Previously on A very Black plan: Harry moved to Potter Manor together with Hedwig and her owlets. After a wonderful day full of exploring and a serious talk about his father with his grandparents, Harry went for a a evening of celebration with his new family members. Ted surprised him with his competitiveness when playing muggle games but it was a fun night either way. A family game night.
The next day Harry went to his meeting with Bloodaxe after getting a letter in which he was told about the last of the Horcruxses other than Nagini had been destroyed. Meanwhile Harry had come up with a plan of his own. Believing he would never be able to take Voldemort in a duel, he asked the goblins if it was possible to appoint someone else as his hand. Hopefully a goblin would agree to help him, otherwise Harry was afraid his Gran would do it. Or Hermione.
The goblins agreed that the prophesy allowed for someone to act as his hand and loaned three warriors to him as Vassels while Voldemort or one of his soul-shards still walked this earth. They took the Oath and popped away for their hunt.
Now Harry just had to sit still and wait for news.
It was only a few minutes later that Harry went to Longbottom Manor for some extra training so that he could take his mind of what was happening somewhere in Britain. He was not made for sitting still waiting for news, good or bad. Arriving at Longbottom Manor, Harry told everyone what was going on with the goblins and now everyone was nervous and seeking a distraction.
Gran went back to her paperwork and the others decided to go and destroy some dummies. It was nervewrecking to wait for news but exercising was a nice distraction. Attacking the dummies and imagining that it was either Voldemort, Dumbledore or Umbridge felt good. Then he got an idea and took a moment to Transfigure them into the ones he imagined. It felt very satisfying destroying them.
His friends saw what he was going and laughed until tears came out of their eyes. After calming down they joined him in Transfiguring the dummies in looking like the ones they wanted to curse.
Neville's had a shock of black hair and a demented grin on her face, Susan's just had a Death Eaters mask or to their surprise, Draco Malfoy and Hermione's was at first wearing a familiar pink suit before she Transfigured the dummie to look vaguely like a walrus and then a other one in a giraffe. She was particulair vicious to the last two and Harry was trying very hard not to smile. She cared.
Yet Amelia's choice to join in with their fun came as a shock to them all, hers was made to look fatter and was wearing a little bowler hat. Seeing their looks she just shrugged and said, "You kids do realise I've had to deal with that idiot for years, right? Sometimes a woman just needs to curse the object of their headaches."
Nodding in understanding they all turned back to their own dummies. It must be hard for Amelia to work fur such a dimwit as Cornelius Fudge. Gran came by and joined them. She couldn't concentrate on her paperwork so she decided to destroy some dummies herself. With a flick of her wrists there were three dummies standing there looking quite like the three Lestranges. And she destroyed them utterly.
Harry and Neville shared a look. Perhaps it was a good idea to ask their Gran for a few lessons.
But even while destroying the dummies he couldn't keep his mind of what might be happening. He'd never forgive himself if he sent those goblins to go to their death. Yet if they succeeded, it would change everything. It would be amazing if Voldemort just quietly died somewhere with only the people closest to Harry knowing what exactly happened.
After an hour full of offensive magic, the four teenagers got another lesson in magic sensing and it was going a lot better than the first few times. All four of them could now find the others without seeing where they are as long as they were in the same room or close to it. They were also able to feel if something was cursed or not. It would be a while before they could feel how exacly it was cursed but this was a great start. Amelia was really proud of them. Gran too, now that she had seen how they all had improved.
After training, the four of them, Gran and Amelia went to the sun room where the rest were too. They drank a cup of tea together and waited for one of the Elves to bring them news of the goblins.
Susan took a moment to tell them the story of how Draco Malfoy decided it was a good idea to bully her best friend, Hannah. The boy had been cruel to her shy friend for years but Hannah didn't want to go to her Head of House for it. Susan had enough. Either the blonde ferret would stop, or she would make him stop. Thanks to their training of this summer and the DA of last year she had finally the means to do something.
Hermione, Neville and Harry shared a look. They hadn't known that Malfoy went after other people outside Gryffindor. He should have know the arse wouldn't stop with just the Gryffindors. They would help Susan and Hannah with dealing with the ferret. That kind of behavior had to stop.
The bullying at Hogwarts was a real problem and it needed to stop. The teachers didn't do anything about it and the student had clearly stopped trusting them to do anything to stop it. Just look at Harry's second or fourth year. No one did anything to help him when the students turned agains him. Even faced with such clear prove of bullying with the buttons Malfoy made the teachers at Hogwarts did nothing.
Now Harry found out that it happened to other students too. It was not alright. It was not normal. It was not just children teasing each other or the ever used excuse of 'boys will be boys'.
