Harry Potter, Wizarding Savior?
Harry in his anger at the Headmaster after the death of Sirius finally burns through the Memory Charm that the Headmaster cast on him just before third year and comes to some surprising revelationsHarry Potter, T, English, Fantasy, chapters: 21, words: 50k+, favs: 7k+, follows: 3k+, updated: Nov 10, 2011 published: Sep 28, 2011, Harry P., Daphne G.
Chapter 1
Harry Potter, Wizarding Savior?
Harry walked through the halls of Hogwarts just minutes after being released from the Headmaster's office. His thoughts swirled around many things including the Prophecy, his injured friends, and the death of Sirius. The more he thought about it, the more furious he became with the Headmaster. Slowly as his anger built, a massive pain shot through his forehead and he passed out.
At roughly the same time Daphne Greengrass was walking down the corridor and spotted Potter as he collapsed. She strode over to check on him, but as she checked to insure that he was still breathing, he moaned and began to regain consciousness.
"What happened, Potter?" asked Daphne.
"I feel like I just got trampled by a herd of hippogriffs." Harry blinked his eyes in an attempt to focus and as they did so, the occupant of his field of vision became recognizable. "Greengrass?" asked Harry in surprise.
Daphne nodded, "Yes. I saw you collapse, so I came to make sure you were alive."
Harry replied, "Why? I assumed most Slytherins would be ecstatic if I died."
Daphne bristled, "Not all of us are Malfoy's mindless little sycophants, Potter. Since you seem to be fine, I will be on my way."
As Daphne rose and began to turn around, Harry said, "Wait. That was rude of me, and you have my apologies. I'm sorry."
Daphne quirked an eyebrow in appraisal, but at the sight of the apparent sincerity on his face she sighed, "Very well." Then, she held out a hand to help him up from the floor.
Harry smiled as he stood with her aid and then shifted holding her hand into a handshake and said, "How about we start over? I'm Harry Potter."
Daphne smirked, "Daphne Greengrass, Lord Potter. I'm honored to make your acquaintance."
Harry started, "Lord Potter? Oh, that son of a bitch."
Daphne jerked back in surprise, "I didn't think Gryffindor's Golden Boy spoke that way."
Harry gave her a piercing look, "Don't call me that ever again. After this revelation, I doubt anyone will ever dare to use that moniker again."
"I'm confused. What revelation? Who's a son of a bitch?"
"The Old Man. He's been keeping things from me. The goblins brought me in to explain my heritage to me when I was 13, while I was staying in Diagon Alley after I blew up my Aunt Marge. Dumbledore obliviated the knowledge from me after he found out because he didn't want me to be able to take my rightful place in the wizarding world. He thought if I did, then he might not be able to control me or my destiny. That's why he has insured that I have not returned to the bank since. He doesn't want them to discover that I've been memory charmed."
Daphne's jaw was hanging open momentarily at this diatribe, but then she recovered herself, "How did you suddenly remember, and why are you telling me of all people? We hardly know each other."
Harry took a deep breath, "This affects you as well, but you don't know it, since the knowledge was obliviated from your father as well. The goblins are well aware of what the Old Man is up to, but since most wizards won't pay any attention to the findings of what they consider to be lesser beings, they can't really do anything about it. Come, with me. We have a lot to talk about, and then you are going to need to send an owl to your father, and have him go to the goblins to have the memory charm removed. I'll send them an owl to deduct the cost of the procedure from my vault."
Daphne shook her head, "I'm not going to go anywhere with you until you explain what is going on."
"I can't do it here. There is too much chance of being overheard. Can you write a message to your father and get him to meet us at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"How would we get there, Potter?"
Harry grinned mischievously, "Dobby?"
With a pop the little elf appeared, "What would Master Harry Potter be liking his Dobby to do for him?"
With that Daphne pulled ink, quill and parchment from her bag, and drafted a letter stating the importance of him coming to the Leaky Cauldron to meet her and Harry Potter immediately. Dobby took the note and disappeared with it as by this point Harry had explained to him exactly what he wanted done. A few moments later Dobby returned, and said, "Lord Greengrass is saying that he will be there in fifteen minutes, Harry Potter, sir."
"Excellent, Dobby. If you would, take Miss Greengrass and I to meet with him."
