Chapter 2
The Death Eaters all sat at the table with their Dark Lord at the head of the table. They looked to him as he smiled. “The time has come. We have our forces gathered. We have selected the place. No one can interfere. Once Potter has fallen, we set our sights on the Ministry.”
“If Potter comes alone?” Severus asked curious.
“Then I fight her alone, if she brings an army, she is mine. I will leave our forces to deal with the others.” Voldemort stated
They all nodded. This was usually when Bellatrix would call their master ‘Brilliant’ and ‘Benevolent’ but no one spoke up, none of them daring the Lord’s temper by speaking like that.
“Severus.”
“Yes, My Lord?” Severus looked calm, being in this tension filled room was nothing compared to being trapped in a classroom of experimenting seventh years.
“I want you to leak this information to Dumbledore, but only give him a week to prepare. I want to see how he scrambles and what forces he can gather to witness the death of his ‘Chosen One’.”
“Of course,” Severus actually smiled.
“Lucius, you got the message so you will send the answer. Do not mess this up!”
“Of Course. I will not fail you, My Lord.” Lucius said with a small bow
“Best you don’t.” All of the Death Eaters were glad not to be in Lucius’s or Severus’s positions.
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Dumbledore learned that the final battle of the Prophecy was happening from Severus, a week before. It left him scrambling. He started gathering people he trusted to him. They were going to follow Hari to the battle. Then Dumbledore would remove both problem children. Tom and Hari would try to kill each other, then he would take out the winner. All this to be able to remain in his place at the top of the wizarding world without the power to directly do anything. His safe little place he was not quite willing to surrender just yet.
Tonks was in the room with the remaining Order that agreed to follow Dumbledore. She’d missed the meeting before and was only following Shaklebolt’s lead. Dumbledore was telling them that they were moving to Hari’s location, as it was a place that was odd even for her. Dumbledore left to meet with the others to at least convince them not to interfere with this fight if they weren’t going to help. Tonks looked at Shacklebolt. “You should wait a half hour before following them.” She stated “I know my cousin; you don’t want to be involved with that.”
“Dumbledore has asked this of us. After everything that’s happened, all the tips he’s given us, you want to ignore this one?”
Tonks looked at him perfectly serious, something he didn’t believe possible, it looked strange with her bright pink hair “Fine, you go. I’ll start the paperwork. I’ll meet you back at the Ministry. I suspect you’ll be there within five minutes of it startling.” Tonks apparated to the Ministry were she was already pulling out papers for a full emergency investigation before she sat down.
Shacklebolt looked confused but followed Dumbledore to the location. He arrived at the location meeting up with Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Mundungus Fletcher, and Hestia Jones. They looked around them mildly horrified. Shacklebolt realized very quickly why.
Voldemort stood there with a full army against a sole figure not in robes but armour, it was actually the thing beside the figure, that could only be Hari Potter, that made him pale. There had been rumours about this creature, but to see it was true… That was the Horror. There was a Cerberus looking like a Rottweiler standing the size of a two-story house beside her. Seeing the black skull turn to face them, the green glow coming from the eye sockets made a chill run up Shacklebolt’s spine.
“It matters not. Hari Potter, the-Girl-who-Lived.” Voldemort smirked “You’ve arrived to your Death; how does it feel?”
The confidence that came from the figure in armour startled everyone “I should be asking you that, Tom. After all I was very much expecting this display. While you were gathering an army… I was preparing.”
“Do you like my army?” Voldemort said gesturing to the mass of people and its other creatures.
“I’ve seen more impressive ones.” Hari was perfectly calm. “I’ve also fought beings far more powerful then you. You don’t scare me.” Hari stepped forward.
Shacklebolt felt the ground rumble beneath their feet. Even the giants seemed to be getting nervous. Fissures started opening in the ground. That’s when it became clear. Voldemort’s ‘Army’ was nothing but a ragtag collection of outcasts. Hari was a … Dark Witch above even Voldemort. She was summoning the Dead, the true dead along with what looked like Hellhounds. There was even something that looked very different from the rest of them forming a line in front of her. They screamed ‘dangerous’ even to the giants.
