Chapter Thirteen: Society Rules
Harry smiled. Breakfast forgotten, he stared down at the latest edition of the Quibbler. On the cover of the controversial magazine were the words 'Who Is Lord Voldemort?' Underneath that headline was a picture of a young Tom Riddle in his Hogwarts uniform smirking up at the readers. The subtitle underneath the picture read, Tom Marvolo Riddle then the letters flashed and rearranged themselves stating I Am Lord Voldemort. It was a flashy headline, sure to get everyone's attention and the article was just as informative. Absorbed, Harry read the magazine even though he knew most of the information. Mr. Lovegood could really capture an audience. This article would shake the wizarding world from their compliancy.
"I feel as if I just fell down the rabbit hole and entered Wonderland," Sensei quipped as he entered the kitchen.
"Really? That's nice." Harry turned the page. Mr. Lovegood went into details regarding the atrocities Voldemort and his followers committed during the war. He used old articles and eyewitness reports to highlight the killings and terror and how ineffective the government had been in taking a stand against Voldemort's actions. This Harry was not as familiar with, so he read carefully.
"You do realize this is weird?"
"I like weird." Mr. Lovegood listed family lines wiped out by Voldemort's reign. He then went on to list where those families now stood, who headed those families, and who controlled their seats in the Wizengamot. The Potter and Longbottom families were on the list. And Mr. Lovegood, being Mr. Lovegood, couldn't help but throw a little conspiracy in the article by listing who had benefited most from the disappearance of pureblood lines that had been either destroyed or left in ruins. Unsurprisingly, Albus Dumbledore was the top name on the conspiracy theory list. He even detailed how he had gained from donations from wills, political power, and even listed how it was suspicious that it was only purebloods who weren't beneficial to him who were saved by his not-so-secret vigilant group The Order of the Phoenix. Amazing writing.
"I'm going to quit my job and become a trapeze artist. What do you think, Harry?"
"Umm-hmm, sounds interesting, if you're happy go for it." Harry murmured still absorbed in the article before registering what Sensei said. His head shot up. "What?"
"Took you long enough." Sensei's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Can you tell me what this is?"
Sensei gestured about the kitchen table where the house elves had laid breakfast out for them. Harry furrowed a brow.
"Umm, breakfast. Are you okay? I mean you seemed fine earlier when we were training."
Sensei put his fingers to his forehead and messaged his temples. "And Hedwig?"
"What about her?" Harry looked confusedly at Hedwig who sat next to him eating. Hedwig looked up at the mention of her name and when Harry looked at her for an answer to Sensei's strange behavior, she shrugged a wing at him and went back to eating her bacon.
Sensei muttered in Japanese under his breath for several minutes before finally switching to English. "Harry, why is Hedwig sitting on a booster seat, eating breakfast and drinking tea?"
"Umm, because she's hungry and she loves builder's tea. I keep telling her all that milk and sugar ruins the flavor of the tea leaves, but she ignores me." Harry shrugged. "To each her own."
"And the book?"
"She likes the pictures." Harry turned to Hedwig. "Can you read, I never thought to ask?"
Hedwig tilted her head and shrugged one wing.
"Really. You should've said something. I could get you one of those primers kids use to help you out with the sounds. That should help with the words you don't understand."
Hedwig nodded her head regally and went back to her breakfast and book. Sensei banged his head on the table.
"Are you okay Sensei?" Harry asked concerned. "You're acting weird this morning."
Sensei ignored him and plated his breakfast from the food on the table. Harry noticed that he poured a bit of alcohol into his tea. Harry shrugged and went back to his article, sliding the extra copy over to Sensei.
"This is going to cause a stir," Sensei said after finishing the article. "You haven't changed your plans for the day?"
"No. I'm going to revise for a bit until Neville comes over. He wants to tour the Potter greenhouses, then we were going to hang out and watch a couple movies. I'm going to introduce him to the Star Wars trilogy."
