Chapter 18

"I don't believe it!" Susan expelled in a loud voice.

We had just arrived on platform 9 ¾. Looking the direction that Susan was pointing and we all saw one Draco Malfoy.

"Oh great helpings of Dragon dung, with scoops of Draco-shite gravy." Tracy expounded."

I just shook my head and started directing girls onto the train. "Come on girls let's get on the train and find a compartment. This is the last year will have to put up with the jerk I can tell you I am looking forward to graduation."

After settling in to a compartment… "I wonder how much it cost Draco to allow Draco back into Hogwarts?" Daphne growled.

"Minister Doge must have a bad infestation of Naugle's." Luna added.

"Well so much for peaceful days at Hogwarts. We definitely need to keep our eyes open." I added my two Knuts.

/Scene Break/

The welcoming feast was calm and almost enjoyable. There was no warnings about third corridor etc. Professor McGonagall was her normal stiff and stern self and welcomed the students. It was odd not to have Ron Weasley attempting to talk with his mouth full spewing food but that was an improvement to Gryffindor table. Malfoy sat with a small group at the end of our table whispering. I was almost settling back and relaxing as the meal was finishing when a Perfect approached me.

"The headmistress wishes to see you immediately after dinner Potter."

As I headed to the headmistress's office I had a number of questions and thoughts. However, I could see no life threatening situations nor that the world would end in the next hour two, so I had light hearted step. The gargoyles just stepped aside. I knocked on the door…

"Enter!"

I was surprised to find Minister Doge along with his four Aurors awaiting me. What further surprise me was Fawkes was perched as normal on his perch. A number of the professors were also in attendance

"Have a seat Mr. Potter." I was directed and I complied. However I had no sooner sat down when Fawkes took flight and landed on my knee. Rubbing the feathers on his chest, as I did with Hedwig, and it seemed to be appreciated.

"Headmistress I thought this was Dumbledore's familiar. Don't familiars die when there master are gone?"

"You are correct Mr. Potter however Fawkes appears to be familiar with the school more than anyone else, and he is also supposed to be immortal."

I was joking, but since I was the heir some of the founders, well I thought it was funny at the time. "Fawkes you are by any chance auditioning to be my familiar when I become headmaster?"

I wasn't sure if it was my joke or that Fawkes bobbed his head up and down before nipping my finger hard enough to draw blood. A number of emotions erupted in the room until McGonagall finally established order.

"Mr. Potter as Minister it is my unfortunate duty to inform you that your relative's house at number 4 Privet Dr. was attacked by death eaters. We are unable to determine if they were within the dwelling as the fire consumed everything."

I couldn't help it… I broke into an uncontrollable laughter.

There were so many facets that ran through my brains and that cause all the laughter. I had originally burnt the house down years ago… where the Dursley's were I had no idea but I was sure they were not in that house. Since I was rich enough to probably buy half the world the same house that was burned down, it was no big deal. I had contracted the goblins to contract a new house to be built on that site. I had plans on giving it to some Muggle born family.

"MR. POTTER! Control yourself!" Demanded the headmistress.

"Indeed Mr. Potter, what do you find so hilarious?" The Minister demanded as if it was a personal insult. So…

"Well Minister I'm happy to announce your 'live and let live' attitude has now been flushed down the proverbial toilet. Since this was my property and I am Lord Potter that means that House Potter is now in a feud between Potter house and death eaters for attacking a Lords residency. The Dursley's were long ago evicted from that property. AND since the goblins had not released their construction you may find they have problems with the death eaters also." Whoops!

The Aurors lifted the fainted minister and transported him to the floo and back to the ministry.

/Scene Break/

After returning to my wives:

"Harry the only problem is that you don't have army and he does." Daphne pointed out.

"Daphne what's the difference? Before, now, if we do, we are still in the same boat." Susan just shook her head.

"You imagine how upset he is going to be when he goes after those twelve houses in the blood fued and can't find any of them? Gryffindor, Potter, and Slytherin he can figure out but it will drive himself nuts trying to find the other twelve house Lords." Tracy giggled." The only people to know that you're the head of those houses are the goblins."

"I'm ready for the Quibbler to print that all those houses now have a feud against the death eaters and their boss." Luna stated.

As I look at each of the girls received a nod…" Okay Luna, go forward with it."

/Scene Break/

This last year of schooling was more to hone one's capabilities and to zero in on what mastery you'd be shooting for. We were now three months into our last year and everything could be summed up with one word ... Boring!

