Previously on A very Black Plan: The first article comes out announcing Deeply Demented Dumbledore to the world. Rita had written a perfect article with undeniable proof of Dumbledore's illness. It also questions what Dumbledore has been up to while sick. The Headmaster is furious but tries to keep it hidden as he pretends everything is alright.
The next day Harry and his friends go to the Come en Go Room to train. The girls ask Harry and Neville if they might watch them practise the Animagus Transformatiom. The boys agree, reluctantly. It not a pretty sight mid transformation and this time is no different.
Hermione breaks Harry's concentration with her laughter and she compares his to Cousin Itt. They laugh even more when Neville pouts with his bear snout. Training continues and after they go to breakfast together where they get their new schedules. Harry has taken the Runes exam and is allowed to join his yearmates class.
He promises himself to try his best this year, for himself and to make his parents proud. All of them.
Two days later and Harry was preparing for another busy day. Their professors seemed to think they didn't need free time anymore with all the homework they assigned their students. If this was the way the teachers acted in the beginning of the year, Harry was afraid of the assignments later this year as the exams came closer. Or next year when they had their NEWTS.
But today there would be a break in all the homework. Something to cheer everyone up a bit, Harry hoped. Today was the day of the second article but also the day Harry had planned his prank for. With some help from Dobby and Winky, who he had accepted into his family yesterday, it was ready.
Winky had been so very happy to be accepted into another family after her so called 'shameful behavior' with the Crouches. She cried when she felt the bond between master and Elf connect. Yet, it was clear Winky was a very powerful Elf. She was assigned to Grimmauld Place and according to Tonks it was almost unrecognisable. Winky managed in two days what Kreacher couldn't do this whole summer break. Tonks told Harry in her letter that Kreacher was very grateful for the female Elf help.
Harry just about skipped down the stairs that morning and Hermione, who was waiting for him in the common room, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are planning?"
"Nothing!" Unfortunately, that came out in a suspiciously high voice.
Hermione looked sceptical and Harry wished he was a better liar. He wanted it to be a surprise for everybody but he had asked her for advice while still in the planning fase for this prank so she probably had a good idea already. Thought he did made sure that she wouldn't know everything he was planning. Only Dobby knew the whole plan.
"Alright, alright, I can't lie to you, Mione. It's that thing we talked about for Sirius, it's gonna happen today."
Hermione's eyes widened, "Oh! Alright then."
Walking towards the Great Hall together, Harry felt a tug on his magic and saw Winky behind a suit of armor. Approaching the still skittish Elf where she was hiding in a hidden room behind the suit of armor, he knelt down to her level.
"Hi there, Winky. What's the matter? Is everything alright at Grimmauld Place?"
The small female Elf looked up to him with big shining eyes, "Master Harry and Miss Grangy, everthings is perfect! Kreacher be very kind to Winky and Grim Place needs lots of Elf love. Winky loves being there, cleaning and repairing! Master Harry, everything be prepared for yous funny business. Also, Master yous be having letter from Breaker of Bones."
He was glad she was so happy with him and that Kreacher was kind to her but what was that about funny business? And Breaker of Bones? Harry didn't know with which one he needed to begin but before he could decide, Winky gave him the letter and popped away again.
"Breaker of Bones? I can hear the capital letters there, do you know who or what she meant?" Hermione asked.
"No, not really. I mean, I have a pretty good guess with the funny business but so do you. Though she should probably learn not to call it that before people get the wrong idea. I guess that Barty Crouch sr. never pulled any pranks. But I've got no clue what or who the Breaker of Bones is. It doesn't sound good."
Hermione chewed on her bottom lip in worry. Harry bumped his shoulder against hers and opened the letter.
Lord Potter,
I, Goblin Warrior of the first class, am giving you, my former Lord some intel honorably recieved while guarding your Account Manager for the Potter Family. We of the goblin Nation have been approached by some characters we believe mean you harm.
Albus Dumbledore came to us with the demand we make a marriage contract for you, Lord Potter, in your name as your magical guardian. Now, since it was House business your Account Manager couldn't warn you directly. But I could in the name of the goblin nation you have always treated honorably.
