A/N: This is a dribble that I got from reading a few stories that were similar theme. I liked the idea, but didn't really have the drive to go further.
It is a Harry/Hermione love story starting just before the Yule Ball. Harry realizes how he likes Hermione, and then starts to find out about Dumbles manipulations. It started to feel too formulaic to other FanFics.
-oOo-
Yule Ball - Part 1
December 12, 1994
Harry sat across from Hermione. She was eating lunch and reading an arithmancy book while Ron was talking about the latest Cannon's win. Harry was only half listening to his best mate.
As he watched Hermione, he felt that familiar pull in his gut he had been feeling for months now. It wasn't unpleasant. It had a certain swooping feeling to it, like when he dove for the ground after seeing the snitch. That same urge to catch something golden and just out of his reach had grown.
"I still think Portree has the better chasers," Harry told Ron.
Ron scoffed. "Portree took a dive in the standings the last three matches. The Cannons won the match Saturday."
"Portree is still sixth. They only fell one slot after facing the top three teams."
Hermione had her hand on the sandwich. Some of the ham fell out as she became engrossed in the book. "Hermione," Harry softly called as Ron ranted about Portree. Harry's favorite team was sitting second, but he wouldn't rub the Harpies success in Ron's face right now.
Hermione started. "What? What do you need," she asked, focusing on him.
Harry smirked. "Thought you might like to get that sandwich in your mouth, not your lap."
She eyed him for a moment, as though not understanding what he was on about until she looked into her lap. "Oh, good Merlin!"
Harry chuckled and Ron stopped as Hermione put the ham onto her plate and took her wand out. "Mustard doesn't come out easily. Tergeo!"
Ron sniggered. "That is like the third time this year."
"Fifth," Harry corrected and liked the way Hermione took on some colour to her cheeks.
She huffed. "I was going to help you with the Arithmancy work, but I won't now."
Harry laughed. Changing from Divination to arithmancy last year was the best decision he had made. Besides having his entire day off on Mondays, he found he was decent with the mathematics of magic. He had been good in mathematics in Primary, but had to always hide it because of Dudley. Of course, the cute, curly and slightly frizzy haired brunette had been the one to force him to drop divination. If only Ron had done the same...
"That's fine. Already done," he told her. The Goblet of Fire had lit something inside him and after surviving the damned dragon, he was determined to be more prepared.
Hermione just blinked at him while Ron took another bite of his sandwich.
"Oh. Do you want me to check it?"
"I would rather you help me with my egg," he told her truthfully. "I have an idea."
"Sure, when do you want to work on it," Ron asked.
"I actually just want Hermione for this afternoon. You can help with my duelling practice this evening," he informed Ron.
Ron looked a little concerned to be left out. Harry hadn't fully forgiven the prat yet. He really wanted Ron to say sorry. He also didn't trust Ron to not blurt something out about the next task.
Hermione had a small smile. "Sure, Harry."
When they were done eating, Ron grumbled about having to head to the North Tower and Trelawney. Ron had the chance to change in the first month and he had refused, so Harry didn't really feel bad for him.
On the way to Gryffindor tower, Hermione asked. "What do need help with?"
Harry felt a little heat on the back of neck. "Do you mind taking a swim with me?"
She quirked an eyebrow. "Isn't the Black Lake really cold?"
"I have another spot," Harry told her. "It's heated and nice."
"Where?"
"I'll show you. Just, uhm, get changed in a swimming costume or something," he told her.
Her gaze didn't lessen as they entered the common room. A few dozen students were spread around, most buried in books. As much as everyone thought Gryffndors to be adventurous, bullheaded and stupidly brave and active, there were many in the house that were studious students as well. More than Harry realized until he started to buckle down this year, even before his name had come out of the bloody goblet!
Ten minutes later, Hermione came back down. Harry had on a pair of swim trunks under his pants, the egg in his bag and his invisibility cloak for when they got close.
"Where are we going," Hermione asked again as they walked out of the portrait.
"Some place that Angelina gave me the password too," he told her.
She was quiet for a moment. "You don't mean the Prefects Bathroom?"
Harry smirked. She was too bright for her own good at times. "Yeah. I snuck in there last night and really need you to see this."
"If I didn't know you better, I would think this inappropriate," she replied back, a smirk on her face.
