Chapter Nineteen - Dobby Jumps In

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!

Chapter Nineteen - Dobby Jumps In

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―==(oIo)==―

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Harry was up early as he wanted to be up when both adult Grangers left for work. He was surprised when they didn't leave until almost 8.00am and asked about it.

"Harry, we're dental surgeons, not ordinary dentists," explained Monica. "On a Monday morning we have a nine o'clock start at the hospital to go over the surgical programme for the week. Then we do rounds, then we have an early lunch. We finally start operations at just after lunch.

For Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we tend to follow a schedule starting at 8.00am of rounds, surgery, lunch, surgery, post-op and wrap up with a couple hours, if necessary, spare. We also try to fit speaking with referred patients in among there when we can. Some surgeries are long, some are short. That gives us the time to see new patients. Friday is paperwork, review and self study of new techniques and the like in our field.

"Ah," he said. "That's why you were able to cancel your day, last Friday, at such short notice."

"That's why," she smiled with a nod.

As Hermione joined them, having just come down, Wendell stood up straight and said, "Now, you two..."

Harry focussed his full attention on him.

"I've spoken with the aurors and they'll be keeping an eye on you," he firmly said. "So, no funny business while we're not here. Got it?"

"Dah-deeee!" Hermione whined, while madly blushing.

"Yes, Sir," Harry immediately and firmly replied. "I have your trust and will not abuse it."

"I know, Harry," he replied. "I'm just invoking 'Father's Prerogative' by warning you."

"Yes, Wendell," said Harry, more relaxed.

That the senior auror had told him the aurors wouldn't step in, even if the two decided to consummate their relationship in the middle of the parlour floor, was beside the point. He'd talked to them.

"Sorry, Sir," the auror had apologised. "But, we're here to ensure the safety of Lord Potter and... now that he and your daughter are soon to be in a Betrothal Agreement, from what I hear... she's included in that too.

"Under our law; they are both over thirteen years of age, there is less than a two year age gap between them, Lord Potter does not hold a position of authority over your daughter and, if it happens, they would both be consenting. As such, we would be required to simply give them privacy."

"Understood. Thank you, auror," Wendell had replied. He had what he needed, anyway.

"A reminder, Sir," said Harry. "My Lord Black is likely to pay us a visit, this very evening, after the sixth hour past noon."

While Hermione gave him a funny look for his formal language, Wendell smiled and replied, "I well remember, Lord Potter. Thank you."

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―==(oIo)==―

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With Wendell and Monica out for the day, both teens spent more time together.

At her request, Harry began to educate Hermione better on the roles the Houses played in wizarding British society. It had started with her asking why he had used the formal language he had used with her father that morning.

"At that moment I wasn't 'Harry' speaking with your 'Dad' about 'Sirius'," he explained. "I was acting as Heir Tertiary and Agent for Lord Black of the House of Black, speaking with Doctor Wendell Granger, Justice of the Peace, concerning a business matter between Lord Sirius Black and himself. It was not my place to be familiar in the role I was playing. Your father understood that."

She firmly said, "I need to learn this."

"Yes, you do," he agreed. And smiled back.

That led to Harry getting what books he had on the subject out and looking for what ones he needed to teach her.

"At some stage we need an excursion to Diagon Alley," he said. "Now that we're out of school, I can spend time having a browse and looking for books like this. The last time I was there I had snuck out of the school and time was limited. And most of that was taken up with what I had to quickly accomplish in Gringotts."

He started with an overview of the Houses and which was what.

"I know this, Harry," she exasperatedly said.

"I'm sure you do," he reasonably said back. "However, I don't know that you know everything I'm trying to teach you, so I have to go over it in case there's something important you should know that you don't.

"However, at least your prior knowledge of a lot of it will make most of this go faster. We can quickly skip through what you know, as a sort of revision, and focus on what you don't when we find something you don't."

She gave a minor harrumph, but didn't object. "Fine."

"Wasn't that my signature response?" he teased.

She gave him a look and said, "Why do you think I used it?" And smirked.

He chuckled and the two teens got on with it.

While Hermione knew all the 'ranks' of the Houses she wasn't so sure about the terms relating to the Heirs. "Why Heir Primary, Secondary and Tertiary, while they also use Heir Apparent and Presumptive?"

"Apparent and Presumptive are sub-ranks of Primary," he replied. "Heir Apparent refers to the heir that will ascend to the Lordship unless they predecease the Lord, or they're Disowned. An Heir Presumptive can be dropped down the line of succession by someone born who would become the Heir Primary.

"For example, Andromeda is currently Heir Primary of the House of Black... or, rather, Heiress Primary. But, she can lose the position by Sirius becoming a father by blood; which makes her an Heiress Presumptive. That son or daughter would then be Heir or Heiress Primary. If it's a girl she would be Heiress Presumptive because Sirius could then have a boy, who would then be Heir Apparent, while the girl moved down to Heiress Secondary.

"With each child Andromeda would also drop back one, with Nymphadora and me also dropping back one as well. In the aforementioned order, on the birth of the girl she'd drop from being Heiress Primary to Heiress Secondary. And on the birth of the boy, she'd drop back from being Heiress Secondary to Heiress Tertiary. And so on.

"However, below Heir or Heiress Tertiary we're simply known as an Heir. Clear, so far?"

Hermione nodded, "That makes more sense than what I read."

"And, what about the heirs of the House of Potter?" she then asked. "Do you have any? What with you being the last of your line, I mean."

