The Prince Returns

Chapter Fourteen

"What is that?" Ron asked, looking back to the screen as one of the blondes started taking her clothes off. Regan, however, was staring at Hermione in shock.

"That can't be the Amulet of Rah," she said, moving to Hermione and looking closer at the necklace.

"Have you ever seen a picture of it?" Hermione demanded.

"No, but no one has ever seen a picture of it. It hasn't been seen for centuries," Regan said, looking at the book. "This can't be it."

"What are we talking about?" Harry said, joining the girls. Ron reluctantly went over to them. They all sat on the floor around Hermione.

"Wasn't Rah a pharaoh or something?" Ginny asked.

"Rah was a pharaoh around the first century a.d. He was a very powerful wizard," Regan explained. "He wanted to live forever, but couldn't get the proper spell. He tried to pass on the power to his children, but his only child became a Squib. He wanted to be able to preserve his power if he couldn't live forever. It was the closest thing to immortality. He sent men all the over the world to find the magic that would enable him to keep his power alive. Finally, a witch was discovered somewhere in Rome. She managed to preserve all of Rah's power in an amulet. The only problem is, without his power, Rah was nothing. Soon after he lost his power, one of his generals killed him. The witch supposedly destroyed the amulet because she didn't want anyone to use the power for evil. However, there are a few mentions of the amulet throughout history. It was last seen in the sixteen hundreds in the Middle East."

"What kind of power are we talking about?" Harry asked. So far, the amulet didn't sound very impressive. He heard of several different magical artifacts similar to it.

"That's what makes it so special, Harry," Hermione said. "Rah was one of the most powerful wizards in history. More powerful than Voldemort could ever dream of becoming. He was very gifted in wandless magic and Divination-he was a Seer. All of his power was transported into the amulet. After for he lost his magical powers, Rah was a very weak man. He also lost part of his soul to the amulet, only increasing its power. Since then, any wizard who has control of the Amulet of Rah has become very, very powerful and done great things. It's rumored that the Amulet helped the founders create Hogwarts."

"Why haven't we heard of the Amulet before?" Ginny asked, skeptical.

"It isn't found very often," Hermione said, looking at her book. "Several wars have been fought for possession of the Amulet. Several people have tried to destroy it. The Amulet is usually hidden in some remote place so that the kingdoms torn apart by its power can return to peace."

"Why would someone want to get rid of power?" Ron asked. Hermione was becoming frustrated.

"The power of the Amulet of Rah has driven people to do terrible things in order to get it. Any society is safer without the Amulet," she said.

"And that's it?" Ron asked, nodding to the necklace in Hermione's hand. "It doesn't look very impressive."

In truth, it did not look very impressive. The necklace consisted of a simple gold chain. On the chain was a golden pyramid, fairly small. In the center of the pyramid was an eye, the pupil a glittering diamond. It did not look like it was a powerful magical artifact. It looked like a simple necklace that was very old.

"That is not the Amulet of Rah," Regan said. "The Amulet of Rah disappeared several centuries ago."

"Where did you get this?" Hermione asked Regan, holding up the necklace.

"From my dad. He said it was an old family heirloom."

"Have you ever worn it?"

"No. Of course not. Look at it. It's so gaudy," she said with disgust. "The only reason I've kept it is because Dad wanted me to. I've taken it to a jewelry dealer before, just to see what it would be worth. Guess what? The chain is worth a couple hundred dollars and that's about it. The pyramid isn't even pure gold."

"You were going to sell it?" Hermione demanded, bewildered.

"No. I was just curious. I wouldn't sell it," Regan said defensively. "How do you know that's the Amulet of Rah?"

"While there are no actual pictures of the Amulet, there are several written descriptions, which this perfectly matches," Hermione said, again holding up the necklace. "Also, watch this," she said, giving the Amulet a tap with her wand. Instantly, the room was filled with a blinding white light. Everyone shielded their eyes. The light only lasted a few moments. The diamond in the eye had gone from white to red. "It's supposed to do that," she said.

"You could have warned us," Ginny said, rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry. Didn't realize it would be that bad," she said, not sounding at all apologetic.

"So that's what You-Know-Who was after," Ron said, looking at the Amulet with a new interest.

"Don't be ridiculous," Regan said. "That can't be the Amulet."

"I don't know. That was pretty convincing," Harry said slowly.

"Why would my father give it to me?" Regan demanded.

"You said that it was a family heirloom. It has probably be in your family for ages, but no one has worn it properly to obtain the power," Hermione said. "And you shouldn't either. The power can be very dangerous."

