Author's notes: this chapter starts on the same day as Harry and Ginny receive their letter. Thanks to Quackpotty for agreeing to be my beta. If anyone else is interested drop me a line, the more betas the better the story!
Chapter 3 – Responsibility
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards sat at his desk completely puzzled. He had received a letter informing him of Harry's arranged marriage and he could not figure out why.
When James and Lily had been killed, their wills named Sirius Black as Harry's guardian but Sirius had been arrested and thrown in Azkaban. Dumbledore had taken it upon himself to place Harry with his Muggle relations to both protect Harry and to let him grow up "normally." Of course that last had not really happened; Harry had been neglected by his relations. In hindsight Albus knew that there might have been a better way but at the time it seemed for the best. Dumbledore sighed.
A problem now faced him; legally Sirius was still Harry's magical guardian of record and had full power to deal for Harry in all matters. But since he was a convicted murderer he could not fulfill that duty. Nothing had been legally done to change Harry's guardianship so for all practical purposes Harry had no guardian. The Dursleys were just where he stayed and they had no real control (thank goodness) over what was done with the last of the Potters.
The letter had come to him, because as Chief Warlock, it fell to him to decide who was to act in the best interest of Mr. Potter. Dumbledore was more than willing to let Sirius continue to be Harry's guardian; after all he was innocent, if unproven, and it is what James and Lily had wanted. Legally Dumbledore guessed he could name himself as Harry's guardian. That way there would be no problems and he could do whatever Sirius wanted for Harry.
Dumbledore reached for a quill and ink to pen a letter to Sirius, to let him know what he had just decided, when there was a tapping at his window. Hedwig was hovering outside of the window with a couple of letters attached to her leg. Dumbledore opened with window and the beautiful owl flew over to his desk and held out her leg.
Noticing that one of the letters was addressed to him and the other to "Snuffles," Dumbledore removed his letter and read it.
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
I hope that your summer is going well. Mine has been better than most years but I am still looking forward to going to the Burrow.
I am writing you because I have a little problem. I have just received notification of an engagement to Ginny Weasley by a very old relative of hers (and mine.)
I am confused about a lot of things and don't know where to turn. I very much would like to talk to Sirius about this but our letters take several days to get to one another and I will be going to the Burrow in two days.
Other than Sirius the only other people I feel I could talk to about this are Mr. Weasley and yourself. Given that I seem to be engaged to his daughter I am a little wary of approaching him with this, so I am coming to you. I know that you are a busy man but I could not think of anyone else to whom I could ask.
Enclosed is a copy of the letters that I received. I used a muggle machine to copy them as I needed to send both you and Sirius copies and I didn't wish to hand copy them.
Hoping that you can help,
Harry Potter
Dumbledore put down the letter and read the copies of the letters from the ministry and from Katherine. The letter from Katherine explaining what was happening intrigued him. Dumbledore knew that Harry would not have an easy life, given the prophecy that he had yet to reveal to Harry, but the idea that there was someone who could help Harry during this time of trouble both pleased and worried him.
Dumbledore was pleased that Harry thought that he could come to him when he was in trouble. Looking at the owl, he said, "Go on and deliver your other letter. If I need to respond I have plenty here who would love the opportunity for a little work this summer."
The majestic white bird bobbed her head and flew out the window.
While not a true troublemaker, Harry did tend to get into more than his share of scrapes. Dumbledore hoped that this year would be the exception. He had taken great precautions to limit who could enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry should have a nice quiet year for a change.
Dumbledore frowned. While not unheard of arranged marriages were very rare now days. Usually they were done to bring together two houses of similar interest. Of course it could be said that the Potter and Weasley houses did have similar interest. Both were 'Light' Families and neither cared much for the 'Blood Purity' that the old magic families, like the Malfoys, displayed.
Deciding that he needed to talk with both Sirius Black and Arthur Weasley, Dumbledore wrote out a quick letter to Sirius advising him to come to the cave near Hogsmeade; summoning a house-elf he gave instructions to send the letter via post owl as soon as possible. He then took a pinch of floo powder, throwing it in the fireplace he said, "Ministry Atrium."
Arthur Weasley was a soft spoken man. He rarely raised his voice and he seemed to be the cool rock in a family that was very passionate. Of course most people would say that they were hot-tempered, but they just didn't understand the Weasley Temper.
