Ramblings and Dribbles

by WolfgangNH

This is a posting of ramblings, dripples, one-shots, unfinished ideas or other stuff I just don't think deserves it's own storyline. Some I plan to finish someday, others are what they are. This is mature reading for some posts. Some items may be well developed, others are not yet, and may never be. There will many different pairings, and sometimes none.

4. Chapter 4 - Ilvamorny Champion - Op 2

For the vote on my next major project put Harry/Susan in the Triwizard, Option 2, as a low priority. Here is the start of the story... maybe it will become a major project in the future. This is almost 23K words.

A/N: The Ilvamorny Champion: Option 2: Harry grows up in the US with Remus and acts like a typical mid 90's US teen. This is more AU in the timeline starting in the sixth year. Harry is ripped from Ilvamorny to compete in the tournament, finds out he is betrothed to Susan. Harry is very angry at what is happening, is a technomany/runes prodigy and all hell breaks out as he used the more 'modern' American way. Harry is not a horcrux.

Chapter 1

October 31, 1996

Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts, US

The annual Halloween dance was always a fun time at Ilvamorny. He and his floor mates were mostly going stag tonight. Maddy had decided they were getting too serious a few weeks ago and his girlfriend of six months had dumped him. He was still feeling down about it, so Jack, Chris and Nate had all agreed to go stag. Of course, that was after Chris and Nate had been rejected.

"You figure out what you are going as," Nate asked as he sat before the TV with Chris.

"I figure I'd go as you you. Should scare everyone," Harry said dryly as he focused on his technomancy work. The N64 and television they were playing on was his project for this quarter. He had figured how to make it work, but the charms and runes he was using only lasted a few hours before be had to spend hours to reapply them. Harry wanted to solve this issue. He had to hand in a progress report next week.

Chris and Jack laughed as Nate gave him the finger. "Fucking ass."

Harry chuckled.

"You going to stop that soon? I want to go get dinner before we go to the Halloween dance," Jack informed them.

"It's not four yet," Harry told him. "The cafeteria doesn't open until four-thirty."

"I want to go down into Adams and get some pizza."

"Oh, count me in. Fuck!" Chris had just killed Nate in the James Bond game.

"Give me like twenty more minutes," Harry asked them.

"I think you chose the wrong House. You study more than any Thunderbird I know," Jack teased him.

Harry crossed out a line in his calculations. "I still beat you to lead Chaser every year," he responded. Jack and Harry were on the inter-school teams, traveling a half dozen times a year to the others schools in the US and Canada. The last three years Harry had been the top scorer and Assistant captain. He was only passed over for Captain because of the seventh year Renee from Pukwudgie. She was an excellent Keeper and deserved the position. Next year he expected to make captain.

"Come on, Harry. Just take the rest of the day off. I'm starving and Aj's isn't the fasted pizza place," Jack pressed him.

"I want to get this done. Saturday we have a long practice and Sunday we will be in Montreal," Harry reminded Jack. They were playing against Terrier School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. It was a small school of only about two-hundred students. Not like Ilvamorny where there are over twenty-five hundred students or more.

"I can't wait to go. Melissa is going to come to watch us play."

Harry laughed. Chris started to make kissing noises. Jack slapped Chris in the back of the head. Nate joined Harry in laughed. "I can't get this done with you guys playing game and all this noise."

A short bit later they were down at the bus stop waiting for one the magical busses to take them into Adams. They could see the town way down the mountain. Being a sixth year gave them the opportunity to go into Adams whenever they wanted. They were joking around and pushing each other when Harry suddenly felt a pull behind his Navel. It was like a portkey.

It was a long ride. Harry had time to feel some panic. This wasn't supposed to happen on Ilvamorny ground and he couldn't even figure out why. Someone was trying to kidnap him. Harry couldn't move until he got to the destination. It turned from late afternoon to night as he flew through the nether. Thinking of the training Uncle Remus had given him and the instructions from his duelling classes, Harry reached for his wand the second the hook feeling left him. He ran out and the second he hit the floor he rolled, pulled his wand and a shield was before him.

There was noise all around him and he frantically looked around. He was in a big hall with hundreds of kids and dozens of adults. Three had turned to him and two had pulled wands. Harry didn't wait. He flicked his wand, silently trying to disarm the two. Their wands flew out of their hands, shock on their faces. A few more advanced on him. "Mr. Potter," and old man asked, looking and sounding as though he had seen a ghost.

"Where am I? Why do you sound British or something," Harry asked. He was scared but he wouldn't let them see this.

He started to hear his name cycling through the hall. He looked around. The old man in old fashioned wizard robes and a long white beard held up his wand. "Everyone put your wands down. You too, Mr. Potter."

"I am not going to put my wand down until I know what is going on. The Accords of the Americas allow me to defend myself," he told the man. There was even more more shock.

"Mr. Potter, you have been transported to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am the Head Master, Albus Dumbledore," the man told him.

Harry's eyes just about popped out of his head. "I'M IN SCOTLAND! Why did you kidnap me!"

"Mr. Potter, may I have those wands back? You will not come to any harm here." Harry didn't want to move and didn't drop his shield. He tossed the wands over the shield. An older woman in green robes took up one of the wands. "Minerva, why don't you get the students back to their dorms."

"What 'ees going on Dumblydore," the largest woman he had ever seen came up to the man named Dumbledore.

"Send me back to Ilvamorny, otherwise the Aurors will be coming for you," Harry threatened.

A man with an evil glint to his eye walked up next to the woman. "You are supposed to be dead," the man spat.

"Igor, that is enough. Mr. Potter, do you know anything about the Triwizard Tournament?"

"The what?" he asked with sarcasm. "I am supposed to be going down into Adams to get pizza. Send me back."

A man in nice no-maj suit was next to join the growing crowd of adults as the loud student body was escorted out of the hall. Many were looking and pointing at him.

"This is the boy whose name came out of the goblet," the man asked. "You are Harry Potter? Where is his scar?"

"What the fuck are you all talking about?"

"You don't need to use language like that," Dumbledore told him.

"Don't tell me what the fuck to do! Why am I at Hogwarts and how the hell did you get a portkey to work on the wards there?" he questioned.

"I will not be talked to like that, you little whelp. How did you get someone to put your name in in the Goblet of Fire?" the man in the suit moved closer.

Harry turned his wand on the man. "Get the fuck back," Harry snapped at the man. "I didn't put my name into anything except the travel book. That was only to go into Adams, not Hogwarts."

"Barty," Dumbledore said in a soft tone that had a command in it that they all heard. "Let me take care of this. The other Champions are waiting in the antechamber. I will be in shortly. If we are not in before you, can you and Ludo please stay to give Mr. Potter the rules and hint for the first task?"

"This is not what we agreed upon. All Champions are to given this information at the same time. We also need to figure how Potter's name came out and who he really is," the man named Barty said.

"I assure you, Barty, this is Harry Potter. I would know those eyes anywhere. Now, give a few minutes." It was a command that everyone one else felt the magic in it. Harry hadn't felt power like this before. At least not from someone not himself.

"I will give you five minutes and then this boy needs to join us."

"That will be enough, Barty. If I have to I will get Pomona to give me the rules and hint."

Harry watched the rest leave. In a moment, he was left in a giant castle hall with only the man that said he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts. "You can put your shield down, Mr. Potter. Please, come sit. I have a few things to tell you and then we can contact your Uncle and let him know what is going on." The man motioned to a chair at the table at the end of the hall.

Harry looked at him. He didn't sense any lie or danger. After a moment he asked, "You know of my Uncle Remus?"

"Remus and I are old friends. He usually sends me a few letters a year to let me know how you are doing," the man said.

Harry let the shield go and lowered his wand. "Uncle Remus never mentioned you. Can we contact him now? I really should be getting back to Ilvamorny. My friends are probably going nuts looking for me."

The man inclined his head. "Very well." The man conjured an ink pot, a feather and a thick peice of paper.

Harry looked at it confused. "I thought Uncle Remus was pulling my leg when he told me he learned to write with pencils and quills."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, I have heard a few places have learned to adopt muggle technologies we have not yet."

"What is a muggle?" Harry asked.

"American's call them no-maj's."

"It sounds rather rude to call them a name like that," Harry responded.

The man chuckled again. "You're mother used to say the same thing. She had a rather long discussion with me one night about it."

"You knew my parents?"

"I knew your whole family, Mr. Potter. Now, there will be time to discuss this, but if you wish to contact your uncle and your Headmaster, you can. I am afraid I cannot send you back to Ilvamorny right now."

"I need to go back. I have a report due on my technomancy project next week and we are playing Terrier this weekend," Harry told him. "I shouldn't even be here."

"I understand, but just before you showed up here your name came out of powerful magical object called the Goblet of Fire. It was this object that transported you here."

"Why?"

Dumbledore regarded him. "You indicated you do not know about the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Never heard of the fucking thing," he responded, still feeling peeved and wanting to go back school.

"It is a rather prestigious event that is held between Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. It was held quiet succefully three years ago at Beauxbatons after more than a centry pause. This year, Hogwarts is hosting the tournament. When a name is chosen, it makes a magical contract for the Champion of the chosen school to compete, otherwise there is a price," Dumbledore said to him.

"I go to Ilvamorny. What does this have to do with me?"

"Your name came out to represent Ilvamorny," the man told him holding out piece of paper. Harry cautiously approached and took the paper. He gawked at it for a moment.

The paper was singed around the edges. It was the top of an Ilvamorny marked paper with his name on it. There were a few partial words 'Interna...', 'Arithman...', Level th...'. His name was clearly on the top and just below it was his signature.

"This is part of the cover page to my IWL Arithmancy test last year," Harry told him.

"I had surmised as much," Dumbledore responded.

"I didn't put my name in that cup," Harry said resolutely.

Dumbledore nodded. "I do not doubt your words, but you are a Champion now."

"What happens if I refuse and go back home?"

There was a long sigh. "You face the goblet. If it thinks you didn't try, it can strip your magic at worse."

Harry took gulped. "And what is the best?"

"You will lose some of your magic," Dumbledore told him.

"Fuck!" Harry put his hands into his hair and turned away, pacing a few times. "There is no other option?"

"You can challenge the cup, but if you lose, you will lose your magic."

"Fucking bitch!" He paced a few more times. "This sucks!"

Harry stopped when someone cleared their throat. Harry turned to see the tall austere woman from before. "Everyone is back in their dorms except the Prefect."

"Thank you, Minerva. Minerva, may I reintroduce Harry Potter," Dumbledore said to the woman. "Mr. Potter, this is Professor Minerva McGonagall."

The woman looked at him for a moment. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Potter. I was rather disappointed when I found out you would not be joining us here."

"Why would I come to Hogwarts or the UK? Uncle Remus got me away from here because of the murder of parents and all the assholes that wanted me," Harry told her. He usually didn't sweat this much, but he was worked up.

She pursed her lips. Dumbledore held up his hand. "Mr. Potter, I understand you are upset, but the staff here take their responsibilities to the students here very seriously and should be respected for it."

Harry huffed. "I'm sorry, Mrs. McGonagall. I need to contact Uncle Remus and Headmaster Nadeau. I am sure they have the Aurors looking for me by now."

"Of course, Mr. Potter. Please draft letters to anyone you need and we will get them to them as quickly as possible. In the mean time we need to figure lodging for you and to get your uncle hear," Dumbledore told him.

Harry sat. He wasn't going to use a feather and transfigured it into a fountain pen. He didn't like them, but they worked better on these kinds of thick paper. He wrote a quick letter to Uncle Remus, Headmaster Nadeau and Nate. He was sure his friends were freaking out. Truth be told, Harry was as well. He wanted to get back home. The dance was tonight... wait, it was tonight... no, he was Scotland. How many hours before Ilvamorny was Hogwarts?

Dumbledore called a phoenix to him. Harry looked at the bird in wonder. He had seen a few thunderbirds, but not a phoenix before. "Fawkes, please take these letters to the people they are addressed too. I would prefer you to go to Remus Lupin last and bring him back if he chooses." The bird let out a soft song before flaming away.

"Wicked," Harry said.

The man in a suit came back about that time with another man that looked to have been a sports guy gone to seed. A dumpy woman in yellow robes followed them with a very attractive black skin girl. "The other Champions have gotten the rules and hint. Here is your rule book," the disgruntled man said putting the book down on the table.

"This is exciting. Four Champions and Schools. This has never happened before," the man that had gone to seed told them.

"This was not the intent," Dumbledore told them. "Give Mr. Potter his clue please, Barty."

The man looked like he had a stick up his ass. "A wizard will often face the unkown. Prepare to face the unexpected and dangerous."

Harry looked at the man. "That is it? How the hell is anyone supposed to prepare with a clue like that."

"None of the other Champions questioned the clue," Barty responded.

"Then they are idiots," Harry spat back. "Do I prepare to do something in the sky, on the land or in the water. Will it be some type of beast or duel or challenge? Do I need to learn gobbledygook or dwarvish? Do we need to find something? That type of clue will get someone killed."

The girl standing behind them gave him a nasty look at first until he was done. "Potter, is it?"

"Harry," he told her.

