After about a week of nothing but lab work, I decided to have a day with my Harry and play games in his room together. We laughed and had tickle fights when I lost a game. We had a picnic on his bedroom floor with Vin taking licks of ice cream. Harry laughed and said he would steal my ice cream if I looked away. I laughed at the game he played with Severus before. It was a nice day of mummy/ Harry bonding.
I was looking through volumes and volumes in my libraries and grimoires. I had to find a way to get that damn horcrux out of my baby. I was obsessed. Severus had to intervene to make me eat and sleep. This went on for four days. I wonder if I could sneak into Hogwarts and look through the restricted section of their library. I would have to conceal myself with every spell I knew. I needed to talk to Severus, he grounds me when I feel lost.
I went to find him. He was in the lab working on research on the potions side of the lab. I silently watched him, his movements, they were so graceful like a full concentrated dance. The way he stirs then looks in the cauldron for changes. His movements are so practiced with such sophistication and dignity. God I love this man!
"Are you going to just stand there in the doorway and just ogle me with your eyes?" He said without even looking up or breaking concentration. He must have great peripheral vision.
I walk in and ask,"Whatcha making, hot stuff?" He chuckled.
"A better wider range anti venom counter potion. To counter more venoms in a dose." I love how he is so good with venoms and poisons.
"Good, now that the product line is getting bigger we can develop and market as we go. I submitted my werewolf scarring salve yesterday to the potion manufacturer. We can submit the Werewolfism Cure in around December. The yearly Treatment by June."
"Severus I was thinking of settling up a Werewolf Treatment Clinic and distributing monthly doses in quantity for all locals in poverty. It could be run by some healers once a month. What do you think?"
"I think you can do whatever you set your mind to." Severus said. He turned around and walked up to me and put his arms around me. We started kissing.
He said,"That was not what brought you up here, is it, my love?" He knows me so well.
"No, it's about Harry. I have searched all my libraries and grimoires. I can't find a thing to get that horcrux out of him. If I could do that. I could stop Voldemort permanently. The philosopher's stone will be the only route but perhaps I could contact Nicholas Flamel and explain the problem. But that's later I hope after he finds all other avenues are closed to him. What if a horcrux could be moved from one object to another? It would solve the problem with Harry?" I asked him.
"That is an amazing idea, Arianna. I never thought about that avenue. I wish I could use the Hogwarts restricted section library to see if I can. I hear Slughorn went back to teach potions again. I bet Dumbledore had to give him anything he wanted to work for him again. He's a crafty old man." He said.
"I was thinking of sneaking into the castle under heavy concealment. What do you think?" I asked him.
"Not really sure if it can be done. How would you pass through the castle wards? Then get past the castle door's enchanted locks, into the library and then into the restricted section. The biggest to get back out again. There's no guarantee you can even find what you're looking for too." He said to me Shit! He's right, with all the hurdles it may not pan out anyway.
"What if we ask Dumbledore?" I ßud to him.
He laughed,"You think you can get him to cooperate?" Think, think……
"Well, there is always this angle…. I could tell him that if he refuses me, it wouldn't be for us but for Harry. I would say, I would think he owes it to Harry to at least help him, after he neglected him. If he still balks, I can tell him if Voldemort resurrects through Harry and destroys everything, it would be all his fault for not trying to help him. If that won't work I will take out the big guns. We find 28% of Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft and if he doesn't help Harry or at least try I will not only see him brought up on charges of 'Child Endangerment', 'Child Negligence', and 'Unlawful Placement of a Minor'. I would have him removed from his position and placed in Azkaban. That would be cruel of me but I want my son free of this horcrux or else. I don't give a damn who I take down to do it." I said with conviction. Severus' eyes got bigger and bigger through my spiel.
Severus said,"Didn't know we have 28% of Hogwarts School funding? I need to see that list of businesses. I think the last move would be extreme, but I think at some point as you maneuver him. I would hate to be on the receiving end of your wrath, if I was Dumbledore. You can get cruel but it is for our son so do what you must." He kissed me, and felt up my ass. I giggled. I went upstairs to write a letter to Dumbledore.
I kept it short and sweet. I requested a meeting with him at his earliest convenience. I bet he is curious about what I want from him and he thinks he is in the higher seat. I should have free access being I find 28%of the school anyway. I can't wait to see his response.
--
Five days later, he responded. He deliberately made me wait. Oh let the games begin. I was ready for him. The letter read:
Dear Arianna Blackthorne-Snape,
I am surprised that you are contacting me. For what I can't imagine. But for curiosity's sake I will grant you a meeting with me, on February 16th on Saturday at 2:30. See you then.
Regards,
Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft
--
That old man is a manipulative old codger. Well I guess I'll see him in a couple days. I will get my way. The old goat just doesn't know it yet. I hold a pocketful of miracles.
--
The three days passed and it let me prepare. I had copy proofs of my percentage funding of Hogwarts School, my vid proof of Harry's condition and the full report of treatment he went through at St Mungo's. It all comes from the records in the Ministry. I also have a deposition filled out but not filed from Severus Snape on being privy to the information on Harry's placement. But, of course, it's all just in case.
