Chapter Text
“Lord Longbottom,” Gareth Greengrass greeted with the customary quarter bow. They were mingling after the first quadrille of the night but he hadn’t had a chance to say hello before. “How are the children settling? If there’s anything you need, you must let me know at once,” he said with real concern. As the Head of the Department of Magical Welfare, he took the Protective Child Services Office very seriously.
“Lord Greengrass, good to see you,” Frank said affably, “and thank you for everything you did to expedite things the other day. The children are settling in nicely so far, thank Merlin. They stayed at home with Neville and Mother. We almost didn’t come but Mother insisted we keep the engagement,” he said.
“I’m glad… well, if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask,” Gareth said again.
“Now that you mention it, could I trouble you for some recommendations? I’d like to set them up with a mind healer, but I don’t just want to take them to St Mungo’s and let them see a random one. Do you know of any with the required expertise?” Frank asked.
“I’ll owl you a list of the ones we work with the most,” Gareth said with a nod.
“Thank you, give my best to Livia if I don’t see you with her again tonight,” Frank said.
“She’s around here somewhere, I’m sure,” Gareth said with a snicker, “surely catching up on the latest gossip with Lady Parkinson and Lady Bulstrode.”
“How are they really?” James asked quietly, throwing a discreet privacy ward up once Gareth left them.
“It’ll take time, but we’ll get there. I think it’s still sinking in for them, that it’s truly over. It’s just been three days so far, but their moods have lifted considerably. It’s quite endearing really, they emulate Neville in everything around the house. It’s both endearing and sad actually, that they think he sets the standard and anything below it would displease us. They started calling us Father and Mother as soon as we got home! Little Dennis sometimes slips and calls me dad, which of course I don’t mind in the least but he always corrects himself so fast,” Frank said sadly, “I had to sit them down and explain that while they’ll receive etiquette lessons in the future, it’s not a priority right away and they can call us whatever they’re comfortable with.”
“I’m sure Augusta is chomping at the bit to start their lessons though,” James teased lightly.
“She took a liking to Colin long before everything unfolded, and he was genuinely interested in her class, but I don’t want them to feel like they have to learn to be our children. They’ll learn our ways in time because they’ll have to assimilate eventually, but right now? I want them to know we want them just like they are and we don’t want to change them,” Frank explained. “We’ll take it at their own pace.”
“So Lyra was right then, about the adoption,” James said knowingly.
“Too right,” Frank sighed, “I thought it would be just a nudge, an impulse to care for them, protect them, and it would lead to a deeper bond in time, but… by Merlin James! I already love the little squirts. They’re my children,” he said with a shrug, as if it was the most logical, obvious thing in the world.
~~~
“You should have seen them Ly,” Alice said, out on the terrace while James and Frank talked inside.
“I’ll visit soon,” Lyra said, “but there was no need for me to stick around for the adoption. That was a private moment.”
“It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to witness,” Alice said, “I thought they might change a little, you know? Like the touch of silver in Harry’s eyes, or the slightly sharper Black features he got from Sirius when he adopted him, but I wasn’t expecting them to change that much! I was both flattered they’d want to look like us, and brokenhearted at how much they must have hated those monsters, to the point of not wanting to see them in the mirror.”
After the blood adoption was finalized, Colin could almost pass as Neville’s twin, if not for little details that Alice knew were Selwyn traits, like the mauve eyes the family famously had, much like the Blacks and their silver eyes. Dennis looked positively Yaxley-esque. He kept his Selwyn hair like Colin, a beautiful strawberry bronze that sometimes had slightly green tinges when the light hit it just right, like oxidized copper, and the Selwyn mauve eyes. A striking mixture for sure, but his general bone structure and features reminded Alice of her cousin Corban when he was young.
“Are you worried? With them looking so drastically different, it might attract attention,” Lyra said cautiously.
“Not really. Colin’s smart, and he has his Selwyn ring to protect him. I don’t think his choice of godmother was entirely sentimental either. He craves safety, and Minnie gave him that, and might have been the first adult to do so. She’ll look after him well while in school,” Alice said, “I’m worried about sending Dennis to school though, but I have a plan.”
“Oh?” Lyra said.