"He gave that to me when I was, like, twelve years old. Why would he give it to me when I was so young?"

"I don't know. Maybe he was worried about someone finding it. No one would look for it in his daughter's things," Hermione said.

"Now what are we going to do with it?" Ron asked. "I'm sure that Richard realizes that that was what You-Know-Who was looking for."

"He probably thinks that it's safe here," Hermione said. "We should tell someone. Maybe Richard doesn't realize what it is. Maybe the Order can even use the Amulet to help them fight Voldemort."

"We should tell Richard," Ginny agreed. Ron nodded. Regan shrugged, still not entirely convinced. Her father would figure the necklace out. It hadn't seemed that important when he gave it to her.

Harry, however, suddenly remembered his talk with Remus last week. He had put off going to Richard about his scar. He supposed that he should probably get around to it soon. Maybe it would help the Order.

****

That night, Regan and Hermione waited until after dinner to talk to Richard. After dinner, they collected the Amulet and Hermione's book from Regan's room. They found Richard in his office, going over paperwork. He looked up when they entered and smiled at them. "What can I help you with?" he asked. Regan and Hermione exchanged glances.

"Dad, do you remember giving me this?" Regan asked, placing the Amulet on his desk. He surveyed it momentarily.

"Yes. I gave it to you, what, five, six, years ago." He did not seem to think anything special of the necklace.

"Do you know what it is?" Hermione asked. He shrugged.

"It's an old family heirloom. My father gave it to me when I was a boy. He told me to give it to my children. I tried to give it to Braydon, but he didn't want it, so I gave it to Regan. It's just an old necklace."

"Have you ever worn it?" Hermione asked.

"No," he said. "I've never been one for jewelry. What is this all about girls?"

Regan and Hermione looked at each other. Hermione put her book on the table, opened to the page on the Amulet of Rah.

"I think that that necklace is the Amulet of Rah," Hermione said." Rah was a pharaoh around the first-"

"I know all about Rah and his Amulet," Richard interjected. He looked at the necklace closer. "I never thought that I would ever see it, though."

"Dad, this can't be that Amulet," Regan said.

"I've been thinking about what Voldemort could have been looking for," Richard said, ignoring his daughter. "I can't think of anything. Whatever I have that Voldemort would be interested in, Malfoy would either already have or could easily obtain. But this, this Voldemort would be very interested in." Richard slowly touched the eye of the pyramid as if he was afraid to come in contact with it.

"Dad, you don't think this is really it?" Regan asked.

"I don't know. I'll have Dumbledore look at it. He'll be able to tell exactly what this is." He picked up the Amulet with caution, as if it might hurt him. He laid it carefully in his safe and locked it up. "Tomorrow I'll take it to Hogwarts."

"What will you do with it if it is the Amulet of Rah?" Hermione asked, relieved for it to be out of her hands.

"I'm honestly not for sure. Somehow, we'll be able to use it against Voldemort. However, the Amulet is very powerful. I would be hesitant to use it. Thank you for bringing it to me. You girls did the right thing."

They turned to leave. At the door, Regan stopped and looked back at her father.

"Dad, if you didn't even know that you had the Amulet, how did Voldemort know?" she asked.

"Braydon must have told him," he said simply, his face and voice betraying no emotion.

"How would Braydon know?" Regan asked.

"Last fall, I saw Braydon. He came by the house to borrow a few books. Now I realize that the books were for Voldemort. In one of the books, there was a large section about the Amulet of Rah. I've never been interested in the Amulet, so I didn't read closely enough to recognize it. But Braydon has always been intrigued by power. The Amulet of Rah would have interested Braydon a great deal. He must have realized that it was the Amulet and told Voldemort." Again, Richard's face remained expressionless, his voice monotone. He could have been talking about a stranger.

"Do you think that that was what the attack was for?" Hermione asked hesitantly. "To find the Amulet?"

Richard sighed and rubbed his face. "I don't know. I hope not."

****

Regan and Hermione left Richard's office and headed for their bedroom. "I can't believe you had the Amulet the entire time."

"We don't know that it is the Amulet yet," Regan insisted. "You could be wrong."

The two stopped. They had reached the bedroom. They entered the room to find Ron and Harry waiting for them in their usual spots.

"It's late. Bed time," Hermione said.

"You have a friend," Harry said darkly, looking toward her desk where Loki was waiting for her. Regan quickly untied the note and wrote a quick reply. Once the owl was gone, Harry visibly brightened. "What did Richard say?"

