Chapter 3 – A New Ally
Shortly after Brad left Marie and Daphne helped Harry gather all his belongings and left the room. The boy who lived knew his life was going to forever changed as he walked quietly next to Daphne as the trio made their way to the pub section of the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast. Ordering up a decent sized meal Harry began to fill in his godmother on all things she missed while he grew up as well as his first two years at Hogwarts. By the end of his story, Marie face was both livid and regretful, he even keyed them in on one of the few big secrets that only Dumbledore knew, he was originally selected to be in Slytherin and asked the sorting hat to place him anywhere else mostly out of fear and disgust.
"You had only Hagrid and Ron's opinion, as well as Draco reactions to go on Harry. It was natural you didn't want to be associated with someone like Malfoy," Marie said calmly. "But now you know only a select few are like that, most are Death eater heirs, others are like my loving husband. It is our core traits that place us in the Houses that sorted into in our first year not our allegiances. Look at Gellert Grindewald he was Gryffindor and he became a Dark wizard after Hogwarts like You Know Who."
"Wow I didn't know that," Harry stated looking at his plate then he smirked. "I just wish Professor Binns was a bit more exciting then I could actually stay awake to learn all about Magical History." Daphne giggled nodding in agreement.
Marie smiled sipping her tea, "Truly wish they let him pass on, I heard last year when you children asked him about the Chamber of Secrets was probably the most animated he has been since James turned him blue."
The trio talked and ate having a rather nice conversation, soon after the last morsel was gone and the last of their tea drunk, the trio entered Diagon Alley to meet up with Marie's husband and younger daughter. They didn't have to go far, young Astoria Greengrass looked almost identical to her older sister, save for her outfit and the length of her hair. Astoria wore an emerald green set of robes with a light purplish lacy fringe on the neck, arms, and hem line. Her hair was short and teased at the tips to give it flair, needless to say Harry thought she was extremely cute more so with her wide smile.
Lord Robert Greengrass however as a very stark contrast to his wife and daughters, while not large was stocking and muscular, was bald with a mustache and goatee. His eyes were just as blue as his wife and if it wasn't for the warmth radiating from them he would very intimidating. If anything Lord Greengrass reminded Harry of Stone Cold Steve Austin from the American Pro Wrestling programs he watched during one of the time the Dursley's left him with Mrs. Figg. The man's on screen persona was highly intimidating, vulgar, and simply one of the most bad ass people Harry has ever seen in his life. To say Lord Greengrass looked like him was high praise, "Harry, it's so good to finally meet you," the man stated in a deep Irish accented voice.
"Good to meet you Mr. Greengrass," Harry responded tentatively.
"Harry, you're to wed my Daphne, please don't be formal, call me Uncle Robert if you like. Lord knows if James and Lily had been alive they encourage it," the man chuckled seeing Harry and Daphne blush. "So how did everything go, my love?" Robert turned to his beautiful wife.
Marie smiled ever so slightly warmth in her eyes, "better than I could ever have hoped, oh Robert, those Muggles were horrid to him, if I wasn't a law abiding witch I'd roast that awful Petunia and her fat oaf," she stated tears in her eyes she felt a hand reach up give hers a squeeze looking over seeing Harry smile warmly.
Robert nodded face looking grim, "Just hope Dumbledore got a good explanation for his actions."
"I'm afraid I do not, Lord Greengrass," a voice stated from behind him causing the man to turn to see the Hogwarts Headmaster standing behind with an aura of deep regret hovering over him. "A lapse in judgment brought about by not possessing all the facts I'm afraid."
"How could you Albus, James and Lily put it specifically in their will that Harry be either given to Sirius or Me in the event of their death, and to never ever be given to that horse faced bint." Marie heard Harry and Daphne snicker at this comment.
Dumbledore looked even more guilty at this, "I again apologize Marie, now please let us talk somewhere a little less public so you can row on me until your good and satisfied."
"Let's get an office inside Gringotts, Harry would probably like to see the Potter-Perevell family vault while, my wife tears you a new one," Robert states showing humor was returning to his eyes.
"Ah yes, that would be most welcome, I had warned Severus I will be most deaf upon returning Hogwarts I would not want disappoint him," Dumbledore stated his eyes twinkling in mirth while avoiding Marie's eyes.
"You seemed to have me confused with Molly, Albus. I won't yell at you though I'm sorely tempted to ask her to join me, but I will glare at you while I dress you down, that should be more than enough," Marie snorted before turning to her daughters and Harry. "Harry, Daphne have the Goblins take you to the Potter-Perevell vault and please look after your sister, dear."
"Okay mom," Daphne smiled gently taking her sister's hand as she and Harry headed off ahead of the adults into Gringotts.
