Chapter Text
McGonagall sighed as she looked down the list of the lost. Altogether they’d lost just over fifty people, the Death Eaters had much higher casualty numbers but still. She knew the names on that list, most of them were students. Her heart twisted with grief as there was a tap on the door.
“Come in.” Kingsley Shacklebolt, current Minister of Magic, stepped into her office looking tired. Everyone was tired right now, the war was over but the cleanup would take much longer.
“Headmistress.” He nodded she managed a slight smile.
“Minister.” He flopped into the seat across from her.
“Good God Minnie, did you ever picture it ending like this?” She shook her head. She could still see the bodies of her students when she closed her eyes. Harriet laying as though dead in Hagrid’s arms, surrounded by Death Eaters.
“I can’t say I did Kingsley.” He nodded pulling a few packets of paper from his bag.
“Well I have good news and bad news.” She nodded.
“Let’s start with the bad and savor the good.” He nodded.
“Most of the Death Eaters have turned themselves in but a few aren’t going quietly. The ones we haven’t captured are on the run, and Greyback escaped.” Minerva’s face pinched. Greyback was a powerful werewolf. “We’ve got a few bigger names we know to be Death Eaters still on the loose too. Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange for one, Lucius turned himself in and we’ve currently got his wife and son on house arrest. Now onto the good news.” Minnie nodded.
“Some brilliant soul in the Ministry managed to duplicate the Hogwarts school ledger. The one they destroyed wasn’t the real one.” Minerva let out a sigh of relief. The Hogwarts school ledger was a magical tome that was said to have once belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw and listed every magical child in the British Isles as soon as they showed any sign of magic. Voldemort had it destroyed to prevent muggle born children from being found and trained in magic. “They haven’t come forward yet so we may never know who it was but we owe them a great deal.” If they hadn’t come forward it was likely they were dead as so many others were.
“I’ve got someone I trust running the Aurors for now. Hestia Jones actually. Which brings me to my next point. Harriet’s family has been released from protective custody. They are returning to Privet Drive as we speak. I’ve asked Dedalus to stay with Arabella Figg for a few more weeks, just in case. They’re none the worse for the ware.” A silence fell for a moment, they had come to a sticking point.
“Where is Harriet?” Kingsley was direct, Minerva had always respected him for that. She folded her hands.
“In Gryffindor Tower, asleep, as she has been for the past few hours.” Kingsley let out a sigh of relief.
“When she vanished from the Hall, well there were a few rumors already starting to circle that maybe she had only come back from the dead to beat Him, then vanished for good.” Minerva shook her head.
“Is Rita writing again already?” Kingsley grimaced.
“I don’t think she ever stops.” They shared a small smile. Kingsley leaned forward. “Has she told you what happened in the forest?” Minerva shook her head.
“She hasn’t, Hagrid has though, he was a prisoner of the Death Eaters when it happened.” She shook her head though. “He says, she walked in, turned herself over to save all of us. And he killed her for it. But it just didn’t stick. He’s not sure if Narcissa Malfoy was lying or not when she told Lord Voldemort that Harriet was dead. He was too grief stricken to check himself, understandably.” Kingsley nodded leaning back.
“Do you think she’ll ever tell anyone what happened? Why she did what she did? What she was doing all those months on the run? Why she and her friends broke into the Ministry, Gringotts and Hogwarts in the course of a year?” Minerva blew out a heavy breath.
“I don’t know Kingsley.” She glanced up at the portrait of Dumbledore who smiled at her, the smile he always had when he knew something she didn’t. “I think we can only guess. She will always be loyal to Dumbledore. If he told her not to tell anyone I don’t think she will.” Kingsley nodded.
“It’s always been one of the things I admired about her, her loyalty. A Gryffindor through and through that one.” Minerva smiled proudly.
“That she is.” Kingsley nodded and stood.
