Harry Potter and the Council of Mages

Prologue

2^nd November 1981.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Headmasters Office

"Dumbledore you cannot be serious!" screamed the young woman.

"Lady Diana I am quite serious, Harry will stay with his aunt and uncle until Voldemort is truly defeated."

"Why?"

"Because the protection Lily put on him will only work as long as he is with someone of her blood."

"I'm of her blood!"

"I know Bella, but Remus's condition would make it dangerous for you to have him with them."

"Look, Dumbledore. Gryffindor's well protected. I'll raise Harry with my Katie. It will do them both good."

"Well protected as it is Romula it is not protected enough."

"I still don't see why I can't look after my own grandson."

"Listen, if any of you even think about trying to take Harry out of Petunia's clutches I will have you sent to Azkaban."

"Listen to me Dumbledore! We will leave but if Harry has been hurt either physically or emotionally you will wish you had never been born! One week before Harry's sixteenth birthday we will take him away and he will never return to their home."

"All right, make sure to inform your relatives of this development. Good day, Duke Duchess, Lady Diana, Lady Tatiana, Lady Lupin, Mrs. Bell.

3^rd November 1981

Duchess's Drawing Room Gryffindor Castle, Gryffindor, Kent

A stunned silence greeted the middle aged woman's words.

"Are you serious Aunt Meg?" asked Alice Lupin Longbottom.

"Yes" sighed the Duchess of Gryffindor "We cannot go near Harry or we will be sent to Azkaban"

"I checked for loopholes," said Diana gloomily "There aren't any and I won't have a chance to look for anymore. I've been made the Ministry's Ambassadress to Russia and I'm leaving on the 2^nd January."

"We can however," said Lady Tatiana suddenly "Contact him a week before his sixteenth birthday"

"In that case I propose that the next meeting shall be on 24^th July 1996," said Frank Longbottom.

"Agreed!" said Duke Ivan, "Meeting closed."

There was a scraping of chairs and a flurry of robes and soon Diana and Veronica were the only ones left in the room.

"You OK Di?" asked Veronica looking with worry at her friend's pale face and bloodshot eyes.

"Do I look like it Ronnie?" asked Diana, jet necklace clinking as she turned her head.

"No" she replied pulling Diana down to the Portkey Point. Veronica picked up a Portkey not looking at its destination and activated it.

They landed in the ruins of Godric's Hollow Manor and something crunched under Diana's heel. She picked it up looked at it and sank to the ground, sobbing. Veronica plucked it from her limp hand and tears blurred her vision. It was a photograph of Sirius and Harry, taken at Harry's first birthday party. Veronica's tears joined her friends as she hugged Diana.

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1^st January 1982

Main bedroom Prewett Manor, Godric Avenue, Gryffindor, Kent

Veronica McKinnon Prewett looked in horror at the letter in her hand.

Dear Ronnie

Yesterday Frank and Alice were attacked and tortured. You've probably heard already but Bellatrix Lestrange mentioned that you'd be next. They've already killed your brother's family and Ben's brothers. You've got to leave the country NOW.

Yours truly,

Remus.

In a split second Veronica had made her decision.

"Ben!" she called to her husband "The Longbottom's have been attacked. Remus says we've got to leave the country NOW. I'll pack. You get everything valuable from the vault." She threw the contents of her dressing table into a holdall and moved on to Ben's chest of drawers, those emptied she threw the contents of the wardrobe in closely followed by the contents of her drawers. In seconds she was at the back door telling the house elves to go to Gryffindor Castle and Remus and 'Bella's maisonette. Ben pinned a note on the door and they Disapparated to Africa.