Chapter 54
Chapter 53
“Ugh, why do I feel like I got run over by a herd of Hippogryph?” Harry mumbled as he blearily opened his eyes.
“Because you were idiotic and nearly spent all your magic,” a voice deadpanned near him. Harry whipped his head in the direction of the voice to see Severus sitting by his bedside. Though seconds later he wished he hadn’t as a wave of dizziness washed over him.
“Sev I…,”
“Don’t you dare!” Severus growled. “Do you know how worried I was? You passed out after removing all those marks in succession! It’s been two days! TWO DAYS!” Harry wasn’t used to the Potion Master raising his voice so he instinctively tried to make himself small.
“I’m… sorry?”
“You have got to learn that you being immortal doesn’t mean that you have an infinite amount of magic!” Severus stated. “Do you have any idea how worried all of us were? Not just myself, but the Slytherins as well! Even Lucius and Miss Granger popped in to check yesterday!”
“Oh… uhm,” Harry didn’t know what to say.
“How the hell did Death put up with you?” Severus grumbled. Not that Severus could hear but in the upper realm Death was yelling “You tell him, Severus! You’re my new favorite now!”
“I’m sorry,” Harry mumbled. “I thought I could handle it,”
“You have no sense of self-preservation Mr. Potter,” Severus deadpanned. “Merlin only knows how you are even alive,”
“Oh frick, the PLAN!” Harry uttered, sitting up straighter now.
“Lie back down Harry, before I stick you to the bed, or better yet, I sick Poppy on you,” Severus threatened. “We are not in Merlin’s cave anymore where magic was thick, and we could recover fast. The past two days have been quite a whirlwind. And yes, Madam Bones went through with the PLAN. The Horcruxes that were gathered have been destroyed by fiendfyre. Aurors were on high alert throughout the magical community but so far not a peep out of the Dark Lord. Kingsley came by to deliver the news as well as to drop off those three rascals,”
Harry blinked for a moment before he remembered. “Those three rascals?”
“Indeed, apparently no suitable guardian could be located for them.” Severus muttered. “Sam and Emma’s mother signed away her parental rights when the Aurors came knocking. Rudy’s entire family is acting like he doesn’t exist and has apparently vowed not to take him in until he can do magic.”
“Those bastards,” Harry hissed. “So what, they will be staying here?”
“For now. As I signed in Loco Parentis for them at St. Mungos and with my career as a teacher, I do qualify as a guardian if need be,” Severus stated. “And while I abhor dunderheads, I will not put innocent children out on the street,”
“The elves must be overjoyed at having more guests,” Harry chuckled while secretly admiring his lover.
“Yes… very overjoyed, especially when they heard they get to look after more children,” Severus muttered. “But that wasn’t the only reason Kingsley came by yesterday,”
“Scrimgeour, Umbridge, and our dear Minister Fudge have all been arrested on various charges,”
“I’m sorry, what?!”
“Scrimgeour has apparently been arrested on charges of extortion, accepting bribes, prosecutorial misconduct, assault, and attempted murder,”
“Umbridge has been charged mainly with treason and attempted murder, while it seems Fudge has several of those charges, including embezzlement,” Snape explained while Harry just stared bug-eyed at the man. “The Headmaster is also to be charged as Madam Bones has found sufficient evidence from the Hogwarts audit to warrant it. That is if they can find him.”
“I am so very confused right now,” Harry muttered. “What the hell did I miss in two days?!”
“Well, those arrests only happened because of Skeeter’s article,” Snape deadpanned. “I know, that woman contributing anything to society is astounding,”
“Arthur and Ms. Granger are nearly fully recovered. Percy has turned state witness, and Poppy is just glad that we are alright, and is astounded that we haven’t strangled each other yet.”
“Mr. Potter, if you even think about making a kinky joke I will use you as one of my potion ingredients,” Severus grumbled.
“Well, your mind was in the gutter first,” Harry said under his breath.
Snape acted like he hadn’t heard anything though Harry was uncertain due to the look he was receiving. “Do you want to know the finer details or not?”
“I do, I do!” Harry said. “Severus, stop stalling and spill the tea already,”
“So this is straight from the hippogryph’s mouth… or beak, but apparently what happened was that the morning Skeepter’s article was published, Fudge marched into his office and ordered Percy to summon Scrimgeour. Percy overheard them by accident because they were having a heated argument, and some sound traveled through the door. Grindelwald was mentioned and nipping it in the bud along with the sentence, ‘I hope you will take care of it. ’ It was only then that Percy had time to read his own paper, and when he put two and two together, he left his office and flooed straight to the Burrow. He had barely enough time to warn his parents when Aurors loyal to Scrimgeour descended upon them. According to Mr. Weasley and the twins they were mainly aiming for Ms. Grange,r who was with them in the back garden while they surrounded the house. Mr. Weasley managed to drag Ms. Granger inside, though not before she got hit by a burning hex,”
“Are the Weasleys still here?”
“No, Arthur relocated his family and Ms. Granger to their aunt Muriel’s estate,” Severus stated. “It is best to give them some space. They know you are not their Harry, though they do appreciate you coming to save them and they wished to convey that before they left but alas. Ms. Granger also still seems to be dealing with the fact that she is related to one of the darkest wizards in history and is blaming herself for putting the Weasleys in danger. I am sure she will come to terms with this fact eventually; however, now would be the time to give her space to process.”
“I agree,” Harry nodded.
“We have other things to worry about, like the Wizengamot meeting soon. As you were incapacitated, I have left the wardrobe choices up to Lucius and Draco,” Severus deadpanned.
“You did what?!”
“The Malfoys are very well-versed in what is acceptable dress for Wizengamot meetings. Especially as Lords.” Severus waved it off Harry’s slack-jawed expression. “I’ve had other things to attend to, like scaring my extended family back into submission as Deidric’s mother finally made an appearance and tried to climb the estate’s outer wall,”
“But the wards,”
“Only repel those that wish ill towards the residents. Madam Agnes had no such ill feelings and was screaming for her ‘baby’ to come home, that he couldn’t possibly support himself without their guidance, etc.” Severus stated, rather annoyed. “At least the young man set his mother straight however the fact that he was Lord Black had come out. That was when Draco fainted and Pansy swooned.”
Harry made a face as he suspected that reveal would have sent ripples of shock through all the Slytherins soon after.
“But Malfo-” Harry stopped mid-sentence as the doors to their rooms banged open and a harried-looking Draco rushed through them. ‘Speak of the devil,’ He thought.
“You will-,” Draco was out of breath while clutching a newspaper in his hand. “Prophet, special edition… It’s, Oh Merlin… Uncle Sev,” Draco uttered while panting but thrust the paper at his godfather.
Severus took the newspaper and uncrumbled it, only for his eyebrows to shoot upwards upon reading the headline.
“What?” Harry asked as curiosity was getting the better of him. Severus handed Harry the very crumbled paper, and his eyebrows too widened upon seeing the headline for it read ‘BREAKING NEWS: HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED FOUND DEAD IN DILAPIDATED MANOR!’