Chapter 25: Next Steps

Evan just waved Harry off when he tried to take Jamie for his morning nap.

"No, I've got him." Evan tucked a sleepy Jamie into his shoulder and stood. "You and Lucius probably have business to discuss."

"We do, but...are you sure?" Harry asked.

Evan smiled in his direction. "He's mine, now, too, right? Best get used to caring for him that way."

Harry smiled back. "Thank you." He stepped forward and nuzzled Jamie's neck, earning himself a drowsy giggle. "I love you, Jamie-me-lad." He then turned to Evan's neck. "I love you, Evan-me-love."

"I love you, too," Evan replied, eyes soft at the new endearment. "I'll be back down when Jamie's asleep. I do have potions to check in the cottage, but I'll floo through from here."

"Sounds good." Harry stepped back and let Evan and Jamie go, then turned toward Lucius. "Next steps?"

"You'll need to file for the Prince lordship once the bonding contract is accepted, and register your seat formally with the Wizengamot," Lucius said briskly, filing the couple's interactions away for later thought.

"Paperwork. And more paperwork."

"But once it's done, you'll be set for some time," Lucius pointed out, ignoring Harry's general disgruntlement with the sheer amount of parchment that he'd need to work through in the next week.

"True." Harry seated himself behind his desk, straightened, and steepled his fingers. "I appreciate your help, Lucius."

"I'm glad to give it." Lucius hesitated, then firming his resolve, said, "I'm glad to see my old friend alive and happy. I don't want anything to jeopardize that."

"How very Hufflepuff of you," Harry commented drily.

Lucius gave a very undignified roll of his own silver eyes. "Don't spread that around."

"I would never." Harry smirked.

Lucius sobered. "Still, I never thought he would be happy. I had no idea he was a spy until the war was over, and looking back on those dark times …" Lucius paused, silently reflecting on the horror that was his time as a Death-eater. "I'm frankly amazed he's still sane. Able to express love, much less feel it."

Harry sobered, too. "I was there for the second war, Lucius. I saw him in school; I saw him through Voldemort's eyes. I have an idea how bad it was. I'm grateful he was able to find some peace after the war ended."

"After you released us all from the terror that was the Dark Lord," Lucius reminded him firmly.

Harry shrugged. He didn't like to dwell on his death in the woods, or his role in the ending of Voldemort's reign of terror. It had happened. It was over. No need to fuss. Mischief managed.

Lucius, on the other hand, preferred to remind Harry-and himself-how much he was owed by the wizarding world. He knew very well that Harry had Slytherin tendencies, but Lucius was a bit stumped by Harry's refusal to truly capitalize on his status. In this case, however, a bit of capitalizing was called for.

"It will make the public news of your bonding a bit easier to bear if the public is reminded of how much goodwill it owes you," Lucius said, pulling another parchment out of somewhere-Harry really did wonder where he stowed all of these things-and handing it over. "The press release."

Harry read:

Contact: Lord Lucius Malfoy, via OWL, with Questions

Lord Harry Potter-Black announces his magical bonding to Evan Emrys Prince, Heir-Apparent to the House of Prince.

While unexpected to both men, the magical bonding was not unwelcome. Prince formally met Potter-Black shortly after the death of his first wife, Lady Ginevra Potter, and the pair were surprised when magic bonded them almost immediately. Recent advancements in their relationship led to a full bonding, witnessed by magic. A formal bonding before family and friends is planned for the end of July.

Potter-Black and his late wife married immediately after the Battle of Hogwarts, during which Potter-Black died to save the Wizarding world from the terror of the Dark Lord Voldemort. His return to life and subsequent defeat of Voldemort created a life debt owed to Potter-Black by the wizarding public. Potter-Black chose to spend his life in service to that same public by taking up his lordship mantles and serving on the Wizengamot.

Prince recently was recognized as the heir to the House of Prince, and with the bonding, Prince has chosen to allow Potter-Black to take over the house seat. Prince is a Potions Master of long standing who remained neutral in the recent war.

The couple asks that their privacy be respected and that no gifts be sent to mark the occasion. Any who feel compelled to recognize their union should send donations-needed material goods or cash-to the Potter Foundation for distribution to those in need.

