Ashes in your Mouth
Chapter Two: Key to a second jobWhere our hero engages in retail therapy and sets up housekeeping.
As Harry walked away from Gringotts for possibly the last time, he sighed.
That letter about the fireworks order needed to be handled too… so Harry took the black key from his robe pocket and unlocked the door of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.
A few letters had been shoved under the door. Harry pocketed them for George.
The cardboard sign on the inside of the door said 'CLOSED till further notice'.
Harry got a quill from by the till and wrote on the back of the card 'REOPENING SOON'. A bit messily… but better than nothing.
He eyed the stack of owl-order forms. They'd be great if there was a way to let people have them.
Twenty minutes of transfiguration later and a stool was a little stand with a clear lid, and the owl-order forms, which he dragged out and sticking charmed to the cobbles. People could owl order anyway.
Harry went upstairs and braved the twins flat. The smell of rot filled the room.
Harry started to vanish and scourgify the mess.
From downstairs, someone yelled "SHOP!"
Harry sighed, he couldn't deal with people right now. They were guaranteed to be annoying about being Harry Potter.
He left the flat, passing a flattened cardboard box on a side table with a comb "Comb-a-Chameleon Change your appearance"
Harry took the comb, covered in knobs, and looked in the mirror, and combed his hair. His eyes went brown and his hair red and straight. It was… instant Weasleyness.
Harry went down the stairs and stood behind the counter "Yes?" he asked.
"I'd uh, like some fireworks" said a tall wizard with long curly grey hair and blue eyes "We're celebrating the end of the war, you know"
Harry walked over to the fireworks shelves "Fireworks is here" he said, sweeping his hand across the boxes.
The wizard, Bartleby Jones paid seven sickles for a box of shooting stars.
Harry wrote it up on the sales list, and looked at the seven sickles… money was nice.
The doorbell tinkled, and Harry looked up. A witch stood there "Uh, I'm… here for some fireworks?"
...
Several hours later, there were no fireworks on the shelf, and the drawer was full of sickles and knuts. And a few galleons. They'd sold out of fireworks. Harry bolted the door of the shop and turned the sign to closed, and sank into a chair in the back room. He really needed a drink.
The flat upstairs yielded a mostly empty bottle of firewhiskey. Harry poured it into a mostly clean mug and drank it.
Harry took a new Chameleon comb from the shelf in the shop and opened the box. There were instructions.
Harry read carefully and set the knobs to blue eyes and brown hair. It looked less unnatural than red hair on his skin colour. Still, not at all like Harry Potter, which was the point. It went in his pocket.
Harry took the all the fireworks they had from the back storeroom and put them on the shelf.
His stomach was gurgling.
Harry decided to take the till contents and leave for the day, promising himself he'd give George some of the money.
Harry went to the ministry and talked to Floo Network Authority about Grimmald place. The network had been disconnected and it would cost a galleon to get back on, and a galleon a year. Harry handed over two of the three galleons he had.
Having spent some money he went back to Diagon Alley and found the Grocers and bought a box of basics… flour, salt, oil and bacon, and a few bottles of milk. A bag of oats, and some cans of beans and Harry felt, once he added a size-charmed loaf of bread, he had some basics… oh and more toothpaste and soap.
"Seventeen sickles, and eight knuts" said the clerk.
"Oh, and three bottles of firewhiskey" added Harry casually.
Forty sickles poorer, Harry took the box by floo to Grimmauld place and put it in the pantry.
A tinkle of moving broken china had Harry turning, wand drawn.
Kreacher the house elf stood, covered in whitish dust, holding broken china in both hands, and looking as derelict as the house.
"You live" croaked the old house-elf, staring at Harry.
"I won" sighed Harry "Clean this place up. I'm staying at The Burrow, but I'm moving here today. Try to fix one bed for me."
"Yes Master" croaked Kreacher, and nodded, fading from sight. The dust fell to the ground.
Harry left the food behind and flooed back to The Burrow, went to Ron's room and started packing his stuff into his battered backpack.
Ron was lying on the bed, bent like a banana against the wall. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Moving back to Grimmauld place" explained Harry "I need my own space."
"But food..." said Ron.
"I got a little, and Kreachers' working" said Harry. "I've got to go talk to George about the letter, and stuff. The shop's nearly out of fireworks."
"Out of fireworks?" asked Ron.
"I opened up to check the post, clean up and ended up selling all the fireworks on the shelf." explained Harry.
Harry knocked on Georges door and pushed it open. The room had a scorched ceiling, especially over the potions lab bench. The smell of unwashed man filled the room like soup made from fungus while on the run in a tent.