When Marie turned back to Dumbledore her eyes went from a warm ocean blue to one of ice. Dumbledore often suspected Marie's family in ancient time were Ice Mages or had Ice demon possess them at one point, as the Constance family always had blue eyes. As such very few things could really make the woman angry, and to date only three occurrences have ever showed this level of lividness, Lily being called a Mudblood by Severus, when her report card came in at the end of her first year and she only got one O, and of course not being able to take Harry in after Lily and James were killed. Needless to say Marie very rarely got truly angry, but when she did those in her path were going to get frostbitten. "You have a lot to explain, old man!" Marie stated coldly. Dumbledore winced but nodded feeling he would need a pick me up at the Leaky Cauldron once he finished with the Greengrass's.
XXX
Yugi Moto paced in front of the Room of Requirement much like Harry did in his fifth year thinking how to find the lost diadem, after the third trip the door appeared. Once inside he looked at all the clutter and whistled, "Some of this stuff must be older then the castle itself."
Yami appeared in his apparition form looking around, "Yes, I quite agree but we will handle this at a later date, our goal is to find the Horocrux and destroy it. Thankfully Voldemort can't sense them being destroyed otherwise things would get complicated."
Yugi nodded sifting through things; it took him a better part of an hour to find what matched in the description from the novel, pulling out his Cursebreaker spell card the Diadem glowed briefly before an inhuman scream reverberated in the room and a dark cloud in the form of a body appeared briefly before dispersing, "That's another one gone," Yugi rolled his neck looking at all the magical artifacts around the room, now as the grandson of archeologist the young man had a natural curiosity for ancient finds and he was currently in a room his grandfather would consider a gold mine. He pulled out two cards both looking like something you'd put a mummy into, a shit eating grin on his face. "This is simply too good a find to pass up."
XXX
Harry, Daphne, and Astoria were being escorted by the goblin Razorclaw to Harry's family vault. Daphne looked at her betrothed and notice he was frowning. "What's wrong Harry?"
The boy looked at her noting she was showing genuine concern for him, "Lot to take in," he simply responded.
"Isn't it," Daphne smiled slightly. "I'm surprised at how well you're taking this, I thought you I don't know."
"Go mad," Astoria chirped up from between them. "Mom half expected you to be denying everything."
Harry glanced at the younger Greengrass girl, before pinching his nose, "If this had been my first year, then yeah I'd be yelling at your Mom, Dumbledore, and the accountant about all this. But since I've been in the magical world, I've fought Voldemort twice, three times if you count driving him off as a baby, killed a Basilisk, fought a Troll, stared down a three headed dog, survived nearly getting beaten up by both a tree and a rogue Bludger, not to mention nearly getting eaten by spiders, then this is probably the most normal thing to happen to me in three years," he states with a shrug hearing the goblin chuckle, looking up his betrothed and her sister stared at him completely stunned.
"Harry, I thought all of that was just rumors," Daphne stated shakily.
Astoria blinked a few times before hugging her future brother-in-law, "I hope you have a better year this year, Harry."
Harry smiled softly hugging the girl back, "I hope so too, could use the break."
XXX
Harry expected the Potter-Perevell vault to about the size as his trust vault, he was woefully wrong in this case, upon opening the vault he saw a vast cavern the size of the Hogwarts grounds, with a mountain range of gold galleons, several types of furniture, weapons, armors, portraits, and he notice something very strange sitting in front of three portraits. "My goodness, this is ten times bigger than our vault," Daphne stated.
"That is because this is the first vault, Miss Greengrass, the Perevell family and later the Potter family are an off shoot of Merlin's family, though none would know it to look at him," Razorclaw stated. "Certainly would have made You Know Who cautious if he knew, to curse the descendent of the man who taught all future generations of witches and wizards magic, very dangerous and very foolhardy."
Astoria seemed to lose the feeling in her legs dropping to the ground stunned, "M-My new brother is related Merlin?"
Daphne giggled but didn't say anything; her mother had told her all that the same day she dropped the betrothal bomb on her. When she realized it she practically accused her mother of striking up a friendship with Lily Evans because of that fact, and her mother rowed into her, explaining that Lily Evans wasn't Merlin's descendant and neither of them knew James was at the time. It had been long after James and Lily were married before James revealed his Lineage to his wife and their friends. The betrothal contract had been made long before James told his beloved Lily and their friends he was Merlin's descendant. "Please Tori, Harry has plenty on his shoulders please don't add more."
Astoria nodded slowly getting back to her feet watching her future brother-in-law walk quietly over to some kind of white stone. "What's that?" Daphne and her sister walked up behind Harry as the bespectacled boy brushed off the dust on the strange circular stone.
"Yes, that's called Legend of the White Stone, it's a dragon egg," Razorclaw stated looking a bit pensive.
"Strange name for a dragon egg," Daphne state bending down to look at closer watching Harry touch it his face deep in concentration. "Something wrong?"
