Hey everyone,
The only thing I want to say is remind you guys that, in this story, patience and long-term punishments are going to play a huge role.
Aka, James will learn of Dumbledore's – eh – lack of financial skill, but he won't act on this discovery. At least, not yet.
Have patience,

Venquine1990

Chapter 24
A Morning Full Of Meetings – Part 02

25th of June 1995
Potter Quarters, Hogwarts
Lily's POV

Bill returns after about 10 minutes of waiting.

And instantly the look on his face worries me dearly.

"Sorry it took so long. It turns out that, after your deaths, Dumbledore got your Account Manager replaced. And the replacement was – incompetent, to say the least.

Thankfully, your statement got the attention of the other Account managers and they alerted Lord Ragnok, who quickly replaced him for the son of your last Account Manager.

The Goblin did the survey and – well, I learned a few new curse words in Gobbledygook, including a few I didn't even know existed."

The lad might try to beat around the bush, but James and I know exactly what he isn't saying;

Dumbledore got his hands on our son's inheritance – and he probably wasted the majority of it, if not more.

James breaths in and out through his nose to keep his temper in check and asks Bill for the results. Bill hands him the large scroll with a grimace.

Harry and I quickly scuttle closer and I lie my hand on James' lower arm in a sign of support. James blinks my way and I spot the gratitude appear and vanish from his eyes as he does.

Then he unrolls the scroll and his eyes fly across the parchment with the speed and dexterity of someone who has been working with finances for the better part of his life. True evidence of the man's noble upbringing.

Yet as he reads and reads, his grimace grows and turns into a furious scowl, his eyes start to burn with rage, he starts to grind his teeth and growls start to come from the back of his throat.

"ALBUS PERCIFAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE!"

YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE DEAD MAN!

I'M GOING TO –!"

"DAD, WAIT! THINK!"

Sirius, Remus and I stare at Harry in utter shock and astonishment. But then I remember that Harry doesn't know James and thus doesn't know that you don't stop James Potter, not when he gets this angry and if you value your health.

But James is, apparently, not as angry as I had thought as he turns a furious, but also curious look at his son.

Harry seems to feel a moment of fear at seeing the raging anger in his father's eyes. Yet he speaks up and says:

"You told us about how you kept an eye on us through Viewing Orbs. So you know what my youth was like.

Do you really think that anyone – especially the Minister or foreign dignitaries – are going to accept any excuse Dumbledore might have for my former bedroom?

Don't you think it'd be better to wait for that and to strike then? To hit an extra nail into Dumbledore's coffin and keep him from being able to talk himself out of any of this?"

And whether it's the boy's tone of voice, the look in his eyes or his actual words – or maybe even all three – the lad manages something I didn't think possible.

James calms down.

And smiles at his son.

"James, with – with all due respect. Your – your family has been known to be the most stable and one of the richest families in Magical England for the last 400 years.

Surely nothing Dumbledore does can have that much of an effect on your finances – right?"

I really can't blame Amos for asking this. The man – and his son – seem to be the only ones who still seem to believe in the cover that is Dumbledore's image and reputation.

Not to mention that the first part of his statement is definitely true and should, indeed, make it nigh impossible for Dumbledore to really hurt House Potter's financial situation.

Yet then James proves us both wrong as he growls: "There is one thing that can, Amos. And as much as even I can't believe that Dumbledore is that stupid, he did it anyway.

He cancelled all contracts that allows House Potter to have an income – yet never did the same for the contracts that make House Potter honor-bound to donate money to certain groups and societies. And to make matters worse, he even created a few extra deposits.

So yeah, years of money going out, but not in – well, thankfully the Main vault will still be able to refill Harry's Trust vault for four more years, but then –

We're broke."

Absolute silence.

All of us stare at James as he walks back and slumps in his seat. Amos and Cedric look at each other and then Amos asks: "What about the treasure vaults? Surely those aren't emptied out too?"

James shakes his head and says: "No, just useless. No Amos, I can't sell a single gem.

During the American Revolution, two of my ancestors, who were teenagers, were stupid enough to sell all of the gems and other precious objects in the Potter vaults and use that money to finance the British side of the battles.

Thankfully they didn't use any of the actual finances, but if it weren't for the treasure trove found a decade later, the Potter family would have become known as the Ancient House without precious gems or objects.

Heck, that treasure trove is the whole reason my family build Potter Manor where they did. The trove is underneath the Manor.

Still, after the war was lost by the British, their father found out what his sons did and used family magic to make sure it can never happen again.

Since then, three members of the Potter family, by blood, need to give permission for even a bit of amber to be sold off.

And because Lily is only a Potter by name, not blood, I can't do anything. All I can do is write to my Account Manager and hope that he's as talented as his father and that he can get us our contracts back. That he can get us back in business.

Though, if he's anything like his father, he'll want something in return and – I don't know what I can offer him in return for such services."

I really can't believe how quickly the atmosphere in the room turned from positive and full of expectancy to depressed.

Yet when Harry stands up, the determined way he moves his form instantly makes me know he has something on his mind.

And the steadfast way that he walks into his bedroom draws all of our attention.

A few minutes later he walks back in and mutters: "I didn't think I'd be pulling this out before my graduation ceremony."

James had been the only one not to watch Harry move, but his son's words are enough for even him to look up – right as Harry throws a large money pouch onto the table.

"I spent three weeks at Diagon Alley after my second. The Goblins were clear that I was only allowed into my Trust Vault until 1997 and all, but the ones at the front door are always interested in business deals.

