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Julian blushed and leaned forward, "Tom Marvolo Riddle." He hissed in parseltongue and the occamy grabbed the turban from the stunned wizard at the exact same time Julian thrust the orb forward to touch the head. Quirrell collapsed with a scream and another soul fragment ...
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"This place is beautiful." Silvia exclaimed in awe at the stone walls of the castle.
"Indeed, it's a shame a manipulative prick is in charge." Severus muttered as they walked the halls.
Sophia blushed as she held Severus's arm, "So where should we stay?"
"Yes, we'll wait a couple days to start annoying the old fool. A couple days where we won't leave our room." Silvia purred as she took Severus's other arm.
Severus smiled, "I'm sure we'll be able to find a place all to ourselves." He said knowing a good deal of the castle isn't used even with all the students here so he won't have to kick out Slughorn to take his professor's quarters back, which will only go against their goal of fixing the education system. After all, removing a teacher will only hurt the students further and make this more difficult so it's off to find a honeymoon suite all for themselves. Just as they were about to turn the corner into a hall filled with classrooms that were never used, they heard a jingle of a bell and felt a breeze. "That's strange. The classrooms here should all be shut- ...this is not what was here before."
Instead of the hall filled with the classrooms like Severus has seen many times before there was one pair of French doors that were wide open revealing a lavish living room being warmed by a large fireplace. The ceiling was domed and had a charmed scene of the night sky, which hung over dark wooden furniture that had vine like carvings that matched the designs on the wall. A circular glass table set with three chairs in an open kitchen and a balcony overlooking the lake while maintaining some privacy with tall trees completed the honeymoon suite.
"It seems Hogwarts wants us to be comfortable." Severus said as he set his things on the floor.
"She's one hell of a decorator too." An awestruck Silvia exclaimed as she dropped her luggage to look around and immediately found the large doors that lead to the lavish master bedroom and bathroom.
"I'll say." Sophia smiled as she looked around at all the little details like the vine pattern etched into the glass of the table. Just when Severus turned to close the doors so they could explore in peace they heard a distant scream echo through the halls and he ran out of the suite with his wives. The scream seemed to come from a floor below them so they went looking.
"Julian, what happened?" Severus asked as he, Silvia and Sophia came running around the corner and saw Quirrell laying out cold on the floor without his turban, which was in the small occamy's mouth.
Julian simply smiled and held up his little glass soul orb, "I found the rest of Tom!" He exclaimed happily.
Severus's eyes narrowed, "We talked about what was to happen if you found Tom's main fragment Julian. You were supposed to talk to us first before confronting the piece of soul that was basically the dark lord." Severus said seriously.
"You also tell me not to let an opportunity pass by and I didn't." Julian smiled cheekily, but his godfather wasn't swayed. Either way he couldn't bring himself to regret what he did. "Tom's last fragments were in a diadem and Professor Quirrell." He commented as his godfather knelt down to feel the man's pulse on his neck.
"He'll be fine. The goblins didn't have a problem removing yours, but I'm not sure why he passed out." Severus said relieved to feel a strong pulse. The occamy dropped the now unraveled turban on the professor's face and ignored the look on Severus's face for being cheeky as he landed on Julian's head.
Sophia frowned, "I remember hearing that main fragments can be harder to remove if the wizard the soul fragment belonged to was very skilled with possession or the one being possessed has an unprotected mind."
"Considering the skills of the dark lord and the lack of mental skills in UK wizards it could be both of those factors." Severus said as he levitated the professor. "Now where did you leave the others. Your father certainly wouldn't want you to be by yourself here of all places."
Julian smiled sheepishly, "In my defense I didn't realize Hogwarts would be so eager to help me find Tom's soul fragments. I just thought of the possibility of a horcrux being here and she transported me straight to it and Quirrell while avoiding Dumbledore. I didn't intend to leave." He said thankful that castle did so, but he might be in trouble now.
"Hogwarts always did seem alive so I'm not surprised she'd react more to you being that you are her rightful heir ... and I suppose me as well since I'm your godfather." Severus mulled over the idea.
"Julian!" Draco yelled as he spotted them through a window about two stories above his spot on the castle walkway between towers. He and the others, who were with him, met them at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hey Draco!" Julian smiled.
"Don't 'hey Draco' me! Where'd you go?" Draco snapped more angry now that he sees Julian is safe.
