"Headmaster Dumbledore and I are here for the reading of the Black testament. Could you show us the way, Griphook?"
The goblin grinned and nodded.
"Of course, Lord Evans. It pleases me that you still remember my name after so many years. Right this way, please."
With a nod, Harry followed Griphook, as did Albus. They hadn't far to walk, as a quick trek down a carpeted hallway led them to the room in which the reading was scheduled to take place. Griphook pushed open the double doors and motioned for the two to enter. Paying no mind to the gathered crowd of lesser beneficiaries, Harry took his indicated place at the head of the long table, as the old man conjured a cushy armchair and sat down to his immediate right. It was time for the investiture of the Black estate.
Chapter Eleven: Lordship and Vassalage – Summer's End
Disclaimer: If you've seen it before, it belongs to J.K. Rowling. Otherwise, it's mine. Naturally, I'm making no money off this.
Once seated comfortably, Harry took a moment to survey the gathered beneficiaries. As expected, Narcissa and Draco were both in attendance. With a hint of amusement, Harry imagined that the incompetent Lord Malfoy was fully expecting to be invested with the Black title as well. The Slytherin seemed to feel Harry's glance, as he looked up and stared indignantly at the person that Draco felt was occupying his rightful place at the head of the table. Harry realized then that Draco didn't recognize him, as his long hair covered his scar, and most of his features had changed considerably since the last time the two had spoken. He briefly explored the idea of flashing his scar, but reconsidered, knowing that the shock would be so much sweeter if he just waited for the goblins to announce him as the new Lord Black.
Deciding that Draco wasn't worthy of any further consideration, Harry continued to look about the room. He recognized a few faces, those of a handful of Slytherin girls from his year at Hogwarts, as well as a single Ravenclaw. Pansy Parkinson was the only one Harry knew by name, though he had never spoken with the simpering pug beyond petty exchanges of insults. There were three others, scattered about the room in various places with their parents, all much more attractive than Pansy. Harry briefly thought he saw Lupin sitting relatively isolated from the rest of the room, but didn't get a very good look, as the goblins in charge of the will reading chose that moment to enter the room.
"Greeting, ladies and gentlemen. You are all gathered here today to witness the investiture of the heir to the title of Lord Black, as well as to hear the reading of the last will and testament of the previous lord, Sirius Orion Black, who has recentlydeparted from this world."
At this point, various members of the gathering began to speak in low voices, some fixing looks of mourning onto their faces. Harry felt a nearly unstoppable urge to charge up his chaotic energy and blast the lot of them into oblivion in his godfather's stead, but somehow managed to remain calm and seated. The goblins seemed to be of similar minds, judging by the increasingly disdainful expressions on their faces. Harry took a brief glance over at the old man, noticing that he looked decidedly less than pleased as well. The lead goblin cleared his throat rudely, bringing an end to the widespread flow of crocodile tears.
"Very well, without any further delay, let us commence with the proceedings."
One of the goblins opened a sealed document and handed a piece of parchment to the lead goblin, which spoke in a dignified tone.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound mind and body, do hereby declare this my last will and testament. I direct that my godson, Harry James Potter, be the executor of my estate and ask that he work in cooperation with Gringotts Wizard Bank in order to carry out the various provisions of this will. I have also prepared a personal statement, to be opened and read by Harry following the reading of this will..."
Harry filed that thought away, wanting to know whatever message Sirius had felt the need to convey from beyond the grave.
"...And now, on to business. First, I bequeath the title of Lord Black, and all of the social and political obligations thereof, to the only young man that I feel is capable of wielding them in a manner consistent with my personal wishes. That young man is my Harry James Potter, my godson. If the goblins would please now present him with the legacy ring, which I know to be held in trust by the bank..."
Harry allowed a slightly victorious smirk to cross his face at the shocked and outraged expressions of the pureblooded contingent of the Black family. Disowned though he had been by his mother, obviously none of them had expected Sirius to flagrantly defy all proper convention and snub the family by investing the lordship into an outsider. Draco particularly looked mortified, and glared straight at where Harry was sitting, realization finally dawning in his pale aristocratic features. With a nonchalant flip of his hair, Harry exposed his infamous scar and stared right back at Draco. Presently, the lead goblin reached Harry's position, holding the ring on a small cushion. Just as Harry was about to take the ring and place it on his finger, Draco jumped from his seat, flushed with jealous rage.
"I contest! Potter's mother was a filthy mudblood, and he doesn't have a drop of Black blood in his entire miserable body! I demand that the lordship be invested into a proper scion of the noble house of Black!"
Harry just looked back at Draco from his seat, not even deeming him worthy of rising to his feet to address. He gave Khariana's head a quick stroke as he replied.
"And I suppose you refer to yourself, Malfoy? Yes, your family's quite proper and noble, what with your father now shitting in a little hole in Azkaban. Tell me, how is Lucius doing, anyway? Has he managed to land himself a boyfriend yet? As dandy as he is, I'm sure he shouldn't have much difficulty..."
The snide insults towards his father managed to enrage Draco even further, as his face reached a shade of purple that even Vernon Dursley would have been pressed to match. Harry simply looked on with amusement as Draco fumbled for his wand, finally drawing it from his robes with excessive vigor, causing him to stumble backward an inch or so. His technique was an absolute disgrace. Harry could have easily risen to his feet and gotten into position, drawn his wand and fired off at least two or three curses in the time that it took Draco just to reach for his. His first encounter with an auror would be his last. Really, Harry was now looking for a valid excuse to curse the little suckling out of his boots, and allowed him to make his move. Draco's face contorted into a visage of absolute hatred as he shrieked...