"He's going to go to Hogwarts tomorrow and show the Amulet to Dumbledore. He doesn't know what it is," Hermione said, sitting on her bed. Regan lounged on her own bed, suddenly tired. It seemed like a long day.

"Aren't you having your Apparation test tomorrow?" Ron asked.

"Yep. Dad's taking me after he gets back from Hogwarts. It shouldn't take very long. Draco said it only took him a half hour to do the test and get his license."

"Good," Hermione said, ignoring Ron's scowl at Malfoy's name. "I think Ginny is going to have the cake ready whenever you get back."

"Happy birthday," Harry said, remembering what day it was. Ron and Hermione followed him.

"Thanks, guys. It's only two hours until midnight. You barely made it," she teased.

"When is your father leaving for Hogwarts?" Harry asked, determined to talk with him.

"I think fairly early," she said. "Why?"

"I need to talk to him," he said. Now that his friends knew, he would have to talk to Richard.

"You can tomorrow evening. He'll be home," Regan said. "Again, boys, it's getting late. Some of us have very important tests tomorrow."

"Fine, fine," Ron said "We're leaving."

Both boys got up from their seats. Ron gave Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek. Harry mumbled a good-bye and left. Once the boys were gone, the girls changed into their pajamas and got into bed. With all the lights out, they could barely make out each other's silhouette from across the room.

"I still can't believe you had it the entire time," Hermione mumbled several minutes later.

"Shut up," Regan muttered from across the room. Hermione could tell she had almost been asleep.

"How was your date with Malfoy?" she teased, still not tired.

"It wasn't a date," she said, sounding more awake. "It's sleepy time, Hermione."

****

The next morning, Richard had already left for Hogwarts by the time the teenagers joined the dining room table for breakfast. Richard was not the only one missing. Of a morning, the teenagers usually had breakfast with Richard, Remus, Arthur, Moody, Tonks, the twins, Percy and a few other Order members. That morning, only Tonks was at the table. "Where is everyone?" Harry asked from his usual seat next to Ron, across from Regan and Hermione.

"Ministry. Several Order members went early this morning," she replied with resentment. Harry got the feeling that she also wanted to be at the Ministry. He supposed some people had to stay back.

"Even the twins?" Ron asked doubtfully.

"No. They had some meeting with a P.R. guy this morning," Tonks said.

"Why are they all at the Ministry?" Hermione asked.

"Ever since the attack in April," Tonks began, "the Ministry has been trying to help out the Order. They've given us money, people, cars, whatever we need. However, they've been discussing a more official position with the Order. They actually constructed a committee whose only purpose is to figure out what to do with the order," she snorted.

"What is happening today?" Regan asked.

"Today the Ministry is announcing their decision. They are going to make it public what they are going to do about Voldemort and how they are going to help the Order. Fudge is making some big speech today in a press conference."

"Why didn't we know about this?" Hermione asked.

"The Ministry did not want anyone to know what the press conference is about. They've had enough complaints about their actions concerning Voldemort. They don't want a bunch of protesters or demonstrators at the press conference. Fudge has been telling everyone outside the Order that the conference is for the international trade of flobberworms, so there had not been a lot of excitement about it."

"When will they be getting back?" Ron asked, slightly annoyed no one had bothered to tell him.

"I don't know. Sometime this afternoon," Tonks answered, turning back to her meal.

****

They did not arrive back "sometime this afternoon." Richard arrived back from Hogwarts not long after everyone finished breakfast. He informed them that Dumbledore was keeping the amulet for testing. Then, he and Regan left for her Apparation test. Less than an hour later, Regan Apparated home. She had passed the test. As promised, Ginny had a birthday cake ready. After cake and ice cream, which passed as their lunch, everyone gathered in the living room. It went unsaid that they were waiting for everyone to get home. They all wanted to know what the Ministry had decided. Even Richard joined them. He sat off in the corner, reading a Muggle news magazine. Harry considered talking to him then, but Richard kept glancing at the front door. Harry decided that they would both be too distracted and decided to wait until later.

The twins arrived home not long after lunch. They mumbled their "hello's" before heading up to their room. They looked excited about something and said that the meeting had gone well, but they had a lot of work to do.

The group in the living room had been waiting for quite some time. Regan and Hermione were reading books, a Muggle classic and a history of goblin war, respectively. Ron was going through a Quidditch magazine. Richard was rereading the news magazine and Harry and Ginny were playing a game of chess. It was nearly five o'clock. There was a thick tension in the room as several pairs of eyes kept turning to the door. Finally, a little after five, the door opened. Severus Snape let himself in. Richard stood to greet him.