He chuckled to hide the butterflies that suddenly flew through his stomach. Harry knew the rumors of the Prefect's Bathroom as well. "Yeah. A pretty girl in a bathroom with only our swim stuff on... I can't see that making the rumor mill."
She chuckled too. "You breath a word of this to Parvati or Lavender and we will be having words."
Harry didn't feel threatened by her, but he nodded. "Duly noted."
They walked across the bridge to the other keep. "So, have you asked Cho yet," Hermione asked.
Harry looked at her. He had had a small crush on the Ravenclaw seeker the first month back, but that was before everyone thought him a cheat and Hermione had given all her time to help him. "Why would I ask Cho?"
Hermione scuffed her foot as they walked up the stairs to the fifth-floor. "No reason."
Harry looked at her out of the corner of his eye. The butterflies died as suddenly as they started, this time replaced with a sinking feeling. "Did anyone ask you?" he asked.
"Two. But I haven't said yes yet," she informed him. "Do you have anyone you want to ask? I know you have to go."
Was she looking at him as though expecting something? "I have someone," he answered cryptically.
"Do I know them," she pressed as they made it to the fifth floor.
"Yeah. Quite well actually," he answered quietly. He was saved a few moments from having to answer anymore as he took his invisibility cloak, put it over them and took the Marauders' map out. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
The map came to life. Just asked her. Prongs, it wrote over the cover. Harry quickly opened the map, hoping Hermione hadn't see that. After checking the map, the bathroom was empty, as was the corridor this time of day. There were no classrooms in use and most stayed away from this corridor until it got dark out.
She didn't say a word until he was standing before the door. "Are you sure we should be doing this?"
"Yes. Apple Blossom." The door opened and Harry tapped the door handle. "The door won't open unless I let it for the next hour."
"How do you cast that spell?"
"It's the magic of the room. You can lock it for an hour. If no one wants to come in after that time, it stays locked. If they do, you get a little bell and have like five minutes before it unlocks," he told her.
Harry put his bag down on one of the benches and started to get undressed, excited to show Hermione what he found last night. He had gotten the idea to try it underwater after someone said the screeching reminded them of mermaids.
"This place is marvelous," Hermione commented, looking around. When she turned back to him and he was taking off his trousers off she chuckled. "I've never see you so excited to go for a swim."
The last summer at the Weasley's, he had avoided it like the plague until Hermione had figured out he couldn't swim. "I really want you to hear this."
Soon the bath was full. Hermione was in a bikini that held Harry's eyes for longer that it should. Her skin was pale. Her stomach taught. Her smooth legs. He liked how it hugged her crotch and even more how it showed Hermione was more woman than most gave her credit for. She wasn't large like Lavender or Susan, but she wasn't small either as he took in the curves of the bikini top, and the skin it exposed.
"You wanted to show me something," she asked, her voice a little unsure.
Harry felt his face heat up as he took her eyes off her. "Ah... uhm, yeah.
When he met her eyes she didn't look upset at him. More pleased than anything by the small crook to the corner of her mouth. Harry took that as an okay sign if his eyes wondered again, like they did a moment later as she moved to the swimming pool sized tub.
MERLIN! The Hogwarts robes and the clothes she usually wore hid a lot, he thought, as he looked at her bottom.
"You coming," she asked, slipping into the water.
Harry shook his head. He needed to think with his head for now... well the one on his shoulders.
Moving over, her put the egg down on the side and slipped in next to her. She waited for a moment as he tried to get the thoughts out of his head. Until the last few months, Harry hadn't really looked at a girl in the way he was now. Cho had started it, but after she said no that first Hogsmeade weekend, the time with Hermione had heightened his awareness of the female form.
"Was this just a ruse to get me alone in the Prefects' bathroom or did you really find something?" she queried with a smirk after a moment.
"Well that wasn't the original intent," he said said before he realized what he was saying. He felt mortified at her surprised expression. Grabbing the egg, he thrust it at her. "Listen to it below the water."
She gave an unfathomable look towards him before taking the egg and lowering it into the water. When she opened it, her mouth made an 'O' as even above the water it was obvious it was not screeching.
"Is that song?"
"Just dip under," Harry told her.