Harry sat down on the opposite bed, holding the letter. He cleared his throat noisily.
"George, I opened up the shop today and sold all the fireworks off the shelf. We've sold out. You need to get up and make loads more. I took all the back room stock and put it on the shelf, so we could probably sell another few hours worth. I kept some of the money, I'm er, broke. The goblins took my vault. Didn't like the stunt with the dragon."
George made a noise like Crookshanks hacking up a furball.
"You're… broke?" asked George, and his head emerged from the sheets like a corpse from a shroud. He was stubbled and red eyed, and his eyes had an off sheen "Harry Potter, inheritor of the Blacks is broke?"
"They took everything." said Harry "And the Aurors are not paying money just yet."
George snorted "You really are rubbish with money" he said and stood up, and staggered off. Harry shuddered, he had just seen more of George than he ever really wanted to.
The loo flushed and George reappeared and started dressing.
"You're … getting up?" asked Harry.
"Or let you run our business into the ground, not likely." said George. "Besides… there'll be a run on fireworks like eighty-one"
"And we got a custom order, a big show for Diagon alley. One of the – " Harry stopped talking, because George was ignoring him and leaving.
Harry ran downstairs, to see George pat an incredulous Molly Weasley on the back and leave by floo to "Wheezes Central".
"What did you do?" asked Molly.
"Uh, opened the shop and sold all the fireworks" admitted Harry.
Harry left the ground floor, went all the way up to Ron's room, and came back with his overloaded backpack and Aurors robe.
"And where are you going, young man?" asked Molly.
"Grimmauld place" said Harry "I need my own place, and I own it."
Harry, at Kreacher's insistence went back to the grocers to buy a few things.
"Harry Potter!" said the elderly witch behind the counter "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Getting some groceries?" he asked, cursing himself for not remembering the disguise.
Harry left with a large crate of groceries, for free, except of the sign in the window 'Official Grocer of Harry Potter', and they'd said his elf could come any time. Maybe this winning the war business wasn't so bad.
Kreacher had unpacked the crate of food and then Harry explained he could just go to the grocer any time and get food for free.
"Kreacher uses the Black vault gold to pay for things" explained Kreacher.
"The goblins have taken all our gold" said Harry simply.
Kreacher's brow furrowed "Goblins took all the Black gold?" he asked.
"All of it." said Harry "They didn't like me taking a cursed thing from Bellatrix's vault"
"Master must get the gold back" said Kreacher. "The Blacks are a respectable family, with much gold."
"Right now" said Harry, looking in his money bag "We've got a galleon, about thirty sickles and a few knuts."
After lunch Harry went to see Andromeda and Teddy. His godson, after all.
Andromeda Tonks opened the door on a heavy black chain and asked him "What did you eat first at my house?" suspiciously, her wand pointed at his chest.
"I had tea" corrected Harry. "What was my first words to you?"
"Bellatrix" said Andromeda, wryly.
Harry nodded and Andromeda Tonks undid the chain on the door. The black chain slithered off into the wainscot.
"I… Gringotts took all my money, and I've no idea what I inherited from Sirius" said Harry, feeling a bit stupid.
Andromeda listened to Harry's explanation, nodded and said "Go see a lawyer."
"Um, where would I find one?" asked Harry.
"Wilkes Davis in Diagon alley seem respectable" said Andromeda.
The rest of the visit was spent holding a squirmy Teddy, who changed his hair to black and eyes to green. Harry's heart ached oddly. Teddy looked like … his dad, or a very young Harry. He had no idea. The thought, like a snitch seen across a quidditch pitch, that his own child might look rather a lot like Teddy… but with Potter knobbly knees…unless his mother provided nicer knees. Harry swallowed, took a deep breath and looked at Andromeda, who was watching Harry evenly "You learn to change a nappy and I'll have you as a baby sitter. Teddy's a fusser, but seems to like you." she said.
Fortified with scones and tea, Harry left, having changed one nappy. The stench was hard to relate to cute little Teddy.
Wilkes Davis had a little sign on Diagon alley that led up a flight of stairs to a small suite of offices over a silversmith.
Harry opened the door and an elderly witch looked at him.
"You're Harry Potter" she said. Harry felt that was a bit redundant.
"Yes" agreed Harry "I need a lawyer."
"Well, we'd be glad to" said the old witch "What sort of business?"
"I'm in a spot of trouble with the Goblins" admitted Harry "I had to take something from the vaults during the war."
The old witch paled "The… Dragon!" she said.
