Saturday, 12th August

Severus arrived for the Order meeting precisely on time, not a minute too early nor a minute too late, appearing exactly when he was meant to.

He did this on purpose, of course, both to avoid wasting time beforehand, as well as - Merlin forbid - small talk. He wasn't going to waste what was left of his life making idle chitter-chatter with people he had very little, if anything at all, in common with and after the meeting, if need be, he could always claim he had a time-sensitive potion brewing at Hogwarts - the new school year was almost upon them, after all, so it wasn't a stretch that he'd have potions for the hospital wing to stock up on.

Of course, the problem with arriving precisely on time was that not everyone else did, and when he reluctantly stepped through the fireplace into Grimmauld Place, he found only four other occupants in the room; Black and Lupin - although given that they currently lived there, that wasn't much of a surprise - along with Arthur and Molly Weasley, the latter of which was currently screeching like a banshee at the aforementioned Sirius Black.

It wasn't an unusual occurrence, but nor was it common enough to have lost its amusement factor, so instead of turning right back around and returning to Hogwarts until Dumbledore deigned himself to arrive, he took a seat at the kitchen table to watch the spectacle before him.

Arthur gave him a nod as he passed and Lupin even went so far as to smile at him, but neither Black nor Molly seemed aware of anyone outside of their argument. He wasn't even entirely sure what they were fighting about - as far as Severus could tell, they appeared to be in agreement with each other, so why all this noise and anger?

He barely refrained from letting out a heavy sigh.

Gryffindors.

Truth be told, he didn't even need to be here today. It was an "optional" meeting, Albus had said, although the look in his twinkling blue eyes had quickly told him that "optional" was, perhaps, a thing that other people could apply to the situation, but not himself. He wasn't above ignoring that look and avoiding the meeting anyway, but Albus had also informed him of one very crucial fact - namely, that Harry Potter was to be in attendance.

The Head of the House of self-perseverance he may be, but even Severus Snape had to give in to his curiosity every once and a while, and so, he came.

"Sirius!" Lupin suddenly said, quite loudly - loud enough to momentarily shock the Weasley matriarch into silence which Severus was reluctantly grateful to him for. "Why don't we get some fresh air before the meeting starts, hm?"

Based on the look the wolf was giving the man, it wasn't much of a request.

Nodding, Black followed Lupin to the door like a scolded mutt following its alpha and Snape briefly wondered if such wolfpack structures transpired to werewolves as well and, if they did, where someone such as Remus Lupin fell among pack ranks.

He paid them no mind as they left, nor did he follow Molly's path back to her husband who was sitting at the other end of the table. Instead, he cast a quick Tempus and scowled as it revealed that not only was everyone else now five minutes late, but Albus - the bloody fool who had ordered him to be here on time in the first place - was five minutes late as well.

"Oh! Sorry, pup, didn't see you there… Hang on. What're you lot doing listening in behind closed doors?"

"I think you just answered your own question there, Sirius".

Oh, Merlin - the Gryffindor terrors were here too.

"Yeah, mate, kind of self-explanatory. So what's the deal with Harrykins here sitting in?"

Harrykins? Did he mean Potter?! Severus only just caught himself in time from turning to gawk at the open door. So the prodigal godson truly had returned…

"Well, your mother and Moony and I are still very much against it, but Albus is no doubt going to veto our opinion despite that so that doesn't mean much. And besides, you actually want to sit in anyway, don't you, pup?"

"Guess I'll be entertaining myself then".

Was that… Was that the youngest Mr Weasley? What on earth was he doing here?

"Nah, don't worry Ron, we'll keep you company".

"Yeah, Hazza over there is gonna shake things up enough already without us getting involved".

"So the least we can do is stay out of his way and bother you instead".

"... Actually, on second thoughts, I think I'd prefer to be alone".

"Well, the meeting will probably last an hour or two so… how about I show you boys where the Quidditch brooms are?"

"Really? That'd be wicked!"

"Pads-"

"Oh liven up, Moony! If they're going to be stuck here for another few hours then they might as well have some fun!"

And then, finally, at last, there came another, sixth voice.

