Lupin shuffled closer to Harry when he beckoned him, his finger tracing over a paragraph in his recently acquired book - The Complete Laws and Statutes of the British Ministry of Magic.

"In the context of emancipated minors, emancipation is essentially a legal procedure whereby children become legally responsible for themselves and their parents are no longer responsible (financially or otherwise) for their children.

Thus, emancipated children are freed from parental custody and control and essentially become "adults" in many ways.

As soon as wizard or witch turns 17, he or she legally becomes an adult and is automatically emancipated from parental custody and control.

To become an emancipated minor, the child over the age of 12 has to petition the Familial Affairs Wing of the Wizengamot and obtain a declaration of emancipation from a judge, which can sometime be a complex proceeding."

Harry then flipped over to another chapter relating to muggle-born wizards and witches and eagerly showed an underlined paragraph to his father's best friend.

"Muggle-born wizards or witches or any other wizard or witch who was brought up in muggle world with their traditions and who satisfies the set condition of not having been in any intentional contact with the magical world for 10 or more years can choose to be judged by muggle laws, under the strict condition that he or she has not intentionally caused harm to any magical person.

For guidelines of what constitutes willful harm see page 378."

"Come on Moony, why am I showing you this again when you just read it 10 minutes back", Harry asked.

"I don't want you to get into undue trouble if we read a clause wrong, Harry".

"Remember, that is why you asked me to come here in the first place, who is the legal veteran here, Huh?"  Lupin answered back with a patient voice.

"All right, here's the other book". With that Harry passed over another heavy book on muggle laws to Lupin which he had obtained from Vernon's collection of books he had proudly arranged downstairs to impress visitors about how well-educated his family was.

"In the case of an orphaned minor, he or she can become legally emancipated simply by declaring themselves emancipated at a court's registry, unless he or she is under the age of 14. "

"Yes, that pretty much covers it. You, Harry are absolutely correct in thinking that you have met all the conditions and will be recognized legally as an adult by the muggle world.

The Ministry of Magic will be forced to grant you all the privileges that come from being an adult wizard. I can see nothing in these laws that can be turned around by Fudge and his associates to cause you any further grievance".

Harry gave a triumphant smile and enthusiastically pulled at Lupin's sleeve. "So what are we are we waiting for Moony??? LET'S GO TO THE COURTHOUSE!!"

An hour and a half later, Harry entered #4 Privet Drive with a huge smile on his face. The moment he stepped in he was confronted by Uncle Vernon.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN BOY?" he shouted in his face, moustache quivering dangerously as if it was in total agreement with its owner.

Without batting an eyelid, Harry took out his wand, and waved it in the air. With a complex movement and a softly uttered spell, "CAPILLATUS", Vernon's moustache gained length at an incredible speed and started wrapping itself around his head over and over again, firmly sealing his mouth.  It left a small gap just below his nose so that he could breathe properly.

For the next few minutes, utter silence reigned in the house only to be broken by a flapping of wings of an owl carrying a letter that was addressed to Harry Potter.

Harry slowly read through the later and as expected it was from the Department of Improper Use of Magic. He was going to a hearing.

'And so it begins', Harry Potter said before his face schooled into a blank slate.

 The ensuing silence was once broken by the sound of three simultaneous cracks that originated at the back yard of Number 4, Privet drive.

TBC.