Chapter 6 - Repercussions
The courtroom was in sheer pandemonium. Some people were shouting at Harry, some amongst themselves, some just so the people they were trying to speak to could hear them amongst the din. In fact, everyone apart from Harry, Dumbledore and Amelia Bones was on their feet and trying to get their own points across. Even Lord Greengrass was on his feet right next to Harry and was shouting at a short dumpy witch three seats along that "It doesn't matter if the line should belong to Heir Malfoy, he wasn't convicted, Malfoy's not the heir!"
"ORDER, ORDER!" came the deep, booming voice of Albus Dumbledore, accompanied by what Harry thought must've been some sort of volume charm on his gavel because the sound it made when Dumbledore smacked it off his desk was absolutely horrendous. It certainly did get everyone to stop shouting at each other though, likely more for fear that their ears might start bleeding should the accursed sound be reproduced rather than anything.
"This is a travesty, Chief Mugwump." came the scouse voice of Lord Bulstrode. "We can't be having our peers sent to Azkaban without trial."
"He doesn't need a trial," said Amos Diggory, "Everyone knows the only bit of Pettigrew they found was a finger."
Harry frowned. Why was Cedric's Dad behaving this way? He needed to say something.
"I don't know why you think like this, Lord Diggory." he said, "Apart from the fact that everyone deserves a fair trial, even if you thought he was a Death Eater, which he isn't, do you think I, the person whose parents were allegedly betrayed by Sirius Black to the end that it caused their deaths, would bring attention to his lack of trial unless I was completely sure that he was innocent?"
A grumble of agreement came from the Chamber.
"There needs to be an inquiry, Albus." said a soft-spoken, very old wizard on the third row.
"Yes, Lord Doge, and I'm sure Madame Bones and the DMLE will be happy to look into the administration's oversight in this matter." replied the Chief Mugwump. Amelia Bones, nodded vehemently to the crowd.
"It was nothing to do with us," said Fudge, proudly. "It was Minister Bagnold's administration. I, of course, wouldn't dare to preside over such a miscarriage of justice."
Harry couldn't help it, he really didn't like the smarmy, manipulative man, he just had to pipe up.
"Apart from when you tried to prosecute me for no crime whatsoever."
There were several laughs in the hall and Minister Fudge went red-faced.
"Why you…" the blustering man said, almost comically waving his fist at him in anger, but Cyrus Greengrass jumped in before the Minister could get out any of the expletives he was preparing.
"We still need Lord Black to come to a trial, particularly difficult if he is still on the run."
"AHA!" Fudge cried out, "We will have to try you again Lord Slytherin-Potter, for aiding and abetting a known fugitive. You had a duty even when you were only Heir of House Potter to let us know his whereabouts."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Apart from the fact I couldn't have told you where he was if I wanted to, Minister, I've known him to be not guilty for almost a year now and he still has a "Kiss on Sight'' order on him, it seems like you're suggesting that I, Lord Slytherin-Potter, or as Heir Potter, should've turned in a Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House that knew to be innocent, knowing that he would immediately have been subjected to the Dementors Kiss? There's no way that with the scale and expense of the hunt that has been conducted I would've been believed as a student without tangible evidence. Use your brain, man."
"He was on the run!" Fudge snapped, "It doesn't matter if he didn't get a trial! Your words are LIES."
Harry wouldn't let the Minister shake him now, not when he was this close.
"Let's give that quote to the Prophet, shall we? "It doesn't matter if he didn't get the trial." What a lovely official statement from the voice of the entire Ministry."
"You better shut up, Minister or I'm sure someone will shut it for you." said a stern looking wizard to the right of Lucius Malfoy."
"Threats will not be tolerated, Lord Nott," said Amelia Bones.
"Apologies to the court, ma'am. I was just stating that we may even have to hold the Minister in contempt if he kept digging himself a deeper and deeper hole.
"I tell you what, Minister," said Harry, not wanting to lose the momentum, "Regardless of your clear disdain of our laws, obviously now Lord Black must stand trial. If he's found guilty, I would be more than happy to stand trial. I'll even let you give me Veritaserum, if questions to be asked are approved by all members of this court."
There was a sharp intake of breath.
"Deal." Fudge gritted out with a malicious grin.
