It was three tired, sun-kissed males that portkeyed back to Grimmauld Place two days before the start of the school term. Harry smiled tiredly up at his two godfathers before heading towards his bedroom.
"We did good, Moony," Sirius said as he staggered towards his bed.
The next day found Harry, Sirius and Remus back at Gringotts. The meeting didn't take long, Harry simply had to go over some business with Lord Peter and Ragnok.
Sirius sat in and listened, but made no comment. He didn't try to run interference or influence Harry in the decisions. The older wizard had come to accept, during their vacation, that he made a better uncle than guardian. Bloody hell, even Remus made a better guardian than him!
The ritual was scheduled to be performed at the dark of the moon which was due in five nights. Harry had mixed feelings about doing the ritual itself.
Of course, he wanted that connection with Riddle to be severed, and most of all, to be out from under everyone's control. It was the possible cost that was worrying him.
'Get a grip, Potter,' he though. 'You've already paid enough in sweat and blood. And it's a fine time to worry about that now!'
The day that all the students returned to Hogwarts, the Daily Prophet's headline once more brought chaos.
Cornelius Fudge Ousted as Minister of Magic!
By Emily Anderson
In a vote of no confidence, called for by the British Muggle Prime Minister, Cornelius Fudge was ousted today as Minister of Magic. Right after the vote, the former minister was arrested on several counts of fraud, embezzlement, and bribery, and on six counts of breaking existing treaties between the Wizengamot and Muggle Parliament.
Amelia Bones was appointed acting Minister until a new minister is elected.
See page 2: The muggle British Prime Minister to address the Wizengamot next month.
~~
Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk. A notice that he was to appear at the next school board meeting had him worried. He was surprised that the board hadn't been more demanding following Oliver Twist's articles. No one still had managed to find a clue on just who this person was. Several of the muggle-borns snickered over the name, but refused to comment on it. It seemed they found the ignorance of their pureblood counterparts amusing.
He was also concerned about Minerva. His deputy had been avoiding him for most of the Christmas hols. She was up to something; he just didn't know what.
Well, he'd just have to plan for the worst and hope for the best, for now.
~~
Harry sat in a compartment with Luna as the Hogwarts Express barreled its way back to the school. Ron was off somewhere, doing whatever it was that prefects do, and Harry had yet to see Hermione. He hadn't heard for her all holiday. Oh well, nothing new there. Ginny was also gone; it was rumored that she was going out with Dean.
Harry was thankful he had managed to get onto the train without dealing with Mrs. Weasley. That woman was still trying to get custody of him and refused to accept that Harry was now emancipated and could think for himself.
"Hello Harry," came the dreamy voice of Luna, breaking into his thoughts. "Did the nargles give you a nice Christmas? I see that you have been busy playing with the water sprites."
Harry laughed.
"Daddy is waiting for another article, Harry. He's quite vexed that you took the hols off."
Harry blinked, bolting straight up in his seat.
Luna lowered her copy of the Quibbler that she had been reading upside down and looked at him. "When I asked Daddy when you would start writing again, he sputtered for a bit. Do you want Daddy and me to take an oath?"
Harry sputtered and shook his head. "No Luna. I trust you, but could you not mention it in front of people?"
She smiled as the door opened.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "You just would not believe it!"
"Believe what, Hermione?"
"I took my parents to Gringotts to do the inheritance test like Twist told us to. Guess what!?"
"You are a founder's heir?"
"The Wartspuddles made a nest in your hair?"
"What!? NO!" Hermione sputtered as she hugged her friend. "I am related to Hector Dagworth-Granger on my dad's side! He was the founder of the 'Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers'. Seems his brother was a squib, it was all hushed up, even Dad didn't know about it. I've got a vault and everything!"
Harry smiled. "So this means you are a half-blood and not a muggle-born, right?"
Hermione gushed. "My parents agreed to allow me to continue with my schooling as long as I start taking muggle tutorials during the summer. My new vault will pay for most of it."
~~
The first week back to Hogwarts flew by fast. Harry found himself under a lot of scrutiny making it almost impossible to get away. He did arrange with Professor McGonagall to be out of the castle when it came time for the ritual. He mentioned that an emergency meeting between his advisors and Sirius was necessary. She never suspected a thing.
~~
Harry found himself once more within the bowels of Gringotts. The room he now stood was the same room he first met the Keeper in. She was here again, seated on her raised chair. Harry walked forward, bowed and stood before her, waiting patiently. She smiled at him and nodded.
"Greetings Lady. When you said the Slytherin magic would be mine to keep, to use, bequeath, deny, or undo...what exactly did you mean?" Harry queried with a puzzled frown.
