Chapter 6:
Previously Harry had burned the Betrothal scroll.
In a home that could only be held together by magic, there is a secret space that only two individuals of the home knew about. But only the mother could access. In this secret space was a small wooden box. Said box suddenly began to smoke before busting into flames. The many potion ingredients rapidly burned. The bottles of potions that were finished and in stasis exploded due to the heat. But that fire spread no further save the family home from complete destruction.
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At the same time up in an office, in a magical castle in Scotland, another small wooden box was on a table, surrounded by several small trinkets, all of which were puffing, twirling, spinning, and such. The owner of said office was not there as he was at the Ministry of Magic trying to sort out the mess that an escaped prisoner had cause and was still causing for having not been caught yet.
At the same time as the matching box went into flames, this one did as well. The heat was just as intense and was contain to the table. Every trinket on the table melted into one massive glob before the castle itself controlled the fire and put it out.
Over in the corner, on a perch, sat a mystical bird. The lack of sound had awoken the sleeping creature. He felt different. It took him a moment to realize that the binder that was holding him here was no longer present in him.
Looking around and seeing the damage to the always noisy table, the ancient bird's first thought was 'not again'. Then it was 'I'm not taking the blame for this one.'
The castle, sensing the need to open a window, did so, allowing the ancient bird to fly away. As said bird left, he could stop thinking 'set fire to an office once in my youth and get blamed every time after that. Now where is that beauty that the boy owns.'
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In another location inside the same castle, a very mean and dangerous man was accepting his latest delivery of premium ingredients from the Continent. What he didn't realize was that this would be the last for a very long time to come.
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The tea party was wrapping up. Luna, with a very reluctant Hermione cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen. Harry was smiling as he heard Hermione complain how she shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen. She didn't want to destroy this one like she tended to do by accident. Her parents had gone so far as to bar her from even setting a single foot in her childhood home after the fifth fire had destroyed the room when she made cold cereal. Hope, her and kitchens did NOT get along. Luna refused to believe it, even after photographic evidence.
"Potter."
Harry returned his attention back to Abe.
"You need to go and talk with Ted before going back to Hogwarts."
"Did he say when?"
"This afternoon at 4pm. His Office is located above the Magical Menagerie. I won't be there, but Ted knows his stuff and don't be afraid to confide in him. He's a good sort."
"We'll be there. Actually, that fits since Hermione's looking to get a pet. She mentioned a cat."
Abe shuttered. He didn't like cats thanks to Minerva. He tried to stay away from them after an unfortunate situation not of his making but of his finishing. Minerva still blamed him for dumping her in the water and he still had the scars from that.
"Right. So, use your brain and think about what Ted tells you. If all this works out, you'll be free to make your own choices and mistakes. I need to go as I've got a business to run."
"I'll take you back to the alley. Grab my arm and close your eyes."
Harry grabbed his portkey to return him to the spot he left originally in the alley with Abe on his arm. Harry noted that no one was around as Abe opened his eyes and let go of Harry's arm.
"Good luck Potter and give my brother a miserable time." Abe said in parting before apparating out. Harry, himself just grabbed his portkey and return to the trunk.
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Harry returned to the trunk, noting that Hedwig was on her perch that he had placed in the sitting room. What surprised him as Fawkes perched beside her. He actually raised an eyebrow with that.
"When did that happen?" he asked Luna as she returned into the room. Hermione could still be heard complaining through the door.
"He got here right as you left with Abe."
"Huh."
Luna giggled. "I think that Fawkes is sweet on Hedwig."
Harry blinked. He really had no idea what to say to that. Looking at his owl, his companion, who didn't seem to mind the attention from the ancient bird. In fact, Harry thought the Hedwig was rather pleased with herself, bordering on smug. He walked up to that pair of odd lovebirds.
Looking straight into Fawkes' eyes Harry gave the bird a meaningful glare. "You hurt her, I hurt you. Got it?"
Fawkes nodded.
"If you two get too chummy and several little 'accidents' happen. You will be responsible for said care of 'accidents' got it?"
Fawkes nodded again.
"Good. Hedwig's a big girl and can take care of herself but that doesn't mean that I don't look out for her. Also welcome to the family."
If mystical birds could sigh in relief, then Fawkes did. Then he continued to snuggle with his lady love.
Hermione chose that moment to return to the sitting room. Looking at the scene she wondered what she had missed.
"Harry's practicing his father to boyfriend speech on Fawkes who is courting Hedwig."
Hermione blinked. She really didn't know what to say to that. REALLY didn't know what to say about that. A subject change needed to happen Now!
"Anything else for today?"
"Yep. We're Meeting Ted Tonks at 4pm. Abe arranged it." answered Harry, who was still watching the birds flirt with each other.
"Oh goody!"
"Why is that Moonbeam?" asked Hermione.
The blonde pulled out a stiff stunned rat from her dress pocket.
"We can give him Peter."
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After Luna explained that she had 'liberated' Peter from Ronald as Hermione was 'discussing' things with Mrs. Weasley. She didn't explain how she did she actually did the deed or how she happened to have a 'single dimensional pocket' in her dress because no doubt the explanation would have given her loves a massive headache, particularly Hermione. That isn't to say that she wouldn't do so later on just to rile her love up. Hermione, in a rant, could be funny or passionate depending on the mood that she, herself, was in. The trio portkeyed back to the spot that they had left and made their way towards the Magical Menagerie.
