The doctors rushed into the room as the nurse called them in a panic. Harry Potter was sitting up in bed, letting out his bird cries and growls. But standing opposite him… Was Alice Longbottom, and she was speaking too. Incoherent nonsense by now, but she was speaking. Something their best staff hadn’t been able to accomplish in years.

One of the doctors pulled out his wand and began to cast a spell. A woman next to him grabbed his wrist and hissed at him.

“What are you doing?! This is the most progress in Alice in years, and you would throw it away?”

The male doctor shrugged her off and continued his spell.

“We have no idea what’s happening! For all we know this is a function of the boy’s curse, there’s no telling what effects it can have. We can’t risk…”

Another doctor shook his head.

“John, let’s just let this play out. We can’t let…”

John shouted and wrenched his wand arm free from the woman grabbing him.

“No! We can figure out the cause later, I’m stopping this before the curse finishes its work.”

He began to cast a rapid series of spells before a red beam of light burst from the doorway and struck him in the back. An Auror in blue robes was standing there, and all the surrounding doctors watched as the stunned man fell to the floor. The Auror cleared his throat as he walked into the room casually.

“Jonathan Buchanan. Sorry about that fella. He seemed about to cast something on my charge. I’d appreciate it if you let things come to their natural conclusion.”

Someone else made a move and James Kensit pointed his wand at them. The doctors and nurses grew silent and the person who shifted froze in place. Only Alice Longbottom’s muttering and the boy's occasional screech filling the room. They all stood there and watched as nothing seemed to happen for a few minutes, only more of the two patient's strange exchanges. Then Alice Longbottom’s eyes cleared and she began to speak coherently.

But James Kensit had only eyes for the boy and watched as Harry fell unconscious again.

‘Interesting, I'm glad I came to inspect him personally. I just can't wait until he fully matures into his powers. But just the preview was enlightening. It's been so long since I've seen something truly... interesting.'

James Kensit cast a quick spell unnoticed by the rest of the room. One of the hidden self repair nodes near the base of the boy’s spine activated, ready to restore all the other nodes buried deep inside the boy's curse. James Kensit put in a magical density trigger for activation, just to be safe. Only when the boy reentered the magical dense Hogwarts grounds would the curse reconstruct itself and rebuild its complex structure just how it had been originally. James smiled, it was a thing of beauty that curse. The boy should be grateful to receive some of his finest work to date. Self repair on a curse that complex was quite the feat, even for the great James Kensit.

Unfortunately it was time to go, the time on his Polyjuice potion was running out and it would be inconvenient if he was forced to take on the British ministry alone. James Kensit found the closest stairwell and apparated out. No one saw him leave, and no one noticed him slipping by the anti-apparition wards in the hospital effortlessly.

— — —

Alice Longbottom wasn’t sure what to feel when she stared down at the sleeping boy. James and Lily’s son. It had been over a week since her recovery and Harry Potter had still not woken up, now in some magically induced coma.

But now they were telling her that he was about to wake up, and she had told them that she had to be there when it happened. The Minister of Magic and Dumbledore were both there as well, standing behind her. Dumbledore was the same as ever, but Alice wasn’t too impressed with the minister. He seemed like the stereotype of the insincere politician ever since she had met him.

The three of them all watched as Harry Potter slowly began to stir.

The wizarding world was shocked by the dual news of Harry Potter’s long term stay at St. Mungo’s and Alice’s miraculous recovery. Reporters still tracked her down and bombarded her with questions whenever she walked in public. Alice was surprised that so many people remembered her after so much time had passed. Over a decade.

Alice was cleared to go from St. Mungo's within a day or two, and it felt surreal to go back to her mother’s house. It was the same as it had been years ago, even the same furniture. Even the smells of the place were familiar. Everything was almost the same as it had been. It had been an emotional few days as she got to know her son for the first time, he had left Hogwarts for a time so they could be together again. She had vague memories of him, as if through the fog, but she was glad to finally get to know him for real.

It had been horrible seeing Frank in the state she knew she had been in for well over a decade. Just staring blankly at nothing and letting her lead him around as she pulled on his hand. That was the fate that Harry Potter had saved her from.

She remembered the horrible faces, the staircase, and Harry’s voice guiding her. She hadn’t told anyone, it just felt too… private to discuss with anyone but him. She was nervous as the boy’s eyes slowly opened. Harry blinked as he saw her. Dumbledore and the Minister were quiet behind her. Harry spoke in screeches and growls that she could no longer understand. Someone handed the boy some parchment and he began to write. He turned the pad around and Alice read it out loud.

“What happened? I heard something before I fell asleep. Are you related to Neville? You have the same last name.”

Alice swallowed and nodded before she replied.

“Yes, I’m Neville’s mother. I… Well, something bad happened and it led to me and my husband being here like how I was before you helped me.”

Alice wasn’t sure how much the boy had understood from the screaming face of Bellatrix Lestrange, but she shouldn’t burden him more than she had to. Especially considering her next selfish request.

Harry wrote some more and showed her the board. She didn't read it out loud this time.

‘I didn’t know. But I’m glad I have helped a friend. I’m sure he will be quite happy to find out about your apparent recovery.’

