Disclaimer: I own nothing and am making no profit.

Acknowledgments: Rpeh for the beta work.

Author's note: This is a sequel to my story Limpieza De Sangre it will likely not make any sense if you have not read that first.

Cleansing the Sins of the Past

Chapter 1

"Bill! We are going to be late!" Fleur Weasley yelled to her husband, Bill.

"We're just taking the kids down to the beach, Love," Bill responded, peering up from the paper. "It's not like we have an appointment or anything."

"We are meeting my parents! And Dominique is getting antsy!" Fleur said.

"But not Victoire?" Bill asked. "And your parents will wait."

"She is quite enraptured with the gossip columns at the moment. But I would not expect that to last long," Fleur said as her husband pulled on his swimming trunks. She shifted her weight, jutting her hip to the side to express her annoyance at how slow he was being.

"Gossip columns," Bill spat in annoyance.

"They are harmless," Fleur responded.

"World is falling apart around us and they're still publishing that drivel," Bill said.

"I hardly think that one old man escaping from prison constitutes the world falling apart," Fleur said. "By all accounts he was practically on his death bed as is. And she is not old enough to understand that, anyway."

"I just have a bad feeling about it," Bill said. He paused to stare out the window of the hotel they were staying in. Despite it still being the early morning hours, the beach was already crowded beneath them. He turned his gaze to the warm September sun as it rose overhead.

"I am sure they will catch him quickly. If he is even still alive," Fleur responded. The news that the infirm Gellert Grindelwald had somehow managed to escape his citadel prison had spread through the world in moments. Aurors from every country had been dispatched to look for him. But despite the massive manhunt, there had been no signs of him.

Everyone seemed to agree that was incredibly unusual. Wild theories arouse from the tiniest of rumors. But so far in the weeks after, nothing substantiated from any of the rumors. Most simply assumed the effort from breaking out and throwing the prison tower into that poor muggle town was too much for him and he'd died shortly after.

That seemed far too easy for others. Too convenient. But still, no sign of the man came about. And the longer he stayed hidden, the more complacent everyone grew.

"If they were going to find him," Bill said. "They would have found him already."

"You sound very worried about this," Fleur frowned. She stepped toward her husband, standing close enough so that he could hold her, as he liked to do when he was concerned. Bill obliged, his arms sliding around her.

"I am," Bill said.

"Why?" Fleur asked. "He is just an old man."

"A few years before I came back to England to help the Order I was working for Gringotts in Berlin. They'd discovered an underground bunker leftover from the war. They thought, rather correctly, that it had been one of his. I was one of twenty-five Curse Breakers they sent in," Bill paused and pressed his face into his wife's hair.

"And?" Fleur asked.

"Three came out," Bill said. "There were curses in there I still have a hard time thinking about. Magic that I'm not sure how it could even exist. But there it was."

"You have never told me about this," Fleur said.

"I don't like to think about it," Bill responded.

"What was it like?" Fleur asked.

"I'm not sure I can even find the words," Bill frowned. "It was horrible. Everything triggered something. Even breathing in rooms triggered something. Spells that I think the only way not to trigger was to be Gellert Grindelwald."

"Like what?" Fleur asked.

"In the atrium if you took a breath your lungs exploded," Bill said.

"What? How?" Fleur asked.

"I have no idea," Bill said. "Best we could figure was that your own magic reacted to something he put into the air and triggered some type of delayed magical explosion. Their chests, Fleur, literally popped."

"That is disgusting," Fleur frowned.

"It was," Bill said. "But it was easy. A bubblehead charm outside the room and you could get through it. Except that then the doors attacked and tried to break the charm. And the only person to make it into the next room just melted into a puddle."

"What can even do that?" Fleur said.

"No idea. And we didn't stick around to find out. One hour, Fleur, of our most tentative and cautious prodding and we lost twenty-two people. Everything in there was designed to be completely lethal and triggered at the merest of change. We left. The goblins were furious but none of them were willing to venture into that hell," Bill said.

"What did the goblins do?" Fleur asked.

"Sealed the entrance and hid away any knowledge of it so that no one else would ever venture into it. We never found out what he'd been hiding there," Bill said.

"Good," Fleur responded.

"It was the best course of action they could take," Bill said.

"So that is what has you so worked up and distant. You are worried about what he could do if he were back?" Fleur said.

"To an extent. You could feel how little he cared about human life while there. And how perverted the magic was. Everything felt oppressive and wrong. Tainted almost. I can't describe it right. But every part of me just screamed 'flee' when I was there. It was absolutely all I could think of. And if that man is back, we are all in danger," Bill said.

"We have Harry Potter," Fleur said. "He beat You-Know-Who. And everyone says that You-Know-Who was stronger than Grindelwald."

