Chapter 2
In which Lucius Malfoy discovered someone more terrifying than the Dark Lord
Lucius Malfoy received the summon from Gringotts with a raised eyebrow, especially since the Goblin who summoned him was apparently his Lord's account manager and said that the Lady would like to meet with him, and to bring his wife just in case. So he gathered Narcissa, and flooed to Gringotts. Of all people he expected to see in the room, The Girl Who Live and her aunt probably was the last.
Before he could even formulate a snide comment. The girl narrowed her eyes to him dangerously.
"Good, you're here. I appoint you as the steward to the Gaunt and Slytherin Vaults."
Lucius gaped at her, while Narcissa looked at both of them alternatively with wide eyes. Being appointed a steward was a high honor, and he really was confused why she appointed him.
"Ah, miss Potter?"
the small girl nodded, clearly still fuming and incensed from whatever it is, the air around her sparked with wild magic.
"May I know how you became the overseer of my Lord's vaults?" Vaults that he was almost 100% sure the Dark Lord wasn't aware of.
"That Idiot, Inept, Imbecilic, husband of mine," here the two adults hold their breath at the amazing show of temper tantrum. "Has the audacity of thinking himself high enough to not go see the goblins about his inheritances, or ask a more knowledgeable person in wizarding traditions, therefore remains a blissful Ignorant that he was contracted to the last daughter of the Potter Family by his grandfather, and stupidly continued raking up debts verbally without ever thinking to man up and straighten the vaults! And since he's an ignorant fool, he shot a killing curse at me, activating the contract so we're now married instead of betrothed, and as if it wasn't enough that he's more than fifty years older than me, therefore an adult and should have known better, now we have a time limit to consummate the marriage at the latest at my seventeenth birthday and conceive an heir to the Slytherin line at the latest 12 months after consummation!" she read through an ancient looking parchment crossly.
Apparently, the girl had just read the betrothal contract written by the Dark Lord's …grandfather?
"Why can't he be like a normal teenage male and romp with someone, get married, have a baby with someone his own age instead of foisting this on me?" she asked the speechless Malfoy couple.
"Err, my Lady…" Lucius squeaked as a bolt of energy leapt close to his feet.
The smell of ozone permeated the room and the unmistakable crackle had him eyeing the girl warily.
"Exactly! He's an Imbecile" she groused and stomped to the table, snatching a few boxes in a surprising show of strength fueled by adrenalins.
"I didn't say anything" Lucius muttered at his wife, who was giggling at the sight of her husband being cowed by a small eleven years old girl.
"This is your first task. You can start by straightening the debts he incurred with his retainers, yourself included. After listing the debt, you can straighten up the 200 years of mismanagement that I refused to touch and think how the marriage consummation can occur. You have six years, use it well." Her nostril flared as she sniffed disdainfully and flounced off.
"We will meet on Christmas to discuss your progress" she snatched her handbag and took her Aunt's hand. "Come on Aunt Petunia, let's go have that fish and chips"
"Err, my Lady…are you serious about the stewardship?" Lucius tried to sound brave.
"Of course I am, you can put your own salary on that account that we will discuss at Christmas" Lucius eyed the wall of boxes behind the manager's table and felt like weeping.
"But my Lady…I don't have the time to do all that and my own House business." He eyed the little girl released her aunt's hand and stomped back in irritation.
"Did you or did you not swear your magic to my husband"
"I did" he squeaked
"So it's a verbal agreement of retainership. I don't want to be saddled with his responsibilities, so you're it. Go hire someone to help you or whatever, I don't want to know. Your responsibility is with him. I just oversee it until he returned. And if you decided to be as imbecilic as he was, I will go through with dedicating his vaults to the Magical Zoo and Sea World, and all of you retainers, we'll see how you do as a Zookeeper. A herd of Chimaera sound fun to take care of, don't you think?" she asked crossly
"Yes my Lady, whatever you said my Lady" Lucius saluted quickly.
"If you run him broke, it's him you have to answer to. I could care less." She stomped back and Lucius Malfoy, big bad Death Eater who had The Minister of Magic in his pocket, breathe a little easier.
"Cissa…" he turned to his wife with a thoroughly terrified expression that Narcissa had never seen in his face, even during the height of the Dark Lord's reign.
Narcissa sighed, "I know, who do you want me to call? Greengrass?"
Lucius nodded faintly. "Yes, I think Greengrass, Nott, Pucey and Corvus. I don't want to think what the Little Tyrant would have done if this wasn't done by Christmas."
The next day, a group of women waited patiently with their broods in the front gate of Kings Cross, all waited for the little Lady that had their husbands confined to the office in Gringotts until the vaults had a semblance of orders, and that doesn't look to be over soon considering the size of the vaults, properties and what they connected to. Lucius almost sobbed when he relayed a request to Narcissa to ask what he should do with the properties. The list was long, and all in disrepair, some of it even had some squatters. Investments, due debts that have been forgotten, suffice to say that the five men had to juggle their own businesses and their lord's now.