"Certainly, Harry Potter, sir." Harry held out one hand to Dobby, and the other to Daphne. Dobby took Harry's hand while Daphne took the other, and away they went.
Upon arriving at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry and Daphne took seats at a table and waited until Rupert Greengrass entered the pub. Harry rose and introduced himself while holding out his hand, "Harry Potter, Lord Greengrass. I'm honored to make your acquaintance."
Rupert took his hand and shook, "As am I, Lord Potter." Then, he turned to Daphne, "Now, what is so urgent that you have snuck out of school to see me?"
Harry cleared his throat, "That was my doing, sir. I believe we should retire to a private room, because what I have to tell you is going to be most upsetting."
The three of them grabbed a private parlor and after the tea was served, Harry asked, "Would you be so kind as to cast a spell to keep people from eavesdropping, then we will begin."
Rupert turned and cast the spell and then said, "So, what precisely is this about?"
Harry replied, "I'm afraid that Albus Dumbledore has cast a Memory Charm on you, Lord Greengrass."
"How would you know that?"
Harry sighed, "Unfortunately, the memory that he removed from you pertained to me. He also stole something from you. The reason I know is because the goblins told me when they were finally able to explain to me that I was Lord Potter. Information that our illustrious headmaster was desperately trying to keep from me. So, once he discovered that I had found out about my heritage, he Obliviated me as well, and has since prevented me from coming to Diagon Alley, so that the goblins don't find out about the rest of his duplicity."
"So, what about that would be necessary to remove from my memory, as I have no connection to the Potter family."
"You have more of a connection than you think. The Potters and the Greengrasses signed a marriage contract to be executed the next time that there was a female Greengrass and a male Potter of the same age. Daphne and I are the first to satisfy the requirements since the contract was signed four generations ago."
Daphne gasped and then began to tremble with anger at this knowledge. Harry patted her on the elbow, "I'm sorry, Daphne. I was shocked when I learned of the contract, and I can only imagine that you will have a much worse reaction. I'll understand if you hate me, but know that I will always do my best to make you happy, since the contract has no loopholes."
Rupert grimaced, "So, I take it that I was aware of the contract?"
Harry nodded, "Yes. The Headmaster apparently Obliviated you and stole the contract shortly after my parents were killed, because he didn't want anyone to interfere with his plans for me. He knew if you were aware of the contract that you would have demanded your right to foster me as your ward, and he wouldn't have been able to manipulate me into being his subservient little weapon. Also, he wouldn't have been able to put the block on my magic, since the old bastard is terrified of anyone surpassing his power."
Rupert sucked in a breath, "You have a block on your magic?"
Harry nodded, "Yes, according to the goblins it is holding back approximately sixty percent of my magical power."
Daphne shook her head, "That's not possible, Potter. You're already one of the most powerful wizards in the school. For this to be less than half your power.." she trailed off as her father caught her and the ramifications of such a concept washed over them.
Harry chuckled, "Exactly. I'm not the first wizard he's done this to. He did the same thing to Riddle. It was this knowledge that turned Riddle to the Dark Arts in order to break the block, since unfortunately for him he wasn't rich, so the goblins paid him no mind."
Rupert asked, "Who is Riddle?"
Harry shook his head in exasperation, "I swear I wish I could figure out what the old man is up to keeping that information from the general public. Tom Marvolo Riddle, better know as Voldemort was Head Boy at Hogwart in the 44-45 school year."
"You're kidding."
Harry shook his head, "No, and we need to get the Memory Charm removed from you, and get to a copy of the contract. There is one in the Potter Family Heirloom Vault. Luckily, the old man only has access to my trust vault and the Money Vault."
Daphne broke in, "I still don't understand. He stole the contract and Obliviated my Dad just so that we wouldn't foster you. That doesn't make any sense."
"There's more to it than that. He has plans to force me into a marriage contract with Ginny Weasley. He's actually already tried to do it once after he had himself declared my magical guardian, since he had my parents will sealed."
"Why would he want you to marry Arthur's daughter?" asked Rupert.
Harry sighed, "I don't know if Ginny is in on it or not, but Molly definitely is. Arthur doesn't know anything according to the goblins, but Molly signed the contract that Albus tried to have filed with the Ministry and the goblins. The goblins pointed out that only a Head of House could sign a contract, not self appointed guardians. The Ministry refused to recognize the contract, since it hadn't been signed by a Head of the House of Potter. We can only assume at this point that he intends to coerce or manipulate me into signing it to make it legal."