That’s when a horn blew and the army of the dead moved towards Voldemort’s. It was chaos as they clashed. Shacklebolt turned at a deep growl seeing teeth, all the teeth of a very large Hellhound. Shacklebolt did the one thing he never imagined himself doing. He fled. Tonks looked up at him from her desk when he apparated back to the office. “I told you so.” She said absolutely deadpanned. Then smirked at him lifting up a small stack of papers “I need you to sign these.”
“How long will this take?” Shacklebolt asked still shaking
“We’ll be half an hour late give or take” Tonks looked at her watch. “I’d give them about an hour to slaughter each other, and then a half hour for clean up and collecting important survivors then we come in and do the proper clean up catching anyone too injured or unimportant to be rescued.”
“Oh” Shacklebolt realized very abruptly that Hari was very much known to Tonks. Along with her skill set. “Then you know what she is…”
Tonks looked at him and smiled “Hari isn’t a witch, she’s a demi-god, so is her younger brother. I think you can guess who their father is.”
“By Hades…”
“Guessed it in one.” Tonks grinned, making Shacklebolt collapse into his chair. Shacklebolt came out of shock signing paperwork. All for the best really, he’d need his wits when he arrived at the battlefield.
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Hari was ready. She was in her armour, her weapons were sharpened, her bow polished. Her collection of arrows settled. She was ready for a fight. She didn’t think there would be much of a proper fight, but she wasn’t going to walk into this blind or unprepared. Hari frowned as she was coiling her hair when she felt something appear in her boot. Still holding the braid and the pins, she looked down. There was a familiar wand that wasn’t hers sticking out of her boot beside her boot knife. She looked beside her and she saw her cloak draped over the back of her vanity chair, it was supposed to be in her expandable bag.
Hari had the strangest feeling she was supposed to wear it today rather then keep it with her. She finished getting ready throwing the cloak around her shoulders. She felt confused as it wasn’t making her invisible as it normally did… then it did… She giggled as it activated at her will rather then by being put on. Wicked.
Hari smiled as Max was waiting for her at the training grounds. The army she’d prepared to summon if necessary were waiting for her here anticipating their trip to the surface. Max was determined that he was going with her, no arguments. Hari felt the wand vanish from her boot. Dumbledore must have called it to himself, it liked to keep him on his toes.
Hari shadow travelled to the location Voldemort had selected, with Max right beside her using his shadow. The area they landed in was just secluded enough they could fight without interruptions but central to the gathering of his army. Hari chuckled as she looked at his makeshift collection of an army.
Hari was half listening to the monologue Voldemort was giving in front of his followers. “Are you quite done talking me to death?” Hari asked loudly “It’s growing quite boring. You monologue every time we face each other. Doesn’t the drama get boring?” That just made Voldemort monologue more.
Hari looked back; she could see Dumbledore’s plot in his eyes as he only just arrived. Only one of them was walking away today. Hari was the only one that knew the truth, she was walking away even if the other two wizards assumed it would be them alone walking away. Hari felt no fear as she turned back to Voldemort. She smiled, the madness that was in her blood was all in her expression. Both of these men would die, by her own hand would be best. She was not letting either live. She would have her Justice.
Hari didn’t hesitate to summon her waiting army. She felt nothing calling them forth. If Voldemort wanted a War, she’d give him a War. The roar of the dead and the Hellhounds that answered her summon surged forward from the fissures she’d formed. The Battle was chaos, but it was chaos Hari could follow. Max was at her side as she cut her way through witches and wizards, they had no idea how to take the swords coming at them or the monsters trying to eat them.
