Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Harry Potter it all belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 7

Harry smirked as he walked down the steps to the great hall. The news of his duel with Voldemort had been widely distributed. It was anyone's guess who had won when Harry had returned with a cocky smile on his face and his expression murderous. Whoever was in his way had literally scampered out leaving his way clear to the great hall. Lunch was being served. He quietly strode up to the Gryffindor table where Ron and Hermione were sitting with an incredulous expression on their faces. He looked up at the head table and found Snape sitting there with an interesting expression on his face. Harry had recommended Severus for an important position on the Hogwarts councilors' board. It looked like he had gotten the news. When he reached Ron scooted and gave him space to sit. Harry slid in beside his best friends. Ron slid over plates of chicken wings and sandwiches, while Hermione filled his glass with pumpkin juice.

Harry raised a single brow. Hermione gave him a glare in response and muttered something like 'your grace' before giving him a mock bow and went back to the book she had popped up against a goblet. So, Voldemort had announced the news of his new status and Hermione was reading a book on the ancient nobility customs which were in vogue back at the time when the wizarding world had royalty ruling the masses. Well those days were coming back again.

Ron grinned at him before he started stuffing his face. Harry grimaced. At least his friends were not reacting too badly. Being friends of Harry Potter must have gotten them used to shocks that were so common in his life. On the other hand being the friends of Prince Harry must be quiet good in a peaceful wizarding world. The war had been neutralized quite effectively as the savior had defected to the nobility presumably the dark side. No one could fault him though. He had won the duel against the most feared dark lord in recent history. None was idiot enough to risk facing his wrath in a hurry. The news of the almost passed contract had also helped.

He began to eat and think. He was at loss to figure out the motives behind the contract and why in the blazes of hell Dumbledore had let it be passed previously. Snape must have thrown the wrench in the plans somehow acquiring a time turner for him and sending him back. Things have turned out great so far but his mind was wary. There was something wrong with the whole scenario. Since Sirius's death he hadn't completely trusted the headmaster for hiding so many things from him. He had promised not to keep him in the dark. Still the events of this morning had made one things glaringly obvious. The old man was still keeping secrets and there was a lot going on that he didn't want Harry to know until it was too late. His trust was shattered when faced with hard evidence of his betrayal and Snape's loyalty had become beyond reproach. The man had literally died for him.

'I am 16 and in six months time I am going to become legal adult. That must be it. I wouldn't live with the Dursleys for long this summer and soon I was going to get out of his rules as Voldemort was moving in Wizengamot. He was trying to tie me to Malfoy both to placate Tom and to keep me obedient just like he kept me with the Dursleys. The nerve of the old coot to send me to hell to spy on the Malfoys. He can't win against Tom in an open fight so he wants to transfer me to a new prison which I could never escape. Bastard! You never expected me to steal from my black library and study behind your back so I could win the fight. Looks to me you were trying to get me to become a bloody noble, beaten, starved and traumatized hero and a sex toy to my old nemesis so that I would feed you information behind the enemy's lines. So similar to what you did to Snape. Did you sell him to a Death Eater too? Your plot is not going to work you bastard.'

'Not for long Dumbledore.' He thought fiercely. 'You might think that you have me successfully fooled by those twinkling eyes but I am on to you now and I am not going to let you win.'

He gulped down his juice as somebody cleared their throat behind him. He looked up smirking. There was that disapproving frown and thing lips he loved on Professor McGonagall's face. Her eyes were full of mischief though. "Professor Dumbledore would like to talk to you Prince Harry."

He nodded his head respectfully, "Why thank you Professor."

Hermione hugged him as he got up. 'Take care of yourself Prince. The title suits you.' she whispered. Ron gave him a salute with the pumpkin flask grinning and mouthing 'good luck.' He got up from the table and strutted towards the headmaster's office leaving behind a hall filled with whispers in his wake.

hope you enjoyed.