Harry Listens

A/N: Thanks to my wonderful Beta, LtsHrIt4ThBoyz.

**OO**

Chapter 10 - And they all lived...

**OO**

Three years later, June 24, 1996

The Magical Museum of Inventions in Brisbane, Australia was fascinating.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Or do we behold the missing Harry Potter?" Fred asked.

It was summer break in Britain for those of Hogwarts age. They were meeting the Weasley family in Australia for a few days. Winter sports were on the menu, as well as taking in attractions like this.

Neville and Harry shook everyone's hands, while the girls exchanged hugs.

"You didn't come to Dum-dum's funeral. Everyone was expecting you." George noted.

Apparently, Sirius and Remus' efforts to destroy Albus Dumbledore's reputation in Britain were working. Releasing only the truth, and only in bits.

"I bet. Well, now that war has hopefully been averted, I can visit later. Right now we're having fun. Let the Minister of Magic do her job and catch the last of the bad guys." Harry opined.

Not all Death Eaters were marked, but estimates around Britain were pretty awful. The people who had gotten their Dark Marks removed were blessing Gringotts and counting the curse-breakers as literal life-savers. The follow on was improved goblin/wizard relation improvements across the board.

"But if you've been in Australia, how did you catch so many Death Eaters?" Ron asked.

Harry sighed. Despite all of the efforts to stay out of the public eye, and avoid any mention of prophecy, there it was. Harry tried to avoid his celebrity as a dark wizard destroyer, but it just wouldn't go away. Harry wanted to be known as an artist!

It would take years to fade, and even without a recursion of the Dark Lord, he was honored for the rest of his life as being the Vanquisher of Voldemort.

The last few remaining unmarked Death Eaters were very smart about it all. Their master had claimed immortality. They would lie low, pretend to be good little citizens while occasionally muggle-baiting but for the most part, living quiet lives.

The challenge for the aurors was to track down these small incursions as they happened and root out the last of the scum. It was slow going, but eventually the few left learned.

Live in peace, or go to Azkaban. Even the dumbest learned to make wiser choices.

Harry and Hermione enjoyed their visit with the Weasleys very much, but Ginny didn't. Seeing the sparkly on Hermione's finger fully crushed her long-held dreams of marrying Harry.

Neville and Luna on the other hand had a lot of fun playing in the snow. They hadn't done that much at all since leaving Britain.

It was very unusual to actually feel cold.

**OO**

Mr Eloysius Sayre was very strict. He had a 'three strikes, and you're out' at Merlin's Legacy. Some of the pureblood children who had begged to live with Draco rather than Pleasant Oaks thought that they could get away with anything there. They were wrong. It was a private manor and those that didn't want to follow the rules didn't have to live there.

Their only alternative in the Wizarding World was Pleasant Oaks.

Molly Weasley had a no-nonsense attitude when it came to raising young witches and wizards and hired like-minded mother dragons and father figures.

Marcus Flint chose poorly, and wound up forgetting about magic. Pansy, on the other hand, followed Draco's path. She had a huge crush on Draco, but followed the rules of propriety (mostly) and didn't stalk him.

Too much.

Pansy really liked potions, a lot, and discovered cooking. Here was a branch of magic she had never explored before. Sally had all of the children help in the kitchen at the manor and when they were older, at the ice cream store.

Pansy's experience led her to become at first a sous-chef, and then a master chef after going to a magical culinary school in Paris to obtain the magical version of a Cordon Bleu.

And not once did she use her wand to harm anyone. She rejected the dark path completely, and never regretted her choices.

**OO**

Saturday, July 6, 1996, Paris

Harry was having so much fun. Amelia Bones had sent a letter that was routed through Gringotts and she wanted to meet with him. He had agreed to it as long as she sat for a portrait. The arrangements for what she wore and so forth were made in advance.

If she treated this as a young person with no skills; making stick figures, that was her choice. Harry knew that by restricting her movements, he would be safer. The family was still on edge after several kidnapping attempts and Harry was still technically a minor.

They met at a Black townhome in Paris. Percy and Penny came to be there as well as Remus Lupin. She had clearly heard about Sirius' trial but no one in the family wanted to risk an incident.

"Harry Potter? It's nice to meet you." Amelia Bones said, shaking hands professionally.

Harry had all of his tools and an easel ready. "Please come and sit down. I wanted to paint you as a gift for Susan Bones. I assume that you are related. You can still talk, but just try not to move."

This woman was dangerous - one didn't get to be director of the DMLE without some serious skills.

As Harry got started, Amelia pointed to a chest that she had brought with her.

