Relations, Revelations
folder
Harry Potter › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
35
Views:
3,135
Reviews:
49
Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
35
Views:
3,135
Reviews:
49
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 20 - Summonings
I\'d like to give a big ol\' wet snog to my reviewers! (just pretend im not a girl... unless that sort of thing floats your boat) You guys rock oh so much! Now if only I could find more... I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE READING!!! :-D Here\'s the next chapter...
-~-~-~-
*Chapter 20 – Summoning*
-~-~-~-
“Harry dear, it’s time to wake up.”
Harry pried his arm out from under Ginny’s head and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. A red figure hovered over him.
“A message just arrived for you from the Ministry of Magic.”
He propped himself up on one elbow and took the scroll being offered him. Mrs. Weasley strode off back down the corridor. Breaking the official Ministry wax seal, he unrolled the letter and read.
9 March, 1996
Ministry of Magic, London
Attn: Mr. Harry J. Potter
Re: Mr. Tom M. Riddle
Mr. Potter,
Please report to the Ministry of Magic at nooday day for a meeting with the Minister of Magic, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Director of the Department of Mysteries, Head Auror, and a delegate from the Order of the Phoenix. The meeting will take place in the Department of Mysteries, so please report to the ninth floor, and bring your wand. Professor Severus Snape will be accompanying you, as he has declared himself your legal guardian.
Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody
Former Head Auror and Delegate of the Order of the Phoenix
-~-~-~-
“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE MY SHRIVEL FIGS DOING IN THE OVEN!?”
Tonks beamed mischievously out from under her turquoise fringe at her boyfriend, who had frozen in terror, his fork nearly falling out of his hand. Snape strode out of the kitchen and onto the balcony that overlooked the garden, white dishtowel draped over his black frock coat, hands perched defiantly on his hips but looking very domestic nonetheless.
“Sorry dad! Great pancakes, by the way!” Sephera yelled up from her seat under a tree.
“Thank you, my dear. All for the better. I’m making jam with them next week. This saves me the work of dragging them up from the cellar.”
“Why were you keeping them in your lab?”
“Never you mind. Eat your omelet.” He walked back into his kitchen.
Sephera scrunched up her nose at her cousin. “He keeps forgetting I hate eggs.”
“Funny, he keeps forgetting I hate potions.” Ginny elbowed her boyfriend for his retort. She looked out across the garden at the members of the Order of the Phoenix eating breakfast in the gazebo, the members of Dumbledore’s Army strewn around the pool and the rest of the garden, then back to her cluster of friends sitting under a tree.
“This is probably the most relaxing meal I’ve ever eaten.”
“I know what you mean. The turn of events lately is crazy. Friday night I was viciously sha…”
“Harry!” Ginny glared at him, praying her brother hadn’t caught the innuendo.
He quickly changed the course of his speech. “Friday night I was sharing an in-depth conversation about quidditch with my friends, yesterday morning I was cheering on the Ravenclaws, and last night I was defeating my nemesis. My life’s going to be boring from here on out, I can just feel it.”
“Don’t forget that meeting today at noon.”
“Damn, that’s right.”
“Harry, are you quite finished yet?” Snape came back out onto the balcony, wool cape draped over his shoulders, black scarf wrapped around his neck.
“Yeah, just need to grab my cloak. I’ll meet you in the foyer.” Satisfied, Snape went back into the house. “Right, wish me luck. I just wish I knew what this was all about.”
Harry gripped Ron’s shoulder and stood up, kissed Ginny on the top of the head, wrapped an arm around Sephera’s shoulders from behind and gave her a squeeze, then strode across the lawn and back up to the house. He ran into Fred, George, and Hermione on the way and nodded to them in acknowledgement. He grabbed his cloak from a bench in the ballroom, and proceeded to the foyer, just as Snape was coming from the kitchens to the left.
“So, how are we getting to the Ministry?”
“I suppose we’ll have to Floo. You’ve studied apparation, correct?” Harry nodded. “Think you’re ready toe yoe your apparation test?”
“Probably.”
“Good. We’ll take care of that at the Ministry today after the meeting.”
“Cool. I would have taken it sooner, but nobody’s bothered to take me to the Department of Magical Transport.”