"Good. I want you to stay around the castle today. We're short staffed; I gave the rest of the guys the day off because of tonight."
Harry nodded nervously, his stomach tightening with nerves as he thought about meeting his guards and their families. He hoped he didn't do anything stupid.
"It'll be fine," Sensei soothed once he saw the look on Harry's face.
Harry didn't answer.
Harry was restless all day. He'd heard from May that the elves were inundated with mail because of the Quibbler article in addition to the tons of mail he still continued to receive in response to his earlier interview. He was relieved to leave it all in his elves capable hands, even if it meant being dragged about the castle grounds by Neville. Or maybe not. Neville had went into spasms when he learned Castle Potter was home to one of the last remaining grove of Fey Cherry trees in the world. The budding herbologist had nearly apparated them to the site in his rush to see them though Harry had to admit that the trees looked impressive.
The Fey Trees were at least five hundred feet tall, while their trunks were about forty feet in diameter. Lush leaves enveloped him and Neville and it felt as they had escaped into another world. The smell of cherries enhanced the air making it feel, for lack of better comparison, magical. Harry reached out with all his senses like Sensei taught him and gasped. It was magical. He could actually feel the magical currents running through the air as well as the trees working parts just as he'd been able to do with humans. It was as if the trees were living creatures.
"Wow," Harry said awed. This was actually cool. He might have to forgive Neville after all.
"Yeah," Neville spoke softly, reverently. He pointed to the long, narrow green leaves of the tree. "See that, the leaves have magical properties. They repel most wind, rain, and snow and in close quarters with others of their kind, like we're now under, they can moderate the temperature in their area. See how it's cooler now than before we entered the grove."
"What else do they do? Are the cherries safe to eat?"
Neville snorted. "Of course. We're lucky to see this actually. Fey trees only bloom once a decade. Eating the cherries from a fey tree protects you from most jinxs and hexes for up to twelve hours. But once they're picked, they only retain their magical properties under stasis for six months. After that, they're just another cherry, albeit a juicer alternative than the normal variety. One cherry from a fey tree is worth at least five galleons and you've got an entire grove. This is amazing Harry."
"Hmm, I hope we cultivate and sell them. I'll have to check with the herbologists who run the greenhouses. Would they accept a cutting being taken from them and gifted to someone? I know some magical plants don't. If they do, would you want one?"
Neville stared and the next thing he knew a very exuberant Neville Longbottom grabbed him in a bear hug. Harry laughed and hugged him back. A flash of fire that startled them both interrupted the embrace. They jumped apart and stared around wildly. Harry held out his hand where his focus ring rested and grabbed for his wand as well, so did Neville. Dumbledore's phoenix Fawkes flashed into the clearing with them. Fawkes looked around, saw Harry, and attempted to land on his shoulder. Harry jumped back and away from Fawkes and glared at the bird when he attempted to fly at him again. Before Fawkes could get his claws in him and whisk him away, a blade flew in the air and impacted the bird in the middle of its breastbone. Fawkes exploded and reappeared as a baby chick in a pile of ashes.
"May," Sensei called out as he came upon them.
A few seconds later May popped into the grove and bowed.
"Morinozuka-senpai?"
"Can you have someone deposit Dumbledore's phoenix in his office and inform him we will be making a report to the DMLE regarding his attempt to kidnap Lord Harrison Potter."
A smile curled May's lips before she returned to her stoic self and went to grab the phoenix before popping away.
Harry grinned. "Thanks Sensei." Sensei nodded and stepped away and Harry turned to Neville. "Sorry Nev."
Neville shrugged. "No problem. Besides, that was some cool knife throwing."
"Yeah. Sensei still hasn't gotten around to teaching me yet. Apparently, I have to learn to crawl before can I walk or some such rot." Harry looked up the trees, the first branches were nearly a hundred feet in the air. "So, any ideas on how we're going to get up there to pick those cherries and get you your cutting? Should I get the brooms out?"