"That too" admitted Harry.
Mr Davis, who was a rounded-off brown haired middle-aged man agreed to check out Harry's issues with the Goblins, the Goblin liaison office and at Harry's suggestion, the Ministers department.
A week later, he had another day off and went to see Wilkes again.
Wilkes explained the basic situation, that Harry really was broke, had inherited being a Black and that Harry had a number of title-deeds.
"So I'm Draco Malfoy's cousin?" asked Harry.
"Twice over" said Davis, smiling enthusiastically. "Your father's side, and of course, Sirius Black's left you everything, including the name of Black"
"Name of Black?"
"You're the named eldest living Black. You therefore represent the family in certain legal matters" said Wilkes opaquely.
"Will that cost me money?" asked Harry.
"Not in general, but my services are not free, Mister Potter. Well, Potter Black" said Davis. "We will appreciate prompt payment of our invoice, after which we will release the title deeds to you."
"But they're mine" said Harry.
"Wilkes Davis are holding them as security on your unpaid legal bills of fifteen galleons" said Davis. "And that concludes our appointment, unless you want to pay for another half hour?"
Harry left promptly… he already didn't have fifteen galleons, he certainly didn't have thirty.
-==0==-
Harry's found living with a house elf is very convenient. Kreacher cooked… sort of, and the food's free.
The thing with the goblins is a big problem though.
Harry goes to see his awful cousin. Not the fat one, the other one.
"Cousin" said Harry maliciously, standing in the front hall of Malfoy Manor. It is as grand as Harry remembers. Harry feels a bit anxious, really. Lots of bad memories.
Draco Malfoy walked in from a doorway to somewhere else, looking haggard, but his clothes were expensive.
"Don't call me that Potter" said Draco Malfoy bitterly.
"I'm here as the head of Black" said Harry. Malfoy turned a bit green at the words "Mipsy!" he called and a house elf appeared "Mistress, here urgently." Harry just had time to notice the house-elf had a clean embroidered pillowcase on, when it popped away.
Seconds later there was a crack and Narcissa Malfoy appeared, in fancy looking robes with a strange, worried look on her face.
"What is he doing here" she asked Draco stiffly.
"The head of Black is here" said Draco. Narcissa Malfoy hissed and turned to look at Harry.
"Yes" she said, almost politely, but her eyes were narrowed and her hands balled into white fists.
"I've inherited everything from Sirius, including being a Black" explained Harry "And I'm having trouble with the goblins"
"Trouble with the goblins?" asked Draco. "Have you annoyed them?"
"I robbed Gringotts in the last days of the war" admitted Harry.
Narcissa Malfoy blinked and laughed, a brittle, strained laugh "You fool" she scoffed. "They'll never forgive that" she almost cackled.
"I've been told that in person" Harry acknowledged. "I was thinking my cousins might…"
"Loan you money?" asked Narcissa "Rather crass, shaking us down like a loan shark, but you – "
"Actually I was thinking you could write Gringotts a letter and suggest they reconsider, or the Malfoys might move all their gold to say… Switzerland?" said Harry.
Narcissa Malfoy said nothing but stared at Harry like a dog that had just hopped on a bicycle.
"And why should we do that?" asked Draco "We're under house arrest."
"Which is nicer than Azkaban" replied Harry politely. "Your trials will happen eventually and I will be a key witness."
"A deal, you're offering a deal" asked Narcissa.
"Get me my money and you were supporters of Voldemort in name only" suggested Harry.
"There's no way we could do that" snapped Narcissa "They never forgive" she hissed.
"I could give it back, I suppose" said Harry "I don't need it anymore, though it was stolen anyway"
"What was?" asked Draco imperiously.
"Helga Hufflepuff's cup. It was hidden in Bellatrix's vault, but Voldemort stole it from Hepzibah Smith" said Harry in his best Auror listing facts voice.
"How could you possibly have done that" scoffed Narcissa Malfoy.
"Hairs from Bellatrix when she tortured Hermione, polyjuice potion, bribed a goblin with Griffindors sword, an invisibilty cloak. Pretty easy really" drawled Harry, mimicking the way Draco used to talk at school.
Narcissa Malfoy blinked. "That is why you're in trouble. Anyone could tell you that the goblins will recover stolen goods from vaults, as long as you can identify the item and the original owner." she said in a precise tone that sounded like she was reciting something learnt long ago.
"Raised by muggles" said Harry offhandedly "Dreadful business" he drawled, in intentional parody of Draco.
The Malfoys looked disgusted.