"CRUCIO!"
Harry could have burst out laughing on the spot, having baited Malfoy into using an Unforgivable right in front of Albus Dumbledore. Speaking of whom, no sooner had the burst of crimson light erupted from Draco's wand, the old man leapt to his feet and drew his wand with a nearly unbelievable fluidity considering his age and blasted the Cruciatus Curse into a wall with an unspoken spell. His eyes devoid of twinkle, pure fury etched onto his ancient face, Dumbledore spoke with a commanding voice as Draco paled, realizing too late the mistake he had just made. Whatever wizards within the room might have been willing to assist Draco in defending his father's honor shrunk back into their seats at the Headmaster's expression.
"Very unwise of you, Mister Malfoy, to attempt to..."
Harry had no desire to allow Dumbledore to finish his reprimand, his mind set on immediate reprisal. He drew his masterpiece wand with a nearly undetectable speed, and with a tight sweeping arc, Harry blasted Malfoy clear across the room, flesh exploding from the right half of his face. No incantation was needed. Draco's helpless form tore across the long table, leaving a trail of blood in its wake, and finally colliding with the sitting Pansy Parkinson, sending both tumbling to the floor in a tangled heap. Harry's two guardians made to continue the assault and maul the offending pureblood, but the young dakaathi hybrid stopped them with a mental command. Harry could feel Dumbledore's reproving gaze upon his back, but didn't acknowledge it.
Presently, Draco's polished ash wand rolled over to within arm's reach of Harry, having been expelled from the former's hand as Harry's curse made contact. Draco himself started to regain his bearings and scrambled back to his feet, only to be set upon and physically restrained by a quartet of security goblins. Harry shook his head with sneering amusement at his unworthy rival as he took the ring from the pillow. The Black legacy ring was ornately crafted of obsidian, and bore a small inscription on the inside that Harry didn't much care to read. He slipped the ring onto his left pinkie, indicating a lesser position of priority than Khariana's ring. With a small aural flash as black as midnight, the ring bonded itself to Harry's magic. He had officially taken his place as Lord Black.
Some of the gathering looked at Harry with a grudging respect at seeing that the ring had recognized him as being of adequate purity of blood to carry the lordship of the Black line. He met the eyes of the three nameless Slytherin girls from earlier, and was a bit surprised to notice that they smiled back at him. The security goblins hauled Draco up before Harry.
"Lord Evans, what would you have us do with this one? This is a Black family function, and so, as the invested lord of the family, the matter lies within your jurisdiction."
Glaring disdainfully at Malfoy, Harry reached over and grabbed the gray-eyed boy's wand. He leveled the wooden object right before Draco's eyes and snapped it with a single motion, casually throwing the pieces over his shoulder. Harry turned to the goblins.
"Remove this inbred ferret from my presence and escort him from the premises. Now, head goblin, if you would please continue with the reading. I'm sure all of us have better things to do than sit here all day."
"Of course..."
As requested, the head goblin began to read the individual provisions of the will. The bloodied Draco Malfoy was dragged wordlessly from the room, glaring at Harry with an expression of revulsion that only Severus Snape could match.
"...And now that the matter of the lordship is decided, let's get down to the provisions..."
All conversation within the room halted.
"...First, to my best friend, and the last of the Marauders, Remus Lupin, I leave a sum of one hundred thousand gold galleons, as well as a request. Take care of my godson, Moony. Support him in any way you can, and see to it that he is never left wanting for guidance and affection. Knowing my rash nature as I do, I'm quite sure that I didn't survive to see the final downfall of Voldemort. Make sure that Harry does, I beg of you. Oh, and if you get the chance, give Wormtail a good kick in the jewels for me whenever you get your hands on him. I'm counting on you, old friend..."
Harry heard a choked sob from a far corner of the room, and turned to see Remus Lupin sitting there, just as he had thought. Surprisingly, most of the unsavory characters in the room didn't say a word, and those who would have were sufficiently cowed by Harry's earlier display with Malfoy that they held their tongues.
"...Second, to my favorite cousin, Andromeda, and her family, I leave a sum of one hundred and fifty thousand gold galleons. Andy, I just want you to know that I've always respected you for standing up to the family and following your heart. Your husband is a good man, and you've raised a fine daughter. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Nymphadora, sorry about the name, but let me say this to you: you're a great auror, but don't throw yourself completely into this war. Fall in love, get married, and enjoy life while it lasts. It could end at any moment, as I'm sure you can tell by looking at the circumstances of my own demise, whatever they may be. Oh, and I want you to have that umbrella stand from the house. You know the one..."
Harry saw a woman halfway down the table roll her eyes. He judged that it was probably Tonks, who could take any human form she chose.
"...And that brings me to the light of my life, my beloved godson. Harry, to you I leave the remainder of my estate. The remainder of my gold, all of the Black family artifacts, and legal ownership of all properties owned by the family, including a certain place in particular. Let the group continue to use it, or kick them out on their asses. Whatever you want. Just, and Merlin, please listen to me, don't throw your life away for something stupid. I know how you are, and I admire you for it, but you mean the world and then some to all of us. You know what you have to do. Do it, and survive. Go out, see the world, find yourself a good woman, do all the things that I could never do. I know you'll miss me, and your mom and dad as well, but don't be in a rush to pay us a visit. We'll all be expecting plenty of good stories from you when your day finally does come. I have so much more to say, but some things are only for your eyes and thoughts. Don't forget to ask the goblins for my personal letter..."
