A Knut to Start the Revolution
Chapter 12
Disclaimer: This work of fan-fiction is not intended for personal profit. All characters utilized herein which are not creations of myself belong to J. K. Rowling.
All too soon, it was July 31, 1996, and Harry James Potter, with Fawkes on his shoulder, flashed to the entry doors of Gringotts. The goblin and wizard guards were startled, but upon seeing the phoenix on Harry's shoulder, they relaxed. As Fawkes flashed away again, one of the surly guards strode up to Harry and said, "If it's banking business, you'll have to go to the queue over there. If it's anything else, we'll let you straight in. But first, the Probity Probe. Stand still, or you may not like where we put it!"
Harry didn't move a muscle as the Auror waved the rather nasty-looking Probity Probe all over him. It vaguely resembled a policeman's club, which he'd seen on the telly when Dudley had watched some silly cops-and-robbers show.
The Auror stepped back, satisfied, and one of the goblin guards said, "Well? Your business?"
Startled, Harry fumbled out his reply as he proffered the official notification he'd received from Gringotts. "Oh, er.. here. I have a letter saying I'm to attend a will-reading at ten in the morning."
The goblin muttered something in Gobbledygook, and the letter from Ragnok flashed a golden colour. Satisfied, the goblin waved Harry on to the last wicket at the far end of the hall.
Harry got some scowls from the impatient people in the queue. Harry couldn't help but snicker to himself as he noted that only one wicket out of at least twenty was occupied by a goblin for banking business, and the remainder, counting gold and weighing rubies, were pointedly ignoring the wizards and witches. The wicket at the far end had a small sign hovering over it, reading 'Other Business'.
The wizarding economy was taking a hit, it seemed, and from what little Harry remembered of Muggle history, some banks in the United States in the nineteen-thirties had tried a similar trick to keep people from withdrawing all their money in one go, by making withdrawals take forever to get accomplished. Of course, they hadn't had a megalomaniac after their money at the time, so presumably those banks hadn't need security guards armed to the teeth to keep out said megalomaniacs and attached minions.
Harry thought the goblin looked a bit familiar, but said nothing as he presented the letter again. The goblin at the wicket did the same thing as the guard goblin, making the parchment flash gold. He then left his wicket, disappearing through a door. Harry supposed it was where Gringotts kept records and correspondence. The goblin returned and said, "Mr Potter, other beneficiaries have been sent letters indicating that a will is being read on this date, according to our internal records. For a small fee, I would be able to provide you with a list of all those who are permitted to attend and, shall we say, offer you some flexibility as to who can attend with you."
Harry wondered if goblins ever gave Muggle bankers lessons on shaking their customers down for extra money, but acquiesced, saying, "All right. How much?"
"Fifty Galleons. Vault key?"
Harry wordlessly handed it over. The goblin filled out the necessary paperwork, then handed Harry his key back with a parchment charmed to list all the people coming. He screwed up his nose in distaste at seeing Draco and Narcissa Malfoy on the list of attendees.
He looked at the goblin again, and in a flash of memory, Harry realised who he was talking to. "Hey, aren't you Griphook?"
The goblin, momentarily surprised, looked at Harry, raising a gnarled eyebrow. "Yes, I am. I do not always drive carts. I also recall you from several years ago. But time is money, and we are wasting it. Follow me to the room we have set up."
In the well-appointed room, Harry sat at the oak table as Griphook left, and looked around. There were about twenty chairs, with an object Harry recognised as a Pensieve in the middle.
Uneasily, Harry took his attention away from the Pensieve, and looked at the rest of the room. The walls were in a soothing beige colour, and the chandelier at the ceiling glittered. Harry wondered if perhaps those were real diamonds in the chandelier. The room exuded wealth and security, and for the first time, Harry wondered at just how strongly Voldemort wanted the goblins on his side.
His mechanical watch registered five minutes after ten, and the others trickled in. Griphook escorted Dumbledore, Lupin, Ron and Hermione as well as Mrs Weasley. Griphook said, "Mister Potter, two more beneficiaries state they wish to attend the will reading. Their names are Nymphadora and Andromeda Tonks. Also, the lady Weasley has asked to allow two more people, Fred and George, into Gringotts for this reading."