"I'd say wait for me, but it's probably best that I go in already. I'll see you guys later, alright?"

It was a London accent, that much was for certain, which meant wherever he'd disappeared to for four years hadn't been abroad. He didn't have the same irritatingly clipped tones of his father either, but nor was his voice as soft and pleasant as his mother's.

"Yeah, see you later, mate. Have fun!"

"I'll try".

There was a heavy sigh, a clamour of feet running up the staircase, and then-

And then Harry Potter, the Boy Who bloody Lived stepped into the room.

After Albus had told him that the boy had been raised by the Dursleys, and even more so after he'd seen the memories the Headmaster had collected, Snape had been appalled. Spawn of James Potter or not, for any magical child to be under the loving care of Tuney was a horrifying thought to consider.

When he, along with the vast majority of the wizarding world had considered the boy to be dead after years of fruitless searching, he'd briefly thought to himself - good. It didn't originate from his malicious side or from any ill intentions; it was merely from the realisation that a child who had suffered immensely would no longer have to suffer at all. It was tragic, yes, of course it was - but it was also a form of freedom from a cruel, heartless world that had already thoroughly destroyed that child's life.

And then Albus had told him that the boy was still alive…

Petunia's memories had, at the very least, forced him to re-evaluate his preconceptions of the boy. He'd expected a spoilt brat before that fateful day, but clearly, when - or if - they found the boy, given his upbringing, he'd likely be the exact opposite.

And yet the apple never fell far from the tree, so Severus had still braced himself for a miniature James Potter and had mentally prepared himself for the sight before leaving the castle for today's meeting. A younger Sirius Black was also possible, given the man's undeniable influence on the boy over the last few days. He'd even prepared himself for a carbon copy of Lily, as unlikely as he knew it'd be.

What he hadn't prepared for was for Potter to be oddly Dark - for he had never met a witch or wizard this powerful who hadn't leaned into the Arts. His magic wasn't quite suffocating - not like how the Dark Lord's was at least, but it was still a very noticeable and very alluring presence in the room, and he found himself longing for the day that the boy cast an advanced Dark spell in front of him.

He clearly had a high level of control over his magic too, for him to reign it in like this - and wasn't that an interesting observation? Dumbledore had been brief in his explanation as to where the boy had been these past four years, merely stating that his relatives had sent him off to some muggle boarding school, so just how on earth had Potter known about the wizarding world? Much less how to find it, given that he'd apparently made his own way to Lupin's café. And who had taught him how to control his magic? Who had taught him… anything?

There was a lot that wasn't adding up here, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Once Severus had gotten over the shock of the boy's magic, he slowly started to take in the rest of him. He had no glasses, first of all, and dark hair that didn't quite reach his shoulders. There was an undeniable waviness to it but it was still surprisingly un-messy. It would appear that Potter Junior possessed one of the many, numerous skills that his father had lacked - that of finding a hairbrush. He was tanned too, but not as dark as his father, nor as light-skinned as his mother.

Between his physical appearance, the tailored robes, and the confident, capable yet admittedly unarrogant way that he held himself, he looked more like a Black than he did a Potter - which wasn't much of an improvement in Snape's books but at least he didn't see a miniature James. He didn't even see a miniature Lily which was harder to admit. The boy truly seemed to be… his own person.

The boy was also currently glancing him up and down - but not in that mocking, derisive way that Severus had expected. Instead, it was… calculating. Appraising. Almost as if Potter was curious about him.

"You must be Professor Snape".

"I'm not surprised that your dogfather has mentioned my name" he replied flatly, "I can only imagine what he has said about me".

He grinned, a quick flash of sharp teeth. "Only bad things, I assure you".

Severus had snorted before he could stop himself, feeling strangely out of sorts with the boy in front of him. He was undoubtedly not what he'd been expecting, even after he'd tempered his expectations based on what he knew of the child's past, but this was… this was something else, someone else, entirely.

He found himself studying the boy carefully, consciously aware of how Molly and Arthur had since fallen silent and were looking between them with caution. Potter was decidedly un-Potter-like. There was no brash arrogance, no resemblance to his father's irritating swagger, yet nor was there the pitiful image of a downtrodden orphan, broken by years of abuse and neglect.