Harry smiled and said, "I wondered when you'd ask. There is no one of the main Potter line left. I'm the last. Therefore, we had to go up the line until we found someone who carries Potter blood today, off a cadet line. To do that we had to go all the way up to my Great Grandfather's younger brother. He was one of the first aurors in what became known as MaCUSA. Then we came down that line until we found someone still alive.

"The next in line is someone in America who, when the goblins researched them, has shown himself to be a bit of a scoundrel. Therefore, I've ensured he's not been informed of his status. And he will only be informed if something happens to me before I've married and had children of my own.

"However, I've identified him as Heir Presumptive of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter with Gringotts so, if I should die without progeny, the Ministry cannot seize the Potter fortune; as they would, if I didn't. I'd rather the scoundrel have it than the Ministry seize it.

"He may not be of the main line but he's still a Potter by blood. A condition has been set in place that means he'll have to change his address to a British one, though. That is, he'll have to move to and live in magical Britain."

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―==(oIo)==―

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While Harry and Hermione were sitting at the dinette table going over the 'who's who' of the nobility of wizarding Britain and nibbling away at the remains of their lunches, Amelia Bones was walking into the holding cells area at the DMLE.

After first ensuring herself the old man was sitting on his bunk and was well away from the door, she nodded to the auror with her to open it. As soon as he did she immediately stepped inside.

"Finally," the old man muttered as a barely audible sigh.

"Mister Albus Dumbledore," she said. "I find I have sufficient evidence to charge you with trespass. However, I'm going to hold onto the charge, for now, and stick it in my drawer in my desk in my office.

"There it shall remain... until you again break the law. Because, I know damned well you will."

"If you're done, Am- Madam Bones; I believe I'm free to go," he quietly said.

"I have a message for you, first, from Headmistress Marchbanks - your boss," she smirked. "It is now 'school hours'. You are expected to leave this place and head immediately and directly for Hogwarts. You are not to deviate from that order. You are not to stop off anywhere along the way.

"She expects you to be stepping into her office in no more than fifteen minutes from now; so you'd better hustle."

"That gives me insufficient time to shower or change," he grumped.

"She knows that," she said. "She wants to make sure you're back in the castle and report to her before you'll get to do that."

Stepping aside she added, "Now you'd best get a move on. One minute of that fifteen has already gone."

Already dressed, he only had to pause long enough to pick up his wand, glasses, money pouch and ring portkeys, sign for them, and be on his way.

Back at the castle by way of the public floo system in the Ministry lobby direct to his office, he then knew he had to immediately head to his... Marchbanks's office. It would take him almost the entirety of the time he had remaining.

As he walked up to the gargoyle about thirteen minutes after he walked out of that infernal cell and was about to ask it to step aside for him, it did it anyway. And that proved to him that the woman was monitoring him as he made his way to her office.

Walking up the stairs he knocked on the door, waited barely a moment, then opened it and walked in.

The new Headmistress - and, Merlin, did he hate that - was sitting at her desk waiting for him.

"Come in, Albus."

As he approached the desk he saw no chairs before it. This meant he was going to have to stand.

Once he stopped about ten feet shy of the desk, she said, "You left school grounds without authorisation early on Friday afternoon, Albus. That will never happen again.

"You are now the last member of staff who has been informed that, if they leave the school grounds during a school day without my authorisation, it will be grounds for dismissal.

"Your tenure has certain conditions in it that allow me to fire you. One is bringing this school into disrepute; another is conduct unbecoming of a faculty member. You did both by trying to trespass upon the property of a young, female muggleborn student and getting yourself arrested in the process.

"That behaviour reflected badly on me, the school and your fellow staff members. That's called bringing the school into disrepute, Albus.

"So, this is one of your final warnings before I fire you. If something similar happens again, I will fire you." She then gave him a wave off gesture towards the door and said, "You may leave."

Powerless at the treatment and what he felt was disrespect he was being shown, Dumbledore bit his tongue and kept silent as he spun about and stormed from the room. Again, he never bothered to close the door behind himself.

Marchbanks was waiting to flick her wand to close it, anyway.

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―==(oIo)==―

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Back in his Professor of Transfigurations office and private apartment, Dumbledore was unable to take a long soak in a bath, this time. The apartment only had a shower. So, he took a half-hour shower, making sure to scrub himself clean.

The robes he wore was yet another set he had to throw away. He felt, as he had to wear them for three straight days, he'd never get them truly clean again.

Properly cleaned and dressed, he called for a house elf to bring him a decent meal as he sat at his desk and sat back.

Now stuck in the castle, especially on and during 'school days', he had to figure out a way to get to Harry Potter and get the boy back inside the castle as well.

That's when he hit on an idea. He couldn't go to young Harry, so why not bring the boy to him! It also had the bonus of killing two birds with one stone. Getting the boy brought to him would get the boy back in the castle, too.

Finally deciding to do it, Dumbledore pulled out a sheet of pre-charmed parchment he had created a stock of in case he ever lost control of the wards, his quill and an ink pot. He took a few minutes to draft the letter in his Occlumency-enhanced 'mind's eye' then set to writing.

Once he was done and had signed it with a flourish he realised his mistake. He'd signed the damnable thing with his old titles.

"Blast!" he muttered, before he began to rewrite the letter on another pre-charmed sheet of parchment.

