Legal Disclaimer: I own my stuff, but not the original source material. That belongs to whoever. Also, the opinions and interpretations I use here may not reflect the same in said whoever that owns the source material. Look, I'm just a poor college librarian. Suing me isn't going to get you anything but tears.
Warning: This work may be offensive to some readers. There is also discussion of canon child abuse by school officials, including abuse of authority outside that purview. Feel free to back out if need be.
Author's Note: Fair warning, I don't give Dumbledore the blind devotion & justifications that canon allowed. For no other reason than I wanted to, I also ignored that Arcturus Black should have been dead according to the apocrypha.
Submitting Info:
Stacked with: Quidditch League (Season 10); Ministry (Summer Year 1); RAVEN (2023); MC4A (Su-Y6)
Individual Challenges: Red Instead (Y); Quaffles (Y); Bludgers (Y); Colors of the Sky; Gryffindor MC [x2]; Ravenclaw MC; Hufflepuff MC [x2]; Slytherin MC; Magical MC (Y) [x2]; Magical MC [x4]; Sandbox; Reader; Cinematic; Gamer; Dreamers [x2]; Tossed Chum [x3]; Elder Berries [x3]; Professor MC [x2]; Ethnic & Present [x2]; Neurodivergent [x2]; Rian-Russo Inversion [x4]; Rowl in Her Grave; Short Jog; Bucket Listing; Eating Cake (Y); Exchange; Greatest Gift; Green Ribbon; Two Cakes (Y); Salt Wrench; Bi Bi Bi; Setting Sail; Zukes of Hazard; Castle Time; Feeding; Lunar Era; Rainbow Connection; Finders; Hold the Mayo
Team (Position): Wigtown Wanderers (Seeker)
Round (Prompt): Post-Round 10-Semi Finals (A Revolution)
Ministry Challenges: Misinformation Office [Tier 1] (Trio Era)
RAVEN Challenges: Settings [97](Negotiation); Items [92](Parchment); Colors [93](Midnight)
Other MC4A Challenges: SuB [1A](Mountain); AU [2A](Turned Left Instead); Ship (Lunar Lion)[SpBig (Ribbon/Cord; Shirt); SpMed1 (Lost & Found; Secret); SuMic1 (Turned Left Instead)]; Chim [Walnut]("Glitter & Gold" – Barns Country; Sienna; Race Bend); Hunt [[Su WD (Scarred); Su Set (Tense); Su Con (Tofu); Su Items (Tie)]]; Fire [x3](Field Trip); Garden [Flowers (Cream); Soils (Castle); Pick Your X (Autistic); Melancholia (Same Mistake); Gee Favs (Race Bend); Gallery (Race Bend)]; TWT [GNC Miriam Abbott; Trio Era] (Task 1: Plate/Bowl)
Representation(s): Desi & Autistic Harry Potter/Luna Lovegood; Secret Relationship; Jewish & GNC Miriam Abbott; Arcturus Black; Investiture
Primary & Secondary Bonus Challenges: Deadliest Catch; For the Vine; Lovely Coconuts; Trickster's Union; Wind Beneath; Second Verse (Ladylike; Not a Lamp; Persistence Still; White Dress; Found Family; Nontraditional; Middle Name; Spinning Plates; Unwanted Advice; Brooms Only; Car in a Tutu); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pocky Pockets; Wabi Sabi; Bee Haven; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Rediscovery; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade; A Long Dog; Larger than Life; Unicorn); Demo 1 (Muck & Slime; Corvid Brain; Queen Bee; Civil Disobedience; Over the Hills; Where Angels Fear; Casper's House; Under the Bridge); Demo 2 (Head of Perseus; Hot Stuff; Abandoned Ship; Sitting Hummingbird)
Tertiary & Generic Bonus Challenges: T3 (Thimble); SN (Rail; Intercept); FR (Satisfaction; Liberation); O3 (Orator; Oath); Once (Moses Supposes; Santa Fe; Inchworm); War (Monomania; Orator; Obstruction; Sanctuary; Ennui); TY (Kulonbozo; Enfant)
Word Count: 2518 words
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Something Said
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It started on a day in late October with something that could have been considered completely normal.