Arthur needed time to think, and he thought best at work. His little girl was engaged, at the ripe old age of thirteen. How could this be possible, or rather why? The extra letter that Ginny had received that explained some of it but Arthur Weasley was trouble about why such an extreme measure had been taken. Therefore he had come into work to look into the law dealing with arrange marriages and the contract that was arranged so long ago.
Wizards and witches were both flooing and apperating into the ministry. Many called, "Morning Arthur." He responded with a bare acknowledgement, his mind was elsewhere. Heading towards one of the lifts he heard a familiar voice cry out, "Arthur Weasley!"
Turning around he saw Albus Dumbledore stepping away from one of the floo connections. Waiting politely for him to catch up, Arthur was already set to beg the headmaster's forgiveness and hurry on when the venerable old wizard said, "I need to talk with you about your daughter and Harry Potter."
"Doesn't miss a trick, he doesn't," thought Mr. Weasley.
"I was just on my way to check it out myself," he replied. "Needless to say we were a bit shocked to receive those letters this morning. While I don't necessarily disapprove of such a match I am a little concerned about the ages of Harry and Ginny."
"Quite understandable," replied the older wizard. "I myself just received both a letter from the ministry informing me of the arrangement and from Harry asking for help. It seems that Harry is sort of in a limbo when it comes to his guardianship."
"Let us go down to my office so that we can talk a little more privately." As Chief Warlock he had an office at the ministry that he rarely used and therefore they would not be bothered.
Entering his office, Albus offered Arthur a chair and instead of sitting behind his desk conjured a chair for himself beside the younger man.
Arthur started, "Why did you receive a letter? Shouldn't his relatives receive one?"
"Ah, that is part of why I am here. Harry's guardian of record is still Sirius Black," replied Dumbledore.
"How can that be? The man is a murder," exclaimed Arthur.
"To that I can honestly say that he is innocent." Albus continued, "Harry and his friends found out that Peter Pettigrew was the one who betrayed his parents. Sirius and Professor Lupin actually had captured Peter and were returning him to the castle when he escaped. Without him we cannot prove that Sirius is innocent and until we can recapture him, Sirius cannot turn himself in as he is still under orders to be Kissed by the dementors upon capture."
Arthur sat there stunned; today just seemed so full of surprises. "But…"
"I know it's a lot to take in but it is the truth. But without Pettigrew we cannot prove anything. Which brings us back to the question you asked in the atrium; the reason that I received a letter was that Sirius is Harry's Godfather and is still recognized as his legal guardian. Since Sirius is still on the run the letter was sent to me, as Chief Warlock to decide, what needs to be done."
Arthur asked, "What about his muggle relations?"
"Please remember that I took it upon myself to place him there. His parents wanted Sirius to take him but at the time I felt it would be better to place him with his blood relatives for his own safety. And of course the next day Sirius was arrested for the murder of Peter and all those muggles. I can't help but think that if I had placed young Harry with him, he might not have confronted Peter and been wrongfully imprisoned."
Albus shook his head, "Be that as it may, his muggle relations have no say so in anything dealing with legal matters. They are his guardians but only to provide a place for him to grow up and stay during the summers. The enchantments that I placed around them will protect him until his seventeenth birthday, when he becomes a man."
Arthur thought, "That poor boy."
Aloud he said, "I see. So that means that legally he is on his own? He has no one who can act for him?"
"You are mostly correct. Sirius can act for him but as a fugitive there is not much he can do right now. I am in contact with Sirius as is Harry. But right now he is far away and my understanding is that young Harry will be coming to stay with you in two days time. Harry sent me a letter asking for help, or more likely advice. He said that you would also be one of the people that he could go to for help but as your daughter is the one he needs the advice for…"
Arthur chuckled, "That would have been an interesting conversation. But I think I can see his point. I remember asking Molly's parents for permission to marry her. I was scared to death that they would not only tell me 'No' but forbid me to ever see her again."
Dumbledore laughed, "This is not quite the same thing but it is similar. I can't be sure of course but Harry is at that age to just now start noticing that girls are 'different.' Now he suddenly find that he is engaged to be married, I can see how he would be very confused right now."
Dumbledore sighed, "That boy just can't seem to get a normal childhood. I have tried but fate it seems has different ideas."
"Anyway, I came here today to see you. I know that you were planning on retrieving Harry from his relations on Sunday. Given these circumstances I was thinking that I could pick him up instead. That way he will be able to ask me questions before he has to face your family."
