Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
xXx The Genie of House Potter xXx
xXx Arc 01: Summer 1993 / Ch. 03: Amelia Bones xXx
xXx The Leaky Cauldron, London xXx
xXx Monday, August 9th, 1993 xXx
xXx 1845 Zulu Time xXx
Narcissa returned to the room that the three of them were staying in, having just placed a rather interesting Floo call. Once she arrived in the room she was greeted by the eager expressions of both her sister wife, as Harry had finally been talked into the fact that he wasn't going to be able to avoid having sex with Lily and thus should just go ahead and recognize her as his wife, and her husband.
Sighing as she sat down on the bed next to Harry she said, "Well, Amelia is extremely interested in meeting with us. However she says it would be unwise for us to come in to the Ministry. Apparently Lucius is convinced someone kidnapped me, and as such had the Minister order an Arrest Warrant for whoever is responsible. Amelia fortunately has the authority to rescind said Warrant, but she needs clear proof that doing so is a good idea."
"Fortunately Ragnok allowed us to keep the documents from our meeting. They were all copied for Gringotts' records anyways, so we can use them as that proof," Lily stated.
"Indeed, which is why Amelia has scheduled in a meeting with the three of us here in the Leaky Cauldron on Saturday morning. In the meantime she has asked that we not make too much of a spectacle of ourselves," Narcissa stated.
"Oh, I doubt that will be too hard. I figure we will mostly be keeping to ourselves in the intervening days. And Dobby can provide us with anything we need between then and now, so I suspect we should be good till then," Lily said as she licked her lips while looking at Harry with an evil smirk.
Harry groaned as he knew exactly what the two women had planned for the intervening days.
xXx Private Meeting Room, Leaky Cauldron xXx
xXx Saturday, August 14th, 1993 xXx
xXx 1230 Zulu Time xXx
Amelia Bones was sat in this room curiously anticipating her appointment with the individuals that Narcissa had indicated she had been staying with. When Narcissa had first contacted her it had been clear that the woman had been meaning to talk to Amelia regarding a different matter, but Amelia had sidelined that issue until such time as Narcissa's safety could be confirmed.
Normally Amelia would have sent Aurors to Narcissa's location and apprehended whoever she was staying with, but Narcissa had said that the individual she was staying with had private business to discuss with the House of Bones. That statement had stayed Amelia's hand, at least for the moment.
However, just to be on the safe side, Amelia had brought Alastor Moody with her to this meeting. While it is true that the grizzled Auror is being retired at the end of the year, he was the only one that Amelia could trust to not shoot first, ask questions later or never. Alastor may be paranoid beyond all reason, but he knew how to follow orders, which is more than she could say for some of the younger members of the Auror force.
Just then, the door to the room opened, and in stepped an individual whose appearance in this room caused both of Moody's eyes to bug out, and Amelia to clasp her hands up to cover her mouth in shock.
Lily smiled as she entered the room, "Well hello Amelia, Alastor. It is good to see you… though in your case Alastor you look like you could use a retirement, you don't appear to have much left that you can lose before you are remanded to a nursing home for the rest of your existence."
Moody barked out a genuine laugh, "Aye lass, that pretty much confirms your identity for me. No one but you would say such a thing to me in such a brazen manner without fear of retribution."
"Lily?" Amelia asked through tear stained eyes, "How is this possible?"
Instead of responding, Lily turned to look back outside of the room and said, "You can come in now, Master, Narcissa, any danger has passed now that I have ensured your safety."
When she returned to the room this time, she was followed by both Narcissa, and the young form of Harry Potter. Lily began the discussion, "I suppose an explanation is in order? Well I don't really bandy it around or anything unless the information is necessary, but I am a Djinn that has been bound to the service of the House of Potter for several centuries. The Killing Curse has no effect on me other than forcing me to spend a few years building a new body. That is how I have come to be in this room now, despite having appeared to have died on Halloween, 1981."
"Aye, that'd do it," Alastor agreed.
"Now I have to demand the silence of both of you in regards to my true nature. There are certain individuals who I do not wish to know about this, Albus Dumbledore is one of them," Lily stated, "And I know about your membership in his birdwatching organization Alastor."
Amelia swivelled her head to regard the Auror, "What birdwatching organization?"
"I've got no idea what she's on about," Alastor stated in a gruff tone of voice.
"I wish everyone present could be completely honest with each other while they are in this room," Harry stated.
"Your wish is my command, Master!" Lily stated as her eyes glowed a bright golden color.
Moody grunted in annoyance as he was forced to say something that went completely against several magical oaths that he had made, "I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix, a vigilante organization formed by Albus Dumbledore to act as a counter-response organization to the Death Eater threat and to work towards the goal of finding a way to truly defeat the one who calls himself Lord Voldemort."
As soon as Moody finished speaking, he fell to his knees in extreme pain, as the curse for breaking the secrecy oath he had made upon being inducted into the Order made itself known.
Upon hearing this revelation, and witnessing the reaction of Alastor Moody to having revealed this information, Amelia swivelled her head back to regard Lily, "I assume that you were also a member of this… Order of the Phoenix?"
