Chapter 21: The Master of Death?
Thanks for reading and reviewing.
I did a rewrite of this whole story. So, if you are coming on at the tale end, you might want to go back and reread it. It flows much better and many of the plot holes are gone. That'll teach me to get a job and write at the same time. Lol.
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Harry and Tom had a great time blowing shite up, but it didn't solve their problem about Dumbledore. They needed to get in touch with Waters, or his associates. Waters deferred them to his partner Barnes, who was a solicitor. Barnes was more than happy to take on the case. He looked over the contract and saw that there was indeed a clause that any of Harry's followers could do the deed and Harry would get paid.
He filed the petition for the case to be brought up in front of the Wizengamot. It got put on the docket in a matter of a week. It was a high-profile case, and they wanted it out of the way fast. That and the Dark Lord wanted it done, now. And since he was in charge of the court, they did what he said.
Barnes also filed for the suit over the invisibility cloak and wanted that done as soon as possible. He didn't have high hopes for this one though. There was no precedence. As it was, Harry had no guardian and no one to speak for him.
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The date for the court cases came up and Dumbledore dragged his feet the entire time. The last thing he wanted to do was give up the invisibility cloak and give Harry his money. He felt that he was entitled to both.
The Wizengamot was hearing both cases on the same day. It had taken some finagling, and quite a few bribes, but they got it on the same docket.
The 1st case was over Harry's invisibility cloak.
Dumbledore went to sit in his Chief Warlock's seat but was recused almost immediately.
"Dumbledore, what do you think you're doing?" asked Madam Bones, stopping him before he even got to his throne like chair. There was no way she was going to let him even close to that chair.
"I am going to go sit in my seat," he said, irritated that she would question him. He was doing what he always did. This should not be different.
"You can't sit there. This court case is about you," she said as if she was speaking to a child. "You cannot preside on your own case," she reiterated, pointing to the respondent's chair. "That is where you need to be," she stated.
"I am sure that I can be impartial," he said, not budging from where he was standing. If he didn't preside, then he might lose. And he couldn't lose. If he did, he would lose a lot of standing with his followers, and that would be bad.
"No, you cannot, go sit over there," she said again, still pointing to the chair opposite of the defendant's chair. "Madam Marchbanks will be taking over," Bones stated, looking at the very old woman who was the next in line to be Chief Warlock.
"Very well," he said through gritted teeth, seeing that he was not going to win this argument. There were too many people glaring at him and nodding their heads. He marched over to the chair she had been indicating and sat down. He was the only one at the table. He noted there were some documents on the table and started thumbing through them. They were the defense documents.
When Barnes noticed he was doing that, he snatched them away and snarled at him. "Keep your nose out of my case," he snapped.
"You should not leave them where others can read them," Dumbledore said primly. He was glad he got a peek; he now knew the defense of at least one case.
Madam Marchbanks took the seat, banged her gavel and started the proceedings. "Everyone be seated," she commanded, her voice carrying throughout the courtroom. It was magically enforced. "We are here to discuss the case of Harry Potter versus Albus Dumbledore over the possession of the Invisibility Cloak. Harry Potter, present your case," she stated, banging her gavel once again.
"Albus Dumbledore has been in possession of Harry Potter's invisibility cloak since the last war. It was given to him by Harry Potter's father, James Potter, as a loan before they went into hiding. He has been neglectful in giving it back to him. It is not his and we demand its return," said Mr. Barnes, shuffling through his papers.
"Mr. Dumbledore, do you not have any representation?" the Chief Warlock asked, looking at the old man who was sitting smugly by himself.
"No, I do not feel I need anybody to represent me. I feel that Harry Potter does not deserve this cloak. James Potter gave it to me to hold until such time that Harry is responsible enough to obtain it," Albus stated, looking over at Harry and giving him a condescending look. It was as if he was stating that Harry was not mature enough to be given that responsibility.
"I don't believe that that is your call, Mr. Dumbledore," said Mr. Barnes, though he knew it was a flimsy defense. He had been trying to come up with a legal way to get the cloak back, but without a guardian, it was up in the air as to what the Wizengamot would do.
