CHAPTER 26
A white owl swung westward across the city of Cambridge and came to rest on the window of the West Road Concert Hall. It pecked on the window till the room's lone occupant looked up from the piano. Standing the man walked to the window and gently opened it.
"Someone is impatient aren't they girl. You have a letter for me?" She stuck her leg out, he leaned unsteadily over the shelves and undid the note. As he finished the owl flew from the window.
"I take it you're in a hurry then."
He walked back to the piano, and unfolded the note. He let out a sigh as he finished and a tear rolled down his face. It had been a long time since he walked the streets of the wizarding world and now he was being asked to return.
Long years ago he wanted his family to leave, move away after one of the Death Eater attacks cost the life of his beloved wife, Ann, as it was too much for him. His son, Albert, did not think they could do it. A huge fight followed and on that very night he moved away and left Albert the family home, but before he could pass on his lordship the old estate had been razed leaving him alone in the world, or so he thought till today.
For the first time in a long time he felt hope; his granddaughter, Isobel, had survived and was at Hogwarts.
Harry walked down the stairs and to the Headmistress's office. Knocking he waited for a reply.
"Come!"
Stepping in quickly he shut the door. "Aunt Minnie, I need to go to London."
"Harry, I can't..."
"Yes, you can. I need to go as Lord Potter-Black."
"So I take it you spoke with Amelia?"
"Yes, there is no way he is getting away with this let alone using the threat of my own house to do it."
"You're going to claim both houses?"
"I wish I didn't need to, but yes I am. We don't know how it happened but according to the medical scans, Sirius will never have children and his heir needs to be a blood heir. I need to go to Diagon Alley and get a new wand, and find a solicitor. If you could get hold of Neville to accompany me, I will not be around a Malfoy or their cronies without a way, other than my fists to defend myself."
"I can..."
"Just ask please."
"Dill?"
"Yes Miss?"
"Ask Neville Longbottom to come to my office please."
"Yes Miss."
A few minutes later Neville arrived.
"Neville it's time, we need to go to London."
"Headmistress I, Lord Longbottom need to accompany Lord Potter-Black."
"Lord Longbottom... When did... When did Augusta allow you to attain your title?"
"Before the year began, on my birthday, the day before Harry. She knew it would offer me protection, of the type that the elder Malfoy doesn't think Harry has."
"Neville, we need to get hold of your Gran. I need a wizard solicitor as soon as possible, one that can take it to Malfoy."
Soon the pair of young lords were stumbling out of the floo in the Leaky Cauldron. The two of them headed directly to the alley and into Ollivander's and as he entered Harry allowed his rings to show, as did Neville.
"Mr. Ollivander," called Harry, "I have no time for games today please step out."
"Mr. Po... Sorry M'lord, Lord Potter." His eyes widened even more. "Lord Longbottom? I expected to see you before now Lord Longbottom, may I ask what wand you are using?"
"My father's, my Gran gave it to me. I thought I'd use it to honor him."
"May I check it please, the wand chooses the wizard, and even if it is a parent's wand it may not be suited to you."
Neville shrugged and handed the strange man his wand. "I'm going to clear the wand and then the potion will let it react as if it was the first time you touched it."
He cast a spell and a yellow light joined the ends of the wands together, odd half-visible objects slowly rose from Neville's wand till the light finally sputtered out. He then dipped the wand in a deep vial he brought in from the back; with a quick wave of his own wand it was dry and he handed it to Neville. There was a loud bang and a small rickety chair in the corner fell to pieces.
"No, I don't think so. I'm sorry Lord Longbottom but I believe we will need to find you a different wand, but be sure to put your parents' wands in a place of honor."
With that a measuring tape began to fly around and measure odd sections of Neville.
"Is there anything I can do for you Lord Potter? Wand polish? Or a cleaning kit?"
"No Mr. Ollivander, I'm afraid that I ran afoul of the elder Malfoy, and he purposely snapped my wand."
"Oh, dear. That is such a tragic loss. May I ask what happened?"
"Not just now, I must ask you not to even speak of us being here today." After that request the shop owner began waving his wand, the curtains closed.
"Of course Lord Potter."
"We also ask that you do not speak of our Lordships till next week, you will know when."
"Of course M'lord," Ollivander said as he waved the tape away from Neville and began pulling down boxes containing new wands.
"Thank You, Mr. Ollivander, and unless protocol demands it it's still just Harry."
"And Neville," added Neville.
Over an hour later, the pair stepped out of the store with their new wands. Harry's was of African Rosewood with a shadow tiger heartstring core, it felt a little better than the old one but was still firmly behind his custom one. Neville's new wand was Cherrywood with unicorn hair for the core. He was pleased with the wand, when he tried a levitation spell on a small pebble the same force he would have used before to lift it shot it out of sight.
