Chapter 14: A Lull and Consolidation!

Lord Peverell, James and Sirius make their way to where the Blacks, Tonks, and Potters are waiting, while everyone makes a hasty retreat from their path. No one wants to get in the way of the three men who just destroyed a third of the wizards on the Wizengamot with little effort!

Lord Black looks at the three and says" well done, we will talk back at the Manor".

Harry says "that is good because he needs a shower, fresh clothes and a drink", James and Sirius readily agree.

Lily grabs James and hugs him like he had been gone for months, Lady Black and Lady Potter both hug the three and say yes "we have much to discuss and Harry you have much yet to do today, but let's return to the Manor and prepare the path".

The path through the ministry was open as everyone got out of the way as the retinue of Lord's Peverell, Black and Potter made their way out before apparating back to Black Manor. Harry, James and Sirius all went to their ensuites and showered and dressed then came back down. Binks had provided beverages and snacks and all the ladies were gathered on the sofas while the men were seated around fireplace.

Arcturus starts the conversation with the three duelists and tells them "How great a job they did and that they should be proud of protecting the honour of their houses. He also asked Harry why he never pulled his wand, just his sword but even then, didn't use it?" Harry tells them all "that the magic he used was an old Tribal spell he learned during his travels to the South Pacific. There is no wand movements necessary as the power of the caster and the intent of the spell does the work".

Lilly then asks 'just what did it do because all she could see was James and Sirius's shielding and hearing Lord Peverell chanting."

Harry looks at Lily a little long before he says "Lily, I am Harry, I will always be Harry to you and all those in this room".

Dorea and Melania smiled at one another; they knew this was going to get tougher before it got easier if it ever did!

Harry says "the spell I used is called Imihaku Mana Pono, it basically drains the magic from those it is cast upon and strengthens the magic of the caster!"

Lord Potter states "that would be rather handy in a fight but Harry says not only in a fight but forever, the magic stays with the spell caster and those fighting with him or her"!

James speaks up and says "what... how...it supposedly makes me stronger too?"

Harry says "yes, if you were to check your core right now it would show you it has grown."

Sirius says "a person could get crazy on that spell", but Harry "tells him no, there is danger in the spell as it will strip the magic from any who use it for evil or trying to steal magic. Magic can tell the spellcasters intent and will respond with help or with vengeance depending on the situation. In this case I already knew what it would do so I used it, now those who would dare to attack any of you or our loved ones know that I can do this and will think twice before confronting us."

Dorea says "Harry, we need to set up a schedule of meeting with the Lady's of each House you claimed today. Since they can't come through the wards here at Black Manor or at Potter Castle, maybe it would be best to get Gringott's to set aside a room and meet with each Lady there to determine how to proceed."

Harry agrees and asked if Aunt "Dorea" and Aunt Melania would sit in the meetings with him since they knew at least some of the women and give advice and guidance as they were the Matrons of their houses and would know best how to run and maintain a House.

Lord Potter speaks up and says "Harry, send Grayclay to Gringott's and let him see about arranging a meeting room where you can meet with each Lady and also the account manager of each house."

Arcturus says "this would be quicker and also once the room is arranged Harry, being the head of each house could just call the house elf of each house to deliver a message for the meeting."

It was here that Andromeda and Lily ask "why Harry had to meet with each of the Ladies of each house and Dorea answers her."

Dorea says "Lily, Andi, what happened today has grave consequences on the women and children of those houses. Harry by fighting and killing the Lord of each House is now head of those Houses, follow me so far, they both nod. By right of conquest everything that belonged to those houses is now Harry's, the vaults, the properties, the debts, the Wizengamot seats and the women."

Andi knew this but had somehow let it slip through her thoughts as she was still thrilled to be back in the House of Black, but Lily being a muggleborn says "so now those women are his to do with as he pleases, basically chattel, whores, slags"

Dorea says "in a way yes, but Harry is to honourable for that. He will do right by the one's who deserve it and have not caused harm to innocents, but to those who have aided and partook in their husbands crimes, they will be punished either by being disowned and kicked out of their families or executed if found to have broken faith with the new Lord. "Lily says" that is barbaric and they all agree" but Melania says "until we can change the minds of more people in the Wizengamot nothing will change and today Harry struck a huge blow to that body." She continues Harry alone controls 13 of the votes, that is a fourth of all votes, add in those he is allied with and he can change much with just a few more houses joining him!

Harry asks for Grayclay who pops right in and asks how he may serve, Harry says thank you and asks if he would go to The Perverell Account manager Griphold, and see about renting a meeting room for a day. Then Harry tells Grayclay, to send a message to each account manager of the houses he took over today, House Goyle, Crabbe, Rowle, Dolohovo, Rookwood, Mulciber, Carrow, Nott, Rosier, and Scabior and let them know I want to meet with the widows of each family or the Lady of each House. Grayclay pops out and Binks lets them know dinner is ready and they all move to the formal dining area. Different conversation is going on around the table when Charlus asks "Harry if he will be taking up any seats on the Wizengamot or will he assign a proxy as he did with the Peverell vote."

Harry quickly says he won't be taking the seat and would like to divide the votes up. I was hoping to throw a little discord amongst the sheep by putting a few wolves in the midst, I was hoping that Aunt Melania and Aunt "Dorea" would take a few of the proxies, and that maybe some of the Houses I have won have some women like those of House Potter and House Black who will lead their houses better now that they will have some say in how they are run. You know make them feel they are worth more than arm candy and baby factories, let them show that they are more than they are given credit for.

