Draco knows that Harry has been visiting the Dark Lords' Manor, but he can't seem to stop him when he does catch him, which is rare. When Harry comes back from the manor, the smile on his face is worth the breaking of these rules, at least according to Draco.
Regardless, it's not like it's breaking any of the contract rules; it's just skirting around them minutely. Harry's supposed to go on PUBLIC dates with supervision, and it wasn't like the couple was able to go on dates yet with the media hounding their doors and looking for any hot gossip.
So Draco had let it continue for quite a few weeks now. He felt Harry deserved it after the months he'd been having. He'd cover for Harry, but very rarely did he have to even try to lie. He was very good at covering his tracks. He left often enough, but not every day. He was sure he wanted to be the only one that hadn't noticed Harry's absence in the house, but he wasn't going to be the one to bring it up.
But since nobody had said anything, he had left it to be. The case with the daily prophet seemed to be going well enough. Once the article had come out, he had quickly sued along with the Dark Lord.
Their case had been pending trial to date, but neither party had wanted to take it that far. They had settled on a concession of 15 million galleons and a complete retracement of the statement itself as a price for publishing the article, and Draco felt it was justice enough. They had quickly bought all the shares of the daily prophet on the market soon after, mostly in Harry's name. It had been a small investment given that they now held major shares, which gave them some control over the business.
"Harry, is that the Black portfolio?" Draco asked as he watched Harry lug the heavy folder along in his hands. He observed the house crest engraved onto the binder, hand-done probably. It must have cost a pretty penny. He looked to be at least somewhat struggling, which meant it was heavy.
"You're talking to the newly appointed Lord Black Dray," Harry said smugly, as Draco scowled at the nickname.
"Yeah, congratulations, I suppose," Draco said as Harry walked towards his room.
Draco waited in silence for Harry's return, which he promptly did as he walked towards his father's office.
"Hey, Harry!" Draco said
"Yeah?" Harry asked.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Draco said with a smirk.
"That does leave a lot of possibilities open, doesn't it Draco?" Harry said as he walked out of the room.
"I assume the meeting went well by the smile on your face," Marvalo said as Harry walked towards him.
"You're talking to the newly appointed Lord Black," Harry said smugly, as he flashed the ring that had been given to him when he had been appointed. They had gone straight to Gringotts after lunch, and Sirius had given him the ring as if he couldn't get it off his finger fast enough. Harry had taken the account books home and placed them in his room before he had come here.
"Well, Lord Black, how was lunch?" Marvalo asked with a smirk as he leaned back in his chair, looking at Harry as he casually walked towards him.
Harry stayed silent as he made two cups of tea for himself and Marvalo. This was going exactly according to plan; in fact, it was going better than he had thought. Marvalo had even brought up the lunch itself.
"Well... it was exciting. It's been a while since I've seen Siri," Harry said as he passed Marvalos' mug towards him.
"Mhmm, perfect as usual," Marvalo said as he slipped the hot tea into his hand.
Harry gave a mock bow as he walked behind Marvalo and began pressing his shoulders.
"I told him about the sex clause in the contract, you know," Harry said.
"Harry," Marvalo said.
"What, he's my Godfather and he had to find out about our courtship from a bloody newspaper?" I thought he deserved to know. Besides, he kind of likes you now and his reaction was hilarious. It made lunch much more entertaining," Harry defended.
"What did he say?" Marvalo sighed.
" He was glad that you weren't acting like an arse. So I said you weren't an arse, but you certainly liked mine," Harry said as he strategically paused while waiting for Marvalo to take a sip. He smirked and watched in satisfaction as Marvalo spat out the tea he had slipped onto his pants as he glanced back and Harry was glaring at him.
"What, it was true anyway, you know?" "Don't act like I haven't seen you looking, you pervert." Harry shrugged unapologetically.
"Oh merlin Harry," Marvalo gwafed as they both giggled at the absurdity of the situation. "Did you really?" Marvalo asked as he looked at Harry, who had cast a cleaning charm at Marvalos's pants.
"Of course I did," Harry said as he looked back.
"Why did I even ask?" Marvalo said with a roll of his eyes as Harry snorted.
Albus Dumbledore waved his wand as things flew and packed themselves into suitcases. He had to get away immediately lest he be sent to Azkaban.
He shuddered thinking of the place. It was horrifying that people, even criminals, but still people lived there it was a wonder ANYBODY came out sane.
Recently, the dementor usage has gone up for an unexplained reason. Albus had not had the time to look into it, too busy with the new drama invoking the
Malfoys. But the Wizengamot had passed an order for more increased dementor usage and their argument had been sound; the light faction had quickly voted
and the motion had gone through before he could even disapprove of such an action.