Hari finally found Voldemort and he was trying to fight her swords with a wand. Hari’s laugh filled the air as she flipped and spun out of the way of the firing spells. Voldemort didn’t stand a chance as Hari’s army wasn’t falling to the magic for the most part. The other witches and wizards didn’t know what to do. The giants and other monsters were clashing with the army on more even footing but even they were falling rapidly against sheer numbers.
Voldemort flinched as Hari looked him in the eye. Her eyes had gone black and the power of the Underworld was hers. Hari used that split second to launch forward, her blades swinging. A spray of blood hit her across the helm, some of it splattering on her face. Just as suddenly as the battle started, it was over.
The remaining creatures were dead, all others had bolted the moment they realized it was a lost cause. The witches and wizards fled the moment they saw their leader dead. Hari missed the cause of the huge flash of light behind her, but not the scream that followed. The Hellhounds were cleaning up the enemies that had gotten behind her. Hari looked down at Voldemort as she kicked his head away from his body. She’d gotten a good shot that had taken his head clean off. She felt rather proud of herself for managing such a clean shot. Hari couldn’t help but think that Sir Nicholas would be jealous of such a clean decapitation.
Hari looked up and frowned. “Max, drop it!”
Max whined as he dropped the colourfully robed figure with a sickening crunch. Hari ran over to see it wasn’t a Death Eater. She knew it wasn’t simply from the robes. Hari blinked as she recognized Dumbledore now with very large teeth marks in him. She had been confident he’d have run the moment he realized Hari was winning to deal with her much later. She’d been wrong apparently.
Hari knew he was dead and she didn’t care as she plucked her elder wand out of his hand. She then looked at the three Furies as they descended in front of her after circling the battlefield. “We will finish cleaning up if you wish to return to the palace.”
“I need to go meet with Sirius first.” Hari replied “Thank you for your hard work.”
They smiled before scattering to descend on the not quite survivors. Hari was going to Sirius and Remus only so she could tell them she was safe before she went to go hunt the ones that escaped and still needed to be hunted down, rather then to be allowed to vanish.
Hari missed the chaos that was the Aurors arriving much too late but they found Voldemort’s body and the great cheer went through the wizarding world as Voldemort was dead. Just as the deep ripple went through at the news Dumbledore had fallen in battle with Voldemort. She’d ended up taking a nap in the parlor without intending too, due to her dogfathers being out. Sirius and Remus smiled finding her asleep in the house.
Hari was sitting having tea with her Dogfathers when Arthur came bursting into the parlor. “You-know-who is dead, but so is Albus Dumbledore.”
Hari was perfectly calm as Sirius and Remus stood rapidly. Hari smiled into her cup She hadn’t gotten around to telling them after her nap. “I was expecting this to come to light tomorrow.” They all looked at her seeing her eyes had gone black. They all were struck at the madness shining in her eyes and smile.
“Did you kill them both?” Remus asked
“No.” Hari answered truthfully “Dumbledore died during the fight; I didn’t see how. Nor was I involved.”
“Seems he’d been bitten by something large.” Arthur stated looking at her, well more the three headed dog the size of a horse laying on the floor wrapped around her chair.
“If Dumbledore threatened me of course Max would try to eat him.” Hari said calmly, they could tell Dumbledore’s death pleased her. They all realized that Hari felt nothing about Dumbledore’s death. “No doubt the papers will announce that they died killing each other.”
“That hasn’t been decided yet.” Arthur stated “Auror Shacklebolt wishes to speak with you. As does the Minister.” Hari smiled as she nodded. She’d already changed into something clean. She stood up, seeing this as a signal, Max was also getting to his feet. They all went to the Ministry with her.
Hari was perfectly calm in the room with Shacklebolt and Scrimgeour. Hari turned when Umbridge walked in with Percy to be witnesses. Hari’s expression shifted from pleasant to dark as she followed Umbridge with her eyes as the toad seated herself at the table. Max’s growls filled the room.
“Miss Potter” Umbridge greeted with that sickly toad smile.
