Chapter 17: Welcome Back!
Harry Potter frowned as he waved his hand making Regina's blood from his floor disappear. Of course, he pocketed some of the sorceress's blood. He didn't know when it would come in handy. Blood was after all a precious commodity, so that was one of a few good things that came out of his best friend breaking Regina's nose.
God, he forgot that Hermione could throw a mean punch. Maybe he should've had her rather than Emma teach him how to throw a right hook. But he guessed he had done enough damage to Ron in the Box's nose back in the day.
The other good thing about Hermione messing up Regina's nose—besides the fact that he could easily make the damage to Regina's nose irreversible without getting caught was that it would allow for a decent search for Jaime.
He wanted his child back (today). Which was one of the reasons he was still in this house at all—as himself.
God, it felt so weird being around Emma since that night.
He should've controlled himself better, but it was really all he could think about being with her again. A selfish part of him, just wanted to be Ford Gold for now on. Completely ditch Harry Potter, which he knew he couldn't do. Jaime knew Harry as his father and—well, he still had a country to rule.
But for that night, he let go of the fact that he was Harry Potter and slept with Emma as Ford. It was wrong, he knew. And he knew she was drunk, but God knows he wanted her.
Ten years of wanting.
And now, he couldn't look her in the eye.
"Harry?" Emma said walking in the kitchen after he finished zapping Regina's blood to his Dark One hiding place.
"Emma," He said. "What a delight. You're home earlier than usual."
Like Harry, Emma had made herself scarce the past few weeks. She had kept herself to the office, even though Harry knew for a fact that the only cases she was working on were eviction notices. As much as he didn't want to see her, she didn't want to see him. The two of them had barely said two words to each other, even when they shared meals.
"I am." She said, "I guess. I thought you were leaving town today."
"I am," He said. "Just waiting to see if Ford was able to work his magic."
She raised an eyebrow.
"He got Storybrooke's order overturned. Do-Right should be returning Jaime to us."
"Really," Emma said. "That's great, so the order the contempt charges everything—"
"Should be overturned since Kara Reaux, Regina, Glass, and Do-Right were all violating the order."
"Don't call Graham Do-Right." Emma frowned.
"It suits him though," Harry said. "Doesn't he remind you of that cartoon character?"
Emma sighed heavily and shook her head. "Did Ford tell you if the hearing is still on schedule?"
"Should be, why?"
She frowned, "Excuse me. I think I'm going to be sick."
She then ran from the room and a few seconds later Harry heard hacking noises.
A couple of minutes later she came out a lot paler.
"Are you okay?"
She shook her head. "I think I caught something. Um, I'll be in my room the rest of the day. Let me know when Jaime gets here. Okay."
He nodded, "Do you need anything? Soup, soda?"
"I don't think I can stomach anything right now," She said. "It's why I came home early. I didn't think you'd be here. Don't worry, I don't think it's contagious. I just think I had a nasty burger at Granny's."
"The food is rancid there." Harry said frowning at the thought of his semi inedible waffles from the other day.
Emma shook her head. " It's the only edible food in town, besides your cooking. I'm going to lay down."
Harry nodded as he looked at her as she left the room. She did look ill. He was surprised he didn't notice earlier. She was paler than she normally looked, and there were dark circles under her eyes. He honestly hadn't seen her this pale and thin since he had gotten her out of jail. Something besides the food poisoning was tearing her up, probably this farce of a marriage.
Farce of a marriage.
It hadn't been a farce to him though, no for the past decade he had waited faithfully. God knows, he went on a date with Lavender Brown of all people because he knew nothing would happen.
Yes, he told himself it was a way to move on. But he knew nothing would happen with Lavender. If he had truly wanted to date someone else, he'd dated Lisa Turpin or maybe Daphne Greengrass. Yes, Greengrass was a Slytherin but he surprisingly had a lot in common with her—a hatred for one Draco Malfoy. And Lisa Turpin was nice, super smart, and had a great body too.
But nope, he went with Lavender Brown—who while attractive—he had nothing in common with because he knew at the end of the day he didn't want a quick screw. He wanted his wife, which was why he had been only a little tentative about getting into Emma's bed as Ford.
