Hey everyone,
So in the original version of this chapter I had James focus solely on the bad contracts. But to be honest, I don't like that version anymore, so James will mention one or two good ones, positive ones, before he storms off to release his anger over the bad ones. However, I do NOT plan to change anything about his reaction to the bad ones as those are and stay bad and he is and stays a very, very protective mother.
Enjoy ya'll,
Venquine1990
Chapter 39
A Mother At Work
30th of January 1996
Great Hall, Hogwarts
James' POV
"It will NEVER happen!" I growl as I stand in the entry way to the Great Hall, the students having gone there for lunch and everyone looks at me, shock, fear, concern, fright and confusion on all of their faces as I am glaring at several kids with the clear need to punish them for what I have held within my hands.
In both is a single contract, one written by a member of the Potter Alliance, the other written by an Heir to the Black Alliance – or better said, someone who probably thought himself in charge of the Black Alliance – and I make sure to glare at them both equally, disgusted by their beliefs and thoughts beyond my own respective belief.
"What will, James?" Albus asks and I decide to tackle one problem at a time. I raise my left hand, which holds the contract signed by the Heir and growl: "Professor Snape, am I right to assume that you granted Slytherin Draco Malfoy permission to leave Hogwarts grounds on the 31st of October two years ago?"
And the man seems curious as he says: "Yes, Professor Potter." Him using my title further proving that I have indeed earned his respect and I say: "Then Slytherin Draco Malfoy has abused this right. He visited Gringotts and, behind his mother's back, wrote up a contract signing him off to marry my Heir now Heiress.
However, the marriage contract that is now signed by Heir Lea, my Heiress, my fiancé Lord Black and myself make that contract null and void. And before you even try, Slytherin Malfoy, I can challenge you to an Honor Duel based on how grieviously your contract has insulted the right and honor of my Heiress and my House.
Heir Potter is to take a sex change the night before the wedding? Heir Potter's wedding dress is to show how willing her body is to accept Heir Malfoy's? Heir Potter is not allowed to leave the bed room until it has been confirmed she is with child? No Heir born of Heir Potter is to ever be given the Potter name or fortune?"
By now Malfoy himself is trying to be level with the table he is sitting at and I growl: "That last one alone is reason enough for me to have you arrested for an Attempt at Line-decontinuation, Slytherin Malfoy. And considering that House Malfoy has earned most of its Noble Status of your mother's marriage to House Malfoy –."
And while I know that I can continue this and state that I don't suffer the same issue, does it not need to spoken out loud as everyone who is either aware of Pureblood Society or a Pureblood themselves seems to already get this. And thanks to this are even several Slytherins of High Society now glaring at the blonde in disgust as well as Ravenclaws on the table beside it, while Purebloods from the other Houses are whispering explanations to their seated partners.
Yet I ignore him and instead turn to another. "And your little statement isn't much better, Hufflepuff Ernest MacMillan." At which the lad in question yelps, while those close to him look at him astounded and disgusted and I growl: "I only needed one line – one single line – in this contract to desire expelling you from the Alliance.
Heir Potter is to do whatever it takes, regardless of financial, public or political loss or even in spite of his/her health, stamina, magic or body, to produce as many Heirs as Ernest MacMillan desires and is not to have any desires for a future or a desire to voice said desires other than is dictated to him/her by Ernest MacMillan."
This makes Malfoy rear back up in shock and he exclaims: "That's even worse than mine!" To which I growl: "Only by a little, Malfoy. Considering both declare that my Heir now Heiress is nothing more than an object for you both to mess with and change however you please. So don't get cocky or think you're off the hook, capish?"
The blonde whimpers and nods, his House mates glaring at him and whispering: "How stupid can you be to try that, Malfoy?" Before I turn to the Hall in general and growl: "You lot and your parents disgust me. I've been reading all kinds of contracts – wedding forms, business contracts, binding contracts and contracts that actually benefit your own House at the cost of mine, for the better part of the last two hours.
I read 256 contracts – yes, I kept count – and only 34 of them can actually be considered acceptable. And the worst of it all?" And I hold up both contracts again as I growl: "These two were actually light when it comes to proper public and upstanding society wording. There were actually contracts with worse orders and statements.
I won't repeat or even think of quoting some of the more disgusting and disturbing ones, but let me tell you – those Houses are in trouble." And with that do I put both contracts in both hands and use the full force of my physical training of the last few years to break them cleanly in half, the snapping of wood and ripping of parchment very rewarding.
Everyone looks shocked and startled when they see me do this and I throw the four halves up at which Lea – who was standing behind me the whole time – snaps his fingers and growls: "Goodbye." And four circles of flames encase the four bits of wood and parchment, causing them to fall down on the two of us as nothing but ash and cinders.