Lily smirked, "Dumbledore would tell you I was. However shortly after we were issued our oaths of membership, James wished that we were no longer subject to those Oaths, though we still played the part."
"TRAITORS!" Moody ground out through the immense pain he was feeling.
"Do I need to wish for your compliance to my mother's request for your silence on her identity, Sir?" Harry asked.
"I doubt you will have to worry too much about former Auror Moody telling the Headmaster this information, as he will likely be a guest of the Unspeakables for the foreseeable future as they determine the full extent of his subversion," Amelia stated.
"I do not think that is wise, Amelia," Narcissa stated.
"Oh? And why is that?" Amelia asked.
"Because the Headmaster is very likely to already be aware that things are happening which are not according to his plans. If Alastor were to completely disappear off of his grid, then the Headmaster is likely to start making unpredictable moves. Rather I think we should find a more effective solution that will ensure Alastor's cooperation, while also giving us a mole into the Headmaster's plots," Narcissa explained.
"What did you have in mind, Cissa?" Lily asked.
"We can't use the Imperius Curse, as it is unlikely to have an effect on the Auror, but perhaps Harry could wish for Alastor to become completely loyal to House Potter, while still maintaining the illusion of his loyalty to the Headmaster?" Narcissa asked.
"I can't believe I am actually saying this… but would that actually work?" Amelia asked.
Lily smirked as she said, "Are you doubting my 'phenomenal cosmic powers'?"
As soon as she had said this, Amelia facepalmed. Not even Wizards were immune to the ideal of the "Disney Princess" and Susan had dragged her to a movie theater to watch that movie when it came out, just like any other parent with a young girl in their care.
"In that case, please make the wish Mister Potter…" Amelia requested of the young man.
"How exactly should I word this?" Harry asked.
That had two of the three women stumped, and Lily was not allowed to give advice on this type of thing. Eventually Narcissa figured a solution, "Wish for all magically binding oaths of loyalty and secrecy given by Alastor Moody for the purpose of defending and upholding the secrets and goals of the Order of the Phoenix to be transferred from said Order to the House of Potter without alerting any monitoring charms or methods of detection that Albus Dumbledore may now have in place to detect such a transfer of loyalty."
Harry nodded his agreement to those terms and subsequently spoke the wish that Narcissa had outlined to Harry. As soon as he had finished speaking, Lily's eyes glowed golden as she intoned, "As you wish, Master!"
Just as suddenly as it had started, the pain that Moody had been suffering from breaking his oaths was suddenly relieved due to the transfer no longer recognizing the fact that he had broken the terms of the oath. Slowly and raggedly drawing in breath, Moody looked around at the assembled people in the room before saying the only thing that he could potentially get away with saying in the current company, "Soddin' hell!"
"Quite… now I believe that you had some evidence to present that proves that you are not holding Narcissa here against her will, may I please see it?" Amelia asked.
Lily pulled out the sheets of parchment that they had gotten from the bank, the inheritance test, blood test, and the will. She then handed them over to Amelia, who proceeded to read them over each in turn.
"Well, I can say matter of factly that Lucius does not know about the change in ownership over House Malfoy… I have to wonder how he has managed not to notice his inability to access his vaults?" Amelia inquired of Narcissa.
Narcissa shrugged, "Lucius always made sure to keep a stash of gold on the manor grounds, among a few assorted other things. It is highly unlikely that he has needed to go into the bank in the days since I disappeared from his side."
"Well that is interesting, next matter of business… Godfather Ritual?" Amelia asked.
"Yes, he most certainly is not the one who told Voldemort where to find us," Lily stated. "I managed to track Remus down a few days prior to meeting up with Harry, and aside from suffering a nasty case of shock when he saw me, he managed to pretty much assure me that it wasn't him either, which means…"
"It was Pettigrew!" Moody shouted in anger.
"Yes, it certainly was," Lily admitted.
"Well that is certainly unfortunate, as it turns out Sirius killed Pettigrew," Amelia stated.
"Are you positive Peter is dead?" Lily asked.
"I beg your pardon?" Amelia asked.
"Oh, it is just that I seem to recall reading that the only thing they ever found of Peter was a finger… that seems awfully convenient to me," Lily stated.
"He was blown up, Lily…" Amelia said.
"So why didn't they find his innards all over the scene of the crime?" Narcissa asked, easily picking up on the train of thought that Lily had been following. Amelia had been a few years ahead of Lily and Narcissa, and as such shouldn't really be expected to have noticed the things that the two of them had noticed, and that Lily had confided in her after finally being let in on the secret.
"What is it you two know, and how do you know it?" Amelia asked the two women in front of her.
"Three out of the four so-called Marauders were or are, actually unregistered Animagi. James took the form of a Stag. Sirius takes the form of a Grim. As for Peter…" Lily started the explanation.
"He takes the form of a common brown rat," Narcissa stated.
As soon as she said that, Harry's eyes widened in abject terror and shock at what he had just heard, "Oh hell! I… I think I know what Sirius is after, and where he is going to be heading!"
All eyes in the room turned to look at Harry after he said that causing the young man to gulp, "Ron… he has a pet brown rat that is missing a toe on what would be one of its hands if it were a human."