"As you know, Dumbledore passed away several years ago. That he tried to send you a deathly cursed object has had several people up in arms. His brother wants to keep nothing of his. He has a nice library of several advanced books on alchemy, potions and transfiguration. The Wizengamot ruled that these would be given to you since the old wizard insanely tried to kill you."

Harry nodded. He was sure that the woman would have had them checked, but Bill, Percy's older brother, was a curse-breaker as well. The items were checked before they were allowed to come close to the lad. The Black wards on the townhome would have rejected her and the chest if she had evil intent. The results wouldn't have been pretty.

"Are you planning on returning to Hogwarts for your NEWTs? Everyone understands why you've stayed away from Dumbledore's machinations. But he's been dead for three years. I presume you've finished your OWLs this year as Susan did?"

"Actually Madam Bones, we have been working on our studies with tutors and with no one with only two brain cells like Crabbe to keep us from progressing. I have passed 14 OWLs all with Outstandings, and 12 NEWTs with that grade as well. Did I mention that these were the ICW standard? I am now working on my first Mastery. Magical Portraiture. Not many go into the field as you have to have a certain power level of magic to paint, to animate the picture, and do the spells that continue to store the memories of the person that they are attached to. Complicated magic and I love it. Of course, being me, there's a new twist."

Madam Bones goggled, but stayed still. The long emerald green dress she wore, with a medal unfamiliar to Harry on her left shoulder, and a triple string of pearls was her only jewelry. Harry wished she had worn a tiara as she sat like a great lady. He debated sending Dobby for one, but let it go for the moment.

"Oh, well then. I'm going to disappoint Susan in my quest to get you to return to Hogwarts." Amelia said with a small frown.

"Yes, and you should let her know that Hermione and I are dating."

"That's already international news. You two were caught in an embrace by Teen Witch Weekly in Monaco. That fundraiser for Beauxbatons." Amelia shared. She didn't say that witches' hearts around the world broke at that picture.

"Right. Well." At least his dolphin painting fetched a nice bid for the French school's coffers. It was the least he could do as Madame Maxime had tried to protect them. And helped them with schooling after they left there. She didn't have to do that.

Madam Bones asked him a few more personal questions that he mostly evaded.

"Is there any chance that you might just see Susan socially? You know, go for a walk sometime in Diagon Alley? She has such a crush." Amelia pushed.

"I'm sorry. I will send you a personalized autographed picture to give her just like I do with any other request of this nature. But that picture is all I can give of myself. My heart already belongs to another. Hermione and I have kept this from the papers, so far. We are betrothed, and will marry when I am seventeen."

Madam Bones shook her head. "You and your father and your grandfather, Charlus. He saw Dorea Black when they were first years on the train. James met Lily, and never looked anywhere else for love. You met Hermione on the train. I wonder if your great-grandfather did that as well."

Harry frowned at that. He'd have to ask. "I have invented something new. I have a way of painting people after they have passed. I have a magical device that will help me with the memories of the people. I just need to find better images of my grandparents to do their portraits. I'm told they had them made, but Death Eaters appear to have destroyed the castle and everything in it. A few books were saved by the library elf. I don't have any pictures of them."

"That I can help you with. Charlus was a maverick in the Wizengamot, and my father admired him very much. I know that my family has pictures. I'll owl you copies."

"Thank you, Madam Bones. I'm happy to pay you back for that."

"Nonsense. I came here to try and get you interested in a date, and you saw through that ruse. And you made sure that I didn't make any sudden moves towards you. You have three adults in this room ready to take me down if I tried."

Remus chuckled. "Well, we promised you that you would be safe. And if there hadn't been multiple kidnapping attempts, first by Dumbledore, then by Diggle, then by another cronie, we might have been friendlier. Now that Albus' faction seems to have given up, we'll likely relax. A bit."

Percy added. "Maybe?"

Penny, from near Madam Bones' other side, added "Not a chance."

"Look, the family goes to Disneyland Paris semi-regularly. The next time we go, we'll invite you and Susan and Seamus or someone that might be a good fit for her." Remus suggested.

"Cedric Diggory, perhaps," Penny suggested.

Harry nodded. "Nice chap, he's not going professional?"

"No, he's working with his father. I think you beating him to the snitch as a firstie dented his confidence." Amelia shared.

Harry shook his head. The sketch of her was done, and now that they had chatted, he did ask Dobby to bring in the Black diadem.

"Would you consider wearing this for the portrait? You really do look like a queen." Harry asked gently.