Done, he lightly blew it dry. Then he drew his wand and worked to make a minor modification to the portkey charm. As he'd cast the original with the Elder Wand while it was still bonded with him, it took him a fair bit of power to adjust it.

After taking a deep breath and lightly dabbing his handkerchief over his forehead to absorb the moisture he'd generated there adjusting the charm on the parchment, he folded it as was proper and turned to Fawkes.

"Fawkes," he firmly said.

As the bird looked at him, he held up the letter and said, "I need you to take this to young Harry Potter. Off you go."

Fawkes stared at him for a long moment, let out a threatening screech and flamed away. The letter was still in Dumbledore's hand.

Expecting the bird to flame back in within a moment, it was over ten seconds before Dumbledore lowered his hand. Fawkes had not returned.

"Gods damn it!" he snapped to the air. "Blasted bird!"

He jumped to his feet, strode out of his office and made his way to the owlery.

'Maybe it's better to use an ordinary school owl for this, anyway,' he thought as he strode along, letter still in his hand. 'It may take longer to get him, but Harry won't instantly recognise Fawkes and be wary.'

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―==(oIo)==―

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In the Department of Mysteries at the Monday morning 'Fire-side' - a name for which whose history was lost to the annals of time - the Unspeakable Section Leaders gathered in the largest meeting room to verbally report to their superiors and the others what the sections would be focussing on for that week. Some were surprised to see Scimitar attend with none of 'Management' being surprised to see him there.

At the end of the usual reports, Croaker said, "You've noticed, by now, we have a new Section Leader - Scimitar. Scimitar leads a small team working on a 'Deep Secret' project. Scimitar?"

The Unspeakable stood and said, "As Croaker stated, this matter is classified Deep Secret. its code name is 'Spectral Threat'.

"It has been discovered that one Tom Marvolo Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort, is still with us."

After waiting for the sudden susurrations of noise to cease, what would be loud exclamations of shock anywhere else, he continued, "It has been discovered Riddle... as that is his real name, that is how we address him... employed the use of soul magics in the form of the creation of Horcruxes. Worst still, he has created quite a few of them."

"That's crazy!" said one. "One, alone, is enough to warp the mind. To create multiples―"

"We're aware," nodded Scimitar. "Nevertheless, that is exactly what he has done. My team and I have already located and collected four of them and are aware of a fifth that was destroyed around June of 1993."

"Sweet Merlin!" one of the others softly exclaimed.

Continuing, Scimitar said, "There is another issue related to this matter and it involves Harry Potter; or, as he is now more properly known, Lord Harrison James Potter. Due to the disruptions Lord Potter has recently caused..."

That earned him a few snickers, even though they were nervous in nature.

"... Amelia Bones has assigned Lord Potter a rotating protection detail. This is mainly because of the threat 'White Beard' represents to the young Lord. We have been urging her to continue with it.

"Thankfully, we have a deep agent within the DMLE already assigned to Lord Potter's detail and hope to get at least another... if not another two... assigned to that detail within the coming weeks."

"Why is he important to this?" asked one.

"That you do not need to know about," Croaker jumped in and replied.

Scimitar gave the man a nod and turned back to the group. "This information has been provided you for two reasons," he said. "First, for your sections to be vigilant of the employment of soul magics. However, they are not to be informed of why. Second, that Lord Potter is now a DoM Protectee... you know what that means... and he is not to be aware of that. That operation is also Deep Secret and is code named 'Knight's Shadow'. Lord Potter's codename is now 'White Knight'."

A DoM Protectee would be watched over by agents of the DoM - usually individuals, working alone. That he was not to be aware of it meant that the DoM agents would be doing so in hidden surveillance. And that their job would be that much harder, due to the DMLE protection detail. Subtlety would be the name of the game. Having at least one person 'inside' made things easier; but, more would be better.

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―==(oIo)==―

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After it looked to Harry that Hermione was beginning to flag under the rapid flow of information, he checked the time using a Tempus charm and realised they'd been at it, including a short break for lunch and while Harry ate snacks, for almost five hours.

"I think we should leave the nobility lessons there, for the moment, Hermione," he said. "I think we should focus on something else for the time being."

"Kissing?" she asked.

He laughed, walked around the table and took her into his arms. Pausing only a moment to make sure it was alright, he ducked his head forward towards hers with his head tilted slightly to the left as she did the same. Already, they'd figured out a left tilt, rather than a right tilt, felt more natural for them both.

After a lingering kiss they slowly broke apart.

"I can get used to that," she grinned.

"Me too," he happily said.

"But, not in front of Daddy," she firmly clarified. "I promised Mum."

"I know," he sighed. "You told me."

"And now I'm reminding you."

Giving her another kiss, he pulled back and walked back around the table.

Sitting down again he said, "There's an idea I have that I want to talk to you about. It's become even more important for me to talk to you about, since we're now boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Oh?" she asked, intrigued.

"With Dumbledore escaping a prison sentence," he began. "And the Wizengamot and School Board not able to get him out of the castle yet, I've more and more come to realise I do not want to go back to Hogwarts. It's too dangerous for me."

Frowning in worry, Hermione asked, "But, what about your schooling?"

"There's plenty of options, Hermione," he replied. "I can go to one of the schools in Europe, such as Beauxbatons Academy of Magic; I can go to the main school in the United States, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which I've discovered is modelled after Hogwarts; I can go to a completely different school in another part of the world; I can hire private tutors and study at home; or I can hire private tutors elsewhere in the world. I have plenty of possibilities open to me.

