Harry Potter and the Year of Rebuilding

Harry wiped his eyes and gave the letter he'd just written to his new owl. He'd put off getting one for as long as possible, but eventually, he'd had to give in. Owls were essential to wizarding life, and he'd come to depend on having one. And he'd been crying, of course, but he was always doing that these days.

His new owl was as different from Hedwig as he could possibly find. A screech owl with feathers so dark as to be nearly black. His name was Sanjiv, which had been given by Parvati Patil who'd been in Diagon Alley on the same day, buying sch supplies. The whole thing had been an accident, but now the owl wouldn't answer to anything else.

The letter was for McGonagall asking to visit the Headmaster's office to speak with one of the portraits. He doubted she'd mind after the Battle Of Hogwarts, as it was coming to be called. He was finding that "The Boy Who Lived Twice" could do just about anything he wanted these days and get away with it. Thankfully, Ron and Hermione were quick to remind him whenever he was being unreasonable--though they had followers enough these days to suit their egos, too.

He opened the window and Sanjiv flew out into the bright sunshine outside, winging his way northward across London.

Harry spared a moment to check in on the sleeping Teddy Lupin. He had yet to master how to keep his hair one color at a time, and right now it was going back and forth between blue and white. Wondering what else he might have inherited from his parents was something that kept Harry up at night. He'd already observed that Teddy had a better sense of smell than he did. He knew when Kreacher was baking cookies long before anyone else did. Not that it would change how he felt about the child, but he didn't want anyone to have to grow up with that hanging over their head.

A bell rang, and he began making his way down to dinner. He'd just arrived in the kitchen when a noise from the living room made him poke his head out the door. It was Ginny and Charlie Weasley, a not altogether unexpected sight. He and the Weasleys had begun visiting each other rather spontaneously.

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, going over to give her a hug.

"Hi, Harry," Ginny smiled, hugging him back and bestowing him with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello," Charlie grinned. The two of them shook hands before they all trooped into the kitchen.

Andromeda Tonks was already seated at the table when they arrived, and she looked like she'd only just been crying. For a moment no one knew what to say, but it was Andromeda who broke through the awkward moment.

"So why have we only merited the presence of two Weasleys tonight?"

Harry smiled as they sat down. Mrs. Tonks had been struggling to get up in the mornings. It was good to see her starting to reach out.

"Bill and Fleur are taking their honeymoon," Ginny told her. "They missed it, of course. George is trying to get Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes back up and running. Percy's helping, isn't he?" She looked at Charlie.

"Percy is being so helpful that I think George is going feed him a Fainting Fancy just to get him to back off a little," Charlie grinned, but it was a little sad when he added, "I think he feels guilty."

"Mum and Dad are just too tired to go anywhere," Ginny continued. "And Ron is...where is Ron?"

Everyone turned to Harry, who laughed. "Ron is in Australia, with Hermione. They're retrieving her parents. Apparently the Grangers were somewhat less than pleased with her sending them off. Hermione expects they'll be there a few days."

Andromeda smiled just a little. "I can understand their point."

"Still, I expect they'll work everything out," Ginny laughed. "Potatoes, Charlie?"

Kreacher, in celebration of Harry's victory over Voldemort, had outdone himself in his cooking for the past two weeks. He'd also managed to discover a way to make the dishes simply appear on the kitchen table when it was time to eat the way that they did at Hogwarts. Harry was trying to think of something he could do for the elf, who'd truly mended himself lately.

"So, Harry?" Charlie said. "I heard you were working on some sort of dementor regulation with Kingsley? What exactly is this?"

"I want them out of the country," Harry told him. "Totally. Not 'under Ministry control' or on a reserve somewhere. I want them gone."

Ginny grinned.

"Not that I don't blame you, but there are going to be a lot of people who will feel much more comfortable with the dementors here, guarding Azkaban," Charlie pointed out.

"They were doing that before," Andromeda observed. "Look where it got us."

"The fact of it is, dementors are fundamentally evil creatures," Harry agreed. "We were fools to think to use them in the first place and we'll continue to be fools if we don't learn from our mistake."

"And this has nothing to do with the Malfoys being stuck in Azkaban?" Charlie teased.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll recommend that they be manacled to the walls of their cell if it will make people think I like them less?"

"Your little speech at their trial was plastered all over the Daily Prophet," Ginny laughed. "I don't think you're going to get out of it."

"But I hate Malfoy!" Harry protested.

"We know, Harry." Ginny laid a comforting hand on his arm.