Alice smiled.

“He was. It’s been amazing getting to know him again. I’m sorry, but you’ve slept for over a week since I woke up. I've had time to get to know him. Both Neville and I are more than grateful to you. You saved my life. Truly.”

Harry froze and his eyes widened slightly. He glanced behind her and seemed to notice the headmaster and minister standing behind Alice. He wrote again.

‘A week? Why are the Headmaster and Minister here?’

Dumbledore stepped forward.

“Don’t worry, I’m simply concerned about one of my students. You gave all of us quite the scare there. I want to reassure you that your friends and professors have been informed of the situation and were more than understanding. Take your time for recovery without worrying about the academics.”

Dumbledore stepped back and the Minister replaced him.

“And I’m here to apologize on behalf of the ministry. It seems that the Auror, Jonathan Buchanan, who picked you up was an imposter likely using a Polyjuice potion to disguise himself. Ah, if you don’t know, it's a potion that shifts you to look like another person if you have a sample from their body. Quite hard to make, quite illegal to own… The ministry is working to catch the culprit, but I wanted to apologize personally for the ministry’s failure. Even if he didn’t appear to harm you while he was here.”

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Harry’s brow scrunched slightly in confusion. He wrote down more and showed it to the minister.

‘He introduced himself as James Kensit.’

The minister’s eyes widened.

“Ah, a lead! This is just what we need. Anything else you think is relevant?”

Harry seemed to think for a moment before shaking his head.

The minister gestured to one of the glowering Aurors in the back of the room.

“Inform the others of this. At least we have a lead on him now.”

Alice cleared her throat and the rest of the room turned to her. She felt so ungrateful asking this, considering what had happened the last time Harry had helped her. But…

“Harry, I know this is selfish. You’ve already done so much for me. But will you do the same for my husband? Cure him like you did me?”

Dumbledore protested while the minister took Alice’s side. It made her feel slimy as the two argued back and forth behind her as the Aurors watched on with visible tension. To think she would be on the opposite side of an argument as the great Dumbledore. But Alice had only eyes for Harry. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, before eventually Harry nodded back. The argument behind her stopped and Dumbledore spoke up.

“Are you sure, Harry? Last time you were sent into a coma, who knows if the effects will be more severe this time?”

The minister looked like he wanted to argue, but held his tongue. Alice felt disgusted as she realized the man’s motivations. He wanted the political clout of having Frank Longbottom healed under his direction. It wasn’t about Harry or Frank, but his own power. It made her feel dirty just having such a man helping her. He reminded her too much of Voldemort's cronies in the ministry during the last war. Happy to switch sides once it was clear Voldemort had power and an advantage in the ministry. They were the people that betrayed the people that had depended on them in their greed.

But most of all Alice felt ungrateful for asking the boy for even more than he had already given. Harry had every right to refuse, to…

Harry turned around his parchment and Alice read it.

'I don’t care, I already agreed. Now I have to do it no matter what. Seems logical that I would spend a week or two in a coma to give a man decades of his lifespan. Bring him and I’ll do it right now.'

Well, it wasn’t quite that simple. But after a few days, things were finally sorted and Alice was standing in Harry’s room along with Frank, the Minister, and Dumbledore again. Fudge had tried to have a reporter sit in, but Harry had told them he refused to let them watch. After some hesitation, Fudge ordered the reporter to leave.

Then, Harry began to speak again. It apparently took longer than it had for her, but eventually Frank started verbally responding. Alice glanced back and Dumbledore’s eyes were narrowed as his eyes darted rapidly between the two. Alice had never seen him so focused before, not even in the war against Voldemort.

After what felt like forever, Frank’s eyes cleared and he glanced around in confusion.

“What? Where am I? Alice? Are you…”

Alice leaped forward and hugged him, and he squeezed her back in confusion. Harry was already asleep again. Alice stared at the boy’s sleeping face over her husband’s shoulder. Whatever Harry needed, she would help him. He had saved her life twice now, and she wouldn’t forget he had done it without even a second’s thought. She was glad Neville was friends with such a selfless boy.

— — —

Headmaster Dumbledore stared down at the Daily Prophet headline and felt a headache coming on. How had Harry Potter managed to heal the Longbottoms? Alice Longbottom had not been shy in telling the world who she had to thank for her recovery. Admirable, but thoughtless of the possible consequences. As if the boy didn’t have enough fame already to swell his ego. It was part of the reason that Dumbledore had placed Harry among muggles, so that he would be humble and not seek to exert his power over others like so many other wizards seemed to do.

But if that boy was beginning to display unheard of feats already at such a young age… Dumbledore himself had come up with a few innovations to the wizarding world in his youth. But after he graduated from Hogwarts, not barely a month after becoming a wizard. It was enough to make any person arrogant.

Even the dark faction was silent, unwilling to oppose the healing of a victim of the cruciatus curse. Even if it had been used on some of Dumbledore’s oldest allies in the Longbottoms. Many of the dark faction's own family members had been subjected to that curse during the war, and they likely didn’t want to alienate the young wizard who could possibly heal their family of their trauma.