“You mean the Weasleys never took you?”
“I think they were just going to wait until Ron was of age and take us both at the same time. We probably would have gone over spring hols.”
“Right, grab your floo powder. I’ll meet you there.” Harry took a handful of floo powder from the small copper pot being offered him and threw it into the flames.
“Ministry of Magic, London!” He disappeared in a ball of flames. Emerging from the other side, he noticed that the Fountain of Magical Brethren had been repaired after last year’s battle. He sat down at the edge and waited for his uncle. The Atrium was strangely quiet for a Monday, but he supposed it was because everyone was off partying.
Green flames shot from the fireplace, and Uncle Sev emerged, dusting ashes from his robes, and then charming the rest off. With a nod, he led Harry to the security desk to have their wands checked. A wheezy old wizard peered up at them over his spectacles, not quite knowing what to do about the menacing wizard and the scruffy boy looking back at him.
“Professor Severus Snape and Harry Potter. We’re here for a meeting in the Department of Mysteries.” He handed the old man Harry’s letter.
“Oh, of course. Your wands please?”
The pair handed their wands over and the old wizard dropped them into the dish of the wand scale one by one. A thin strip of paper fed out of the scale for each of them, and the old wizard placed the strips on a spike.
“This way please.” Harry and Snape watched as he stood and walked out from behind the desk, his aged bones creaking almost audibly. He ran a long golden rod along Harry’s front and back, and then repeated the process on the Professor.
“Okay, back to the desk, and I’ll get you your badges.” He hobbled back to the desk, then slowly leaned back toward his chair, letting himself fall the last few inches. Reaching over to a small silver box, he pulled out two silver nametags and slid them over to the younger wizards.
Snape glared at his and reluctantly pinned it on, scowling. Harry looked up from pinning his on and giggled.
“Professor Severus Snake, Research Committee. Nice.”
“Oh, just walk, Potter.” He gave his nephew a nudge and took off down the corridor in his usual long strides.
About half way down the hall to the lifts, Harry fell into step alongside his uncle.
“So what’s this about you declaring yourself my legal guardian?”
“Well, I figured since Sirius was gone and I had finally revealed my relationship to you, it wouldn’t hurt if I took up responsibility for you officially. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, not really. Beats the hell out of the Dursleys.”
“Yes, I figured you wouldn’t mind getting away from them finally.”
“So now that Voldemort’s gone, I won’t have to go back every year to renew the charm Dumbledore put on me as a baby.”
“Precisely.” Snape stopped in front of a door marked ‘Tommy O’Leary, Director of the Department of Mysteries’ and knocked. The door opened, and the two entered.
“Ah, Harry, Severus, so glad you could join us.”
“We aren’t late, are we?” Snape checked the clock on the wall.
“No, no. Of course not. Make yourselves comfortable.”
A stocky young man with curly red hair sat behind the desk. Harry thought he sort of resembled an aged Charlie Weasley. Arthur stoodm thm the chair opposite the man, and introduced Harry to everyone.
“Harry, I’d like you to meet Tommy O’Leary. He’s the head of the Department of Mysteries.”
Tommy greeted Harry with a thick Irish brogue. “Rigess ess you made out of my place last year. But no matter. Pleasure to finally meet you.” Harry took the hand being offered him. O’Leary returned the handshake almost too firmly.
“This here’s Amelia Bones. You know her niece, Susan.”
“Yeah, and I met Mrs. Bones at my hearing last year.” He shook hands with her too.
“And you know Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody.” He shook each of their hands in turn.
“You all know Severus Snape.” Snape followed Harry’s handshakes with his own. The two newcomers took their seats in the office. Snape chose a straight-backed wooden chair in the corner, and Harry flopped rather gracelessly onto the sofa next to Arthur Weasley.
“Harry, the matter at hand today is Tom Riddle’s wand. We recovered it from the stadium at Hogwarts, and figured we’d better run some tests on it. That’s why you’re here. We wanted to compare your two wands to see if your wand chose you for any particular reason. Severus, you brought your wand, correct?” Snape nodded in the corner. “Great. We’d like to run some tests on yours to see how Harry took down Riddle.” O’Leary glanced over at the Minister, who nodded his red head back at him. “Right, if everyone will just follow me, I’ll take you to the vault where the wand is being kept.”