Instead, Severus was facing a young man who met his gaze directly, with a quiet intensity that… well, it didn't unnerve him, per se, but it definitely hinted at darker depths he was quite sure neither the wolf, the mutt, or the Headmaster were aware of yet.

Like called to like, and all that.

Potter took the seat across from him without waiting for an invitation, folding his arms and leaning back. It was a casual, yet deliberate movement. "Sirius is definitely a biassed source when it comes to finding out more about you" Potter continued, entirely unapologetic and still sizing him up in that disarmingly calm way, "But Remus said that you're a genius at potions. One of the best makers in Europe, actually".

Snape blinked. He hadn't expected a compliment. Especially not secondhand from Remus Lupin, of all bloody people! His mind raced, trying to pick apart what this interaction was leading to. Was Potter attempting to manipulate him? Or was he, perhaps, simply speaking honestly? The boy's eyes gave nothing away, but there was a distinct lack of challenge in them. It was… perturbing.

"Is that supposed to endear you to me, brat?" he drawled, trying to regain control of the conversation, but much to his infuriation - and grudging respect - the boy simply laughed. "Not particularly, sir. I'm just here for the meeting; I'm not trying to win you over. Or anyone, really, but I was… curious, I guess. I've read about you, of course. Youngest Potions Master in Britain, a Master Duellist with multiple European titles, and the Order's inside man… although, I got that last bit from Dumbledore since, you know, that information being written in a published book would be bad news for everyone".

Severus's eyes narrowed again. The boy was being deliberately calculating, which, oddly, impressed him. Potter wasn't the type to flaunt his knowledge, as Granger did so insufferably. There was no eager hand raised in the air, no desperate need to prove his intellect. He simply knew things but he had no desire to parade it around. It was, Snape reluctantly admitted, an admirable quality.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" he said, though without the bite he usually reserved for such remarks.

Harry's lips curved into a small, almost mischievous smile. "I think I'm clever enough".

That answer - so direct, so unapologetically self-assured - caught him off guard once again. There was no boasting in his tone, no arrogance. Just fact. The boy didn't need to shout about his intelligence from the rooftops, and not for the first time, Severus found himself reluctantly respecting Harry Potter which was… distinctly unsettling.

He wondered if he could unsettle the boy back.

"You're nothing like your father".

"Severus!" Molly immediately exclaimed, clearly shocked and appalled and horrified that he would ever say such a thing, but he paid her no mind. Instead, he kept his dark gaze firmly on the teenager sitting across from him. He expected him to react - to bristle at the mention of James Potter, or to ask some defensive, self-righteous question about him. But he just raised his eyebrows in mild surprise and didn't so much as flinch.

"From what I've heard, no" the boy agreed easily, "Aside from being good at Quidditch, of course… I've been told I take after my mother in some ways, though".

Severus tensed slightly at the mention of Lily, but Potter's tone was casual, not provocative, not seeking connection, not invoking her name as some dagger or a shield. He felt a strange flicker of… was it appreciation? He crushed the feeling down immediately. Still, it was becoming harder to maintain his disdain for the boy in front of him. Potter was... different. There was a quiet strength to him, a sharpness that didn't need validation or applause. It was, Severus thought bitterly, everything James Potter had never been.

But this wasn't James. This was… Harry. Snarky, calculating, and far more intelligent than he let on. And despite Snape's every instinct to resist, he found himself genuinely liking the boy.

"Well then" he said, leaning back in his chair, "I suppose we'll find out just how clever you are, Potter. Dealing with the rest of the Order will most certainly be a… challenge".

The boy in front of him grinned; his teeth far sharper than they had any right to be. "I do so enjoy a good challenge, sir".

Severus couldn't help the twitch of his lips in response. "We'll see about that".

What a strange, curious little creature he was…

Here was the Boy Who Lived, unbothered by Snape's scrutiny and oddly reminiscent of a Slytherin in how he withheld his thoughts, met his gaze head-on, and exuded a sense of purpose that made him undeniably intriguing.