They then walked quickly to Gringotts and as they entered Augusta stood from her seat in the reception area and moved towards them.
"I hear you have had a dust up with Malfoy, is it that bad?"
"Yes Ma'am, bad enough that I am going public with my Lordship, and being the heir of House Black," said Harry.
"Presumed heir, Harry, Sirius could still have children."
"No Ma'am, he had a full medical done after his release," he said quietly. "He'll never have children."
"Oh, dear! I'm sorry Harry."
"He told me he was ok with it, other than any strain it may place on me, as he lost the only woman he cared for."
"Sirius? He was in love? The man has always been a flirt, I never saw him serious about any one."
"He seemed very serious about it, and now he intends to be there to support those he thinks of as family. Starting with finding Remus Lupin."
"I haven't heard that name in a long time, a very nice young man as I recall. Anyway, for a solicitor I'd recommend Roberts and Roberts, David would love to tear into Lucius, and he is the best I know."
"Can you request an immediate meeting here? I want to keep my name out of it as a surprise for dear Lucy."
Augusta stifled a laugh. "You have had a long talk with Sirius, only he and his friends called him that, it really got under his skin."
"Hmm, need to remember that then, and ask Madam Malkin to come over I think Neville and I need a wardrobe upgrade for the session."
"Do you think you can get a meeting room here?" Augusta asked. "Goblins can be very hard to work with. Maybe I should ask for you?"
"If you think that is necessary, but I've never had much of an issue." He turned quickly and walked to the Head Teller station.
"Good afternoon Master Teller, may your gold be pure and your enemy's blood flow on your blade," he said with a flourish and a light bow.
"What do you want wizard?"
"May I and my allies use a conference room to prepare a case for a special session of the Wizengamot? Your kingdom may expect appropriate compensation, say five Galleons an hour for a large room?"
He sneered, "Thirty."
"Ten."
The bartering continued till a price of thirteen was agreed on, including snacks and drinks with alcohol being available but extra.
"This way," said the goblin. Augusta just looked stunned.
"Harry, how… You haggled with a goblin… but..."
"What? Haggling is part of any good business deal."
The day of the special session soon arrived and the young Lords made their way to the Ministry of Magic. They stepped with purpose out of the floo in the atrium; they couldn't help but smile at each other. It had taken almost a half a day to keep from looking foolish when exiting. Striding across the hall they approached the entrance to the Wizengamot chambers, getting odd looks as they passed.
Harry was dressed in what almost appeared to be a three piece Armani suit, in a dark grey with the jacket replaced with an open robe. Complete with a red 'Power' tie. Neville mirrored his friend in blue.
When they entered, the chambers were almost full. They walked past many members, who paid them no attention as they approached their seats, Neville pointed out Harry's seat and he moved away.
In the middle of the room Lucius paced with a smile forcing its way onto his face. The bang of the gavel brought them to order.
Lucius began to speak, "Members of the Wizengamot, thank you for attending today. We must talk about the changes in our most beloved school of Hogwarts, the changes that have been happening there and the depths that the children have fallen to, even our own hero the boy-who-lived.
"My son was viciously beaten like a common muggle in the middle of the Great Hall, in front of the very staff that is in 'control' of that school, by the very hero of the wizarding world Harry Potter. If he can attack the scion of the Ancient and Noble House Malfoy and the heir of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Black in front of the staff what else is going on there?
"Has.."
"Enough of your lies and disparaging remarks Mr. Malfoy!" yelled Harry.
"Potter! You have no pla…"
"I have every right, I am Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Potter! AND the Heir of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Black!" he yelled, showing his house rings. "Produce your son, and show proof of your claim to the House of Black! You can not because I hold the ring!"
"You can't hold the rings, we were not notified of any changes to the status of House Potter, and since Sirius can't have children we can assume you are not a bastard of his, therefore you are not a Black!"
Harry's eyes narrowed at that, "I am a Black by blood, my grandmother was Dorea Black, and as my Godfather Sirius could pass the title to me which he did, to keep, and I quote 'House Black from passing to families not deemed worthy by the current Lord Black.' As for the change to the Potter status you have no right to that information as you are not one of the MOST ANCIENT AND MOST NOBLE families. As I am the Lord of House Potter and Heir to House Black I order you as the accused to produce any proof that I attacked the Scion Malfoy without provocation."
"My son and his friends are not present at this time, and I don't think that..."
"What about the DMLE reports did you bring those?"
"-"
"Did you bring anything? You had days to prepare! Or did you expect to walk in and just pontificate to a captive audience? I do not know if any other member of this august body received any notice about the contents of this meeting but I did not. Minister did you?"
