Title: Unusual Inheritance
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: None
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Susan, or Su Li, or Tracey, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: While staying at the Leaky Cauldron after his 'incident' with Marge, Harry finds out that he has an unusual inheritance. One that could change the course of his life forever.
After a round of hugs from Jean Granger for everyone, including Lavender who she only met ten minutes earlier, Su lead the procession through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾ as the threat was much more imminent on the Magical side of the barrier.
Su emerged onto the Platform, dressed in slightly loose black slacks, hiking boots, a long-sleeved red blouse and a black vest. Su's dark hair, that went to the bottom of her shoulder blades, was in a tight braid that Lavender had been happy to do for her rather than its usual loose ponytail and cross slung on her back was a long, thin soft felt bag, usually used to carry Pool Cue cases or Obo cases, which held her sword.
Harry was the next one through the portal, and he was dressed in a smart but casual pair of jeans, sneakers and a long-sleeved polo shirt. With a short haircut, which exposed the famous lightning bolt scar on his head but gave his hair a 'tousled' look rather than his former messy style, and his new stylish square cut glasses Harry looked less like a malnourished and pathetic orphan and more like a cool and sophisticated, but not pretentious, upper class young teen.
The new glasses, obtained from a Muggle optometrist to a new prescription, had then been Enchanted. Not by one of the so-called enchanters that had stores in Diagon Alley, but were really hacks that did 'Ministry Sanctioned' charms on objects that faded quickly. No, the Enchantress who had done the work was a real professional. She had not used spells, instead had done a runic array on the insides of the arms of the glasses that repelled water, prevented most casual damage such as scratches to the lenses and finally toughened the frames to make them much more resistant to breaking.
Hannah and Hermione came through next, with Lavender coming through last pushing the luggage cart that had all of their trunks, which had been shrunk down to a third of their normal size and placed sideways on the cart. All three of the girls were dressed in jeans and blouses in their own preferred styles. All five of them were also wearing protective necklaces similar to the ones provided to Jean and William Granger, but these were intended for Magicals not Muggles, so the natural magical field that extended a half inch beyond a Magical's skin constantly charged the crystal. The girls' necklaces were silver and had exactly the same protections as the ones given to Hermione's Parents. Harry's one was made of white gold and had a few extra protections, which included a poison detector for both food and water.
The platform was fairly quiet as the Express was not expected to depart for another forty minutes and most Wizards were lazy and only arrived ten to fifteen minutes before departure, or two to five in the Weasley's case. To maintain her cover, Tracy would be Flooing in fifteen minutes prior to departure.
The group quickly found a compartment and Su placed the Trunks in the overhead racks, expanding them back to normal size with a tap of her Wand after putting each one up. They all settled down into their seats with Harry, flanked by Su and Hermione, in the forward facing seats, while Hannah and Lavender were in the rear facing ones.
"Su, I think for Hermione's benefit, you should repeat the Security Briefing from this morning." Harry said.
"Understood." Su replied.
Su spent the next hour explaining the recent escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban and the 'Security Measures' put in place by the Ministry, which Su considered a joke as it mainly consisted of posting Dementors, the same guards that Black had already bypassed to escape from Azkaban, despite the objection of the Head of Magical Law Enforcement and Professor Dumbledore. She also explained why Black had been sent to Azkaban, for betraying Harry's Parents, and the reports of Black repeating 'He's at Hogwarts' just prior to his escape.
"Why now?" Hermione asked when Su had finished her briefing.
"Why now what?" Lavender asked.
"Why would Black escape now?" Hermione reiterated. "It can't be because Harry is at Hogwarts because he has been there for two years already, and as Black knew Harry's Parents he would know when Harry was scheduled to go to Hogwarts. It seems that Black is after someone else, someone who he just learnt was at Hogwarts."
"Brilliant as always, Mione." Harry said with a grin.
"That changes parameters. Black may not be a threat, but we can't bank on that." Su mused. "I will formulate a possible contact scenario, so long as it does not compromise Harry's safety. Do you have any other questions? They are quite insightful."
"Only what your sources are, but I know you won't answer that." Hermione replied with a slight shrug.
The group sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments until the door abruptly slid open and Ron walked in.