"Harry has a point. I have no idea how to prepare with this clue. I think there is a rule that a judge can be judged by the goblet if they intentionally interfere with the champions," the girl said.

The man's eyes bulged and he paled a little. "Barty, I must agree. There are many unkowns. If we know what they are to face and not give them a fighting chance, it may reflect poorly on us," Dumbledore told the man.

"This hint is no less vague or unclear as is tradition," Barty responded.

"When it was run at Beauxbatons three years ago, the champions were given a list of things they could study or research. Perhaps a similar package can be prepared to tomorrow? There is still a lot of unkowns if you give them a broad breath of subjects that might be used."

The man in the suit glared at him. "This is a the clue."

Harry looked to the girl. "I don't your name."

"Angelina Johnson."

"Angelina, have you read the rulebook?"

"Three times before I put my name in," she told him.

"How do I protest this clue and being in the tournament?"

"PROTEST! You cheated and somehow show up from the grave and dare to..."

"Barty, that is enough," Dumbledore said in a curt voice. "Ms. Johnson, do you know how to answer Mr. Potter's question?"

"Yes, sir. Harry's Headmaster or representative can put in a complaint within twenty-four hours and then the Judges must respond within twenty-four hours of receipt of complaint," she told them.

"I don't have a representative," Harry told them.

"If you want, Mr. Potter, I can act as your representative for now," Dumbledore offered.

"You can't, Albus. You are the Headmaster of Hogwarts. It must be a Professor or staff member of the Champions school," Barty butted in.

"I don't have anyone else from my school. I don't even want to be here," Harry snapped back.

A ball of fire suddenly flared next to Harry. His wand was up and a second later the phoenix, Fawkes, was on the table. It was holding two letters in its beak.

Harry took the letter addressed to him as the adults argued among themselves. Fawkes nodded at him and then turned towards the Headmaster. Harry read his. "My Uncle will be here tomorrow afternoon. He is petitioning the MACUSA for immediate release of me from British custody and will be petitioning the ICW for apprehension of those that kidnapped me. Until then, Headmaster Dumbledore is to act as my temporary guardian," Harry spoke aloud. He wished Uncle Remus could be here now, but Harry understood. He was stuck here for at least the next day.

Barty's face became very pale. Dumbledore just nodded. Bagman and the dumpy lady looked stricken. "The MACUSA... and ICW," Barty replied. "We did not kidnap you."

"Well I didn't come willingly," Harry retorted.

Dumbledore took his letter.

For the first time Barty looked like he believed Harry.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, as my temporary guardian, I dub you my representative until my uncle or a member of my school can be here. I wish for you to put in a formal complaint for me being entered using stolen property from the ICW and for the lack of a true clue," Harry demanded.

Dumbledore folded up his letter. "Is this allowed by the rules?"

The man addressed pull the bottom of his coat and made sure his clothes were straight and studious. "As Mr. Potter's guardian that is allowed."

Dumbledore nodded. "I will have the written complaint to you as soon as I can tonight, Barty. Is there anything else you wish to add, Mr. Potter?"

"I would also like to accuse the goblet or anyone involved with it of kidnapping," Harry told them.

Dumbledore sighed. "Very well. I shall included all people involved."

"Dumbledore, you can't be serious," Ludo Bagman said horrified.

"If I am not mistaken, it is the Champion's right to do as such. Do any of you think his claims unjust enough the goblet would ask for payment from Mr. Potter?"

When no one voiced an objection, Dumbledore nodded. "Is there anything you would like to discuss Mr. Potter?"

Harry looked at the man. "Can I see the contract?" Harry asked.

"I will obtain a copy and get it to you as soon as possible," the Headmaster told him. "If you have nothing else, I would like to extend Hogwarts hospitality to a foreign dignitary of Ilvamorny. Pomona, I would hate to impose, but would you mind housing Mr. Potter in the Head Boy rooms of Hufflepuff until we figure out better accommodations?"

The dumpy woman smiled. "Of course, Headmaster. Mr. Potter, I am Professor Sprout," the woman said with a nod to her head. Harry nodded back. Was there no hand shakes when introducing people here.

"Very nice to meet you, ah, do I greet you as professor or Mrs.?"

"Professor is proper greeting while we are in session, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore told him.

"Sure, Professor."

"Dumbledore, I need to go. There are changes in plan for this and I am sure the Prophet is going to have a field day once they find out what happened and who," Barty spoke up.

A redhead came walking into the great hall. Harry looked up and saw a very cute cute girl with a light smattering of freckles along her nose and cheeks. Her hazel eyes darted between him and Professor Sprout. The uniforms worn by the Hogwarts student showed the bottom of some shapely legs, and couldn't totally hide the the fact she had nice curves or a mouth that looked like it smiled alot.

She came up to wait at a respectable distance from the group.

"I understand, Barty. The judges and organizers must meet tomorrow as well. Pomona, if you are good, I would leave Mr. Potter in your hands."

"Of course, Albus. Ms. Johnson, you can head back to Gryffindor now."

"I should check in on the Prefects first, ma'am. Susan, is everything alright?" Angelina turned to the redhead. Harry hadn't really taken his eyes of hers. She was looking at him with an expression between attracted to him and unreadable.

"Yes, Head Girl. I was actually here to talk with Professor Sprout for a few minutes," the girl, Susan, responded.

Professor Sprout nodded to Harry. "Come along, Potter. We talk on the way, Ms. Bones."

She took her eyes off him and turned to Professor Sprout. "Professor, I was actually hoping you may come down to the Badger sett. Some are feeling confused and there is alot of rumors starting that myself and the other Prefects would like to dispel."

The Professor nodded. "Mr. Potter and I were going to head down there now. He will be using the Head Boy rooms in Hufflepuff for the evening at the least."

Susan's eyes snapped back to his. At seeing him still looking at her, she took on a little color. "I can escort Mr. Potter."

Dumbledore and the others were already drifting off. Angelina rose her eyebrow at Susan. "I will go check in the other prefects, Professor Sprout."

Soon Harry was following Professor Sprout with Susan next to him. "Are you really from Ilvamorny?"

"Yeah. Is this just one giant castle?" Harry looked around as they left the great hall and walked into a large hall with a grand staircase, a huge set of double doors, a few other doors and a stairwell that went down.

"Yeah. It's been here about a thousand years. What is Ilvamorny like," Susan asked.

"Not like this. We have many buildings that look more modern, like 1930's, lots of columns and marble. We are going down?"

"Yes. Hufflepuff is in the upper dungeons. It actually really nice and homey," she said to his concerned look.

"There are only a few basements and tunnels to get between the class buildings when the snow gets too high," Harry told her. "This place is wicked. Nothing like Ilvamorny. Fuck," he cried out as a ghost suddenly floated out of a portrait. It looked to be covered in silver blood and had a scowl on his face. The ghost looked at him and them went through the wall on the otherside of the passage.

Susan laughed at him. "Don't you have ghosts at Ilvamorny?"

"No. Why the hell would we? They haunt the graveyards and some homes back in the states, but not at the school." He liked the small smirk playing at her mouth. "How would you feel about seeing something like that?"

Susan giggled and Harry felt a squirming in his stomach. It was like he felt when he first started to date Maddy. "I see then everyday and they don't bother me."

Harry gave her a mock glare.

Professor Sprout didn't say a word as she led them to some barrels. When she stopped, the professor turned on them. "Bones, it seems you are getting along well. Can I ask you to show Potter here around tomorrow?" His stomach growled. He was starting to get hungry. "Did you eat dinner?"

"No, ma'am. I was kind of stolen from the bus stop while I was waiting to go into town to get something to eat. What time is it anyways?"

Professor Sprout tapped her wand on her finger. "After nine. I think it would put it about half past five on the east coast."

Harry nodded. His friends and him usually headed to supper about this time. "Can I get some dinner," he asked.

The Professor chuckled. "We won't starve you here. Ms. Bones, you know how to get Mr. Potter some food?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Right, lets make some introductions and dispel these rumors, and then Ms. Bones and a few of her friends can help you," the Professor said kindly.

She struck a rhythm on the third barrel form the left and one that was almost six feet in diameter opened to reveal a really pleasant looking round hall. Professor Sprout went in first and then Harry offered Susan to go next. She gave him a pleasant smile before he followed her.

The room on the other end of the passage was round, large, filled with a rather nice golden light and with a half dozen or more smaller room to the side. There were well over a hundred students in the room and then they entered it went silent.

Harry had the impression that they all respected the woman and she gave them a no-nonsense approach of what happened. There were a few questions before he was left with Susan. "If you need any clothes or bed things for the night, just call a Hogwarts elf and it will be provided. The password for the Prefect rooms is Vesuvius Fire Shade," Professor Sprout said before walking out.

A few people approached them, most giving Harry his distance as Professor Sprout had asked.

A rather attractive blonde with a healthy build joined them. As did a boy with sandy-colored hair and muscular boy with dark hair. "Harry, this is Hannah Abbot, my best mate."

Harry stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you Hannah."

She looked at his hand for a moment before shaking it. "Nice to meet you too, Potter."

"Please call me Harry. Why does everyone seem to call each other by thier last names?"

"It's a sign of respect. It also shows a certain familiarity to call someone by their given name. Kevin Entwhistle."

Harry gave him a look. "That is just odd," Harry commented. "And why do you all call your teachers Professor? Only college teachers are called that in the states," Harry told them.

Hannah gave him a smile. "Oh, I like that accent," she told him.

Harry laughed. "I could say the same about yours. Harry Potter," he said to the larger boy.

"Ernie McMillan. So, you're the famous Harry Potter?" the boy questioned.

"Ernie," Susan chastised from besides him.

"I don't know about this famous stuff, but yeah. That's what my parents called me," Harry told the boy, squaring his shoulders off. Harry could hold his own in a fight without a wand, even against the bigger boy if he had too.

"You have brilliant eyes," Hannah commented dreamily. Susan came up and grabbed his arm.

"Are you still hungry?"

"Starving," Harry told her.

"I'll come with you," Hannah just about jumped to his side.

The two boys gave the girls some looks. The girls exchanged a look before Susan nodded her her head. They left the badger sett and went back to the painting the ghost had come out of. "Just tickle the pear and it opened into the kitchens. A second later, the painting turned into a door and they walking into a room as large as the hall he had been in. Tables were aligned just as they had been up stairs and dozens of house elves were buzzing about, setting the tables for the moring breakfast, cleaning dishes, pots, pans and baking trays as others were readying the kitchens or baking items for tomorrow.

"How many house elves are there here," Harry asked towards the girls.

"Not sure. Mum thinks maybe a hundred or more," the blonde answered.

Harry chuckled. "Mum?"

"What is funny about that," Hannah asked.

"Just never heard it before. I assume you mean mom?"

"Yes," Susan said. "Hannah has never been to the United States."

"You have?"

"I almost went to Ilvamorny and my and Auntie and I have visited on Holiday twice. She likes to visit the huge creature preserves. I got to see a thunderbird and some pukwudgies last time we went," she told him.

Harry smiled. "Thunderbirds are awesome. It's the House I'm in at Ilvamorny."

They didn't get to say much more before they were noticed a house elf came up to them. "Evening, I's is Tisha. How can we serve you," the elf said with a smile.

"Tisha, do you have anything left from dinner? Mr. Harry Potter has not had anything to eat yet."

The elf smiled and soon they had a basket full of food. "Why aren't we eating here," Harry asked them.

"It's already past curfew and we should get your to your rooms," Susan told him.

"What time is your curfew?"

"Nine-thirty, but we have special permission tonight. Being a prefect, I need to enforce the rules," she told him.

"Is that like being a Hall Monitor," he asked.

Both girls looked at him confused. "The Ilvamorny Houses are split into halls by years. Each house gets a hall in the dorms. The upper years all live in Burnham Hall. I'm on the second floor with the sixth year Pukwedgies."

"You mean you can go into each others houses," Hannah asked.

"I just walk across the common are and visit whomever I want. The Wumbats and Horned Serpants are on the first floor this year and the seventh years are above us. Don't you all go visit each other," Harry asked.

"No," Susan told him. "I always wondered what Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers looked like."

"Is that all there is here? Griffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff?"

"There are the Slytherin too, but there House is two or three more floors down. I've heard they can see into the Black lake from their common room. Real eerie," Hannah shook.

"They also tend to be mostly Purebloods. Real stuckup. Not like us or Gryffindor," Susan added.

They said goodbye to the elves and soon were in the badger sett again. Most of the students had left, and the few left were either studying, talking or playing games. Susan showed him to a round door near the entrance. "Good night, Hannah. I'll be in a bit," Susan told her friend.

Hannah gave her a look. "I think your Aunt would not be happy if you were unescorted until we get to know Harry better."

"I can handle myself, thank you." Though Susan's face was a little red.

Harry kept his mouth shut. He had a feeling the girls were having a silent fight over him. He found it a little flattering, especially how Maddy and her friends were all but shutting him out now. "You know our rules," Hannah responded.

Harry went to open the door as the same time Susan reached for the knob in the center of the door. "Professor Sprout asked me to escort him around," she stated to Hannah. When their hands met, Harry felt a small surge of magic. A blue arch of raw power passed over their hands and they both gasped.