Surprised, Harry blurted, "Sure. Let them in."
Griphook snapped his fingers in the hallway, and not long after Fred and George entered.
Grinning, they looked at Harry and Fred said, "Thank goodness!"
George followed up with, "Indeed! If you hadn't vouched for us I shudder to think of where they might have put the Probity Probe."
"Well said, brother mine. Why, they might have put it up—"
Molly Weasley took that moment to intervene. "FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY! You two come and sit down, right now! That kind of language is not fit for children's ears!"
Even after having moved out of the Burrow, the twins were still not ones to directly cross their mother's strident instructions, and hastily sat down at the table, across from Ron and Hermione. Harry had sat at the narrow end, with Ron and Hermione to his right and the twins to his left. Remus moved a chair next to him and sat nearby. He whispered, "The Ministry sent me the approvals. I'm your official guardian now."
The Tonkses arrived as Remus finished.
Harry grinned and said, "Thanks. I'm sorry I didn't ask you about it before now. I've been busy training with Tonks when I'm not exercising."
"I've heard. Albus had me watching the Burrow as well as the Granger house. We take your friendships seriously, you know."
Harry, noticing the omission, said, "Actually, why aren't any of you watching Grimmauld Place?"
Remus winced and said, "We had to move out after the Ministry officially recognised that Sirius died. Until then, we could keep meeting there as his status was indeterminate. We weren't sure in which direction ownership would change after Albus told us the Ministry had changed their mind on the matter, and it wouldn't do for the Malfoys to catch us unawares."
Harry nodded, and resolved to deal with Draco and Narcissa Malfoy sooner or later. There was another score he had to settle.
Griphook broke in again, saying, "We have just had two more people arrive, claiming will business. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, Mister Potter."
Harry snarled, "Absolutely not! I don't care if they're named in the will, they're not coming in here. They can have their own will reading separately."
Griphook nodded, and snapped his fingers twice outside in the hall. He said, in passing, "I do believe the Probity Probe will be busy today, and they will be late for the reading."
An embarrassed laugh went around the room as Griphook closed the heavy door. He said, "As is policy for Gringotts, anyone who attends a will reading must do so within fifteen minutes of the appointed time. Anyone who arrives afterwards must request a separate reading later. Gringotts, incidentally, levies a fifty Galleon fee per will reading session if a beneficiary requests a separate reading later on."
Harry snickered to himself at the thought of Draco Malfoy's spoiled whining about how he'd had to pay good money for what promised to be next to nothing.
Griphook continued. "The will has been transcribed by Dictating Quill"—he held up a sheaf of parchments—"at the same time as Mr Black made this Pensieve Recording for Gringotts. He owled us the memory and the will. We have determined its authenticity and are satisfied that it was indeed made by Sirius Black on the twentieth of December, 1995."
He aimed his finger at the Pensieve, then aimed his hand up at the lights. They dimmed as Sirius showed up, seated at a chair next to a desk, which was strewn about with papers. Harry couldn't help but let a tear escape his eye, as he realised this might be the last time he would see the man in anything but a wizarding picture.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, do certify before Gringotts and on my magic that I am of sound mind and body, capable of disbursing my assets, personal possessions, and other hereditary gifts.
"To Harry James Potter, my principal beneficiary, I leave the bulk of my fortune, the house at you-know-where, the Black seat on the Wizengamot, and everything else I haven't otherwise given to someone else. Use it well, Harry. If I died, I probably died fighting. I always knew it might happen last time Voldemort was around, and it certainly might happen again. The attack on Arthur was what spurred me to make this will in the vain hope that the Ministry might get their collective arse in motion and listen to Dumbledore. If it's too late and the Malfoys got everything, well, at least you know what I would have wanted.
"To Remus John Lupin, my other principal beneficiary, I'd give you the Wizengamot seat but as it is it'll be a tough row to hoe letting Harry get it when he's not a Black. Get him to nominate you as proxy for either the Black or the Potter seat, and we'll put one over on those bigoted bastards, eh?"
A quick laugh went around the table, and Harry got an idea in his head.