"...Now, I know that my esteemed family is gathered here today, and I have a few things to say to the lot of you. First, for the many among you that choose to support Voldemort, I leave not a single bloody red knut. I do, however, leave to each of you a guaranteed ticket to Azkaban Prison, to be redeemed the day that my godson kicks the everloving shit out of your pretended lord. It's coming sooner than you think, so get your affairs in order. I also leave to each of you my undying contempt, and the promise of a good ass whipping the very day I meet you in the great beyond..."
Many outraged grumbles and curses greeted this last statement, and the vast majority of the gathered stood and left. Good riddance, Harry thought, proud of his godfather for taking one last swipe at these decadent vultures. Looking around, he noticed that a few families remained, including those of all three of the pretty Slytherin girls, all of whom smirked slightly at those departing. Narcissa Malfoy was also still sitting, but with a rather displeased expression. With the thinning crowd, Harry finally managed to get a good look at Remus, who smiled sadly at him.
"...And, finally, to those few among you that remain neutral, I have a final request. Please, don't cower in fear of the looming darkness, and don't throw your lot in with Voldemort. Go to my godson, and to those with whom he fights, and ask for protection. They will see to your safety. Avarice and corruption blind too many among the pureblooded community. I ask you to be the guiding light for those that can still see. For the young ones among you, still at Hogwarts, try to get to know Harry. Give him a chance to show you what a wonderful person he is. Okay, Pronglet, I'm through embarrassing you now. All of you, and Harry, this includes you as well, don't let house prejudices hold you back. In the end, we're all in this together..."
It was almost as if Sirius knew that his death was looming, Harry thought. How else would he have known that his death would occur before Harry's graduation? Perhaps Trelawney had divined that he would live a long, productive life, effectively dooming him. Harry glanced over to Dumbledore, and saw him looking pensive. The old man did send Harry a twinkling smile upon noticing him. Turning about, Harry noticed several people approaching, though Narcissa reached his position first.
"Is there something I help you with, Mrs. Malfoy?"
"That won't be necessary, Lord Black. I only wished to apologize for my son's wholly inappropriate behavior, and to beseech you not to pursue any legal charges against him. As you surely well know, his attempted use of the Cruciatus Curse upon you could potentially land him in Azkaban for several years. Besides, I can guarantee you that the sheer humiliation of having his father insulted and wand snapped right before most of his extended family is punishment enough. Foolish though he may be, he is still my only son. I beg your mercy."
"Your request is granted, Mrs. Malfoy. Remonstrate with your son, and tell him to choose his battles more wisely from now on. I will not show him reprieve a second time."
Narcissa nodded her thanks and left with whatever dignity she could muster. Harry almost felt sorry for the proud woman, knowing that it must have been a great loss of face for her to have to publicly plead for mercy, especially before a sixteen year old boy. He could see the anger boiling just below the surface of her exquisite features, both towards Draco for his sheer stupidity, and towards Harry for rather needlessly humiliating him. He simply resolved to make it up to her the next time they met for conversation and sex. Behind where Narcissa had been standing were the three girls that he had been watching for the better part of the proceedings. The middle one, an extremely well endowed brunette, stepped forward.
"Hi, I don't think we've spoken before, but the three of us just wanted to tell you how impressed we are with the way you handled Malfoy. We've been waiting to see somebody finally put that useless brat in his place for five years now. We're really sorry about your godfather, also. By the way, I'm Blaise, and my two friends are Daphne and Tracey. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
The three girls' full names came back to Harry upon hearing their firsts. Blaise Zabini had slightly exotic Mediterranean features and pretty green eyes that nearly matched Harry's, flowing brown hair and a pair of perky, bouncing breasts that seemed to make up about half of her body mass. She spoke with the slightest hint of an Italian accent. Harry glanced over to either side of the voluptuous Slytherin at her two friends. Daphne Greengrass was quite tall, though a bit shorter than Hitomi, with piercing crystal blue eyes and a mane of strawberry blonde hair. Her legs looked as if the Gods themselves had sculpted them. Tracey Davis was a bit of a mixture of her friends. She had short, dark auburn hair, and an overall very nicely developed body, though lacking either of the extremes of the other two girls. By the lustful looks on all three girls' faces, Harry's dakaathi charm had taken full effect. Harry smiled slightly and took Blaise's proffered hand gently.
"The pleasure is certainly mine, ladies, though I daresay that our friend Malfoy hasn't learned a thing at all. Idiots like him never do. It's rather sad, really."
A trio of nearly identical smirks crossed their faces, as Tracey spoke up.
"Well, it's not as if he's worth discussing regardless. He and that fat bitch Parkinson deserve each other. Anyway, the three of us were thinking about heading over to the Leaky Cauldron for an early lunch. Perhaps you'd care to join us, Harry?"
Harry easily picked up the slight innuendo in the girl's tone, realizing that they had every intention of getting a room at the Leaky Cauldron and taking him upstairs for the remainder of the afternoon. Naturally, he also had every intention of going with them, but a gnarled hand on his shoulder rather annoyingly reminded him that it wasn't an option. The slight frown that formed on his face was purely genuine.