Harry quickly withdrew his had, shaking it to get rid of the tingly sensation in it. Susan pulled her hand back, rubbing it. She looked as surprised as him. "Oh, bugger," Hannah said in a low voice.

"What was that?" Harry asked. He had grown up in the magical world and knew of only a few things that could make that reaction. His stomach clenched to think of the possibilities. They were all ones his Uncle had warned him about and the MACUSA had outlawed most of them.

Susan just looked at him. After a moment, she licked her lips. Harry followed the motion. As bothered he was by what this could mean, he found himself very attracted to her in the short time he had known here. It was like that time Uncle Remus had taken him to Disney World and he came back with a crush on a no-maj girl that saw him being pen pals with for two years. He had been thirteen at the time.

"Uhm, are you okay," Harry asked Susan when she hadn't really said anything for a few moments.

"Yeah," she said after a few more heartbeats, a smile ghosting her face. His stomach growled again. "You should eat. I'll be in in a bit."

Hannah nodded, not protesting anymore. "Sure, Su. I'll wait up for you."

"I won't be too long. He have Snape first thing."

Hannah cringed and Susan didn't look happy. "Your favorite teacher," Harry snarked.

Both girls gave him a look. "Hardly, but he is a brilliant Potioneer," Susan told him.

Hannah said her goodnight and Harry walked into a small room with four doors. One of them said Potter on it. "I guess that one is mine."

"Seems so," Susan said. She seemed more introspective than the nice, more bubbly girl she had been. Opening the door, he whistled. There was a small circular room with a fireplace, several nice chairs that looked comfortable, a small couch, a coffee table and a work desk. Opposite the door was another round door with a bedroom.

"If I had known this is what I would get, maybe I should have come to Hogwarts instead," he joked.

Susan giggled, showing her more bubbly side again. "I want to be Head Girl next year if this is what we get," she told him.

"I take this isn't what your room is like?"

"I share with three other girls. It feels a little cramped sometimes," she told him.

Harry sighed. "If I am stuck here for the year, you and Hannah are welcome to study or just hang out whenever you want," he told her.

Her eyes grew a little wider. "Ilvamorny just allows girls to go into a boys room like that?"

Harry shrugged. "Why not?"

She just looked surprised. "Most don't consider that appropriate here."

"Where else do you go to just hang out, or make-out if you can get your roommates out," he asked and got the reaction he was hoping for. Her face turned bright red, but she looked like she wasn't adverse to the idea.

"When you say make-out, you mean snogging?"

"Not sure what that is, but if means kissing and doing other things, I like that more than word making-out," Harry remarked, moving over to a chair. He was hungry and mind as well make the best of the situation.

Susan was looking at him with big eyes. Harry was trying not to chuckle. He wasn't as shy as was a few years ago, and his friends back home and him joked like this all the time. Harry took the cloth off the basket and began to put things out. "What is all this?"

Susan shook herself and moved over to the couch. "That is lamb, roasted potatoe and asparagus."

"I meant this?" He held up a plate with a gooey looking brownie-type thing.

"Sticky toffee pudding," she responded.

He gave her an odd look. "This isn't pudding," he told her.

She looked back at him equally oddly. "Of course it is. What else would a pudding be?"

"Pudding is like smooth gelatin like dessert," he told her.

She made a face. "That sounds disgusting," she told him.

"It's really good, actually. A nice butterscotch pudding with some whipped cream," he told her. "I really wanted pizza tonight."

"What is pizza?"

Harry did a double take. "It's a big round pie with crispy crust, tomatoe sauce, lots of cheese and other toppings. My favorite is grilled chicken, spinach, olives and feta cheese."

She looked like she didn't know what to think. "Maybe you can show me sometime?"

"Do you have a town around with a place?" he asked her.

"We are only allowed to go down into Hogsmeade and there is nothing like that there," she told him.

"Maybe we can go down their tomorrow when you are done in classes and you can show me around?" he asked.

"We can go down Saturday. This weekend is a Hogsmeade visit weekend," she said, looking pleased.

"Sounds like a date," he told her, finally putting some of the lamb on some bread and taking a bite.

She looked at him open mouth. "A date?"

He had to chew and swallow before answering. Harry had not meant to "If you want. Otherwise we can invite anyone else you want."

Slowly her face spread into a big smile. Harry liked how her face lite up. He ate a little bit more before she cleared her throat. "Harry," she said in an uncertain voice.

"What's up, Susan?"

"You can call be Su or Suzie, most everyone else does," she responded.

"If you want, Su," he told her. "I think I like Susan more right now. What do want?"

She took in a deep breath. "Do you know why magic recognized some type of contract between us or our Houses?"

Harry froze, some bread and more lamb half-way to his mouth. He had been afraid of this. "What type of contract," Harry asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know, but I am the Heiress of House Bones. You are the Scion of House Potter. There must be some official business between us, business that has been neglected by the way it hurt and tingled."

"I know that the MACUSA has outlawed most contracts except for family business or to enter into business ventures in the Unites States. What do you think the possibility of something like that is?"

"They outlawed most of the magical contracts between Houses?"

Harry pursed his lips. "There aren't old magical Houses in the U.S. There are family lines, but that is mostly the old way of thinking. There are so many that came without out a house and no-maj's that we don't do things the way Uncle Remus described it to be back here. I don't get why you would think I would be an heir to such a House."

Susan regarded him for a few. She wrung her hands. "Harry, the Wizengamot hasn't outlawed any contracts, as far as I know. It may just be a contract for a business or something else like that, but I am not not seventeen yet, so there is no way I could agree or disagree to such a contract. Are you seventeen?"

"Not until next July." He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. "You don't think this is just a business contract, do you?"

She frowned. "I don't know. I need to send an owl to my Auntie in the morning. She is Regent of House Bones right now. She will probably know what is going on."

"Fuck," he muttered. Susan was really cute. No, more like really pretty. Uncle Remus had not wanted him to return until he was eighteen to claim the rest of his parent's will and fortune. He had described how Harry had a dual citizenship and had to maintain that until he was eighteen, when he was of legal consent age in the US. At seventeen he could wield his wand all he wanted, but the laws stated he was not a legal adult until eighteen.

"Are you considered and adult at seventeen here?"

Susan nodded.

"Does being a scion, or whatever you called me, mean something really important?"

She blinked a few times. "It means you are the heir of your house. Like me, when you turn twenty-one, you can claim your families seat on the Wizengamot. At seventeen you can be Head of your house."

"I see. This is just great," he said sarcastically. "Is the Wizagamot your magical government?"

"Its the body that makes laws and oversees all the courts," she explained.

"And you don't vote them in? We just get family seats?" He really didn't like the sound of that. "What keeps this from becoming an oligarchy or dictatorships?"

She looked at him confused. "Why would it become a dictatorship? And yes, there are over a hundred Houses with hereditary seats, and another fifty that have seats voted in by the Wizengamot," she told him.

Harry frowned. "And I have one of them?"

"I would have to talk to Auntie, but I thought the Potters had three," she responded.

His eyes bugged out of his head. "Three! This is nepotism. Why can't I just get enough to vote me dictator and then I could rule all the UK?"

"There are powerful jinxes stopping anyone from doing that," she responded. "Besides, the Ministry would have to approve such changes."

"And if I was Minister?"

She looked flustered. "I... I don't know."

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, Susan. I shouldn't judge you and others here like that until I know what is going on."

She just nodded. "What does the MACUSA do?"

"They hold elections every three years and each region gets ten representatives. Right now their are eleven regions," he told her.

"Oh," was all she said. He sat back in his chair. "Mr. Scolice is going to be so upset when don't show for practice tomorrow."

He closed his eyes and put his hands on them.

"Who is Mr. Scolice?"

"The coach of the varsity quidditch team. There is no way he will name me Captain next year if I have to miss this season," Harry told her.

"I didn't think Quidditch was as popular over there," she asked.

"It's not quadpod. I'm not a fan of getting caught in that mess. Too easy to break something and then you may miss classes for a day or two. Phil Arrod got hurt enough he had to be taken to Boston for a week."

"What's in Boston?"

Harry took his hand off his eyes and looked at her. "The largest wizarding hospital in the US. Garrick Memorial works with Boston General, teaching both no-maj and magical techniques. I hear it's a seven year program to get your Healers license. You can get your nurses license in like four, I think."

She just nodded. "What position do you play?"

"Lead Chaser. Do you play?"

She smiled. "Chaser for Hufflepuff," she told him.

Harry nodded. "Maybe we should fly sometime if I am stuck here all year. I'd like to see how you do it over here."

"I would really like that. Ah, it's getting late and I have classes most of the day tomorrow. I can meet you around quarter past seven and take you back up to the great hall for breakfast?"

"Sounds good," Harry told her. "I suppose I should ask the elves for a change of clothes. I wish I could call Prim."

"Is that your elf," she asked.

"Yeah. They aren't that popular in the US. Uncle Remus said she is the last one in my family," he told her."

Susan nodded. "I have my personnel one, Daisy. Three work back at the townhouse, and there are a few elflins around."

Harry nodded. "Good night, Susan. I'll see you in the morning."

She smiled. "Good night, Harry. I look forward to it."

She got up and Harry saw her to the door. As soon as it shut, he turned to the room. "FUUUUCK!" This was not where he wanted to be. As much as he felt attracted to Susan, he just wanted to go home.

-oOo-

-oOo-

Chapter 2

November 1, 1996

Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry found a Hogwarts uniform on the chair next to his bed when he woke up. He made a face looking at it. "I don't go to Hogwarts," he muttered. He wanted his own stuff. Today he was going to miss arithmancy, runes for technology, duelling and his afternoon practice with the Quidditch team.

The only thing that brought a smile to his face was seeing Susan waiting for him in the badger sett. Hannah, Ernie and Kevin were waiting with her. They were obviously Susan's friends.

"Morning, Harry," Susan said with a huge smile.

Hannah gave him a smile almost as big, but it didn't look quite as joyous as last night.

Kevin started, "Suzie was telling us about Ilvamorny. Do you really not have a common room and dorms for your House?"

"We used to, but one of the previous Headmaster's thought it made to many divides, so they combined the Houses. First through third are in Smith Hall. It's the largest dorm. Then there is Sable Hall for fourth and fifth, then I am in Burnham Hall this year with the sixth and seventh years. All the Mastery or apprentice students get there own apartment in Gallow Hall," Harry explained.

"Wicked," Ernie responded. "I wish we could see the other common rooms."

"Suzie and I said the same," Hannah pipped up as they walked out of Hufflepuff House. A group behind them was talking. He thought he heard his name, but the muttering quieted when he looked back. They looked small, like maybe first or second year.

"So, I never asked, why do so many think I'm dead?" Harry inquired.

"Well, until last night, no one has seen or heard any word about you since you, you know, you're parents were killed," Susan told him.

"So they thought I was killed?"

"Dumbledore and others reported you weren't and said you went to a safe place," she responded.

Harry asked, "Why would that make people think I was dead."

"Well, when you didn't come to Hogwarts, that's when everyone started to say you were dead. Why didn't you come here?" Hannah put to him.

"I grew up in the states. Why wouldn't I go to a school there?" he shot back at them.

"You are an heir of a powerful House here," Ernie answered.

"So I have heard. I still think that is backwards."

"It's what we know and have," Susan sounded as though she was reassuring him. "What are classes like at Ilvamorny?"

He sat with them towards the middle of the table, talking about Ilvamorny versus Hogwarts. Many cast looks his way and he was surprised when a hundred owls or more suddenly assaulted the main hall around quarter to eight. He had never seen anything like it.

"Does this happen every day," he asked Susan, a smile playing on his face.

She chuckled at his expression. "I don't think I've looked like that since first year. Every morning the owls come to deliver messages."

A rather regal looking owl landed before Susan. "This is Diomedes. My Auntie's owl." Harry was surprised when three landed before him as she took a scrolled up letter off her owl.

Harry looked at them for a moment. "For me?"

One of the owls, a small barn owl, nipped at his hand. "Ow, son of a bitch," he cursed.

Hannah giggled. "I think its a girl," she told him pointing her fork towards him.

Susan reached over. "Take your mail or they will keep nipping at you. Especially this one, the goblins of Gringotts don't like waiting."

"The goblins of who?"

Harry helped her, liking the pleasant feeling it was to have her warm fingers brushing over his skin. "Gringotts. Its the main goblin bank in Britain. There is a small one in Inverness and a branch of Gringotts in Ireland."

"So I should open these two first?"

They took the others off and the owls. He noticed one was from a Madam Amelia Bones and the other was from the British Ministry. Susan looked at them. "Probably, and then open the one from my Auntie."

Harry swallowed. He really needed his Uncle Remus here. Harry opened thinner of the two envelopes first. Reading it, he held it towards Susan. "Is this a summons for me to go to Gringotts?"

She took a brief look at it and her eyes widened a bit. "Yeah. They don't sound pleased."

"What matter is it to them what I do with my inheritance?" he asked angrily.

"There are many treaties and for anyone, even the goblins, to mess with an inheritance can have bad consequences," Ernie said from across him.

