Previously on A very Black plan: Headmistress McGonagall hired a few goblin teams from Gringotts to fix the school. New wards, dangerous items and curses that needed to be broken or fixed which was all work for a cursebreaker from Gringotts. All day they walked around the school with some surprising consequences.Professor Binns, bigot that he truly was, decided to go to the great beyond after all when he saw the goblin squad enter his classroom.
A new article dropped and this time it was about Harry's second year. Rita made some very good points and Dumbledore's supporters became less and less everytime a article made by Rita revealed more about what their former Headmaster had been up to. Susan and Hannah read it too, and apologised for their part in the bullying Harry endured.
Harry managed to completely tranfsorm in his wolf, who he named Grim. Now he had to keep doing the compleet transformation until he could do it without barely a thought.
The Hogmeade trip was coming up and Harry couldn't wait to see his family again. He wondered how Tonks was doing now and how big her belly would be since he saw her last. But he also had a bad feeling over that day in Hogsmeade village.
Something was going to happen.
October arrived with a cool breeze and the beautiful colors of Autumn in the nature surrounding Hogwarts. Standing in line waiting to go to the village Harry was nervous. A strange feeling was sitting deep in his stomach and Harry knew what it meant. It was the same feeling he got before any of his adventures.
It meant danger.
Luckily, Harry and his friends had learned from their earlier adventures. They knew and were prepared for anything which would hopefully make the difference. He brought his cloak and both of his wands, Hermione had her two wands and her gun and the rest of their friends just had their wands and some extra prank items from the twins. The twins send them regular care packages, which of course included prank items from their store.
They also informed them that they too had found their inner animal. Fred was a red fox which wasn't really surprising at all, and George was a raven. They had been trying to transform and had made good progress according to their latest letter.
Hand in hand with Hermione Harry walked toward the carriages. Luna, Ginny, Susan, Neville and Hannah were joining them inside the same carriage. But just before stepping into one, a small owl brought him a letter. Accepting it carefully from the tiny thing, he opened it when he sat down inside.
"Who wrote that letter, Harry?" Neville asked.
Harry must have made a face while reading it because they were all on alert. Deciding to just read it a loud he began.
Dear Harry,
While I'm very disappointed in your decisions lately, I understand your need to act out. Sirius's death was hard on all of us and you are only 16 years old. But what I don't understand are your reasons to talk to Rita Skeeter. Why would you help that horrible woman besmirch Albus's good name, Harry?
We need to talk. I will be in Hogsmeade today. Your father was a dear friend of mine and we own it to him to fix this.
Sincerely,
Remus Lupin
Remus would be in the village. Well, that was at least one known threat accounted for. Harry looked at his friends for their reaction. Hermione's reaction didn't disappoint. Her affronted rant started as soon as they locked eyes.
"A dear friend? What would your father think of Lupin today? A man who did nothing while you were living with abusive Muggles? The man who abandoned his own unborn child and who horribly insulted the mother of said child. The man who doesn't even get to know where his childs mother lives for their own safety?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'd like to set such people on fire, Harry. Come on, love, you know he doesn't deserve you or Tonks. It's beyond the goddamned pale to abandon your own child. Remus Lupin is the scum of the earth for that alone."
Ginny was nodding along at the setting on fire bit, fire loving girl she was. Neville, Susan, Hannah and Luna were all clearly agreeing with Hermione's rant and even Harry had to agree.
Remus Lupin was not his friend and certainly not the family his parents would have wanted him to be to their son. Still, somewhere deep inside, Harry remembered the gentle DADA teacher who taught him the Patronus charm. Harry was desperate for family, he knew that, but he couldn't let that influence his life.
If only the man had never been supposed to be more than a teacher to Harry. If only Harry never found out the truth about Remus Lupin's past with Harry's parents. How close Remus Lupin had been to them. He could have forgiven him then, for never checking up on Harry. It was a bitter feeling, to not be important enough to someone for even that little.
"You're right, Mione. I shouldn't be disregarding the threat he is to me. To Tonks and her baby."
Neville leaned forward and said quietly, "I'm glad you see it too. Why don't you give one of us the cloak while the others spread around you. That way you seem to be alone and we can be sure he will approach you."
