Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor am I getting and money from this story…….bugger.

Summary: On Harry's 16th birthday he comes into his inheritance as a legendary Ancient. Now all types of people and magical creatures have come to Hogwarts seeking to claim Harry as their own. The Ministry and Dumbledore are all trying to control him but only with the help of his friends will Harry be able to keep his independence.


Harry paced around in the room he was in impatiently.

When the flames in his room flared up he spun around and faced and sighed in relief when Hermione and Ron tumbled out.

"Harry, why do you always get yourself into such messes?" Hermione said putting her hands on her hips, "I've been researching about Ancients in the books that Professor Marshall has written and you have no idea how much you are in for. I mean, did you know that most of the people who are going to be in the competition are mortal enemies. Werewolves and Vampires, Fae and Necromancers, High Elves and Veela. They can't be in the same room with each other without getting into some sort of fight."

Harry put his hands up in an attempt to calm Hermione down.

"Hermione, calm down. I don't even plan on going through this whole bloody thing. Me, get married, you got to be bloody joking. I need your help to help me get out of here, I've already packed my things and am ready to go." Harry said pulling his trunk towards the fireplace.

"Uh, Harry didn't the minister say that you have to stay here?" Hermione asked Harry frowning.

"Yea, so. They can't keep me here." Harry protested.

"And where will you go that you will be safe?" Hermione demanded.

"He can come and stay with me." Ron said motioning for Harry to help him pick up the other end of the trunk.

"I can't believe we are doing this." Hermione muttered and threw floo powder into the fireplace.

Harry and Ron placed the trunk into the fire before Harry got into the fire and grabbed the handle of the trunk.

"The Burrow!" he said and went through the familiar nauseating trip through the floo system before flying out of the fireplace, his trunk narrowly missing falling on his head. He moved out of the way for Ron and Hermione to emerge when Mrs Weasley came into the room.

"Harry dear, what are you doing here?" she asked surprised.

"I hope you don't mind Mrs Weasley but I didn't like being at the Ministry so close to where Sirius died so Ron said I could stay with you, that is if it is all right with you." Harry said putting on a sad face.

"Oh of course not dear." she said and pulled him into a suffocating hug, "You stay here and I'll go make something for you to eat."

She bustled off into the kitchen to make something.

"Let's go up to your room Ron" Hermione said after brushing off the soot on her clothes.

Ron and Harry grabbed each end of his trunk and walked up the stairs to Ron's bedroom with Hermione following behind them.

After they put the trunk away they sat on Ron's bed and began talking.

"Harry, I hate to tell you this, but the Courting Competition is going to be held whether you like it or not. It's a ministry rule." Hermione said meekly.

"They can hold it but I'm not going to be apart of it." Harry stubbornly refused.

"Good on you mate, I wouldn't want to put up with it either. Did you hear that the Daily Prophet got hold about what you said about the Malfoy's being your Guardians and printed it. Lucius Malfoy is outraged and is trying to push the minister to get to be your guardian." Ron said laughing.

"Not likely. I would rather be bound, gagged, and thrown off a bridge." Harry sneered.

"Harry, listen to me. You have to go through with the Courting Competition, you don't have to choose anyone, Merlin didn't, but you still have to go through with it." Hermione insisted.

"Why would I want to go through with such a farce?" Harry demanded.

"Because Harry, if you don't then there could be a war." she replied.

"What are you talking about?" he asked shocked.

"Harry, you are most probably the most valuable person on the earth at the moment and everyone wants you. And unless you do go through with the Courting Competition then the different beings will believe that you think that they aren't strong enough for you to marry and demonstrate their strength by going to war with the others who want to marry you and the one who wins will claim you as theirs. This happened once before and hundreds of people died. So you have to go through with it, or people will die." she explained.

"Wow mate, I sure wouldn't want to be in your position." Ron said patting Harry on the back.

"So, can I go through the competition and still say no to everyone?" asked Harry wearily.

"Yes, that is actually what Merlin himself did." Hermione said nodding.

"All right, fine. I'll do it, but I'll still say no to everyone." he replied determined.

"Hang on, I'll be right back." Hermione said and rushed out of the room.

"Nutters." Ron said shaking his head, "oh, by the way Harry, thanks for choosing me to be your male guardian. It's brought a lot of honour to our family."

"There wouldn't be anyone else that I would chose but you Ron."

Hermione came back into the room holding an enormous book and put it gently down on the bed and sat down in front of it.

"Harry, this book has all the information you need to know about those who will be entering the competition." Hemione said looking at Harry expectantly.

Harry looked at the huge book then at Hermione pleadingly.

"Oh fine." she huffed and opened it and flipped through to a section.

"First we have High Elves.

High Elves are the oldest and most revered race on the earth. Elves are pale-skinned with fine, aesthetically beautiful features and hair fine as flax. They are tall and proud in their bearing and thought they have a slim build they are surprisingly strong and agile for their size. Elves are long-lived, some say immortal, and less vulnerable to disease than humans. Their movements are graceful and controlled, their minds are quick and clever with an intensity and depth of insight which makes them seem strange to other races. High Elves can be cold and haughty, quick to anger and slow to forgive.

The High Elves have developed sorcery far beyond the accomplishments of any other race. They were the first to study magic and remain the greatest masters of it in the known world.

Veela:

Veela are nature guardians, caring for the trees, streams, and flowers in their domain. They are extremely jealous of beautiful women and therefore hate High Elves for High Elves are more beautiful than Veela. There moods are as changeable as the weather and can turn into bird-like creatures once angered and can shoot fireballs from their hands. Veela are also able to use a type of magic that are able to charm members of the opposite sex to do their will. Veela seek mates with high magical powers and are extremely overprotective of those they wish to be their mate.

Werewolves:

Werewolves…"

"Don't bother about Werewolves, we already know about them." Ron interrupted Hermione.

Hermione gave him a fierce glare before clearing her throat and continuing on.

"Vampires":

A vampire is a mythical creature who overcomes death by sucking the blood from living humans, preferably witches and wizards for drinking the blood of a magical person for the magic in the blood gives the vampire a 'high'. Vampires are extremely pale, immortal, handsome, and sexual creatures . Like High Elves, they are cold and haughty, quick to anger and slow to forgive. They can hold a grudge for centuries.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione, come and get lunch." came Mrs Weasley's voice from down stairs.

"We finish the others later." Hermione said and got up and went downstairs with Ron and Hermione following.


A/N: As some of you know I made Harry look a bit timid at the start, that's because Harry was still in shock and not really understanding what happened. Ministry and Dumbledore bashing will come later on in the story. Also when I say guardian, I don't mean a guardian/guardain more of a formality.