They passed the rest of the evening in companionable conversation. The next few days were almost completely uneventful. The Weasleys visited, Ron and Hermione got back from Australia, and Teddy managed to vanish the bars on his crib, which nearly gave Harry a heart-attack before he conjured new ones. Still, Harry was very happy when Professor McGonagall wrote back saying that he was, of course, welcome to come to Hogwarts and speak to any of the portraits in the headmasters office.

The very next morning Harry apparated to Hogsmeade and headed straight to the castle, where he was greeted by McGonagall.

"Potter. Welcome back. It's good to see you well," she said.

"It's good to be here, Professor," Harry replied with a smile, "and to see you. How are you?"

"Busy, as usual. There's a great deal to be set in order before students return here," she told him, sounding a little sad.

They traveled quickly to the second floor and down the corridor to that small stone gargoyle.

"Dittany," McGonagall said.

The gargoyle leapt aside.

"That sounds wrong," Harry sighed.

McGonagall looked sympathetic, but said, "I have business elsewhere, Mister Potter. Take as long as you need." With that, she left.

Harry rode the staircase up to the tower office and entered quietly.

It was not exactly as Dumbledore had left it, but it was not entirely changed. Most of the small silver instruments were gone, but the Sorting Hat (which Harry assumed had been repaired) was still sitting on the shelf behind the desk.

Fawkes' stand, of course, was long gone, but Harry remembered where it used to be.

"Harry!"

Harry turned and saw Dumbledore, eyes twinkling up at him from his golden frame.

"Hello, Professor."

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Dumbledore asked.

"Actually, sir, I'm here to speak to Snape," Harry said.

"Oh joy unsought," a familiar dry tone said from Harry's right. Harry looked over and almost smiled when he saw Snape's scowling face glaring at him down his hooked nose.

"Professor Snape," Harry said, trying very hard not to grin. It was odd to see Snape's painting. Odder still that it should be exactly like him.

"Now you remember the 'professor,'" Snape said. "It's a shame I had to die for you to manage it. You ignored the proprieties like you ignored my lessons."

"I did alright in potions!" Harry protested.

"Mostly when you used my old school books," Snape retorted.

"Thanks for that."

The former Headmaster's face drew into a deep scowl.

"I needed to ask you a question."

"I hardly thought you would come for the pleasure of my company, Potter. Let's have it. Then you can be on your way."

"It's about the Wolfsbane potion."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Potter, much as I hate to say this, because you will tell her and then she'll be insufferable, Miss Granger is thoroughly capable of making an acceptable Wolfsbane for that wolf you insist on spending time with."

Harry looked down. "Professor Lupin died the same night you did. I wanted to know if Wolfsbane could be safely given to someone who might not be a werewolf or to an infant."

"No. And absolutely not. Unless the person receiving the potion is a confirmed werewolf, drinking the potion could be fatal," Snape answered. "And of course you can't give it to an infant, even if they are a werewolf. Why would you even--the werewolf had himself a pup, didn't he? And then got himself killed? Where's his wife?"

"Tonks died that night, too," Harry told him quietly.

"And they left their child in your care? Fools." But Snape actually seemed somewhat shaken by this news.

Harry ignored his comment. "I've been looking for records of other children of werewolves, but they're relatively unusual."

"For obvious reasons," Snape sneered.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Must you always be difficult about everything?" He paused and then said, "Do you know if lycanthropy can be passed down?"

"No, I do not."

"I don't believe any of us will," Dumbledore broke in. "As you've observed, werewolves do not often have children."

Harry frowned. "I was afraid of that." He started thinking of what to do in preparation for the full moon.

Snape broke into his thoughts. "So you survived, then?"

Harry looked up. "Yes. Thanks, in large part, to you. With the way everything happened that night, I wasn't able to thank you properly."

"You have neither the resources, nor the time to thank me properly, Potter," Snape returned. "I will settle for your acknowledgement."

Harry considered saying something further, but decided against it. This wasn't really him, anyway. The real Snape was unreachable, at least until Harry died again.

"What will you do for Remus' son?" Dumbledore asked.

"Put him in a secure cage for the full moon and watch him, I suppose," Harry said. "Until we know if he's a werewolf or not, there isn't really much else I can do." He frowned in thought. "Bill's not a wolf. That's good news, I suppose."

Snape sighed. "Are you going to tire us with your entire thought process, Potter? I assure you, we could tell you the conclusions you will inevitably reach long before you achieve them."

Harry actually did smile at that. "Sorry, sir. I'll just leave you to your...what do you do all day, actually?"

"That," Snape snapped, "is none of your affair."

Harry grinned, took his leave of Snape and Dumbledore and returned home.