He looked like a stunned rabbit but nodded his head. "It was on my calendar, and my assistant had the paperwork this morning."
"I see, how about you Lord Longbottom?"
"No Lord Potter-Black." A large group of heads snapped to Neville.
"You Miss. Undersecretary?"
"I helped him file for it yes," said a woman in a bright pink cardigan, she looked oddly like a toad.
"And did you send out the notifications?"
"I did."
"Why did they not include why this meeting was to be called?"
"It was not necessary, as it was filed for in the name of House Black."
"He has no claim to the house. Sirius? Did you sign for this meeting as the head of our House?"
Standing Sirius replied, "I did not Harry."
"So Miss. Undersecretary, sorry I don't know your name and can't read it from here, you passed it without the Head of House seal or failing that the heir's.
"Umbridge, Dolores Umbridge; I have no reason to doubt Mr. Malfoy. He is an upstanding member of the community, a friend of the Minister, and the head of House Malfoy."
"I see, so the rules of process do not apply if you meet those criteria?"
"At the very least notification was owed to the Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses. Madam Bones? Did you receive a notification on the contents of this session?"
"No, and no request was made for the DMLE reports, by Mr. Malfoy."
"By the way thank you for canceling your commencement speech at the Auror Academy, I know it is an event you look forward to each year. Lord Abbott?"
"No."
"I thank you for returning from your business trip to attend this session. Lord Greengrass?"
"No."
"Lord McDonald?"
"Lucius spoke with me about it, but no I received nothing official."
"When did he speak with you about it?"
"Saturday, I ran into him and we spoke for a few moments."
"Lord MacDougal?" Gasps were echoed around the room.
"No, Lord Potter-Black."
"Well that's interesting, exactly NONE of the Most Ancient and Most Noble houses heard a thing, and as no national laws are to be voted on in a Special Session, what were you doing? Trying to bring up the changes at Hogwarts? If this is the forum that you chose to air your personal grievances against me please get on with it, as we are already gathered and I for one would not like to count the day as wasted."
"You attacked my son like he was a common Muggle! It shows that you are just as violent as them, and worth just as much," Lucius yelled seething with rage.
"Really? If that is the case I ask the entirety of the Wizengamot to sit for my trial. My proxy will be Madam Bones." He stood and started walking toward the center area. "Guard, please allow my solicitor and witnesses to enter."
A large group of people entered, including the Headmistress, Madam Pomfrey, Auror Captain Cross, and Daphne Greengrass. Malfoy paled.
A man with a leather valise was leading them. "If it pleases the Wizengamot, I will take over at this point. David Roberts, Solicitor for Lord Potter-Black in this issue. Mr. Malfoy, are your witnesses present?" Malfoy just looked at him numbly. "Let it not ever be said that I am not fair. Headmistress? Was someone at Hogwarts able to find the witnesses listed as Mr. Malfoy's on the DMLE report?"
"Yes, Mr. Roberts. They are assembled and ready to be brought before the Wizengamot, once their parents have given consent for them to leave the school."
"Thank you Headmistress, their names?"
"Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle."
"Four witnesses? Can someone please send for permission from their parents? Mr. Malfoy I'm sure you will give your consent. Correct?" He received a slow nod.
"An entire assembly of the Wizengamot is convened so, with your permission Minister, what were the injuries Madam Pomfrey?"
"One broken upper humerus, a shattered scapula, damage to the muscles as well as soft tissue damage." Grumbles came from those gathered.
"My, Lord Potter-Black did a lot of damage."
"That was the damage to Lord Potter-Black, from a piercing hex to the back." Silence fell on the room.
"And to the others? Mr. Malfoy?"
"No treatment was needed by two others and Mr. Malfoy needed a reducing salve for a small bump on the head. I didn't think it was necessary but young Malfoy insisted I do something for it."
"I wish to now introduce the official report from the DMLE along with the list of witnesses to the Wizengamot."
As copies were given out the Minister of Magic said, "We will be in recess until Mr. Malfoy's witnesses arrive. Please look over these documents, and do not discuss them or leave the hall. As this is now a trial please see a guard if you need to be escorted to a restroom."
Twenty minutes later Draco Malfoy entered the room, followed by his group. Another man scurried in, spoke with the Minister and exited the room. "Draco Malfoy? Pansy Parkinson? Vincent Crabbe? and Gregory Goyle? Do you understand that you are to give the truth in all questions asked here, and if you are found to lie in this matter you will be penalized in a way according to the laws of the Wizengamot? They will be most harsh as they deal directly with the Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter and the heir of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black?"
"He hasn't got a Lordship! I am the heir of House Black! It's mine!" Draco turned and moved toward Harry.
"Mr. Malfoy, control your son!" said the Minister.
