Succession
It was a cold night, odd for summer but the weather was not the only reason for the temperature. Indeed it was artificial, it had less to do with the outside world than the inside one. The one in which Harry Potter was sat on a black iron throne which was entwined with veins of gold to give an essence of wealth and power. It was the throne of the Lord, one he was sat on for the first time in a while. He did not use it often, only for public occasions and displays of true power, though tonight was neither. He was here to meet with one true ally he would gain soon, the one who would never waver in loyalty and made up much of his army.
The Dementors were that ally, and that was why they lined the wooden pillars which enclosed a long red carpeted walkway leading up to the throne. The throne room itself was a dome, a crystal glass ceiling allowing moonlight to trickle down, with torches and magical lights remaining hidden in order to give a display of natural power. The bricks on the floor were marble, the walls were stone and covered in portraits, depicting battles, castles, kings, and Emperors. They were on the same level as the raised platform where the throne did lie, and only the Lord could see them all play out as one. Though tonight gawping at the throne room was not the agenda, instead the Lady Regent and Senior Advisor watched tight lipped as a man wearing simple white robes approached with a tall, imposing Dementor accompanying it.
The man in robes took a single deep breath which silenced the room, then his eyes fogged over, his body seized up and he spoke in a harsher, higher tone. One which echoed through the air and sent a chill through the spines of all the court. Many men and women wearing either the gold rimmed attire of a noble or the clouded robes of advisors bowed their heads the moment the sound began.
"The Dementors of Azkaban offer to your My Lord our sincerest of apologies, the escape was unforeseen and was done in such a way that allowed our great peoples to be duped. Sirius Black has employed some dark magic to further his goals, we have already made movements to have him seized." The man in white was a translator, the Dementor was the eldest one in Azkaban and the leader. They had sworn themselves to Azkaban centuries ago, but they still remained true to the old ways. Something which made them a most loyal ally but crossing them could result in rebellion, indeed ten Lords of Azkaban had been personally removed by the Dementors.
"Your apology is accepted of course, though may I ask if you know which dark magics where employed by Sirius Black to escape?" Harry had a script to follow but inside he was burning, Sirius Black had caused the death of his parents and he was not content just to see him recaptured.
"We are currently unaware My Lord, though no method of detection has worked which assures us it was dark." The answer was somewhat hurried, it seemed the Dementors were embarrassed. Harry however saw an opportunity, he would need Dementor support in years to come after all. So he mentally put down the script, it had preached forgiveness but Harry had something else in mind.
"In which case it is the fault of none of our peoples, your Great People I believe to be incorruptible and for that reason I hereby declare that the escape is not the fault of either of our people. The crime is on the hands of Sirius Black." Harry announced in warm echoing tones which made both the Lady Regent and the Senior Advisor look at him with warning.
"Indeed his punishment is evidently not enough. Indeed as of this moment I use my prerogative power to make Sirius Black a citizen of Azkaban." Harry's voice was suddenly distant and was laced with both anger and revenge. The prerogative power were powers only he could use and even the Lady Regent could not use them under any circumstance. The powers ranged from official pardon to war but this move was unexpected to say the least.
"As a citizen of Azkaban he is not bound under our treaty with the ministry of magic." The treaty in question ensured Azkaban was paid handsomely for taking prisoners but it also stopped them interfering with sentencing. It was the only reason Sirius Black had been spared the noose. However Harry was not content for this to remain so under his rule, not after hearing what Sir Alistair had told him.
"Once my father was in line for the throne, however as he was removed the crime did not originally seem clear. Though as there was a chance of being reinstated I hereby charge Sirius Black with Nulla-res Regicide." All eyes were suddenly on Harry, this outburst was not only unexpected it was dangerous. Nulla res was made up in Latin of the words no facts, it meant someone who committed a crime could be charged with another, if the original crime had direct or indirect relation to the second. So attempted murder could be charged as Nulla res murder.
"Therefore I sentence Sirius Black, in absence of Corpus. to be awakened at dawn; hung from short rope until nearly dead, then at the point prior to death he shall suffer the kiss of a Dementor. Then he shall be cut down and the body imprisoned for life while the soul will experience an entirety of pain until it's living vessel dies, at that point the accused has our permission to die ." Harry declared boldly and for his age he seemed strong. Strong to his allies, strong to his staff and his people. For his harshness at this age proved him uncompromising. However it left him lacking in one quality, mercy. Though harshness went down well with the Dementor elder who bowed deeply.