"If Lord Black is found innocent though, Minister, I will be suing the Ministry for slander, mistrial and defamation of character. When I win that I'd be surprised if you last the week. I think we could get them both done in one day, Chief Mugwump don't you?"
The hall started talking loudly again, but this was quickly ceased by another of Dumbledore's cracks of his gavel.
"Yes, I believe it could." Dumbledore answered, before addressing the chamber "All proposed cases to be tried on the Solstice. A notification will be placed in all wizarding publications to invite Lord Black. The Kiss on Sight order is rescinded. Any further business?"
Silence in the Wizengamot, though it was obvious people couldn't wait to start talking again.
"Very well. I hereby conclude this session. The next will be on the aforementioned solstice. Good day to you all."
*Crack* went the gavel.
Harry waited for Professor Dumbledore, who took his time speaking to several members of the court before they left.
As they left the room themselves, Albus told Harry how incredibly proud he was of him, and how impressed he was with how prepared he had been. When they got in the elevator to go back to the main level, they found themselves completely alone.
They spent no time in getting rid of the formalities of using each other's first names now Harry was officially ascended.
"Harry," Dumbledore said quietly "I viewed your memory like you asked, and apart from having a huge thirst for the regrettably private ancient family magic you have in there, I'm happy for you to practise your magic after school, as long as you aren't training yourself to kill. As a Lord now I can't exactly tell you what you can and can't do but I am responsible for the welfare of my students, emancipated or not. I would prefer you had someone with you too, preferably an adult who might have a bit more experience understanding some of the more esoteric titles. Sirius, perhaps? He used to be an Auror and between you and me, I'm sure we can get him found innocent."
That's…that's great Professor," Harry replied with a smile, "And thank you… And yeah, I'll talk to him, but one thing…" he trailed off for a second worrying if telling Dumbledore was a risk "Iiiif I had a way to safely get there instantly at any point…"
"Then you would get plenty of extra practice, as long as you didn't venture into the main school." was the Headmaster's interrupting reply.
"Thank You sir."
"But you train to incapacitate, not to kill, understood?" Dumbledore said, looking down the bridge of his long, crooked nose, warningly
"Yes sir"
Harry couldn't help but wonder how Dumbledore expected him to kill Voldemort without training to kill him, the idea was ridiculous. He'd not really had any choice about telling Dumbledore about the Chamber in the first place when Madam Pomfrey had been burned by the locket. He was always going to find out Harry was Lord Slytherin eventually and alienating the man with secrets before he'd even gotten started wouldn't have been the right plan. As much as Harry now suffered from a burgeoning mistrust of him, he was both Chief Mugwump and Hogwarts was his domain, and Harry spent most of his year there. Now he was staying at the Headquarters at Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix as well; Harry thought there was just no point making his life more difficult than it needed to be.
They walked into the atrium to a flurry of reporters but both Harry and the headmaster brushed them away as they passed through them with repeated calls of "No comment." until they saw Arthur Weasley waiting for them.
"Harry?" Arthur said excitedly, "How'd it go?"
"Still not expelled, Mr Weasley " Harry replied with a bright smile. He blinked, the flashes from all the camera's going off was really annoying.
"Excellent, and let's keep it that way," the Weasley patriarch said with a grin.
Harry couldn't help grinning as Arthur's hand groped for the doorknob to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.
As the door swung open, all the Weasleys, Hermione, Tonks and Sirius were waiting for them and before Harry could say anything Arthur got there first, jubilantly shouting, "He did it!" to a huge cheer.
Ginny was there first and ran into him like a bullet, wrapping her arms around him. Harry thought she was very bony, but when she pulled away he couldn't help but see the bright blush that reached her ears. While everyone took their turns hugging him and congratulating him (apart from Ron), Fred and George chanted over and over, "He diiiid it! he diiid it!." and when they both captured him in a group hug, made him jump up and down with them on the spot.
"So it went alright then?" Sirius said, awkwardly rubbing his hands together, his pale eyes and shrunken posture betraying the emotions of a man who'd clearly been trying to do his level best all day to not even dare to hope that what his Godson had said he was going to try to do when they'd spoken that morning had been successful.
"I'd say so," Harry said, casually leaning against the bannister at the bottom of the stairs, "Considering I got you a trial."
