DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. New Movie is coming in April! Hurrah! Yeah, for Fanfiction – a great place to stretch your imagination and enjoy someone else's creativity too!

Chapter 8: More Developments and HarryScene Change: Lucius Malfoy

After five days of bouncing around Europe and hiding his travels, Lucius Malfoy arrived in Albania. He travelled to Ireland by apparition and spent an uncomfortable night in a tavern in Dublin. He purchased a portkey to Madrid from the Irish government under an assumed name the following day. From Spain, he jumped to Morocco and Tunisia. In Tripoli, he paused to consider his next destination – Alexandria and the Middle East or Southern Europe. The next morning, he jumped to Athens, then Vienna, back to Lisbon, then Rome and once again to Vienna. Finally, he used apparition to enter Belgrade's small magical district and then walked out into the countryside to apparate to Albania. A remote hunting lodge there offered him safety and anonymity for a few months while he altered his appearance. Only the threat of the dark lord's unforgivable curses would force Lucius Malfoy back into Britain.

Scene Change: Alastor Moody

In France, Alastor Moody struggled to survive in the muggle prison where the French Aurors had hidden him. The magical gaol was too well known by British Aurors if the British ministry decided to rescue the wizard. Now, three weeks into his incarceration, he was slowly adjusting to a muggle prosthesis for his leg and a simple eye patch rather than his magical eye that saw everything – glamours, cloaks of invisibility, and magic rings. Every three days, Henri Beauchamp visited and spewed French curses and swear words at his previously unknown father-in-law. Alastor quickly realised the Frenchman wanted the other inmates to know that no one cared if Alastor came to a bad end while awaiting trial. His mantra of 'constant vigilance was necessary for survival inside the prison.

CHANGE SCENE: Developments

With the efforts of Madam Marchbanks and the revealing letters written by Augusta Longbottom, the Hogwarts Board of Governors began to meet daily. Acting Minister for Magic Amos Diggory took the seat on the board formerly held by some undersecretary who kept getting fired. Augusta Longbottom was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Lucius Malfoy had disappeared. Amelia Bones declined to take a seat (previously held by Parkinson) but strongly recommended George McMillian, father of Ernie McMillian, for the position. With a full board present at the next meeting in the Ministry for Magic, they voted that all future meetings would occur within the castle. There were no objections from the absent headmaster to the vote, so it carried unanimously. An attorney for the board was hired (again without Dumbledore's interference) and charged with immediately examining the employment contracts for all professors and any code of conduct required for employees and students.

Inquiries were made with the ICW for recommendations for a new deputy head, and new professors for transfiguration, DADA, and potions. The board's interest in a new potion's professor was leaked to Severus Snape while the man was in Spain, once again attending a conference with the Potion Guild of Potion Masters regarding potions to revive with the coming flood of basilisk ingredients.

In a final action during their first meeting, the Hogwarts Board of Governors declined the invitation to participate in the upcoming Tri-Wizard Tournament, they forbid any student enrolled at Hogwarts from attending any of the events (during the school year) and agreed Dumbledore could attend the tournament if he wanted after resigning his position as headmaster of Hogwarts.

A week later, the Daily Prophet reported that the two European schools – Durmstrang and Beauxbatons – had anticipated the withdrawal of Hogwarts from the completion and already worked out an agreement with Ptolemy Academy in Alexandria, Egypt to hold the competition there during the 1994-1995 school year.

CHANGE SCENE: Great Evil Tonks Meets Harry Potter

Avoiding any meeting in Gringotts that might mandate attendance by Sowsbreath or at the Ministry that might allow the participants to be photographed by reporters, happy circumstance brought Harry Potter together with Edward and Andromeda Tonks for a gathering at the home of Samuel Abbot.

Lady Augusta Longbottom, her grandson and an unofficial house guest, arrived first. After the tea, there would be lessons for Neville and Hannah on using devices from the muggle world to improve lives in Magical Britain. Samuel was home instead of at the office, and Theodore and Andromeda Tonks were the final guests. The lawyers arrived via apparition outside the wards of the Abbot home. The couple was escorted inside by an elf who immediately vanished to bring the tea into the lounge.

The pleasantries and introductions occurred quickly, and the Tonks couple exchanged a significant look when they noticed that an elf remained visible and one step behind Harry Potter at all times. Harry appeared to enjoy talking with Hannah, and her two younger brothers and Neville were pulled into the conversation. The adults mentioned the news as reported in the Daily Prophet concerning the scandals that continued to be uncovered at Hogwarts and the hospitalisation of Minister Cornelius Fudge.