He was utterly astonished, upon his arrival, to find Narcissa Malfoy in the sitting room talking to Andromeda.

"Potter," Narcissa greeted him, inclining her head.

"Harry," Andromeda said, getting up and walking to him. "I don't believe you've ever been formally introduced. This is my sister, Narcissa Malfoy."

Harry nodded. "'Cissa, this is Harry Potter."

A great number of things flashed in Harry's mind as he shook Narcissa's hand. Malfoy saying, "Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter." Her expression at the Quidditch World Cup. Her lying to Voldemort and saying he was dead. He was honestly confused at exactly what to do here.

"Shall I go?" Narcissa asked him.

Harry blinked. This is my house. I could throw her out.

For a moment he felt like doing it, but then he looked at Andromeda. Aside from Teddy, Narcissa was the last of her family.

"It's fine," Harry finally said. "I was on my way upstairs anyway. It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy."

Harry went upstairs and checked on Teddy, who was sleeping again. He had four days before the full moon. It was time enough to work out a temporary solution. He'd fix something up in the morning.

The next few days went by quietly. Harry built a baby-sized cage that he could use engorgement charms on as Teddy grew bigger. Narcissa Malfoy, oddly enough, became more or less a regular visitor, and Harry couldn't find it in his heart to ask her to leave. In a way, he understood where she was coming from. It was the first day of the full moon cycle before he realized he had to think of a way to test his cage against a werewolf's strength.

"A baby-sized werewolf's strength," Harry muttered to Teddy as he looked over at the child in his crib. "I wonder if there are baby-sized werewolves out there who volunteer to test things like this? What do you think?"

Teddy blew bubbles back at Harry and tried to eat one of his toes.

"I didn't think so, either. So who do I know who would have a baby-sized werewolf-strength creature on hand?" He thought for a moment and then grinned when the answer came to him. He was honestly surprised it hadn't come to him sooner.

Right after lunch, he made a beeline to the fire place and flooed Luna.

As soon as he explained what the problem was, Luna laughed and said she had just the thing. But when Luna arrived, it was with a griffin cub that she swore was totally docile tucked under one arm. Harry couldn't help but see vicious teeth, razor-sharp claws, and a sleek hunter's build.

"Should we have that in the house with a baby?" he asked.

Luna just smiled, and so Harry--with deep misgivings--showed her to the cage he'd constructed.

Luna got the griffin into the cage and they shut it. The little beast, inspected the confined space, and then decided it did not like being so confined. He tried shaking the bars loose, and then forcing the corners. Harry was impressed with his work. The little cage stood up to whatever the griffin threw at it.

"Looks like this'll be fine," Harry said to Luna, "but what do we do with that?"

"Let him out, obviously," Luna said, calmly opening the door. The little griffin zoomed out of the cage and launched itself at Luna's midsection.

"No!" Harry shouted, having visions of blood and torn flesh.

Luna laughed happily, catching the creature in her arms, and talking quietly to it. The little griffin slowly settled down. "See?" she grinned to Harry. "Harmless as a lamb."

Harry shook his head. "Luna... Wow."

She smiled. "So, you're ready for Teddy to--Harry, you didn't say it was tonight."

"First night of the full moon," Harry told her.

"I would have been better prepared to take notes if you had told me earlier," Luna said.

"What? Notes?" Harry found himself totally unfamiliar with the core of their conversation, as was frequent with Luna.

"You can't be intending to let the first documented child of a werewolf grow up undocumented, of course," Luna said placidly. It sounded as if she didn't acknowledge, even now, that Harry had been intending just that.

"Luna, you can't take notes on him like some class project," Harry said. "He's a human being."

"Well someone has to prove that werewolves are nothing to be afraid of," Luna answered. "If I do it, then maybe we'll raise enough money that I go on another Snarkack expedition."

Harry was completely floored. He hadn't even considered the implications. If Teddy was a werewolf, and he grew up totally well-adjusted and fine, it would go a long way to removing the stigma from werewolves.

"Luna, you're a genius," Harry said.

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," she hummed.

It turned out that Ron and Hermione were back from Australia, Ginny flooed in for dinner that night, and when Neville called to find out how everyone was, Harry couldn't help but invite him over as well. It was the first time all six of them had been together since the Malfoy's trial.

So they found themselves sprawled out on the floor of Teddy's nursery, Hermione with a small mountain of books, as usual. Teddy was inside the little cage Harry had built for him, hanging on to one of the bars, and watching his fingernails change color. Ron was inspecting the workmanship with Neville.

"This is quite good, Harry," Ron finally said.