Harry put the paper down. "Subtle."

"That was the intent. Remind them of who you are and what they owe you. Offer a bit of insight. I guessed that Sev-Evan would not want the Prince seat, and I assumed the two of you would prefer that the public not give you gifts directly."

"Cagey Slytherin," Harry commented. "And you're right about gifts. Never thought about that."

"They'll all want to do something," Lucius answered. "Narcissa even asked before I left if I thought you'd want a gift."

"I'm sure donations for the needy works for me. We already have all we need, but let me ask Evan-"

"Ask Evan what?" Evan stepped into the room, dressed in potions robes, ready to step through the floo.

"Donations to the Potter Foundation for distribution to those in need in lieu of bonding gifts?" Harry asked.

Evan paused for thought, then shrugged. "We have all we could ever need, certainly. That works for me." He strode over to Harry, kissed him lightly on the lips. "Let me know if you need me for other decisions. I'm off to the cottage."

"Have a good day," Harry wished him, as Evan stepped into the fireplace and shouted for his old home. He got a grin in return as the flames flared green, and Evan was gone.

xxx

The first thing Evan heard when he returned that evening was Jamie's angry screams and Molly's shouting.

"What is going on here?" Evan thundered the words out in his best there-will-be-quiet-in-this-classroom voice, and the room hushed. Even Jamie stopped screaming, his tears coming in quiet hiccups from his perch in his father's arms.

Harry looked livid.

Evan stepped forward and held his hands out, and Jamie practically leapt forward with a "Gah!" to be caught up in Evan's arms, where he snuggled in and cried softly.

"It's all right, Jamie-me-lad," Evan crooned, one hand rubbing his step-son's back. "We'll be all right."

"Give me my grandson," Molly barked. "I'm taking him with me."

"No, you are not," Harry said coldly. "You have no rights to him other than what I give you. And you have crossed the line today. My hearth is closed to you." A boom accompanied the words. "My home is closed to you." Another boom. "Begone." A wind whipped around Molly's form, and she disappeared with a crack.

Evan continued to soothe Jamie with a light rub, and his cries had died to whimpers in the comfort of his embrace. "What happened, Harry?"

Harry collapsed on the office couch. "I actually caught her giving him a potion. I'm not sure what it was, exactly, but he started screaming as I came into the room. She was starting to drip it onto his tongue." He shuddered. "I stopped her, and picked him up, and she started screaming about how he only belonged to Ginny, and how Jamie should be with her and not me, and then you arrived to break it up. Thank you."

Evan pulled Jamie's little face out of his neck. "Sorry, me lad, but I need to look at your mouth," he murmured, gently forcing it open and looking around. "I see nothing out of place, but we should get a Healer to look at him. Do you have the potion?"

"There," Harry gestured to his desk, where a vial with a dropper rested on its side, tossed there in haste.

Evan picked it up, checked its color and clarity, opened the vial and smelled it. "Aversion Potion."

"What is that?"

"A particularly nasty concoction, which when imbued with a person's hair, blood or saliva, creates an aversion to that person."

"Is there a way to tell whom?"

"Yes." Evan tucked Jamie back into his shoulder and tapped the vial with the wand in his other hand. "Revelio Personum."

A ghostly shadow with messy hair and round glasses rose over the vial.

The walls started to rattle as Harry spit out, "She wanted my son to have an aversion to me? To me?"

"Harry, calm yourself. We don't know how much she gave him, but when I left you this morning, he was clearly fine with you. It's not a one-time use thing; it has to build up in someone's system to cause a true aversion. Hence, we need a healer to determine how long she's been trying to do this," Evan said quietly.

Harry drew in deep, heaving breaths, trying to control his magic and keep from scaring Jamie any further. "She's gone too far, Evan. Too far."

"I know, love, I truly do. But let's take care of Jamie first, right? We're lucky I'm a Potions Master; we're lucky you caught her. Who is Jamie's Healer?"

"Draco," Harry gasped out.

Evan nodded and reached for the floo. "Malfoy Manor."