“I refuse to speak with her in the room. Escort her out or I leave.” Hari stated
“I need my undersecretary.” Scrimgeour stated
Hari looked at him, “Then you are a fool.” She stated to his face as she stood up “Max, come” she headed for the door.
“Did you know that Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Mundungus Fletcher, and Hestia Jones died along with Aldus Dumbledore?” Shacklebolt asked before she could open the door.
Hari looked at him her hand on the knob. “I am. I mourn Professor Moody, but it was his own fault for following Dumbledore into a war unprepared.” Hari showed no expression as she looked at them. “Now excuse me. If you want to hear what I have to say, put the poisonous toad back in the swamp were it belongs.” Hari purposely looked at Umbridge. “Don’t think I forgive you for what you did to my little brother.” Hari walked out.
Percy stood up and followed her. “Hari, please tell us what happened!”
Hari looked at him, her hand on Max’s shoulder. “I killed Voldemort and decimated the army he gathered. I suggest you start hunting down the surviving Death eaters. Let the Ministry decide how Dumbledore died and how you will see him. I will neverforgive him for what he did to me. Never.” Hari shadow travelled away. She arrived beside her dog fathers. She looked at the statue fountain at the ministry. She’d bypassed it before and Hari hated it.
“Hari, there you are. We expected you to be gone longer.” Sirius said
Hari looked at him completely deadpanned. “There was no need for me to be there.” Hari answered then looked past them.
They all turned to the figure that stepped up to her. The figure looked so out of place in ancient armour that everyone stared. This man was every inch a warrior. “At your orders, Princess.” The man stated
“Not right now.” Hari turned to see the Minister, Shacklebolt, and Umbridge standing there. Percy was frowning at the ground “I have a funeral to see to.”
“Of course.” The man bowed. “Your father has asked for you to return to the Palace. Something about Judgments.”
“I will be right there.” The man vanished with a bow to her as if he’d never been there. He was absorbed by his own shadow.
“Father? Palace?” Arthur asked
Hari smiled at Arthur. “I can’t explain it at the moment. I will though. Maybe it’s time for you to learn the truth.” Hari nodded to her uncles and shadow travelled back to the Underworld.
Nico and her seated themselves at the foot of their Father’s Throne as Voldemort and Dumbledore were judged both kneeling at Hades’ feet in chains. They spilled everything as the judgement showed everything they’d done in their lives. Neither man did enough good to counter their wrongs. The worst crime had been their actions against the Crown Princess. Hari and Nico didn’t get most of it as Hades was holding the judgement. Hari couldn’t emotionally separate herself from them, she was simply too angry. Seeing that, their father made the choices for punishment. Both souls were kept close for a time protected from summoning, revivals, and resurrections. Hades was smiling as he had plans for these two as they were locked away under full guard.
Hari sighed as she had no choice but to face the music. Nico was holding her hand as they returned to England. The news was still cycling through the highest government when they returned to London. They didn’t want to wait around home. They both wanted to move. Hari walked into Gringotts as the news finally broke, Nico was still holding her hand, now partly to stay together in the huge crowds. Hari was going to her vault, mostly because she needed to check something. Hari blinked as the old bartender at the Hog’s Head pub came flying into the bank. “The Plan is Go… The Plan is a Go!”
Hari watched fascinated as the Goblins who had previously been calm and almost bored in their meticulous actions suddenly turned into a flurry of action. “The Plan is Go. Start Operation Hades Offerings!”
Hari looked at Nico who looked just as confused. They watched the show from the sidelines purposely leaning on an empty section of counter. The Goblins were getting very excited, the wizard was just as excited. Hari and Nico caught bits, about Loans for poorer families or orphaned children with no interest under the name of a Grant. The plan wasn’t actually called Hades’ Offering, but the Ariana foundation.