"You did?" Sirius said, eyes wide in shock.
"You did?" Ron and Hermione said together, rooted to the spot.
"I did." Harry smiled.
"He diiid it! He diiid it!" Was sung even louder now as Sirius picked Harry up round the middle and spun him on to spot shouting " Yeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" at the top of his lungs.
"But… how did you do it?" Hermione almost spluttered, completely bewildered.
"Yes," came a calm, eerie voice from the kitchen to the right of them "How did you do it, Lord Slytherin-Potter?"
Snape spat the last "P" in his sentence with venom before making himself scarce.
"What does he mean, Harry?" asked Sirius, confusedly.
Harry sighed and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He had no idea how he was gonna handle this one.
"I guess we'd all better sit down."
Even after his lengthy explanation about what had happened at the trial, Ron and Hermione weren't happy. Even when Harry tried to tell them it was his personal family business about how he managed to come into his Lordship, Hermione especially wasn't satisfied.
"Look Hermione, the top and bottom of it is that I needed to find a way to get more power to defeat Voldemort and I found it."
"But why? And how? Is that why you've been so distant with us lately?"
Harry was distinctly irritated now "No Hermione, I've been distant because I watched someone get murdered right in front of me, then got tied to a gravestone, my arm slashed open, then watched the man who killed my parents rise from the grave and then he tortured me, threw me about like a ragdoll and then when I somehow escaped, I found out the Ministry, the people who are supposed to be the good guys is trying to force everyone to call me a liar for daring to speak up about what I'd been through."
Tears were in her eyes now, but Harry didn't look away from her.
The Weasleys, Sirius and Hermione were all sitting around the kitchen table. Snape was nowhere to be seen. They all sat quietly now, the jubilant mood now turned sombre.
"That was a bit harsh, mate." said Ron.
Harry turned to look at Ron, not feeling guilty about the change of mood. It was time for some harsh truths.
"Was it?" Harry replied, trying not to show any frustration, but speaking to him imploringly, "Look at it logically. He tried to kill me as a baby, why? He's not been able to kill me three times now, why? He needed me to rise from the grave, why? Yes we know he's going to keep coming after me but it's not just because he couldn't kill me as a baby and he's got a bruised question is why he had to try to kill me in the first place. I've looked up the history. After he was established and had followers he only appeared in one pitched battle where he all but obliterated the atrium of the Ministry to establish his dominance and he never made a direct hit on anyone himself after that. He always sent someone else to do it on the first approach.
The Longbottoms, the Bones, the Prewetts were all attacked by inner circle Death Eaters like Crouch Jr. It's how he was able to instil such fear, using propaganda tools like the Dark Mark to create the idea that the already terrifying Death Eaters were led by an even more terrible Dark Lord. A sense of sheer hopelessness and despair was created by the knowledge that a family shouldn't dare to think of fighting Death Eaters, for fear that Voldemort could and would appear at any time and inflict a fate on them worse than they could possibly imagine. Voldemort's actual appearances in the war were to support them when things weren't going their way in a given attack or when their planned attacks were being thwarted by Aurors or members of the order who had somehow managed to get hold of leaked information. There were more than a few people who escaped him, just like my parents, and maybe he let some escape just to tell the tale of the horror of him. Sure, my parents did three times, but Neville's parents had escaped him multiple times and still he didn't go himself. But yet, he attacked me. More than that my family had to be hidden with the Fidelius charm because they knew that he wanted to kill us. The fact of the matter is Voldemort has always seen me as a threat, and all both know that if there's anything he isn't, it's stupid."
"So you're saying… something told Voldemort when you were little that you were a threat to him." Ron said.
"And…after what's happened, with you repeatedly escaping, it likely proves it." Hermione said, and with tears streaming down her face and a big sigh of understanding "I bet there's a prophecy or something like what Trelawney gave you in third year with your name on it. God I hate divination."
The Golden Trio completely missed the side-eye exchange between Sirius and Arthur across the table.
"Probably, yeah." Harry replied, "But if I'm going to try to beat him, If I have a chance, it's gonna be through magics that Voldemort has never heard of, things he won't be able to counter. I won't tell you exactly how I became Lord of Slytherin and I definitely won't talk about the family magics; they've been a secret for over a thousand years. I have some books that are more general and don't have to be confidential, but they're all written in Parseltongue anyway."