"Sorry, I wish I could, but I'm a bit indisposed. Perhaps some other time?"
They nodded cheerfully, as Blaise and Daphne directed slight glares at the old man. Being Slytherins, the three girls were no doubt aware of Dumbledore's meddling ways. It was probably a frequent topic of discussion in their common room. That thought sparked something in Harry's mind, and he quickly decided that he would go out of his way to befriend the sexy purebloods. Daphne replied for them.
"We understand. Maybe we can pay you a visit on the train, then?"
"That'd be great. I'll see you three in September."
"Bye, Harry."
With that, the three turned to leave, a rather irritated Harry in their wake. Blaise quickly turned back.
"Oh! I almost forgot. Happy birthday, Harry."
"Thanks."
Harry felt slightly better after that, though still annoyed with missing the opportunity for an afternoon orgy with no less than three beautiful girls. Still, he had business to attend to. Harry turned back to the head goblin.
"So, do you have that letter that Sirius made reference to in the will?"
"We do, and it's being brought down presently, along with your father's legacy ring. We would like to take the opportunity to invest you as the head of the Potter line this morning. This should have been done years ago, but certain elements barred the way."
Harry could easily tell that the goblin was referring to Dumbledore, but let the comment slide. The old man couldn't push him around any longer, and dwelling too much on the past clouded one's vision of the future. Soon enough, a goblin arrived carrying the aforementioned items. There was no special pomp or regalia to Harry's investiture as Lord Potter. He quickly fit the ring, a simple golden band encrusted with a large ruby carved into the shape of a soaring eagle, onto his right ring finger, the parallel position to Khariana's ring. The ruby glowed slightly and bonded to his magic. The result was Harry becoming the invested lord of three ancient lines. That matter attended to, Harry opened his godfather's letter and read.
Hey there, Pronglet.
If you're reading this, then I've more than likely done something rash and stupid and gotten myself killed. First, I want you to know that I love you. Harry, you truly were the son that I was never able to have, and I cherished every last second I was able to spend with you. I hope that I lived long enough to see Voldemort dead and gone, and you out of Hogwarts and happily married to your own special young lady, whoever she may be. Alas, I'm pretty sure that I didn't make it that far. I'm no diviner or any such rubbish, but I know myself well enough to know that I'll come running any time you're in hot water, and will eventually be forced to pay the price for it. Oh well, them's the breaks, as the muggles say.
I write this letter in order to give you a warning, Harry. Distance yourself from Dumbledore, and prepare yourself for the destiny that we both know is yours. If Albus hasn't told you, there was a Prophecy made before your birth, one that concerns both you and Voldemort. I don't remember all the words, never had much of a mind for details. Heh, that was always Moony's specialty. Still, the gist of the Prophecy is pretty simple. At the end of all of this mess, it's going to come down to a final duel between you and Voldemort, and only one of you is going to walk away. Now, I know in my heart that you're going to be the one to win, Harry. But if that's going to happen, you need to train. Don't be afraid to go into the less than accepted realms of magic if you must. If your intent is true and pure, then you will not falter. But know this. Dumbledore will never willingly allow you to do what you have to do. He thinks that you'll just come through on some miracle in the end. I'm not willing to risk that, and neither should you be. That's why I've left you all of my estate. Blackmail the old man with your ownership of Grimmauld Place, or just run away for awhile. You'll figure out the way, pup. I believe in you.
Now, I have one more piece of advice. Even if the entire world seems to be against you, you can trust Remus. I love the man like my own brother, and he cares about you just as much as I did, and I daresay as much as James and Lily did as well. No matter what happens, he'll always be there for you, if only you'll allow him. I wouldn't have asked him to look out for you if I didn't think so.
There are so many other things that I want to tell you, but I'm afraid that a simple letter would not suffice. I can only hope that I lived long enough to say some of it in person. I can tell you that I'd like to punch Albus's lights out for sticking you with those rotten muggles for all those years. I'll leave you with this message: I'm proud of you, pup, and so are your parents. Live a long and full life. Enjoy yourself like I was never allowed to. Change the world like I know you can. Don't be in any rush to come visit me in the afterlife. After all, what's a half a century or so when we've got the rest of eternity to explore the great beyond? It'll be just me and you, and James and Lily, and Remus when he passes on. It'll be a great adventure, but you'd damn better spend a good long lifetime gathering tales to tell us around the campfire first. See ya around, kiddo.
All my love,
Sirius "Padfoot" Black
Harry, in his mind, really wanted to cry his last tears for Sirius right then, but they just wouldn't come. All he could do was stare sadly at the letter. He felt himself being pulled into a hug, and glanced over to see the golden eyes of Remus Lupin looking into his forest green orbs. Harry returned the hug.
"Hey there, Moony. Had a good summer so far?"
Remus smiled sadly, tears still in his eyes.
"I've had better, cub. You look different. Merlin, I've been beyond worried sick about you. Where did you disappear to?"
"That's a story better told elsewhere. Can you make it back to Headquarters for my birthday tonight?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. That reminds me, I've got some shopping to do. I'll see you tonight, Harry. Have a pleasant day, Albus."
With that, Lupin took his leave. Harry wished he'd have stayed longer, but knew from what Hermione had told him earlier that the old werewolf needed to be alone with his sorrow for awhile. Harry turned back to Dumbledore.