"As for what else you get – Moony, old friend…"
Here, the Weasley twins sharply breathed in, realising just who the Marauders had been.
"Get some decent clothes. I've left you enough money that you could probably spend a hundred Galleons a day or more and still have enough to give to someone else if you live to a hundred years of age. Meantime, go get some new clothes. Heaven only knows I've given you enough of mine already. Oh, and Harry should have the deeds to several properties. There's got to be one you could use that's a step up from that cottage you have in the middle of nowhere."
Remus nervously laughed, and Harry could see he was having trouble keeping his composure as Sirius's light banter wove through the solemn reading of the will.
"To Hermione Jean Granger, care of Albus Dumbledore, I leave the books of the Black Library at you-know-where, provided that Albus inventories them first and takes care of any that are too dangerous. Some really should be destroyed – I just never had the heart to go through and do a cull. In addition, your vault has been added to, as I'm sure you'll never run out of books to buy. It's a poor recompense for being Harry's friend, but it's all I can do.
"To the Weasley family, notably Ronald Bilius Weasley, I want to thank you all for taking in Harry when I couldn't, and giving him a place he can remember with fondness. It's a poor compensation to make, but I have set aside a fund for you to upgrade the Burrow in any way you see fit – or hell, go on a vacation after the war. But my strong suggestion would be to get some good wards on there, especially if you-know-where becomes the focal point of the war to come.
"For the twins, you should have enough to open a store on Diagon Alley. If you already did, go open one in Hogsmeade. Harry told me he said the wizarding world could use a few laughs, and I happen to agree. Finally, for Ron and Ginny, your Hogwarts fees have been paid up and you both have enough money transferred to vaults of your own so you have a cushion in bad times.
"Now for the fun part. For Nymphadora and Andromeda Tonks, you get some money too. Finally, my last act as the Head of the Black Family (marvellous trick that, considering my dear old bat of a mother disowned me in the first place – luckily grandfather Arcturus was senile enough to reinstate me for reasons known only to him), innocent of any crime, is to reinstate you into the Black family, which should take effect if I have been exonerated. From this day on, you have control over that foul little elf, Kreacher, if Harry doesn't want anything to do with him. My suggestion would be a very good Memory Charm and clothes. Then he can go kiss up to the Malfoys. Unfortunately, Andromeda, even I can't assign headship of the family to you. The closest male relative that magically qualifies is my godson, Harry. He inherited it when I named him the principal beneficiary.
"Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy are hereby disowned from the Black Family and shall no longer retain any privileges emanating from having had the Black name. Draco Malfoy is similarly disowned with a parting gift of exactly one Galleon. Don't spend it all in one place, you snivelling brat."
Harry couldn't help himself, and laughed at his imagination of the look on Draco's face when he would realise he lost forty-nine Galleons for the privilege of hearing that all the Black money went to someone else besides him.
The others also chuckled, and Griphook, having momentarily halted the Pensieve recording, waited patiently for the people at the table to finish amusing themselves at Draco's expense.
"Some final words. If the goblins have shown this will to Harry on or after his sixteenth birthday, I want to let you, Harry, know of some things regarding pureblood custom which you probably haven't been told before. It's nobody's fault, really – everybody has probably assumed someone else told you.
"Getting down to business, Harry – fifteen and sixteen year-olds have been appointed to the Wizengamot before if they're heirs of pureblood families and deemed mentally competent. You qualify twice over, as a Black by virtue of being my godson, and a Potter. In addition, access to the family vaults can be conditionally given – you can't take anything out, but you'll be able to go inside them as long as a goblin opens the vault for you. Go into your parents' vault, and go into mine. At least you'll know what you can get from them when you're seventeen, with one exception. If the Potter ring is in the Potter vault the goblins will allow you to take it with you.
"Additionally, possession of a family ring – the Black ring is useless to me right now as I'm still an escaped convict, so I have sent it to be given to you – specifically designates you as family head, and the power of the Black name is not to be underestimated in the wizarding world. We were once regarded as royalty, but Regulus's death, my conviction, and the actions of Bellatrix and Narcissa have tarnished that name. Andromeda was unable to do much, as she was blasted off the tapestry and disowned. So it falls to you, Andromeda and Nymphadora to restore the Black name.