"And who are you to make such a call?" Dumbledore asked, looking down his nose at the solicitor.
"I am an attorney at law. And the law states that that cloak belongs to Harry Potter. It is a family heirloom, and it belongs to the Potter family, of which you are not," he stated, hoping that if he couldn't get it to Harry, at least he could get it back into the vault.
"He is not an adult," Albus stated, looking smug again. "He has shown me time and time again that he is not mature enough to handle the responsibility," he reiterated, making a grand gesture to the courtroom, like he was doing the boy a favor by holding on to the cloak for him.
"Nowhere in the law does it say that. Besides, he asked me, an adult, to obtain what is his property," the solicitor tried, though his phrasing just confused the hell out of everyone.
"I am his legal guardian," Dumbledore stated, throwing that tidbit out there. He'd been saying it for so long that he believed it.
"No, you are not," Barnes stated, pulling out a document. "Harry Potter is a ward of the court," he said, giving it to the bailiff to show the parchment to Marchbanks.
She looked it over and nodded, that it was a fact that the teen was a ward of the court until he was 17. Or emancipated.
"Of which I am the head," the headmaster said, nodding regally. He was going to win this case. He was sure of it.
"Again, no you are not," Harry's solicitor said, trying for one more gambit.
"I am the Chief Warlock," Dumbledore said, looking at the man like he was barmy.
"Harry Potter is a ward of the court of the muggle world," was the comeback.
"Harry Potter is a magical child," Albus said slowly, looking around confused. He wanted to gage the Wizengamot and make his point. "I am the head of the magical court." Once more he held out his arms in a grandiose gesture.
"That does not give you the right to withhold his property," Barnes said, getting angry. He knew he was losing and there was little he could do about it. Why did Black have to die? If the man had lived, he could have gotten the cloak.
"Yes, it does."
"I'm sorry to say, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Dumbledore is right," Marchbanks said, looking over the paperwork on her desk and listening to the arguments. She didn't like it, but the old man was right. Not that she could call anyone old, but she didn't like Dumbledore.
"But, Madame Marchbanks, it's Potter property. It should belong to Harry Potter," Barnes almost pleaded. "Can we at least get it remanded into Gringotts? It can stay in the Potter vaults. Harry can't get in there until he is 17," he asked, going for his last-ditch effort.
"Yes, I think that is and excellent solution. Dumbledore, you are to hand over the cloak to Gringotts at your earliest convenience, within the next three days. If it is not, then you will face prison time. For each day you dally, you will face a week in Azkaban," she stated, banging her gavel.
"That's not fucking fair," stated Harry, who had wanted his cloak back now.
Dumbledore was silently fuming, but also smug. Harry wouldn't get the cloak until he had time to find a way to contain the boy. But he wouldn't have it either. He needed to make more plans.
Tom watched the calculating eyes on the headmaster's face and didn't like what he saw. He might just have to get rid of the old man, sooner rather than later.
"I'm sorry, that is my finding," Marchbanks stated, giving Harry a contrite look. She felt for the boy. She knew he had so little from his family, however it was the law.
"On to the next case," cried the bailiff, banging his staff, like it was ceremonial.
"This is the case of Harry Potter versus Albus Dumbledore. I see that it says that the Headmaster did not pay Harry Potter for the vanquishing of the Dark Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter, present your case," Marchbanks said, banging her gavel and nodding to Barnes.
"We have a contract here that states that if Harry Potter vanquished the Dark Lord Voldemort that he should be paid a grand total of 10,000 galleons. Albus Dumbledore reneged on that contract," the solicitor stated, being as succinct as possible.
"Mr. Dumbledore?" the Chief Warlock asked with a lifted eyebrow. It was an open and shut case.
"Harry Potter did not Vanquish Voldemort, his subordinate did," the headmaster stated, running his hand down his beard in a knowing fashion, like he was wont to do.
"It states in the contract that anybody working under Harry Potter could do the deed and the contract would still be fulfilled," Barnes stated, handing the contract to the bailiff to give to Marchbanks.