As Harry turned to leave he said "Oh, and as I'm your closest living relative, if you were to say, go to Azkaban and perhaps die tragically, I suspect I might inherit, so consider your choices!"
"You're a bastard!" spat Draco Malfoy.
Harry stopped and turned to look at Draco "I'm going to let that remark slide, Draco. If you ever call me or any of my friends names again, I'll pull in favours, and I have so many people who owe me. Don't press me."
Draco stared at Harry icily, then his eyelid started to twitch. Harry's dislike for Draco thrilled at that; he'd finally got to the blond shit. Harry kept staring and a tremor spread across Dracos' face, his whole head shaking, his hands curling up into claws… Malfoy made a groan and his mother, who'd been staring at Harry glance over and sprang… not at Harry but to grab Draco, who was blushing and shaking with … what was that.
"Oh my poor boy" cried Narcissa Malfoy in… a quite caring tone, as she held Draco as he had some sort of mild fit. She looked up at Harry, quite pale "Cruciatus exposure" she explained, looking ...upset. "The dark lord was merciless, and some of the old guard came visiting afterwards. And we don't have wands."
"Snape has a potion…" stated Harry.
"Severus Snape died doing something stupid for your side" snapped Narcissa Malfoy. "His potion for cruciatus exposure is lost, and we cannot leave home to purchase potions ingredients. House arrest."
Harry took a deep breath and took out his notebook and pencil.
"Now Mrs Malfoy," Harry asked in his best Auror tone "On what day did these people come and attack your son?"
"A week after Hogwarts" she said bitterly "Why should you care"
"I'm an Auror, and you're reporting a crime" said Harry "If you can, please provide as much detail as possible, so we can apprehend the persons who cast an Unforgivable. Obviously, since the repeal of that law, The cruciatis curse is once again a one-way ticket to Azkaban for life."
"You'd … catch them?" asked Draco awkwardly, the twitching only now subsiding.
"They committed a crime. It's my duty to protect society from dark wizards and witches" said Harry "Now Mrs Malfoy, please give me as much detail as possible. Do you think you could identify the assailants?"
"It was Nott Senior and Felix Rosier" said Narcissa "They didn't bother wearing masks."
"Rosier's family, isn't he?" asked Harry.
"My mother's family" said Narcissa bitterly.
"Well, lets get this all written down, dates and times…" said Harry, and took a report from a slightly confused Narcissa Malfoy.
"Is this part of the deal?" she asked "We help, you prosecute?"
"No" said Harry bluntly "We're rounding up the 'old guard' and putting them in Azkaban. Unless they've been very, very helpful."
"You might have lasted a month in Slytherin, Potter" said Draco, who was sitting awkwardly on a couch in the hallway.
"Are you… going to cast us out of the house of Black?" asked Narcissa cautiously.
"There are not enough of us to do that" said Harry.
"You can, you're the head" said Draco bitterly.
"If anything I'm going to bring Aunt Andromeda back in" said Harry "Her family all died in the war, except for your nephew, Edward Remus Lupin. You can work out who his father was."
Narcissa's face twisted up, her lips white, but her eyes wet. "A creature… a creature married into the family" she said bitterly.
"Remus Lupin was a good man, a better teacher and the kindest werewolf ever." said Harry "Teddy isn't a werewolf, but he is, like his mother a metamorphmagus. It's a Black family inheritance, and marrying a muggle like Uncle Ted got the old family magic working again. There's quite a lot of that if you know where to look" Harry remarked. "Oh, I'm his godfather, and he's my heir; so He's the next Black. And that's that."
Narcissa Malfoy had a strange look on her face, her eyes were wide, and her face was pale, but she was biting her lip. Harry had no idea what that was about, so he walked towards the front doors.
"Potter!" Narcissa Malfoy called out plaintively "Can you please put up some protections. The Aurors dispelled all of ours."
Harry sighed and cast a few protective spells off the top of his head. He'd just finished casting Protego Horribilis when Narcissa Malfoy said, from just behind him "You're… quite a competent wizard?"
Harry finished the spell and turned around "Yes Aunty Narcissa, I thought killing Voldemort might have given that away, or maybe being an Auror, but yes, I know a few spells.
Draco was standing by his mother, leaning on a cane looking… like he'd just had a run in with the torture curse really.
"Tha – Thank you Potter" said Draco, stammering, and getting red in the face "Thank you for this."
"No problem cousin. If either of you remember anything from the war, names, places, dates, – locations of safe houses… write it down and owl it to the Auror office." said Harry. "I'll get some letters to allow you two to get to Gringotts, an apothecary and St Mungos."