When the car finally stopped, and Uncle Vernon stood to open the door for Harriet and went for her baggage, Narcissa had been ready with an empty trolley, the others fell into a line, children at the ready beside them.
"My Lady" she greeted as her son and the others bowed or curtseyed.
Harriet narrowed her eyes and nodded wordlessly. "you're… Cousin Narcissa, was it?"
She curtseyed to the little Lady. "This is my son, Draco."
Harriet nodded. "Cousin."
Then she introduced her entourage before letting Harriet say goodbye to her family.
Uncle Vernon bowed a little to give her a hug. "Be good, girlie"
He lingered a little longer, releasing her reluctantly. In the five years since he tried to influence his niece to a normal way of living, his family also learned to love her as a member of their family, a daughter. They learned to accept her quirks as she accepted and forgave their hostility at the beginning of her stay with her. He still didn't like anything unnatural, but he tolerates them for the sake of Harriet.
"I'll write, Uncle. Thank you for bringing me here. I'll see you on Christmas Holiday." Harriet squeezed her Uncle a little, hugged her Aunt and Dudley goodbye.
Dudley ruffled her hair and said "Take care, squirt"
She grinned at him. "You too, Big D" and waved as her family left. They have to deliver Dudley to Smeltings too that day.
Harriet turned to see the group of children staring at her curiously. Lifting an eyebrow, she walked to where Narcissa was standing with her trolley.
"My Lady…" Narcissa started as she was about to take her trolley from her.
"You are my cousin, no? you can call me Harriet. That goes to you too, Cousin Draco." Harriet smiled kindly. Family is very important to her.
"Harriet then, you may call me Aunt Cissy. My husband asked me to relay some enquiry. Please let me push the trolley for you." Narcissa smiled at her, pleased at the girl's acknowledgement.
They walked as Narcissa talked about her husband's finding, Draco beside her, listening intently. His parents asked him to pay attention to the young Lady as she was apparently a rather shrewd businesswoman. The rest of their entourage trailed behind them, watching the three with varying degree of interest.
" …this way children….packed with muggles, as usual…" they heard a woman followed by a gaggle of redhead children as they reached the platform gate.
Harriet stared at them a bit with a thoughtful look, then turned to her cousins.
"Shall we?"
Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the woman and nodded, gently leading Harriet as Draco followed behind her.
"I know that we were waiting for you, so we waited at the station's muggle entrance. But what is Molly Weasley doing on it? She had already sent five children to Hogwarts by apparition." Narcissa mussed.
Harriet sighed at her cousin's words. "She might have to because there's too many children?" she asked tiredly.
Narcissa cackled at her words and lead them to a compartment as her son and the rest of her group entered.
After they put their trunks and Hedwig's cage in one of the compartments, Harriet told Narcissa about what she wished to be done to the properties and said,
"If they were done with their tasks, I want Lucius to ask a copy of the log for Hogwarts Bursaries from Gnarlfist. My family has footed the expenses for so long and I expected that the Slytherin account be brought up to date with the accrued expenses. I want the excess to be dispensed towards the school equipments. I overheard some complaints from a woman in Gringotts when I went with my Aunt after our first meeting. Someone called Ms. Hooch?"
Narcissa nodded. "Madame Hooch, she's the flying instructor."
"Okay, have Lucius consult with Gnarlfist. If the fund is enough, furnish the school with the newest, up to date equipment. I will try to find the Heirs of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to lessen the burden." Harriet said thoughtfully.
The women looked at each other excitedly.
"Are you sure, Harriet?" Narcissa asked.
"of course, education is very important. Our muggle school's equipments were renewed every year, because what's the use of learning to use equipment you won't be using outside of the school? It would severely hinder your job after school, a disadvantage. You won't caught up with the technological advancement if you missed too long." She said. "it's better to invest on new equipment than suffer the loss of advantage these equipments brought you." She stated. "Sports equipments, in particular, needs to be changed regularly to keep the students who used them safe."
All the Ladies nodded in agreement. A bell rang, and Narcissa looked at the clock.
"it's time. Have a good year, Harriet." She said.
Harriet hugged her, surprising the older lady. She grinned at her older cousin's reaction and gave her a slight squeeze, and then released her, stepping back to allow Draco to say his goodbye to his mother.
Slightly dazed, Narcissa gave a slight hug to her son and whispered.
"Have a good year, Son, and take care of your cousin. Remember your father's words."
Draco nodded and took Harriet's hand to help her up the train. They waved for the last time and headed to the compartment before the train left.