"Hogwarts wanted to help." Julian said and simply held up the soul orb, which was glowing softly as the fragments started fusing back together thanks to being all together in one space and the runes on the edge of the orb urging them to reunite.
Aster gasped, "You found his last fragments! That's good news!" She exclaimed happily, but Narcissa and Lucius looked a little confused, which was no surprise. Just like with the 'Harry Potter' secret only Draco was told first.
Brian sighed with an amused smile, "You should've gotten me to help." He said, but smiled as his son was too happy care that it could have gone badly.
Narcissa blinked, "Hmmm ... wh-"
"This is not the place to discuss it." Severus said quickly. "I'll explain, but not here ... and when I do keep in mind the soul magic subject Draco and Julian studied for the exams they took at the end of last year ... and compared to everything you learned that was surprising this is even bigger." Severus warned seriously before smiling, "and I'll explain after my honeymoon!" He said with a smirk as his two friends pouted, but they needed time to think about this. He knew his friends would go through Draco's textbooks to refresh their and would start piecing the clues together on their own, but this will buy Julian and Brian time to get to Gringotts to bring Tom back safely. There was no way Lucius or Narcissa would hurt an innocent young man especially when the soul healing process removes all the memories after the first crack in the soul.
"At this rate we can take him to Gringotts tomorrow." Julian mused as he saw the small fragments slowly stitch together.
(He better not be good looking.) Draco thought as a hint of jealously reared its ugly head at the way Julian spoke about seeing Tom, but he didn't spend too long looking at the green eyes that were focused on the orb for Quirrell groaned getting everyone's attention "So what should we do with him?" Draco asked knowing he had something to do with Julian's discovery of the last horcruxes and didn't like it for some reason that seemed to be jealousy towards Tom.
Aster checked his pulse, "He'll be fine, but we should take him to the infirmary here. Where is it?" She asked and Severus lead the way
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Cornelius watched as the Aurors lead Sirius Black to the podium in front of himself and the Wizengamot members who were all present expect Dumbledore who was busy at the school and obviously couldn't attend though the minister suspected he didn't want to get accused of something by an unstable innocent man. "Sirius Black, it has come to our attention that you are not nor have you ever been the secret keeper for the Potters thanks to the Potter heir releasing James and Lily's wills to me so you have been cleared of that crime. That only leaves the matter of the dozen muggles who you supposedly murdered along with Peter Pettigrew. With proof of your innocence in one crime coming out it of course calls your other charge into question. To make this as fast as possible will you agree to taking-"
"I'll take Veritaserum! Anything you want just please let me see Harry." Sirius exclaimed frantically practically sobbing at the chance being given to him, which startled everyone who thought the man was a hardened killer.
"Very well." Cornelius ordered the auror to give Sirius the potion and once the wizard's eyes became blurry signaling the potion's control has taken hold the question began. "What is your name?"
"Sirius Black." Sirius said in a daze.
"Who are you to the Potter family?" The minister asked getting to the point as fast as possible without missing anything that would backfire later.
"I was a childhood friend and the godfather to Harry Potter." Sirius said unknowingly making the minister internally wince. It will not be fun telling Sirius he no longer has godfather rights.
As the other members took in the information the minister considered the next questions carefully, "Who was the secret keeper for the Potters?"
"Peter Pettigrew." Sirius answered.
"What happened that night Voldemort attacked?" Cornelius asked ignoring the simpering from the members who feared the name of the dark lord who died years ago.
"I heard about the possibility of the protections on the Potter home failing when I heard some death eaters repeating orders they received to attack the Longbottoms. They said not to bother going to the Potters because Voldemort was going there personally. My auror team subdued the death eaters and I raced to the Potter home. I arrived to see Peter standing outside. At first, I thought he was guarding the front, but an explosion from Harry's nursery window revealed what he did. Peter realized he was in trouble and bolted as I raced inside. I found them all dead. James was on the stairs ... Lily at the foot of the crib and Harry screaming trying to reach for his mom. I was too late. I picked up Harry and was going to leave, but then Hagrid appeared. I was angry enough to hand over my godson and hunt down Peter. It was easy to find him, but he planned it that way and blew up the street killing several muggles and cut o0ff his finger to disappear as a rat and frame me for it." Sirius explained sadly not pointing anything to Dumbledore like the minister had hoped, but this was a good start none the less.