Hermione took the edge of the bath pool and dipped her head under. Harry joined her, enjoying the way her hair drifted around her face. After listening to it once, she shot up, taking in a few greedy breaths before looking at him.
"Harry, is that mermaid song?"
"Pretty sure," he told her.
"You are going to have to swim to the bottom of the lake?"
"I think so."
She looked like she didn't know what to say for a second. "I need to listen to it again."
"I have it written down with a few notes," he informed her.
"I still want to listen."
Harry didn't stop her. Three more times they repeated the process, the last time Harry holding the egg so she could swim around it.
When she came up the last time she was closer to him. "What do think it means that it will be something 'you will sorely miss'," she asked.
"Did you do any reading on what the past tasks were?"
"Not really. I've been a little busy trying to help you with what ever charms and transfigurations we could find," she told him.
"I know, and I can never thank you enough for that. After I finished with the egg, I snuck into the library last night."
"I thought we agreed we would use the pass Professor McGonagall gave us to go into the restricted section?" she questioned him.
"I didn't go into the restricted section." Putting the egg on the side, Harry hauled himself out of the water and moved to the bench. After casting a drying charm on himself he reached into his bag and walked over to the side. Hermione had pulled herself out and Harry cast the same drying charm over her.
"Thank you," she said with a pleasant smile.
"Welcome. This is a book on past events." He took in a deep breath and let it out. "Hermione, most of the tournaments had at least one event with some type of rescue of hostages."
It took her all of two seconds to get his meaning. "You can't be serious!" she exclaimed grabbing the book as he sat cross-legged like her. When he sat, he sat close enough to have his knees touch hers.
"Out of the thirty-two tournaments I read through, thirty-three events involved hostages. The only other times champions needed to retrieve something was like the egg. Hermione, I think they are going to put someone I care for down there," he told her, his insides squirming.
"You mean like a family member or a friend?" She had started to read through the first event in the book, which was the last one since the book went backwards through the tournament. Her eyes widened when she saw the names of the Champions. "Dumbledore was a Champion?"
"Both Dumbledores," he stated.
She shook her head. "What?"
"The Headmaster has a brother. Aberfroth was the last Hogwarts Champion. Albus was the prior one. That isn't really the point though," Harry was trying to get her to understand without coming out and directly saying it. Harry internally chastised himself, Some Gryffindor courage if you couldn't tell your best friend how you feel?
"What is your point?"
"The person they take is always very special to the Champion. It is someone that you would feel a great pain to lose," he told her.
She looked up. He thought he saw her starting to understand. "So, someone really close to you?"
"Yes," he told her.
"Someone that would cause you a great deal of pain to lose?" she asked.
"You can say that," Harry responded.
Hermione knew Harry had very few people he was close with. He had less than he could count on one hand. Sirius and Hermione. That was all the people he had come up with as he spent the night reading the book and coming to the realization.
"You still look tired. You were up all night reading this and thinking of it. Who would you miss, Harry?"
Letting out a sigh, he looked into her brown eyes. They were deep, expressive and caring. He knew she could be fiery, and vindictive at times, but she had never waivered from being his friend. They may have argued. Their were times they had both screamed and yelled at each other, or both thought they had crosses lines, like with his Firebolt last year, but it had been because they cared for each other.
"Sirius," he said and after a few seconds, "You."
She stopped breathing for a few seconds. "What about Ron or Ginny or..."
"Hermione, I thought about last night as I read the book. Almost always the goblet chooses names of those you are the closest too, the most attached... most often someone the Champion is involved with."
"What do you mean involved?"
"I stopped counting after fifteen tournaments, but out of forty-five hostages, thirty-one were a girlfriend, boyfriend, betrothed or affianced. The cup picks who you see is the most important person in your life," Harry pressed.
Hermione didn't waiver her gaze from his. He really liked those brown eyes. She didn't say a word, as though waiting for something. After a moment, he realized she was waiting for him. What ever he said next would alter who they were as friends.
He took in a deep breath. "Hermione, I would like to take you to the Yule Ball. Not as friends though." He wanted to make that point very clear.
A smile slowly creeped on her face. "Do you mean that?"
"I don't want to rescue Sirius if this is what the clue means."
She didn't look impressed, her smile dissapearing. "You mean you are only asking me out to keep Sirius from going to Azkaban?"