“I’ll have to speak with Neville, and consult the family magics, but I’d like to make Dennis the Yaxley heir,” Alice whispered. “There’s no way I’m sending my boy to Hogwarts without protection. He needs a ring and lucky for him he has a mother with two to spare. He was already a Yaxley before I adopted him, and it would take pressure off of Neville to have so many children, but I should ask him nonetheless.”
“I don’t think he’ll object to it,” Lyra said, “it’s a good idea, and when Harry used to ask for siblings he’d do it so he could share the load, as he put it, not because he was lonely or any of the usual reasons children ask for siblings, so perhaps it’ll even be welcomed,” she added sadly.
“You still could, you’re still young…” Alice said.
“I know I say that when asked, but I missed my window Al,” Lyra said, “and I learnt my lesson, no babies in turbulent times, and I don’t see us dispatching Alvin anytime soon, not soon enough for me to still be of decent childbearing age, and we both know he could still come back.”
“I’m sorry Ly,” Alice said quietly, eyes as sad as Lyra’s. “But you never know, Euphemia wasn’t young by any standards when she had James, there might still be time. You’re thinking in muggle terms again. A longer lifespan means longer stages as well, and you’ll live longer than most wix.”
“Don’t be. It was a conscious choice. Harry needed to be powerful and influential for what’s to come, I couldn’t afford to spread out his titles, and he grew up around enough children, so loneliness was never an issue,” she said with a resigned shrug. At least James was in agreement. They would have wanted nothing more than to raise Harry and however many more children Mother Magic might have blessed them with far away from all the intrigue, but after learning about her true plans for her child, they knew it would only bring hardship to go against them. If her baby was to be a fated paladin in a game of divine self correction, then she’d raise the best damn paladin the world would ever see, and he’d be ready to succeed and live a happy life after he fulfilled his destiny.
“What on earth is going on inside?” Alice asked then, distracted by the noise coming out from the ballroom. “Is the minister’s wife drunk again? Merlin help us… every damn ball,” she huffed.
“That doesn’t sound like a drunk guest,” Lyra said with a frown, taking Alice’s arm to go inside.
The scene that greeted them upon entering was something they didn’t expect.
As soon as they crossed the threshold, an auror stepped up and guided them rather forcefully to the center of the ballroom, where all the other guests were being rounded up.
“Excuse me! There’s no need to touch me, I’m going!” Lyra said, pulling her arm away from the man.
“EVERYONE TO THE CENTER! NO ONE LEAVES THIS ROOM! THIS IS A MINISTRY ORDERED RAID ON THIS PROPERTY! STAY CALM AND COMPLY!” They heard Arthur Weasley’s voice amplified through the room.
“Ly, do you see Frank anywhere?” Alice said, the people around them knocking into them as the aurors tightened the perimeter.
“Where’s James?” Lyra said, looking around frantically, “Severus!” She called out as soon as he saw the sparkling blue sapphire evil eye motifs of Severus’ circlet flash out of the corner of her eye and sure enough, he was making his way over to her.
“Severus! Where’s James! Where are the children?” She asked hurriedly, those around her freezing as soon as they heard her.
The children.
“I think he’s at the front, with Amelia, Lucius and the minister,” he said, grabbing her wrist and trying to make way towards the front of the room.
“Did they bring the children in? Severus, where’s Harry?” She asked, trying to see over the people.
“No, they broke in and started rounding us up like cattle.,” he said with a sneer. “I got dragged into the crowd but last I saw James he was trying to get to the front of the room.”
“WEASLEY! ENOUGH!” Lyra heard Amelia yell when she finally reached the front of the room, “Rufus, either you stand down and accompany me to get the children or so help you Merlin…”
“I can’t Madam Bones, as per article 3 of section 4 subsection 4b of the Misuse of Enchanted Artifacts Act of 1992, raids are run by the Head of the Department, I am not in charge here and I answer to Mr Weasley,”
“Cornelius, do something!” Someone hissed behind the minister, eliciting a chorus of people calling for the minister to put a stop to the circus, but he was like a deer caught in headlights.
“Minister, if you’d like to have any chance at reelection, I suggest you snap out of it and do something,” Lyra whispered to the man.
“Weasley, comply with Madam Bones at once! Head Auror Scrimgeour and her will go and get the children and bring them here, and you can proceed with your travesty of a raid, no one is stopping you,” Fudge said then.