And let's face facts here,

I did slay Slytherin's beast,

And I speak Parsletongue."

Utter silence yet again.

"You – you got it rendered?" James asks, his voice full of disbelief. Harry nods and Hermione asks him when and how he did that.

Harry smirks and says: "That griffin is only too happy to tell the portraits nearby when Dumbledore isn't available.

They tell the ghosts – and the ghosts tell me. And considering that Dumbledore has all of his busy positions and whatnot – he leaves the castle a lot."

James stares at his son in awe, while Cedric asks him what he was planning to use the gold on. Harry's smile vanishes and mutters: "To keep Dumbledore from talking his way out of justice."

Cedric nods and to my shock – and that of the others – James tries to argue that he can't take the money, that his son earned it fair and square.

But Harry stares his father down and says: "I don't need the money anymore, dad. I got the books now. But our family needs that money.

Besides, it's like you said. The main vault will continue to refill my Trust vault for the next few years. Take the money and make sure that, when those years are over, we'll be able to keep sustaining ourselves and our offspring.

Don't let your pride as a parent interfere with your duty as our lord, father."

James looks from his son to the money pouch lying on the glass coffee table. And then, after a few minutes of silence, he takes the pouch off of the table.

Yet the man seems to prove that he can be both proud and just as noble as his son. He turns to William and holds out the pouch as he says:

"I want you to give this to our new Account Manager. He is to take this money as payment and start working on the royalties that my son should have been getting from the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing and all its merchandise.

I don't care about interest, but I want at least 25% of all the money the sellers have made off those products for the last 7 years."

Then Amos jumps up and states: "And let him know that, if the sellers try to be difficult, they can consider themselves sued by House Diggory. And that I will make sure to convince as many of my Allies to sue them as well."

James smiles at the man and William nods. He takes the pouch and Dobby seems to share James' anger as the POP is extra loud as he takes William out of here.

James turns to Amos, who winks and states: "I don't think any of those sellers would want to have Amelia against them. In court or in the sense of justice."

Sirius and I slump down in our chairs as both of us seem to feel emotionally exhausted after learning everything we did.

James thanks the man and then suggests that we'll just keep the contract for what it is and that we'll cover the rest either after the first or second book or at the end of next year.

We all agree with this, yet then Hermione asks James why he didn't ask for more financial returns from the royalties.

James smiles at her and says: "Your friend Ron will be able to understand this, Hermione. It's a strategic move."

Hermione and Lea both seem to have trouble understanding where my husband is coming from.

"I get it. It's because of the public. If you were to ask for more or were to ask for royalties that go further back, they'll be more likely to fight you over it.

You're taking them the chance to call you all kinds of things like greedy, while it's really your honorable right to want the money. Harry is your son, after all."

James nods at Mickey, yet then he argues that, while Harry is our son, the Boy-Who-Lived has become too much of a public icon.

"And I know the wizarding world, Your majesty. So I know they'll try to use this against me. By only asking for a quarter of the profits that were made over half the time that Harry's title has been part of our world – I have a proper rebuttal to silence them."

"But why should that matter? Why are you so obsessed with what other people think? Why do you keep letting them affect your decisions so much?"

Hermione argues, obviously upset.

James sighs, clearly as tired as I feel and answers:

"Two reasons. One, our world just isn't as big as the Muggle world. Because of that, no matter what someone does, they will always involve a good portion of our world, regardless.

And two, if there is one thing the wizarding world has always been – and has become even more under that Skeeter witch – it's opinionated.

The Daily Prophet of this last year has proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt, Hermione, you've seen so for yourself.

And if there is one thing my mother has taught me – it's to fight fire with fire and magic with magic.

They're opinionated – but I'm a Potter. And we Potters have been known for our stubborn belief in the truth for generations.

There have been 6 Potters who have silenced people like Skeeter by being publicly opinionated about the truth over the course of the last few centuries.

And each and every one of them got one thing at the end; they were left alone by the public at large. And trust me, one of them was as famous back then, back in 1441, as Harry is right now.

So basically, I'm just trying to make history repeat itself in the benefit of my family."

Harry and Hermione share a large grin as James finishes and I just know that they heard my husband's unspoken words:

"Dumbledore wants to use the public to put down and break my son. Well, now I'm going to use that same force to break him."

And just the way that James is seated – his arms crossed, a smug grin on his face and his right lower leg resting on his left knee – sends a clear message; even if Dumbledore's not here to receive it;

"Game on, old man.

You're up against Prongs now."

After about half an hour, Bill returns to our quarters and tells us:

"Everything has been arranged. The Account Manager was only too happy to take the gold and start demanding the royalties from the sellers.

I also went and offered both him, the Weasley and the Diggory Account Manager the job of managing the new vaults for you and your friends, Lea.

The Diggory one wants to meet with the King and Master Yen Sid first, but the other two were only too happy to take extra clients.

Just talk with your friends and decide amongst yourselves who you'd rather have. And no, not me, I prefer my job as it is."

The statement at the end makes a few of us either giggle or snicker.

Good one, Bill.
So originally, this was NOT where this chapter was going to end. I still had more of the contract notes that I wanted to cover and I wanted to cover the history behind male pregnancy as well.
But unfortunately, life got in the way. I will try to write and post the rest of the 25th as soon as possible, but it might not be until the end of May.
Hope you enjoyed,

Venquine1990