Susan nodded along, "Yes, that's a good plan. Hannah and I will follow you from a distance and Neville can approach you from the other side. Will you be under the cloak, Hermione?"
"Yes, I will. Ginny, Luna could you stay close? We haven't really trained for this with you two but all the help you can give will be appreciated. Perhaps you two could stay close to Neville? Nobody should be alone." Hermione gathered her hair in a tight bun so it would be out of the way in case of a fight. She looked fierce, ready to defend him from all that dared to try and harm him. Kissing the side of her head in thanks, he looked at the rest of his friends.
Ginny and Luna nodded, a serious look in their eyes. They all knew what could go wrong.
Arriving they all went to go as planned. Neville would stay with him for the first bit and then 'leave'. Hermione would stay with him under the cloak as Harry wandered to a quiet place without much people. He was getting near the Hogshead when he saw movement coming from inside. Since Aberforth had died, according to the Daily Prophet, it couldn't be him.
Harry didn't know what happened to the old man but it could have been anything. Aberforth Dumbledore had been over a hundred years old too so who knows what happened.
It didn't take long for Remus to approach him as soon as Harry was alone. He stepped out of the shade of the closed down pub and walked briskly towards Harry. The man looked bad. Remus had gone almost completely grey and he looked ragged, old. He had some new scars that looked like they healed badly and Harry wondered how it had gotten so far. Remus just looked plain bad. Magical people had longer lifespans but looking at Remus one would think the man was in his sixties instead of somewhere in his thirties.
"Harry."
Careful not to come within touching distance Harry nodded back with a quiet, "Remus."
Harry felt a small touch of the cloak and knew Hermione was getting in a better position should Remus dare to try something. Harry knew his friends were around too, keeping an eye on this meeting while staying out of sight themselves. Hopefully Remus would be gone by the time lunch came around because Harry would make sure the man came nowhere near Tonks ever again.
Remus was looking him over with a strange look in his eyes, "How are you doing, Harry?"
Harry snorted, "Well a lot better since leaving the Dursleys. Best decision I ever made was leaving those horrible people I have to call my relatives. Sirius left me a place, did you know? A place where I would be safe. From Death Eaters and my aunt and uncle both."
Remus mouth thightend, "Albus searched for you everywhere, how could you be so irrisponsible to leave without telling anyone?"
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Would you have let me leave?"
"Of course not! It wasn't safe for you, Harry. Your aunt and uncle might not have been the best people to raise you but they couldn't have been that bad. Albus assured us that Privet Drive was the best place for you." Remus looked so disappointed in Harry and Harry had to try to keep his face straight so he wouldn't show his derision.
"Safe? I was never safe in that house. It might have protected me from the Death Eaters but it didn't protect me from those living with me in that house. Why won't you see that Albus Dumbledore has never been after my wellbeing? Just look at my years at Hogwarts!"
"Albus deserves better from you," Remus said shortly. "He sacrificed everything, including his own career, to help you defeat You-Know-Who, and you repay him by revealing…" He shook his head. "It's awful what you've done, what you've allowed Rita Skeeter to do. You could've prevented those articles from being published. You have enough money to bribe the Daily Prophet."
Was he insane? How could this man ever been one of his parents best friends? Harry was just glad he wasn't truly alone with this, with this person.
"No, Remus, I couldn't have. I can't believe you. How could you be like this? Albus Dumbledore has never helped me. Never even tried to prepare me to face Riddle. To training, no advice. Not anything. He just hoped that I would die like a meek little lamb for the slaughter. "
"You were like a grandson to him," Lupin said with a disappointed shake of his head. "He had such high hopes for you."
"He hopes I'll die," Harry said flatly. "But he made plans to control me and present me as his legacy just in case I managed to survive him now that he has been cursed. I'm not his grandson, I'm not his legacy, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let anyone try to make any of that happen."
Remus was getting truly angry now, "Albus Dumbledore is a great man and I'm so disappointed in your behavior, Harry. Your parents would be ashamed of who you've become."
Really? Harry rather thought it the other way around.
"No Remus, my parents and Sirius would be ashamed of you. You left their son in the care of abusive muggles without ever checking up on him. You should have been my uncle Moony, but you're just a coward. Not to mention how you treated Tonks. She told me, you know? What you did."