"Maybe," Bill said. "I can't imagine magic much stronger than what I felt in that bunker. And do we really have Harry?"

"Of course we do," Fleur said. "Why would we not?"

"You've heard the same rumors I've heard I'm sure," Bill said. "About that night."

"Everyone has. But they don't make sense. Why would he have tried to escape with her? He ended up killing her," Fleur said.

"Then why did he run?" Bill asked.

"Days later? Because he wanted to see the world? Because he had just vanquished the greatest Dark Witch of all time and wanted to take a break from it all? Because your government spent months demonizing him and then claimed that was all part of the plan?" Fleur offered.

"Perhaps," Bill said.

"If he was running from the British Ministry of Magic they certainly did not make much of an effort to find him," Fleur said. "Nor did they ever mention to the French ministry that they were even looking for him. Or concerned about him. In fact, they told father quite the contrary."

"When?" Bill asked.

"After that debacle in Vancouver. Father asked if they thought Harry Potter was dangerous or responsible. And Fudge insisted that Harry was nothing of the sort. And that when the truth of that night came out it would be most likely that Harry arrived in the nick of time to save everyone. And not that he was responsible at all," Fleur said.

"But the truth never came out," Bill said. Fleur frowned.

"I suppose that is true," she said. "But do you really believe all that nonsense? Harry seemed like quite a nice young man during the tournament. He saved Gabrielle, remember? When he did not have to."

"I do," Bill said. "But I don't really think that we can judge him on what happened over a decade ago."

"Probably not," Fleur said. "But if your opinion is purely based on what Ronald says at family dinners. Well, has he even spoken to him in the last decade?"

"He claims he has," Bill said.

"But has he?" Fleur commented.

"I don't know," Bill said. "But what kind of person just doesn't talk to their best friend for a decade?"

"I do not know," Fleur said.

"And even you said you thought it was obvious that Ron and Hermione were going to be a couple. And that just never happened," Bill said.

"Sometimes I'm wrong. If I am honest I thought they would settle for each other. But while it seems like your brother assumed that was going to happen, it just never did. So, I think Hermione must have wanted something different," Fleur said. "it's not uncommon."

"So the love guru was wrong about them?" Bill teased.

"Something obviously happened," Fleur shrugged. "Something that we will never know. But I think that assuming it is nefarious is a little silly."

"And you're probably right, love," Bill said. "But something about it. And then him showing up out of the blue and taking over Hogwarts. And then Grindelwald coming back. It just all seems so wrong to me."

"I wish I could say your little hunches were not usually right," Fleur frowned. "But I do honestly think there is nothing there for this one. Unless you are implying Harry Potter helped bring back Grindelwald."

"Of course not. I can't see him ever doing that," Bill said.

"I cannot either," Fleur said. "So for now we just hope for the best."

"That works for me," Bill said. "Anyway. Should we get the girls down to the beach?"

"They have not bothered us for ten minutes. So, they are probably due to come bursting in and demand we do something," Fleur said.

"Mmm so not enough time to make a third one," Bill said, peering down at his wife.

"No," Fleur said. "I told you not for another year or two."

"I know," Bill said. "Let's go get them down to the beach so I can see you in your bathing suit some more."

"Good idea," Fleur said.

"Victoire, Dominique, are you ready to go to the beach?" Bill yelled cheerily as he stepped into the adjoining room. His daughters squealed and clung to him as he spoke. He wrangled them expertly, picking up Dominique and carrying her while holding onto Victoire's hand. Fleur smiled at the scene before picking up her bag of daily essentials and shrugging it over her shoulder. She followed them out of the room joining happily into the conversation as it required.

They met her parents at the beach. They'd already staked out a small portion of it and were happily greeting their grandchildren as they pranced around the beach.

"Where is Gabrielle?" Fleur asked, speaking French for the first time that day. "I thought she was coming with today."

"Zoe scheduled her an audition. She is hoping to join us tomorrow," Fleur's mother, Apolline Delacour said.

"That is amazing!" Fleur said. "Tell her I am very proud of her if she cannot make it to join us."

"I will," Apolline said. "But I am sure she will be very excited to talk to us about it come dinner on Sunday."

"Where is the audition?" Fleur asked.

"London," her mother responded.

"Oh so she will be close to Bill and I if she gets it," Fleur said.

"Gets what?" Bill asked, stepping up to his wife.

"Gabrielle has an audition in London today," Fleur said.

"That's amazing!" Bill exclaimed.

"Yes it is," Fleur's father said. "I am sure she will knock it out of the park."

"For sure," Bill said.

"Did she pick London?" Fleur asked.

"No, she has a few other auditions lined up too. But she did seem very interested in it after she discovered that Harry Potter had returned to England," Apolline Delacour said.