The conversation between the two dropped into a comfortable silence, although, judging by Molly's furtive looks, she didn't find it particularly comforting. Arthur was looking politely interested but also wary, as if he were watching two predators sizing each other up in the wild, wondering if they were about to draw blood. They sat there, still appraising one another, and Severus found himself genuinely curious. There were layers to this boy - shadows and secrets that he could all but feel radiating off of him.

He didn't plan on telling the Dark Lord about Potter's return; the Vow may have clear conditions, after all, but how he navigated them… That was entirely within his own hands. Yes, the Vow compelled him to fight for the Dark's goals, to not tell anyone anything unless they already knew or the Dark Lord allowed him to, and to spy on Dumbledore and the Order and tell the Dark Lord any important information that might come up.

Harry Potter, alive and well, returning to the wizarding world at last, kind of seemed like important information.

Luckily for him, the Dark Lord had not made him vow to tell him this important information immediately, so as long as Severus kept telling himself that he would, eventually, tell him that Harry Potter had returned, then the Vow's parameters would still be met.

Merlin, how he loved loopholes.

But even if Albus hadn't ordered him to keep this information out of Lord Slytherin's grasp for as long as possible… he honestly didn't believe that he'd have told him anyway. The boy was sarcastic and cunning and actually appeared to possess some semblance of a brain - a miraculous first in his bloodline; Lily's doing no doubt - and he found himself beyond curious to see how Potter would react to whatever life threw at him.

There was a sudden whoosh from the fireplace - Albus, finally. Severus straightened slightly, his mind whirring. The old man would no doubt take Potter's return as cause for some elaborate speech or a sanctimonious platitude about good overcoming evil... But he knew better.

This boy was a storm waiting to be set free and Severus was content to sit back and let Potter's plans unfold - to let his, dare he say, darkness, reveal itself as it saw fit.

He wondered, distantly, just how much chaos was about to be unleashed on their world.

Sirius and Remus returned mere moments after Dumbledore arrived and the Headmaster was soon followed by four other strangers who were quick to introduce themselves to Harry.

The first, a tiny excitable man with a white moustache and a purple top hat, shook his hand so hard Harry was worried it was going to fall off. "Dedalus Diggle, Mr Potter, it's an honour to meet you at last! We've met before of course, though you were so young at the time I doubt you remember-"

Harry did remember. The old man had bowed to him once in a shop when he'd been with the Dursleys, and Petunia had been so furious that she'd yanked him out of the store without buying anything. Now, of course, the interaction made far more sense.

"Hestia Jones" a young woman said, her dark hair done up in an elaborate braid.

"The duellist?" Harry asked with interest, and her cheeks flushed an attractive pink even as her eyes widened in surprise. "Yes. How did you-?"

"Everything shall be explained in time, my dear" Dumbledore interrupted, gently ushering her along. Another witch took her place, older and stately-looking with an emerald green hijab that matched her eyes perfectly.

"Emmeline Vance" she introduced herself, inclining her head in greeting, and he quickly did the same.

"And finally" Sirius said, dramatically swinging open both arms, "this is my most favourite cousin in the whole wide world!"

The last member, a young witch with a heart-shaped face and truly impressive spikey bubblegum-pink hair let out a heavy sigh but accepted the hug all the same.

"Don't let Mum hear you say that; she'll disown me!"

"My… second favourite cousin, then" Sirius corrected, squeezing her once before letting go.

At Harry's confused look, Remus took pity on him and smiled. "This is Nymphadora-"

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" she snapped with a shudder, "It's Tonks!"

"-Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only" he finished.

"So would you if your fool of a mother had called you 'Nymphadora'" she muttered, getting a playful swat over the back of the head from Sirius. "Oi! Don't you insult your mother like that, young lady! She is, after all, my first favourite cousin!"

"Like you've got many to choose from!" she shot back, "How is your Cousin Cissy these days?"

"I wouldn't know" he replied airily, "How's your Cousin Dragon?"

"I wouldn't know" she mimicked, "But at least I'm not first cousins with dear old Bella!"