Albus Dumbledore and Wesley Weasley, Head of House Weasley, made the contract for you and one Miss Ginevra Weasley. Terms were that if you and Miss Weasley should die, all your Houses wealth and titles would transfer to the Weasley family Head.
We refused as you are an adult and Lord of your Houses and now are able to make contracts with us yourself, should you wish to do so.
But be aware.
Albus Dumbledore is not yet done.
Sincerely,
BoB
No, this couldn't be true. The Weasleys were almost family to Harry. They couldn't have done this to him, right? He gave the letter to Hermione so she could read it. Magic sparked in her hair in anger and with pursed lips she gave the letter back.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermione wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hid his face in her hair and tried to relax his tense shoulders.
"No, not really. I need to know how far this goes, Mione. Could you get Ginny here?" He said in her curls.
"Of course! I'll be right back." Nodding resolutely, she ran off. Harry gripped the letter tight and just took a moment to breath. Fred, George, Ginny and Ron were his friends. He respected Bill and Charlie and cared for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
They wouldn't have tried to trap him in a loveless marriage, right? Reading through the letter again from Bob he noticed something else.
If he and Miss Weasley died.
That sounded like this Head of House Weasley was planning both their deaths. Mr. and Mrs Weasley loved their daughter. They couldn't be involved in this contract.
Right?
Footsteps approached and Harry looked up to see Hermione and Ginny.
"Harry? Hermione said you got a letter? Something involving my family?" Ginny looked pale. Oh! She must have thought it was a notice that something happened to one of her family members. Harry did tend to be the bearer of bad news for the Weasleys.
"Everyone is alright, Ginny. But I got this letter from Gringotts and it involves you." He gave her the letter.
Ginny relaxed a bit, hearing that. Hermione looked a bit guilty for not thinking about how her words could have been interpreted and not noticing Ginny's worries but Harry understood that she'd wanted Ginny to bring here as quickly as possible. If Dumbledore'd succeeded in making this contract it'd have had horrible consequences for all of them.
Hermione went to stand next to Harry and leaned agains him. He wrapped an arm around her as they watched Ginny read.
She paled and magic started to rise around her in a thick mist. Ginny was furious.
"They. Did. What?!" Was hissed through clenched teeth.
Harry and Hermione relaxed futher. She didn't know.
With big shocked eyes she turned to the couple, "Harry, I don't want to marry you! Please believe me, I had nothing, nothing to do with this!"
Walking towards her he said calmly, "I know, Ginny. It's clear you didn't know anything about this. But do you think your parents might have known?"
She shook her head furiously, "No! Mum and dad hate anything traditional. They would never try to force me into a traditional pureblood contract. They would never force you either, Harry. You're a Weasley to them."
Harry relaxed further. It wasn't proof that they hadn't done this but it was a positive sign that their own daughter didn't think Mr. and Mrs. Weasley did this.
Then Hermione asked, "Ginny, who is the Head of House Weasley?"
Ginny scrowled, "Wesley Weasley is an ambitious, pompous arse. He is my dad's great-uncle and if my dad wasn't his only Heir, he wouldn't be welcome at the Burrow. My mum hates the old man."
Well, that didn't sound good.
Harry tried to carefully convey his thoughts to them, "Did you noticed the wording? If I and Ginny were both die, all my wealth, Houses and titles will go to the Head of House Weasley as my wife's Head of House."
Hermione reacted horrified, "They want you the both of you dead!"
Magic started to rise again. Ginny spat, "My Head of House trying to marry me off without my consent, to kill me? His own kin? No, he bloody well won't!"
Harry and Hermione shared a look. The better they got to know Ginny, the more they understood her brothers apprehension of their sister. Ginny was a spitfire, a powerful one.
Slightly calmer she said, "Harry, Hermione, please excuse me, I need to write a letter." She turned around and strode off to the owlery.
Well, this had been interesting. And all before breakfast even. Harry made note to thank his goblin friends when he could. It was valuble information.
"This is all so horrible! How could they do this to you and Ginny? Her own family even! What's wrong with these people?!" Hermione ranted. She was always very sensitive to unjustice and this was personal.
