TSS: Chapter 37: The Toppling of Crowns

> *“When have I ever not talked, Charlus? When have you ever asked me to talk and I’ve said no?” His brother fidgeted uncomfortably and Harry’s eyes narrowed. “It wasn’t a rhetorical question, little brother.”*
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> *Charlus’s gaze dropped to his shoes which shuffled uncomfortably back and forth. “Never,” he admitted quietly.*
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> *“Precisely,” agreed Harry, unintentionally falling into his best impression of Snape’s condescending drawl. “And when, little brother, have you ever returned that kindness?” Charlus had no answer. “Interesting thing, that. Well, go on then; say your piece. Do make it quick, though, will you? I have a couple of important letters to reply to and they’re both fairly time-sensitive.”*
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— Harry, finally letting his so-called brother some harsh truths.

## Plot:

Emily makes a deal with the Department of Mysteries. Harry comes clear to his friends revealing some of his secrets. Harry and Charlus have a talk with the latter trying to apologize and the former finally not accepting his excuses any more. Harry reveals to Albus Dumbledore and James Potter of his charges pressed against them for the horrible behaviour.

## Summary:

**June 5th, 1993:** Backed into a corner, Emily ponders on the deal offered by the Department of Mysteries — then she eventually agrees. She informs them of her other self potential horcruxes, answer their questions honestly, and sign several magical contracts, whilst agreeing to being heavily monitored. In turn, they will classify her connection to Lady Voldemort as a Department secret, thus ensuring that anybody who tries to link the two together will end up looking foolish and will ensure that Albus Dumbledore does not directly contradict the wishes of their department.

**June 12th, 1993:** Around evening, Emily returns in secret to Hogwarts.

In the Speaker's Den, under Salazar's Sanction, Harry tells his friends about his past relationship with Professor Hurst, and that she turned out to be Voldemort, about the prophecy, and about the Chamber of Secrets — or as much as he could about that. At the end of his confession, and after a short talk to his friends, he comes to the conclusion that he needed to change and transform trust in a more scarce commodity.

Around the same time, in the Room of Requirements, Emily retrieves the Diadem of Ravenclaw turned into a horcrux by her future-self and proceeds to her next goal of the evening.

In the dungeons, Harry and his friends are heading towards the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets that Harry is aware of.

Some minutes later, in a room at the Three Broomsticks, Dumbledore is pondering at the fiasco that has been the last ten months, and how Charlus memories are incomplete. He also laments that he could not get his hands on the diary thus confirming that Voldemort had made horcruxes.

Meanwhile, in the out-of-order bathroom from the second floor, Emily ponders how many things had gone wrong when Myrtle simply slipped and died — something that was not meant to happen. Breaking out her train of thought, she places that entrance to the Chamber of Secrets under the Fidelius Charm and she departs from the castle.

**June 13th, 1993:** Harry and his friend depart from the Great Hall after breakfast, they departure is stopped at some point in the corridor by the arrival of Charlus that tries to apologize for mistreating and suspecting Harry — again, and asks for his forgiveness — again. Thoroughly done with his brothers behaviour Harry decides not to forgive him this time and punches him in the face.

The same night, in the Department of Mysteries, after the Unspeakables had finished examining the horcrux, Emily watches as it is being destroyed by Fiendfyre.

**June 14th, 1993:** In the Three Broomsticks, Harry meets with James Potter and Albus Dumbledore at the behest of the former and somewhat probable the machinations of the latter. There, Harry reveals that James is temporarily not his magical guardian and might not be any more due to the case that he put forward against them.

**The Past:**

**December 22, 1992:** At the Greengrass' Law Firm, Harry raises the possibility of stripping James Potter of his role of Magical Guardian, thus prohibiting him from dictating his living arrangements.

**The Present:**

Harry informs James that he is pressing charges against him for the mishandling and neglect of his heir and that he presses charges against the former Headmaster for criminal negligence as it was his duty to intervene and inform the authorities if he had any indicators that a child is being mistreated due to their parents' actions. At the end of all this, Dumbledore, for some unknown to reasonable rationale, decides to warn Harry of the path that he has decided to walk as it is not one that he would have recommended.

That night, at Black Manor, Bellatrix Black receives a piece of mail from the Department of Mysteries.

**June 17th, 1993:** During breakfast, Harry reads the Daily Prophet's article detailing Dumbledore's criminal charge and ban from Hogwarts and Lockhart's appointment as Headmaster.

On Platform Nine and Three Quarters, while departing for the Weitts, Harry realizes that Emily is in the presence of Bellatrix Black and Barty Crouch Jr.

Some time later, at Castello Zabini, Antonia Zabini is informed by her just returned son that he thinks that Harry is the one.

In the Department of Mysteries, some hours later, Gilderoy Lockhart meets with Mister Black — who is revealed to be the operative named Soul — to inform him of something that the latter might find of interest presenting him with the still-intact diary that had caused so much trouble at Hogwarts the previous year.