"The essential point is, any dealings you have which do not involve the Ministry, if you're wearing that ring, are the dealings of a person considered a full adult. That power can come in handy – especially at Hogwarts, which is not under full control of the Ministry. Or, consider the Wizengamot.
"All right, to all who are viewing this will, I'm done. The exact allotments of money and so forth will be carried out by the goblins. Don't mourn me forever. I'm on the next great adventure, as Dumbledore loves to say, and no doubt I'm probably annoying Prongs as we speak. We'll wait for that little git Wormtail and really lay into him. Go forth and make me proud, all of you!"
The Pensieve died, and Harry sat, gobsmacked. He took a few moments to process all that he'd seen, and breathed steadily, willing himself to stay composed.
Griphook cleared his throat, and all in the room turned their eyes to him. He said, "As Mr Black has indicated, your vaults have been created or added to, and I have envelopes that state the monetary transfers along with keys to new vaults for those who do not have their own. Mr Black decided to lay out percentages of his fortune, rather than allocate specific monetary amounts. As such your vaults will have a certain number of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts added to them.
"For non-monetary possessions, the instructions in the will provide for how they are to be handled. Mr Potter, please place the Black ring on your finger. This will signify you as the legitimate heir to the Black seat on the Wizengamot."
Harry reached out for the small wooden box he had been given, as well as an envelope, similar to the envelopes everyone else else got. Ron was admiring the Gringotts key, and Harry felt glad that his friend would never know the sting of poverty again. It still didn't erase the fact that Harry would have given all he had in with Grimmauld Place to boot for just five minutes with his mum, dad, and Sirius.
He sighed, and hesitantly opened the box. Two Gringotts keys were in the felt-lined interior, along with a short letter and the Black ring with the family crest attached to it. Harry looked at Remus questioningly, and the latter answered, "Place it on the ring finger of your wand hand. Sirius never wore it after he moved in, but while on the run he had it on the ring finger of his right hand."
Harry slowly slid the ring down his right ring finger, and jerked, startled, when it abruptly sized itself to his finger, and glowed a bright green. He felt a warmth go over him, then saw a less brilliant shade of green briefly flow over Andromeda and Nymphadora.
Remus said, "That must have been the magic formalising the Black family reinstatement. This must mean Narcissa will know what Sirius has done. I'm not sure if you can keep this a secret from Draco for too much longer – he will have plans. I remember him from your third year, and he was always borderline rude to me because of my clothes. Sirius wasn't lying when he said Draco was a snivelling brat."
Nodding, Harry replied, "I'm going to the Wizengamot today. Everything should be set up so I can get straight into my seat. But I'll be at school most of the time, so I can't come to a lot of the sessions. Does anyone get paid for being on the Wizengamot?"
Remus said, "Harry, I wouldn't ask you to give me the seat just so I could get money—"
"It's not just that, Remus – although I can't think of anyone else who deserves it more. It's a political thing. I want to rub it in their faces that a werewolf has been granted the right to sit on the wizarding world's highest governing body aside from the Ministry. Wouldn't that just be a slap in the face for those bigots?"
Sighing, Remus said, "Well, as I can't dissuade you from this course of action, I'll go with you. Fawkes can flash us all straight there."
Harry closed the box, and shrank it to fit in his pocket. He went to Mrs Weasley and said, "Hullo. I'm happy you're here."
The red-haired woman smiled, and hugged Harry briefly, then brushed his hair out of his face, only to lose that battle. "I wish we were seeing each other under better circumstances. But you look better now than you did last year. Oh, I hope those Muggles haven't been mistreating you this summer, have they? I swear, if it weren't that Albus went in with the best of intentions—"
Harry interposed gently, saying, "Mrs Weasley, let me work that out with him myself, okay? I appreciate you standing up for me and all, but it's… complicated. I can understand why he did what he did, but he's withheld a lot from me. I didn't even know I had a seat on the Wizengamot! Last year that would have helped if I'd been able to hold any sway over the Ministry or something like that."
Molly pursed her lips as she remembered that farce of a trial Harry had undergone, and said, "Well, what's done is done. Once we get the wards done on the Burrow, you can come any time, you understand? Albus or no Albus, our home is always open to you."