"However, now that we're boyfriend and girlfriend, your opinion is even more valuable to me. And, don't forget, whichever I choose, you're welcome to join me."

Hermione's first instinct was to try and tell him, 'No!' However, she held her initial reaction back and decided her boyfriend needed her to think it through. So, that's what she did.

After a long moment she started. "Well, I can't fault you for believing it would be dangerous for you going back to Hogwarts. And, you've got the money to go to a school outside of the country, or even hire private tutors. However, not returning to Hogwarts means not seeing friends again."

"Friends?" he pointedly asked.

"Valid point," she nodded. "I guess the only ones still there that could be called 'friends' are Neville, Ginny and the Twins. Or maybe even just Neville, really. You know he never turned his back on you, don't you?"

"Yeah; and he probably would have become an even better friend if it wasn't for Ron and his own grandmother interfering," he agreed. "But Ginny, to me, is just a 'fan girl' and Ron and the Twins' sister, who I rescued from the Chamber. I have nothing in common with her and I know she wants me to be 'The Boy-Who-Lived' for her. I can't ever do that."

"I don't like the idea of you going overseas to go to school," she said. "And I don't think my parents will be happy for me to go, either."

"You'd be surprised about that," he disagreed. "I don't think they're happy about you going back to Hogwarts. They're now well aware of just how dangerous it's been there. And the ructions I've caused in the school staff might well have been the last straw for them."

"You don't have your own place, at the moment," she tried. "So where are you going to stay and where are you going to get the private tutors willing to tutor you? And where would they do it?"

"In order," he began. "I do have my own place. The Goblins told me about it. I just haven't been there to see what condition it's in yet. If it's non-habitable at the moment, then I'll simply buy another place and live there. As for willing tutors; I'm the 'Boy-Who-Lived', remember? I don't think they're going to be hard to find. And, where? I'll either find and buy a remote place and use that, or I can come to some other arrangement with them. Nothing's insurmountable when you have the gold to throw at the problem."

With a sad sigh she said, "You're right. All options are open to you if you have the gold; which, you do."

"I'm actually more worried about the pros and cons that aren't gold based." he explained. "The big 'con' of private tutelage is that we won't get to mix with children our own age. The big 'pro' is that we will be taught at the pace we can learn. We won't be held back. That means we can learn what we need a hell of a lot faster."

"We can get our OWLs earlier!" she exclaimed.

"Exactly," he grinned. "Another 'pro' is; with the two of us we won't feel as lonely as we would have if either of us had lone tutoring. But a 'con' is; we won't have access to the massive Hogwarts library."

"You like the idea of private tutors, don't you?" she logically guessed.

He nodded and said, "Another 'pro'; you won't be effectively blocked from seeing your parents for a whole term, term after term. You'll be able to visit with your parents - and maybe even they will be able to visit you - as often as you or they want."

"You've practically got me sold on the idea, already," she sighed. "But I'll miss the Hogwarts library."

"Then I'll buy one," he replied. "As long as I can find a place to buy that'll have enough room, I'll build the shelving and racks for one and stock it by buying lorry-loads of books from every wizarding bookshop in the world."

She smiled and said, "I don't think you need to go to that much trouble, Harry; but, it's appreciated."

He shrugged and said, "Well I can at least buy a copy of every available different book in Flourish and Blotts. I also know there's lots of antique books in the Potter documentation vault, too."

She laughed. "Alright. You've practically got me sold on the idea. Just give me time to think it over. I might have other problems with it I can't think of right now."

"We don't have to make a decision right now, Hermione," he lightly chided her. "I doubt, very much, we're going to see Hogwarts re-open before Christmas... New Years, even."

With a firm nod she mentally put that idea aside and asked, "Alright. What's next?"

"Well, now that I know Lady Marchbanks has taken over as Headmistress, together with Dumbledore being back in the school, I think I need to write a letter to her to let her know a few things," he replied.

"What sort of things?' she asked.

"Dumbledore used to use the ghosts, house elves and portraits to spy on everyone," he replied.

"He what?" she exclaimed.

"Used to use the ghosts, house elves and portraits to spy on everyone," he repeated. "I figured that out, I think, in second year."

"How?" she asked.

"How what?" he asked right back. "How did he use them or how did I figure it out?"

She gave him a look and replied, "Both!"

"Well, the first part is quite simple, if you think about it," he replied. "Ghosts can move freely about the castle. They can get anywhere and everywhere. When you think about it, you probably even said things near one of them you wouldn't have said near a living person. However, they are freely able to verbally communicate with us.

"House elves are the same with a couple of added advantages; they can elf-pop - apparate - anywhere, including through wards, including inside Hogwarts. And they have this ability they call 'fade', which is a far superior version of a witch or wizard's various disillusionment charms. We could have a house elf standing on the table between us right now, who popped in to right there directly from the Headmistress's office, and we'd never know about it. Elf-pop and elf-fade are just... that... good.

"Now, how difficult would it be for such an elf to then have been sent by old wrinkle-nuts to pop in under fade, carrying a long sheet of parchment and an ever-ink quill and for it to write down what we say that it will then pass on to Dum-dum-bore?"

"Oh, Gods!" she moan/whined.

"Now the portraits are a little different―" he began.

"No; stop," she interrupted. "I think I've got the idea."

