Harry Potter and the Return of the Heirs By J.C. Vascardi
Disclaimer: All characters and places featured in this story that relate to Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers, and Warner Brothers. I am not profiting from this story and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things about this story that I own are the storylines, places and characters that are not in the books.
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- Chapter Eighteen * * *
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It was Saturday, the 26th of October. The Halloween Ball was fast approaching and almost everyone in the fifth, sixth, and seventh years of Hogwarts were going to Hogsmeade today to buy their clothes for the dance. Many of them had wanted to do it last weekend, but Death Eater attacks had delayed several shipments to the various shops in Hogsmeade. This weekend wasn't even supposed to be a Hogsmeade weekend, but because of the shipping delays and the upcoming dance, Professor Dumbledore decided to make it one, but only for the fifth year and above students.
The only difference this time was that he was only sending two groups of ten students at a time down to the village, each escorted by four professors and one of the head students. When one group returned to the castle, the next group of ten would go down to Hogsmeade, until everyone who wanted to go had gone. Dumbledore made it crystal clear that everyone in each group was to stick together like glue and that any student who was found to have wondered off on their own would have their Hogsmeade privileges suspended, 200 points taken from their house and would receive a month of detention.
It was in this way that young Harry Potter found himself going down to Hogsmeade, accompanied by Ryan, Nick, Justin, Hermione, Blaise, Draco, Susan, Tracey, and Daphne. Head Boy Adrian Pucey and Professors Angelique Byrne, Bill Weasley, Valen Lasinius, and Minerva McGonagall escorted the group.
The other group going down to the village at the same time consisted of Colin, Ginny, Hannah, Seamus, Dean, Kevin, Stephen, Wayne, Padma and Parvati. The second groups' escorts were Head Girl Katie Bell and Professors Matthew Cromwell, Oliver Wood, Filius Flitwick, and Pomona Sprout.
While the second group went to Honeydukes Sweetshop, the first group went to Gladrags Wizardwear. Professor Dumbledore had informed the proprietress of the shop ahead of time about the Halloween Ball, and she in turn ordered a wide selection of the very latest styles of formal attire.
"There really is a good selection," Draco commented as he eyed the racks. "I thought for sure I wouldn't find anything suitable, but I admit I'm pleasantly surprised."
"Same here," Blaise said as he held a black robe with green and silver accents in front of him and looked at it in the mirror. "What do you think, Drake?"
Looking at his friend's reflection, Draco nodded approvingly and then picked up a nearly identical ensemble for himself, seeing as how Blaise was his date for the ball. The difference was that Draco's robe was green, with black trim and silver accents.
Hermione, on the other hand, was having a hard time picking something out. She saw several very lovely dresses that she really would have liked, but they were all outside of her price range. When she found out about the ball, she wrote home and her parents sent her fifty pounds, which converted to ten Galleons, to spend on a dress. Hermione had an additional five Galleons and ten Sickles saved, but even with the ten Galleons from her parents, she couldn't afford any of the dresses that she really liked.
Draco noticed the look on her face and asked, "Is something wrong, Hermione?"
"Oh, well, it's just that I'm having a hard time picking something," Hermione said. "There's so much to choose from and all the dresses I really like are too expensive."
"Hmm, how much do you have?" Draco asked, as he eyed the rack of dresses with a critical eye.
"I have fifteen Galleons and ten Sickles," Hermione answered, explaining to Draco that her parents had sent her ten Galleons for a dress.
"Hmm," Draco said as he continued to peruse the rack, "What's Weasley going to wear?"
"I have no idea," Hermione said, honestly. "I broke up with him almost two weeks ago, so I'm not going to the dance with him."
"You broke up with Ron?" Bill asked. "Why, Hermione?"
"He's been acting like a jerk lately," Hermione said. "He's mad because Harry befriended Draco and has not only been giving Harry the silent treatment, but has made a point to leave the room when Harry comes in."
"You broke up with your boyfriend because of me?" Draco asked.
"I suppose you could say that," Hermione answered, "but I think it was bound to happen eventually anyway. Until Ron grows up and learns to control his temper and not act like a sulking little kid every time he doesn't get his way, I'm afraid I can't be with him."
"If I know my brother," Bill said, "you may be waiting awhile, Hermione."
"So, who are you going to the dance with then?" Draco asked.