By the time evening arrived, Harry's nerves had escalated. On the bright side, the wards around the castle were now updated to stop manipulative headmasters from sending their phoenix's on his property willy-nilly. The new wards made all magical birds arrive at a certain delivery point. They couldn't roam the grounds unless they belonged to Castle Potter. Harry also managed to prevent Sensei from storming Hogwarts and using his katana to chop Dumbledore's head off. Instead, he badgered Sensei into joining him and Neville in their Star Wars marathon. Sensei had been easy to convince, because hey, it was Star Wars. Now, that Sensei was relatively calm, Harry felt able to release his own nerves as he awaited the arrival of his guards. The bowling alley gleamed, the buffet table weighed down with food. And, he'd spent the last couple of days practicing his swing so he didn't make a complete prat out of himself since he never bowled before. Before he could hyperventilate, his guards trickled in. Luckily, Sensei had given him the employment folders of all his men so he could know who they and their immediate family were. There was:
Sean and his wife Rachel who was four months pregnant, Chad and his son Rich who was sixteen, Emil Hansen, his wife Bridgette and his daughter Ellen who was twelve, his son Ernest who was nine. Kris Wilde and his spouse, John and their twins Bryan and Brandon, who were nine, and finally Haruhisa Okado and his wife Naoko who was most stunning women Harry had ever seen.
Everyone sat around the round table beside the bowling alley eating and chatting happily. Harry glanced at Haruhisa's wife Naoko wondering if Luna was right. If he was gay, would he notice how stunningly beautiful a woman she was? And Naoko Okado was stunning. The most beautiful woman he'd ever encountered before. Harry wondered how other women could be in her presence and not feel insignificant. He was supposedly gay and he couldn't take his eyes off her, how did straight guys act? How could the other guys stand to be so calm around her? Maybe he was bisexual like Sensei, because really, the woman looked amazing. How old was she? Naoko looked like a teenager and Harry wondered how old she really was. Her short hair had been dyed a reddish blonde and styled in a bob. The back was feathered close to the nape of her neck and the sides were pushed behind dainty ears clad in gold hoop earrings. The front of her hair was in wispy, straight bangs across her face. The light color of her hair complimented her fair skin, the hairstyle making her eyes pop and highlighted delicate features devoid of make up with the exception of eyeliner and maybe mascara. She was stunning.
"Ow!" Harry snapped as Sensei smacked the back of his head. Harry turned to shot daggers at Sensei only to blush when he realized everyone had caught him gaping. He looked apologetically towards Haruhisa and Naoka. "Sorry for being disrespectful. But really, I'm thirteen and umm, wow!"
Sensei rolled his eyes, Haruhisa and Naoko looked amused, the ladies giggled, the men and older boys snorted, and Ellen let out a disgusted Hermione like huff that sounded like 'boys.' But all was well, because the tension dropped and everyone was more relaxed around each other. He learned that Naoko had been blessed with brains as well as beauty. She was not a teenager. In fact, she was an international attorney who worked for Potter Corporation focusing on the Asian market. Bridgette worked for the American Ministry. John, Kris's partner, owned a wizarding trunk and travel shop in America's magical district in Boston. Sean's wife Rachel just finished America's wizard university. Rachel held her mastery in magical and non-magical history and would be his history tutor after she gave birth. Right now, she was going stir crazy. She had just moved to a new country, didn't know many people, and had nothing to do but wait, for the baby and her new job to start. Harry perked up at that.
"Really? I just had a bunch of clothes shipped to the castle from my vault that goes back to the founder's time. I'm putting them in a new exhibit but I need someone to authenticate the time period and go through family papers and old newspapers I found to see if it's possible to discover what Potter ancestors actually wore each item. Can you help me out? I'll pay you. At the least it'll give you something to do until the baby comes."