"Parseltongue?!" Molly said loudly, "That's dark magic!" I won't have you bringing Ancient dark magic tomes into this house!"
"Parseltongue magic isn't inherently dark, Molly," said Arthur, not fazed by the surprised looks from around the table. "Many ancient Greek mages and several later on used parseltongue magic to heal and to call down various elements. It was only a couple of nasty Dark Lord's including Voldemort that gave it a bad name."
"How do you know that Dad?" asked Ginny.
"Seventh year History of Magic, Binns gets past the goblin wars eventually. The best part of his course, and I loved that class. That crisp monotone really forces you to concentrate and love the material, you know?"
Every other person around the table looked at Arthur Weasley like he was an alien.
"That's what my book is about, Mrs Weasley, healing magic."
"Still," Molly said, biting her lip, "Salazar Slytherin wasn't a nice man."
"We can agree to disagree on that, I know a lot more about his history now and that whole anti muggleborn thing, well it's really the complete opposite of what we were led to believe. Slytherin wanted to protect muggleborns and make them stay in the castle all year to keep them safe from witch burnings."
"But the basilisk?" Arthur asked.
"To protect the secrets of the chamber."
"So that's where you came into your Lordship then." said Hermione, matter of factly.
Harry sighed and thought that it wasn't always great that you could trust Hermione to work it out.
"So… Now your magic is unprotected in the castle?" asked a twin.
"No Forge, Slytherin was still crafty, he'll have other protections." said the other.
Harry nodded.
Hermione looked up at Harry, hopefully and in a near whine said "Harrrryyyy…"
"Yes Hermione?" Harry answered with a knowing smirk.
"If there's any books that aren't in parseltongue can I please read them? I'll love you forever."
Sirius' tone became very severe all of a sudden. "No Hermione, family magic isn't to be shared outside marriage. There's strict rules against it."
"But that's not fair." she replied indignantly.
"Rules are rules." was his short reply.
"I tell you what Hermione," Harry said with an encouraging smile, "If there are any books I find in there that aren't parseltongue, but aren't family magic I'll share them with you, as long as Sirius says they don't look dodgy, okay?" said Harry.
To say this placated Hermione would be an understatement. She squeaked, got up, ran around the table and gave him a big hug while Ron, Fred, George and Ginny, looking at each other, rolled their eyes.
But then Ron sat with a furrowed brow as Molly got up and started to prepare the table in front of them for a late lunch.
"But…you're a Slytherin now," he said, still frowning.
"Still in Gryffindor, though Ron, and put it this way," Harry answered with a gleam in his eye, "Imagine Malfoy's face when he finds out."
"Wicked."
The same group were all again sat round the dining table the next morning, eating a hearty breakfast and in good spirits despite the dreary decor. Ron was busy stuffing his face with a huge pile of bacon, while Hermione was doing more reading than eating.
They all heard the sound of the front door opening and closing followed by an "Oh, for fuck's sake" and then the now all too familiar flurry of bigoted expletives from the portrait of Sirius' dear mother. Tonks' repeated clumsiness followed by the house receiving an earful had become a daily joke now, and Harry grinned at the twins as they knew that Tonks would soon down come stumbling in towards them in a few seconds.
True to form, looking distinctly ruffled, the Auror came bustling in, today sporting short, bright blue hair, a black Star Wars t-shirt and boot cut jeans.
"Wotcher everyone!" she said, slamming the Daily Prophet down on the table, "Looks like you made a stir yesterday Harry. Oh sorry, Lord Slytherin-Potter."
She grinned and gave an almost sarcastic curtsy. Hermione immediately snatched the newspaper up from the table and began to read aloud to the room.
"Potter ascends to Lord Slytherin-Potter, defies Fudge. Sirius Black never given trial!
In an unprecedented Wizengamot session yesterday, a disciplinary hearing for underage magic for the previously named Harry Potter was declared a mistrial when the defendant revealed and proved within the Ministry that, due to being among a full Wizengamot, that he was now to complete Ascension to the position of Head of both Houses Slytherin7 and The Ancient and Noble House of Potter. No word as to how this feat was accomplished, however, it was told how Lord Slytherin-Potter came into his name at Hogwarts, and was emancipated before he cast the spell the Ministry had detected two days ago - the Patronus Charm - and therefore there was no offence made.