"God, no, Hermione! I'm trying to say I like you," Harry blurted out.
She looked surprised. Harry felt surprised. He hadn't meant to just throw it out there like that. He so hoped he had not misread the way Angelina said Hermione looked at him half the time.
Bloody hell! He screamed in his head. If he was doing this, then he better either bollocks this up royally or come out of this with a girlfriend. He moved in quickly. His lips smashed into her. Harry had never done this before and in his frazzled state to let her know how he felt, his lips met hers far harder then he meant.
She didn't seem to care as her arms came up a few seconds later and wrapped around his neck and she kissed him back. There lips moved after a moment. He had seen others around the castle lip locked. Harry felt the pull in him towards her, but this was his first kiss ever.
When he pulled back, she didn't let go of him, letting him pull away only enough to look into her eyes. "Just for the record, you are asking me out?" she asked, a broad smile on her face. Her eyes were liquidly and he thought he could look into them all day.
"I was hoping you might let me take you out to Hogsmeade this weekend, and then the Yule Ball," he responded cheekily.
"Just don't take me to Madam Puddifoots," she warned him.
"So you want to go?"
She laughed before kissing him again. This time it was sweeter. He took in the smell of her vanilla scented shampoo and registered the heat of her bare arms on his bare shoulders and her hands in his hair. When she pulled back, Harry felt a little dizzy. "So that is a yes?"
She playfully tapped him on the back of the head. "Yes."
They kissed a few more times before the sound of the clock tower bell chiming two, disturbed them. Hermione looked more pensive as she sat back, taking her arms off his shoulders. "Now we know the cup will choose me if it is hostages, we need to figure out what to do. That leaves a little over two months. Obviously you will need to breath underwater for an hour or more. I may need too also... why are are you laughing?"
Harry was chuckling. "So, you kiss me a few times and just assume you'll be my hostage?"
"You said yourself you didn't want to rescue Sirius. So that only leaves me," she said as though it was a foregone conclusion. "We should go to the library and start finding a way to breath under water."
"Before we do that, I have a problem you can help me with. Two actually," he commented.
"What other problems do you have? Isn't this bad enough?"
"Well, I can't swim," he told her.
She looked at him confused. "But you swam with us at the Burrow."
"No, I only waded into the shallows."
"So, I teach you to swim. What is the other problem?"
"I have dance lessons with McGonagall tonight, Saturday, Sunday and next Wednesday. Probably more. I would like to have a partner that is not my Professor," he told her.
Hermione laughed. "I will help you with that too. We have ten minutes, maybe more if no one comes."
"You don't want to read the book?" he teased.
"I can read that later. We only have two months to make you a good swimmer."
He tried not to let his eyes roam over her in her bikini. "Do I get a kiss if I do well?"
She laughed. "I think I should be getting the kiss for being your teacher."
Harry leaned in and they kissed again before he put the book on his towel. She was still kissing him when he suddenly pushed her. Hermione screamed as she splashed back into the bath.
Harry laughed as he slipped in besides her. She came up, throwing her mass of sopping wet hair over head. "You complete arse, Harry James Potter," she yelled at him, splashing water at him.
He laughed at her reaction, trying to shield himself. "You had to get in anyways."
She huffed before shaking her head. "You are going to pay for that."
-oOo-
That evening...
Transfiguration Classroom
It wasn't that big of a shock when they showed up at dinner hand-in-hand. They had decided they didn't want to hide it. Harry noticed some silver and gold exchanging hands when they confirmed to Lavender they were together.
Ron was quiet, casting hurt glances at him. Harry wasn't sure what he did this time. He wasn't sure he cared. The one that made him nervous was the looks from Viktor Krum.
After dinner, they made their way to McGonagall's room close to eight. Harry was please Hermione held his hand. When they stepped into the open door, they found the floor transfigured into a dance floor and an old gramophone on a chair.
McGonagall was waiting for them, listening to a string band. When she noticed them, the woman smiled. "I see you have found a partner to practice with?"
"Yes, Professor. Hermione has agreed to be my date," Harry said with some pride he had managed to get the 'Brightest Witch of their age'.
The woman smiled. "Then this will make it easier that you don't need to switch partners later. Now, Granger, come stand here. Potter," their Head-of-House said pointing towards a spot only three feet from Hermione.