"Severus, where is everyone?" he asked once he and Snape sat down.

"Getting party supplies for a celebration, apparently. Alcohol, basically. However, I think that a few of them may stop by Three Broomsticks and start celebrating a little early," he said, scowling. Richard breathed a sigh of relief. There was good news.

"What did the Ministry say?" he asked

"Oh, you know Fudge, he wouldn't shut up once he got started. Starting off about flobberworms. Went on about them for nearly two hours. Finally, he got around to Voldemort. He apologized for his previous lack of involvement, as if that makes up for it all. Then he went on to say that the Ministry had considered all their options and decided on a course of action. They've decided to pay everyone involved in the Order as if this were a job from the Ministry. Everyone in the Order will be paid well, I understand. Then they gave every Order member who already works for the Ministry some kind of promotion and a significant pay raise. Fudge said that he would be sending some of his best men to help the Order. Can't wait for those idiots to join us. Of course, they will still be giving us money and whatever else we need. Fudge said that there would be a monument constructed in the Ministry office for those lost in April," Snape finished.

"That's great! Dad's got a raise! And then the monument....That'll be nice," Ron said. smiling. Regan smiled too. Her mother would be on that monument along with Molly. She was wearing the Nirvana Stone, so she felt no sadness at the mention of her mother, only an oblivious joy. Ginny, Harry, and Hermione also commented on the Ministry's new plan, all excited that the Ministry was finally coming around.

"That's not everything," Snape said hesitantly. His face remained in a permanent scowl, as if the news of the day had no affect on him. "Fudge has given Dumbledore full control of the Ministry."

"What?" Richard said, shocked. Everyone else displayed looks of equal bewilderment, Richard was the only one who could get his wits about him enough to comment.

"Fudge will still be Minister, of course, but Dumbledore will have full control. If Dumbledore thinks the Ministry should do something, all he has to do is tell them to do so and it's done. If Dumbledore wants Fudge himself to do something, all he has to do is tell him. Everyone was surprised by that bit. The writer for the Daily Prophet upset her ink bottle, creating quite a mess."

"Why did Fudge do such a thing, so publicly?" Richard asked.

"Fudge has always depended on Dumbledore. Believe me. If Fudge hadn't had his help, he wouldn't have survived his first few years as Minister. This is just much more official," Snape muttered, his scowl deepening.

"Will he still be headmaster?" Ron asked, cowering under Snape's gaze.

"Of course, Mr. Weasley," Snape said, as if Ron had just asked him something incredibly stupid. "Nothing will change much."

"But the entire Ministry will have to support Dumbledore and the Order. Therefore, the entire wizard community will be able to see the Order in a very different light. Several wizards will support the Order simply because their government is," Richard said, grinning.

"What about the Voldemort supporters in the Ministry? Like Lucius Malfoy?" Regan asked. "Wouldn't they be informed of the Order's actions if the Order is working through the Ministry?"

"Good question," Snape said sincerely. His scowl momentarily disappeared as he spoke directly to her. "The Ministry itself will not be informed of everything the Order does, only the Order members will know that. However, certain officials within the Ministry will be told what we are doing and what we need. These officials are bound magically not to divulge our secrets. If they do, they will face painful consequences."

"But men like Malfoy won't just sit back and let the Ministry become involved with the Order," Harry protested. Snape's scowl returned.

"Right now, Voldemort would appreciate having his men in the Ministry. I suppose Malfoy and his friends will protest and question Fudge, but they have more important things to do, I'm sure."

Just then, there was a commotion outside. "They're back," Snape grumbled. The door opened and Order members began streaming in, all excited and talking happily. Snape scowled again and sunk lower in his chair.

"Has Snape told you the news?" Arthur asked, joining them in the living room.

"Yes. Congratulations," Richard said, smiling, genuinely happy for the first time in months. The two men shook hands. "Are we celebrating?"

"Yes. I believe they're setting something up in the dining room, if that's all right with you. It is still your house."

"Of course it is fine with me. Enjoy yourselves. You've earned it."

"Let's go then. Shall we?" Arthur said, standing. "Should we allow the children to join us? I don't know what kind of party this is going to be."

"I'm seventeen," Regan said defensively.

"Let them," Richard said with a laugh. The teenagers looked at each other excitedly before following Richard and Arthur. Eventually, even Snape joined the party.