Hari and Nico burst into giggles as the goblin tellers seemed to realize they still had a bank full of witches and wizards all looking freaked out/worried. “May I see your Key?” “Do you have your key?” and “What business do you have today?” started to calmly ring through the Bank as the tellers returned to being professionals. To say the wizards weren’t sure what happened was an understatement.
They reached the teller; Hari had come to check if her Vaults had properly opened for her use. Her little key was taken and checked. “Ah, a new key will need to be created for you as the Head of the house, and to access the proper vaults. Please follow us to a side room.” The goblin said ringing a bell to call another goblin.
Hari smiled recognizing the Goblin. “Hello again Griphook”
“Miss Potter, Follow me”
The meeting went well. Hari pointedly asked if they were concerned about the wizards mistaking their excitement at a sudden flood of wealth being twisted into another rebellion. “Worry not. That is not our goal. We are merely being paid with interest as the foundation sits unused, and control over who it is granted to. All quite fun.”
Hari walked out to see Shacklebolt arguing with a goblin about reports of a possible rebellion starting due to a sudden madness brought on by an Aberforth Dumbledore. “You misunderstand, Auror Shacklebolt. Aberforth Dumbledore has invested the entirety of the Dumbledore fortune into a new foundation for witches and wizards in need. We have been designing the best way to accomplish his goal for the last fifty years.”
Hari and Nico both giggled as they watched a grown man, and an equivalent of a police officer twitch, unable to say a word. They ran giggling from the scene.
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Hari blinked at the invitation she received. It was for Dumbledore’s funeral. Hari smiled and accepted the invitation. Godric’s Hollow was the location for the event. A place Hari had meant to go to but had never actually managed to convince herself to go.
Nico looked like normal just with a plain black shirt and his good leather jacket, Hari had gotten it for him for his last birthday because he’d outgrown the last one. Meanwhile Hari dressed up in a Black rockabilly pin-up dress with a gothic wide brim hat, a lace veil pinned in place artfully with a pair of black silk roses. Her black gloves went past her elbows.
Sirius blinked at the sheer aduncity of wearing a dress to the funeral instead of dress robes. Not that he could deny she looked adorable. Then he looked at Nico and just gave up. “I’ll go with you. I want to go visit James and Lily.” Sirius sighed dressing as he normally would. Remus traveled with them to go with Sirius.
Hari and Nico approached the group gathered around for the funeral. It was surrounded by muggle repelling charms. Hari and Nico attempted to stay to the side, it mostly succeeded but they were still near the front of the crowd. Neville and his grandmother were there in black dress robes. Neville insisted on them standing beside Hari during the funeral. Hari saw that the wizard from Fleur and Bill’s wedding was doing the funeral ceremony too. The man standing beside him turned out to be the odd man from the bank and Albus Dumbledore’s younger brother. The last survivor of the siblings.
“You look pretty” Neville stated not sad in the slightest as he looked around at the crying and sobbing witches and wizards. He handed his grandmother a handkerchief from his pocket without even looking as she took it.
“I’m waiting to see if the Minister tries to accost me again here. Hopefully without the pink toad like he did the last time.” Hari whispered
“They reported that Dumbledore died trying to protect you from You-know-who and his Death Eaters.” Neville muttered quietly
“He didn’t. His spell backfired and Max tried to eat him.” Hari muttered smiling tilting her hat down to hide behind the brim and the thicker part of the lace work hanging over it.
“So, he tried to kill you as you suspected he would after Easter.” Neville voiced
Hari didn’t move in agreement “I think he planned to kill whoever survived our fight. He found out the details my ultimatum somehow… oh who and I kidding, Snape told him about the plan.”
“Then you know about the Order of the Phoenix?”
“The what?” Nico asked frowning leaning forward to look around Hari to see Neville.
“Good question…” Hari echoed.
“You didn’t know about the Order… of course, the new Order didn’t have Sirius or Remus involved. Grandmother was supporting it with a few others of our family’s circle. Dumbledore was in charge of it.”