"Harry," Hermione said. "We're just going as friends. I've been giving him dancing lessons."
"Ouch," Bill said, as he winced.
"Is something wrong, Bill?" Valen asked.
"No, nothings wrong," Bill said. "It's just that over the summer I tried giving Harry dancing lessons and I was just remembering how much my feet hurt after being stepped on too many times."
Hermione smiled but shook her head and explained about the charm that Rowena had taught her, without actually mentioning that Rowena taught it to her, since not everyone who would have heard her say it knew that Ryan was Rowena's heir and had found her portrait.
"Hmm, wish I had known that spell over the summer," Bill commented, as he glanced around furtively and was happy to note that Harry was not in earshot, as he would have hated to embarrass the boy. "I wouldn't have needed to brew nearly as much Pain-Relieving potion."
"I think this one would look great on you, Hermione," Draco said as he pulled a flowing light blue silk dress with dark blue trim and gold accents from the rack.
"Yes, that was one of my favorites," Hermione agreed. "Only problem is that it costs twenty-five Galleons."
"Ah, don't worry about it," Draco said. "Give me the ten Galleons that your parents sent and I'll cover the rest. That way you'll still have some spending money if you see anything in the other shops you want."
"I can't ask you to do that," Hermione said.
"I won't take no for an answer, Hermione," Draco said. "So, we can stand here and argue about it until the shop closes, but you're not going to change my mind."
"Oh come on, Granger," Tracey Davis spoke up. "If Draco wants to do it, let him. It's not as if he can't afford it."
"I can vouch for that," Ryan said as he walked over. "I saw the inside of Draco's vault. He's got to be one of the richest wizards in the country."
"Well, all right," Hermione said as she opened her coin purse and counted out ten Galleons which she then handed to Draco, "but I insist on paying you back."
"That's fine, Hermione," Draco said with a smile as he took both Hermione's dress and his new robe over to the proprietress.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the world, a man wearing ocean blue robes stood outside a pair of elaborate doors. The man was tall and thin, with long blond hair and emerald green eyes.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice when the guard walked up to him, until the guard cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me, my Lordship, but His Majesty will see you now."
"Thank you," the man known as his Supreme Lordship said as he entered the elaborate doors leading to the royal throne room.
"Ah, it is good to see you, my friend," the young man on the throne said.
"And you too, Your Majesty," his Supreme Lordship said, as he bowed to his King.
"I wanted you to know that I've cleared your journey to Hogwarts," the King said. "My son is prepared to fill your position in the Circle until your return and his wife will fill your wife's position."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"I'm only sorry that I couldn't have done it sooner," the King said. "But, as you well know, I couldn't help you until I had the power of the throne behind me."
"Yes, I know, Your Majesty," his Supreme Lordship said. "I am sorry for your loss."
"Thank you. That means a lot coming from you, considering how my father treated you. I tried to get him to change his mind considering that you are family, but you knew my father. Once he made up his mind, there was no changing it."
"Yes, Your Majesty, he was a..."
"It's perfectly fine with me if you call him what he was," the young King said with a smile. "He was a tyrant."
"I would never presume to say such things, Your Majesty."
"I know. At any rate, my friend, I wish you and your wife a safe journey," the King said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," his Supreme Lordship said, as he again bowed to his King, before leaving the throne room to go and inform his wife that they should begin packing for their journey to Hogwarts.
After finishing up at Gladrags Wizardwear, Harry's group went over to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. Just as the group sat down at a large table, however, all Hell broke loose. Explosions and screaming from the street outside could only mean one thing.
"It's the Death Eaters!" A portly man shouted as he ran into the inn, confirming the worst fears of everyone present. "And they've got the Dementors with them!"
The Professors with the group immediately jumped up from their seats and ran outside to help defend the town, leaving the students in the Head Boy's care.
"Somebody should get word up to the castle," Hermione said.
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Nick asked. "It's not as if the Death Eaters won't notice somebody trying to run up to the school."
"Well, I'm sure Madame Rosemerta has a fireplace connected to the Floo Network," Hermione retorted.
Adrian motioned for the ten students under his care to follow him and they went over to talk to the distraught tavern keeper. Adrian talked to her in hushed tones for a moment, before she nodded and led them behind the bar and through the door to her office.