If only we knew… While my feud went nowhere Voldemort had his troops out getting some giants while others are convincing Aragog. The Acromantula would assist in the taking of Hogwarts.

/Scene Break/

Another boring day was in progress when tipsy the house elf popped to my side and the boring day went to hell… "Master Gryffindor sir! Hogwarts is under attack, tell Tipsy what we need to do". That's when the gong started its beat as the headmistress started instructing students to report to their common rooms.

"I and the rest of the house elves serve Hogwarts, please tell us what to do."

"Tipsy can you communicate with the elves from here?"

"Yes Master Gryffindor sir!"

"Tell the Hogwarts elves to protect and defend Hogwarts, you stay with me." I headed off to the nearest tower over looking the front of Hogwarts to see what was going on. Huffing and puffing I finally arrived and looked out over the grounds. I immediately took out the mirror and called the Muggle Minister. Help was on its way. I just hope they brought a lot of ammunition as the grounds were covered with people, trolls, and a couple of Giants.

At first the view left the impression that there was no hope we were all going to die when a wave of house elves popped in the midst of the death eaters. The elves used meat cleavers, kitchen knives and of course their elf magic. The blood began to flow.

"Tipsy, recall the elves back into Hogwarts, defend from there." Things were happening to quickly. Aragog's Acromantula smelled blood and were now running off with the dead, the injured and even those that were not quick enough. It appeared to them there was free meat wondering the grounds and the hell with their agreement with the death eaters. Whoops!

Almost at the same time the mirror went off…"Contact with the enemy in two minutes."

I wasn't sure there was much I could do from here besides a giant had breached the front doors and a number of death eaters were now in the castle. I headed off at top speed towards Great Hall to join the battle.

I came racing around the corner and physically ran into Draco Malfoy sending both of us stumbling to the ground.

"Malfoy what are you doing out here and not in your common room?"

"I'm letting in more of my friends. They will be here shortly to escort you to the Dark Lord."

I have always said I I'm a little slow on the uptake but I only knew what I had seen and heard. I'd not seen Voldemort so was he in the castle or still on the grounds? Draco turned to leave but I wanted some answers. I reached out to grab his left arm with my left hand to turning him back facing me. My left hand accidentally slipped up his arm underneath his robes sleeve and my hand connected with his Dark Mark.

Everything went black… No I was not passed out; I was kneeling in total blackness… Suddenly a pin point of light appeared in the air and grew. If I didn't know better it looked as if Hedwick was incoming and was producing the light that slowly filled the room. That's when the Togo wearing guy appeared and was laughing. "You are now mine, you abomination."

Oh well it's over I thought. That's when my eyes shot to my right as there was a being standing on a white cloud. Of course there was nothing odd, he or she had large white wings, carried a smallish staff, had brownish hair and dressed in toga like multicolored robes. All in all, to accurately define what was there was impossible, but it was most impressive.

"Be gone Beelzebub your presence is not require." The glowing robe guy sneered and vanished. For instance I wondered if he was related to Snape.

"You have performed admirably my child but it is now time for you to return to normalcy and be normal. We still gift you with the magical power of a mage. Grasp you familiars' leg and return to normal."

It was as if Hedwick grabbed me than I her… and I awoke in the hospital wing.

Voldemort and his forces were gone. What the Muggle Minister's airstrike didn't kill the spiders helped themselves to. What death eaters survived were being transported to Azkaban. Voldemort and Draco was a different matter. Apparently all they could find of Draco was a pile of ashes. After I explained my grabbing Draco's Dark Mark, the powers that were surmised Draco acted as a conduit. Voldemort, whether he wanted to or not, drew my power into himself. Apparently Voldemort couldn't stop and in between my powers and his death eaters present, Voldemort exploded in a gazillion pieces.

Funny, its said the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not… Yes even I didn't know and maybe I still don't know really what that power was. Because when I lifted my left hand to bring a glass of water to me, nothing happened. Whoops!

Epilogue:

School was ending a couple of days and I had come to accept that I was now a Muggle. Not that there weren't a gazillion problems. Muggles didn't have wives and concubines. Muggles were not the Lord of a magical house. Once we got back we would stop by Gringotts to ensure girls got all the money and properties.

I was finishing last my packing when I noticed my wand sitting on the end table. The girls had put it there when I left the hospital wing. I chuckled to myself… It would make a nice keepsake. I might even hang it up on the wall in remembrance about being dead but happy to still being alive.

I grabbed my wand… Multicolored stars flew from its tip… I was normal.

Fin