Amelia smiled a genuine smile. The Bones family had a similar artifact. She would have worn it at her wedding if her fiance hadn't been murdered by the dark one.

"I agree. Wait! You said you have a way of painting people from the past? Susan's parents didn't make portraits. Neither did my Alain. Could we? I mean? Is it really possible?"

Harry asked Dobby to bring his parents there.

"Captain Amelia Bones! You look…" James was startled, but it had been some time.

"Old? Jamie? Lily? How… how?" Amelia had stood, but sat quickly in shock.

The Potter couple looked much as they did in life. Walking around fluidly, not like other portraits she had seen. They shared a hug and looked ready to kiss.

"MUUMM!"

"Sorry Harry. It's just. Well, Amelia and Alastor whipped us recruits into shape very quickly back in the day." James explained.

"Harry? Did you paint these?" Amelia was very impressed.

"I did. They are my journeyman project. My Master was quite pleased with the efforts."

The truth was that they were waiting on politics more than anything for Harry to sit for his Mastery. As it was, they planned to do it later that summer, making him the youngest Master on record.

"I'll make you a list of people I need to have portraits done for," Amelia stated in awe.

"Madam Bones." Penny, acting on Harry's behalf, walked over with a price list.

"These are very expensive and draining to make. Months of effort." Penny explained.

Amelia paled and reduced the list back to bare bones. "Edgar, his wife, My Alain. You'll need a good deposit to buy materials."

"And a good quality photograph. Preferably more than one that has good images of all sides are best." Harry shared.

Several pictures were taken of Amelia before she left, but Harry had the full sketch done at that point and really didn't need them.

"Thank you, Harry. This type of art has never been done before. Painting of the dead. When word gets out, you'll be inundated with orders."

"That's why we aren't advertising. And this? Returning people to those who lost loved ones to Voldemort are first in line." Harry stated emphatically.

"That's why you agreed to meet me even though you were worried I'd try to force you back to England! You're trying to restore at least a part of what was lost! Oh, bless you!"

Harry smiled. "Something you can help me with, Madam Bones; we're helping people like you that suffered losses in the war. I need to know who could benefit from this work. I have already painted Fabian and Gideon for Molly as a surprise."

"I'll talk to Alastor. Whole families were too often targeted, so there would be no one left, like the McKinnon's. He'll know. I don't know how we made it through that time. And then you rescued us all. And now, you are giving back a taste of our loved ones before we are reunited in Avalon. This is wonderful!"

Harry nodded and made his excuses to leave the room.

"Did I say something wrong?" Amelia asked worriedly.

Lily spoke up, "No. The boy feels guilty in not rescuing us before our deaths. He was a baby! He wasn't responsible. And Emma Granger made sure that he knew that he wasn't responsible for fighting any more new dark lords unless that's what he really wanted to do. I think that would be a waste of his talents though."

James nodded, wishing that he could run after Harry himself.

Amelia carefully placed the tiara back in its box, and shook hands with everyone there. She wrote out a draft for a sizable deposit and promised more after talking to Gringotts.

She could see from the sketch that the boy had a true gift. All this time, she had been trying to get Harry to go on one short date with Susan.

And he turned that selfish motive into an opportunity to help her family.

Before she left, Remus handed her a letter. "Do you know why you were the first one approached? Because you never tried to recruit Harry to fight or treat him as a soldier. The whole family thanks you for your efforts. This is Harry's way of showing his thanks, even if he is paid for his work."

Amelia nodded. Feeling humbled, and more than a bit guilty, Director Bones walked in the light rain towards the French Ministry of Magic building. She had some people to say hello to that she had been avoiding for too long.

**OO**

Now that Andi had finished her own Mastery (with the help of Sirius' portkey, money, and connections), Potion Mistress Tonks smiled at her small class.

She had started teaching Harry and Hermione when they first escaped to Sirius' private isle. After a Black Family meeting, one in which 'Lord Black' requested potential heirs to be educated together, Neville and Luna joined their little group.

No, Luna was not male nor a Black, but she wanted to ride on the seahorses of the area which made Hermione scoff and Harry laugh.

She became a proper younger sister to them both as she flobberwormed her way into their hearts.

Neville too became family.

During the search for the final destruction of all of Tom Riddle's bits, Alastor Moody and Andi's daughter (Just Call Me Tonks) were frequent visitors. And still were.

Emma put down her foot that Harry was not a child soldier and wouldn't be learning how to kill people silently from twenty meters. Not while under HER roof.

Well, it was technically Sirius' house, but still.