"I still don't understand why they want you to marry Ginny."
"According to the goblins, the contract states that upon my death, half the Potter fortune will go to the Order of the Phoenix, and the other half to Molly Weasley. That's why I'm unsure if Ginny is aware of what they are up to since she wasn't going to get anything from the marriage. The goblins have a copy of the contract that the old man attempted to file. The plan was for me to take a copy of it to Arthur as the Head of House Weasley, and have him deal with Molly. So, I need to get to Gringotts as soon as summer begins. I have no doubt that I will have to dodge whoever my Order stooges are, but I'm going to need help to get away from them. That's where you come in."
Rupert gritted his teeth, "I can't believe I'm about to do this, but assuming that I have a Memory Charm removed by the goblins and all of this is accurate, you will have an Oath of Fealty from House Greengrass, Lord Potter. It seems as if my family's vaunted neutrality is at an end."
Daphne turned to her father in open mouthed astonishment, "Are you serious, Father? We're going to declare fealty."
Her father smirked, "Daphne, if the contract is real, you're going to have to do it anyway as you will be a Potter. If that's true the rest of us will stand by you, which means we stand by your husband as well."
Harry's expression faltered for a moment and then he slumped, "Thank you. I hate putting your family in this situation, but in reality, I didn't do it. Now, that this is done, I need to be alone for awhile."
The look of absolute melancholy that came over Harry's face softened Daphne's heart just a pinch, and she reached over to pat his hand, "What's wrong, Harry?"
He sighed, "My godfather was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange a few hours ago. I would have much preferred not to have to deal with this, but I was so angry at the old man that my magic destroyed his Obliviation, and with you being right there at the time, I felt it prudent to take care of the situation, so that we can begin to counter him. Now, I would like to return to the castle and settle down for the night."
Rupert nodded, "Of course, Lord Potter. I will attend with Gringotts first thing in the morning and we will meet the day after the train runs. The house elf that brought you here tonight should be able to get you there." He stood and apparated away, while Dobby came and took Harry and Daphne back to the school.
Upon arrival, Daphne looked at Harry. She said, "I know this is just as overwhelming for you as it is for me, but I promise that I will try to make the best of it. I will see you in a few days, Harry."
Chapter 2
Harry returned to Hogwarts with Dobby and Daphne and then with a nod to her, he walked back towards Gryffindor Tower. After a long nights sleep, Harry got up and went to breakfast the next morning, where he was confronted with his friends for the first time since returning from the Ministry. Hermione rushed forward and grabbed him in a hug, while Neville clapped him on the back in a brotherly fashion.
Hermione asked, "Harry, are you alright?"
Harry mutely shook his head, "No, Hermione, but I will be. Sirius wouldn't want me to wallow for long, but I still need a little time."
Ginny butted in, "Of course you do, Harry. Everyone needs time when someone important to them dies. It's just a natural part of grieving. If you want to talk, know that we are here for you."
Harry gave Ginny and then Ron a puzzled look. In his mind, he was wondering if either of them knew of their mother's duplicity, but decided that was something to worry about another day.
The six of them sat down to breakfast, where several people gave Luna an odd look for sitting at the Gryffindor table, but one look at the expression on Harry's face dissuaded any of them from commenting. In a spare moment where none of his friends were paying close attention to him, Harry caught Daphne's eye and nodded at her. She almost smiled in reply, but settled for an indifferent nod in return.
In truth, Daphne wasn't quite sure how to react to the knowledge that she was Harry's betrothed. The idea of doubting that he was telling the truth about the contract never even entered her mind. She had spoken last night after returning to the dorms with Tracey about it. Sitting at the table she reflected back to that conversation.
She walked into her dorm room in the dungeons with a dazed expression on her face, and Tracey immediately pounced on her, "What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen your own death."
Daphne sat down on Tracey's bed and shrugged, "In a manner of speaking, I may have."
"What do you mean?"
"I just discovered that I am subject to a betrothal contract that was signed by my great-great grandfather. Since I barely know the boy in question, that could be interpreted as death."