Remus went very pale and his eyes got more and more golden, "Take that back. I've done everything right. I'm a light wizard and after this conversation, I'm convinced that Albus is right. You've gone dark, Harry, and you need to be stopped."
Harry snorted derisivly. Remus growled at the sound and made to grab him when a click sounded.
"Don't you even move a muscle in his direction, Lupin." Hermione was standing behind Lupin with her gun pressed in his back. Neville was standing a bit further behind and the other girls had appeared too, surrounding them.
Now it was Lupin's turn to snort derisively, "You really think that seven Hogwarts students can stop me? You need to stop this nonsense and come with me, Harry. Professor Dumbledore can help you. You need to listen and let him get rid of this darkness inside of you."
The Horcrux. They thought he still had a Horcrux inside of his scar? Harry knew that Dumbledore knew about the Horcruxes but he'd known that there was one inside of Harry and had done nothing? Albus Dumbledore had truly been planning for his death, hadn't he?
Taking advantage of his distraction, Remus went to grab him and apparate away. Luckily, Hermione was less distracted.
A soft bang sounded and Remus fell down with a groan. Hannah and Susan immediately took action and stunned, bound and disarmed him from his wand and portkeys. Catching the wand and a old piece of fabric, Susan put them carefully in her bag.
Hermione was still standing there, gun out, prepared for anything. She looked like a badass but Harry could see his girlfriend was shocked at what she had done, the violence of it. Harry went to her and gently pushed the gun down before he hugged her.
"Thank you, Hermione. You saved me, love."
She hugged him tightly back. He kissed her softly and tried to make her feel how glad he was they were alright, how proud he was of her. She saved him. Remus would have taken him to Dumbledore and who knows what that awful man was planning on doing to Harry? Kill him probably if he thought Harry was still carrying a Horcrux in his head.
Remus groaned again behind them and asked them with pain clear in his voice, "Why can't you just do what you're supposed to? You need to do what Albus wants you to do for the greater good of us all. You just doomed us all, you stupid boy."
"That's enough of that." Luna said calmly as she stunned the old wolf again, this time rendering the old wolf truly unconscious.
Does stunning someone keep them from bleeding to death? Hermione hadn't shot him somewhere truly dangerous but it was still bleeding a bit. Harry was trying very hard to care about the man laying bleeding on the ground but it was hard. Keeping his arm around Hermione he turned towards Susan, "Could you get your aunt here to take him in?"
"Of course!"
She immediately cast the spell for a Patronus and gave her message for her aunt to the silvery bird of prey. It only took minutes for Amelia to appear with Kingsley and Moody at her side. Apparently they hadn't been the only ones ready for anything this Hogsmeade weekend.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here? Got into more trouble then you could handle, laddie?" Moody asked as he hobbled over to the downed wolf.
Amelia approached Lupin and dropped a portkey on him which activated quickly, taking him away, "You kids did good. He will go to an holding cell and will be given a trial soon for attacking and attempted kidnapping of a Lord of a Noble House. Just give your statements to Auror Kingsley or Auror Moody so that we can take care of it."
Susan went to her aunt and told her, "He's rabid, Auntie. He just kept repeating what Dumbledore told him. Harry's dark, Harry's needs Dumbledore's help, It's for the greater good etc. It's really worrying."
Amelia wrapped an arm around her niece and reassured her, "I've sent him to an holding cell which could easily hold a furious werewolf or ten. He will be secure, love."
Kingsley meanwhile was checking on the spells cast in the confrontation and asked them with a frown on his face, "What caused the bleeding? I've never seen anything like it."
Amelia shot them a look and Hermione straightend up in clear lecture mode, "I've been working on the most interesting spell, Auror Kingsley. It's a bit like the piercing spell but then with an elemental charge, water bullets in my case. I got inspired when Harry was practising with his fire wolves. It was meant as a last resort but I panicked when Lupin tried to grab Harry. Am I in trouble?"
At the last part she kinda looked small and tearful like a pitful kitten. If Harry hadn't known better he would have believed her scared little girl act but still wrapped an arm around her in comfort. Kingsley clearly didn't know Hermione well enough to know this really wasn't anything like her at all and visibly softend.