“Dad’s part of it with Mom. Bill and Tonks too” Fred stated coming up behind them with George. Both in black leather jackets with pants on instead of robes.
“Surprised you were never told.” George stated putting an arm around Nico who wasn’t protesting. The three of them matched outside of hair and height.
“I guess they didn’t want me to know.” Hari answered seeing Snape and McGonagall discussing something on the other side of the grave, McGonagall wiping her eyes with a green handkerchief. In another area Hermione and Ron were both crying with Arthur and Molly. Percy stood with them wiping his eyes while holding his glasses.
After the funeral Hari smiled as Fleur came running up to her in tears. Her black veil pushed back off her face, the two girls hugged “I am So Sorry, ‘Ari. Everyone must be ‘arassing you.”
Hari smiled at her “It’s alright Fleur. I expected this” Hari replied calmly
Hari turned at the sound of a cough, stepping away from Fleur to see who it was. “Miss Potter” Cornelius Fudge approached her with his green Bowler in his hands. “I am sorry for your loss. I know he was important to you.” Fudge said “He spoke highly of you, even when we could never agree on anything.”
Hari blinked at the man “Thank you” She answered not really knowing what to say as this man had changed his opinion of her so many times. Fudge nodded to her and wandered off.
Scrimgeour stepped up to her scowling “I didn’t expect you to come.” He said bluntly
Hari smiled sweetly at him “I received an invitation. How could I not come?”
Neville and the Twins shared a look. Bill frowned at how they somehow communicated to separate the Minister from Hari by interrupting. Only they weren’t fast enough. Rita Skeeter did it instead. “Ms. Black is it not now? Can I have an interview? Surely you want to say something about the sudden deaths of You-know-who and Dumbledore?”
Hari blinked at her confused and she sort of just stalled out. The others saw she’d blanked. It was strange to see but it did happen. “Where have you been? I don’t think I’ve heard anything from you since the Tri-wizard Tournament.”
Rita turned pale with a shaky smile, “Yes, I was taking a leave of absence. Now I’m working on a personal project. Something you might be interested in actually.”
“Oh?”
“I’m writing a book, a biography actually. An Accurate biography. My personal editor is making sure rumour doesn’t get added in.” Skeeter was sweating a little.
Hari was interested “Might we talk after the formalities are done here, say over tea?”
“I’d love too!” Rita was a little too excited then drained of all colour as she saw someone approach them.
Hari and the others turned to see this beautiful dark Italian woman in a long veil approach them. Blaise was standing beside her with her arm hooked in his. “Rita, be nice” the woman spoke elegantly and with a clear Italian accent.
“Of Course,” Rita’s voice trembled as she vanished into the crowd.
Hari frowned watching the usually nosy woman flee. “What did you do to her?” Hari asked
“’I caught a skeeter beetle.’” Blaise said grinning
Hari’s expression showed open surprise as she whipped around to look at where Rita was fleeing then looked back at Blaise “You can’t be… that was her?”
“Yes, My Mother has been keeping her… Occupied.”
Hari raised an eyebrow… that seemed more like tortured then ‘occupied’. Hari then stiffened at Mother. “Oh… OH”
Blaise chuckled as did his mother, “A pleasure, to think I’d get such an elegant daughter-in-law. I very much approve of this.” She looked at her son “I do think your father would approve as well” Hari and Blaise both blushed a little. Nico was snickering even as he tucked himself into Hari’s side.
They all paid their respects to Aberforth before they slipped off. Hari and Nico easily navigated the cemetery to find Remus and Sirius placing flowers at Hari’s adoptive parent’s grave. The siblings felt natural here, as they did in all graveyards, cemeteries, or any type of Burial ground. “Uncles” Hari called.
They both turned and smiled “Mrs. Zabini.” Remus greeted while Sirius looked a little confused even as he was still smiling.
“I went to Beauxbaton.” Blaise’s mother stated calmly. “Now, I do believe we were going to sit down and have tea.”