"And father?" asked Draco quietly.
"Is in Azkaban, as a marked supporter of Voldemort. You're helping Aurors with their enquiries… look I'm sorry we didn't have a guard here, but we're terribly short-staffed with the war. " The last part very sarcastically.
"You'd have a guard here, to protect us?" asked Narcissa Malfoy.
"It's be a great way to collect your old guard" replied Harry drily "Operation Stalking Horse."
Draco went paler.
"Draco dear, I believe Potter would have done Quite well in Syltherin." said Narcissa Malfoy, sounding almost impressed. "And probably taken over the country."
"I'd never do that" snorted Harry "I've seen Shack's in-box. Not my thing at all" he smiled and finally left Malfoy manor again. Blimey, you go to ask for a… simple ordinary bribe and next thing bloody Draco Malfoy's… getting tortured for protecting me. Harry decided he was not thinking about that too hard.
-==0==-
Harry got a letter from Wilkes Davis saying that they would like to be paid, and suggested he organise a small deduction from his Auror's pay. Harry got right on that that day at lunch, and as a result didn't get any lunch. It looked like Wilkes Davis would be paid immediately, if they accepted a promisary note… or a bit later, in actual Galleons after taxes had been collected.
Harry was eating a hearty breakfast to make missing lunch safer in future, when an owl started to bang on the back windows of the kitchen. Kreacher opened the window and made a clawing motion at the owl that ripped the letter from it's clutches. The owl squawked indignantly, few in a circle around the room and left.
Kreacher handed Harry the letter.
It was addressed to Harry Potter and had a Ministry seal on it.
'The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt is pleased to invite you Harry Potter, to be the guest of honour at a ball celebrating the end of the war.
As part of the celebration, you will be receiving an Order of Merlin, first class.
This is not public knowledge and you are encouraged to keep it secret until the ball.
Your associates will also be receiving awards, as will persons who acted in defence of Hogwarts in the final battle.
Your attendance with a date is expected on July thirty-first, in the atrium of the ministry at seven pm sharp.
Kinsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic, B Thaum, Dip. Law.
Pp Percy Weasley.
'
Harry took the invite and went to see Teddy and … Aunt Andromeda again, though he's certainly not calling her Aunty.
Andromeda's house smells of cooking and small child. Harry knocks on the back door and Andromeda lets him in at wand-point, in robes that are much tidier than any Harry owns.
"What did you call me when you left last" she asked.
"Andromeda" admitted Harry awkwardly.
"And your turn" she said.
"What did I arrive in first?"
"A flying motorcycle side-car that belonged to my idiot cousin" said Andromeda. She lowered her wand. "What has Auror Potter been doing?"
"I uh… went to see the Malfoys. I needed leverage with the goblins." said Harry; and Andromeda made him sit, drink tea and explain like a civilised human being.
"And now I've got this stupid invite to a commemorative ball and awards dinner" said Harry "I hate balls"
"And you have no money?" asked Andromeda.
"I've been saving my Aurors pay, and living off my pay from Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, well that and the grocer gives me food boxes… official grocer to Harry Potter and all that rot." said Harry.
"So… do you have dress robes?" she asked.
"No, but I'm not bothered. I don't want to dance anyway" said Harry.
"And your girlfriend, Miss Weasley?" asked Andromeda "How does she feel about this?"
Harry sat quietly.
"You didn't mention that you have been invited to a prestigious ball as guest of honour?"
"I don't have money for one set of robes, let alone two" said Harry "The Weasleys are…"
"Poor" said Andromeda. "Not as poor as you, but poor"
Harry remembered that glimpse of the Weasley's Gringotts vault with its pathetic pile of galleons. Best not to mention that… though they had more than Harry at this point, he thought morosely.
"Why do you need leverage with the goblins?" asked Andromeda casually.
"Because…." and then Harry explained again.
Andromeda looked at Harry through lidded eyes… looking dangerously like Bellatrix LeStrange
"That is the stupidest, most idiotic plan I have elver heard of, and I grew up with Sirius trying to sneak treats out of the pantry at Aunty Walburga's house." she said firmly.
Harry was stuck by the family resemblance to Aunt Bellatrix and Aunty Narcisssa. Who was less Black looking … probably more Rosier-ish, he supposed. The tone of voice was exactly the same.
"The goblins will recover…" started Andromeda in a lecturing tone.
"Stolen goods if identified" interjected Harry "Aunt Narcissa may have mentioned it."
"How is that morally bankrupt supporter of he-who-shall-not-be-named?" she asked studiously casually.
