since reading the Bones' Grimoire last night, that pull has been steadily increasing in strength. The magic behind the oath is trying to, I don't know...draw me to where Harry is I suppose, if that makes any sort of sense? I've had this feeling that I need to go to back to Hogwarts ever since I read the book last night..."

"Damn!" Neville said angrily as he shot from his seat.

"What is it, love?" Luna asked, taking his hand.

"Until Susan here mentioned her family grimoire, I wouldn't have cared at all to read the Longbottom book. Now though, it's like I need to read the book." Neville answered.

"Me too," Luna stated matter of factly after examining her own feelings. "Is it at all possible that we've been compelled not to read our family history?"

"I'd say that it is likely, but Auntie and I couldn't come up with how it could've been done, to affect so many people, entire families even?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 1400 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

"How do we get there, though...I don't suppose they had brooms back in your time? Can you fly?" Harry inquired.

Olivia blushed slightly, "Not very well, my Lord, not very well at all. Brooms for flying were a new creation in my time and frightened a great many of us."

Harry sighed, "Unfortunately, it's the only way I can think of to get away without having to traipse all over the castle and not draw attention to ourselves while trying to get away. You'll just have to ride with me, I guess."

"If I may, my Lord..." Olivia said with eyes downcast.

"We should talk to Helena and see if there is a way out of the castle that won't set off any alarms or help the people trying to find me actually find me." his mind already moving forward quickly.

"My Lord...Harry...there is another way to get there."

"...I don't really know how to apparate yet, I mean I probably could give it a I try, but then taking you along...splinching is supposed to be really bad!"

"Harry!" Olivia interrupted more heatedly.

"Sorry," Harry said a bit abashed, "You think there's another way out of the castle?"

"Follow me, my Lord Potter." she said with a florid curtsy and a huge smile.

"Would you stop that already?" Harry mumbled in irritation.

"But of course, my Lord." Olivia giggled, taking his hand and leading him to the far end of the library. "Out of curiosity, Harry, how much do you know about Druids?"

Harry frowned, "Nothing. Well, not nothing I guess, but not a lot. I do know they wore white robes and that their magic was somehow tied to the land. Like I said, I'm not so good with the whole history thing." he said awkwardly.

"Obviously there is more to it than just that, Harry. It is true that their magic was tied to the land. They were protectors of the earth and its people and renown as great healers." Olivia explained.

"Okay...but how exactly does that help us with our travelling problem?

"Patience, Harry." The pair walked down ancient corridors where Olivia stopped them before a large set of double doors. With a wide smile, she pushed the doors open. "Come, Harry, and see something so breath-taking it defies belief."

Harry frowned at that, wondering what could possibly be so beautiful as to have the slight girl at his side so animated. He gave her a nod and allowed himself to be led into the enormous room. Sunlight poured down, bathing the entire space in its warm light. Harry's eyes opened in wonder, his jaw dropped at the sight, it was indeed a vision so beautiful it defied belief.

"What is this place?" Harry asked softly, awed at the splendor before him. He was awed by the magic that could contain this vast wooded area within a room. It was like a greenhouse, the size of which he couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"This is my Aunt Helga's forest." she answered simply. "It extends to the edge of the Hogwarts boundaries."

To the young man, the forest was something out of a fairy tale. Luscious trees spired into the sky, their canopies providing gentle shade in the warm afternoon. Adding to the beauty, thousands of fairies danced through the branches, sparkling all the while. The lush grass and moss covered ground had Harry wishing to take off his shoes and let the soft and cool living carpet of green ease away his melancholy. The sound of water drew his attention and he turned to see the crystal clear waters of a stream meandering its way through the trees. Seeing a doe and her fawn dipping their heads to take a drink had Harry looking on in amazement. To then see the biggest wolf he'd ever seen drinking his fill right next to the deer had him wondering if he was imagining things.

"This place is a sanctuary, Harry, a place where all creatures may come for succor. All creatures, large or small, magical and not, may come here to seek comfort, safe from all the dangers that exist outside this forest." Olivia offered as explanation. "Helga was quite old when I first met her, but she was the kindest and wisest person I ever knew, aside from my grandfather, of course. She loved people, and she loved her plants and animals, too. Helga set great store on hard work, something that was instilled into each of us who learned from her. For an old woman, she was also surprisingly sprightly and not at all reluctant to hex us if we were being lazy." she laughed.

"Amazing..."

"Exactly." Olivia laughed.

"Sorry...but you're right, this place is brilliant, Liv." he told her with a huge smile.

"Come, let me show you the druidic method of travel." she said, surprising him a little when she wrapped her arms around his and pulled him forward.

"And here we are." Olivia said, stopping them in front of a rather small tree, at least when compared to the ones that towered above them. Carved into its branches and trunk were many sets of runes, or at least what Harry thought were runes. "This is an elder tree. In the lore of Druids, an elder tree represents shifting and transitioning, movement from one place to another."

"Wait, hang on a second, are you telling me we're going to be travelling by tree? Tree-travel, seriously, Olivia?"

"Yes." she smiled.

"How...hang on...how exactly...?"

"Think of this tree as being part of a bigger collection of trees. Their roots extend into the ground and are joined together, magically. One may only travel between elder trees that have been connected, the one to the other. The runes you see carved on the surface are like a guide. By touching your wand to the runes in the correct sequence, one may travel from tree to tree."

"So it's like a network?" Harry chuckled when he saw the lack of understanding on Olivia. "Uhm, like a...like a spider's web, maybe?"

"An apt description, Harry, each thread of the web is joined to another. We can get from one point on the web to another simply by using one of the sacred trees." Harry looked at her skeptically for a moment before he nodded.

"Close your eyes, Harry." she whispered, placing her cheek next to his. She thought to herself that she might be acting a little brazen where Harry was concerned, something she knew her mother would be yelling at her about, but she also knew what she wanted, and he was stood right in front of her. Modesty and decorum could go hang themselves.

"Huh?" a red-faced and bewildered Harry asked, flustered by the close proximity of the beautiful girl.

"Close your eyes, my Prince" she entreated, "When next you open them you'll be in the most wondrous land in the world." She reached out with a hand and tapped her wand to several of the runes. Harry watched in fascination as he noticed the runes begin to glow. Olivia smiled warmly at him, "Close your eyes, my Harry."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Granger Residence, 1700 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

The Hogwarts bookworm sat at on her bed, weeping. It had been that way since the day she'd arrived back home for the summer holidays. She begged off spending any time with her parents and hid herself in her room. Her parents had been at a loss to explain her distraught behavior. Yes, she'd come back home injured, but they'd both been thankful that wizarding medicine would see her through unscarred. This Hermione that had returned to them, though, was someone changed and not at all how she normally was. Their usually happy daughter had returned from Hogwarts totally unlike herself. There'd been no endless babble about her classes, no talk of the wonders she'd seen, she hadn't even mentioned her friends.

A worried Emma Granger knocked on Hermione's door and poked her head in, "You okay there, love?"

Hermione lifted her red-rimmed eyes to her mother, sniffling, "Mom, have you ever done something that you knew was wrong, but did it anyway?"

Emma sighed, "What have you done, Hermione?"

"I stupidly followed the instructions of a man I respected and admired to go against someone who means the world to me."

"I'm guessing the 'someone' we're talking about is your friend Harry?" Hermione raised an eyebrow, questioning how her mother could have figured that out. "Oh, come on...seriously, Hermione? You've been singing his praises for years now, dear. I can't think of anyone else you'd feel this bad about losing as a friend other than him. He's your best friend, after all."

"...was my best friend..." she mumbled sadly.

"What do you mean 'was', Hermione, what on earth could you have possibly done to lose his friendship?" Emma asked, perplexed at her daughters statement. She knew that Hermione held deep affection for the boy and she'd even be willing to admit that her young daughter was probably in love with the boy. Harry had saved her life, protected her, and cherished her. She could see in her eyes the affection her daughter held for the boy. "Hermione, what have you done?"

Hermione sighed deeply, gathered her thoughts, and began to speak. "After Harry saved me from that troll in our first year, I was summoned to the headmaster's office for a meeting. I thought I might get expelled or something, so I was really intimidated, you know? He had me sit in this seat that was too big for me, making me feel small, and he stared at me intently for what seemed like ages. Once he began to speak, he informed me about some things regarding Harry."

"How do you mean?"

"Mom, I've told you how...selfless he is, how kind and generous, how noble he is... turns out that's not the only way he's noble."

"You don't mean..." Emma began.

Hermione nodded and continued, "Harry's family is very old, ancient even, and can trace its beginning to the time when the Romans first came to Britain. Farther than that even, or at least that's what Headmaster Dumbledore intimated. In any case, he told me that Harry needed protection from all the people in the world that would want to do him harm, so of course I agreed to help."

"And that was it, to start with anyways. Just keep an eye on Harry, let Dumbledore know what he was doing, who he was talking to, that sort of thing. It seemed kind of innocent to me, so it didn't bother me too much at the time."

"You spied on your best friend?" Emma asked aghast, wondering if she'd misheard.

"I know, Mom, I really can't believe how stupid I was. The thing that bothers me more though was the fact that the headmaster also wanted both Ron and I, and later on Ginny, to keep everyone away from Harry too. Ron is very jealous of Harry, something that I'm now sure the headmaster used to his advantage. Ron would have told him everything, even things that Harry wouldn't want anyone to know. And Ginny, well, Ginny has been infatuated with Harry since she was six. If she thought that Dumbledore would help her 'be' with Harry, then I don't think there was anything she wouldn't have done to see that happen."

"I see...but what do you mean keep away? You mean the headmaster wanted you to help keep Harry isolated?"

Hermione nodded. "I didn't think of it like that at the time, though. Back then, I thought that in the entire school, only Ron and I had Harry's best interests at heart. No one else measured up. That belief was just...solidified, I guess...by the way the three of us could not only face up to danger but also prevail each and every time. I thought only I could protect Harry."

"Obviously something changed, though?"

Hermione nodded, "After the fiasco that was the Tri-Wizards tournament and the rebirth of Voldemort, Dumbledore's instructions changed. He now, more than before, wanted us to keep Harry as separated from everyone at school as we could. It was becoming increasingly difficult too, because Harry was starting to think for himself and was not relying on Ron and me as much. It's almost as though he sensed that we were holding him back in some way. When I suggested he start the DA, he was at first reluctant because he never wants to put himself out there; he hates to draw attention to himself, but he changed his mind a couple of days later. I think he realized that it was an opportunity for him to get to know more people, make new friends...but Ron, Ginny, and I, kept them all from getting too close to him."

"Let me get this straight, you actually told people to keep away from Harry?" Emma asked, angered.

Hermione nodded in embarrassment. "A lot of people, actually. Kids from all the Houses wanted to get close to him and get to know him; but there was something special, well maybe not special, but different, about the people that were trying to get close to him."

"I don't understand..." Emma silenced when Hermione interrupted her.

"Bear with me on this for a moment, Mother; it's all a bit involved." Hermione took in a deep breath before continuing, "If there was any point in history where wizards could have taken over non-magical Britain, it would have been in the time of Arthur. Can you imagine being faced by an army of wizards that could destroy you with a wave of their wands? How could normal people defend themselves with only bows and arrows, the odd sword, maybe even pitchforks? It would have been a slaughter. But Arthur was wise, and honorable, so he made a pledge with all the muggle kingdoms of the land: that wizard's would stay out of non-magical affairs so long as they themselves kept out of wizarding affairs. Camelot was, and would be still were it still standing, a kingdom within Britain, a separate country, if you would."

"That still doesn't explain why you'd keep people from getting to know Harry?"

"Relax, Mother, I'm getting there." Hermione said softly. "After the death of Arthur, all of wizarding society was floundering, but, with the help of the Founders of Hogwarts, a new government was established. The Wizengamot, our parliament, was established by the remaining noble magical families of the time."

Hermione stood and walked over to her window and stared out into the darkness. "That new government though, was illegal."

"What do you mean it was it illegal?" Emma asked.

"Well, you see, Arthur had a son. A son who should have been the next king of Camelot, but he backed away from that. He wanted a more egalitarian form of rule, where the voices of everyone were listened to, hence, the creation of the Wizengamot. But, he never officially abdicated or renounced the throne, so in a sense he was the uncrowned king of Camelot."

"So...your society should still be what, a monarchy? Like a for real monarchy?" Emma asked in amazement.

"Yes, Mom, a real monarchy like Britain itself used to be. Why does this matter in Harry's case, you're wondering? You see, Arthur had a son, a son named Godric."

"He was the man who established your House at school, right?"

"Yes he was. He was born Godric Pendragon, but, in keeping with the way people were sometimes named during that age, he was re-christened Gryffindor after he defeated an actual griffin in combat." Hermione continued. "His son's name was Harrison Gryffindor for a time, but his name changed as well when he became famous for his artistic talent." the bushy-haired witch paused and whimpered sadly.

"...you're stalling, Hermione!" Emma reprimanded.

"Harrison was an artisan and very skilled at his craft according to the few mentions of him I discovered in some pretty obscure history books. It was that that gave him his new surname...Potter."

"Wait, hang on, are you telling me that the uncrowned king of your world is your Harry? But then why...?"

"Why isn't he in a castle somewhere, ruling over Magical Britain, as he should be? Because the man I worshiped as the reincarnation of Merlin told me that Harry was not to take up his throne, that it would cause too many problems and that if he ever became king then our world would implode into civil war. He always told us that it was for the greater good of our world and its people that he is kept from knowing any of this."

"That has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Your world is already imploding as it is, Hermione! It's civil war, and you know it!"

"I know that, at least I do now, but back then...I was just so naïve...so trusting...I made the wrong choices and didn't believe in the one person in whom I should have believed in." she cried.

"Is this why you kept Harry from all those people who wanted to befriend him?"

"Yes, or at least it's one of the reasons; most of those who approached him were from the original families that made up the Wizengamot, all of them from the surviving original families of Camelot. The oaths of fealty their ancestors swore are still very much in effect. Their magic would have sensed that there was something about Harry that demanded their allegiance. I only know with certainty of two people who felt this and actually did obey the dictates of their magic and the oaths their families gave. There are two people in the entire school who would stand with Harry without question or hesitation and chances are they aren't even sure why. It may have been magical oaths that drew them to Harry originally, but as they've come to know him, they'd do it for him just because that's the kind of inspirational leader Harry is. He inspires people without even realizing it. Neville was a mess before Harry befriended him: shy, withdrawn, lonely, and Luna was as friendless as I was, but on top of that she was bullied in the extreme by the people at school, especially her Housemates. Harry saved her, protected her, and he loves her for the little sister she's become to him." Hermione's mind thought of Luna and Neville and she wished with all her heart she could go back in time and be as loyal to Harry as they had been.

Neville had slowly become closer to Harry. The Longbottom boy had been one of the few who'd been extremely vocal in their support of Harry during that stupid tournament, going so far as to threaten physical damage on anyone who disparaged his friend in his presence. Harry might never have been there to witness those situations between Neville and the other Gryffindor's, but he knew, Harry somehow always knew.

And then there was Luna. The Ravenclaw witch had indeed become to Harry the sister he'd always craved, someone who loved and cared for him because he was simply Harry and not some mythological hero. Hermione had been jealous of the petite witch, especially when she realized that Harry had been spending a lot more time with Luna than he had been with her. He no longer came to her for advice, or for help with schoolwork, or even just to vent about Snape. Hermione hadn't been his best friend in a long time and she hadn't even realized that he'd slipped away from her. She'd done nothing to prevent it because she didn't see it happening. Hermione could now admit that it was entirely her own fault. In fact, she'd treated him with contempt that she really didn't feel, all at the insistence of the headmaster.

"Most of our, hell, all of our society has no clue about who Harry really is. To them he's just the boy who saved them all those years ago from an evil wizard who was intent on taking over the world." Hermione added. "Dumbledore made sure that our history courses were substandard, even going so far as to have all reliable history books banned from England and those he couldn't ban were subject to some sort of redirection spell that would turn any would be buyer away from purchasing the book. We have a ghost for a professor who only seems to teach about goblin rebellions, seriously? He wanted no one to remember Harry's connection to his royal past or the fact that most of Great Houses were actively breaking magical pledges. All those families who should have known have forgotten, been made to forget, or have chosen to disregard those oaths."

"You never told any of this to Harry, did you?"

"No," she replied simply. "I truly believed what Dumbledore was saying. I truly believed that I was not only helping Harry, but that I was also helping our community."

"What possible reason could the headmaster of a school have for keeping this information from that young man?"

"I don't know," Emma frowned, not believing Hermione's response, "Honestly, Mom, I don't know. I mean, the headmaster is powerful politically, not to mention magically...because of that I suppose I believed he knew best what we all needed. If he thought that Harry taking up his throne was a bad thing, how could he be wrong?"

"You realize that what you're describing is sedition, right, actual treason against the rightful ruler of your lot?" Hermione nodded, agreeing with her mother. "Is this why you're no longer friends with Harry? Because he found out and knew that you'd been keeping all this information from him?"

"No, the real reason..." Hermione started to whimper again. "After the battle we had in that government building where I got hurt, the headmaster approached Ron, Ginny, and me. He wanted us to turn our backs on Harry...again."

"Why would he ask such a thing?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Harry had just lost his godfather that night and was in an inordinate amount of misery because he believed Sirius' death to be his fault; Dumbledore wanted us to heap the suffering he would be in, driving him deeper into despair. I think that it is the headmasters hope that this would strengthen him further for the task he had to fulfill and that it would drive him to come to the headmaster seeking help in taking care of the Dark Lord problem. Dumbledore told us that it was Harry's destiny to rid us of Voldemort. Who would protect us, if not Harry?"

"Let me get this straight," Emma growled, "That old fart told you to turn your back on someone you yourself described as the most decent person you've ever met, someone you called your best friend, and you actually did it? Not only that, but after everything that young man has been through at the hands of your so called society, you expect him to actually protect you all?"

"Yes." Hermione replied tearfully.

"What are you?" a sickened Emma asked. Hermione started crying, ashamed at herself and her actions. "What kind of person does that to a friend? Abandoning him like that, you...you...tortured him, Hermione!"

"Who needs enemies when they've got friends like you, huh?" a soft voice from the doorway interrupted. An extremely angered looking Daniel Granger stood there glaring at his daughter disapprovingly. "I told you when you first went to that school that you should work on losing that stupid authority worshipping part of yourself. You obviously didn't listen."

"Dad..."

"I don't want to hear it, Hermione. I'm deeply offended by your actions. That boy saved your life, Hermione! He actually put his own life in danger to save yours...and you do this to him? And your friend Ginny, didn't you tell me that he saved her life as well, saving her from a...what was it?"

"Basilisk wasn't it, that thing that petrified you?" Emma answered, recalling the time Hermione had told them the tale. "A sixty foot snake with deadly eyes, you told us. That boy saved that Ginny girl and she turns her back on him as well. Pathetic, the lot of you are pathetic." Emma spat in revulsion. She stood, glaring at her daughter in disgust.

"You once told me that you were scared that Harry might go dark because of the life he's led. I don't think that that is what you're scared of. I think that now you're terrified that if Harry did indeed become evil it would have been because it was, in part, your fault." Daniel said with a shake of his head. He gave his daughter a sidelong glance, "Did you know that Harry and I correspond?"

"He and I do as well." Emma added. "Although it's been a few months since either of us have heard from him."

"What?" Hermione asked loudly, her face lifting to look at her father and mother in disbelief.

"With me, it started back in your fourth year. He wanted to ask my permission to take you to some ball. I told him I thought you already had a date since you'd asked for money to buy a gown. That owl of his is beautiful, by the way." Daniel answered.

"Hedwig, her name is Hedwig." Hermione supplied in a low voice.

"After that he'd write just to catch me up on what you guys were up to at school. We talked a lot about you." Daniel said. "He never once had an unkind thing to say about you. Even when I could tell he was angry at you because of something you'd done, he would make it seem as though it was all his fault."

"With me it started a few days after you'd been attacked by that snake. None of the professors would give us any updates on your condition, but that sweet boy would write almost every day to let us know how you were doing. Once you'd recovered, we still wrote each other. Mostly it was to ask advice about life, he taught your dad and me things about wizards that he thought were interesting or funny, he even asked about girls. He seemed to think he didn't have a chance with you, so, he decided to ask me for pointers for when he found himself interested in another girl. I was amazed at how little he knew about interacting with members of the opposite sex and I was honored that he felt able to ask me such things. He had some downright old-fashioned ideas, or at least it seemed so to me at the time. But, I came to understand that being that decent, as you've mentioned before, is just who he is. I can say sincerely that his mother would be extremely proud at the young man he's become and that any young woman lucky enough to earn his love and trust will be treated like a queen." Emma looked sadly at her daughter. "You had his love, and his trust, but you threw them away...for what?"

"What...what are you talking about...I don't understand...?" Hermione sobbed.

"Is it any wonder, given how horrific you say his life has been?" Dan said with a look to his wife. "You really didn't notice did you? That boy is...or more likely was...completely besotted with you, daughter dearest. I thought that I'd eventually get a note from him asking me for your hand in marriage. I can't decide whether I'm more disappointed by the fact I'll never get that particular letter or that I'd have to refuse him at this point if I he did."

"Do I want to know why?" Hermione asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Because as sad as it is to me to admit as your father, I don't think you're worthy of him." he said unhappily. "You've told us the kind of life he's had, the torment he's faced, the accusations and ridicule he's had to suffer, the physical pain he's endured, all of that, and despite everything he's endured you still describe him as the most gentle and loving person you know when he had every reason to become evil . I am proud to know that young man, you know? He spoke so highly of you, love. It must have been devastating for him to find out the kind of person you really are. I don't know if I could ever forgive myself knowing that a lot of the things he's had to endure were because of something I did."

He shook his head, saddened at what had become of the daughter he'd raised and been so thoroughly proud of only days ago. "If I thought it would do any good, I'd pull you from that school right this second, but I know it won't make a difference. You have made your choices, Hermione, choices that you will now have to live with. I hope it was worth it."

With that, the disappointed father walked out of her room. The sound of the closing door clicking shut was like a death knell to the young witch. Her life had come to a screeching halt in that moment. She would now have to live in a world where her best friend would at the very least ignore her, but more than likely, hate her.

Dan stood with his back against his daughter's door and sighed. When he heard Hermione start to bawl, he almost went back into her room.

"Don't, Dan, she needs to work through this on her own. I hate seeing her in so much pain, too, but there's not much we can do about it." Emma said, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him into herself.

"That's not my little girl, Emma. That is not the daughter we raised." Dan said sadly. "That world we sent her into can't have changed her that much, Em."

"What are thinking, sweetheart, that they did something to her?"

"It's the only thing I can come up with that makes any sort of sense. There is no way in hell that our daughter would have thrown her best friend over for some bearded old man, I don't care that he's the second coming of Merlin, she would never have done that; as few friends as she had growing up, she would have treasured those that she did have and fought tooth and nail to keep them." Dan explained.

"Okay...but then what do we do about it? We're, what does she call is...muggles, yes, that's it...and apparently we have no rights whatsoever in her world. It's not like we could go talk to their policeman and see if she's been altered somehow!"

"You know who we need to talk to, Em."

"Harry." Emma said knowingly. "What if because of what she's done to him he refuses to help?"

Dan looked at her strangely, "Em, this is Harry we're talking about. If there is even a hint or a possibility that what she's done to him was something she'd been forced to do..."

"He'd want to be sure. You're right, of course." Emma agreed. "Did you notice that all the pictures of Harry in her room had been replaced by pictures of that redheaded plonker?"

"No," Dan gasped, "I didn't notice that at all. You think...?"

"I'm just saying, is all. Her room was plastered with pictures of Harry and her together and now, all of a sudden, they're gone?"

"I'm going to kill that little shit if he's done anything to my baby girl!"

"You or I will have to drive down to Diagon tomorrow and try to send Harry an owl."

"Okay, love...okay."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Grimmauld Place, 1945 hours, June22nd, 1996 AD

The last remaining Marauder came bursting through the doors of Grimmauld Place in a towering rage followed closely by a worried looking Tonks who was pleading with him to stop while trying to hold him back. The fury in his countenance was almost feral; his eyes had turned amber and his wolf was close to breaking free. He stalked angrily toward the kitchen where an Order meeting had been called. The dozen or so people sitting and standing around called out greetings to the former professor, which he ignored as he laid eyes on his intended target.

"Ah, Remus, so good of you to join us my good man, we were just about to start..." Albus said when he caught sight of the werewolf. Remus disregarded the headmaster and walked straight up to the Potions Master and grabbed him by the throat, lifting and slamming him against the wall with all the strength his enhanced body possessed.

"Remus!" Albus cried out indignantly.

"They tell me that you cast the Cruciatus at my boy, Snivellus. They also tell me that you tried to Imperio him before you cast a bone breaking curse that tore up his arm." Snape's complexion paled, and his hands tried vainly to get the wolf's hand away from his throat. Remus leaned into the Slytherin and whispered in his ear, "James should have let me rip you to shreds instead of saving your worthless Death Eater ass."

"Remus, enough of this foolishness, release him immediately!" Albus roared. "Put Severus down, at once!"

"Why do you allow this man anywhere near Harry, Headmaster, in fact, why do you allow him near any child knowing full well what a vile person he is?" Lupin yelled, turning to face Dumbledore. The Slytherin was turning blue, his fingers barely moving as he tried to pry the werewolf off his neck.

"Put him down, love, please." Tonks implored. "Harry wouldn't want you in Azkaban. You owe it to him to be there when he needs you. Please, love..."

The Marauder glared at his girlfriend for a moment before his eyes softened. He released Severus none to gently, allowing the man to fall to the floor gasping for air. Tonks opened her arms and wrapped herself around him. "It's okay, love...it's okay...it's going to be okay..." she whispered into his ear.

The sound of spell-fire broke the couple apart, both drawing their wands quickly and aiming them at the table from where the spell had originated. Bill Weasley stood there with a grin on his face, "That Slytherin bastard was going to curse you in the back. Sweet Hathor, I've wanted to do that to that greasy git forever!"

Remus gave him a nod of thanks and turned once more toward the headmaster. "Where is Harry?" he growled.

Albus' eyes looked at the former professor uncomfortably, "I have no idea, Remus. The only thing I can tell you with any degree of certainty is that he is no longer within Hogwarts or its grounds. I have no idea where he's gone to."

"And will you tell me whether it is true that this man you put so much trust in cast TWO Unforgivables at my godson? Or will you, as usual, lie to us all?" Remus growled.

"Remus Lupin!" an incensed Molly interjected. "You will apologize to the headmaster!"

"Like hell I will!" Remus yelled at the woman. "This man you so revere allows that piece of shit over there to run roughshod over all the kids in his school, your children included! He allows him to terrorize and bully anyone who isn't a Slytherin and don't get me started on the things he's allowed to get away with where Harry is concerned."

"What do you mean, Remus?" Arthur said from his seat next to Molly. He was trying his best to contain his volatile wife by holding her arm in a tight grip. Nobody talked to Albus Dumbledore in that fashion if Molly Weasley was around.

"You haven't told them, Albus, have you? You haven't told them how that pet Death Eater of yours attacked Harry? That he Crucio'd him in the middle of the great hall? That he also tried the Imperius on him before Harry blasted him into a wall? That he's been mind-raping him for months or that he's bullied and berated Harry at every opportunity since he walked into Hogwarts? Not only that, but you've allowed the rest of the world to see Harry as some kind of ascending Dark Lord, something that while I can't prove I'm certain you had hand in!" Remus yelled.

Albus could not look Remus in the eye.

"Albus, tell me this isn't true?" Arthur asked of the headmaster. "Did that man really attack Harry?"

With a long sigh and a look of resignation, Dumbledore answered simply, "Yes."

"Why eez that man not een Azkaban for attacking dear Harry?" the willowy blonde standing by Bill asked.

"That's a good question, Headmaster, would you care to answer Fleur?" Remus asked.

"Because despite what you may all think of him personally, we need him..." Albus said.

"You may need him, I certainly do not. That man is a danger to everyone and should be put down like the rabid dog that he is!" the Marauder raged.

With a glint of anger in his eyes, Albus looked to Remus, "You will stay away from Severus from now on, Remus and you will also stay away from Harry. I did only what I thought was best for the boy. I didn't want to add to his burden. We need to get him back under our control so that he may be protected."

"Under your control you mean, don't you? Do you even care that he was severely injured? You just want him back under your thumb again! I don't know what you're up to, Dumbledore, but I can hear in your words and see in your actions that you don't care at all about Harry's wellbeing! I should've listened to Sirius...I should have..." the man's shoulders shook in sadness, tears freely streaming down his face.

"Remus, please, we must find Harry, the sooner, the better. He is in grave danger the longer he is away from us." Albus pleaded.

"I beginning to think that it is you that is in danger the longer he's away; what is it about Harry being out there all alone that gives you so much anxiety?" Remus asked sarcastically. "I suppose it is your intention to see him back with his relatives?"

"Of course, the protections offered there are..."

"...are not worth the suffering he's endured at the hands of those people." Remus growled. "Sirius told me about the scars that mar his body. No, he's never going back there. Finding Harry is my first priority, keeping him safe and away from you lot is my second. Don't push me on this, Albus, or you will come to regret it!"

Dumbledore was done with being threatened and spoken to like a spoiled child, his magic swirled around him when he stood before the werewolf and to intimidate the man into complying with his commands. "You are not responsible for Harry's welfare, Remus. You will bring Harry to me if and when you find him. I will see him returned to the Dursley's and I will speak to them about the treatment he receives there." Albus thought he'd cowed the man into following his orders, only to be laughed at by the werewolf.

"Did I forget to mention that I've just come from Gringotts where I've had a most illuminating conversation with the Potter and Black Family estate managers? I was truly, truly shocked, to hear that Harry has not been read his parent's will. It also came as a complete surprise to hear that none of the official Gringotts messages regarding Sirius' will reading have made their way to Harry. Astonishing, wouldn't you say, Albus?"

"He's not ready for the responsibility, Remus." Albus paled, falling back into his chair. "Harry has too much to deal with as it is, too much to learn...I don't think he's ready for all that!"

"And perhaps he's not, but that was not your decision to make, was it?" Remus growled.

"Of course it was my decision to make; I am Harry's guardian after all!" Dumbledore yelled angrily.

Remus looked at the headmaster in disgust, "You and I know now how big a lie that is, Albus. You've never been Harry's guardian, although perhaps you convinced yourself that you were. Harry is in charge of his own destiny now and you have no say in any decision he makes!"

"But, Remus, he is just a child! No one knows better than Albus what Harry needs!" Molly screamed.

"Only Harry gets to decide what is best for Harry." the wolf said with a glare toward Molly. "I don't know what plans you think you have with my boy, Albus, but it ends now! He will definitely not play whatever game it is you have in mind from him."

"He must be prepared for Voldemort! The future of our world rests on his shoulders!" Albus pleaded.

"That is no future at all, Headmaster. No, Harry will play no part in whatever it is you think he has to do." Remus said with finality.

"But Remus...his friends...his family..." Molly whimpered.

"Friends?" he asked sarcastically. "I've heard all about how your daughter and youngest son turned their backs on Harry the night of the battle, the same night that Sirius died. Disappointed doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about their actions. Family? To whom are you referring to when you say family, Molly? You?"

"I love that boy! He's like one of my very own..."

Remus shook his head in disgust. "If that were true, Mrs. Weasley, then you would have done a lot more to get Harry out of the situation he found himself in with his relatives. I know for a fact that Fred and George told you how he was treated there. And what did you do about his situation, Molly? Nothing, that's what you did, absolutely nothing. I have a lot of guilt where Harry is concerned, I played my part well thanks to that whiskered wanker's manipulations, but I will atone for those when I am allowed. Don't you think Sirius and I would have charged the gates of Hell to make sure our boy was safe and taken care of? But we didn't know...we didn't know about any of it. But you have known, haven't you? As much as you profess to love Harry, I see very little of that in your actions."

"Is this true, Molly?" a pale-faced Arthur asked, horrified. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't the boys come and talk to me?"

"If I had to guess, Arthur, I would say that it was because the Great Leader of the Light over there told her to do nothing and say nothing. Am I close, Mrs. Weasley?" Molly paled and looked pleadingly toward the headmaster. "I bet he told you that Harry needed to be beaten at every opportunity by his sick relatives and you, ever the bootlicking servant, went along with it. Was it you who put your two youngest children up to befriending and then betraying Harry?"

"Mom, what's he talking about?" Bill asked.

"Remus," Dumbledore interjected, "Perhaps this is not the time or place to discuss these things."

"Molly, what have you done?" Arthur asked in a small voice.

She took a step back from her husband, "I only did what the headmaster..."

"Tell me this isn't true, Mother?" Bill looked at her contemptuously, trying not to believe what he was hearing. The young Weasley was holding Fleur back, the Veela looking murderously at her intended's mother and with the barest hint of feathers coating her arms. "Harry has saved the life of almost half our family and you're telling me that we just left him with people that beat the hell out of him? What the hell is wrong with you, Mother?"

"Bill!"Arthur said angrily. "While I do not agree with what your mother has done, you will not ever speak to her like that!"

Bill nodded angrily, "Very well, Dad, but I will never be able to forget this. Harry has done more for this family than anyone...just saving Ginny's life...how could you?"

The mood in the kitchen had shifted dramatically. What had once been a place filled with cheery people had now turned cold. The looks directed in Remus' direction were not friendly. With just a glance, the Marauder could tell that no one would accept as true a word he had said and that far from believing him, they were all trusting Dumbledore to do what was right by them, no matter the cost that would be shouldered by an innocent.

And that innocent was Harry.

"I can't do this anymore...you are all so far up Dumbledore's ass that you can't see how wrong what you're doing is by supporting him. By following this man's orders you have placed a boy in an environment that I wouldn't want my worst enemy to face. Except for Snivellus of course, he fucking deserves it!" Remus muttered angrily, not caring a whit about the glares he was receiving from the members of the Order. He turned on his heels, grabbing Tonk's hand, leading her out of the now noisy kitchen. He hurried up the stairs and pulled her into Sirius' bedroom, shutting the door behind them and casting silencing and locking spells.

"What is it, Remus?"

"I've just had a thought." he told her with a smile, something she was grateful for as she hadn't seen him smile since Harry had disappeared. "Dobby!"

"Damn it! Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Tonks lamented. "That little guy adores Harry and would probably be keeping tabs on him just in case he was needed."

"My thoughts exactly." Remus acknowledged just before the familiar popping sound was heard.

"Mister Wolf calls Dobby?" the small elf asked the now obviously delighted Marauder.

"Please tell me you know where Harry is, Dobby? Is he safe?" Remus pleaded.

"Master Harry is very well, sir. He and mistress are at magic castle."

"What magic castle? I thought Dumbledore said he wasn't at Hogwarts anymore?" Tonks wondered aloud. "Wait, hang on, did you say mistress? What mistress?"

"Mistress asked that I come to you. I be taking you to big castle now. Talk then."

"Really?" the werewolf asked with obvious hope in his voice. "Dobby, what big castle are you talking about?"

"Mistress says youse be curious. Mistress says is surprise. Youse is to be packing and I be taking you to master Harry, sir and missy Tonks. Youse call for Dobby when ready." the elf told them, vanishing with a soft crack.

Remus and Tonks didn't have to be told twice. They were quickly packing their things, only taking a couple of changes of clothing along, when they were disturbed by a soft knock on the door. Tonks eyed Remus and raised an eyebrow questioningly. He waved her back and stepped to the door. He was a bit surprised to see Bill and Fleur standing there before him.

"Guys?" Remus asked.

"Dad took Mom home. I've never, ever, seen him so angry before." Bill said softly. "Please, Remus, when you see Harry tell him I want to speak with him, as does Fleur."

"Yes, eet is horrible what that pig do to him!" Fleur lamented. "Ma soeur, Gabrielle, weel be very angry her hero was harmed!"

"Are you guys leaving?" Bill asked, having noticed the pair of knapsacks lying on the bed. Remus looked to Tonks for help, giving her a questioning look.

She gave Remus a nod. She felt they could trust the couple before them. "Harry's elf just showed up and told us he's going to take us to see Harry."

"Really...how eez Harry...where eez Harry?" Fleur asked excitedly.

"I don't know, Dobby only told us that Harry is in the big magic castle." Tonks answered.

"And before you ask her, we don't know. Dumbledore said that Harry wasn't at school, which begs the question..." the werewolf said with a frown. "...which big magic castle is he talking about if it isn't Hogwarts?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1402 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

He didn't know how to describe the sensation he was feeling. It wasn't at all like taking a portkey; it was much gentler than that stupid boot they'd used to get to the Quidditch World Cup. It wasn't like flooing, either. He didn't feel himself spinning watching nauseously as the grates of fireplaces joined to the network sped by at a dizzying rate. If he had been forced to describe it, he thought the most fitting description would be that it felt like sliding down a long tunnel.

"You can open your eyes now, Harry." Olivia whispered into his ear. He could feel her pressed into him, her arms gently circling his neck. He was somehow at ease with her there, despite how often he'd rebuffed being physically touched. It didn't feel odd to him, or scary, or make him feel embarrassed, it just felt...right. When Harry opened his eyes he came face to face with striking sapphire blue eyes, sparkling with delight. He saw something in the deep blue that pulled at him, that drew him in, something that made him feel as though this beauty before him would be his salvation from the nightmare that had been his life.

"We have arrived, my Prince." she said softly. Olivia gazed into the young prince's eyes, captured by the emerald green. She felt warmth coming from them, a sense of hope that filled her with joy. She would endeavor to fill his life with all the love she could. She would give him hope.

He tore his eyes away from hers and peered over her shoulder to get a look at where they were. He nearly fainted in disbelief and it was only the hold that Olivia had on him that kept him upright. There, in the distance, was a palace!

"It's like Cinderella's castle!" Harry spluttered.

"No, actually, it is Arthur's castle..." she said with a frown, a bit confused at his statement. "Who is Cinderella?"

Harry shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind at what he was seeing: a structure whose size made Hogwarts look like a tool shed!

"Cinderella was a girl in a fairy tale...you know what, that's not important right now. What I meant to say was that the castle is beautiful...and so huge! Is that a city that surrounds it?"

The castle gleamed, its white walls sparkling in the afternoon sun. Tall spires rose like fingers into the sky, reaching for the heavens while pennons of gold flapped gently in the breeze. Given that almost more than a thousand years had passed since, supposedly, anyone had lived in Camelot it came as a surprise to him that the enormous structure looked like the builders had just put the finishing touches of paint on it a few hours ago.

"Come, Harry, let us head into the castle. It is a bit of a walk from here." she turned and held out her hand. He gave her a shy smile and took it, allowing himself to be led down the cobbled road. "There are, or perhaps were, travelling-trees like this closer to the castle that we could have used. But, I wanted you to see all of this."

"Olivia?"

"Yes Harry?"

"How could you leave this place?" he asked curiously. He marveled at the beauty off all that surrounded him: the lush forest, crystalline lake, green meadows and fields, and of course the castle itself. If rumor or legend were to be believed, then Camelot would have been the nearest thing to Utopia that had ever existed. Being forced to leave...it just beggared imagination. To be asked to choose whether to stay in this idyllic place or to leave, he didn't think he could do that himself.

"It was not easy." she replied honestly after a moment of reflection. "All the people of this kingdom, all my friends, my mother, my father, my grandfather, they are all long gone now. Even my way of life has vanished into history. But it was the decision I made, to come here, to be with you."

She wrapped tighter onto Harry's arm and continued, "After I had faced Morgause and my grandfather had spirited me away to Hogwarts, I was very angry with him. I had been my thought that if I confronted the Dark Lady and defeated her that I might save us all from her evil. He chastised me for taking such an excessive risk knowing that it was not I that was meant to end the Dark. When he calmed, he sat me down and he began to describe what life would have been like had I remained," Harry raised a questioning eyebrow. "It would have been the end of everything, Harry. I, my family, everyone I knew, this land we see around us, everything would have been destroyed by her evil. That is when Grandfather gave me the choice: to stay, fight, and die, or, to allow myself to be hidden away within the confines of Hogwarts for centuries in the hope that when I awoke I would be able to stand against the Dark at your side."

"What's so special about this particular time? The threat is just as real here as it was back then, isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose it is, but Grandfather impressed upon me his absolute belief that together, you and I, we could defeat this Voldemort forever." she was bit surprised that he didn't push her too much for answers. It was obvious he had many questions. There would come a time, soon, that she would answer them all.

The closer they got to the castle, the more anxious Harry seemed to become. His hand had grown clammy in Olivia's and he seemed to be fidgeting. "Harry, what is wrong?"

"I'm feeling a bit nervous." he mumbled.

"Of what?" she asked, giving him a sidelong glance.

"Of what I'll find in the castle, of learning about the things that you've yet to tell me; what am I doing here, Liv? I'm nobody! I'm just some freak from Privet Drive; I am not whatever it is that you think I am. I'm not...I can't be related to Godric or Arthur. They were heroes, great men...I'm nothing like them..."

"You are so very wrong, Harry. You are a hero and they thought so as well. I do not know what freak means, but I can hazard a guess what you mean by using that word in that manner." she told him, looking into his eyes and holding his gaze. "As you yourself have said, it is alright to be frightened of the things one must face. That you still do what you must is what makes your braver than most everyone in the world. I knew men in my time, legendary knights, battle hardened men that had stared death in the face and they would have run screaming in fear at the things you have had to face as a mere child."

"Really?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yes, my Prince, really; Godric thought he would rather face the griffin he battled again, rather than have to face the basilisk that you did. He thought it the bravest and most noble thing he ever beheld: to place your own life in danger to save the life of an innocent. He was proud, Harry, proud that a son of his blood, a true Gryffindor, lived up to the expectations that he himself strived for." she ran a hand down his cheek, "That you had a hard life is undeniable, Harry, that your life will be better from now on is also certainty."