Rachel stared at him as if Christmas had come early and Sean sighed.
"I'm never going to see her now. I'm going to have to come and drag her out of whatever room she's working in."
"Sorry," Harry said sheepishly.
Sean, seeing the joy on his wife's face, waved him off.
The wives seemed to click and decided they'd have more fun at the spa with Rachel than camping. Harry didn't understand, he supposed the spa would be fun, but thought it would get boring after a day or so. When he told them so, the women laughed at him, but Harry was relieved that the guys seemed to share his sentiment. Ellen promptly begged to join the women and the camping trip suddenly became men only. Harry noticed the men seemed relieved by that.
After everyone ate their fill, bowling started. It became the adults against the kids. Harry had a great time talking to Rich, Chad's son, about the camping trips he'd taken with his dad over the years. While talking to Rich, he learned that in addition to being a drama student, he also acted professionally and had been in several commercials and television shows. Rich was an awesome person to talk to and Harry could see why Chad was so proud of his son. Ellen was cool in a Hermione like way. She told him about the magical community in America, their system made England seem like they were in the Middle Ages.
Children started school at four where they learned the basics of reading, writing, math, magical theory, and history. Muggleborns began the semester after they displayed their first bout of accidental magic. IQ, grades, and magical knowledge separated students so classes were taught by ability in primary or elementary school. If a child didn't display magic by junior high or Hogwarts age, they were transferred out of the system. That's what happened to Rich but Rich said he'd known he was a squib several years before that, but had been afraid to tell his parents.
"Because you never performed accidental magic?"
Rich shook his head. "No. I'm a low-level squib. With most low-levels when someone performs magic around you, you feel it, but not in a good way. The only thing I can think of to compare the feeling to is someone constantly scraping their nails across a chalkboard." Harry flinched automatically in response and Rich laughed. "Exactly. That's my reaction every time magic is performed around me."
Rich went on to talk about his mother, a pureblood from England who couldn't handle having a squib for a son. She had taken him to countless healers sure it was a mistake only to become enraged when healers informed her his lack of magical ability was a result of the inbreeding in her family line. She left him and his father and moved back to England where she married Xavier Parkinson, a widow and the father of Pansy Parkinson. Rich laughed at Harry's scrunched up face.
"Exactly. I haven't seen Mom since I was eleven." Though Rich tried not to look hurt, Harry could see his mother's abandonment devastated him. Harry quickly changed the subject and soon had Rich laughing as he told him of his encounters and battles at Hogwarts with Pansy Parkinson.
All in all it was a fun night and the kids trounced the adults probably because of the alcohol the adults had consumed. When everyone left Harry looked at Sensei.
"How did I come across? Do they think I'm a complete moron?"
Sensei ruffled his hair. "Harry don't become jaded. I know your life sucks but there is still good in the world and you're what's good."
Harry's confusion must have showed on his face because Sensei chuckled.
"I'm not going senile. Did you know that Naoko had a miscarriage two months ago?"
Harry's eyes widened in horror, "No, should we do something for her?"
Sensei chuckled dryly and shook his head before he continued speaking. "She's been depressed. In Japanese magical society a woman's worth is connected to continuing her husband's magical line. She's refused to do anything but work. She's felt like she's failed as a woman, that she's unworthy, ugly."
"What! That's stupid. I mean look at her."
Sensei laughed and went on as if Harry hadn't spoken. "Haruhisa was only able to get her to come tonight because you hosted the event and she's one of the head attorney's at Potter Corporation. Then when she gets here, the most famous teenager in the world gapes at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. He made her feel special and for the first time in months she laughed and even made plans with the wives of her husband's co-workers to have a girls' week at the spa."
"So Haruhisa doesn't want to kill me for gawking at his wife?" Harry hoped.
Sensei laughed. "Far from it. Look at Rich."
Harry frowned. "What about him. He's great. He was in a bunch of commercials and even in some Power Ranger episodes."
