Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Soulofarthur: You bring up a really good point, hopefully my explanation will satisfy you. You see, they weren't magical community connected at all, after all they were in hiding, which meant that weren't connected to the wizarding community in the first place. All they did was travel around for research on birds, living in the muggle parts of the world. So they, like Harry himself didn't really grow up reading the books on Harry Potter, of how he defeated Voldemort, only they did hear about rumours about him a few weeks prior to meeting him, which is why they knew of him in the first place, but these rumours didn't explicitly describe Harry to them, only of how a dark lord from Britain was defeated by a mere baby who survived the killing curse called Harry Potter and to top it off it certainly didn't help that Harry was living with muggles, I mean, come on who'll have expect the saviour of magical Britain to be living with muggles.
I'll admit, they was some lack of details from my part and I apologise for it. But yeah, hopefully this explains it. Also I probably need to change the reaction of them discovering who Harry actually is.
Johnwhen: guess you'll have to wait and see.
Greengrassrebel: 1. Shhh, nobody needs to know about that blunder
2. Glad you like it, I had fun writing that part.
Chapter 5: The Hearing
Gringotts, Cygnus stepped inside the unfamiliar building. Several witches and wizards were busy doing their business, the atrium was mainly quiet, so quiet that he could hear some of the conversations.
Your wand please, Miss Berrington.
No, I can assure you, you are not a descendant of Griffindor
Wait here, I'll get him.
Cygnus approached an free counter . The goblin didn't looked up from his paperwork, "State your name and business." He said.
"Cygnus Peverell, here to claim the vault of Peverell."
"Many have come and said the same, any proof the back up your claim." He still didn't look up.
Cygnus sighed and put his hand on the counter, "I have the family ring right here."
The goblin stopped what he was doing and his head shot up immediately. "if you would please." He opened up his palm. Cygnus nodded, took off his ring and placed it on the goblins hand, who held it up to the light and turned the ring several times. He grinned and returned the ring, "The ring is authentic." He confirmed, "but there is tstll a small chance that, you either picked this off the street or someone sold it to you."
"Of course, that is plausible." Cygnus agreed. "A blood test?"
The goblins simply grinned and handed him a silver bowl and knife. "Three drops should do it."
Cygnus made a small incision on his forefinger, blood fell from his finger and into the bowl. The bowl immediately expelled out red smoke as soon as it made contact. The then dipped a piece of parchment into the red liquid, a single word quickly formed into the parchment.
Peverell
"It would seem that you are who you say you are. Do wait while I call your account manager." The goblin stepped down from his overly high chair, and went into a door behind him, a few minutes passed, a different goblin came out from said door, "Good Morning, Mr. Peverell, or should I say Lord Peverell. My name is Hognan, your account manager, do you know of the contract made 780 years ago today?"
Cygnus nodded.
"Then I assume you know that it ends today."
He nodded again.
"Good." The Hognan took out 3 sheets of parchment, "This is the Gringotts copy of the contract, but since you already know of it, giving it to you will be useless." He put one of the three parchments aside. "these documents are the lists of your vault contents, your owned properties and investments."
Cygnus took the first parchment and began to read.
VAULT 137
THE PEVERELL VAULT
OPENED IN 1096
CONTENTS
I, Monies
84,398,004 G, 48377 S, 27 K
137 Different Jewellery and Heirlooms
II, Owned Properties
Peverell Manor
Feather Cottage
Tiberius Hall
Cygnus handed the parchment back to the goblin and continued reading
INVESTMENTS MADE BY GRINGOTTS SINCE 1215
Cygnus read through the several shareholdings of businesses he held, smiled to himself and skipped straight down,
Total Profits
229,925,794 G, 5 S, 5 K
65% to be given to Gringotts and 35% to the Peverell vaults as per Clause XV from the Peregrinus Contract.
Profits given to the Peverell Vault
80,474,028 G, 16 S, 1 K
"Eighty million, that's more. Than I expected." He said as returned the parchment.
"You are satisfied?" Hognan asked.
"Absolutely, this Contract has been beneficial for both of us."
"Yes it has. One last thing, as Lord Peverell you are obliged to take up your seat in the Wizengamot." He told him.
"Of course. Do I need to send a letter or anything? How do I know when the meetings are."