"You'll be there?" he asked in a small voice.

"Always, my Prince, I will remain at your side for as long as you will allow me to." He looked at her curiously, peering intently into her eyes and saw the truth of her words. Harry gave her a lopsided smile and nodded. "Shall we get to the castle, then?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1455 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

As they slowly made their way toward the large walled structure, she found herself also becoming a bit uneasy about what they'd find. Olivia was drawn out of her thoughts by Harry pulling her to a stop.

"How are we supposed to get in there, Olivia?" he asked, staring up at the tall, nigh impenetrable looking walls. "I don't suppose knocking on the door would do anything, huh?"

"I should think not, Harry, as I do not believe that anyone is living in the castle at the moment, nor has for a very long time." she replied.

"I expect you're right. But, if you don't mind and just to satisfy my curiosity..." Harry banged hard on the humongous doors.

"Satisfied?" she asked after a few moments. Just as she was pulling her wand to open the doors herself, she heard the loud metallic grinding of locks being opened, something that astonished her in the extreme. Slowly the double doors opened and she backed away from the breach, unconsciously grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him back.

The immense doors soon opened all the way, allowing both of them to pass through the portcullis and into the bailey. Harry had two thoughts running through his mind, firstly was that he was actually standing in the legendary city of Camelot, which in itself seemed insane, and secondly, the town itself looked exactly how he would imagine a town that had been abandoned for a thousand years would look. At the moment, he wouldn't have thought it odd to see a tumbleweed or two cross the cobbled street before him in some parody of an old Western movie. Harry thought it odd too that the outside walls looked new and gleamed in the sun, unlike the abandoned city before him that looked aged and abandoned. He was about to say something, turning to Olivia, when he noticed the tears that were streaming down her face.

"It is all gone." she whispered. It was in that moment that the hope she had about finding her parents and grandfather still alive stopped. A thousand years had passed, this she knew, but she still held on to some hope that they'd be here, waiting for her despite the passage of centuries. There would be no comforting hug from her mother, no laughter from her father who would tousle her hair while laughing at her chagrined looks, and there would be no grandfather there to tease her about her prince with a sparkle in his eyes. Olivia found herself surprised to have comforting arms encircle her and hold her while she wept for everything that she'd lost.

"Realizing that you're alone in the world is hard to take. But I do want you to know that I will always be here for you, Olivia." Harry told her gently. "Despite what disloyalty they may have shown towards me, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were, for lack of a better word, my family."

She looked deeply into his eyes and gave him a sad smile. Olivia held his gaze and he found himself lost in the soulful blue eyes that peered into his soul. He'd wondered these last few days if love at first sight was a real phenomenon. Harry my not have grown up with love, but he did know what it was, despite what others may think.

"Come, Harry, let us head into the castle proper." she said, pulling him forward, trying to find comfort in his touch at what she felt was the loss of everything she held dear.

When they'd reached their destination, Olivia raised and pointed her wand at the entrance, "Agored," she incanted. Catching the questioning look from Harry she explained, "I am going to have to teach you to speak Welsh, Harry. It just means 'open'." The doors slowly cracked open, the rusty hinges adding a loud grating noise that sounded out of place in their surroundings.

"Are you ready, my Prince?" Olivia asked in serious manner.

"Am I ready for what?" he asked.

"One of the last things that my grandfather told me to do before he put me to sleep was that, were I successful in making it to you, I was to lead you to the throne room. Grandfather told me that Arthur and Godric had left you something that would help you. Gifts, he called them." Harry looked at her oddly. "Open the doors, Harry, only you can."

"Do I have to?" he complained, looking down at the doorknobs with some unease.

"What? What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Is the door going to bite me?"

"Bite you? Why would it bite...oh, I see...I am sorry, but probably yes." she almost, almost, laughed when he groaned.

"I am never going to want to open a door again." Harry groaned. He gingerly took the handle in his hands and muffled a cry of pain when he felt the telltale piercing of his flesh. Olivia decided that she'd have to remember the curse words he used as she hadn't understood a single one of them. Her attention refocused on Harry when he pushed the doors open and gasped.

"This is the throne room of Camelot, my Prince."

"Clearly..." Harry stammered. "Isn't there supposed to be a big round table around here somewhere?"

"In another part of the keep, Harry; the Table Room was an informal setting, this one here, the more formal." Olivia replied.

Harry gazed up to the dais that held the throne, "Why is there a sword sticking out of a boulder in the middle of the throne room?"

"Look at the sword, Harry, do you not recognize it?"

"That can't be...is that...it's Excalibur isn't it?" Harry whispered in awe. He took the step up to the rock and got a better look at the legendary sword. "So there really was a sword in a stone..."

"Are you ready, Harry?"

"Why do you keep asking me that?" he asked her with a frown.

"Because it is time, my Prince, it is time to bring Camelot back to life." Olivia walked up to Harry and took his face in her hands, "Only you have what it takes to bring an end to the darkness that threatens all. You know it is you, my Harry, even though you may wish it to be otherwise."

His eyes bored into hers and she held his gaze as he seemed to look deeply into her soul. She opened her mind and her soul, letting him see what she saw when she looked at him. To her, he wasn't the undersized and shy boy from Privet Drive. No, to her, he was her hero. He was not the boy-with-the-stupid-moniker, but the boy who'd faced danger countless time and had survived and triumphed despite the odds being stacked against him. He fearlessly saved the lives of countless people, faced horrors out of nightmares, but was still unassuming and kind. Harry gave her a lopsided smile and nodded hesitantly.

"What do I do?" he finally asked.

"As with Arthur, you must take up Excalibur." she answered, with a glance at the fabled blade.

"Makes sense, I suppose I should have known that..." he said stepping up to the sword. "Oh, after I do this, would you do me a favor? Call for Dobby and see if he wouldn't mind bringing Hedwig here. I don't particularly like the idea that she's alone at Hogwarts. After that, and with his help, we should be able to find a place to spend the night, too. There's got to be a semi-clean room or two in this huge place. If it's not too much trouble, I would like Luna and Neville brought here...Remus and Tonks, too. I want all four of them here for this, even if it's just so they can pinch me and tell me I haven't lost my mind."

"I will call for him, Harry, I promise." she sniggered.

Olivia's breath caught in her throat when Harry placed his hand on the pommel of the sword. Excalibur seemed to pulse with an inner glow that radiated up into her prince's arm and covered his body. Olivia had seen Arthur wield Excalibur many a time, but had never seen the sword act in such a manner. It almost seemed as though...it almost seemed as though the sword was bonding to Harry, as if it were a wand that had just chosen its master. The scene was so similar to getting her own wand that it called up memories of when she'd bonded to her own wand, a handcrafted gift from Merlin that was as beautiful as it was powerful.

Shaking herself from her thoughts of the past, Olivia once again looked upon Harry in worry. The pulsing waves of light emitted by the sword increased in strength until it was almost blinding. Finally, a burst of magical energy so powerful that it knocked her down tore through the room and beyond. A bit dazed, she rose and approached the dais. She was concerned about Harry, he having been at the epicenter of the magical explosion, but was able to relax when she saw a smile upon his face.

She resigned herself to a long wait and was all set to sit and relax when she observed a change had occurred in the room that she was in. No longer did it look like a thousand years had passed. All vestiges of a decrepit old castle had vanished in an instant, replaced by the home that she remembered. The ragged tapestries seemed brand new, almost as if they'd just come off the weavers loom. All the furnishings had been restored and appeared recently polished. Walls seemed freshly painted, the floors looked clean and bare of the dirt and debris that had minutes ago been there. 'It had to have been Harry retrieving Excalibur' she thought.

She walked back toward the exit and reached for the handles of the double doors, wanting to find out if it was only the throne room that had undergone this change. The brightly sunlit atrium contained a dozen armed men, knights dressed in chain mail overlaid by white tabards bearing the golden dragon crest of Pendragon. The knights were all kneeling and had their heads bowed, their swords were drawn, held in both hands by their pommels, their points resting against the floor. Standing before them was a grizzled older man, a druid, if his homespun white robes were any indication. He gave Olivia a courteous bow and inclined his head. "Welcome back to Camelot, Lady Olivia." said the old man to the now shocked witch.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1530 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

The surge of power released by the sword had almost caused Harry to pass out, his still healing body almost incapable of handling the torrent of magical energy that shot up his arm and throughout his body. The feeling slowly changed and he felt an odd sense of familiarity, as though he was once again standing in Ollivander's shop, purchasing his much-loved holly wand. He tentatively opened his eyes, expecting to see himself still standing in the throne room. He was not where he expected to be. Harry was standing on a hilltop overlooking an expansive and beautifully untouched valley.

"This is what our valley looked like when my people and I first arrived." a male voice commented and he quickly realized that it came from someone standing next to him said. Looking up cautiously, Harry was taken aback by the appearance of a man from legend. "You may call me Arthur." he said with a kind smile.

To Harry, the landscape before him changed as time seemed to speed up. The foundations of the keep were poured and walls began to be built. As more and more people moved to Camelot, the walls expanded, more houses were built, the keep became a castle and a city grew around it. But it wasn't this that surprised Harry most, but the mixture of magical beings that had a hand in building this city. Centaurs providing horsepower, goblins providing masons and engineers, wizards and witches casting protective spells, elves helping were they were needed, and even the biggest dragon Harry had ever seen seemed to be helping in the construction, using its fiery breath to dry the bricks that were being used to build the dwellings.

"Amazing, is it not, my grandson?" Harry whipped his head around to stare at the man who was chuckling softly at the look he was receiving from this young man. "Yes, Harry, though many times removed, I am indeed a grandfather to you."

"I can't be related to you, sir, I'm just a nobody..."

Arthur shook his head sadly, "You know in your heart that I tell you the truth, my boy. My grandson Harrison was the first Potter, and you Harry, are the last. For now, anyway..." he added with a small smile.

Harry turned once more to look at the burgeoning marvel of a city. "Why am I here, sir?"

"For many reasons, my heir, not least of which was that I wanted you to see this." Arthur said, waving his arms expansively to take in the scene before him. "Camelot was more than just a place, Harry, more than just a castle. Camelot was never just a castle, it was an idea. It was a place where people came to realize their dreams, to live in peace, to see their families grow. My people came here seeking relief from the constant warring that existed at the time and to avoid the persecution that was being perpetrated upon them simply for being magical."

"You know, I never really thought of myself as a king." Arthur continued contemplatively. "I always took my role to be more of a father figure, or the head of a rather large family, but mostly, I saw myself as the protector of my people. It took me a very long time to accept that I was indeed a king. Nothing really changed when I did finally come to accept this; I did my duty as I always had. But it is now time for me to pass this duty on, Harry, to you. It is time for you to take up this responsibility and for you to ascend to your rightful position."

"It falls to you now, and your young lady, to see the dreams and hopes of our people come to fruition. For too long has the Immortal Dark had influence on our world; for too long it has been allowed to wreak havoc on our society, to its great detriment. It is time for you to end its existence, time for you to bring our world into one of light and prosperity, to bring honor and nobility back to where it has been sorely lacking for far too long. You may think the burden too great, and it will be, but you will look to your friends and family, as they will help you through and will always ensure that you are on the correct path. As always, my son, if you follow your heart as it will never lead you astray."

Arthur recalled the look on Harry's face as one he was very familiar with himself. The apprehension at discovering his heritage, the fear of taking on the responsibility of kingship, but finally, the acceptance to do what he knew only he could. It was his duty, plain and simple. Harry looked exactly as he imagined he had when Merlin had come for him and explained it all.

"I understand, sir." Harry said with passion. "I hope I can live up to your expectations."

"Excellent, my boy, and worry not about such things. I don't want you to live up to my expectations, not at all, Harry, I want you live up to and exceed your own." Arthur said proudly.

"Now, it is time for your first gift."

"Gift, sir...?"

Arthur held his right hand before him and Harry watched in amazement as a ball of pure energy seemed to coalesce above the king's outstretched palm. "Take upon thee this gift that it may guide thee in the days and years to come." reaching for Harry's forehead, Arthur placed the orb upon his brow.

"You have much to learn and not much time to learn it, young prince. Consider this an intensive lesson in the duties you are taking upon yourself. All the knowledge that I had to acquire over the course of a lifetime I am bestowing upon you." Arthur explained, seeing the confusion on the boy's features.

An explosion of memories flooded Harry's mind. He'd been gifted the knowledge of someone who was considered the epitome of a just and honorable ruler.

"I was told it would be heady experience, my boy." Arthur said with a grimace, knowing that his grandson would be in a bit of pain because of the gift.

"Feels like I've been kicked in the head by a hippogriff!" Harry complained, holding his head between his hands.

"It will be a few days before it settles down, I'm afraid. Sleep will greatly help, although you may not find the time in the days to come. Now, Harry, it is time for you to move on."

"Might I not stay for a while, Your Majesty?" Harry asked.

"Alas, our time has come to an end." Arthur stepped forward and embraced his ultimate grandson, holding on to him tightly. "Take care of my people, Harry, and take special care of my goddaughter."

"Goddaughter, sir... you mean Olivia?" Harry gasped.

"Indeed. She is a fine young lady, Harry; you'd be hard pressed to find a better match for yourself." Arthur chuckled when Harry blushed brightly.

"Now, as my final duty..." Arthur began, stepping back from Harry he took off the golden circlet he was wearing and placed it on Harry's head. "Long live Potter. Long live Gryffindor. Long live Pendragon. Long live the King!"

Before Harry could reply or object, a surge of energy coursed through him and he felt as though he'd been blasted from a cannon. His spirit travelled to another location that was all too familiar to him: the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1535 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

"How do you know who I am?" Olivia asked warily, her hand moving slowly to palm her wand, something that was not missed by the armed knights.

"Peace, my Lady, we mean thee no harm." the old man said soothingly.

"Who are you?" she asked warily. "How are you here?"

"These men are the royal guards, Lady Olivia, and by His Grace's leave, will retake their family seats as Knights of the Round Table." the old man said, indicating the kneeling men. "As for myself, I am Derwyn, Archdruid of Camelot and its seneschal, until such time our lord takes up his throne. The changes you see around you were merely a defensive measure that activated when you arrived, although I'm guessing that His Grace probably saw through some of the glamour that permeated the valley and the castle?"

"He did," Olivia turned back to Harry and with a worried voice asked, "Will my prince be alright?"

"He is well, my Lady, he will be a bit exhausted when he comes out of the trance but it will be nothing that a good night's rest won't remedy." he said calmly, smiling at the obvious affection and care this young woman was directing toward his new king. "My Lady, I beseech thee, you yourself need some rest. Please allow me to show you to your rooms?" the young woman could only nod distractedly. It was obvious in her demeanor though that she had no intention of leaving her young man.

"Samuel, Hugh, please stand guard while our lady here takes some respite. Let no one enter and inform us if there is a change in His Grace's condition." Two of the kneeling knights stood, bowing deeply to Olivia, and placed themselves at either side of the doors, swords still drawn. "The rest of you, please go into the city and inform everyone that the Pendragon is returned. If His Grace is agreeable, we will have the formal coronation in a week's time."

"Thank you." Olivia said gratefully. "And forgive me milord, but while I rest, maybe you can explain to me how all of this is possible?"

"All in good time, milady," Derwyn said. "I've asked the guards to keep the royal tower, throne room, and adjoining hallways, clear of people. I do not want our king to feel overwhelmed until he's had a chance to adjust."

"A sensible precaution, I think, milord. Harry is very much against being the focus of attention." she said gratefully. "Lord Derwyn, would it be alright if I summoned My Lord's elf? He is bonded to our king and He feared his elf would be very worried for him."

"He will answer your call?" the man asked, intrigued.

"I believe so. He is very dedicated to his master and would most certainly want to know where he is. That alone should ensure he answers my call."

"Then you may, Lady Olivia." he said, though Olivia caught a hint of amusement in his voice.

"What is so amusing?" she asked him.

"There are many elves in Camelot who will weep at the news that he's already bonded. Many were hoping to be chosen."

"I know that it is something that he is not comfortable with, he sees the plight of the elves as subjugation, enslavement even." she said shaking her head sadly. "I fear that many things have been left out of his education...not least of which is the fact that he had no idea about his family and their importance. The persons responsible for this have much to account for." she shook herself from her thoughts and called for Dobby.

"Mistress calls Dobby?" the elf said with a bow. When he stood straight, Dobby's eyes widened in surprise at the sight he was beholding. "Lady, where is we?"

"I think you know, Dobby."

"Is we in Camelot, my Lady?" Olivia smiled and gave him a brief nod. "And my Harry Potter sir...?"

"He is well, although a bit occupied at the moment." she replied. She put a hand on his shoulder and led him to the entryway to the throne room.

"My Lady, Harry Potter sir is holding Excalibur!" Dobby gasped. "But that means...that means...he is not Harry Potter sir, he is King Harry Potter sir!"

"He is, Dobby." she told him earnestly, "Dobby, I have a few requests for you, tasks that need done, tasks that Harry asked if you would do for him. Would it be alright?"

"Of course, mistress, Dobby obeys mistress!" Neither of the pair caught the large smile on the face of the old man. He'd seen in her conduct that her affection for his new king was more than friendly concern. The young elf sensed this as well, as was demonstrated in how he addressed the young girl.

"You will please inform his friends Luna and Neville that they are to come here as soon as they are able, tomorrow afternoon at the latest. You will also ask Remus Lupin and his fiancée to join us, the sooner the better. Sometime today would be best. My Lord, how long do you think Harry will be unavailable?"

Derwyn walked into the throne room and approached the seemingly unconscious Harry. With a momentary glance, he turned his attention back to Olivia. "He is, if you notice, wearing Arthur's coronet and the Pendragon ring? That only leaves Gryffindor and Potter. It is going by quicker than I expected. His Majesty should be back with us before the sun sets, milady. Now please, allow me to escort you to your rooms. We have many long days ahead of us and it will not do to have you exhausted."

The old man extended an arm to Olivia, which she accepted gratefully. He was correct in that much would need to be accomplished as soon as Harry awoke. It was minutes later when Derwyn stopped before some doors. "These rooms have been set aside for you for many centuries, Lady Olivia. The rooms across from yours are the royal apartments."

"I know," she said with a wistful smile, "I spent many a day there with my Queen, learning from her and attending her needs."

"Sit, please, and I will answer your questions." he said, indicating a comfortable looking settee. A snap of his fingers saw an elf pop in with a wide assortment of drinks and finger food. "Thank you kindly, Willa."

"Of course, Lord Derwyn, it was my pleasure. My Lady, I am Willa and am here to serve you. Please call for me if there is anything you require." she said with a formal curtsy.

"Thank you, Willa, I shall." the elf beamed a smile at her before popping away. Olivia took a cup of tea, something that Helena had taught her was the beverage of choice in her new home, and settled back into her seat. She directed a piercing gaze at the man seated before her. "What did you mean when you said that Harry only had Gryffindor and Potter left?"

"Your grandfather, in his wisdom, knew that time would be of the essence once our Prince took his throne. Lord Merlin also knew that he would be sorely lacking knowledge in many things, especially in magic and rulership. He created a method whereby Arthur, Godric, and I assume His Grace's father, would be able to give him gifts that would instill knowledge that he would desperately require." Derwyn explained.

Olivia considered this carefully and was again amazed at the brilliant man her grandfather was. She had become almost despondent at the lack of understanding that Harry displayed regarding many subjects. Sure, she had a thousand years of information she would need to learn, but it wasn't she that had to shoulder the responsibilities that were being all but dumped on Harry. It would have taken years for him to become fully trained, years that they didn't have.

Her eyes once more settled on the form of the smiling old man, "I would know what happened that the castle is still occupied? I expected to find an abandoned city."

Derwyn settled in to his seat, gathering his thoughts, "When you and your grandfather arrived at Hogwarts from the battlefield, the Great Battle had already begun. Sadly, every single man that fought that day fell, including Arthur and, thankfully, Morgause herself."

"In the days that followed, Queen Guinevere set aside her grief at the passing of her lord husband and ordered her people back to their home, right here, back to Camelot." he said. "The survivors made their way back gradually, none of them even knowing in what condition they would find the city. It came as a great surprise to them all that it still stood. It came as a shock that Morgause and her army never even reached the perimeter of the wards. Against a force almost twice their size, the brave men of Camelot stood and held their ground."

"Over time, life finally began to return to normal." he continued. "A population of a few hundred grew and we are now more than ten thousand strong."

"Ten thousand?" Olivia said in disbelief. "That is almost twice as many as we had back in my time!"

"Yes, milady, a fine achievement if I may be so bold. Our community thrives. It is our hope that the arrival of the Pendragon will see our community prosper even more. Milady, wishing not to be too forward...but might I know about him?" the man asked seriously.

Olivia leaned back into her chair and took another sip of the delicious beverage, gathering her thoughts about her prince. "You will find that he is not like you would imagine him to be, Lord Derwyn. Harry is a modest and unassuming young man, full of heart. He is honorable and kindhearted, protective of those he loves, and has a strength of will that is simply astounding." she said with a gleam in her eyes. "But, he is also withdrawn and prone to dark episodes of melancholy, due in large part to the life he has led and the atrocious way he has been treated by his relatives and community. He was not raised in the lap of luxury as some would expect, but was rather mistreated by those he considered family and friend alike for many years. He gives his trust very cautiously, but would do all in his power, even give his life, to see those he cares for protected. He is quite stubborn and he hates secrets, especially if they regard him. If you are honest and upfront with him, he will be so with you as well."

"He will be a good king then, I believe." Derwyn said confidently.

"I am certain that he will." she said with conviction, casting her gaze longingly at the door, wishing to go back to him.

"It will be soon, child. You will be with him again soon." Derwyn said soothingly.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1545 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

Harry wondered where exactly he'd landed this time. Obviously it was Hogwarts, but it was just...different, somehow, older and newer all at the same time.

"Much like Camelot, Hogwarts started as an idea." he heard spoken softly. He knew automatically who it was doing the speaking.

"Lord Gryffindor, I presume?" Harry said with not a small amount of awe.

The strong and imposing looking man stood next to him gave him a curt nod, "Come, my son, let me show you how Hogwarts was when we first started."

Led by another man from myth, Harry was almost to the point of overload. As much as he wanted to deny everything that was happening to him, or all the things he was learning about his heritage, it was hard to do when two of the most celebrated men in history told him in no uncertain terms that he was related to them.

"From your perspective, we are some fifty years from the time that the Great Battle occurred. In that time, this school became the guiding light for the preservation and passing on of magical knowledge. The years were hard after the fall of my father. The non-magical rulers of Britain tried many times to storm Camelot, which they could never find. They also tried to attack us here. They were never successful." he said with a wicked grin. "In time, they forgot that we were here at all."

"My companion Salazar and I defended this castle against all who would annihilate us." Godric caught the look of revulsion from Harry when he mentioned his friend's name. "He was nothing like he has been portrayed Harry."

"But..."

"What are the traits that Slytherin tried to instill in his House?" Godric asked seriously.

"Ambition, cunning, leadership...pureblood superiority...pompous and arrogant bunch of..." Harry hissed.

"Did you know that Salazar's mother was a humble seamstress and non-magical?" Harry shook his head in surprise at that fact. "His father was a simple sergeant in my father's military. I see from the look on your face that this is not what you've been taught?" Harry was shaking his head.

"This boy, from humble origins, rose to become a trusted member of my father's court. He was my best friend, Harry, he was as my brother. When the Hogwarts Houses were created, we all thought that cunning and ambition were worthy traits, but unfortunately, they have been perverted by past and current members of his once noble house. As for the 'pureblood' dogma, well, there are always people who hold beliefs that would try to destroy everything they stand against, all in an effort to amass power and to then keep that power from the hands of those they consider unworthy? Salazar wasn't a pureblood, Harry, and he would never condone such beliefs or actions. That these atrocities are done in his name shames and dishonors his memory. I hope that it will be something that you rectify one day."

Harry stopped, once again amazed at the sight before him. A group of students were battling animated dummies using a combination of weapons and wands. This in itself wasn't that surprising but the sight of goblins standing next to wizards, standing next to elves and giants, and all being taught by a centaur, were astonishing to him.

"Magic, Harry, was a precious gift from the Maker. We who have this ability should be striving to improve our world and not be standing idly by while allowing atrocities to be committed using it. Too long has our current society stagnated in its indifference, don't you think? We've become intolerant, self-entitled, small minded, avaricious, and all too meek for my taste. We need to start questioning, learning, experimenting, and evolving. This will be your true burden to bear, Harry, to cause a revolution to occur where it has not before."

"But I thought I had to deal with Voldemort..."

"He is as nothing!" Godric roared angrily, shocking Harry into backing up a step or two. "That creature is nothing more than entropy personified, chaos made human...and barely human at that! But he and those that follow him will soon know the wrath of Pendragon! He must fall by your wand or blade Harry, of that you must be certain. Failure is not an option. If you fall to him, our world is undone. Many believe his true intent is the acquisition of power, and while this is somewhat true, it is not his main intent. He wishes death on all living things, he desires to see this beautiful world burned until all that remains is ash and bones. He does not care for anyone, least of all those who follow him like sheep. He doesn't care if you're a pureblood or not, only that you die in pain and suffering. The Christians would call him the Devil, we know him as the Immortal Dark. Light and Dark exist, but should always be balanced. Your Voldemort seeks to unbalance the scales of Life and go against Mother Nature herself. There will always be evil in the world, Harry, just as there will always be those that would fight it unto their last breath. You are the Light's chosen champion, just as my father was Her champion in his day. Do you understand?" a now calmer Godric asked of his progeny. He saw Harry had backed away from him.

"Forgive me, Harry," Godric said shamefacedly, "I sometimes get carried away."

"It's okay, sir, I've been told I sometimes do the same thing. You're scary when you're angry, by the way. But I do understand." Harry replied before turning his attention once again upon the class. "I never knew that goblins and giants, elves too, could become students of the school."

"Everyone was welcome here, Harry, absolutely everyone." Godric said seriously. "Is my magic really any different than a goblins magic? An elf? A Centaur...or a veela...or a fairy...leprechaun...gnome..."

"Alright, alright, I get it."

"It is only in the manner in which we use Magic that we really differ. Such things can be taught, if one is open-minded enough to give it a try. We've much to learn from each other." Godric further explained. "Elf magic, for instance, is tailored to caring for the needs of their master or mistress and their household. Fairies use their magic for tending their groves, centaurs for their forests and divination, and on and on...do not limit yourself, Harry. What is wrong with learning something new from a goblin?"

"I don't see any problem with learning from different species, but most wizards would probably abhor the idea." Harry answered with a shrug.

"And is that right, Harry?" Godric asked.

"Of course it isn't!" Harry stated emphatically. "But I can't just force people to lose long held prejudices, can I?"

"Then you must educate them, Harry, teach them that it is wrong to hold such beliefs. Now, come with me." Godric said abruptly. "One more thing to show you before our time comes to an end."

He'd led them to the edge of the Black Lake, "Turn around, Harry, and really look at the castle." he instructed.

"Hogwarts was the dream of four youngsters...well, three really, my Aunt Helga was rather old at the time but she was more youthful than the lot of us sometimes." Godric chuckled before becoming serious once again. "It is not the castle that is special, Harry, but what it contains. The minds of our future reside within these hallowed halls. But they seem to have forgotten that, haven't they? We four gifted this school to our people in the hopes that it would inspire and encourage imagination, but that seems to no longer be the case."

Godric sighed heavily, "When you go back, I want you to close the school, Harry."

"You want me to do what?!"

"Our society has become unworthy of this gift we gave them. You will take away our blessing from the school." Godric said seriously.

"Sir, I understand what your mean, but I couldn't do that to the younger kids...or the ones who really are there for an education."

"Then you shall start your own school, Harry, a new Hogwarts such as it was meant to be. Maybe you could even build it at Camelot!"

Harry eyed the man suspiciously, "You've wanted me to do that since the beginning, haven't you? Close Hogwarts and start a fresh new school somewhere else. I'm guessing there is a building or buildings set aside for just that purpose?"

"Well, there might be one or two...you know...structures...that could perhaps be used for such an endeavor...I think...maybe."

"Okay. I'll do it." Harry said after but a moment's thought.

"Excellent! I knew you would." Godric beamed. "Now, follow me, our time is growing short!"

The man led them back to the great hall. He sat himself down at one of the Gryffindor benches and looked upon Harry with something akin to judgment. This worried him somewhat.

"Sir?" Harry asked with a hint of worry.

"There is a young lady of our acquaintance that you will protect with your life." the man said solemnly.

"Let me guess...Olivia?"

"Inside and out she's a beautiful person; she is kind, intelligent, funny, mischievous, and wholly enamored by you, young man!"

"Huh?"

"Although what she sees in you is beyond me..."

"It's beyond me too, sir..." Harry whispered in agreement.

"Harry, she is special, something I'm more than certain you'll come to realize in time." Godric laughed. "Just be good to her, she deserves nothing less."

"I'm sure she'll be a good friend, sir." Harry said with a blush.

"Ah, I see...how I do not miss being young and stupid." Godric said sagaciously before standing and approaching Harry. "But enough of that, it is time for you to go to your next destination."

Godric, like Arthur, raised a hand and conjured a glowing orb which he placed upon Harry's forehead. "I give unto thee the gift of combat. As my father said, you've much to do and little time to do it."

"Sonofabitch!" Harry groaned in pain, again, holding his head between his hands. He glared at Godric when he heard the man laughing. Like Arthur before him, Godric placed a hand on each shoulder and looked at him intently.

"I have faith in thee, my son. Bring Camelot back to its former glory. Let it become the Beacon of Light that it was always intended to be. Be just, be wise, and be generous, your people deserve nothing less. Clean up the mess that we've become. Be not afraid to show your strength or to be ruthless if called upon to be so. Oh, and say hello to Fawkes for me when next you see him, if you would please?" Godric embraced him and stepped back, taking a knee before his grandson.

"Long live the King." Godric said with a tear in his eye. "Goodbye, my boy. Know that I am proud of you, of who you are now, and who you'll become."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1645 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

"Holy shit!" Tonks screeched after she'd gotten a good look at where Dobby had brought her and Remus. "Wolfie, I think we've been brought...but it can't be..."

"...Camelot...this is not possible..." Remus whispered in awed reverence. The werewolf shook himself from his stupor, his mind focused on a single thought, "Dobby, where's Harry?"

"Master Harry is in throne room. You will follow me, please?" the elf said.

Remus and Tonks were both amazed at the beauty of the place and were only kind of paying attention to the elf as he led them toward their destination. They were both lost in history and trying somehow to make sense of all this they were seeing. He stopped at a window and looked down into the street, "Dora, look!"

"Holy shit!" Tonks exclaimed again, seeing the multitude of people going about their afternoon business. "There's a freaking city here! Look at all those people!"

"Come on, Dobby is glaring at us." he whispered to Tonks.

"I can see that," she said with a smile, "Doesn't want us to keep his Harry Potter sir waiting I would assume."

"Mistress, I bring you Master Harry's wolfman and changing lady." he said, bowing deeply to the young woman who was stood at the doorway to what they both imagined was the throne room. She was staring intently at the light display emanating from the room with a look of concern on her face, but also one which held obvious delight, something which confused Remus somewhat.

The girl turned and studied them carefully. "Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, it is an honor to meet you both."

"You know us?" Tonks asked guardedly. "And please call me Tonks..."

"Only through stories, I am afraid, from Harry." she replied.

"Excuse me, miss, but where is Harry?" Remus asked, his tenor full of concern.

"Over here, you two." Olivia said gesturing them forward.

"What's happening to him?" he asked crossly when he saw his boy enveloped in the golden light. He was all set to draw his wand when he found the blade of a sword held at his throat.

"Toss the wand away, sir." the young knight commanded forcefully, albeit courteously. Remus did as he was asked, knowing full well that this knight would see his blood stain the stone floors if he did not comply.

"You too, Miss." the second knight who'd been standing next to Tonks instructed; she complied once she got a nod from Remus.

Olivia looked at the pair, "These men are here to ensure Harry's safety and anyone drawing a wand or weapon in his presence will be dealt with harshly. As for Harry, he is quite alright and is at the moment going through his Rite of Ascendance." Olivia calmly explained. "The mantle of kingship is being passed to him as we speak."

"Kingship...you can't possibly mean that Harry is heir to...?" Remus sputtered.

"He is heir no longer, Mr. Lupin." Olivia's piercing eyes bore into his. "When he awakens he will be king of Camelot."

"Yeah right!" Tonks chortled. "King Harry...that's just too funny...wait, you're serious?"

Olivia glared at Auror and quirked an eyebrow; Tonks thought she looked rather intimidating. "Stand down, sir knights; his Majesty is in no danger from these two. They are his family, after all."

"You're serious, aren't you? About Harry and Camelot and...?" Remus asked. "I don't understand. How did I not know this? Why would James or Harry's grandfather keep something like that from Sirius and me?"

"A question we all have, Mr. Lupin." Olivia said to the Marauder. The girl looked worried once again and turned to gaze upon Harry. Tonks noticed the look she was giving him and her eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

"Do you see...?" she whispered to Remus.

"The way she's looking at him...yeah." Remus said with a sidelong glance at his girl. "You know you look at me like that when you think I'm not watching you?"

"I do no such thing!" she said blushing demurely before smiling at him knowingly. "So do you when you think I'm not looking!"

"Every chance I get, love." he said, giving her a quick kiss on the nose. "Harry's going to be in trouble when he wakes up, I think."

Tonks actually giggled when she heard that, "I don't think it's going to be the kind of trouble that he'll want to keep away from."

"And I bet he hasn't a clue, either." whispered back. "Hey, is that Hedwig?"

"Damn, that owl is a clever girl."

Both were amused by the fact that the gorgeous bird landed on a distracted Olivia's shoulder, something that Hedwig corrected by bumping her head into her cheek. "Oh, hello there, Hedwig."

The owl looked toward Harry before returning her gaze back to Olivia. "He is fine, girl, just going through something important at the moment. He will be out of this before too long. If I get Dobby to bring his broom, do you think you and he would like to go flying and explore your new home?"

Hedwig jumped up and down excitedly on the girl's shoulder. "I thought so. Come on girl, I will take you to him. Just do not go to him yet, I am not sure if that light would hurt you, okay?" Hedwig bobbed her head in agreement, and the girl stepped forward into the room. Remus and Tonks made their way towards her, intent on following her to Harry.

"How long have you known Harry, miss?" Tonks asked curiously.

"A very long time..." Olivia replied enigmatically. "And yet not long at all..."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Tonks whispered to Remus. Her man shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"My Lady Olivia?" a voice from the entrance called out.

"Lord Derwyn?" Olivia inquired with a smile gracing her lovely countenance. Remus looked upon the older gentlemen that made his way toward them. The old man gave him a nod before turning his attention to Olivia.

"We've received word from the goblins, milady. They wish to send a delegation to welcome his Majesty and to renew their oaths of fealty. We've also seen signs of the centaurs at the forests edge; I believe that they will make their presence known now that the throne is occupied. Also, a golden phoenix has been seen circling the castle and a herd of unicorns have been seen feeding by the lake. I don't doubt that my Lord's coronation will be noted by most magical beings, they will undoubtedly send delegations of their own."

"How weary will Harry be when he awakens, milord?" Olivia asked with a look toward Harry.

"Difficult to predict, milady, but a good night's sleep or two should be all he would require." the man raised an eyebrow when the purple haired woman snorted.

"Sorry, it's just that Harry could literally be dying and he'd say he was fine. If what that bastard Snape did to him is true, then he is only recently recovered from his ordeal. Give him an extra day to rest. King Harry over there is going to have a very full schedule for the immediate future, isn't he?" Tonks explained.

"Haven't you a healer on staff?" Remus inquired.

"Of course, something I should have thought immediately were it not for how exceptionally hectic my time has become. I will send for her immediately." Derwyn walked up to Harry, "The ring of Gryffindor is now upon his hand, milady."

"The second gift, then?" Olivia asked.

"Indeed, milady. It shouldn't be long now before he rejoins you...us." Remus almost sniggered at the slip of the tongue from the old man, until that is, the man turned to him and winked. Derwyn knew exactly what he'd said. The blush on the young lady's face seemed to confirm that she'd heard it too.

"Lord Derwyn, may I present Remus Lupin and, uhm...Miss Tonks." Olivia said, giving the Auror a friendly smile.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance you two, but please, no need for formality, I am simply Derwyn."

"Can you explain to us what is going on with Harry, sir, please?"

"I'm sure that his Majesty will explain everything to you when wakens, Friend Remus. Know that he is fine and that nothing dangerous is happening to him." with a nod toward Olivia and a deep bow to Harry, the old man left the throne room.

"Seems like a nice guy." Tonks commented.

"He is. He reminds me of my grandfather." Olivia said, looking with affection at the retreating form of Derwyn. "Harry's friends will be arriving tomorrow afternoon. He will need their support, as he will undoubtedly need yours as well."

"Hermione is going to love it here..." Tonks started to say before she caught the fiery look from the beautiful blonde. "What?"

"That girl will never set foot in Camelot." Olivia said coldly. "Nor will anyone with red hair."

Remus shook his head sadly, "It's true then. I had hoped that they'd remain loyal to Harry, especially Hermione. I really didn't want to believe what I'd heard..."

"They were never true to Harry, Mr. Lupin." Olivia said. "They have broken for good any feelings of friendship that Harry may have had toward them. Their friendship with Harry was arranged from the first time he set foot in the magical world. All three have been indoctrinated into the cult of Dumbledore and will follow his instructions to the letter. I'm sure the promise of gold encouraged them further."

"Hermione never struck me as a gold-digger." Tonks commented.

"Aye, and perhaps she is not, but what do you think she would do if offered the opportunity to gain long forgotten knowledge or access to ancient magical texts?" Olivia asked.

"Stupid bint!" Tonks muttered angrily. She looked at Remus and could see that he was thinking the same thing she was. They'd both thought that Harry cared deeply for the girl, but Sirius had insisted that she wasn't right for him, although he could never put his finger on why he believed that. To find that she may have been deceiving him really left them feeling sorry for Harry.

"So who are you talking about then?" Remus asked.

"Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom; I believe you are both acquainted with them?"

"I like her, she's a bit odd, but I do like her. Neville too, he looks up to Harry. Are you sure about them?" Tonks asked.

"Quite. I think that even as we speak they are trying to help Harry. Luna is quite insightful and will soon I think work out what is happening with Harry. Miss Granger is not the quite the genius she thinks herself to be and her devotion to Dumbledore blinds her. I think Luna will try to find allies for Harry with the sons and daughters of the Ancient Houses, and with Neville's help, she will accomplish just that." Olivia replied.

"Hang on a minute, does Harry really need allies? I mean, you have the goblins coming over to say 'hi' and swear allegiance to him. Just having them on his side will easily scare the crap out of Voldemort."

"You and I know this Tonks, but Harry does not, at least not yet. His entire world is Hogwarts, Privet Drive, Grimmauld, and Diagon Alley. I don't think he's ever spent more than a few minutes at Gringotts and probably met only one or two goblins. He needs to expand his understanding of the world around him, but that will take time." Remus said with a glance to Tonks. "He will have to, at the beginning, surround himself with the familiar."

"I do not believe it will take as long as you think, Mister Lupin." Olivia said with a hopeful glance at Harry when she noticed the Potter ring appear on his hand.

"Sonofabitch, that really hurts..." Harry mumbled, stumbling back clumsily, his hands holding his forehead.

"Harry!" Remus exclaimed, quickly taking him into his arms before Harry tumbled to the floor. Once he was lying on the floor, Olivia quickly positioned herself by his head, gently taking it into her hands and placing it on her lap.

"Moony?" Harry asked through squinted eyes. "What are you doing here? Tonks, is that you?"

"Easy there, Harry. Rest for a bit and then we'll be putting you straight to bed." Tonks replied, grabbing a hold of his hand.

"I just had the weirdest dream, you know...I thought I'd found Camelot and that I was going to be king. Crazy dream, huh? And there was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen with me and she had these striking blue eyes..." Remus and Tonks both grinned and then chuckled at the furiously blushing Olivia.

"Look up, Harry." Remus instructed with a smile on his face. Harry did as instructed, looking up from his prone position.

His eyes widened in surprise and he slowly extended a hand to run it delicately across Olivia's cheek. Tonks was surprised the girl didn't just burst into flames given how red her face was. "You're real?"

"I am, your Majesty." she whispered. Harry's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out. Olivia gave a disappointed sigh.

"What?" Remus asked curiously, a small smile on his face.

"He always seems to faint when his head is in my lap!" Olivia protested softly. She leaned over and placed the tenderest of kisses upon Harry's brow. "Welcome back, my Prince." she whispered.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Ministry of Magic, 0845 hours, June 23rd, 1996 AD

Cautious though they may have been, not even Dumbledore or Fudge could manage to contain the secret that resided within the assembly hall of the Wizengamot for very long. Having heard the rumor, and wanting to see for herself, Amelia Bones left her office and walked resolutely towards the chambers accompanied by one of her most trusted Aurors.

Shack looked upon his superior not a little bit intimidated at the angered expression she wore. He thought himself lucky that he'd not be the recipient of her ire. He was also very excited to be able to see who would be the beneficiary of her wrath. He wished Tonks hadn't been on holiday, as it would make for a wonderful story to reminiscence about after work and over a pint down the pub. He smiled inwardly when he noticed her boss' least favorite Auror standing guard at the entry way.

"Forgive me, Madam Bones, but I've been instructed by the Minister to allow no one through these doors." the Auror standing guard told her arrogantly.