When Harry just gently smiled back, an expression she was coming to learn meant 'real' Harry was truly sorry he had just destroyed your world-view, she just sighed.

"And, you think Dumbledore did this at Hogwarts?" she asked.

"I know Dumbledore did this at Hogwarts," he corrected. "There were a couple of things he said to me he couldn't have known by having been told either directly by a human, or having it read from their minds by Snape. It took me about a year to narrow it down to the elves, portraits and ghosts by saying little things when no one was with me to a ghost or a portrait, or even just saying it in my bed as if I was pretending I was talking to my parents out loud as if they were there.

"For example, I know one time when it must've been an elf who told him something when I sat in my bed, late at night, and pretended to talk to my parents. I said how all the crap I had to put up with as everyone called me the 'Heir of Slytherin' was making me seriously consider running away. The next day Dumbledore summoned me to his office and told me how Hogwarts was 'the safest place in all of wizarding Britain' and how 'the children' were just being children and would soon realise how silly they were being. He said he told me that because he could 'see I was feeling very troubled about it and worried I might do something truly foolish'."

"That was the one that confirmed a house elf was watching and listening to me at the time. It then had me later confirm the ghosts and portraits were also watching."

Slumped in her seat a little, Hermione sadly said, "Wow. That's just... that's a little sickening."

She suddenly blanched and looked back at Harry in not a little horror. "That means..."

"That means?" he pressed.

"That means... almost everything we went through, he knew about in advance! He knew about the basilisk well before you went down into the Chamber... hang on, he'd have known it was Ginny! He also had to know it was Sirius coming into the castle in third year!"

"Hermione," he gently said. "You know Albus Dumbledore, as Headmaster, had control of the wards. I'm sure you would have read about that in 'Hogwarts a History'. Think about it, for a moment!"

"Yes, that's what it says," then stared at him in shock again. "He had to have known a dark artefact, the diary, was brought in and, highly likely, by whom on the first day of the school year."

"Correct."

"And he had to have known it was Sirius Black; and that he was on the grounds and when; because of the ghosts, portraits and house elves."

"And the wards," he added. "Plus, he deliberately left a way for Sirius to bypass the dementors and get in."

"Huh?" she asked.

"The tunnel from the Weeping Willow to the Shrieking Shack. Dumbledore built it to give a way for Remus Lupin to be removed from the school to the shack on the nights of the full moon," he explained. "He couldn't have not known Remus's three best friends didn't also know about it - one of them being Sirius Black. However, he made no move to block it when people thought Sirius was heading for Hogwarts. What does that tell you?"

"Oh, Gods!" she moaned. "How have I been so blind? How did I not figure that out, myself?"

"Because you hadn't considered Dumbledore was capable of Machiavellian machinations," he explained. "So, you didn't go looking for such moves or ill-intentioned motivations.

"I knew what sort of man he was from before I even entered Hogwarts. So, I was looking for them. That then made it easy to find them. Dumbledore was so assured about his image as the so-called Leader of the Light he didn't consider the possibility someone would go looking and could find evidence of the truth behind his actions.

"Secondly, that loyalty enhancement potion was probably having a more... deleterious effect on you, at the time.

"And don't go thinking I'm blaming you for not figuring any of this out, either. For all I know... for all we know... you might have figured it out about the tunnel, for instance, and gone to Dumbledore with it. Then he Obliviated the knowledge of it from your mind and added a termporary compulsion redirecting your thoughts elsewhere before you could say anything to me."

Hermione, even more dejected, sighed while looking at the tabletop between them and nodded.

Harry made his way back around the table, sat next to her and kissed her again. Pulling away, he softly said, "Understand, Hermione Granger, I do not consider you culpable in any of this. I know that if you could have told me, you would have told me."

Relaxing a fair bit, she kissed him back and smiled. "Thank you, Harry. But, I can't help feeling I let you down."

"You didn't," he immediately shot back. "I know you didn't."

Again moving back to his own side of the table he was sitting down as Hermione said, "We should write to Headmistress Lady Marchbanks and let her know how Dumbledore used the house elves, the portraits and the ghosts to spy on us. Unless she's countermanded that order, they might still be doing it."

Harry grinned and said, "Well done, Hermione! Now that's what I call thinking logically!"

Happier, Hermione pulled a fresh sheet of parchment across, uncapped her ink pot again and picked up her quill. Harry would not tell her that he'd said that exact same thing just before he started telling her about Dumbledore using them as spies. He wanted her to have the 'victory' of coming up with it, herself.

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―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Later, with Harry working in the kitchen preparing dinner, Hermione sat at the dinette table and took notes as he talked.

Coming at the subject he knew Sirius would be coming to talk to Wendell about after six, he spoke about the concept of the laws that were in place for the Noble Houses. Then gave a few examples.

"Hang on," she said. "If someone publicly insults you, as you're the Head of the House of Potter, that would also be seen as an insult on the House of Potter."

"Correct; because I am the physical embodiment of the House of Potter, irrespective of how many Potters there are alive."

"And, at your level... the level of the House of Potter, I mean... such an insult can lead to you challenging someone all the way up to a duel to the death and no one can do anything about it?"

"Other than try to talk me out of it? Correct."

"But, what about Malfoy?" she asked.

"Malfoy thought himself the Heir Primary - Heir Presumptive - of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. And further thought that, with Sirius currently being hunted down by the dementors, he thought it was only a matter of time before he became outright Heir Apparent. That put him on par with me.