Hermione continued her rant, "We knew Dumbledore had plans for you but this has nothing to do that! And Wesley Weasley, how could anyone do that to their own family, and for what? Money?!"
Harry was a bit more calm about it. The goblins put a stop to it and even warned them what Dumbledore was trying now. Without the goblins, Dumbledore would have to find another way. Most likely plan something entirely different and hopefully, by then, Amelia would have enough evidence to arrest him.
Calming his girlfriend down took long enough that they weren't early for breakfast anymore and so there were a lot of stares again. Though most people seemed more interested in the fact that they were walking hand in hand again.
Harry rolled his eyes. Really, the priorities of some people.
Ginny arrived too and sat down next to them with a huff. Neville raised an eyebrow in question and Harry quietly told him what happened.
Neville said with a growl in his voice, "Those bloody! You're lucky that the contract didn't take, mate. Even luckier that your goblins told you about the danger."
Harry nodded. He definitely knew that. While Ginny was a nice enough girl, she wasn't Hermione. Not to mention he had no feelings for her and that she looked a bit like his mother. Gross!
Eating his breakfast like normal he waited for the potions to take affect. He couldn't wait for their reactions, this was going to be in honor of his father. Both of them. He hoped they could see it, wherever they were and laugh.
Then a thick mist started spreading and Harry knew it had began.
When the mist cleared up again Harry had to try his best to keep a loud laugh in. Looking around him he saw his prank had worked perfectly, every student had either the same hair as the Headmaster, Hagrid or one of the Heads of the four Houses.
Neville had the hair and beard of Dumbledore while Hermione had the tight bun of Professor McGonagall. Harry himself was trying to feel which hairstyle he had, it was short but not very, kinda greasy and straight. Oh no, he had the same hair as Professor Snape, didn't he?
Hermione snorted when she saw his realisation and said with a smirk, "Well, don't you just look like a Snape."
She slapped her hand in front of her mouth. Harry snorted himself, "Hermione! You look like McGonagall but you sound like Professor Flitwick!"
Oh no, he himself sounded like Dumbledore. What a cruel prank he played on himself. Neville was twirling his beard in between his fingers as he said, "Potter! Ha! I sound like Snape. Poor you, now 10 points from Gryffindor for being a dunderhead!"
Harry might not have thought this through.
Ah well, if you can't escape your selfmade madness, then he better join them. With a twirl of his wand he made his robes as colorful as Dumbledore's robes which made for an interesting combination with Snape's lanky black hair.
This was to much for Neville as he fell of the bench laughing. Ginny came to join them with her own Snape hair and said in a chipper Snape voice, "You might think you have it bad, but I'm twice as much Snape as the rest of you!"
That set Harry and Hermione off too.
All students were laughing and joking around. Ron had a giant bushy hair and beard like Hagrid and was showing it off to Dean and Seamus. Dean had Flitwicks hair and Seamus was sporting an nice looking man-bun McGonagall style. The teachers at the Head Table were looking at the cheerful chaos with a smile, well, not Snape but when is the sour man ever happy?
Even Dumbledore seemed to have cheered up a bit as he looked over the students. Standing up he announced, "While I don't know who we have to thank for this happy surprise but I must say, that you students look very spiffy indeed. Miss Edgecomb, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Lovegood, have you changed something about your appearance? I must say, you students look very nice today."
Turning around Harry saw that Luna too, had the long white grey hair and beard of Dumbledore. Small girl that she was, it was hanging on the ground. But she seemed to have found a solution for that, as she was cheerfully braiding her new beard.
Breakfast finished, it was time for classes. Standing up he held out his hand for Hermione which she accepted. Together they walked with Neville and Ginny towards where Luna, Susan and Hannah were waiting by the doors.
Approaching their friend Harry had to keep a slightly hysterical laugh in. Poor Hannah, poor Hannah had the hair of Professor Flitwick. The brown toupe looking hairstyle really didn't work with her friendly round face.
Susan meanwhile was looking like Professor Sprout with her short grey curls. The grey worked surprisingly well with her bright blue eyes.
Neville quickly tried to hide his horrified reaction to his girlfriends new look but Hannah knew her boyfriend well and said resignedly in Hagrid's booming voice, "Go ahead and laugh, I know I look and sound ridiculous."