“Minister, according to the law, I am within my faculties to conduct this raid as I see fit. There is probable cause to believe Lord Malfoy is in possession of illegal artifacts. Previous searches have proven unsuccessful so more extreme measures had to be taken,” Arthur said firmly.
“So what, holding our children hostage while you ransack our houses is on the table?” Lucius sneered, “you’ve trashed my house three times already. How many more times will I have to be subjected to this farce?”
“As long as it takes to find what you’re hiding, Malfoy,” Arthur sneered back at the blond.
“Cornelius, this is a blatant abuse of power. Three searches have yielded no tangible proof of guilt. I warned you this would happen,” James whispered to the minister, “the mess is made, we’ve unleashed an inquisition upon the public, one that doesn’t care about presumption of innocence. How much longer until they start planting evidence? How much longer until they plant a dark object in your house and remove you from office? Weasley is too little a man to be behind this Cornelius, I told you this bill was Dumbledore’s brainchild, a way of coming for all of us, you specifically, so stop the madness before you lose the support of the Wizengamot.”
“That is quite enough Weasley,” Fudge growled, spurred into action finally, “that was not a request, it was an executive order from the Minister for Magic. Your little resentful display has gone on long enough, you and your team can vacate the premises, immediately.”
“But minister!” Arthur sputtered, mouthing like a fish out of water. Dumbledore promised him this wouldn’t happen!
“Not another word, Weasley. I’ll deal with you tomorrow, leave your calendar open,” Fudge sneered at the man.
“You heard the minister!” Scrimgeour yelled, “Aurors, retreat!”
“Thank you sir,” Rufus said with a nod, grateful that the circus was over.
“Lucius, the children,” Narcissa said evenly, but the restlessness was barely disguised.
Lucius didn’t spare a glance in Arthur’s direction before leaving to get the children with James, while Amelia tried to contain the rest of the guests from following, assuring everyone that their children would come to them.
“Mr Weasley, thank you for coming, but I’m afraid this event is by invitation only,” Narcissa said coldly, “Dippy can see you out.”
“This isn’t over,” Arthur threatened quietly.
“That’s where you're wrong Mr Weasley. This was over before it even began,” Narcissa said with an icy smile, “give my best to your colorful wife, and do follow Dippy sooner rather than later, she’s much nicer than the expelling wards.”
~~~
“Liebling! Are you ok?” Lyra said as soon as Harry and the rest of the children came into the ballroom, checking him over.
“We’re fine Mutti. It was scary but nothing happened. There was a lot of banging on the doors and we didn’t know what was going on. The parlor we were in went on lockdown as soon as the wards alerted Draco of hostile intrusion. He was on top of everything, we were all accounted for and well hidden,” he said reassuringly. It was almost as good a performance as hers.
Everything went perfectly according to plan.
That day, before they started getting ready for the ball, both of his parents sat him down and explained what would be happening later.
“You can’t tell anyone, not even Hermione,” his mother warned him. “We need everyone’s reaction to be as genuine as possible. Only us, Lucius and Amelia know that Weasley intends to raid the ball tonight.”
“Ok, what do I need to do?” Harry asked.
“Draco is being briefed as we speak as well, you’ll be the only ones amongst the children who’ll be in the know,” James said, “Draco has been tasked with raising his emergency wards when the main manor wards alert him of the intrusion. Just like with yours here at the Abbey, any room he is in will go into complete lockdown.”
“The aurors conducting the search will naturally believe that Lucius is hiding something there, so we are counting on them being rather aggressive with their attempts at breaking in,” Lyra said.
“Now, this bit of the plan is not my favourite, but we need the children and the parents scared throughout the whole thing, so we can repeal the law later. Both of you need to make sure that all the children are in the room before lockdown, and you need to keep things under control. Some might try to get out, but you mustn’t let them. As far as they will know, the manor will be under attack with intruders trying to get in,” James said seriously.
“Ok, we’ll handle things on our end,” Harry promised them, and boy did they deliver.
The mood in the room had been… intense. He of course felt guilty, watching all his friends genuinely afraid for their parents and themselves, but they kept things from getting too heated by trying to calm them down saying it was probably a ministry raid, and they should wait it out.