"No, Miss Granger, you aren't in trouble at all. Really, it was clearly self-defence."
Moody added with a derisive snort, "And anyway girl, there are no laws in Magical Britain that protect werewolves from harm. You've saved the Boy-Who-Lived with your actions, lass. Nobody would try to arrest you for that."
Harry could feel Hermione stiffen up at Moody's words and he kinda agreed, that would horrible in any other case. There were no laws protecting werewolves? It sounded like anyone could just kill a werewolf, a human being, for funseys and not get in trouble at all.
Amelia looked like she agreed but asked the group of teenagers, "Don't you kids have somewhere else to be? We're done here so go have some fun, but be careful!"
Moody added a gruff, "We will be around, just to be sure."
Harry nodded. That would be good. They didn't know how many allies their former Headmaster had left not the mention the man himself. It would be lunch time soon so Harry offered his arm to Hermione so they could go to the Three Broomsticks. Andromeda told him in her last letter that she'd a private booked for all of them.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would join them too but first Harry wanted to introduce Hermione as his girlfriend to his family. Tonks would be sure to tease him but Harry didn't minds that. It was an older sisters job to tease, Harry believed after hearing some of his House mates complain about their older siblings.
Neville would go to the Three Broomsticks himself with Hannah, just in the public room. They had a date of their own planned which Neville had been looking forward to. Susan, Ginny and Luna were planning to grab a quick lunch before continuing their shopping. Harry was glad to see that Luna had found some friends in their group. She was much happier now, they all were.
Walking into the private meeting room in the Three Broomsticks Harry was happy to see Andromeda, Ted and Tonks already there. To his surprise, Charlie Weasley was sitting next to Tonks. An introduction of Hermione and a round of hugs later Harry was sitting down with his family after not seeing them for more than a month.
He asked Tonks, "How are you doing, Tonks?"
Tonks beamed, "Great! The baby is doing well and we found out that it's a boy!"
"A boy? That's great!"
Hermione added, "Congratulations on your pregnancy, Tonks. You look great."
"Thanks, kid. Let me tell you, pregnancy is no joke. The throwing up all day has finally stopped and I feel awesome at the moment. For now at least, mum tells me the worst is yet to come. I'm just glad that the giving birth part is a lot easier for magicals than it is for muggles."
Andromeda nodded, "You're doing well, dear. But how are you doing, Harry?"
That's when Harry told them of his morning, with Hermione adding some things here and there. Tonks gasped, horrified at what Remus had tried to do. Her hair was getting a fiery red again and Charlie took her hand in his, calming her down.
It was good to see Charlie taking care of his cousin but that didn't mean the man would escape his shovel talk. He wasn't sure if the two were actually together yet, but it was sure going that way from the look of things. Harry didn't have a sister by blood but Tonks was as close as a sister he had now and he wanted to treat her like that.
They continued with the rest of the confrontation and finished with telling them about how they took Remus down after he tried to grab Harry. Charlie was grimly satsified to hear that Lupin wouldn't be a threat anymore to his pregnant best friend. Tonks looked so relieved at hearing that Remus had been taken into custody that Harry felt a bit guilty.
He should have done more to make sure Lupin wasn't a threat to Tonks and the baby she was carrying. She was safe now but he should have made sure of that sooner.
"Thank you, Harry, Hermione, for taking care of it. I'm glad he's been taken into custody by Madam Bones. She will make sure Remus gets what he deserves. He was really starting to worry me with his behavior. He might be the baby's biological father but he will not be my baby's dad, not now and not ever. That ship has sailed." Tonks was resolute in her conviction and Harry was glad to see it.
Remus Lupin would not be a good father. Not with the way the man was right now. He just wasn't safe. Perhaps Amelia would have a solution for the behavior Lupin showed but Harry was pretty sure that Remus would face a prison sentence first, and magicals didn't have the same rehabilitations in prisons muggles did.
Then Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived with enough noice to startle them. Door slamming open, Mrs. Weasley immediately started talking as soon as she saw Harry.
"Harry, dear, we are so sorry for all the trouble with that horrible man! How are you doing? You're looking good, dear. Finally some meat on your bones, I'm glad." She approached him but didn't seem sure if she should hug him like she usually did.