Tracey's eyes widened. Betrothal contacts were pretty rare in this century, but had still been common practice a hundred years ago. "Who are you betrothed to?"
Daphne shook her head, "I can't tell you that, yet. I promise you'll be the first person I tell, but I just found out about it, and apparently there has been an attempt at Line Theft, so the situation is complicated."
Tracey gasped, "Who would be crazy enough to attempt Line Theft. If the Head of House of the victimized lines demands it, they can claim your magic."
Daphne shrugged, "I don't know if my betrothed will be able to claim the magic of the real culprit, since he was acting as his guardian at the time he attempted it. Whether magic will judge him responsible remains to be seen. We have to get to Gringotts and see what the contract actually says."
Tracey asked, "Have you not seen the contract?"
Daphne shook her head, "Until last night, I didn't even know it existed. So, I just have to wait until we get off the train. Trust me, I will let you know who my betrothed is as soon as possible, but this is information that can't be released inside this castle."
Tracey chuckled, "With all the cloak and dagger, you would think you were betrothed to Harry Potter."
Daphne leaped forward and placed a hand over Tracey's mouth, "Don't even jokingly make comments like that. You know the walls have ears."
Tracey's eyes widened as the implication of Daphne's reaction descended over her mind. The possibilities and ramifications of such a union whirled through her brain, while all she could do was nod dumbly and mumble, "Merlin."
The two continued to talk about betrothals in general for awhile before bed, but nothing of consequence was mentioned once their year mates came into the dorm.
The last few days of term passed without any happening of note, except one all important conversation with Dobby. Harry managed a few discreet nods to Daphne, which she returned in kind, but Hermione hovered too often for them to have a conversation.
The conversation with Dobby was much more dramatic. Harry called him when he finally had a moment away from Hermione, who was practically babysitting him.
"Dobby."
Dobby appeared immediately, "What can Dobby be doing for Harry Potter, sir?"
Harry asked, "Dobby, are you bonded to Hogwarts or are you still free?"
"Dobby do being free. Dobby can leave and find work elsewhere whenever Dobby being wanting to, but Dobby likes it at Hogwarts and most wizards isn't wanting to be paying house elves."
Harry grinned, "Dobby, I would love to pay you if you would come work for me."
If it were possible for anyone to jump out of their skin, Dobby would have done so at that moment, "Dobby has always been hoping that Harry Potter would be asking Dobby to work for him."
Harry's countenance grew grim, "As a free elf, would you still be bound to keep my secrets, Dobby?"
Dobby bobbed his head, "Of course, Harry Potter, sir, a house elf always be keeping masters' secrets. Dobby would be honored to keep Harry Potter's secrets."
Harry nodded, "Good, Dobby, I want you to come work for me, and your first task will be to get me from the train station when it arrives at Platform 9 ¾."
"Where is Dobby to be taking Master Harry Potter?"
"I don't know yet, Dobby, but as soon as I do I'll let you know."
Outside Hogwarts, however, Rupert had been to Gringotts and had the memory charm removed and was seething with the knowledge that he could have been fostering Harry for all these years. Rupert knew the contract would basically give Harry control of the Greengrass family as the dowry. Rupert would remain Head of House until his death, but the title would pass to one of Harry's heirs, not one of the Greengrass cousins. If Harry had been living with him, he could have groomed the boy to handle the idea of being Lord of four different lines.
Over this rumination in his mind Rupert grinned. Dumbledore wouldn't know what hit him in the next meeting of the Wizengamot when Harry took all of his votes away from him. Unbeknownst to most of the Wizarding World Dumbledore had been voting the Black proxy since Sirius went to Azkaban, and the Potter and Peverell proxies since James' death. Rupert, as one of the leaders of the neutral faction of the Wizengamot knew that a lot of the older families had more than one vote that only had to be split up if the controller had two heirs. Most of them were savvy enough to only produce one heir to keep the votes in the family. The Malfoy's actually controlled three votes, and if Lucius hadn't been captured at the Ministry, he would have been doing everything he could to obtain control of the Black vote through Narcissa. Luckily, Harry had the best claim, since Sirius had named him his heir in the will. Rupert had used his connection to Harry by the betrothal contract to get a sneak peek at Black's will.