“I’ll get the ledger back to you as soon as possible. It belongs at Hogwarts anyway. Oh and we’ve had several volunteers to assist in rebuilding the castle. I know reconstruction is already underway but it’ll go faster if we have help.” Minerva nodded. “Madame Maxine is coming with her best from Beauxbatons and a few other French wizards and witches to help. Viktor Krum and his quidditch team will be here along with the best and brightest of Durmstrang before the weeks out. They’ve offered him the Headmaster position, since he’s retiring from Seeking. Not sure he’ll take it yet or get a few years under his belt first but I think he’d be a good fit.” Minerva nodded, she’d liked Viktor when he was Durmstrang’s champion, more so when she learned he and Fleur were keeping in contact with Harriet to help her deal with Cedric’s death. “I’ll want to talk to Harriet when she’s ready.” Minerva bristled slightly, for a moment worried that Kingsley would be foolish enough to ask the same that Fudge and Scrimgeour had of Harriet, to approve of the Ministry without really knowing what was going on. Kingsley headed her off though.
“She’s gonna want to help catching the last few Death Eaters, and I’d like to be on an even standing with her about it. Also Gringotts is not pressing charges on any involved in the break in. Not sure why yet but.” He shrugged as though to say he’d never really understood Goblins anyway. “They do want to speak to her though, there’s the matter of her inheritance now that she’s seventeen and not a wanted woman.” Minerva frowned.
“Inheritance?” Kingsley nodded.
“Yes, apparently it wasn’t just her parents who left her everything, though that’ll need to be settled too. The Potter Manor, not the house in Godric’s Hollow but the actual ancestral home, titles and the like. They were an old wizarding family after all even if James and his parents never really went in for all that. And she’s been left the Black estates as well, and everything that goes with that. Which is quite a few more titles along with her owning number twelve. She technically now holds two Wizengamot seats which is another headache in and of itself. And there’s Teddy Lupin.” Both adults fell silent at the mention of the now orphan. “Remus and Tonks made her godmother. So I’ll need to speak with her sooner rather than later unfortunately.” Minerva nodded.
“I’ll floo you when she’s ready to talk about these things.” He nodded and shook her hand before sweeping out of the office. Minerva turned to Dumbledore’s portrait he was still smiling.
“Will you tell me what she was doing for you?” A direct question that made the old Headmasters eyes twinkle as they had in life.
“I believe that’s entirely up to Harriet.” Minerva shook her head slightly and stood yawning. She needed a few hours of sleep before Madame Maxine arrived. As grateful as she was for the help it would be odd to have the other two schools visiting Hogwarts again. She made her way to her teachers quarters and was surprised to find Harriet heading towards the headmasters office. She was rumpled with sleep but had a determined look in her eyes.
“Miss Potter, how can I help you?” Harriet frowned.
“I have an odd request.” Minerva motioned her into her office she’d held as transfiguration teacher. The tin of biscuits sat closed on her desk. Minerva opened it took one and held it out to Harriet.
“Have a biscuit.” Harriet obliged as she sat down across from Minerva. There was silence for a moment and Minerva wondered if there was more to the mission Dumbledore had sent her on, did it reach beyond the death of Voldemort?
“How do you become an Animagus?” The transfiguration professor blinked, that hadn’t been at all what she was expecting. Harriet kept talking, seeming to need to justify the question and its rather odd timing. “You’re the only one I know of anymore, that isn’t Skeeter, and well I was thinking about Teddy.” Filing away the information that Skeeter was an unregistered Animagus for later use, Minerva frowned.
“What about Teddy?” Her voice was soft. She knew that the loss of the last of the Marauders was likely to have hit Harriet hard as they had been the closest thing she had to family outside of Ron and Hermione.
“Well if he turns out to be a werewolf, Remus won’t be there to help him and he’ll need someone. No one’s told me if he’s turned yet, I don’t really know how it works, but I’d like to do for him what my dad did for Remus.” She silenced herself with a bite of her biscuit looking sheepish. Minerva was smiling though. It seemed some things would never change and Harriet Potter’s need to help others was one of them. She nodded.
“You’re in luck Miss Potter, since you won’t be doing it illegally and without experienced help it wont take nearly as long as it did for your father. A few months at most before your first transformation if we get lucky with the weather. Now we may have to stretch that timeline a little given the reconstruction of the castle but I’d be more than willing to help.” Harriet smiled wide. Minerva nodded.