But that was beside the point he wasn't going to Azkaban, and there was no way in hell he'd be caught for all the crimes he'd committed over the years. in the
Wizengamot, which was surely where his trial would take place given he was a part of it, the usage of Versituim, a truth potion with the ability to bypass mental barriers was compulsory.
Therefore, there was no way the defendant or any witness could give any false statements. It had been developed during the
War and was still in use to this date.
It was one of the many reasons he refused to stand trial anyway.
His belongings were quickly paced snugly in his briefcase which he quickly shrunk down to fit into his pocket. He worried for the school and its students without his presence, but this was more important. He had to leave.
He had planned this long ago, his safe house prepared, he hadn't thought he would have to use this plan but he supposed his actions had come to bite him in the arse. He should have never leeched magic from sentient wards, that had been a stupid mistake of his youth.
Nevertheless, there was no fixing it now. "Fawkes" Dumbledore called out into the silence of the room. The bird flamed in with a squawk as he was pulled from whatever he had been doing before Dumbledore's call had pulled him back.
"To the safe house, if you would Fawkes," Dumbledore said as he grabbed onto the bird's talons and waited for him to flame before he spun. The landing had been a bit tough on his knees it had been a while since he'd done this. His joints creaked as he walked up the path the old house lay on.
This area had been long abandoned, it was his old family house. The one they had lived in before the incidents with Ariana. He looked out to the river and then ran near the house.
"Forgive me, Ariana, it was never meant to be this way" he murmured as the winds blew. The wind turned harsher and the river bed trembled as Dumbledore bowed his head.
Charlus Potter really shouldn't care about why his brother or ex-brother, whatever, was not in school anymore. He shouldn't even be worrying about his safety. In fact, he shouldn't be thinking about it at all. So why couldn't he do anything but wonder if his brother was okay as he lay in bed staring at the dormitory ceiling?
He, like the entire school, had read the article and had some... opinions on his brother's choice of betrayal. He couldn't believe his brother had found a betrothal before him. He knew he wasn't going to be bethroed; his parents were too liberal for that, but he didn't know any other way to find someone that didn't care for his titles but cared for Charles himself.
He knew he had basically zero right to say anything to the boy, but he needed to warn Harry. He needed to before the damage was irreversible. He didn't know if Harry knew that the man he was contracted to marry was the Dark Lord, but he felt obligated to at least tell him. He owed that much to his brother.
But Harry had seemingly disappeared from the face of the planet along with his other brother, or now his real one, so Charles could do nothing but mope. Mope the fact that he couldn't even help his brother by telling him a crucial piece of information. of course, he didn't have any proof that the man was Voldemort.
He couldn't even write a letter since then. Jamie-Harry, his name was Harry now. Regardless, he couldn't write a letter lest Harry have physical proof that he was contacting him.
He did not want to know what would happen if his parents found out he was anything but 'hostile' to his brother.
Twin snores could be heard from the office as both the men slept soundly.
Marvalo and Harry had stayed up late again before both of them had seemed to doze off at the same time. Marvalo was the first one to feel the tug and she was awake.
Hogwarts' call came again, though not as violently this time. He shuddered, thinking of last time and the dents it had left on his office wall. The bruises had been fixed pretty quickly, which he was thankful for. Harry would have been worried.
He had to have the wall professionally fixed; the wallpaper had apparently been vintage or something since the house was passed down for generations apparently; he hadn't really cared. He had shelled out a pretty penny for the wallpaper. In fact, since he had liked the wallpaper, that was the only reason he hadn't changed it. The wall had been an easy fix for the people he had hired, but the wallpaper had been difficult to find and he had to have it professionally made. That had been annoying.
He only had to wait a few more seconds before Harry was grumbling and awake too. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were still sleepy. He felt the tug of Hogwarts as well, it seemed, though it didn't seem to bother him as much as it did Marvalo; judging by his posture, it was just slightly annoying to him.
Marvalo glanced at the time and winced; they had barely gotten an hour's sleep after staying up all night talking. Thankfully, Marvalo had gotten most of his work done last night along with enjoying Harry's company since it seemed like today was going to be a long day. He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out two pepper-up potions. He passed one on to Harry, who was rubbing his eyes sleepily.
They both gulped down the potions, and Harry grimaced at the taste, and Marvalo smirked at his reaction.
"Dobby," Harry called out as he stood up, stretching out his arms. There was a pop as the house-elf popped into the room as he looked at his master waiting for an order. "Would you please bring me a set of robes? My green ones if they have been washed. and coffee in one of those portable cups that Moher bought recently. "Put a warming charm on it, will you?" Harry suggested, "two of the coffee dobby." He amended as he glanced at Marvalo. The man looked as tired as he did.