"I hear that Amos has cleaned house and fired several purebloods – two had not bothered to come to the office since January. Ted told the others that they collected a salary and provided no value," Ted told the others. Augusta muttered under her breath and promised to spread that news widely among the membership of the Wizengamot.

"There may be a few old families who protest the minister's actions," she informed them. "But if we use the funds to improve safety and maybe offer more classes at Hogwarts, those proposals might get their attention."

When the food and drink were consumed, Mrs Abbot led her children and Neville to another room to begin their lessons for the afternoon. Samuel, Lady Augusta, and the Tonks couple turned to Harry Potter to discuss the basilisk in Abbot's warehouse.

"Mr Potter, we heard you state in the Wizengamot that the phoenix at Hogwarts told you to reach out to Mr Abbot about selling the basilisk for potion ingredients," said Andromeda to lead the conversation.

"Yes, Mrs Tonks. Fawkes is a very nice person, and she walked around the table in the Great Hall one day. She sang to many students and talked with me."

"Do you have any idea how the phoenix knew Mr Abbot?"

Remembering his lessons on comportment, Harry inclined his head slightly (rather than shrugging) and replied, "Fawkes remembered Mr Abbot from his days as a student. She saved his life one night on the Astronomy Tower when a gust of wind blew him toward the edge of the platform."

"That is true," Samuel added. "When Mr Potter included that information in his letter, I knew he was telling the truth. Fawkes saved my life that night."

"Can I ask how you moved the carcass – something more than twenty meters long and weighing as much as a bull elephant – from the Chamber of Secrets to his warehouse?"

Samuel interrupted the question and said, "Based on discussions with Lady Longbottom, I advise Mr Potter not to answer any questions about his magics at this time. Until Mr Potter can hire you legally, his answers are not protected by attorney-client confidentiality."

"And our presence in this room for this discussion?" asked Ted.

"You are my attorney regarding the basilisk. And officially, Mr Potter appealed to me for help with the basilisk and his funds that will result from the sales."

Ted and Andromeda exchanged frowns again, and she asked, "Again, explain why my husband and I are here today?"

"Mr Potter turns 14 years old in five days. That day, he will put on the ring that designates him as Heir Potter. Then he can hire an attorney without the consent of his magical guardian," Lady Longbottom stated. Motioning toward Harry, she added, "He wanted to meet you and see if he would be comfortable working with you."

"Dumbledore is still in a holding cell at the ministry," Ted admitted. "No one has filed any motions to bring him up on charges or briefs to question the length of his incarceration."

"Until Harry's got the heir's ring on his finger and makes his wishes known, Dumbledore might slip something through the courts or Wizengamot," insisted Augusta.

"What are your wishes, Mr Potter?" asked Ted. He clarified the question by adding, "Those wishes that you might share with your lawyer on your fourteenth birthday?"

With nods from Mr Abbot and Lady Longbottom, Harry began to list the things he wanted to accomplish. "First, I want to make certain Mr Abbot's business is not penalised for helping me. The headmaster sued Mr Abbot and threatened to take his whole business away from him. That's wrong."

Ted nodded and explained, "You established very clearly the other day with the presentation of your memory that you killed the beast without any help from Headmaster Dumbledore. Under British law, the carcass is your property to dispose of as you want."

"And I want Mr Abbott to get more of the money too."

"Harry!" Mr Abbot interrupted. "A fee of 5% is the standard for the company and also for Gringotts. The wizard gets 90%."

Frowning, Harry said, "That's too much for me. I want Mr Abbott to get 10% and Gringotts to get 10%. And I want funds awarded to the petrified students –Colin Creevey, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Penny Clearwater, and Hermione Granger. And Miss Ginevra Weasley who suffered for an entire year under the curse of that diary."

Lady Longbottom added, "I spoke to Lord Old Weasley, and Arthur admitted that he and his wife had not taken their daughter to a healer last year. He insisted on taking her to Saint Mungo's the same afternoon he saw the memory. They are funnelling their much-improved income into getting Miss Weasley the treatment she needs."

"They deserve enough galleons to pay for that treatment," Harry insisted. "Nobody at Hogwarts noticed her weird behaviour or did anything afterwards."

Now all the adults frowned, and Ted asked, "Why not keep this income? You are being too generous with partners and goblins. I understand a sum for the petrified children, but it's not a good idea to give away too much gold. Not this early in your life."