Sirius sighed “May I invite you all back to the Black house? Forgive me but Godric’s Hollow holds Memories I’m not …”
“Ah, may I actually ask if I might borrow Ms. Potter and invite her to my estate instead? I have a lovely garden I’d like to show off.”
“Nico will have to come too” Blaise stated easily “I don’t think he’s going to let her vanish on him again this soon.”
“Of Course.” Remus said “Pup, we’ll show you why we know this place another day.”
“Of course.” Hari hugged her dog fathers. “Take care of each other.” The men nodded then apparated away. Hari side-apparated with Blaise’s mother while Nico was unhappily apparated by Blaise.
They were sitting under a beautiful circular gazebo with rose vines climbing up the columns. Hari took off her hat and her hair fell out of it’s knot cascading down her back.
“It’s not as nice as the marble Muse Pergola I have at the Italian estate, but this house was inherited from my first late husband. So, I shouldn’t complain.” Blaise’s mother explained. Hari was still stunned by the Rose maze they’d landed in, they were greeted by a maid, not a house elf, who brought them tea and snacks. “Now, this is very late. I am very pleased to me you Hari. My name is Constantinopia Zabini… call me Cassie, my full name is too much of a mouthful for regular use.”
Hari bit her lip “Everyone calls me Hari but my name is Harriet Potter.”
Constantinopia smiled at her with a raised eyebrow “Passerotta,”
Hari knew in an instant that Mrs. Zabini knew Harriet wasn’t her real name. Being called ‘little sparrow’ seemed odd in the situation but Hari blushed. “Aidonea, Daughter of Aidoneus.” Hari answered with a sigh
Constantinopia laughed. “Oh passerotta, you are a delight.” She smiled “A little Greek, you’re not even English.”
Hari sighed nodding “Completely Greek” Hari replied
Constantinopia looked at Nico “I’m Italian” he said hands raised in surrender
“That was rather obvious, gattino.” She smiled “Two little Demi-gods of Hades. How rare you two are.” Blaise looked at Hari as his mother looked at him “Did you think she was a daughter of Pluto? Aren’t you adorable, polpetto.”
Hari and Nico were both giggling at Blaise’s shock but also at Nico being called ‘little kitten’… mostly it was actually that his mother’s pet name for Blaise translated to ‘Meatball’ or ‘small octopus’… neither of them were sure but it was funny either way.
Rita Skeeter’s arrival with a small pile of notes put their conversation on hold. Rita went over the basics of the book. Essentially it was entirely the real story about Albus Dumbledore. Rita was setting herself up for an interview beside Constantinopia.
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Hari asked Constantinopia
“I am neutral and stayed so for a reason. Dumbledore and I never actually got along because our values were very different. He also didn’t approve of how I dealt with things or acquired wealth. But I also wasn’t about to follow some blood supremacist half-wit either.”
“Why didn’t you send Blaise to Beauxbaton then?” Hari asked curious.
“Honestly” Constantinopia said “I had him here, I didn’t feel like fighting when his name was already down on the registry. Also, a very nasty rival from my youth had a child in that year and I didn’t want to deal with that fight either.” Hari couldn’t ague with that.
Rita looked at Hari. “I’m surprised you’re not more upset about all this, being his favorite student and maybe even his Special student…” Rita was implying something.
Nico narrowed his eyes and there was a growl from the shadows. Hari put her hand up as a signal, the growling stopped “Dumbledore was very much Homosexual; he had no interest me in that way.” Hari answered calmly.
Rita looked at her delighted, her quill out and waiting. Hari openly and in full detail told Rita Skeeter everything she knew from the prophecy to Dumbledore’s reaction to it. His actual relationship with Gellert Grindelwald. Even the items of lore in question that Hari firmly pointed out were lost and/or destroyed. Specifically stating that Dumbledore who last held the wand saw it snapped shortly after his death. Rita soaked it up like a sponge.