Harry explained about Draco being tortured, and needing treatment.
"The boy was spoiled within an inch of his life. Like my sister" said Andromeda firmly. "Mummy loved her best because she was blonde" she remarked sourly.
Having a family, Harry thought… is a weird business. Finding out half the people you've ever met are your relations is even weirder. Everyone's families have favourite children, parents with strange attitudes… Xeno Lovegood's fragile grasp on reality came to mind.
"Are… we related to the Lovegoods?" asked Harry. "I didn't see them on the tapestry... but Great Aunt Walburga was a bit hex happy?"
"They're distantly related to me though the Rosiers" said Andromeda "Not to you…. Are you interested in Xeno's girl; now?"
Harry choked on his tea-biscuit. "Uh… Luna Lovegood's a friend from school and, from the war" he said "Not that kind of friend."
"Just as well" said Andromeda "The Lovegoods are all a bit… cuckoo" she said.
Harry thought about the Blacks' penchant for being raving nutters. Best not to mention that.
"Who was her mothers family?" asked Harry curiously.
"Pandora… oh she was a Vexmoor, not the heiress, obviously" said Andromeda nonchalantly.
"Vexmoors?" asked Harry
"They own cruise ships" said Andromeda. "And before you ask ,she wasn't the heiress because she took Xenos' surname; if she'd been the heiress she'd have kept her name and named at least her firstborn as a Vexmoor. Surely you met some of them at School; Susan Bones was in your year, as was Daphne Greengrass."
"I uh, know Susan" said Harry "She was in the DA."
"And you never talked to any Slytherins ever?" asked Andromeda sounding peeved "That stupid quidditch rivalry still."
"Uh... it's much more than Quidditch" said Harry "Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson were, well…"
"Pansy was the one that's had to flee the country?" asked Andromeda "Ari never did have two brain cells."
Harry looked confused.
"Her mother is Ari Parkinson née MacDougal, and a friend of Narcissa Malfoy's. Both hideous blood bigots and fashionista's" said Andromeda. "Ari's a silly girl who married a much older man"
Harry sat quietly sipping tea. His Aunt had things to say. Quite weird hearing about all the Slytherins from the other side. Andromeda thought of Narcissa as a spoilt little sister…. How weird.
"Now, back to this ball. You will be attending. We will find something for you."
"I can't dance" protested Harry.
"A likely story" said Andromeda. "I seem to have come into some money from your… 'Auntie Bellatrix's' death, so I can afford a few outfits. As you seem to have exterminated the LeStranges, Teddy's got a few galleons for a rainy day. And Guernsey's going to have to elect a Warlock for the first time in centuries."
"They what?" asked Harry, not seeing how that related.
"The LeStranges had one of the few remaining hereditary seats in the Wizengamot. Most Warlocks are elected."
"And you can't claim it?" asked Harry.
"Goodness no. You can't inherit that sort of thing across families." said Andromeda. "Your great-grandfather had one of the other ones. The Potters of Godrics Hollow. You don't live there, so they can elect someone like normal people" she said brusquely.
"Nobody ever mentioned this stuff to me" said Harry.
"It's all in Magical Government, The Lords of Misrule by Pupa Mediius Soccus" said Andromeda "It's one of the History of Magic textbooks."
Harry grimaced "I never liked that subject and I um, missed seventh year" he admitted.
"Well that solves my problem of what to get you for your birthday" said Andromeda.
"The textbook?" asked Harry.
"NEWT exams at the ministry" corrected Andromeda."You're hardly a fully qualified wizard without them."
"I'm an Auror" protested Harry "And I have a second job too."
"Doing what?"
"Selling fireworks" said Harry "For the Weasleys." 'He'd sold a shop-full, that was a job right?' Harry justified to himself.
"And that pays better than ridicule when you retire from the Aurors and can't get a proper job for lack of even one NEWT?" said Andromeda sharply. Harry sighed. Having relatives was hard work.
"Why would I care once I retire anyway?" asked Harry "I'll be old."
"You have to retire to take up the Black seat on the Wizengamot. It's the only reason we still have that house in London, we've had the Islington seat in the Wizengamot for… I think since it started." she said uncertainly. "Grandfather always said so."
"I… I have to be a politician?" asked Harry.
"No… you have to vote in the Wizengamot. They approve new laws, and judge serious cases. Honestly, did you learn Nothing at school?"
"Um… I was busy learning to fight" said Harry.
"And you do that very well" said Andromeda almost kindly "But you'll need to dance, so you can either learn from me, or go to classes in Muggle London."