-~-~-~-
-~-~-~-
*Chapter 20 – Summoning*
-~-~-~-
“Harry dear, it’s time to wake up.”
Harry pried his arm out from under Ginny’s head and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. A red figure hovered over him.
“A message just arrived for you from the Ministry of Magic.”
He propped himself up on one elbow and took the scroll being offered him. Mrs. Weasley strode off back down the corridor. Breaking the official Ministry wax seal, he unrolled the letter and read.
9 March, 1996
Ministry of Magic, London
Attn: Mr. Harry J. Potter
Re: Mr. Tom M. Riddle
Mr. Potter,
Please report to the Ministry of Magic at nooday day for a meeting with the Minister of Magic, the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Director of the Department of Mysteries, Head Auror, and a delegate from the Order of the Phoenix. The meeting will take place in the Department of Mysteries, so please report to the ninth floor, and bring your wand. Professor Severus Snape will be accompanying you, as he has declared himself your legal guardian.
Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody
Former Head Auror and Delegate of the Order of the Phoenix
-~-~-~-
“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE MY SHRIVEL FIGS DOING IN THE OVEN!?”
Tonks beamed mischievously out from under her turquoise fringe at her boyfriend, who had frozen in terror, his fork nearly falling out of his hand. Snape strode out of the kitchen and onto the balcony that overlooked the garden, white dishtowel draped over his black frock coat, hands perched defiantly on his hips but looking very domestic nonetheless.
“Sorry dad! Great pancakes, by the way!” Sephera yelled up from her seat under a tree.
“Thank you, my dear. All for the better. I’m making jam with them next week. This saves me the work of dragging them up from the cellar.”
“Why were you keeping them in your lab?”
“Never you mind. Eat your omelet.” He walked back into his kitchen.
Sephera scrunched up her nose at her cousin. “He keeps forgetting I hate eggs.”
“Funny, he keeps forgetting I hate potions.” Ginny elbowed her boyfriend for his retort. She looked out across the garden at the members of the Order of the Phoenix eating breakfast in the gazebo, the members of Dumbledore’s Army strewn around the pool and the rest of the garden, then back to her cluster of friends sitting under a tree.
“This is probably the most relaxing meal I’ve ever eaten.”
“I know what you mean. The turn of events lately is crazy. Friday night I was viciously sha…”
“Harry!” Ginny glared at him, praying her brother hadn’t caught the innuendo.
He quickly changed the course of his speech. “Friday night I was sharing an in-depth conversation about quidditch with my friends, yesterday morning I was cheering on the Ravenclaws, and last night I was defeating my nemesis. My life’s going to be boring from here on out, I can just feel it.”
“Don’t forget that meeting today at noon.”
“Damn, that’s right.”
“Harry, are you quite finished yet?” Snape came back out onto the balcony, wool cape draped over his shoulders, black scarf wrapped around his neck.
“Yeah, just need to grab my cloak. I’ll meet you in the foyer.” Satisfied, Snape went back into the house. “Right, wish me luck. I just wish I knew what this was all about.”
Harry gripped Ron’s shoulder and stood up, kissed Ginny on the top of the head, wrapped an arm around Sephera’s shoulders from behind and gave her a squeeze, then strode across the lawn and back up to the house. He ran into Fred, George, and Hermione on the way and nodded to them in acknowledgement. He grabbed his cloak from a bench in the ballroom, and proceeded to the foyer, just as Snape was coming from the kitchens to the left.
“So, how are we getting to the Ministry?”
“I suppose we’ll have to Floo. You’ve studied apparation, correct?” Harry nodded. “Think you’re ready toe yoe your apparation test?”
“Probably.”
“Good. We’ll take care of that at the Ministry today after the meeting.”
“Cool. I would have taken it sooner, but nobody’s bothered to take me to the Department of Magical Transport.”
“You mean the Weasleys never took you?”
“I think they were just going to wait until Ron was of age and take us both at the same time. We probably would have gone over spring hols.”