Diagon Alley
"Well would you look at that boys, a mudblood who knows how to dress herself." The cruel chuckle echoed through the empty shop of Madam Malkin's. The woman herself had left only for a moment, apparently there was some commotion outside, Hermione was asked politely to wait and the girl did. Hoping to avoid the crowd, unfortunately she had been supported.
"Go away Malfoy." Hermione snarled trying to appear strong, she was used to heckling from the pale faced boy and his two cronies. However being alone with them was something she tried to avoid at all times.
"Oooh, look at the uppity mudblood, what you gonna do cry?" Draco taunted to the chuckles of Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione's hand was itching towards her wand but she did not like her odds.
"Just go away." She snapped but she knew they wouldn't.
"Oh come on, why the long face mudblood? I thought you liked this." Draco smiled and his tone was intending to make a rise, Hermione knowing it all too well did not answer him.
"Oh come on, you have to wonder the real reason you come back year after year. You like this don't you, you just love it when someone calls you mudblood." he continued while Crabbe and Goyle watched, all three of them had sickening grins spreading wider and wider by the second.
"I bet you like it when we call you dirty, you get all excited when someone calls you mudblood don't you?" Draco noticed Hermione flinch as he put on a slow almost sensual voice. He moved closer to her and with the help of his cronies he had her corned against the counter, the shop was still empty. Most people were outside; hoping to witness whatever was going on though Draco Malfoy did not care for it.
"Come on, how much fun is it. You must love being treated like dirt, it gets you all hot and bothered." His next jibe caused Hermione to blush at the sexual imagery he was drawing from his taunting tone and slow, meaningful movements. She was backed up against the counter and she had no idea what to do,
"Oh don't worry Mudblood all you need to do is ask, come on beg me to call you names." Draco smiled sadistically and stretched a hand forward, Hermione was scared, fearful of drawing her wand and yet fearful of what Draco would do to her.
"If I ever hear you use that word again I will have you removed." A voice cut through their conversation and all three boys turned to see someone in the door, a slender almost scrawny boy of their age. Dressed in robes of flowing black colours, with regal red cuffs and a slow purposeful walk.
"Oh so we have a hero, come on then. Defend her, stand up for her. What exactly can you do!" Draco received no answer and Hermione just watched this boy transfixed, as she watched he put his glasses on.
"Exactly who are you to even question me. Only a mudblood looks out for their kind, don't they vermin?" Draco spat doing his best to look down on the person in front of him.
"I am Harry James Potter de Bourbon of Azkaban and if vermin stick together then you've just made that girl royalty.." Those words made Draco freeze and he watched as men wearing plain dark robes marched into the shop being led by a woman with red hair who fixed him with a deadly glare. Harry looked at Draco daringly.
"Restrain them." Harry's mere words saw those dark robed men move with sudden speed, in a matter of seconds all three of the boys found themselves at wand point with their arms wrenched behind their backs. Once it was done Harry moved towards the bushy haired girl who was evidently distressed,
"Are you ok?" he asked not quite sure what else to ask,
"I'm fine." She breathed and yet it was clear she was not. Harry gestured for Alice to approach,
"Where are your parents?" Harry asked gently, Hermione took a moment to respond. Evidently caught off guard by these very sudden events.
"At the bank." They had been planning to meet up with her, so she could get her robes measured and be on her way faster ,though that plan was not likely to continue. Indeed her parents had been caught up by the number of people who had been looking out for Harry Potter, seeing him as both a saviour and Lord of Azkaban made his presence something of a speciality.
"Alice take this girl to her parents, I will deal with these boys." Harry declared icily, he was not one for rash actions but he was fuming, he had seen what they had been doing. He turned back to them just in time for another man to enter the shop, a taller version of the restrained pale boy who looked up in alarm.
"Draco, what is going on... My Lord." Lucius Malfoy bowed the moment he saw just who was in the shop, he glared at his son.
"Lucius Malfoy, a pleasure I have heard great things about you." Harry greeted through gritted teeth, he was supposed to be a high ranking ministry official meaning he could not afford to be rude. Not with the escape in Azkaban's hands.
"My Lord the pleasure is mine, and may I apologise now for my son's actions, whatever they may be." Harry smiled the moment the man responded, he had a chance to at least influence the man.