"Do you like your job, Dawlish? Because it may have escaped your notice that it is actually I that is in command of the Auror Force and not Fudge! If you don't want to be packing up your desk after I sack your sorry ass, you will stand aside and let me through!"

"But, madam, the Minister..."

"Auror Shacklebot, if you would?"

"Yes boss?"

"If Dawlish hasn't moved out of my way in the next ten seconds you have my permission to stun him and then arrest him." Amelia growled at her second.

"On what charge, boss?" the now grinning Shack asked.

"Pissing me off!" she yelled directly into the cringing Aurors face, which caused a terrified Dawlish to hastily move aside and allow the infuriated Director through the doors. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that the imbecile has scurried away, probably making a beeline to the offices of the Minister.

Kingsley chuckled softly when he heard her boss mutter 'stupid asshole' under her breath as she swept through the now open doors. Upon entering behind her, he almost collided into her, she having stopped in dead in her tracks. Wondering what the problem was, he cast his gaze down the stadium like seating and saw for himself what had caused her stop so abruptly. The configuration of the seating had somehow been rearranged! "When did this happen?"

"Well, if you believe the gossip, sometime in the last week." she said quietly, making her way down the steps and toward the raised dais at the bottom. She noticed immediately the thrones that now graced the platform and also realized that the seats of the minister and chief wizard had vanished. Not only theirs, but also her seat as head of the DMLE and also the seats of the directors of the various government branches; they'd simply vanished and all that remained were the two gilded thrones.

"Boss, what's going on here?" Shack asked, confused at what he was seeing.

"See the sigil on the larger of the two seats?" Amelia asked. "That's the Pendragon coat of arms at the top. I imagine I don't have to explain the others to you?"

"No, boss, you don't...I did attend Hogwarts after all." the awed Auror replied. "And the smaller seat, ma'am?"

"That one is not too well known, Shack, but it is the seal of Merlin. It hasn't been used or even seen in hundreds of years," she said in an awed tone. "Sweet Godric, it's all true..."

"Ma'am?"

Amelia looked up into the eyes of her second and sighed, "How much can I trust you, Kingsley? I really need to know that you won't go running to Dumbledore at your earliest opportunity."

He'd brought this situation down upon himself and he knew it. For too long had his loyalties been divided between two masters and he'd realized that a situation like this was bound to arise at some point. "Have you spoken to Nymphadora, ma'am?"

"Just before she went on holiday." she replied.

"Did she tell you about...?"

"...Tell me about her membership in the Order? Yes, she did. She also told me that she had resigned that group and that she was mortified by some of things she'd heard at the meeting you lot held that night."

Kingsley nodded in understanding. "I also offered my resignation that same evening, boss. Things were said at that meeting that had me questioning everything I stand for. I thought I was fighting the good fight, you know, following a man worthy of my loyalty and to find that he's not that much different than some of our less savory citizens really knocked me for a loop."

"Did he really acknowledge that Snape attacked Mr. Potter?" she asked intently.

"Yeah, he did, he also gave everyone the impression that Snape was genuinely ashamed about the incident, but I don't know, it seemed too contrived, like Dumbledore had rehearsed how he would act in front of us. After Remus attacked Snape, the man was more concerned about his pet Death Eater having his ass kicked than he was about the fact that that bastard had actually cast Unforgivables upon Mr. Potter and couldn't come up with a good enough excuse as to why that man wasn't in Azkaban. That person committed one of the most heinous crimes we punish...and against an underage wizard no less...no, ma'am, I cannot in good conscience support a man like that."

"Good!" she said proudly. "I had hoped that you'd come to the realization that Dumbledore is not the person he portrays himself to be, but is far from it. He's as conniving, manipulative, and dangerous as Voldemort."

"In all honesty boss, I'm with you. You've never wavered from your beliefs and have done all you could to stop you-know-who, despite all the restrictions that have been placed on you. I can't say the same about Dumbledore." he said sadly. "You have my loyalty boss, something I'll vow to if you require it."

Amelia shook her head, "No need, Kingsley, I've got to start trusting someone and who better than the man that watches my back. Were Tonks here, I would tell her the same thing. So, you asked me what this all means. I can give you an answer, I just don't know if you'll believe me."

"I know you'd never lie to me, boss." he said sincerely. "Tell me and later we can work out any doubts or questions I have about what you tell me over a couple of pints. If I had to guess though, I imagine it has to do with our missing Mr. Potter."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Amelia asked, genuinely curious.

"There is just too much going on around the lad for it to be what I and probably others in the Order had been led to believe. Yes, I understand protecting someone who has the murderer of his parents after him too, but it has to be more than just that. Dumbledore is completely obsessed with Harry, irrationally so sometimes, and it's not about protecting him. He's scheming something."

"All too true, I'm afraid." she sat next to her Auror and took in a deep breath. "Did Tonks mention to you what happened when we went to Hogwarts?"

"She did," he answered with a laugh, "She told me she threatened Snape."

Amelia frowned, "I tore in to her for that, but in hindsight I suppose I should have praised her. She cares deeply for the boy; I should have known that she would do something like that."

She stood from her seat and walked over to the throne, her hands itching to touch it but she was well aware of the consequences that could happen were she to do that. "One of the things that also occurred at the school was a rather interesting conversation I had with the Ravenclaw ghost."

Kingsley sat in silence, allowing his boss and mentor to tell her story. Given how emotional she seemed, it was probably going to be a heck of a tale.

"She rather passionately chastised me, declaring in no uncertain terms that I was in some ways responsible for the miserable life of Mr. Potter. Do you know about his life outside of school, Shack?"

"A bit, from Sirius, before he..." Amelia nodded, understanding that he'd lost a good friend in the mischievous Sirius Black. She'd been not at all surprised to learn of Black's innocence, but that information had been given to her too late to have been able to do anything about it. "Sirius told some of us in the Order how horrible his relatives were. It always struck me as odd that he used that word, relatives, and not family. It wasn't until Remus blew up at Dumbledore that I put all the pieces together."

"In any case, Lady Ravenclaw said some things that really angered me and telling me that I and my family were breaking oaths that had been given centuries ago." Amelia continued.

"Amelia," he said, addressing her informally, "I don't think that there is a single person in this building that would call you an oath-breaker. Not only that, but your father and brother are still regarded as men of honor, I doubt very much they'd be party to anything of the sort."

"Perhaps, but what if I didn't know that I was breaking oath?" she said.

"How could you not know something like that? It would it have a definite effect on your magic and on your family's magic." Shack said, stunned by the revelation. "Oh, sweet Merlin...I take it that this is where Harry comes into the tale?"

Amelia nodded and then directed her gaze to the raised thrones. "Do you understand?" she asked him with a quirked eyebrow. She almost laughed at the comical way Kingsley's eyes widened in total shock.

"What is the meaning of this? I gave strict orders that this room be cordoned off and not be entered by anyone! This includes you too, Madam Bones!" a raging Minister yelled out as he wobbled his way down the steps

"That is not something that you can order, Minister. The chambers of the Wizengamot are outside your purview, much as you may wish it to be otherwise."

"You think so, do you? Well, we'll see how 'outside my purview' it is when I sack you for disobeying an order."

Amelia laughing in his face was not something he'd ever expected, that she also then glared at him threateningly made him take a step back from the formidable woman. "Do so if you wish, Cornelius. I think I've had enough of you and your cronies destroying our country."

"And," she continued, pointing at the raised dais and the thrones that sat there, "If what those seats mean what I think they mean, I don't think you'll be in office for much longer. Were I you, I think I'd use what time I had left to pack up all your belongings and vacate your office."

"I'll do nothing of the sort! I am the Minister for Magic! I am the highest authority in the land!" Amelia was worried that Fudge might have an aneurysm, given how purple his face was becoming.

"I guess we'll see, won't we. Come on, Shack, let's leave the minister to cling to his fading power. Oh, and Cornelius, do watch your back, will you?"

"You dare threaten me, Bones?"

"Threaten? Oh, no Minister, it's just a warning. Kingsley, let's go to Hogwarts, shall we? I wish to see how the search for Mr. Potter is progressing."

"After you, ma'am." the smirking dark skinned man said, stepping aside to allow Amelia to precede him out of the chambers.

"I wonder what Dumbledore has told him?" Shack questioned.

"Not much, I'm sure. I have this niggling suspicion that we're going to be ordered to hunt the Potter boy down as a threat to the community pretty soon."

"I've no doubts of that, boss. The way Remus was berating Dumbledore about the things that young man has had to go through...Ma'am, if Dumbledore is as bad as you say he is, then whatever schemes he has in place will have probably been damaged. It was kind of obvious that what he has planned involves the boy in some way, but without him being to get a hold of him himself...yes, I've no doubt that he'll force the Ministry to help him find Potter. He might even go so far as to accuse him of going Dark." Kingsley sighed, running a hand over his bald head, "The way Potter handled himself at the Ministry when Voldemort showed his face really impressed a lot of the Aurors, boss. I'm pretty sure that none of them will think it possible that after battling Voldemort he'd join his cause or become him. Boss, you know a great number of the Aurors will follow you out the door if and when you leave?"

"Who says I'm going anywhere?"

"Amelia..."

"It has been on my mind of late, my friend. Things in the Ministry are too far gone; we've all allowed men like Fudge and Malfoy to corrupt a once respectable institution. I can't take it anymore! I just want my Susan to be able to grow up in a world...hang on...what's going on over there?"

Kingsley looked toward where his boss was pointing, noticing that a gathering was starting to take place in the ministries atrium. Dozens of people were congregating near the statue of Magical Brethren. "What the devil?"

"Auror Jenkins," Amelia asked of the shocked looking witch, "Report!"

"It's gone, boss, the statue is gone..." she replied, pointing toward the location where once had stood the now vanished sculpture.

Amelia and Shacklebot pushed their way through the ever growing crowd until they were standing at the edge of what used to be the fountain. Gone was the immense monument and in its place was the most beautiful tree she'd ever seen. It towered high, almost reaching the top of the vaulted ceilings of this immense room, its canopy stretching out to cover most of the area. The trunk of the great tree was easily fifteen to twenty feet across and she noticed that it was covered in runes that she'd never seen before; where once the floors were marbled, they were now deep green thanks to the carpet of moss that circled the great tree. The Director took a step toward the gigantic oak when she was bounced back a few feet by the appearance of a shield that flashed briefly.

"It's warded?" Shack asked incredulously. "Oh, great...boss, Dumbledore is here."

The look of fear in the old man's eyes shocked Amelia. "Oh, Harry, what have you done?" the old man said softly.

"Explain yourself Dumbledore!" Amelia asked harshly. "What does Mr. Potter have to do with this?"

"I'm sorry, Director, but I cannot say." he replied evenly while still looking up at the large tree.

Amelia snorted, "Of course you can't. I don't suppose this has anything to do with the thrones that appeared in the Wizengamot chambers, does it?"

Albus slowly turned his head to lay eyes upon the witch, "This could be the end of our way of life, Amelia...it could mean the end of our world."

"I thought Voldemort was the current threat to our way of life, Dumbledore? Why does a teenager terrify you?" she asked curiously.

"Voldemort will seem like a tantrum prone child compared to the untold damage that a dark Harry Potter could cause." Dumbledore spat angrily.

"You, Headmaster, are delusional. Nothing I've ever heard about Mr. Potter has ever even hinted at him turning dark. My Susan claims he is a nice and kind boy, I take it you see him differently?"

The headmaster shook his head and without a word just turned and walked away from the astonished Director Bones. "If I didn't know any better, that man seems to be losing his grip on reality."

"I tend to believe that the man is losing his grip on his many plots rather than his sanity, Amelia." Shack said as he watched the retreating form of Dumbledore.

Amelia nodded in agreement. "I think we must do all we can to find Mr. Potter as quickly as we can, Shack."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 0945 hours, June 22nd, 1996 AD

The little cottage that Harry had arrived at was vaguely familiar; it gave him a vague feeling of déjà vu. Strolling through the warm home, he wasn't at all surprised to see an assortment of toys on the floor, or a toy broom that hovered in the corner; it all just seemed to fit into this cozy place. It wasn't until he saw the pictures on the mantel that he realized that he was at his parents' house in Godric's Hollow.

He had a tear in his eye as he handled the frames that held pictures of his mom and dad. Their wedding picture was particularly painful to watch, the happiness that his parents displayed was almost overwhelming to him, they not knowing the horrible ending that awaited them in a few years time. He chuckled when he saw Padfoot trying to avoid baby Harry tossing applesauce at him. He smiled fondly when he saw the picture of a snoring Moony lying back on the couch with a sleeping Harry on his chest. He loved seeing his mother sing him to sleep, holding him tightly against her chest and running her hand through his already unruly hair.

"That's my favorite one." a comment from beside him said in a sympathetic tone. "Your mom's too."

Harry closed his eyes, trying to hold in the tears that were threatening to spill out, "Dad?"

"Hey, kiddo." James said softly.

"Dad!" Harry yelled before pulling the slightly older than him man into a bear hug.

"I've missed you so much, my boy!" a sobbing James whispered.

"I've missed you too, Dad, both of you." Harry wept. "Is Mom here too?"

"I'm sorry, son, but she couldn't come. She did want me to tell you that she loves you to bits and that she's extremely proud of the man you're turning into." James answered. "Come on, let's go sit in the kitchen and have a talk. We don't have much time so we'll need to make good use of the time we do have together."

"I so wish I could have a cup of tea!" James said longingly when he spied the kettle on the stovetop. "Ah, well...so, I take it that you've met Grandpa Godric and Great-Grandpa Arthur?"

"Yeah, I did, just a short time ago...I think...time is kind of fluid here, huh?" Harry asked. "I'm at Camelot, I think, or at least my body is."

"I so would have liked to have been with you when you discovered all of this, Harry. Your mother was pissed she couldn't be there with you like we both had wanted."

"Did you know about any of this, Dad? I mean, Godric and Arthur just got done telling me that I'm an actual bloody king!"

"No, Harry, we didn't know. My father never told me, so how could I have known? You've heard the kind of bloke I was, into pranking and devoted to your mother. Looking through some moldy old book to explore the family history didn't really seem that important to me. Your grandfather, my dad...I suppose, looking back at it now, I do wonder sometimes if he knew. I don't think he did, though." James sighed and then looked up at Harry with a smile, "You are a lot like your grandfather in many ways, Harry, all about honor and duty. You and he would have gotten along like two peas in a pod!" James chuckled.

"If he'd known about Camelot and our family's responsibility, he would have been determined to see the crown on his head, not because of the power or whatever, but because he was a genuinely good man who always took upon his shoulders that which no other person would contemplate doing. He was a man that would have wanted to exercise his authority, but only so that he could change the lives of every witch and wizard in the country for the better and also lay waste to Voldemort and his supporters. My dad hated the way the Ministry was run too. Hell, he'd probably hate it even more now! Dad would have probably hexed the lot of them into the streets and started a new government from scratch."

"That actually sounds like a lot of fun!" Harry remarked. "They're a bunch of useless sheep who aren't worthy of holding the positions of authority that they hold! They all seem to be in it for themselves, to expand their own power and wealth and they don't seem to care too much about the everyday citizen."

"And that's what I'm talking about, kiddo. It's time to give the wizarding world a kick in the sack and you're going to be the one to do it."

"Godric said he wants me to close Hogwarts." Harry said with a wince, expecting his father to blow up at that.

"Ouch...really? Not that I doubt you, but that seems a bit harsh, doesn't it to you? Did he say why?" James asked.

Harry gave him a curt nod, "He explained that Hogwarts was a gift, one that would have allowed Magical Britain to flourish; sadly that's no longer the case. I take it you've seen what I've had to put up with in the school?" James nodded sadly. "A bunch of useless professors, backstabbing housemates and friends, bigotry, hate, violence, danger around every corner...and it's not just me, although I suppose I get a double serving of it all. My friends, Luna and Neville, have had to put up with some pretty awful things in their time at Hogwarts, and that's just two people who I know about. I'm sure more kids suffered, too. I don't want them to have to go through all that. No kid should be frightened to go to class."

"I take it you're not going back to Hogwarts then, son?"

"Why would I? Besides, it sounds to me like I've much bigger things ahead of me. Maybe I can actually make a difference, you know?"

"I suppose I can understand, Harry. My time at school was pretty awesome; I'd like to remember Hogwarts as it was back then." James said sadly. "But...I can see also your side of it."

"Closing the school might actually make everyone, eventually, remember what they've lost."

"What do you mean, kiddo?"

"We've lost our humanity, Dad. Things like compassion and kindness are rare things to be found nowadays." Harry answered.

"I guess I hadn't realized how far we'd fallen." a grim James said.

"Well, at least we can't fall any farther, we can only get better."

"It's your saving people thing, Harry, it will serve you well in the future to come. Remember who you are, son, and always listen to your heart. I know your life has been shit, Harry," James held up a hand to forestall the denial that he knew his son would try to convey, "It was shit, Harry, and you know it. Your mom and I are really sorry about that."

Harry gave him a slight nod, conceding the point. "It has been." he said sadly.

"I'm here to tell you that it will no longer be. You have two friends in Luna and Neville that will never let you down, never betray, and always stand at your side. Moony and Nymphadora would lay down their lives to save yours, they love you that much." James eyes closed as he remembered his own past. "I had two friends like that as well, more even, if you count your mom." he then smiled at his son mischievously, "And you have a new friend who will be even more devoted to you than Neville, Luna, Moony, or Tonks put together!"

"Who?" Harry asked curiously.

"Padfoot said you were a bit thick when it came to the fairer sex, but I sure as hell expected a lot better from the son of Prongs, Harry!" James remarked in mock disappointment.

"Hang on...you mean Olivia too, don't you?"

"It's kind of funny when you think about it, you know, that the best possible girl for my son was a young lady born a thousand years before he was, a girl who should have been dead for centuries now, but because she loved him so much, she travelled across time to be with him. Now that's what I call devotion!" James laughed.

"I met her like a week ago, Dad, she couldn't possibly feel that way about..." he stopped speaking when his head rocked forward from the whack he got on the back of his head.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing with Padfoot about anything! You really are thick, aren't you?" James muttered irritably. "Didn't she tell you that she's watched you your entire life, Harry?"

"Well, yeah, but how does that become love, Dad? I mean, she doesn't really know me, does she?"

"Yeah, maybe, but she's really hot!" James chuckled at Harry's hard blush. "Okay, but then answer me this...what do you feel for her?"

"I...I...I don't...I don't know." Harry stuttered. "She is so out of my league, Dad."

"I think that if you talk to her you'll find that she thinks the same thing about you, Harry." James chuckled. "She watched you battle that snake faced bastard over and over again and come out triumphant every single time. She watched you battle a basilisk, and a dragon, and evil souls-sucking demons, and a bunch of Death Eaters hell-bent on killing you...she's seen your bravery countless times, but that's not why she loves you, Harry."

"I don't understand..."

"Sure, she's proud of youbecause of the things you've accomplished and the courage you displayed, but she loves you for the kind boy you are and the man you will become. She loves you because you've a heart of gold, my boy. Despite all the bad things that have happened in your life, you are the most honorable and principled person she's ever seen...and we're talking about a girl who grew up in a Camelot where she was surrounded by knights of legend that epitomized honor and heroism! That's what she was drawn to, Harry, your compassion and kindness. She watched your life unfold through that special mirror of hers; she grew up with you, and probably knows you as well or better than you know yourself. She wept at seeing how harsh your life was, felt your pain as if it was her own, but her only wish was to be able to have been with you through it all, to comfort and help you."

"Really?" asked Harry with a skeptical frown.

"Really, son." his father answered sincerely. "You don't have to take my word for it, you know? But, your mom told me to tell you, in no uncertain terms mind you, that if you don't marry that girl she's going to hex you something fierce when you next meet. Lily really likes Olivia and thinks she's perfect for you."

"Dad...?" Harry asked shyly.

"What is it Harry?" James asked.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

James smiled hugely at his son, "Yeah, Harry, I really do. You know, the first time I saw your mom I was an eleven year old jackass. I was so full of myself it wasn't even funny. It was when I was boarding the Express for my first trip to Hogwarts that I spotted this red-haired goddess just sitting in one of the compartments reading a book. She looked up at me and smiled and...I don't know...I felt as though my heart was going to burst. I wanted to see her smile at me like that for the rest of my life." he finished with a sigh. "I take it there's a reason you're asking me that particular question?"

"You know when I first saw her?" Harry asked.

"Down in the Founder's library, in that glass coffin thingy, right?"

"Yeah..." Harry answered musingly. "She's so beautiful."

"She doesn't hold a candle to your mom though, kiddo!" James laughed.

"I don't know, Dad, even you said Olivia is pretty hot." Harry grinned back.

"Just make sure you take your time getting to know each other, alright? She comes from a world that is so completely different than the one you grew up in..." James said before his eyes glassed over. "It's almost time for me to go Harry."

"Dad..." Harry whimpered, knowing what was about to happen.

"I know, kiddo, I know." James said, taking his son in an embrace. "Should I send your love to your mother?"

"You know it. Padfoot too, tell him I'm sorry..."

"I will." James said, cutting Harry off. "I know for a fact he doesn't think you owe him anything, especially an apology, but I'll tell him. Now it's time for the final gift, Harry."

"It's going to hurt, isn't it?" Harry groaned.

"Sorry, but yeah." James placed his hand against Harry's forehead.

Harry opened one of his closed eyes, peering at his father. "That wasn't so bad!"

"Not yet, just wait until you get back to the real world though, it's going to hurt like a bitch!"

"What did you do?"

"Dumbledore, Snape, and a few others, have been placing bindings and enchantments on you since you were a baby. You've slowly been breaking free of them, but you haven't the time to break them naturally. This will do it all at once, hence the pain you're going to go through." James cringed. "Sorry about that."

"Bindings?" Harry sputtered furiously.

"To keep you back, hold you from your true potential. Once you get over the pain you'll understand what I'm talking about."

"I'm going to miss you." Harry said in a soft voice.

"We'll see each other again, Harry, just not for a very long time. Oh, one thing your mother wanted me to tell you...make sure you ask Olivia about her wand."

"Why?" Harry wondered. "What's so special about her wand?"

James shook his head and chuckled, "Just ask her. It should disabuse you of any doubt that you two weren't meant for each other... just ask her, okay?"

"I will, Dad." he said, taking his father into a hug. "I love you, Dad."

"We love you too, kiddo, never forget that!" James replied as his body was slowly fading away. "I would've been a shit king, Harry; I probably would have pranked the whole country on a regular basis just for fun and not cared about anything else or at least I would have if as long as your mom didn't catch me first. You, though, you will be a great king because you're a good person who thinks about the wellbeing of others before your own. Don't think of this as a burden, think of it rather as a gift. You have a chance to change the lives of everyone for the better and in the process rid the world of the infection that is Voldemort and his butt-monkeys."

Harry laughed and gave his dad a vigorous nod of his head. "I'll do my best, Dad."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Bones Manor, 1600 hours, June 23rd, 1996 AD

Luna sat next to her boyfriend in the sitting room of Bones Manor and shied away from the annoyed looking group of people that had assembled there by burying herself into Neville's side. She turned her head and whispered to Neville, "I don't think any of these people are going to make any sort of positive impression on Harry, love."

"You're probably right, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt until we know for certain. At the very least we can give Harry some information about what we've heard and seen." he felt her nod into his chest in agreement. It had been only two days since Susan had come to him and Luna to discuss the situation and he was somewhat amazed at the quickness with which she'd arranged this gathering.

"Settle down, people, please settle down," Susan implored. "Indulge me if you would and the reasons you've all been called answered momentarily."

"It's been a long time since the ancient ways have been invoked, Miss Bones, a long time since a convocation of heirs had been called. I would know the reason why I was summoned and why my magic compelled me to comply with that request." an annoyed Daphne Greengrass muttered angrily. "You have no say over me or my family!"

"Were that true then you should have been able to resist the call, Greengrass." the redheaded witch commented. "I invoked the old ways to have some questions answered, questions that have been on my mind for some time. Simply put though, no, I have no power over you. However, in my family's grimoire I found a useful spell, one which allowed me to call all of you here this day. I believe such a spell would be found in the grimoires of all your families. And before you ask, no, Greengrass, there was no danger to anyone who felt compelled. The spell could only be cast by someone who had no ill intent towards the summoned."

"You could have just owled us, Susan, there was no need to send for us in this fashion." a slightly less annoyed Katie Bell added.

"Would you have come?" she asked seriously. She noted with some satisfaction that many would not have come if they'd not been invited in such a fashion. "And that is why I summoned you the way I did."

"How is that even possible?" a puzzled voice called out.

"The simple answer: our Houses are allied." Susan replied evenly.

"Impossible!" Greengrass yelled. "My family would never ally themselves with your House, Bones, or any other House for that matter!"

"Oh, would you shut up Greengrass and stop your whining!" Neville said, trying to reign in his temper. The blonde girl looked ready to tear into Neville before she caught the look in his eyes. This was not the chubby shy boy she'd known for so long. Gone was the reserved and diffident Neville and in his place stood the Scion of Longbottom, standing tall and confident.

"Why call us, then?" Daphne asked in acquiescence, turning her gaze back to Susan.

"Because I've recently found out that my family is in breach of sworn alliances, perhaps even in violation of oaths of fealty." she answered. "As are most if not all of your Houses as well, Greengrass."

"I'm sorry, Susan, but I do not understand. To whom do you think my family has sworn fealty to?" Katie Bell asked curiously. She was feeling a bit annoyed that someone thought her family would go against sworn oaths. As a loyal Gryffindor, going against an avowed pledge was not something this Bell would ever do.

"First and foremost, to the House of Gryffindor," Neville replied, "And by extension, to the House Pendragon and its royal heir."

The silence in the room was deafening. Had it been a more cheery gathering, Luna was certain she would have laughed at the looks of incredulity in the faces of the assembled Heirs. She heard a loud gasp come from her left and she turned to see who had made the noise. The witch in question was sitting with a wild-eyed look.

"I see that at least one amongst you has figured it out." Luna said, gesturing to the Slytherin witch. "Would you care to share your thoughts, Miss Davis?"

"It's Potter, isn't it? It's Harry Potter that is the heir to Gryffindor and Pendragon?" an unbelieving Tracy asked.

"What? That's a load of crap!" Greengrass vented angrily. "Potter is just some uppity half-blood with delusion of bettering himself by lying about the return of you-know-who!"

Luna almost came unhinged when she heard that and her anger increased even further hearing some of the other Heirs agree with her. She stood angrily, ready to defend Harry, when Neville grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He gave her a wink and a smile and turned away from her to face the crowd.

Neville Longbottom stared down Daphne and the Heirs, quite visibly angered, and drew his wand. "If any of you insult Harry in my presence again, I will give you a very visible demonstration as to how we fought off a dozen death eaters and that wanker Voldemort! Actually, you know what? Fuck this, screw the lot of you! Susan, these people aren't worth it. They can't and won't change. Nothing we say will make a bit of difference."

Susan looked to Neville and gave a resigned nod, "You're right, Neville. Luna, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

"I agree. Send them away, Susan, they can be of no help. Let them suffer the consequences of their broken vows." Luna sighed. "Neville is unfortunately correct, they're not worth it."

"Well, I guess we tried. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you...nah, screw that...you lot, get the fuck outta my house. I'll give you two minutes before I activate the wards and have them toss you into the rosebushes" Susan yelled angrily.

"Wait, hang on a minute! I have a question before you go and chuck us out. Neville, that thing at the Ministry last month...you mean that actually happened?" Katie asked. She'd been one of the skeptics of the whole affair, as had most of her housemates and most of the school. Despite the fact that she knew Harry to be the most morally incorruptible person she'd ever met, she chose to believe that he was lying about the whole affair. I didn't help that both Ron and Ginny had been parading around like fools proclaiming that they'd fought a heroic battle at the Ministry. That Granger hadn't raised her voice to disagree with them, it lent their story a bit of credibility.

Katie knew Harry to be a very powerful wizard, but she thought it preposterous that he'd be able to stand up to that evil man and his followers, but Neville's grim nod to her sent chills up her spine. "But Ron and Ginny said that..."

"You know, it never ceases to astonish me that you people would believe Weasley over Harry!" Neville snorted. "When has Harry ever lied to any of you? What has he ever done to any of you that you would instantly mistrust him? All he's ever done is protect us from all the danger that seems to creep up at school all the time. But no one has ever even thanked him, why is that?"

"Miss Bell," Luna said interrupted. "Harry exposed Voldemort to the world that night at the Ministry. Harry even fought him to a standstill before Voldemort fled like the coward he is. It's only because of the incompetent buffoons at the Ministry that the whole thing is being swept under the rug once again! He's put his life on the line countless time in defense of the school, not that any of you would believe that."

"Enough of this!" Susan exclaimed loudly. "Come on, move it! I'll be changing the wards on the manor in...one minute. You bunch of morons best be gone by then!"

Tracy looked confused. "Before I leave, would you answer me this? My house is an ancient and noble one, as are all of those here today; I find it difficult to believe that my family would ever swear fealty to anyone, let alone a Potter!"

"This discussion is getting us nowhere, especially since so many of you refuse to accept anything I'm trying to tell you." Susan grumbled loudly. "Go back to your homes and search through your family's history for verification of what we've been telling you. I know this to be truth; I cannot however force you to believe me or anything I say. Keep in mind though that if what you've learned here today is indeed true, then each of your family's has gone against ancient magical oaths. You've something you wish to ask, Miss Greengrass?"

"Let's say, just for the sake of argument, that I believe you. Why does this even matter? If those oaths were made, they were made more than a thousand years ago! They have no bearing on the here and now." the haughty blonde said.

"Luna?" Susan asked, turning her gaze toward the petite Ravenclaw.

"Would you allow me to cast a spell on you, Miss Greengrass?" Luna inquired. "I vow that it will not affect you in any way, the spell is only meant to show us whether you are bound by oath or not."

"Here, Luna, you can do it to me." Katie said, standing from the sofa and approaching Luna.

Luna lifted her wand and began a series of intricate motions, all the while chanting. A soft white light shot from her wand and impacted Katie in the chest. Everyone watched in fascination, eager to see the results of the spell. When a pale blue light enveloped the Gryffindor, she gasped in surprise. "What does this mean?"

"It means, Miss Bell, that your family is still bound by the pledge it made so long ago." Luna answered. "It means that instead of treating Harry like some sort of pariah, you should have been standing by his side, supporting him."

"Why didn't he say anything?" Katie asked with deep regret.

"Why should he have? It was you lot that forsook your duties and responsibilities, not Harry!" Luna shot back angrily before she sighed. "I'm sorry, Miss Bell. I shouldn't take it out on you. Truth be told, I'm fairly certain that Harry knows nothing of this, which means that he doesn't yet know about the breaking of oaths against either him or his family."

"Can you cast that spell on me next, Miss Lovegood?" Ernie MacMillan asked. Many of the others joined him, eager to find out if they also were bound to Potter. Luna, Neville, and Susan, started working down the line of Heirs, casting the spell. It didn't surprise any of the three that all of those present showed the same blue glow of an active magical pledge.

"I don't understand?" Tracy Davis asked, looking puzzled. "Why has my family been acting like it has if we owe Potter some sort of allegiance?"

"I'd rather know what the consequences of breaking the oath would mean to us all?" Daphne asked worriedly.

"Well, that depends..." Luna began.

"On what, Luna, please tell us?" Katie asked.

"On whether Harry is feeling particularly bitter and spiteful when he finds out about all of this; his life, by any standard of measurement you care to use has, to put it simply, completely sucked." Luna finished. "And as for the consequences to your families? Well, it could be something as straightforward as losing some money or maybe your titles of nobility, but, it could be as harsh as your entire family losing its magic or even their lives."

"Susan, why hasn't my father told me about any of this? Why didn't my grandfather? Why didn't someone tell me about any of this?" Hannah Abbott asked, looking sick. All those present looked intently at Susan, wondering the same thing themselves about their own parents and their own behavior towards Harry. "I was a complete and utter bitch to him throughout the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Sue, a lot of us here were."

"We think that someone with a great deal of power and influence has been manipulating the wizarding world for some reason. The three of us also believe that he wants us all, the Great Houses at the very least, to forget completely about the fact that Harry Potter is owed so much and that he's been let down time and again by our entire society." she answered before turning to Hannah, "As far as being a bitch to him, well, you can only hope that he's feeling forgiving when next you meet him. That goes for all of you that magically, physically, or verbally assaulted him."

"I still don't get what all this means, what's the big deal about Potter?" MacMillan asked.

"It means, moron, that Harry Potter is the rightful ruler of our world." Daphne stated to the Hufflepuff.

"Ruler?

The Greengrass heiress rolled her eyes, "Haven't you been listening, MacMillan? Harry Potter is the direct descendant of the last king of magical Britain, Arthur Pendragon. He is, at the very least, a prince, which means that no matter how you look at it he outranks us all. But given the fact that those three gathered us here today, I think that Mr. Potter is going to soon be crowned."

"King Potter?" Ernie asked, incredulously.

"Exactly." Daphne replied. "I take it there is some reason that you haven't invited the darker family's to this little gathering?"

"You think?" Neville scoffed.

"No need to be rude, Longbottom." Tracy said in defense of her friend.

"I tend to believe that they are all irredeemable. They've all truly broken oaths. They've given pledge to the Dark Wanker in direct contravention to the one already sworn to Pendragon. They all deserve what's coming to them." Luna stated fiercely. "That their children spout the same hatred will not be something that Harry takes lightly or overlooks, either. And heaven help Snape, because when Harry returns, well, it won't be pretty. You Slytherins might find yourselves in need of a new head of House real soon, because what will be left of your current one would probably fit into one that loathsome man's potions vial."

"Are you trying to tell us that the story in the Prophet or the rumors circulating the school about what happened between Potter and Snape are...what...fabrications?" Tracy asked skeptically.

"Yes!" Neville roared. "Snape's hatred of all things Potter is nigh on legendary. Is it really so difficult to believe that the man simply lied about what happened?"

"Look, guys, I don't know how Harry is going to react to all of this as I am not as close to him as these two are." Susan interrupted. "I was one of the 'Puff's that didn't insult or berate Harry for the fiasco with the tournament which, while I hate to admit to it, I probably would have done had it not been for our own champion backing Harry. Our Cedric admired Harry very much, and I can assure you that had he known about Harry, he would have been one of his most steadfast supporters. I, even though unknowingly, betrayed a family oath and will have to make that up to him somehow."

"Since you two are closest to him, what do you think?" Katie asked looking between Luna and Neville. The little blonde looked up into her boyfriends eyes and gave him a shrug.

"In all honesty, if you give him an apology," Neville said, meeting the eyes of everyone in the room, "and I mean a very sincere apology, he will more than likely forgive and want to move past it. But I have to tell you that if you're lying or obfuscating in the slightest bit, he will know. I don't know how he does it, but he'll know if you're being less than truthful or honest with him."

"It's his eyes..." Katie said with a shiver. "He has this way of looking into your soul that's just, I don't know...intimidating. It's not threatening, or menacing, or anything like that, it's just..."

"I've only been subject to it only once, during one of our DA meetings. It is rather unsettling, Katie." Susan agreed. She looked down at her watch and noted the time. "Guys, it's getting late and I'm sure a few of your parents are probably beginning to worry. How about we call it a night? We can arrange another meeting if we need to."

"Not that I think you're trying to deceive us, but I would want to consult my family book, if only to overcome the bit of doubt I still have about what you're saying. After that, especially if what you say is correct, I will most assuredly want another get-together." Daphne said, with many of the gathered nodding in agreement.

After everyone had left Bones Manor, a worn out Neville and Luna bade Susan a goodnight. "Contact either of us if you need anything, Sue."

"Will do; you'll let me know if you hear from our missing green-eyed prince?"

"Of course we will, Susan. G'nite, Lady Bones!" Neville said, stepping through the floo after Luna had vanished.

Neville smiled up at his girlfriend from the marbled floors while Luna helped him to his feet after flooing to Longbottom Hall. "What did you think?"

"I think that those that are more open-minded will have a better chance with Harry. Those that are stuck in their own superiority, well..." she paused when she heard a slight popping sound behind her.

"Miss Luna, Mister Longbottom, I have been sent to bring youse to Master Harry."

"Dobby, is that you?" Luna asked, kneeling before the little elf.

"You know where Harry is?" Neville asked excitedly, joining Luna on the floor.

"I do, sir, and youse should be ready tomorrow, and you too miss. I will come for you early." Dobby gave them a short bow and popped away.

"We get to see Harry tomorrow!" Luna said excitedly, jumping in to Neville's arms, knocking them both on to the hard marble floor.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Hogwarts, 1700 hours, June 23rd, 1996 AD

The head of house Gryffindor was making her usual rounds around the castle this late afternoon, as was her usual routine once school had ended and the students had been gone for a few days. While she quite loved having the castle full of children, the quiet time that the holidays provided was also something to look forward to.

She also took a bit more care during this walk, seeing of she'd be lucky enough to find her missing Gryffindor. It had been days since the last time anyone had laid eyes on Harry, something that upset her more than she thought possible. The callous way that the dungeon bat had treated one of her cubs riled her up like never before and it was only the intervention of both Filius and Pomona that had held her back from cursing the man out of existence...painfully.

It still bothered her greatly, the words that Lady Ravenclaw had thrown in her face, the accusations that she'd been less than caring for one of her own had stung her deeply. And yet, she could see how the ghost would view her decisions and inactions, something she was coming to realize herself was undoubtedly true. She'd failed a Gryffindor, and not just any Gryffindor, but Harry Potter.

She cursed herself for the fool she'd been, for the blinders she'd been wearing where that young man was concerned, and she was above all cursing herself for believing in a man that was perhaps as bad or worse than the evil one she'd been combating for such a long time. The whiskered old man might think he was following the path of righteousness but his actions, or inactions, put him in a whole new light.

The more she thought about it, the more she seemed to see a pattern emerging where she never would have thought one existed. All the dangers that had befallen the school: trolls and basilisks, tournaments and dementors, all these things and more could be laid at the man's feet.

A lone teardrop slid down her cheek as she thought about Harry. She wiped the errant bead away distractedly with the back of her hand and continued her journey. Her wandering feet took her to the most familiar place in the entire castle, at least to her, the entrance to the common room of Gryffindor tower. So distracted was she by her thoughts that she never noticed the pile of rubbish that blocked the entrance, something that almost caused her to trip.

She looked around curiously, wondering how in the world this mountain of clothes, shoes, books, parchment, toys, and the plethora of things the students had inevitably left behind in their rush to leave for home.

"What is going on here?" she asked the portrait of the Fat Lady, which she could only just make out through a hole in the mountain of trash.

"Gryffindor tower is closed, Minerva. All items that do not belong within have been placed here until such time as..."

"What do you mean closed?!" Minerva interrupted angrily.

"Closed, as in, not open!" the portrait replied huffily.

"By whose authority is the tower closed?" she hissed angrily, hoping to be able to chastise vehemently the person responsible for this calamity.

"It was I, Madam." came the reply. Minerva spun around and was confronted by the ghost of Sir Nicholas.

"Return these items back to where they were found!" she roared angrily.

"No."

"But...but...what do you mean no? I command..."

"You cannot command anything from me anymore, Madam." he said heatedly. "None of the staff can."

She felt her anger bleed away at hearing that declaration. "What? Why?" she whimpered.

"Because none in this house are even a pale imitation of a true Gryffindor," he replied simply. "It is done, Madam, Hogwarts finds those currently in Gryffindor unworthy to the memories of the members of this once noble House. Now, I bid you a good day, Madam McGonagall."

She watched as the ghost of someone she thought was a stalwart supporter just vanished through the common room doors. Minerva was in a state of shock, her mind unable to process what had just occurred. Without thinking, her feet guiding her destination, she found herself standing before the all too familiar gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office.

"Minerva?" a squeaky voice asked, cutting through her daze.

"Filius." she replied distractedly as she tried to regain her wits. Stood beside the diminutive professor were Sprout and Snape.

"I take it you've been to your common room and found yourself denied access?" Flitwick asked.

"You too?" a stunned Minerva asked, her eyes scanning the people standing in the crowded hallway.

"All of us." replied Pomona. "I'd stepped out to check on some seedling this morning and when I returned to Hufflepuff, well, I imagine everyone here had a mountain of trash blocking their common room entrance?"

"The Lady Ravenclaw was most angry at me and at my 'Claws. Apparently the students will not be allowed access once they return from holidays!" Filius said in exasperation.

"I always took the Friar to be a most kind man; however, the tongue lashing I just received really shook me to the core." Pomona added, "And you, Severus?"

"The Bloody Baron spoke to me for the first time since I've been in this school. As with you all, the dungeon is sealed. I can't even get to my office or apartment!" he said in barely controlled anger. "He also stated that all my belongings and those of my Slytherins were now floating in the lake!"

Minerva could've sworn she heard the gargoyle chuckle in glee before it began to move aside. Falling down the stairs rather noisily, and painfully if his moaning was any indication, was the form of Albus Dumbledore.

"Albus!" the four cried out before trying to help the man to his feet.

"What has happened, Albus? What have you done?"

"It was not I, Minerva." he replied as he gingerly rubbed the knot that was growing on his brow.

"Then who has done this?" Flitwick asked.

"If I understood the portraits correctly, the castle itself has evicted us all from our common rooms, offices, bedrooms, and who knows what else. I was told that we now all no longer hold any authority within these walls." the headmaster replied sorrowfully.

It was Snape who reacted first when the four ghosts of Hogwarts appeared before the stunned quintet. His wand appeared in a flash and he cast a spell at the ghosts. No one was more surprised than he when the spell seemed to pause in mid-air before changing directions and return to him at speed. He was only just able to dodge the incoming hex, which struck the wall behind him and blasted a crater out of the ancient castle walls.