"Yes, and you hung onto his every word. You were entrapped by a squib who's used to being shunned in magical society."
"Duh. Of course I was. It's the Power Rangers and he got to play the villain, Ikeda!"
Sensei laughed and ruffled his hair. "Brat. Stop missing the point. What I'm trying to say and you're being completely oblivious too is that you have the unconscious ability to make people feel good about themselves by just being you. The infamous Potter charm, even if you do it unconsciously. My men would lay down their lives for you, not because of the vow of protection they took but because you've made them feel special by valuing them and their families."
Harry frowned. "Why wouldn't I. It wasn't like it was hard, they were cool."
Sensei smiled despite looking exasperated. "Yes, they were."
The next evening saw Harry at his first social function in wizarding society. Harry was excited to finally wear his bad ass, black wizarding robes in public. He put his hair in a spiky military like cut gelling the shorter hair up and pulled back from his face. Happy with how he looked he floo'd to Greengrass Manor with his invisible guards. Thanks to Madame Longbottom, he could now floo without making a fool of himself. So, he was able to step out of the fireplace with minimal fuss and smile at the Greengrass family who gathered in the reception hall awaiting their guests. They stepped forward and he bowed to Reece Greengrass the patriarch of the Greengrass family.
"Thanks for inviting me. I'm sorry that due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to visit before now."
Mr. Greengrass smiled. "We're honored you choose our home to make your reemergence in society."
"How could I not, the Potters and Greengrass families have had a business relationship that has gone back generations." Harry went into his robes and pulled out a basket of the cherries from the Fey Trees he and Neville picked. "Speaking of, I hope you can use these, they are cherries from the Fey Trees on my grounds." Mrs. Greengrass gasped and he turned to her and presented to her a hairclip with a flower attachment a crossbreed between a rose and a magical snapdragon. The flowers were renowned for their beauty and the low hum of protection they emanated for the wearer. Mrs. Greengrass received a pale yellow, Daphne blue, and Astoria green. The oldest, their son Brenner, a former Ravenclaw received a rare Arthimacy book penned by a Potter ancestor. "They are all crafted from Castle Potter. I hope they could be of use to you."
Daphne looked at him as if he had grown two heads. Harry knew he acted nothing like the foolish Gryffindor she had expected. Not wanting to disappoint her, he winked at his year mate and swung around so his robes billowed out around him.
"Sexy huh? See how they flare. I bet Snape's somewhere dying with jealously."
Astoria and her mother giggled. Brenner snorted, Daphne rolled her eyes, and Mr. Greengrass stood stoically though his eyes danced with laughter.
"Daphne please escort Lord Potter into the reception room."
"Yes Father."
Harry waved goodbye to the rest of the family before following the beautiful blonde into the packed room. She led him to a group of their Slytherin year mates and he knew she was testing him. He just smiled hello to them all and took a hors d'oeuvres from a passing house elf.
"Hey guys, thanks for agreeing to come to the amusement park. I was afraid you'd turn me down. I'm glad you didn't."
"I'm quite curious to see what muggles do for entertainment," a thin and scrawny boy said. Harry racked his brain and realized the boy was Theodore Nott.
"I'm worried I'll look like an idiot in muggle clothes," Tracey Davis griped.
"Oooh, we need to go shopping then," Harry exclaimed happily. "How about tomorrow? Sunday brunch and shopping in the muggle world."
"You've been here less than five minutes and you've already arranged a shopping trip?" Neville's amused voice came from behind him.
Harry swung around to see Neville with Terry Boot, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones. He jumped up in his taller friends' arms wrapping his arms and legs around Neville as he hugged him.
"You want to come don't you. We haven't shopped in ages. You know you miss me dragging you from store to store, don't you Nev?"
Neville rolled his eyes in amusement before disentangling himself from Harry's embrace. "Gran's annoyed you ignored the outfit she choose for you to wear tonight."