A lot of them were asking Draco to drop the portkey wards so they could use their emergency portkeys to go home, but those were part of the main wards and Draco didn’t carry them. Usually the children of the house only carried emergency wards and were keyed into the main intruder alert ward, to get them used to carrying a full set of wards in the future and for events such as these, when they’d need to be on lockdown. Harry’s worked much the same, turning any room in the Abbey into a panic room, only granting access to the elves to keep him and whoever was locked in with him watered and fed or to apparate them out of danger if possible.
In the end, the whole thing lasted for probably half an hour in total and it served its purpose, and the law would be repealed almost unanimously if Harry’s assessment of the mood in the ballroom was accurate.
~~~
“Draaay,” Harry said giddily as they walked up to the Great Hall for lunch the next day. At least they’d been able to have the morning off, since Mabon this year did not fall on a weekend so the break was shorter.
“I know! Father was so cryptic too! He just said there was a surprise waiting for me when I got back. Did yours say anything else?” Draco asked, just as jittery.
“Not to me directly, but you know he’s so easy to eavesdrop on when he’s at home,” Harry said with a pleased smirk. “If uncle Luke said it was a surprise then I shouldn’t spoil it, I’ll tell you more during lunch,” he said teasingly.
“You’re no fun,” Draco grumbled in frustration.
“…Please,” Harry deadpanned. The bitch was implied.
“Ok that’s a lie, but still,” Draco said with an eye roll.
They schooled their features as they exited the dungeons, and calmly walked up to the hall.
“Hey!” Neville called, “did you hear?” He said with a huge grin. “It worked! The board sacked him on the spot! Father told me…” he continued, only for Harry to cut him off.
“Merlin’s balls Nev! It was a surprise!” Harry whined.
“Oh bugger! I forgot!” Neville groaned, “sorry, you can tell the rest later, bye!” He said with a sheepish smile, running off to the Gryffindor table.
They went to sit next to Theo and Hermione, who had a confused look on her face as she analyzed the head table.
“Harry, who’s that man sitting in Professor Lockhart’s place?” She asked quietly.
“Come on Harry! Surely you can tell now? I’ve already seen him!” Draco asked with a very unbecoming pout.
“Fine!” Harry sighed in exasperation. “Our letters worked,” he told Hermione with a pleased smirk.
“They sacked him?” She asked with wide eyes.
“8-4,” Harry said with a smug grin, “Dumbledore was disgraced, even the minister thought it was a travesty, crush or not,” he said, mock-gagging.
“And who’s that man?” Hermione asked.
“Lord Shacklebolt,” Harry said, “the board wouldn’t trust any pick Dumbledore could supply after what came of trusting his judgment on Lockhart, so he’s a ministerial appointment. He’s an auror, senior and well on his way to replacing Mr Scrimgeour if things follow their natural order,” he said.
“Which is?” Hermione asked, grow slightly burrowed.
“Aunt Amy takes the ministry office from Fudge in the next election, Scrimgeour takes over the DMLE and Lord Shacklebolt replaces Scrimgeour as Head Auror,” Harry explained.
“Then why is he here?” Hermione asked, such an up and coming figure relegated to the cursed position?
“He was injured during a mission that went bust recently and hasn’t been cleared back for active duty yet. Most aurors on extended leave, except for those on leave for mental reasons, are assigned tutor duties at the Auror Academy. I guess the pressing need for a DADA teacher proved useful and they assigned him this teaching post instead,” Harry told them.
“Well, even if he is reluctantly here, it’s still better than that Ken doll fraud,” Hermione said.
“He does look like one doesn’t he!” Harry said, laughing freely.
“I have no doubt he’ll be competent, but I just hope he’s nice,” Daphne said, injecting herself in the conversation seamlessly, “I can imagine teaching NEWT level students must be bearable for a seasoned auror, but teaching disarming and shielding charms to second years? He might resent it.”
“I’m just glad we have an auror on staff, might make the old man think twice about some of his crap,” Harry whispered to Hermione, who nodded in relief as well.
“Is he trustworthy?” She asked Harry, because what good would an auror on staff make if he was a dumbledinger?
“He’s a Lib, recently took over from his late father. He’s nice from what I’ve heard Abba mention,” Harry said, “definitely not a dumbledinger, though he was trained by Moody and became sort of a protégé of his, so perhaps he might be a bit more light leaning than we’d like.”
