A/N: Here's the neter! Which also means the four chapters are up on my Patreon for early access as well as the ce to vote on the dire of the story!

  Time marches ever onward.

  -x-X-x-

  Watg everything that takes pce over the hree weeks from his vantage point at Hogwarts is quite the treat, Harry has to admit. First there’s Lucius Malfoy and his loss of magic. While the man himself would probably have wao keep his sudden weakness on the downlow and avoid letting anyone know about it while he tried to figure out a way tain his magic… that simply wasn’t going to happen.

  Even if Narcissa had wao go along with that sort of scheme, effectively keeping Lucius hidden from the public eye and proteg him from all the shame and ridicule of suddenly being little more than a muggle or a squib… she couldn’t. After all, Lucius Malfoy was an important figure in the Wizarding World. Not just as Lord Malfoy in the Wizengamot, but also as the rich beor behind several magical businesses.

  Put simply, his name was on dozens of magically binding tracts that relied on all parties involved to have magi order to properly bind them legally. Things like House Malfoy iing in this or that business, and in turn being able to demaain repayment over time, or if the business doesn’t do well, repossess assets until they’d recovered their losses.

  ht, those tracts suddenly lost half of their magical potency. This wasn’t to say they were pletely null and void in the eyes of the Wizarding World, but everyone would know that something had happeo one of the signatories, and people would have to scramble to get everything fixed.

  Of course, on top of that… Narcissa had no iions of proteg Lucius anyways. The moment she got home from her time with Harry and found her former husband sobbing about the Dark Lord robbing him of his magic, she’d called the Aurors straight away. And yes, Lucius was her former husband now. Just as he was the former Lord Malfoy.

  He would get to keep the st name, and that was about it. Everything else, all of the property ah he’d owned in the magical world… it was all tied to his magical identity. Now that he no longer had magic, he no longer owned anything.

  With Narcissa’s call, the news of what had happeo Lucius broke quickly. And so did the news of what had happeo Rodolphus Lestra long st as well. Lucius and a few others had hidden the news of Rodolphus’ draining from most people, likely out of fear-driven loyalty to the Dark Lord.

  But now that ‘Voldemort’ had drained Lucius of his magic, the former Lord Malfoy no longer seemed to believe he had anythio lose. He’d ranted and raved about the Dark Lord and this ‘repayment for his loyal service’ to anyone who would listen… including Amelia and the Aurors that show up at Narcissa’s request.

  Lucius had said enough to incriminate himself despite his previous ‘Imperius Defense’, and ohe Aurors had realized Narcissa wasn’t going to be proteg the squibified man, they’d gone ahead and arrested him. Lucius wasn’t in Azkaban right now, but only because his status as a non-magical person disqualified him for impriso in Azkaban. As things stood, he was likely to suffer the most on fate that a muggle who itted magical crimes in the Wizarding World suffered… obliviation.

  Yes, while it wasn’t set in sto, Lucius Malfoy would almost certainly be obliviated of all of his memories and thrown out into the muggle world within the few months. And no, the Ministry wouldn’t make sure that he had enough resources to get set up in the muggle world or anything like that. He would wind up homeless, his mind fractured, and his previous life fotten. A terrible fate to visit upon most… but ly what Harry would sider ‘unjust’ for someone like Lucius.

  Draco, of course, had been quite shellshocked by everything that had happened sihat fateful evening. He’d been in and out of Hogwarts the past three weeks, mostly leaving on the weekends and ing back during the week to attend csses, likely at his mother’s orders.

  He didn’t seem to know what to make of everything that had happehough. His father had always seemed so untouchable, the ultimate on for him to use against his peers. ‘When my father hears about this-!’ had bee something of a running joke among most of the students at Hogwarts since Draco had started attending.

  … And now that father of his owerless. Magicless. Weak and feeble and… altogether muggle. Perhaps that alone would help Narcissa in reshaping her son into something Harry could tolerate. Or perhaps it would only cause Draco to double down and bee even worse. He didn’t know yet, but at this point he also didn’t care.

  On Narcissa’s end, she’d mahe situatioifully. To the extent that some were suspicious she’d engi, even if they couldn’t figure out how. Harry only khat from cheg in on Amelia and notig that her notes mentioned Narcissa’s startling petence.