Harry, abashed, mumbled, "Thanks. I… I appreciate it, Mrs Weasley."
"Good! When are you coming over?"
Nervously, Harry said, "Um, that's sort of a problem… I'm going to be doing some training for the next three weeks somewhere secret, and I won't be able to come 'till the last week of August. Is that okay?"
Mrs Weasley looked crestfallen as she said, "If it were up to me, Harry, you wouldn't have to do a thing this summer except stay at the Burrow with Ron. This war, oh this damned war…"
Molly looked ready to lose her composure, and luckily, Ron saw what was about to happen, and came over. "Look, Mum, it's what we have to do, all right? Harry's my friend and if I know Harry, he'll help us get rid of You-Know-Who as soon as he can, and we'll all enjoy ourselves afterwards."
Harry smiled, saying, "Thanks, Ron. By the way, I didn't tell you earlier, but I'm going to the Wizengamot today to take my seat. Want to come along?"
"Blimey! Sure thing, mate!"
Harry clapped Ron on the shoulder, and then hugged Mrs Weasley, followed by Ron. She seemed to look better after that, and said, "Ronald, you come back the very instant Harry is done, you hear? Harry, you tell that phoenix to get Ron back as soon as possible! I left Ginny with the Lovegoods, but I can't leave her too long. It's not safe."
"I understand, Mum."
"I understand, Mrs Weasley. Please be safe."
As Molly Weasley left at a brisk walk out of the room, Nymphadora and Andromeda came over to Harry, and briefly gave their condolences. Harry said, "Tonks? I'll see you tomorrow for the training."
"Wotcher, Harry. See you later."
Andromeda said, "Harry, if you need any more advice or information regarding the Black family, please come see me. I can help you."
Harry nodded, and for the first time, noticed that Andromeda had a slight resemblance to Bellatrix and Narcissa. She didn't have the look of wild-eyed obsession or the arrogant sneer, and he could see a bit of Sirius in her, too.
Finally, the twins broke free from Remus, and briefly said their goodbyes. Harry said, "By the way – Fred, George – I have some ideas about things you can develop for the war. Ask Remus about the shrinking potion he used on the Slytherins in his first year."
Chuckling, the twins nodded and left the room, airily saying, "Wheezes never rest!"
Harry looked at his watch and noticed that it was just past eleven in the morning. He looked at Griphook, and said, "Could we have this room for another half hour?"
He nodded, and said, "That phoenix of yours will be able to remove you from this room, should you need the security. Incidentally, I have just gotten the report that Mr Malfoy's reaction to the Probity Probe was quite… amusing."
Harry snickered again, and said, "Thanks a lot, Griphook."
The atmosphere in the room shifted just after the heavy door clanged, and Harry looked at the Headmaster with a steely expression, who had the good grace to look a bit embarrassed.
Harry said, icily, "So. Is there anything else I should know about? Anything which, if I didn't know it, could compromise my ability to navigate the political sharkfest known as the Ministry?"
Albus Dumbledore, for the first time that Harry could remember aside from his lack of stolidity at the Ministry when Harry had been possessed, looked worn-out and deflated. He said, "No, Harry. Sirius Black has covered what I should have done. By rights I should have informed you of all this well before now. If it helps, Harry, vacant seats are assumed to vote the same way as the Chief Warlock, if needed to break a tie.
"Remus, I owe you an apology. I should not have allowed James's suspicions about your activity during 1981 to colour my notions as to who would be a good proxy voter for Harry's seat."
Confused, Harry said, "What? What's all this?"
Remus said, "What Albus is referring to is that I had very little money back then, and the Muggle world at that time was undergoing a severe inflationary shock, meaning that prices were going up rapidly – they'd been doing so since the late 1970s. My wages barely kept up, and I had to take some jobs outside of Britain in magical communities in France. Since I didn't want to let anyone know of my comings and goings with Voldemort on the loose, I had to accept that James might be suspicious of my behaviour. At the time, of course, I assumed I could always smooth things over later."
Remus looked quite morose as Hermione looked thoughtful, and Ron a bit confused.
Ron said, "I don't get this bit about inflation."