"What do you mean 'as a rat'?" Cornelius asked curious as to why Sirius made it sounded like an animagus situation when there was nothing in the files on Peter.
"We were animagi." Sirius answered.
"He's an illegal animagus! He should be arrested!" One wizengamot member exclaimed.
The minister rolled his eyes, "The punishment for such a crime is two weeks in Azkaban. He spent ten years in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit all because no one bothered to give him a trial. I believe he served his time, don't you?" Cornelius suppressed a smirk as the member dumb enough to make such a comment sheepishly slumped back into his seat. "Well since we cleared that up let's return to the questions ... Sirius, what do you mean by 'we' and what were the animal forms?"
"James Potter was a stag. Peter is a rat and I'm a grim dog." Sirius answered in a daze.
This new information was concerning because it meant a murder has been on the loose for ten years and Julian should be warned before news of his former identity becomes public. "One last thing. Hagrid ... did he say if someone sent him to collect the Potter heir or did he just say he'd protect the child?"
"I don't remember." Sirius said looking confused even though the truth potion was still affecting him and it was no surprise since the potion was able to bring out the truth even if your memory was fuzzy. It would take a pensieve to confirm it, but it was clear that Sirius was obliviated at some point.
"Very well, we'd like a pensive memory of that entire day." Cornelius said and gestured for the aurors to administer the antidote and pull out a silvery memory that did show that a very clear blank spot from an obliviate was present when the Wizengamot members all watched it. "You are cleared of all charges and we will overlook the lack of proper registration if you sign up now. Also you will be released into Remus Lupin's care-"
"Remmy ..." Sirius muttered weakly not realizing he interrupted the minister as he spotted the werewolf hiding sheepishly in the corner of the room.
Cornelius nodded understanding that this may be a bit awkward considering Remus has never made contact with Sirius since that fateful night and may have believed everything including Sirius's guilt, but Sirius needed someone to help in his recovery and there was no one else he knew. "Yes, Remus has agreed to oversee every aspect of your care, which we will be paying seeing that this horrendous oversight was on our part. On the days he will have trouble taking care of you I arranged for a healer to stop by and help. She will also examine you and get you the potions you will need. You are to go to a mind healer starting this week if you want to be fit enough to be allowed near any children." He explained making it clear that Sirius would not see Julian until he was deemed healthy in both body and mind. Of course, since he also wants to grow the support for foreign magical places he asked Aster to recommend both a healer and mind healer from St. Pearl in Australia. "If you'll follow me I'll help you get you the paperwork needed ... your wand will be returned after the mind healer says so." He said casually dismissing the Wizengamot members and ordering the Aurors to spread the word through only the ministry about a rat on the loose before guiding the frail wizard and Remus to his office.
"Where's Harry?" Sirius mumbled weakly as he sat down in the chair in front of the minister's desk.
Remus frowned, "Sirius, you have to recover before we can see him-"
"Weren't you watching him?" Sirius snapped his anger flaring suddenly.
"No I wasn't told who was or where he was." Remus said sadly.
"Who refused to say? You were close to the Potters so you couldn't be forced away really." The minister asked curious on whether or not he can link Dumbledore to this now.
"it was an auror. I thought the ministry was protecting him, but if you don't know ... I guess not." Remus mused wondering what was going on.
(So I was right. The previous minister was working for Dumbledore. Slippery bastard.) Cornelius thought as he sighed and sat down. "There is something you both need to know. The wills that were responsible for your released also revealed that all of Harry Potter's guardian's were incapacitated in some way meaning someone illegally took him and placed him in the care of unauthorized people. Actually, they were the very people who were marked as not an option for caring for him. those people were the muggle family of Lily's sister and there was a reason the late Lady Potter did not want Harry to ever go to that home. The child was hated, tortured, starved and then some."
Sirius shot up to his feet in a rage, "I'll kill them!"
Remus paled, "Sirius, don't say that kind of thing when you just got released-"
"Shut up, Remmy! Harry's hurt!" Sirius screamed trying grab the minister's wand, but with a quick wandless body bind spell courtesy of the minister Sirius fell back into the chair.
"You are in no condition to fight a paper bag, let alone an even more experienced auror like myself. Now perhaps I should not have started at the beginning in this case so I will say this now. The Potter heir is currently alive, healthy and happy with the man who saved and blood adopted him at four years old. This man, Brian White, understands that you were his godfather by the Potter and is willing to let you near him only if you're showing good progress in your recovery." The minister explained.