"Like I look any better! Or do you like your boyfriends bearded?"
They all laughed. None of them looked their best but it was hilarious anyway. Though the different voices took some time to get used to too. He kept thinking on of their teachers was talking.
Susan turned to Harry and said dryly in Dumbledore's voice, "I suppose we have you to thank for our make-overs?"
"Harry!"
He immediately tried to look as innocently pathetic as possible, "Ah well, you see Hannah, you know about the letter Sirius left me, right? Well I might have forgotten to mention he asked me to play a prank on the school for him and my dad, in their honor."
Hannah calmed down at his words and big shiny green eyes and Luna said dreamingly in Flitwicks voice, "I'm sure your dads really like this, Harry. The Blipwings like it too."
Blipwings? "Thanks, Luna. I hope so too."
Hannah was trying to make something better out of her new hair but she wasn't succeeding as she plainstakingly asked her friend, "Alright, stop looking at me like that! I forgive you. Merlin, Hermione, with those eyes how do you get anything done?" Giving up on her hair she asked Harry, "But how long will this last? Professor Flitwicks hair and Hagrid's voice aren't really my thing, you know."
Rubbing the back of his neck Harry answered her, "It shouldn't last the day. If I'm right it will be gone before the Daily Prophet arrives this evening at dinner time."
"The whole day?!"
Huh, Harry had never known Hagrid's voice could get so high.
The rest of their lessons were interesting. His classmates were all trying to find out who had played this prank but nobody guessed that it had been him. Most people seemed to think that the Weasley twins had snuck back in the castle just to prank them. Harry didn't mind not getting the credit. After all, he also didn't get in trouble.
Luckily nobody seemed distressed with their new looks and voice. Harry wanted them to laugh about it, not think he harmed them in any way.
He didn't want to be a bully.
After an interesting DA lesson which Snape was unfortunately teaching this year, it was time for dinner.
Harry was nervous. This was going to be an aritcle for which he had supplied some memories of his adventures here in Hogwarts. Dumbledore would know it was him supplying those memories, or one of his friends. Either way, there was no going back.
Once again the owls arrived when most of them were just finishing their dessert. A barn owl offered him his leg were the paper was bound too. Untying it, Harry rolled it out and started reading.
Hogwarts downfall
We all know Hogwarts as the best and safest school in the world. But is this true? As you know, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore is suffering from the brain eating disease Dementia. According to Healer M, Albus Dumbledore has had that disease for at least a few years but it could be anything between four and twenty years.
Yes, dear reader, you read that right. Albus Dumbledore could have been under the influence of that horrible disease for up to twenty years. Twenty!
But we don't know for sure. So I, Rita Skeeter went to investigate. Looking through the records of Hogwarts this journalist discovered a few more shocking things. Many classes have been canceled in the last few decades.
Dance, Wizarding Culture, Law, Healing and Languages are only the start of the classes canceled. Why have those classes stopped, you might ask?
The reason given by Headmaster Dumbledore, was that after our two recent Wars that there weren't enough students. But is that true? This journalist disagrees. How many times have those wizard-raised complained about muggleborns not knowing about our culture?
How could they know about our wonderful culture when they aren't taught? No classes to teach them, no books to learn from and most classmates unwilling or unable to teach about the culture they were raised in. If that even is their responsibility.
Is it any surprise that there are so many issues between the two groups?
But that isn't all I found. I've spoken to many current students of our beloved school. There are disturbing rumours going around Hogwarts that this journalist just felt compelled to investigate.
Rumours about Trolls, magical stones, a Cerberus behind a easily opened door, Basilisks, incompetent or even dangerous teachers and so many more truly disturbing rumours.
Most of these rumours seemed to surround our very own Boy-Who-Lived Harry James Potter-Black! So I, brilliant investigator journalist that I am, went to find the truth.
Let's start with our Mr. Potter's first year. According to multiple students from all years and houses Albus Dumbledore started his usual welcoming speech. Only this time it included a warning to not enter the third floor or risk a 'painful death'.
Naturally, multiple students decided not to listen to the intriguing warning given by the Headmaster. On the third floor the students found a Cerberus behind a locked door. A door which was easily opened by the Alohomora spell taught to the first years.
