Chapter 8

The night before the wedding, Harry found Minerva laying on couch in the study reading, from the looks of it, a very old tome. Her face was flushed in anger but the tear tracks running down her face gave him an indication of the hurt underneath the anger. He shrugged out of his work robes and toed off his shoes before crossing the room to her. He settled down between her and the back of the couch drawing her in his protective embrace as he did so. He kissed the pulse point on her neck before asking, "What happened?"

She was silent for so long he didn't think she would answer. Harry was debating on his next course of action when she whispered brokenly, "The post arrived."

Harry scrunched his face up in confusion before he noticed the crumpled up letter beside of her. He clutched it and read the letter that had obviously upset his Minerva. He cursed at the stupidity of Molly Weasley and the hate filled letter she had sent his beloved. He thought about sending the offending letter up in flames but figured that wouldn't do any good. He muttered a spell to send it to Hermione who was in her rooms working on last minute details for the wedding. He turned his attention back to the witch in his arms and tighten his hold on her before responding, "Molly's accusations are unfounded and made purely out of jealousy and greed."

Fresh tears flowed freely as she replied. "I know that in my head but my heart is another matter entirely. I have known Molly since she was 11 years old and it is hurtful she would even write such down on parchment regardless if she believed it or not. I have never given a reason for her to make such accusations."

"What did Molly Weasley write," asked the portrait of James Potter. Harry glanced up to see his parents worrying expressions.

Minerva sniffed a bit before answering, "Apparently I am a half blood out to steal the prestige of the Ancient and Noble Potter House and a child molester on top of that."

"That spiteful cow," Lily screamed indignantly. "Minerva you have more integrity in your pinky than she has ever had. The greedy cow is hoping to push your buttons so you will push Harry away. I guarantee she has her daughter waiting on the sidelines to throw herself at Harry if you do."

"She has always tried to control my future," Harry reflected sadly. "She talked about how we would be one big happy family when Hermione and I married her youngest two. That was never going to happen!"

"She did," asked Minerva as she frowned. Molly should have never said anything of the sort.

Harry nodded his head yes. "That doesn't surprise me," James said. "I have always wondered why such a poor family had so many children. I know contraceptive potions are expensive but there are other ways to take precautions. I suspect Molly was hoping to align the Weasley family with more upstanding wizarding families and move them back up to their original position in wizarding society before their disgrace."

Minerva looked up sharply at James and studied his words. She hated to admit it but it did sound plausible. How could I have never thought about it before? she wondered. Then another disturbing thought crossed her mind. "Harry," she said turning her gaze to that of her husband. "Who bought your school supplies for you? I do not remember you ever mentioning going to Gringotts besides your first year."

Harry sighed before admitting something he had never thought he would ever do. "You are correct in your logic," he answered sadly. "Molly kept my vault key from me. She claimed she could get to the bank more easily than me. Of course, I trusted her and the entire family so much I didn't think much about it. Anytime I needed something, Molly gladly sent it to me. When I went to Gringotts before leaving to hunt the horcruxes, I discovered exactly how much Molly had taken from my trust vault."

"She stole from your vault," Lily asked horrified. Lily would have never dreamed Molly would do such a thing.

Harry nodded before he continued. "She had always taken double what I requested or what my supplies costed. I asked for her access to be denied and a new key was issued. I explained the situation to my financial advisor and he was furious that it had happened. The goblins wanted to immediately bring charges against Molly but I asked them not to. We didn't need our forces divided in the middle of a damn war so I asked for an alternative. The Goblins called in Bill and explained what Molly had done. Once he saw what she had done and the receipts of what she had purchased, he offered to pay me monthly installments from his pay until it was paid off. I couldn't allow him to do it. He was innocent in it all. Bill seemed to impress the hell out of the Goblins that day though," Harry laughed as he thought of the Goblins' expressions at the offer. "Bill called in Arthur for a meeting at Gringotts the same day. Arthur broke down in tears at what Molly had done. I remember hearing him say "stealing from a boy who lost his parents" and "like a son" through his breakdown. Once Arthur composed himself he insisted the Weasley family would pay me back in full. The man started asking about selling his home to do so," Harry said still amazed at Arthur's attitude. "I didn't want to bankrupt the entire family for Molly's theft so I arranged for Arthur to make small payments to the Goblins who converts the payments and deposits them into a Muggle account."