They were still smiling as they looked at each other.
"Right, we will start with the proper manners in which you are to start a proper dance. Smiling like loons is usually frowned upon," the woman said with a chuckle.
They both took a little colour to their faces. "Now, Potter, as a scion of a House on the Wizengamot, there is a protocol to follow. Granger you are to acknowledge him first."
Harry looked at her confused. Hermione beat him to the punch. "I'm sorry, Professor, but what are you talking about?"
"I don't have a seat on the Wizengamot," Harry told her.
McGonagall looked at him. "I assure you you have a seat on the Wizengamot. Surely the Headmaster has told you this and offered tutoring on what your responsibilities will be? Especially now that the Goblet has recognized you as being of age?"
"Ahhh..." he said, a little surprised.
"Harry has never mentioned this," Hermione backed up his stupid reaction.
McGonagall scrunched her eyebrows. "You do know that you were recognized as emancipated when your name came out of the cup?"
"You what? Harry, why haven't you told me," Hermione asked.
"I didn't know. Professor, I really don't know what you are talking about," Harry told her.
McGonagall looked concerned. "I was notified that you are now emancipated and your regent signed your paperwork as such."
"My who," Harry was really confused now.
McGonagall looked at Harry for a long moment. "You really don't know, do you?"
He looked to Hermione, who looked just as shocked as he was, but he could also see the gears turning in her head. "Professor, who is Harry's regent? What is a regent?"
"Professor Dumbledore is the regent of House Potter right now. A Regent has the authority from the current Head-of-House to manage the affairs of the House and represent them on the Wizengamot. Potter, how do you not know this?"
Harry shook his head. "I have not been told any of this. I'm only fourteen, how can I be emancipated?"
Professor McGonagall looked at him like he was playing her for a moment. Hermione, whose head would be blowing out smoke if it could, suddenly gasped. "The Goblet."
Harry looked at his now girlfriend. A dawning realization coming over him. "The rule you had to be of-age to participate?" Harry asked.
"Yes, there was some consternation about that. With the judges agreeing you had to compete, magic recognized you as an adult," McGonagall told him.
"Wait! You mean I didn't have to compete!" Harry burst at her.
"You are underage. The rules clearly state you much be in your majority to compete. When the judges met the next morning, they confirmed your eligibility. Didn't anyone ever tell you this?"
"You are me Head-of-House, why didn't you tell me if you knew?" Harry suddenly snapped at her.
McGonagall pursed her lips. "I was told you were informed."
Harry snorted. "No one tells me anything." He looked at McGonagall, then Hermione, and shook his head. "I need to talk with Dumbledore."
He turned towards the door and stopped when McGonagall said, "The Headmaster is out for the week. He is not planning to return until Saturday."
"Bloody hell! Then who do I talk to! I don't know any of this and I never said anyone is a regent of my house. I really have no fecking clue..."
"Language, Potter."
He looked at their Head-of-House. After a second, he turned to Hermione. "Will you come with me?"
She didn't hesitate to move to his side.
"Where are you going? You told me you don't know how to dance," McGonagall said in her clip tone.
"I need to find out what is going on. I don't care about some dance at the moment."
"Harry, who are you going to contact this time of night?" Hermione asked. "Should we learn what we can?"
He looked at her. She looked concerned. "I am not in the mood. Maybe someone in the dorms will know."
"I am taking time out of my schedule to help," McGonagall tried to placate them.
Harry looked at McGonagall. He had always liked her, but she had never really helped him before. "Then help me understand what a scion is and what is going on. Who do I contact? How is the Headmaster my Regent if I never even knew? Why didn't anyone tell me in the last month and a half!"
McGonagall's lips were pursed. "I do not know, Potter. If you come back and do the practice we agreed upon, I will take time tomorrow after classes to help you draft letters to Gringotts, the Department of Magical Records and the Advocates to the Magical World."
"Why all those," Hermione asked.
"They would be the standard departments to handle changes of status and House legal work, and the goblins have say of any magical inheritance. Now, if you two would come back here, I would not like Hogwarts to be embarrassed at the Ball."
Harry pursed his lips. Hermione seemed to get his anger and reluctance. She whispered, "We won't get anywhere tonight. The library is already closed and we should learn this."