"I'm glad you approve," Harry replied dryly.

Ron grinned irrepressibly.

Neville shook his head at their interchange and said, "I hope we're all here for nothing. Poor kid if he gets stuck with being a werewolf."

"We'll find out soon," Harry sighed, feeling worry tie his stomach in a knot. Ginny took his hand.

"Harry, are you serious about getting rid of the dementors?" Hermione asked from where she was sprawled out with her books.

"Of course. Hermione, those things are dangerous. You know that as well as anyone," Harry answered.

"We'll have a job doing it," Ron sighed, flopping down beside Hermione and stealing some of her notes. "Shaklebolt may be on our side--and he looks to be the next Minister for sure--but most people just want to go back to normal. Dementors and all."

Hermione frowned. "We'll need a really good campaign. Something to show how bad it really is to have them around."

Harry blinked. "You two agree?"

Neville grinned. "Surely you didn't think we would be working against you?"

"I...think I'm seeing battles I have to fight everywhere now. I think you may all need to keep telling me what an enormous prat I am," Harry sighed.

"As opposed to before, when you were never a prat," Ginny laughed.

Harry scowled, playfully.

"So, a campaign," Neville said. "What did you have in mind, Hermione?"

"Well, obviously Harry has to make a public statement," Hermione said.

"What? Why? I'm not a politician!" Harry said.

Hermione gave him one of her well-practiced don't-be-an-idiot looks. "You are Harry Potter," she said, pronouncing his name as if she were one of the readers of Witch Weekly. "Whatever you say, people will hear."

Harry frowned deeply.

"The rest of us should probably make statements of our own," Hermione continued.

"I have noticed more people asking my name," Luna observed, sounding distantly interested. Sometimes Harry wondered if her whole life seemed like an out-of-body experience to her.

"So, Harry makes a speech, we make speeches, then...?" Ginny prompted.

"I...only just started thinking about this," Hermione said, defending herself.

"Actually, we should start reminding people of their family connections," Neville pointed out.

"Family connections?" Harry asked, totally lost.

"That could stir up exactly the kind of trouble we just got shut of," Ron said to him.

"What do you mean?" Hermione demanded.

"We'd have to be careful with it," Ginny said slowly, "but that could work."

"Careful with what?" Harry said.

"I don't want to go bringing all this trouble up again," Ron bit out.

"What trouble again?" Hermione queried.

"There's no reason not to use every tool at our disposal," Neville told him.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione and Harry asked in very loud unison.

"Neville's thinking about reminding everyone of how interconnected pure-blooded wizarding families are," Ron virtually snarled.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"One of the reasons Voldemort's whole purpose was so stupid--aside from the obvious--is that there are only so many pure-blooded wizarding families to begin with, and they tend to intermarry," Ginny began.

"Because they're arrogant," Hermione shrugged.

"Because it's comfortable!" Neville burst in. "When Dean Thomas talked first year, half the time, I had no idea what he meant. Muggle-born witches and wizards and those of us raised to the wizarding world have different cultures. It's no surprise people tend to marry other people from the same culture as themselves."

Hermione and Harry both scowled darkly, but Ron shifted uncomfortably. Luna was watching with an interested look.

"Anyway, just about everyone from the old families are connected somehow or another by blood or by marriage," Ginny said. "Neville and I are...a few different versions of cousin, depending on which way we decide to trace things, Mum and Dad are even connected by marriage through the Blacks...and through the Gamps...although that one is even more complicated...and...I've forgotten. Even you and I, Harry, are marriage connected a few different ways.

"The point, though, is that everyone who is from an old family, or connected to an old family, or close to an old family, or anything, is probably going to be some form of relation to someone who is in Azkaban right now. Thanks to Voldemort's insistence on blood-supremacy, half of wizarding Britain now has a convict in the family."

Harry exchanged a look with Hermione. "That...could bring up all the wrong ideas," Harry said slowly.

"But I think if we were careful with how we phrased things?" Hermione agreed.

"It'd be something to try anyway," Neville said with a shrug.

"Hey, look!" Ron said, breaking in. He was pointing at Teddy.

While they had been arguing, Teddy had managed to fall asleep. He looked, relaxed, comfortable, and entirely human despite the fact that a shaft of moonlight from the full moon was illuminating his face.

Harry breathed a very quiet sigh of relief. That simplified things considerably.

"Well that's one problem solved," Ron breathed quietly.

"I'm just glad to know some problems eventually get solved," Neville grinned.

Harry smiled, but didn't reply. He had a new mission just three weeks after the end of the last one. At least the fate of the whole world didn't hang solely on him this time.