Breakfast in the Great Hall of Hogwarts was always marked by a swarm of owls descending on the population of the castle. It wasn't unusual for that swarm to have a few birds of other varieties scattered throughout it. While students weren't allowed to have anything but owls, many wixen families used other birds to carry their mail. So the raven with white splotches spiraling through the drab shades of browns belonging to the owls wasn't noticeable in itself.
Even when it landed in front of a certain Ravenclaw fourth-year, it wasn't noteworthy. While Luna Lovegood was considered looney by most of the other Ravenclaws, most of the rest of the school barely noticed her. The blonde was quiet and kept to herself unless sought out by others. When she had approached Harry Potter at the start of term to assure him that she believed him, it had been the first time since her first year that she had done so, and she would not have even done that except that she had met him on the train.
What no one else knew was that ever since that day she approached him the first week of term, the two had been meeting in secret. As Hallowtide crept up on them, Luna had even started thinking of Harry as a friend, even if she was still too scared of being rejected to do so out loud.
Luna unrolled the bundle that her family raven brought her after giving the bird a chunk of tofu off of her plate. The fingers of her right hand idly played with the emerald green ribbon that had tied it closed as she read over the contents. No one noticed that her smile was growing as she got further into reading.
No one noticed when she slipped away from breakfast earlier than the other students.
There was something to be said for being so easily dismissed. It made one practically invisible even in the middle of a crowd.
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"Are you sure this will work?" Harry asked later. The paperwork that Luna had received was spread out on the table between them. The study room they were using was tucked away in the corner farthest from the library's doors, nearly hidden by the fence around the Restricted Section. The shelves closest to it were conveniently the magical law and politics books, a section that Hermione hadn't used even while preparing for Buckbeak's trial back in their third year. (She had focused on creatures in general and hippogriffs in particular.)
"It definitely will," Luna assured him. Her silvery eyes glinted as she grinned. She pulled out the letter verifying the information. "It might not have worked before this summer. The Chief Warlock can block any investitures, even without sufficient cause. The new Chief Warlock may have questions, but she's known to be as fair as she is fierce. She won't block it. Once the investiture is complete, the rest will fall into place as easily as ripe dirigible plums float."
Harry chewed his bottom lip as he looked over the paperwork one more time. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the midnight black quill that he had come so familiar with through his detentions with Umbridge. He gritted his teeth as he signed his name in the necessary spots. The skin on the back of his hand was too fragile to withstand the stress with breaking open. Haridard Potter was only distinguishable because the letters seeped blood among the deep pink letters of I must not tell lies.
There was something to be said for having experienced so much pain already in his life. It made one practically impervious to the smaller aches.
(^^)
Miriam Abbott arrived in the Great Hall the first Saturday of November with what appeared to be a small army. Harry only recognized Lucius Malfoy and Amelia Bones, but there was also an older man who looked enough like Sirius that he was probably a relative. Even among the plum and scarlet robes that most of the group wore, Miriam stood out. Her violet tichel matched her suit even down to the honeycomb embroidered in lavender. Her shirt was a darker shade of lavender which made her cream tie stand out all the more. With skin that was the same sienna as Harry's own, Miriam Abbott looked nothing like her granddaughter Hannah.
Harry couldn't tell who was more upset about the unannounced arrival of the Chief Warlock and an entourage: the headmaster or Umbridge. Both were rising from their seats at the head table. Dumbledore's face was suddenly only a few shades darker than his snowy beard while Umbridge's was slowly turning a pink that would match her tweed dress suit. McGonagall hesitated, clearly confused about this turn of events, but started to stand as well. She got halfway up before Dumbledore gestured for her to remain sitting. Snape merely folded his spindly fingers in front of his face and watched. The other professors were exchanging looks, too uncertain what was happening to react further.