"This is why I'm glad I'm a muggle-born at times," Kevin told them.

Harry pursed his lips and move to the second envelope. This one was thicker. When he opened it, his mouth went very dry. The front page was a letter saying he had an open betrothal contract, and three others awaiting his approval. "Fuck me," he whispered.

They all looked at him. He was afraid to look at the other sheets. The MACUSA had outlawed this type of thing. Putting the front page down, Susan had picked up her letter and looked between being green and pleased.

The top paper was a contract to the first born son of House Potter and the first born daughter of House Bones, to be carried out by the first eligible pair when they were between sixteen and twenty-four. "Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me," he muttered.

Susan was looking at him. He swallowed as he turned to her. "Is this for real?"

She looked at him for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Auntie said she got the letter and copy last night. She is going to be calling at the school later today. When is you uncle getting here?"

"Later."

The other three were looking at them. "Su, last night..."

Susan sighed. "Yeah, it's what we thought."

"I know I asked you out on a date this weekend, but this wasn't what I meant," he tried to joke with her.

Susan chuckled. "Are you kidding, this is the least of my concerns. At least you seem a decent guy so far," she responded, not blinking an eye.

Harry blinked. "How are you taking this so calmly?" inside he was screaming.

She shrugged her shoulders. "You're cute. You seem nice and this contract gives me equal say to you. I get be Lady Potter-Bones. It could have been far worse."

Harry's mouth gaped open. Hannah and Ernie were looking as though this was normal. Only Kevin gave him a sympathetic look. "I don't get it either, mate," Kevin said before eating more of the stuff in the bowl before him.

"Uhm, like, yeah," Harry said, not knowing what else to say.

Susan reached over and put a hand over his. Again, he liked the warmth, but he just wasn't as accepting of this like the three other teens were. Yesterday his life had been just what he wanted and his biggest concern was maybe to find a girlfriend last night. Instead he found the girl that would be his wife, and knowing magic, he had no say in this. Why the hell would his grandfather do this!

"Are there others," Susan asked in a quiet voice.

Harry swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. She was far to accepting of this.

"Uhm," he said putting the pile down. He flipped it over. "The letter said these were optional," he told her.

"Do you mind if I look," Susan asked.

He shook his head. did it matter? "Who is Greengrass?"

Hannah almost chocked on what she was drinking. Ernie clapped her on the back. Once they were satisfied she was alright, Susan and Hannah pointed out a beautiful blonde at the far table. When she saw them looking at her, she returned an icy glare. "What's her issue," Harry asked.

"Besides being a pure blood bitch," Hannah responded.

"She's absolutely gergeous. Why do you have an issue with Daphne Greengrass," Kevin asked, looking a little dreamy to look at the girl.

"She is a Pure blood and acts like it. Her family is part of the Sacred Twenty eight. Most of them are all inbred," Susan responded.

"So, not your best friend," Harry provided.

Susan chuckled. "You have a weird sense of humor."

"I wouldn't say no to a date with her," Kevin spoke up.

Ernie shrugged. "She's cute, but a bint. I also hear she is betrothed already."

Harry sighed. "So I can tear that one up."

"Who else," Hannah asked.

Susan turned over the paper. "Lovegood," she said. "Isn't the only Lovegood here a fifth year, this year?"

"Yeah, the blonde at the end of the Ravenclaw table. She is sitting with Granger," Hannah told them.

"What are their first names," Harry put to them.

"Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger. Ernie fancies Granger," Hannah said with a smirk.

Ernie looked abashed. "I do not. She is just part of my study group."

"Oh, come on. The only reason you haven't asked her out is because you're father wants you to find a nice half-blood," Kevin said with some disdain.

"It's not that," Ernie told Kevin. "She's so smart I wouldn't even know what to say to her."

"It's easy. You go up, ask if she is busy this weekend and then take her into town or find a spot to have a picnic," Harry responded. "So the blonde?" he asked.

"That's Luna," Susan answered. "The other girl is Hermione."

"And the last one?"

Susan picked up the paper and shot a look up to Hannah. Hannah seemed to brighten up, "Don't even think of it."

Harry looked down. "Jesus, did my grandfather have a thing for blondes?"

Kevin and Ernie laughed at the glare Hannah gave Harry. "I don't mean any offense, Hannah."

Susan gave Harry a less than pleasant look. "And how to feel about blondes?"

There was something in her voice that made him a little nervous. "Don't know. Never dated one and didn't have plans too," responded. Harry knew he was probably stuck with the beautiful redhead. He really didn't want any more. "You still want to go on that date tomorrow? Show me around?"

He must have said the right thing because her neck became a little red. "That sounds nice. You should open your other mail."

Harry did, missing the silent exchange between the two girls. Harry found it a little repulsive to think of more than one girl. He had a feeling if they were really bound by a betrothal contract, Susan was going to be more than enough to handle, let alone three others. These were also only optional. Options he wanted to burn up.

Opening the one from Madam Bones, it was an introductory letter requesting to meet him and his Regent tomorrow afternoon. He could take Susan out for the morning and lunch and then meet with Madam Bones. Mind as well get to know her.

The last was from the Ministry of Magic, Minister's office. He read it and crumpled it up. "What did it say," Susan asked.

"The Minister, I assume he is like your President, wants to extend his apologies and hopes that there will be no 'ill will' between us and the MACUSA."

Hannah and Ernie looked shocked he would just toss aside a letter like that. Kevin just laughed. "He's just like you, Suzie."

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "Auntie is Head of the DMLE. She can't stand Minister Fudge and most of his cronies."

Harry smirked. "Sounds like I might like your aunt already."

Susan gave him a bright smile and they were interrupted by someone clearing their throats. He turned to see a tall platinum blonde with delicate features and a nice figure. Harry recognized someone with veela blood in them right away. "Can I help you miss?"

The girl was looking down at him, her power on full display and Harry just met her straight in the eyes, unimpressed with her use of of powers. Many of the boys within thirty feet were looking at her as they would do anything to have her.

"Yes, I 'm Gabrielle Delacour, Champion for Beuaxbaton. I under stand you are the Champion for Ilvamorny," she said in a heavy French accident.

"So they tell me," he replied. She scrunched her brow.

"You did not enter?"

He snorted. "I'm supposed to be having a arithmancy test today. Do you think I want to be here?"

"There is no reason to be rude," Susan muttered.

Harry took in a deep breath. "I'm not upset with you. Harry Potter, Gabrielle," he said, holding out his hand. She looked at it and after a moment shook it. Her hand felt cool. She held it for a moment longer than he wanted and he took his hand back. Gabrielle looked like she didn't understand that he wasn't fawning over her.

"You did not enter?" she repeated.

"Non. I did not. Someone took part of my IWL test from the ICW and put it in the cup," Harry answered in French. He thought it best since she seemed to struggle with English a little bit.

The girl's eyes widened. "I did not expect you to know French. That was quiet a show of you last night."

"I thought everyone here had kidnapped me. I still want to go home, but can't."

The blue eyes of the French Champion searched his for a moment. "I look forward to competing with you, Mr. Potter." The girl inclined her head and walked away. Ernie and Kevin followed her swaying behind. Harry just shrugged and turned back to the table. Susan was looking at him as though shocked he wasn't leering at the girl. "What did you say to her?"

"Just that I didn't enter and I would go home if I could," he told Susan.

"You really don't want to stay," Susan asked.

He let out a breath. Hannah poked Ernie hard and he shook his head as though coming out of a trance. "The bloody slag," Hannah commented.

"What did I miss?" Ernie questioned.

"You were drooling over that French hussy again. Knock Kevin," Hannah ordered with a huff.

"How would you feel if you were suddenly torn from your friends and home?"

Susan looked at him before nodding. "I would want to go home too."

Harry felt for her a little. The clock struck one bell. "We need to get to class. Do you want to come with us today?"

Harry shook his head. "I should find the Headmaster and figure out when my uncle will be here. Do you eat all your meals here?"

"Yeah. Don't you have a great hall like this?"

"We have the main dinning hall, but a few other stands and we can go into Adams whenever we want, as long as he maintain an eighty-percent and don't miss classes," he told them

"Oh. Why didn't I go to Ilvamorny?" Susan asked herself.

"You like it here," Hannah remarked.

Susan looked at Hannah. "Not sure I think that way now."

-oOo-

Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry had wondered the school for the morning. Many approached him to talk about last night, as though they had a right to anything they asked. Harry brushed them and usually just kept walking.

By lunch, he had had no luck in finding the Headmaster so he wandered back to the Great Hall. Susan gave him a big smile as he sat with them again. There were more students here, but all the Hufflepuffs seemed to heed Professor Sprouts words and mostly left him alone. The other tables he was not so lucky with.

By the time the stern looking McGonagall had come to get him, he had been asked out a half-dozen times, had a dozen visitors asking him stuff and others that didn't dare approach as the four Hufflepuffs he had met started to scare off others.

When Professor McGonagall led him to a gargoyle he had seen and then gave it a password, he was a little shocked when it jumped aside and there was a circular stone escalator behind it. "Up the stair, Potter," she ordered.

They stopped at an open door. Even before he got to the top he heard his uncle. "The damned Ministry and this tournament kidnapped my nephew," the werewolf was growling.

"Now see here, we did not kidnap anyone. Somehow Potters name made it into the cup for Ilvamorny," another was saying. Harry stepped in. A dozen people were in the room. There was the Headmaster, his uncle, a short rotund man with a line green rounded hat in his hands. Then there was Barty, a woman with red hair and grey streaks with a monocle in her hand and finally a tall African man in burgundy red robes and an embroidered hat.

"I have brought Mr. Potter, Headmaster."

They all turned to him. His uncle took a few long strides and cut off the man with the lime-green hat. "Harry. Thank Merlin. We had everyone out looking for you when you just dissapeared."

Harry extended his hand. His uncle took it and then pulled him into a hug. Harry felt a little embarrassed before all these people he didn't know, but he was happy to see a familiar face. When his uncle pulled back, he looked him in the eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. They stuck me in Hufflepuff last night and I some letters to go over you with. Do I get go back?"

His uncle frowned. "I am afraid not. You will be held hostage here for the rest of the school year."

"The boy is not a hostage," the man with the green hat said loudly.

"Well I didn't volunteer to come here and I certainty didn't put my name in," Harry responded hotly.

"Harry, that is enough for a moment. I was just telling them that the MACUSA is putting in a formal complaint and that this is being looked at as a hostile hostage situation," Uncle Remus said before turning back to the other. "Minister Fudge, you should have notice of this very soon. You too Head Bones."

Harry blinked and turned to look at the woman. She gave him a level look before turning to his uncle. "I understand and we would have done the same. The Aurors and my Solicitor offices are already drafting the paperwork to support Mr. Potter and provide the proper assurances of his safety."

"Last night I also submitted the complaint Mr. Potter wanted against the tournament organizers," the Headmaster told them.

"We did not kidnap Harry Potter, nor is he being kept here as a hostage," the Minister reiterated.

"My ward cannot go back and skip these events without risking himself. He did not enter, nor does he want to be here. How is that not a hostage?" his uncle pressed.

The man from last night had his mouth held tightly together, not saying a word, but he looked pissed at Harry.

Madam Bones stepped forward. "Mr. Potter, would you be willing to give a deposition about your involvement?"

"I'll swear right now that I had no clue about this and that I just want to go back to Ilvamorny," Harry told her.

The woman held up her hand. "Please, we don't need to use magical oaths. When we are done, I would like you and your Uncle to sit with me and Auror Shacklebolt."

He looked to his uncle, who nodded. "I can give a deposition."

"to let you know, Mr. Potter, Mr. Crouch and the tournament committee is going to call another meeting of the Champions tomorrow night," Dumbledore looked towards the man.

"Yes. The committee had agreed with your complaint on the clue. There is nothing we can do about you having to compete in this tournament, but the committee recognizes that you did not enter the tournament willingly. A letter has been sent to the ICW about the test paper that came out of the cup," the man said in a flat voice.

Madam Bones took in a long breath. "I will need a deposition from you too, Head Crouch. You as well Dumbledore."

"Of course, Amelia."

His uncle was frowning. "Who did this?"

"We don't know yet," Madam Bones told him. "I promise Regent Potter-Black, that all is being done to investigate this."

Harry blinked for a moment. "Potter-Black," he asked his uncle.

"Let's talk about this in a few," his uncle told him in a whisperer. "As a teacher of Ilvamorny and Scion Potter's guardian, I shall be a representative from this point forth."

"Does this mean you will drop the protests?" the Minister asked hopefully.

"No. Until Harry returns to United States soil or chooses to stay here of his own free will, I will keep my protest with the MACUSA and ICW," Uncle Remus told them.

"What does this mean about classes, Uncle Remus," Harry asked.

"Since we were not able to prepare for this as the other schools have, I would ask permission for Scion Potter to attend classes until I can find appropriate tutors or he deems the classes appropriate?" Uncle Remus requested, looking at Dumbledore.

"By all means. Scion Potter is welcome to attend any class, though I think you will find the course work here quite appropriate," Dumbledore told him.

"Last I checked Hogwarts didn't offer Technomancy, Advance Arithmancy for runes and using no-maj calculus or a Duelling and Advanced Defense program."