I then look down and say: "And I repeat that statement. Goodbye to all you who think my Heir now Heiress is but an object at your disposal. Goodbye to all you who think you can ruin my family and House in order to better yours. Goodbye to all you who think that fame can take away your morals or my daughter's rights."
I then try my hardest to calm down and slam the Occlumency shields that Mother taught me – that usually only work temporarily when I am this angry – up to regain my calm before I say: "However, I also want to thank a few people. Hannah Abbot, Padma Patil, Astoria Greengrass and Luna Lovegood. Thank all four of you.
You four, obviously, contacted Gringotts through letters instead of going there directly and wrote contracts – simple business and life-improvement contracts – that will not only benefit the Potter and Black alliances respectively once the four of you are old enough to officially activate them, they wil benefit your own Houses just as much. They were written with balance in mind."
The four smile, Hannah and Padma turning a little red as I sense my shields failing. I turn around and growl: "I however, don't mean either of these warnings or these compliments towards those who met me in private earlier. But I do ask that they remember all I told them, the good, the bad and the warnings I gave them. My desires haven't changed, I do still consider you innocents. That is, as long as you can prove me you're not one of them."
And with that do I motion for where the large bags with mail are standing, Lily having moved those there after I told her and Lea of my plan to do this and only one bag missing as that one is filled with the few contracts that I actually considered acceptable. Everyone looks at this shocked and I turn to them as I say: "Contact your families and ask them. Have you ever set up any kind of contract with House Potter – behind their backs?
If they haven't, you will enjoy the full luxury of my offer. If they have, but they are part of the few contracts that I found that I find acceptable, the same applies. If they have and they are part of the unacceptable or disgusting category, you better convince them to undo it or personally state them null and void – or I'll do it for them. And those of you who have either parents who wrote out wedding contracts or did so themselves, those are already voided.
Not just by me, but by both my partner, Lord Black, my daughter and her Kitsune mate and now fiancé. And remember, as Lord of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter as well as the fiancé of the Lord of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black – I have a lot of rights and ways to do so. And if your parents feel they are above that, kindly remind them that I have always taken more after my mother than my father."
And while this only makes a select few actually gasp and shriek in fright, proving that my mum's legacy is still quite well-known even a few generations later, do I then snap my fingers, conjuring the cape my mother made for me just before her death and just leave the Great Hall and Entrance Courtyard, knowing I really can't take on any more contracts, whether they be of positive influence to my House or negative.
Instead, while I have no doubt that there will be a few older students who will also recognize the cape, do I feel my shields fall as I pull my wand out of my wand holster and move over to a large boulder that I have always known to be at the far left bank of the Black Lake and start to cast every spell, charm, curse, hex, incantation, enchantment and other forms of magic that my Mind Healer always recommended for me to relieve my stress.
The boulder gets chipped, changed, changed back, blasted, repaired, pushed down, shot to the sky, turned different colors, has its structure and base form changed to several other things such as grass, moss, wind, water, ice, coal and other stuff and changed back before being plunged back down, landing deeper than before, me constantly envisioning it to either be Malfoy, MacMillan or parents of kids who wrote the disgusting contracts.
I also reduce and expand its size and change little bits of it as I feel myself calming down before changing the whole thing back, causing for the rock to look just like it did when I arrived, even if it is now stuck in a dent of cracked earth and rocks that wasn't there when I arrived. Yet the casting did its job and I sigh in returned tranquility.
"You went out worse than the last few times. Roxanne isn't going to like hearing about that." Lily then suddenly tells me, but I say: "Roxanne has been expecting that I would get setbacks ever since she heard that I was going to be reunited with the others, Lils. She'll probably already have a program ready and set up for me."
At which, even though I have my back turned to her, I just know that my sister by bond is rolling her eyes as she says: "You know the inert magic of Hogwarts can't handle that much magical pressure. It's not the same as Campbrina's, you know that. You know that this is going to form a risk to the students, seeing it's still a school year."
"Not to mention, I really think you went just too harsh on them, James." I then hear an ancient voice say and this voice and the words spoken would have made me see red, were it not for the bright light that suddenly blinds me. And when I shake my head to clear my sight, I see someone utterly gorgeous and even ethereal.
"Lady Destiny, what brings you to our presence?" Dumbledore asks startled and I think: "She's gorgeous enough to turn any gay guy not bonded through magic straight." The ethereal being smiles at me shortly, as if knowing my thoughts and then says: "I am here because I have tasks to give out to people living in your school, Albus.
And seeing the situation of Harry, Sirius and James of the last fourteen years and the role you chose to play in the former's life, you really do not have the right to reprimand James for responding as he did – to what you should have stopped from happening years ago." This shocks the older man, but I only agree with her.