It was the only way she'd look at him with that smile of hers, after all. With Harry, she just stared at him with some halfhearted tolerance. Even after he did apologize to her.
He couldn't help but fighting back the last time she had said those things to him. He got so tired of being a punching bag; he had done that so many times in the past with Milah. And yes, with Emma he knew it wasn't intentional but—but he still hated being hurt even when it was unintentional.
He frowned as he looked at the watch.
Where was Jaime?
He decided to call Graham Cracker whose voice mail he got.
Seriously?
Was Regina forcing Do-Right to sit there and hold her nose while it got bandaged up her soon to be stereotypical witch's nose (he only hoped Whale had malpractice insurance).
Childish, he knew, but he had to get his Dark One fun somewhere. Tormenting his murderer on the phone hadn't been enough for him.
Originally, he was going to hide the fact that he was alive at all cost. But it became clear to him that Regina's ownership on this town wasn't going to cut his presence being just behind the scenes. Besides, there was a selfish part of him that was sort of interested in seeing Emma smile at him again.
Even though he told her as Ford, under no conditions were they to have a relationship until after the custody was handled.
As much as he wanted Emma, Jaime was his top priority. He could not have his son being raised by that witch. Thankfully, the American magical government had been very sympathetic to his plight.
He guessed this was one time when being the Man Who Saved and Ruled Them All paid off. Of course, it also helped that Wizarding Britain had a very strong relationship with Wizarding America.
The hearing, should it go as planned, should relinquish any hold Regina had over his son with very little effort.
And since Regina didn't know anything about the magical world in the so-called world without magic, let alone that her ruled a country—game, set, match.
Of course, that was if the stupid sheriff would do his part and bring his son back. Harry frowned, trying to call Graham and again getting voice mail.
He hated doing this, but it appeared like he—or Ford—was going to have to make a slightly earlier appearance than attended.
When he arrived at the sheriff's station, he saw that the car was already parked there. Good, at least he wouldn't have to track down Do-Right.
What he was surprised though was that Do-Right and Hermione seemed to be having some sort of moment, which he interrupted.
Or at least they were staring at each other oddly. Could you call that a moment?
Well, he suspected something else was going on but he didn't say anything instead he cleared his throat and saw Graham instantly pale.
Inwardly, Harry rolled his eyes. You'd think his form as Harry Potter would be a lot more intimidating than his form as Ford Gold since Harry was several inches taller and well a lot more fit. But nope, apparently a middle-aged man with a sneer on his face was what made Graham look like he was about to shit in his pants.
"Mr. Gold," He said. "I—"
"Release, Ms. Granger." He said. "My associate cannot be locked up."
"As much as I'd like to do that, I'm afraid I can't. She assaulted Regina."
"Please," Gold said. "She was doing the city a favor. Besides, technically you can't charge Ms. Granger she has diplomatic immunity."
"I'd have to see the documentation." Graham said.
"Of course," He said pulling out papers he zapped up.
Graham frowned as he looked at the papers. "Well, I'll be darn."
"Spoken like a true bumbling idiot." Harry snapped.
"Ford," Hermione warned.
"Dearie, I'm trying to get you out of jail. Excuse me for reprimanding Sherriff Humbert for being slow. He still hasn't returned Mr. Potter to his parents."
Graham sighed, "I'm sorry. I promise you I will look for the boy. Regina has been a little less than cooperative."
"Then why isn't she in jail right now."
"Because she is receiving medical treatment." He said, "Miss—Sorry, your grace, is it? Really, you're a duchess? I'm sorry, your grace, but I forgot your name again."
"You still don't recall her name. Really, dearie?"
"Ford," Hermione said. "I think he can't help it."
He looked at her, knowing that there was some sort of story to it and let the subject matter drop for now.
"If you would please release her grace, so she can be on her way—"
"Of course, yes." Graham said getting out his keys as he looked at Hermione.
"We'll finish our discussion later," She said in a gentle tone. "Maybe over coffee?"