Madam Bones looked at Harry as though she was really looking at him for the first time. The Minister looked at him with big eyes. Mr. Crouch muttered something he could hear and the Headmaster just nodded. "Hogwarts does not have the budget to have a larger staff to offer such courses, something I have asked for for quiet a few years from the Education Department and the Minister," Dumbledore said. Harry felt it a dig at the Minister, who started to spin his had in his hands.

"Ah, yes, the budget you know," the Minister stated.

"Are the other schools taking classes here?" Harry questioned.

"Headmaster Maxine felt it better to have her own staff teach her students, stating that they taught in different way and Hogwarts did not offer some of the extra courses her students were in. Head Master Karkaroff has his own lesson schedule. Regent Potter-Black, if you do find tutors in Technomancy and Advance Arithmancy, Headmaster Maxine may be interested in hiring the the same tutors," the Headmaster pressed.

"Yes. Yes. All interesting. If you excuse me, I need to get back to the Ministry," Minister Fudge said, looking uncomfortable.

Crouch nodded. "I should get back as well."

The Headmaster nodded and the Minister and Barty Crouch left. After they did, the air in the room started to feel warmer. "I wish we could have seen each other under better circumstances, but it is good to see you again Amelia and Kingsley."

They both nodded. "It has been many years. Not since we had to take care of those muggles and the former Minister," she told him.

"Yes. I haven't really told Harry about that yet. Albus, is there really nothing we can do?"

"I'm sorry, Remus. Harry has to compete. The first event is the twenty-third of this month," Dumbledore told them.

Harry frowned. "If I have to do this then I have to. I can't fall behind in my classes though, Uncle Remus. I still have three more semesters of Technomancy before I can apply for the MACUSA's apprentice levels," Harry said with concern.

"You won't fall behind, Harry. We will find someone, even if I have to setup a way for you to still do the class with Mrs. Verona."

"What about Mr. Scolice? I should be in Montreal Sunday and I will have to be kicked off the team. I won't be able to make Captain next year."

"Harry, I know these are valid concerns, but for now there are larger concerns," Uncle Remus told him.

"Like marriage contracts," Harry asked.

His uncle's eyes grew wide. "Like marriage contracts," he agreed after a few. "Can we get this deposition out of the way and then discuss this?"

"Remus, I received a copy of a contract that is now active between Harry and Susan," Madam Bones informed his uncle.

Uncle Remus scrunched his face and let out a long breath through his nose. "Amelia, can we meet about this after the deposition?"

The woman nodded. "Albus, do you have a classroom or old office we can use for a while?"

The man nodded. "I can lead you to one if you like."

"Please. I would also like my niece to be released for the rest of the afternoon and this evening."

"I will pass along to have her meet you," the Headmaster told them.

"She is supposed to be in Defense Against the Dark Arts," Harry informed them.

Both Madam Bones and Uncle Remus rose an eyebrow at him. "You have met my neice already?"

"Professor Sprout had her show me around last night and this morning. We were sitting next to each other when the goblins sent me the contracts and we got your letters, Madam Bones," he told her.

His uncle chuckled trying to leaven the situation. "Just like James. He didn't wait either."

Madam Bones just shook her head. "Did you touch each other?"

Harry looked at her, trying to hide his guilty look. "It was on accident when we both went to open a door."

She nodded. "This explains why I got the letter last night. Lets go Shacklebolt and get this over with. Remus, I think we should go to get dinner or back to Grace Hall for the rest of the day."

His uncle nodded. "I think so. Come on, pup."

About an hour later they were standing in the Headmistress' office. "Thank you, Minerva," Madam Bones shook the older woman's hands.

"It is my pleasure, Amelia. Mr. Potter, it is nice to see you again."

Harry just nodded his head. He was getting really annoyed and feeling overwhelmed how he was being treated. Half the school looked at him like some returning conqueror, while others kept saying they knew his parents and it was 'nice to see him again', and yet others looked daggers at him. Uncle Remus had told him what happened with his parents and some of the war, but he wasn't prepared for this.

"Give me a few minutes to allow visitors and you can come through," Madam Bones told them.

Susan was staying close to him and Harry found he liked it. She was one of the few girls that didn't look at him like he juiciest thing they had ever seen. He didn't miss the looks she cast at him, but it didn't feel like she was 'after' him. Besides, if she was his betrothed, it was alright for her to look at him that way. He also kept sneaking peaks at her. Even as out of sorts as he was, his teenage hormones recognized a beauty.

"Grace Hall," Madame Bones called out.

"I see you in a few minutes," Susan said to him before walking through.

"How many contracts did you get?" Uncle Remus leaned over and whispered.

"Four. Susan is the only active one. The other three are at my choosing. Why the hell hasn't the Ministry of Magic outlawed this! The MACUSA did that decades ago," Harry whispered back.

Remus sighed. "This is part of why Dumbledore and I wanted you away from Britain. If you weren't on British soil before you were seventeen, then none of these could be shoved on you."

Professor McGonagall was listening, her smile turning into a scowl. Harry fished the notes out of his pocket. "Take a look."

His uncle took them and quickly riffled through them. "I knew your grandfather was trying to make alliances, but not like this."

"The one for Greengrass is signed by Bagnold. Isn't that who you got sent to jail," he asked his uncle.

"Let's talk about this later. Minerva, thank you."

"Whenever you need, Remus and Mr. Potter."

Harry came out of the fire in a large atrium with white marble along all the walls, columns that went up two stories. The floor had a neat design that radiate out from the fireplace made of more marble, black stones with white streaks and highlights of silver in places. Madam Bones was standing, waiting to great them. "I hope you don't mind, but Susan wanted to change out of her uniform. Do you have anything you would like to change into?"

"I don't have any of my stuff," Harry told her.

Uncle Remus fetched a small knapsack out of his pocket. "I brought you a few days worth of things, Harry. I will have to go back tomorrow and get your suitcases from Ilvamorny."

"Thank you, Uncle Remus. Who is going to teach your classes?"

"Mr. Rogers and Mrs. Wilkes will handle them for now. Headmaster Nadeau is looking for a substitute for the rest of year. He was planning to come within the next few days to talk with Dumbledore," his uncle told him.

Harry nodded. "Madam Bones, do you have a room I could use to change?"

"Notty," she called out. A house elf in a nice dress and a crest on her left breast came hurrying into the room.

"Mistress calls?"

"Can you show Mr. Potter to one of the guest rooms on the first floor? If you want, you and Susan can stay for the weekend and go back Sunday or Monday morning," she offered. "Remus, if you would like, we have an extra room for you."

"I would never impose," his uncle started.

"I don't care you're a werewolf. We may be discussing things until late tonight."

Harry looked at his uncle. "Just for tonight?" he ask requested. Harry needed something that was normal.

"For the night, pup. Tomorrow I will be getting the earliest portkey I can and will be back Sunday."

Harry nodded. "This way, Mr. Potter," the elf squeaked.

"I would like to change as well, if you don't mind," he heard Madam Bones say as he followed the elf up the stairs.

"Thank you, Notty," Harry told the elf when she showed him to a room off the balcony that looked down into the large atrium.

The elf bowed. "Mr. Potter just call on Notty if you need anything."

Harry shut the door behind him. Letting out a breath, he surveyed the room. He was hoping Susan didn't mind staying home for the next night or two. He didn't want to go back to Hogwarts. There was a large four poster, definitely larger than just what he needed. A large armoire was tucked between the bed and a door. A nice chair with a small side table and a desk finished the room. It was all in nice cream and light blues. Neutral enough to not be girly. What he didn't like was that there was no windows.

He was happy to shed the Hogwarts uniform. It was the once and only time he was going to wear one. He was happy to see Uncle Remus had packed him a pair of jeans, some cargo pants and a nice pair of slacks with a few polo shirts and his favorite no-maj bands. His uncle knew him too well. He wasn't sure if tonight was a night to dress well or not, but he was feeling rather rebellious against the whole situation. His jeans, his Nirvana shirt and the flannel with a nice liner went on. He fished around and was dissapointed that is Docs weren't in here. he shouldn't have been. They were at school. He knew he had left all this at home.

Stepping out into the hall, he stopped to realize his room was right next to Susan. Looking at her, he kind of regretted his decision. She was in a nice dress with flowery patterns that showed off her long body, narrower hips, a good sized bosom and some of her shoulders. He blinked at her a few times as she looked at him. He tried not to look at her, but God! Was she hot. He hadn't realized how much the uniforms hid. When he finally met her eyes, she had seemed to be looking him up and down to. She gave him a mischievous smirk. "Please tell you are wearing that to talk with Auntie and for dinner?"

"Do you like it," he asked her?

"Bloody hell. I don't know where you got that, but it is bloody brilliant. I can I get a shirt like that?"

Harry laughed. "I have an extra one or two with me. They might be big on you..." He had to admit he liked the idea of her in his shirts.

"I don't care. I just want to see Auntie's eyes popping out if I showed up like that."

Harry thought she was cute before. If she had a rebellious streak in her, then she just up to be one the best girls he had ever met. "What do you call that look?"

Harry shrugged. "Grunge, I guess. Most of my favorite bands dress like this, so do most of my friends when we don't have classes."

"Why didn't you have that on last night?"

"I never changed after classes. Do you know where we are going?"

Susan was still giving him a huge smile. "Auntie will probably have us in the guest parlour downstairs."

She came up to him and looked at his arm. It took him a second to get the hint and he extended his arm. She wrapped one around it. "I really don't want to change, but will your Aunt get very upset," he asked her.

"Does it matter," Susan asked him as they went back towards the grand stairs that led to the atrium.

"Uncle Remus gets a little upset at times when I am supposed to be dressed nicely."

"Don't you dare change. You have a rather bad boy look," she told him, giving hims the same mischievous smirk and there was a glint in her hazel eyes Harry liked. When she walked him into the room, Uncle Remus was looking as a book from a bookcase next to the door. When he looked up, his Uncle just closed his eyes for a moment.

"Harry, we are guests in the house of Regent and Heiress Bones. You are a scion of a House that also has some prestige here in Britain," his uncle told him.

"Where you ever going to tell me about that?" Harry questioned his uncle.

"Yes, actually. I was waiting until this summer. You graduate next year and you have until you are twenty-one to make the decision if you wanted to come back or not. I wanted you old enough to understand all this and get tutoring if you were really interested," his under told him. "You should go get changed."

Harry didn't seen to have control over much right now, but he did have control over this and Susan liked him this way.

"I like him like this, Mr. Lupin," Susan spoke up for him.

His uncle chuckled. "Fine. If Amelia says anything don't say I didn't tell you so."

"I still don't get why you didn't tell me all this?" Harry pressed.

His uncle sighed. "Dumbledore and I got you out of country because some were trying to use you and deny your inheritance. I didn't want you to come back unless you wanted to and knew what you would be facing. Would you rather have been learning about the backwards government and society here or doing what you have been in school?"

Harry regarded his Uncle. "Is it really that backwards compared to Ilvamorny and the United States?" Susan questioned.

"It is not progressive," his uncle replied.

"I have seen any electronics or even any technology from the last hundred years or more," Harry told her.

Susan looked at him. "What are electronics," she asked, obviously not understanding them.

Madam Bones came in while they were talking. Neither of the teens saw her. "Electronics are a no-maj invention that uses electricity to power things. Like CD players, TV's, lights, tape players, phones, all sorts of things." Susan still looked very confused.

"Mr. Potter, Susan has never really been out in the muggle world," Madam Bones said behind him. Harry spun around, not realizing she was there. "I admit it has been years, not since I was an Auror, I had to operate in that world. I take this is the current muggle style of clothes?"

She looked at him as though unsure if she should be offended or complimented by his clothes. She was in witches robes with a House crest on her left breast.

Uncle Remus laughed. "This is what most of his friends are wearing as one of the popular no-maj fashions. It's one of their more rebellious styles right now."

Madam Bones looked at him. "I see. I would not recommend dressing like that when you need to do any official Ministry business or for the Wizengamot, but what you do in your free time, I really don't care."

"I like that. No-maj. Can I get some muggle clothes," Susan asked.

"You would fit in with that dress," Harry told her. He would dress nicer when they went on that date, though it was not looking like tomorrow now.

Susan smiled at him. "Maybe you can take me out into London at some point."

"Lets talk about what was sent to us this morning before you two decide where you are going out," Madam Bones requested. She motioned towards a nice tea table at the front of the parlor and by the window at the from of the townhouse. "Please, take a seat. Notty?"

Uncle Remus had taught him how he should act to a woman, even if it wasn't the standard way most American's acted. He took out a chair and held it Susan as she gave him an attractive smile as she smoothed her dress under her legs and sat. Harry pushing the chair in slightly as she did. He sat to her right. Uncle Remus sat next to him and Madam Bones across the table.

"I hope you excuse me for diving into this, but I would like to discuss the betrothal contract and send a letter to the goblins today. Tomorrow I would like to go to Gringotts to finalize the details," the Matron informed them.

"Do we need to be so quick? Uncle Remus asked. "I haven't even read the full contract yet."

Madam Bones looked at him. "You were not aware of this?"