Harry rolled his eyes and swung around making his outfit swirl around him. "I decided that if I am going to be forced to wear clothes that look like a bloody dress, I'm going to look bad ass while doing so."
Neville ignored him of course and turned to his fellow purebloods.
"Harrods, the store Harry is addicted too, is pretty amazing. It's like having all of Diagon Alley under one roof. Since there are so many muggles the clothes are premade with pre-set sizes, but they have private changing stations so you don't feel like you're on display like at Twilfitt and Tattings. The first time we went, Harry hired helpers to style us since the choices were overwhelming. Oh and the food is delicious but not served as fast as we're used to."
The purebloods looked intrigued by Neville's explanation and Harry beamed.
"So are you in?" He got enthusiastic nods. "We'll meet at 11:30 at the Leaky Cauldron; don't forget to exchange galleons for muggle money."
Mrs. Greengrass appeared and got after them for not mingling. As they broke apart in an attempt to look casual Harry found himself next to Theo Nott. His father was one of the Death Eaters the DMLE had rounded up after Lucius Malfoy's trail and questioning by veritaserum.
"I'm sorry your father is in Azkaban, are you okay?"
The boy stared at Harry startled. "Yes. Luckily, father didn't force feed his ideals down my throat like Lucius Malfoy did Draco and the Crabbes and Goyles did to Vince and Greg. I believe in this," he waved his hand, "our traditions, the pureblood way and I believe muggleborns need to adapt to fit in, but I don't believe in subjecting them like my father did and I believe the Dark Lord was insane."
"Umm okay that's nice, . . . are you okay," he asked again wondering if Theo misunderstood his question.
Theo stared at him mystified, before smiling. "Yes. I have gotten control over the family vaults and Blaise has allowed me to spend the summer with him. I miss my father but understand he is accountable for his actions."
Harry hugged him. "I am sorry. Write me if you need something or are just bored."
"You are a weird one Harry Potter."
"Why does everyone keep saying that?"
Theodore laughed and wandered off. Harry continued his trek, the aimless wandering and bumping into people. For some reason high society thought aimless wandering was the thing to do. He talked to several people, some cool, some not so cool when he bumped into a beautiful woman who looked like the feminine version of Rich.
"Davinia Parkinson, Lord Potter, I believe you go to school with my step daughter Pansy."
She looked around and Harry prayed she didn't call Pansy over, so he decided to nip it in the bud.
"Yes, I did go to Hogwarts with Pansy, Mrs. Parkinson. However, I also had dinner last night with your son Rich. He's a friend of mine. As a matter of fact we'll be vacationing together soon with a group of friends." The color drained from her face as she stared at him frozen. Harry bowed. "Good day."
He quickly left the woman. But everything worsened, because the next person in his path was Albus Dumbledore.
"Harry, my boy, I've been trying to get in touch with you. How are you?"
Harry's eyes narrowed at the boy comment but otherwise kept his composure. "Really? If you wanted to meet, you should've sent a letter requesting a meeting instead of having your bloody bird break onto my property and try to abduct me."
Okay, so maybe he was having a hard time keeping his composure, but what would you expect. Dumbledore sighed sadly at Harry as if severely disappointed with him, but Harry just stared back schooling his features to not show his annoyance.
"You misunderstood my intentions. I just have several things I need to speak to you about."
As he spoke, Dumbledore's gaze flicked to his forehead. The headmaster frowned when he saw the missing scar then stared down at him in question, his brow arched, his face fixed in polite inquiry designed to get the recipient to spill their secrets. Harry knew what he wanted but didn't give him the satisfaction. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Harry soon felt the legilimency probe. Harry returned his gaze, grateful for the necklace Archblade had given him. Harry did his best not to smirk at the shocked look Dumbledore's face when he discovered he couldn't get past the barriers surrounding the necklace. The twinkling disappeared.