Enough was enough.
Amelia and Gran clearly agreed with the looks on their faces. Harry hoped they were able to do something. Perhaps the Board of Governors could make some changes. Make some rules with real consequenses and make sure the teacher followed them too. To make sure the teachers paid more attention to what was happening under their noses.
It was on the second cup of tea that Kreacher popped in holding a letter. He gave it to Harry and he took it with shaking hands. Hermione grabbed his hand and didn't let go. Even Kreacher stayed to hear what the letter would say. Dobby and Effy also popped in and settled in to listen quietly.
The people around him barely dared to breath when he opened the letter to read aloud.
Lord Black,
We are proud to inform you that our warriors have succeeded in their mission. The last Horcrux has been destroyed and the three warriors were able to dispose of the false lord Voldemort and a few extra minor threats to yourself without much harm to themselves.
Your Hands have succeeded in their task and the Prophecy has been fulfilled according to our Divanitions experts. I expect that you will release them from their oath proudly.
Sincerely,
Bloodaxe
Accountmanager of House Black
A cheer went up as Harry finished reading the letter and he got hugged by a very excited Neville. He laughed and went to turn around so he could hug Susan too. When they let go he saw Hermione standing there with a fierce look in her eyes. She walked over to him, holding his attention with a strange look in her eyes.
She seemed to walk towards him in slowmotion but then she stood in front of him and Harry could not look away from her. There was a strange energy charging the air and Harry was unsure about what was going on. She was clearly planning something. Was she gonna hug him? Hit him? He didn't know. Hermione then did something that just about shocked the magic out of him.
She kissed him.
It took him a moment to react but not for long. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her back. How long had he wished to have to courage to do something like this? It felt like years had passed since he first realised he liked, no loved this girl. Of course it was Hermione who took this first step, who had the courage to do something about it. His brave lioness.
In the distance he could hear his friends applauding and he even heard a vague 'finally' from Gran. Breaking the kiss, Harry put his forehead to hers and just breathed. Looking in her eyes he could see all his feelings mirrored back to him. They had been stupid, hadn't they?
She loved him too.
He wrapped his arms around her as he told her quiely, "Talk soon?"
Hermione nodded firmly. This talk was long overdue.
Grabbing her hand he went over to Amelia and Gran looking at him with such pride in their faces. It made him feel kinda bashful to have that directed at him while he barely even did anything. The goblins were the real heroes here. They had done everything, destroying the Horcruxes and now even killing Voldmort.
Both Amelia and Gran hugged him and told him that they were very proud of him and the way he took care of everything this summer. Now that Voldemort was gone they just had the Death Eaters to take care of.
He was so glad that it was finally over. He never had to worry about Voldemort or that damned Prophecy ever again.
And since the Death Eaters were Amelia's job she immediately went back to work so that the Aurors could round up all the Death Eaters and find out which Death Eaters had been killed as soon as possible. But first she had to send them out to search for Voldemorts body. After all, the goblins did not want it known that they defeated Voldemort where others could not. Better for this to be a happy accident or something. She still had some time before the official statement.
Harry went to grab his wand so he could release the three warriors from their oath. Bloodaxe had assured him that it could be easily done without even the three Vassals being near him. The threat was over and they deserved their freedom. So he said while holding his wand up, "I, Harry James Potter-Black, release these three from their oaths to me. Goblins Opaldagger, Paincleaver and Bob have fulfilled their oath and are hereby no longer vassals for House Potter, Black or Slytherin. This I say, so mote it be." A light flashed to signalise the acceptance of the dissolved oath.
After that Harry and Hermione went for a walk around the grounds. Neville told them oh so subtly that he had to do some work in his Greenhouse. He offered to Susan to come with him and with her quick agreement, offered her his arm and together they walked out of the Manor to the greenhouses of the Longbottoms.
Harry and Hermione were quiet for a while as they walked and it was nice. Peaceful. Harry didn't get to feel that very often but he hoped that now that Voldemort was truly dead that his life would be peaceful more often. He looked forward to it.
Suddenly Hermione stopped waking and just asked him, "Do you like me, Harry?"
It almost made him trip over his feet to hear her ask him that even after that kiss. Harry let go of her arm and rubbed the back of his head while blushing as he said, "Um... Well, erm... yes?"
Hermione looked at him with laughter in her eyes and a smile on her face before she stated resolutly, "Good, I like you too." Harry shouldn't have been surprised by her taking charge like this. Hermione was a very determined girl who knew what she wanted. Which was Harry apparentely.