"What if I don't care?" he asked her equally as quietly.
"McGonagall can help you tomorrow, and then we figure out what to do from their."
"We?"
"Harry I am your best friend, and your girlfriend," she said a little uncertainty. "Did you not think I would help you?"
He let out sigh. "I never said that." Pulling his hand, Harry joined her for the lesson.
-oOo-
December 16, 1994
Hogwarts, Scotland
It had been another shite week at Hogwarts as Hermione and him went to see McGonagall. The shite came that Hermione and him had become the center of the rumor mill and many were not kind to his his frizzy hair brunette. Harry should be used to it by now, but he didn't like what they were saying about Hermione.
Ron had left him again. The redhead wouldn't say a word to him, and, frankly, Harry was sod of him for now. It took Fred and George telling Harry that he had a crush on Hermione for Harry to understand. With so little he had in his life that made him happy, Harry wasn't giving her up. Ron could have asked her if he wanted. Frowning, Harry wasn't sure what he would have done. Even before the ball, it had taken Harry weeks to work up the guts to ask her, and only the clue in the egg had finally hardened his courage. Once he had decided, it had taken less than twenty-four hours to ask her. Knowing how nice it was to kiss her now, he was positive he would have fought for her affection. He hoped he would have anyways.
More importantly to him, was the research they were doing on the Wizengamot, magical Houses or family lines, and emancipation laws. Hermione was getting frustrated that by Friday morning, they had had not heard back from Gringotts or the Advocates of the Magical World, but Harry had received a letter this morning confirming he had been emancipated, he was Head-of-House and the Wizengamot had put his House into receivership. Hermione and him had spent lunch and the last hour in the library determining what that meant.
Upon reading the letter, McGonagall looked stormy. "Receivership! Fudge put your House into receivership without you being notified, standing trial or any other form to prove you incapable of running your own affairs! Where is Albus!"
Hermione was pursing her own lips.
Their Head-of-House called out, "Wimsy!"
A second later a house elf appeared. Hermione really looked upset now.
"Where is Albus and when is he expected back?"
The elf just looked up at the woman. "Master Dumbledore is out of country. Minsy does not expect him back before Monday."
"I see. If you can get hold of him, please tell him to be back as soon as possible."
"Master left instructions not to be disturbed unless under special circumstances," the elf replied.
"Tell him this is one of those times," McGonagall ordered the elf.
The elf bowed. "I will try." With a snap of it's fingers, the elf disappeared.
"This won't do," McGonagall said, starting to pace her office.
"What is going on, Professor," Hermione asked.
Harry was trying to figure out why McGonagall suddenly seemed to care.
"A House is only supposed to go into receivership if the Head-of-House has been found incompetent in someway, and even if they are, the laws clearly state that notice is to be given and Head-of-House or the current regent present," McGonagall told them.
"The Headmaster was named Regent after the hearing," Harry told her.
"I can see."
They both looked at McGonagall as she paced for a moment. "Potter, do you give me permission to contact a Solicitor I know? He may be able to help."
"Professor, can I asked something first?"
"What is is Potter?"
"Why are you helping now? You never did before," he asked.
"As I told you Monday, I was told all this was handled."
-oOo-
December 17, 1994
London, England
Harry felt a little apprehensive. The man they had met last night seemed nice. Mr. Tonks was apparently married to some distant cousin he had never known about. Once he had seen the records of Harry's change in status and the court ruling, there had been some rather choice words from the apparently even keeled man before organizing to take him to the goblins.
Harry would have preferred Hermione to be with him, but she didn't have permission from her parents. Being emancipated meant Harry was free to come and go from the school as he wanted, the same as any other of-age wizard.
As they walked through Diagon Alley, Harry was thinking he would have to use this new found freedom when he could.
The only thing making him apprehensive was doing this with a stranger. McGonagall had helped him understand the binder Mr. Tonks offered. The man was now the official Solicitor of House Potter. The receivership passed by the Ministry did not stop Harry from signing certain contracts.
As his Solicitor, Mr. Tonks was going to be present for the meeting with the goblins, and then they would see what would happen from there.
Inside the bank, Harry was surprised at the reception. He hadn't dislike the goblins, but they hadn't exactly treated him kindly either. This time, one them met them in the main atrium and then Mr. Tonks and him were escorted into an marbled corridor and into an office with a wizened and scarred goblin.