"Are you ready to leave, sir? I need to get away from all this for now, if you don't mind."
The old wizard nodded.
"Of course, Harry. But first, I must express my displeasure with your treatment of young Mister Malfoy. Naturally, I do not at all condone his attempt to cast an Unforgivable Curse upon you, but you brought about the situation by taunting the boy about his father's imprisonment. Further, snapping his wand was perhaps the direst insult you could ever think to hurl at a wizard of his breeding. Honestly, Harry, the way that you have treated him this morning is remarkably similar to the manner in which Professor Snape has long treated you. As I did not entirely blame you for assaulting Severus in the alley last week, I do not entirely blame young Draco for lashing out at you today."
Harry only shook his head. Surely the old man could not be serious.
"My father was a good man. Lucius Malfoy is a pile of worm-ridden dung. I have no pity either for him or for his worthless excuse for a son. Both have suffered infinitely less than they deserve. The only reason I spared Draco from Azkaban today is because I know he'll do more damage to Voldemort's cause by being here on the outside and screwing things up than he would being out of action in prison. And, quite honestly, the little ferret isn't worth any further discussion. Now, can we please meet Hermione and the Weasleys for lunch, Professor? I'm famished."
"Very well, Harry. Lead the way."
Harry left, again keeping his pace leisurely in order to allow the Headmaster to keep up, only slightly noticing the distinct frown on the old man's face as they made the walk to the Leaky Cauldron, the two tigers trotting alongside Harry.
The rest of the afternoon in Diagon Alley progressed without any particular incident. Ron had nearly choked laughing when Harry relayed the story of his encounter with Malfoy at the will reading. Ginny was likewise pleased, and even Mrs. Weasley had smirked vindictively at the plight of Lucius's son. Harry picked up his order at Madame Malkin's, observing that one of his basilisk hide battle robes had been made noticeably larger than the other. The proprietor indicated that this was to allow room for growth, but Harry believed that the store had just wanted to use up the last of the material in order to bill him for the entire stock. Still, the larger robe was a great fit for Ron, and Harry allowed his friend to borrow it for the time being. Ron was pleased, both at the garment itself and at being spared the embarrassment of being outright given such an expensive gift. Harry switched his dress robe for a nearly identical one made of the acromantula silk. The material was comfortable beyond belief, and so light that Harry nearly felt naked walking around.
Aside from that, they only needed to pick up textbooks and head over to an apothecary for Potions ingredients for Hermione and Ginny. Harry looked around for a volume on old pureblooded wizarding laws in the bookstore, but didn't find one that suited his needs. In the young dakaathi hybrid's eyes, Albus Dumbledore seemed almost comically amused at spending his day engaged in such a mundane pursuit as a simple shopping trip. Harry had mentioned wanting to pay a visit to the twins' shop, but Ron told him that they were having endless difficulty in getting a business license due to their failure to graduate from school. Needless to say, they were rather unhappy with the Ministry of Magic, and were even considering returning to Hogwarts in order to retake their final year. Dumbledore had immediately granted the pair permission, in the event that they decided to return.
That evening found roughly the entire Order of the Phoenix gathered in the large dining hall of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Noticeably absent was Severus Snape, who would sooner be boiled alive than partake of Harry's birthday party. Mrs. Weasley had outdone herself, spending the entire afternoon in the kitchen and cooking up a meal to feed the huge gathering and the largest birthday cake Harry had ever seen. Ginny had volunteered to help, and even Hermione had managed to detach herself from her books long enough to lend a hand. Still, the most valuable assistant was Dobby. The little house elf had virtually pleaded with Dumbledore to be allowed to help prepare Harry's birthday. The culinary crew had been forced to chase Ron out of the kitchen on at least a dozen occasions, the terminally hungry redhead always looking to sneak a bite.
The meal progressed noisily. Harry had spoken to the twins for long enough to get their confirmation that they would indeed grace the hallowed halls of Hogwarts Castle with their unique presence for a bonus year. After a horrendously out of sync rendition of "Happy Birthday", the time had come for Harry to blow out the candles. He did so, wishing for the quick and complete destruction of his enemies, and a long and prosperous reign as ruler of wizarding Britain. And then, presents. The house had been deluged for much of the day with owls bearing birthday cards and gifts for the icon of the wizarding world. And so, Harry unwrapped.
From Bill, he had received an excellent book on old pureblooded wizarding laws. Apparently, the redhead had bought out the only decent tome from Flourish and Blotts a week earlier, explaining why Harry couldn't find one. Fleur had gotten him a small book written exclusively for veela on suppressing their latent aura of charm, though Harry was rather enjoying the effects of his dakaathi variant thus far. Still, the ability could prove useful, and he decided to read through it at some point.
The twins had, of course, supplied him with a plethora of their joke shop merchandise. Molly was less than pleased, but kept it to herself.
Hermione had bought him a large book of auror spells while in the bookstore, while Harry had been engaged elsewhere. He vaguely remembered wanting to pick up such a text himself, and was grateful to get it. He wasn't sure, though, if the gift was meant as a subtle statement of Hermione's opinion regarding him tossing dark curses about. It was just the sort of thing that she would do.