Sirius agreed completely and supported Harry in learning arts, sciences, and history. And not being forced to fight dark lords.

Andi had taken Hermione and Neville as potion apprentices now that they were done with their NEWTs. Neville's natural affinity for plants was something that he shared with his mother. He and his mother had planned on taking a Masteries in Herbology when Aggie (Augusta Lily Longbottom) was old enough for the primary school that Sally Celeste was offering at Merlin's Legacy. But then his mother Alice fell pregnant again.

Neville wanted masteries in both, so why not start his potion's master now and beat Snape's old record? Not that there was any hard feeling left at his treatment by the man during his first year at Hogwarts.

Alice would be ready for Herbology by the time they were done. Unless they planned to rival the Weasleys, that was.

It was the perfect opportunity to continue to stay on the island.

**OO**

Luna was going to be popping back and forth from the island as she pursued her own mastery. There had been talk of something in Seattle. Then, mysteriously, Luna received an invite to come to Paris and work with Newt Scamander and his family.

Luna had given Harry a very pointed look and then proceeded to drag him off for a private walk.

Harry tried to defend himself. "What? Newt had some weird creature or other that was sick, and heard from Gringotts about a person who could speak to animals. I helped him out. Why are you looking at me like that? Why wouldn't I brag about you while I was there?"

And bring copies of her NEWTs scores, and pictures of her interacting with local wildlife. Though that part went unsaid.

"Do you know what a Mastery earned with HIM in this field will mean for me?" Luna asked.

"That we can continue to go to Disneyland Paris with some of the kids from the orphanage from time to time?"

Luna stamped her foot, threw her hands in the air, and kissed Harry on the lips for the first and only time.

Harry pulled away, deeply sad to hurt someone he loved. "I can't. You. Me. I love Hermione. She's going to be my wife."

Luna nodded. She was okay with the thought of a trio, but Harry wasn't. She and Neville had been together as boyfriend and girlfriend but they were taking things very slowly. Now with Neville pursuing potions, she could collect feathers and all sorts of interesting animals for his work. Just as long as she didn't have to kill anyone.

"I love you, and respect you. I meant to thank you, that's all the kiss meant." Luna lied. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. Oh, I have a commission for three more portraits. Penny was brilliant! 'It's so draining. Months of work…' Did you get her to say that?"

Luna's look was all mischief. "Of course. Honestly Harry. There's more than just one kind of painting. Like your dolphins and turtles."

Now that they felt a bit safer, Master Giovanni had placed some of Harry's journeyman work for sale to benefit the Italian, Spanish, and French magical schools. It led to quite a bit of interest in 'Master Giovanni's apprentice' who's name was being kept secret until the Mastery Board.

"You want me to paint for Newt Scamander! I already have, my friend. It's just not something we talk about much." Harry admitted.

Luna smiled. Being in magical Paris would give her an opportunity to learn so much. And Magizoologist Scamander still traveled everywhere.

"I will plan on coming home every weekend," Luna warned.

"Or we'll come to you." Harry offered.

They smiled, held hands innocently, back to normal, and returned to the house. Harry went looking for Hermione. She was brewing but he interrupted and kissed her deeply.

"What was that for, love?" Hermione queried.

Andi was amused by Harry's actions, but said nothing as Hermione, a little mussed and her hair wilder than normal returned to her cauldron.

"New commission celebration. I'll tell you more later. Love you!" Harry took off before Andi made him chop something. He had enough work of that sort in his own studio to do.

Harry was off to said studio which used to be the formal ballroom. Master Giovanni was teaching art part-time in England at Malfoy Manor to 'plant seeds in the empty soil of artistic England'.

The fact that his beloved Nym-pha-dor-a also lived there was just a bonus.

**OO**

July 17th, Mastery Board, ICW

Harry double-checked his cases. Molly had needed the help of the extra elves for the orphanage, so right now it was just him and Dobby.

"Dobby is being very proud of Master Harry."

Harry knelt down and hugged his shorter friend. "I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you, Dobby. For everything."

Hedwig preked from a nearby perch. "And you too, Hed. I need you too."

Harry shook his head. She could be so jealous at times.

Master Giovanni came into the room.

"I will be back to paint here. The gift of the bungalow's use for the rest of my life is too much, but I won't decline it. Sirius Black is a good guardian. He has provided the best of everything for us, my wonderful student."

Harry nodded. The family would be waiting in the gallery for the results, but it was time.

"No worries if you do not pass the first test! It sometimes takes many tries." Master Giovanni reminded him for the twentieth time. Harry was counting.

Honestly! The man was more nervous than he was!