After the session several members of the Wizengamot have stated that Minister Fudge, head of the session's Prosecution, still tried to try Lord Slytherin-Potter for now crime at all. At the Prophet, we believe it was due to the Minister and several other Ministry officials' statements that the Lord of House Slytherin has been lying about the resurrection of He-who-must-not-be-named. The Minister had no comment about this to state on this occasion.
However, in a shocking twist, Lord Slytherin-Potter also revealed that there had been transactions from Lord Sirius Black's account and demonstrated proof that due to magic-bound laws around the last remaining member of noble family magic and the sealing of Gringotts vaults, it was impossible that Azkaban-escapee Sirius Black ever received a trial in the first place.
The Wizarding World has been turned on its head but yet again the Minister refused to comment.
Sirius Black's trial date has been set for the annual solstice session and any previous warrants for his capture have been rescinded. He is to report to the Ministry at 8 am on that date as a free man.
Turn to page three to learn about Lord Slytherin-Potter's Challenge to the Minister should Lord Black be found innocent. "
"That's amazing," said Sirius, beaming proudly at his Godson.
"Notice how the Prophet won't call you a liar now you're a lord of the Seven." Arthur commented.
"And you've got a new photo walking out with Dumbledore." Hermione said, sliding the paper over to Harry. It wasn't a bad photo, he admitted. It was probably the first time he'd had a photo of himself in the paper where he'd been genuinely smiling.
"Oh, and Dumbledore gave me this letter to give to you, owls to here being redirected to Hogwarts and all."
Harry took the very nice looking ivory envelope. Around the edges were several, gold leafed swirls and the letter was sealed with a dark green wax seal of the letter "G", surrounded in vines.
"That's the seal of the house of Greengrass," Sirius advised, "I wonder what he wants?"
Harry looked up at him with curiosity. "Well I sat next to him after the trial for the remainder of the session and I helped his daughter and Tracey with their Protego projects at the end of term."
"Ah so that's who you were talking to." said Hermione.
"You spoke to Daphne?" Ron said, not sure to be worried or impressed.
"Good on you," said Fred "That girl is redonkulous."
"Where've you heard the word "redonkulous?" said George with a grin.
"I heard a muggle use it the other day when we were outside the Leaky Cauldron."
"Why were you both outside the Leaky Cauldron, alone? Molly asked, famous Weasley temper beginning to flare.
"Mother, can't we have any secrets?" one of the twins asked, Harry couldn't tell which.
"Not from me, you can't." Molly snapped.
"Fine," the other twin said with an exaggerated sigh that they'd been caught out, "We were soliciting muggle prostitutes."
"George!"
"Just kidding, but we're still not gonna tell you. But yeah Harry, Daphne is hot. Her bum is legendary."
"George!"
"It's her boobs that do it for me."
"Fred!"
"Nah, it's her eyes that are the best."
Harry said absentmindedly, "They're…electrifying."
Then he looked up to realise he'd just said that out loud.
"Oooh, Harry's got a crush!" said Fred and Harry couldn't help but blush.
"But Slytherins are dark, Harry and the Greengrasses are a dark family."
Molly said, matter-of-factly.
"Are they?" asked Harry, sceptically, "Have they ever sided with Voldemort?"
"No, but they don't always vote for our policies, and our policies are for the good of our world, and they voted for the Werewolf Registration act. Imagine how Remus would feel!"
"Mooney thinks it's a good bit of legislation actually. He's terrified of accidentally killing or turning someone, and while there are a lot of good ones, there are also bad werewolves out there who want to turn others. That act doesn't have anything to do with employment rights." said Sirius.
"But still, it means they struggle to get jobs," said Arthur pointedly.
"And it means they get discounts on the ingredients for the Wolfsbane Potions. The Greengrasses added that addendum and it's their Apothecaries that supply the ingredients." interjected Sirius again.
"I see." Molly said, clearly unhappy that she'd lost the argument through her own arrogance. Harry sighed, it seemed like quite a few of the supposedly Light side were incapable of critical thought. At least he knew now where Sirius stood, definitely moving towards the Grey sect.
