The Thanes and Other Things:
Harry was resting on his bed, he had had a long whirlwind of a time. He had thought the time compression he was going into was going to allow him to learn all sorts of magical combat. However the time compression chamber that the goblins were allowed to have (this due to treaties in the past) and charge people to use could not handle anyone using magic inside of it. So Harry had spent a long dull time learning etiquette and found, after the first week that he enjoyed it. Now he was learning Occulumency under Moody as Severus Snape was not cut out to teaching that to anyone, being a natural at it all he could give in advise was "clear your mind" and that was it.
What Harry was grateful for was the fact that he never, ever, ever had to go back to the Dursleys and was with people who loved and cared for him, who wanted him. It was nice to be wanted and loved, to not be a burden to others or a freak an abomination that had to be kept down. He was truly grateful to everyone here and best of all, he had allies. He had letters from them, offering support and he answered in the old manner accepting that help, as a Thane, which he had no idea he could claim that title and keep his family in the Book of Thanes. He was not aware there were Thanes still in England, he had assumed that with the takeover of William that the Thanes were forced to either swear loyalty to him and become barons or die. That is what happened around York in the north country and was an action that even William had repented of.
Now Harry was reading the book of Thanes and was pleasantly surprised that the Thanes were far more influential than the Sacred Twenty Eight. The thanes of the magical world were the only thanes allowed to keep their title. There were no real nobles in the magical world in England accept for the thanes. This came about when William and his wizards and witches met with the thanes who had been part of king Harold's army. When they were presented with the facts of the oath on relics, they had sworn loyalty to William and so the thanes went on to the modern day. Families were added and taken away, but until recently the thanes really did not do much, not since the ministry was formed.
There were several families that were thanes, Abbott, Bones, Black, Chang, Diggory, Diggle, Dumbledore, Dodge, Fawley, Greengrass, Li, Longbottom, MacMillan, Ollivander, Parkinson, Prewett, Potter, Rowle, Selwyn, Shaklebolt, Shafiq, Travers, Turner, Weasley, Zabini. These were the modern families that were thanes and could be addressed as sir or dame. In the past the thanes had saved England time and again from great evils and now it was Harry's turn, but he had no idea how to get the thanes to even listen to him no matter how well trained he was. He knew he had to get through the hearing, though from Dobby (who was a great little spy) this was going to be a full trial. He gently put the book down and walked out of his room and to the library where he found Sirius busy working at a table. He looked up at Harry and put his quill down.
"Worried?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, very worried, I know I have had training but I am not ready for this." Harry replied. "What if I am expelled?"
"We have been over this, you can't be, and there are so many who really want you here now that the wards are down." Sirius said, "it will work out, you will see."
"I hope so, and why are you so cheerful? You are locked up here hiding out!" Harry replied.
"Oh I have things and plans and fun going on." Sirius said.
"What things?" Harry asked.
"Head of house things, and getting this house looking good. Should offer rooms to Severus."
"No don't." Harry said, "I don't need that kind of stress in my life."
He turned to find two very mournful twin Weasleys enter the room, they looked as if all fun had been taken out of their lives. Harry looked worried but then found he had no reason to as the twins took a seat at the same table Sirius was at and sighed deep sighs. They looked as if the world had ended and their pranking days were over. Harry knew that look and wondered what they had done, he was answered by Mrs. Weasley coming in looking very pleased with herself.
"I have decided that with the state of things a good defense instructor is needed." Molly said.
"Yes, we love that idea." Fred said.
"However mother dearest there is a curse on the job." George added.
"That we would wish you not to be affected by." Fred continued.
"It would be best if you did not take the position." George chimed in, "for we wish to keep our esteemed mother safe."
"You are going to be the defense professor?" Harry said grinning, "that is brilliant, I mean, I would be honored if you would take the position."
"Thank you Harry." Molly said, "as for you two, if you are not going to take your studies seriously, I want you to continue as you have been in working on your shop."
"Mum did you say." Fred looked up hopeful,
"You mean that?" George added.
"Yes, and I want, I want the school more united to fight the evil coming." Molly said, "so no singling out certain houses."
"We can do that." Fred said.
"Most certainly dear mother, shall you teach under Prewett?" George added.
"I shall and Fred, George as the regent of house Prewett I want you to take over, both of you. There is only the cottage I grew up in and a small stipend but I know you will do well with it. You remind me of my, my brothers."
Fred and George were pranksters of the highest order. However when their mother was upset, truly upset and sad they were there for her. They were always trying to get her to laugh, and her shouts at them for one prank or another were her only trying to get them to behave. Yet they knew that she loved them and found them so like her bothers. They sat, one on one either side and comforted her as best they could. Then, when she was calm they had a quick quite chat with Sirius. Harry left the room to find Ron, he did not want to study at this time, he wanted to play chess and felt that whatever was going to happen was going to be entertaining to say the least. It was, later that day he was in the kitchen when he heard raised voices.