"Yes," The sheriff said. "Yes, I'd like that."
"What the hell, Hermione." He said after they had left the jail together and got into Ford's Cadillac—aka Harry's recently transfigured sports car.
She sighed heavily. "Don't."
"Don't what?" He said, "You asked Do-Right out on a date."
"It's not a date," Hermione said. "I just want answers."
"About why he arrested you? I'll tell you why because he's Regina's heartless lapdog."
"She has his heart?"
"I told you she did. He's the huntsman. Why do you care?"
"Because Harry," She snapped. "He's that Graham."
"What?" He asked as he pulled over. He had a feeling this was going to be a rather long conversation and as much as he'd like to hit the stray annoying resident of the Enchanted Forest, he didn't want to give Regina any reason to charge him for vehicular manslaughter.
Hermione sighed, "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but when I saw him when I was held out for attempt I recognized him. He's the same guy. He doesn't remember me at all. I think Regina did something."
"I'm sure she did, he couldn't remember your name for two seconds." Harry said. "I still feel like I should kick his ass. You know, he's been hitting on Emma."
Hermione had a disgusted look on her face. "He wouldn't."
"Oh, he did." Harry said. "Who do you think took her to that bar where Glass took those pictures."
"You said Regina has his heart, she probably directed him too."
"He was staring at my wife's arse." Harry said. "Now, I really have a reason to turn him into a slug."
"You will not turn Graham into a slug, Harry Potter." Hermione snapped.
"Don't tell me you still feel something for the guy." Harry said. "He is Regina's sex toy."
"Obviously, that's against his will." Hermione pointed out.
"Did you ever think whatever he had with you was against his will?" Harry said. "That all of this was some sort of elaborate rouse set by Regina to make sure that Emma wasn't going to fight for Jaime or something."
Hermione gave him a dirty look. "You are being ridiculous."
"Am I, dearie? I know Regina, I know how evil she is and dispensable she views people as being."
"She didn't even know who I was."
"Or that's what she wanted you to think. Obviously, something about you bothered her."
"Because she hates bookish girls. Like your old girlfriend. You know, the one you never cared to really tell me about despite being best friends."
He hadn't told her a lot of things about the past, Belle being one of them. Grant it, she had been able to research a lot about the horrible things he did and she knew he was the Dark One. But Belle, well, it was a sensitive subject.
He looked at Hermione, "Fine. You want to know about my relationship with Belle. I fell in love with her and rejected her because I wanted to find my son. Because Regina gave her the not so brilliant idea to kiss me which would've broken my curse. Allegedly. Not that rejecting her did me any good. Bae ended up dead, and Belle ended up dead because of my actions."
"Harry," Hermione said.
"I can tell you that Regina only met Belle once before she tricked her into trying to rid me of my powers. She barely saw her for twenty seconds, so I can tell you if she ever encountered you she recognizes you."
Hermione frowned.
"Regardless, she's pissed at you now." Harry said frowning as he looked at her, "Do you mind if I check the protection spell I did on your heart?"
Hermione gave him an odd look. "You think she's going to try to take my heart?"
"She might," He said.
He had originally performed the spell on Hermione right before they went to destroy Voldemort once and for all. While the Death Eaters didn't exactly know how to pull out a heart like Regina, he theorized that protecting ones heart would protect it from the killing curse—well, at least in the case of Hermione. He didn't need to worry about the killing curse, though he had protected his heart mainly because he didn't want Regina to take it out of his body again and this time he squid ink proofed his spells via a few potions.
Hermione frowned. "You said she's powerless here."
"The curse is draining her," Harry said. "But once the curse is broken, who knows what will happen. You and I both have our powers in Storybrooke."
Hermione nodded. "I should research what effects the curse would have on her."
"Oh, I doubt you could find anything a curse like that is supposed to be impossible. But from what I know, she's using all of her magical energy to hold it. It's not that easy to travel realms and wipe out an entire population's memories, dearie. And it's not holding either."
"Is it possible that she could burn out all her magic?" Hermione asked.