"Umm, why are you staring, sir," Harry asked deciding to play dumb. "It's kinda weird. You said you wanted to talk?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said shaking off his confusion. "Harry, there are things you need to know."
"Okay. What are they?" Harry waited patiently wondering what Dumbledore would divulge, especially since he now knew Harry knew about the prophecy. Would it be about the horcruxes?
Dumbledore sighed. "Harry despite what you may think, I am not the bad guy. You are still a child, you—"
Harry sighed tiredly and ran his hand through his hair. "You cannot treat me like a toddler who cannot tie his own shoes one moment then force me to be an adult before my time the next. If you want me to jeopardize my life for Britain, you are going to have to give me answers, make me want to fight. I heard the prophecy I know what's coming. I have no problem leaving the country and the English wizarding world to its own stupidity."
Dumbledore looked horrified. "You can't leave."
"Of course I can," Harry insisted earnestly. "You're a brilliant man, Professor, you know history. Sometimes old ideals need to burn and rot away before new ones come and take their place. It would be a lesson to everyone who's been too compliant in not lifting a finger to do what is right. You helped to create Voldemort as well as the stupid prejudices of the wizarding Britain. They need Voldemort to come, eradicate their way of life, so they finally get the balls to band together and take him down. I mean really, what type of people pin their hopes on a child instead of being accountable for their own actions? Britain needs to wake up. Besides, I imagine if it got too bad, the muggle government would come in and just nuke wizarding Britain and be done with you all. I don't have to be here and be the poster boy for the upcoming war." He shrugged. "I have money and properties around the world, which is probably why you tried to hide them from me, so I didn't know I had a way out and would fight. But, now I know I have options. I can leave whenever I want, like now for instance."
Harry turned to leave. Dumbledore reached out to grab him but was prevented from doing so by Madame Longbottom who appeared at Dumbledore's side and batted his hand away from Harry's arm.
"Headmaster," she said in a voice that sent shivers down lesser mortals' spines, "what a surprise. You rarely come to these gatherings, but I'm glad you're here. It gives me a chance to speak to you about the changes to Hogwarts this year."
"Changes?" Harry asked feigning confusion, though Madame Longbottom had already informed him what she had managed to push through.
"Of course, Lord Potter, it's been long overdue. The curse breakers inspected the Defense teacher's classroom and managed to break the curse placed in the room and the Defense teacher's quarters. Why no one never thought to check or rearrange the rooms before now, I'll never know. That position has been cursed since my Frank attended."
"Imagine that," Harry said rolling his eyes and glaring at Dumbledore who had the gall to look abashed. Either the man practiced his expressions in the mirror, or he was so delusional he actually believed in them.
"Yes, we shouldn't have any more problems with the position," Madame Longbottom continued. "It's too bad that you won't be returning Harry. I think you'll really like the changes, especially now that Professor Snape is on probation and the Board of Governors will review all detentions and points he as well as the Headmaster gives out. The board also hired a new Potion's teacher who will be responsible for teaching the first through fifth years, while Professor Snape will focus on the NEWT students as well as potion's research. We're going the same with Transfiguration, Charms, History of Magic, Defense, and Herbology, which will free up the Heads of Houses into spending more time mentoring and policing their students."
"Hopefully that will stop the rampant bullying."
"Yes and it seems the board took some of your ideas to heart and will begin wizarding and muggle custom classes. For now they're mandatory for all students."
"That sounds awesome," Harry, said pretending to be awed as he turned to Dumbledore and saw he had an indulgent smile on his face. "Doesn't it sound great?"
"Maybe the changes will tempt you to return, my boy." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Not on your life," Harry retorted just as happily. "Excuse me, I better keep mingling before Mrs. Greengrass gets after me again."
He turned and saw Neville and Daphne hovering. Daphne had attempted to interrupt, probably to save him while Neville preventing her from doing so. He waved at Dumbledore, smiled gratefully at Madame Longbottom, and walked away to where Daphne hovered anxiously.