"Classes" said Harry instantly.
Andromeda glared at Harry "And miss out on Teddy? He'll love to watch."
"With you then" said Harry correctly this time.
"We'll have to make room… the dining room at Grimmauld is huge" said Andromeda. "Once you shrink the table."
Harry realised, in a flash on inspiration, he could avoid History of magic, at least "I um, can't take NEWT History of magic, I got a Poor in OWLs" said Harry "My cursed scar knocked me sideways in the exam."
Aunt Andromeda looked down her nose at him "That calls" she said with a thin smile "for an agrotat."
"A what?" asked Harry.
"We can apply, and get you either a pass, based on your classwork" said Aunt Andromeda and Harry winced at the thought of that grade, "Or you can simply re-sit the exam at the WEA offices. There is a small fee."
A month later Harry realised he hated his life. Aunt Andromeda was a hard tutor and there was more than one kind of awful dancing at balls. And he hated History of Magic.
And he had been given a list after the first lesson.
A list of girls names.
"That is a draft dance card for you" said Andromeda "All the heiresses in the Sacred Twenty eight, and the back has all the heirs. You should have a short polite conversion with all of them, and dance with as many of the heiresses a possible, and then these names on a visiting card are the current Wizengamot members. Obviously you're dancing with your girlfriend first, but you need to cultivate some of these people; you'll be working with them for the next century or more.
'Augusta Longbottom' stood out. "Augusta Longbottom, that's Neville's Grandmother" said Harry.
"You know the Longbottom boy, well Augusta is the nearest thing to an anti-Voldemort faction whip" said Andromeda.
"She's their leader?" asked Harry.
"She makes sure they turn up to vote and know what they're voting on" corrected Andromeda "Dumbledore was their leader."
-==0==-
Auror Potter is annoyingly busy and makes it to precisely zero Hogwarts Hogsmeade weekends.
Harry Potter solves the problem by doing less at Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes and trying to take the tunnel from the Shrieking Shack into Hogwarts. It's been walled off with large stones. He goes home frustrated, in many senses of the word. There are always nightmares to keep him company.
And sitting OWL History of magic had been every bit as boring as he'd dreaded it being. He did, however manage to remember the Giant wars, and even, with a bit of almost-practical experience from Hagrid, remember what a Gurg was, and wrote an essay on why bribing the Gurgs was troublesome. He couldn't remember the examples from the textbook, so he used the example from the war instead. It felt, oddly like writing an auror-office report, and he tried to write it such that, for example Robards wouldn't make him re-write it. The old witch from the WEA beamed at him as he left. One thing done anyway, he thought to himself.
-==0==-
Harry greeted Ginny at Kings cross station at the end of the year. He swapped shifts with Evans (no relation), taking two night shifts to get the afternoon off.
Ginny eyed Harry grumpily "You finally make it somewhere" she said. "Lazy prat."
"I've been working" said Harry, trying to justify his failures.
Ginny accepted a hug with poor grace, and then Mrs Weasley was hugging Ginny, and Hermione gave him a surprisingly gentle hug, and then proceeded to hug Ron in a disturbingly snog-like way.
Harry's stomach wants to rebel. It was just gross.
Harry shrank Ginny's trunk and handed her the matchbox sized trunk. She pocketed it and asked "Which room are you in?"
"Harry moved out" said Mrs Weasley stiffly "Living as a Bachelor at Grimmauld place."
"I work all different hours" explained Harry.
"Well, dear, do you feel up to apparating home?" Mrs Weasley asked Ginny.
Ginny gave Harry a kiss on the cheek and apparated off with her mother.
Ron stopped sucking Hermione's face long enough to ask her what she was going to do.
"I'm… coming to The Burrow" she said. "My parents house is… well they sold it" she explained.
Ron looked unreasonably cheerful about that.
The two of them vanished and Harry went back to Grimmauld place in a crack.
He was sulking in the parlour when Kreacher appeared with a pop and bowed. "Master has a visitor, the blood traitor Weasley" the old elf croaked.
"Let them in" said Harry, wondering what Ron was doing.
Ginny Weasley appeared in the parlour with a loud crack and looked around "Still a dump" she observed. "Mum was pleased to have Hermione there till she caught them snogging. They're getting talked at, so I thought I'd come see you." She crossed her arms.
"I'm off till tomorrow morning, I swapped shifts to get some time off to see you" said Harry awkwardly.
"You really couldn't make it to any Hogsmeade weekends?" asked Ginny.
"There's only a little over a dozen Aurors. We're stretched really thin" explained Harry.