They went before the Mastery board. The great painters of the age, some over a hundred. Harry sat out some of his work. The portraits of his parents and Mrs Lovegood were last.

The mastery itself involved watching him paint, and he had the perfect subject. One of the ladies on the board lost her mother when she was only seven. She had pictures which he had been given copies of. Now, the proof would be in the finish.

Remus helped him with the enclosed area behind the easel to hide the actual spirit from being seen.

When it came time to imbue the memories, Harry bowed to the assembly.

"I will not deceive you by having a fake pensieve or anything else. I have an exclusive magical device of my family. It will not work for others. I have already shown you finished work, and I will finish this painting in front of you. Part of the process will be hidden for my safety as I do not wish others to steal it."

A small smooth stone was passed around. Indeed, no one could feel its magic or make it do anything. Harry took it back.

"Mr Potter. Excuse me. Lord Potter. Please, you have our magical oaths to keep your secrets. We all have painting secrets."

Harry proceeded, and imbued the painting with memories. As it began to move, the subject locked eyes with her daughter.

"Triana! My baby! How beautiful you are!" The woman in the painting was speaking a dialect of the Pyrenees Mountains. Something that Harry Potter would have no way of knowing was the woman's native language.

The lady practically teleported to the finished painting.

Tears flowed down her cheeks as she spoke with her mother for the first time in more than forty years.

Turning to Harry, she pulled him in for a hug, and kissed both his cheeks effusively.

"It's my mother! It's really her! Oh! This is magic far beyond anything I can do. I vote for his Mastery."

The people had seen memories of the lad preparing the paints. Had watched him grind the pigments, even collect the eggs himself for the freshest of yolks for the wash.

Every step was at a mastery level, but none of them could attempt this kind of magical work. There was one older man that claimed it was a cheap trick. A forgery. That the boy had found a master work and had done a switching spell.

But there was a charm to verify the artist, even long after they had passed. Many magicals could perform the charm and worked in muggle art and collectibles authentication. The world's most renowned expert was there, and he was called in to evaluate the painting and let them know who the painter was.

An image of a young man, messy hair, a bit of umber coloring his cheek was displayed. After that, the vote went through with the man now abstaining who called Harry a cheat.

Giovanni would later reassure Harry he was just jealous as his paintings were not nearly the quality of Harry's.

Lord Harry James Potter received his Mastery of Magical Portraiture two weeks before his sixteenth birthday.

Harry accepted warm hugs and congratulations from the family and called for Dobby. The house-elf would never come on his own.

"What is Master Harry going to do now?" Dobby asked.

Harry beamed.

"Sirius? Can we go to DisneyWorld?"

**OO**

July 19th, Malfoy Manor

Tonks got off the mirror and shared the news with the whole adult team. They streamed into the living room and split off into groups. Dora's group was the smallest with just Draco and his younger sister.

"We are going to DisneyWorld! All of us. Draco? Can I please see you alone for a moment?" She sent Nicole off to join another group so that they could talk.

"It's taken a while, but I finally found a safe dinosaur park in Florida for us to visit. You can feed them and everything. They can be dangerous, but there are lots of safety protocols in place. Would you like to go?"

So far, every zoo that Tonks had taken them to, either in small groups or everyone, had been fine. No dinosaurs running around and eating anyone. Even the lawyers were safe.

But secretly, Draco had been ever so slightly disappointed. He didn't want to have to run for his life or risk getting eaten, but… Dinosaurs! He'd also visited Dean Thomas for a couple of weeks every summer and he had Jurassic Park on video tape; Draco had watched the movie multiple times. He was somewhat obsessed.

"Okay. I'm game. It will be fun." Draco decided. Besides, he had his wand and emergency portkey. If they were in danger, he could pop away.

"We're going to get a bunch of new t-shirts to annoy Auntie Walburga with. Just watch!" Tonks added.

Gatorland did indeed have many, many dangerous dinosaurs on display, and Draco even got to toss one some raw chicken that was eaten in the chomping of huge teeth-filled jaws. Very gross. (And. So. COOL!)

They were indeed kept safe. If questioned, Draco was a little disappointed not to see the larger ones, but that got taken care of at Epcot.

No one was telling Draco that they were only robots. Nope.

**OO**

Saturday, September 26, 1998

Luna traveled the world with Newt and Tina Scamander. Luna, following the promptings of her heart, finally found a crumpled-horn snorkack in South Africa. They were playing with penguins, and Luna rescued a foundling.

They wound up bringing it home, and it became part of the Scamander menagerie.

