Rowthan 14 β Revelations and Partners
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it is not mine. No copyright or trademark infringement is meant, I have the utmost respect for the true intellectual owner of Harry Potter. This is meant to be nothing more than a means for my own creative process to thrive.
Secondary Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Note: I had this finished and ready to post on January 30th, but fanfiction was down when I tried to post this, so I guess I will post this ASAP. π
Chapter 14
By mid-week everyone was either talking about the Durmstrang Delegation or the Beauxbatons Coterie. The sixth year Beauxbatons students seemed to one-up the fifth year Hogwarts students who were studying for OWLs while the sixth year Durmstrang students were "so respectful it makes me want to puke," according to one Gryffindor.
Ravenclaws were bemoaning Rowthan's use of textbooks. Worse, he was actually checking them out instead of just claiming them at his table! He was also bringing texts into the library in Russian, French, and Bulgarian. More than one Ravenclaw bemoaned their inability to read the books, especially when a Durmstrang student or Beauxbatons student only had to walk up to the table and Rowthan handed them the appropriate copy. (Little were they aware, the books were textbooks for their classes β just in the native tongue of the reader.)
More than one Slytherin was already taking advantage of Rowthan's superior note-taking skills and gladly paid anywhere from a few sickles to a galleon for a copy of the day's notes in their weakest subject.
Harrington was already attempting to bribe Ravenclaws for their notes from the beginning of the year in Arithmacy after his grade improved from an A to an EE within a few short days due to Rowthan's superior note taking skills. He'd turned in two assignments early, and received the extra credit for doing so, and received Os on both!
Then the end of the month came around, and on the last Friday of October, the ceremony of the Champions was held.
Everyone was in the Great Hall.
Dumbledore looked rather calm as he approached the Goblet of Fire with Headmaster Karkaroff and Headmistress Maxime.
The Goblet spat out two names, two delicate pieces of parchment, that gently landed in Dumbledore's hand.
"The team for Beauxbatons: Fleur Delacour."
Fleur stood, anxious to see who her teammate in this endeavor would be.
"and Rene Devereaux."
Rene stood and bowed slightly to Mademoiselle Delacour and then walked over to her and offered his arm.
Harrison and Victor clapped as they met eyes with Rene and nodded their heads in respect but also with a knowing look that showed they respected their competitors.
"And the team for Durmstrang."
The hall silenced again as two cards spat out of the goblet and twirled around each other before landing in Dumbledore's hand.
"Lord Victor Krum of Sofia."
Victor stood, with a quiet pride and looked around at the other members of the Delegation. Money was already changing hands, and several were looking pointedly at Rowthan.
"and Lord Harrison Rowthan of Radnor."
Harrison smiled and kissed Katarzyna's hand before he stood, and the two teammates grasped each other's forearms in a firm shake before bowing to their classmates and then towards Karkaroff but at Kamarov (who was standing close enough to Kamarov that their slight went unnoticed to their Headmaster), before going off into the anteroom.
o-0-o
Rene and Fleur stood as the other two Champions entered the room
"Harrison." Rene said as he smiled as the two joined them near the fireplace.
Harrison smiled and nodded his head at Rene. "Rene."
"This is going to be fun, yes." Rene said with a grin still on his face as the four of them heard a BANG! From the Goblet of fire and then a pause and a cheer and then a second BANG, a pause and silence.
Pure silence.
Harrison, Victor, Fleur, and Rene stood quietly and waited for someone, anyone to come in.
Lord James Potter was the first to arrive, all but apparating across the room with his anger. He couldn't believe Jacob! The boy, his heir and only progeny with his name, had the gall to go behind his back after James had refused his son's request to enter the tournament! It was bad enough Harrison was going to enter, but Harrison was 17, heir of a powerful Earldom, and engaged to be married! Harrison was light years ahead of Jacob in maturity.
James looked at his eldest son, whose confused face was quickly replaced by something akin to shock as the teen deduced the reason why the Lord Potter would be so enraged. James counted to ten in his head, and then to twenty, while taking calming breaths. It would not do to explode on his son and heir, he simply sent his eldest son a look that all but begged his eldest son to prevent James from doing something stupid and to speak with the younger Potter with the elder later.
Harrison nodded subtly to his father, showing that the message was truly received as Headmasters Dumbledore and Karkaroff came in with Headmistress Maxime, followed by the Hogwarts team.
-0-
Jacob walked into the room with Cedric. Despite their shock, the two were determined to show just as much of a united front as Durmstrang and Beauxbatons did.
Granted, Jacob had never thought that his name would come out of the Goblet. He thought it would be nice to enter, but never thought that someone as mediocre as he was would be chosen to compete. Cedric Diggory β sure that was a given β everyone in the entire school knew Diggory's prowess with Charms and grace in the air. Jacob was, well, mediocre.