Which was fine by him. But now it was time for him to take charge for a change and he said, "Hermione, you are my best and dearest friend. I have feelings for you and would like to go on a date with you. May I pick you up tomorrow at five? I'd like to take you to to my home for a dinner date if that is alright with you and your parents." Harry was very proud of himself for saying all of that without blushing or stammering even once.
Harry knew he was making it more nerve-wracking for himself by asking to pick her up at her parents house but he felt like they deserved to be a part of this too. A small part. Hermione was already gone for so much of their lives but they could be a part of this. If Hermione agreed at least.
She lit up at his words and quickly nodded, "Yes that's fine, thank you Harry. I would love to go on a date with you." She cast the time revealing spell and gasped. Harry saw that it was after five o'clock already so Hermione quickly said goodbye to Harry, kissed him on the cheek and ran back to the Manor so she could be brought home.
And left Harry stupified with his hand pressed to his cheek. Had that all really happened?
That was how Neville found him a few minutes later. He took one look at his friend and burst out with laughter as he tried to say, "I'm guessing that you and Hermione finally had that talk?"
Harry nodded and Neville told him, "Good, I really didn't want to see you guys pining for each other anymore."
That made Harry blush a bit. He hadn't been that bad, right? Ah well, who cares? He had a date with Hermione! They kissed!
Harry had been planning this date in his head for a while already so he wasn't really nervous. He would try to do his best to make this special but this was Hermione. His best friend. Any time spent with her would be great. He quickly told Neville what he had in mind for their date and was still just a bit relieved to hear that Neville thought it was a good plan.
So Harry called for Effy so he could ask if she could help him prepare for the date that would be in only a few hours. Alright a day, but still, he needed to make this a perfect as he could even though he knew she would be happy just to spent time with him.
"Effy!" He called and the little female Elf appeared.
"What can Effy be doing for Master Harry?" The cute Elf said. Harry quickly explained the situation and his plans for their date tomorrow.
The Elf started bouncing when she heard his requests and she quickly said, "Master Harry be wanting romantic date for lady-love? Effy be the Elf to ask! Effy be going right now to prepare Manor for all the romance!"
Harry had to tell her very quickly before she popped away that if she needed an extra pair of hands that Dobby would be happy to help her. If this was a slight nudge for Dobby to do something himself when the two Elves would be in a romantic setting, then no one had to know.
Effy agreed and popped away to make the Manor ready for her Master. Harry just hoped that she wouldn't go overboard with the romance. He might have romantic feelings for Hermione but they still were Hermione and Harry. Neither of them were a fan of over the top things.
Then Harry called for Dobby to ask him to discreetly spread the message to the Tonks family and Winky about the death of Voldemort and asked the Elf if he could go help Effy prepare the Manor for the date with Hermione tomorrow. The Elf was so excited with all the good news that he burst out in tears as he hugged Harry's legs, hard enough to make him fall down to Dobby's hight.
Harry hugged his friend and looked at Neville to see if he could help him. Unfortunately it seemed that Neville was overcome with emotions himself and was just about rolling over the ground with laughter at his friends plight.
Harry felt the sudden need to turn Neville in a duck again. He made for a very nice duck.
It took a while for Dobby to calm down again but after some time he left to go and help Effy with the preparations. Neville had calmed down too and was wiping his eyes while he chuckled before he said, "You have the best Elves, did you know that, Harry? They are hilarious!"
Harry agreed with his best friend but did he have to laugh at him like that? Althought it was nice to see that Neville was so relaxed. It wasn't often that his friend laughed this much.
Harry and Neville talked for a while and soon Susan joined them. After a lot of squealing when he told her about their date and what he had planned, she was clearly happy for them. She and Neville both. Apparently, Neville and Susan had just about been ready to lock them in a closet together.
After the happiness turned into teasing, Harry decided it was time to get home. He loved his friend but they were a bit much when they got going. He apparated back to Potter Manor and went to his room to see if he had a nice outfit for tomorrow. That was his only job for tomorrow, dress nice. He only had to tell his plans for the date to the Elves and they would do the rest for him.
He had actually started to like the suits that used to belong to Orion Black. They were fancy but with his title he needed to be fancy sometimes. And he was glad he had something nice to wear for the date with Hermione. He would have hated it if he had to wear Dudleys old clothes for something important like this.
Then he went to the ward stone so he could make sure that Hermione would be allowed throught tomorrow. It would not be a good first date if his date was thrown to Antarica for trespassing.
He hoped that she would like what he had planned for them. He really hoped that Hermione's parents would still like him now he'd be come by their house to pick their daughter up for a date.