"However, what slipped his little mind after the First Task was that, during the First Task, I proved my claim as Lord Potter, not Heir Apparent Potter.

"Now that Sirius has been cleared and has basically stripped the little ferret from the line of succession of the House of Black, if we return to Hogwarts you will notice an immediate and significant change in the little... tosser's attitude towards me. He's gone from what he thought as him being the Heir Presumptive of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, to only the Heir Apparent of the Magical House of Malfoy. That's a huge drop in stature."

He gave a snort and added, "Actually, now that me being a Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House has had a chance to 'sink-in' into their daft little moronic minds, you'll notice a significant change to how all the students treat me - except, maybe, Neville."

"Why Nev... oh," she said. "Because he's the Heir Apparent for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, which means he's really only one 'rank' below you."

"While that's true," he agreed. "I meant, Neville always treated me as a fellow Heir Apparent. I just never completely realised he was doing it."

When he saw she understood he said, "Now, there's a way someone can go from almost near the bottom of the... political food chain... to almost the very top in one swift move. Do you know what it is?"

"You mean 'Betrothal Contracts'," she firmly replied, happy she knew the answer to that one.

"Betrothal Agreements," he returned. "An Agreement does not become a Contract until the conditions of the agreement that would change it to a contract are met in full."

"'Agreement' is just a soft word used for people afraid of the word 'contract'," she said. "At least, that's what Mum and Daddy say."

"In the muggle world and in almost all situations in the wizarding world, they'd be right," he nodded. "However, Betrothal Agreements are more a combined promissory note and list of conditions needed to make a contract come into effect. To save issues, the Betrothal Agreement is written in such a way that it becomes the Betrothal Contract once the agreement conditions are met."

"What sort of conditions?" she asked. "What was contained in the Hogwarts library, when I tried to delve deeper, only said in general that it would be matters of importance between the two Houses of the betrothed."

"In other words, a Dumbledore answer," he said. "Answered the question without providing any useful information."

"Exactly," she said.

"Examples, then," he said, then stopped peeling potatoes to think about it. "Leaving out listing the definitions used first... a condition could be... 'Upon the evening prior to the date of their union, the prospective bride must be confirmed by a certified Healer to be a virgin'.

"If that condition is found not to be... confirmed... then the wedding will not take place and the Agreement will lapse. That is, it will not become a Contract."

"A virgin?!" Hermione asked a little shocked.

"It's just an example, Hermione," he gently said. "It doesn't necessarily have to be part of any Agreement. Think about how backwards and out-of-date the wizarding world appears to be when compared to the muggle world.

"Another could be... 'The aforementioned betrothed groom must attain at minimum three NEWTs of Outstanding level in any three subjects as graded by the WEA... And such attainment must be within twenty four months beyond the prospective groom's seventeenth anniversary of his birth'.

"That way, if the groom-to-be proves himself to be a dum-dum, then the family of the bride-to-be can void it."

"I see," she mused. "That... kind of makes sense. I don't like that bit about being a virgin, though."

"As I said, it was just an example and one that was often included to ensure the prospective bride didn't turn into a... let's face it... 'doorknob' for all the boys at school."

"Doorknob?" she asked.

"Everyone gets a turn?" he replied with a grin.

With a huff of stifled amusement, she grumped, "I noticed you didn't choose to say the groom had to be a virgin."

"Out-of-date, male-dominated society, remember?" he returned. "Besides, the bloodlines are important to the Houses. It would not do for the new 'Lady' to suddenly give birth to what the 'Lord' believes to be his Heir, only to discover later the child is not his by blood.

"That's happened in the past and led to both the death of the 'Lady' and the infant and blood-feuds between Houses. Not a good thing to go through."

She nodded and said, "I can see that."

"But, even the Contract can later be voided due to conditions not being met," he went on. "Sirius has told me he's used a clause in the Betrothal Contract between Bellatrix LeStrange née Black and Rodolphus LeStrange to void theirs. Their Contract stated that an heir had to be birthed as a result of their union within five years and a second within ten. It's now been more than ten years and there hasn't even been a first one."

"So, what does that mean?" she asked. "They have to get divorced?"

"Nope. Voiding the contract was the divorce; or the wizarding world equivalent of it." he simply replied.

"But, back to the original point about sudden elevations due to Betrothal Agreements," he said. "I found out my Dad and Mum entered one around the time they became engaged. In one swift move my Mum went from being 'just a jumped-up muggleborn' to the 'Lady Presumptive Potter'. As the betrothed of the then current Lord Potter, she was seen in wizarding society as that. That she was a muggleborn no longer had any meaning, as her position as 'The Betrothed of Lord Potter' trumped it."

"Wow!" said Hermione. "That's just... wow!"

Harry smirked to himself. Hopefully, he'd cemented the groundwork for her father to talk to her about the Betrothal Agreement he knew her father and Sirius would be discussing that evening. He just didn't know her parents didn't want her to know about it until it was effectively a 'done deal'.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Harry timed things with dinner to sit down to eat at just after 6.00pm.

The Grangers arrived home at 'five to' and an almost fretting Wendell asked, "Is he here, yet?"

Harry noticed the very slight jab Monica gave him to his kidney area from behind him. And definitely noticed Wendell instantly school his features better.

"No pureblood of high standing would ever consider being early, unless they were specifically invited to be so," smiled Harry.

"What'd you kids get up to, today?" asked Monica, quick to change the subject.