Ron and Ginny had both chipped in to buy him a new set of Quidditch robes and guards. Harry had absentmindedly resolved to play again this coming term, knowing without needing to be told that his ban had been lifted the moment Umbridge had been run out of Hogwarts. He could honestly think of better things to do with his time, but it was just something that was expected of him, and would thus assist ever so slightly in averting any suspicion of him.
And then, there were the packages that had come via owl post.
The first bore a flowery script that Harry knew to belong to a girl. Opening it, Harry saw with a degree of satisfaction that it was from Cho. The accompanying letter said little, aside from the usual birthday tidings. The present itself, however, was considerably more than expected. It was an ornate necklace, a solid gold chain with a slightly clipped Golden Snitch attached. The little bugger was inlaid with several sparkling emeralds, the exact same forest shade as Harry's eyes. Its tiny wings fluttered about helplessly, unable to lift its body weight. The necklace was obviously a very expensive piece of work, and had probably been paid for by Cho's father, though the Ravenclaw Seeker had certainly had the majority input in its selection. As he hoisted the gorgeous chain around his neck, Harry hoped that this wasn't some first pitch by the girl's parents to barter her hand in marriage to him. Cho was too precious to be bought and sold like some commodity, though Harry wondered for a moment where exactly the thought had come from. This time, he did notice the sunstone's glow in his masterpiece wand. Yet another mystery for him to stew over...
A second parcel, this one of completely unknown origin, heralded three packages. The first was a bottle of liquid charmed to never run out. The smell of the contents was vaguely familiar, though the second gift gave him the answer. It was a kodachi, a short katana designed primarily for defensive combat. The extremely sharp blade was a sparkling forest green, a color that was quickly becoming a theme for Harry. The package had rather obviously come from Hitomi and Kenzo, wherever they were by then, and the liquid in the bottle was the medicated water from their village. Both gifts would prove very useful. The third present contained scribbled instructions that it was not to be opened until Harry was alone.
Another parcel contained similar instructions, though its message was written right on the mailing address.
Finally, the party ended, and Harry went upstairs for the night. Ron had gone straight to bed, and Hermione and Ginny remained downstairs engaged in conversation with some of the guests. Convinced that he wasn't going to be intruded upon, Harry decided to open those last two birthday packages. He started with the unknown parcel, wanting to open Hitomi's last. After gently tearing open the wrapping, Harry received a minor sensory overload as three pairs of silk knickers cascaded gently into his hands, all of them still rather moist with arousal. His nose was assaulted by three distinct flavors of feminine honey. Harry had a good idea where this unique present had come from, and the short accompanying note confirmed it.
Hey there, Harry
We were originally going to send a picture, but decided that we wanted to see your initial reaction with our own eyes. So, we just sent these instead. Try and see if you can guess which one belongs to each of us! Make sure you get a good night's rest and eat a hearty breakfast before the start of term. We can guarantee that you'll need the energy! See you on the train!
Hugs and kisses,
Blaise, Daphne and Tracey
And here Harry had thought that Slytherins were supposed to be subtle. Well, at least he was now completely certain that the three girls were interested. He placed the provocative undergarments in a drawer, so that nobody would be likely to find them, and opened up the parcel from Hitomi. He was expecting something similar, knowing the mercurial kunoichi's sense of humor as he did. Unwrapping the gift, he found no underwear, but instead a large nude photograph that depicted her draped casually across the futon in Kenzo's guest bedroom. It was the very same bed on which the two had passed many an evening exploring one another, and on which Harry had lost his virginity barely a week ago. The animated picture showed the beautiful Japanese woman sensually touching herself and working her lithe body into an orgasm. Harry very nearly had one himself just from watching.
After watching the scene a second time, Harry turned the photograph over, to see a message written in scribbled English. Hitomi couldn't write the language particularly well, though she spoke it quite fluently. He guessed that she was just too used to writing in Japanese. Harry read the short message, pleased to hear from his first serious partner. It was full of misspelled words, but Harry was able to make out what she was trying to write.
A very happy birthday to you, my sexy young student.I hope this package finds you well, and that you haven't forgotten about me so soon. I certainly haven't forgotten about you, and I haven't had a decent night's sleep since your departure from the village. Seriously, everything would have been so much easier if you had just stayed here with me and forgotten about all that crap in the outside world. I'm being totally honest when I say that you haven't left my thoughts for more than a few seconds at a time. Okay, I'm sorry about the attitude. You know, I'm usually not the wistful or possessive type, but it's just that you're so different from anybody I've ever known before. When you came to us, I almost immediately felt like you belonged with us, and that you'd be with us forever. And then, I felt that attraction, something that I've never really felt for any other man before. Your leaving was like a distant nightmare, something that I knew was coming but never wanted to acknowledge. It came far too soon. Wow, I'm really pouring my heart out here. I usually try to keep my feelings bottled up, but I hope you won't mind me indulging myself just this once.
I want to be with you, Harry. If only I knew where you were staying, I would come and find you right now. Since you left, I've been sleeping in the guest bedroom, on our futon. It's the place where I can be the closest to you. I can still sense your aura in the room, and feel your essence on the bed. I wasn't joking when I told you that I was going to sneak into Hogwarts and visit you. I fully intend to pop in through your dormitory window one night. Until then, Harry. We'll finally be leaving the village tomorrow. I have to say it's going to be painful leaving this place behind. It's the only home I've ever known. But maybe, when this is all over...well, that's something I really should say in person. Take care, Harry.