  Before the first week of Lucius’ squibification had ended, Narcissa Malfoy had gotten all of her ducks in a row. She had herself appointed Ag Head of House Malfoy first and foremost, regaining access to House Malfoy’s Gringotts Vaults as well as settling herself into House Malfoy’s Wizengamot Seat. Then she’d repced Lucius’ name on all of those aforementioned magical tracts with her own, renewing their magid getting things ba track with House Malfoy’s business partners.

  The Wizarding World seemed to still be rather split oher Voldemort was actually back or not, of course. With Fudge out as Minister of Magic due to Sirius Bck’s innoce, there was no pressure from the top of the Ministry to stifle the information and decre it lies and falsehoods. At the same time however, the only sources of Voldemort’s supposed return so far were a maddened prisoner in Azkaban and a magicless Lucius Malfoy.

  The only thing anyone was willing to say for certain was that Lucius was out and Narcissa was now the oo talk to when it came to doing business with House Malfoy.

  The sed week, meanwhile, was capped off with the formal inquiry into Severus Snape and his as as a Professor at Hogwarts for the past decade and a half. Harry didn’t doubt that Dumbledore had done his best to prepare Snape for the inquiry. But even the Headmaster and Chief Warlock had a limit to the miracles he could perform.

  It started with none of Snape’s fellow Professors being willing to speak in his defense, even with Dumbledore’s cajoling. It ended Snape himself being as unlikable as ever and pletely incapable of presenting a sympathetic or charismatic figure to the g body. His attitude did him no favors as every question asked of him only led to a caustic response.

  Most of the Wizengamot was too old to have had the unfortunate ‘privilege’ of learning Potions under Professor Snape. However, that wasn’t the case for all of them. Even if the Wizarding World was teically in a time of peace, they’d lost quite a few wizards and witches during Voldemort’s first rise to power, and their surviving children had grown up and taken their seats… after spending seven years under Snape’s not-so-tender mercies.

  The things some of them had to say, and Snape’s own inability to garner a single morsel of sympathy from the g body, had prompted a motion to tihe formal inquiry… and even expand it. Specifically, the Wizengamot had decided to ask for publients on Severus Snape and his impa the Wizarding World at rge.

  Judging from the sneer on Snape’s fad the pani Dumbledore’s when that motion passed, Harry could guess they both uood something of what was about to happen… a tidal wave of angry wizards and witches from the st geion of Hogwarts Students was about to e down on Snape like the fist of a vengeful god.

  In the meahe Wizengamot, which just so happeo share members with most of Hogwarts’ Board of Governors, had gone ahead and demanded Snape’s ability to give and take House Points be pletely removed… as well as assigning a member of the Wizarding Examinations Authority to not only sit in and audit all of his csses, but also double check all of his grading for discrepancies or issues.

  Put simply, outside of arresting the bastard ht, whifortunately Snape hadn’t been QUITE belligerent enough to warrant, the Wizengamot had done everything they could to express their displeasure on such short notice. What might happen after the publients came in… well, that was anyone’s guess, but Harry suspected it wouldn’t be good.

  Finally, the third week since draining Lucius of his magic had arrived. And even though the Wizarding World was somewhat in an uproar over Sirius Bck being exoed of all crimes, elius Fudge resigning as Minister, Lucius Malfoy being a muggle, and Severus Snape being raked over the coals by the Wizengamot… life tinued all the same.

  It especially ti Hogwarts, where Albus Dumbledore seemed i on keeping things ‘business as usual’ and making sure that everything seemed as ‘normal’ as possible. Even though the now positively a Griselda Marks followed Snape around everywhere he went like a hawk, keeping an eye on the Professor and making sure he didn’t step a sioe out of line. Even though the whole world seemed to be imploding outside of the Castle Walls.

  And so… even with everything that was happening out there, the show had to go on. And that meant the Yule Ball would still take pce. Uhe rest of the Triwizard Tourasks, the Yule Ball wasn’t ensured by magical tract, so it teically didn’t have to happen. But Dumbledore clearly sidered it a point of pride that it still did. Harry didn’t mind, of course. In fact, he would have been disappointed if the Yule Ball had been celled.