"Of course," Fleur laughed. "She is never going to come to terms with that one, is she?"

"I think she has," Apolline said. "It's not like she's even seen him since then. But the boy certainly doesn't do himself any favors by staying unmarried."

"Doesn't do Gabrielle any favors you mean," Fleur teased.

"I'm sure there are many young girls smitten with the myth that is Harry Potter," Apolline Delacour countered, chuckling under her breath.

"And I am sure you are correct," Fleur said. "That does not mean it is not fairly comical at this point."

"Anyway, let us get out of the sun. We would not want to turn into lobsters now would we?" Apolline said, leading Fleur over toward the chairs they'd set up underneath some umbrellas. Fleur and her mother chatted and watched the girls for most of the day.

Later in the evening they went to a small café near the waterfront and Bill and Fleur spent the majority of the meal making sure the kids were well behaved. The conversation, at least between Bill and her Father shifted to Grindelwald.

Fleur frowned and did her best to keep Victoire and Dominique from listening too closely to the conversations. Fleur and Apolline kept them entertained through dinner but were losing control of the situation by dessert.

Fleur was packing up her things when something caught her attention. Something glittered in the street and a few men were going to investigate it. She heard a loud cracking sound from a few feet to her right. When she turned to look over in that direction, nothing was there. A few others were looking over as well.

"Something bothering you, love?" Bill asked. Fleur turned her attention back to the table.

"No," she said. "Just thought I heard something."

"There's some commotion going on in the street," her father said.

"I wonder what that's about?" Bill asked.

"No idea," Fleur said as she peered around.

"Something is going on down there," her father said.

"I'll go take a look," Bill sighed and stood.

"No," Fleur said, her eyes resting on the glinting silver object in the street that was drawing the men toward it.

"I'll be fine," Bill said. "Just going to make sure no one does anything stupid."

"No," Fleur said again as bill stepped passed her. She reached for him as he did.

But, in that moment, one of the men reached for the small silver object in the road. And as soon as he touched it a blast of energy shot everywhere around them and everything seemed to freeze.

A million thoughts flashed through Fleur's mind. Thoughts of everything. Thoughts of herself. From the joy of discovering she was a witch, to the pride she felt all those years ago to represent Beauxbatons in the Triwizard Tournament, to how giddy she felt on the morning of her wedding.

There were shared memories, too. Memories of finding out Victoire was growing inside of her. And then holding her daughter in her arms for the first time. And then the same feelings when Dominique was born as well.

And then images of her family. Her mother and father looking so happy for her and Bill on their wedding day. Her mother beaming at baby Victoire. Her father bouncing baby Domonique on his knee.

And then Gabrielle. Her sweet, adorable, naive little Gabrielle. Her protuberant eyes always looking shocked at every little detail going on around her. At least, Fleur thought, at least little Gabrielle was in London today. At least she wasn't here with the rest of her family.

After the shockwave passed there was only blinding white light and a burning pain. But the pain lasted less than the blink of an eye. And after that, everything was merely dust.

Harry Potter walked through the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His first month as Head had been hectic. But he'd fully expected that. After five years of running his own school in Nagasaki nothing really surprised him. The only real difference was the scale of it. It surprised him that he'd forgotten just how massive Hogwarts was by comparison.

Of course, with that as well, was the added staff. Back in Japan he was more or less always available for everyone, staff and student alike. But there were significantly fewer people to be available for. Here everything was less personal, he received reports from the heads of house and acted accordingly. Everything at Hogwarts seemed to be, at least when it was working well, rather automated. He just needed to observe and act when necessary.

But, unlike in Japan, here he had a government asking for reports and updates and lesson plans and everything in between. Hermione Granger had always been annoying. And, if Harry was being honest, that was something he liked about her. No one could say she wasn't taking her new position as the Head of the Department of Magical Education seriously. They seemed to have settled into weekly reports at this juncture. And Harry was hoping that lessened in the coming months. Mostly because he got the feeling Avery was growing annoyed with writing them for him.

Still, there were worse things than having to answer questions from the government about the day-to-day of the school. And once he'd figured out exactly what they were looking for it was an easy task to delegate to either Alexander or Fumiko Avery.

The Death Eater turned traveling companion and his new young wife were quite the asset when it came to dealing with situations Harry wasn't totally confident in. He still had the hardest time thinking of Avery by his first name, though, despite trying to force his inner thoughts to do so.

But Avery had a solid head for numbers and a was a right terror when it came to getting the budget balanced. He'd done wonders with the small amount of coin they'd used to start the school in Nagasaki. And his skills had translated easily to the larger numbers of the bigger school.