"I've been tea- We've been working to improve Hermione's understanding of wizarding Britain culture," he said.

"It's alright to say you've been teaching me, Harry," chided Hermione "I don't mind and it's true."

"Nothing inappropriate?" asked Wendell, but Harry noticed the twinkle.

"Daa-deee!" Hermione instantly whined.

Harry firmly replied, "No, Sir."

"What sort of things were you teaching, Harry?" Monica smoothly cut in.

"The differences between the different levels of the Heirs of the Noble Houses, information on wizarding contracts and the subtle differences between them and the ones in the muggle world, how I was able to figure out some of the things Dumbledore was up to while we were at Hogwarts and how magic played a part in contracts, oaths, vows, that sort of thing," he replied.

"Harry's a good teacher," said Hermione. "He made it so that the information was better understandable and the reasons why the wizarding world do things like that a certain way."

Then her expression clouded over as she added, "And I found out Dumbledore used the house elves, the castle's ghosts and the portraits to spy on the students. That was upsetting.

"Then we wrote a letter to Madam Marchbanks, the new Headmistress, to let her know Dumbledore had been doing that; so she could order them all not to do that any more."

As she hung up her and Wendell's coats in the main floor hall closet, Monica muttered, "That... man..."

"She'll be able to do something about it?" asked a concerned Wendell.

"Yep," replied Harry. "As Headmistress, they all now answer to her. All she has to do is tell them and they have to obey. That's how Dumbledore got them to do it, in the first place."

They'd all just moved out of the hallway, with Monica heading for the kitchen, when there was the sound of a big bore motorcycle engine approaching from up the street. Then it sounded like it pulled into the driveway.

With a frown, Wendell was about to head for the door when one of the aurors walked in and said, "Wait here a moment, please." Then he signaled to one of the other aurors, already inside, to follow him out.

"That's unusual," Harry muttered. Then his eyes widened in delight. "Sirius's recovered his motorcycle from Hagrid!"

He was about to dash out, irrespective of the wishes of the aurors, when they came back in leading Sirius.

"Hi everyone," he cheerily greeted.

Harry noticed both aurors were frowning at his godfather before both ducked back out the front door again.

Harry stepped forward to give him a quick hug, with Hermione following behind for one of her own.

"What's for dinner?" Sirius immediately asked.

Harry immediately asked right back, "Those potions make you ravenous, too, do they?"

"You betcha," replied Sirius, grinning away. "One of them is an appetite stimulant. It practically forces you to take in fuel for the other potions to do their work on everything else."

"I was wondering why I'm so hungry, so often, now," said Harry.

"Well, if you feel hungry, eat," his godfather immediately ordered. "As I said, it's necessary."

Harry nodded and said, "I'll go check on things in the kitchen."

He'd only managed to take a step when Dobby popped-in in front of him. "Dobby be taking over now," he declared. "You has visitor."

"Do-obs!" he sighed.

"Cheffing be done. Now be servings," the elf defiantly declared back.

He probably wouldn't mind so much if he didn't also hear snickering coming from behind.

"Fiiiine!" he grouched.

Turning back, he pouted towards his still snickering godfather and said, "Well. If everyone's hungry?"

They were just all sitting down when the current senior auror said, "Lord Black, I'm sorry to tell you that I'm going to have to notify the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office about your... 'moty-cycle'."

"Go for it!" said Sirius, not fazed at all. He didn't even stop readying himself for the meal.

"You realise it's illegal to enchant such an item, do you not?" the auror pressed.

"Yep!" he readily admitted.

The auror frowned back and said, "You... aren't upset about that?"

"Nope!" he grinned. "It's just a fine. I'll pay it."

"Fight it!" Harry immediately cut in.

Sirius looked at him and said, "It's just a fine, Harry. I'll pay it."

"No; fight it, please!" said Harry.

"Why?" asked his godfather.

"Because, as a rightful Lord, I can stand as your co-law-wizard and defend you." he replied.

"You want me to fight it and have it brought before the Wizengamot, just so you can co-defend me with Ted?" asked Sirius, a little confused.

"Nope!" Harry happily replied. "I want you to fight it so I can show the Wizengamot just how much a bunch of daft morons they are! This is an easy win."

The auror gave a pained look and said to Harry, "You're going to get me fired."

"Nope!" Harry was practically bouncing in his seat in excitement. "And, if they try to, I'll happily defend you in the Wizengamot against that, too! You, auror, is what is known as an 'Instrument of the Law'."

Wendell gave a sudden short bark of laughter. "He's right!" he declared. Then turning to the auror he said, "If it's anything like our police, your job is to uphold the law; not to be Magistrate."

"He means 'Chief Adjudicator'," Harry clarified for the auror.

"At my level," the auror wryly returned. "We're also expected to determine whether or not a legal matter should be pursued, or even be passed up the chain of command."

"Then, pass it up, dear boy," declared Wendell. "If Lord Black has broken the law... as you believe... then, you're in the clear."

The auror gave a sigh and turned to Harry. "Lord Potter, why is it you believe you'd win such a matter?"

"Sorry," he piously declared. "As co-representative for Lord Black, I must decline to answer on the grounds it may be prejudicial to the successful defence of my client."

Hermione whacked him on the arm as Wendell again gave a bark of laughter. He was joined by Sirius. Hermione and Monica just grinned.

Still chuckling, Sirius said, "Alright, Lord Potter; if I'm charged, you can work with Ted and co-defend me."