She took it, read it and then looked at Dumbledore. "Does it state that, Mister Dumbledore?" she asked, seeing what he would say.
"Yes, it does. But I did not know it was in the contract," the old man said, like that made a difference. His eyes were twinkling in all innocence.
"That does not matter. If it is in the contract, then the contract is still valid. You must pay the man," she said, banging her gavel. Like she thought earlier, open and shut.
"But he is a minor. Therefore, the contract is not valid," Dumbledore stated, trying to get out of it another way.
"You paid me for taking care of your first Dark Lord. You must pay me for taking care of your second Dark Lord. You validated the first contract; therefore, you must validate the second contract," said Harry, a bit too cheekily. He really should let his solicitor do the talking.
"Is this true, Mr. Dumbledore?" Madam Marchbanks asked, leaning over her podium.
"Yes, I did pay him for the first Dark Lord," Albus sighed. He knew he should have never paid the brat.
"Then you obviously entered a contract with him. You must pay him for the second contract. Pay him in full by the end of the month, or you will see prison time," she stated, banging her gavel with finality.
"Very well," the old man sighed again.
"I find this case closed," she said, banging her gavel one more time.
"Ain't that some shite," Harry said, grinning from ear to ear.
"I'll thank you not to use vulgarity in my courtroom, Mr. Potter," Marchbanks said as she rose from her chair.
"Sorry, ma'am," Harry said, not looking the least bit sorry.
"So, you won your cases," Tom said, coming up to him when the courtroom was clearing out.
"Not like I had hoped, but yeah," Harry said, shaking Barnes's hand and thanking him for well fought cases. "I wanted the cloak," he lamented, looking menacingly at Dumbledore.
"At least it will be in your vault," the mini Dark Lord stated, thinking that was the best place for it.
"So, Dumbles, will I be seeing my pay soon?" Harry asked, going up to the man, taunting him like the petty teen that he was.
"I do not believe the Dark Lord is dead," the old man said, looking at Harry's scar and smirking.
"Oh, that, yeah, I got rid of that, and I can prove it," the teenager said, calling out to Bill Weasley who was in the public gallery. "Hey, Bill, can you come here a moment?" he said, waving his hands frantically to be seen over the crowd of people trying to make their way out of the room.
Bill heard him and made his way over. "What's up, Harry?" he asked, looking at the three of them with confusion on his face. He had no idea what the teen could want from him.
"Tell Dumbles that the Horcrux in my scar is gone," he requested, shocking the curse breaker, who hadn't known there was one in the facial disfigurement.
"Hold still," Bill said, getting out his wand and running it over the scar. He did four different tests and finally sighed. "There is no Dark magic of any kind in that scar. There is definitely no Horcrux," he stated with decisiveness.
"Are you 100% positive, Bill," Albus asked, knowing a Weasley wouldn't lie to him.
"Yes," the curse breaker stated, looking at the man gravely.
"Very well," Albus sighed for the hundredth time that day. "You will have your money by the end of the month," he said, and turned and walked away.
"There goes a very defeated man," Tom said, shaking his head. He decided to let the man live as long as he didn't fuck with him or Harry. And Hermione of course.
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Three years later, Harry Potter was now 17 and was waiting to get into his vault. He had been itching to get ahold of his cloak for years.
The past three years had been good for him. He dropped out of Hogwarts after his OWLs and studied magic on his own. He had enough money to live a life of luxury with what his parents and Sirius had left him. He learned all he needed from the Black Family Library and what he could gleam from the muggle world. He was still powerful, more so than most magicals.
Hermione stayed in Hogwarts but was still a good friend. She visited every summer, and he would go see her on Hogsmeade weekends. They communicated via the mirrors Sirius's painting had hooked him up with. They were the only ones like them in the magical world, though Harry was thinking of mass producing them. He'd make a killing.
Surprisingly, Tom and Hermione hooked up when she turned 17. He had taken a liking to her and asked her out as soon as she was of age. His Death Eaters were shocked and dismayed at first, but she soon proved her mettle. She had no problem dealing with them when they were idiots, though she never used Unforgivables.