"I knew there items that had been sealed, and were not supposed to be unsealed until Harry was eighteen. I think James was trying to prevent this eventuallity," his uncle stated.

"What do you mean prevent," Harry asked.

"If a betrothal contract is not activate before you come into your majority on the Wizengamot, then those involved can decide if they want to activate or not. If not, then there is no penalty," Madam Bones told him. "I can give you a few minutes to read it."

"I have read it," Harry responded. His uncle gave him a questioning look. "There are a few things I don't understand."

"What do you understand?"

He regarded the werewolf. Harry let out a deep breath. "Susan and I need to marry by seventeen should either or both of us leave school. Else, within six months of graduting or after our eighteenth birthdays, whichever is sooner. It specifically says Hogwarts, but since I never enrolled, I doubt the first condition would apply."

Susan nodded her head.

His uncle's eyes said to go on. "Susan needs to 'provide' at least two children. One for the Potter line before her twentieth birthday and a second for the Bones line by her Twenty-third birthday. Grandfather wished for more to revive the other cadet Houses." Harry sounded bitter that a man he had never met, wasn't even alive when Harry was born, was forcing this on him.

"Auntie, your letter didn't say this," Susan said.

"I know, dear," Madam Bones responded.

"What else, pup?"

"There is a dowry. Why do I have pay to have Susan marry me? It feels like I am buying her, and some of the other language would bind her to 'obey' me. The MACUSA outlawed bondings like that decades ago. It's like I would own her," he said a little disgusted.

"In a way, you already do," Madam Bones said in a softer tone than she had used so far.

Susan took in a deep breath and just nodded. "It's an old fashion betrothal, isn't it, Auntie?"

"In many ways, yes, Suzie."

Harry looked at them and his uncle bowed his head. "You don't mean she is really mine, as in a possession!"

"That, Harry, is a bit up to you. Given the age of the contract and the fact the Heads-of-House that signed it are no longer living, some of this can be changed within limits. It does allow Susan to retain her titles and Wizengamot seat. She will be able to maintain her own finances and the Bones vaults, unless you both decide to combine the houses," Madam Bones told them.

Susan looked a little more hopeful.

"The dowry can be renegotiated, though that is a bride price the House of Bones pays you."

"You pay me to marry Susan," he said incredulously.

Madam Bones nodded. "It is tradition. At one time, it was viewed that the grooms family would need the extra funds to set up the new house or where ever they were going to live, have funds for children and to take the burden of more mouths."

His eyes boggled. Susan shifted and he looked to her. "I promise I won't be a burden," she told him, as though this was what she was expected to say.

"Susan, if we are to marry, you will never be a burden. I don't want any money. From what I understand I have more than we could ever use in a few lifetimes. God, Uncle Remus, why wasn't this outlawed here?" He turned on the man.

Uncle Remus sighed. "Harry, you have to understand. The MACUSA may by be almost the same age as the Ministry of Magic, but many of witches and wizards that fled to America, like many colonists, were fleeing the old ways. Many wanted to escape the old laws that impose betrothal and marriage contacts like this, or other laws that severely hampered those of no-maj heritage. As you have seen, there are very few old world Families in the U.S."

Harry went to open his mouth and his uncle held up his hand. "Most of those that consider themselves Old Blood are no more than a hundred years or so old. The eldest are maybe three hundred years old. Here, you have magical families that can reach back millennia. They cling to the old ways. It has protected them and allowed the family to prosper. Looking at this contract, this was not penned out of malice or for control. James mentioned a few times that his father had been concerned that many of the old Houses were dying out. This contract reads as a way to ensure that two Houses survive."

"By making us marry each other?"

"Yes, Scion Potter. It is an old tradition when Houses were looking at extinction. It is part of why you have multiple Houses to your name. A Lord or Lady can carry those titles until they have an offspring to pass it to," Madam Bones informed.

"How many Houses does Harry have," Susan asked, looking between them.

"Potter, Black, Perverell and Gryffindor. James has said the Lord Potter has not had more than two children for many generations, and many times the cadet line has died and the Lord Potter has absorbed the line back so the Houses would not go extinct," Uncle Remus replied.

"Is that why I have other contract offers," Harry asked.

Susan nodded while her aunt shot a look at him. "What other offers?"

Uncle Remus held out the sheets. "Three other offers. Harry, did you read those also?"

"They are for the Greengrasses, Abbots and Lovegoods," Susan spoke up, not sounding pleased.

"How would you know this already," her aunt asked taking the papers.

"I was sitting with Harry this morning when the letters came," she told her aunt.

"I accept the contract with Susan," not that he had a choice, "but I won't accept the others."

Susan's let out a deep breath as tough relieved. Her hand was close to his on the tea table and hand moved his hand to clasp hers from the side. She wrapped her fingers around his. Uncle Remus followed the gesture and that was when Harry realized what he had done. Her hand hand was warm and smooth. He liked it and didn't let go.

Madam Bones looked at the papers. "The contract to the Greengrasses is signed by Bagnold. This didn't come out in the trial," she said, looking up at his uncle.

His uncle pursed his lips. "Albus and I were afraid there were things we weren't able to discover. The woman had moved fast and had some grand political scheme that involved Harry. Her regency was found to be illegal, so I don't see that being a legally binding contract."

Madam Bones lips were pursed. "One way to find out," she said, taking the top of the paper and ripping it down the middle. Susan gasped and Harry let out a sigh of relief. If it had been a magically binding contract, she never would have been able to do that.

With a satisfied nod, the put the two halves on the table. Notty reappeared and put a nice porcelain tea set down with some cookies and biscotti.

"Thank you, Notty," Susan said.

"Susan, would you want a sister-wife in Hannah," Madam Bones asked.

Harry opened his mouth. "Ahhh, don't I get a say in this?" he asked angrily.

Madam Bones looked up as though uncertain why he would asked that. "It is a good contract and would allow you to pass off one of your houses to a cadet line. The Abbots are good and respectable..."

Harry cut her off. "I am only marrying one person. It's not even legal and a little disgusting to think that way," he told her.

His uncle chuckled. "Spoken like a Potter and an American. I may not disagree with you, pup, but it is not illegal here in wizarding Britain."

Susan looked at him, almost hopefully. Her aunt spoke up, "Harry, this is not a bad thing."

"No," he said rather forcibly. "I will marry Susan, but no one else."

After a moment, her aunt nodded her head and Susan let out a breath. Madam Bones flipped to the last paper. "Thank you," Susan said in a whisper.

Harry looked at her. "You shouldn't have to thank me," he told her, still annoyed. He wasn't handling everything thrown at him in the last twenty-hours or so very well at the moment. "It's not right to fall in love with more than one woman or to marry them."

Susan's eyes were a little watery as she looked at him before sitting up straight. "Thank you," she repeated.

"You will need to pay a penalty to the Abbots and Lovegoods, but I don't see anything that binds you to these contacts. Now, lets settle the few other points and then I want to get a letter off to the goblins. You mentioned you would like to get all language out that would require Susan to obey you. I am in agreement. Are you, Susan?"

"Yes, Auntie," she said, not looking away from Harry and smiling.

"Remus?"

"Like Harry, I would burn up the whole thing, but yes. Harry would not like to own or control Susan in any way."

Madam Bones was quiet for a few. "We can remove the old Wife oaths, but I cannot change that Susan would fall under the old laws. Harry will become her magical guardian once we finalize this. Once married, he will hold all lands, permissions and accounts except those already specified. I never knew Fleamont was such a traditionalist, like my father."

Harry scrunched his brow. "I don't want to have all that. Susan should be able to do what she wants," Harry told Madam Bones.

"Noble sentiments, and ones you can enforce in your own house, but in the eyes of the law, anything that is not direct House Bones business you have ultimate say," the woman said as though it was perfectly normal. Susan looked accepted of this, but thankful Harry would want to let her do her own thing.

Harry couldn't take it and stood up and started to pace. "Harry," his uncle said in a soothing voice.

He turned to his uncle, pursing his lips. He wanted to rant and rave, but what good would that do at the moment. It wasn't the fault of anyone in this room and he had an intuition that if he did, it might make a wall that he didn't want to between him and Susan right now. He knew magic. It would see them together or else pay a heavy price. It was against every fiber of being not to be free or Susan, but he would have to make the best of it he could.

He couldn't keep it all in though, "What about the Woman Sufferage and Freedom laws?"

"They don't apply here," his uncle replied.

"The what," Susan asked.

"What is we go back to the U.S.?"

"You have to compete it he tournament and you are on British soil. Just like in the States, what magically happens there is binding wherever you go," his uncle instructed him.

Harry let out a breath. "I won't ever stop you from what you want to do," Harry told Susan.

She nodded.

"Are we settled on this point now?"

Harry nodded to the Matron, not pleased.

"The next point is the dowry. You mentioned you are not pleased with it?"

"I want it stricken," Harry demanded.

"That is not possible. We can change it to one galleon if you want."

Harry blinked rapidly a few times. "You can't change it so you propose to sell your neice for one galleon. How much is that in drakuts?"

"Last I checked, a galleon is about one point two drakuts," his uncle provided.

He looked to Susan. She was just looking at her aunt. "No. Is the ten-thousand offered reasonable?"

"It was thirty years ago when this was written. It is more common to be fifty-thousand or more now for a House with such means as the Bones," Madam Bones told him.

"Would you be adverse to making it that and putting it into an account you control?" he asked Susan.

She looked at him for a moment. "You would really give me control over finances or other stuff that isn't my own?"

"I will not accept we are not equal in this."

She looked godsmacked for a moment before nodding. "That is acceptable."

"Good. Now the last thing is to decide on the wedding date. I think you would be correct that since you never attended Hogwarts, that part of the contract does not apply. I would like the goblins to verify that though. It does mean you will need to be married in no more than two years from now. I would propose the August after next. Then you would both be eighteen and it would should give you enough time for Susan to have your first child. From what I read, she only need pregnant by her twentieth birthday."

Harry was feeling unsettled how business like she was treating all this.

Susan was looking at Harry. They were both only sixteen, he had known her all of maybe twenty-hours, and he was still more concerned with missing his classes, friends, and Quidditch than this.

"Auntie, can Harry and I have some time to discuss and decide?" Susan looked away from him.

Madam Bones looked at her niece. "I know it is fast, but an hour, two at most. It is close to four now and I want to get this out. Gringotts closes it doors at seven tonight and I want Diomedes to get the updates we agree upon to them before that time."

"Do we really need to rush this," his uncle pressed.

"Given the other contracts, the fact we don't why Harry's name was put into the Goblet of Fire and we don't know if Bagnold or others have tried to do something else, I think it imperative. This will protect Harry as much as it will Susan. No matter what, they are now together and what affects one, now affects the other."

Susan got up and took his hand as she walked to him.

"Susan, I don't want you to leave the house."

"Yes, Auntie. Come on, I can show you my favorite spot," she told him.

As he let her lead him away, Uncle Remus asked, "How bad has it been? Albus and I haven't talked in a few years."

She took him up the grand staircase, up a side staircase to a third floor. There was a circular walkway with a few doors and two halls heading towards the back of the townhouse. A fancy wrought-iron ballistrade allowed people to look down into the atrium or up into a large dome with many windows. It let in the natural light, and magic bent the sun so it diffused into the Atrium below.

"At one time Auntie says three generations used to live in Grace Hall. When she was a little girl, half the rooms up here were inhabited. Now it's only Auntie and I," Susan said a little sadly.

"What happened to your parents?"

"My parents and my two older siblings were killed by Death Eaters. Auntie said it happened about two months before your parents died."

He squeezed her hand. Being orphans was one thing they had in common. It wasn't something he wanted to have common with her. She pulled on him lightly to a stairway set into the center building between the hallways.

Going up the stairs, she opened a glass door at the top. They stepped out into a large aviary that dominated much of the roof not taken up by the dorm. It was made of wrought-iron and class, giving it a very pleasant Victorian feel. A small path with a few benches wound around a large fountain. Bird song and a birds were all around them.

Susan had a broad smile. "Auntie tells me my father had this built for my mother. Apparently she was magical arborist and loved birds. Notty maintains it," she told him.

Looking around, Harry could understand why she would like this place. "It is very nice."

After a moment, she let his hand go and turned to him. Her voice sounded sad a she asked, "You are not happy with our union?"

Meeting her eyes, he wasn't sure how to interpret what ever feelings she was having. He didn't know her well enough to understand. "We are stuck together. If I am truthful, will you promise to be?"

"Yes."

"Susan, I don't know how I feel about this yet. This type of betrothal and marriage contract was outlawed by the MACUSA. I think you are really pretty and I mean I want to take you on a date, but I don't know you and you don't know me. Are you happy with this?"

She looked at him, taking a step back. "You want me to tell the truthful?"

"Please," he encouraged.

"You won't get upset with me?" Harry shook his head. She let out a breath. "I'm a little scared. My friends and I always knew something like this could happen. All of us in the old Houses are brought up knowing an arranged marriage is possible, but not really done anymore. As for the contract, it was much more lenient than many I have heard of. Thank you for not wanting to control me or taking up the other contracts." She looked honestly relieved.