Harry glanced at Dobby, who grinned; the wizard replied, "Gold is not a concern for me."

Andromeda noticed the look between the teenager and his elf, and she imagined there was another story that the adults were not aware of yet. To move the conversation along, she asked, "What else do you want, Mr Potter?"

"I need a good criminal attorney," he said slowly. "Someone who will make certain things are done above board and by the book."

"Criminal?" Andromeda asked, wondering what the teenager might have done.

Mr Harry Potters not break any crimes or rules," the elf insisted. "Great Evil Tonks will help Mr Harry Potters or else."

"Dobby, be nice…." Harry urged.

Ted Tonks smirked and said, "So, my wife's reputation proceeds her, eh?"

Scowling at her husband, Andromeda said, "Theodore Tonks, don't listen to a house-elf."

Clearing his throat, Harry remarked, "It's the goblins who call Mrs Tonks the Great Evil Tonks. They call Mr Tonks the Less Evil Tonks."

Samuel Abbot snickered, and Lady Longbottom covered her face with her napkin as she struggled not to laugh aloud. Andromeda smirked and promised herself to emphasise that the goblins feared her more than her husband. But then she noticed her husband's face – he did not look happy.

"Mr Potter, when have you been talking with the goblins without an adult present?" the lawyer asked. "Did you sign any papers or make any agreements?"

Lady Longbottom intervened and advised everyone to cease the discussion and speculation. She reminded the strong-minded individuals in the room, "Harry's birthday is soon – just five days. As soon as he wears the ring, he'll tell you – all of us – what's going on."

Dobby had moved to stand between Harry and the legal couple who ignored the house-elf. Samuel had more respect for the little fellow's power as he quietly urged Ted and his wife to wait until 31 July to press Harry for answers. Pursing her lips not to get the answers she wanted today, Andromeda asked, "How is it that you have an elf, Mr Potter?"

CHANGE SCENE: Secrets of Fresh Gold

The release of Albus Dumbledore from the DMLE holding cell on 28 July was covered in the Daily Prophet on 29 July. Augusta Longbottom, Neville, and Harry remained behind the substantial wards that protected Longbottom Manor. Unknown at the time was that a phalanx of goblin warriors patrolled outside the wards. The goblins were invisible, armed to the teeth (an accurate description for goblins who wore prosthetic points on their incisors when going into battle) and anxious to earn the promised bonus for any goblin who appeared in the bank with Dumbledore's head (attached or otherwise) or his beard (attached or otherwise).

On 30 July, Augusta took her grandson via the floo to Gringotts, where he was handed the ring that would designate him as Heir Longbottom from that day until he became Lord Longbottom with the death of his father. As he slid it onto his finger, Gran informed Neville that when he turned 17 years old, she intended to turn over the regency to him while continuing to act as his advisor until he was 25 years of age. When the pair walked out of Gringotts, they went to Garrick Ollivander's shop for a wand. The wand Neville had used before that day was his father's, and it would be retired this evening to hang over the fireplace.

The next day without any previous announcements, Harry Potter walked into the bank at 6:39 AM to stand in the queue with other wizards starting an early day. When he reached the teller, he greeted the goblin and said, "I am Harry Potter, and I demand to speak with Bloodhook, Ironstream and Sowsbreath in the next ten minutes, or the Potter vaults will move to the gremlins in Oslo before the end of the week."

The goblin frowned but pressed the appropriate runes to summon runners, one each sent to Bloodhook, Ironstream, and Sowsbreath. Pointing to a nearby bench, the goblin forgot about the boy until two minutes later when two goblins hurried into the bank's lobby and quickly escorted the boy into the depths of Gringotts.

Sowsbreath didn't appear in the lobby for another forty minutes. The goblin, surrounded by warriors from his tribe, spit on the wall beside him, drew his knife, and turned around. The angry goblin led his protective guards back down the tunnels, determined to find his client and kill the Sturrdel-gryhiglzehwe who tried to steal the vaults that held Sowsbreath's future fees and bonuses.

The goblins in the hallways stepped to the side, not interfering with the natural progression of events. The first mistake Sowsbreath made was to believe that Whitebeard was untouchable. He expected the wizard to regain control of the Potter heir outside the bank and resolve all possible problems there. The goblin's second mistake was to assault Ironstream's den, where his mate and small pups were beginning their day. Breaking through the door with axes and battle cries, Sowsbreath was surprised when Bloodhook, his father and other guards waited inside. While Sowsbreath met his end under Bloodhook's axe blade, other goblins swept over the other guard with Sowsbreath from both directions. Only Sowsbreath died that morning while his kinsmen were injured sufficiently to maintain their honour.