He'd joked that he should have been born a goblin and Harry had teased him that muggles just called them accountants. He'd idly wondered if Lord Voldemort just had a thing for acquiring accountants, but when he'd tried to joke about that with Avery, the man had just stared at him with a confused expression which only served to remind Harry that the older man likely never knew of Martin Price.

Alexander Avery first Fumiko in Osaka at a local shrine while stocking up on magical supplies. They'd spent the better part of a year flirting and dodging around their feelings for each other. But something involving Christmas Cake seemed to convince both of them to get married. Harry hadn't really asked for the intimate details. He liked Fumiko and he could tell that they made each other happy.

Avery's new wife had a way of reading people and reading a room. She was often very accurate with her guesses on people's motivations and next steps. She tended to be shy around groups and seemed a bit reclusive. But Harry had quickly learned to ask for her advice whenever someone's actions were confusing to him.

He probably relied more on them than a Headmaster should have. But he also felt that making sure everyone around him was involved was crucial to keeping morale up for the entire school. There was also probably a joke in there that it took three people to replace one Dumbledore, but he didn't let that linger too long in his mind.

"Evening Harry," Neville Longbottom, his new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, said as they crossed paths in the halls.

"Evening Neville," Harry responded. "Are you joining us tonight?"

"Are you discussing work or are you discussing extra-curricular activities?" Neville asked.

"Extra-curriculars," Harry said.

"I'll be there," Neville said. "I'll just go change and head over."

"Take your time," Harry said. "I'm going to finish my rounds first. It'll give me a few minutes of silence to think."

"Until you walk in on two students being inappropriate in a broom closet," Neville said.

"I'd have to walk into the broom closet to have that happen. Rather than just hear it and decided to head elsewhere," Harry countered.

"Don't let the parents hear that philosophy," Neville said with a chuckle as they went their separate ways in the hall. Harry continued his patrolling through the school. He took longer than probably necessary. But he was using the time more to think than he was actually looking for students running amok.

The stories from France were disturbing and weighing on Harry's mind. And Harry wasn't precisely sure how he wanted to act as of yet. No, that was false. He knew exactly how he wanted to act. But now the question was if he should. It was problematic. Normally he just went and did something, consequences be damned. But now he had to stop and think if it was something he should do. And the more he thought about every possible course of action, the more he thought every one of them was wrong.

All-in-all it was rather annoying.

Eventually, he gave up. His thoughts were organized enough that he knew there was nothing more to gain from stewing on them. He started the journey back to his office. The gargoyle that guarded the entrance shifted aside as he approached. He took the spiral stairs two at a time and entered his office.

Fumiko and Avery were there, standing over a large table they'd set up in the middle of the room. Avery was tweaking things on the table to correspond with a map in his hand. Neville was standing in the corner, pouring himself a drink.

"Grab me one too," Harry said as he stepped into the office. Neville nodded.

"Sushi on your desk, fresh from Tokyo," Fumiko said.

"Since when did my desk become the buffet table?" Harry asked.

"Since about forty seconds ago when Alex returned with the Sushi," Fumiko said as Harry moved toward his desk. He conjured a plate and started picking an assortment from it. Fumiko joined him after a moment and started making two plates.

"Help yourself Neville," Harry said as the defense professor put a glass of whiskey down next to him.

"I'm good. I gorged myself at dinner," Neville said, sipping his own drink.

"Suit yourself," Harry responded. He spent a couple of moments eating and letting Fumiko and Avery start on their food as well.

"How's the first month?" Neville asked as Fumiko and Alex chatted in Japanese.

"So far so good," Harry said. "It's gone by in a flash. Yourself?"

"Fine. Pomona has been a great help, I think you were right though," Neville said.

"Rather teach Herbology?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Neville said.

"Next year it's yours then," Harry said.

"She's retiring for sure?" Neville asked.

"Both her and McGonagall are, yes," Harry said. "Or at least they've told me to assume they are."

"That's going to feel weird," Neville said.

"Beginning of a new era," Harry said. "Anyway, are we ready?"

"Eating," Avery said, popping a piece of fish into his mouth.

"So yes," Harry said. "Show me what we have."

"Fine," Avery said. He waved his wand over the table in the center of the room. Two separate models appeared on it. One looked like a vibrant seaside town. The other more closely resembled a crater.

"Before and after?" Harry said.

"As best as I could reconstruct," Fumiko answered.

"The Muggles seem to think it was a bomb. Or multiple bombs," Neville said. "One of those city-levelers. Some group in the Middle-East is claiming responsibility in the Muggle press."

"I've heard those reports," Harry said.

"The muggles don't have a bomb that can do that and not leave some residual effect," Avery said.

"How do we know it wasn't one, though?" Fumiko said. "I mean we were just in Nagasaki. We all know what their weaponry can do to unsuspecting magical communities."