"You will all find that the castle will refuse to cooperate with any of you. No elves will answer your call and no portraits will address you. The connection you each had with Hogwarts has been taken back. Mr. Dumbledore, all the magic that was granted to you as headmaster has been removed." said a very unsympathetic Sir Nicholas. "The Bloody Baron has himself taken over the wards of the castle until he is relieved of that duty."

"Why has this been done?" asked a miserable looking Filius.

Helena glided forward and addressed the former Ravenclaw. "Under your care, my House has become a house of small-mindedness, pettiness, and callous bullying. You had only one among you who represented the cherished ideals of Rowena Ravenclaw and rather than being praised the young lady became an outcast. Think on that, Mr. Flitwick. House Ravenclaw is now closed."

Minerva didn't have the heart to raise her head and look at Sir Nicholas when he approached her. In her heart she knew that whatever he had to say would be true. "Of all the students that wear the scarlet and gold, only two can call themselves true Gryffindors. And what of the rest of those so called Lions? Not a one of them should be allowed to wear those once proud colors, although maybe crimson robes with a stripe of cowardly yellow running down their spines would suit them better! House Gryffindor is also closed."

"My House has always stood up to the ideals..." an angered Sprout began shouting at the approaching form of her house ghost.

"Silence!" the Friar said fiercely. "Hufflepuff hasn't lived up to any of those ideals in a very long time, Madam. Instead, it has become the house of the disloyal and lazy. Only one of your badgers represented that once noble house to its fullest. When that young man perished at the hand of a cowardly Death Eater, what was the response from Hufflepuff? Instead of standing strong and honoring his memory and his legacy, they chose to attack the young man who did all but perish himself to try and save Mr. Diggory. And in the midst of battle, he had the courage to risk his very life even more so and bring Cedric's body back to his parents! But you didn't acknowledge that, did you? Instead, it was you yourself, Madam, who started the rumor that Mr. Potter had killed Cedric so he could claim victory over some idiotic contest? Did you and your 'Puffs not berate Mr. Potter incessantly, such that he even contemplated ending his own life in the hopes that that would appease you and your bunch of badgers? No, Madam, you have no right to call yourself a 'Puff. House Hufflepuff is now closed."

The rattling chains drew Severus' attention to the form of the Bloody Baron, who hovered above him and was looking down at him with contempt. The Baron snorted contemptuously. "Do I even have to explain what a sorry excuse for a Slytherin you are?" he asked, looking back at his companions who were chuckling softly. "You, sir, are nowhere near worthy of being a Slytherin. None of you have the right to wear the green and silver. You and your snakes have tainted that once noble house with your immorality and corruption. I cannot, in all honesty, think of anyone in the last hundred years who deserves to wear the colors or to call themselves Slytherin. There was one however, not so long ago, who could have been the best the house had seen in centuries, but your snakes gave him such a poor impression of my House that he chose to be placed elsewhere. You and your snakes will have to find someplace else to wallow in your disgrace."

"How can you do this to us?" Albus asked crossly. "How can you do this to me? I am the rightful headmaster...!"

"At the moment, sir, you are headmaster of nothing!" Helena said scathingly. "You, along with your minions here, have turned a once great institution into a seething pit of malevolence and intolerance. There is no honor to be had in this establishment, no kindness, no compassion, no..."

"Useless traits," seethed an angered Snape. "Useless virtues possessed by the weak!"

"I suppose that to a petty man such as you, such virtues would indeed seem useless. They are not a weakness, but are rather strength. Remember that, Severus Snape. The time of your reckoning is quickly approaching! When he that will lay you low stands over your defeated and broken body, I wonder if you will feel the same way about those qualities you so deride?" the Baron said in a menacing tone. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"How will we run the school when the students return?" Minerva asked, horrified.

"Do with the castle what you will, Madam. Although trying to run a magical school in a building devoid of Magic will be entertaining, to say the least." Helena answered. "There will come a time, maybe in a year...maybe in a century, when Magic will once again grace this castle with Her presence. Come, gentlemen, we've much to prepare for."

"Albus...what do we do?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Diagon Alley, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, 1730 hours, June 23rd, 1996 AD

Bill stood in absolute amazement at the multicolored building that sat smack dab in the middle of Diagon Alley. Only the twins could come up with a design this implausible and have it work for them against the rather drab buildings and shops that stood in stark contrast to their shop.

"It's like a rainbow blew up!" Fleur commented. "Or quite possibly threw up!"

"I tend to go with the latter, love. Had it blown up, it wouldn't have affected just this building. The boys couldn't contain an explosion if their lives depended on it. Can we go inside already; I'm getting a little nauseous just looking at this eyesore?"

Fleur laughed and dragged him to the store that was crowded with shoppers. "They do brisk business, don't they?"

"I knew they were doing well, I just didn't realize how well. Look at the rest of the Alley, it's practically deserted!"

"Welcome to the Triple W's, sir and lady. Can I help you find anything this fine day?" a wide-smiling shop assistant asked as she approached them.

"Uhm...I'm hoping to have a word my brothers...Fred and George...Weasley."

"Dragons or bank, sir?"

"Excuse me?" Bill muttered bemusedly.

"He's with the bank, miss." Fleur answered for him.

"Ah, then you would be Mr. Bill Weasley. A moment if you please?" The young woman pulled out what looked to Bill like a muggle notepad and scribbled a quick note. She ripped the page off, balled it up, and tossed it into the air, where it turned into a bright yellow canary that flew off. "I am Verity, Mr. Weasley. Can I get you something to drink while you and your fiancée wait?"

"Verity, where are my brothers?"

"We're right here, Billy, keep your knickers on!"

"What have I told you about calling me Billy, Fred?"

"I haven't a clue, because I'm not Fred." the twin replied.

"Fine...George...don't ever call me Billy!"

"Just messing with ya, of course I'm Fred!"

"C'mon Bill! You've known us for eighteen years; you'd think you'd be able to tell us apart by now!" George laughed.

"I hate you two." grumbled the eldest Weasley.

George and Fred grinned. "No you don't!"

"C'mon, it's coming up on rush hour in this place soon. Let's head to the back where we can get some peace and quiet and you can tell us what brings you two to our fine establishment. Verity, we'll be in the office if you need anything!"

"Yes sir, Messrs. Weasley!" the assistant called out to the retreating quartet.

"Sit, sit..." George said indicating a well-worn sofa. "Freddie, you get the tea?"

"On it, Georgie!" the reply came from the side room.

George eyed his brother and noticed right off that he seemed agitated which was something that coming from Bill was practically unheard of. His line of work demanded he keep tight control of his emotions. "Fred, I think Bill found out about Mom, Ron, and Ginny!"

Fred poked his head out the kitchen door, "You don't say?"

"How could you possibly know that?" Fleur asked.

"Fred, Fleur just forgot her accent!"

"I told you I was right, George!"

"So, ancient brother ours, what happened that has you this riled up? Thank you, brother." George acknowledged when his twin placed a cup before him.

"No worries, mate. Fleur, Bill, sugar, milk?" Fred asked politely.

Bill squeezed his nose and sighed deeply. He could tell that Fleur was trying to contain a fit of the giggles, though she wasn't having much success. "How did you know to ask us about those three?"

"Because, brother dear, you only got that look on your face when one of those three pissed you off, but, given the extreme look of anger and frustration you're wearing, I'm guessing all three did something." Fred tilted his head and stared at Bill intently. "This has something to do with Harry, doesn't it? What did they do to Harry this time?"

"Oh, c'mon, there is no possible way either of you could know..." Fleur complained irritably. "What do you mean this time?"

Fred looked at George and raised an eyebrow; George gave Fred a nod of his head. "Bill, have you ever asked yourself why we moved out of the Burrow?"

"No need to answer, Bill, because we'll tell you. Those three sorry excuses of Weasley's have, if Fred and I are correct..."

"...And we're usually correct..."

"...the three have been setting up some sort of plot against Harry. Knowing how stupidly jealous the three of them are of people with a bit of cash, and with Harry having most of the cash in Britain..."

"...They've been doing some nefarious scheming aimed at our benevolent silent partner. Not something that either of us will stand for!"

"Well put, George."

"Thank you, Fred."

"What do you know?" Bill asked intently.

The twins eyes narrowed seriously, "Do you really want to know the truth, Bill, or are you just asking to know the gossip?"

"I need to know...I want to know. I need the truth! You two left the Burrow, quit the Order, and distanced yourselves from the family. I want to know why?"

"Harry's disappeared, hasn't he?" George asked. Bill and Fleur both nodded in assent.

"Oh, this is going to be wicked!" Fred said, jumping up and dancing in glee.

"You guys are happy Harry is missing?" Fleur asked.

"Ecstatic!" Fred replied. "The world is going to change really soon, you two."

"Enough of this already, you guys," Bill roared. "What the hell is going on?"

George stood from his seat and walked over to a bookshelf. He pulled a slim volume and handed it to his older brother. "We found Mom reading this to Ron and Ginny one night. This is a copy, we left them the original so they wouldn't suspect that we're on to them."

"Go ahead and read it Bill. Just the first couple of pages should do." Fred said, sitting back down and reaching for his cup. He watched intently as Bill and Fleur read.

"Okay...so Harry is related to Godric, so what?"

"Kids these days, I tell ya..."

"No appreciation for the lessons to be learned from history..."

"Would it interest you to know, Curse Breaker Weasley, that the book you're now holding was enchanted so that we would be uninterested in its contents?"

This piqued Bill's interest, "Enchanted?"

"Misdirection, repulsion, revulsion, and a couple of others; the only reason we got through them is because the two of us were together and could see what was happening to the other person and took steps to stop it." Fred explained to his older brother. "The thing is, Bill, most of the books on history have this enchantment on them."

"You say 'most'?" Fleur inquired.

"Fred and I were browsing down at Flourish and Blott's at the end of last summer when we noticed this. We'd been talking about King Arthur and how cool it would be to visit Camelot..."

"...but when we tried to get a book about him, we instead walked out of the store with a few books on goblin rebellions and wondering how the hell that had happened..."

"...so we went back into the store, very carefully cast the strongest finite we could manage on them, and came out with those." George finished, pointing behind him to the small bookcase behind the desk.

"Bill...Fleur...something is very wrong here. Those books give a history of our world that no one knows about. Sadly, and one of the reasons we left home, was the fact that the book your fiancée is holding in her beautifully manicured hands gives a very detailed history of the Potter family and its importance."

"What's this have to do with Harry?" Bill asked, once again flipping through the thin volume he held.

"Last page, Bill." George indicated.

Fleur open the book to the indicated page and gasped. "Bill, look!"

Bill frowned at Fleur and took the book from her hands and read. Fred and George looked on in nervousness, seeing for themselves the growing anger of their brother. "Mom, Ginny, and Ron, know about this?"

The twins nodded sadly.

"Dad?" Bill asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

Fred and George looked at each other and shrugged in unison. "We're not sure. Anytime it seemed like he was about to object to something the three had planned, Mom would start yelling at him and he'd slink away and hide in his shed. He never did anything to stop her, as far as we could tell. At a guess, I'd say he doesn't know much of anything."

Fleur stood suddenly, shocking the three Weasleys, especially when she started cursing up a storm in her native French. "Calm down, love, what is it?"

"I have to talk to Harry! NOW!" she said through her angry tears. She broke down and threw herself into Bill's waiting arms.

"What is it, love?"

"My father and mother have been searching for over a decade for the last scion of Pendragon, my grandparents and great grandparents also. We, my family, are duty bound to him. The houses of Pendragon and Valois, my ancestors, have been allies for hundreds of years. Guys," Fleur said with a look at the twins, "do you think those misdirection spells could be cast on an entire family?"

George eyed Fred with a raised eyebrow. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Fred nodded and turned to Fleur. "Blood magic could do it, Fleur. Casting an enchantment on anyone who shared your blood would do just that. If the spell was cast on say, your grandparents, then any offspring they had could've fallen under the terms of the spell. Same with your dad's children, you and Gabrielle, would be subject to it still...wow, that's pretty powerful magic...

"And is highly illegal if that's what was used!" Bill muttered angrily.

"You know, Fleur, it could be why you were so...uhm...what's the word..."

"...unpleasant...to Harry when you two first met. Thinking back on it now, you and Harry got quite close after the second task, didn't you? You may have broken through part of the spell after her rescued your sister." George added.

"Fleur, were you or your sister drawn to Harry? And I don't mean as a love interest, or mate, or whatever, just, you know, like you needed to be near him or something..."

Fleur thought back to the time of the Tournament, the dreadful second task, and the feelings and emotions she'd had about Harry after he'd helped Gabrielle. "Yes...I wanted to be near him, to befriend him and, oddly enough considering this is Harry we're talking about, I felt like I needed to protect him. Gabrielle, on the other hand, took to Harry almost as soon as she'd woken from her ordeal. I'm not overstating it in saying that she considers Harry her big brother. She would write to him all the time, too, and you could tell when she had gotten a reply from him because she was happier than any ten year old should ever be."

Fred and George snorted in amusement. "One thing Harry doesn't need is protection, although maybe from your sister though, huh, Fleur?"

"Or from Ron, or Ginny, or Mum..."

"Bill, last Christmas, Freddie and I overheard a conversation between the three of them...they were planning on helping Ginny bag herself a Potter. Now, I know for a fact that Harry doesn't really like Ginny, at least not in any sort of romantic way..."

"...Mom starts telling them the story of how she trapped Dad using potions. Thinking it a brilliant idea, the three then command Granger to help her brew some Amortentia and that bushy-haired bint went along with it and pulled out her potions kit!"

"Mon Dieu!"

"I don't know if they succeeded in giving him the potions, but considering he didn't warm to Ginny the way they thought he would...and then there's the whole heroic thing Harry does..."

"...Harry has saved the lives of Ginny, Dad, Granger, and probably Ron, too. We were getting really angry at what we were hearing..."

"...the last straw was when Ron asked to borrow Harry's Gringotts keys so he could go take out money to buy everyone Christmas gifts..."

"...Bill, we think those three have been stealing from Harry..."

"...not only that, I think they are also well aware at how abusive the home where Harry was raised in was and did sod all about it..."

"...so Fred and I packed our things and left that night. We are not ever going back and it will be a cold day in Hades that we ever speak to any of them again." George finished angrily. "If it weren't for the fact that the sign on the front of the shop is up, we'd disown ourselves and beg Harry to adopt us into the Potter or Black family so we didn't have to be associated with the Weasley name at all!"

"You two would do that? Give up your name, your family?"

"In a heartbeat!" the twins responded seriously.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1900 hours, June 23rd, 1996 AD

"How's he doing?"Remus asked quietly.

"His Grace is well, Mr. Lupin." replied the diminutive witch that exited the royal bedchamber. "Exhausted is probably not a strong enough word to describe his condition, though. He desperately needed his rest."

"And you're sure he'll be alright?" Tonks asked.

"He will be well, Miss Tonks. I think he will be asleep for the better part of a day, perhaps more, but I'm confident that he will be in perfect health when he comes around."

Remus sat heavily back into his chair, letting out a breath of relief that he'd been holding in for far too long. He smiled tenderly at his fiancée when she mirrored his action.

She took his hand in hers and grinned, "Told ya he'd be okay, Wolfie."

"Yes you did, didn't you?"

"I have left a regimen of potions that must be imbibed by His Grace. I have left them with the Lady Olivia along with instruction on how to get them into his system if he's still unconscious. Mr. Lupin, if I may have a word in private?" the healer asked.

Remus raised an eyebrow and turned his head back to Tonks. "Go on, love, I'll just pop back in and keep Olivia company while she's watching over Harry."

"Are you sure?"

"We'll be fine, Remus. Besides, with Harry unconscious, I doubt we'll get into any trouble." she grinned.

"I wouldn't count on that..." he replied, chuckling in amusement. "Go, love, go be with the kids."

He turned his attention back to the healer once Tonks had vanished into Harry's room, "So, Healer, how may I help you?"

"Were you aware of the many bindings that had been placed on His Grace?" the Healer asked seriously.

Remus sat back, surprised and angered by the question and its implication with regard to Harry. "I'm sorry, but no, I did not. But wouldn't those have been removed before he attended Hogwarts, or at the very latest, when Harry got his medical assessment from Poppy sometime in his first year...hang on a minute, you're telling me that those blocks were never removed, aren't you?"

"It's one of the reasons I have guaranteed that he remain unconscious for at least a day's time. Breaking the blocks while awake would be painful in the extreme and is probably one of the reasons he lost consciousness after his ordeal in the throne room. I wanted to assure you that they've all been removed, Mr. Lupin."

Remus sat down and balled his hand into fists, trying to keep himself from quivering in rage. Once again he found himself on the verge of losing himself to the anger. It seemed he'd only scratched the surface of the things that had been done to Harry.

"How long?" he asked, his voice tight as he tried to control his temper. "How long was he bound?"

"All his life it seems, Mr. Lupin. His Grace is around sixteen, yes? I have evidence that points to the first binding being placed on him when he was two." she answered, looking upon the man with compassion. "But I am certain that they were all removed when he was undergoing the ritual."

"And you sure he's going to be okay?"

"Quite, Mr. Lupin," she replied sincerely, "In total there were three bindings placed on him. One was mental, inhibiting his natural intelligence and aptitudes. The second was physical, preventing him from growing into the body he was supposed to have." the Healer said as she sat next to Remus and took hold of his hand in an effort to calm the man. "You will see changes in your new godson in the coming days and weeks."

"So he's not going to be a little runt anymore, is he?" Remus half-joked, trying to insert some humor into their conversation, "I noticed earlier, ma'am, he seems to have grown by a couple of inches."

"He will probably not be as tall as you in the end, but certainly close enough." she replied with a kind smile. "And he will probably equal his mother in intelligence if what I've heard tell about her is correct. Miss Tonks and you were wonderfully helpful in this regard, as I required that information about his parents to see him put to rights."

"We all remember Harry's parents very fondly, Madam. Me, Tonks, and Sirius, that was Harry's godfather by the way... we would sit around the kitchen table of his home and would talk the night away...a lot. We reminisced quite a bit about Harry's parents." Remus answered sadly, remembering warmly all three of his fallen friends. "You haven't mentioned the magical?"

"I wished to leave that for last, Mr. Lupin. I take it you've seen His Grace wield his magic at some point?"

"I have and he's truly...amazing is the only word I can think of. He's done things that sometimes defy belief, which makes me wonder about him having blocks on his power. It just sounds so unlikely given what I've witnessed from him."

"Consider, if you would please, what you know about his magic and how powerful you've seen him be?" she said, giving him a moment to mull over her request. "Now, taking all that into account, imagine that he no longer has any restriction on his power and can wield it even more effectively, more efficiently...imagine the things he could accomplish."

Remus sucked in a breath at the enormity of Harry's potential. "How is that even possible, ma'am? He was almost as strong as me when he was in his third year...and now you're saying he's going to be even more so as a nearly sixteen year old?"

"Yes, Mr. Lupin. We've not seen a person as powerful as His Grace in almost a thousand years."

"Really...?" Remus said pensively, he stood and began pacing, trying to work out the implications of her statement. "There's a reason for this, isn't there? There must be a reason that Harry is as powerful as you say he is?"

"Call it Fate, or Destiny, Providence even. Harry is the focus for the Light, just as your Dark Lord is the focal point for the Dark. That evil man has done atrocious things to himself in his quest for power. He, though, more than likely, achieved all his power through sinister ancient rituals and dark magic. These would have increased his power but taken a great toll on his soul and his body." she explained. "His Grace, on the other hand, was born this way. It comes to him quite naturally. It was a gift imparted on him that he may be able to face his enemy on equal footing."

Remus sat himself down with a groan, trying to figure out if he should cry or laugh. He decided on the latter. "Only you, Harry!" he chuckled.

"I will take my leave, Mr. Lupin. Have Willa come for me when His Grace awakens." she said, standing and giving him a curt nod.

"I will, Madam Healer, and thank you for all you've done for Harry." he said with genuine gratitude.

"I have a feeling that His Grace will be in need of my services again, soon. He strikes me as particularly injury prone." she said, her eyes drifting to Harry's bedroom.

Remus stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. "That was a major complaint of his healer at Hogwarts."

She nodded, an amused smile gracing her countenance, "Have a good evening, Remus."

"And you, Healer...I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"You may call me Primrose, Remus," she said with a nod as she moved toward the exit of the royal apartments. "Primrose Pomfrey, at you service."

The Marauders wide-eyed look of disbelief was broken by his loud guffaws, "Dora...!" he called out as he made his way to Harry's bedchamber. "Dora, love, you're not going to believe who the healer is!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 2100 hours, June 23rd, 1996 AD

"Thank you, Willa, the meal was delicious." Olivia acknowledged gratefully.

"Of course, Milady, and please do not hesitate to call for me if you need anything this evening."

"She's nice." Tonks commented once the elf had vanished.

"She has been most helpful and very caring." Olivia said in agreement.

Tonks and Remus both watched as Olivia stood from the table that had been placed at the foot of Harry's bed and made her way to him. She sat at his bedside and took his hand and began to gently run her fingers through his hair.

"She's really got it bad, doesn't she?" Tonks whispered, grinning at the tenderness the pretty blonde was using to care for Harry.

"And so does the cub if I'm not mistaken; I only caught a glimpse of it in the throne room, but it's going to be interesting to watch. Reminds me of the first time James met Lily."

"I like her." Tonks commented. "She'll be good for him I think, a whole hell of a lot better for him than the little Weasley or Granger!"

"Do you think I will be...good for him that is?" Olivia asked quietly. "Forgive me, I do not normally eavesdrop."

"It's alright, Olivia. Yes, I think you will be wonderful for him." Remus answered, noticing that Tonks had lost the power of speech and was trying to not look embarrassed at having been overheard.

The young woman, looking as vulnerable as they'd ever seen nodded before returning her attention to the young man that was sleeping. "I have cherished him for a very long time." she said affectionately.

"How long, exactly?" Tonks asked, having come out of her stupor. "We never got the story of how you two met."

"Three days ago, Tonks, we met only three days ago. As for how I know him, well, it's a bit of a tale."

"I'm confused...you seem to have known him for quite a bit longer than three days, especially given how you seem to care for him. How exactly do you know him?" Remus questioned.

"You both know my name is Olivia, what you do not know is that my family name is Emrys." she answered. She almost burst into laughter at seeing the look of confusion mixed with disbelief on the faces of her companions. "I was born right here, in this castle, in the year 1005."

"It's got to be true, doesn't it?" Tonks said with a look to Remus. "I mean, given where we are and all..."

"So Merlin was...?" Remus asked uncertainly.

"My grandfather." she replied honestly.

"This just keeps getting better and better...or weirder and weirder." Tonks gasped.

"I know that Harry has only recently learned of the reason that your Dark Lord is after him. It is also a rather long tale, one which I will let him tell you. Suffice it to say though that it involves a prophecy." turning once more to her prince, she tenderly caressed his forehead.

"A few years before I was born, my grandfather, overcome by vision, disclosed to King Arthur the fact that a Dark Lord or Lady would arise and that one born just before the feast of Lughnasadh would be the champion of the Light."

"Luna's sad what?" a confused Tonks asked.

"Lughnasadh is the druidic festival of harvest that begins on the 1st of August, love," Remus answered. "Harry was born on July 31st, so that part fits, I suppose."

"I was born on the 15th of the same month. Many in court, including my parents, were convinced that I was the Champion. My grandfather on the other hand knew that I wasn't the one destined but that I would have a hand in helping him." she said with a glance at Harry. "In his wisdom, he tailored my education to be wonderfully varied and not at all in keeping with what the other young noble girls were learning. I was taught to wield a sword, I was schooled in the ways of druids and their traditions, and I was taught magic at the feet of my grandfather."

"I never did understand the reason my education was so different from the other girls in the castle, but I counted myself lucky, as learning to sew or cook is not something I think I would ever want to learn." she chuckled. "I would definitely have rebelled had I been forced to do such!"

Olivia sighed, "I think my grandfather knew that I would choose to give up my home, my friends, and my family, to come forward to this time."

"What do you mean 'come forward to this time'? Olivia, how did you get here? Travelling back in time is something that we can do, sort of, but jumping forward in time...I didn't think that was possible?"

"I did not 'jump forward' as you say. I was bespelled and placed in an endless sleep, only to be awakened when my prince woke me."

"Some form of suspended animation, then..." Remus said with a glance at Tonks.

Tonks rolled her eyes, "You think, Professor?"

The knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Dora stood and opened the door for Lord Derwyn, who with a smile on his face, bowed to the three.

"My Lady, how is His Grace?"

"Healer Pomfrey says he is exhausted but well, milord." she answered tiredly.

"You look exhausted yourself, Lady Olivia." Derwyn commented, looking down at her caringly. "Get some sleep, please, milady, I'm sure Remus and Tonks here would be more than willing to look after your Harry."

"Would you two mind?" a clearly worn out Olivia asked. When they both wholeheartedly agreed, she bent over and placed a kiss on Harry's forehead. "I will have Willa wake me in a few hours...and thank you."

"Has she discussed with you her past?" Derwyn asked after he heard the door close behind the departed Olivia.

"She's only just now started to explain to us." Tonks replied.

The old man sat himself down on one of the vacant seats and sighed heavily. "That young lady has been through a lot, not least of which is waking up in a world that she will have no clue about."

"I hadn't thought of that," Remus said pensively and glanced at Tonks, "It would be the same for the two of us if we were just simply tossed into the Camelot of the past."

"However," Tonks quickly added, "Harry and she will be able to learn together; he about her world and she about his."

"Too true, I should think. His Grace's will have much to catch up with, unfortunately." he said solemnly. "By the way, I should mention that the effect of his ascendance has been noticed in your world already."

"What effects?"

"We've been contacted by sources within Hogwarts that have told us that the school is slowly shutting down. If I had to guess, I think His Grace has, or will, withdraw his support from the school. The ministry building has also begun to notice, although they've gone to a great deal of trouble to conceal the fact that, as they are slowly losing control of that information. Gossip being what it is, it is certain to spread quickly. The regrowth of the Mother Oak within its walls will certainly confound them."

"Go back a sec," Remus interjected, "Harry is going to close Hogwarts? How can he do that...?"

"Are you asking if it is within his authority to do so, or are you asking why he would close down a school that you loved so much?" Tonks asked taking his hand in hers.

"Both, I guess."

"Yes, His Grace does have the authority to close the school. Remus, you do know that he is directly descended from two of the Founder's of the school, don't you? Not only that, but he is also related to a third and could rightfully claim her seat. The fourth seat, unfortunately or not depending on your point of view, is no more." Derwyn said.

"Love, things at that school have been horrible for far too long. I think a great deal of the problems we're now facing can be attributed directly to the failings at Hogwarts. Can you think of any school, muggle or magical, that would actually allow marked Death Eaters or their similar walk the halls or be professors?" she asked sadly. "And another thing, it's all fine and dandy for our kids to learn all this magic, but what happened to the classes on ethics and philosophy that would teach us to be responsible with these abilities? Students walk around those halls with what amounts to loaded weapons; I'm actually surprised there haven't been more instances of violence or even fatalities."

"I guess I just didn't want to see it." he said dejectedly.

"But Harry has seen it, and not only that, but he's experienced it too. Even before he first stepped into Hogwarts he was already dealing the consequence of James and Lily being murdered. To then be thrown into the deep-end of this magical world without a clue as to how it worked. Sirius gets locked up and then killed, Snape starts attacking him the moment he stepped into that school, Dumbledore controlling him at every opportunity, friends abandoning or outright betraying him, people treating him like an outcast one moment and like a hero the next...it would be enough to drive anyone mad. Don't get me wrong, Wolfie, I think he loves Hogwarts, but he sees it from an outsider's perspective. He doesn't give a shit about blood status, or how much money, power or influence your parents have. He cares only about the kind of person you are. He is, using a muggle phrase, a man of action. He's not one to stand idly by while he can see a problem that he has the power to correct. Honestly, I don't think I know anyone, with the exception of Harry, that actually sees Hogwarts for what it truly is: a miraculous place that has been blessed by Magic herself. And, despite everything that has happened in his life, his eyes still look upon everything magical with wonder and reverence."

"That was quite the monologue, love; do you need me to grab you a glass of water after all that?" he asked with a half-formed smirk on his face.

"You're such an asshole!" she said, taking a swipe at him and laughing.

"Sorry, Dora, you're right though. Harry's experiences give him a different perspective, that's for certain. But closing the school? What about all those kids?"

"Sweetie, this is Harry we're talking about here! He's probably got some wild and crazy idea already percolating in that new brain of his. He and his girl will work it out and we'll help them."

Derwyn chuckling brought the two of them back to the here and now. They'd both forgotten the seneschal was with them still. "Forgive me, you two, it's just that you both remind me of my wife and I when we were much younger, although now that I think about it, we're still much the same!"

"Sir, you mentioned something happening in the ministry building...something about an oak tree?" Tonks asked with some curiosity.

"I know we haven't discussed it much, but you've must have deduced by now that I am a druid? It is true, and something we can discuss further at a later time. Now, as to the oak tree itself...the oak is a powerful symbol in our system of belief. She represents rulership," he said, nodding toward the sleeping form of Harry. "She also represents power and strength as well as bravery and nobility. However, in this instance, it matters most that the tree represents justice and protection. I understand that there is a main atrium in the ministry? Well, should you go and visit now, I believe you will find it vastly changed, such that it would now appear as a grove with the mighty oak at its center."

"Fudge is going to have kittens!" Tonks laughed. "He loved that ridiculous statue!"

"Why the change, Derwyn, and won't the people there just be able to remove it?" Remus wondered.

"I'd give almost anything to see them try!" the man chuckled before adding in a more serious tone. "No one may approach the trees with any harmful intent. Their minds would become muddled, not even remembering why they approached, if they make an attempt. As to the change, Remus, it is a necessary step in the reclamation of the sovereignty of Camelot over magical Britain. Camelot is the center of power, not London. The ministry, in its entirety, has usurped the power they now hold. His Grace reclaiming the Pendragon throne brings that power back to its proper seat."

"I understand, truly I do, but many of the people in power will not want to just give it up. We could be embroiled in a three-sided civil war: Voldemort, the ministry, and Harry." Remus exclaimed.

"And where would they attack, Wolfie? Here? They don't even know here exists! I'm guessing that only those invited could actually find this place?"

"Only those invited specifically by His Grace, Miss Tonks, one of the reasons that you and Remus were not tossed out by the wards when Dobby brought you here."

"You're going to have to stop calling him that, Derwyn. It will definitely annoy the hell out of him." Tonks said offhandedly.

"She's right, you know, he will insist you call him Harry." Remus added.

Derwyn shrugged, "We'll see about that. It has been ingrained into all of us here since we were young. It will be difficult to change that behavior. I don't think anyone would stop addressing him in that manner, even if ordered to."

"Now, I am off to kiss my wife and get myself to bed. It will be another hectic day for me on the morrow." Derwyn yawned. "Willa and Dobby have freshened up the bedroom next to this if either of you wish to sleep."

"I think we'll stick around here with Harry, at least for tonight."

"As you wish, but please, don't overtire yourselves either. His Grace will need both of you in top form. Good night, you two."

"Good night, Derwyn." Tonks replied. She stood from her seat and approached the sleeping form of Harry. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen him sleep this peacefully before, he's usually tossing and turning because of the nightmares."

"In all honesty, I think he's found some small measure of peace coming here, despite all the responsibility that comes with it." the wolf replied.

"I agree, but I will also add that I think he's found that special someone that gives him peace. You know, Remus, I would have never in a million years thought that Harry could fall in love with someone at first sight. He's usually so guarded with his feeling, you know?" she said softly, as she closed her eyes, leaned in to her man, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Remus' worried expression softened, happy and content that Harry seemed to have found a place for himself in the world, exalted though it may be. He shook his head in amusement thinking of how well, or not, Prongs would have handled this situation of becoming the ruler of this legendary place. And with Padfoot and Moony at his side, only Lily would have been able to restrain them from some of the more foolish things they would have probably devised.

Then there was Olivia to consider. That the young lady loved his godson was, in his mind, undeniable. One had only to observe her to see her eyes shine with affection at the mere sight of Harry. She was beside herself with worry and had wept in frustration at her inability to help him in any way. Remus knew that Harry would probably tell her himself if he could, that just being there holding his hand and sitting at his bedside was more affection than he'd ever been shown before.

The old Marauder chuckled softly when his thoughts drifted to Lily and James. It had taken James six long years to get that formidable witch to even notice him, but when she did, it was a whirlwind romance such as he'd never heard of or seen before. But there, before his own eyes, he could see the signs that indicated that the same thing would happen where Harry and Olivia were concerned. He wouldn't be at all surprised to see them married before the end of the year and wished that Sirius was still here to help him celebrate and raise a toast to what he was sure would be the very happiest couple they'd seen since Prongs and Lils.

Slowly, his weary eyes closed and his breathing evened out, and with a smile on his face, Remus fell asleep...

...The sun shining brightly in his eyes woke him and it took Remus a moment to situate himself in the unfamiliar surroundings. He wasn't surprised to find Dora still sleeping against him on the couch they'd expanded. He slowly disentangled himself from her embrace and was happy to see that she rolled over and kept sleeping. Walking over to the large window, he peered out into the wonder that was the city of Camelot. Even from way up in the royal tower he could feel the sense of elation coming from the population below. Those people he could make out were walking around with a spring in their step and a smile on their faces.

"Moony?" the tired voice croaked from the bed.

"HARRY!" the old wolf exclaimed, making his way hurriedly towards his now awake boy.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 0800 hours, June 24th, 1996 AD

"Pomfrey?"

"Really, Your Grace, my name has not changed since the first time you asked me!" the healer said impatiently.

"Yeah...but Pomfrey...seriously? Is it just me or is that like really, really, weird?" Harry said as he kept digging in to the large breakfast that Dobby had deposited on his lap.

"You will find, Your Grace, that there are probably many names that you recognize from the other world. His Grace mentioned that you are a Black, Miss Tonks, it might please you to know that there are many Black's living here."

She eyed Derwyn suspiciously, "Black's...in Camelot? And this place is still standing and not become a cesspit of wickedness?"

"No, no cesspit..." Derwyn answered with a confused frown.

"The Black's are looked upon as a rather dark family, Derwyn, hence Dora's hesitation." Remus said, addressing the perplexed druid.

"I see...then you'll be happy to know that the Black's are a very well thought of family here in Camelot. The young man that was guarding His Grace last night, young Samuel, is in fact a Black."

"So the guy that almost decapitated me is a cousin, is he? See, now that's more in keeping with the family name there, you know...!"

"He did what?" Harry muttered angrily, dropping his fork noisily on his plate.

Olivia, who'd been seated at Harry's bedside since shortly after he'd woken, took hold of his hand and calmed him down. "Harry, he and Sir Hugh had no idea that Tonks is part of your family. His only intention was to see you protected. Had your own mother walked in to the throne room and tried to draw her wand, she would have been subjected to the same actions on their part."

"They did this to you too, I take it?" he said with a look to Remus.

"Yeah, the other one, Hugh I think, he may have pressed his sword against my throat just a bit. But Harry, I had indeed just drawn my wand because I thought you were being attacked. I didn't realize that what was happening to you was something else entirely and that you were in no danger."

"Harry?"

"Yes, luv...Liv?" Harry turned to glare at the sniggering Auror and werewolf. "Shut it!"

"Yes, your majesty, right away, your majesty..." Tonks chortled.

"You were saying, Olivia?" Harry asked, still trying to glare his two laughing 'acquaintances' into silence and not wanting her to see his reddened face.

"How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired, I suppose... put that potion down, Pomfrey! I've had enough of those these to last me a lifetime!"

"Humph..." the healer scoffed. "While under my care you will do as you are told, Your Grace!"

It really didn't help that Remus and Tonks laughed all the harder at him, with even Olivia trying to contain a giggle.

"I'm a little tired," he continued, eyeing the healer warily, "Just not overly so. I actually feel rather excited to get to know my home."

Derwyn gave his king a kind smile. "The people of Camelot are very eager to meet you, Your Grace."

"If I order you to stop calling me that you won't do it, will you?" Harry asked the old man.

"No, Your Grace." he replied, keeping the smile on his face.

"Fine..." Harry sighed in resignation. "But we're going to have to come up with something new, there's no way I'm going to be called 'your grace' for the rest of my life!"

"I'll see what we can come up with...Your Grace." This of course, set Remus and Tonks off to laughing again.

"If you two can get yourselves under control, we need to make some decisions." Harry said seriously. "Firstly, I've been asked to close Hogwarts."

"We talked a bit about that last night, cub. While I think it's a tad harsh, I can see why you would need to. The question though, Harry, is what do we do with all the children that still need to be educated?"

"I say screw the lot of them!" Harry "Especially those damn holier-than-thou purebloods!"

"Harry!" Tonks and Remus exclaimed.

"Cub, think very carefully about this." Remus pleaded. "Hogwarts has been an institution of learning for a very long time. Why would you close it?"

"Why the hell shouldn't I kick them out? It's not like any of them ever dealt with me fairly or even treated me with a little bit of consideration, sympathy, or even just plain old fashioned kindness. But let's forget about me for a minute and talk about the students that are there now...I can think of, maybe, a handful of students that I would consider being there for the right reasons. They are there to better themselves and to try to better the world around them." Harry paused and sighed deeply, "Moony, I've got all this information in my head that King Arthur rather painfully imparted to me, knowledge that is telling me that I should deal with all the purebloods in a very harsh manner because they all should have known who I am. That none of those supposedly noble families did anything to help me angers me." Harry growled. "A lot..."

Olivia reached over and grabbed Harry's chin, forcing him to look at her. "Harry, you cannot sink to their level. Be above them. Show yourself to be the better person. You are king of Camelot now and should set a higher standard of conduct. It would be too easy for you to become unforgiving with those that have wronged you. Please, you should wait until you can speak to Luna and Neville and hear their opinions. I think you might be surprised at what they have to say, annwyl."

Remus had noticed out of the corner of his eye that Derwyn was trying to contain his obvious delight at something that had been said. He caught his eye and raised a questioning brow. The old man leaned in to whisper in to his ear. "You heard the Lady Olivia address His Grace as annwyl?

"I take it that's meaningful in some way?"

"It means 'beloved' in Welsh." the man grinned. "Like Harry's slip of the tongue earlier, I'm certain she didn't even realize she'd said it. This is what amused me."

Remus, with a mischievous grin on his face, leaned over and told a curious Tonks what Derwyn had said. Like himself, Tonks was having a hard time trying to contain her laughter at the two young ones.

"...you say they'll be here sometime today?" Remus heard Harry ask Olivia.

"Dobby told them to be ready this morning for their journey. If we need to delay their arrival you can send him back with a note for them."

"No, I want them here with me. I'll need their help with all this." Harry replied after a moment's thought. "Lord Derwyn, it is my understanding that there are some buildings that could be used to open a new school?"

"There is, Your Grace, but do you really want to invite several dozen people into Camelot? I realize that they will be mostly children, but they could still be a security risk."

Olivia squeezed Harry's hand, "What are you thinking, Harry?"

"You know, when I got my letter to Hogwarts, I thought it was a joke. Magical school, I mean c'mon, seriously? But then I found myself standing on the platform at 9¾, I boarded the Express, made the trip to Hogsmeade, and crossed the Black Lake. As an eleven year old first year student, seeing Hogwarts from a small boat gliding across a lake...that was what was magical to me. That's' when it hit me that the magical world was real and that I was going to be a part of it. That excitement lasted about five minutes after I got off the boat and had the misfortune to run into Malfoy for the first time. There he was, spewing his hatred in front of everyone and no one did a thing to stop him. What the hell kind of first impression of wizarding society was that?"

"What are you getting at, cub?"

"What I'm getting at, Moony, is the muggleborn's."

"What about 'em, Harry?" Tonks asked.

"If they were anything like me, and I'm pretty sure they were, they were beyond overwhelmed at what they were seeing. But what happens when they get there? The world they've just discovered and are so delighted to become a part of, well, it turns out that it hates them. It hates them because they are the first in their families to have magic. I want to get the parents involved as well. What kind of ridiculous society expects to be separated from their children for nine months out of the year? And how amazed do you think they'd be if we invited them and their kids to Camelot for an education?

"Do they really do that, your Grace, leave their children like that?" a skeptical Derwyn asked.

"Oh, it gets better, Derwyn. Say you're a muggleborn who happens to be involved in an accident, the school won't even inform the parents that their kids been injured! The poor kid could be a knocking on deaths door and they wouldn't be notified of what was going on!" Harry replied angrily.

"That's barbaric!" Derwyn gasped.

"Look, guys, everyone here knows the catch phrase of the headmaster is 'Hogwarts is the safest place', yeah? Bollocks! I bet Beauxbaton never had a Dementor infestation or a dark lord masquerading as a professor. I think that opening a school here, in Camelot, where we have scores of armed personnel ready and willing to defend everyone is a much better option for the moment. A few years from now, once we take care of the Voldemort problem, we can take a hard look at reopening Hogwarts." Harry said. "We set up a strict code of conduct, violation of which will see you not only expelled but obliviated of any knowledge of Camelot. I'm also thinking that to begin with we only invite first years, maybe second years."

"Not the older students?" Tonks asked.

"Maybe...I haven't quite thought of them yet. Most of the problems I had with students came from the older students. And no, it wasn't just Slytherins. All houses belittled me, many of the professors condoned this behavior and I wouldn't be surprised if they actually encouraged it. Especially Sprout and Snape! Before anything though, and like Olivia suggested, I think I'd like to talk to Luna and Neville before I come to any decision."

"Okay, so first thing is a new school, what else have you got planned?" Remus asked cautiously.