Arthur thought for a moment. "That probably would be a good idea. I know that my family will be discussing this later tonight. I can't imagine what he is thinking at the moment. And not having anyone to whom he can talk about it must be frustrating."
"Very true," responded Dumbledore.
"Well I must be off," Arthur said. "I came in to check up on this marriage law and to see what else we can expect. I sort of left everyone at home and wanted to clear my mind first before we discuss it."
"A wise idea," replied the Headmaster. "I am familiar with the laws involved but I think I also should brush up on them a little as Harry usually asks the most pointed questions."
Harry Potter lay in bed, he was tired. He had spent all day mowing and trimming the lawn. It was mindless work and had allowed him to think his situation through. The shock of finding himself engaged had worn down and he was better able to order his thoughts. There was a lot to think about.
Harry had just started noticing girls; the Ravenclaw seeker Cho Chang for one, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil of his own house and year. He had also thought of Hermione but laughed to himself, if what he noticed was any indication his other best friend was more interested in Hermione than he was.
Ron was another person to think about. What would he this about this? Harry hoped that Ron would realize that his was not his fault.
Ron was strange where Ginny was concerned. He had blamed himself for not noticing what was happening to Ginny during their second year. But just last year on the train he had sent her away when she tried to get in the car with them. Was that normal sibling behavior? Harry did not have any point of reference so he dismissed that thought.
Ron's other brothers were mostly unknown quantities though. Fred and George were pranksters and mischief makers but they had show nothing but kindness and respect to Harry from his first train ride to Hogwarts. He thought that maybe they would have the least problem with all this, seeing it as a great joke or prank.
Percy was the brother than Harry really knew the least. Prim and proper probably best described the middle Weasley son (ed: I always count the twins as one.) Always following the rules to the letter, Percy would probably think that there was nothing to it. The law must be observed after all.
Harry had only seen Ron's oldest brothers Bill and Charlie in the paper last year; he hardly knew them at all. He knew Bill was a curse breaker and Charlie worked with dragons but not anything else. Charlie's friends that Harry had met in his first year had been a cheery lot so he hoped that Charlie was of a like mind.
His thoughts then drifted to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. What would they think of their daughter's engagement to him? Mr. Weasley seemed very laid back and friendly. He would have been the person, next to Sirius, that he would want to discuss this with but as it was his daughter Harry didn't think that would be a great idea.
Mrs. Weasley on the other hand would be scary. Harry remembered the yelling when he was rescued last year by the twins and Ron. He also remembered the Howler that she had sent when Ron and he had taken the car to Hogwarts. But she had also been kind to him seeming to want to take care of him like one of her sons. "Maybe she wouldn't be that bad," Harry thought.
Harry's thoughts then came to rest on his bride-to-be, Ginny Weasley. He remembered her from the first time crossing the barrier to the Hogwart's Express. She had said, "Good Luck."
He remembered seeing her come down the stairs at the Burrow asking about her jumper, and then running back upstairs when she saw him. He remembered, with a chuckle, dropped bowls and butter dishes.
He remembered the first time that she had really spoke in his presence, telling off Malfoy in the bookstore. Harry felt a something inside him give a little bit of approval at that memory.
He vividly remembered seeing her in the Chamber of Secrets. She was just lying there as though dead; not moving and barely breathing. He remembered feeling that was the worst day of his life, and he had many days to choose from.
He remembered seeing her at the Leaky Cauldron, blushing at seeing him again. He remembered seeing her all last year but in the background. For some reason that didn't feel right now.
Harry frowned. "She was always around me and I never really noticed her. No wonder she doesn't speak around me."
Lost in thought he barely heard the "Tap, Tap, Tap" coming from his window. Looking up he saw a brown owl flapping its wings. Harry jumped up and opened the window. He owl held out its leg and Harry removed the letter.
Thanking the owl, he ripped open the letter and read the familiar loopy writing.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I have received your letter, as well as one from the ministry myself. We have much to talk about so I shall be picking you up tomorrow afternoon instead of Mr. Weasley, so that we can discuss several matters.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry let out the breath that he didn't realize he was holding. Dumbledore was going to collect him tomorrow; he smiled just thinking of the Durley's reaction to seeing the old wizard. He really wished that it was Sirius coming tomorrow but until he was cleared Sirius had to stay away.
Harry drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face. Tomorrow was going to be a great day.