So Harry decided for her and hugged Mrs. Weasley. Stepping back he turned to Mr. Weasley with who he shook hands.
Mr. Weasley looked truly contrite when he said, "We are really very sorry, Harry. Molly and I took care of it but it never should have happened. We never thought either man capable of doing something so horrible."
"It's alright, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I'm glad they couldn't go through with it. I like Ginny but not like that and she feels the same. She's dating my friend Dean right now and I'm with Hermione. Though what did happen to Wesley Weasley? We read about his disappearance in the Prophet."
Mrs. Weasley patted him on the cheek and said fondly, "Nothing to worry your head about, dear. He won't bother you again."
Harry was sure he heard her mumble something like 'trying to harm my daughter, I think not. Bloody arsehole got what was coming for him.' But that couldn't be right. Sweet and motherly Mrs. Weasley wouldn't harm somebody, right?
Oh who was he kidding, of course she would. Mrs. Weasley was fierce in her protection of her children and Wesley Weasley had been trying to marry and kill of her precious daughter.
The rest of their lunch went well. Harry talked a lot with everybody and Hermione often joined in, which was good to see. She had a lot to talk about with Ted, who was a lawyer which interested Hermione. She often talked about what she would like to change in the Wizarding world. Creature rights first and foremost. Harry thought she would make a brilliant lawyer. Or perhaps she would like to be a politican, Harry had enough seats in the Wizengamot that she could be the proxy of one, or perhaps, if their relationship continued to be this great, as the Lady of his Houses.
But that was for the future.
Charlie too was clearly comfortable with this group consistend of his family and his possible girlfriends family. Ginny and Ron joined them for a while after lunch and then all the Weasleys went for a walk around the village to give the Tonkses and Harry some privacy of their own. Hermione stayed, as they all could see that the two teenagers were a package deal.
It was nice to spent some time with his family after being back at Hogwarts for the last month. The talked over tea and just bonded for a moment. Tonks told them that she and Charlie were trying dating again. She had been a bit hesitant since she was pregnant with another man's baby but apparently Charlie didn't care about that all.
He loved her, Tonks told them with a bright smile. He would love her baby too. Harry and Hemione were so happy for Tonks. Ted and Andromeda too, from the looks on their faces.
Saying goodbye to his new family was kinda hard but worth it. It was a brilliant feeling to actually have and feel people in his family magic.
Back at Hogwarts they all met in the Room of Requirement. Neville and Hannah were looking very happy after their date and Susan, Luna and Ginny had a nice afternoon of shopping.
They were surprised when Dobby and Effy popped into the Room. Harry saw immediately that Dobby was carrying Hedwig and one of her owlets with Effy holding the other two.
"Master Harry sir, Hedwig cranky and be missing yous very much so Dobby be thinking, why not visit? Would Master like that too?" His friend asked with a hopeful smile.
Effy added, "Little owlets be missing Master too, so Effy brought them too!"
Hannah and Susan cooed, "Aww what are they cute!"
Harry barely listened, he was finally seeing Hedwig again. Harry had never been this far from her before, for so long. He had missed her so much. Taking her from Dobby he said, "I missed you, girl. How have you been doing? Is Othello taking good care of you?"
Hedwig hooted and started preening his hair. She stayed very close so Harry thought she probably missed him too. Hermione meanwhile was cuddling Hermes to her. The little thing had grown in the last month and was now looking like a small version of his father with Hedwig's eyes.
Helios and Selene, after a cuddle with Harry, were flying around the Room of Requirement which had changed itself to a forest for the owls. Harry was proud to see the owlets fly so well. They were getting so big, soon they would be able to be true magical mail owls. Dobby and Effy were happy to stay and chat for a while too, Harry was glad to see how happy the two were.
Saying goodbye again was hard but Harry asked Dobby and Effy if they would bring the owls here with them every now and then if Hedwig agreed. Soon Hedwig would be able to come with him to Hogwarts again. He couldn't wait.
It had been an interesting day. They now knew more about Dumbledore's plans and even managed to get one of his followers into custody without any harm to Harry and his friends. They knew that Dumbledore would try again. When, they didn't know, but he wouldn't be able to wait for long with his cursed hand.
Dumbledore's days were numbered.