"Well, make it up to me?" asked Ginny. "You could take me out for a meal?"
"I um..." Harry ran out of words. "I… I had a run in with the Goblins, and now… I don't exactly have much money any more."
"You were loaded" countered Ginny.
"The bill for stealing a dragon, some goblins died… it was more than I had." said Harry. "No more Gringotts for me. I'm banned for life."
Ginny frowned "But you've got a good job as an Auror" she said.
Harry smiled thinly "Didn't get paid for ages, the ministry was broke. I've got a little bit saved up now, but I've got to save it for, well, later. Grocers give me food for free, so Kreacher cooks." explained Harry.
"Oh" said Ginny.
"We do have a ball to go to, with new outfits" offered Harry.
"A ball?" asked Ginny.
"Commemorating the end of the war and stuff" said Harry "You can be my date, and for that, Aunt Andromeda will pay for an outfit for you."
Ginny sat down "Please explain why Sirius Black's cousin is your aunt, and why she's paying for things. I thought Sirius left you some money?"
Harry explained. By the end, Ginny laughed "Aunt Andromeda huh?"
"And Teddy." said Harry. "He's quite cool, a metamorphmagus like Tonks was."
"Hermione told me" said Ginny. "Big long boring talk about genetix."
"How did quidditch go, really?" asked Harry "Ron wouldn't say"
"I kicked arse" said Ginny proudly. "I might get a development squad position with the Harpies."
Harry sat back, stunned "Go Pro?" he asked "Wow!"
Ginny sat smugly.
"Are you really still grumpy with me" asked Harry "It wasn't my fault this time"
Ginny got up and sat down on Harry's lap "Well" she drawled "You could probably convince me."
Harry gingerly kissed her. She kissed back, and it was like the good old days again.
A dozen long slow kisses later and Ginny batted Harry's hands off "Hey, I've got to get home before mum works out where I am."
"The floo's back on" said Harry "At twelve Grimmauld place"
Ginny nodded and stood up "Well, I'm off. You take care of yourself" she said, and winked.
Harry worked out what she meant a bit later. Tease.
-==0==-
George was probably at Weasleys wheezes when Harry got ready to drop by after his shift.
It was about four in the afternoon, and Harry had just beaten a wizard who'd been attacking a muggleborn's house. The muggleborn had cunningly telephoned a halfblood, who'd floo-called the Aurors. The house had been smashed up but nobody had died.
Harry had caught a few hexes, but mostly on armour. He'd had worse injuries playing quidditch, honestly. Harry bushed his hair with the chameleon comb, and the brown haired, blue-eyed guy left the Auror office and went to Weasleys wheezes via the Leaky cauldron, having a quick mug of beer.
The shop door rang as he opened it and Verity looked up from the till, and stared at him.
"I'm here to see George" explained Harry.
"Mister?" asked Verity cautiously.
"Kettle" said Harry.
Kettle waited till George came out. "You?" asked George.
"I sold all the fireworks and restocked. Any work going?" asked Harry.
George blinked "Selling fireworks" said George "Lots of demand at the moment."
Harry nodded "got an apron for me?" he asked. "I'll sweep up the back, fill the shelves"
George sniffed "Had a drink already?"
"Just got off work" explained Harry "Just one to take the edge off."
-==0==-
Harry got used to selling fireworks for a few hours a day here and there.
Dawlish seemed to be scheduling Harry to never get a Hogwarts weekend off. Or any weekends off really.
"Sir, I never get Saturdays or Sundays off?" asked Harry one night.
"You have no family" said Dawlish "So people with families can spend time with theirs."
"I have a godson" corrected Harry.
Dawlish looked at him dismissively.
"I change his nappies" offered Harry. "His parents died and his grandmother's raising him."
"How good of you" said Dawlish "Get back to work."
The morning was disrupted by an owl dropping off a parchment letter to Harry.
'Harry Potter, Grimmauld Place, Islington' was the address.
Harry opened the letter with some trepidation.
It was, oddly, his OWL results. Again. But instead of his Poor in History of Magic, he'd got… Harry blinked. He'd got an O plus in history of magic, with a note 'Candidate documented events from Second blood war. Look forward to his NEWT essay answers.'
Harry looked at the parchment. He'd just… written down what happened. Properly, not leaving bits out, and so Robards wouldn't yell at him. Hmm. Not telling Hermione or Ron; Ron would make fun of him. Even Percy wouldn't have gotten an O plus in History of Magic. Harry vaguely recalled Percy had got nearly straight O's, as had Bill.