A snarling, furious almost fully grown Cerberus. But that wasn't all. Most students knew how to calm the vicious beast and found that the three-headed dog was guarding a trapdoor.
Under that trapdoor lay an maze full of challenges. First there was Devil Snare, then charmed keys, Trolls and a live sized chess game and a riddle full of deadly potions. [See pictures for the challenges inside the maze.]
Most students wisely decided to not risk it any futher but there were a few that did. They told me that the next room was empty.
Suspiciously empty.
Then that Halloween something happened. A Troll got in the castle and was walking around in the dungeons according to Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Quirrel. Naturally, the Headmaster told all the students to go back to their dorms.
For those who don't know, the Slytherin and Hufflepuff Common Rooms are in the lower levels of the castle WHERE THE TROLL WAS.
How could Professor Dumbledore forget that? Remember dear readers, the dementia might have played a big roll here. If the Troll had actually been there, well, it would have been a slaughter. How likely is it that on of the Trolls escaped from the maze? Or did another Troll just wander inside the castle?
But the Troll wasn't in the dungons. No, the Troll was in the girls badroom where a first year girl from Gryffindor was hiding after some cruel words from a classmate.
Luckily, our Mr. Potter noticed the girl was missing and went to find and warn her about the danger. After all, it should have been safe right? The Troll was nowhere close. But it wasn't to be. Before Mr Potter and his friend Mr Weasley could get the girl to safety, the troll found them and attacked.
Only due to the brave actions of Mr. Potter and his friend, the Troll got knocked out and the three first years all got away with a only fright and a friendship for life.
But unfortunately for our Mr. Potter, that wasn't the end of his adventure for that year. No, his broom got cursed during a Quidditch game and there were some disturbing rumors about a by You-Know-Who possesed DADA Professor.
Since we now know You-Know-Who never truly died, and Professor Quirrel mysterious disappearance after Harry's first year, I'm inclined to think there might be some truth behind those rumors.
And this was only the poor boy's first year. There are more horrible rumors going around for his other years at Hogwarts.
I think you all will agree, dearest readers, that something is very wrong in our beloved Hogwarts. Don't we own our children the best and safest education we can give them?
Is Albus Dumbledore truly the person who does that for our children?
Well that was something. Rita Skeeter certainly knew how to make her readers listen. The pictures looked horrifying and now years later, Harry agreed that there was something fishy about it all. They had been so small and naive.
Harry never knew other students went through the maze. Hermione hadn't either from the look on her face. Then the doors of the Great Hall opened with a loud bang.
Amelia, Gran and some other members from the Board of Governors entered looking grave. Dumbledore stood up from reading his own paper and stiffly asked, "Dear members of the Board of Governors, with what can I help you this lovely evening?"
Gran stepped forward and handed his a scroll, "Albus Dumbledore, for the gross negligence of this school, you've been fired from your position as Headmaster. Please leave this school before the hour is out."
Quickly reading through the scroll the now former Headmaster stood up, furious, "No! I can't leave this school! It was all for the Greater Good, Augusta. Surely you can believe that? I am needed here!"
"It was needed to put the students of this school in danger? It was needed to give them an bad education?" She sounded appalled and Harry and Neville smirked at each other. No one messed with their Gran.
Dumbledore turned his attention toward Amelia, "Surely, my dear girl, you need me here protecting the students?"
Amelia glared at the man, "I'm not your dear anything, Dumbledore. I haven't forgotten your attack on my squad and civillian Healer. If I had my way we would be arresting you right now but unfortunately I'm just here to take you to Saint Mungos. You need a check-up and we need to know how far the dementia has progressed."
"I'm not ill, Miss Bones. What are you talking about?"
"No one can fake a magically done medical report Dumbledore, we all know the truth now. Will you come with me peacefully?"
Dumbledore shook his head regretfully, "You don't know what you're doing. I can't let you take me. Who knows how many Death Eaters are working in Saint Mungos and the Ministry on Tom's orders. Fawkes!"
The Phoenix appeared in a burst of flames and with a gentle trill, took his master away.
In the silence left behind Augusta huffed, "Well, at least he's gone."