"Master," he softly said. "For many years I have awaited―"
"Sssilencccce," the voice snapped.
He instantly obeyed.
A long moment later, the voice said, "You may look upon me, my slippery friend. Look upon what I have become."
Malfoy allowed his eyes to rise. Finally they were on the small homonculus form. He was horrified.
"M-master!" he blurted.
"This is what I have become, Lucius," said Riddle. "For me to regain my true form, I have already devised a solution. It is already in play.
"First, though, tell me of what you have been up to these past thirteen years. If I am unhappy with what I hear... have no qualms, you shall be punished."
It was more than three hours before Malfoy was 'allowed' to leave. When he did, he could barely walk from repeated Cruciatus curse exposure and had a massive headache from repeated Legilimency attacks.
However, he also had his own task to complete. One he both didn't know how to accomplish and thought endangered his life so effectively he did not see a way to survive it.
His biggest problem was how he could get into Hogwarts with the dark mark on his arm. The dark lord would not remove it and only smirked when he claimed so. From the... man's... reaction, he expected Malfoy to figure it out on his own.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As the time to the March sitting of the Wizengamot approached, on the Saturday before - the thirteenth - Harry had already been alerted to a meeting of the Alliance having been called, just as with the previous month. This time it was being held at Bones Manor and again during the afternoon.
The Heirs all trooped up to the Headmistress's office and flooed direct from there.
One of the main items of business was the escape of Dumbledore from auror custody. And Harry had to firmly bite his tongue from saying anything. Just prior to the meeting he told both 'his' girls that they weren't to talk about it and both replied they wouldn't.
However, the full Alliance all agreed that, if Dumbledore was spotted, Marchbanks would be immediately alerted so that Harry's whereabouts could both be confirmed and his security alerted.
It was during the meeting he also learned that his personal protection had again been increased. But their location would only be made known, even to him, when he was away from the castle. He was also told that same security was watching over both his girls and Astoria, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
He'd be willing to 'allow' it to continue if it meant his girls and protectee were also protected. He knew there was no risk to them from Dumbledore, but it meant they'd be protected from Malfoy and his ilk as a 'side effect'.
Because Daphne was now under concubinage with Harry, it was Astoria who sat behind her father during the meeting; even though that wasn't the case at the previous meeting. Daphne was with Hermione and the other 'ladies' in their own meeting.
Samuel told him after the meeting that her mother insisted and Samuel admitted to not wanting to sleep on the couch in his study for something so minor.
When Harry chuckled in amusement, Samuel said, "Just you wait until it's your turn, Harrison. We'll see who's laughing then." But, Harry was glad to see there was no spite in the man's voice or expression when he said so.
"You may rule the family, Lord Potter," the man had added. "But, it is the ladies who rule the manor... and the bed."
That shut Harry up. And it was Harry's subsequent expression which caused Samuel to grin back.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Three days later and because there were no criminal matters to deal with, Harry was able to stay later for breakfast before making his way back to the apartment to change into his Wizengamot robes.
By the time he was changed, classes had already started; so he met no one on the walk from the Lords' Quarters to the Headmistress's office.
Less than a minute after arriving, he was escorting Lady Marchbanks - not Headmistress Marchbanks - across the floor of the atrium to the security gates. Again, he was immediately surrounded by aurors.
Almost snarkily, he said to Lady Marchbanks, "Look how important the aurors consider you to be, My Lady; to have all these strapping young aurors escort you."
She cackled in amusement and gave him that little arm tap she appeared fond of using. Only one of the aurors, he saw, turned a smirk on him.
Harry had to admit, at least to himself, he loved making the old witch laugh. Her laugh sounded like the old crone witch that used to appear in Bugs Bunny cartoons he very occasionally managed to get to watch at the Dursleys.
That led him to thinking about them. He'd try to remember to ask Madam Bones about the result of that matter, when he had a chance.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
With no prior criminal case, Harry had settled into his seat to wait the meeting out until it came to the second reading of the Bill on Ministry inspections of commercial sales of potions ingredients.
He'd spent a little time, here and there, writing down his 'speech' as a speaker against. He even researched how the Statute was first posited and implemented, together with the why's. And included that, where relevant, in his speech.
When it came time, he was surprised to discover he wasn't that nervous at all. Daphne had told him he wouldn't be if was prepared.
After the second reading, the Chief Warlock called for a speaker against and Harry rose to be recognised. No one else did. The looks of surprise on other faces led him to believe no one thought someone would speak against the matter moving to become a Statute; or, in this case, an amendment to an existing Statute.
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