"We don't," Avery said. "We're operating mostly on a hunch."

"And that hunch is?" Fumiko asked.

"That it was Gellert Grindelwald," Neville answered. Harry peered at him for a moment. He hadn't shared his opinion on the matter with Neville yet. But the man was a trained Auror. Even if Harry had accidentally cost him his job years ago.

He had to remind himself that his memories of Neville struggling with magic in Dumbledore's Army in his fifth year were not current. The man before him had worked rather hard after Harry left and had greatly improved himself. And, like Harry, he was certainly able to put two and two together.

"Why though?" Fumiko asked.

"Don't know," Harry said. "But he breaks out from prison. Disappears for nearly two months after leveling an entire village with his stone pillar trick, and then another town gets blown up? I mean, it could be entirely a coincidence. Maybe those Saudis in the Muggle news actually did it," Harry said.

"They aren't Saudi," Neville responded.

"Well, maybe whoever is claiming they did it actually did it then," Harry said. "But it seems too clean for strictly Muggle weaponry. Did you manage to get the reports from the French Ministry?"

"No," Avery said. "They're locked down pretty tightly. No one is talking about it. They're trying to quarantine the area but too many relief volunteers are showing up. They've got the reports and official documentation heavily guarded in Paris, though."

"Have they hexed the area?" Harry asked.

"Not that we can tell. There's too much Muggle presence to keep people out effectively. Their Muggle military has quarantined it and they seem content with just aiding in those efforts in secret," Avery said.

"So, theoretically, we can apparate straight in," Harry said.

"You can, probably yes," Avery said. "I should be able to. Past that, I don't know."

"What if it's like how Nagaski was before you fixed it?" Fumiko asked.

"Then I'll have an issue getting out," Harry said. "But even if I'm caught I doubt they kill me on sight. They'll take me somewhere and more than likely I can finagle my way out of it then."

"That is a horrible plan," Fumiko said.

"I agree," Neville confirmed.

"It really is," Avery added.

"Shelf that for now then. What else do we know?" Harry asked.

"Not much," Avery admitted. "While the Muggles are calling it a bomb there are clear signs that it was magical."

"Like?" Harry asked.

"It's too perfectly symmetrical to be a muggle bomb. It had a clear area and wiped everything away inside of it," Avery said.

"But no spell can do damage of that magnitude," Neville said as he gestured to the magical recreations before him.

"No spell that we know of," Avery said.

"I don't know," Harry said as he examined it.

"Do you think you could do that?" Fumiko asked.

"Right now? No. But in theory it just requires a great deal of power channeled toward destruction. And probably some type of catalyst to trigger it. It's not inherently impossible. It's just unlikely and untried," Harry said. "If multiple people were involved it might be easier."

"So multiple suspects?" Neville asked.

"No, I have a hunch our first reaction is correct," Harry said.

"Then how?" Neville asked.

"I don't know," Harry said. "But we should assume anything is possible unless it's proven otherwise."

"Why not take credit?" Fumiko asked.

"I don't think he wants to," Harry said. "I think he'll emerge and try to use it somehow. Pin it on the Muggles to see how the magical communities react. Try to pass them off as animals that must be controlled. Silence all the voices that say the Muggles had nothing to do with it."

"That would never work," Fumiko said.

"It might if he won," Harry said.

"Well maybe," Fumiko said as Harry moved back to his desk to take a second helping of sushi.

"Either way we aren't going to come up with something satisfactory by sitting here and talking about it," Harry said.

"You want to go," Avery said.

"Of course," Harry said.

"When?" Fumiko asked.

"Tonight probably. Maybe tomorrow morning," Harry said. "Although I think I'd prefer to be there at a time with a few guards as possible."

"So soon?" Fumiko asked.

"It's the weekend. Not much of a reason to hesitate," Harry said.

"Well let's go then," Avery said.

"Excuse me," Fumiko said. "But I would really prefer if both of you didn't venture to an area that was just blown to hell with no idea of how it happened. Can my husband sit this one out?"

"Oh. I'm sure it's perfectly safe," Avery said, his voice catching as he spoke.

"Fine," Harry said. Avery glared at him.

"You shouldn't go alone," Neville said. "I'll join you."

"Well that's settled," Harry said.

"I'll go throw some things together we should be able to leave in twenty," Neville said. He started to walk toward the door of the office. But as soon as he did it burst open.

Ron Weasley burst in through the door. Nearly knocking Neville back. Neville sidestepped around Ron with a surprising grace and stood against the wall, his gaze shifting between Harry and Ron. Harry turned his attention to the new arrival.