“We’ll see if we can’t start later this week. For now, go get some more sleep please, you look like you need it.” Harriet nodded quickly finishing her buscuit. Minerva held out the tin again. “Take two.” Her student grinned and took two before turning to leave again.
“Oh and Harriet, you might want to know that your Muggle family has been released from protective custody. They’re going back to number four. According to Kingsley they’re alright and Dedalus Diggle will be staying nearby for a while yet to make sure they remain so.” Harriet nodded slightly, an unsure look on her face as she made her way out of the office.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Waking up alone was an unpleasant feeling for Neville when he was certain that he had fallen asleep holding Harriet. Someone cleared their throat nearby and he turned and found an old house elf wearing a crisp sheet and a golden locket standing there. He bowed slightly.
“Mistress Potter has asked Kreacher to inform you that she has gone to speak to Minerva McGonagall and if you wish you can join her for what she is calling breakfast. Since it’s about four in the morning it’s a bit early.” Neville laughed sitting up all the way in the chair, rubbing his neck.
“Uh thanks, didn’t know Harriet had a house elf.”
“Kreacher was left to Mistress Potter along with the noble house of Black when her godfather died. Will you be joining her?” Neville nodded. Kreacher bowed and vanished with a sharp crack. A grunt sounded from a nearby couch and Neville pulled his wand, which he’d retrieved shortly after the battle had ended. Lighting the tip he found Ron rubbing his eyes on the couch, Hermione draped over him sleepily rubbing her eyes. Neville waved his wand lighting the candles around the room along with the fireplace. Ron rubbed his eyes.
“Give a guy a little warning Nev.” Neville smiled slightly.
“Sorry.” Ron shrugged wrapping his arms around Hermione and snuggling further into the couch. Hermione smiled, looking like she didn’t want to get up. Then she frowned looking around.
“Where’s Harriet?” Neville stretched.
“Apparently talking to McGonagall.” There was another crack and Kreacher was back laying out a table cloth on the large table between Neville and the couch that Ron and Hermione were cuddling on. He snapped his long fingers and several platters appeared on the table, still steaming. Ron and Hermione sat up with interest at the fresh bacon and eggs, bread still warm from the oven. The portrait hole opened and Harriet climbed back in with a smile.
“Do I smell bacon? Thank you Kreacher.” Kreacher smiled bowing slightly as Harriet snatched up a piece of toast and some bacon before sitting back down on the chair with Neville. “How are the house elves doing?” Kreacher bowed again.
“The house elves of Hogwarts are well Mistress Potter, only two were lost during the battle.” Harriet nodded.
“Can you get me their names, so we can add them to the list of the fallen? I haven’t spoken to Kingsley yet but I’m sure there will be some kind of memorial. I’d like them included.” Hermione beamed and Neville looped an arm around Harriet’s waist reaching around her for some bacon. Kreacher nodded.
“Kreacher will see to it Miss.” He snapped his fingers again and a large jug of pumpkin juice appeared on the table with four goblets.
“I have one more question Kreacher then I want you to get some rest, I know you’re probably as tired as we are from the fight.” Kreacher nodded. “Grimmauld Place? Did the Death Eaters get in?” Kreacher frowned.
“An unknown, uninvited wizard crossed the threshold of the Black family home and fled quickly when…” He paused glancing at Neville. Harriet motioned for him to continue.
“You can speak freely around Neville though I appreciate your caution.”
“When the measures put in place by the Order of the Phoenix were set off, he did not return.” Harriet nodded smiling slightly.
“Thank you Kreacher, now please go get some rest. I’ll call you if I need you.” Kreacher bowed again and vanished with another crack. Harriet poured the juice and the four ate in silence. Hermione spoke first.
“Do we know how many we lost?” Harriet shrugged setting down her toast.
“I don’t know the exact number yet, but it had to be about fifty from what I saw in the great hall before we slipped away.” They nodded. Everyone had wanted Harriet to be part of their grief and celebrations alike. She lifted her glass.
“To the ones who laid down their lives.” Ron, Hermione and Neville lifted their cups in a toast as they finished off the food Kreacher had left for them. Still exhausted from the ordeal they had all been through, and unwilling to leave each others company they laid back down on the couches in the common room and quickly fell back into a blessedly dreamless sleep.