Back at Hogwarts, the students were getting on the train, and Daphne brushed against Harry, and deposited a note in one of his pockets. Harry nodded at her to confirm that he felt the note, and then went into a compartment with his friends. As soon as possible he excused himself to the loo, and pulled the note from his pocket.
The note read, My father and I will be waiting for you at the Leaky Cauldron as soon as you ditch your handlers.
The rest of the train ride was quiet with the Ministry Six letting Harry sit quietly and stare out the window. Hermione fretted, but thought back to what Neville had said just before getting on the train, "Hermione, I know you're worried about Harry, but you have to let him grieve in his own way, or the only thing you're going to accomplish is to drive him away, and while I will still talk to you, most of Gryffindor wouldn't even acknowledge your existence if it weren't for Harry. Don't drive away the best friend you've ever had."
The thought that Harry might finally get tired of her nagging and tell her to go away was the only thing that kept her mouth shut, but it was so very hard for one Hermione Granger to keep her opinion to herself.
The train arrived at Kings Cross, and the students began to disembark. In the confusion of everyone meeting their families Harry managed to slip away for just a moment, "Dobby," he said softly.
Dobby popped in beside him. "Where is Dobby taking you, Harry Potter, sir?"
"I need to get to the Leaky Cauldron in a hurry."
Dobby grabbed Harry's hand while Harry held onto to his trunk, and Dobby grabbed Hedwig's cage and with a quiet pop, Harry Potter was gone from Platform 9 ¾. Hermione was the first to notice his absence a few seconds later. She turned to Ron, "Where's Harry?"
Ron shrugged, "He must have already went through the barrier to meet the Dursleys."
Hermione shook her head, "He wouldn't go without saying goodbye." She walked over and tapped Tonks on the arm, "Tonks, Harry's missing."
Tonks swung her head around, "What do you mean Harry's missing? I just saw him a moment ago." She looked back and forth around the platform. By this point Arthur, Moody, and Remus had realized something was wrong.
Remus asked, "What's going on?"
Hermione replied, "Harry's gone. He was here just a minute ago, and then we were talking to Fred and George and he was gone. I didn't see him leave, and he didn't say goodbye."
Moody swore, "We have to assume the worst. Arthur, get your brood home, and then pop into headquarters. Remus, go to Dumbledore, and let him know what has happened. Tonks, go to the ministry and tell Amelia that we have reason to believe that Death Eaters have abducted Harry Potter."
Across the platform Daphne and Rupert watched the apparent panic in most of the Order, while Astoria looked on curiously. Daphne smirked before turning to her father and saying, "Well, Dad, I believe we have an appointment to keep."
Rupert nodded, "I believe we do. Astoria, you are about to hear and see some things that fall under family secrets. Tell no one. Your mother is going to meet us at Gringotts."
Astoria nodded wide eyed, as she attempted to process the order. Family secrets meant something big was coming.
Back to where the Order were all preparing to head out on their missions, one question was running through each of their heads. Where was Harry Potter?
A/N: I'm not going to give too much away here, but there will definitely be Dumbledore and Molly bashing. There will also be one other member of the Weasley family that is involved, and ten points to anyone who guesses which one. The story is going to focus on taking down Dumbledore far more than Voldemort, although Voldemort will still feature in the later chapters.
Chapter 3
Harry arrived at the Leaky Cauldron with Dobby, and then asked, "Dobby, can you shrink my trunk and Hedwig's cage?"
Dobby nodded, "Of course, Harry Potter, sir."
Harry let Hewig out of the cage and said, "I don't know where I will be going after Gringotts, so just hang out in the alley."
Hedwig nipped his finger affectionately and then winged her way out the window for post owls at the top of the building. Harry turned to Dobby and took the shrunken trunk and cage from him and put them in his pocket, "Thanks, Dobby, and by the way my friends call me Harry. I'd be honored if you would as well."
Dobby choked up, "Harry Potter is the greatest wizard ever. Never has a wizard offered to be Dobby's friend." Then, Dobby threw himself on Harry's leg, and hugged him before disappearing.
Harry sat down at a table after Dobby left, and ordered a Butterbeer while he waited for the Greengrasses. A few minutes later Rupert, Daphne, and Astoria walked into the pub. Daphne immediately spotted him and began making her way over. Harry dropped a few Sickles onto the table as he got up to meet her. Rupert was directly behind her, with Astoria tagging along until she saw who they were walking towards, at which point she stopped dead in her tracks. Rupert cocked his head over his shoulder, "Come along, Astoria."
