The Flux of Influence
Guest's prompt: I have a mental image of the scene in Dumble's office where Snape, Watson and Holmes are having a parent-teacher conference, along with 'Uncle' Mycroft-and Dumble's shock when he realizes that as much influence as he has in the wizarding world, he can't push around Harry's family in the slightest. I also rather suspect that Mycroft will have introduced Harry to Her Majesty a time or six, and will suspect-if not know all about-the prophesy, and be 'taking steps'.
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"Headmaster." Severus Snape greets, meeting the elder wizard's blue eyes but his dark ones go to John Watson, almost apologetically. John's lips are tightly together and he glares at the fire as if he wants to go. Albus can not say he blames John Watson for wanting to do so. It's a story that Dumbledore has only bits and pieces of, the odds and ends of a puzzle, how Harry Potter has come into this wizard's care.
A story that Albus Dumbledore wants to hear in whole, but doubts he ever will – not for his unwillingness to learn, but for the knowing of something is to have some small power over it – and John Watson isn't the sort to want anyone to have any power if he can help it – not even himself.
"Snape." Albus is well aware of the bite in Snape's greeting and it's warning to his companions. John's muggle friend looks at everything in Albus Dumbledore's office with curious eyes, but when he meets Albus's eyes boldly, the wizard can tell just how little the shiny distracting trinkets impresses him.
"Shall we begin?" Albus asks, knowing the meeting must begin sometime and the sooner – in some cases – the better.
"Why not?" The muggle speaks, almost rude with how amused he is, and it surprises Albus that he does so - and more so that neither John Watson nor Severus Snape nay-say him. Instead he pats John's clenched hand, and leans forward to meet Albus's eyes. A bold move for a wizard or witch who might guess their danger in doing so with so powerful a wizard as Albus Dumbledore - but hardly a fair fight for a muggle, and one which Albus does not indulge in – no matter his curiosity, for the two very capable wizards watching him so warily.
"Harry has been an excellent student at Hogwarts, doing very well when he applies himself." Albus has seen it himself, how Harry seems to take seriously some subjects – Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Magical Creatures; but dismiss others, History and Divination among them. A quick, almost sly smile crosses the lips of the muggle man.
"Of course, he's a clever boy our son." Those eyes flick to John and Severus, teasingly, almost taunting before he looks again at Albus.
"His friendships have, I admitted, caused some stir." Albus had seen it the first day of Sorting, when Hermione and Harry had come into the Great Hall side by side. He'd won over the Longbottom boy and the youngest Weasley son on the train ride over. That had been natural enough, but there was also the worrying matter over Harry's budding friendship with Draco Malfoy.
They sometimes bickered, and their rows were legendary when it happened they disagreed. Most namely over Harry, a First Year, riding on a team that Draco couldn't join in his Year, natural or not a natural born rider, the reasons going from fairness to his friends to safety. Harry had turned down being Seeker, heeding Draco if only to sooth the rift between them. Albus had hope that if he could keep them apart this summer, that rift would grow and Harry would favor his –well – more favorable friends.
Severus couldn't see the matter as it stood for being Draco's godson, and John could hardly know better, choosing to live as he did, as much with muggle-minded as the roommate whose company Harry had grown up with.
"Have they now?" The muggle man's hands pressed together, and his smile grew, almost proudly. Albus hadn't snooped into Harry's mail but he wondered how much Harry had told them. Quite a lot, if Albus was to guess by the smug look of the muggle. Albus, for once, worried over the fact that the muggle hadn't yet introduced himself by name, and that so far neither John or Severus had given his away his identity. It was an unknown that Albus was becoming uncomfortable with.
"Yes, quite so, worryingly so - not dangerous to him, or his friends, but still surprising in our world." The more so it would be, if it was learned that Harry had kept his friendship with Hagrid – a half-giant, once with the potential to be a wizard but now with not but a broken wand. That, Albus hadn't expected, but did not disapprove of, Hagrid was loyal in his ways to all who treated him with kindness.
"I think it best if Harry Potter stay at Hogwarts over the summers between this year and Seventh." Albus meets the eyes of a muggle, a wizard with a Dark Mark, and one who is war torn, and expects to be agreed with. He isn't.
"Is that so?" The muggles eyes flicked to the fire, and though Albus hadn't questioned them about keeping it burning – it was understandable that John was uncomfortable with wizarding things after so long among muggles, and that Severus would want a way open to come and go as he pleased, but neither had looked so often to the fire as the muggle did – and for the first time Albus wondered who's request had been the driving force for the fireplace being kept open to Floo.
The fire flared green, and a man stepped forward into Albus's office, umbrella in hand, he nodded to the younger muggle whose smile grew into something eager and sharp, like the look a wolf wore when its pack was at its back and there was a sure kill at the end of a hunt.
"Who's this?" Albus asked, as if untroubled by the stray quick look he had caught sight of upon the muggle's features.
"My elder brother, you could say he is Harry's…uncle. He's the British Ministry." Albus tilted his head in greeting to the newcomer, who simply stares solemnly about the room, before meeting Albus's eyes quite calmly. If ever there is a time that Albus is tempted to peer into a mind, it is now, but he will not – not because he can not – but because he feels that this muggle would somehow know.
"Sherlock, John, Severus." The British Ministry greets each man by his first name, his expression unchangingly bland. In those words he proves to be familiar with them – and know more than Albus, for the Headmaster had struggled his way through the meeting without knowing the muggle's name. He looks again upon Albus Dumbledore, and his eyes linger almost uncomfortably long.
"Albus Dumbledore, Her Majesty sends her regards – and, a message; Harry Potter is under the protection of the British Ministry and Her Majesty has full faith in me to protect her godson, my nephew, from any and every harm." At that the muggle man, the younger brother of the British Ministry stands up, smirking as if he's the cat and has just had the mouse delivered to the door.
"You're not the British Minister…" Albus trails off, when the British Ministry smiles almost as if Albus is an amusing child.
"No, I'm his superior - as well as the superior of the Ministry of Magic's Minister as of this morning." The British Ministry shows an envelope in his pocket, one with the Great Seal of the Realm upon it. .
"Well, if that's all? We'll be going, won't we John?" John Watson follows as amiably as if he's familiar with and welcomes such strangeness. Severus Snape looks after them as the two Floo away, and is the only witness to Albus Dumbledore narrowing his eyes at the muggle, the so called British Ministry, and the smile of the muggle when Albus's eyes grow wide. Severus recognizes the signs of an attempted – and failed – Legilimens.
"That won't do, and you won't do it again – any of it, am I understood?" The British Ministry holds tightly onto the cane and smiles as if he's got a secret. Severus is sure he has many secrets, but there is only one which could make Albus pale so.
"Indeed." The Headmaster says, softly, and his blue eyes do not meet the British Ministry's again.
"Further, Headmaster Dumbledore, do remember, wizard or no wizard, you are a subject of Her Majesty…I think it high time I look into the affairs of wizards and witches, least they think themselves outside Her Majesty's Realm. We'll start with the matter of Gellert Grindelwald, shall we? Her Majesty and I are most interested in that man…" Severus smiles a bit at that, and goes through the Floo.
He has a feeling Albus Dumbledore has more to worry about now than where Harry spends his summers.