Seated in the presence of King Ragnock, Harry was nervous and fidgeted enough for the goblin to assure him that all would be well.

"But what if Bloodhook or Ironstream are killed?"

The goblin smiled, exposing his fangs, and replied, "Then we shall toast their spirits with ale and a great funeral where they are returned to the rock the first goblin sprang from millions of years ago."

Fortunately for Harry's sensibilities, Bloodhook and Ironstream appeared in the king's cavern with their battle-axes thrown over their shoulders. At the same time, guards followed, lifting a pike where Sowsbreath's head was stuck.

"You Sturrdel-gryhiglzehwe! How dare you bring that filth into the king's presence!" shouted one of the advisors.

Bloodhook sneered and replied, "I bring a gift to my client, Freshgold. I killed the goblin who lost honour selling secrets and galleons from his client's vaults for a pittance of the gold."

Now turning to Harry, Bloodhook laid his axe on the floor at the wizard's feet and said, "Freshgold, this goblin begs the honour of acting as manager for your vaults. I shall protect them as my own until my last breath."

"Yes! I want Bloodhook to be the manager of my vaults," Harry declared.

Ironstream signalled a goblin to approach with a box handed to Bloodhook. The younger goblin opened the box and presented Harry with the Heir's ring for the Potter family. Slipping the ring onto his finger, Freshgold screamed and dropped to his knees as a black ichor ran down the boy's face from his scar, and a screaming spirit was expelled.

Magic users in the guards cast many binding spells on the spirit, and it was encased in a crystal after several minutes of battle. Two goblins fell to the floor exhausted, and only when they were confident the king was unharmed did healers moved quickly through the crowd. Axe in his hand, Bloodhook stood over the reclining form of his client while his father and Ragnock began a new series of curses against Whitebeard.

SCENE CHANGE: Reactions

"What do you mean he was a Horcrux?" screamed Augusta Longbottom. The object of her displeasure, the goblin Ironstream managed to look embarrassed while he led the old witch into the hospital wing underneath Gringotts. Neville had run ahead and stood beside the bed where Harry Potter sat, his back propped up with pillows as healers, one a witch and the second a goblin, cast multiple spells on him and his scar.

SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE

With her wand in her hand, Andromeda Tonks reminded her husband of her crazy sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, for a long second. The letter from Ironstream fluttered from Ted's fingers as his heart leapt in his chest. He grew pale when his beautiful wife scowled and asked, "What do you mean there was a Horcrux in Harry Potter's scar?"

SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE

In the DMLE, Amelia Bones roared with anger, and her voice was heard throughout the department without the assistance of any magical charm or device. "There was 'what' in Potter's scar?"

An indistinct voice read aloud a letter from some goblin named Blood-something-or-other, and the director's voice was heard once again across the DMLE, "Arrest Albus Bloody Dumbledore again and throw him into his cell in the next hour or I'll start carving Horcruxes on everyone's forehead!"

SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE

"There'll be forty goblins outside your manor's wards tonight, Lady Longbottom," Ragnock swore. "No wizard, spirit or shade will slip in during the night. And our Maker will damn Tom Riddle and Whitebeard both to the darkest pits of the maker."

Staring at the crystal that glittered just slightly, Augusta said, "Bring them inside the wards. The boys will sleep safer with the goblins inside the wards."

Pointing toward the crystal, she asked, "What can you do with that…that thing?"

Ragnock growled as he replied, "Goblin elders will use that sturrdel-gryhiglzehwe to summon the hylriy-gryhiglzehwe and deal with him."

"Before 1 September?" she asked. "The boys must be safe before they return to Hogwarts."

"It must be at Yule," an advisor explained. "The longest night of the year to summon the shade of the Dark Lord from somewhere in the world."

Grimacing, Lady Longbottom nodded. "Yule then. Hogwarts will be locked down tight until that the day following Yule if I have anything to say in the matter."

SCENE CHANGE: Harry's Words

"I feel fine. I want to get up," Harry told the goblin healer, who huffed and waved her knife to release the magical bindings that had held the boy in the bed.