Love always,
Hitomi
Harry honestly wasn't sure what to think of her letter. They had shared something special that last night in the village, and he was certainly fond of Hitomi on a level that he could not identify with many others in this world, but he still wasn't positive about anything. And now she was more or less implying that she had fallen in love with him. She hadn't put it in those words, but Harry wasn't stupid. Only, he really didn't know how to deal with something like this. The idea didn't bother him at all, but it did complicate matters somewhat. It was something that he would eventually have to deal with, but he would be able to think about the issue for the remainder of summer, at least. He would hopefully be able to answer her appropriately the next time their paths crossed. As he rolled the matter around inside his mind, Harry vaguely noticed the moonstone shards in his wand's discharge stone bathing the darkened bedroom with a radiant silver glow.
Harry just held onto the photograph as he fell asleep. For the first time since that night in village, Voldemort chose to send him a dream vision. Again, the scene before him was extremely hazy. Harry could just barely discern figures moving about. The tall figure leading the whole spectacle was obviously Voldemort himself, though Harry couldn't discern any of his serpentine features. Nearly transparent Death Eaters roamed about blasting running figures with green jets of light. A small ring of them was torturing a particularly corpulent person, while others were setting fire to a large building in the background. Just as had occurred in both other Voldemort visions so far that summer, the first at Privet Drive and the second in the village, the scene continued to phase out and soon aborted. There was no pain in his scar.
The force wasn't even sufficient to awaken Harry this time, and his dreams shifted to a much more pleasant scene, one of himself in a luxurious bedroom. A nude Hitomi fed him raspberries from a large bowl as he lay back using Blaise Zabini's massive bouncing chest as a pillow. Cho rode him frantically, the exotic Chinese girl uttering sweet little moans as he buried himself to the hilt inside her and caressed her soft skin with his hands. Daphne and Tracey both watched on, wrapping themselves in his forest green wings. Across the room, a naked Narcissa Malfoy painfully wrenched her son by his slicked platinum hair, forcing him to watch Harry's pleasure and ridiculing him in a soft cooing voice for being every bit as useless and weak as his father, telling Draco how he would never be even a fraction as good as Harry. Back in the waking world, the sleeping Harry smirked broadly on his bed.
Harry woke late the next morning, the vision of that erotic dream etched into his mind. There was no way that all of the involved women would ever agree to such a scene, but it was nice to think about regardless. Dressing himself in a red and black yukata and experimentally girding his brand new kodachi onto the waistband, Harry sauntered down the stairs with his two pets and looked around for any signs of activity. He found a large gathering of Order members, including their incompetent leader, assembled in the sitting room. Molly Weasley looked positively distraught about something. Naturally, Harry decided to investigate.
"What's all the commotion about? Did something happen?"
Upon taking notice of his presence, Molly swept Harry up in a protective hug.
"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry! There was nothing we could do!"
Harry arched an eyebrow.
"Well, you're forgiven, I guess. What's going on here?"
Harry received no answer, other than Dumbledore beckoning him over to have a seat on a sofa. The old man tried to look him in the eyes, but Harry diverted his gaze ever so slightly. Sighing, Dumbledore took a seat in a leather armchair across from Harry.
"Harry, did you have a vision last night?"
Thinking about it, Harry did vaguely recall a visit from old snakeface, but couldn't dredge up any details about it, aside from a building being set ablaze.
"Yeah, but I can't remember any details."
Dumbledore nodded.
"It seems, Harry, that Lord Voldemort finally decided to break his silence last night. There was a major attack, in Surrey."
Realization flashed through Harry's eyes.
"Was it Privet Drive, sir?"
"No, your relatives' home is still protected through your mother's sacrifice, at least for the time being. However, the Death Eaters assaulted a popular muggle nightclub in the relative vicinity. Voldemort himself was in command. At the time, your cousin, Dudley, was attending a party with a group of his friends."
The old man hardly needed to complete the story, though Harry asked anyway.
"He's dead, then?"
"Yes, Harry, Dudley Dursley was tortured and killed by Death Eaters in front of Jameson's Nightclub, along with his friends and forty-eight other muggles. His body was burnt and impaled onto a wall of the destroyed building, along with a birthday message directed to you from Voldemort, written in the boy's own blood."
To be perfectly honest, Harry couldn't have cared less about the fate of Vernon's pig of a son. The great turd had made his life a living Hell for that long decade before Hogwarts. A violent death at the hands of the very sort of people he had so often ignorantly belittled was rather fitting, actually. Still, Harry supposed that he should at least make a show of being upset about the situation. He slowly fixed a hurt expression onto his face.
"Have Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia been informed?"
"They have, and needless to say, your aunt and uncle hold you fully responsible for what happened, despite the fact that you were nowhere near Little Whinging when the attack took place. Naturally, you will no longer be welcome in their home. I'm sorry, Harry."
Harry wasn't sorry at all, but nodded in acceptance of the old man's apology. He ate his breakfast without a word and went back upstairs, looking for something to occupy his time.
The last month of summer recess passed quickly enough. Harry continued training with his newfound skills, particularly focusing on learning to more easily harness his chaotic energy. He had some success, though he couldn't exactly hurl it about to see if his endurance with it had increased. He also attempted to channel it into his kodachi. That experiment was also a success, as the blade glowed with a translucent black aura identical to the energy that he was able to gather within his hand. As Harry toyed about with chaotic energy, he could feel an increased awareness of Zharrghast's dormant presence within his body. Still, the fallen god had remained completely silent ever since Harry's departure from the village.
