Chapter 1
Voldemort was dead.
And Harry was looking at a screaming Bellatrix who saw how her Lord fell onto his knees, turned into ashes and withered away.
He then looked at the other Death Eaters. Most looked at the withering Voldemort with horror.
He then looked at the blonde man, who was standing right beside him.
The man looked relieved. The only thing was, he was clutching his wand tighter than required.
Harry knew the man was preparing himself for the revolt from the Death Eaters.
Harry had already anticipated the attack and defended both himself and the Malfoy Lord, who looked stunned and appreciative of the shield before that expression was lost on his face.
One large and long motion from Harry and most Death Eaters were on their knees.
The only ones on their feet despite having the Dark Mark were Lucius and Severus.
Severus was looking at Harry with something of a mixture of relief and dread.
“James!” Sirius shouted.
“Harry,” Harry reminded. He then turned to look at Fudge and pin him with the deadliest stare he could muster.
The man fidgeted as he came to stop and looked at the Death Esters on their knees, and the ashes of Voldemort.
“Believe me now, Fudge?” Harry asked.
Fudge nodded.
Harry summoned Peter Pettigrew to himself and pushed the rat to Fudge. “That is Peter Pettigrew. My godfather has always been innocent. Declare him innocent. You have punished the man enough for a crime he never committed.”
Fudge nodded, asked Amelia Bones for the release order and signed it immediately and gave it to Sirius.
Sirius was grinning widely as he took it.
While all that was going, Harry stepped closer to Lucius. “I saw you looking relieved after that man’s death. Floo away before I give away the other Death Eaters,” he whispered.
Severus, who had walked closer to warn Lucius about the same thing, was stunned in his place. He gasped at Harry’s words.
Lucius was equally stunned. He looked at Harry and nodded. He knew the boy was not going to go back on his words from what his son had told him. He slipped away before anyone saw him. He was more than glad that it was only Harry and Severus who had seen him through his disillusionment charms.
Harry had turned just in time to see Severus moving closer and flinched slightly.
That had Severus halt in his steps and look at Harry for real. Not seeing James or Lily, but Harry for himself.
The shaking of his left hand was still present and Severus had always thought it was because of him tearing through his mind that caused the pain.
He knew his method was not going to help the boy, but Albus had asked him to do this specifically, and he had less to no choice at all.
He sighed and looked at the hand and very slowly stretched his hand to Harry, making sure he was careful not to scare the Potter Scion again.
Harry, watching Severus’ hand like a hawk, felt the tension in him leave him when he saw how the man was being very careful.
He let Severus take his left hand into his and heard the man gasp.
Not expecting the pained gasp from Severus, he dared to look at the man’s face to see rage in those black eyes.
Harry tried to pull his hand bank, but Severus tightened his hold on Harry’s wrist. “I’m not angry at you, Harry,” he said. “Who did this to you?” he asked, his rage was still present, but suppressed when he saw the fear in Harry’s eyes.
“I did,” Harry replied quietly. “Umbridge’s detention.”
“All the time?” Severus asked, his hand tightening on Harry’s wrist, but he was sure that his hold wasn’t painful for the young man.
Harry nodded.
“Who knows?” Severus asked.
“I don’t know. I tried to tell Professor McGonagall. She told me to keep my head down and stay quiet,” Harry said. He didn’t know why he was being honest with the man who had caused him immense pain all through the year, but seeing the concern towards him, something even Sirius hadn’t shown him, made him speak those words.
“Did you show this to Poppy?” Severus asked as he very delicately ran his fingers on the words on Harry’s hand.
Harry shook his head. “Madam Pompfrey was asked not to treat me if the wound was not a death warrant. Professor McGonagall’s order.”
“Did you try to tell anyone else?” Severus asked as he very carefully took a step closer to Harry to hide him from the rest of the people in the Hall of Prophecies.
Harry shook his head. “When my head of House didn’t try to do anything, I thought no one would even respond.”
“All through the occlumency sessions?” Severus asked, his voice slightly strained.
Harry nodded.
“I’m sorry,” Severus apologized. “I have been asked to weaken your defenses, not strengthen them.”
Harry looked at Severus, shocked and betrayed. “Why?”
“I don’t know. The only thing I know is that the Dark Lord had a connection with you,” Severus replied.
“How many people knew?” Harry asked.
“Everyone from the order. Your mutt of a godfather was okay with Albus asking me to hurt you if the result was the death of the Dark Lord,” Severus said.
Harry gasped. “He was okay?” he asked, as he looked at Sirius from over Severus’ shoulder.
Severus nodded.
Harry nodded, with a certain look in his eyes as he walked to Dumbledore, who was actually searching for him. “I have taken the man down. I don’t need to stay with the Dursleys, right?” he asked. “And don’t my boy me again, Headmaster. That was a yes or no question.”
“Yes, you don’t need to,” Albus said, a defeated look on his face.
Harry immediately looked at Fudge. “I had to participate in a tournament for adults. Does that mean I’m emancipated?”
Fudge nodded, sensing the tension in the room as soon as Harry had asked him the question.
Harry gave a smirk. “I want to drop out of Hogwarts. Who should I ask for the paperwork?” he asked Fudge.
Madam Bones walked to him. “I shall show you. Please follow me.”
Harry looked at her and saw that she looked like Susan Bones. He nodded.
Once both of them were away from pestering eyes and ears, Harry said, “Susan has so much talent in Defense and Charms.”
Amelia Bones smiled. “She did send an owl, letting me know you were teaching them. Thank you for the effort.”
“At the same time, can I officially sue Umbridge for using a blood quill on me?” Harry asked.
Amelia Bones stilled. She was looking at Harry for any deception.
Harry raised his left hand for her to see. “Susan hasn’t been punished as often as me, but almost everyone from the DA has been punished with the quill.”
“I will make sure she is in Azkaban by the end of this week,” Amelia Bones promised.
She showed Harry to the Department of Education and helped him fill the documents for dropping out.
She even made sure Harry received the tuition fees that had been paid by his parents for his sixth and seventh years.
Once it was done, she took Harry to her office and took his statement against Umbridge.
Once that was done, Harry called Dobby and asked him to take him to Gringotts.