****

It was well past midnight when Harry, Ron, Regan, and Hermione climbed the stairs to their rooms. All four had had several butterbeers and were having trouble walking in a straight line.

"I can't believe that the Ministry is finally coming around," Hermione said. She and Regan entered their room, the boys followed. The girls made their way to their beds while the boys collapsed on chairs.

"I think he's a bit too late," Regan said. "Look at all that's happened. Where was he in April? Or at Christmas? Or a year ago, for that matter?"

"At least something good has come out of what happened in April. The Ministry has never supported the Order like this, not even the last time Voldemort was in power," Hermione said defensively.

"But think of everything that could have been prevented if Fudge had supplied the Order with guards and money and people over a year ago, when he decided that Voldemort was back," Regan said, her voice rising.

"What did Dumbledore say?" Harry asked, not wanting Hermione and Regan to continue. Ron just looked at the girls. Hermione was his girlfriend, but he actually agreed with Regan. He did not know who to side with. He was grateful for Harry's interruption.

"What are you talking about? Dumbledore was not here tonight," Regan said with disdain, as if his absence only reinforced her opinion.

"I mean this morning. What did he say about the Amulet?" Harry asked.

"Oh," Regan said, slightly embarrassed. She recovered quickly. "He's keeping it for a few days to run some tests, find out exactly what it is. He seemed very interested in it, though."

"I bet the Order could do some really amazing things with the Amulet," Harry said wistfully.

"No," Hermione said strongly. "If that is the Amulet of Rah, it must be destroyed. That kind of power is dangerous."

"What do you know?" Regan demanded angrily. "That Amulet has created very powerful wizards and enabled them to do very great things."

"But the entire wizarding world would benefit-"Hermione began.

"Wizarding world? What do you know about the wizarding world?" Regan interjected. "This isn't your world, Granger."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione hissed. Harry looked between the two girls, shocked at how quickly the argument had begun.

"Your parents are Muggle. You were raised Muggle. The wizarding world belongs to people who are purebloods, whose families have wizards going back centuries. Those are the people who will decide what the wizarding world will benefit from, not a Muggle-born like you," Regan said. Hermione looked at her with rage.

"You may be a pureblood, Prince, but what has that gotten you? Your mother is dead. Your pureblood brother is on his way to becoming a Death Eater. You may be a gifted witch, but you're no better than I am. Being a pureblood certainly has helped you," Hermione finished sarcastically. Regan began to reply. Harry was disgusted by his friends' sudden malice towards each other. He looked about the room desperately for a way to end the fight. He found it.

"Shhh!" he exclaimed. Both girls stopped their bickering and looked at him as if they were surprised he was still sitting there. "Ron's asleep."

And he was. Ron had fallen asleep in his chair. Or he, considering the number of butterbeers he had consumed, had passed out on the chair. He was practically snoring. Both girls calmed down at the sight of him. Regan rolled her eyes at his pathetic form. Hermione smiled, thinking to herself how cute he looked.

"What should we do with him?" Harry asked.

"Just leave him there," Regan muttered. She pulled her wand out from her night stand. "Extinguish." The lights went out. Harry arranged himself more comfortably on the futon. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out the forms of his three friends. Ron was still asleep on the chair, only he had begun snoring. Hermione was in bed, facing the wall. She appeared to be sleeping. Regan was also in her bed, but Harry could not see her face. She was silent. Harry tried to go to sleep as well, but his mind kept wandering. He wandered if Fudge was too late to involve the Ministry. He also reminded himself that he had to talk to Richard about his scar.

****

The next morning, Harry awoke not long after the sun rose. He noticed that everyone else was still asleep. Ron did appear to have moved at all during the night. Harry quietly stood up, trying not to wake anyone. As he stood, his joints popped from the unusual sleeping arrangements. Harry, as silently as possible, opened the door and let himself out of Regan's bedroom.

Harry planned on going to his own room and taking a shower, but a noise from down the hall distracted him. He walked down the hall. The door to the master bedroom was open. Harry could hear faint noises from inside. He knocked on the door, opening the door wider. He cautiously peered inside. The room appeared to be empty. He slowly entered the room. The French doors leading to the balcony were open, a slight breeze moving the curtains. Harry could make out a solitary figure on the balcony, standing, looking over the grounds. "Can I help you?" came Richard's voice. He did not turn around to face Harry. Harry joined him, standing next to him on the balcony. Richard did not look at Harry, but remained looking out on the grounds. Harry followed his gaze. It was a lovely view. Harry could see everything, from the swimming pool to the Quidditch pitch to the forest off in the distance. The morning sky looked lovely from the balcony. Harry could make out the guards walking along the edge of the estate. There was no other movement.

