Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated Works mentioned herein. J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Co., and or Scholastic Books own or are entitled to any and all rights and or responsibilities affiliated with the works of Harry Potter and all monies made as such. I do not make any monies and write along this plotline for pure enjoyment reasons.
A/N: This story is being written as a response to a challenge posted by The Last of the Pendragons. A reminder to all dedicated fan fiction readers, I am in need of a beta so if you would like to take on this arduous task then please private message me.
Enjoy!
-Prie
Chapter 6 –The Comings and Goings to Hogwarts Express
Magic is a fickle. Nothing more or less may be said. The slightest annunciation difference becomes a matter of a teacup or an explosion. Following Harry's first meeting in the Wizengamot, the ambient magic around Grimmauld Place felt different. Dark and dusty corridors of the London townhome of the Black family felt almost cheerful. The dark green trimmings a reminder to the Black's Slytherin history stood juxtaposed to the cream to off silver hangings and trim surrounding the halls. This only further exposed the hidden brilliance to the occupants.
The final week leading to September first was calm. The past issues with homework and shopping seemed to have fallen off as it was typically understood that the younger occupants of Grimmauld Place tended to spend time in the one of the Libraries throughout the house. Though the area Harry spent preparing for his trial became a sanctuary for himself and Sirius; Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry tended to gravitate towards the fourth floor family study. Fred and George seemed to think they were at home as fumes, smoke, and loud explosions emanated from their room during the waking hours.
"Harry I'm telling you, the must use the inverse to correctly calculate the breaking algorithm," explained Hermione.
"So," continued Ron as he began to examine the new equation, "by reducing the center twig angle by 3.8 degrees in a clockwise direction theoretically the breaking charm would hold given the inverse trajectory charm?"
A deeper voice joined in explaining Ron's near correct answer. "Yes Ron, but look at the cushioning charm on the handle. See it? Yes there," replied Sirius as Ron pointed to a spot on the rear third of the broom handle closest to the base of the broom, "if you move the charm to set up an overlapping of both the breaking and cushioning charms and combine that with the twig angle then yes you will get that. Harry and Ginny do you understand?"
Harry slowly examined the ash handle he carved with Ron's help while Ginny and Hermione began working on the tail. The project, to build a working broom for Quidditch, had actively begun after Kreacher and Harry began a relationship after Kreacher discovered Harry being the Black heir. The older elf had begun the exhaustive task of cleaning and restoring the London home. His cleaning and removal of years of magical creature buildup left the four young teens extremely bored as their sole task was completed before their eyes. Kreacher would never let his 'Blood traitor Master's heir' dirty his fingers cleaning.
The handle's knot near the tip tapered to a comfortable thickness before thickening. Harry saw the understanding in Ginny's eyes as she continued in the same task of understanding Sirius's comments regarding the broom. Harry's eyes were a bit more careful in his look over. He noticed how the current fold of the acceleration runes would be covered by the cushioning charm which would create an issue with the speed as the broom would always attempt to cushion speed. No what Sirius had said was correct but it would not work in this situation.
"Guys look here. See the speed runes we used? Yurtz gives speed but the covering of the Sturg rune with the cushioning charm will make the broom act funny?" ended harry in a questioning voice.
The others in the room began to look for Harry's potential issue. Harry however let his thoughts drift back to the past ninety-six hours, the last time Professor Dumbledore was at headquarters.
Albus had come to the weekly Sunday evening meeting tired from continual Wizengamot issues. After Harry left, magic had sealed the hall. Allowing only the ministry elves to deliver meals and a small water closet available to Wizarding Britain's leaders, it had taken an additional thirty-six hours to solve the Wizengamot's itemized list. Issues from funding for various departments to criminal activities were all listed in their entirety for the leaders to describe debate and determine a course of action.
Nothing of note was accomplished that day. Lucius Malfoy still continued to railroad his priorities through with convincing legislation, but Augusta Longbottom, Neville's gran, would have none of Lucius's delay tactics. Madame Longbottom would continue, in her as Regent Longbottom, to demand answers from Minister Fudge.
It was around hour mark thirty-four that the body began discussing the issue of Harry Potter and it was through this discovery that led to an arrest of one Delores Jane Umbridge for misallocation of Ministry resources and endangerment of an heir. As she was escorted to a holding cell the other members of the Wizengamot noticed the lack of magic sealing the room and bolted to ensure no repeats of the past two day's events.
The aging headmaster, noticing the actions of the other members, also made haste to leave and traveled immediately to Grimmauld Place, just in time for the meeting.
While Albus was good friends with Charlus, Harry's grandfather, the two had not been contemporaries. While Albus's name truly came into prominence after subduing the Dark Lord Grindlewald, not having grown up within society meant that he had to make connections quickly. Not having the old name like Charlus led Albus to side with many of the weaker family's politically. While the Weasley Clan and Amos Diggory had risen to prominence, it came from riding the elder Dumbledore's robe hems.