"Yes!" replied Harry with a fist pump added for good measure.

The auror gave a pained sigh and said, "I'm going to regret this. I know I am."

"Jut do everything by the book," suggested Wendell. "If you do that, no one can legally blame you if the matter before your bench goes sideways on you. You did your job; so that means, either the law or the bench failed in theirs."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After dinner Wendell, Sirius and Harry went to Wendell's office and sat to talk.

Monica stayed out to talk to Hermione. Her excuse was, she wanted to talk to Hermione more about her day and her relationship with Harry. In reality, she didn't want the girl spending too much time wondering what the three were talking about behind closed doors in the office. Sometimes, her daughter was much too smart for her own good and needed to be distracted.

Two hours later they came out.

Hermione immediately asked Harry, "I thought it was about business between Daddy and Sirius."

"Not quite," replied Harry. "But, what needed to be talked about has now been talked about. Sirius and Ted will write up the papers and Sirius will bring them back tomorrow to talk about again."

"You're talking about a contract of some form," she frowned.

"We're talking about House business of some form," he shot right back. Then immediately asked, "What do you know about having a House created?"

Blinking in surprise at the question, she frowned in concentration for a long moment before she replied, "I didn't find anything on that. I didn't know it was possible."

"Then how did you think the Houses came into existence in the first place?" he asked.

She looked back in surprise again before she said, "I hadn't thought of that."

"Something we may want to talk about tomorrow, then," he declared.

"I need to go check my History of Magic text," she stated before she ran up the stairs.

Monica smirked at him and quietly said, "Nice diversion. You didn't say that's what you, Wendell and Sirius were talking about, but you've led her to believe it was."

"Have I?" he asked. "I was merely setting up a subject to discuss between us, tomorrow."

Monica's smirk turned into a grin before she said, "Once she finds out what's been going on, she's going to be angry with you."

"Meh!" he shrugged. "She's going to be angry with all of us, anyway. At least, this way, she won't be worried about what's going on."

Monica nodded.

"Besides," he added. "It's been an ongoing project of mine to get her not to keep asking what the wizarding world see as inappropriate questions. And I've already warned her that, instead of just outright telling her off for it, I'd try and divert her first. If that didn't work, then I'd tell her off for it."

"She'll still be angry with you," she warned.

"And I'm accepting of that," he replied. "It's not my place to tell her that... this... is going on. It's Wendell's and yours. I just have to respect that; and I do."

Harry was hoping to speak with Sirius, Wendell and Monica about the idea of he and Hermione getting private tutors. But, due to the now late hour, decided to put it off. After all, there was likely almost a month before they had to go back to Hogwarts.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Due to their hour earlier start, breakfast the next day was even earlier.

Hermione didn't join them, this time, but Harry was there for the Grangers.

Immediately following Hedwig and the Daily Prophet owl, in came an owl Harry didn't recognise. It landed in front of him and held out its leg with an attached letter for him.

"Hello," he said, as he reached for it; owl treat at the ready.

The bacon was for Hedwig.

Suddenly, Dobby popped in on the table and loudly cried, "No, Master Harry!" Then grabbed the letter himself.

With a twist, swirl and what looked like an implosion, Dobby and the owl disappeared.

"What in Merlin's name?!" the auror with them cried, jumping to her feet as her wand shot into her hand.

She quickly waved her wand over the area and yelled out, "Dawkins! Patterson! Get in here!"

As the other two aurors ran into the room, the Grangers and Harry were already on their feet and backing away.

"Portkey signature!" declared Charlotte Watkins, the female senior auror. "A damn powerful one!

"Damn! Where?" said Dawkins, coming forward, raising his own wand and gesturing with it.

"Dumbledore!" he suddenly growled.

Dumbledore, not having access to his second secret wand where it was stashed behind a painting in the apartments of the headmistress, had created - or, rather, adjusted - the portkey with the Elder wand.

No one heard Hermione running down the stairs until she hit the last set between the first floor and the main floor. After the rapid series of thumps on the stairs and a few moments for her to run between the stairs and the kitchen she came charging into the room with her wand drawn and slid across the polished floor in her bed socks. She crashed into one of the aurors before she was able to arrest her motion, stand up straighter and scan the room.

Harry took one glance at her standing there facing him in a see-through short baby doll nightie and tight bed shorts, nearly choked on his own spit and quickly spun away from her, coughing.

'I saw her nipples!' he immediately thought, trying to clear his airway.

The third auror, Henrietta, took one look at him, then at Hermione, smirked and conjured a robe about the girl's shoulders.

Wendell and Monica both saw Harry's reaction, and turned in time to see the younger female auror, Henrietta Patterson, conjure a robe about their daughter's shoulders. Monica was at an angle to see why, but Wendell was not.

"Hunh?" asked Hermione, confused by the robe.

As the other two aurors continued to track the trace of the portkey, Monica pointedly and lightly cleared her throat, drawing her daughter's attention to her, cocked an eyebrow and pointedly stared at her daughter's chest before lifting her eyes back.

Hermione looked down, coloured and quickly drew the edges of the robe closed by pulling them tight and overlapping them and belting it with the sash provided. "Oops!" she quietly said to her mother while madly blushing.

That had her mother smirk again. Wendell frowned at her before glaring at Harry's back, who was still turned away. His blush could be seen even on the back of his neck. Wendell had figured it out.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