Updated 5-25-24: Grammar, spelling, and story fixes.
update 8-29-24: upon serval differnat complaints from reviewers I've taken another look at this chapter
this is yet another chapter that has been updated but the something replaced my updated page with an older version. hopefully this fixes everythhing with this page at least.
Harry awoke late in the morning. Bleary-eyed and blinking the sleep away, he sat up and stretched. Looking around, he saw Hedwig was back, sitting on her perch asleep. A scroll of parchment was on his desk, bearing the wax seal Hermione always sealed her letters with. ["Because it makes me feel fancy, and I know my parents, whom I correspond with most regularly, find it hilarious," Hermione replied to his question, her voice dripping with the dry humor that fit her so well.]
Harry went over and opened the letter.
"Dear Harry,
I'm sorry, it sounds like you've already had a very trying but enlightening holiday. I'm sorry I can't be there for you in person. My family is preparing to go to France, near Nice, where my maternal grandparents live. I'll be staying there until August 1st. I don't know if Hedwig can fly that far, but please do try to keep me updated. I think we should get together and hang out soon after I return in August.
With love,
Hermione Granger"
Harry was happy for his friend; she had spoken about going to Nice several times toward the end of term before the whole debacle with Quirrell happened. Harry's mind seemed to go blank there as he remembered the pain and the terror of facing Quirrellmort, of watching the man die from the bites that Smara had inflicted.
"Maybe I should go back to the liaison office and ask about therapy..."
With that unhappy thought, he looked out the window just in time to see an owl winging its way toward his window. He threw the window open and stepped aside just in time for the owl to swoop in and land next to Hedwig, who barked loudly but didn't wake up.
Harry took the letter from the owl and opened it.
"Mr. Potter,
My name is Ted Tonks of the firm PhischTonks. I'll be glad to call at your relative's house this afternoon at 4:00 sharp when my office closes. Please return your address to me via this owl so that I can find you then.
Looking forward to our meeting,
Ted Tonks"
Harry quickly wrote the address and gave it to the owl, who then flew back off. He looked at the clock and saw 11:46. Harry made his way downstairs to find his aunt cleaning the kitchen. "Aunt Petunia, that solicitor that was recommended, replied to my letter and said he'd be here at 4 when his office closes."
I thought that his coming here would be better for you. I know how uncomfortable you are around magic, and since you're trying to help me out, I thought I would be cordial to you as well.
"Thank you for the warning, Harry, but don't think this will get you out of your chores. Go get changed and go weed out the back garden; it's completely overgrown. Go and get Dudley up and tell him I said he is to help you
It's time he gets his own chores to do." When Harry was by the stairs, his aunt called out, "And make sure Dudley doesn't rip out any of my flower beds."
Several hours later saw a showered and cleaned Harry sitting at the kitchen table, writing out a complex essay from his summer homework (the application of charms in everyday life and how they coincide with Muggle appliances). Harry figured it was Flitwick's way of educating the pureblood students properly about Muggle society. Aunt Petunia was standing over his shoulder, reading silently as Harry explained how cleaning charms were less effective than Muggle cleaning solutions, using Pledge as an example, when a knock came to the door, and his aunt hurried off to answer it. A few moments later, a short, portly man in a pinstripe suit and fedora, looking very much like the worst idea of a 1930s gangster, appeared. Harry half expected him to start by saying, "Myah see."
"Mr. Potter," the man extended his hand and shook Harry's. "My name is Ted Tonks. I believe you have some things to discuss with me?"
"Yes," replied Harry and Petunia in unison.
"I want," started Petunia, who paused so Ted directed his attention to her.
"I want to help Harry get emancipated in my world and yours. He's a danger to my family. Two days ago, he and my husband got into a shouting match, and when Vernon performed some light corporal punishment, that demon he calls a pet popped up and petrified my husband." Harry picked up on Mr. Tonks' confused face. "Smara is a basilisk as old as Hogwarts. She once belonged to Slytherin himself. She's very smart, but she kind of adopted me as her kid, and when Vernon put his hands on me, she wouldn't listen when I told her to stay hidden. I ran out into the back garden and just shot spells off until someone from the Ministry showed up to help."
"Okay, so why emancipation? Then why not another family member?" Ted asks hesitantly, as if considering something.