Harry turned his attention to Derwyn, "Have the goblins made contact?"

"They have, Your Grace, and are extremely anxious to meet with you at your earliest convenience."

"Can I meet with them sometime this afternoon, maybe tomorrow morning?"

"Your Grace!" Pomfrey objected. "You are still not sufficiently recovered."

"I promise to take it easy, ma'am. I just want to talk to them, not fight them to the death. I will behave and I promise I'll even take any potions you put in front of me without complaint."

"Do not make any promises you cannot keep, Harry." Olivia chuckled. "I promise to stand at his side through it all, Healer Pomfrey. If he complains or appears fatigued, I will see him abed immediately."

Pomfrey glared at the young king, "Fine! But you will keep your promise of taking the potions I require you to take!"

"You will excuse me then, Your Grace, I must contact Gringotts. By your leave..." Derwyn said with a deep bow.

"Where's Hedwig?" Harry asked Olivia.

"She spent most of the night perched on your headboard. Once you'd awoken and knew you were okay she took off for a bit of flying." Olivia said, pointing at the large open windows. "Which reminds me, Dobby has brought your broom from school and I promised Hedwig you would go flying with her."

"I think I'd like that a lot, actually." he told her with a wide smile. "Thanks."

"Of course, Harry." she replied shyly.

"Now, I need to take a shower or whatever it is they do here in Camelot and then I need to go into the city." Harry stated. This seemed to be the cue for Dobby to pop in.

"If Master Lord King His Grace Your Majesty Harry Potter sir will follow me, I will take you to the bath." the overly eager elf said excitedly. Tonks and Remus were holding each other tightly, laughing their heads off after hearing the elf's greeting.

Harry raised his eyes to the heavens and shook his head, trying to ignore the laughing from his present company. "Why me?"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Diagon Alley, 1000 hours, June 24th, 1996

Natalie McDonald had always been a precocious child, with a curiosity and intelligence that her stressed parents had long tried to understand. It was this most gifted child that tugged on her mother's arm with some alarm. "Mom!"

"Not now, Natalie, Madam Malkin's is almost done measuring me. You're next, Nat, so you better behave, or so help me, no bedtime story tonight!"

"But, Mom, look!" Natalie shouted, running over to the exit that faced Diagon Alley and pressing her nose to glass-paned on the door. When the rumbling began, Deborah McDonald quickly searched for her child and breathed a sigh of relief. When the building started shaking, she ran over to Natalie and pulled her away from the door.

Deep cracks were appearing on the cobbled road just outside the shop. The witches and wizards that had been strolling along the cheery boulevard had moved away from the center of the street and were holding on as the rumbling and shaking got even more fierce.

"Mom, look!" Natalie urged. "There's a tree there! Mom, look, there's an oak tree there!"

Deborah inched her way carefully to the door and seeing no apparent danger opened the door. "Stay back, Nat."

She gazed upon the bole of the immense tree that seemed to be, even now, growing before her eyes. Deborah felt Natalie slam into her, but distracted as she was at the moment, she didn't even think of chastising her for disobeying her order to stay behind.

Natalie, her eyes wide in wonder, gasped at the newly reformed Diagon Alley. "They're back!" the child said excitedly, "He's back!"

"Natalie?" the young mother questioned.

The young witch rolled her eyes dramatically at the cluelessness of adults, "The Druids have returned, Mom, and if that is true then it means that the Pendragon has returned as well."

"What on earth are you on about, Nat?" the perplexed mother asked. "Is this something you read in that book 'Hogwarts: A History' that you can't seem to put down?"

Before she could get an answer from her daughter, Deborah was staggered to see one of the branches extend towards them. So stunned was she by the odd behavior, of a tree no less, that she stood stock-still in shock. The newly sprouted leaves gently caressed the cheek of her daughter, making Natalie giggle in happiness. The branch reached down toward her child's hand and placed an acorn in her palm, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Natalie said happily, jumping excitedly and clutching the treasure tightly to her chest.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Camelot, 1030 hours, June 24th, 1996

After a relaxing bath, Harry found himself being promptly dressed by what seemed an army of elves, all being directed by a commanding Dobby, who stood there giving orders like a field marshal. Giving himself the once over in the large mirror, he was forced to admit he looked pretty good. He was dressed entirely in black, from neck to toe. His dark breeches were tucked into highly polished boots and the jacket he wore over the maroon shirt was trimmed in gold piping. His eyes immediately found the rearing gold dragon that was embroidered over his heart. He traced a finger along the filigreed stitching, thinking he'd never seen or worn anything so fine.

The two guards outside the door he just stepped through immediately took a knee. He sighed and addressed them, "Guys, please stand up. There's really no need for all this kneeling."

The two men glanced at each other, with the older of the two shrugging his shoulders and standing. "I am Ewan, Your Majesty, and my companion is Phillip. We are your guards this morning."

"It's a pleasure to meet you two." Harry said, extending his hand. He saw the look of indecision on their faces and decided to pull his hand back. "We'll work on that..."

"Could either of you direct me to the Lady Olivia. I am to be escorted by her to the throne room...what is it?" he asked. The two knights seemed stunned, standing there wide-eyed, open-mouthed, and unable to speak. Harry turned to look and see what it was they were staring at.

Harry's jaw almost dropped to the floor when he caught sight of Olivia. She looked beautiful in a dark blue dress, her hair done up intricately, and she had on just a hint of makeup. He quickly found his voice, "Lady Olivia, you look amazing."

"You do not think it too much, Harry? Tonks put paint on my face," Olivia said with a grimace, "Something I have never seen the like of before and I worry that it will be too much and I..."

"Olivia, calm down, you look beautiful." he said honestly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." she blushed. "Shall we make our way to the throne room? I understand that the goblin monarch is awaiting your presence most impatiently."

"Well, c'mon then, let's not keep the Overlord waiting then." Harry said, extending a hand to her. "Lead the way, Lady Olivia."

With the biggest smile she'd ever worn, Olivia gratefully accepted Harry's hand. She had thought she would faint at the sight of him, he looking so spectacularly handsome. His attire of black really made his eyes stand out and those eyes were directing their emerald intensity at her, making her shiver delightedly. She gave him a teasing smile and wrapped her arm around his. "Are you ready, my Lord?"

Neither of them noticed the wide knowing smiles being worn by their grizzled guardian knights.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Harry felt rather awkward up on the dais, sitting on the throne and feeling not at all regal. Having Excalibur resting at his side helped a bit...but damn...this was going to take some getting used to. He'd tried to persuade Olivia to take the seat on his left, but she'd colored a rather adorable red and moved quickly to his right side. When Derwyn leaned in to whisper the reason why, a mischievous smile on his bearded face, Harry was certain he'd exceeded even her particular red shading by a country mile. Thankfully, the sound of the huge double doors opening drew everyone's attention from his embarrassment.

"Your Grace, may I present to you the Overlord of the Goblin Nation, His Majesty, King Ragnok Bloodaxe!" Derwyn said in a loud and clear voice.

The imposing looking goblin, bedecked in a burnished golden breastplate and sporting a menacing scowl, walked purposefully up to the dais. In a move that took the Royal Knights by surprise and had them with their hands reaching for their blades, Ragnok drew forth an enormous axe from his back and appeared seemingly ready to attack Harry. It surprised the young monarch when the goblin dropped to his knees before him.

Harry held up a hand to stay his men and gazed intently at the now kneeling goblin. Ragnok held his drawn axe out in the palms of his outstretched hands and genuflected deeply until his forehead was nearly touching the ground.

"Your Majesty, I come before you this day to offer my life to you for the grievous lack of support we were party to. No insult was intended, any disrespect was not deliberate, and we acknowledge that it was a monumental failure on our part to keep you and your parents safe. Our oaths to your family have been shattered and I offer you my life's blood in recompense for that failure, to see our pledges restored and our alliance saved."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa...what are you talking about?" Harry asked a bit heatedly, something that Olivia was able to soothe by gently placing a calming hand on his shoulder.

"For generations my people had hoped that a descendant of Pendragon would once again take up their throne. As Lord Godric asked of my ancestors, we have kept the secret of your bloodline for all this time, providing assistance when it was requested and even sometimes when it was not." the goblin said solemnly. "On the night of your parent's murder, I personally led a goblin war party to rescue you from the shell that remained of your home while another war party searched for your godfather..." this drew a loud gasp from Remus, who along with a shocked Tonks, was standing directly to the right of the dais. "It was thought by my war council and myself, rightly so as it turns out, that you would be kidnapped and spirited away to someplace where we could not intercede on your behalf."

"Your people were going to rescue me?" a bewildered Harry asked.

"We were indeed, Your Majesty." Ragnok answered gravely. "It was at the request of your parents that we bring you to Gringotts immediately if something tragic were to happen to them. We were to provide you with protection until such time as Lord Black was able to retrieve you himself, or, barring that, to see you placed with the family that had been determined by them that you should be raised by."

"Your Grace, if I may?" Remus asked. With a nod from Harry, the werewolf turned his attention to Ragnok. "Overlord, what happened when you arrived at Godric's Hollow that night?"

"His Majesty had already vanished, sir. It was that night that we discovered it was Rubeus Hagrid that had taken you, at the direction of the Hogwarts headmaster." the goblin replied. "We arrived just in time to see the man leave on an enchanted flying machine and to see Lord Black's canine form sprinting away."

"Ragnok, would you please stand? I'm getting a crick in my neck staring down at you like this." a curt nod from the goblin saw him stand, replacing his axe on the scabbard that crossed his back, and standing at what Harry thought looked very similar to a military parade rest. "Why do you think you've broken oath with me, Overlord? I don't understand?"

"Because we failed to do our duty to you personally, not once, but twice, Your Majesty."

Harry sighed deeply and rubbed his temple. "Would you care to explain why you think your people failed me, Overlord?"

"Do you perchance remember the young goblin that helped you down to your vaults on your first visit to our establishment, Your Majesty? His name is Griphook, and that day you came to Gringotts was the first day he'd worked within the bank, he having only just completed his training. He was wholly unaware of whom you were at the time or that we'd been searching endlessly for you since the night of your disappearance. He almost took his own life in shame after he found out about his failure to you. You were within the walls of Gringotts and, for the second time, we failed in our duty to see you safe."

"I hope he didn't follow through with that course of action?" Harry asked worriedly.

"He did not, but it was a close thing. He quit the banking section that same day and apprenticed himself to one of our blademasters. Since then, he has trained relentlessly, barely taking time for rest, all in an effort to redeem himself and his honor. It is his hope, Your Majesty, that you will allow him to take service with you as bodyguard."

"Something that we can discuss at a later date, I'm sure," Harry said with a frown. "Did you know, Lord Ragnok that that was the only time I was ever allowed to go to Gringotts? After that, Dumbledore gave Mrs. Weasley the key to my vault so that she could handle what money I needed and purchase my school supplies. What you're telling me is that I was deliberately kept away from Gringotts?"

Ragnok nodded, "Your Majesty, had you at any point in time, after your first visit, set foot in Gringotts, you would have immediately been brought to me. All those secrets that have been withheld from you would have been revealed, despite whatever threats Dumbledore made. I am sure the old wizard knew this and acted accordingly to place you beyond our reach."

It had not been many times in his long life that Derwyn was stunned or shocked, but the palpable anger that roiled off his young king in waves actually seemed to rattle the castle walls, making everyone near him take a very deliberate step back. Everyone, that is, except the elegant beauty that stood at his side.

"Peace, My Prince..." she murmured into his ear. "What troubles you so, my annwyl?"

"Dumbledore! This is all Dumbledore's doing, Liv. It's him that's been doing all of this to me, isn't it?" he said sadly.

She gathered his face in her hands, "I believe this to be true, I just do not know why."

"Overlord, was Dumbledore...I don't even know what to ask you...did Dumbledore..."

"If I may be permitted to continue my tale, Your Majesty, perhaps together we can glean an answer to your questions."

"Of course, forgive my outburst." Harry said, sitting himself back down.

"The day after your parent's murder, your godfather found himself in Azkaban for allegedly committing murder and aiding in the death of your parents. We were unable to get near him, at the order of Chief Warlock Dumbledore, Minister Bagnold, and the then head of the DMLE, one Bartemius Crouch. All this despite the fact that he'd hired our law division to represent him, we were still unable to get near him. Lord Black, for all intents and purposes, had relinquished his rights as your guardian the moment he was placed in his cell." Ragnok further explained.

"He never would have done that!" Remus stated angrily. "He loved Harry like his own son...he would have never..."

"And he did not, sir. Lord Black was silenced that night; he had his rights over Harry stripped from him and placed into the hands of the headmaster. Now, knowing that it had been Dumbledore that kidnapped Your Grace and assuming you were at Hogwarts, another war party was assembled to storm the castle."

Harry looked upon the warrior-king with a bit of admiration, "You were actually going to attack Hogwarts?"

"We are duty bound and loyal to your family, Your Majesty. My people and I thought you were in danger, so yes, we would have attacked Hades itself if it meant rescuing you."

"Forgive me, Overlord, a question if I may?" Derwyn asked, giving a nod of his head to Harry. "Why did the Nation not contact us? We could have helped. It would have been remarkably easy for a squad of knights to infiltrate Hogwarts."

"Lord Derwyn, this is the first time in almost a thousand years that a goblin has set foot in Camelot. Communication between our peoples has been very limited and we were under the impression that the people of Camelot were few in number and would not be able to help in any significant fashion. Seeing this..." Ragnok said, his arm gesturing around him, "I can only apologize, Lord Derwyn. Had we known you had the capability, we of course would have asked for your assistance."

"Your Majesty, just before an assault could be mounted we were visited by the headmaster. He told us, in no uncertain terms that you were far from harm and danger and that we would never find you despite our best effort to do so. Were we to attack Hogwarts, war would be declared against my people, a war that we would have almost no hope of winning." Ragnok looked truly embarrassed at that admission.

"Relax, Ragnok, I think I would have done the same thing. Risking the lives of your people over the life of one, even if that one was me, would have been a difficult choice to make even under the best of circumstances, agreed?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty, thank you for understanding." Ragnok said with a bow. "The reach of Gringotts is great in the magical world, not so much in the muggle. As I said before, the headmaster was smart to put you out of our reach in such a fashion. Hiding you in the muggle world meant that we would have no easy means to find you. A rather cunning move on his part, something I hate to admit."

"Excuse me Overlord, but you mentioned that Harry...sorry...that His Grace here was to have been put into the keeping of another family if Sirius wasn't able to care for him...who was that family?" Remus asked curiously.

"There is only one family extant that has ties to Camelot but who were not of the isles. They are aware that the line of Arthur continues but are not, I believe, aware that Harry Potter was the last of that line. Lord and Lady Potter had wished the Longbottom family to care for the young prince, but the danger of the time meant they needed to get His Majesty out of the country should the worst happen. Both sets of parents agreed that that would only compound the danger that both infants would be in were they to be raised together."

"Out of the country...really?" Harry asked, rather astounded at the steps his parents had apparently made to keep him safe from harm.

"It makes sense, Harry, as dangerous as Britain was at the time, your parents would have done anything to protect you, even if it meant getting you out of England as quickly as possible." Remus remarked.

"Your Majesty, it was specifically to France that we were meant to send you." Ragnok stated. "King Arthur's most trusted knight had, about a year prior to the Great Battle against Morgause, married a princess of the Royal House of Valois. Unbeknownst to him, she carried his child when he had to return to Britain to stand with his king in the upcoming battle with the Dark Lady. The princess was a strong woman and every bit as brave and honorable as her husband. She and her child came to Britain for a time, mostly to see to her husband's remains, but also to honor Arthur for having rid the world of the Dark Lady and her army. Morgause was already beginning to make her presence known in France before her defeat, which would likely have been her next target after destroying Camelot and securing Britain under her rule. The princess pledged her family's support, and through Queen Guinevere, established an alliance that still stands to this day."

"...who was the knight?" Olivia asked, fascinated by the tale.

"Lancelot du Lac, my Lady, was that knight. His descendants are still a very well placed and honorable family in French magical society. The head of the family is the current director of the French Auror Corps. I believe that Your Majesty is on friendly terms with at least one of his daughters, perhaps even both?"

"You've got to be kidding me?" Harry stammered once he understood what Ragnok was implying.

"Harry...dammit...Your Grace, who are you talking about?" Tonks asked the bewildered looking Harry.

"It's Fleur, isn't it? So if not with Sirius, then it was the Delacour's I should've been placed with as a baby? Dobby, do me favor, find Fleur and invite her to spend some time here? There's no real rush, but soon would be best I think." he shook his head and smiled when his elf vanished and he directed his attention once more to the Overlord.

"Can we get to how Dumbledore is the cause of everything that is wrong in my life? Oh, and would someone please bring the Overlord something to sit on?"

The Overlord chuckled and bowed to the knight that conjured him a comfortable seat, "Thank you, Your Majesty. To continue...after your visit to Gringotts and your subsequent journey to Hogwarts, the headmaster took certain precautions that would deny us the ability to contact you in any way. Wards were especially set up to monitor incoming mail from our bank, something that I imagine he did as well with the home of the people with whom you were residing with. We knew where you were, but could do nothing to contact you or help you."

"That's against the current ministry law, in case you didn't know it, Harry." Remus added.

Harry snorted, "Yeah, 'cuz Dumbledore is such a law abiding citizen that doing something illegal is completely out of character, right?"

Ragnok chuckled, "Knowing that we would have to wait until the opportunity presented itself to come to your aid, we instead took up investigating the man that most of this country so reveres. It was our intent to discredit him and in doing so, break his hold on you and bring you back to Gringotts. Your Majesty, it has come to our attention that you had acquired a certain orb from the Department of Mysteries, did you perhaps have a chance to hear what it contained?" Ragnok asked intently.

"Yes...although not from the orb directly as it was destroyed during the battle. The headmaster told me about it the same night, after he'd portkeyed me to his office...just a couple of hours after Sirius died, too...the bastard." Harry said sorrowfully.

"Harry, what's he talking about?" Remus asked with some concern.

With a nod from Harry, Ragnok addressed Remus, "Mr. Lupin, a prophecy was made some seventeen years ago..."

"Forgive the interruption, Overlord, but that is incorrect." Olivia said.

"Milady?" the goblin questioned.

"The prophecy you speak of dates back a lot further than that, My Lord. The prophecy was given to King Arthur by his court wizard, Merlin."

"So it was not the current Divination professor that gave Dumbledore this prophecy?" Ragnok asked.

"What are you saying, Olivia? That Trelawney made up the prophecy, or something?" Harry asked pointedly.

"No, not made up, as such. She may have read the prophecy at sometime in the past, or possibly did go into some sort of trance and just happened to channel those words, it could have even been Dumbledore himself that bespelled her to speak the prophecy to give the illusion that she herself spoke the words...however, it was from Merlin that the foretelling originates."

"I see...," the goblin king replied contemplatively. "Your Grace, Lady Olivia, are either of you familiar with a group that calls itself the 'Order of the Phoenix'?"

"Your Grace, I don't think you should you should mention..." Remus cautioned. Despite his having quit the Order, Remus did feel that keeping some of the more worthy member's safe warranted secrecy.

Harry turned to Remus and gazed at him intently with a lifted eyebrow. The old wolf gave a sigh and nodded. Having to follow the orders of a teenager was going to be very difficult!

"I am aware of its existence," Harry answered, "Beyond that it was founded by the headmaster during the last war and that they are supposedly on a mission to eliminate Voldemort, I know next to nothing about it."

"Your Grace...that is also, most certainly, not true." Olivia again interjected from Harry's side.

"What?" both Tonks and Remus exclaimed in surprise.

"I am familiar with the Order, milord, as it was Merlin who established that organization back in his time. It was a brother organization to the Knights of the Round Table, one established with scholars and druids as the primary members." Olivia replied knowingly, having attended a few meetings with her grandfather when she'd been a child.

"Something we soon discovered as well, milady." Ragnok acknowledged. "One of the last things that Merlin did was to make the Order responsible for the wellbeing and protection of the Pendragon bloodline. On the one hand you have Godric's instructions to my people to see to the safety of your family...on the other hand you have Merlin's Order, tasked with the same mission. One was kept from doing its duty...the other was subverted from doing its duty."

"Mr. Lupin," a scowling Ragnok said to the werewolf, "Are you not a member of this organization? Are you not as well, Auror Tonks?"

Remus was unsure how to answer, not Tonks though, as the question irked her. "We are, or rather, we were members. The leader, Dumbledore, has lost some of his support over the last few days because of the things he's done to Harry here. Remus and I both renounced the Order and quit, just yesterday actually."

"And was His Majesty's ancestry ever discussed?" Ragnok asked intently.

"Honestly, My Lord, this is the first time we've heard anything about Harry's...His Grace's heritage. I was close friends with his father and I can assure you that neither he nor Harry's grandfather ever gave any indication that they were aware of any of this." Remus replied candidly.

"There is a reason for that, you know?" Ragnok said leaning forward in his chair. "Allow me to continue my tale as I think you'll understand once it is all said."

"Sir, what do you mean?" Tonks asked curiously.

"The Order of the Phoenix, up until just after the Grindewald War, was an honorable organization as far as we could ascertain. They kept the Potter's safe and protected, as they had for the past millennia. It was also not unusual for the Order to set up the eldest son in marriage contracts with witches from all over the globe, something they did until your grandfather broke tradition and married a Black, a daughter from a family that even back then were considered fairly dark. Your father, Your Majesty, also bucked the same tradition and married you mother, who although low-born, was an immensely powerful witch and much loved by your grandparents for her intelligence and her obvious love of their son." Ragnok said and was a bit perplexed at the sight of an angered young king glaring at him. He realized his mistake.

"Forgive me, Your Grace, it was not my intention to insult your mother by calling her low-born, only to point out that she was not a member of the nobility." Ragnok quickly continued, bowing low.

Harry waved away the apology. "It's alright, Overlord, I heard 'mudblood' and not 'low-born'. It is something that upset me when I misheard it. It is I who apologizes to you. Please continue."

"We know that Dumbledore took over leadership of the Order a few years after he defeated Grindewald. As far as we could determine, for a few short years, the organization kept up its duties diligently and attentively under his guidance."

"When whispers warned of a rising Dark Lord, Voldemort as he came to be known, the Potters heavily warded their ancestral home and also garrisoned a battalion of goblin warriors within its boundaries. I was the commander of the garrison the night your father was born." Ragnok said merrily. "He was a very loud baby!"

"You knew my father as a baby?" Harry asked emotionally. He looked up at Olivia, who had squeezed his shoulder supportively. He gave her a small smile and raised his hand to his shoulder and took hold hers.

"I did indeed, Your Grace. He was a mischievous one from a very early age and he delighted in hiding away from us knowing full well that the entire garrison would be tasked with locating him." Remus snorted and laughed, while Tonks chuckled at his side.

"Figures that your dad would have had a bit of the Marauder in him from the start, huh?" Remus said with a look toward Harry. "Wait...something is not right..."

"Remus, what is it?" Harry asked curiously.

"Overlord, if you and your people were there, physically protecting the Potter's, am I to assume that they knew who they were? That they were indeed aware of their heritage?"

"Ah, I see you've spotted the conundrum, sir." the Overlord said. "Yes, they were indeed aware, and if I'm not mistaken, His Majesty's grandfather had become extremely disillusioned with the then current government. He was so appalled by the behavior and inaction of the Ministry to take care of its Dark Lord problem that it was discussed by many in the know, including my father, that the family should divulge its heritage to the world and once again seat a Pendragon on the throne of Camelot. This was something that Dumbledore objected to most strenuously. But something happened after that decision had been reached and just before the plan to elevate Charlus Potter to his kingship. Just before young James was set to start his first year at Hogwarts, the goblin garrison was ordered off the property by Lord Potter. We thought that we had offended in some way, but we were blocked at every turn from contacting the family and learning the reason for the change. Dumbledore assured us that his Order had taken up protection of the family in our absence and that he'd see to it that the line was protected while trying to convince your grandfather to once more allow us to fulfill our duties."

"Okay..." Harry said, confused. "How exactly were a few bumbling wizards from the Order going to better protect my family than a garrison of trained warriors?"

"That was one of our main objections as well. How could a few ill-trained wizards hope to stand against a Dark Lord?" the goblin leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply, sadness obvious in his face. "On Halloween night of 1978, Charlus and Dorea were murdered in their home. Whatever defenses Dumbledore had supposedly placed on the manor were hugely ineffective."

"A week after the funeral of your grandparents, the now Lord James came to Gringotts accompanied by the headmaster. His was a short visit. He never acknowledged my existence even though we'd been friendly for many years. They met with my father, spoke for a few minutes, and then left the bank. Lord James never set foot in our establishment again. Any instruction or transactions were carried out by owl or through intermediaries, mainly Dumbledore." the anger emanating from the goblin Overlord was almost palpable. "My father was most distraught over the assassination of your grandparents. Your Majesty, my father and your grandfather were great friends and had been for many years. That he'd been seemingly cast aside stung him deeply."

"Sensing that something was amiss, and against protocol, I snuck into the school and I was able to get your father alone for a few minutes while he was flying unaccompanied at the quidditch pitch. He did not know who I was...he didn't remember me at all." Ragnok said unhappily. "And no matter what I told him, he disbelieved everything I tried to tell him. He insisted that we call for Dumbledore a number of times during our conversation. I knew then that something had changed in the young man I once knew. He'd been made to forget his heritage."

"It is my belief that sometime before the beginning of your father's schooling, Dumbledore altered the memories of your father, grandfather, and grandmother. It is also my belief that it was during this time that Dumbledore implemented his plan to change the course of our world. He is a narcissist of the highest order and I have no doubt that he believed that removing the legacy of Pendragon and Potter from the knowledge of everyone in society would somehow further what plans he'd devised." Ragnok continued.

"He means to take Camelot for himself, doesn't he?" Remus exploded. "Harry, he means to end the Pendragon line and establish himself as the next Arthur..."

"...and as the new Merlin, I would also surmise." Olivia interrupted. "He wishes to be ruler and the paramount wizard in the world. He wants to mould Camelot and the magical people of the Britannia into his own vision of perfection."

"And here I thought Voldemort was the lunatic!" Harry mumbled unhappily as he thought through the revelations he'd heard so far. "Lord Derwyn, would someone not of Pendragon blood be able to take the throne?"

"No, Your Grace, indeed not. You are the last of the line." Derwyn replied.

"...as far as we know..." Harry said.

"Your Grace?" Derwyn asked confusedly.

"Olivia, didn't you say that Morgause was somehow related to Arthur and Uther?" Harry asked intently.

"Yes I did, Your Grace, but...oh, I see. You think that perhaps since she was kin, one of her descendants might be able to claim the throne should sometime happen to you?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it? It may not be him that is directly related to Morgause, but maybe he knows who is."

"I find it rather difficult to believe that Morgause had a child, Your Grace." Derwyn interjected.

"And perhaps she did not, Lord Derwyn, but it does make some sense. Especially when you think about all the times that His Grace here has been in mortal danger. One misstep on his part, an ounce of luck less and, well, Harry might not be with us anymore." Remus said. "Lord Ragnok, you mentioned that Harry's grandfather had given thought to retake the throne...I imagine then that there are people out there that know about the Potter and their heritage?"

"There are, Mr. Lupin. Most of the Ancient families were aware of this fact. Excluding the Dark aligned families most of Ancient Houses were very loyal to your family." With a sigh, Ragnok looked toward Harry. "Your Majesty, we've have also gathered evidence that the man has done much harm to most of the Great Houses of the land."

"What do you mean?" Harry queried.

"Soon after the death of your parents, an audit was conducted on the Potter vaults. During our investigation, one of our curse breakers came across the Potter Grimoire. Now, not being a Potter, he could obviously not open it, but he didn't have to. Upon the book itself were cast a series of charms and enchantments that should not have been there." Ragnok said. "The spells were designed to repel anyone from wanting to open or read them."

"Some sort of aversion charms?" Remus asked.

"Indeed, sir. So, it is our theory that Dumbledore visited each of the Ancient families and obliviated them into forgetting their duty to you and to your family. At the same time he tampered with the books on family history so that those families would be unable to stumble upon the information. Obliviating those he needed to forget would have been something that he could easily have done while holding the position of Chief Warlock. A summons to a Head of House to his ministerial office would not be something that would have been looked upon as suspicious by those same Heads of House, as meetings between Wizengamot members and the office of Chief Warlock take place with regularity."

"All the families were subjected to this?" Remus asked, appalled at the suggestion that someone would interfere with families in this manner.

"As far as we can tell, yes; most, if not all of the families were meddled with in some way." Ragnok said.

Remus had a reflective look on his face, seemingly thinking deeply while rubbing his chin with the back of his hand. His eyes then shot up and he looked at Harry. "Sirius?"

"I'd wondered when you'd ask about Lord Black. Upon his death, we did indeed have the chance to inspect the Black book." Ragnok answered.

"And it was cursed too, wasn't it?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty. However, the enchantments on the Black book were a recent thing. The Curse Breakers determined that the enchantments had only been placed there in the last two or three years."

"I bet my magic that they were there the day after Sirius escaped from Azkaban!" Moony growled.

"He never read the book, did he Moony?" Harry asked in a soft voice.

"No, I don't think so, cub. But, I think it was because he hated what his name represented and he didn't want to know anything about them. He all but hated his family, with but two lovely exceptions." Remus answered, giving Tonks a wink. "He loved his cousin and her quirky daughter immensely."

"And we loved him." Tonks replied sadly.

"Before his death," Ragnok continued in his gravelly voice, "My father questioned what Lords and Ladies he could, at least those who happened to stop by the bank. Conversations were held where he would casually drop references to your family, or Arthur, even Camelot. Not a one of them he spoke to remembered, and we're talking about some of the most ardent and loyal subjects that your family has had for generations. They'd simply forgotten who you and your family were. It also came as no surprise to him that the supporters of the current Dark Lord would become infuriated at so much as a mention of your name. It was one of those bastards that cut my father down when he made mention of the Pendragon legacy."

"The man's head decorated the front of the bank the next morning. My people mourned, as we lost a great leader. I have, reluctantly, taken his place." Harry thoroughly understood the look of loss and sadness worn by the goblin king.

"So it's not just wizards and muggles that have lost parents to those bastards?" Harry growled angrily. "You have my condolences, Overlord, at the loss of your father. I hope that together we can eradicate the infestation of Voldemort and his followers?"

Ragnok stood and bowed deeply to Harry, "It would be an honor to go into battle alongside the Pendragon, Your Majesty."

Harry stood from the throne and began pacing across the dais, his mood contemplative. "I'm beginning to wonder if it was actually Voldemort that killed my parents..."

"Harry, do you really think Dumbledore capable of such a thing?" Remus asked, horrified at the implication. Despite what he'd been hearing about the man, it was hard to see the great Albus Dumbledore as anything other than a good and thoughtful man.

"Moony, I'm sure it was Voldemort that killed Mom and Dad; I have the damned memories of the incident thanks to the Dementors." Harry said with a heavy sigh. "It's just that after everything we've heard regarding the man, do you think it at all feasible that Dumbledore manipulated..."

Remus nodded sadly, "It's more than feasible, Harry. The more I think about it, the more I think James and Lily were set up as sacrifices, as were you, although you were damn lucky to survive."

"Lucky?" Harry snorted. The squeeze on his shoulders dragged him out of his growing temper. He looked up into the deep blue eyes that held unshed tears in them. He grabbed Olivia's hand and gently kissed her knuckles. "Thank you."

"Of course, Your Grace." a flushing Olivia replied.

"Lord Ragnok, would it be alright if we took a bit of a break. I think my head is about ready to explode and I am also half tempted to go find the headmaster and shove Excalibur up his bony and wrinkled a..."

The slight popping sound drew Harry's attention away from the goblin. He saw Dobby whispering to Olivia and he raised a curious eyebrow.

"Your friends have arrived, Your Grace." Olivia said with a big smile.

"Would you mind greeting them? I'll be there soon, or as soon as I can get myself out of this. I think I've heard enough about Dumbledore to last me a good long while. If it's not too much trouble, take them to the Round Table room and I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Of course, Your Grace." she said with an extravagant curtsy and a teasing smile.

"I thought I told you to stop doing that, Liv? Just for that, you're going flying with me later!" he chuckled seeing her face lose all its color.

Olivia looked slightly green, "Of course, Your Grace, I would be delighted. You will excuse me. Overlord, a pleasure meeting you and I do hope we can meet again when the topic is not so grim. By your leave, Your Grace."

Harry watched Olivia's retreating form and smiled before turning his attention back to the goblin Overlord. "Alright, Ragnok, how about we discuss something a bit less depressing: Galleons! I have some plans and it looks like I may need a lot of them."

Ragnok's toothy grin might, to anyone not a goblin, look truly disturbing. It was the excitement shining in his eyes though that gave away that he was anything but trying to be intimidating. "How may Gringotts be of service to you and to Camelot, Your Majesty?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Carpathian Dragon Preserve, Romania, 1145 hours, June 25th, 1996 AD

On a lone peak top deep in the Carpathian mountain range, a dragon awoke from its long slumber. Its golden skin glittered under the intense light as it exited its cavern. Lifting its head into the air it roared, spewing superheated flames that lit up the sky even more brightly than the early afternoon sun.

It had been centuries since he'd left his cave, centuries during which he'd slept and dreamed of glorious battle and the glory of victory over an implacable and evil foe. The time for sleep was over. The Pendragon had retaken his rightful place as leader against the forces of the reawakened Dark. It was time once again to take to battle.

~ Arthur's heir is crowned. ~ the dragon roared triumphantly.

Spreading its enormous wings, the mammoth being took flight. It roared loudly, causing the dragons in the valley far below him to look up in wonder at a dragon from legend. The Golden One had awoken!

"Bloody hell!" the redheaded man cursed when he looked up into the skies. "Did you guys see the size of that bloody thing?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1200 hours, June 25th, 1996 AD

"You will wait here for mistress." Dobby ordered after he'd brought Luna and Neville into the grand atrium before popping away again. Trying to get their bearings, Luna and Neville marveled at the hustle and bustle that was going on around them. The denizens of Camelot scurried about the castle, all of them with looks of intense purpose to comply with the wishes of their newly crowned king.

Luna was stunned by the beauty of the place. She scurried over to a large window and gazed out to the wide valley. Looking down towards the town that splayed before her, she gasped in amazement at the number of people that she could see, all of them citizens of this kingdom.

She turned and chuckled when she saw that Neville seemed frozen in place before casting her gaze around the large atrium. Bright and beautiful tapestries covered the walls, each depicting the gallant deeds of heroic knights. Shields and armor were also displayed, all polished until they gleamed. If she didn't know any better, she would think she'd stepped into a museum.

When she started noticing the people she was a bit surprised that is was not only witches and wizards that made up to population of the castle, something she soon discovered when she accidentally walked into the flank of a centaur! "My apologies, sir", she mumbled, the centaur looked down upon her arrogantly before giving her a big smile and a wink before trotting away. "It's quite alright, Miss!" the centaur called out behind his back and before he was out of earshot.

The goblin that passed by her hurriedly, carrying what seemed to be a mountain of ledgers, had nearly knocked her over were it not for the quick hands of her boyfriend, who'd seemingly come out of his daze in time to save her from spilling onto the floor. Luna, who was usually so very calm and collected, was bouncing with joy in his arms. "We're in Camelot, Neville, we're in Camelot!"

Neville's mouth was moving but no words were coming out, all he could do was nod at his girlfriend. He looked around, not believing what he was seeing with his own eyes. "Luna, I think we're in Camelot."

She giggled delightedly at his obvious astonishment. "I wonder where Harry is."

"He is otherwise engaged at the moment, Mistress Lovegood." a voice said from behind them.

Luna turned and her eyes widened in surprise when she got a good look at the young lady stood before her. She exuded calm nobility, a regal demeanor that demanded respect. And she was stunningly beautiful as well, Luna thought, as did Neville if his twitterpated looks were any indication. Trying to remember some of the lesson her mom had given her, she curtsied awkwardly. "Luna Lovegood, milady, but you seem to know that already?"

"Aye, I do, my Lord has spoken affectionately of the sister of his heart." she said to her while Luna tried to contain her blush. "Heir Longbottom, a pleasure it is to meet you as well." Neville, having actually been educated in this sort of thing, gave an extravagant bow that made Luna snicker. Her boyfriend had seemingly come out of his besotted state, thankfully, before she had to hex him something fierce.

"We are all trying to be less formal, Miss Lovegood, as our Lord King actually seems to prefer it that way." the tall blonde told her with a smile. "Please, call me Olivia."

"Where's Harry?" Neville asked with some daring, Olivia quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"Forgive him, Olivia, he's just really worried about our Harry." Luna told her.

"It is quite alright, Master Longbottom. Harry is well, but as I have said, he is at the moment occupied. But, if it will ease your minds a bit, I will take you to where he will meet us after his present engagement is concluded." Olivia said. "Dobby, will you please have rooms set up for His Grace's guests?"

"Of course, milady, I will see to it immediately." he replied.

"Willa?" Olivia called out once again.

"My Lady Olivia calls Willa?"

"I think we'll have an informal dinner this evening. Someplace intimate where my Lord can have some privacy with his guests, perhaps in the queen's private dining room if you think that would be alright?" Olivia asked.

"I will see to it immediately, milady. Will it be six for dinner this evening?"

"I believe so, Willa." Olivia said, smiling kindly at the eager little elf.

"It will be as you command, milady!" Willa said before popping away.

"Come, you two, let us go to Harry." she said, turning on her heels and striding down one of the halls. Luna was a bit curious about the fact that all the people they passed would stop in their tracks and bow respectfully to Olivia.

"Olivia?" Luna stuttered. "Who are you exactly?"

"Formally, I suppose, I am the Lady Olivia Emrys. Informally, especially to my friends, I am Liv." she replied kindly. "I hope to be that to you both in the near future. My Lord cares for you two very much." she chuckled when the two blushed brightly.

"Wasn't the Emrys family declared extinct...ow, what the hell was that for?" Neville stopped midsentence when the poke in the ribs from his girlfriend interrupted him.

"Give her a chance to explain, Neville." Luna said. "I'm sure it's going to be a fascinating story."

"You know, people are going to lose it when they learn of this, Lady Olivia?" Neville stuttered while rubbing his sore ribs. "Aside from the Pendragons and the Founders, no other family was thought of as highly as was yours."

"Quite possibly Neville, though it is not something I care to think about of the moment." Olivia shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "We have larger concerns."

The two followed behind the blonde, their heads on swivels as they took in the castle. A few minutes later saw the trio standing before an enormous pair of double doors.

"Harry thought you would both find this room especially interesting." Olivia said, directing them to the double doors that seemed to open as she approached.

"Is that...is that really...no...that couldn't possibly be..." Neville sputtered incoherently.

"Sweet Selene, it's the Round Table." Luna said reverently. She held tighter to Neville's hand and pulled him deeper into a room that had only existed as legend before she saw it for herself with her own eyes that it was all too real. She hesitated a moment, but finally rested a hand on the highly burnished table. She could almost feel the history pulsing through her, the memory of noble deeds and of knights of unassailable principle and nobility.

"Neville, it might interest you to know that one of your ancestors sat at this very table." Neville whipped his head around to stare in shock at Olivia. "This seat here once belonged to Hywel Longbottom. Perhaps, in time, another Longbottom will grace Camelot with the same bravery and honor his forebear did?"

Neville looked upon the seat with tears in his eyes, "How could I not know any of this? Why would Gran keep this from me?"

"Something that we will get to the bottom of, Nev." a familiar voice sounded from behind the teary-eyed boy.

"Harry!" Luna squealed, launching herself at him for a hug. She'd almost crashed into his open arms when she saw the glint of the golden coronet he wore on his brow. She stopped suddenly and stood stock still in front of him, her eyes open wider than they usually were and she took a knee before him with her head inclined. "Your Majesty, I am pleased to see you well. I would ask to be allowed to renew my family vows of fealty and pledge an oath of loyalty to you..."

Harry frowned at her and looked to Neville. "Did you guys rehearse this or something?"

"Nah, this is all her. You know how she gets." Neville answered with a smile. "I told her you'd hate all this protocol shite and I guess she wasn't listening to me. Typically Luna if you ask me."

A finger raised her chin and forced her to look at two burning green eyes that were glowing with tender affection and mirth. "This is the last time you will ever take a knee before me, Luna. I certainly don't need you or Neville to give me loyalty oaths..."

"Forgive me, your Majesty, but they both must give you oath. Failing to do so to the newly crowned king could have consequences against their families that we could not anticipate." Olivia interrupted.

"She's right, Harry." Neville added before Harry could object.

Harry looked at the still kneeling Luna and gave her an impish smile. "Do you solemnly swear to kick my butt if I'm being thickheaded...do you also promise to laugh at all my jokes, regardless of how stupid they may be...will you pledge yourself to come flying with me once in a while, because I know you love doing that almost as much as I do...will you give your word of honor to stand by my side as my sister for the rest of my life, Luna Lovegood?"

Luna didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or smack him one. "I do so swear, your Majesty."

"Then arise, Sir Luna... you know, that just doesn't sound right, does it? Lady Olivia, what do you think? Can I make her a princess or something?" Harry asked with a mischievous grin.

"I do not know if 'honorary sister' comes with a title, Your Grace." she replied, herself sporting a playful grin. "But it is something that I can certainly look into."

"You big, oafish, prat!' Luna yelled before she launched herself into Harry's waiting arms and cried her eyes out. "I was so worried about you! Don't ever do that to me again! You should've let me know that you were okay!"

"I'm really sorry, Luna, I promise I won't leave you like that again." Harry said emotionally. "Damn, I've missed you!"

This caused Luna to cry even harder and she embraced him all that much tighter to herself.