The infighting among dark wizards was infamous and the death eaters in Voldemort’s ranks often fought each other more than those in the light faction when left to their own devices. The news was even spreading beyond Britain to an extent.

Even Lucius Malfoy had grown quiet. Dumbledore thought he would never see the day, but the man had backtracked his stance. Stated to the other members of the board that he forgave the boy’s insult to his son because Harry was cursed at the time. It was likely insincere, but it happened regardless. Lucius didn't want to be seen to be opposing the wizarding world's newest golden child.

Malfoy was not one to often forgive slights on his honor, so it carried extra weight with the members of the board when he reversed his stance. The board of Governors had decided to allow the boy to remain at the school given the situation without any further punishment, even without the boy’s direct testimony.

The papers were ravenous for more information about the details of the curse that required the boy to be treated for so long at St. Mungo’s, but the Ministry and the staff of the hospital were tight lipped on the exact method used to heal the Longbottoms. It was only known that Harry was involved somehow. None seemed to believe that Harry's long stay at St. Mungo's was a side effect of healing the Longbottoms, instead thinking it was a function of the curse Harry was under.

Many were also asking uncomfortable questions regarding how the boy had been cursed in the first place. It was well known that it had occurred before his entrance to Hogwarts, but not exactly how long. There were also questions about the safety of his living arrangements with the muggles if such things were allowed such a thing to happen.

The Ministry had formed a task force to look into the issue despite Dumbledore’s best efforts to deflect them. The Aurors would never directly speak with the Dursleys through all of Dumbledore’s wards, but still insisted on inspecting the more obvious outer wards for ‘security’.

Dumbledore tried to think of a solution to his two problems. He had to deflect attention away from the boy’s living situation with the Dursleys. And he had to make sure the boy’s ego wouldn’t grow, especially if Severus’ theory about the boy’s magical potential was correct.

The boy was too politically protected on all sides to temper the praises by the press and by extension the ministry. Fudge was more than happy enough to praise Harry to the high heavens while subtly claiming credit for the boy’s actions. Even Dumbledore’s influence couldn’t overcome Fudge and the entire ministry, especially since his usual allies would heavily disprove of the actions he was considering.

Dumbledore tapped his desk with his fingers for a moment before coming to a decision. It was even more essential now that Harry be protected now that the boy had become more valuable to many wizards across the political spectrum.

Dumbledore got to his feet and apparated to Privet Drive, then to Harry’s old school. He raised the elder wand into the air and began muttering. This curse was one he cast with a heavy heart, but it was for Harry’s own good.

Finally after ten minutes of casting, Dumbledore felt the curse pulse and ripple out to cover the grounds of Harry’s old school. All memories of Harry Potter would become fuzzy and indistinct for everyone who entered the grounds. It would work slowly and subtly so it would not be detected like usual memory charms. In a few days the children and teachers here would barely remember what Harry looked like, let alone any incriminating things they had seen.

It wasn’t like they paid the boy much attention while he was here anyways, so it wouldn’t affect their daily lives too much. At least that's what Dumbledore told himself. But after enough time, Harry would be completely forgotten by these muggles. And Dumbledore would soon go to obliviate any stragglers not directly connected to the school.

After its work was done, the curse would dissolve and leave the ministry with nothing to work with if they came to investigate. Even if they were suspicious, there would be nothing they could do without any evidence or leads. Dumbledore would have to work to transfer Dudley to a new private school away from his active curse of course.

The ministry would not find Dudley or his parents through the wards, but removing Harry from Dudley’s mind was too cruel for Dumbledore. And it may raise Harry's suspicions when he returns to the Dursleys for the summer. Dumbledore was a compassionate man after all. Despite there being conflict, there must also be some affection between the two boys who were raised together. He couldn't take that away from them.

Next, Dumbledore apparated into the county office. Now it was time to change some muggle records. Dudley Dursley and Harry Potter will have attended a completely different school after he was done. Another way to throw off the ministry. The ministry could not be allowed to directly speak with the Dursleys no matter the cost.

— — —

After Dumbledore was done cleaning up the evidence and transferring Dudley to a new school via a sports ‘scholarship’, he sat back in his office and let out a long breath. Now there was only the boy’s potential ego to deal with.

There was nothing Dumbledore could realistically do to prevent Harry's praises from being sung in the outside world, but Hogwarts was isolated. With his new fame, Harry would be swamped with legions of insincere friends only interested in his celebrity. Dumbledore must prepare him for this while also keeping any growing ego in check.

Dumbledore took out a slip of paper. Now which of Harry’s friends should the note be from? Hmmmm. Yes, that one would be ideal. He quickly forged the note in their handwriting and cast a spell on the note. It quickly became invisible and floated in the air. The spell would stealthily place the note in a certain resentful Draco Malfoy’s pocket and then dispel any signs of magic on the parchment. Only leaving the forged handwritten note in the boy's pocket.

Dumbledore sat back as he considered all the angles. Yes, this should keep the boy humble, something to temper the love of the outside world. A little cruel, but a valuable lesson that would prevent the boy much heartache in the future. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore sent the note flying off.

For the Greater Good.