“The one that looks like Frankenstein’s monster? I’ve read about him, last of a long line of aurors, refused letters patent that later went to the House of Vance right?” Hermione said, patting herself on the back inwardly for remembering some inane piece of information about a random person mentioned by family name only, attagirl.
“Yep, nasty piece of work, light bigot, killed a lot of death eaters long before the late Lord Crouch authorized the use of deadly force in battle,” Harry said.
“That’s awful,” Hermione whispered.
“War is awful. I’m sure many of those he killed had killed someone too, most likely more than one someone. It’s hard to point fingers and pin blame when both sides have just as much blood on their hands, and both think they’re in the right,” Harry said with a sad shrug.
Hermione was about to say something, when Minerva stood and interrupted her.
“Before we begin and lunch is served, I have an announcement to make!” She said in his usual clipped and professional manner, “Professor Dumbledore has been called away to an emergency Wizengamot meeting, but he would like me to inform you that Professor Lockhart has been called away and had to resign, so his post has been filled by Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. I hope you will join me in giving him a warm welcome,” she said. Harry secretly hoped she’d be able to replace the goat for good sooner rather than later, if only for the brevity and efficiency of her speeches alone.
Kingsley suppressed the grunt that almost came out when he stood to wave curtly to the clapping children. The healers said the curse had done a nasty number on his leg and it would require a long recovery before he was fully healed, and it was still tender and a little tight. With any luck he’d be cleared for active duty by next summer if the monthly ritual cleansings to clear the curse residue did their job.
He was still undecided about his current situation. He’d expected to be put on teacher duty at the academy, grading papers and barking orders during PT, but instead Amelia assigned him to teach at Hogwarts because the current teacher had been fired. He’d never seen the curse act quite as fast, but when he learnt that said teacher was Gilderoy Lockhart, he doubted the curse had much to do with it.
He’d never cared much for children, never had any around to care for really, since he came from a long line of only children, and most of his cousins from his mother’s side lived in Uganda and had attended Uagadu so they’d never alternated much.
From what Amelia told him, she’d appreciate the extra set of eyes on things regarding the school, and he couldn’t help but agree. He’d never fallen in with the Dumbledore fanatics while in school, and the Headmaster had never taken much of an interest in him either. He liked his Gryffindors and Kingsley had been a quiet Claw, kept to himself and focused on his academics.
The interest only started once his father’s decline was earnest, and the old man began to approach him for his seat. Such a kind offer really, to relieve him of the burden of his political duties so he could focus on his career. That sent alarms flaring in his mind so he politely thanked him but stated firmly that the Ancient and Most Noble House of Shacklebolt had always been and would always be a part of the liberal party, and if a stewardship were to ever be in the picture he’d appoint the party leader, whoever that may be at the time.
In truth, he had already signed stewardship accords with the House of Bones, considering he liked his boss and her politics, and they’d been superficially acquainted in their Hogwarts years. But a subtle hint of support towards James Potter, Dumbledore’s most evident opponent on the floor did the trick and the advances ceased, until he came to work at the school and the man made one last play for his votes, reminding him that titled staff needed to have stewards appointed. He just told him he already had one and left it at that, secretly smirking as he imagined the headmaster was in the process of finding out if he hadn’t already, given the extraordinary session called for that morning.
He’d been one of the few heirs that remained in the Auror corps from those that enlisted through the Aid the Nation expedited recruitment program right out of school, and he made a career out of it. He’d never involved himself much with the running of his family’s affairs beyond the minimum required. Just the expected tutoring, a couple of Wizengamot sessions and trials shadowing his father to get a feel for the chamber and that was pretty much it, he’d been left to his own devices mostly. He supposed one day he’d have to either name an heir or have a child, but with so many options open he wasn’t worried yet. One day he’d either father someone’s child through a ritual, blood adopt someone conveniently of age and raised by someone else, like the Rosses, or perhaps he’d meet someone and have a child the good old fashioned way, weirder things had happened.
He looked out at the students eyeing him with varying levels of interest, assessing him and wondering about what he would be like. He remembered that look from the other side, since he was one of them giving it to whatever unlucky sod sat where he was sitting every year on September 1st. He sat himself back down with a sigh. NEWT students could be fun, OWL classes would be bearable at least, but fourth year down? Dreadful bore.
This whole year would be such a bore.