“What was your relationship with him?”
Hari paused, the teacup in her hand actually froze, the steaming tea turning to a block of ice. Hari explained everything she’d learned and had pieced together. They all looked at her stunned as they all learned she’d been stolen as an infant. Only Nico knew the mass majority of it here, while Neville knew the whole story, until that moment. Hari purposely left out what her father was exactly and how far out of time Nico and her actually were.
“Ah, so that’s why the rumours of a living father were such a quiet scandal.” Rita looked amused. “Some even say it was Severus Snape.”
“No, that was a rumour I started in my fifth year as a joke. Nico escalated it, and the school ran rampant with it.” Hari explained “Then the rest of the country got a hold of it.” Blaise snickered into his cup as he was sliding a fresh unfrozen cup towards Hari.
Rita sighed pouting “That’s unfortunate it was such a risqué story.”
“I know.” Hari said smiling “That’s part of the reason I said it. Other then the utter outrage it would cause.”
“Now, passerotta, Rita has rather forcibly agreed that half of the sales of the book will go to the new foundation that was created by Aberforth. I think a quarter should go to you and Rita can keep the rest.” Constantinopia stated
Hari considered it but shook her head “I don’t need that sort of money.”
“Then I will hold It in leu as a wedding gift for you two later.” Constantinopia stated. Hari and Blaise both blushed and then shared a look before blushing even worse. They weren’t ready for that sort of commitment just yet. Rita looked delighted at the couple. “Write about it and I will stick you back in the Jar.” Constantinopia threatened.
Rita looked demure. “Now Ms. Potter. Could you explain about the deaths and the end of this war?”
Hari explained in full detail but then frowned as she hadn’t seen all of it as she had been fighting. She explained how her Cerberus had chewed on Dumbledore, and he only did that when she was threatened so it had been easy to figure out that Dumbledore had tried to kill her after she’d killed old Moldy. It was obviously a wand backfire as there was nothing else it could have been due to being wizards.
Rita smiled “What of You-Knows-who’s history did you know?”
Hari smiled “I’ll tell you everything including how Dumbledore created not one but two of the darkest wizards in recent history.” Hari told them everything. From what Dumbledore had shown her to what she’d found herself.
“Ms. Potter, I do hope you will allow me to put you down as quoted for a few of these and put you down as a personal source.”
“I will be editing it for accuracy.” Constantinopia stated quickly. “Especially when it comes to my future daughter-in-law.”
“Of course,” Rita said quickly in agreement.
Hari nodded “On one condition”
“Name it!” Rita yelled jumping up from her seat
“You send me a signed first print once the book is done.”
“Of course, that’s standard procedure. I need to send one to Bathilda as well” Rita stated easily
“You’ll need to send it to My Godfather’s house as that will most likely be where I will actually get it.”
“Not Hogwarts?” Rita asked
Hari looked at her “No, I have a rather odd feeling I won’t be taking proper schooling this coming year.” Hari said sort of drifting then snapping back as Nico touched her.
“Sis, you alright?”
“Yes, I think…. I need to talk to father. I’ll explain after that.” Hari said smiling at him.
Constantinopia looked at her son. He nodded in response. A clear sign whatever it was, had to do with the Gods.
“Interesting” Rita said
Constantinopia put her hand on Rita’s “One word about what just happened and you will stay in the jar.”
“What just happened? She seems a little faint from the sun. Maybe some water or juice would be better then tea.” Rita sounded slightly panicked.
“Yes, you might be right, let us retire to the house for a bit before I send you home” Constantinopia said smiling.
They ended up eating dinner before Hari and Nico headed home. Hari relayed what she’d learned to her father. Hades pointedly told her she was right to worry and not to get caught at school again, that the moment they got the signal she was on it. Hades couldn’t tell her something had been nagging at him for the last year but he hadn’t been able to figure it out, thinking it had been her war with the two mortal bastards. But the feeling was only getting stronger now.