"Miriam, my dear," Dumbledore started only to be cut off by the wix making a sharp slicing gesture with her hand. Seated at the end of the Gryffindor table closest to the head table, Harry had a prime view of how the muscle in Dumbledore's jaw twitched. He had to bury his nose in his mug of Earl Gray to keep his smile from being too obvious. "Miriam—"
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Miriam said evenly. While she wasn't frowning, there was something about the flatness of her expression that made Harry think that she was restraining herself. "I am here on official business. Please conduct yourself accordingly."
Dumbledore didn't scowl at the rebuke, but the edges of his jovial grandfather façade visibly hardened.
"Chief Warlock Abbott," Umbridge interrupted in a simpering tone, "what a surprise to see you outside of the council chambers! And so many of the Wizengamot as well! To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Just an investiture, Undersecretary Umbridge," Miriam replied curtly, "with special circumstances that necessitate us coming here."
"I see. How unusual," Umbridge said with a tone that implied that she was already seething. Her eyes darted over the assembled adults behind the Chief Warlock. "Are you sure that you require the presence of so many aurors, Chief Warlock Abbott? Don't you think you're overreacting just a teeny bit?"
"Yes," Dumbledore agreed before Miriam could respond. He looked like he was greatly disappointed in Miriam's actions. "I'm sure that we don't need all of these aurors for a simple investiture. Hogwarts is perfectly safe for everyone."
"I admire your optimism, Headmaster Dumbledore," Miriam countered with a saccharine smile, "but we both know that isn't quite true, isn't it?" Harry stifled a laugh even as Hermione stiffened next to him at the insult. Good to know that Cedric hadn't been forgotten by everyone in the Ministry amidst the other scandals happening. Miriam continued before Dumbledore could counter the reminder. "Besides, it is always better to prepared for the worst even as one hopes for the best. We have a quorum of the Wizengamot here. I would be remiss in my duty if I didn't arrange for their protection and secure the newly-invested wix."
Dumbledore's nostrils flared slightly before he gave a smile that seemed very forced.
"I'm sorry that you feel that way," he said, sounding more disappointed than remorseful. "If you had given me any notice that you were coming, I could have made arrangements. We could have also discussed the wisdom of disrupting a child's studies with the extra responsibilities of a lordship." His blue eyes twinkled. "Or perhaps a ladyship?"
The opening was just too good to let pass unremarked.
"Ladyship," Harry confirmed as he stood up. He met the headmaster's scowl with an artificially bright smile of his own before turning towards the Chief Warlock. "Unless I'm mistaken, Chief Warlock Abbott?"
"You are not," Miriam confirmed. She returned his smile. "The Peverell seat has been left empty for far too long. I cannot tell you how pleased I am that it will finally be claimed."
"Glad I could be of service, Chief—"
"Hem, hem," Umbridge interrupted, drawing attention back towards the head table. McGonagall and Snape were both standing now. Dumbledore's lips were pursed as if he was sucking on one of his beloved sherbet lemons. "I'm sorry, but it seems as if you mean to give our society's most elevated title to Mr. Potter." She let out a girlish twitter as if to confirm how silly the very idea was.
"Well, Undersecretary Umbridge," Miriam said with a deceptively gentle tone, "it seems that way because that is what's happening. After seven hundred years, a descendant of the Eternal House is finally claiming the title." She gave a smile so wide that her incisors showed. It looked like a threat more than a show of politeness. "His paperwork is completely in order and has already been verified with all the necessary parties."
"I'm afraid that you must be mistaken, my dear," Dumbledore said, unable to keep his eyes from twinkling with his amusement. "Mr. Potter is too young to claim a title."
"I'm afraid it is you who are mistaken, Headmaster Dumbledore," Miriam countered. Her smile never wavered. She lifted one hand to tick off items with her fingers. "He is over the age of thirteen, which is the age of marriageability in magical Britain as you well know as you rejected all attempts to raise it during your tenure as Chief Warlock." She might as well have spit in Dumbledore's face if the way that he flushed was any indication. "Mr. Potter has been declared an adult by at least three ministry heads, yourself included. Finally, he has been treated as an adult before the court." She dropped her hands and folded them together in front of her. "A whole trifecta of age verification, you see. As I said, his paperwork is completely in order."