When they reached the building, Hermione seemed indecisive. Harry just sighed, grabbed her hand and pulled into the shop, Luna giggling as she followed. Ten minutes later the trio emerged with one ginger haired, squashed faced cat, or more commonly known as Crookshanks, who was being carried by a slightly smug Harry. Luna carried the rat in a new unbreakable cage. After all, carrying a rat around could get dangerous.
Hermione just shook her head at the antics of her lovers while leading the way up the stairs to the offices of Ted Tonks.
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Told from Ted Tonks point of view:
Promptly at 4pm the three children arrived just as Aberforth Dumbledore said that they would. He truly hadn't believed the man when he said that they would. But the whole situation had been strange. He had the feeling that things were going to get stranger.
"Welcome Harry Potter and company. Please Make yourself comfortable." he said as he indicated to the table with chairs. "Tea?"
"No thank you Mr. Tonks." said Harry as he set Crookshanks carrier down. "This is Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood."
"Ladies" greeted Ted as He bowed to the girls. Giggling slightly both did a slight curtsey in return. "Shall we get started? First, I have a contract for you to sign. It's to protect both of us from revealing anything deemed a secret."
The boy took his time reading it. Both girls had leaned over his shoulders to read along with him. The brunette nodded and the boy signed his name. Taking the contract back, Ted signed his and the contract glowed in acceptance.
"Now, I assume that Abe has given you the rundown of what we have accomplished so far."
"Yes."
"So, what else can I help you with?"
"Let's start with the big one."
"The big one?"
"Sirius Black.'
"Ahh, yes, His escape no doubt has you worried."
"Not exactly."
"Then what do you mean?"
"It has to do with the rat in the cage."
"The rat?"
"The rat is actually Peter Pettigrew."
He opened and closed his mouth several times. Standing he went to closed cabinet, opened it, grabbed a glass filled it with an amber liquid, downed it quickly, closed said cabinet, before returning to his seat.
Clearing his throat, a couple of times, he finally gat the words out. "How, umm, how can that be Pettigrew? He was killed by Black after Black Led You-Know-Who to your parents' door."
"Peter Pettigrew was my parents' secret keeper. Black is my sworn godfather."
"Are you certain about this?"
The boy pulled a book out of a bag and opened it to a specific page before turning it around and pushing it towards him. There in written words, magical written words, the record of baptism of one Harry James Potter, son of James Alexander Potter and Lily Catherine Potter nee Evans. Godparents listed as Sirius Orion Black and Alice Mable Longbottom nee Taylor. By oath. Nothing would have caused Black to betray the Potters. Nothing because if he had then Magic itself would have killed him. Since Black wasn't dead then he wasn't guilty. This was going to explode the Magical Community.
"Where did you find this?"
"A family property."
He looked up at the boy and saw sheer determination in his face. The looks the girls had were not far behind.
He sat there thinking of how he would do this. There was no question that he wasn't doing this. Andromeda would kick him out of the house if he didn't do something. She was very protective of family.
"Alright, if you will let me borrow the Bible, I'll take it and the rat to Amelia Bones. She leads the Law Enforcement. I'll have to do so quietly as the current Ministry is rather…."
"Corrupt?"
"Yes."
"What ever it takes, I want my Godfather free."
"And I will do everything in my power to do so."
The boy nodded in acceptance.
"You said the was the big one, what else is there?"
"How about a Basilisk from the Founder's time?"
Ted felt he needed another drink. "Alive or dead?"
The blonde snorted while the boy sent him a brilliant grin that only as a boy could.
"Dead of course. It's down in the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts right now."
Ted just shook his head and muttered "Of course it is. Where else would a Basilisk be."
The boy just laughed. For once he seemed to act his age. But it was the brunette who gave him the next bombshell.
"Yes, and he saved Ginny Weasley's life in killing it."
"Now that make sense as to why the Betrothal contract was penned. I'm still trying to find a way to break it."
"Oh, Harry already did that. Just a little while ago."
"Exactly how did he do that?"
The grinning boy's grin got bigger. "Simple. Once Abe gave me the Heir ring and I put it on, the information about the subject was downloaded into my brain. Per the Charter for the Potter Family only the Head of the House can sign said document. Albus Bloody Dumbledore has not nor will ever be the Head of My family. So, I burn it with Abe watching it being done."
Ted blinked and then blinked again. He hadn't thought of that simply because as a muggleborn he never grew up with that idea. Andromeda would but he had never come across it before. However, if the scroll actually burned then yes it was never valid.
"Right, one less this to deal with. But adds another lesser one."
He looked up at the boy and asked, "If you don't want marriage then what do you want from the Weasley's?"
"Nothing but to be left alone."
"I don't follow."
"I don't know if she's been brainwashed or what, but Ginny Weasley has a fixation on me. For that I blame her mother. Molly Weasley seems to think that whatever her children want then they should get it. Ginny wants me, so Mama whispers to the one person who can help her get what her baby wants. That they use the rescue to further it so that no pureblood would question it and Voila! Everyone but me is happy.
So, what I want, minimum, is that as a whole the ENTIRE family has no contact with me or my family unless I decide to. I don't want anyone to lose their job or anything like that, but I refuse to be near then. If they raise a fuss, then just keep upping the ante until you get to the point that myself and them can not be in the same building at the same time. I have had enough!"
Ted thought for a few minutes making a few notes.
"Alright I can work with that but not right away as I think that Sirius Black is the bigger problem."
"That's fine. I can handle a few weeks but would like something at least presentable by Christmas."
"That should be doable. Anything else?"
"Actually, I have a question."
"Shoot."
"Is there some law or loop pole in an existing law that lets me marry both of the beautiful girls that are with me?"
Ted definitely needed another drink.