Harry and Daphne had already turned and headed out the back door into the alley by this point, so Rupert hurried to catch up while Astoria shook herself out of her daze and followed obediently. Once in the alley Harry held out a hand to Rupert, "Its good to see you again, sir."
Rupert shook his hand, "None of that sir stuff with me, Harry. We're going to be family, so just call me Rupert unless we're in a Wizengamot session."
Before Harry could reply, Astoria squeeked in a most unladylike manner, "FAMILY!"
Harry grinned, "You must be Astoria." He glanced back and forth around them, "I'd explain what he meant by that, but this isn't the best place for such a conversation, so let's be on our way to Gringotts for a little privacy."
The three of them turned and began walking quickly towards the large marble building, leaving Astoria to race after them as she attempted to recover from the series of shocks that had been thrust upon her this afternoon.
Once the four of them arrived at the bank, Daphne and Astoria walked up to greet a regal looking woman that based on the similarity in their looks could only be their mother, while Rupert and Harry went to the first available teller. Once the goblin looked up at them Rupert said, "Yes, Lord Potter and I have an appointment with Runetooth."
The goblin nodded, "Yes, Ripclaw will show you to his office." He motioned and another younger looking goblin came forward. The two men collected the girls and followed him down a corridor, where the goblin showed them into an unoccupied room where there were half a dozen seats in front of an imposing desk.
Ripclaw motioned and said, "Please, have a seat. Runetooth will be right with you." The goblin exited through the door that they had entered, and then a few moments later another goblin entered.
He sat down behind the desk and said, "Welcome to Gringotts. I understand that you are here to hear Sirius Black's will and to view the balances on your accounts."
Harry nodded, "I remember viewing the details of the Potter accounts the last time I was here. I assume little has changed there."
"You would be wrong, Lord Potter. Molly Weasley has been helping herself to your trust vault the last two years."
Harry swore, "That bitch. I forgot that they wouldn't let us go to the alley and she still has my key. How much has she taken?"
"Just over 8000 galleons. That, however, pales in comparison with the million galleons that Albus Dumbledore deducted from your family vault. He used the excuse that James gave him funds for the Order the last time it was activated in that amount, and so he had the right to do so again since you had not reached your majority."
Rupert inserted himself, "There is little we can do about either of those things until Harry is an adult. The fact that Dumbledore had the Potter will sealed, and himself declared Harry's magical guardian negates all the avenues that Harry could use to stop him or Molly."
Harry nodded, "Yes, it seems I have little choice but to tolerate this garbage for another year."
Rupert grinned, "Maybe not. I've been using my connection with the goblins through the betrothal contract, and I've gotten a sneak peek at Sirius' will. It solves a great deal of our problems. So, Runetooth, if you would bring out the will and take care of that, then we will be better able to deal with the other concerns." He reached over and patted Harry on the back, "I know this won't be easy on you, Harry, but Sirius wouldn't want you to grieve for him. I can't say that I knew him well since I was in Slytherin and two years older than your dad and Sirius, but I can say that he was the type to think that you should celebrate the lives of those that have gone before us rather than spend an inordinate amount of time missing them."
Harry took a deep breath, "Very well. Runetooth, if you would read the will."
Daphne seeing the look of despair on his face reached over and took his hand. He gave her the barest bit of a grin, and squeezed her hand in appreciation.
Rune tooth began, "I, Sirius Black, by Magical Oath declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. Officially, as Head of House I disinherit and disavow Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black and Narcissa Malfoy nee Black and all offspring from their lines. Also, I reaccept Andromeda Tonks nee Black into the family and restore all rights and privileges forthwith. Now to the dispensation of items, property, and money. As of the making of this will, the Black family fortune is worth slightly in excess of 64 million galleons. I leave one million galleons to Andromeda Tonks, one million galleons to Nymphadora Tonks, one million galleons to Remus Lupin, two million galleons to pay for perpetual care for Frank and Alice Longbottom, and the rest to my chosen heir and successor to the title of Lord Black, Lord Harry James Potter. As to the dispensation of items, Andromeda Tonks is allowed to go through the Black Heirloom Vault and take anything of sentimental value, and the rest will go to Lord Potter. All property owned by House Black at the time of the reading of this will shall pass to Lord Potter. Also, as Head of House Black, and official guardian of Harry James Potter, I emancipate him. With that statement Harry James Potter is now officially Lord of House Black and House Potter."