Andromeda smiles and says, oh, I like him, Ted you better watch out!

Dorea said that sounds like a great idea and they will all listen and watch the meetings and see who if any could be trusted for that!

Grayclay pops back in and tells Harry, Lord Peverell that Gringott's had approved him leasing an office and that each of the Account Managers of his new Lordships had agreed to send owls to the Lady's or Heirs of each house to meet their new Lord. The meetings were scheduled over five days and two hour each was allotted for each. Griphold had also sent along a meeting schedule and list of who Lord Peverell would be meeting with. The meetings would start on Saturday at ten in the morning, there would be a two-hour break between meetings for Lord Peverell and the Account Managers to legalize the changes. The meeting order would be set according to the rank of the houses with House's Nott, Mulciber, Goyle, Rosier, and Rowle being Ancient and Noble Houses, while Houses Crabbe, Carrow, Dolohov, Rookwood and Scabior were just Noble Houses. Harry asks Lady's Potter and Black what they knew about the Lady of House Nott and Mulciber and what he should expect? Lady Black, Harry Aunt Melania answers Lady Nott, Elizabeth or Liza nee Wincombe was a beautiful and vivacious young lady in her Hogwarts days. She was always kind and would help just about anyone who asked, that was until she was betrothed to Lord Nott, who forbade her from socializing with, befriending any, and securing her away from any but the Pure Blood friends he had. There is one child a girl Candace three years old. Aunt Melania then tells Harry she may be one who can help them if she hasn't been beaten down to just follow whatever the PureBloods are spouting, I would recommend saving her if you can or at least setting her up with a stipend and let her have one of the smaller properties as long as she swears fealty and loyalty to you as Lord. The Notts are wealthy, not like the Black's and certainly not the Potter's, I'm not sure about the Peverell wealth but since it is one of the oldest families, I am sure you are provided for, so getting this away from the DeathEaters and Voldemort will benefit us all. Harry looks at Aunt "Dorea" to see if she was going to add anything and after she nodded Harry says, I can work with that, now how about House Mulciber?

Aunt "Dorea" takes this one with a sneer and says, Lady Mulciber, Miriam (Miri) nee Waverly, is twenty years younger than her Lord was. She was betrothed to him at thirteen, and married at seventeen, many believe her family was basically forced to sell her for some perceived slight or debt. She is a sullen looking thing who rarely ventures out unless she was at some function her Lord wanted to show her off at. Fortunately, there were no children as of yet so this is one that I think can easily be handled if gently.

Andromeda then says Miri was in Ravenclaw a year below me, she didn't care about what house you were in only that you were a good person. I would love to see her given a new hope even if I didn't really know her well!

Harry speaks to Lord Potter and Black and asks, what to do with their vaults and properties? Should I move everything, should I leave it in the vaults they are in, should I kept the Account Managers or let Griphold and Sharpeye take them over? Arcturus and Charlus step aside for a few minutes to discuss their thoughts and when they return Lord Black says, "Harry we would advise leaving the vaults like they are except changing the locks to require blood to open, if you let any of the Lady's retain access give them a stipend to manage the Manor and living expenses, renew the bonds with any house-elves they have sworn only to you and to follow your orders until such time you have trust in the Lady."

Harry nods and says thank you, "that is a huge help and good advice, it will be better if I can at least work with some of these Lady's instead of disowning them and casting them out or worse having to kill them."

Lord Black looks at Harry and then in his Lordly voice asks "Lord Peverell, you do know your duty to the house you are now Lord of am I correct?"

Harry pales a little but in the same manner answers, yes Lord Black, I know my duty to House and Magic, I will seal it with each as soon as I can.

Lily asks what do they mean by duty to House and Magic, as he is Lord and his word goes?

Lily being a muggle-born doesn't realize what is being talked about, and then asks Lord Peverell would you really kill the women of those houses?

Lord Black starts to speak, but Dorea says, brother it is best that I answer this as you tend to be a little on the blunt, crude and straight to the point side.

Charlus quips yea, better her than you, James or GOD forbid Sirius get involved in that conversation!

Dorea tells them to be nice and then she looks at Lily and says that Harry has certain responsibilities to the Houses he claimed. In that, I mean he as Lord has to see to the everyday running of the house, the financial needs of the house, the welfare of those in the house, and he has to claim the Lady of the House at least once to consummate the House or disown the women and any children so they can't claim or inherit anything from the house. That would also throw those to the wolves so to speak as they would have no protection from wicked Lord's or wizards, no funds to provide for themselves so Knockturn Alley would get an influx of 'fresh" women who would have to do anything to survive. So, while this seems brutal and barbaric, Harry has put himself in a situation that many wizards would love to be in, that is being in control of all this money and having all these women who basically are at his every call. Lord Peverell will do his duty to the houses he feels he can save, to those that he and we as he has asked Lady Black and me for guidance don't feel that way about the Lady's will be dealt with in a manner fitting the way they have treated others. They can't hide anything from Harry, he can read them like a book leaving it unsaid that he is a master legillimens.

Harry bids everyone a good night and heads up to his bedroom.

Soon everyone has said goodnight and retired to their suites when most heard Lily say James we need to talk, I need to know everything you might have to do when your become Lord Potter, and I mean everything, because there isn't gonna be but one woman in this relationship.

Sirius and Remus heard James's yelp as Lily slapped him in the back of the head as he was going up the stairs!

Then Lily says and no comments from the pea-nut gallery you two or I will be hexing you, silence was heard from the two frightened marauders!

A/N: The meetings begin, Harry even after being married to 5 gets nervous!