Making his way into the bathroom to do his business, the teenager washed his hands and then stood and stared at the reflection of his face in the mirror. Lifting his bangs, he could see the immediate change in the scar – it was already healing and would be hardly noticeable by tomorrow. Harry smiled to see the scar diminished already. He found Lady Longbottom and Neville waiting to take him back to Longbottom Manor. When they approached the floo, Harry noticed a virtual army of goblins lining the room with a number proceeding through the floo ahead of them.

"Nev, what's up?" Harry asked, pointing toward the goblins.

The herbology prodigy shrugged (to pique his grandmother's temper) before he replied, "I guess the goblins are determined to protect their favourite wizard. And I call dibs on being the one who gets to tell Ron about this. Heir Old Weasley will give Heir Malfoy competition for the trophy of biggest pain."

Harry shook his head, dreading to hear Ron's tirade in September and wondering what Granger would say. The trio stepped through the floo and found the Longbottom elves directing goblins toward the front and back doors of the manor. Goblin magic users were casting spells at the windows, walls, floors, and ceilings. Dobby stood on a stool directing the elves and goblins with a broom handle in his hand. Lady Longbottom led the two boys into her private lounge, where an elf appeared with a tray (with the small bottle of brandy) that held tea and biscuits for her. Additional trays appeared for Harry and Neville to be their breakfasts.

As they finished their meals, a woman's voice asked, "Isn't it a little early for spirits?"

Andromeda Tonks stepped into the room with Ted Tonks behind her; Bloodhook was accompanying him with several ledgers and scrolls in his hands.

"Welcome, Great Evil Tonks! Welcome to the newest goblin fortress in Britain," Augusta said cheekily.

Seeing the sour look appear on the lawyer's face, Lady Longbottom laughed and continued, "I haven't had this much fun since Frank was fourteen and took up the heir's ring."

Turning her gaze to Neville, she said, "Your father turned into a brat for a moment and informed his father and me that he expected us to provide him with a separate residence since he was almost grown. The look on Frank's face when his father grabbed him by the ear and led him to his library to correct his behaviour makes me laugh now."

Now, Lady Longbottom stood and kissed Andromeda's cheek and shook hands with Ted before she asked, "As the responsible adult in the room, I want to see the confidentiality agreement and the contract for services to be provided to Heir Potter by your law firm. And Bloodhook will act as an additional witness to the signatures as well."

"A goblin?" asked Andromeda.

Ted merely grinned and whispered, "The times, they are a-changing, my love."

It took almost an hour for Bloodhook and Augusta to read the two documents. Harry tried to read the parchments, but the legalese made him yawn.

"The confidentiality remains in place after the contract expires in 18 months," Bloodhook told Harry. "You can renew the contract, of course, or allow it to expire. This means if you moved your business to another attorney, the Tonks' still can't tell anyone anything you have talked about with them. And you can talk to both of them together or individually. Everything is covered."

Using a contract quill for the first time, Harry James Potter, Heir Potter signed his formal name in the appropriate places on the contract and non-disclosure form to hire the couple as his attorneys for all personal, criminal, and financial matters. Then Theodore Marshal Tonks signed, followed by Andromeda Black Tonks. Finally, Augusta Croaker Longbottom, Regent Longbottom, and Bloodhook, son of Ironstream, signed the parchments as witnesses to the contract.

Ted tapped his wand on the two parchments, making multiple copies appear. Then Bloodhook tapped his knife on the pile, sending Harry's copy to his vault, Bloodstone's copy to his office, Lady Longbottom's copy to her vault. Ted swept the two documents for the attorneys, who placed them into one of his bottomless folders.

"Now, my lounge has no magical portraits anywhere in the room, there are no listening charms, and the windows are illusions displaying the scene of the garden outside the library at the other end of the house. Anyone peering through that window sees the library where the elves are dusting the shelves. Neville, let us be about our day. Your greenhouses await you, and I shall sort my hats today, I believe," Augusta said as she led her grandson from the lounge. "Lunch will be served at noon, and the elves will come for you then."

As soon as Harry was alone with Ted, Andromeda and Bloodhook, the goblin called for Dobby, who popped into the lounge and immediately set about placing privacy charms. The elf took his place at Harry's side and watched Ted and Andromeda closely.

Without discussion, Harry conjured a chair for Bloodhook with the appropriate proportions and a second one for Dobby. Only then did he motion for Andromeda and Ted to select chairs, and only after the witch was seated did Harry Potter sit down.

"Where do we begin?" Andromeda asked.

End of Chapter