Lucius could admit that he had his brother's words ringing through his head. He thought his brother even in painting form had quite the imagination. He was not looking at the lion at all. Even if he had eyes on Harry he would never have looked at him in that room. The boy was barely an adult and he was his brother's son. Oh he and Severus were not related but if Severus had raised his son, Lucius would have been his godfather likely. But Lucius could admit perhaps his eyes had strayed a bit on the lion. He had been forced into a marriage but his eyes had always gone the other direction. Voldemort though did not approve of such things and Lucius had kept to his wedding vows for his own safety. But he could not deny he had explored the alcoves back in his school days before marriage. Severus was more then aware of that.
He could admit he was surprised when he received an elf from Harry a few days after his birthday. The elf had a note asking him to meet Harry at Grimmauld. He was under the impression the boy had moved to the coast.
Kreacher allowed him into the home. "Lord Malfoy, Lord Black be in the living room."
Lucius had known the elf due to his wife. "Thank you."
Harry was looking at the family tree but turned when he came in. "You came."
Lucius smirked. "I thought we got past this conversation. You asked."
Harry walked over to a table. "Red or white?"
Lucius was confused. "Offering me a drink?"
Harry reminded him. "You told me I should explore the family cellars."
Lucius agreed. "Though I doubt much was here. I thought you were on the coast."
Harry didn't ask how he knew. "I thought this more convenient and a bit more private. Red or white?"
"Red." Lucius said and accepted a glass. "It seems my memory didn't fail me."
Harry motioned to some paper work. "I had hoped you may help me understand these."
Lucius looked down at some bank forms. "I'd have thought your brother."
Harry sunk into a chair. "I spoke to Bill but he is better source for charms and vaults."
Lucius took a seat across from him. "And you asked me?"
Harry shrugged. "These are more contracts and you seem to have some eye for business."
Lucius moved to pick up a scroll. "I studied law once upon a time."
He had gone into law when his father was still alive. But when his father grew ill he was expected to take over the estate. He had grown Malfoy industries into the business it was. But he still remembered a lot of his studies even if he had never got to use. His son was now to enter law school in the fall. He could hope now the war was over his son would have years to pursue law before he would have to take over. Draco did plan to work in the legal department of the company. Lucius had decided if he was going to have to dedicate his life to his estate he needed to build something. Politics alone had bored him. He had taken his money purely out of investments and built a business.
Harry had heard that Draco would be going to law school. Hermione had mentioned she had seen him when she had gone in to do some paper work. She was actually happy as he had kept her on her toes in school for top marks. She planned to continue to beat him.
Harry watched him. "I am trying to figure out if there is something Albus may be…"
"Hiding from you." Lucius continued for him.
Harry shrugged. "Maybe He just got to me."
Lucius picked up a second scroll. "There is a reason Albus was so insistent on keeping it secret."
Harry had to wonder. "I was wondering if he was stealing from my accounts but I don't see any sign he took any money."
Lucius agreed as his eyes scanned it. "Other then paying your relatives a bit. But that was allowed."
"Like they ever used a knutt on me." Harry grunted.
Lucius stopped when he came upon something. "The school govenors."
Harry turned to him. "You are one."
Lucius agreed. "Head of them though you likely will replace me."
Harry was confused. "Why would I?"
"You are the Lord of three houses. You are the natural head." Lucius told him.
Harry smirked. "You can keep it. What does that have to do with anything?"
Lucius handed him forms. "You already claimed your place."
Harry was confused. "How did I claim anything? I never knew I had a seat."
"Your magic guardian did." Lucius corrected himself.
"Albus." Harry realized. "But why? And how would you not know?"
Lucius sighed. "We don't always all vote in person."
Lucius told Harry that all lords had a seat on the Wizengamot and on the school governors. Though most held their seat in politics, very few ever acted as a school governor. Neither the Black or Potter seat had been held since the time of Fleamont and Orion. And even further back, to the time of Tiberius, in the case of the Prince family. Ciscero had no desire to hold the seat and Severus had hid that he was Lord Prince. But it seems all three titles had been claimed by Harry when he was eleven years old. In the case of Prince, he seemed to have claimed his father's proxy as Severus was alive at the time. If a lord did not choose to use it, his heir could use their seat, but only on the governors. The Wizengamot it had to be the lord, or the lord had to sign an official proxy, which Severus had not. And had been held by his guardian, in the magic world, Albus. Albus had claimed to be his guardian with Sirius in prison and Remus a werewolf. It seemed he had been using the vote on both bodies.