Ten years hadn't been very kind to Ron. His insatiable appetite was finally catching up to his body. He wasn't nearly as big as Vernon or Dudley, but he certainly should have been paying better attention to what he ate. Judging from his appearance, Harry suspected he rather liked to drink. And judging from the smell on Ron's breath he'd been indulging before he decided to visit.

"What are you doing?" Ron slurred as he entered the room.

"Hello Ron," Harry said. He waved his hand and the recreations of the town in the middle of his office vanished.

"What are you doing here?" Ron said again.

"Running a school," Harry said with as much cheer as he could muster.

"I know that," Ron said. "Why are you still here?"

"As opposed to where?" Harry asked. He stepped toward the bar and refilled his drink and poured one for Ron. His friend took it without question when offered.

"You know where," Ron said.

"No. I don't," Harry responded.

"France!" Ron yelled. "You should be catching the man who blew up my family!"

"I see," Harry said. He sipped his drink and stared at Ron.

"That's what you do, isn't it? Show up and solve people's problems. Fix things. That's what you abandoned us for," Ron spat. "To be the hero!"

"I always felt it was less premeditated than that," Avery said.

"It is," Harry said. "And it leaves out the amount of problems I cause simply by showing up."

"Why are you doing nothing!" Ron said. "They killed my family. You didn't even go to the funeral!"

"I sent flowers," Harry said.

"No. You have terrible taste," Fumiko said. "I sent the flowers."

"Fumiko sent flowers," Harry amended. "And you don't want me showing up at events like that. It just becomes all about Harry Potter."

"Why aren't you helping us," Ron said. "Mom can barely get out of bed. Dad is a wreck. The twins ran off to help. Charlie isn't even around. Ginny is busy with quidditch."

"And I'm running Hogwarts," Harry said. "Am I supposed to drop everything because some terrorist blew up a town that Bill and Fleur happened to be in?"

"If you don't, who will?" Ron asked.

"The government officials who are paid to do so, one would assume," Avery said.

"Why won't you help!" Ron yelled. He had tears forming in his eyes and Harry actually felt bad for him. He knew he shouldn't be this much of a prick to Ron. But the man was acting as if Harry owed it to him. And as if he'd never faced a hardship in his life before.

In Harry's mind, only the twins really had the right idea. But hey knew they weren't interested in finding anything. Instead they just wanted to help. In addition to running one of the biggest joke shop chains in the country, they also ran one of the biggest charities. But that wasn't relevant. What mattered was that they had gone and done something. Whereas Ron's first reaction had been to find out why someone wasn't doing it for him.

It was probably why their relationship had worked in Hogwarts. When he was younger, Harry liked to feel like he was important, like he was actually helping, and like people appreciated his efforts. Those were all things that the Dursley's had denied him. Being able to actually help other people had given him fulfillment.

Now, though, he was less inclined to act on those instincts. He didn't need to search for such fulfillment from others. He'd found plenty of ways to get it himself.

"Why should I?" he asked.

"It's what you do!" Ron said, flailing his arms in the air. "You save people. You help people. You protect people."

"So, I should do that again now?" Harry asked.

"Yes!" Ron exclaimed.

"And if I don't want to?" Harry asked.

"What?" Ron blinked at him. A strangely confused look crossing over his face.

"What if I don't want to," Harry said again.

"Oh, well, I guess I never thought about that," Ron said. "You never really seemed to not want to before. And you're, well, you're Harry Potter."

"I am," Harry said. "And you're half in the bag."

"Yes," Ron agreed. "So when are you going."

"Fifteen, twenty minutes probably," Harry said.

"Then why were you being such a cock?" Ron asked.

"Because he is a cock," Avery said.

"Alexander!" Fumiko scoffed.

"What! He is! He's just our cock," Avery said.

"I am not even going to go into what's wrong with that sentence," Fumiko seethed.

"Anyway, I'll go gather some things," Neville said and made for the door once more. As soon as he stepped toward it Hermione Granger burst in.

"Harry!" she said, stepping toward him and hugging him.

"Hi Hermione," Harry said, returning the hug with one arm while raising an eyebrow at Avery. Neville laughed to himself but did step through the doorway.

"Hermione?" Ron said quietly. Hermione turned and slipped from Harry, her brows raised. Her expression darkened when she saw Ron.

"Oh, hi Ron," Hermione said.

"Would you like some sushi, Ms. Granger?" Fumiko asked.

"Fresh?" Hermione immediately turned her attention away from Ron.

"Of course," Fumiko said. "I'll make you a plate."

"Thank you," Hermione said. A few moments later Fumiko handed her an assortment.

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked.

"Harry's thirty-day review," Hermione said.

"I totally forgot about that," Harry said.

"Naturally you did," Hermione said.

"What if tonight is a bad night?" Harry asked.