It seemed ridiculous how one minute they were fighting about her relationship with Do-Right and next discussing aspects of magical theory. Though, Harry guessed he should be grateful. He really didn't have a lot of true friends, and really didn't like arguing with her.
The question she brought up was interesting, was it possible one could burn through their magic.
There had to be a cost for the curse.
Harry frowned, "I wish we could all be so lucky, but undoubtedly she'll retain some sort of power once the curse crashes. Although, I doubt she'll be as powerful as she once was. At least for the time being."
Hermione nodded. "Well, then, obviously you don't have to worry about me. If I have magic and Regina doesn't—"
Rumple shook his head. "You should know better than that. Just because that woman doesn't have magic, doesn't mean she's dangerous. She's already had you thrown in jail. Twice."
Hermione sighed. "I realize that Harry, but I'm not an invalid. And I do want to help Graham. He doesn't deserve to be under her control."
Harry shook his head. "You know she has his heart, right? That's why he can't and won't ever remember you. Or your name."
"I'll find her stash," Hermione said. "I'm sure it won't be that hard. You said she wasn't the most clever."
At that Rumple laughed. How his best friend underestimated his archnemises. "Well, it's not like you can ask her to 'please' give you the Huntsman's heart. She'd spit in your face."
"Not in yours though," Hermione stated. "You told me you added a clause to that little bargain the two of you made."
He frowned. "I did, but I can't abuse it. Especially since I don't want her knowing I have my memories back. Besides, she'd probably find a way to kill Graham before she gave me his heart making it worthless."
"Well, there has to be something we can do to help him."
"Hermione."
Based on the look on her face, she knew she wasn't going to let this go.
They had finally come to some unsteady truce; enough for Harry to go to the hospital and question Regina after dropping Hermione back off at the pink mansion.
He needed to find out where Jaime was, and reclaim custody. Though, not as himself since he was obviously playing the role of Ford Gold.
As he walked in the hospital he noticed how the townspeople turned around stared and whispered like he was some sort of big bad.
He guessed he was. He had made a deal with almost every single imbecile who had been cursed to this rotten place, and most of them hadn't been happy. Didn't read the fine print. It seemed like they had been equally screwed by Rumford Gold.
"Mr. Gold?" Dr. Whale said shocked to see him.
"I'm here to see Regina," He snapped. "What room is she in?"
"I'm—1072." Whale said after he saw the look on Gold's face. "She'll be a little woozy though from the drugs. That was quite the break. In fact, I'm making her stay overnight. No pain tolerance, that one. She had me give me the strongest pain killers that I could give her."
"It's just cartridge, dearie." Harry snapped. "It's not like she broke her arm or overdosed on Ambien."
Whale gave him a strange look.
"I represent the Potters," Gold snapped.
"Oh," Whale said. "But I thought—"
Harry ignored him as he walked to the elevator. The floor Regina was on was the same floor that Jaime had been on. It was odd the building was so big and mostly using one floor he thought, as he looked at all the different levels. There even was a basement.
God knows, what was down there. Not that he'd find out today, but he wondered if the dragon he was seeking was down there.
The hospital was large enough to house a beast like Maleficent but it also seemed a little too much of a risk. Way too many people entered and exited the building. Rumple thought this as the doors open and came face to face with two of his favorite people: Snow White and Prince Charming.
So, Charming was alive, that was something he thought. He was worried when Snow White hadn't indicated that they were married that Charming had been killed by Regina which would completely derail his plans of having the prince defeat the beast for him and getting that potion for him to revive Emma's memories.
Not that it would do him much good now.
"Mr. Gold?" Snow White said as her eyes focused on him.
"Ah, Mary Margret," He said. "I see you're an insipid do-gooder as ever."
"Mr. Gold?" Charming said.
"Yes, that's my name." He said. "It's good to see that the two of you are together as always."
"We're not together." Mary Margret said turning bright red.
Interesting.
"I just thought—" He said.
Mary Margret shook her head. "You're wrong Daniel is Regina's husband like he's always been."
Charming was Daniel Mills in this world?
