Save Yourself

A Diary, A Rat, and A Dementor

Sirius came back after they had placed Wormtail in a holding cell with three guards and some magic binding cuffs. "So, have you figured out what to do about the diary?" He asked as he flopped into the seat next to his husband. "We have no idea. The founders talked us through the diagnostic spells to cast and what we discovered was not pretty. Tom was drugged with potions and under the imperious curse when this horcrux was created. That means who ever forced him to make it can control it." Remus said shaking his head. "It also means that the ritual we went over for Tom and his soul pieces won't work. That ritual only works if the person willingly created his horcrux. Since this one was forced we can't be sure some of the others were forced as well. That means we have to wait for him to come to us. We can still summon his other horcruxes, but we have no way to capture him or reunite them. Rowena said he most likely can't remember what happened when his body was destroyed so he must believe what everyone is saying about Henry defeating him. If he is in the same state of mind as last time he will attempt a ritual during Henry's fourth year. We can intervene and use the ritual as a basis to reunite his soul and give him a new body." "Harry is correct. That is what I believe must happen. But it will take some time for me to build the ritual based on what Harry remembers. In the mean time I will walk you through the summoning ritual and we will place the horcruxes together somewhere safe. If they are all together I believe some of Tom's sanity may return to him." Rowena spoke commonly from her  portrait. "You must scan the others before we put them away, so we know which were forced and which were made in insanity." Salazar called while musing over the chessboard he and Godric had liberated from one of the Hogwarts portraits. They agreed and spent the rest of their weekend doing just that. By Monday the horcruxes were safe and sound hidden on their private island. The rest of the year progressed in a flurry of planning, classes, and the occasional visit to the Chamber of Secrets. That summer while Remus and Sirius were with the four boys at the IWTC to finish their testing and plan out their Masteries, bad news arrived in the form of a paper. Harry and Henry were at the Marauders Den enjoying a nice lunch when an evening edition of the paper arrived. Splashed across the front of the page were mug shots of Wormtail. He apparently had his cuffs removed for a short period of time so he don his prison garb and managed to transform and escape. Harry sighed when he spotted the part of the article talking about dementors being stationed at Hogwarts. "Did we ever find the time to teach you how to cast a patronus?" Harry asked studying his little brother. "No, why?" Shaking his head Harry handed Henry the paper and explained what was happing as he read it. That night Harry waited up for Sirius and Remus. When they go home he handed them the paper and explain everything, just as he had with Henry. "So, you believe we should teach the boys the patronus charm? I had been putting it off because I felt they were too young, but you mastered it at 13, right?" Harry nodded. "Ok, we'll start teaching them in the morning. By the way we should make maps for the rest of the boys. Also I think we should get them communication mirrors. We found some in Rome. Remus and I will go back and buy them tomorrow." Harry nodded and they went to bed. It took the boys a month to master the patronus charm, but it was all worth it in the end. The twins ended up with identical magpie patronuses, Henry's like Harry's and their father before them had a stag, Neville's was a honey badger, and Lee's was a puli. When Lee had first mastered the patronus Fred and George had yelled about it being a mop. This caused Sirius to laugh so hard he fell over and ended up accidentally kicking Remus in the face. For the rest of the week Sirius had a mop instead of hair along with a few mops following him around like ducklings. Fred and George weren't much better as Lee had taken a page from Remus book and turned one twin a sickly yellow and the other a putrid green. Once everyone was settled Harry sat them down to explain what their patronuses meant. "Let's start with Neville because he seems upset by his. Your patronus is a honey badger. You may not think much of the animal because of the Hufflepuff house, but it is an amazing creature. Honey Badgers are considered the bravest animals in the world. They are also very hare working. They have been know to fight lions, eat even the most poisonous snakes, and even bring down a full grown water buffalo. They are powerful animals and I personally would never want to get on ones bad side." By the end of Harry's speech Neville was grinning. "Here we got you each a book on your animals so you wouldn't doubt what we said." Remus said handing out books. "Magpies are known for their bold personalities, intelligence, protectiveness, and uniqueness. They suit you to well. Especially because two of them are said to bring joy." Harry continued smiling at the twins. "Stags represent patience and fortitude. The also represent leadership and honor. Mine and your father's are stags as well." Henry beamed and finally Harry tired to Lee. "Yours is the puli dog. These dogs are known to be fun-loving, affectionate, smart, hardworking, social, athletic and protective. Just like you Lee." Lee grinned and Harry smiled back. The rest of the summer flew by and soon it was time for the boys to go back to school. "You know none of you are Hogwarts students." Harry said suddenly. "I think they know that Harry." Sirius said but Remus' face lit up. "You aren't technically allowed to ride the train." He said suddenly. They reviewed the Hogwarts charter and Harry found the rule. "It says here that only students and staff are permitted to ride the train." So, Remus went the other parents to ask about this rule. Frank Longbottom told them that since they worked and had classes at the school they counted as staff and students enough to ride the train. So, on September 1st Harry, Sirius, and Remus boarded the train with the boys. They expanded the compartment and transfigured it a bit to have a better ride. Only Henry's friends brought a trunk with them. Even then the only things inside were extra clothes for the year. They had embraced not wearing uniforms  wholeheartedly so they often kept clothes at the Marauders Den for Dobby to bring over to Hogwarts. Occasionally they would have to go shopping, but Harry just paid for everything so no one made a big fuss. Another bonus was being able to leave whenever they wanted. Sirius would often take the boys to Hogsmeade to stock up on chocolate for Remus. An hour or two before they arrived at Hogwarts the train stopped and Dementors boarded. Sirius sent his grim patronus to inform Amelia while Harry and Remus went to check on the students. Twenty minutes and a near dementor kiss later everyone was plied with chocolate and the aurors were questioning the older students and the adults on board. Harry called Dobby and asked him to get the Hogwarts house elves to deliver food to the students and staff on the train because they would be running late. A few aurors remained behind when they were finally allowed to continue their journey. Most notably the Longbottoms, who joined them in their compartment for the rest of the journey. They arrived at Hogwarts by 1 a.m. and the students were noticeably exhausted. Instead of going to the carriages or boats, students were flooed directly into their common rooms and the first years were given beds in the Great Hall. The aurors set up camp with them. The next day they held the sorting ceremony before breakfast and a story about a student almost being kissed was all over the papers. The Dementors were immediately recalled and in their place was two platoons of aurors that rotated throughout the school. Eventually Fudge recalled the aurors when it became clear Wormtail was not on the grounds. And the rest of the year passed uneventfully, that is of course if you don't count the boys gaining their animagus forms or the epic school wide prank war that followed this accomplishment.