“Right, grab your floo powder. I’ll meet you there.” Harry took a handful of floo powder from the small copper pot being offered him and threw it into the flames.
“Ministry of Magic, London!” He disappeared in a ball of flames. Emerging from the other side, he noticed that the Fountain of Magical Brethren had been repaired after last year’s battle. He sat down at the edge and waited for his uncle. The Atrium was strangely quiet for a Monday, but he supposed it was because everyone was off partying.
Green flames shot from the fireplace, and Uncle Sev emerged, dusting ashes from his robes, and then charming the rest off. With a nod, he led Harry to the security desk to have their wands checked. A wheezy old wizard peered up at them over his spectacles, not quite knowing what to do about the menacing wizard and the scruffy boy looking back at him.
“Professor Severus Snape and Harry Potter. We’re here for a meeting in the Department of Mysteries.” He handed the old man Harry’s letter.
“Oh, of course. Your wands please?”
The pair handed their wands over and the old wizard dropped them into the dish of the wand scale one by one. A thin strip of paper fed out of the scale for each of them, and the old wizard placed the strips on a spike.
“This way please.” Harry and Snape watched as he stood and walked out from behind the desk, his aged bones creaking almost audibly. He ran a long golden rod along Harry’s front and back, and then repeated the process on the Professor.
“Okay, back to the desk, and I’ll get you your badges.” He hobbled back to the desk, then slowly leaned back toward his chair, letting himself fall the last few inches. Reaching over to a small silver box, he pulled out two silver nametags and slid them over to the younger wizards.
Snape glared at his and reluctantly pinned it on, scowling. Harry looked up from pinning his on and giggled.
“Professor Severus Snake, Research Committee. Nice.”
“Oh, just walk, Potter.” He gave his nephew a nudge and took off down the corridor in his usual long strides.
About half way down the hall to the lifts, Harry fell into step alongside his uncle.
“So what’s this about you declaring yourself my legal guardian?”
“Well, I figured since Sirius was gone and I had finally revealed my relationship to you, it wouldn’t hurt if I took up responsibility for you officially. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, not really. Beats the hell out of the Dursleys.”
“Yes, I figured you wouldn’t mind getting away from them finally.”
“So now that Voldemort’s gone, I won’t have to go back every year to renew the charm Dumbledore put on me as a baby.”
“Precisely.” Snape stopped in front of a door marked ‘Tommy O’Leary, Director of the Department of Mysteries’ and knocked. The door opened, and the two entered.
“Ah, Harry, Severus, so glad you could join us.”
“We aren’t late, are we?” Snape checked the clock on the wall.
“No, no. Of course not. Make yourselves comfortable.”
A stocky young man with curly red hair sat behind the desk. Harry thought he sort of resembled an aged Charlie Weasley. Arthur stoodm thm the chair opposite the man, and introduced Harry to everyone.
“Harry, I’d like you to meet Tommy O’Leary. He’s the head of the Department of Mysteries.”
Tommy greeted Harry with a thick Irish brogue. “Rigess ess you made out of my place last year. But no matter. Pleasure to finally meet you.” Harry took the hand being offered him. O’Leary returned the handshake almost too firmly.
“This here’s Amelia Bones. You know her niece, Susan.”
“Yeah, and I met Mrs. Bones at my hearing last year.” He shook hands with her too.
“And you know Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad-Eye Moody.” He shook each of their hands in turn.
“You all know Severus Snape.” Snape followed Harry’s handshakes with his own. The two newcomers took their seats in the office. Snape chose a straight-backed wooden chair in the corner, and Harry flopped rather gracelessly onto the sofa next to Arthur Weasley.
“Harry, the matter at hand today is Tom Riddle’s wand. We recovered it from the stadium at Hogwarts, and figured we’d better run some tests on it. That’s why you’re here. We wanted to compare your two wands to see if your wand chose you for any particular reason. Severus, you brought your wand, correct?” Snape nodded in the corner. “Great. We’d like to run some tests on yours to see how Harry took down Riddle.” O’Leary glanced over at the Minister, who nodded his red head back at him. “Right, if everyone will just follow me, I’ll take you to the vault where the wand is being kept.”
-~-~-~-