Pictures of her find were printed in all sorts of papers, but her favorite was the Quibbler.

Newt's grandson was so very impressed with the girl that he proposed marriage by letter. He hadn't even met her yet.

Luna knew of Rolf of course. She had walked out to the wide veranda to think about her life.

Neville walked up next to her. "Luna? You seemed very quiet at dinner. Is everything alright?"

Rather than hide it, Luna handed over the letter. Neville didn't mean to, but he crushed, then tore it up.

"No. NO! Please, Luna! I love you. I know that I have been slow off the mark, but I wanted to let you explore and see other people before asking. I can't lose you like this! He's famous, wealthy. Probably good-looking too. I have nothing but me to offer you."

Luna looked at him. "A true heart is all I desire, Neville."

"Think about it. I want to find and nurture rare plants. You want to find and nurture rare animals. We're a good fit." Neville begged.

Luna gave him a plant that the injured snorkack had been eating. It wasn't in any catalog that they could find. Neville was given the credit for discovery though it was Luna. And she demurred about it all.

"Marry me. Please Luna. Make me complete." Neville asked.

Luna thought about some of the people that she had met. They had been attracted by her beauty, then repulsed by her speech.

Neville had never belittled her or rejected her.

"Yes. I will. I love you too." Luna replied gently before being swept up into a very sweet kiss.

They married at Yule with the entire island in attendance. It was a double wedding as Hermione and Harry wanted something very simple, and Hermione's mother thought this was the best. They weren't hard to convince to join in.

Sirius and Remus pulled no pranks. At all. They did send letters to the twins of all of the pranks that they thought about though.

**OO**

Harry made his mark on the magical world by being able to make portraits of those who had gone ahead, and give families a connection to their ancestors. Well, of those that hadn't done their portraits.

Finding out that Lord Voldemort had killed her cherished son had given Walburga a new lease and look on painted life.

She became a wonderful resource of how to be the best Lord Black that Percy could be from the minute that Regulus started visiting.

Walburga also taught Lady "Penny" Black, as though she were her own daughter, in the High Art of Hosting: The secret meanings of flowers, place settings, and even foods. One could insult, praise, exhort or bribe with various and sundry flora and fauna.

It was certainly an aspect never taught at Hogwarts!

Harry Potter never did return to Britain, and Percy wound up as proxy for the Potter seat for many years until Harry and Hermione's only daughter entered political service.

Harry and Hermione's son Daniel James Potter was a very quiet child, and enjoyed being his father's shadow and also went into art. The youngest child, Regulus Remus Potter was a prankster from the time he was a toddler and kept everyone on their toes. It was their middle child who turned heads with her beauty and converted hearts with her cool logic and rhetoric.

Emma Rose Potter's focus was on the magical rights of house-elves, centaurs, goblins, and other intelligent magical beings. She was the clone of her mother, but had her father's vivid green eyes. Eyes that glowed the color of the killing curse when angry, much to the distress of those few beings left in the Wizengamot that had sympathetic feelings towards the Dark Lord.

She also inherited her father's strong empathetic powers that helped her see both sides of difficult issues. People talking to her felt like they had been heard, that she had really listened.

She ignored Auntie Luna's suggestions of equal rights for merfolk and seahorses as they really had no interest in such things. The seahorses in particular just wanted to play and catch fish. They didn't understand why magicals wasted so much time working when they had water to swim and play in!

Some people called seahorses by another name. In this case, dolphins, of course.

Luna worked with magical animals gathering shed skins, feathers, and that sort of thing but refused to kill anyone and would disappear with animals that she thought might be bought for that purpose.

Sirius met a local witch from one of the nearby islands and brought her home. He eventually fathered four children, and never returned to Britain.

Remus was eventually cured by the quartet of Andromeda, Hermione, Emma and Dan's medical work (with special secret consultation with the world's Premiere Potions Master, Severus Snape. "Tell anyone and I'll deny it!"). The cure allowed lycanthropy to be wiped out. Fenrir Greyback fought back by attacking a group of Hogwarts students, kidnapping them, and infecting them.

This did not please the inventors of the cure in the least. Especially since Severus Snape was an unnamed "co-conspirator" and Order of Merlin recipient for it!

As much as he had wanted praise and accolades when he was younger, the reality and notoriety was not as pleasant as Severus dreamed. He fulfilled Lily's request to aid in the research and used the gold provided for it. There was still gold left that he used to research cures for children's maladies.

Lavender Brown had graduated but was on a date with Seamus Finnegan at the time of the attack. They were also taken and both bitten that night.