"No, you're just her niece! And guess what? First cousin trumps aunt".

"... Damn".

Harry's head was spinning, but if his recollection of the Black family tree was correct, then that would make this witch-

"You're Andromeda Black's daughter?"

"Andromeda Tonks, if you will" she said, spinning around to face him and almost falling over in the process, "She really hates being reminded who she's related to".

"Oi!" Sirius protested behind her, but they both ignored him. Instead, Tonks took a step forward and glanced Harry up and down.

"You know, you look just like I thought you would". Then suddenly, she frowned. "A bit skinnier, perhaps… And I kind of thought you'd be taller too".

"You and me both" he replied dryly, and she snorted. "Oh, I like you! Perhaps you can be my new favourite cousin then since Sirius is already taken".

"I think I can do that".

"Excellent!"

She took the seat next to him, and after everyone else found their own places around the room, Dumbledore, standing at the head of the table, spoke up.

"Now, if we may begin" he started, "I apologise for my tardiness - I just received a missive from Kingsley; he's been delayed at the Ministry along with Sturgis and Elphias. Mundungus, too, passes on his regrets that he cannot join us today; it would seem that he has also been otherwise… detained".

Based on the scoffs and shaking heads surrounding him, Harry hazarded a guess that this was not the first time this 'Mundungus' had found an excuse to skip a meeting.

"So we shall just have to continue without them" Dumbledore continued, "And our first order of business, of course, is welcoming young Mr Potter back into our world! I trust that nobody has any objections to him being here?"

"Any objections?" Mrs Weasley exclaimed, "Albus, it is truly wonderful to have Harry here, back where he belongs, but surely you cannot think it a good idea for him to sit in on this meeting?"

"And whyever not, my dear?"

"Because he's fifteen years old! He's the same age as my Ronald! He's just a- a- a boy! A mere child!"

Harry felt himself bristle at her words but before he could say anything, Sirius spoke up instead.

"Just a boy? Just a child?! Molly, this child not only managed to make his way into the wizarding world by himself, but he also found me and Remus! In Diagon Alley, no less! Without any help whatsoever! Not to mention the fact he managed to teach himself magic for the past four years without a single person to guide him! Do you honestly believe that your average fifteen-year-old could do that?! He might be young, but for Merlin's sake, he's hardly a child! And he most certainly does not deserve to be treated like one!"

Harry's cheeks flushed in surprise, not used to such open praise - or, if he were honest, not used to anyone speaking up for him quite so firmly. He felt a faint, uncomfortable warmth in his chest, part embarrassment, part a feeling he couldn't quite place.

Mrs Weasley pressed her lips together, unimpressed. "Oh, Sirius, that's all well and good, but it's hardly the same as preparing to face real, dangerous threats, is it? And I know he's got some knowledge of magic, but he doesn't have experience-"

"Experience!" he interrupted with a scoff, "How else is he meant to get experience without jumping right into the heart of things? If Albus was suggesting that he join the Order; that I would have a problem with. But there's no harm in him listening in for an hour, especially when he actually wants to listen in himself! It's his choice to be here; not yours".

Harry felt more than one gaze land on him after that, and it took all of his self-control not to flush even further underneath the sudden scrutiny.

"Molly" Dumbledore said, his voice calm but his expression unreadable, "I understand your concern, but I assure you, Mr Potter has already demonstrated exceptional maturity and… resourcefulness far beyond his years. He was not forced into this meeting today; he decided to sit in himself-"

Which was stretching the truth more than a little, but Harry decided not to call him out on it just yet.

"-and besides, perhaps we will even benefit from his perspective and views of the world. I'm sure there is much that we could learn from him" Dumbledore finished, with a nod in the boy's direction.

He was really laying on the grovelling a bit thick, but Harry wanted him to stew in his guilt for a while longer - it was the least the old man deserved. Mrs Weasley sighed and shook her head, but her face had softened and he knew that she'd given up the fight.

"Alright" she said reluctantly, "If you think it's for the best…"

"I do, my dear" Dumbledore finished, his blue eyes twinkling, "And with that matter settled, let us begin".