"Lucius Mafoy I am sure your son's actions were not done with knowledge, I found him tormenting a girl and then accused me of being vermin. I am sure this is no reflection of your character." Harry's words were slow and alarming for the man. He had often tried to cosy up to Azkaban in hope of getting a noble peerage. A hope Harry decided to silently reject after meeting just one member of the family which would move to Azkaban if the request was granted.
"My Lord I can only beg your forgiveness, my son is young and foolish he has not yet met your level of intellect." Lucius smiled at the young Lord while Draco looked ready to protest; one look from his father stopped any hope of that.
"Well boys will be boys and I think stern, strong discipline is far more useful than any official complaint or punishment. I shall release your son into your care and I am sure you shall teach him the error of his ways." Harry looked at the boy who had a concerned look, his father did not seem like a forgiving person.
"Thank you My Lord, I can guarantee I shall show him his error." Harry nodded at Draco was released, his father forced him to bow and dragged him out of the shop.
"As for you two take this as a warning, now leave." Harry ordered and the two were thrown out of the shop. Harry smiled as it played out, while he wouldn't enjoy the same level of power at Hogwarts he still enjoyed seeing bullies shown their place. Though he did worry about the girl, she seemed shaken and he made a mental note to check up on her at Hogwarts. Though another idea also played in his mind as the shopkeeper came into view and looked like it was Christmas when she saw just who was in her shop.
Later
Two people stood on the marble steps of Gringotts bank, one was a tall man with a somewhat slender frame. His skin was full and flushed and only bore a few marks of age, he was dressed in casual attire and had done nothing with short brownish hair, his wife however looked ten years younger and looked similar but more curved. Her hair was a darker colour and longer, though her dull hazel eyes lit up in alarm when she saw her daughter approach.
"Hermione what happened?" Dan Granger asked his daughter the moment she ran towards him and his wife, her eyes still somewhat teary and she looked shaken. There was another woman with her but she did not approach, Hermione had been shaking her head at her before.
"Nothing, just someone from school." Hermione muttered, her parents did not know about her friendless and bullied state and she was determined to keep it that way. If they knew they'd kick up a fuss and maybe even take her out of school.
"Do you want us to do something?" Emma Granger asked wrapping her daughter in warm embrace, she was a tall woman and she needed to kneel down slightly. Hermione wiped her eyes,
"No its fine." She promised, lying through her teeth but keeping secrets was something she was good at and she was determined to keep hers hidden.
"Oh dear, come on let's get you your robes and maybe grab a bite to eat in town." she suggested and Hermione looked slightly more cheery, though not by much.
"Wow." Dan remarked, the entire Ally had been clogged up but now it was focused around Madam Malkin's shop, there was a crowd outside and it looked like no one was getting in.
"What's going on today?" Emma muttered aloud, attracting some odd looks by those who were more versed in magical news.
"Our hopes of getting robes have been dashed." Dan muttered not too sure if he wanted to wait in what had become a mass of people, Hermione didn't want to go. She hated crowds, especially ones where people she knew might taunt or ridicule her in front of her parents. It was a risk she didn't want to take.
"Excuse me." A smartly dressed man interrupted, he was stood before them in a black suit complete with a top hat of all things. He was carrying a finely wrapped package.
"Yes," Dan encouraged after the man did not speak.
"His Lordship, Harry James Potter de Bourbon of Azkaban, wishes to bestow this gift upon you. It is the school attire of your daughter, along with dress robes and a number of books his Lordship requested I purchase. If it is not in size his Lordship will pay for ones in size, he wishes to apologise for not intervening sooner and makes a proclaim guarantee that if those three boys cause undue duress or harm once more then he will be more than happy to assist. He requests nothing but your name in return." The man erupted into a quickly spoken message and he forcibly handed Emma Granger the parcel.
"We can't accept this, it's too much!" Emma protested but the man refused to even touch the goods again.
"Did you see Bourbon?" Dan Granger asked sounding confused. He was a dentist with an interest in history and the name did not go amiss.
"Yes I did sir, his Lordship claims that title and the Kingdom of France. However the gifts cannot be returned, your name miss.?" The man inquired.
"Hermione Granger." She blurted eventually.
"Thank you Miss Granger and his Lordship wishes you are pleasant day. He also hopes to talk to you again, when the crowd and his staff are no longer present." With that the man walked away, completely content.
"You know a Lord Hermione?" Emma Granger inquired sounding shocked,
"You know the King of France Hermione?" Her disbelieving father questioned.
"I'm not sure. "Was all the response Hermione could muster.