He also never expected the look of barely suppressed rage on his father's face. 'Maybe I shouldn't have asked Mum to sign the form after Dad said "No."' Jacob thought as his father's piercing eyes from across the room hit him with the power of a thousand stunning spells.
The rules were explained, although Jacob was barely listening. He did hear the "No exams" bit and was looking forward to that, although he did hear that his grade would be determined by the year average. Good thing Defense and Charms were his best two classes, he was even "decent" in Potions thanks to Lily's tutoring during the summers (he usually averaged a solid EE or 85%).
Less than an hour later, they were back in their Common Rooms.
An hour after that, Jacob was drunk off Firewhisky the twins snuck in and didn't even notice when Fred (or George) guided the intoxicated teen to his dorm.
The next day he found a note on his bedside table.
Jacob Fleamont Potter
He gulped when he read it.
Heir Potter,
Your presence is requested in the quarters of Lord James Potter, Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please do not be any later than 9:30 a.m., the password "Prongs Rules" will only be good until then.
The note wasn't even signed, but Jacob would know his father's handwriting anywhere.
He looked at the clock.
9:31 a.m.
His eyes widened, and he scrambled for his glasses, wand and shoes β wearing the same clothing he'd worn the day before and feeling more than a little queasy β and raced to his father's office.
-0-
James and Harrison were sitting quietly, eating a light breakfast in James's office around 9:00 a.m.
"I had Tizzy deliver a note for Jacob. He will be here at 9:30." James said as he took a sip of coffee, his personal drug of choice.
Harrison hummed, "You know the Weasley twins brought Firewhisky to Gryffindor Tower last night. I have it on good authority that Jacob imbibed more than a little of the spirit."
James took a calming breath, "You know, when you got drunk at Durmstrang it wasn't this hard on me."
Harrison raised an eyebrow, "Who says I got drunk?"
James raised an eyebrow at his son.
"Fine, but I never got caught and Vic and I always had Hangover Cures prepared in advance, so we weren't late for classes."
James shook his head, "I am merely expressing that it is more than a simple feat to give into the voice in my head that says to make sure we have a full Monty waiting for Jacob."
Harrison smiled, "Of course we should! Tizzy!"
A Potter House-Elf arrived with a quick whoosh! "Yes, Little Master?"
"I am not your Little Master anymore, Tizzy." Harrison reminded the female elf.
"You will always be Little Master Harry." Tizzy affirmed with a nod.
"I give up." Harry told his father, who looked at the two bemused. "Tizzy, would you get us a full Monty for four?" he asked with an evil grin on his face. The extra food meant more aroma, which meant more than a subtle torture for Jacob.
Tizzy nodded, "Yes Little Master Harry." She said and disappeared to Potter Manor.
"Seventeen years old, and I am still "Little Master." When will I just be me?" he groaned.
James laughed, "I was 'Little Master' until Jacob was born. Trust me, you're stuck with it."
Tizzy was back in ten minutes with plates heaping with mushrooms and tomatoes, black and white pudding, beans, fried bread, fried eggs, sausage, kippers, fried kidneys and four cold glasses of milk.
It smelled amazing, and the two elder Potters very nearly didn't wait until 9:30.
"You did say, 9:30, right?"
James nodded as he gave into temptation and picked up a piece of fried toast. "I guess it is a good thing my password is good until 10 AM."
Harrison shrugged and grabbed his own piece of bread.
Jacob arrived at 9:47, and nearly went green at the smell of the breakfast.
He very nearly turned around.
"Jacob Fleamont Potter, don't you dare." James said with a calm and deadly tone.
Jacob gulped, this was a tone he hadn't heard since James informed Lily that James would be moving back into Potter Manor β with or without his wife. James had thrown the gauntlet, and Lily had refused to back down. Each stubborn, but James with the ability to take all of his wife's prestige away. Lily refused to admit it, but James had rejoiced in it.
"Yes father." He said as he meekly sat down. "Lord Rowthan." He said as he bowed his head.
"Heir Potter." Harrison said calmly, not giving anything away as to the intentions of this meeting.
"Jacob, who signed your permission slip?" James demanded calmly. James was using a very calm interrogation technique he'd mastered as a Dragon. Everyone expected James Potter to blow up and yell and loudly demand everything of someone he was questioning. It threw them for a loop when he was calm, cold and deadly. It also implied that he already knew every answer the person he was interrogating would provide. And today, he did.
"Mum." Jacob said as he grabbed a glass of water, not trusting himself to any of the food in front of him and it looked like good food. The type Tizzy β¦
He glanced at his brother, Harrison was definitely enjoying the blood pudding β and he only enjoyed Tizzy's blood pudding.