Runetooth paused for a moment to allow Harry to compose himself, "Sirius also left a letter for you with the will, Lord Potter." He handed the sealed parchment to Harry and then rested back in his chair. Harry took another moment and then with a deep breath broke the seal on the parchment and opened it, before putting his hand back in Daphne's.
Hey, Harry. I know you would much rather have me than this letter, but this was the best I could do. I know this is going to sound strange, but I don't think you should trust Dumbledore. I have been overhearing some things while I have been cooped up in Grimmauld. I haven't been able to determine exactly what he is up to, but I did hear him mention having your parents will sealed. Unfortunately, upon talking to Gringotts I found out the only person that can have the will unsealed is you upon reaching your majority. I have legally emancipated you with my will, so you now have the ability to do so, and can hopefully discover what the old man's game is.
Now, that the serious business is out of the way, we can get to the Sirius business. I hope that at least made you smile. I don't want you to spend time mourning me, Harry. Go on with your life. Have fun with your friends, and find a girl. Give Dumbledore a good kick in the ass, and destroy Voldemort, because ultimately everything wrong with your life falls back on those two. I love you, Harry, and your parents and I will be waiting for when it is finally your turn to join us, which better be after a nice long life of reviving the Potter line. Goodbye, Harry, if I had ever had a child of my own, I could not have asked for a better son than you. I'm sorry that we didn't have longer together.
Harry allowed the letter to slip from his fingers and fall to the floor, where Astoria scooped it up, and handed it to Daphne, who was still holding onto Harry's hand. Once the letter was back in his hand, Harry steeled himself and then asked, "What precisely does being emancipated allow me to do?"
Runetooth replied, "As far as Gringotts is concerned it allows you full access and control of the Potter and Black accounts. Also, it will allow you to have your parents will read, since you are now Head of House Potter."
Rupert nodded, "From the Ministry side of things, it removes the Trace from your wand, so that you will no longer be subject to Underage Magic Laws. Also, you will be able to claim your seats on the Wizengamot. That will give you three votes."
Harry responded in surprise, "Three?"
"Yes. As a Potter, you still have control of the Peverell vote, and once I am gone, the Greengrass vote will fall to you until you appoint one of your heirs to take it."
Harry asked, "What's the Peverell vote?"
Runetooth answered, "The Peverells were one of the founding wizarding lines, but there are no more wizards that have that surname. The last daughter of the Peverell line married into the Potter line about 400 years ago, so their vote passed to the Potters."
"I don't understand. Why didn't the daughter just keep the vote?"
Rupert chuckled, "Harry, the wizarding world is mostly patriarchal in nature. Women can hold seats on the Wizengamot, but only if there isn't a male with claim to the seat, or if they have been appointed by the man that has claim to the seat. For example, Amelia holds the Bones seat because Susan isn't old enough to claim it yet, but as soon as she reaches her majority it will be her seat. However, as soon as Susan marries the Bones seat will fall to her husband's family to control since there is no male heir. Augusta Longbottom technically holds that seat as regent since Frank is incapable of exercising control of it, but her husbands younger brother is the de facto head of the family and votes the seat. He will also have to relinquish the seat to Neville when he becomes of age."
Harry protested, "That's barbaric."
Rupert shook his head, "Not really. If you think about women don't pass on a name due to tradition, and the new controlling family can give the name back."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"Well, take you for example. If you have two sons, you can have the younger one take the Greengrass name, and give it the Greengrass vote, while the older is the heir to the Potter name. If you had three sons, you could even revive the Black or Peverell lines. Four sons would allow you to revive them all. If you only have one son, then he would inherit all four titles."
Harry nodded, "So, the man basically gets to decide how to divide the votes if he is heir to more than one line, which means I could let my second son have the Black name."
Rupert shook his head, "No, the second son would have to be a Greengrass since I have no male heir, and as my oldest daughter Daphne would inherit the seat which will pass to you as her husband. That's why family's like the Malfoys don't have multiple children, because they want to keep control of their votes instead of them being divided up."