"You do not need to do anything since you are already a Lord, an owl will be sent to you three days before a meeting. The only reason you did not receive any before was that your family was deemed extinct and so your vault became dormant, once we reactivate it the letters should start coming."
"Thank you, Hognan, you've been a great help."
"Pleasure."
(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)
Harry was enjoying his stay at Grimmauld Place. Well... almost, if it wasn't for the trial that was in a week, he would really have been enjoying spending time with Ron, Hermione and Sirius. As the Hearing loomed closer, Harry was becoming more and more stressed with each passing day.
"Calm down, Harry, I'm sure they won't be able to expel you, after all you're innocent." Hermione had said
"I really, hope so." He replied dully
"Cheer up, mate, you can always swear a magical oath."
"A what?" Harry asked while Hermione pushed Ron's head down. "A magical oath is when one swear by his magic that he did not do or will do something. If you break the oath, you will lose your magic, and no Harry, don't even try doing something like it, a simple word may change the whole meaning of you oath. So it's best you don't try it."
"Might be my best shot at not getting expelled anyway." Harry mumbled.
Hermione sighed, "Oh Harry." And stepped forward and hugged him, the teenager stiffened at the contact but accepted it anyway. "Don't worry, Dumbledore will be there to help serve as defense." She said as she released him
"That might help things." Harry said with a small smile.
" Might? Harry, mate. It will help things."
(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)
12th of August
Harry woke up with beadd of cold sweat rolling down his face, he had been having the same dream for days now, it was always the same, unchanging, unending, he was always floating down a dark mysterious corridor leading to an equally mysterious door, with every dream he seemed to be greeting close to the door, but he always woke up before he could get close to it.
He sighed, since he was already up he might as well get ready for the hearing. Wait. The Hearing, it was today. Harry was fully awake now. Nervousness replaced tiredness, Well if he got expelled at least Voldermot won't come after him. That was a thought that felt equally scary and relief
"Good Morning Harry, had a good night's sleep?" Mrs Weasley was preparing breakfast as he entered the kitchen. "Terrible."
"Worried about the Hearing? I'm sure everything will be fine, you don't need to worry about it." She said as she put a plate of toast in front of Harry."
Harry wanted to point out that it was the nightmare that woke him up but decided against it, if anything it will make Molly Weasley worry about him even more.
"Morning Harry." A pink haired witch sat beside Harry. Harry startled at the sight of her hair. "Umm Morning." He replied, uncertain.
"Oh, how rude of me." She said apologetically, "Name's Tonks, I'm part of the order."
"Is your hair natural." Harry blurted out before he could stop himself.
Tonks frowned, "Yes... and no, I'm a Metamorphmagus-."
"A what?"
"I can change what I look like, it helps being a auror-."
"You're an auror." Harry interrupted again
"Yes and stop cutting me off."
"Sorry."
"I'm a Metamorphmagus so I can change what I look like, this hair is not what I was born with, so it's not dyed if that's what you're asking."
"Can I learn it." Harry asked excitedly.
"Wouldn't mind hiding that scar eh? Well I have bad news for ya kiddo, you need to be born with it."
"Oh. Well-."
"Good Morning Harry." Mr Weasley said interrupting whatever Harry was about to say as he entered the kitchen. "Ready to go?"
"I guess so." Harry replied, his heart filling with nervousness once more.
"The Hearing's on my floor, in Ms Bones' office. She'll be the one questioning you."
"Ooh, that's good then." Tonks perked up. "She's really fair. You'll definitely be cleared."
Harry nodded, not knowing what to say.
As Harry followed Mr Weasley out of the kitchen, they headed to the hallway which led to the front door. He passed a curtain hanging randomly on the wall, he thought it strange that someone would put a curtain in such a strange place.
"MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS DESCECRATING THE ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK, WHATEVER WOULD OUR ANSCESTOR THINK."
Harry jumped, the voice was coming from behind the curtain, he instinctively reached out to pull the curtain aside but Mr Weasley stopped him. "Don't you'll just make her worse." He warned.
"Who?" Harry asked, curious.
"Sirius's Mum. An awful woman he says. Come on Harry, we better get going or we'll be late."
Harry nodded.