"What's wrong with tonight?" Hermione glared at him as she started on the food.

"Nothing," Harry said.

"That's what I thought," Hermione said.

"Are you going to spend the night?" Harry asked. He noticed Fumiko's eyes narrow as she looked at Hermione, and then over at Avery questioningly. Avery shrugged. Ron's skin suddenly matched his hair as he tried to speak. But, no words came out.

"What?" Hermione looked startled.

"Well it's late. Didn't know if you'd want to hang out after," Harry said. Hermione paused for a moment. She raised her brows at him.

"Is that even on the table?" she asked.

"Are you two?" Ron asked.

"Or if I need to have a room prepared," Harry said.

"Of course," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, you two?" Ron asked again.

"That, Ron, is none of your business," Hermione said. "What are you doing here?"

"He came to tell me I should go to France to investigate the explosion," Harry said.

"And you were going to leave too," Ron said.

"What?" Hermione said.

"Well, in like a half hour. Neville was gathering some supplies," Harry said.

"What the fuck, Harry?" Hermione shrieked.

"I'm not sure. I don't usually bring supplies," Harry said. "I just apparate to whatever I need if I need something. I just didn't want him to feel unimportant."

"No. Not that!" Hermione yelled.

"Well what then?" Harry asked.

"Are you serious?" Hermione yelled.

"Yes?" Harry said.

"You can't go rushing off to investigate some explosion! You're the head of Hogwarts! Your duty is to the students!" Hermione exclaimed.

"And making sure they don't explode seems like a good duty," Harry said.

"You can't expect me to buy that!" Hermione continued. "Like you're actually worried about the school exploding? You just want to investigate because you're curious!"

"Well yeah," Harry said. "But the town was magically protected. And it's gone. It does stand to reason that we might be able to learn something to better our defenses by seeing just what happened."

"Oh yes. I'm sure. I'm sure you would be able to discern something key to improving the defenses of the school. And I'm sure it's something that only you would be able to find. And not the hundreds of officials scouring the place trying to figure out what happened," Hermione said.

"Exactly!" Harry said.

"She was being sarcastic," Avery said.

"Oh," Harry said.

"You can't go!" Hermione yelled. "It is not your job to go and investigate whatever strange magical anomaly you decide to. At least not during the school year! It is your job to stay here and make sure that the castle is safe and looked after."

"That's what Avery is for," Harry said. "Having both of us here is excessive."

"Harry!" Hermione yelled. "No. You can't tell me you repeatedly leave the castle to go do whatever you want!"

"This will be the first time," Harry said. "Unless you count trips for food."

"You are not going!" Hermione yelled. "I can't have Fudge coming into my office and questioning me why the Headmaster is popping around in France or doing whatever he damn well pleases!"

"Providing support to a nation in crisis? I feel like Professor Dumbledore would be disappointed if I were to stay here and do nothing. The blast was less than a hundred miles from Beauxbatons. I'm sure Madame Maxime would appreciate another pair of eyes in the area just to see if there's anything that could be done in the future," Harry said.

"The timing of it is problematic," the portrait of Albus Dumbledore that resided behind his dead said softly.

"Miss Granger is right," Armando Dippet said. "Mister Potter should stay at Hogwarts."

"Please I'll be back before classes resume on Monday," Harry said. "There's little reason for me not to go."

"What if something happens to you?" Hermione said.

"What?" Harry asked, as if the question hadn't occurred to him.

"You want to go to a town where some type of unidentified explosion killed more people than they've been able to count yet. And given that there is literally nothing left, more people than they will likely be able to count. What if it happens again but this time you vanish with all the rest?" Hermione asked.

"A random explosion that powerful happening twice in the same spot? Please the odds of that are tiny," Harry said.

"What if it does? What then?" Hermione asked.

"Then Avery is annoyed at having to do more work for the next year and you're stuck with Percy Weasley as Headmaster after that," Harry said.

"That isn't funny," Hermione said.

"No. It isn't," Harry said. "But it doesn't matter. Nothing is going to happen to me."

"You can't know that," Hermione said.

"Sure I can," Harry said. "I'm me."

"I know you have a very high opinion of yourself, Harry, but that isn't the point. You can't possibly know. You can't say you think you could have prevented it. You can't say you know what it was."

"I'm pretty positive I could have prevented it had I been there when it happened. And I'm pretty positive I know what it was," Harry said.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said.

"There's only two things capable of doing what it did. The first is the Muggles nuclear bomb. The description of the attack seems similar enough. But we have two things that discredit that theory," Harry said.

"Good Lord that thing they used in Japan?" Dippet said.

"And just what rules that out?" Hermione asked.

"The muggles haven't said anything about radiation excluding talking about the distinct lack of it. And we know that the French ministry has been casting spells in the area. Something that should be more difficult given past experiences," Harry said.