"Why not the family vault," James asked confused.

Harry smiled sadly before answering. "Those vaults are packed full of gold and jewels as it is. I will never have to want for anything regardless if I ever work. I wanted to do something special with that money."

"What's the Muggle account for," Lily asked curiously.

Harry smiled broadly. "I started a foundation in the Muggle World. The foundation is in name only right now so the money is being invested wisely so the amount will grow until attention can be focused on it."

Minerva looked Harry thoughtfully before asking, "What's the name of the foundation?"

Harry sighed and met her gaze then answered, "Hermione's Hope. I am planning on surprising her with it when she gains her Mastery. I am looking forward to seeing just what she can do with it."

Minerva smiled lovingly at Harry before dropping a quick kiss on his lips. Harry grinned at his wife before asking, "So you approve?"

"Wholeheartedly," she answered. "I am just upset that Bill and Arthur are the only ones that know of Molly's theft."

"They're not," Harry said. "Arthur dragged Molly into Gringotts after I left and stripped her from the Weasley vault. Molly is only allowed to shop with money Arthur sees fit to give her." Harry snorted before continuing, "Arthur even forced Molly to clean the main floor of Gringotts after closing that evening. He made her do it the muggle way as well. Bill gracefully sent me his memory of it."

James laughed loudly at the image of Molly scrubbing the floors while cursing like a troll. "I imagine she wasn't too happy," he said delightfully. How dare anyone steal from his son? he thought indignantly.

Harry grinned at his dad. "Not particular and especially since she is no longer allowed to seek me out or talk to me unless I speak to her beforehand," Harry said. "Arthur forced her to choose between a wand oath agreeing to it or being cast out of the Weasley family."

"That's shocking," Lily commented her eyebrows were raised up in surprise. "I didn't believe the man to have a backbone when it comes to his wife."

"He does," Hermione said as she rushed into the room then added crudely, "Apparently massive dragon balls as well."

James and Harry just grinned at Hermione as Lily and Minerva looked thoroughly surprised at the vulgar words the young witch uttered. "Hermione Granger," Minerva reprimanded.

The young witch gave her mentor an apologetic look before speaking again. "I seemed to have picked up a colorful vocabulary while on the run with the boys. I just came back from the Burrow. I couldn't believe Molly could write such a letter and I sure as hell wasn't going to let it go."

"What did you do daughter of mine," James asked wondering what the little spitfire had done.

Hermione smiled lovingly at the portrait. "I demanded an apology to our family honor or threatened a swift justice against the entire Weasley clan regardless of who grieved us," Hermione said impishly then finished her story. "Arthur was in the midst of reading the letter that Molly had sent to Minerva when Molly decided to hex me and call me a Mudblood." Gasps erupted for the entire room but Hermione forged on. "Arthur blocked the hex and disarmed his wife before I had time to lift my wand. I had never seen the man so angry before. He bound his wife right then and there. Added a gag for good measure," Hermione snorted in amusement. "None of the children offered to help Molly either. Anyways, he apologized to me formally, as Lady Granger-Potter which caused Ron and Ginny to erupt in anger. Arthur disarmed both of them before demanding their silence. I swear I saw Arthur's magic flowing out of him in waves as he verbally stripped the hide off of them. He threatened to cast them out of the family if they even mentioned the Potter name again. Arthur then informed me Molly would be going to Gringotts to work off her debt to you in their mines."

"He's sending her to the mines," Minerva asked aghast at the very notion. She had heard horror stories of the work conditions!

Hermione nodded yes before speaking once again. "Arthur has forbidden Ron and Ginny from coming anywhere near us. I suspect Ron and Ginny knew about Molly's theft from the beginning and their greed allowed them to follow her lead. The older boys looked green as they discovered what their mom had done. I took great pleasure in informing the Weasley family of your soul bond and how Lily had even left a letter for Minerva regarding it and even blessed the union."

"You are something Mione," Harry laughed. "Arthur will probably keep each and every one of them on a tight leash now for fear of being accused of messing with a soul bond."

"Exactly," she answered triumphantly.