"I need to talk to you," Harry said.

"All right. I don't think we've ever really had a chance to talk, Harry. Just you and I," he said, still not looking at the younger man. "I've always wanted to talk with you, Harry."

"Why?"

"I never really knew your parents. Laura was very good friends with Lily. I don't think she really approved of James, but she adored Lily. She wanted to leave England to get away from her old life, but she always regretted leaving Lily. When she found out that your parents died, she felt terrible. She kept talking about how things could have been if we had stayed in London. She was sure that she could have protected James and Lily. After she found out you were living with your Muggle relatives, Laura got very upset. She thought that it was a great injustice. She sent several passionate letters to Dumbledore, begging him to allow you to live with us. She thought that we could provide a much better life for you," Richard said, smiling sadly at the memory of his wife. Harry looked up in surprise.

"You tried to adopt me?"

"Yes, but Dumbledore said you were safer with your relative. I suppose he was right. Laura tried to visit you a few times, but your uncle wouldn't have it. She tried to mail you pictures of your parents a few different times, but they were wizard photographs and your uncle didn't approve. He sent them back with a few angry words. Laura was always very interested in you, Harry. She kept a scrapbook of everything that happened with your parents. Everything that happened with you. She kept thinking about Regan. Regan is only a month or so older than you, Harry. She did not want her daughter to have to go through what you did."

"I had no idea," Harry said, thinking back to his childhood, wondering when exactly his uncle had exchanged menacing words with a witch.

"I'm sorry to burden you with my memories Harry. I know that Laura always wanted to talk to you, but she never got the opportunity. I think that you would have liked her. She was a great woman. I've always wondered why she married me," Richard said wistfully. "Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Harry said, suddenly feeling silly about his scar worries.

"Tell me. It seems important."

"What do you know about my scar?"

"Dumbledore and Remus have told me about it. I have read a few things on scars like yours. Why?"

"It doesn't hurt any more. It didn't even hurt when I was in your library with Voldemort right in front of me. I used to be able to feel Voldemort's emotions, but now I have nothing. I don't know what it means. Hermione and Remus thought that I should go to you or Dumbledore."

"The bond that scar created between you and Voldemort was strong, Harry. It would be very difficult to break such a bond, but apparently Voldemort has. Either you or Voldemort could break that bond."

"That's the only answer?"

"Yes. Voldemort would not like the idea of you having access to his private thoughts and emotions."

"Why didn't he get rid of the bond sooner?"

"A number of reasons. He may have thought that a bond with you could help him. Maybe you could have unwittingly divulged secrets to Voldemort. Or maybe he thought that he could control you. But I would guess that Voldemort just hasn't been strong enough to break the bond until recently."

"How strong would he have to be to be able to break the bond?"

"Very strong, Harry. Very strong," Richard said, his voice thoughtful. "At least now we know that he is no longer the weakling he used to be. At least now we know that we are not dealing with a group of Death Eaters. We are dealing with a very powerful wizard who wants revenge. I don't know what you know, Harry, but Voldemort was very close last time. He almost had complete control of the wizarding community in England. In New York, everyone was starting to get scared. Up until the last few months, Voldemort had been a distant threat. Not one American wizard thought that he would ever make it to the States. But then he started gaining followers and getting more powerful. Suddenly, every wizard was terrified, taking insane precautions."

"Were you scared?" Harry asked quietly. He could not imagine Richard Prince scared.

"I was terrified. Not for myself, but for my children. I did not want them to have to live in a world controlled by Voldemort. When Voldemort first started, I was almost cheerful about it. He was taking action against Muggle-borns. However, he started killing people and I decided that he wasn't the angel so many purebloods considered him. I had friends back in England I was terrified for. I kept thinking about what would happen to my family if I died, or if Laura died. I didn't think that we would be able to survive. But then Voldemort tried to hurt you, Harry, and look what happened," Richard said, smiling at the boy, looking at him for the first time. "You saved the world, Harry."

"But I didn't do anything. I don't remember what happened," Harry said, almost apologizing.

"Of course you don't," Richard said, but he seemed disappointed, like had expected more. "I'll tell Dumbledore about your scar. I'm going back to Hogwarts tomorrow for the verdict on the Amulet."

Richard looked back on the grounds, a far-off look in his eyes. Harry knew the conversation was over.