Albus had taken over Harry's financial duties. He would spend nearly an equal amount of time compared to all of his other positions. Investing and maintaining within the Potter portfolio is easier said than done. The hardest had been the innumerable house elves bonded to Potter family. The elves began to wither and die away six months after James and Lily had been murdered. In a stroke of brilliance while looking through the Potter investments and different family trees gave Dumbledore the ability to permanently bind the elves away from the Potter properties and to Hogwarts. While Harry would lose the elves control, saving so many had allowed for Hogwarts to run in surplus for many years. Albus still continued to look for a way to void his past decision to return the elves to Harry as the surplus allowed Dumbledore to buy elves from around the world and slowly return the Potter elves to their duty on the Potter properties as part of work for Hogwarts.
Harry was incensed to learn of Albus's actions towards his elves. Though he could not give a better solution to his elves problems, Harry had to admit it was much better than the alternative.
The meeting went well. The Headmaster outlined the way the rest of the Wizengamot meeting went before hearing reports from different people within the Order and opening discussion towards the new school year and getting Harry and the children to the Express September first.
"Do not worry," Arthur started, "Amelia Bones has already given some of her Aurors directives on how September first is to operate. We will be leaving from the Burrow with the escort once on the Express; Lord Potter will be guarded until his entrance through the Hogwarts front gates as that is where their jurisdiction ends.
The nodding of heads around the old dining room table told Dumbledore that much thought and planning had already gone into this course of action and that the best idea was to agree and send Fawkes to keep the children company just in case something happened.
"Then the only change I ask is that Fawkes be allowed to accompany the children once aboard the Hogwarts Express." Nods around the table agreed with the suggestion and let Albus close the meeting. As he was walking past Sirius, Dumbledore passed the canine animangus a note that said Harry on the envelope.
Sirius nodded before scurrying upstairs to help the children with their broom while also giving Harry the note.
Thus this was Harry currently, listening to the small group sitting around the table proposing different alternatives to solve the issue Harry discovered.
"I'm telling you it's not the angle but rather the wording. See here…" the rest was drained out as Harry's attention switched back to the small piece of parchment in his hand.
Harry meet me in my office at your earliest convenience, I loved those new Mars Bars you introduced me to. Until then. –Albus
Harry would fall asleep that night still suggesting possible situations by which the headmaster would need him on his first day back, hopefully it is just about Quidditch this year.
"UP! Everyone UP!" came the shouts from below as Mrs. Weasley began waking everyone up. Not wishing to be on the receiving end, Harry immediately rushed into the bathroom so when Mrs. Weasley came up she would hear the shower and hopefully leave him alone while he woke up.
Kreacher, with his abundant enthusiasm to help Harry, packed his things the previous day taking particular emphasis in both the folding and arrangement of the trunk. The elf had continued to bring his food everyday; delivering it upon the side of the large bathtub Harry had taken a liking to lounging in during his morning wash up.
Harry went through his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, attempted to conquer his unruly hair, and adjusted his glasses upon his face after shaving the couple of stubbles with an old enchanted razor given to Regulus Black on his thirteenth birthday. Kreacher had given it to him insisting 'master look most presentable without hairy face'.
Walking down the flights of stairs allowed Harry to see the frantic rushing being done by the Weasley brood minus Ron, who in an uncharacteristic moment of maturity had risen from the dining room last night saying he must be ready for the coming year before bidding everyone goodnight. If only the other Weasley's had heeded Ron's actions.
It went in this manor for the next half hour. The house had been woken as dawn broke, a good five hours prior to the Express leaving, and as the sun firmly set itself against an overcast backdrop that seemed itching to drop its contents upon the unsuspecting humans as though a joke existed between sun and sky. Harry just sat with Ron in the Greeting Foyer that had the floo attached to the fireplace so everyone could leave for the Burrow.
"Harry, come he for a second pup." Harry stood, walking to his godfather and honorary uncle.
"Hey Sirius," eyes traveling to Remus, "and the badly behaved rabbit." Sirus snickered at the old joke about Remus's 'furry problem' being blamed on a bunny.
"We, that is the remaining Marauders, wanted to wish you luck for the coming term but to also give you something we found while wading through old documents from when I was in Azkaban. We only found it last night but thought you should know about it prior to heading off to school." Sirus removed on old piece of parchment from an envelope behind his back handing it to Harry. "I suggest you not read it until after you settle down for the night. Know that Remus and I are doing all we can to determine a solution."
"What is it Sirius?"
"It's a…"
"Alright everyone," came the booming voice of Molly Weasley with her remaining children following close behind. "Everyone grab a pinch of floo powder and head off to the Burrow. We are expected to meet the Aurors in ten minutes."
"I have to go Sirius," by now unshed tears sat loomingly in the corners of both the Marauder's eyes.
Looking between each other Remus spoke up first, "We are going to miss you."
"And if you need anything just let us know, you have your mirror, correct?" Harry just raised his mirror from within his pocket before returning it to said pocket and engulfing the two men.
"Thanks for everything, it's been the best!" was all Harry could say before wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Glancing back at the Marauders one last time, Harry spoke in a clear voice, "THE BURROW!" before vanishing in a cloud of green smoke.