"That seems a little too convenient," Narcissa stated.
"Perhaps not," Lily said after a moment, causing the others to look at her funnily. As such she asked Moody, "What is the connection between the House of Weasley and the Order of the Phoenix?"
Moody wracked his brain for a moment before responding, "Gideon and Fabian Prewett, Molly Weasley's brothers were both members of the Order… as was Peter. He would have known the Weasley family associated with Dumbledore, and thus would have been able to keep tabs on what the Headmaster is doing in that manner."
"If Peter was a member of this Order, how is it he was able to betray his fellow members to Voldemort in spite of the loyalty oaths?" Amelia asked.
"The Dark Mark that Voldemort brands his followers with twists any oaths of loyalty that a person makes so that those oaths automatically service the Dark Lord," Narcissa explained, "I was ever so fortunate to avoid having that brand placed upon me."
"Wouldn't have mattered, becoming a Half-Genie automatically strips any magic placed on the person who is becoming a Half-Genie by anyone other than the Genie who turns you, or her Master. The one exception to that rule is in the form of Blood Magic, such as what was used in your Marriage Contract," Lily explained.
"Fascinating," Narcissa stated, "I happen to know for a fact that Bellatrix' contract did not use Blood Magic… though her sanity was broken by a Blood Magic based Chastity Ritual. I don't suppose…"
"We'll discuss it, but if we did that she would be a consort. I am not allowing Harry to make her one of his wives after everything she has done," Lily admonished.
"That is… if you can convince the Minister to grant her amnesty," Amelia stated. "Now the next matter we need to discuss… what is this about a betrothal contract? I knew nothing about this… and it can't be serious… the House of Bones is to be absorbed by the House of Potter when the Marriage is enacted?"
Lily sighed, "Honestly, I had no idea that this agreement had been made between your brother and my late husband either, though I can't say I am entirely surprised by the proposal. This way Susan would be allowed into Harry's family as a First Wife, rather than being forced into the position of a Second Wife as per the Line Continuation option. It also would allow Harry to have a Second Wife specifically for the House of Bones."
Amelia sighed, Lily had a good point. Susan had been dreading the fact that she was likely doomed to live the life of a Second Wife when she was older. This however allowed her a different option, "Very well. In that case we will need to arrange for a meeting between, Lord Potter and Susan at the earliest possible convenience, I fear she is going to need to make a formal apology to her betrothed for her behavior during the last School Year."
Lily and Narcissa both cocked an eyebrow as the glanced at Harry, who himself had blushed scarlet at the reminder of how the School had been treating him ever since his secret of being a Parselmouth had been revealed, "She doesn't need to do that!"
"Of course she does, even if it is only for her own peace of mind. I fear that she is going to be mortified by her behavior last year once she learns that she is your betrothed," Amelia said placatingly.
Harry blushed even more at this statement.
"I am afraid I will be required to inform Lucius Malfoy that House Malfoy is no longer under his control. I fear he will desire a duel of satisfaction from Lord Potter for what he will invariably see as Line Theft…"
"He legally has no legs to stand on in that regard. House Malfoy was acquired in proper accord with the Wizengamot Charter through the Right of Conquest accords. In Harry's first year, Draco Malfoy challenged him to a Wizarding Duel. Upon arriving at the predetermined location for the duel at the predetermined time, Harry discovered that Draco had stood him up and informed Argus Filch that someone would be out of bounds in that area of the Castle after hours. Prior to the start of Harry's second year, Lucius Malfoy slipped a cursed diary into the belongings of Ginevra Weasley. This Diary would go on to possess Ginevra and force her to open the Chamber of Secrets and unleash the Basilisk housed within. Harry defeated both the Basilisk and the Diary, earning him his second victory against House Malfoy, and incidentally his third victory against Houses Slytherin and Gaunt. Shortly after that, Harry tricked Lucius into freeing the House Elf by the name of Dobby from his service. The House Elf wisely chose to immediately bond itself to Harry. Upon realizing the deception, Lucius tried to cast the Killing Curse on Harry, Dobby stopped him, this counted as the third victory against House Malfoy," Lily counted off the situation.
"Well shite, Lucius is going to be pissed!" Moody stated rather succinctly.
Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose, "This is going to cause a shitestorm at the Ministry, but he can do nothing. Very well. If there is no further business, I need to go into the Ministry and deal with a new load of paperwork that just presented itself to me."
"No, I think we are done here," Harry said.
"Well it was certainly a pleasure meeting you all. If you could dismiss Auror Moody, I would appreciate it." Amelia said as she started collecting her possessions.
"Mister Moody, you are dismissed, but please stay in touch," Harry said.
"Aye lad," Moody said as he stood from where he had been leaning against the wall after having gathered himself after the curse had subsided.
"Now, I believe next Saturday would be the best time for you to meet Susan. I will bring her here so as to not raise as much suspicion. Until then, have a good day," Amelia said. Once that was done she and Moody departed the room.
"Well that was certainly interesting," Narcissa stated with a wide grin on her face.
"It was at that," Lily said, as the trio began the process of returning to their room.
xXx Chapter End xXx