Harry was confused. "Wouldn't someone notice? I mean didn't he have to be there to vote?"
Lucius shook his head. "He could vote in absentia. If he had the proper paper work which it seems he did."
"And you wouldn't know?"
Lucius shook his head. "No. Votes are usually held in privacy so no one feels pressure to vote a certain way."
Harry still didn't get it. "Could three votes really do much?"
Lucius nodded. "He could do little in the Wizengamot, especially with only the two. But the school governors. There were a number of very close votes."
Harry understood. "They could have gone the other way without my votes."
"Including trying to oust him as headmaster on at least one occasion." Lucius admitted.
Harry had to ask. "Can they be over turned?"
Lucius shook his head. "The ousting him mainly was for Voldemort and was good he wasn't. But the rest no, he had the right."
Harry was furious. "He was not my guardian."
"As long as your father did not claim you. Or Remus didn't win his fight for you, he was."
Harry wondered. "Remus thought Albus was helping him get me but maybe he wasn't? And he knew the truth of Sirius."
Lucius agreed. "If Severus had told me I could have looked into the records. I would have found out what he had been doing."
Harry looked up. "Does he still have power? I mean can he still use my votes?"
Lucius assured him. "No. The moment you came of age no guardian has control over it."
Harry had no idea what Albus planned on doing and why he was pushing Harry still. Lucius thought that it was likely some damage control. He could not afford to have any bad press come out about him using Harry's power behind his back. And doubts would come up about Sirius too. He might also have hoped Harry would not have gone through the records and understood. Technically if Harry didn't actively step in with the govenors, Albus may have continued to try and use his vote without Harry knowing he was. He had flown under the radar this long.
Harry was confused. "You said that now that I am an adult he couldn't?"
"But the votes he was doing was via paper work. If no one contested who was signing those forms….."
Harry finished for him. "He could continue. How do I stop him?"
"The bank already has you on the forms. But you need to inform the governors and Wizengamot of your active role."
Harry didn't need to actually take his seat if he didn't wish to. But there was a scroll issued to all lords, for them to vote if they were not present but had taken their seat. The scroll was currently in Albus' possession. The ministry and school governors would simply issue him new ones in recognition of him coming of age. He could choose to vote or not but it would stop Albus from using his power from now on. He couldn't undo what Albus had done but he could stop the man from doing more. Lucius suggested Harry could simply send an owl to the ministry to have the work done. Harry with a sad grimace reminded the man he had no owl as Hedwig had been killed. It had been nearly a year but Harry had not had the heart to replace his beloved owl even after the war. He knew that he would have to eventually but it had not been top. Lucius helped by sending an elf to retrieve the forms that Harry needed from the ministry, and helped Harry to fill out the forms. And sent them with his own owl.
Harry stopped Lucius when he was about to leave after signing the forms. "Thank you for the help."
Lucius actually smiled a tad. "Happy to help. Interesting at least."
Harry received a copy the next day from the ministry that the paper work had gone through. He had to wonder if Albus would be notified. The man had to know it was coming. Harry knew there was nothing he could do about what the man had done with his votes. Technically Albus had not broken any laws even though it was borderline at best. He wondered if Albus would back off if he knew that he could no longer use Harry. But Harry knew that was wishful thinking at best from him. The man would want his influence and he would not back off for long. He knew at the least some of it had been for good. Lucius had been forced to try and remove Albus from the school in his spy days. For better or worse the school had been better with him there. But from what Lucius had said some of his other actions were far less noble.
Harry was headed into Diagon a few weeks later. He would be starting his courses at the auror academy in a weeks time. He would only be taking a half course load as he didn't plan to be an auror. But it would give him focus until quidditch and be good if he was ever able to teach. Kingsley actually suggested that he could continue with the courses when in quidditch. If the school was not possible Harry could teach at the academy. The majority of the instructors were aurors or retired, but not all of them were.