"I think I heard it talk," Harry stated. "Um, Razorclaw do Parselmouth's understand dragon language?"
"No, however, the dragon is born from a Legend of the White Stone are not like your typical dragon, they are arguably the most powerful dragon in existence and form familiar bonds with one person in a life time," Razorclaw explained. "If you are hearing the dragon speak then it is trying to bond with you."
"Um, what does that normally entail, the last time I met a dragon well she was a bit mean tempered and bit my friend on numerous occasions," Harry asked.
"Ah yes the Norwegian Ridgeback Bill Weasely told me of that, foul tempered the lot of them," Razorclaw chuckled, "this dragon is a bit different since it bonds with a person it will follow their commands and they are born full grown. All you need do is listen to the dragon and it will tell you how to hatch it."
It took a few minutes when suddenly a bright white light filled the vault Daphne and Astoria shielded their eyes and when the light died they heard one of the most threatening sounds they ever heard of in their lives. The roar was like between a lion and a screeching owl only massive in volume. Both Greengrass girl looked up at the massive dragon, it looked both beautiful and deadly, all pearl white with blue eyes much like her and her sister. After the initial roar the giant creature lowered its massive head allowing Harry to gently pet it.
After overcoming there shock Daphne and Astoria slowly approached the dragon remained docile even allowed Astoria to touch it. A few minutes later the dragon vanished in another bright light. Looking around until they focused on a new tattoo Harry just received ironically in the same place most Death Eaters would receive their Dark Mark. Harry rolled down the sleeve looking a bit nervous. "Is there anything you need from your vault, Lord Potter?"
Harry thought a moment, "Um, are there any spell books?" Razorclaw pointed to the large stack of shelves in one corner of the vault, larger than Flourish and Blotts or the Hogwarts library combined. "Bet Hermione would go mental if she saw that," Harry chuckled knowing Hermione's favorite past time was curling up with a good book, and with the amount of knowledge before him she would spend a good six months in the vault and only crack half the stuff she could learn. However Harry wanted to focus on three things, potions, defensive spells, and anything to do with elemental magic, which he found a great deal of in vast quantities. He used the shrinking charm and stuff the books he wanted to read in his pockets before joining Daphne and her sister.
XXX
Marie had finished laying into the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she sat down glaring at the man who had every single right to look sheepish and chagrined. It had been nearly a century since Dumbledore felt like a child, but after the tear down of his irresponsibility in handling Harry's affairs by the Lady Greengrass he had to admit the feeling was refreshing. "Again I apologize, Lady Greengrass and have already taken steps to insure young Harry will be further prepared in the coming years, I daresay Harry will be ready to face the prophecy by the end of his fifth year."
"Baring no unforeseen circumstances," Robert stated. "You Know Who has always been unpredictable, he could do things that at the time seems very light in order to do something very dark later down the line."
"You are correct Robert, often times the greater the light you get a darker shadow," Dumbledore interlaced his fingers eyes glinting with determination. "I was blinded by what the prophecy say and was willing to let it play out," he notice Marie's eyes narrowed dangerously. "That is no longer the case, Marie; the prophecy is nothing more than a mere guideline now. Myself, Severus, and the newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor will begin training Harry to confront Voldemort."
Robert raised an eyebrow, "Is this teacher any good?"
"He discovered someone placed a curse on the position and broke it in front of Professor McGonagall, Robert. The man knows his job exceedingly well, you may know Yugi Moto," Dumbledore's eyes gave off the familiar twinkle.
"Bloody Hell!" Robert's eyes widen. "You got the Deputy Director of the Auror's the man who is one position behind Amelia Bones, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts."
"About time you're showing your position as Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwhump, Albus up until now I suspected you were getting senile," Marie stated a small smile finally gracing her beautiful features.
"It took a lot of galvanizing moments to knock my senses into my head, dear Marie," the old wizard smiled before holding out three envelopes, "These are your flock's Hogwarts letters, I must return to the school," he slowly stood shaking Robert and Marie's hands before he made to leave. "I suggest that you allow the Gringotts Goblins perform a Fidelus Charm on your manor, we all know they swore allegiance to the Potter-Perevell line as far back as Merlin and we know they are great secret keepers."
"We will Albus, I will not see my sister's son hurt or killed," Marie stated firmly some tears forming in her eyes, "he is all that I have left of her."
Dumbledore gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know Marie, and we will do everything in our power to prepare Harry and protect him while not coddling." Marie nodded wiping her tears. Dumbledore showed a lot of regret, "I have seriously bungled things," he shook his head face showing so much remorse as he left the room, but making a silent vow to never let something like a few predetermined words sway him again.
Author's Note: While I've got the hits that I like, haven't really got the reviews though still that doesn't mean I'll stop I'm surprised at how easy it is for me to write this fic. Harry's main antagonist in this fic 'is a secret'.