"I can't, I am not a great lady! These are too much!" Molly was protesting, "Sirius these were your mothers!"
"And you deserve them more than she." Sirius and Molly were now getting along, part of the blood wards dropping and Sirius saw Molly as an older sister he needed to help take care of. "Besides, she wore these only once, she loved to waste good gold, it is the least I can do for you."
"I have done nothing to deserve this!" Molly said.
"Yes you have, you brought family, laughter and great food to this once dull house. Besides, as a thane house in Hogwarts you do need to look the part."
"Very well." Molly said.
She came into the kitchen and Harry saw Molly was clad in a simple day robe of good wool in green trimmed with gold. She looked nice in the robes, they fit her very well and Arthur looked at her, he felt a bit uncomfortable as he was not one to take charity at all. Yet Sirius did not see things that way, before the blood wards fell he never did get along with Molly (or forgot he had) and now he did. He came in and threw a robe to Arthur who glared at him and drew his wand. Sirius grinned and took a seat.
"Look no-one is going to get any use out of them." Sirius said, "I am giving away all the clothing that is not mine. I would rather it went to family, otherwise it goes to Second Hand Wonders in Diagon Alley. I have a right to clothe my family."
"This is far too much." Arthur said.
"No it is not," Sirius said, "these robes will protect you, everyone knows they are Black robes and by giving them to you I have extended protect to your full house."
"Very well, I will wear them for protection." Arthur said.
"If you lot," Sirius said meaning Ron, Fred and George" want to go through my old school robes you can, I got rather too many each year, again you will be protected."
"I was not aware that custom still carried on." Hermione said.
"Let me guess you read in a book." Ron started to say.
"No, my grandfather spoke of how suits of clothing would be passed to lower ranks, sometimes armor as a sign of friendship and to show that one was part of a powerful clan." Hermione said, "I am glad to see it is still in use."
"Well, I hardly want to cook in these." Molly said.
"Kreacher will clean if needed, you cook, Kreacher clean, you do not clean." The small elf said popping in.
Molly put on a clean white apron and went to work in the kitchen. Today was Friday and on Friday Molly always cooked fish, today it was one magnificent salmon, gutted and deboned. She carefully seasoned the skin with salt and spices and put spices with lemon and lime inside. She used a large fish pan complete with lid and poured hot water in under the rack so that the fish would steam. Then she put it in the oven to cook. While this was cooking Winky, much to her delight had pealed and cut up the potatoes (Molly could do this easily with magic, but it was kinder to let Winky help) and put them in a large pot. Hard boiled eggs were added to a white sauce to make egg gravy and curried vegetables were soon simmering on the stove as well. The table was laid for ten, Molly, Arthur, Sirius, Ron, Fred and George, Harry, Hermione, Dumbledore and one more, Harry wondered who would join them. Dumbledore came in just as dinner was nearly done with, what else a large lemon tart for all. With him was a young man who looked like he had just got back from a rock concert. Ginny saw him and ran up to him hugging him fiercely.
"Bill!" Ginny squealed.
"Hey my little princess how are you?" Bill asked, "still using what I gave you?"
"Yes, I don't have any nightmares, thank you." Ginny replied.
"Ah brother dearest welcome home!" Fred said.
"Yes, come sit with us." George added.
"I would love to, you are such good gentleman." Bill said, "your hospitality will be well rewarded."
Twin smiles faltered but then came back in force. Harry knew Bill would win easily against them and took a seat near his godfather who sat at one end of the table while Dumbledore sat at the head. The food was served and Harry was in heaven, he had not even heard of egg gravy, white yes, but not egg and he loved it on his salmon with potatoes. He ate with all the appetite of a growing teen and that large salmon fed all ten people well. That is to say aside from what had been set aside for the house elves, there was none left. Once the dessert was passed out and everyone was enjoying it Bill had one more surprise for them.
"I am going to be at Hogwarts this year." Bill said, "I am going to crack that curse and see what else I can find that is cursed and Ron I have a gift for you."
"What?" Ron asked and gasped as Bill floated over keeper gear, "this is, this top of the market!"
"Well, I do make very good money and have invested it well, some company called Pixar and this funny book selling company called Amazon. That last is not going anywhere but it is fun to have stocks in a company called Amazon. Besides, I do like to read. I am becoming wealthy you know."
"Mum and dad have protection of house Black." Ginny said.
"Good, thank you Sirius, but I still owe you for that prank." Bill said.
"I have no idea of what you speak of." Sirius said.
"Just wait you old dog, just wait." Bill said.
Harry grinned, he was happy now, he had family, real family now that the blood wards were down and was so very loved. He knew his trial was going to go very well, the laws were easy to show he had not used underage magic as he was, in the eyes of the law an adult. Add to that he had learned etiquette well and was going to have his first occulmency lessons before the trial. He was ready but was the world?
So do review please!