George met him outside a shop. "How did I get the invite?"
Harry turned to him. "You were pouting I was playing favorites."
George laughed. "Well you did tell him first."
"You were at the hospital or you both would have known. Only a few people know now."
George assured him. "I understand. But shopping?"
Harry shrugged. "Thought you could give me advice."
"I highly doubt you need my advice on an owl."
Harry had reluctantly agreed with Lucius, and his dad who had said it as well, he needed an owl. "Why else would I?"
George eyed him. "I am asking myself the same."
Harry shrugged. "I may have heard rumors Zonkos was about to be sold."
George sighed. "The building was. We will just buy another shop when we have the money."
Harry handed him something. "No need."
George didn't even look. "I know Fred told you no. We are not taking more from you."
"He said he would consider a line funded by me."
"That is different then you buying us a store. And you know it."
Harry smirked. "Who said I was buying it for you? I plan to rent it out."
George did not buy that for one moment. He knew that Harry had every intention of them using the shop. They had tried to pay him back for his initial loan for over a year and he refused to take a single knutt back. Or even a share in the business. Harry reminded his brother that he had more money then he could blow through in a life time from one of his estates alone. And he had three estates now. Harry knew they would refuse and he had bought the shop when he heard it was officially on the market. The twins were amazing business men and had gone an incredible job with their business. They would have had the money to open a second shop already but due to the war they had so many repairs to be made. The money they had saved towards the second shop had been put back into the original. Not all of it but a good chunk of it.
Harry would not take the scroll back from him. For better or worse Harry had bought the building for them. There was some apartments above it too. He knew Fred would likely take the shop as it was easier for Alicia to work from there, but he thought George easier to convince.
George took the forms. "We will be paying you back."
Harry smirked. "Sure."
"We will." George insisted.
"You can give me shares, that's it." Harry said.
George grunted. "You are far too stubborn."
Harry shrugged. "Seems to run in my veins."
George motioned to the shop. "Was this a set up or did we really come here to shop?"
Harry smiled. "Came for both."
George saw Harry's eyes looking. "I don't see any snow owls."
Harry sighed. "I don't think I could ever have another."
George looked towards the cats. "You could go furry."
Harry smacked him. "Not great for messages."
Harry remembered shopping with Hagrid and the bond he had always had with his beloved Hedwig. He knew part was because she was his only link all those summers. Her death had hit him nearly as hard as Sirius, Moody and Dobby close as well. His eyes settled on a lovely brown and almost golden colored owl that he was told was an Iberian eagle owl. He seemed to stand out to Harry among the other eagle owls in the shop and Harry decided to pick him. As he purchased the owl he chose the name Aquilo. George noted the very Latin name but said nothing.
George motioned to Harry. "We should go tell my twin what you did."
Harry looked innocent. "I could just send him an owl to tell him."
"You know what I am talking about."
Harry laughed. "I guess there is no time like the present."
Before they could head back to the shop they were surprised by a pop. "Master."
Harry was shocked to find Kreacher. "What are you doing here?"
Kreacher bowed to Harry. "Master Remus be sending me to find you."
Harry was surprised he had listened to Remus. "He knew I would be home soon."
Kreacher shook his head. "Master be needing to come now."
Harry felt some panic going in his chest. "Is he at the coast or…..?"
"He be at the hospital."
Harry nearly collapsed when his elf told him Remus was at the hospital. He had been worried to why Kreacher would actually come for him. Kreacher usually refused to have anything to do with Remus. He would make him food or clean but he would not take any direct orders from him. That is why Harry and Remus had brought Winky to the house. Winky had been truly loyal to Harry ever since Dobby had died. The two elves were both very loyal to Harry but Remus was another matter. The only thing that made Harry remain calm was Remus had sent for him.
He knew something was seriously wrong though. "The hospital? Why the hospital?"
Kreacher didn't know. "I just told to bring Master."
AN: So we know what Albus was up to with hiding Harry. Harry has taken his seats back but Albus is not going to sit quietly.
Aquilo is the Roman version of Boreas, the Greek God of the north wind. Harry decided to go with the Roman name as a slight nod to his new found family. Even though he swore he would never choose a Roman name for a kid in the family tradition, he did for his new owl.
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