"Harry, Hermione. I've been looking for you." Ron said as he walked in. "Rest of you out, this compartment's ours."
"Ron." Harry said, waiting till Ron actually looked at him and the redhead's eyes widened at Harry's new look. "Firstly, that was rude. Secondly, if you had bothered to read the letter I sent you two days ago, you would know that as I am now Heir Presumptive of House Potter and that everyone in this compartment are my Retainers."
Ron started to go red in the face, partly from embarrassment but mostly from anger. Harry just sighed, beyond tired of Ron's attitude.
"Ron, tell me, what did you do in the last three days?" Harry said in a patient tone.
"Not much. Played some Quidditch with my brothers, listened to the latest Cannon's game. Went swimming in the pond." Ron said with a shrug.
"I spent no less than nine hours dealing with the Gringotts Goblins, spent seven hours going over the latest laws and judgements passed by the Wizengamont and another four for the Ministry Directive. Six hours were spent on exercise and another six shopping with multiple women." Harry explained.
"Bloody Hell." Ron said. "Why would you do that?"
"Because it is part of the job being Potter Heir Presumptive." Harry explained. "Ron, you have a tendency only to see the good that happens to me and ignore the bad. You are also quite cruel to Hermione on a number of occasions. I held on to the fact that you were my first friend and had no ground to interfere in your behaviour, but now I am responsible for the physical and mental wellbeing of my Retainers."
Harry gestured around the compartment to indicate all of the girls were under his protection.
"Given that, I must insist that, until you address your jealousy issues and apologise to each of the girls, individually and to their satisfaction, that we should no longer spend time together." Harry said.
Ron looked perplexed and turned to Hermione who gave him a flat look.
"Hermione is the one you need to apologise to the most, so don't expect her to intervene." Harry added.
Ron stood there for a few moments and then turned and left in a huff. After Ron left, Su leaned forward to lock the compartment door and then retrieved her sword from the felt bag and placed it besides her on the seat.
The group spent the next few hours chatting, allowing Hermione to get to know Su and Hannah in particular, having spent two year sharing a room with Lavender, and giving Hermione a chance to, not overly subtly, assure herself that the other girls were being treated well. This both amused the other girls and reassured Hermione that Harry was not mistreating them, not that she expected him to. Harry just took it as part of Hermione's nature and that she needed to confirm their treatment.
Eventually, a little over half way up to Hogwarts, Hermione wanted to get changed into her uniform and the other girls agreed, so Harry got up to leave the compartment and Su picked up her sword, clipping the scabbard to her belt, and joined him outside.
"Shouldn't you change too?" Harry asked in the deserted hallway as Su slid the door closed behind them.
"I told you, Sir." Su replied. "When we are in public I will be no more than three feet from you. The train counts a public."
"So…?" Harry said nervously.
"Yes, I will be changing when you do." Su confirmed, causing Harry to gulp.
Hermione, Lavender and Hannah had soon finished and exited the compartment to allow Harry, and Su, to changed. Harry closed the door behind them, and locked it, as he entered the compartment and turned to see Su had already removed her vest and blouse and was sitting on the bench in her pants and training bra, pulling off her boots, but she had not even gotten her trunk down to get her school uniform out.
"Ahh… Su." Harry stammered.
"Deal with it, Sir." Su said and she stood to pull down her pants, her sword on the bench beside her. "Your security comes first, even over your embarrassment."
"You're not going to be with me in the toilet or shower or anything, are you?" Harry asked.
"Not in the private quarters, but public bathrooms then yeah." Su replied.
She was now dressed only in her training bra and panties and she stretched up to get her trunk down.
"Need a hand with your trunk?" Su asked.
"Uh, no." Harry replied, his face fully red with embarrassment.
Harry grabbed his own trunk down, making careful to make sure he was facing away from Su as he changed. Soon enough they were changed and the other girls re-entered the compartment. They had not settled down for long when the Express shuddered to a stop.
"We can't be there yet." Hermione said.
Su's hands gripped on her sword.
"There's movement outside." Lavender said looking out the outside window.
A shadow fell across the blind covering the window in the door of compartment, and everyone felt cold.
TBC…
A/N: A cliffie. Evil I know, but it seemed the best place to stop.