Hermione didactically said, "In the Muggle world, almost all currencies are printed on paper. This means it is very easy to produce more money, but as a result, it means that prices can go up quite quickly. About twenty years ago, the price of oil, which is what we use a great deal of to burn in our automobiles and electric power plants, went up dramatically, and to compensate, Muggle governments began printing more money, which drove the price of everything else up as well. Since people in the Muggle world get paid for their work like people do in the wizarding world, they had to pay more for everything without getting any extra benefit from it.
"The wizarding world doesn't have that problem to as great a degree because of our small population and because our money is based on gold. The gold basis of our currency doesn't cause other equally annoying problems because our economy is not very advanced, and the exchange rate of the Galleon against the pound can compensate for changes in the value of the pound."
Dumbledore said, "Miss Granger is quite right. In the late 1970s, the Galleon exchanged at a ratio of almost twenty to one, as opposed to five to one today. This was in direct response to the fact that British currency was becoming less valuable relative to ours. But we have digressed."
Remus said, "Yes. I brought in enough Galleons to tide me over handily through 1980 and 1981, and after 1982 inflation began to fall and I was able to work steadily in the Muggle world without having to do questionable work in France."
Harry hesitantly said, "Um… if it's not intruding too much, what did you have to do?"
"I'd rather not explain right now, Harry. Those were not good times, I'm sorry to say."
Harry nodded.
Dumbledore said, "Harry, although this is not a Ministry-related matter you should know there might be an outside chance you have membership in other bodies such as the Defence Against The Dark Arts League."
Harry and Ron snickered, as they remembered Gilderoy Lockhart's strutting about with his membership in it.
Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Headmaster, meaning no offence at all, but I'm afraid we don't have a high opinion of that organisation, considering who they allowed into it."
"Yes, I am aware that Mr Lockhart claimed membership in that League. It may amuse you to know that I have dropped some suggestions that it be revoked. It seems that Gadding with Ghouls piqued the interest of ghoul-hunters, who found his adventures a bit… implausible."
Harry groaned as he remembered all the times he'd been made to play the part of whatever unfortunate beast or being Lockhart had allegedly defeated.
Dumbledore said, "In the meantime, I wish to assure you, Harry, that if you ask, I shall answer. I may not be able to divulge an answer but I will tell you so, and not simply avoid you."
"That's acceptable. If you'd just done that last year, sir, I'd have understood. Anyway… look, I've been trying Occlumency again, and I'd like you to test and see if I've made any headway."
Harry began bringing his shields up, calming his emotions, preparing for intrusion. Dumbledore brought his wand up and quietly said, "Legilimens."
Harry felt a sudden pressing on his skull, an attempt to pull at memories laid within. He was able to hold it off until the attack got stronger, and he found memories beginning to glide forth. Before he was able to shut the gates, he saw the time he'd plucked spiders off himself in the cupboard under the stairs before Aunt Petunia banged on it to make him cook breakfast.
Gasping, Harry said, "How long?"
Hermione said, "That was about two minutes, Harry."
Surprised, Harry rasped, "Two minutes? It felt like thirty seconds!"
Dumbledore, radiating imperturbability, said, "Time is often subjective and particularly so when Occlumency must be employed in response to a direct attack instead of as a passive defence against casual Legilimency. Harry, you have done better than I expected you might with the books Miss Granger obtained for you at the library, as well as with your work with Hestia Jones. Miss Granger, I am amused, however, that Minerva McGonagall saw fit to let you come back to Hogwarts briefly."
Hermione had the good grace to look sheepish as she said, "Well, I engaged in a bit of misdirection, really. I had told Professor McGonagall that I needed books for an extra credit research project for Charms, and she wrote me an open summer pass for the books I was to borrow. Madam Pince was reluctant, but allowed it. She didn't stop me when I signed out loads of books.
"As to how I got to Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall agreed to Apparate me from my bedroom to Hogsmeade, and we walked up to the castle. She went with me back to Hogsmeade later, and we took the Floo back to Diagon Alley and stopped at Flourish and Blotts. It was still so close to end of term that I saw students milling about. Several Ravenclaws were in the Alley; I think Professor Flitwick had given them the option of completing their Charm assignments over the summer, owing to the trouble with Umbridge near the end of term."