"Lord Potter, how nice of you to finally grace us with your presence," the goblin, Aggrod stated.
"You will have to excuse my client, Senior Account Manager, but it was not until yesterday that I received many letters sent over the years," Mr. Tonks stated.
The goblin eyed him. "Are you the Regent?"
"Solicitor Theodore Tonks, official solicitor to House Potter as of three days ago. A block was found on certain mail to my Lord Potter and was only released yesterday," Mr. Tonks replied.
The goblin eyed the man. Harry had been told the goblins only recognize certain people to talk for an account. The Lord or Head-of-House being the top. A Regent being second. A Solicitor or spouse being third. Anyone else risked retribution. Harry was staying quiet as he had been asked too, trying to take in what was happening.
"It is not legal to put a mail block on official messages between Gringotts and its clients," the goblin eventually stated.
"The appropriate filings have already taken place in the DMLE and Goblin Liaison Office yesterday, Senior Account Manager. You should be receiving a notice of Treaty Breach by the Wizengamot within the next few days," Mr. Tonks said politely.
The goblin's eyebrows rose and he leaned back in his seat. After a moment, an evil grin came over the goblin's face. Harry felt a little apprehensive at the sharp teeth and the glint in the creatures eyes. "I assume that the Treaty breach may prove to be profitable for Gringotts?"
"I would not know, Senior Account Manager. My concern is my client, Lord Potter, and the fact he had been blocked from his rightful property, inheritance and place within the Wizengamot. Today, we wish to talk about the inheritance that is managed by you."
The grin grew wider. "Would you back a Treaty Breach by the Goblin Nation of England should there be a suspicion on our side?"
Mr. Tonks looked toward him. Harry looked a little confused. "What does that mean?"
"It would mean the House of Potter, as a Lord of the Wizengamot, has found himself to be taken advantage of. It would help to back any findings the DMLE might have of line denial or threft and give the goblins cause to possibly renegotiate parts of their treaties. Do this means you back this change. It may not be a popular thing to do."
Harry snorted. "I am far from popular right now, Mr. Tonks. I would like to know how I was emancipated without knowing and what inheritance you are talking about. I only know of my vault," Harry said. Hermione and him had become very curious after doing what research they could.
"We are here to sort that out, but I think you should consider this. I am sure it will take the goblins a few days to understand what has happened and to fully catalog any inheritance you may have, is that correct, Senior Account Manager?" Mr. Tonks asked.
The goblin snorted. "You wizards always think we don't know what is going on in our bank and lands." Aggrot snapped his fingers and a house elf appeared with a stack of folders. After the elf deposited them on the desk. "For a small fee, Lord Potter can be made executor of his estates and vaults in a few minutes. The goblins have not received any word of a Regent or other control of his accounts, so Lord Potter is within his full rights to claim anything in his name."
"How much is the fee?" Harry asked.
"A little over eight-thousand galleons, plus five thousand per month if you wish the goblins to maintain all accounts, properties and investments," Aggrot said as though it was nothing.
Harry's eyes bulged. "Eight-thousand galleons? I did hear that right," Harry pressed.
"Eight-thousand, one-hundred and seven, to be precise."
Harry was about to balk when Mr. Tonks put a hand on his arms. "That does seem rather steap, Senior Account Manager, especially considering Lord Potter may back your claim. My I enquire why?"
"There is matter of the dragon that guards the vaults. If all vaults are to be combined, the dragon will need to be moved, a new vault crafted and then all wealth and items transfered. I would assume Lord Potter would like a full catalog verified of all items. Then there is the official paperwork, which is a standard thirty-galleon charge, with close to one hundred documents to be signed, and this includes a twenty-five percent off should Lord Potter decide to support our claims," Aggrod said, the same predatory look on his face he had held for moments now.
"I see this being a very profitable relationship, Solicitor Tonks and Lord Potter."
Mr. Tonks looked like he was shocked.
"How many vaults and accounts do I have?" Harry asked.
Aggrod fished out a folder in the middle of the pile and opened it. "Twenty-four that we can attribute to your family, houses that were forfeight to you or ones that are able to be claimed by conquest."