"Harry?" Neville said hesitantly before he too found himself holding onto Harry. He took a step back and held his friends shoulders, "Doesn't look like that bastard Snape did too much damage to you."

Olivia snorted, "Arm broken in three places, four ribs practically cracked in half and contusions to most of his chest and left side..."

Luna, having stepped back to allow Neville to greet their friend, took Harry by the shoulders herself, all in an effort to determine for her own peace of mind that he was indeed alright. She looked appraisingly at him, noticing that he'd seemed to have had a growth spurt, as he was now almost at eye level with her almost six foot tall boyfriend. His glasses were missing too. She gazed up into his eyes and almost lost herself in their depth. Luna could actually see magic swirling in his eyes! "What really happened, Harry?"

"Sit." Harry said with a wave of his hand. Luna and Neville looked at him as though he were crazy; didn't he realize that he'd just asked them to sit at the Round Table? The small smile that Olivia wore made them understand that she knew, even though Harry might not.

"What?" Harry asked a bit annoyed.

The couple glanced back at the table and then back at Harry. The new king of Camelot just rolled his eyes, "They're just chairs, guys. Sit down...please?"

Over the course of a few minutes, Harry had outlined what had happened the night that Snape attacked him. Harry wasn't at all surprised to learn from Neville that the headmaster and the repulsive greasy git had seemingly retold the story in such a way that Snape now appeared a hero defending younger students from a rampaging and near dark Harry Potter, a Harry Potter that had attacked him with the most evil spells ever uttered within the walls of Hogwarts. "Figures," Harry snorted. "Not that it was unexpected, I suppose."

Harry turned to Luna and gazed at her intently, "Olivia here seems to think that you would be working behind the scenes, as it were, trying to find out what the heck is going on out there."

"She's not wrong." Neville agreed. "We had a visit a few days ago from Susan Bones."

"You remember Susan, don't you Harry?" Luna asked, seeing the frown on his face.

"I do, nice girl, if a little shy. I thought we had a chance to be friends during the DA...guess that didn't work out to well, did it? She's nice, but, she's also someone who should've..." Harry started angrily.

"She didn't know, Harry." Luna answered quickly trying to defuse what she was sure would be a Potter explosion. "None of them knew, Neville didn't know, I didn't know..."

"It was Susan's aunt, Amelia, who got her to read her family history. To say that she was mortified by her behavior toward you would be putting it mildly." Neville added.

"Amelia Bones...she's like the head of some department at the ministry, right?"

"Yup, the department that deals with law enforcement. Didn't you tell me it was she that helped you out during your trial?"

"That was her? Huh. She seemed alright, I suppose."

"Madam Bones has been investigating your disappearance from the school and looking into Snape. She doesn't believe that greasy git when he said that you attacked him...but with Dumbledore backing him up, there's really not much she can do."

"How is it that that old bastard gets away with so much?" he asked, sighing deeply. "I've learned some things about the venerable Albus Dumbledore that make me want to go back to Hogwarts this very minute and give that ridiculous beard of his a trim with Excalibur. How was he able to micro-manage my life? How could he get away with that? And to find out that people I thought of as friends weren't..."

"Harry, there's a reason that you didn't make more than a few friends while you were in school..." Neville added.

"Do I want to know?" Harry groaned.

Luna took Harry's hand in hers, "It became rather obvious after we'd spoken to Susan and a few others that they had all been kept from you, Harry...on purpose."

Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously, "What do you mean kept away on purpose?"

"From what we could gather, Susan and a lot of the other children of the Great Houses tried to get close to you." Neville stated calmly. "But..."

"...Granger and those two Weasleys stood in their way. They did all in their power to keep them as far away from you as possible. They implied to everyone that you wanted nothing to do with them, so they gave up trying after a while."

A clearly angered Harry stood abruptly, startling Luna. He began to pace, walking around the large circular table that was at the center of the room they were in. Luna was about to go to him when he felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not, at least not yet." Olivia whispered. "Let him work through this. That those he considered his friends and family have been betraying since he met them will take some reflection."

"Do you know why, Olivia? Why would they do that?" Luna asked.

"I do not know, Luna." she replied unhappily. "At least not yet, but hopefully we will soon enough."

Luna glanced up at the face of the attractive blonde girl and gasped when she saw the obvious look of affection and tenderness on her features she was directing toward her adoptive brother. "How is it that you care for him so deeply, Olivia? How does that happen over the course of just a few days?"

With a slight blush, Olivia glanced down at the sitting Luna. "I suppose it would be puzzling to you, I know. Sit, please, and I will tell you my tale."

"Neville, we girls are going to talk for a few minutes. You mind keeping an eye on Harry?"

"Of course not." he replied, leaning over and kissing her on the forehead. "I'll go to him now. Call out if you need anything."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Harry came out of his stupor when Neville placed a hand on his shoulder. "You okay there, Harry?"

"I'll be fine, Nev, just feeling a bit overwhelmed. Hey, did Olivia show you the Longbottom seat?" Harry asked, making his way toward the table. He circled around it, running his hand over the chair backs. He looked up at his friend, who nodded at him sadly. "Apparently, old Hywel here was one of the last men to fall during the Great Battle. He died protecting Arthur. He and Arthur stood back to back against an enemy fiercer and far greater in number. They fought together for hours until Hywel finally perished doing what he'd sworn to do: give his life protecting his king."

Harry held his gaze with his penetrating gaze and asked intently. "Will a Longbottom stand with his king once again? Will Neville Longbottom have my back like his ancestor had my ancestors back?"

This was no idle question, Neville knew, especially with the intense 'Potter stare' directed at him. "Last night, I had the biggest fight of my young life with my grandmother. Susan Bones, like Luna mentioned, had come to visit us and explain some things that her aunt had found out while she'd been investigating your disappearance. She mentioned her family history book, which made me think of the Longbottom book, something that in my entire life I've never wanted to read. Luna actually had to stand next to me and force me to open the damned thing! But with her help I did...and I found myself very angered by my grandmother's behavior."

"Why, Nev?"

"Because she was apparently very close to your grandparents, Harry, and I got the sense that she's known all along about the Potter's...about all of this" Neville replied sadly. "I all but disowned myself when I realized that. She bloody knew! And she said and did nothing! I told her how shitty your life was, how we should have offered you sanctuary, but she'd hear nothing of it! All she could do was prattle on about how Dumbledore knew what he was doing."

"I see..."

"No, you don't see, Harry! My grandmother spouts on endlessly about family honor, she'd go on and on about how I was a disgrace to the Longbottom name because I hadn't yet lived up to my father's legacy."

"Kind of a lot of expectation to put on a kid, don't you think?" Harry frowned.

"I do now, thanks to Luna, but before her I felt like a complete loser because I thought all the stuff my grandmother would berate me for was true. I could never be my father, Harry. He was, by all accounts, the greatest Auror of his generation. But Luna, after slapping me upside the head a few times, managed to convince me that while I am my father's son, there is no need for me to be my father. I will honor the Longbottom name in my own manner."

"That's all we can do, mate."

"So anyways, once I got into reading the book I was amazed at the history of my family. Did you know that the Potter's and the Longbottom's have been close since the time of the first Pendragon and Longbottom? Apparently, Harrison, your many times great-grandfather, and Rhys, my great-grandfather, were best friends. For some odd reason, it always worked out that the Potter's and Longbottoms always had kids around the same time, and those kids would be raised together to make sure that the friendship and alliance continued."

"So we should have been raised together then, huh? You know, the goblin Overlord stopped by and told me that your parents and mine had already made plans to raise us together, but because of the war and what happened to our parents, that never happened." Harry said sadly.

"I'm glad we still became friends, Harry." Neville said sincerely.

"Me too, Nev," Harry replied emotionally. "Me too."

"And Harry, this is one Longbottom that will stand at his king's side for as long as he'll have me."

"I know that, Neville. We'll do the oath thing later, yeah? It's going to take me a while to get used to all these duties that have been inflicted on me." Harry chuckled.

"Well, in that case, let's change the subject. Do you want to tell me anything about the gorgeous blonde that seems to be completely smitten with you?" Neville asked with a grin.

"Smitten? You think?" Harry wondered casting another furtive glance toward Olivia.

"Mate, seriously, the girl is completely head over heels for you!"

"Really?"

Neville shook his head and sniggered. "Clueless, just like I was, completely and absolutely clueless. How'd you two meet, anyway?"

"I met her at Hogwarts." Harry answered. "It was just after Snape attacked me. I had a horrible night, what with the broken arm and all, but when I woke up Dobby was there and he introduced me to the Ravenclaw ghost, the one everyone calls the Gray Lady. It was she that took me farther into an older section of the castle where we went..."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"That is quite possibly the most romantic story I've ever heard." Luna sighed. "And the story, technically, has only just begun."

"I do not know that I would go that far, Luna, but it is a good story." Olivia said with a blush. "You should have seen his face when I threw myself at him after I had come out of my sleep. The fondest wish of my childhood had come true: I was with Harry. He looked scared and happy at the same time. Although, given the state of his arm, it could have just been pain I saw."

Luna laughed heartily. "Imagine when the time comes and you are able to tell your grandkids the story about how you two met..."

"Grandkids?" Olivia squeaked.

"Oh, please! You two will be married in a few months...a year, tops!"

"Married?" Olivia said breathlessly. "I am not so sure about that, Luna. I do not think he sees me in that fashion...why are you laughing?"

"Do you have any idea that amount of times he's glanced in your direction since we've started speaking? A lot, let me tell you. And those glances he's directing this way are nothing if not adoring." Luna explained. "Trust me on this, Liv; I've got a knack for seeing true love."

"Like you and Neville?" Olivia asked.

"Exactly like me and Neville." Luna said glancing over at the object of her own affection. "I once thought that I had a connection to Harry, and I do, it just wasn't the link I thought it was. He loves me, I know that with certainty, but it's the love of a brother for his sister. And I feel just as strongly for him. "

"Are you saying that he and I have this connection?" Olivia frowned.

"You do, it's a bit weak at the moment, but it is there." she giggled.

"Oh..." Olivia sighed contentedly. "I wonder if my grandfather suspected this would happen between us."

"I suppose you can't rule it out. But, if Merlin himself thought you two would and should be together...well, that's gotta count for something, don't you think?"

"What say you we gather the boys and head out for a bit of exploring? I think Harry would very much like to get to look around. I promised to go flying with him."

"I think that's a lovely idea. Let's do it!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"I think the girls are planning something..." Neville said knowingly, casting a sidelong glance at the two giggling blondes.

"How can you tell?" Harry said, glancing in the direction of the laughter.

"Luna's got that look on her face..."

"Oh, yeah, I see it too. You know, she had that same look on her face when she convinced me to jump into the Black Lake in the middle of winter." Harry said with a slight frown.

Neville roared with laughter, "Why the hell would you do something like that?"

"Like I said, she convinced me. At the time it seemed reasonable, you know, I didn't know how to swim and the lake was right there, and I did after all need to know how to swim what with the second task...dammit...she pranked me, didn't she?" Harry muttered in realization.

"You think, O Mighty Tri-Wizard Champion?" Neville said holding his ribs while he cackled in glee.

"Well, I suppose I should get her back for that, shouldn't I?" Harry said, grinning mischievously.

"Not a word, Harry, I don't want to know anything about what you've got planned for my girlfriend. Plausible deniability is going to be my very close friend if you two get into a prank war."

"Coward..."

"Don't even start, Harry!" Neville griped. "She's way scarier than you! Plus...you know...kisses..."

"C'mon then, I guess we should see what the two of them have planned, yeah?" Harry said, standing from his seat.

"Harry, mate, Olivia seems a wonderful girl."

"I know." Harry said with a faint smile. "She's been nothing but caring and supportive of me since she woke up. It's almost as though I've been...I don't know...like I've been..."

"...waiting on her your whole life, perhaps?" Neville asked knowingly, looking with affection at Luna. "So, Your Majesty, what are you going to do about it then, hmm?"

"You know, I have just the thing. I had Dobby stop by Diagon and pick me up a broom for Luna. What say you and I take the girls for a fly?"

"Harry..." Neville moaned. "I hate flying..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, 1630 hours, June 24th, 1996 AD

"Harry, I'm going to take Neville back to the castle. He's starting to look a little green around the edges and I'd rather he not puke on me!" Luna said with a smile when she'd pulled her broom next to his. "He may not want to ride with me ever again by the look of him."

Harry tilted his head and took a good look at his nauseous looking friend. "Go, Luna, we'll be back in a bit. I just want to fly over to the lake. Ask Dobby to take you to your rooms and ask for Willa if you need anything."

"Will do, Your Grace!" she laughed. Luna looked directly at Olivia and gave her a suggestive nod of her head towards Harry. With that, the little blonde had peeled away and were heading away toward the keep.

"She really does like to fly, doesn't she?" Harry said with a look at the girl riding behind him. "You think she liked her gift? I know it's just a broom..."

"Reuniting with you made her beyond happy. Having Dobby to go get her a new broom has Luna on top of the world, I should think. I feel sorry for poor Neville, though, he certainly did not look well."

"No, he didn't." Harry laughed. "Are you doing alright, Liv? We can head back too if you'd like."

"As long as we do no more dives or loops, I will be perfectly content." she quickly replied. The last thing she wanted to do was give him the impression that she didn't like to fly. While apprehensive at first, she had come to quite enjoy it and she really liked wrapping her arms around Harry. She thought it quite odd that she'd allowed herself to be taken up on his broom like this, her usual aversion to heights having all but vanished when he'd reached out his hand to help her sit behind him. Olivia also giggled when a stray thought of a conversation she'd had with her grandfather came to mind. Harry did indeed smell infinitely more pleasant than that pig of a son of the Lord Brickenden.

"What are you laughing at?" Harry asked, turning to face her.

"Oh, nothing really, I suppose I was just thinking that flying is not as bad as I thought it would be. I find that I am quite enjoying it, though it may just be the company." she said with a faint blush.

"I was hoping you'd like doing this. Flying is one of the few things from my life at Hogwarts that I would have really missed. That you've at least indulged me..."

"I will go flying with you any time you ask, annwyl. So long as there is no craziness involved."

"No craziness, I promise...unless you ask for it?" he said with a roguish smile that quite melted her heart.

"I will most certainly not ask for you to fly like a madman when I am riding with you!" she huffed. "Set us down by the lake, Harry, I think I would enjoy stretching my legs for a bit. Even with the cushioning charms, this can get uncomfortable after a while."

Harry gave her a nod and steered them down toward the large lake. The gentle glide ended with a soft landing where Harry offered Olivia his arm to help her dismount. "Dobby?"

"Yes, Master Harry sir?"

"Did Neville and Luna make it back to the castle okay?"

"Yes, Master Harry sir. Mister Neville is having head in bucket. Miss Luna is laughing. I call Healer Pomfrey." Dobby explained.

Harry chuckled and gave Dobby a smile. "I think the Lady Olivia and I will walk for a bit before heading back to Camelot, Dobby. Would you mind taking my broom back to my quarters?"

"Dobby will do. Lady Olivia, Willa be saying that dinner is set for seven thirty. Willa said to not be late."

"Thank you, Dobby. Tell Willa we will both be there on time." Olivia smiled gratefully at the little being. Dobby gave them a deep bow before he popped away. "He is very devoted to you."

"And he has been ever since I freed him." Harry explained.

"You know also that Neville and Luna are just as loyal, as are Remus and Tonks?" Olivia stated. She'd happened to be looking in his direction when she caught the slight look of pain that gone as quickly as it had appeared. "But you miss the other three, the ones you believed to be your friends?"

"I do. It's difficult to explain, but despite what they've done, I can't help but think about how close we were those years. It may have all been a charade, but it's hard to let that go." Harry said sadly.

Olivia took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Letting go is always difficult, Harry, as it should be when we lose those we once held in high esteem."

Olivia stopped him, turning him so he could face her. Her arms encircled his neck and she drew him into a comforting hug. "I am sorry that it hurts. I will do everything I can to help ease that pain, as will Luna and Neville."

Harry smiled into her hair and held her tighter, "Just holding you is doing the trick, Liv. Since you've come into my life, I can say in all honestly that it has become much better in every respect. And I don't mean all of this," he said, waving an arm at their surroundings. "We could have stayed at Hogwarts, not known about or even found Camelot, and I would have been just as happy as I am right now, just being with you."

She backed away slightly so she could look up into his eyes. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do." he said softly. He leaned in a placed a kiss on her cheek. "We should start heading back if we want to make it to dinner in time. Like you said, it's a bit of a walk from here."

A flushing Olivia mumbled her agreement. She quickly took his hand and began pulling him back toward the castle. "How do you think it went with Overlord Ragnok?"

"Good...I think. Actually, I'm pretty sure it went really well. It was certainly surprising to learn how much he tried to do to get me safe, how much he and his people were willing to sacrifice to keep their oaths to my family."

"They are an honorable people and keeping our alliance with them alive will help both our communities greatly. I think the Overlord was also most keen to help with you endeavor of establishing a school of magic in the kingdom, especially one where his people would be welcome. Lord Derwyn, despite his initial reticence, is much looking forward to establishing a magical academy within Camelot and I daresay that with the help of the Goblins and the other magical races it will be a school such as has never been seen before."

"I was surprised to hear that there wasn't something similar to Hogwarts already established here." Harry said. "But I am happy that he's coming around. There is a wealth of knowledge here that should be shared by all magicals."

Olivia nodded her agreement, "Despite the passing of a thousand years, Camelot remains much the same as it was back then. Most children are educated at home by their parents and grandparents, although Derwyn and his acolytes do teach some few children the ways of Druids, the old way to teach and learn seems to hold true now even as it did back then. I find myself lucky in many ways that Grandfather decided to take charge of my education himself and see to it that it was so varied."

"So we need to modernize..." Harry said thoughtfully. "You know, as much as I even hate to think it, we are going to have to figure out a way to join modern magical Britain with ancient magical Camelot."

"I had reached the same conclusion myself, annwyl." Olivia said softly.

They walked in silence for some time, just following the edge of the lake as they slowly made their way back to the city. It was in this silence that she came to the realization that she'd been addressing Harry the same way that Mother addressed Father. She fought her blush, successfully for a change, and ran her thumb across the back of Harry's hand. He turned to her and gave her a smile that melted her heart. The kiss she'd received on the cheek earlier was heavenly, but there was nothing she desired more in this moment than for him to take her in his arms and for him to place his lips upon hers.

"Olivia," he addressed her, a note of caution in his voice, and drawing her away from her wonderful daydream, "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, My Prince, you need not ask my permission."

"Tell me about your wand?" he asked shyly.

She stopped, faced him, and gave him a bright smile. She reached into the pocket of her skirt and withdrew her most prized possession. "It was a gift from Grandfather." she began, "He gave it to me on my eleventh birthday."

"It's beautiful." he said in awe. "Merlin really made this for you?"

"He did. During the time he was carving this I was very annoyed with him as he kept me away from his workshop. I thought at the time that he was deliberately trying to keep me away from your mirror, when in reality, he was working on this."

"May I?" Harry asked, holding out his hand.

"Of course." she replied, placing the wand in his hand.

"That's odd..."

"What is it, Harry?"

"This wand feels very much like my own. Is it holly?"

"Yes." she asked, her eyes widening in bewilderment. "How did you know?"

Harry reached into his back pocket, pulled his own wand out, and placed it in Olivia's hand. "Mine is made from holly too, Olivia."

She remembered, though vaguely, the memory she had of Harry bonding with his own special wand. She'd been more interested in the fact that it was the brother of the wand possessed by the Dark Lord than she had been about its particular makeup. The moment his wand touched her hand she felt the similarities as surely as Harry had. She thought for certain that had the wand not already been bonded to Harry that it would have bonded her.

"You feel it too?" he asked her.

"I do... it is wonderful." she breathed.

"Can I guess what the core is?"

"Can I guess what yours is?"

"Phoenix feather!" they both said at the same time. Harry was looking at her in open-mouthed astonishment and Olivia matched his shocked look.

Harry looked down at the wand he was holding, "Would you allow me to cast a spell with it?"

Olivia was still speechless, but somehow managed to nod her head.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry bellowed. The arrival of Prongs was dazzling in its intensity and it sprung forth as if shot from a cannon. The magical stag galloped out into the lake, leaving the faintest ripple in its wake before it turned around and headed back toward the couple. Prongs stopped before Olivia, bowing its head in respect. When it resumed its regal stance, the stag wandered over to Harry and nuzzled its neck into Harry's outstretched hand. "Thanks for coming, mate." Harry whispered softly before Prongs slowly vanished.

Olivia looked upon Harry with teary-eyed wonder, "That was amazing, My Lord."

"Do you know the Patronus charm? If you don't, you should ask Remus, he's the one that taught me how to do it and I'm sure he'd be happy to teach you how to...mmmffff..."

His words were cut off by the blonde witch that had latched her arms around his neck and her lips against his own. It took him a second to realize what was happening, but when he did, he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him. She was intoxicating. Nothing in the world mattered more than this young woman that held his heart in her hands.

When they finally parted, breathless from their soulful kiss, they stood and stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"My annwyl," Olivia sighed emotionally.

"Do you really see me as your beloved?" Harry asked, breathless from their kiss.

"You know what that means?" Olivia asked, her eyes searching his. "I imagine that you asked Derwyn what that means."

"I did."

"And you said nothing." she whispered shyly.

"I didn't know how." Harry whispered back. "I've known you for less than a week, but in that time you've come to mean more to me than anything or anyone."

Olivia cupped his cheek tenderly, "I was five years old the first time I saw you, Harry. Grandfather had just finished his grand project for the year, the mirror as it turns out, and I was fascinated by what I was watching. For ten years I watched this timid and shy boy grow into the courageous young man I am holding at this very moment. You asked me once how I could leave all of this, remember? The truth is that it was easy leaving my world behind, because it meant that I could join you here, in yours."

"But your parents...?"

"They would have perished under the scourge that was Morgause. I would like to imagine that leaving them behind let them live a happy life for many, many, years. Yes, they would have been saddened by my removal from their world, but they would have lived. Tell me you would not have done the same thing, annwyl? Tell me that you would not have given up any contact at all with your parents if you knew that leaving them, however painful for all of you, would have let them continue on with their lives?"

"You know I would." Harry responded fervently.

"I made the choice to leave and come here and I do not regret it in the slightest." Olivia said with conviction.

"I will do all I can to make sure you never regret that decision, Olivia."

She gave him a bright smile and wrapped her arm around his, "Come, annwyl, or we shall be late for our guests."

"Alright then...cariad." he agreed, giving her a lopsided grin.

Olivia stopped him in his tracks and looked up at him with her heart in her eyes. "Cariad? You called me love?"

"No, Liv, I do call you love." he replied genuinely. "I had to ask Derwyn about that one, too; I hope you don't mind me calling you that..." Harry began before he was once more interrupted by a tender kiss.

"We will speak more of this later, my Prince. Come now, Harry, let us be on our way. It would not do to have our new king be late for his guests. There is a travelling tree on the far side of the lake we can use."

"Oh, okay then," he agreed. "Wait, hang on a minute, if I'm the king, doesn't that mean that they have to wait for me?"

Olivia laughed and dragged him towards the tree. "Perhaps, but it would still be discourteous."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Sainte-Maxime, Southern France, 1630 hours, June 24th, 1996 AD

"Papa, are you alright?"

Fleur had knelt before her father, who was sitting on his favorite chair, silently weeping at what he'd been told. "We have failed him..."

"Monsieur Delacour, I don't believe that Harry will feel that way. Especially since he doesn't know about any of this either."

"You don't think he knows?" Jean Delacour grumbled angrily.

Fleur sighed, unsure of even how to answer her father. "We are not sure, Papa. We think he may have learned about his heritage recently, but we are not completely certain."

"My brothers are certain that he's now aware, Monsieur Delacour." Bill added. "Fred and George, for some inexplicable reason, believe that he now knows."

Jean looked up at the young man stood before him and appraised him. He'd been good for Fleur, who seemed to have changed from a rather conceited young girl into a thoughtful, intelligent, and caring young lady. He approved of this man. "William, we are to be related soon, please do call me Papa, or Jean if you prefer."

Bill turned the distinctive Weasley red, "Of course, Jean, I'd be honored."

"Now, what's this about your brothers and their thoughts on the matter?" Jean asked curiously.

"I usually tend to dismiss their wild ideas as more often than not it ends up with me getting pranked. However, given how serious they were, I tend to believe them. At least, I believe that they believe, if that makes any sense."

Jean chuckled, "Yes, Fleur has mentioned that your brothers are a wild pair."

"And they are also really loyal to Harry. It was Harry himself that funded their shop, not something that they will ever forget. Harry, for all intents and purposes, is as a brother to the two of them."

"As I think my daughters feel about him as well, oui?" Jean asked, with a tender look toward his girls.

"Harry saved my life, Papa!" Gabrielle said cheerily.

"That he did, ma petit." Jean said, ruffling his youngest daughter's hair. "Now it is becoming clear."

"Father, what do you mean?" Fleur wondered.

"The memories...I begin to remember..." Jean paused as a gamut of emotions flicked across his Gallic features. When they settled, he wore one that only his wife was intimately familiar with: anger. And not just simple anger, but a towering inferno of rage only Apolline had ever seen.

"Husband? What is it?" Apolline Delacour asked softly.

"My father and Harry's grandfather were very close and had been since the war with Grindewald. I only ever met James Potter once or twice, very briefly. As I was somewhat older than he and already away at Beauxbaton, I can only ever remember talking quidditch with him." Jean Delacour stood from his seat and paced, muttering to himself under his breath. Apolline looked on worriedly while Gabrielle and Fleur held her hands.

"Dumbledore!" the man spat in disgust. "It was he that robbed my father and me of those memories of the Pendragon family and the allegiance that we owe them! I am beginning to vaguely remember him coming here, to our home, and casting memory charms upon us both." Jean raged.

"Albus Dumbledore came here and obliviated you?" Bill asked cautiously, not wanting to upset his future father-in-law further.

"That man may be thought of as the reincarnation of Merlin in Britain, he is certainly not thought of as such in the rest of Europe. He has been caught many times trying to manipulate people to his view of things. My Aurors have discovered that the man is not above extorting or blackmailing people to achieve his goals. But he wields considerable power and influence as Chief Mugwump of the ICW, which unfortunately means that despite the fact that I possess proof of his misdeeds, there is nothing to be done about it."

"That bastard...," grumbled Bill. "My mother and father worship Dumbledore. Why, when it seems so obvious now that the man is nothing but a self-serving bastard?"

"I am so very sorry, William." Fleur said, taking him into her arms. Jean looked at Fleur questioningly. She gave him a slight shake of her head, understanding that that would be a conversation for later.

"You've nothing to be sorry for, love, nothing at all." he mumbled irritably. "I think the boys were right about wanting to give up their family name and see if they can beg Harry to adopt them. I'm half tempted to do the same."

"You know he would, right?" Fleur said, looking up at him.

"Who, Harry?"

"Yeah, Harry, he would take you guys in. Give you guys names too, if you still think you'd want to do that."

"We'll see. That's a discussion that we boys will have with Harry when we finally get to see him. I need to get a hold of Charlie, too. He needs to know what's going on. And Percy..." Bill sighed raking a nervous hand through his hair. Fleur thought he looked deep in thought.

"Mon Coeur, do you remember anyone mentioning Ginny at the Burrow?"

"Well, yeah, she's supposed to get Harry to..."

"That's not what I meant. I don't recall if she herself said anything...at all. It's like she wasn't home or something. If she's in on this plot, you think she would have said something."

"What are you thinking?" Fleur asked him deliberately.

"I'm just wondering, after what we heard about Hermione...you don't think they would do anything to Ginny, do you?" Fleur asked, paling at the implication.

Bill loved his sister. Fleur knew this. He'd doted on her since she'd been born and she knew that it had pained him deeply to have had to leave England for work, to leave her behind with her other brothers who he knew wouldn't look out for her like he would have. It had taken all of his emotional control to not pound his brothers into ground beef when he'd heard about his baby sister's ordeal at Hogwarts during her first year and that they'd utterly failed at protecting her.

"No...no...she's their daughter...they'd never...despite what we heard, they would never..." Bill stuttered emotionally.

"Fleur?" a worried Jean asked. "What's going on?"

"We, that is Bill and I, we stopped by his parents home earlier and heard a conversation that angered us. One of the things that we discovered was that Ginny had been subjected to something Molly called 'family binding' spells."

"William, is this true?" Jean asked the clearly distraught young man. With tears in his eyes, Bill could only nod. "This could be a dangerous thing for your sister, my son."

"Sir?"

"Wasn't your sister's life saved by young Harry? Does she indeed not owe him a debt on her life?" Bill looked up at Jean, not quite understanding what was being asked.

"Mon Dieu!" Apolline gasped, understanding what her husband was implying..

"Mama? What is it?" Fleur asked with concern.

"Fleur," Apolline said, "Life debt magic is very delicate. Any move or decision she made that would in any way harm Harry could have severe repercussions..."

"Repercussions? Ma'am, what do you mean?" a worried Bill asked.

The Delacour matriarch gave her soon to be son-in-law a cautious explanation, "What I mean, William, is that your sister could not have done anything to harm Harry. Her magic would not have allowed someone who owes a life debt to see harm come the person to whom they owe that debt. As for the repercussions...at the very least, she could lose her magic. In extreme cases it is not unheard of for a debtor to lose their life."

"Lose her life? You mean Ginny could die?" Bill barked. Jean nodded sadly.

"The fact that you say she's been bespelled to betray Harry, that she was commanded to go against him...I'm sorry William, I just don't know enough about the subject to explain it with any degree of assurance. You said that your father had to cast the spell numerous times? In which case, Ginny might know that she's wronging Harry and is trying her hardest to fight off the bindings placed upon her."

Bill was boiling with rage. His parents had likely placed a death sentence on his sister, all for greed. He was just about to head to the fireplace to floo to the Burrow when the distinctive popping sound of a materializing elf broke through his rage.

Jean was looking at the elf with something akin to awe. The wards that surrounded the Delacour home were some of the strongest in all of France, wards that even included anti-elf apparition. That the small being had simply popped in without a single alarm going off worried him greatly, at least until he noticed the uniform the elf was wearing. The ivory tabard that displayed the rearing gold dragon made his eyes widen in understanding.

"You are from Camelot?" Jean asked in awe.

"I am sir." the elf replied proudly. He walked up to Fleur and bowed. "Miss Fleur? Master Harry sir has asked that I invite you to come to Camelot."

"I wanna go too!" Gabrielle shrieked, running quickly over to Fleur, taking her sister by the hand. "I wanna see Harry too!"

Fleur smile down affectionately at her sister, "Dobby?"

"Yes, Miss Fleur?"

"Would you kindly ask His Majesty if it would be alright to include my family in the invitation to join him?"

Dobby frowned at the request, "Youse wish to bring family?"

"I do. Dobby, my father and mother are aware of where Harry is and who he is. They want to pledge their support, as do I and my sister."

Dobby frowned, unsure of how to answer, and vanished with a loud pop.

"Fleur?"

"Yes, Papa?"

"Do you want to explain to me how that elf was able to get through our wards?"

"I imagine that Dobby has bonded to Harry."

"...right...and that means what, exactly?

"Papa, I wasn't kidding when I told you that that young man is the most powerful wizard I have ever encountered..."

"Oh, I see..." Jean replied, "Yes, I suppose that does make sense."

"It does?" a now calmer Bill asked.

"An elf's magic is tied directly to its master. Weak wizard, weak elf, strong wizard..."

"Strong elf." Bill said in understanding. "The power requirement to pierce through the wards here in your home...sweet Hathor, just how powerful is Harry anyway?"

Dobby chose to return in that moment. "Miss Fleur, Master Harry would be delighted to host youse family."

"Thank you, Dobby." Fleur said emotionally.

The elf turned to look at Bill, who raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Mister Bill, Master Harry says you and your mischief makers are to be ready to travel tomorrow also. Mistress says that mischief makers are to leave pranks behind; Master Harry's guards and mistress very protective." Dobby stated seriously.

"I'll tell them, Dobby, just remind Harry that these are the twins we're talking about. They might not take your warning to heart." Bill smiled.

"I will tell him, Mister Bill." Dobby said and vanished.

"Well, my ladies, I do believe that this calls for a shopping trip. I dare say you three will want to look your best."

"You too, husband. I will not have you showing up at Camelot dressed how you normally dress!" Apolline stated.

"What's wrong with the way...oh, very well," Jean sighed in defeat. "Bill, will you join us?"

"I think I'm going to see my brothers, Jean. I want to speak to them about what Fleur and I overheard." Bill said. "I also think that I'm going to have to mount a rescue mission to get Ginny out of the Burrow."

"You'd kidnap your sister?" Fleur asked in surprise.

"If her life is in danger, damn right I would." Bill kissed Fleur on the cheek before vanishing in a flash of green flames. She sighed and turned to face her family.

Fleur noticed Gabrielle was frowning. "What is it, Gabrielle?"

"Did Dobby say mistress?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, Lake Avalon, June 25th, 0630 Hours

The soft chirping sounds of birds woke Luna from a most restful night. She stretched languidly in what to her had to be the most comfortable bed she'd ever slept in. Thinking it rather early to be awake, she covered her head with the thick comforter in the hopes that she'd be able to fall asleep for a bit longer. It seemed to her that is was awfully bright, especially considering that her bedroom faced west.

Her mind, though, raced at the decisions that had been reached at dinner last night. With input from Professor Lupin and the wickedly funny Auror Tonks, plans for the future were beginning to take shape. She was a bit anxious, truth be told. She thought she was a bit young and nowhere near knowledgeable enough to render any sort of meaningful assistance. When both Harry and Olivia had reproached her for thinking that way, she began to offer up opinions earnestly.

Harry listened carefully as she and Neville described the meeting with the heirs of the Ancient families, asking for clarification when he heard things he didn't understand. The young king had no idea how pureblood politics functioned, something that Neville was fluent in, having sat through the endless torture that was his grandmother's tuition. Plans were made to see the Heirs brought before Harry for a gathering.

Tonks was most insistent that Madam Bones be approached as soon as possible as well. There had been rumors in the Auror Department for a couple of months that the Iron Lady of the DMLE was looking for a change of career, she having become despondent with the magical government and the people who ran it. It was well known that Director Bones hated politics, but like any son or daughter of one of the Ancient families, she was well versed in its function and use.

Professor Lupin was still upset about the fact that Harry wanted to close Hogwarts, despite what he knew were the atrocious educational standards and that in spite of being a school it was a most dangerous place. But with the thought of being able to open a new academy, in Camelot itself, he soon came to see the benefits that such a place could have for their community as a whole. A new generation of children would be taught by the finest educators that could be found, educators who would undoubtedly fall over themselves for the opportunity to instruct in the legendary city and under the sponsorship of its new king.

Harry had asked Luna to take Olivia to Diagon for a bit of shopping. Neville had volunteered to approach Susan Bones and Tonks would go to her boss. Remus would be accompanying Harry when he met with the goblin master artisans and masons when they inspected what was hoped would be the new school.

Luna was becoming quite annoyed by the sounds of the birds that somehow seemed to be getting louder. Did they fly into her room during the night? With a groan of frustration, she whipped to blanket to the side and sat up.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she discovered that her bed was floating in the middle of Lake Avalon and her wand was nowhere in sight! And a dozen of those loud birds had all alighted on her headboard and were all staring at her, seemingly laughing at her misfortune.

"HARRY!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot, Training Grounds, 0700 hours, June 25th, 1996

"Here, take this." Olivia said as she passed him a weapon. He frowned.

"...wooden swords...are you serious?" a confused Harry asked.

"Harry, except for the time against the basilisk and when you drew Excalibur from the stone, have you ever wielded a sword?"

"Well...I did use it to shatter that glass tomb of yours." he said cheekily.

Olivia reached out and tapped a slender finger against his forehead. "The memories and instruction that Godric imparted to you, you can call them up? That is good. However, what I am going to demonstrate to you is that what is in your head, the memories from your distinguished ancestor, are still disconnected from your body. You think you can wield a sword, but you really cannot."

He gave her a frown, obviously not entirely convinced.

So, with a wickedly evil grin, she showed him.

More quickly than he thought any human could possibly move, the young blonde had disarmed him and pushed him onto the hard-packed ground with the blunted point of her practice sword, which was now pressed into his chest.

"Ow." Harry said from his prone position. "Daffyd, Hugh, are you guys really going to just stand there and let her beat up your king like that?"

"Yes, Your Grace!" they both answered, grinning at Harry.

"Perfect...just perfect" Harry mumbled huffily.

"Your Grace," Daffyd began, "Lady Olivia is correct to train you this way. As Lord Derwyn has explained to us, the knowledge you gained through your Ascension needs to be integrated to you physically. Mind and body must come together."

Harry looked up to a grinning Olivia and frowned, "So what you guys are saying is that I have the theory down pat but that I need to put it into practice?"

"Exactly!" Olivia exclaimed. She withdrew her sword from Harry's chest and offered him a hand up. "Now, my Prince, let us try that again. Stand next to me and hold your sword like so. Good, just like that. This is the 'on guard' position. Elbow down a bit, Harry, there you go..."

The rest of the morning saw the young king taste the dirt ground more than a few times, especially when he thought he knew what he was doing, a notion that Olivia seemed to take extreme delight in disabusing him of. The smirk on her face was beginning to annoy him, but, he contented himself with the fact that he'd take her up on a broom later and give her a ride unlike she'd never experienced before.

"You will get there eventually, Harry." Olivia said with a beaming smile. "Truth be told, by the end there you were demonstrating a remarkable grasp of the knowledge provided to you."

"So does that means I'll get to hold a real sword soon?"

The pretty blonde sniffed, "IF and WHEN I deem you ready!"

"You know, I could order you to..."

"But you will not do that, will you?"

"No, I suppose not..." he replied, pouting a little when she snickered at him.

"Once I think you have learned the sword, we will integrate it with your wand. In time, your magic and your swordsmanship will combine to make you a formidable opponent." she said seriously. "You are doing well, Your Grace, you cannot be expected to know it all right away."

"Olivia, how about all this combat magic that's swirling around in my head...will I get to practice that as well?"

"In time, annwyl; learn to walk first and then I will show you how to run, alright?" she said fondly, placing a hand on his cheek affectionately. "Shall we break our fast?"

"Yeah, alright..." Harry sighed, bending over and grabbing the wooden sword that had been knocked out of his hand. "Hey, I meant to ask you, what did you think of dinner with everyone last night?"

Olivia smiled, "I can see why you love those four so much, Harry."

"I really do." he said sincerely.

"Remus...Moony as he asked me to call him...is a most kind and wise man. Heed his advice, as he is more familiar with that world than you are at the moment. He will make a most trustworthy counselor." she said sagely. "Tonks is his perfect match and will be able to guide both of you well in the tasks we have before us."

"I agree about both of them. Derwyn suggested appointing Moony as Lord Chamberlain..." Harry commented.

"It is a good idea, My Prince." she agreed. "In Derwyn you have an advisor who is intimately familiar with Camelot; with Remus you will have an advisor who is thoroughly aware of Magical Britain."

"It's going to be soon." Harry mumbled to himself.

"My Prince?" queried Olivia.

"Sorry," he said, turning to look at her. "Lord Derwyn advised me that Camelot will have to start showing its strength pretty soon. The Oak Tree at the Ministry will have many people questioning what is happening. Some of the cleverer of the bunch might put two and two together. I've no doubt that Dumbledore has figured it out and I am sure there are others that either know or suspect."

"You will do what you must, Harry, for the good of Camelot."

"You and Luna still planning a trip in to Diagon Alley?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Well, it is mostly Luna that is forcing the issue. She seems to think that I need to update my wardrobe to something more modern. I do not know what else she has planned for the day."

"With Ragnok's help, I've set up an account through Gringotts at all the major stores in the Alley. Please make sure that Luna gets some things for herself as well."

"I will do so, Your Grace, and I do thank you for the gift." she said with a blush.

"Speaking of Luna," Harry said with an impish look on his face, "I wonder if she's woken up yet."

Olivia frowned, wondering what mischief he'd be putting Luna through. "What have you done to Luna, Harry?"

Diagon Alley, June 25th, 0830 hours

"We're going to what?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, "What is it with the people of this time that they see travelling by tree to be bizarre but it is perfectly acceptable to allow oneself to be propelled at insane speeds sat on what is essentially an enchanted stick?"

"You didn't seem to mind too much when Harry took you flying on his enchanted stick though, did you?" Luna smirked.

"Yes...well...that was different, was it not?" Olivia stammered while trying to hold off a blush. "I was just complying with My Lord's wishes."

"Sure, Liv, whatever...and I suppose that silly grin you were wearing the rest of the afternoon and into the night had nothing to do with the fact that you had your arms wrapped around Harry?" a laughing Luna rejoined.

"Luna!" Olivia objected in mock indignation. She smiled, remembering the kiss that she and her prince had shared at the lakeside. She could actually still feel the warmth of his lips on hers and she didn't think that sensation was going to go away anytime soon.

"Don't worry, Olivia, he had the same silly grin on his face too. Now, c'mon, show me this tree travel Harry has been raving about."

Right off the royal quarters, in an enclosed courtyard, Lord Derwyn had caused to be created a travelling tree. "This, Luna, is one of the gateway trees that are connected to...what was Harry's word...ah, yes...network. This tree is connected to several other trees within the network."

Luna walked up to the tree and gazed at it reverently. "Are those Ogham runes?"

"Druidic runes, yes, Luna they are."

"Okay, so how do we get to Diagon Alley from here?"

"Well, Harry had a tree commissioned for your home. We will travel there first and then use your, floo is it, to travel to the Alley."

