Disclaimer: Here is the second chapter. If you recognize it I do not own it. A lot of this is just explaining the reasons behind contracts and Sirius preparing Harry for his new place in the world.

After the trial, things happened fast. People were angry but also relieved that changes had occurred. The minister was getting the praise he wanted. But in the end, that didn't matter. Sirius was freed and he had one focus on his mind. His godson. With Amelia Bones supporting him and Dumbledore and Malfoy still arguing it out and focused on Hogwarts, making things happen how he wished it to was much easier than expected. Things were quickly falling into place. The moment the school year ended, he got his godson who was ecstatic to have a home.

Harry was not the same boy who left Hogwarts. It was impossible to be. He had fought a basilisk. A beast that could kill hundreds if left unchecked. He was bitter that he felt he had no one to turn to, that it was left to him to deal with. He couldn't let her die. The teachers weren't stepping in. It made him angry. The teachers all knew Lockhart was useless, why leave it to him? It was like they just accepted she was dead and washed there hands of it.

Then to find out he had a godfather, a godfather who wanted him, who loved him but was locked away. They locked away an innocent man. Dumbledore tried to force him back to privet drive but Sirius, he wanted him. The moment Harry said he'd love to live with him, Sirius didn't stop fighting, even threatened to have Dumbledore arrested for kidnapping if he tried anything.

Sirius however had been shocked at how little Harry knew about the world he was living in. So was Harry since he had been unaware of everything Sirius seemed intent on teaching him. It felt like the world was conspiring to lock away the important things from him, Like his Lordship. Instead of being able to get to know his godfather and have a work-free summer, he was having years of information pounded into his head.

It was part of his anger at everyone who wanted to keep him from this, namely his headmaster who Harry blamed for the most recent trauma he had dealt with. He took to his history, the lordship, traditions, and politics like a fish to water, easily accepting everything Sirius had to teach him.

They spent many days just sitting together talking, Sirius explaining the interworking's of the wizarding world. Both of them enjoying just being in each other's company, especially as Sirius wasn't in the best shape and it was taking time to get him back to fitness. There was a lot to learn and it was going well. Then Sirius knew he had to have a talk with Harry that would not be as easy but it could not be held off any longer.

Without a word being said, Harry knew something was wrong with the situation. It wasn't unusual for Harry to be called in to meet with Sirius and they would talk about things. However, this time, the usually smiling man had an incredibly hesitant exterior and immediately got Harry to sit.

"Sirius, what is going on," Harry questioned worriedly. As far as he knew, he had not done anything to upset the man.

"I'm honestly not sure where to start, I wish we had more time together before I had to bring this up. You've only lived here three weeks but I wanted you to know before it happened so you had time, your birthdays a month and a half away so I need to talk to you now" Sirius admitted. "Harry, you know the last war was dangerous right, it was a really bad time."

"Yes," Harry said since he had heard some stories.

"Having a child when you knew you were unlikely to survive the war was even more terrifying. James was an auror. A great one. It was no surprise when Voldemorts forces started aiming for the Potters. Potters tend to be known as warriors after all. However, his biggest fear was dying and being unable to protect you as well as Lily. There are a lot of dangers that come with being an heir of an ancient and noble family."

They had spoken about some of that. Attempted assassinations and attacked. It was terrifying to think about. "Yeah, you've mentioned that."

"While death, as well as physical harm, are dangers, there is also a very large one people don't talk about. Its line theft."

If it was being compared to death, this could not be good and Harry was instantly worried. "Okay, what is line theft?"

"Its when someone forces you to marry someone else, that can be done through illegal contracts, potions as well as pregnancies," Sirius said, the idea was completely sickening and only the worst sorts of people would dare. "If someone marries your line, not an ancient family, it's a big thing. It comes with money, prestige. People have done horrible things for that opportunity. Seduction, force, and an orphaned heir or heiress are in a lot of danger. People fight over guardianship, it might end up with someone else and you are aware marriage contracts are still a thing in the wizarding world."

That had been briefly mentioned. He found it strange but accepted it. "Okay, that does not sound good."

"There is only one real protection you can put in place for your child, and that is marriage contracts with very strict clauses with an ally or friend with a neutral contract," Sirius said.

Harry quickly thought over everything mentioned and realized what he was implying. "You are saying I'm in one," Harry guessed.

"Since you were three months old and James nearly died in an attack and there was talk about who'd get custody," Sirius said. "Should something happen an ancient lord. Rumors of people trying to get the Potter family power. We had a very good friend named Dorcas. Dorcas was a Meadows. Which is..."

"One of the 13 Ancient and Noble lines," Harry said knowing that name from his studies.

"So Dorcas had a daughter, she named Fay. She was worried especially as Dorcas's husband died when she was pregnant and she was on Voldemort's hit list. He would later hunt her down and kill her personally. James and Dorcas spoke, they were friends from childhood and they agreed to contract you both in an unbreakable contract."

An unbreakable contract sounded horrible. He had never met this girl and now he was expected to marry her. He appreciated protection but surely they would not do that to him. "So I have to marry this girl I don't even know," Harry said angrily.