Harry hadn't been quite sure this morning what a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix would entail, but he certainly hadn't expected there to be so much arguing.

"-then he's a bloody fool!"

"Of course, he's a bloody fool, mutt, that isn't news to anyone!"

"Don't you start with me, Snape-"

"Don't either of you start! For Merlin's sake, Pads, there are far more important things to discuss than whether or not Severus is trying to wind you up!"

"Bold of you to assume I even need to try".

"Severus!"

"But why is the Minister being so stupid? If Professor Dumbledore-"

"Ah, well, you've put your finger on the problem there, my dear. I'm afraid I've rather fallen out of Cornelius's good graces these days".

"Why? Because you dared to say that Lord Slytherin isn't what he appears? And Fudge is just, what? Going to trust him over you? After everything?! Slytherin's only been in the door five fucking minutes-"

"Less of that language, if you please, Nymphadora!"

"Sorry, Mrs Weasley. I only meant to say that-"

"-Lord Slytherin had only recently joined Wizengamot and the Minister is a bloody fool for taking his word over Albus-"

"I think we've already covered the fact that the Minister is a bloody fool, Pads".

"Still! What's Slytherin got on him to have Fudge believing him so easily?!"

"We all know just how persuasive the Dark Lord can be-"

"Well, you would know, wouldn't you?"

"Sirius!"

"I believe that Cornelius is merely frightened of me".

"Frightened? Of you?! What on earth for?!"

"It's common knowledge, my boy, that many expected me to take the Minister's position after Ms Bagnold retired. It was only when I refused that Cornelius was given the position instead".

"So, what, he's scared that you're going to try and take his job off of him? But you have no interest in being the Minister for Magic!"

"And we all know this, of course, but as Severus said, Lord Slytherin is no doubt as persuasive as ever. If he's whispering things in Cornelius's ear…"

"Then his paranoia is going to get the best of him which is why he now considers you the enemy instead of You-Know-Who".

"Precisely, my dear".

"It seems that Fudge has become fond of power now, and much more confident than his earlier days. He loves being Minister for Magic, and he's apparently managed to convince himself that he's the clever one and Albus is simply stirring up trouble for the sake of it".

"How can he think that? How can he think that the Headmaster would just make it all up?!"

"Because accepting that Voldemort's back would mean trouble like the Ministry hasn't had to cope with for nearly fourteen years. Fudge can't bring himself to face it. It's so much more comfortable to convince himself that Albus is lying and trying to destabilise him".

"So, what? The Minister's just going to sit back and wait for You-Know-Who to strike?!"

"That would require him believing that Lord Slytherin actually is You-Know-Who, which clearly, he does not".

"And meanwhile, Lord Slytherin is wriggling his way into the good graces of every lord in Wizengamot and no doubt gaining more and more political power by the second!"

Harry quietly cleared his throat. "Is that really so bad?"

There was a beat of silence, and then, almost as one, every single person turned to look at him. Whether that was because it was the first time he'd spoken up, or because of what he'd asked, he wasn't sure, but either way, he wasn't going to speak again until someone answered his question.

"... Is what really so bad, pup?" Sirius finally replied.

"Lord Slytherin gaining political power" he said with a shrug, "As far as I can tell, that's the best possible thing he could be doing right now".

"... You do realise that he's You-Know-Who, right?"

"Yes, Remus, I do realise he's Lord Voldemort" Harry replied dryly, before rolling his eyes as the majority of the table flinched, "But him taking the political route to get what he wants is exactly what you want, isn't it?"

They all stared at him blankly.

"You're gonna have to explain that one, pup".

Harry sighed. "Alright, then let me put it this way. Has he murdered anyone yet?"

Sirius reeled back in shock, as did many of the others. Dumbledore, however, leaned even closer with what appeared to be curiosity in his twinkling gaze.

"No, my boy, he has not".

"Has he tortured, maimed, and/or otherwise injured anyone yet?"

"Not that we are aware of".

"Has anyone gone missing under mysterious circumstances yet?"

"No".

"Well then". Harry gestured. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal, you daft boy, is that the Dark Lord is now a duke!"

