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Chapter 35: Memory

"On behalf of Great Britain, we are happy to bestow an Order of Merlin, First Class to Chief Warlock Harry James Potter Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin, the Ancient and Noble houses of Potter, Peverell and Gaunt and the House of Umbridge for the protection of the members of the International Confederation of Wizards against Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore the Thief," the place erupted into cheers, whistles and claps.

Fudge was positively ecstatic and he looked like idiotic; but then again, when did he not?

Harry took the award from the Minister and gave a short bow. It was three days after the meeting and he had not gone back to Hogwarts. It was the summer holidays after all.

He spent the last two nights cooped up in the study with Lupin and Sirius wreaking havoc, trying to get him to 'play with them' or 'be normal', whatever that meant.

Harry James Potter wasn't normal since before his birth, with the whole prophecy and all that, and there was no changing that.

In the past three days, he had gotten at least 30 letters from different countries requesting his presence in their country for an award of sorts. Harry was obligated to say yes and that meant that for the next month or so, he would be travelling, spending one day in each country. Today was his last day in Britain for over a month.

"Come on, pup," Sirius drawled, "You never have any fun."

Remus nodded in agreement. They both leaned on the doorframe at the entry of the study.

"I will be travelling for the next month so... I need to get this work done," he looked at them with a stern expression, worthy of rivalling Minerva's. When they didn't budge, Harry gave in, "Fine, I'll be there in half an hour."

They both jumped for joy and left the room.

At the moment, Dumbledore was in a magic-repelling cell in the confines of Azkaban, awaiting trial and Harry was ecstatic, though of course, he couldn't show it. Dumbledore was almost in the same position that Sirius was in for 10 years. The old Sirius would have demanded that he got a trial but there was no denying that he was guilty and... Bella's slight insanity may have rubbed off on him.

Harry felt a disturbance in the wards and he concluded that there were at least 7 people in his house, none with ill intention but one with power and a lot of it. Voldemort.

Harry shadow-stepped to the living room, the place that he sensed they were and blended into the shadows. Sirius was shushing everyone and Harry concluded that Tom, Bella, Bart, Fen, Severus, Rod and Rab were all there.

"Awww, you wanted to surprise me?" he whispered in Sirius' ear causing him to jump.

The lights went on and Sirius had a sour look on his face, "Did you have to ruin it?"

Harry shrugged, "You think that I wouldn't sense them?"

"Sense them?" Everyone got up from their hiding places. Remus was standing at the opposite end of the room from Fenrir, looking pale, understandably so.

Harry shrugged again.

"Surprise?" Remus finally said.

Harry got a good look at the room and it was decorated in Slytherin green and Gryffindor red.

"Wow! I never saw this coming?" he faked shock and put a hand to his chest.

"Yeah, yeah, alright," Fenrir chuckled. Remus avoided eye contact with Fenrir at all costs, even facing a wall one time.

The gathering was mostly just people talking about politics and quidditch and whatnot. It was nice to get away from work once in a while.

Before they knew it, it was midnight and Harry had to go to Colombia first thing in the morning.