Plastering a smile on his face, Harry went to them.
"It's okay, it was bound to happen, better it's in public."
Neville sighed relieved. "That's what I told Daphne and I knew Gran would have him in hand."
"My parents didn't invite him, he came with another guest. It's well known he never attends these parties that's why people assumed you didn't accept invitations either."
Harry snorted. "I would've given the opportunity."
They all looked up when Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass announced dinner. Harry walked in and found he'd been seated in the place of honor to the right of Mrs. Greengrass. He knew it was because he was an Earl. To his surprise Theo Nott sat across from him, he recalled that Theo despite his father's status as a Death Eater was a Baron. Now more than ever, Harry was grateful for Madame Longbottom's training because the room and setting was exquisite. Luckily, the first course had been served in the reception room so the soup quickly appeared.
"I haven't gotten that far in my research of the history of wizarding families. How long has your family been in your home? It's lovely."
Mrs. Greengrass laughed delightedly. "Funny, you should ask."
Mrs. Greengrass began to tell the tale of Humphrey Greengrass, a muggleborn wizard in the sixteenth century who fell in love with the daughter of a noble wizard. Harry and Theo laughed loudly at the hoops Humphrey jumped through before the nobleman agreed to allow his daughter to marry the muggleborn. The boy went off for three years, made his fortune, and was able to purchase the manor and finally marry the woman he loved. "And that's how Humphrey Greengrass married Sidney Potter," she ended giggling at the shocked expression on Harry's face.
Harry burst out in merry laughter. "You're joking. You know I'm going to run home and check the family journals. Hopefully, I can find some additional tidbits to add to your story. That's wicked." He turned to Theo. "Does your family have any cool stories?"
Theodore told of how his ancestor came to provenance in the middle ages by jousting in tournaments, by using his magic. He made a fortune, came to the King's notice, and went into service where he eventually became a peer of the realm because of his service to the King.
Harry was having a great time, his favorites of course were Mrs. Greengrass and Theo Nott, but he made sure that he paid attention to everyone around him.
After a delicious five-course meal, they adjourned into the music room where Brenner, Daphne, and Astoria performed a recital. He sat between Blaise and Theodore.
"Is this how these things usually go?"
"The entertainment varies," Blaise said. "It also depends on the time of the event as well. During the day its picnics, garden parties, card parties, week long house parties and the like."
"That seems like too many people with too much time on their hands."
Blaise shrugged. "It's the way we live, but don't worry if you don't play by the rules. The Potters have always been odd ducks that beat their drum to a different tune."
"So I just need to know the rules so I know which ones to completely ignore."
"Yes," Theo added, "like you did to change up your robes."
Harry gasped. "They're not robes, they are my bad ass wizard robes of awesomeness that make me look sexy as hell."
"Now I understand why Neville just smiles and sighs when your name comes up," Blaise said dryly.
"My awesomeness cannot be described by mere words, it has no limits."
Author's Note:
*Sorry for the late post, but hey, it's still Monday. I've had a crappy week. I hope this long chapter makes up for it. Though I must admit that because my week, most of my editing/writing was to make me smile. This chapter makes me smile. Hope it makes you smile too and you don't think I veered off in Neverland, but it has a point in developing Harry's character, that he feels safe now to be more childlike or act his age.
*Usually when I have a crappy week, I amuse myself by watching Ouran High School Host Club on Netflix, but Netflix removed the Host Club from it's instant streaming this week! Can you believe that. I was soooo pissed.
*Just thought you'd know that when I first finished this story, it was at 90k words, now with the editing I've been doing it's now at over 104k. Geez and I thought I had been getting rid of a lot of stuff. Apparently I've been adding more than I've been cutting while editing.
*As always all mistakes are my own.
*If I owned Harry Potter or Ouran High School Host Club, I would not write fanfiction about it. Just sayin'
*See you next Monday!