"And?" he pressed, cutting off his godfather before he could start his typical anti-Snape tirade.

"And that gives him a lot of power, Harry" Molly finished, not quite patronisingly but also not quite not, "We don't expect you to know the ins and outs of the Wizengamot structure, so perhaps you should leave this discussion to those who do".

"With all due respect, Mrs Weasley, I can't help but feel that I know far more about this topic than you" he replied bluntly, "Tom Slytherin is now the Duke of Lincoln which, although is the largest dukedom by area, it is not the most powerful. There are currently three dukes required to sit in court, twenty-two hereditary peers, and twenty-five life peers. Whatever bills that Lord Slytherin wishes to pass must go through all fifty members before being voted on".

"But being a duke grants him more power" Snape countered, "At the end of the day, it is only the dukes that are able to accept or reject a bill passed by Wizengamot".

"Provided that the majority of those dukes are in agreement" he shot back, "Standing Order Thirty-Seven declares that if a division be held upon a bill, that bill shall not be decided in the affirmative unless the Members voted in the majority in support of the motion… Slytherin can't pass anything without the agreement of at least one other duke, regardless of their political party".

"Given that one of those other dukes is a Malfoy, the question is moot!"

"Is it?" Harry asked with a smirk, "Because, and please correct me if I'm wrong sir, the third duke is a Black".

"And?! You said it yourself, Potter, it's a majority rule! The Dark Lord and Malfoy make it two against one, or, since your tiny mind seems incapable of basic arithmetic, it makes it the majority!"

"But how certain are you that Lord Malfoy will vote in Slytherin's favour?"

That threw him. Sitting back in his seat, Snape frowned as if suddenly bewildered by the absolute absurdity that had just come out of the boy's mouth. Which, you know, Harry could understand, given that-

"Pup" Sirius said, especially slowly, "Harry… it's Malfoy".

-but what they were failing to understand was-

"Exactly". He grinned. "The husband of Narcissa Black".

-who would do anything to keep her family safe.

"I'm afraid that your godfather's familial bonds aren't quite as strong as that, my boy" Dumbledore said with a fond if somewhat indulging smile.

"They don't have to be". He shrugged. "Because Narcissa Malfoy has no idea that I exist".

"... Okay, I am officially lost" Sirius announced, "Pup, in plain English, please".

Harry sighed and leaned forward in his seat.

"The current Lord Black holds the most powerful noble title in the wizarding world. The current Lord Black is also, coincidentally, childless. The current Lord Malfoy would do absolutely anything to protect his family. And the current heir to Lord Malfoy is also the son of a Black… You see where I'm going with this?"

They didn't - until Snape suddenly straightened up because of bloody course it would be a Slytherin who finally caught on.

"The next Duke of London" he murmured, almost in awe.

"The next Duke of London" Harry confirmed, "As far as the Malfoys are concerned, Sirius doesn't have an heir. Should something happen to him, it'll cause a power vacuum. And the only one with any real claim to the title-"

"-is young Draco Malfoy" Dumbledore realised.

"Exactly. Lucius Malfoy turned his back on Voldemort the first chance he got once he realised that his family would lose everything if he didn't. Whether or not he still follows the Dark Lord is irrelevant - he's not going to do anything that could harm his wife or son" he explained, "Now, by playing nice with Sirius on the other hand…"

"He might think I'll name Draco my heir, or at the very least not claim any heir, thereby increasing his chances of claiming my title after I'm gone" his godfather finished, "If there's one thing that man loves as much as his family, it's power".

"Either way, it's a win-win situation for us".

Mrs Weasley shook her head. "I won't disagree that Lucius Malfoy wants the best for his son. No matter what my personal feelings about the man are, he does appear to genuinely care for his family… but I don't believe that that will automatically make him vote in Sirius's favour instead of You-Know-Who's".

"He is slippery enough to find a third option" Mr Wealsey agreed, turning to Dumbledore, "Is there one?"

The Headmaster thought, carefully, before slowly nodding. "It is well within his right, as a duke, to simply abstain from voting. If he were to remain seated during the discussion of a bill, there would be no repercussions… For a man in his position, it would certainly be the safest option".