"Harry had one of these put by my house? How sweet is that? I'll have to thank him." a giggly Luna beamed.

"Ready?" Olivia needn't have asked, as the petite witch was practically bouncing in anticipation.

"Remember this pattern, Luna, as it is your home address. Once I show you how to do this I will have you learn more destinations as they become known and available for travel." Olivia explained, tapping her wand in a sequence on the runes before she placed her hand on the bole of the tree. "Put your hand on mine, Luna."

Luna did as asked and was slightly surprised at the feeling she had, but before she could even comprehend what was happening to her they'd arrived at their destination. "Well, that was certainly interesting! Come on, the floo is this way. Let's get to shopping!"

"A moment if you would, Luna, as we wait for our escort to arrive." Olivia said.

"Oh...right, I forgot that Harry was sending them with us." She thought herself lucky that she knew that the two men were coming along as escort, thinking that the silent appearance of their bodyguards, from a tree, would have shocked her silly if she'd not known about the special way of travelling. With a quick walk up to her home, they were soon flooing to their intended destination.

When they began strolling through Diagon, Luna was not at all surprised that Olivia had attached herself to her once they'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. She was a fish out of water in this place, every sound and every smell foreign to her. The stares she was getting did nothing to ease the tension she could feel coursing through her friends body. Olivia was confident in her own domain, but the beautiful blonde from out of time was not so confident in this, her new world. "Don't worry, Liv, we'll be alright. Hey, what's with the tree in the middle of the street?"

"I think our Harry has inadvertently caused this tree to be placed here." Olivia said, smiling brightly at the large and beautiful oak.

"Is this one of those things that Lord Derwyn mentioned, about Harry's authority beginning to exert itself?" Luna asked curiously.

"In a sense, although this is more...how do I simplify this...I suppose protective is the best way to explain this tree growing here. As I understand it, this location is particularly vulnerable to attacks by the forces of the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, which makes me quite surprised to see so many people here today; this place is usually not so crowded. So you're saying that this is like, what, a shield of some kind."

"Indeed. If an attack ever happens here, Luna, all you need do is get as near the bole as possible. It will protect you and all others from the Dark. It is quite powerful magic and more than likely the reason for the surge in visitors, if I am not mistaken." Olivia said in awe. "Can you not feel the sense of calm that permeates this area now? All magical beings would sense that. The tranquility we can all feel, that does originate from Harry, something I am quite sure he is unaware of."

"Harry is really powerful, isn't he? I've noticed some of the changes he's gone through and I don't mean the physical."

Olivia's eyes darkened, "Dumbledore and his minions have been doing unspeakable things to him for a very long time, things that have kept him, until now, from becoming who he was meant to be. When he went through the Ascension Rite, all bindings were removed from him."

"I always felt like he was being held back somehow, I hadn't realized that he was bound in such a fashion. I can see his aura much clearly now, and it is nearly blinding in its intensity." Luna sighed.

"It is indeed wondrous." Olivia said with a smile. "Even from this distance, I can feel his magic calling mine."

"...and that's the reason you two will be married before long." Luna laughed. Olivia reddened slightly but her smile, if anything, grew larger.

"Well, let us be about this shopping you have mentioned. What say you, Princess Luna?"

"He's not really going to do that is he? Make me a princess?"

"One never knows what His Grace will do; he is most mischievous in that regard. You should know, given where you woke up this morning." Olivia laughed.

"Hmm, well, we'll see about that. I suppose I did kind of deserve it, didn't I? Alright, Liv, we've arrived at the preeminent fashion emporium in magical London. Boys, would you both kindly wait for us out here?" The men frowned at the request and both looked to Olivia who gave them a nod.

"We're here if you need us, milady." the tall knight named Daffyd said with assurance. Daffyd and his companion, Gareth, had been tasked by His Majesty to watch over the two ladies for the day. Neither of them had ever been out of Camelot before, so they were just as lost as their ward in this instance. They were however, highly skilled warriors, and they'd automatically taken to staring down anyone who came near the pair of ladies under their protection. It really didn't help that the clothing that Luna had borrowed from her father made the two knights look anything but ordinary...colorful being a more apt a descriptor. Instead of blending in, they stood out like sore thumbs, even amongst the oddly dressed populace.

"Thank you, boys." Luna said gratefully, giving the stern-faced men a brilliant smile. She grabbed Olivia's hand and dragged her toward Madam Malkin's.

"Strip!" Luna ordered imperiously once she'd gotten the shy girl into one of the dressing rooms.

"Luna!" Olivia squealed when the tiny witch began to fumble with the lace ties of her dress.

"Robes, I think...underwear for sure. Harry said to get you some muggle clothing but I think I'm going to let him handle that when you two have some time to spend an afternoon together."

"Alright in here, ladies?" the kindly Madam Malkin inquired as she delivered a huge stack of clothing.

"Excellent, ma'am, thank you for bringing all this; our benefactor has opened up his purse strings for us this day, so only the best for the Lady Olivia."

Madam Malkin cocked a curious eyebrow, "Lady Olivia from the House of...?"

"Go with me on this..." Luna whispered to Olivia before directing her glance back at the elderly seamstress. "May I introduce you to the Lady Olivia from the House of Black, Madam Malkin?"

"Indeed? And here I thought the only Black's left were...well, never mind what I thought. Lady Black, these here are the best we have in stock at the moment. If they are unsuitable, please let me know and I will endeavor to procure more appropriate clothing promptly." she said with a curtsy, closing the curtain behind her as she left.

"What was that all about?" Olivia inquired of Luna after the shopkeeper had left. "I am not a Black."

"No, but if I told her who you really are, she would have fainted from the shock and then gone running to inform everyone in the Alley about your identity once she'd woken up. Besides, once you marry Harry, you're going to have so many names and titles that even Dumbledore will be jealous!"

"Marry Harry?" Olivia asked in a voice that was all at once dreamy, amazed, and anxious.

Luna laughed at her friend's faraway look. "You've dreamt about that for a while, haven't you?"

"Hmmm...what?" Olivia asked distractedly, still caught up in her daydream of being with her prince which caused Luna to giggle at her dreamy looks.

"Being with my brother... remember Harry... the guy with eyes so soulfully green that you could lose yourself in them?" Luna laughed.

"For hundreds of years, my friend." she replied dreamily. "I've been dreaming about being with him for hundreds of years."

It took Luna about two hours to make sure that Olivia had enough 'modern' clothing to last her for a while. She'd almost laughed herself silly trying to explain brassieres to her, never mind the knickers she'd coaxed her into purchasing. A quick call to Willa and Dobby had their packages on their way back to Camelot, and it was two very happy witches who walked out of the clothing store.

"You were right," Olivia said. "I do feel rather more...alluring."

"Told you so, Liv; Harry and Neville may not know what we've got on under our clothing, but I'm certain they sure wish they did." Luna snickered. "Oh, boys? Would you mind terribly if I step away for a moment? My father's office is just down the street and I'd like to pop in and say hello."

"Gareth will accompany you, milady."

Luna was all set to protest when Daffyd interrupted her. "I will follow My Lord's command to the letter, young lady. Never once did he mention leaving your side while you go gallivanting."

"Fine, I'll not go gallivanting, Sir Daffyd!" Luna said in exasperation. "Liv, I'll only be a few minutes. Why don't you walk down to the bookstore and see if you can find some books to help you catch up in the thousand years you're missing? Come along now, Gareth..."

Olivia wandered up and down the aisles of the wizarding bookstore, occasionally pulling a book and adding it to the stack that she'd set aside for purchase. Spying a volume that was a bit too far out of her reach, she pulled her wand and levitated it to her outstretched hand. Another flick of her wand dispelled the enchantments that been cast on the tome she now held.

She'd been intrigued when she discovered the repelling enchantments, especially since they'd been cast on books. Why would anyone go to such lengths to hide history? But then it hit her, that this person, Dumbledore most certainly, had been intent on excising any and all mention of Harry's family from the knowledge of the public.

"That's a beautiful wand." someone commented from beside her. "Holly?"

Olivia glanced at the young woman who'd spoken to her and her eyes widened in surprise. There before her stood, smiling, the bushy haired witch that had broken her prince's heart.

"Indeed." Olivia answered a bit more frostily than she'd intended.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at the tone from the young witch, something that surprised her, but knowing how most purebloods reacted to her she shouldn't have been at all astonished. She found herself a bit intimidated by the piercing gaze the beautiful girl directed towards her. "I'm sorry; I was just fascinated by your wand. It's remarkably similar to one that a friend of mine has."

"It is a common enough wood used for wands," Olivia began, "And do please forgive my rudeness, I am new to your country and am still a bit out of my depths."

"It's alright," Hermione replied, "And it's I that should apologize. I always forget how impolite it is to ask about someone's wand."

"You did not grow up magical?" Olivia asked. "Ah, I see, your parents are non-magical then?

Hermione was taken aback that the striking girl had used the term non-magical and not muggle. Maybe she wasn't a pureblood after all, or maybe she didn't hold with those beliefs? "They are, so I've only really known about this magical world for a few years, so I tend to put my foot in it more often than not. I'm still learning, though."

"Hence the reason you find yourself here, then?" Olivia asked, her gaze sweeping the bookstore and its stacks.

"I like to read, too." Hermione replied sincerely. "What's that one you're holding?"

Olivia placed the large tome in the witch's arms, "A History of Magical Britain: 1400-1600?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I find that my knowledge of the futu...past...is severely lacking. What better way to educate myself than by reading? Although I must say that I find the lack of any history books in this store to be most perplexing."

"It's the fault of the Ministry. I think they don't want people to learn too much about their past for some reason." Hermione replied unhappily. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way."

"Olivia Black, Miss Granger." she said with a nod of her head. She noticed the look of curiosity coming from the bushy-haired witch. Not wanting to explain her use of the Black name, she decided to change the topic before the girl thought about it too much. "What of this friend you spoke of, the one that has a wand similar to mine?"

"Oh, his name is Harry." she replied with a hitch in her voice.

"Why does remembering him sadden you so?"

"Oh, it's nothing." she replied, brushing a tear from her eye. "Are you going to start at Hogwarts come September? I can help you find your books if you tell me what year you'll be in?"

"That is quite alright, Miss Granger, as I will not be attending Hogwarts. I have alternate educational plans, plans which do not involve that school." Olivia said, reverting to the cold voice she'd used at the beginning of their conversation.

"It's a great school, you know, the professors are world-class and the headmaster is a great and learned wizard."

"So I have heard."

"You don't agree?" Hermione asked a bit confused. The studious girl had been in awe of the man since her first year and found it strange that some people did not feel the same way as she did about the distinguished wizard.

"No, I do not, Miss Granger."Olivia replied. "I have examined the books for what would be my year and quite frankly, I find them quite uninteresting and dull. The things I would have been taught this year should I have attended Hogwarts are, quite frankly, things I had already learned years ago. Your sixth year curriculum is similar to what I learned during what could be considered my first year."

"Well...that may be, but you still need to pass your OWL's and NEWT's! How will you do that if you don't attend Hogwarts?" Hermione asked a bit vociferously. It was then, as she'd raised her voice, that she noticed the man who'd been surreptitiously guarding this young woman. He'd somehow blended into the background and she'd not even noticed him standing there. "A bodyguard...you have a bodyguard?"

"Ah, please do not mind him. I believe that it was just the raised voice that caused him to reveal himself. Sir Daffyd, all is well." Olivia said quietly.

"Why do you have a bodyguard, Miss Black?"

"My Lord thought it prudent given the dangerous times we find ourselves in. I am fortunate that he holds my safety and that of my friend as his highest priority. As such, he made sure we have an appropriate escort for our outing into the Alley today." Olivia explained.

"And where is she, your friend?" Hermione asked, looking around curiously.

"Is Granger here bothering you, Olivia?" the dreamy voice of the petite Ravenclaw asked as she placed herself between the two witches. Hermione winced, not really wanting to nor having prepared to see anyone, especially Luna, who was giving her a death-glare.

"No, not at all, she was just trying to tell me what a great school Hogwarts is." Olivia said, smiling down at the petite blonde.

"Luna, I've been meaning to contact you..."

"Save it, Granger. I will not, in any way, plead your case to Harry." Luna stated frostily.

"So you've seen him then? Please, Luna, I just need to see him...I need to talk to him...please." a teary-eyed Hermione pleaded.

"I can say in all honestly that I have not seen Harry Potter since that night in the infirmary, Granger." Despite how she might have tried to be indifferent about the bushy-haired witch's predicament, it was hard to be unsympathetic when said witch was bawling her eyes out in front of them.

"Please, Luna..." Hermione started before the sound of an explosion rattled the windows and building.

"Death Eaters!" Luna said, eyeing Olivia when she saw her pull her wand out. "Oh, hell no, Olivia! There's no way you're going out there...dammit! Boys, stop her!"

Before she could exit the building, Olivia looked back at her protectors, "I command you to see Lady Lovegood back to our Lord, Sir Knights."

"His Grace ordered us to keep both of you safe, Milady!" Daffyd protested.

"Very well. Sir Daffyd, you will come with me. Sir Gareth, see that Luna makes it back."

"Olivia..." Luna growled. "HE is going to be really mad at you if you do this!"

"Luna, I have to do this. My Prince will understand. I left my home to come here and fight. I will not cower from thugs. Sir Gareth, do as I have asked of you!"

Luna had a look of disbelief at being dismissed, the look only grew when the portkey Gareth was wearing activated at his command. "Oliv...!"

"You aren't going out there, are you? They'll kill you!" Hermione shrieked.

Olivia reached for the handle of the door, Daffyd with sword drawn stood at her side, and she looked down upon Hermione. "Your friend, the one with the holly wand, what would he do in a situation like this?"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise at the question, she sighed deeply and shook her head sadly at the memories of Harry, "He'd jump into the fray and try to save as many people as he could."

"And I, like your friend, will do the same." she said with a grim smile. "Are you ready, Sir Knight?"

The man nodded, "For our King."

"For our King." Olivia agreed with a curt nod to Daffyd and with that she stepped out into the street.

Hermione stared at the closing door of the bookstore, terrified for the witch she'd just met, a witch who was placing herself in a deadly situation without even a second thought. This girl, this Olivia Black, seemed to be a lot like Harry in that regard; like he would have done himself, Olivia was jumping in to help the obviously terrified people she could hear screaming in fear at the appearance of the dreaded Death Eaters.

In a moment of clarity, Hermione's eyes widened in realization. This girl she just met knows Harry! She was certain of it. Despite her fear, Hermione pulled out her wand, intent in following the fearless girl she'd just met.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Diagon Alley, June 25th, 1030 hours

She knew she was out her depths the moment the door to the bookstore slammed closed behind her. Looking back through the glass-paned doorway, she saw the terrified owner backing away into the relative safety of his shop. Hermione could just make out the two dozen or so people who stood gathered behind the retreating man, all petrified with fear.

The sound of another explosion to her left had her whipping her head around, wand at the ready, and with the words of a shielding charm set to be cast. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the golden glow of an immense shield that was protecting people who were close to the large and extraordinary oak tree that had sprung up in the middle of the Alley. The Death Eaters were cursing loudly, trying with all manner of spells to bring down the wards that protected the terrified people.

One of the black robed men was blown backwards, his body tumbling to land scant feet from where she hid. The bile rose in her throat when she saw the white mask these people usually wore had been cracked in half, and there, in the middle of the dead man's forehead, a solitary acorn had been imbedded.

A primal battle cry echoed through the din of spellfire and Hermione turned her attention back to see a most unbelievable sight! Like some sort of Amazonian warrior princess, Olivia Black and her bodyguard had already dispatched a half-dozen Death Eaters if the lifeless bodies that lay on the cobbled streets were any indication. The amount of blood that surrounded the corpses made Hermione gag, the metallic tang permeating the air around her.

"What have we here?" a rather annoyed and obviously male voice called out from behind his white mask. "Gentlemen, looks like we have some entertainment to look forward to this evening, any of you care for a blonde! And she's a looker, too!"

Olivia, composed and regal, strode up to the man, "You threaten the lives of women and defenseless children while you cower behind masks?

"A distraction for my men, blondie, and a bit of practice for the novices amongst us." the man replied callously. "A gift from a most pleased Lord Voldemort, who generously supplies us with amusements for jobs well done."

"No," Olivia spat, "Cowards, the lot of you, for preying on the weak. Let us see if you can stand against one who will fight back, you craven pile of dragon shit!"

"Oh, looky here, boys! Blondie wants to play a game with me!" the dark robed men laughed delightedly, amused by the seemingly brave-faced teen. "You ready, blondie? I'm gonna have some fun with you! Try not to die, as I have a hankering for blonde for dessert tonight."

Hermione saw Olivia grin wickedly at the Death Eater, something that took her by complete surprise. She thought the girl should be trembling in fear, but she had this look in her eyes that was anything but fearful, it was grim determination. She'd seen that look before, in the green eyes of Harry Potter. It was there that Halloween night when he'd saved her life from a rampaging troll. She saw it again when he'd defied an attacking horde of soul-thirsty Dementors. The last time she was witness to his resolve, he'd defied Voldemort in the middle of the Ministry of Magic just a few short days ago. Had she herself been facing this witch, she would have crumbled at the intensity of the icy blue eyes that were even now glaring at the lead Death Eater.

"Take off your mask, coward, face me like a man!" Olivia challenged.

Slowly, the man reached toward his face and with a deft flick of his wand, the mask vanished like so much smoke.

Hermione gasped when she saw the pale features of Lucius Malfoy sneering at Olivia.

Olivia's bodyguard had not been motionless during the repartee between Malfoy and his young charge. Sir Daffyd had slipped around behind the trio of evil men and with a few quick swings of his longsword the Royal Knight had separated the Death Eater's wand hands from their bodies.

The anguished cries of pain caused Lucius to turn his back and look down in bewilderment at the writhing bodies of his Lord's newest recruits. Overcome by anger, and fear, Malfoy raised his wand and pointed it at the unknown man. The knight smirked at him defiantly and vanished before he could even begin to utter the words of the killing curse.

Lucius turned back to the young girl, hoping to at least kill her before he made his escape. His eyes widened when he saw the still smiling sword-wielding man standing just behind the blonde witch.

"You'll both pay for that!" Lucius roared. "Avada Kedavra!"

Hermione covered her mouth with a hastily raised hand, trying to hold in the scream of fear she felt for the ostensibly helpless girl. When that same girl pulled a sword from out of nowhere and swatted the killing curse away with flat of her blade, the scream died in her throat as she now gaped in shock at what she'd just witnessed.

"You will have to do better than that, coward." Olivia taunted. With a sword in one hand and a wand in the other, the girl she thought of as helpless looked anything but. "Care to give it another go?"

"Who are you?" the pale-skinned man asked with a hint of fear in his voice. He'd never seen anyone bat away a curse in such a fashion, not even his Lord.

"No one of consequence," Olivia replied in a cold voice. "Go back to your master and tell him the time of his demise is quickly approaching."

With what courage he had left, Lucius grabbed hold of his portkey. "I will find out who you are blondie! And when I do I will come down you and on those you love like..."

"...a coward, which is exactly what you are." Olivia spat, lifting her sword and charging toward the man in black.

Lucius' eyes narrowed in anger. The orders that his master had given were that death and destruction be visited on Diagon on this day. He was not looking forward to describing to his lord the failure of his mission and the loss of his men. He gripped tightly to his wand and pointed it towards the young girl. Not wanting the mission to be a total loss, and with a quick flick of his wrist, Lucius Malfoy cast a blasting hex toward Flourish & Blott's. The explosion rocked the alley. With a hint of a smile, the man activated his portkey and vanished.

The screams of horror and pain drew Olivia back from her berserker rage. "Come, Daffyd, let us see if we can be of any assistance with the wounded."

"My Lady, we should get you back to the castle." the knight protested.

"And we will do so anon, Sir Knight. I just want to make sure that...oh, no...!" Olivia gasped in alarm. She ran towards a section of wall that had been blasted away. In the rubble that remained, a bushy-haired witch lay still. Blood and dirt covered her face. "Daffyd, please help me with this young lady. We must get her to Madam Pomfrey!"

"My Lady..."

"Sir Knight, this girl is a friend to His Grace! He would want to see her safe and well."

"Very well, milady." Daffyd lifted the young girl into his arms and vanished upon activating his portkey.

Stood on the side of the road, Olivia surveyed the destruction and exhaled sadly. She was certain that much death and devastation had been averted; she only wished that she could have done more.

"Milady Olivia?" Willa said, tugging on her hand.

"Willa, please convey me to the castle. His Grace needs to know what happened here."

"At once, milady!" Willa exclaimed, popping her and her mistress away.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The Burrow, June 25th, 1145 Hours

"Would you two idiots try to be quiet? This is supposed to be a rescue mission!" Bill hissed at the twins.

"Sorry, Bill..." they both answered contritely. Bill gave them a wan smile and pushed them forward, making his way toward the back of their family home. With their father at work, Ron out flying his new broom, it was only their mother left to be dealt with.

"Bill, how do we know that Ginny isn't involved in any of this? I heard her say..."

"Guys, just trust that I know that she's being forced to do those things against Harry, okay?" the twins looked at him intently before they gave him a nod.

"Come on, let's get our little sis..." the eldest Weasley pulled his wand and aimed it at Ginny's window.

"Hang on, Bill, don't try anything on Ginny's window. You know how protective Mom is of her; I bet you anything she's put all sorts of wards and alarms on there. Let's try our old bedroom instead." George said, pulling Bill's wand arm down.

"Fred, let's do it like when we were eleven..." George said with a mischievous smile, to which Fred nodded vigorously.

This time it was Fred who drew his wand and with a flick and a swish, George was gently levitated toward the third floor bedroom. Bill shook his head and smiled; trust the twins to use the simple levitation spell for mischief.

The minutes seemed to pass like hours before a bundle wrapped in a blanket was slowly making its way down toward them. Gently, Bill took what he assumed was his sister in his arms. Pulling back the covers to get a look of her he gasped in surprise before his face reddened in anger.

"Bill, calm down..." George said sternly when he landed. "We'll take care of this later. Ginny needs help right now!"

Bill, holding tightly to his emaciated and sickly looking sister, hurried toward the boundaries of the Burrow's wards. As soon as he'd crossed, he vanished with a loud crack.

"He's going to kill our parents." Fred said with a look toward George.

"Did you see her, Fred?" George yelled angrily, "If he does go after them, I'm going to help, and if he doesn't go after them, I'm killing them myself."

"I'm with you." his brother agreed. "Come on, let's head to Fleur's and see what's going on with our girl."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Mon Dieu!" Fleur gasped when she caught sight of the slight form of Bill's sister being held gently in his arms. "Come, love, we've a healer waiting for us in the sitting room."

Bill hurriedly followed Fleur into the palatial manor and gently placed Ginny onto the indicated cot that had been set up just for her. Jean had informed them that chances were his sister was going to need immediate medical attention. The eldest Weasley nodded gratefully toward Fleur's father.

Fred and George skidded to a halt next to their brother, "How is she?" they asked.

"Don't know yet." Bill whispered. "The healer is just going over her now."

The elderly gentleman that was the healer was waving his wand gracefully over the unmoving and withered body of the youngest Weasley.

"Her magic is fracturing..." the healer said. "I can fix her body, but if I can't fix her core, we'll lose her."

"Tell me what you need, Healer." Bill pleaded.

"You said she owes someone a life debt, oui? If this is the case, that person will be the only one that can see her magic restored." the man said seriously. "Sir, as well as breaking faith with the holder of her life debt, your sister has been systematically abused by the spells she's been under. You said you overheard that she'd been placed under your family's binding spells?"

Bill, his eyes never straying from his sister, nodded curtly.

"Barbaric..." The old man shook his head in disgust. "Young man, I have removed the curses she's been subjected to but she can now only be helped by the debt holder."

"Harry will help her..." George said, trying to reassure himself along with his brothers. "He'll help her..."

Fleur, with tears in her eyes, exited from the room where the three brothers were standing vigil over their sister, her future sister-in-law, and wiping the tears from her face called the only one she could think of to call. "Dobby!"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Granger Residence, 1200 Hours

"Daniel! Somebody's at the door!" Emma yelled from the kitchen. "Daniel bloody Granger...would you please answer the bloody...why do I even bother when the football is on...well, he can have burned roast for all I care... insufferable man..."

"Hello, can I help...HARRY!" Emma lunged toward the young man and embraced him fiercely. Harry was a bit taken aback. Despite their correspondence over the years, he didn't think that she'd react to his appearance in such a fashion.

"Mrs. Granger, it is good to see you, but I need you and Mr. Granger to come with me right now." the young man said seriously.

"What is it Harry?"

"It's Hermione, ma'am. She's been in a bit of an accident." Emma's eyes widened in fear, she turned and ran for the study to grab her husband.

"Harry?" Dan asked when he saw who was at the door. "What are you doing here? The man at the owl shop said we'd not be able to contact you that way. Did one of the owls actually get through to you?"

"No, sir...sir, it's rather a long and complicated story. Can we hold off on the answers until later? Hermione needs you both, right now!" Harry said rather forcefully.

"Hermione? Harry, she went to Diagon to get some books...oh, my god, there was an attack, wasn't there? Where's my baby girl?"

"She's being taken care of, sir, but I think she could really use her parents."

"Well, what are we waiting for!?"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Camelot Infirmary, 1155 Hours

Olivia paced worriedly while the Healer of Camelot attended to the witch that had once been the very best of friends with her prince. She was startled out of her reverie by the arrival of the visibly angered Luna.

"What the bloody hell were you thinking, Olivia? You could've been killed! Do you have any idea what that would have done to Harry?" she yelled.

Olivia winced when she heard the irate Luna start berating her.

"I had to, Luna." she replied softly. "There were so many injured...so many dead..."

Despite her anger Luna felt understanding toward the beautiful girl, having seen the same forlorn look on the face of Harry when he'd been unable to do more to help. She quickly moved in and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry, Liv. I'm sorry you had to see all of that."

"It will be alright, Luna. My Lord will make sure that those evil men pay for all of their sins against his people. It just took me by surprise, you know, all that uncalled for destruction and loss of life." Olivia said, "Where's Neville?"

"Harry sent him to meet with Susan Bones. I think he'll try to arrange for Harry to meet with the Heirs of the Great Houses at some point...speaking of whom, where's Harry?"

"Harry is in the infirmary with the parents of Miss Granger." Olivia said, gesturing toward the closed double-doors. "I have not even had the chance to see or speak to him yet."

"Granger is here?" Luna asked incredulously. Even though she felt resentment toward the bookworm for her treatment of Harry, she would not ever wish harm on her. Luna hoped that Harry would be very cautious with Hermione. His growing love for the blonde girl from the past should be allowed to develop and grow.

She shook her head, chastising herself a little, knowing full well that Harry was not one who would throw over his feelings for Olivia regardless of any honeyed words or logical explanations that Hermione could articulate. He'd likely forgive her, maybe even welcome her back as a friend, but the closeness they shared their first few years of Hogwarts would take time to heal, if it ever healed at all.

Luna caught Olivia looking towards the doors with a hint of jealousy. "You've got nothing to worry about, Olivia."

"What?" Liv asked, with puzzled look.

"Harry is not going to suddenly jump into Granger's arms, if that's what you're worried about."

"I am not..." she began with a sigh. "Alright, I suppose I am a little leery of what influence she could have on him."

"She'll have no influence on him at all, Liv. Trust me on this. Our King Harry is completely head over heels for you."

Olivia gave Luna a small smile, her cheeks pinking. "Thank you."

Luna shook her head in amusement. "Remus told Neville and I stories about Harry's mom and dad after you and Harry had gone to bed last night. He said that the two of you remind him quite a bit of his parents."

"How so?" Olivia asked, intrigued.

"It's in the affection you both show each other, Remus explained. Once they'd gotten together, they were cloyingly sweet as a couple. You two haven't reached that stage yet, but Remus thinks it's only a matter of time." Luna explained, giggling delightedly when Olivia flushed, again.

"We are becoming closer, there is no doubt about that..."

"Mistress!" a troubled Dobby yelled out.

"Dobby, are you quite alright?"

"Mistress, Miss Fleur begged me to allow Mister Bill to bring his sister to Master Harry; littlest Wheezy near death!"

Luna noticed immediately the distinctive switch in Olivia's behavior. Stood before her was no longer the young girl dreaming of love, in her place now stood the commanding Lady Emrys, "Bring Miss Delacour to me, Dobby. She has already received permission to come to Camelot from our lord; I would speak to her first before I allow her to bring anyone else. His Grace is occupied with Miss Granger and her parents at the moment."

"At once, Mistress!" Dobby popped away.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Pregnant?" the Granger parents shouted at the same time.

Madam Pomfrey took the parents by the hand and led them to a small sitting area. "Your Grace, I would ask that you leave the Granger's here with me for a moment so that I may discuss the details of their daughter's condition."

"No!" Dan voiced strongly. "Despite my daughter's conduct, Harry here has always stood steadfast at her side. I'd like him to remain."

"Please stay, Harry? I know Hermione has not been a good friend to you for a long time, but I know you've remained loyal to her regardless." Emma concurred.

"Would it be alright if I remain, Madam?" Harry asked. He wasn't sure that he should stay. The deception and betrayal he felt still affected him deeply.

"Of course, Your Grace." Primrose replied and turned to the concerned parents. "Now, as I was about to explain, your daughter was pregnant before the unfortunate events of this morning and..."

"Wait, was pregnant? She's no longer pregnant, then?" Emma asked.

"Lady Olivia mentioned that a large portion of a wall struck her in the torso, likely the cause of her losing the child." the healer answered.

"How far along was she?" Dan asked angrily.

"Not long, Mr. Granger, just a few weeks. Less than two months." she replied. "She might have not yet realized she was in that condition herself."

"That red-headed bastard, I'm going to kill him!" Dan yelled angrily, jumping to his feet.

"Later, Mr. Granger, we can deal with Weasley later." Harry said, placing a hand on the dentists shoulder.

Dan was all set to tell off the young man, until that is, he saw the look of absolute fury in the green eyes of Harry Potter. Reluctantly, Dan nodded in agreement.

"Your Grace," the healer interrupted, "You should know that, like yourself, she seems to have had many a charm put upon her. Where your own blocks were preventing you from attaining your true potential, Miss Granger's blocks were meant to keep her...well...'enslaved' is the only tactful word I can come up with. This is likely the cause of the rift between yourself and the girl."

"Why...why would they do this to her, what has my little girl ever done to deserve this?" Emma asked angrily.

"She became friends with me. That's the reason why." Harry replied sadly. "Unfortunately, Hermione has been caught up in the mess that is my life."

Dan and Emma both looked at him with a great deal of compassion.

"No Harry, that's not it at all." Emma stated emphatically. "She wanted more than anything to be a part of your life since you both met on the train."

"She's right, Harry. By her own admission, Hermione would have died in her first year of you'd not been around. And that's not the only time you've saved her, is it? I bet there's a lot she hasn't told us."

Harry nodded, "Someday, Mr. Granger, we'll sit somewhere and I'll tell you all about our adventures. You have a right to know."

"You know, Harry, she's been completely lost without you. Losing your friendship wounded her so deeply I was afraid of what she'd do to herself." Emma sobbed.

Harry didn't know how to respond to that, so just gave Emma a gentle nod. The loud noise from the infirmary entrance broke the tense atmosphere that threatened to overwhelm him. Seeing Olivia racing toward him let him let loose the worry he'd carried around all morning since she and Luna had gone to Diagon. Despite knowing the outcome of the skirmish she'd been in, seeing her washed those worries away in an instant.

Olivia raced into her princes open arms, "Annwyl!"

He hugged her deeply, reassuring himself that she was unharmed. Harry placed a hand on her cheek and gave her a quick kiss, "Cariad? Are you alright?"

"I myself am unharmed, Your Grace." she started hesitantly. Pressing herself into his chest, she said in a heartbreaking undertone, "So many people injured, so many dead, woman and children..."

Harry absolutely understood her feelings. For so long he'd felt as though he was the only one that felt so strongly at the deaths of the innocent. Every life that was taken impacted him, personally, as though a part of his family had been taken away. That she felt like he did... "I am not angry with you, Liv. I would have done the same as you. I am a bit bothered that I wasn't there."

Olivia wiped a tear from her eye and looked up into his. "Forgive me for disturbing you, Your Grace, but your friend, Miss Delacour, has arrived with grave news and with a plea for aid."

"Fleur is here? What happened? I thought she was coming with her family tomorrow?"

"Bill Weasley and his brothers have brought their sister to Delacour Manor and she is in a bad way. Time is of the essence, Harry. Ginny needs help immediately." Luna said from behind Olivia.

"Ginny? What's wrong with Ginny?"

Fleur had followed Olivia into the infirmary and when she caught sight of Harry she dropped to her knees. "Your Majesty."

"Fleur, now is not the time, stand up and tell me what's going on." Harry said forcefully.

"It is a rather long story, Your Majesty, but in short, Ginny is suffering from a broken life debt and from some horrid curses that her parents placed her under..." Fleur began before taking a step back from the angered young monarch, as waves of magic washed over her.

Harry closed his eyes and growled. Fleur took a step back when she felt his magic come on even more powerfully. The Granger's looked on uneasily at seeing the young man so furious and even as non-magical they could feel the spike in the ambient temperature of the infirmary. Luna, knowing full well that Harry's unrestrained magic could never harm her smiled, noticing the effect that being surrounded by that same magic was having on Olivia. She looked...blissful.

"Healer Pomfrey, would you join us please?" Harry called to Primrose.

"Your Grace?" she asked timidly. She'd also felt the wave of his magic roll over her and was astounded at the power she'd felt.

"Fleur, this is Healer Pomfrey. Please explain to her what is going on with Ginny. Dobby, Willa!"

The popping sound announced the arrival of the elves and they saw the angry look of their lord and shrank back nervously. "Relax, guys, I'm not angry at you. Please, would you two go get Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys from Delacour Manor? If the Delacour family wishes to come as well, please arrange for their travel and accommodations here at Camelot; oh, and please don't do all of this by yourselves, okay? Ask for help if you need it, that's a lot of people to be conveying."

"At once, Master Harry!" both elves spoke in unison before popping away.

"Your Grace, if you'd join us for a moment, please?" Healer Pomfrey requested.

"Has Fleur explained what is going on, Healer?" Harry asked, reaching out a hand for Olivia. She grasped it desperately, needing the comfort he provided without even knowing it. And, knowing the news he was about to hear, she hoped to be able to comfort him in the same manner.

"Your young friend, Your Grace, seems to have been subjected to a number of curses that have damaged her..."

"Like Hermione?" Harry asked.

"In a similar fashion, yes, but much more harmful to her health and well-being; Miss Granger was made a slave to those who bespelled her and thus was unable to free herself, Miss Weasley was made to be subservient to the schemes of her parents through the use of family magic. The breaking of the life debt, along with the spells she's suffered under, would be most damaging to the girl. You knew, of course, that she owes you a life debt?" the healer asked.

"Dumbledore mentioned something once but said that it was of no importance. At the time I still believed in him, so I took him at his word. I take it that a life debt is something much more significant than what he explained?"

"Indeed, Your Grace, much more significant. Miss Weasley could not have betrayed you, not willingly. When her actions led to her betraying you, her magic started taking its toll on her. I believe she would be dead already were it not for her ability to fight against her enslavers as best she could." the healer explained.

"So her magic is, what, broken?"

"Almost, but not quite; I will have to examine her myself when she arrives, but..."

"But what?" Harry asked.

"Part of healing her would involve you, Your Grace. As the one owed a debt, only you can help heal the breach that exists between you."

"Will you help her, Annwyl?" asked Olivia worriedly. She knew Harry would do it, help the girl. How could he not? It was the type of person he was.

She felt Harry tense, his hand grasping hers almost painfully. She realized that the girl was one who he felt deceived by, but she also knew that he'd never forgive himself if he let something happen to her when he was able to help. "Helping her be healed does not mean you must let her back into your life. But now you know that whatever part she took in the treachery against you, it seems she did so under duress." Olivia said, knowing what was going through his mind.

Harry nodded, knowing that he would indeed help Ginny with her problem. "I need...I need to get away for a bit. Arrange for whatever you need, Madam Healer, call for me when it is time."

"Annwyl?" Olivia asked worriedly.

"I just need to do some thinking, Liv. I think I will go for a fly." he brought a hand to her cheek and placed a kiss on her forehead before sweeping away.

She sighed as she watched him leave troubled by the weight he bore on his slender shoulders. But, as she knew so very well about her annwyl, adversity was something to be overcome and he had a better understanding than most about how difficult life could be. It was his force of will that would see him overcome this predicament that his two friends faced. Harry was right, she though idly, a bit of flying will see him calm.

Olivia smiled when she saw Dobby at the infirmary exit with broom in hand, which the little being handed to Harry as he walked by.

"Luna?" Olivia said to the witch who'd been quietly standing watching the proceedings. "Keep an eye on him for me, please?"

"Of course, Liv, you know I will. If Neville comes back let him know where I went." she said and sprinted after Harry.

"Sir Hugh?" Olivia asked, swiveling her head to look at the swarthy knight. "Please ask Lord Derwyn to take over the meeting His Grace had arranged with the goblins masons and builders for this afternoon as it appears he will be occupied with Healer Pomfrey for quite some time."

"At once, milady." Sir Hugh said with a deep bow.

"Sir Herald, I would ask you to find Chancellor Lupin and inform him that his majesty will be unavailable for the time being. Please tell him to go forward with his meeting with the prospective professors for the new school."

"Of course, Milady Olivia, it shall be as you request. I will inform the Lord Chancellor immediately." the older knight replied.

Fleur stood there, astonished at the authoritative tone and demeanor of the young witch before her. She was not unfamiliar with authority, what with her father being a high ranking member of the French ministry. Her father had once told her that it was an acquired behavior, something learned through experience. As young as this lady was, she obviously didn't have the years of practice her father had. Authority flowed from her very being, almost as if she'd been born to it. "Who are you?" asked a bewildered Fleur, looking intently at the commanding young witch stood before her.

Olivia turned to Fleur and smiled enigmatically. "I am but a servant to his grace, King Harry."

That smile threw Fleur for a loop. She was no one's servant, of that she was certain. Fleur narrowed her eyes and examined the witch more attentively. Swollen lips, heaving bosom, lightly reddened cheeks...this was a girl in love...and she was in love with Harry. She ran back the memory of the time after she'd entered the infirmary and kneeled before Harry. When this lady had burst through the doors, an open-armed Harry was awaiting her. She noticed that he'd held such tenderness in his look towards her as she'd flown into his arms that Fleur was surprised she'd missed it and that he'd held her so closely, so intimately, was something else she'd not noticed. It seemed that the new king was also in love. Poor Gabrielle, she thought.

"So my sister has some competition where Harry's heart is concerned, doesn't she?" Fleur asked, smiling teasingly.

"Competition?" Olivia returned with her own grin, "Hardly."

Fleur's eyes widened in surprise before she burst out in laughter, "Thank you, milady, after the day my family and the family of my fiancée have had, I really needed that release from all that frustration that I'd been keeping inside me all day."

"Of course, Miss Delacour, and please call me Olivia."

"And I prefer Fleur. Will you accompany me to await my family?" Fleur asked as she stepped up to the blonde and wrapped her arm around Olivia's. "So, Olivia, you must tell me all about how you and King Harry got together."

Fleur chuckled when she noticed Olivia's face flush bright red. "Well, it all started a bit more than a week ago...I was awoken from a long slumber..."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Bones Manor, 1200 Hours

"You've been to Camelot?" Susan all but shrieked. "You've been to Camelot?"

Neville grinned, "Yeah, it's a nice little place Harry's got there. I think that I'm going to call it home real soon, too. He has some plans that will...how did he put it...oh, yes...rock our world!"

The Bones ladies looked at him with puzzled expression from which Amelia appeared to be the first to recover.

"It is true then, Mister Potter has been enthroned as King of Camelot?" Madam Bones asked emotionally. "Camelot is real?"

"I sat at the Round Table in the very same seat that my ancestor sat in many generations ago, right next to yours, by the way, Susan," Neville stated proudly, "I have also walked the parapets of that wondrous castle and looked down upon the most beautiful city in the world. I've spoken to many of the denizens of the fabled city and have been awed at the admiration and love they genuinely hold for their new king...and he's only been there for a few days!"

Neville's smile grew even bigger, "I have stood in the throne room when he accepted the fealty of the fairies and the gnomes. I've seen him brandish Excalibur as he knighted worthy members of the Royal Guards. I was there when he met the burghers of the city, insisting that they bring their families with them to the castle and I watched, amazed, as he played with the children while their parents watched in awe as this exalted young man laughed wildly when he was tickled to the ground by the tiny horde of kids."

"My friend, Harry, is an amazing guy; brave, loyal, kind, and intelligent. But my king, Harry, will be everything I have ever heard or read that a real king should be like. Everything I admire about my friend, Harry, will be magnified as he grows into his crown." Neville concluded breathlessly.

"Amazing..." Amelia admitted. She shook herself from her trance and addressed the young man. "Mister Longbottom..."

"Neville, please, Madam Bones."

"As you wish then, Neville." she nodded. "I would speak to His Majesty as soon as is possible. I am hoping that you'll be able to facilitate a meeting between us?"

"I can certainly ask, but Harry was rather more concerned in Susan and her work with the heirs." he said with a look at the blushing redhead.

"He was...he is?" Susan gasped. "Does he know? Does he know about how we broke oath with him?"

"He is aware of that fact, Susan." he held up a hand to forestall the obvious panic that he saw flit across the face of the Bones heiress. "But...he is also aware that many, if not all of us, have been prevented from forming any sort of relationship with him. He is angry, justifiably so. Despite everything that Dumbledore and his stupid Order have done to keep everyone from knowing who he is..."