Harry leaned against a support. "I'm scared too."

They both just stood where they were for a moment. "You didn't look happy with having to have a child by twenty?" Harry inquired. He had never thought about having children. Until a few years ago he still was a small child.

Susan nodded, looked around and sat on the edge of the fountain pool. "I want children, but I was hoping to actually do something before I was expected to stay home the rest of my life."

"Who says you have to stay home?"

She looked up at him. "Why wouldn't I? I will become pregnant. It's my responsibility to raise our children. Hannah and I have talked about what her mum and others do, and it sounds so boring to just be trapped in a small world of our kids, doing philantropy work, tending the house, all that type of stuff."

Harry nodded. He liked that she had ambitions, not just to be a simple minded woman. That had been some of the issues with Maddy. She seemed to have ideas that she didn't need to go onto an Apprenticeship or Mastery. She wanted to have kids right away. Harry had only been fifteen he started to date her. Kids and family were the last thing on his mind when kissing the small brunette. And now, a few weeks later, that was exactly what he was talking about.

"What would you rather do?" Harry questioned.

"Auntie wants me to go into the Aurors," she told him.

"What do you want to do, Susan," he pressed.

She looked around. "I really like this aviary. I don't know how many hours I have spent in here growing up, and when I come home its usually the first place I head for. I have gone over my notes on the magical trees and plants in here, and also the little she dabbled in Magizoology. All these birds are actually magical birds from the America's."

Harry looked around around, following her eyes. He caught sight of bright blue bird, another of one with a very long beak. "It would be nice to do some travelling and continue her research. I haven't found anything in the Hogwarts library or Diagon Alley that says anyone was doing the same thing."

"What research was she doing?" He was honestly intrigued. She sounded like she had alot of thought into this.

"There are old ruins and American pictogpyphs that describe magical properties of some of these trees and plants. She was was trying to figure out what they are and figure out if she could raise them outside their natural habitats," she told him, turning back to him.

"I think your mother did that. This aviary looks very healthy."

She sighed. "It is. Would you consider living here? I could continue her research on what my mother was able to get."

"What makes you think I want you to stay home like that?"

She looked a little taken back. "It's my responsibility as a Lady of such prestigeous houses."

"And your mother was bound like that?"

"Once she became pregnant with my older brother," she commented.

Harry watched her look around again. He saw the desire to do something. "What if I stayed home?" He had heard of some people doing that back home.

She snapped her head back and gawked at him. "What do you mean you would stay home?"

He shrugged. "I want to do research on how to adapt no-maj technologies to wizarding society. I could do that from home as well as in a lab somewhere else. I really need to go back to Ilvamorny though to complete by next three technomancy courses and I want to do a apprenticeship. I probably won't be done with school for another three years, maybe four or five if I get my Mastery."

It took her a few minutes to process what he was saying. "Harry, you can't spend that much time away from Britain when you become Lord Potter," she told him.

"Why not," he asked, not understanding why he wouldn't have free movement.

Susan looked at him. "Have you taken up your Scion rights yet? Do you have your goblin ring recognizing you as a member of the Wizengamot?"

"I have no clue what you are talking about," he responded.

She held up her left hand. On her ring finger was a goblin silver ring with the Bones crest on it. "I am a recognized Heiress to the Bones seat on the Wizengamot. Wearing this, and subsequently when I take the seat from my Aunt Ami, makes be bound to the soil of Britain. I need to live on Crown recognized land for nine months or more a year. It was why I didn't go to Beauxbatons, like I wanted to. I even wanted to look at Ilvamorny but Auntie wouldn't let me. On my fifteenth birthday, Auntie took me to get my ring."

"Oh, fuck," Harry blurted out.

Susan laughed. "Yeah, bloody shite, but I am bound to it now, as I am to you."

He smirked as she swore before becoming serious again. "I supposed that means I can't live i the States the rest of my lfe," he said sadly. It was his home.

"Only if you want to give up your Houses. That would mean five of the oldest Houses in Britain would die."

He looked confused. "Five?"

"I am going to be your wife. I will be except from the laws to go where you go, but if I don't claim an heir and live here by my twenty-fifth birthday, all my titles and House pass to my Auntie. Aunt Ami can't have any kids and this isn't the type of thing you can pass to another, even with a blood adoption," she said in a sad tone. She looked down, her right hand playing with the ring on her left.

Harry looked at her. He was starting to realize that she really was his responsibility. "You don't want your House to die, do you?" he asked her.

"It's all I really have left of my parents. I really want to go exploring and see other places, but my heart is here," she said.

Harry wanted to go back home, but how selfish could he be to tear her away from everything she knows? Not that the same wasn't happening to him, but Uncle Remus had told him many stories of his parents and his cousin Sirius. He had very fond memories of Hogwarts. He also knew his Uncle missed some things from where he grew up, but the freedoms for a werewolf in the States was almost unparalleled elsewhere.

"When do the residency laws affect me," he asked.

She looked up again. "When you take up your scion rings or your Wizengamot seat. If you don't take up your rings, you have until your are twenty-one to take your seat. Our children would need to be born here though."

Harry huffed and sank down the iron support. When he was sitting, he put his head in his hands. "Are you alright," Susan asked.

"No," he told her, shaking his head. Why hadn't Uncle Remus prepared him for this? Maybe he understood a little, but wouldn't he have been old enough to understand this at thirteen or fourteen, not next summer?

As he sat there, the last day running through his head, he realized he could probably never go back home. This foreign country would now be his home because his grandfather was an asshole.

After a few minutes, Susan got up, walked over to him and crouched down, smoothing her dress so Harry didn't get a good show. She reached out and put a hand on his knee. "Auntie wants to know when we want to get married. If we get married next summer, I could transfer to Ilvamorny to finish my NEWT's. We could even live there a year or two for you do your Apprenticeship. I know I am selfish, but I don't want my house to die and want our children to be able to get their full inheritance."

Harry shook his head. "It's not that selfish. I feel like I am being selfish." After a moment he looked up into her hazel eyes. "Uncle Remus told me that I had a long history here. He told me some of what that was, but he never mentioned this. I thought I would do all my schooling at Ilvamorny and then either get a job at some company inventing or adopting muggle technology, or work for the Ministry. Maybe even become a teacher at Ilvamorny some day."

"You could become a Professor at Hogwarts. We don't have a technomancy program. With our seats on the Wizengamot and other friends I have, we could add that to the curriculum," she offered.

He nodded after a moment. "Would you be willing to go to Ilvamorny next year? And stay for another year or two?"

A smile crept on her face. "I really do want to travel."

"When is your birthday?"

"August sixth."

He met her smile. All they could do was make the best of a shity situation. She was cute and seemed to have a good head on her. Brainless twats like many of the girls that seemed to what let him into their pants just because he was an excellent quidditch player were not his type. He took his studies seriously and wanted someone that did the same.

"How about the weekend after," Harry offered.

"I like the sound of that. Then you can show me all around Ilvamorny and everything else."

Harry nodded. "Before that though, I need to figure out how to get out or win this fucking tournament."

She stood and held a hand out for him. "Good thing you have me and others to help you."

Taking her hand, he got up. "After reading the rule book, I got the sense this was a school spirit thing. Wouldn't you want to root and help your Champion?"

"If my betrothed is from Ilvamorny, I don't think anyone will say anything. And if they do, then I have faith you can beat them all and then no one will be able to say anything."

He chuckled. "You seem to think pretty highly of me already."

She smirked. "I've never seen or even heard of anyone stumbling out of a portkey like that, throwing up a shield and then disarming a woman we all know to be an incredible dueller, and man that is the top ranked dueller in Europe."

Harry stood there for a moment. "Wait, that was Filius Flickwick? Are you serious? Uncle Remus took me to see an international competition in New York one time. He was amazing."

She wrapped an arm around his. "Professor Flitwick retired two years ago, but he went out in the last European Tournament as eight to zero."

"You think he would teach me? I need a new teacher for the year."

"Why are doing duelling," she asked.

"Before I found I like arithmancy and technomancy so much, I wanted to be a hit wizard. I have been doing all those courses just incase I can't get the apprenticeship," he answered.

"I like you already," she whispered.

-oOo-

-oOo-

Chapter 3

London, England

November 1, 1996

His head in his hands, Harry was staring at the floor as he sat on the edge of the bed. His mind going over the day. "Fuck, I'm getting married next summer," he whispered to himself. The shock was wearing off and his cool demeaner about everything was starting to shatter.

He had been ripped from his life at Ilvamorny and the States.

He was now in Britain, the country he was born in, where his parents had died, where we was like royalty having a family seat on the Wizengamot and where he now had someone he was engaged too. He had been taught and believed that those that founded the MACUSA ran from situations like this.

At least Susan seemed to have a brain and path she wanted. She was really attractive too.

"Shit," he said before plopping back on the bed, his arms spread wide.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in," he called out, not moving.

His Uncle Remus opened the door. Neither of them said a word. The door shut and a few seconds later the man sat on the floor next to his legs and leaned against the bed. "How are you doing, pup? You've been taken this far better than I thought you would."

"You swear you never knew about this?" Harry pressed his uncle.

Uncle Remus shook his head. "The last time I talked with Bogrot, your Account Manager, he told me nothing of this and it was not in James and Lily's will. It must have been sealed so that only the Lord Potter, or his true heir could know about it, but not until it was activated. Are you doing okay?"

"No. I'm fucking furious at all this, but what can I do? I don't want to lose my magic, and Susan is just as stuck with this as I am," he responded. "Is the tournament as deadly as you and Madam Bones were making it out to be at dinner?"

"It was stopped over a hundred years ago when two champions and a hostage died. They weren't the first ones, but by then some of the schools and governments were not willing to let the death toll keep rising. Everything went will in France three years ago, but the challenges didn't seem to have such deadly beasts or magic as previous tournaments."

"Fucking bitch," Harry let out.

"Yeah, pretty much," his uncle agreed. "How are you about Susan?"

Harry let out a long breath. "She is scared too. She doesn't want to be a house wife. Susan has dreams to travel. She wants to work with plants and animals. She also wants to go to lvamorny next year with me."

"Ah, that was why you chose to marry next summer," his uncle said sagely.

Harry blew out his breath again. "If I want to complete a Mastery I have to do it here."

There was silence for a few. "You want to take up your titles and your seat then?"

"Susan wants to. Would it be fair if I just ripped her away like that? Why didn't you tell me about how the Wizengamot worked or that my family had all this power? Is it true that if Susan and I don't take up our seats by twenty-one, then all magic of the Houses will die?"

"What I said earlier was the truth. I wanted you to grow up not worrying about all this and I wanted you to be old enough to understand and decide for yourself. I already had the plane flights booked to come back after your birthday and take you to Potter Hall and to see your parents grave. Dumbledore was going to help me explain all this to you so you had the time to really consider it and get the training you might need before you turned twenty-one," Uncle Remus told him, sounding older than Harry remembered.

"Did you really not trust I wouldn't understand this?"

"You were still more concerned with getting the Quidditch Championship, dating Maddy and whether you would passed your IWL's last year. I didn't think it right to add this stress on you. Since August, you seemed to have matured, and I figured by the time you turned seventeen you would be even more mature," his uncle responded. "Though I'm not so sure of that now."

Harry hit the bed. "You're a fucking dick, you know that?"

His uncle chuckled. "You're not the first one to tell me something like that. The other Marauders used to tell me that when I pointed out the obvious flaws in their plans."

"My dad and cousin had it right," Harry snarked.

"More than you know at times."

They both fell silent. Harry's thoughts whirled around in his head.

"Did Susan tell you all that if you didn't want to be Lord?"

"Yeah. She didn't get into many details though."

His uncle leaned his head back so it was resting on the bed. "She isn't wrong."

Harry shifted so he had an eye on the man. "You mean all my family magic would be gone?"

"I don't know about that, but the legacy to the other Houses would be. You wouldn't be able to pass on any of that magic to future generations. The same would happen to Susan if you chose to not live in Britain and take up your titles." His uncle rubbed his eyes.

Harry yawned, starting to feel the affects of the stress and the fact he hadn't really slept last night. "So basically I am the dick and I would probably screw over any happiness Susan and I might find by going back home forever," he stated.

Uncle Remus yawned. "I would never say that. You were kidnapped yesterday, Harry. Thrust into a magical contract that you don't want. You and Susan have now been thrust into a betrothal contract neither of you want. Neither of you really knows each other and I buggered it up by now telling you all this sooner. I just thought I had more time."

"Fuck me!"

His uncle chuckled again. "No thanks, you're a little young for me."

Harry laughed and knocked his uncle off the top of the head. "What's the proper way to call you dick here?"

"Bloody Belland. Wanker. Some just say dick. Anything starting with 'bloody' is usually good. Give me a few days to remember everything and I'll get you some better swears," the man said with a grin.

Harry laughed again. "I'm glad you are here, Uncle Remus."

"I would have been here sooner if I hadn't had to file a ton of paperwork with the MACUSA and the consulate."

Harry's smile faded. "What am I going to do? Susan is as stuck in this as I am and I won't blame her if she doesn't want anything to do with me."