"No," Sirius said quickly realizing that he should have explained that more clearly. "There are very clear steps. You must give each other a chance. So date for a short time. The main thing is, that only through death or through both children turning 17 and choosing to break it themselves can the contract be broken."

That hardly seemed unbreakable at all and was less terrifying then he thought. "Okay, can you explain this a bit more."

"I've read it over a couple times," Sirius said. "And I think I've gained a fair understanding of it. There is a lot of clauses. For example, both keep complete control over there Lordships. Do you want to know what needs to be done and how to get out or how to follow it."

"All of it, I want to know everything," Harry said. He was tired of not being given all the information and did not want to get a partial story. He wanted to know everything.

"Okay, so to get out of it, you must follow the necessary points of a betrothment contract and at 17, both of you are given the chance to break it. You must be tested, heavily for mind-altering spells and potions, and swear an oath you are doing it of your own free will and no one is forcing you through threats or blackmail. It will be judged and you can get out of it. No penalties."

"Okay, so if we don't like each other or find someone else when we are adults we can break it...I'm guessing because once we are actual adults no one can force us into anything."

"Actually, at thirteen now that you've taken the lordship you actually have to get a say in any contracts. There were protections set that don't work because both sets of parents are deceased. At fifteen, you have complete control. But this was mainly in case only one child was orphaned and it was protection. 17 is just a fair enough age to control it."

That didn't sound bad and Harry realized it was good protection over people trying to control him. "Okay, that makes sense. What do we have to do in it."

"You have to go on at least 15 dates," Sirius stated. "To give you guys a chance to get to know each other. Both of you have to agree that its a date. Usually chaperoned except once these activate and it will activate on your thirteenth birthday, Harry, you won't be able to have sex not that you should be at thirteen but its a basic chastity spell on each of you. It will be dropped when you guys are fifteen."

Harry wasn't sure what he thought about that but he did remember the mention of force. "There's a good reason for this. A lot of very young heirs can get caught in marriages if they get someone else pregnant. It is messy and gives the mother more power..."

"Okay, I can...I guess accept that. I wasn't exactly planning on having sex."

"And it is in lieu of a chaperone," Sirius said. "So you don't have to deal with that nonsense."

"Okay, anything else?"

"You can date other people during this time but the 15 dates are mandatory," Sirius said. "If she's anything like her mother, I think you will really like her Harry."

"I just...Marriage contracts, aren't they outdated," Harry asked. Were these common or were they going to be freaks at school because they were forced into this? The protections sounded nice but otherwise, it was a terrifying thought.

"In the muggle world," Sirius said. "Wizarding world, they are often used. Often to ensure your children meet an appropriate match. Harry, there are so few witches and wizards. Think about it this way, there's probably a million wizards worldwide. In the united kingdom, say 20,000 maybe 25,000. At the absolute most. There would be more but we've been destroyed by war after war. That is not a lot of people."

Harry nodded, "yeah there's probably like, 500 maybe students at Hogwarts." (I'M CUTTING JK ROWLINGS NUMBERS IN HALF HER NUMBER SEEMS WAY TOO HIGH).

"Thousands died during the war with Voldemort," Sirius said honestly. "The war with Grindelwald as well, now we are going to say your 13 since your almost thirteen, Say you're likely to marry someone five years older, or five years younger. As a range. There are how many students in your year?"

"I don't know, forty-something."

"Say fifty," Sirius said. "That is 500 people you can marry, 250 if you're straight. Even fewer for most people as they are likely related to a number of them."

"Oh," Harry said realizing what he was implying.

"It's a parent's way of ensuring there family has the potential to continue, your meeting someone of similar status and are protected against someone trying to poach you especially at your status. Only the higher end usually do this though and they all have a potential exit. Usually, there's some compensation given to the other party but in your case, neither of your parents fully believed in contracts so there is no penalties, both sets of parents fell in love. Dorcas was in a marriage contract but fell fully in love with Trever. Lily and James married out of a contract. They wanted you to have the best opportunity and be protected."

"I can accept that," Harry said since none of this sounded bad. "So what do you know about her."

"Her name is Fay Meadows Dunbar."

Harry vaguely recognized the name. "She is a Gryffindor in my year."

"So you know her?"

"I don't think we've ever spoken," Harry admitted. "But I do remember that she was never one of the people who called me the heir of Slytherin. She's quiet, extremely withdrawn. She usually sits in the back and I don't know if I've ever heard her speak or seen her look up now that I think about it."

"Really," Sirius said surprised. He, of course, knew very little about the girl but he had known her family well. "Her mother was extremely outgoing. She has been raised by her uncle on her father's side. A good man."

"I'm guessing you're telling me now since it activated."

"Yes, we were hoping to get you both together to get to know each other."

Harry nodded accepting it. "Alright, it doesn't sound as bad as I was expecting it to be."

"Your parents loved you so much Harry. They would do anything to protect you. This was just one way they could do so."