'Dad definitely pulled out all of the stops with this one.' Jacob thought as he took a sip of the water.
"And did you inform her that I refused to sign?"
"Sorta." Jacob admitted. "I thought it would be fun, enter and not get picked. Be normal, you know."
James closed his eyes, "Son, I refused to sign because I did not want my entire heart and line on the line throughout this tournament." He said as he let out a breath before opening his eyes again. It was a classic look that James sent towards his son, the I-can-barely-look-at-you-I-am-so-disappointed look. Every parent had it in their repertoire, and it always worked.
Jacob nodded, "Yes sir."
James sighed, "Your punishment, you are grounded."
Jacob gaped at his father, "What, I'm-"
"Finish that sentence and I will make Harrison heir of Radnor and Potter." James said coldly. "You will come to my quarters every day after class. You will do your homework. I will check it over. If you have any questions, you will ask me, and I will answer or ask Minerva, Filius, or Severus. You will not be anywhere without myself or another of our line knowing, and yes, that includes your cousins."
Jacob bowed his head, now he was going to be baby-sat by Amara, Etta, or his younger first year cousins Etienne, Jacques, Margaret, Alexander and Nathaniel, he just knew it. Meg was one of his most annoying cousins β especially when she knew Jacob was being punished. The second year Gryffindor was almost gleeful in ensuring he stuck to whatever punishments his parents had imposed. At least Amara was too busy with her fifth year to be too annoying. Etta being in Hufflepuff would stop his fellow fourth year from tattling on his every misdeed in class.
Now, because he'd ignored his father, he was stuck on house-arrest. "What about Hope?"
"What about her?"
"When will I see her?"
"I am sure Ms. Mesching will understand." James answered calmly.
Jacob gulped; she was going to break up with him β he knew it. And they didn't even get to kiss yet! "Yes sir. Can I go now?"
James nodded, "You may, straight to the tower to collect your things. You will return here and do your homework."
Jacob's protest died on his lips, "Yes sir."
"Lord Radnor will be here when you return." James said with a quick glance for confirmation from Harrison who nodded once.
Jacob nodded and began the trek back to Gryffindor tower.
Ron met him by the portrait hole, "Jacob! Where'd you go?"
"My Dad wanted to talk to me." He said quietly, mostly to not wake up the entire tower and spread his embarrassment.
"Give you advice about the Tournament? Cool, what'd he say?"
"That's he's disappointed in me. He didn't sign my card, my Mum did."
Ron frowned, "But your parents agreed on that, yeah?"
Jacob shook his head, "I told Mum that I hadn't asked Dad yet. She signed it before I got another word in. They were in a bit of a row."
Ron gasped, "Mate, you never do that! I tried with Mum and I didn't leave my room the entire summer."
"Yeah, well, I've got to grab my homework. Dad wants me to do it in his office from now on."
"That's rotten luck, mate. But I'll see you on Monday, right?"
"No, it's from now on and he's going to check my work." He said. "Probably my Care and my Arithmacy class as well."
"What about Divination?"
Jacob froze, considering that Divination was mostly the two of them making stuff up for Trelawney's enjoyment β "I don't know how much longer I'm going to be in Divination Ron."
Ron shook his head, "Right, well, I'm going to go see if Fred or George are up yet. We were going to go play Quidditch with some 'Puffs."
Jacob nodded, "Have fun, Ron." He said and went up to his room, took a quick shower and changed his clothes, grabbed his school things and went back down, only to be stopped by Fred and George.
"What's wrong. . . oh son of Prongs?" the two asked.
"It's too early for this." Jacob muttered and kept walking. "Prongs might be your hero, but he's my Dad. Don't tick him off."
Fred stopped on the second to last step below him. "Meaning what? Surely the Great Prongs appreciates a good prank."
Jacob shook his head, "Not today."
"Good." A voice said, and Jacob groaned as he saw his twelve (soon to be thirteen) year old cousin. Like all Potters, Meg had the infamous black hair β which on a girl turned into voluminous curls β although her eyes were a light grey/hazel tone. She was petite and definitely had the build of a seeker, if she cared for Quidditch as much as she cared for Transfiguration. Not many twelve-year-olds idolized Minerva McGonagall, after all. "You shouldn't have entered your name, cousin."
Jacob groaned, "Too little too late Meggy."
Meg glared at him, "It's Meg."
"Yeah, well, don't start something you can't finish, cousin." He said and went out the portrait hole and back to his father's quarters.
He found Harrison at the dining room table with the red-haired girl he'd often seen his cousin with. She was delicately eating some fruit salad, which appeared on the table between the time Jacob left and his return. His future sister-in-law sat adjacent to his brother. Harry was all spread out on the table, it was a common look for his brother and something he'd missed seeing over the last four years.