Remus said, "That must be why we never heard anything of it. As I recall, Minerva agreed to take the patrol for that day at the Grangers. We were worried because she's still in somewhat precarious health, but she turned on that Scottish irascibility and dared us to forbid her. She has a soft spot for you, Hermione."
Dumbledore nodded, saying, "As I recall, Minerva is adept at the Disillusionment Charm. Did she accompany you on your return home, Miss Granger?"
Hermione replied, "Yes, she took me back by Side-Along Apparition straight into my back yard. What's this about patrols, by the way?"
"Just as Harry's house is being watched by Order members, we also have Order members watching your residence as well as the Burrow."
Ron flushed, saying, "With all that Apparating and phoenix-flashing, why haven't you two come and seen me yet, then? You haven't even written, for Merlin's sake!"
Hermione's voice wavered as she said, "I'm sorry, Ron. I thought you were undergoing treatment for those brain attacks and I didn't think to check in with you about it."
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry, mate. I kind of got wrapped up in studying my Defence and Occlumency and talking to Hermione. Ever since I found out about the Wizengamot seat and petitioning for a magical guardian, I've been tossing around some ideas in my head. I promise I won't forget about you again, all right?"
Guardedly, Ron muttered, "All right, then."
Harry let the tension escape his shoulders as he realised the worst was over, for now. Hermione, however, reminded him of his obligation when she said, "Harry! You need proper clothes and an outfit for your Wizengamot session. Come on, let's go to Madam Malkin's."
Groaning, Harry let himself and the rest of his entourage be dragged (or more accurately, flashed by phoenix) along to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Dumbledore sucked on sherbet lemons and twinkled every now and then in amusement as Harry, like a mannequin, was dressed, poked and prodded as Hermione efficiently marshalled his fashion appearance into something resembling "politically powerful and aware heir of two well-known families."
Ron and Remus had a few good laughs as they inwardly sighed in relief believing they had dodged a bullet… but it was too late. After forty-five minutes and seven dress robes, shirts and trousers later, Hermione was done with Harry, who blew his fringes out of his eyes in relief and annoyance as he eyed the worn-out clothes and ill-fitting school robe sitting in a pile next to him while he tried to get used to the feel of new clothes.
Ron wilted under Hermione's commanding glare and was shortly set up with two quality dress robes and a brand-new, custom-fit school robe charmed to expand as he continued to grow. Harry privately thought this was a good idea as there was no telling how tall Ron might get.
It took some cajoling from both Hermione and Harry before Remus consented to be outfitted in some tasteful dark brown robes.
Finally, it was almost time to attend the session of the Wizengamot, and Harry, Ron and Remus presented their Gringotts keys to prove they could sign a draft authorising Madam Malkin's shop to charge their vaults. Harry then changed into the crisp dark blue robe, matching his blue trousers and white shirt. He grimaced at seeing his trainers sticking out from under his robes, but Hermione fixed that by telling Harry about a transfiguration that she said would last about two hours. He did the spell, and the trainers became black leather shoes. At that point, she pronounced him ready to face the Wizengamot.
Dumbledore nodded and said, "Harry, your appearance will count for almost as much of your credibility as your name. In this outfit it will be very hard to dismiss your suggestions and comments."
Ron and Remus assumed their new robes, and Harry quickly shrank Ron's robes for his pocket, while Remus shrank his old robe and stuffed it in his pocket as well.
At that point, Fawkes flew into the air, warbled a bit, and lowered his tail.
Dumbledore smiled, and said, "Excellent. If you all will please carefully take hold of Fawkes's tail, we will be conveyed to the door of Courtroom Ten for the Wizengamot session. I have already cleared this with Ministry security, as Amelia Bones was kind enough to accommodate us."
Within a moment, they flashed outside of Courtoom Ten at the Ministry. Unconsciously, Harry rubbed his right hand, where Umb… Umbridge had caused him to inscribe those words over and over during his detentions. He decided to add her to the list of those people with whom he had scores to settle.
Author Notes: Again, this is also essentially unexpurgated from the old version and so unbetaed. Cheers again, everyone. :)