"Which would make it one against one" Mrs Weasley said, "Putting us right back to where we started-"

"No" Harry interrupted, "It doesn't. Either Malfoy sides with Sirius to keep his son in the running for a second dukedom, in which case you win, or he abstains from voting, in which case the numbers for and against are exactly the same… but Standing Order Fifty-Seven declares that in the event of an equality of votes, the bill isn't passed unless the Chief Warlock uses a casting vote to tip the numbers in the bill's favour. And given that the current Chief Warlock is seated at the other end of this table, I'd say that's a win for you as well".

They all considered his words carefully, with even Snape looking reluctantly impressed. It wasn't a foolproof plan, of course, but it definitely gave them an advantage that they hadn't otherwise thought of at the start of this meeting.

Remus gave him a side-eyed look. "Not thinking of going into law, are you?"

Mr Weasley laughed. "With a mind like that, I wouldn't be surprised if he were the next Minister for Magic!"

"I think I'll just try surviving to seventeen first" he replied dryly.

"Where on earth did you even find out about all of that?!" Sirius exclaimed and Harry gave him a deadpan look. "In your library".

Remus snorted and the older man sent him a betrayed scowl.

"How truly wonderful it is to see the world through young eyes" Dumbledore said, "Mr Potter is right, of course - Lord Slytherin may find himself up against more political adversaries than he initially accounted for. It might not stop him from achieving his goals completely, but it will certainly delay them".

"Doesn't that just give him more time to rebuild his army though?" Tonks asked nervously, and the Headmaster inclined his head. "Perhaps… but it also gives us more time to find a way to defeat him once and for all".

Those blue, blue eyes were looking at Harry as he said this, and something uneasy started to unfurl itself deep in his chest. Was Dumbledore expecting him to defeat Voldemort 'once and for all'? Did the old man even know how the Dark Lord had returned yet? Was it even possible to defeat him again?

"Well then". The Headmaster abruptly clapped his hands together and stood up. "I believe that we've had quite the productive meeting this afternoon, and it's always best to end things on a high note... I believe we can also all agree that young Harry here is more than capable of joining us as we move forward".

"Albus" Sirius warned, his voice low, closer to a dog's growl than anything human, and Dumbledore quickly raised a calming hand. "I know, I know, my boy, you do not wish for him to officially join the Order just yet-"

"Or ever" Remus added darkly, his own gaze holding just a hint of more gold than usual, and across from him, Harry noticed as Snape briefly tensed up which was… interesting.

"In an ideal world…" The Headmaster trailed off, before shaking his head. "Very well. The Order's inner workings shall remain off-limits for Mr Potter - at least for the time being".

Sirius opened his mouth to protest, but Harry caught his eye and shook his head ever so slightly. There was no arguing with men like Albus Dumbledore, and they usually always got their way in the end. Harry would be glad to prove the old man wrong when the time came, but that time was most certainly not now.

His godfather frowned and gave him a curious look, but thankfully remained silent. Around them, the various witches and wizards started standing up, some stretching cramped limbs, others heading for a shrieking teapot, more not-so-subtly lunging for the plate of freshly baked cookies and chocolate squares that Remus had levitated over from a kitchen counter.

Harry stood too, noticing Snape standing uncomfortably by the stove and fully intending on striking up a conversation with the man - but before he could, he found himself enveloped in a warm, squishy hug.

"That was some seriously impressive work, pup" Sirius murmured into his curls, too low for anyone else to hear, "But don't you dare think for one second that this means you're getting dragged into any of this nonsense".

Harry smiled, hugging the man back just as fiercely and breathing in the familiar scent of one of his many, numerous leather jackets.

"Oh, I don't know about that" he teased, "I happen to think that my nonsense might just come in handy one day".

Sirius barked a laugh, ruffling his hair affectionately as he pulled back, and Harry found himself automatically leaning into the touch, still feeling starved of it even after a week of living with these men.

"Not if Moony and I have anything to say about it, it won't!" his godfather countered, "Now come on, let's go grab some treacle tart before my second favourite cousin steals it all".