"You opened a school in Nagasaki, where people supposedly couldn't do magic," Hermione said.

"Where you couldn't do magic five years ago," Harry countered. "But again. I'm me. I have some advantages."

"Fine," Hermione said. "If that wasn't it then what was it? Surely it could just be some other muggle bomb."

"There isn't another single muggle bomb that could destroy that much magic. A barrage, maybe. But not one explosion," Harry said.

"So what was it?" Hermione asked again.

"A very powerful spell. A spell that probably took about a month of preparation, I'd guess. A good month of pouring power into it before deciding it had exactly what it needed. It would take a powerful wizard to do so and not lose control. The magic would undoubtedly be difficult to restrain."

"You think it was Grindelwald," Hermione said.

"I'm positive it was Grindelwald," Harry said. "Exactly how he did it? I don't know. Exactly why he did it? I don't know. But short of Me, Emily, or perhaps Avery, I don't know of anyone else powerful enough to do magic like that."

"You could do magic like that?" Ron asked.

"In theory," Harry said. "Never tried."

"You don't know everyone that's out there," Hermione said.

"I don't. But again, three options that I think could do it for sure. I didn't do it. You'll have to trust me on that. Avery didn't do it because he's not that stupid. And Emily is rather obviously not around. And Grindelwald broke out of prison and has been missing since. Seems like the logical choice," Harry said.

"So. you're going to rush there to, what, fight Grindelwald?" Hermione scoffed at the notion.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Why would he even be there?" Hermione said.

"Because he wants to see how we react. And he doesn't strike me as the type to rely on reports from others. I suspect he'll be well hidden. But I suspect he's there," Harry said.

"And what, you think he'll just duel you?" the portrait of Armando Dippet said.

"If I can get him alone and away from prying eyes, yes. He's not about to fight the entire French ministry. But I think he's arrogant enough to think that the man who took over for Dumbledore would be fun to kill. A good way of showing he's back and scary," Harry said.

"He is a very powerful dark wizard, Harry," Albus Dumbledore said.

"So am I," Harry responded.

"What?" Ron blinked. Harry chose to ignore the connotation when he responded.

"I'm at least as strong as Emily was in her prime," Harry said.

"You can't possibly know that," Hermione said.

"I think he's right," Avery said. "If that helps at all."

"It doesn't," Hermione countered.

"I've got….I can just sort of tell," Harry said.

"That doesn't get us anywhere," Hermione said.

"Emily in her prime was stronger than Dumbledore," Harry said. "Or else he would have just fought her and ended it rather than letting the war drag out."

"She never wanted to engage," Dumbledore countered.

"You ran more than she did," Harry said. "But anyway. Dumbledore beat Grindelwald. Emily beat Dumbledore."

"So Harry beats Grindelwald then," Avery said.

"Your rock-paper-scissors system here is not very sound," Fumiko said.

"Not the right analogy," Harry said.

"You get the point," Fumiko scoffed.

"I think it fits enough," Avery said.

"Anyway," Harry said. "Show up, lure him out, and put him down like Dumbledore failed to do. Problems solved."

"That is incredibly reckless," Hermione said. "And not the type of activity that the head of Hogwarts should be engaging in!"

"Probably," Harry said. "But we all know what's going to happen."

"And what's that?" Hermione asked.

"They'll figure it out. And when they fail at doing anything about it, they'll turn to Harry Potter to fix their problems. Since I'm no longer hiding in Japan, I may as well be proactive rather than reactive," Harry said.

"I agree with Miss Granger," Dumbledore's portrait said. "The headmaster should stay at Hogwarts."

"And I think it's refreshing to see someone actually take action," Phineas Nigellus said as he stifled a yawn.

"I agree," Everard's portrait said.

"I'm not opening it to a vote," Harry commented and the portraits stopped talking. Neville stepped back into the office at that moment. He'd changed into a darker outfit not dissimilar from the Auror's wore going into the field and had a bag thrown over his shoulder. Harry eyed the dark boots, pants, and top that he knew was lined with some type of enchanted material.

"Oh, Hi again, Hermione," he said, blushing slightly as he entered the office.

"Good evening, Neville," Hermione said.

"You ready?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Neville said.

"Good. Let's be on our way then," Harry said.

"What about your review?" Hermione asked.

"I'm sure it can wait a day or two. Enjoy the castle. Or I can floo you when I get back," Harry said.

"I'll be back on Sunday," Hermione said, seeming to understand she'd lost the argument. "Until then I'm going to eat the rest of your sushi and complain about you to your friends."

"Fair trade. Let's go Neville," Harry said. He stepped from his office and led his Defense professor toward the gates of the school and France.