"You're going to vibrate right through the floor," Tom said as Harry stood waiting for the goblin to open his vault.
"I'm just excited," Harry said, moving forward when the doors started opening.
"Harry, wait," Hermione said, wanting to wait until the green smoke cleared.
But he didn't wait, he just squeezed through and moved into the vault. He dashed around looking for his invisibility cloak. He wasn't finding it anywhere. "Where is it?" he asked the goblin.
"Over there," the cart goblin stated, pointing to a package that was wrapped in brown paper and string.
Harry moved to grab it and tore it open. He whipped it out and threw it over his shoulders. "Well, what do you think?" he asked his friends as his body disappeared.
"I think it's fabulous," Hermione stated, clapping her hands in glee. She was just so happy for him.
"How old is that cloak?" Tom asked, just now thinking about it.
"Old," Harry said, looking towards the goblin, who might know more.
"It is over 500 years old," he said, rubbing his chin as if he too just realized how old that item was. It must be a very valuable treasure.
"Harry, didn't you say you have the Resurrection Ring?" Tom asked, looking at the goblin sideways. He knew goblins didn't gossip outside of Gringotts, but what he'd do with that information inside…? Harry had told both of his best friends about it, but only after they had taken vows.
"Yeah?" Harry said, questioningly. He didn't know where this was going. Then it dawned on him, and he stared at the cloak with amazement. "Do you really think?" he asked, looking at Tom.
"I really do," Tom clarified. He too looked at the cloak with awe.
"Think what?" Hermione asked, getting frustrated.
"That this is a Deathly Hallow," Harry stated, thrusting it in the air like it was a prize trophy.
"That means you have two," she squealed, and then looked thoughtful. "I think I know where the third one is," she said in a hushed whisper as if anyone could hear them miles under London.
"Where?" asked Harry, leaning forward.
"Dumbledore's wand," she said, looking around the room like the man would pop up any moment.
"That makes so much sense," Tom said, nodding his head like many things were coming together.
"Should we go after it?" Harry asked, getting a greedy glint in his eyes.
"That, my dear man, is up to you. You have the other two, not us," Tom stated, taking his girlfriend's hand and moving them a bit away as if to separate them from the problem.
"You know what? I think I'll just let it lie for now," Harry said, thinking he could get it anytime. He didn't need to make devious plans. The next time Dumbles pissed him off, he'd just summon the wand to him. It would be that simple.
"Sounds like a plan."
"If you are done," the goblin said, tapping his foot. "Some of us work for a living," he snapped, making hurry up motions with his fingers.
"I'm done," Harry said, taking the cloak off and shoving it in the bag that he had brought just for its transportation. "Come on, let's get out of here," he told his friends, nodding to the door.
So, the three of them left Gringotts and went back to Grimmauld Place, where they spent most of their time. Sirius was happy to see the cloak and told many tales of its use in his glory days.
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It only took a week for Harry to get that wand. Albus Dumbledore heard about his having the cloak and tried to get it from him. It was a losing battle from the get-go. Harry summoned his wand and Albus was left defenseless.
"Wow, looks like you lost," Harry said to the old, old man. "Maybe you should retire," he added, squinting his eyes at him.
"Be a dear boy and give me back my wand," Dumbledore asked, holding out his hand like he would be obeyed.
"That would be a no," Harry stated, tucking the wand into his inner pocket, and waving. He then turned and walked away. He left behind a crowd of very pissed off people, who had come to see the headmaster take him down a peg.
Now Harry Potter was the Master of Death, which he found out didn't mean a god damn thing. It was all a fairytale. But they were still powerful items, and legendary. He was going to hold them in his family for as long as he could.
Tom would go on to rule magical England with Hermione by his side until he died at the age of 158. Then she died soon after. Their children took over as rulers, so it was okay.
Harry Potter married a girl no one had ever heard of, Mary Bright. She was muggleborn and had attended Hogwarts two years ahead of him in Hufflepuff. They had three children, and so the Potter name lived on. He taught them his type of magic and never sent them to Hogwarts. He and his wife lived until they were over 180 years old.
And they all lived Happily Ever After.