"Have we finished having this discussion now, or are you going to let me open this letter?" Harry said, smirkingly.
"Don't be cheeky." Tonks said, teasingly.
"Our high Lord Slytherin-Potter has the right to be cheeky. Worship him." said Fred.
"Yes," said George, and together they chanted "All hail Lord Harry, Slayer of giant snakes and Master of making the Minister his bitch."
"I just… I just can't with you two.", cried Molly, exasperated as the rest of the group laughed and decided to start spelling the now clearing crockery to float towards the sink.
Harry, rolling his eyes at the twins' antics, licked a bit of baked bean sauce from his knife so he could use it to break the seal of the envelope, and then pulled out an equally fine piece of parchment and what a shiny piece of card and began to read:
Dear Lord Harry of House Slytherin7 and of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter.
I hope this letter finds you in good health. I was most impressed by your words and actions at the Wizengamot in the last session. You conducted yourself in a manner that befits your Houses.
I'm writing for three reasons:
Firstly, I want to tell you how grateful we are for your actions recently at the end of the school year. In case the letter ends up in the wrong hands, I will not discuss it further here.
Secondly, I would like to offer my family's support in aiding in your understanding of the traditions and customs of our world. As far as I've heard from my children, it wasn't until only recently that you've started to begin addressing Heirs of Noble Houses by their title until permission given otherwise, and as - if I can beg your pardon - you were unable to receive the proper education by your late father I want to offer you any assistance my family can provide. I want to be clear about my motives here, your newly ascended titular house is famed for their honouring of our land's respects and traditions and thus far, particularly with your conduct at the Ministry you have done very well. However, there is quite a bit of nuance in places and it's quite easy to make an unintended faux-pas. I understand some may feel you would be insulting your House's legacy if you do not continue to honour Salazar Slytherin's legacy in that regard. You've placed yourself in a position that if you continue to conduct yourself at your current level of high quality, that you could very easily find that you have the opportunity to sway many opinions in the Wizengamot, particularly in light of the unfortunate events at the end of the Triwizard Tournament.
Finally, To further extend my gratitude for your recent actions regarding my daughters and because I think it's important that members of Noble houses should all become well acquainted with each other before leaving Hogwarts and because I understand that can be quite difficult when members are in different houses, I am extending you this invitation to a party at my residence. Please be aware that all guests bar Daphne's best friend that have also been invited are Heirs from your year group. Several are from my daughters' house, including Heir Draco Malfoy, a boy whom I believe you are not on the best of terms with. However, also invited is Heir Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor and several other students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. You need not worry about your safety, our wards are some of the best in Britain. All other accepting guests will receive a Verificantus portkey to just outside the wards of our property, while you are to arrive via Floo. The name of the property on the Floo Network will be changed to "The Greenest of Grass" for up to half an hour following your requested arrival time and then the floo will be deactivated. If you are happy to attend, I would like you to attend at ten am rather than eleven thirty as is stated on the enclosed duplicated invitation. This is to give us the opportunity to thank you properly and for you to spend some time with Daphne before the guests arrive. A swift RSVP would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Lord Cyrus of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass
Rosa Nutrita Habet Acerrimus Spinas
The Nourished Rose Has The Sharpest Thorns
Harry hummed in thought and handed the letter to Sirius to read before taking a look at the invitation. It was on a glossy cream card, with vines bordered around the edges and was written in emerald green ink. It read:
"The Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass cordially invites Lord Harry Slytherin-Potter to the summer celebration of Heir Daphne Greengrass' 16th birthday at
Greengrass Manor on the 20th June 1995 at 11:30am.
Food and lightly alcoholic beverages will be provided. Dress code: muggle summer vacation wear, as there will be the opportunity to use our swimming pool.
Gifts not expected, but are appreciated.
Please send an RSVP notification no sooner than three days before the event. Accepting guests will receive password-activated Verificantus portkeys that can be activated for one hour from 11:30am and will land outside our wards. Guests will then be met upon arrival. The time of the end of the event will be at our discretion. Returning portkeys can be made at the guests request or will be provided at the end of the event."
Harry handed the invitation to Sirius, who took it quickly having just finished the letter. Harry took a couple of bites of toast while he waited for what Sirius thought.