In the morning, she and Seamus got the children out, and to the hospital. They were all given the cure, and Lavender had purposefully left her scarf in the cave where they'd been taken.

She was able to lead the aurors to the rest of the pack, and they were all cured as well.

Fenrir fought it, but he was executed free of the disease. With his claims of planning to escape and finding a werewolf to bite him, he was considered too dangerous for incarceration.

Lavender and Seamus had some scars from that night and earned an Order of Merlin, First Class, for their efforts in saving the children and bringing the attackers to Justice.

Lavender would spend the rest of her life developing beauty products to remove or disguise curse wounds, and Seamus became an auror. Their survival and efforts in the attack bound them closely, and they married.

Percival, Lord Black, eventually became Headmaster of Hogwarts and had a certain portrait to contend with.

**OO**

"But Percy, my dear boy, can't you see, this is for all magical kind? You have to look at the bigger picture!"

Penny was working in a new position that had been created twenty-five years before. Castle Seneschal. Penny was in charge of the castle. Period. The head elves came to her about everything involved in running a large place.

Having worked as a Healer, Penny wanted to do something else. Plus, she would be on hand if a second person was needed in the infirmary. It wasn't the Depute of Hogwarts - that was for Percy's able assistant Padma Patil Davies. Her husband Roger was teaching the lower years charms. Professor Flitwick wanted to retire in a few years. He would take over the upper years when his apprentice, when Draco, and his muggleborn wife's oldest daughter, Hera Celeste Malfoy, began the teaching portion of her apprenticeship.

More grey than red-headed now, Percy was feeling old. Both Penny and Padma looked at Percy with pity. Dumbledore was on Rant #3 and wasn't losing steam.

"Headmaster Dumbledore. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger's youngest graduated from Brisbane's Academy of Magical Sciences with the highest NEWTs ever recorded. Harry hasn't returned to Britain and doesn't plan to. They like living in more enlightened places of the world."

"What? They had children and never married? That's despicable!" Dumbledore spat.

Padma shook her head and handed Penny a knut. "They did. Fifty years ago. You weren't invited since you were busy."

Busy being dead, but no one was rude enough to say it.

"But Harry was supposed to marry a nice Light-sided girl like your sister, Jenny."

"Ginny did marry a nice bloke. Dean Thomas. They gave Molly a nice pair of grandchildren along with our twins." Penny informed. Again. Was Dumbledore truly being obtuse? Or did really forget?

Penny had difficulty with the birth, and so they had adopted children that had expressed magic, but were in the muggle foster system that had landed them at Merlin's Legacy. So far, that meant eight of them total.

Penny hoped that being here wouldn't prompt any more additions to their family. All of them were grown and on their own. And she was happy with this stage of their lives.

"But Harry Potter has to die before Voldemort is defeated!" The grumpy old wizard insisted. In some ways, the MOB was far more difficult than Walburga had been on her worst days. Hmm.

"The prophecy orb you told us about is completed. Dark, black, finished. Dead. What words do I need to use to get you to understand?" Percy demanded.

Dumbledore continued his rant, even after the standard threat was made again. This time, Percy followed through.

And Harry Potter returned to Hogwarts for the first time since he left as a little firstie.

"Place is smaller than I remember." Harry said, a bit sad to be here, really. This had been the first place he had ever felt safe. Well, until Snape's first class… Well, safer.

"Harry, my boy! You didn't open the ring and talk to me!" Painted Albus whinged.

"Well, considering that you didn't dispel the mummifying curse on it, I rather think it is obvious I didn't wear the ring. I'm alive. And I am here to relieve Percy's ongoing headaches."

"I didn't know you had become a healer. I thought you were in art." The portrait complained.

"Correct. Now. How about a few modifications to your portrait?"

Hermione was the healer in the family, but Harry was NOT talking about her with this menace.

Dumbledore looked like he was about to complain, but actually didn't want to say anything that made the boy leave. He had to get him to see reason!

Most of the work was done in advance of course. Harry couldn't stand to be here. Dobby was very upset about his coming here. Harry thought he heard him mumble something about quidditch balls.

Due to the magic of the castle, destroying Albus' portrait had done no good. A new copy was reformed each time in the Headmaster's office. That had been tried, more than once.

Putting it in a side room, a storage room, the kitchens, or even a broom closet hadn't worked. The one time that Sirius and Remus shrunk and moved it to the boy's urinal was gratifying, but alas, he was rescued once again by Hogwarts.

This time, Harry hoped that the castle would hear his plea, and leave Dumbledore there.