"I don't think you have to worry about that. She may not want this, but she's attracted to you as much as you are her," his uncle commented.

Harry made a face. Uncle Remus always knew who he was attracted to before he even realized it at times. "Your fucking wolf senses?"

"My bloody wolf senses," Harry was corrected. "And yeah. She is pretty."

"She is," Harry agreed. "She also seems to have a head on her shoulders. Did you know she is sixth in her class?"

"I must have missed that while you two were talking at dinner. Did you let her know you were third?"

He smirked. "It might have slipped out. Damn, I'll never catch up to Melissa Foy now. I really wanted to make Saledictorian next year."

"I thought you wanted to make Valedictorian?"

"Jason Arnold is more than four-tenth a point away. Unless he fails a course or I make straight hundreds across the board, there is no way," Harry told his uncle.

"We'll find you tutors and make sure you don't fall behind. Headmaster Naduea is going to come for a day or two next week to work this out. Until then, you need to focus on the Tournament and getting to know Susan better," his uncle ordered.

Harry swung an arm over his eyes and Uncle Remus yawned again. "Are you alright if go out for a bit? I want to see if I can get a portkey scheduled for tomorrow and see if Dumbledore or McGonagall are available."

"Go out. I don't think Amelia or Susan are going to do anything to me," Harry said rather dramatically.

His uncle chuckled. "I think you are safe now. I'm proud with how mature you are being about all this."

Harry stuck his arm up and gave his uncle the finger. He was patted on the knee and Uncle Remus got up and left.

-oOo-

London, England

November 2, 1996

Harry was the last one up today. He had stayed up late after Uncle Remus left. It was past midnight by the time he had made two decisions. First, if Susan and him were stuck together by his stupid grandfather, it wasn't fair to take it on her. Instead, they should make the best of it. Second, he had to find out anything he could about the tournament.

After a few hours of fitful sleep, he decided he would add kicking the asses of the people that put him into this mess.

Notty had come in and snapped all the gas lamps to life. "Master Harry must get up. Mistress Susan and Amelia need to take master for new clothes and then to Gringotts," the elf said as she hustled about the room.

"Notty already lay out master's clothes. Can Notty do anything else?"

Harry sat up in bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. With a yawn he said, "Not unless you can get Prim here with a cup of coffee," he put out there.

A moment later, there was a soft pop. He opened his eyes to see Prim. She was a little shorter than Notty in the blouse and pants she liked to wear. In her hands was a thermos. Harry blinked at her for a moment as Notty glared at the new comer. "Prim bring Harry's coffee he likes, sir," his elf said.

"Notty is to take care of Mistress Susan's Harry," Notty shot at his elf.

"Does it matter?" He yawned again, the time difference and two nights of restless sleep catching up with him. "I just want the coffee."

The door to his room crashed open. He jumped for the side of his bed, grabbing his wand as he dove over the side, rolled and came to a crouch with his wand pointing it towards Madam Bones. Her wand was leveled at Prim, who had her ears down and was backing away. "Who are you and how did you get past the wards?"

"Stop! It's Primrose, my elf," Harry called to her before standing up.

"Prim just come to Harry's call, ma'am," his elf said, sounding very small.

Madam Bones looked at him and then his elf. With a sigh, "Do you have any more elves?"

"Uncle Remus said she is the last of the Potter elves," Harry told her.

The woman nodded. Harry saw someone move behind her and caught site of Susan peaking her head around the door. "Everything alright," Susan asked. Her eyes found him and he saw the way they started to roll down his body. Like normal, he slept in only his shorts most nights. Being on the Quidditch team and in the Duelling club, he usually worked out a few times a week and his body showed it. He wasn't sculpted, but he had muscles, not an ounce of fat extra than he should for his build and looked lean for it. Harry raised an eyebrow to see the color come to her face, as though she had never seen a man in only his shorts.

"Everything is fine. Primrose, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Prim responded.

"Are you staying?"

"As long as Harry and his miss wants me, ma'am," his elf responded.

Madam Bones eyed the elf. "Notty, do you recognize Harry as your Master also?"

"Yes, Mistress Amelia," their elf responded.

"Right, now you two get along. Notty, you can show Prim around when she is done."

"Yes, Mistress," Notty responded.

Prim stood up, not looking scared.

Susan was still looking at him. He gave her a wink and her face turned even redder, but she didn't turn away from him.

The elf nodded towards Susan. Madam Bones turned and Susan stepped into the door. She was wearing a long black skirt with a muted orange blouse. Harry liked the way her auburn hair complimented her blouse. "Is that your miss, Harry, sir?"

"Yes, Prim. Susan Bones, Primrose Potter. Prim, this is Susan," he introduced them.

Prim curtsied to Susan. "Prim pleased to serve Susan, miss."

"Notty is Mistress Susan elf," Notty retorted.

"That is enough, Notty," Susan said to her elf. "You are still my Notty. Prim is Harry's."

Notty looked a little mollified. Harry had never seen elves act like this. Again, he had never seen elves from two houses combine like this before either. Madam Bones looked at the two teens. "Susan, finish getting ready. Harry, you may want Prim to get you some breakfast. We are leaving in a half hour. You need some proper dress robes before we see the goblins this afternoon. Come along, Susan," she said, guiding her niece out of the room. Harry found himself looking at the way the skirt highlighted Susan's bottom as she turned. He smirked at her as she snuck another peak at him before moving past the door.

"Please get dressed," Madam Bones told him, shaking her head as she closed the door behind her. The two elves were still in the room.

"Can you two get along? Notty, I will make sure Prim doesn't so any of your duties," Harry told the elf.

Notty stood a little taller, as though mollified, "Yes, Master Harry." After a second more glare at Prim, Notty raised her finger and snapped away.

"Prim, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to call you and get us both into trouble," Harry apologized to his elf. Harry was wondering if Susan might be a little of the jealous type at times, since elves often took on some of their master's personality traits. If so, Harry was going to have to work on that. Thinking back to yesterday morning and Hannah, Harry had a very good feeling Susan might be a little jealous, or unsure of herself.

"Prim knew Harry needed Prim, sir. So Prim come."

"Thank you, Prim. Is that the Columbian coffee I like?"

Prim gave him a smile. "With the milk and sugar as you like."

"You are a life saver, Prim. I haven't had a cup in two days." He took the thermos and then a big swig before sighing in contentment. "Can you get along with Notty and Balin?"

"Prim cause no trouble, sir."

He nodded. "I figured. When I have to go to Hogwarts again, do you want to stay here or go back home?"

"Can Prim take Figgy here? Or is sir going to take Figgy to Hogwarts?"

Figgy was the eleven year old cat Uncle Remus had gotten him the summer he turned five. "If he wants to come. I don't know if I can take him to Hogwarts. He didn't like all the commotion at Ilvamorny." It was a good thing Uncle Remus and him lived in Adams and Harry could see Figgy often.

"Yes, sir. Would Harry like something to eat?"

"Please, Prim. I think it's going to be a long day."

Harry wasn't wrong. They left Grace Hall about ten. Susan had put on a fancy pair of dark blue robes with the Bones crest on her left breast. "We will have to have the Potter crest added when we are at Madam Malkins," Madam Bones commented. "Remus, you need a proper pair of Regent robes, and Wizengamot robes. Now you are back in country you will be expected to sit the Potter seat."

His uncle looked about as pleased as Harry was to be used as a mannequin by Susan and Madam Bones as he was fitted for a half-dozen robes, ranging from some simple, but expensive looking, black robes, to his House robes, as Susan called them. These were cut with a high collar and lined with a fine acromantula silk. He was happy that he was allowed to pick out a dark red, instead of the black Madam Bones wanted. Susan only took her eyes off him when she went to look for something or discuss with her aunt about something. The Potter crest was affixed large on the left breast of the House robes, with smaller crests of the Peverells, Gryffindor and Blacks below it. A small crest of the House of Bones was put to the right of the Potter.

"Do I need to show all these," Harry asked them.

"You need to prove your status to those that would question it and to prove your standing for your Regent and you to claim so many votes," Madam Bones explained.

Remus's robes looked much the same, but all his patches were on the right breast and he didn't have the Bones crest.

"You look handsome," Susan commented after he grumbled about the really stiff Wizengamot robes he was fitted with.

"Thanks," he muttered, mollified for the moment.

By the time they were done, it was almost noon and Harry was hungry. "We can have a large lunch after we go to Gringotts."

Susan took his hand. "You can take the robes off when we are done," she assured him.

"I'm going to hold you to that," he warned her.

In the U.S., there were only two goblin banks, and Uncle Remus preferred to deal with the Pukwedgies, who weren't as ruthless to their customers and had never had a rebellion, like the goblins threatened whenever they thought something was not going their way.

Walking up to the bank, he didn't miss the double guard in full armor before each door or the warning as they passed through the atrium. Susan let go of his hand and stood straight, her chin up and seeming to almost look down her nose at people. Harry cast a glance to Uncle Remus, who has stood tall, but looked just as uncomfortable as he felt. He tried to pull off the snooty look of some of the rich kids at school.

Harry knew he was incredibly wealthy, but Uncle Remus had always had them live rather modestly and gave Harry a decent allowance. Harry saved most of it, which meant he was able to buy his own Firebolt when it had come out and a full set of professional duelling gear this year. Gear he would not get to use now. Both without asking Uncle Remus. Unlike the dicks at school, he didn't flaunt what he had, though he didn't miss some of the jealous looks his Firebolt and duelling gear got at times.

Madam Bones walked them up to a goblin at a desk by the main doors. "How can I help you today," the bored sounding goblin said before looking up. Its black eyes took in the four finely dressed witches and wizards, quickly looking at the robes. "Regent Bones, Regent Potter-Black, how can Gringotts help you today?"

"Account Representative Riptooth, we need to see the Senior account Manager of the Potters. I would request Account Manager Aggrot to join us," Madam Bones told the goblin rather imperiously.

"Of course, Madam." The goblin turned and pulled a thick golden cord and then a silver cord three times. "If you would follow me."

Harry looked around. The pukwedgie bank in Worchester was nothing like this. It held a great amount of wealth, but was rather understated. The finely carved and fitted local wood used in its construction and some of the furnishing spoke of the wealth they handled. The small grey men were polite and slow to anger. The few paintings or statues spoke more of the woods, the hunt and how they safeguarded what was entrusted to them. They had been part of the lands before the Native Americans had moved in and still tried to safeguard what they could.

The goblins, on the other hand, flaunted the wealth they guarded and had. Murals, paintings, artifacts, weapons and statues spoke of battle, bloodlust, the hoarding of treasures and the mistake of taking what wasn't yours.

After being let to a office with an aged goblin and, again, more evidence of their wealth and brutality on display, they spent an hour in the office. Once they got past the doors, her undid the type buttons on his robes.

"Was that all we had to do today," he asked.

Remus was doing the same. "Yeah. The portkey I have is scheduled to leave from the Ministry at two-thirty."

He looked at Susan, who had undone the top clasps on her robes as well. "I just use the floo to get back to Grace Hall?"

"You should stay with Susan and Amelia," Uncle Remus told him.

"I was hoping to find somewhere to get a coffee or something with Susan," he told his uncle.

His uncle smiled. "You can usually never go wrong with ice cream and Fortesque's is a nice place."

Harry looked down the Alley. It was a little cool today, but the shop looked inviting. "I can do that. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Monday morning at the latest."

They shook hands and Harry let his uncle pull him into a one arm hug. "Amelia, Susan, I will see you soon."

"I'll get these two back to Grace Hall," Madame Bones said.

"Madame Bones, I was actually hoping Susan and I could get some ice cream or coffee or something," Harry asked.

Susan looked at him expectantly and then looked at her Auntie. "Can we explore Diagon Alley for a while?"

Madam Bones looked at Harry. "I think that safe for a while. I have a few errands I can run and we can go back in an hour or two?"

"Susan and I just can come back when we are ready," Harry suggested, not used to many restrictions like that.

"Please?" Susan asked with her now big eyes.

Her aunt laughed. "That didn't work when you were younger, and it doesn't work now," Madam Bones told her. "You don't even have a nice cloak with you and it is cool out."

"She can borrow one of the new ones I just got," Harry offered.

"You two are not going to give up on this, are you?" She eyed both of them.

Harry shrugged. "Uncle Remus usually doesn't care."

Susan looked hopeful. "Fine. Give me your House robes. Notty," Madam Bones called out. A second later the elf appeared. "Keep and eye on these and if there are any issues, get them back to Grace Hall."

"Yes, Mistress Amelia."

Susan's face split into a wide grin. "I want you back by dinner. Harry, I am entrusted Susan to you."

Harry had a hard time not to roll his eyes. He thought this overkill to ask a elf to keep an eye on them. "Yes, ma'am."

He fished the two winter cloaks out that they ha insisted he get earlier from the pocket in his pants. Uncle Remus always insisted that you wear something with and undetectable extension charm. You never knew when it would come in handy.

-oOo-

A/N: As a reminder, Harry is looking at this from an American perspective. Stuff like shorts, mean shorts, not underwear. Also, the slang, music and swears I use are from my childhood, being about the same age and growing up in New England as the characters in real life as the timeframe this story happens.