Adrian asked Madame Rosemerta to make sure none of the students left the room while he was talking to Dumbledore and he then grabbed the pouch of Floo powder and threw some into the flames as he shouted, "Hogwarts, Headmaster's office," before sticking his head into the flames.
Moments later, the fireplace in Dumbledore's office whooshed into life and Adrian's head appeared in the flames.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Pucey?" Dumbledore asked when he saw the face of the Head Boy in his fire.
"It's the Death Eaters, sir," Adrian answered. "They're attacking Hogsmeade."
"What of the students?"
"I don't know about the other group, but the students in my group are with me in Madame Rosemerta's office. The professors are outside helping to defend the town."
"Thank you for contacting me, Mr. Pucey," Dumbledore said. "I'll do my best to get reinforcements to Hogsmeade as soon as possible."
"Professor, you should also know that the Dementors are here. I don't know how many the Death Eaters brought with them, but shortly after the attack began someone ran into the Three Broomsticks and said that the Death Eaters had the Dementors with them."
"Thank you, Mr. Pucey."
Adrian nodded before extracting his head from the flames. Turning to the group in the room with him, he said, "Professor Dumbledore said he'll send help as soon as possible."
Looking out the window of Madame Rosemerta's office, Ryan gasped and said, "Oh my Gods. I'm sure this isn't the best vantage point of the street, but there's got to be at least twenty Dementors out there that I can see."
"Shouldn't we try and help?" Harry asked. "Dumbledore said he'd send help, but we don't know how many Dementors are loose out there, not to mention the number of Death Eaters."
"We're staying here, Mr. Potter," Adrian said. "If I let any of you outside to fight I'll be in deep trouble."
"Pucey, we can all take care of ourselves," Draco said. "We're all in Dumbledore's Defense Arts class and we've all mastered the Patronus Charm. At the very least we should send our Patroni out to help drive the Dementors off."
Adrian hesitated for a moment before he nodded and lead the group out of the office and to the front door of the Three Broomsticks. Wrapping an arm around Hermione's waist he went into the doorway and said, "When I open the door, conjure your Patronus and I'll cover you."
Hermione nodded her understanding and as Adrian opened the door of the Inn, he shot off two Stunners in rapid succession at two nearby Death Eaters as Hermione pointed her wand outside and said, "Expecto Patronum," as a silvery otter leapt forth from her wand and joined in the battle outside.
Closing the door, Adrian grabbed his girlfriend, Daphne's hand and opened the door, shooting off another Stunner as Daphne's poodle Patronus charged towards the nearest Dementor.
Adrian repeated the process until Harry's stag, Tracey's gazelle, Susan's badger, Draco's snow leopard, Blaise's tiger, Nick's snake, Ryan's eagle, and Justin's horse were all outside helping to drive off the Dementors. Just before closing the door the final time, Adrian sent his own kangaroo Patronus outside.
The next half an hour felt like an eternity, as they listened to the screams outside. Finally, the screams stopped and Professor McGonagall walked into the Three Broomsticks.
"The attack has been lifted," McGonagall said. "Thankfully, someone got word to Professor Dumbledore and reinforcements arrived."
"That was me, Professor," Adrian said. "Miss Granger said that we should get word up to the castle and suggested we use Madame Rosemerta's fireplace, so I Floo called the Headmaster."
"Thank you, Mr. Pucey," McGonagall said, as she got a thoughtful look on her face. "I take it you all were also responsible for all the Patroni that I saw come out of here?"
"Yes, Professor," Adrian confirmed. "Mr. Malfoy suggested that if they couldn't go out to fight, that they should at least send their Patroni to help with the Dementors. So, I provided each of them cover as they sent them out the door."
"Good job, everyone," McGonagall said. "The extra Patroni certainly helped with the Dementors and made the battle outside a lot easier, so 50 points to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."
"How's the other group, Professor?" Ryan asked.
"They're fine," answered McGonagall. "The professors with the other group got them all safely inside Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop with Miss Bell, before joining the battle themselves."
"Were any of the Death Eaters caught?" Harry asked.
"A few, but none in the inner circle, unfortunately," replied McGonagall. "Anyway, Professor Dumbledore has ordered everyone back up to the castle now. The Aurors are here and have taken the captured Death Eaters into custody."
The ten students and the Head Boy nodded to the Deputy Headmistress, before following her out of the Three Broomsticks and back up to the castle.
To be continued...
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