  Especially sihis time around, well… he’d taken the opportunity provided by this whole ‘do-over’ to fix the mistake he’d made st time.

  Hermione had fided in him that it had only been a week after he’d asked her that Viktor Krum had approached her in the library and asked if she would go with him to the Ball. You snooze, you lose, and the Durmstrang Champion had been forced to be gracious as he accepted Hermione’s apologetic reje given that she already had a date to go with someone else.

  And so, in a bit of déjà vu from the st time this event happened, but also in a much, much different mahan st time, Harry stands at the base of the staircase and smiles as Hermione Granger shows up at the top in all of her splendor and glory. She’s done up just as beautifully as st time, a bination of muggle makeup and magical beauty treatments making her skin dht glimmer. bined with her done-up hair and her geous dress, she looks absolutely amazing.

  She looks eveer when her eyes alight upon him and a broad smile spreads across her face, causio hurry down to meet him at the foot of the stairs.

  “Harry!”

  “Hermione. You look beautiful.”

  Blushing prettily, Hermioakes a moment to look him up and down before throwing the pliment right back at him.

  “You’re looking quite handsome yourself, you know.”

  Harry just hums. He was indeed ‘dressed to the nines’ so to speak. His robes were the same dark green as st time, a color that went well with his eyes, but were also a bit more expensive as well. He was going to be side by side with Hermioer all, and he wahis to be something of a new dawn for her. He’d probably have Rita write an article singing Hermione’s praises just to be sure, but it would also help if there was word of mouth and grassroots talk about her going on.

  the beautifully dressed muggleborn his arm, Harry smiles as Hermione beams at him and eagerly loops her arm in his. Together, they tinue on their way to the entrance, where they find the other Champions and their dates waiting for them. Amusingly, two of the three Champions are shooting… looks at Harry and Hermione.

  Viktor Krum has wound up with a female witch from Durmstrang after striking out with Hermione and judging by the glower on the Durmstrang Witch’s face, she knows full well that she wasn’t Krum’s first choice. Meanwhile, Fleur has still wound up with Roger Davies… but only seems to have eyes for Harry, no doubt still recalling their single kiss and the fact that he’d asked for nothing more from her.

  Cedrid Cho were once again paired off, and from them Harry and Hermione only get smiles and nods. Nobody had expected Cedric to return so quickly after his injuries in the First Task, but while he's immensely scarred, it seems that House Diggory spared no expense iing him ba his feet, and Cedric himself refused to stay down for the t.

  Harry, who felt slightly guilty for not paying much attention to Cedric after his injuries, briefly wonders how they did it... but there’s not enough time for any chatting to take pyways, because the hing they know, the doors are opening and Professonagall is ushering them all in.

  It’s tradition after all for the Triwizard Champions and their dates to open the Yule Ball with a dance. Last time around, Harry could only admit to having made a fool of himself with his erstwhile date for the evening, Parvati Patil. While it was never his iion in ing ba time to relive and fix the minor embarrassments and awkward moments of his past… he’s certainly not going to pass up the ce to do so. Especially when Hermione deserves the best from him that he give her.

  And so, as the Yule Ball begins, as the music starts, Harry and Hermione begin dang right alongside the rest of the Champions. Harry tell that Hermione is pleased ahused with him taking the lead as she eagerly follows along. Given the size of their audieheir dang remains appropriate of course, but Harry tell there are some who are surprised at his sudden dispy of skill.

  It’s not like dang is something he’s practiced a ton, but ultimately it’s all just movements and memorization in the end, and with the power Harry now has at his disposal, he suffuse every fiber of his body with his magic, allowing him to have total awareness of not just himself, but his surroundings as well.

  That’s how, even though he tell both Viktor and Fleur along with their dates are ‘actally’ drifting over towards him and Hermione, he’s able to dodge them with ease and keep his and his date’s distance from the two couples. At least in Viktor’s case, it seems like it’s the no-ch he’s with that’s the problem. Fleur oher hand, is defihe one pushing for it on her end.

  But Harry just ignores her in favor of paying all of his attention to Hermiohis night… this night would be about her, he’s decided. No matter what.

  -x-X-x- The Vote: [ ] Stick to Harry's POV - 25%[ ] Switch to Hermione's POV - 28%[X] Switch to Fleur's POV - 48%

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