(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)
The Ministry of Magic was unlike anything Harry had ever seen. An Massive Atrium that could easily be over a hundred metres was stretched across underground, with the enchanted windows, you'll never had guess that it was beneath a telephone box
After Harry had his wand given to a wizard, he was dragged my Mr Weasley to the nearest lift. They headed up to level two and went to Amelia Bones' office where they met a frantic Perkins
"Quick, Arthur, the Hearing has been moved forward, you should have been there five minutes ago, they've also changed the venue to Level 10"
"Level 10? But... Nevermind, quick Harry let's go."
Harry and Mr Weasley raced towards the lift and waited impatiently until they had reached Level 10. They ran past several doors and reached a dead end with only one door. "Good luck, Harry."
"You're not coming." Harry asked alarmed.
"I'm afraid not, I'm not allowed."
"Oh well." Harry gulped, his heart beating like a manic machine gun and fear building up in his body. He knocked on the door and entered.
Harry shivered as he entered the courtroom, he couldn't help but feel that this place was eerily familiar. The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. Empty benches rose on either side of Him, but ahead, in the highest benches of all, were many shadowy figures. They had been talking In low voices, but as the heavy door swung closed behind Harry an ominous silence fell.
"You're late."
A haughty voice called from the middlemost seat, it was Minister Fudge who sat in it, besides him was a woman wearing pink, too pink for Harry's liking, her face was even more atrocious than her clothes, she had absolutely no chin and her face was wide.
"I'm S-sorry sir, I-I d-didn't know the time had been ch-changed." Harry stumbled through his words.
"Theat is not the Wizengamot's fault. An owl was sent to you didn't this morning." The minister said, "Take your seat."
Harry wanted to argue that he didn't received a letter, but decided against it. He solemnly walked towards the chair, chains was hanging from the armrest, he vaguely wondered if the they would bound him but as he sat upon it, the chains merely clanged threateningly.
Harry looked across the room, there was about 50 occupants. All of which were dressed smartly. The room was too dim to see their expressions, Harry could only hope that they weren't judging him already.
"Very well," said Fudge. "The accused being present, let us begin. Are you ready?" he called down the row.
"Yes, sir," said an eager voice Harry knew. Ron's brother Percy was sitting at the very end of the front bench. Harry looked at Percy. His eyes, behind his horn-rimmed glasses, were fixed on his parchment, a quill poised
"Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August," said Fudge in a ringing voice, and Percy began taking notes at once, "Into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction Of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at Number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey."
"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley, Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who is currently absent, we'll have to continue without him"
Harry's heart sank, Dumbledore must have not gotten the letter. I'll have to do this alone. Fudge looked absolutely ecstatic that Dumbledore wasn't in the courtroom. However the witch behind him, frowned, shook her head ever so slightly.
"So, The charges. Yes." He extricated a piece of parchment from the pile before him, took a deep breath, and read out, "The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the
Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on the second of August at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offence under Paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy.
"You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?" Fudge said, glaring at Harry over the top of his parchment. But before Harry could answer. The door behind creaked opened, the Wizengamot fell silent much like when Harry had entered the room.
Harry turned his head, not daring to move from his chair, tried to look behind him, he could barely make out two figures
"Do pardon my tardiness, Minister, I was only showing this gentlemen to Courtroom ten." One of the figure whispered in a soft voice that Harry knew all too well; Dumbledore.
Harry took a breath of relief. Dumbledore was here but who was he with? Harry kept his head turned trying to make out the other figure.
"You do know, Dumbledore, that outsiders aren't allowed when court is in session." Harry could practically hear the disdain in Fudge's voice
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he stepped next to Harry, "I was under the impression that only members of the Wizengamot and witnesses are allowed."
Harry turned to look at Fudge.
"And who is this supposed to be? He can't be a member of the Wizengamot, all of them are present." He scowled, eyes looking at the figure.
Dumbledore simply beckoned the man forward.
Harry turned back to the man in question. He stepped forward, Harry's mouth dropped.
Harry's eyes widened "Mr Peverell, he whispered, but no sound came out. Cygnus Peverell looked at Harry and discreetly winked.
"Well, who are you" Fudge growled impatiently, "You can be arrested for impersonating a member of the Wizengamot."
Cygnus looked up at Fudge and smirked. "I would be Lord Cygnus Peverell, not at your service"
The whole court fell silent for a few seconds but suddenly erupted into shouts.