"It will still disrupt his studies," Dumbledore chided. Miriam nodded in time with Umbridge.
"It will," Miriam agreed, "but no more than Wizengamot meetings interrupt your Hogwarts duties. Oh, I'm sorry. How often they used to interrupt." She looked over the four members of the Hogwarts staff that were standing. "Are there any other concerns before we begin the ceremony?"
"Mr. Potter has engaged in seditious actions," Umbridge protested.
"His claims are only seditious if the Ministry is under the control of a certain person who shall not be named." Miriam tilted her head to the side as she eyed the other woman. "Is that what you wish to convey, Undersecretary Umbridge?"
Umbridge turned the same shade of pink as her tweed blazer. Miriam nodded sharply before sweeping her gaze over the Hogwarts adults again. She then turned towards the Wizengamot members, raising one eyebrow in silent question. Lucius Malfoy looked like he had stepped in something smelly but kept silent. The man who looked like Sirius cleared his throat as he stepped forward.
"Is the boy's claim through his Black lineage, Miriam?"
"Sorry, Arcturus," Miriam answered, "but it's not. It's the Potter family with a direct line."
"I would like to formally offer to mentor the lad," Arcturus announced to the Great Hall. His dark gray eyes focused on Harry as he directed his next words to him. "You may not know, but we're related through both blood and magic. Your paternal grandmother was my cousin, and your godfather is my grandson. I petitioned for you after your parents' demise, but—" His gaze cut away towards Dumbledore before returning. "—but it was denied."
Something inside Harry flashed hot at that. He had suspected that something was not quite right about how he came to be with the Dursleys. Aunt Petunia had always claimed that they had had to keep him because there had been no one else who had wanted him. From what little Harry had observed of this man, Arcturus Black didn't seem like he would be a Death Eater.
For months now, Harry had been having trouble controlling his temper. It hadn't been a problem for the most part. Feeling angry had been better than feeling afraid or helpless or worse yet, numb. For the first time, however, Harry felt the urge to do something other shouting or picking a fight. He wanted nothing more than to punch Dumbledore in his crooked nose and hope that he broke it.
"I accept," Harry bit out, straightening his back even as he forced his muscles to loosen. Years of being Dudley's punching bag had taught him how to not tense up in anticipation of a fight. He didn't think that there was going to be any kind of physical altercation, but after Snape's fit when Sirius wasn't executed without trial, Harry knew better than to assume the chances were zero.
"If there are no objections to Harry Potter claiming his ladyship?" Miriam asked. No one spoke. She focused on Harry again as she drew her wand.
Then Dumbledore chose to interrupt.
"Perhaps we should move this to somewhere more private."
"Investitures are always open to the public, Headmaster Dumbledore," Miriam scolded. "If you do not want this to happen here, we can always take Mr. Potter to the Ministry lobby." Dumbledore gave a scowl worthy of Snape before he managed to school his expression into something more neutral.
"That would be unwise."
"Precisely why we came to him," Miriam said, sounding tired, "but if you wish to wield your authority to prevent the ceremony, that is your right. It would just mean moving this off of Hogwarts and any associated lands. Either way, it will be happening."
"Harry, my dear boy," Dumbledore tried, "you should think about what you are doing. There are ramifications of this which you are not aware of."
"Really?" Harry asked blandly. His anger poppled within him. "I would say that of all the things that had happened over the years, this is probably the most thought-out one."
Something wrapped loosely around his wrist. Harry looked at the spot, noting the contrast between Luna's pale fingers and his own sienna skin. He raised his gaze to meet her own. The intensity of how she seemed to look into his soul made him squirm, even after two months to get used to it. Something about her presence also quenched the red-hot ball of rage threatening to consume him.
Together, they took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I'm ready, Chief Warlock Abbott," Harry said after turning to face Miriam. He didn't spare Dumbledore another glance as the Chief Warlock moved her wand through the necessary spellwork before tapping him once on each shoulder. All the while, Luna kept her hold on him in the same silent support that she had been giving him since the start of term.
There was something to be said for having a secret relationship. It made one strong enough to start a revolution.