"We think any other family will be detrimental to who Harry is as a person. His mental identity, as it were, would be endangered, as every person in your world treats Harry like a celebrity. Besides, the boy has no other family. I'm his mother's only living relative left, and he's the last Potter." Petunia explained, ending up sounding like someone telling a precocious five-year-old that two plus two equals four.
"The last Potter, yes, but what about his cousins?"
My wife, Andromeda Tonks, was originally Andromeda Black. She is a third or fourth cousin of your father; her mother was your grandmother's cousin. He is currently in jail for...well, it doesn't matter. Your godfather is also a cousin of your father, as his mother and your grandmother were sisters.
"Just for examples your family us ancient harry you have distant blood relatives you could go to." Mr. tonks explained gently with sad eyes
"No," said harry "no I prefer to be on my own, working on myself by myself. I can care for myself, and I don't like to be my own person. I wouldn't say no to getting to know your wife or you more personally if we really are related, but I don't think forcing myself into another person's house is exceptable.
Ted Tonks breathed out a sigh. "Well, I tried. Okay, fine, I'll help. I've done this a few times with Muggle-borns who are escaping parents who are trying to lock them away from the Wizarding World, and I can tell you just what you'll need to prove to the Wizengamot without a doubt."
"You will need to,"
1. Please provide a well-reasoned and substantial statement explaining why you require emancipation.
2. Maintain a high GPA. Although this is for older students and is more of a point of order, to
3. Be able to care for and provide for yourself: food, housing, and education, last but not least.
4. Have between three and five adult sponsors of good standing speak on or write a blood-sealed letter to the Wizengamot in support of your independence.
Mr. Tonks looked at them as this information sank in.
I do think I have to tell you that even a rich young future lord will find this a daunting job to perform. This process is mainly for fourteen or fifteen year old Muggle-borns trying to escape their overlyb religious parents, not a 12-year-old with a less than desirable home life. But nonetheless, you are the future lord of an ancient and noble house and the inheritor of at least one more. So the Wizengamot will most likely be sympathetic.
"Now our first order of business...is business...
"I have a 100 Galleon retainer fee, plus 5 Galleons per hour of work." Ted explained this in a very business-like tone, as if he were droning on in autopilot.
"Deal, you can bill it to my trust vault for now." Harry pulled out a gold key, taped it onto a small, stiff square of parchment, and numbers appeared on it. He then handed it to Mr. Tonks.
Excellent. The next order of business will be for you to get these sponsors. They can be anyone, even your aunt here..." In fact," he said, rubbing his chin, "she should definitely be one. But the more highly placed and influential the sponsor, the better. For example, the last time I did this, the person I was helping was able to wrangle the sponsorship of the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic herself. A lovely woman who unfortunately retired to the Bahamas last year. But you get my reasoning—the more influential a person, the better. But don't discount personal connections either. The Wizengamot will account for people who know you better than a seemingly random stranger; it seemed you asked for and acquired assistance via possibly unscrupulous means. Do you understand that, Harry?" Mr. Tonks asked.
Harry simply nodded. "I think I know some people to ask already."
"Alright, who, let me hear them," Ted looked expectant.
"Well, my aunt, obviously, but also a member of the Weasley family. I know Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry. Then there's Professor McGonagall." He looks over at his aunt. "No offense, but I know she doesn't support you having custody of me at all. Then perhaps my other friend Hermione's parents would help. I'm not too sure there. The problem is, I don't know many people in the magical world. Maybe you'd know some top people who would be willing to sign a sponsorship declaration?"
"Oh, yes, I think I know a few, but it would require you to leverage your celebrity status. Would you be okay with that?" Mr. Tonks asked.
"I believe so if it got the job done, at the very least."
"Okay, well, that's all you need to focus on. I'll send a potion to retrieve the property and financial records of the Potters from Gringotts, and that will take care of that. I'll also get your first-year grades and put those in the file as well. You're a Gryffindor, correct?" They both nod to each other. "Good. Well, Mr. Potter, good day. I'll attempt to get this all in order before your magical guardian returns to the country. Dumbledore will be the biggest thorn in your side."