Both wizards were stunned for a moment.
"I was not aware of this," Mr. Tonks said.
"If you have gone through all the correspondence, you would have been, Solicitor Tonks. The Potters have a long history and the previous Lord Potter had asked for an accounting of all Potter assets before his death. The goblins were not able to complete before the accounts were sealed upon Fleamont Potter's death and his son never took up the mantle of Head-of-House or Lord."
Aggrot motioned to the pile. "This is the full accounting that was completed on October third, nineteen seventy-seven, and the full accounts have been locked since then. James Potter took control of his personal accounts, but refused everything else."
Harry couldn't quite comprehend. "My dad refused everything else?"
"It was registered that he passed Regency to Albus Dumbledore, who maintained that title until our registers recognized you as Scion Potter on October thirty-first this year, and then Lord Potter on November first when you were declared to be emancipated," Aggrot replied.
Mr. Tonks scrunched his brow. "Has any of the accounts or vaults been accessed in that time?"
"Only the minor inheritance vaults of James and Lily Potter and Harry Potter. All receipts before August first, nineteen ninety-one, show modest withdrawals of around three thousand galleons per year, and then converted to Muggle money. The vaults were replenished on January first to fifty thousand for the vault belonging to James and Lily Potter and twenty-thousand for Harry James. No attempt was made to withdraw any other moneys or to access any other vault accept when you have accessed your inheritance vault, Lord Potter."
Mr. Tonks let out a breath. "Did the will of James and Lily Potter allow the withdrawal to go to his guardians?"
"I can not say, Solicitor Tonks. There is a registered Will in the vault of James and Lily Potter, but the goblins have been denied access to retrieve it," Aggrot responded.
"Harry, do you authorize Gringrotts to do so," Mr. Tonks asked him.
"Ah, sure," Harry told them.
"Before Gringotts can do that, there a few forms you need to sign, and then the Will can be retrieved while we complete the other paperwork," Aggrot answered.
-oOo-
Later that night...
Harry hadn't wanted to go to the common room. His head was still spinning from the meeting with the goblins. Instead, he was pacing in a classroom, the new ring on his finger spinning as he he played with it.
"Harry, are you saying that you are fully emancipated, the goblins recognize as such, you have more money than I can comprehend and the Wizengamot has given Dumbledore Regency over you until you are seventeen?" Hermione was watching him pace.
"That about sums it up, according to Aggrot and Mr. Tonks," Harry huffed. "Hermione, I don't understand most of what is there and Mr. Tonks think it will take him a few weeks to go through everything."
She looked at him before looking at the parchments in her hands again. The top few were his parents will. He was never supposed to go to his relatives. For some unknown reason, if Harry didn't claim his inheritance, all the money was to go to the Order of Phenix, whatever that was, and his family had been much more involved in the wars of Grindelwald and Voldemort than he knew. Thirteen Houses had been claimed by conquest or blood by his grandfather, but they had all been held up because of his death, and his father had rejected all of it. That did not sound like the man people had described.
"What is the Order of the Phoenix," Hermione questioned.
"I haven't the foggiest," Harry replied.
"Why did your parents just give up everything?" she asked. "Shouldn't all of this passed to your father once he came of age?"
"As far as I know, my grandfather was killed shortly after my father turned seventeen in his last year here. He only ever claimed his inheritance vault and let it keep refilling every year. I had no clue my vault kept refilling. What I don't understand is why Dumbledore was Regent of House Potter and never told me any of this," Harry said aggravated.
Hermione frowned and flipped to the next page. "Is this accurate," she asked.
Harry stopped long enough to look at the sheet. "As of October nineteen seventy-seven, yeah. Aggrot said he would have an updated accounting tomorrow, he just wanted to verify their records were correct. God, Hermione. I just gave them eight-thousand galleons and looking at that, it was like I gave the goblins a sickle. I did read that right and their is more than thirty-three million on that sheet?"
"Thirty-three million, six-hundred and eighty-six," she told him. "And that is only in hard currency. Should you be showing me this?"
He ran his hands through his hair again. "Who else would I talk about this with? I can't just call Sirius. Mr. Tonks seems trustworthy, but I really don't know him yet. I still don't trust McGonagall fully and there is no way I am going to talk to the Headmaster about this until he explains what is going!"