"Greengrass must've heard us talking, Harry." Sirius said with a chuckle.
"What is it?" asked Hermione.
"First of all, Hermione, it's rude to ask people what is in their letters unless you're specifically invited to know their contents, especially letters to Heads of houses." Sirius chided.
"It's fine, Sirius," Harry intenjected, though he had to admit he was concerned about Hermione prying into his business, "It's an invitation to a party."
"A party? For who?"
"For Daphne's birthday."
Hermione looked puzzled. "But you've only spoken to her once," she said.
"That you know of," Harry replied with a frown.
"Well, when else?"
"Family business, Hermione." Sirius said.
"Oh, please." she replied, with a roll of her eyes.
"It's not "oh, please." at all!" Harry exclaimed, "When we say family business, it means private information about one or multiple houses that you are not to be privy to. Without those houses' permission I'm not gonna reveal their information and won't discuss it with anyone unless I believe any of it compromises my ideals. I've got to build trust with them, Hermione, because if I want to suggest any changes in the Wizengamot I might need their support. And you know what? I'm fed up with your need to constantly know where I've been, who I've spoken to, and yes I love how much you care about me Hermione but I'm an emancipated Lord now and you are not my keeper."
Hermione, thoroughly cowed, nodded.
"Woah, Harry." said Ron through a mouthful of bacon. "When…" swallow, "Did you get so…domineering? Is that the word?"
"Right around the time I decided I'm gonna kill Voldemort before he kills me." Harry replied.
"That's...that's pretty scary." Ron said, clearly worried for his friend.
"Enough with the depressing shit," Tonks said, "What about this party? Do you know who else is invited?"
"Heirs of Noble Houses from Harry's year, looks like. We know Neville and Draco are going." Sirius replied.
"If they accept," Harry pointed out.
"Oh they'll accept, the opportunity for politicking here is huge." said Sirius.
"But Draco's Dad is a Death Eater, he could turn up as Voldemort in disguise, it's not safe. He's not going." said Molly. Harry tried not to glare at her response.
"It will be, and he will if he wants to" Sirius replied, "Lord Greengrass has given Harry solo access to his floo, and is forking out for password activated Verificantus Portkeys to the others."
"Wow. They're not cheap." Arthur said.
"What's a Vertical Panther Portkey anyway?" Ron asked.
"Verificantus," Hermione said to the room, clearly about to become a Magical World dictionary, "A single-person portkey, usually activated by password by the user within a defined timeframe. The portkey washes away all spells and enchantments that might otherwise be used to conceal or change an identity, including polyjuice potions. They're the gold standard, and are usually used by magical governments to send Ambassadors in particularly tricky diplomatic situations."
"I still think it's too risky."
"Well it's a good thing he's emancipated now and no one but him gets to decide if he goes or not, isn't it Molly?" Arthur said with a warning look to his wife.
"It also says the dress code is muggle vacation wear and you can go in the swimming pool." Sirius said with a grin.
Ron was the quickest to the mark.
"That means girls in bikinis." he said with wide eyes,
"I'm going." Harry blurted out without a second of hesitation.
Sirius, Tonks and the twins laughed. Hermione and Molly groaned. Ron looked positively green with envy.
Arthur wasn't listening, he was too busy thinking about those "Heskerlaters" at the "Choob" Station.
Ginny ran from the room and was heard stomping up the stairs before Molly went rushing after her daughter to check she was alright.:
"Well," said Sirius "I guess it means we need to have a longer chat about the party at some point. Not right now, there's just over a week to the party, but if you're gonna be Lord Slytherin-Potter we need to take sure you can handle it. There's a lot of politics going on behind the scenes…and you'll need something to wear."
"We can go now if you want, Harry, I've got today off and we can get Daphne's present from the Alley while we're there." Tonks said, grabbing a buttered slice of toast off Ginny's abandoned plate.
"Great, thanks."
"I don't wanna be out all day though so lift-off in T-Minus thirty."
"Where did you get that from?" Fred asked.
"What about this T-Shirt makes you think I don't like muggle movies?"
"Fair point," George grinned.
"Ooh, please tell me," Arthur piped up excitedly, "What is a Star Wars?"