"Lies!"
"Heresy! The Peverells died out eight hundred years ago."
"Who are the Peverells?"
Harry raised his eyebrows to no one in particular, he didn't quite understand all the shouts behind the Peverell name.
"QUIET!" Fudge ordered. "COURT IS STILL IN SESSION."
"If you are truly who you say you are, do give us some proof." Fudge sneered.
Cygnus took out his wand, "I, Cygnus Albion Peverell swear by my magic that I am the direct descendant of Peregrinus Peverell and is the current Lord Peverell by blood. So mote be it." He waved his wand.
Harry waited for something to happen, maybe a flash of light, or thunder but nothing happened. Lord Peverell waved his wand once more and a flash of light erupted from the tip. "As you can see I still have my magic so...yeah, where's my seat."
Dumbledore leaned towards to Harry and whispered, "That is a magical oath, do not ever try to use it." Harry nodded.
Fudge scowled, and pointed to an empty seat for Cygnus to seat.
"Hem, Hem." Harry saw the woman clad in pink starting to speak, "It is truly a pleasure to have such a prestigious family among us, tell me how did you come by this lineage of yours." She said in a girly voice
"Did you not listened to a word of what I just said. I." He gestured at himself. "am the direct descendant of a Peverell, I didn't changed my name, I was born with it." Cygnus growled in annoyance.
"The Court is still in session." Fudge reminded everyone. "Now, where was I."
"You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?" Fudge asked again.
"Yes." Harry said.
"You received an official warning from the Ministry for using illegal magic three years ago, did you not?"
"Yes, but-."
"And yet you conjured a Patronus on the night of the second of August?" said Fudge.
"Yes," said Harry, "but-."
"Knowing that you are not permitted to use magic outside school while you are under the age of Seventeen?"
"Yes, but-"
"Knowing that you were in an area full of Muggles?"
"Yes, but-"
"Fully aware that you were in close proximity to a Muggle at the time?"
"Yes," said Harry angrily, "but I only used it because we were being attacked by Dementors."
"Dementors?" said Madam Bones after a moment, her thick eyebrows rising until her monocle
Looked in danger of falling out. "What do you mean, boy?"
"I mean there were two Dementors down that alleyway and they went for me and my cousin!"
"Ah," said Fudge again, smirking smugly. "Yes. Yes, I thought we'd be hearing something like this."
"Dementors in Little Whinging?" Madam Bones said, in a tone of great surprise. "I don't understand-"
"Don't you, Amelia?" said Fudge, still smirking. "Let me explain. He's been thinking it through and decided Dementors would make a very nice little cover story, very nice indeed. Muggles can't see... demen-"
"If I may?"
"The Chair recognises Lord Peverell."
"I can guarantee that Mr Potter here is not lying."
"How can you, were you there with him. When he cast the spell?" Fudge said nastily.
"In a manner of speaking yes." Cygnus held up his hand. "You see, this ring here, it can sense and identify magical creatures up to seventy metres away, extremely useful when finding them. That night, my ring was alerting me about two Dementors in my neighbourhood. When I decided to investigate, the signal was already gone. And before you say that I am lying, I can easily prove it to you. There's an Half- kneazle in your Bag Madam Pink."
"Madam Umbridge, is this true?"
Umbridge's face flushed, "Yes it is, Minister."
"I believe this trivial matter has spent enough time for the Wizengamot, after most of us have other things to do." Dumbledore said calmly, 'Your verdict, Minister?"
The crowd murmured in agreement
"Those in favour of clearing the witness of all charges?" said Madam Bones
Harry's head jerked upwards. There were hands in the air, many of them… more than half!
Breathing very fast, he tried to count, but before he could finish, Madam Bones had said, "And those in favor of conviction?" Fudge raised his hand; so did half a dozen others, including the witch on his right and the Heavily-moustached wizard and the frizzy-haired witch in the second row.
Fudge glanced around at them all, looking as though there was something large stuck in his throat, then lowered his own hand. He took two deep breaths and said, in a distorted voice, "Very well, very well… cleared of all charges.
A/N
Some parts of this chapter was copied from The Order of The Phoenix.
I think the amount of money I gave the Peverells is reasonable, what do you guys think?
Hope you guys enjoyed it, and as always thanks for all the follows, favourites and reviews