I dressed to the nines, all in my length violet blue long sleeve dress, with matching shoes and purse. It matched my eyes. I did my dark brown hair in a french braid and had a matching violet bow on the end, on my shoulder. It was getting long, past my butt. I had my perfume, makeup, and nails done. I had Iolite stone jewelry on, because it matches the violet perfectly. I wore my black hooded cloak. With both wands on. Severus told me to be careful and use my concealment spells. He kissed me, told me he loved me and sent me on my way to battle. I smiled at him, blowing a kiss, before I closed the front door.
I apparated to the gate and saw Argus Filch outside freezing. I said,"Argus you poor man, how long have you been out here freezing?" He opened the gate and let me in.
"Awhile, I didn' want to miss ya comin'." He said, shivering. I took his arm and started walking to the castle doors with him.
"Well let's get you inside to warm up. You need to take care of yourself." I said to him. I befriended him during my time at Hogwarts.
"Yer such a nice lady, Arianna. I miss ya round here." Argus said. I patted his arm. He led me in the castle up to Dumbledore's office. When the statue opened I kissed Argus' leathery cheek.
"Say hello from me to Mrs Norris, Agus." He smiled, his creepy old smile and I took the stairs up.
I knocked on his door and he said come in. I opened it and he was of course behind his desk. I stepped in and closed the door.
Dumbledore said,"Would you take a seat?" I did, taking off my cloak and smoothing my dress down and sat crossing my legs. I looked at him and smiled my best poker face smile.
"So what do I owe the honor of this visit? Have you come to take more employees away from me?" He crooked an eyebrow up at me.
"No, I came to see if I can use the library. The restricted section to be exact." She said primly.
"Why should I allow you access to restricted books?" He said sadate.
"Because it concerns Harry and you owe him?" She said.
"How do you figure I owe him anything? From the way I see it, only his step father owes me." He said gruffly.
"Now, you're being selfish. You put that child in harm's way knowing you just washed your hands of him, until whenever you saw fit to plug him into your schemes. My husband already paid for anything else you think he owes you in every pound of flesh of pain or blood he shed from playing double agent for you. You didn't help him save Lily anyway and you damn well know it. Now let me make myself clear." He sat forward furious.
"I asked, in case you saw reason in what your manipulative ways have wrought on a innocent baby and a man who wanted help from you and you tried to buy a slave instead. You will allow me full unimpeded access to not only this castle and it's library, you will do it willingly or pay the consequences. I own 28% of the funding of this school and 28% of everyone's paycheck. I will go to the school of governors and get unfettered access with or without you. I was wanting to see if you would be nice about it but it seems you persist to be a bullheaded manipulative old man who thinks he is above even the law."
I pulled out my copy of Hogwarts proof of funding and put it on his desk. "If you allow Harry to be the last horcrux ushering in Voldemort to resurrect through, by then causing the unleashing of hell on earth. Then, be it on your stubborn ignorant head, like the ignorance you used harming my innocent child to start!" I leaned over his desk glaring my sickly sweet evil smile, daring him to cross the line in the sand.
I whispered deadly, quietly,"If you think this is all I can do to get you to comply or get the hell out of my way to save my son and everyone else including you, I suggest you dare to cross this line I just drew." I looked dead in his eyes, not blinking or wavering. I was pissed off and leaking magic heavily in the room.
The glass and items were rattling and tremoring. He looked worried. "Keep pushing me old man and I'll blow us both up in the explosion of wild magic in this room. Then the rest of the world would follow us anyway." Now he looked a bit nervous and fearful.
"Fine, you can have access only. You can't remove the books from the library." He said, angrily.
"That's all I asked for in the first place. I will start tomorrow and every day until I can find what I need to help me if it's here." I said. I put on my cloak.
"Said wait I'll get someone to escort you out of my school first." I looked at him incredulously. He sent his patronus to Minerva McGonagall.
I said,"Don't you mean my school? You better read the fine lines on that paper there Dumbledore. It belongs to me more than you running it and collecting a paycheck from it." He glared at me and started reading the papers. He looked pale before Minerva got here.
She came in asking,"Albus, what do you need?"
"I need you to escort Mrs. Blackthorne-Snape off school grounds. She will be returning to use the library as of tomorrow onward." He said clipped.
I nodded at him and swept out the door. Once out in the hallway, Minerva asked,"Arianna what's going on?"
I said,"Oh Minerva, he thinks he owns the school and tried to bar me from needing the restricted section of the library. I fund 28% of this entire school and didn't reveal it to him until now and he's mad about it. Being Severus quit, it has made him unreasonable."
She huffed,"He can really be a stubborn old fool, but not ever have I seen him look like that. Be careful, my dear." I kissed her cheek.
"I'll be coming around 8:30 in the morning everyday, so times as soon as breakfast is over. Can you arrange for Argus or someone to meet me at the gate or lift my access?" I asked.
"I'll try to see what can be done. I'm sure I can have Argus meet you." She said
"Take care, Minerva. You were my favorite next to Severus of course." I giggled.
She laughed and patted me on the hand and said,"You too dear. See you soon." I walked out and apparated home.