"I meant, child that, if accepted by the Slytherin signet, you will be the master of Slytherin family magic. You will be the one to decide if the spells the Dark One has cast hold or fail. You will decide whether to recall the magic he stole from you. This would mean that any of his spells, like the one that seals the piece of his soul to you, would be undone. This would then free you of his taint, and any other beings, places, or items he has done the same to as well."
"Any others?" Lord Peter asked in a shocked whisper.
"Yes." Her soft, sibilant voice answered. "I believe that the one who calls himself Voldemort has created more soul repositories. This is why his spirit was able to remain on this plain of existence even though the boy killed his body long ago."
The wizards that stood in front of her shuddered at her words.
"Then, if I claim this ring and the magic of Slytherin and speak the Ritual..." Harry started to say.
"Yes, child. You will put an end to his power, once and for all."
"Let's do it then," Harry said, straightening his shoulders. The look of determination that schooled his youthful features was impressive.
"There will be immense pain when the soul piece is released, and great danger when you call for Judgement," she warned.
"Can't be any worse than the cruciatus, or the twice be-damned visions and if this will save lives it's worth the bloody price," Harry muttered, then blushed. "Forgive my tongue, such words aren't meant to be spoken in front of a Lady."
The ancient figure before him smiled. "These are the words you need to speak, child. I, Lord Harry James Potter-Gryffindor do hereby claim, by Right of Conquest, the ring and magic of the Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin. Mine by right, to keep, to use, to bequeath, to deny and to undo – as the Magical Head of the line. You must then claim the ring as you did those of Potter and Gryffindor. Place it upon your finger and if it accepts you, continue – "
Harry nodded, and suiting action to her command, placed the ring on his finger and repeated her words. There was a brief glow as his claim was accepted. He then turned to the ancient female goblin and spoke the words she gave him.
"I, Harry James Potter, Lord of Potter, Gryffindor and Slytherin, do call upon the Magicks I wield ass the Head of these Ancient and Noble Houses – to disown, disavow and call for the renunciation of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Dark Lord known as Lord Voldemort.
"I accuse him, before the Old Magick, of Line Theft against the Head of the House he wrongfully claims, and also the Houses of Potter and Gryffindor. Three he has wronged through the theft of my blood.
"Further I call upon Magick to strip him of any and all magics from these lines that were gained unlawfully when my blood was taken unwillingly, and to undo all magics, be they spells, wards or creations, made with the Potter, Slytherin, or Gryffindor magics and to return them all to me, their rightful wielder."
A swirling wall of magic was building around Harry and the Keeper. Within its depths, gold, silver and green combined, shimmering into an almost solid essence around them. Faintly through it the observers could see Harry's body trembling, as he struggled to continue.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle, false claimant to the title of Lord Slytherin, Lord Voldemort, you are hereby disowned. You have no name. You are hereby renounced, you have no family, no Kin Right. You are stripped of all Potter, Gryffindor, and Slytherin magic by my word and will."
Harry gasped, staggering as a wall of pain and magic slammed into him with a force that almost knocked him off his feet. Somewhere, within his mind, he could hear unearthly screams as magic was up-rooted and ripped away.
Taking a deep breath he continued in a shaking voice, clutching the arm of the Keeper's chair desperately for support. "As is my right, I call upon the Old Magick to stand Judgement, and if my cause is Just, I ask that all the nameless one has created through the magics he once wielded be un-made! So Mote It Be!"
With his last words Harry screamed as the scar on his forehead burst open. Blood and black ichor ran down his face as he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
"Harry!" Sirius and Lord Peter shouted, stepping toward the boy.
"No, leave him!" Ragnok caught their arms, holding them back. They watched as The Keeper of Wisdom rose from her seat and knelt beside Harry's unmoving form.
She leaned over him, one hand reaching to brush the hair from his face in a gentle caress. "He will be well soon." She murmured softly. "He fought the pain well and is a true warrior. His cause was deemed Just and Magick answered his call."
She looked up then, raking Ragnok and the two wizards with her strange white eyes. "There are few who could call upon the Judgement of The Old Magick and be answered...and fewer still who could pass it's Judgement and live to tell of it."
Sirius' face turned pale. "Is he, will he live?" he gasped.
"He will be fine. When his wound bleeds cleanly, he may be healed. If it is done properly, there will be no scar. The foul darkness that flows from the wound now is all that remains of the soul piece he carried. It is no more."
She nodded at them and slipped regally out the door. Her guard formed up and closed ranks about her as they left. The sound of marching goblin feet faded away down the hall.
~~
In Little Hangleton, an unearthly scream of torturous pain erupted in the inky dark silence that surrounded an old rundown manor house.
Inside a man, if you could call him a man, was writhing in agony on a throne-like chair. Several prominent members of the Wizarding World stood by helplessly, unable to give any aid to their lord and master due to the sudden draining weakness of their own bodies.