"Yes, Master." Dobby squeaked, bowing as he popped out to do his master's bidding. Marvalo stared at Harry as he walked towards Marvalo's desk and began organizing the papers spread out across it. He smiled dopily. He was arranging them in order of importance, just like Marvalo preferred it.
"Hey Marvalo, Why does this paper show a planned raid to capture and bring the matron at my old orphanage? "," Harry asked calmly.
"Birthday Present," Marvalo says glumly, having forgotten that it was there. It should have been in his confidential files. Who knew Harry's being nice was going to bite him in the ass?
Harry snorted as he collected the rest of the papers and put them back into the arrangement that Marvalo had preferred. As he set the quill back into the inkpot, Dobby popped in with his robes and the two cups of coffee. Harry sighed as the aroma of the coffee filled the room.
Harry quickly took off his clothes as Marvalo stared at him shamelessly. "You could at least pretend you aren't stating, you know? Isn't it only proper? "
"Harry, I really don't care for social niceties when you're in front of me almost naked," Marvalo said, not stopping his staring as his eyes got darker.
Harry snorted, "We don't have time for that right now, Marvalo, perhaps when we come home." "Now you better get changed as well," he said with a smirk as he rolled his eyes.
Marvalo summoned some robes and donned them on quickly. Soon they had apparated to the border of wards in Hogwarts, and they walked straight past them. The castle registered them as Heirs, and they were hardly a threat to the students.
They were quickly helped to the room of requirement by Hogwarts as the staircases helped them reach it as quickly as possible. It seemed that somebody was already there, as when they opened the door they could hear the sounds of talking.
"So it was true, you're in a relationship with the Malfoy boy," Gerald Smith muttered as they entered the room.
"Lord Smith, I would feel that it is none of your business given you are neither family nor ally," Harry said calmly as he sat down on the chair next to Marvalo.
"Jamie wha-" James began.
"Please, Lord Potter, you stopped being family the day you left me for not being special enough," Harry said with a scoff. He turned just in time to spot Luna and Pandora's Lovegood walking in. Luna gave him a small smile as she sat down.
"Well, now that we all seem to be here, shall we begin?"
"We shall," Pandora Lovegood intoned,
"Oh Hogwarts, we hear your call. The Heirs unite under your protection to serve and slay your enemies. " They all murmured, "Answer our call," as they felt the magic in the room build.
A soft voice intoned, "Heirs."
"I see your efforts towards my cause. Despite the hardships you face, you fight for me and my rights. For this, me and my family are nothing but grateful. "I give you aid to help you on your way to claiming my vengeance," Hogwarts said, its voice echoing around the room.
They all shivered as the magic surrounded them as if judging them, wondering if they were worthy or not, analyzing their efforts towards the cause, and using them to gift them appropriately.
"Gerald Smith, heir of Helga Hufflepuff, I gift you the long-lost journals of Helga Hufflepuff. To your heir, I gift journals Helga herself wrote on creatures she encountered. " Hogwarts said as the table glowed and the journals appeared.
They looked old and bound in string
"And for these gifts, we are grateful," the Smiths murmured with bowed heads.
"To the Slytherin heir, Thomas Marvalo Slytherin." I give you the lost sword of Salazar as he wills it." The table glowed again and the sword appeared on top of it.
"I am grateful to Lady Hogwarts for his gift," Marvalo said as he picked up the sword from the table with reverence, barely paying attention to anyone else in the room.
"For the heiresses of Rowena, I give you access to the hound of knowledge she did not share before her timely demise. Curiosity for curiosity's sake will always be rewarded. "
"We are grateful," the Lovegoods muttered together.
"I give the diaries of Griffindor to the heir of Godric Gryffindor to Hadrian Abarax Nova Malfoy for his great service in freeing me." "I give the diaries of Griffindor. Use the rituals wisely, young one. The fate of the magic world may just depend on it, "Hogwarts said ominously, as Luna smiled at the statement.
"I am grateful for this gift," Harry said, feeling the color drain from his face.
"To Charles James Potter, the house of Gryffindor gives what he needs most mind protection", a bracelet appeared on the table which was quickly taken by Charles as he wore it thanking Hogwarts quickly.
"And finally to Jameson Charlus Potter, Journals from a Time Long Forgotten, May you remember your way back to the old ways child,", The voice seemed to die as it fell silent with these final parting words.
James still mumbled a small thanks as he gathered the books that lay on the table looking innocent. They all still felt the presence of Hogwarts until suddenly it left.
The energy in the room stopped swirling as everyone seemed to pant from exertion as if they were suffering from magical exhaustion. Marvalo and Harry stared at each other. This most certainly changed things.