The werewolf winced, "Sirius wasn't re-chosen as his godfather ..."
"Wait ... what? He can't change that!" Sirius as he tried to fight the binding spell.
"He had that right the second he became Harry's father and that is not the only change either. Harry goes to school at Legerdemain not Hogwarts, lives in Australia and no longer goes by his birth name. His name is Julian River White and all things considered you're lucky Brian is allowing the chance for you to see Julian at all." Cornelius said firmly trying to get the man to see sense.
The frail looking Black Lord's lip quivered as if he was trying not to cry, "I understand ... who is Harry-... Julian's new godfather?"
"That is not something you should focus on, but he is currently living at Hogwarts. The only one allowed to see him until you complete seven appointments with a mind healer is Remus. Remember you can't meet Julian without being cleared by a mind healer and a regular healer so part of that report will be including how you act around his family current godfather included. Do you understand?" Cornelius asked seriously, but even though Sirius nodded after being released from the binding spell he was skeptical and was glad he placed alerts on the residence he's letting them use. "When you signed these and showed me your animagi form Remus can take you home. The healer will meet you there and no, it's not Grimmauld. That place isn't safe for anyone at the moment. you see the mind healer tomorrow and your healer will be flooing you there."
Remus watched his old friend sign the papers and turn into the large black dog known as Padfoot for some pictures. With that done they bid the minister farewell, or grunted in Sirius's case, and left the office. "Sirius, I ... I'm so sorry for everything." Sirius stayed silent as he seemed to grudgingly lean on his friend to walk to the floo network. "I know you're mad I never came and you have every right to be. I ... should never have doubted your innocence. Please forgive me." Remus pleaded softly, but hung his head in sorrow as his friend remained silent.
Looking away was his mistake for the second he did that everything went to hell. Sirius shoved Remus as hard as his weakened body could and dove for the floo. Before Remus could regain his balance he felt his leg go numb as he heard Sirius say 'Hogwarts' and vanished in a set of green flames.
"Sirius, you idiot." Remus hissed and quickly looked around praying no one saw that and reported it. That would destroy Sirius's chances at seeing Julian, but thankfully everyone looked too busy with rat hunting to really notice the escape so he focused on his leg. It was a very weak binding spell. Sirius must've been just strong enough to cast it wandlessly, but when Remus searched for his wand he paled ... it was gone ...
Sirius was unstable from years of imprisonment, he partially stunned Remus with the werewolf's own wand and was running around searching for Julian's godfather fully armed ... this was not good and Remus quickly hobbled to a floo to try to stop his old friend from doing something he'd regret ...
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"Holy shit." One of the older students in the compartment that Draco and Julian were in before jumping out of the window of the moving train exclaimed as he watched the occamy flew off with it's passengers. "Who the fuck were those guys?"
The witch shrugged trying, and failing, to not look impressed, "Who cares? There are no where near as awesome as Harry Potter." She said, but though they all nodded in agreement they couldn't take their eyes away from the window they practically had their faces plastered to until the occamy was out of sight. Unfortunately, by the time they decided to return to their seats the full side of the compartment bench was taken by Sasha who shamelessly stretched out so they all had to go to the other side to sit.
"Hey that's our spot you stupid furball!" One young wizard snapped and shot a hex to get the jackal to move, but got the shock of their lives when Sasha sent the hex right back at him with a lazy flick of her tail. The young wizard tried several more times, but failed each time. By the seventh time of throwing the hexes back Sasha got bored. She made a shock spell that sent the three Hogwarts students flying back into their seats and bound them to the seats for the rest of the trip.
Of course, Sasha released them after an hour or so for bathroom needs, but she was pleased to see that they avoided her for the rest of the trip. When the train came to a halt they stayed in their seats and waited for her to pass, which she did with a smug strut. However, her very good mood was ruined when she started hearing what everyone was talking about, which was the now very obvious absence of the 'Boy Who Lived'. With one person saying the word 'kidnapped' everything went out of control and unfortunately everyone had their luggage, which included quills, parchment and ... that's right, owls ...
(Oh you stupid brats.) Sasha thought as she watched the Hogwarts students frantically write down letters of Harry Potter's absence and release their owls. Less than one minute after the train stopped the sky was filled with owls ...