"Do sit down, Jake. You'll catch flies." Harry said as he wrote down some more notes for his Arithmacy Project. It was a project Madame Vector had recommended he do in preparation for his mastery and would allow him to properly utilize his time at Hogwarts and during the tournament. It would take the entire year but would allow him to pull from what he knew and use advanced methods that Madame Vector was only too happy to share.
Katarzyna smiled at her soon-to-be brother-in-law, "Hello. I am Katarzyna Dmitrova."
Jacob bowed respectfully; some things would never change. "Jacob Potter, Miss. It's a pleasure."
"Sit down, Jake." Harry mused as he turned a page in the book in front of him. "Dad wants me to check your Arithmacy homework."
Jacob groaned, "Its only half finished." He said as he sat down at the opposite side of the table from Katarzyna.
"Charms?"
"Uhβ¦"
"Potions?"
"Wellβ¦"
"Herbology."
"That one's done." Jake said eagerly with a grin as he pulled out the parchment. Part of him was thankful that he had something done he could provide to the person checking over his homework. Granted, this made him feel like he was back in primary, but at least he had something to show for the last week of class.
"Astronomy."
"Done in class." He said, pulling out another roll of parchment.
"Transfiguration."
"Erβ¦"
"What other classes are you in? Do you even do your homework?"
"My Divination homework and my Care homework is done!" Jacob retorted before he realized what he was saying, and then regretted it as Harry summoned said homework.
"Then finish your Arithmacy homework. Dad took Ancient Runes and Care. He specialized in Transfiguration and the Core Subjects. Arithmacy is my specialty."
Jacob winced. "And, where is Dad?"
"Lord Potter was called away." Harrison said in a tone that told his brother to drop it.
Jacob got the message and quickly brought out his Arithmacy homework. He all but winced every time he heard the sound of his brother's quill.
"I will look over your Divination homework. I have often wondered just what the Great-Grandaughter of Cassandra Trelawney teaches." Katarzyna offered after Harry passed Jacob back his marked up homework with the note "projected mark as-is: 82%."
Normally, Jake would take the 82% and run but didn't want to disrespect his brother's time and began to re-do the assignment. This time using the large supplemental textbook Harrison had ont the table. It came with a note, "you may borrow this in this room, but ask Dad if you need your own copy for class β H."
"You took Divination?" Jacob asked. Immediately his opinion of his future sister increased exponentially.
Kat nodded, "Only the theory class. I do not have the Sight, so I did not elect to take the practical but my family is known to be able to read Tarot as long as it is not too specific."
"Is it rare?"
"The sight?"
Jacob nodded.
"My third cousin is quite gifted with the Tarot. He has yet to give a true prophecy, but has said things to people that make sense later on. Prior to first year, he told me that the color green will be important in my future. Five weeks later, I met Harrison." She said and looked fondly at Harrison, who caught Kat's eye and smiled warmly in return.
She looked over the homework and frowned, "Is this real?"
"Err⦠yeah?"
Kat's eyebrows furrowed and she passed the assignment to Harry. "Harry, you helped me with the Divination theory class. Have you ever heard of assignments where a teacher seems to mark based upon incredulity work?"
Harry looked over it and then looked at his brother, "You are taking Ancient Runes and Care, right?"
Jacob nodded.
"Dad will be pulling you from Divination on Monday." Harrison said as he put the assignment down. "That is a something I don't need tea leaves or tarot to foresee. You shouldn't be fabricating predictions based upon the position of the stars in order to obtain high marks. Father said you have an O in this class. I took that to mean you actually have a minor gift like Great-Grandmother Zylphia Fleamont-Potter."
Jacob shook his head, "It seems like the more you make up with Trelawney, the better marks you get."
Harry scoffed. "How is she still employed? She could teach a theoretical class and have a lab day to show practical demonstrations of tarot and tea leaves that would be better than this."
Jacob opened his mouth to defend his easy O, but closed it once he realized that there was no defending this.
o-0-o
James spent longer than he'd care to admit at his solicitor's office. It was official, Lily would be served with divorce papers β not separation papers β due to the endangerment of the Heir of the Potter line.
Lily would have to learn what it really meant to start at the bottom, she would get the town house in London, and the return of her salary in her own private vault. Vault 1059. Lily Evans, with a return of 25,000 Galleons from each of the last thirteen years β her salary as a healer at St. Mungo's.
She would receive a stipend of 20,000 Galleons per year for the next ten years, but James would be done with her. She would never have a say in either of his sons' lives.
He'd stayed at the solicitor's office long enough to destroy a Howler from Lily, telling him that he couldn't divorce her, that she was the mother of his children.
He sent back a restraining order.