She then turns to me and says: "Now, I have a job for you, James, as well as you, Lily, the young lady known as Angelina and of course for Lea, who I will meet after this. Your fiancé has nicely changed your daughter's clothes to her right gender, but she deserves more. Not to mention, she has no clothes representing her role in the world. I have presented her with a few, but those, unfortunately, can only exist in the realm I created.
James, it will be up to you to rectify this. Lily, young Angelina will let you know what she will need your help in, not to mention you will need to reign her in as she sees a chance in Jessica that might make her go against the promise she made your niece. I will have Lea also know that he can buy his love for lovely dresses."
"My lady, I must ask you to –." Dumbledore tries, but the woman ignores him and turns to me, her look proving me she already knows what he is wanting to say and that I have a solution to the problem he believes we have. I nod and pull a simple string with a runestone dangling from it. Dumbledore looks at this and I say:
"Teachers are demanded to leave Campbrina for one month a year every year. Because of this and because they are always people who are either supposed to be dead or have a death sentence hanging over them, they are required to wear this Glamour Stone unless they decide to return to their homes, lives and families."
This shocks the man and I turn to him as I say: "And unless the curriculum has changed, do I know that Sixth years get to learn how to create one of these somewhere between October and February, Albus, so I don't see why you're making this much of an issue out of it. You're letting your fears get the better of you."
I then turn to Lily and say: "Let's get Angelina and go." My sister by bond nods and then Lady Destiny speaks again: "Well said, dears. Also, two things. One James, your sweet little girl has a bigger heart than I expected, which I can only assume is because she never truly showed it when she was still Harry.
Because of this does she seem to worry for her brother as they learn of his first adventure more than I expected and so I decided they could take a break in it once they reach the halfway point of that adventure. This will probably happen in one to two hours and when it does, you, Angelina, Lily and potential others will be brought there.
Two, I have infused this rock with some of my own magic, making it so that, if you ever need to vent again, you can do it upon this rock without damaging the Hogwarts wards or magical powers. And Albus, I'm very sorry, but Hogwarts' magic hasn't been what it used to be for longer than you might ever be able to know."
And while I think: "Hogwarts just isn't Campbrina." Do I feel only a slight sense of guilt over choosing my current work place over the school I went to as a student. I then turn to Lady Destiny and ask: "My lady, this may be a bit bold but, considering all you have done for us, may I hereby invite you to attend my wedding?"
And the deity's eyes actually stay stuck on one color in shock before she sends me a smile as dazzling as the light she arrived in before she says: "I would be honored, James Potter. Thank you." And with the same dazzling light – me turning my head away in time this time – does the wondrous being of ethereal power vanish once more.
"You know, James, you don't need to wear that string when you go shopping. After all, there are shops all over Europe that are in cooperation with Campbrina and where we can shop as just us. It'll be much easier shopping for your little girl over there, don't you think?" Lily then asks and I smile at her, only to groan in annoyance.
"I would think not. Those stores are, as you said after all, outside of the English borders and I doubt the Minister would be willing to send people who are supposed to help support their homeland abroad. Especially considering –." Umbridge tries to intervene, yet I put my string away and pull out another, shocking the woman.
"International Port Keys, provided to any member of staff working for Campbrina High, which are secured under a contract and form of magic that makes it so they can only work for those who are indeed staffed at Campbrina High or taken along by a staff of Campbrina High. And that contract gets refreshed every – single – year."
I make sure to emphasize the last three words and just in time as the woman tries to open her mouth to bring up another objection. Yet even with the emphasis it seems the woman still won't give up as she tries to tower over me, which is impossible due to her porky stature, as she says: "That may be true, but Ms. Johnson needs –."
Yet to this Lily groans and asks: "Are you really that desperate? Angelina is 17 years old. She is off age and allowed, by law, to make her own decisions. She doesn't need either Minerva or her father's permission if she is being invited to a shopping trip. Are you that bad a teacher you can't see the difference between a 3rd and 7th year?"
And while Umbridge splutters and stutters over this, do I send another look at Albus, knowing he will try and say the same thing the last time we got under the woman's skin. Yet the way the man grimaces makes me know one thing: "That offer is becoming more and more vital. I hope the others will handle it well." And I leave the two behind.
Good luck, James,
So not a whole lot was changed, but I did add a few things here and there. And for those of you who are wondering, I do love to give Lady Destiny the chance to spoil the girl that means so much to her, but I want to give Lea, James and Lily priority in this, especially Lea. I can't help it, writing about Lea spoiling Jessica just fills me up with joy.
Next chapter: Jessica gets the chance to lose some of her concern for her brother as the first world he travels to really doesn't have any major villains and Sirius gets a chance to see a world that is crazier than his own imagination or even the brilliance that is Fred and George's ability to create prank products.
Sounds fun,
Venquine1990