He had heard that Regina was married, but he had thought it was one of her underlings or experiments that she was merely holding out as her husband to get some sort of edge in the custody case. For all he knew, she could've been parading the real Daniel Stable's slightly moldy corpse as her husband. God knows, she held on to his body like it was some bloody diamond—her precious.
God he forgot how fucked up his former pupil was. Not even her mother was that deranged, and that was saying something.
He wondered if Regina had even slept with Charming. He hoped for Charming's sake, she didn't. He didn't think Regina would want Snow's leftovers. But then again, he didn't think Regina would've had the audacity to pull out his heart and squeeze it to dust.
"I'm actually here to see your wife. We need to discuss something important, though maybe you can help me, do you know where Jaime Potter is?"
"Wait Regina's at the hospital?"
"For now," He said. "She'll be in jail soon enough for violating a court order. Nasty business."
"What?" Charming said.
"Well, I see you're going to be completely useless, I'll take my leave."
Yeah, he still didn't particularly care for the Charmings. They might be his in-laws, but it didn't mean he had to like them. Plus, he was already in a particular foul mood thanks to Regina.
Who was currently handcuffed to a bed.
There was no longer blood dripping all over her face, Whale had bandaged her up and put a splint on the busted nose. He was sure the queen was told she'd be good as new—well, save for the botched healing spell Harry had sent at her. He hoped she enjoyed the new crooked nose. Maybe if he was generous he would add a nice hairy wart to it, yes that would do nicely.
Chained to a hospital bed, Regina looked far less menacing than she did in her days as an Evil Queen. It helped that she was on heavy painkillers. Still bandaged up, Rumple couldn't help but feel a bit scared of her.
This was the woman who killed him after all.
Well, quasi killed him.
"Regina, Regina," He finally said. "It's been a long time dearie."
She opened her eyes, they were slightly glazed from the drugs and pain. He had caught her at a time of weakness—good.
"You." She hissed. "How did you survive?"
"I wasn't in the car that night." He said not wanting to reveal the truth that he knew very well who he was. "Surely, you remember that, Mayor Mills."
"Good, you don't remember." She said the drugs obviously causing her to be a little bit free with her words.
Rumple smirked. "Oh, I remember a lot. Like how you got my wife's murderer out scotch free."
Regina laughed thinking she won. "What do you want, Gold?"
"I want to know where the Potters' son is." He said, "It will do you a lot of good if you reveal where he is. You know, less jail time."
"I should squeeze your heart to dust again." She muttered clearly high on pain meds.
"Pardon? Because I think that's physically impossible, dearie."
She started laughing. "You really don't know."
"I know that you're up to your evil ways as always, I want to know where Jaime Potter, please."
He hated using that word. As Harry Potter he could be a little more discreet about it, but as Ford he was pretty sure one too many uses of that word and she'd catch on. As it was though, he figured she might forget this whole conversation when the drugs wore off.
He hoped as much.
"Pleasantries." Regina said, "Of course, you of all people would use pleasantries. The brat's at home. Been home all day, locked in his room. Too bad he refused to eat, he wouldn't be so fucking bored if he was asleep. Not my fault he's grounded for life and I destroyed his Xbox. Why am I telling you this—"
She trailed off, clearly the pain meds hitting her harder than she thought.
Inwardly Rumple smirked, as he started walking out of the room only to almost bump into Charming.
"Watch where you're going, dearie."
"So it's true, you weren't lying she's in the hospital."
"Clearly," Rumple said. "Though if you expect a good conversation out of her, Whale stoned her out of her mind. It was probably done at her request so she could avoid going to jail for the night. Not that it matters, she'll be wearing orange tomorrow."
"That's ridiculous," Charming said. "Regina's mayor. She can't go to jail."
"Like I said, she willfully violated a court order. She has illegal possession of my clients' son. Which reminds me, do you think you could let Graham Cracker in your house. Apparently, that's where Jaime's being held up. I hope the barracuda wasn't lying when she said she couldn't drug him up this time."
Smack.
Harry felt stars for a second before realizing that Charming had just slugged him, and like his daughter he had a mean right hook.