"Excuse me," Amelia interjected forcefully, "Did you just say Dumbledore has something to do with all this? That he and his people are the ones responsible for turning our backs on our Lord King?"

"Overlord Ragnok explained to Harry that Dumbledore had gotten access to all the family's grimoires using his title of Chief Warlock. He'd cast spells on the books to prevent them from being read by the family and with a few memory charms, no one was the wiser. Everyone was simply made to forget the Pendragon, Gryffindor, and Potter legacy." Neville explained. "However, Harry quite brilliantly I might add, also worked out that would have been an impossible task for just one man. Harry thinks that he is using the members of the Order to help with the task."

"I think His Majesty is correct," Susan agreed. "There is no way that Dumbledore alone could have accomplished all this without help, don't you think so too, Auntie...Auntie, are you okay?"

Drawn from her astonishment by the words from her niece, the Head Auror spoke haltingly, "The goblins have also sworn fealty to Harry...to His Majesty, haven't they?" an incredulous Amelia asked.

"The goblins are a proud race, as we all know, and not ones to bow to just anyone. Luckily, Harry being Harry, the Overlord was quite impressed with him. Ragnok and he have grown quite close these last few days." Neville replied with a smile. "Oh, and let's not forget that there's this goblin named Griphook that has become Harry's personal bodyguard. That guy has more knives and swords on his body than I have ever seen in one place before. Not even a fly could get close to Harry without Griphook's say so."

Susan and Amelia both looked amazed at that. The goblins were...inflexible...where wizards were concerned. If Harry had not only accepted their vows of fealty, but had also become friendly with the goblin king...the goblins would and could wreak havoc upon their society, not only financially, but with the combined might of Camelot, militarily as well.

"I will arrange a meeting with the others, Nev." Susan said, still looking awed. "Where should we meet?"

"For now, Harry wants to meet everyone at Hogwarts."

"Not Camelot?" the redhead asked looking disappointed.

Neville grew serious at that point, "Look, Susan, the whole of our society has treated Harry abysmally for years. Yes, I know that it wasn't really our fault, but at this point he has little trust for anyone. On his official coronation day, I will give him oath, even though I'm fairly certain that he considers me one of his best friends and would never ask it of me. That should tell you how much he has come to be wary of us. The only one he hasn't asked to bow to him is my girlfriend. Luna is like...she's like his little sister and they care for each other very deeply. Harry could never ask her to do such a thing; he'd consider it some sort of betrayal of her affection. The only other person I could think of that he'd not take oath from would be the Lady Olivia..."

"I'm sorry...the lady who?" Amelia and Susan both asked.

"The girl who I'm pretty sure will be the future queen of Camelot, something that my Luna is quite adamant will take place in the near future. Olivia loves Harry and it is also quite obvious to us that Harry's fondness for Olivia is growing by the minute. Half the castle is convinced that they'll be bonded by the end of the year. She's good for him, and he for her." he chuckled. "She's teaching him how to fight, which in itself is quite amazing. It's actually pretty funny to see Harry getting his ass kicked for a change. She's an absolute demon with a wand or a sword in her hand."

Something sparked a thought in the mind of the Director of the DMLE. Word had come to her that a small but intense battle had taken place that very morning in the wizarding shopping district. "She wouldn't be a beautiful blonde witch who was in Diagon Alley this morning, would she?" Amelia asked.

Neville frowned at that, "I know she and Luna were going shopping there this morning...wait, how do you know that?"

"There was an attack, led by Lucius Malfoy if witness accounts are to be believed, that tell of an teenaged blonde girl that took down a half-dozen Death Eaters and fought Malfoy as well."

"I've got to get back to the Camelot!" Neville shouted, springing to his feet. "Maxi!"

The arriving elf bowed to Neville, "I need to be conveyed back to the castle, could you help me with that, please?"

"Yes, Mister Neville." the elf said, taking hold of his hand.

"I'll contact you as soon as I can, Susan, call everyone that was at that meeting and arrange for them to be at Hogwarts. I'll give you a time and a date after I've talked to Harry."

Susan nodded, "I will. I think I understand Harry's caution in this matter and I can't fault him for that. Please convey to His Majesty my regards and the regards of House Bones."

"Director, I will pass on your wish to have an audience with His Grace." With a nod and a sharp crack, Neville was gone.

Susan and Amelia both sat back into their seats, trying to digest the information that they'd just heard.

"Camelot is real..." Susan whispered in wonder.

"I've no doubt about the truth of that statement now, Susan." Amelia agreed. She reflected, deep in thought about the repercussion that announcing this massive bit of news could have on their world. "This is not going to sit well with the Wizengamot when they find out, I can tell you that."

"What are you talking about?"

"Dumbledore and Fudge have called an emergency meeting for tomorrow morning. I have the distinct impression that they are going to declare that Harry Potter is a rising dark lord and that he must be stopped by any means necessary." Amelia explained.

"But that's just ridiculous! What about the actual dark lord that just revealed himself to us all?" Susan scoffed.

"I don't know, Sue. I really don't know." Amelia sighed. "I am going to resign my position tomorrow if that happens to be the case. I can't in good conscience stand for something like that. I already feel like I've betrayed the family's oath to the Pendragon heir. I won't do so again! The Bones' family has a duty to stand with their king; I will not forsake that duty!"

"Nor will I, Auntie." agreed Susan. Her eyebrows furrowed as she had a thought, "You know half the Auror Force is likely to follow you out the door, right?"

"Funny you should say that, because Shacklebot also said the same thing."

Susan smiled conspiratorially at her aunt, "Do you think that maybe, just maybe, the new king of Camelot would like to have a couple of dozen Aurors under his command? Do you think that maybe he would appoint their previous commander as their new commander?"

"Funny you should say that, too, because I was thinking the same thing..." Amelia said with a wicked grin in return.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The Burrow, 1230 hours

The matriarch of the Weasley family was humming a tune to herself as she went about her housework. The weekly family dinner was to be that evening and she wanted everything to be perfect. The amount of food she was preparing was even more than she would usually prepare, making sure that each of her sons had their favorite dish for what could turn out to be an eventful evening.

Albus was concerned that Bill, George, and Fred would do something drastic were they ever to discover the truth about their parents less than lawful behavior. While she thought that they would be willing to go along with the plans they had regarding the Potter heir, she wasn't as convinced that they'd go along with anything that saw their beloved sister hurt in any way.

"Ginny!" Molly called out from the bottom of the rickety stairs. "Time to get up, dear!"

She frowned when she didn't hear any sound coming from her bedroom. Being out of school, her children were well known to like to have a lie in. Even so, there were chores to be done and she would have to work what magic she could muster to make her daughter look presentable for when her older brothers arrived. The binding spells she and Arthur were using were, unfortunately, capable of causing some bad reactions if the witch was unwilling to comply with the family's wishes, not something she wanted the boys to find out given the physical state of Ginny at the moment.

"Ron!" she yelled again.

"What?" the angered redhead yelled from his door.

"Check on Ginny, will you, please? She should have been up for hours. That girl needs to be ready for when your brothers get here."

Ron snorted angrily but did as he was asked. Molly saw him disappear into his sister's room, only to come running out, "Mom, Ginny isn't in her room!"

"What do you mean she isn't in her room?" she asked crossly.

"Her bed looks slept in, but she isn't in it. And she isn't in the bathroom either!"

Molly, as quickly as her ample body allowed, bolted up the stairs and ran into her daughter's room. Verifying that Ginny was indeed nowhere to be seen, she pulled out her wand and cast some diagnostic spells on her bedroom window.

"Did she go out the window?" Ron asked.

"No...the wards are undisturbed. If she got out of the house, it wasn't through the window." she said thoughtfully.

"I'll check the other rooms."

"Thank you, Ronnie." she stirred from her thoughts and headed back down into the kitchen, wondering if perhaps Ginny had, during the night, gone out into the orchard to fly.

"The twins rooms look just the same as the last time I went in there, Mom, so does Bill's, Charlie's, and Percy's."

She frowned, starting to feel a deep sense of foreboding intrude into her consciousness. Her eyes widened when she realized that the family clock could help her locate her wayward daughter. She ran into the parlor and her face turned white with fear. Her hand flew to her mouth, trying to hold in a sob, but failed miserably.

The Weasley family clock had some missing hands!

She looked toward her feet and screamed.

On the floor before her were the fallen hands of Ginny, Bill, George, and Fred. They'd dropped off the clock, something which should have been impossible unless they were all dead. Even Charlie's hand seemed to be frightfully close to dropping off as well.

Glancing back up at the magical timepiece, her face turned impossibly pale before she passed out and hit the floor with a loud crash.

"Mom?" Ron yelled when he came barreling into the parlor. He knelt before his mother and tried to revive her by fanning her face. He noticed the hand of his brothers and sisters lying on the floor and curiously wondered what could have caused that. He looked up at the family clock and he almost joined his mother on the floor.

For the hands that contained the names Ronald, Arthur, Molly, and Percy, were all pointed at mortal danger.

Lake Avalon, 1300 hours

"Nice to see you, Griphook." Luna whispered, seating herself on the rock outcropping by the side of the lake where Harry was currently pacing in contemplation.

"I wish you would stop doing that!" a deep growl came from beside her, "I'm supposed to be invisible over here!"

"A simple 'hello, Luna' would have been acceptable, you know? There's no need for you to get so annoyed because I can see you." she said with a smile.

The disillusionment charm that had covered Griphook dissipated and the goblin looked up at the quirky girl, "His Majesty is most upset." he noted quietly.

Luna nodded, "Agreed. He received some distressing news concerning a couple of friends of ours. It appears that these friends have been abused, something that angered Harry very much. Hence the mood he's in at the moment."

"Ah..." Griphook replied knowingly.

"Ah?" Luna snorted. Looking out, she watched from afar while Harry paced at the shore. Her heart ached for her brother...

The young witch pondered that notion: brother. Her thoughts drifted toward that eventful evening that had changed her life for the better.

Luna had called upon whatever limited courage she had and approached Harry the evening that ridiculous cup spat out his name, it had been with a little trepidation on her part. But it had been the sight of a downtrodden Harry Potter that had stirred her to action. Seeing how his fellow Gryffindor's had abused him in full sight of the rest of the school and staff, including the visiting academies of magic had infuriated her to no end.

She'd seen the hopeless look on his face when his name was called; his shoulders had sagged at the inevitability of it all, as if he'd known that his name would be called despite the fact that he'd never even approached the Cup. But his face had taken on a stony and determined look as he'd walked up toward the room holding the congregating champions.

Luna had waited for him to come out of that meeting, hoping to be the first to declare her belief that he'd not done what they'd accused him of and to offer what help she could. He'd looked at her in disbelief, not really trusting that she was being wholly sincere. It was the first time she'd ever seen his soul-searching gaze as it pinned her in place, his own soul seemingly scrutinizing hers. When his lopsided grin had broken his stern features, she'd sighed in relief.

The weeks seemed to speed up somehow. All their free time was spent together as she and he had researched, and trained, and exercised. And in that time, he'd come to trust her, and she him. He'd had tears in his eyes a she recounted her mother's death. He'd been angered beyond belief when he heard how the Ravenclaws treated her.

It was that, her being bullied, that had sealed what in her mind was the start of their deepening relationship. The harassment had stopped a couple of days later after a most horrific episode of harassment. Rumors circulating the castle at the time told of an incensed Harry Potter that had stormed into the Ravenclaw common room on the night when he'd found her nearly naked and freezing wandering the castle halls. Those rumors, as it turns out, were close to the truth.

He'd taken her into his arms later that night and he'd held her tight as she bawled her eyes out. With ease, he'd lifted her into her arms and carried her to Madam Pomfrey. Luna met Dobby that night, too. The elf, exhilarated at having been called by his 'Harry Potter sir', had procured her a change of clothing from her dorm room while she took shelter in the infirmary. Harry had asked him to stand guard over her while he dealt with her House, the little elf had taken his command extremely seriously, standing guard at the door with arms folded across his chest and a look of steely determination on his face.

She never did find out what Harry had done, but the shift in behavior from her housemates was quite noticeable. Some of the members, particularly those who'd been so mean to her, flinched whenever she looked in their direction.

When she woke the next morning, it was to find herself tucked into Harry as he slept. He'd taken to sleeping on the chair next to her hospital bed; she must have woken in the middle of the night and sought out the comfort she desperately needed in his arms. Feeling her stir had woken him, too, and he smiled down at her fondly and kissed the top of her head. Safe and secure, loved even, that's how she felt in what was to her the best morning of her life thus far.

Her thoughts returned to the present, where her eyes focused on Harry as he worked through his anger and was relieved when she finally saw him take in a deep breath and slowly begin to settle down. The anger fueled magic that had been so palpable only a few minutes ago was now only a slight and gentle breeze drifting over her. "It looks like he's might be ready to talk, Griphook. What do you think?"

"I believe you are correct, Miss Luna." Griphook agreed.

"In that case, I'm going to him." she said as she stood from her rocky seat. Tentatively, she walked toward Harry. Even though he was facing away from her, she shouldn't have been surprised when he spoke.

"I thought you'd join me sooner, you know, to try and calm me down." Harry whispered.

"I would have, but I think you needed to work through this on your own. I will always be here for you, dearest, don't ever forget that." she said, curling an arm around his and pulling him close. They both stood in silence, gazing out over the crystal blue lake.

"I see you got your bed out of the lake." he chuckled.

She smiled, despite her annoyance at being pranked so easily. "Willa was kind enough to give me a hand. I wasn't fair that you took my wand away, you know?"

"Maybe, but it was funny." he conceded with a smile before once again withdrawing into himself, his face becoming an emotionless mask.

"Talk to me, Harry. What's going on in that head of yours?" she asked, hoping he'd tell her his thoughts.

"You know, until Neville, I don't think I ever really had any male friends. Well, Ron, I suppose, but I know now that he was anything but a friend." Harry's eyes took on a sad look that angered her greatly. She was going to hurt Ron Weasley the next time she laid eyes on him!

"My existence has, something I've just now come to realize, been influenced, and maybe even defined by the women in my life." Harry said haltingly. Luna could see he was having difficulty putting his thoughts into words.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked curiously.

"Well, let's start with first woman in my life. My mother: she sacrificed herself for me, didn't she? It was her love that allowed me to survive that horrid night. It's from my mother that I think I get what Hermione called my 'saving people thing'."

"I didn't know that..." Luna gasped.

"Something else that twinkly-eyed old man explained to me," he explained. "The second woman, my aunt, is a horrible woman, obsessed with appearances and trying her damndest to portray and image of perfect normality. She doesn't realize that she's anything but normal. And, being the neighborhood gossip that she is, she'd spend countless hours staring out the living room window, judging people and finding fault with them. She's petty, intolerant, and never had a kind word for any of them. I wanted to be completely opposite from her, be open-minded where she was so very closed-minded. I was always afraid that I might end up just as prejudiced as she is."

"You know you're not, right? If anything, I'd say you are like the other side of the coin from her." Luna said looking up into his eyes. He smiled down at her and gave her a hesitant nod.

"The third woman was Hermione, who for the better part of three years was the most loyal friend anyone could wish for. She taught me that learning is something special, that knowledge is something to strive for, something to be used to better myself. I only wish I'd listened to her back then, I think I would be better prepared for all this if I'd paid more attention." Harry sighed deeply, "But, like my Mom, she was taken away from me too."

His gaze seemed very far away, but he continued nevertheless. "I suppose Ginny was the fourth woman to have any influence on me. In the aftermath of saving her from the basilisk, I could see she was trying hard to get over her obsession with me, trying to get over her crush, trying to become a friend. I thought that she would take Hermione's place when it appeared that Hermione had taken a step back from our friendship. She, unlike Hermione sometimes, was interested in what I had to say. Or at least she appeared to be. I think that, given time, Ginny and I could have developed into something more."

"She did seem to be growing up." Luna said with a shrug. "I think her feelings for you were deepening, if anything, and she realized that if she wanted more from you than just friendship she'd have to change, too. I don't think she saw you as the boy-who-lived anymore. I think she was finding that the real Harry was something much better."

"And then you came along..." he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and drawing her close. "When my name came out of that blasted cup, none of the people I thought would stand by me did. But, quite unexpectedly, it was some weird girl from Ravenclaw..."

"Hey now, I'm not weird...just...misunderstood." Luna exclaimed, trying to look affronted.

Harry smiled at her sweetly and continued, "So anyway, this 'misunderstood' girl from Ravenclaw came to me and offered her help. She wanted nothing in return from me, except for perhaps a friend. You have no idea how much I clung to the hope you gave me when you showed me that I could survive the tournament. How much I came to value you and what you were offering. And, during the course of the year, you entered my heart in your ever so unique way. You went from acquaintance, to friend, to best friend, to sister, in a matter of months."

Luna looked up at him from his side and blushed. "I never knew where I got the courage to talk to you, to offer you my help. Ever since my first year I've felt a connection with you."

"You have?" asked a curious Harry.

"At first, before Neville invited me to the Yule Ball, I thought we would develop a romantic connection. After the Yule Ball, when Neville asked me to be his girlfriend, I came to realize that the bond that we shared was more familial, you know...brother and sister." she explained

"You are a beautiful young lady, Luna, but I don't think I could ever feel like that for you." he said cautiously.

"I know that, Harry, no need to be so careful with my feelings about this. I knew I was going to be part of your life, I just didn't know how." she explained. "I am quite happy being the king's little sister, you know?"

Harry gave her a mischievous smile, "I'm still going to make you a princess, whether you like it or not."

"Harry..." she whined.

"It's going to happen, get over it." Harry said with finality. Luna could only shake her head, knowing that when Harry got a notion in his head he would follow it through no matter what.

"So, what other women have had an effect on you?" Luna prodded.

He took in a deep breath, "There have been others, of course. Mrs. Weasley for one, McGonagall too I suppose...but I found myself disappointed in them almost from the start. Molly showed herself to be overbearing and smothering with her affection. As for Professor Mcgonagall, well, I was also pretty disappointed with her. She kept telling me how she was friends with my parents, but if that were true, you'd think she would have been more aware of what was going on in my life. You know, I don't think I ever asked for her help after my first year."

"She's a Dumbledore sycophant, Harry. She would not have done anything that he did not approve of and if helping you out was something she was forbidden to do..."

"You're right, of course." Harry said with a loud sigh. She watched as he seemed to cycle through emotions. Luna's concern faded somewhat when his eyes began to sparkle and he lost some of the seriousness that had been plastered to his face for the past couple of hours.

He looked down at Luna and gave her a brilliant smile. Luna realized almost instantly what...or rather who...he was thinking of.

"And then Olivia came into your life...?" she asked with a wide grin. "You do realize that you two were made for each other, right?"

"You think?" Harry asked, looking at Luna with furrowed brows.

Luna shook her head at his cluelessness. "You do remember who her grandfather was, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but what does Merlin have to do with..."

"Merlin was the greatest wizard who ever lived, right? Olivia would say that he would disagree with that characterization, but from our point of view it is the truth. Now, Merlin, the greatest wizard who ever lived, a Seer of great renown, a wise and learned man, saw to it that his precious granddaughter was brought here...to be with you."

"Wait, hang on, are you implying that Merlin foresaw me and Olivia...together?"

"Is that so hard to believe? Harry, I know you have a hard time trusting or accepting it, but Olivia is totally in love with you...hopelessly so. And you want to know something else? You are just as hopelessly in love with her as she is with you!"

"Am I that easy to read?" Harry asked, blushing deeply. "I can't help but think that we've only known each other for..."

"You've got to stop doing that, Harry!" Luna said with a glare. "I am not going to let you talk yourself out of loving that girl. Your dad fell in love with your mother the moment he first saw her and I bet that it was the same with you when you saw Olivia in that crystal box. You don't have to know everything about someone to be in love with them, my clueless brother. It's like any other relationship, you learn about each other over the course of time." she explained. "Granted, Liv has an advantage as she's been watching your life story her entire life in that mirror she told me about. She knows all about you, Harry. And she loves you. You do realize that the love of your life is at this very moment probably worrying herself silly about you? Who do you think asked me to keep an eye on you? Not that I need any excuse to make sure you keep yourself out of trouble, mind you...plus, your evil goblin bodyguard apparently is also keeping an eye on you."

"I'm not evil..." Griphook growled just loud enough to be heard by the pair. "I'm just misunderstood..."

Harry and Luna both laughed at hearing that. Despite the humor, Luna could feel the gloom return to his body.

"I don't know what to do about Hermione...or Ginny." his eyes conveyed a deep sadness that broke her heart.

But, she considered his words before speaking. "What were your thoughts when you heard about how Hermione was abused and manipulated into deserting you?

"Anger. Pure anger that someone, and I'm pretty sure we know who, hurt her. I want to go to the Burrow and burn the place to the ground with Ron nailed to the kitchen table." Harry replied. "But I know I can't do that."

"No, you can't. I won't let you do that, regardless of the fact that he deserves it," Luna told him. "What about Ginny then, Harry? If what we heard from Fleur and Healer Pomfrey is correct, she never turned her back on you, not willingly at least. She was forced to do so. And, given Ginevra's situation, I think that it is quite probable that the same thing occurred to Hermione."

"What is wrong with this world, Luna? When did it become okay for someone to torture a person who is supposed to be your friend like I'm pretty sure Ron did to Hermione? When did it become acceptable for a parent to force behavior on a child, especially when that child could lose her life because of it?" Harry asked in frustration. His life with his relatives had been far from pleasant, but knowing the Weasley's like he thought he did, he just couldn't fathom that they'd do that to one of their own.

Luna was just about to answer him when the arrival of Harry's elf startled her.

"Master Harry, sir!" Dobby shrieked. "Healer Pomfrey needs you right quick in the infirmary!"

"What's going on, Dobby?" Harry questioned, reaching out a hand toward Dobby, something Luna mirrored. Before he could be answered, he was standing in the middle of the infirmary in what appeared to be the beginning of a pitched battle between the Weasley's and the Granger's.

"That disgusting piece of shit you call your brother raped my little girl!" Dan Granger growled from behind a pair of knights who were barely holding him back. "I'm going to kill him when I get my hands on him!"

Bill, Fred, and George, were all confused at the accusations that this man was hurling in their direction. "Sir, I have no idea who you are or what you're talking about." Bill answered, wand in hand. Only Fleur holding his arm down was preventing him from stunning the angered man that threatened him and his brothers.

Olivia, who was holding Hermione's mother back, looked up gratefully at seeing the arrival of her prince.

"Enough!" roared Harry, stopping everyone in their tracks. The magicals in the room recoiled at feeling the awesome power that was laced in the words of the young monarch. "This is a hospital, this is a place of healing; there are ailing people in here who need treatment that are not helped by you lunatics having a go at each other!"

The Granger's and Weasley's looked properly chastised at having caused such a ruckus. The mumbled apologies notwithstanding, they were all a little terrified of the young raven haired lad that stood before them. Seeing that they were calming down, the monarch turned toward the healer, "Healer, how is your new patient?"

"I was just about to call for you, Your Grace. Miss Weasley is in desperate need of your help. The ritual is ready." Primrose stated succinctly.

"Attend to your patient and I will join you momentarily. I will see to it that we are not disturbed." The healer gave him a bow and proceeded to Ginny's bedside.

"Bill, I would like to introduce you to Daniel and Emma Granger. They're Hermione's parents." Luna said cautiously, trying to keep an eye on the father of Hermione.

Bill's eyes widened in understanding, "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I have only recently learned of what my brother has done to you daughter. I have no words that can express how deeply sorry I am at her treatment at his hands and at the hands of my parents. I will do all I can to help you get the justice you seek."

"Hang on a minute," Harry roared angrily, "Rape? Are you telling me that it wasn't consensual, that Ron raped Hermione?"

The thought that his once best mate could do something like that had never crossed his mind. He had thought that, at the time, the reason for Hermione's distancing from him had been a new and deeper relationship with Ron. Finding out that she'd been virtually enslaved by the headmaster through his magic and Snape's potions riled Harry to the point of an eruption of magic. Ron had obviously known and had taken advantage of that fact for his own amusements.

A wave of magical energy exploded out of Harry and Excalibur appeared in his hands. Except for Olivia, Luna, and Primrose, all within the infirmary had been knocked to the ground.

"Annwyl, no!" Olivia said, leaping from Emma's side and latching herself to Harry.

"I am going to kill him..." he snarled.

Seeing Harry standing there, looking formidably intimidating, Bill motioned to his brothers and they all took a knee before him. "Your Majesty, I know how much you value Miss Granger, but I ask that you allow my brothers and me to take care of Ron."

"Harry...Your Grace, I know that Ron and my parents have hurt Hermione, but we beg you..."

"...please let us take care of this. We will make certain he can't harm her again and that he and my parents pay for what they've done..." the twins added seriously.

Bill looked close to tears, "After seeing the condition of my sister, the three of us have disowned ourselves from our family. We have renounced the Weasley name. Charlie is unconvinced, but I think I can get him to our side. Percy, ever the git, has chosen to take my parent side, disbelieving everything we've told him about Ginny's condition. I intend to seek custody of my sister and make sure she never returns to the Burrow. She will also have nothing to do with Hogwarts. Your Majesty, please, we only want to see out sister healed."

Harry stepped up to Bill and looked down into the kneeling man's eyes. The redhead was intimidated at seeing the swirling power in the young man's gaze, but could do nothing to look away. It was as though he was petrified while his soul was being interrogated. He let out a breath of relief when Harry acknowledged him with a nod of his head.

"Olivia, please have Willa find these the three suitable accommodations. I have feeling they will be with us for some time. Fred, George, I will arrange for transportation to Diagon for you guys for when you need to go to work and also to come back after closing time."

"Thank you, Har...thank you, Your Majesty!" the twins said gratefully.

"Alright, let's see about getting Ginny all healed up." Harry stated with conviction, making his way toward the waiting healer and the unconscious Ginny, his movement being tracked by the trio of redheaded men. When Harry stopped abruptly and turned toward the Weasley's the power in his eyes intimidated them into backing up a step.

"Take care of Ron, boys, because if you don't I will end him. Painfully." he said to them in a low voice. Harry gave them a nod and turned back to make his way to the healer.

"Sweet Hathor, did you feel that...?" Bill breathed.

"I think I may have actually been frightened of our not so little Harrykins..." Fred said with a cringe.

"...and I think I need to go home and change my underwear." George added.

George blushed red when his brothers looked at him with raised eyebrows, but it wasn't until he heard the sniggering from the three girls that he truly became embarrassed. He turned to look at the three blondes, "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

Bill smiled wanly, feeling worn out after the events of the last couple of days. He reached out a hand to Fleur, which she took and squeezed tightly, allowing all the love and support she felt for him flow warmly through his being.

"Will you introduce me to your new friend?" Bill asked, nodding his head toward the girl standing next to Luna.

"William Weasley, I would like to introduce you to the Lady Olivia Emrys...Lady Emrys, my fiancé, William Weasley."

"A pleasure, Miss...wait, hold on...did you say Emrys...really?"

"A story for another time, Mr. Weasley." the blonde replied, taking Bill's outstretched hand and giving it a shake like she'd been taught by Harry.

"Alright, I suppose I can wait." Bill sighed.

"It's a remarkably entertaining tale, William. You'll be glad to hear it when the time comes." Fleur told him gently.

"With Harry involved, I don't doubt it for a second." he replied, "Is anyone aware of what exactly they are going to do to Ginny? Will Harry be able to help her?"

"Have no doubt that His Grace will do everything within his power to see your sister restored to health, William." Olivia declared with conviction. "As for what they will do to her exactly, it is a bit complicated. Essentially they will perform a druidic healing ritual which should repair her body and magic. Healer Pomfrey is by all accounts the best person to deal with this situation." Olivia explained.

"I can't believe she's also a Pomfrey!" Bill stated, perplexed by that odd coincidence. "I wonder what Poppy over at Hogwarts would think if she found out that she has a relative who is also a healer?"

"I would not mention the other Pomfrey in the presence of our Pomfrey," Olivia warned. "She has a whole host of issues she wishes to take up with the Hogwarts Pomfrey. I would not wish to be in that woman's presence when our healer confronts her."

Bill was all set to question what the girl meant, but a slight shake of Fleur's head stopped him from inquiring. He was sure Fleur would fill him in sooner rather than later and it, along with Lady Olivia's story, promised to be one heck of a yarn.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Ministry for Magic, Wizengamot Chambers, 0900 hours.

The Great Chamber of the Wizengamot was filled to capacity, something that Amelia Bones found rather odd, considering that it was not a regularly scheduled session. 'The Chief Warlock must have cashed in a lot of markers and favors to see this many people from his side of the aisle present', she thought.

Minister Fudge and Dumbledore walked down the walkway and made their way toward the raised dais. Cornelius looked nervous for some reason, something else Amelia took note of. Dumbledore on the other hand looked about as determined as she'd ever seen him.

Many of the gathered members were somewhat confused when noticing that the minister did not sit in his regular seat. Adding to the confusion was the two large thrones that sat front and center of the dais. They seemed to have replaced the seating for the Minister, Chief Warlock, and the rest of the department heads whose own chairs seemed to have vanished. The podium that usually and center stage was now placed below. Dumbledore calmly took his place and called for order.

"Why are we meeting, Chief Warlock?" an irritated member of the Wizengamot asked from his section of the tiered seating. "I thought we'd agreed not to meet again until next month!"

"We face trying times, my friends, the gathering darkness approaches and we must do what we can to stall its advance upon our world." Dumbledore stated.

Loud grumbling could be heard throughout the chambers from the gathered members. Rolling her eyes, Amelia stood and addressed the Chief Warlock, glaring at him all the while.

"What then is your suggestion, Dumbledore?" she asked.

"To the crux of the matter then, Madam Bones; suffice it to say that I have brought us all here today to invoke the Articles of Emergency Powers be granted to Minister Fudge at this time. We need Minister Fudge to have all the authority we can give him that he may take action against he that threatens us all." Dumbledore explained calmly.

The followers of Dark Lord paled at the suggestion. With Malfoy being sought by law enforcement it was Theodore Nott Sr. who now led the contingent of the Marked within the government. "What reason could you possible use to call upon such powers to be granted to the Minister? I can't see how a few rabble rousers causing some minor damage to Diagon Alley or a minor department within the ministry could justify such a proposition. Surely the DMLE can handle such trivial concerns?"

"Trivial? Is that how you view the murder of six innocent citizens by members of the Death Eaters in Diagon Alley? Was the clash that took place within this very building so very insignificant?" Amelia Bones was incensed and she angrily stood to speak her mind, "The minister himself, along with the Chief Warlock, was witness to the revelation that he-who-must-not-be-named is alive and well. That is not something that I would call trivial! However, I do agree with you that taking such an action as suggested by the Chief Warlock is unnecessary at this time. I would suggest, however, that we use what little time we have before you-know-who gathers power to himself to increase funding to the DMLE. Having an Auror force that is trained and ready to face the upcoming conflict that evil man will most certainly cause..."

"Alas, dear lady, you misunderstand me. It is not to Voldemort to whom I refer..." Dumbledore said patronizingly, not at all deterred by the gasps of horror that came from the members at the mention of that dreaded name.

Amelia took in a deep breath and gritted her teeth knowing full well exactly what Dumbledore now had planned. "Forgive me, Chief Warlock, but are you implying that the rebirth of he-who...Voldemort...is not the reason you are requesting us to grant powers to the minister that effectively empower him to act as a dictator until such time as he feels the threat is over?"

Dumbledore shook his head, "He is not the reason. Or rather I should say he is not the only reason. No! Voldemort may seek power, but he does not seek our destruction."

Amelia scoffed, "Really? So killing our people is not him seeking our destruction?"

The Chief Warlock looked at her, trying to pin her with his gaze. She returned his look with her own, one that conveyed the utter loathing she felt for this man. "Madam Bones, there is one who would do his utmost to end our very way of life. If he feels that wiping out our entire world was for lack of a better term, the greater good, he would do so without a moment's hesitation. I made the unfortunate mistake of keeping him distanced from our world, keeping him isolated in the muggle world where he had no chance of learning our ways." Amelia almost clapped at the consummate acting job that Dumbledore was putting on in his role of disappointed grandfather.

"Chief Warlock, a question if I may?" the Dame Longbottom asked.

"Certainly, Dame Longbottom, ask away." Albus replied genially.

"Who then is this person who you say is a bigger threat to our lives than he-who-must-not-be-named? Most of us still remember the terror we lived under during those trying times. I hardly think it likely that there is someone else out there that could cause even more damage to our society than Voldemort!"

Putting on his most sincere face like a mask, Dumbledore looked out over the gathered assembly, "I have watched this young man for most of his life, my Lords and Ladies, watching as he grew from a shy and reserved boy into a young wizard with unlimited magical potential. I feel as though I have failed this person in that I have let him be led astray by his baser urges. Were he to reach his full potential, our current problems with a certain dark lord would pale in comparison to what this boy could accomplish."

"Who is this boy that I speak of?" Dumbledore paused, letting the suspense build. "I speak of none other than Harry James Potter!"

The shouts and cries were instantaneous. Half the Wizengamot demanding an explanation, the other half crying out for the boy to be arrested and sent to Azkaban as soon as he was apprehended. Amelia watched the members arguing and her heart fell. Her eyes moved to the section of the chamber that contained the darker element in the government and was not at all surprised to see the undisguised glee coming from those...people.

"That is absolutely ludicrous!" Amelia yelled, trying to be heard over the cacophony of the Wizengamot. "Why are you so intent on seeing that young man proclaimed an ascendant dark lord? Why is it that you would brand him more dangerous than the dark lord we already face?"

"Because despite my every effort, he seems to have fallen to the Dark and it is for that very reason that I have tried to have some sway in his life since the very beginning. The lad was touched by the foulest of magics, magics that may have tainted his very soul. He needs guidance, he needs a firm hand to see him firmly entrenched in the Light." Dumbledore explained. "The attack on Professor Snape earlier this month is incontrovertible proof that he is falling. Only one versed in the darkest of arts could have had any chance against a wizard of the professor's capabilities. That he was so soundly defeated by a teenager begs the question: how did he do it if not through the dark arts?"

Amelia looked around and could see the look of fear on the faces of the gathered. The sheeple were heeding Dumbledore's words and nothing would dissuade them from the course of action he was suggesting. "Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot," she said with a hitch in her voice and the chamber quieted at her words, all intent at hearing what the esteemed head of DMLE would say regarding this turn of events.

"I have served this ministry for many years. I have given my heart and soul to this job. My whole life has been one of service to our community, but I see now that it has all been for nothing." she said with contempt. "Voldemort has returned. Let us be clear about that! He will be coming for all of us, hell, there are members of his inner circle sat right here in your midst who are probably giddy with anticipation at the thought that the one person who could help defeat the Dark Lord is being vilified in such a despicable manner. The young man that is being accused of going dark is the least likely amongst us to do so."

She reached for her badge, something that once upon a time had been a source of pride for her, and tossed at the feet of the minister and Dumbledore. "There will come a time, Lords and Ladies, when you will look at these two buffoons," she said pointing to the two who stood by the podium, "And wonder how you let yourselves believe their lies. We, all of us, have a real enemy in Voldemort but you are all letting yourselves believe that a teenager is somehow more dangerous than him. I cannot and will not accept that. Oh, and if it hasn't been made perfectly obvious, I resign my post as Head of DMLE as of this moment."

Holding her head up high, she walked out of the chambers, allowing the jeering and name-calling to wash over her like a salve. She closed the double-doors behind her and let out a deep sigh.

"Boss?" a worried Kingsley asked, "Are you alright?"

"Though it may not look it, I actually feel better than I have in a very longtime, my friend."

"Good, because you have a visitor who is most eager to see you." he said seriously.

"Oh? And who might that be?"

He gave her a brilliant smile, "You are just going to have to wait and see. She's waiting for you by that ridiculously large tree in the atrium."

Amelia frowned wondering who it could possibly be. "Well, c'mon then, let's go see who it is then."

Briskly, she and Shack made their way towards the Oak, "I take it you resigned?"He asked.

"Gods above, yes!" she stated emphatically.

"Good. Me and about two dozen Aurors we trust turned in their badges this morning." he said, stepping away from her when she saw her angered face, "Don't look at me like that, I told you that if you walked out there would be people following you!"

Just as she was about to rant and rave at her friend, she caught sight of the Tree and the person who was apparently waiting for her there. Amelia saw the individual standing by the tree pull down the hood of their cloak and was surprised at seeing the shocking bubblegum pink hair.

"Tonks?"

"Hey, boss, long time no see." she replied with wide smile.

"How did you get passed the wards that are protecting the tree?" Amelia sputtered.

"Oh, that...well, as it turns out, when you're a member of the King's Guard you get all sorts of special privileges, one of them being access to a whole bunch of exciting places."

"King's Guard...what king's guard?" Kingsley asked in confused shock.

"All in good time, Shack. Let's just say I have a hell of a story for you and you're not going to believe any of it until I show you that it is all too true and very real." Tonks laughed.

"Is there any chance that you've come to take me to see...you know...him...?" Amelia asked.

Tonks' smile grew even wider, "As it so happens, His Grace has extended an invitation for you to join him today."

"Really?" Amelia squealed delightedly.

"Really, boss," Tonks laughed, "C'mon, step up to the tree and I will take you to him right now. Coming, Shack?"

"Me too?"

"Yeah, you too, old man, get up here, we need to touch the tree to go where we are going."

"Hey now, who are you calling old, you clumsy menace?" Shack retorted with a smile.

Tonks chuckled at her mentor, "Alright, you two are going to get a kick out of this way of travel. Put your hands on the tree...ready...here we go...!"

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Amelia was pretty sure that Tonks had planned their arrival at this specific spot. The large and beautiful castle in the distance had her trying to pick her jaw off the floor. It hadn't been until that exact moment that she'd truly allowed herself to fully believe that all of this was real. But there it was in its entire glorious splendor.

Fabled, mythical, and legendary Camelot, the sight of it awed her more than she could ever put into words. She looked toward Kingsley who seemed to be in the same shape that she was in. He looked wonderstruck and completely oblivious to anything except for the fortress out of a fairy tale that stood before him.

"Quite the sight, isn't it?" Tonks observed casually, "Just wait until we get you into the city and the castle proper...you guys haven't seen anything yet."

"Tonks, why are we out here and not in the castle?" Amelia asked, shaking herself from her stupor.

"Harry is out flying at the moment, but he should be back pretty soon. He thought, rightly so I think given the state of the two of you, that you'd both enjoy the view from here." Tonks answered.

"He wasn't wrong..." Kingsley whispered.

"Let's head down to the lakeshore, there are a couple of people I would like you to meet before Harry gets back."

Amelia noticed an older gentleman talking quietly with a beautiful young woman. She was a bit surprised that the girl seemed a bit anxious, worried even, gazing up into the sky every so often, as though she was searching for something.

"Lord Derwyn, Lady Olivia, may I introduce you to Madam Amelia Bones, head of the..."

"Former head, as it so happens." Amelia interjected.

"Right then... former head of the ministry's department of law enforcement; allow me to also introduce my partner, Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebot."

"Also former..." Shack cut in softly.

"A great pleasure to meet you both," Lord Derwyn said sincerely, "Our lord king has been anxious to meet with you, Madam Bones."

"And I with him, my Lord," Amelia replied with a slight nod of her head. "If I may, where is His Majesty?"

"My Lord has a fondness for flying," the young woman explained, still staring up into the sky, "Something that he is keen to do when the pressures sometimes threaten to overwhelm him."

"I've heard tell that His Majesty is a natural and gifted flyer on his broom. Why then are you looking so anxious?" Amelia asked.

"Were he on his broom, I would certainly agree with you, Madam." the blonde witch said worriedly. When Tonks raised a questioning eyebrow, Olivia pointed to where Dobby stood with Harry's Firebolt in his hands. The little elf didn't look worried at all, but was rather grinning and bouncing on his feet.

"Dobby doesn't look too worried, Liv." Tonks whispered to the girl.

"That is because Dobby," Olivia said glaring at the hyper-active elf, "Is almost as mad as his master."

"Tonks?" the former Auror heard from behind her.

"Boss?" she asked, spinning around to look at Amelia. Tonks frowned, wondering why the woman was looking up into the sky in horror and so she turned her own gaze up to the heavens.

"Oh, holy shit!" Tonks yelped, falling onto her backside on the thankfully soft grass. The sniggering from next to her annoyed her, "Oh, shut up, Griphook!"

"You're all behaving as though you've never seen a dragon before." Griphook commented blithely.

"That is not a dragon!" Tonks yelled, pointing up into the darkening sky as the massive dragon blocked out the sun. "That is a planet with wings..."

"That is Lord Aureus," interjected Derwyn with a smile on his weathered face. "Only one of two non-humans to sit at the Round Table, the only known survivor of the Great Battle with Morgause, he is the king of dragonkind and has been a friend and ally of Camelot since its founding. He's been in hibernation for centuries and only recently came out of his slumber when he felt a Pendragon sat on the throne of Camelot."

The great dragon spread its wings and smoothly alighted on the ground. The earth seemed to rumble at his landing and caused the group of people that was watching in awe to stumble awkwardly. Once the sound had died down, everyone heard the loud shout coming from the dragons back

"Aureus, that was awesome!" Harry yelled as he made his way down the dragons foreleg and hopped to the ground.

"It has been a very long time since anyone has asked me for a ride, young king." the dragon rumbled.

Harry turned to face Olivia, "Did you see? Did you see that? I can't wait to take you up there sometime, it was amazing!"

The girls eyes were blazing, her arms were crossed before her, and her foot was tapping wildly. Harry was half convinced that he saw steam coming out of her ears.

"What?" Harry asked cautiously. "What did I do?"

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