"Draco!" Lucius said grabbing his shoulder, and Draco slowed and looked at the glittering rings on Harry's hand.
"Do you understand the instructions I gave to you Mr. Malfoy?"
He looked nervously at his father, who scowled at him as if trying to tell him something. "Yes…" The others answered the same.
"Very well. Please proceed Mr. Roberts."
"Scion Malfoy, please tell us, in your own words, exactly what happened on Friday morning?"
"Potter approached the Slytherin table after the announcements, and began to talk to Greeengrass," he spat out with disdain. "I took it on myself to make sure he was not approaching someone in my house without good reason, so I moved myself and my friends in such a way as to support my housemate."
"And what business was it of yours, what the young people in question were speaking about?"
"What business does the Gryffindor Golden Boy have with any Slytherin? Or for that matter any Griff? None! He was up to something, and I wanted to know what! After the train I…"
"And what happened on the train? Evidently it affected your judgment in some way so please enlighten us?"
Draco looked nervously at his father. "I-I wanted to meet Harry Potter and he pushed me up against the wall of the train and gave me a warning…"
"So he threatened you? After just meeting you? Please tell us exactly what he said."
"He warned me not to insult those foreign slags the Patils, why was it even any of his business? Foreign students don't belong in our school anyway."
Grumbles came from the hall.
"And that was it? He wanted you to be polite?"
"He is a menace; he hit me like some form of Muggle!"
"Ok, let's get back to that. What happened after Lord Potter-Black approached the other Slytherin students?
"When I addressed him he turned and made as if to threaten me, and I stepped back and defended myself. The next thing I know, I'm on the floor and he has hit me in the head with a serving plate."
"So let me see if I have this straight? You approached him, and got his attention. He turned to face you," he said demonstrating. "Then he did something physically threatening. Was he speaking to you or did he just attack?"
"I-I he may have said something, but he was definitely threatening me."
"So you defended yourself? What spell did you use?"
"I think it was a piercing hex."
"I see. So you fired with him standing in front of you? I'm impressed that you could fire a hex after he had hit you."
"I-I was lucky."
"Mr. Malfoy I'm done with this witness."
"I have no questions for my son."
The questions went on, with Pansy saying she hadn't really seen anything as Crabbe had stepped on her foot, and she was not sure what order things happened in. Crabbe had his hands full with Pansy trying to apologise till he heard spell fire and as he turned he saw Malfoy fall as Potter appeared and hit Goyle.
As for Goyle he told them he never felt threatened, and was looking at someone else, trying to get their attention so he could ask a question when they were finished, but they all backed Malfoy up as much as possible.
With the questioning of Malfoy's witnesses complete, they moved on to the defense witnesses.
"Auror Captain Cross, you saw the incident?"
"Yes, I cold not hear what was said but I saw Mr. Malfoy approach Lord Potter-Black. When Mr. Malfoy gained his attention he turned, stepped toward him and extended his hand as if to shake hands with Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy then stepped back, bumping into Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle, causing Mr. Crabbe to bump into Ms. Parkinson. A few more words were exchanged and Lord Potter-Black turned away to face Ms. Greengrass. Mr. Malfoy then drew his wand and fired into Lord Potter-Black's back. I was impressed with Lord Potter-Black, something must have drawn his attention because he almost dodged the attack. He was thrown across the table onto the floor where another hex was fired at him. It missed and hit the floor. After rolling under the table and out of the side close to Malfoy he knocked him off his feet and with one punch and an elbow he subdued Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle, who were moving to grab him, long enough for the professors to arrive. He then hit Mr. Malfoy with a serving plate, as he was standing again and trying to aim his wand again. As we got close enough to help he apologized to Ms. Greengrass and her friends for the use of violence and not completing their conversation, addressed the Headmistress briefly and collapsed into shock."
The others that were called told versions of the same story with Daphne and her friends being more complete; then Harry told his own. When the story of the Hospital wing was told by Madam Pomfrey, yells rained down upon Malfoy for attacking an injured student in a hospital bed followed by silence after Harry's broken wand was placed on the table for all to see.
The vote on the floor of the Wizengamot was in favor of Lord Potter-Black, he was exonerated and the record of the event filed describing Draco as the aggressor. Dolores Umbridge was reprimanded and suspended for six months for misuse of authority and misfiling of paperwork.
As for the Malfoys, sanctions were imposed; their seat in the Wizengamot would be held in trust for three years, suspending all rights of House Malfoy for that time, along with a fine of 100,000 galleons payable to the Wizengamot for misrepresentation of family status, and misrepresentation of facts to the assembly. Draco was expelled, and his parents were assessed damages payable to Lord Potter-Black of 750,000 galleons, and a reminder that this was a case that would have been best handled by the DMLE and the regular court system.