Chapter four

So after a lot more discussion, with everyone asking more questions, Kingsley, Minerva and Aberforth left, but everyone at the Burrow kept talking.

'You know who is going to be bid on most, don't you?' Ron said as he looked at Harry.

'I don't want to think about it and I can't believe they talked me into doing this.'

'You might just get some harmless old woman who wants to talk to you about your life Harry. It won't be as bad as you think,' Hermione said trying to placate Harry.

'Oh great, I hate talking about my life. But what would you really do Hermione if Cormac bought you for the day?'

'I would really do what I said. I wouldn't wait for the aurors if he tried anything on me.'

'What about you mum, how will you handle some horny old man making advances?' Charlie asked but laughed with his brothers.

'They will see why I can control all my children.'

'That's my Mollywobbles,' Arthur smiled.

'So Charlie, you'll do it, we know that. So what if you get a horny old lady that wants to feel your muscles or something else?' Bill asked smirking at his brother.

'I'll let her feel my muscles, but she will not be touching the family jewels. How much do you think someone like me would make. We all know Harry's going to be the big price, but I'm only known as Harry's best friend's brother, not really known as an individual?'

'It's hard to say Charlie. But the bidding does start at 100 galleons for everyone. So we know you'll make at least that,' Arthur said, then laughed with his other children even Harry laughed.

'Okay, since we are doing this and talking about, how much do you think I'm worth?'

'Blimey Harry, you're the saviour, so I can expect it to go as high as a thousand, maybe a few thousand,' Charlie said.

'Going on the looks Harry used to get at Hogwarts and that was before he finished him off, I think it will be a lot more Charlie. If I was to have a guess and I hate guessing, I would say close to ten thousand.'

'You're kidding,' Harry's mouth dropped open, 'No, I won't make that much. Everyone is having money problems now, so they aren't going to waste their money on having me for a slave.'

'I think you'll be surprised Harry. But none of us can really say how much you or any of us will make. We'll just have to wait for the night.'

'Hermione's right Harry, it's just too hard to say. But we'll still make sure we have a good night. So we know new year's eve will be the ball, but the auction will is only a month away and both will have all our friends, so we'll stick together.'

'That does make me feel better knowing everyone we're friends with will be there.'

'And Skeeter can't buy you, that was smart Harry.' George said.

'Yeah, I will not let her get anywhere near me. She'd end up coming out with another book full of lies about me. Bad enough she insinuated about Dumbledore and me, then there will be Hermione and me. I don't get that, I really don't. I have a lot of female friends, so why do people find it so hard to believe a man and a woman can just be friends and nothing else?'

'If a man doesn't have a female friend, they find it hard to believe that something isn't going on. Same with a woman who doesn't have a male friend. But most are starting to believe that you and Hermione are now just friends and always have been. It's been in enough papers how she and Ron are now a couple.'

After that the family, Harry and Hermione kept talking about the auction and who else might be willing to do it. Everyone knew Harry was nervous about that night but his friends were more concerned with what he will be asked to do. Harry likes to keep to himself and doesn't really open up to strangers, so they knew Harry will be awkward and just hope it's someone nice.

Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's were all dressed ready to head to the ministry for the auction night. Kingsley had set up a room at the ministry that all the people that were going to be bought could floo straight into, but again it was restricted to just those names. Everyone else will floo into the atrium and make their way to the large ballroom on the ground floor of the ministry. Even though there was still a lot of damage, they cleaned the atrium, and repaired the ballroom, but that's as much as they could afford to do.

The group stepped out of the fireplace and instantly saw lots of people they knew. All the DA was there, along with Aberforth, Minerva and Kingsley. But there were some other staff of Hogwarts as well. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny went over to their friends, while the others all went to chat with Kingsley.

The doors opened about twenty minutes later and aurors led the large group into the ball room which was filled to capacity with people of all ages. The group went to the seats that had been set up at the side, but all of them noticed that Harry was getting the most interested looks.

One by one people were being bought by a wide range of other people. Kingsley went to a woman who was beside her husband and he made five thousand galleons. When it was Minerva McGonagall's turn, she smiled down at the crowd as she started to get bid on. But looked shocked when Charlie Weasley bid on her and kept bidding until he finally won. He paid four thousand galleons.

'What is Charlie playing at?' Ron whispered to Harry who was staring at Charlie.

'We'll find out later I suppose,' Harry said as he noticed there were only a few people left.

Hermione was bid on and raised seven thousand galleons and was bought by Cormac Mclaggen's father, making Ron scowl and Harry laugh. Ron was next and he raised six thousand galleons. Neville surprised everyone when he raised nine thousand galleons and was bought by Hannah Abbott's mother. Then it was Harry's turn and the place fell silent as he stepped up on stage.

The bidding for Harry was a frenzy, with hundreds of people bidding and the price kept going up and up and up. Harry stood there in shock as the price reached two million galleons, then five million, then ten million galleons and it still didn't stop. Then all of a sudden a male voice called out fifteen million galleons. The auctioneer asked for any more bids, but when no one else yelled out an amount, he hit the gavel announcing Harry Potter was sold for fifteen million galleons and asked the buying to come forward.

Harry stared as the crowd slowly parted allowing his owner for the day to come forward. It took Harry a few minutes to find his voice.

'You've got to be kidding me.'

'Yes, I own you Potter, at least for a day,' Draco Malfoy sneered then went over to make his payment.

Harry jumped down off the stage was instantly surrounded by his friends and Kingsley. 'If you want to pull out Harry, I do understand. I never thought in a million years he would turn up let alone buy you,' Kingsley said.

Harry stared at Malfoy as he joined the group, 'No, I agreed to this Kingsley and I'm not going to back out.'

'But we're giving the ferret a warning. Harm one hair on Harry's head and you will be sorry,' Ron growled.

'That's from everyone Malfoy, so be warned,' Neville said as he stared at the blond man.

'Oh how nice, all these people are going to protect you Potter, some things never change. So let's work out when I get you to do anything I want.'

Harry made a small growl before walking over to a table with Malfoy. They stood with an auror going over the details of the contract. Harry growled again, but signed his name then turned his back on Malfoy and joined his friends.

'What does he want you to do?' Hermione asked.

'Well what we'd expect. I have to wait on him all day, lay his clothes out, help him dress, but the worse was the last thing on the list,' Harry closed his eyes trying to get the picture out of his head of what Malfoy wanted him to do.

'Are you going to tell us Harry?' Neville asked.

Harry slowly opened his eyes, 'I have to give him a massage, a full body massage. That will take all my restraint not to snap his neck.'

'I'm sorry mate, this wasn't something I predicted could happen,' Kingsley sighed.

'It's not your fault Kingsley. I agreed and I bet the moment he saw my name he was going to do something. But at least he had to pay a lot, so that's good for what you need to do.'

'It is Harry but I still wish you didn't have to do this.'

'It's fine, I'll survive. I might have my pride bruised but that's all. Let's just forget it, I've got a week before I have to think about it again.'

The group of friends kept Harry surrounded, but he did get visits from a lot of the people that had bid on him and said how sorry they were they lost. After another hour, Kingsley stepped back up on stage.

'I would like to thank everyone that participated and let you know that we raised thirty two million gallons tonight, more than any of us expected. So everyone, give yourselves a round of applause and know this money is going to a good cause.' the place was shaking as the hundreds of people applauded but nearly all that were in attendance were surprised at the amount. But were also please they were involved because they knew this was going to help places like Hogwarts and everyone had a fond memory of the old school.