"To my knowledge, he used his powers as Supreme Mugwump to give himself guardianship of you above all other choices in your parents' will that he then sealed. I was the one who drew up the document, but the original was presumed lost when Death Eaters burned down your family home in Godric's Hollow. Well, good night. I'll be in touch, Harry, and I'd send those requests out as soon as possible." Ted stood up. "May I use your back garden?" he asked Aunt Petunia.
"Oh, yes, why not?" Aunt Petunia replied. Ted nodded and walked out the back door a second later; a loud, sharp crack sounded, and the wizard was gone.
"Well then, Harry..." and she looked around. "Go and finish up the essay, then. If this doesn't work out, I want you out of this house as early as possible, and the best way to do that is for you to get the best grades possible. Do you understand me?" Aunt Petunia spoke and finished very snippishly as she stalked off. Harry went up the stairs and lay on his bed.
"It's been a very odd week," Harry spoke in Parseltongue.
"Why, hatchling?" spoke Smara with a voice like whispering velvet.
"Eh, it just is. You probably wouldn't understand unless you've lived my life until now. Like, my aunt has been weird sometimes. She acts like she normally does, and other times she's like this new person who treats me, if not well, than at least cordially, and who makes embarrassing jokes and witty remarks. People tell me my mother was like that." Harry tried to explain, but he felt he failed to convey his disquiet properly.
"You are young yet, small one. Your life is now in a state of flux. It is possible that your aunt sensed the change in you brought on by our bond and by your second defeat of the false one and has reacted like a scared quokka. However, she is sacrificing her comfort instead of her hatchlings to escape your presence," Smara explained.
"You have a very interesting way of looking at things... What's a quokka?"
"if I gave you all the answers how would you learn? the raven once told my father that once when he asked about a secret room she and the badger built somewhere in the castle. smaras sibulent hissing filled his mind and lulled him into sleep.
3 days past quickly enough he found that hedwig had no problem flying to Hermione it just took an extra day instead of a few hours so they were able to correspond twice each so far and she was off winging her way carrying his next reply.
he had also heard back from McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley
McGonagall had affirmed her sponsorship immediately. where as Mrs. Weasley denied his request saying that she could.not support a young man like himself living on his own,she did say how ever that he would be morenthan welcome the live there should his guardians agree to it.
the Granger were a big surprise they did not outright deny his request but asked to meet him amd discuss it in person becuase they did not really know him at all and only had Hermione descriptions tongo off was which they assured him was the only reason it wasn't a straight out denial.
he was expecting to meet Ted tonks again today but in this office. tlMr. tonks had told harry rather reluctantly about the magical wizard conference the "knight bus". he would be taking this Wizarding marvel to the leaky cauldron later today and walking to the offices of PhischTonks for his meeting. he was actually leaving early he wanted to get new robes that weren't school robes for the meeting his aunt had said looking smart was as important as being smart. which is why harry was to be found at 7:30 in the morning standing outside in the pouring rain amd wandering why he was sticking his wamd out in the air like an orchestra conductor who got lost during the show.
when suddenly with a loud pop and squeeling tires a violently purple triple decker buss flashed into existance 40 feet to his left and stoped right infront of him so quickly the entire bus stood of its front two wheels amd leaned dangerously forwarded. the show of this cuase harry to fall straight back especially as he felt the mirror barely missed his fingers.
suddenly the doors opened up and out stepped a man in in mid twenties" Hello and welcome to the most popular transport for the stranded witch or wizard just stick out your wand hand and we can take you anywhere you need to go...so long as it's on land. my name is Belamy Brax and I will be your conductor this evening." the man looked down and smirked "First time?" after a nod from Harry he helped him up "yea scared me half to death the first time too."once on board he asked harry. " so where to?"
"the leaky cauldron please". and with a bang they were off. "you're lucky, you're our only passenger right now you normally have to sit in queue first come first serve. As Harry stepped off the conductor said "Be seeing you!" and with a bang they were gone. Harry turned around blinking widely and shaking his head, he wandered off into the cauldron and then into the alley looking for the office building he was looking for. around 20 minutes later he sat in front of Ted Tonks in front of the man's desk.
Man this might be my longest chapter yet super proud of how popular this fiction is getting already
super big shout out to mike3308 who has left a comment on every chapter so far. I probably won't have time to write again untill the new year so I'll see you then