Harry also continued to read, particularly from the books that he had been given for his birthday. The auror curses might prove useful, though Harry had no particular intention of using anything less than lethal force against Voldemort's forces if there was any help for it. Even so, there would no doubt be situations where using Dark Arts would prove hazardous to his legal status. He also read through the book from Bill, learning several old and still applicable customs and statutes that could bail him out of a mess with any established authority. Fleur's book was also interesting and helpful, and Harry learned to repress his dakaathi charm at will somewhat, though the method was far from perfect. After all, Harry was not a veela, and the mechanisms of the two different races were rather dissimilar.
He continued to observe Hermione as she worked with the book he had left out for her. She seemed to be absorbed in it for a long time, and became increasingly frustrated. The Dark Arts, it appeared, was a branch of magic that the muggleborn witch simply had little aptitude for beyond the basics. She just didn't seem to have the mindset to hurt people, though she started to warm up more to Harry and the rest of her old friends over the course of the month. Hermione eventually returned the book and apologized to Harry for taking his things, and asked to borrow the book of auror curses instead. As far as Harry could tell, she was still more or less undecided on whom to trust, though he hadn't really made an overt move of any sort against the old man yet.
Harry frequently practiced with his kodachi as well, becoming increasingly skilled at drawing it quickly, and at slashing and parrying. He chose to practice with his left hand, as he would assuredly be holding his wand in his primary hand during an actual fight. He was by no means a swordsman, but he could fight relatively well with the weapon should the need arise. Still, he quickly decided that he would be sticking to his wand as his primary weapon of choice. Hitomi and Kenzo had chosen a good weapon for Harry, as his major uses for the blade were to parry oncoming attacks and to slice down any enemy that managed to get close enough to make using spells a risky move. Hopefully, he would learn to use it more effectively in his weapons training elective at school.
As for events outside Grimmauld Place, Harry received reports from Gringotts through Bill every ten days of so. They were nothing particularly special, only progress reports from various Shinn Kohaku locations. He hoped that most of his espionage fronts would be fully operational within a few weeks of returning to Hogwarts. He also got a letter from Ts'ao Chang saying that his armaments would be complete by the end of August, and that he would send them with Cho for him to collect aboard the train. Harry's number of personal followers stayed the same, though he intended to swell his ranks within Hogwarts. He just wasn't aware of anybody else among the Order that he felt confident enough in to approach. Tonks was a possibility, but she owed a lot of loyalty to the old man for protecting her mother from her vengeful relatives following her expulsion from the Black family. He trusted Sirius's word that he could depend on Remus, but the werewolf had been asked to go back on his mission for the Order after Harry's birthday.
Narcissa had eventually contacted him a few weeks after the will reading. Harry solicited assistance from Ron and Ginny, asking them to tell anybody looking for him while he was away that he was feeling under the weather. As expected, the woman wasn't particularly happy with him. From what she had rather imperiously told him, Voldemort had been most displeased with the result of Draco's encounter with Harry that morning at Gringotts, and had expressed it to him through an extended bout of Cruciatus. She had no reply to his retort that Draco's own stupidity had brought the situation about, except to say that most of the problem could have been averted had Harry controlled his urge to posture and humiliate Draco. Still, she forgave him quickly enough, desperate for sex as she was. The entire episode was forgotten the next morning. Narcissa had been able to tell him that the Dark Lord was focusing his current energies on fathering an heir, and that her sister had been chosen to bear the child. That was of little concern to Harry, but it presented a delicious opportunity to pay back Bellatrix for Sirius's death. In order to quell the last of her discontent, Harry laid her down a final time before departing, and acted in a generally affectionate manner for the duration of their liaison, pretended though it was.
The morning of the start of term was a cold and rainy one. Harry dressed in his white and forest green yukata, with straw sandals on his feet and both kodachi and masterpiece wand girded at the waist. His wings were folded against his body, his emerald snitch necklace shining in the florescent lights of King's Cross-Station. Grindelwald and Khariana flanked him on either side. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the twins were all with him as well. And so, Harry walked through the barrier at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters one more time, not at all knowing that this day would turn out to be one of the more eventful of his young life.
(End Chapter Eleven)
Author's Note: Another chapter concluded. I like the way this one came out, even if I had to summarize a lot of stuff. But, seriously, I just wanted to get through summer break already. I tend to get annoyed when stories take like twenty five chapters before the term even starts, and I don't care to subject my readers to it. I hope everybody enjoyed the will reading, and some of Harry's birthday presents. There'll be a lot of action in the next chapter. Some has been set up, and some will be completely spontaneous.
Again, a commentary on the subject of Hermione...I know a lot of people will think I'm flip-flopping with her, but I'm really not. Her messing in the Dark Arts was a bit of a phase, a reaction to nearly getting killed earlier, and she did pick up some stuff, but I never meant to turn her into a full-out dark witch. Like I stated in the chapter, I just don't see her having the disposition for it. That's not necessarily to say that she won't side with Harry in the coming conflict with Dumbledore.
Writing this chapter took quite a bit out of me, so I don't have much patience for writing a long author's note at the moment. Thanks for all the reviews, and let me know what you all thought about the reading, and anything else in the chapter, and try to venture a guess as to some of what is going to happen in the next chapter.