He painted Number Four Privet Drive, the cupboard under the stairs. Christmas dinner was being cooked in the kitchen, some of the food was on the table already.

As tears ran down his face, he moved Dumbledore from his portrait into the cupboard and painted the lock upon the door. The runes for locking him in were also sketched on the frame, along with a few extra parselscript runes.

"Hungry. Hurting. Hopeless. I was forced to cook and clean, but Christmas was one meal that Petunia insisted on doing entirely herself so I wouldn't burn anything or filch a forbidden bit. I made the pies days before, and got not one crumb or lick of a spoon that was not punished by a whack."

His feelings were being imbued in this portrait. Feelings that the person inside would feel.

He then painted an animated Dudley to run up and down the stairs at random intervals to have dust and spiders rain down on the occupant of the cupboard.

"When you can truly say that all of this was wrong. That you made a mistake. I will let you out." Harry promised.

Harry cleared the Headmaster's office before doing the last step, and used a prank of the twins to insure his privacy.

Using the resurrection stone brought forth the ACTUAL soul of Albus Dumbledore. Who would now spend some time here in prison.

Hogwarts had heard Harry's plea to put Dumbledore in a 'time out' of a sort. The sentient building was appalled at the picture painted. And this time did not move to rescue the former Headmaster.

Phineas Nigelus Black applauded. "Now that is a solution to your headaches, Lord Black!"

The other portraits agreed.

The family agreed that that was the perfect prank on Dumbledore. If it was for the Greater Good, then Albus needed a slice.

Ten, twenty, fifty years passed and Albus Dumbledore was still unable to admit that he'd been wrong. Still refused to accept that no one needed to die to defeat an already defeated dark lord and that all of his plans and machinations had been borne of the need to control the Wizarding World and the wish to be the one at the controls.

It would be far into the future before the man thought that maybe, just maybe, he might have made a mistake.

**OO**

The world turned and the magical world advanced without the Machiavellian chess master working behind the scenes to suppress those advancements.

Magicals were closing in on the muggles in science, medical advancements, communications, and arts and entertainment. The WizardNet was a 'thing' and blood purity wasn't! Clean air, clean water, and clean free energy had their infancy on the Magical side of the Statue of Secrecy and had been the catalyst for the ending of it. Without bloodshed or jealousy or fear.

When a species of humans with special abilities helps the entire world end poverty, hunger, and disease, what's there to fight over?

**OO**

Harry and Hermione had a long and mostly peaceful life. There were a few times that certain criminals tried to force Harry to paint for them. Harry was very talented, and would get himself out and then talk to the house-elves, pets, and wild animals in the area.

More than once, Harry painted someone who had been murdered just to bring the criminals to justice. Augusta's dueling lessons came in handy more than once as well.

Harry got to know his godmother very well, and he and Hermione were lifelong friends with all of the Longbottoms.

Neville and Luna traveled the world and stayed in touch with the Potters. Alice had three more children after their recovery, and the Longbottoms also fostered others.

Neville stayed in close contact with his parents and settled in Cherry Hill with Luna when the couple decided to have children.

It was likely due to that last prank of Sirius' oldest son, James, but it might have been Remus' youngest daughter. Neither Longbottom really got into pranks and thought they missed the warmth of the island, were happier with being the same color and wearing the clothes they wanted all day.

Trips to the Seychelles were very common, however, and the families started to respect their pranking limits..

Like Sirius, Moony found a local witch to marry, but they shared the same home for the rest of their lives. Harry and Hermione lived at various places, sometimes with her parents in France where they 'managed' one of the Potter properties for Harry. Sometimes with Sirius and Remus.

With Harry's work, they were constantly on the go. And the tent that Dobby picked up for them was in continuous use for many years. Though the bunk rooms were transformed into a portable studio. Hermione was certified in all of the European countries to work, but she was interested in disease research and how to develop cures.

Dobby fell in love with Winky. She became his mate and bore him children that would aid the Potter and Black family for many years. Though they were never treated poorly and often offered freedom, the house-elves chose to stay. They wanted to bond with and live with the kind and loving Potters.

And while never comfortable with it completely, Dobby and Winky were known to sit at the table with just Harry and Hermione and share a meal. And share outrageous stories of how Dobby had originally planned to rescue Harry if he hadn't heeded the warning.

But Harry did. Harry listened. And the result was that he, and his family and friends…

Lived Happily ever after.

The End.

**OO**

A/N - Thanks for reading.

A/N: Story recommendation from Kind Reader Marcus Kyle: If Looks Could Kill by questionablequotation.