"The Malfoys control more than one vote?"
"Of course. Their political power comes from more than just wealth. Controlling three votes makes them the Dark equivalent of Dumbledore."
"So, Dumbledore has three votes as well?"
"Not anymore. You being emancipated just took all three of them away. Dumbledore was Chief Warlock because of his Order of Merlin, but that only gave him the ability to vote if there was a tie, which almost never happens. However, using that power and his influence at the Ministry he became your magical guardian which gave him two votes, and then using those votes and his supporters had himself appointed the Black proxy when Sirius was sent to Azkaban."
"Why wouldn't the Black vote have went to another member of the Black family? Why would there have even needed to be a proxy?" queried Harry.
Rupert responded, "The vote couldn't be discharged to another member of the family until Sirius died, and being incarcerated left him unable to appoint his own proxy. Dumbledore had himself appointed proxy with the argument that you were Sirius' heir and the vote would fall to the House of Potter upon his death anyway."
"Would that have been true then? The will that was just read had to have been made recently. I only became his heir with that will."
"No, you became his heir when he was named your godfather, and he didn't have his own issue. That would have been negated if he ever had his own child, but since he didn't it was true."
"It seems I have a lot to learn about politics, but we have taken up a great deal of Runetooth's time. For that, I apologize. If you would, I would like to hear my parent's will now." said Harry.
Runetooth spoke up, "You have no need to apologize, Lord Potter. I am at your disposal for the rest of the day. However, before I can read the Potter will you must formally release the magical seal."
"How do I do that?" asked Harry.
"You must simply state that it is so as Lord Potter."
"Very well. I, Lord Harry James Potter, release the seal on my parent's will so that it may be read. So mote it be."
Runetooth pulled the document from his desk and unrolled it. He began, "I, James Potter by Magical Oath declare this my Last Will and Testament. All of the wealth, property, and possessions of House Potter will pass to my wife Lily should I precede her in death. If we pass together, a trust vault has been set up for our son, Harry. He will inherit everything, but shall only be allowed access to the family fortune once he has become an adult. The current value of the Potter estate is just shy of 58 million galleons. In regards to the care of my son Harry, his magical guardian shall henceforth be Sirius Black, a man I consider to be a brother, and Harry's godfather."
Runetooth continued, "That was in 1979. The current vault contents of the Potter family is just over 70 million galleons. Sitting untouched has allowed it to accrue interest, and the investments that James had the money in have given steady returns. Your current balance on your trust vault is about 75,000 galleons."
"Thank you, Runetooth. Now, Rupert, I believe we're going to have to find someplace for me to hide out until the next Wizengamot meeting. While hiding, I'm going to need a crash course in wizarding world politics, and we have to have a game plan for dealing with one manipulative old man."
Rupert pulled out a stick, "Runetooth, if you would activate the Portkey triggers, I have just the place for Lord Potter."
Runetooth pushed a lever on his desk, and Rupert told the others, "Grab hold."
Rupert tapped the stick with his wand once everyone was touching it, and the portkey activated.
Chapter 4
Arthur and the rest of the Weasleys returned to the Burrow, where Molly hustled them up to their rooms, and Arthur Apparated to Grimmauld Place to see who amongst the Order he could press into service. Hestia and Diggle were the only ones there. Arthur said, "Start flooing Order members. Harry disappeared from the platform."
Diggle went for the Floo, while Hestia looked piercingly at Arthur, "What do you mean he disappeared? The boy isn't old enough to Apparate, and Portkeys don't work on the platform."
Arthur shrugged, "I don't know. We all saw him get off the train with the others, and then Hermione was telling us she was gone. We searched the platform and couldn't find him, besides he wouldn't have left without saying goodbye to his friends."
Hestia nodded, "That would fit with what we know of him. I think I will head to the Ministry to talk to Amelia."
"Mad-Eye sent Tonks to do that. He also sent Remus to Dumbledore, so we should be having numerous people showing up shortly."
Meanwhile, Tonks had gotten into Amelia's office, "Amelia, Harry Potter disappeared from Platform 9 ¾. It's possible that he was abducted by Death Eaters."
"How would he have been abducted by Death Eaters on the platform? Portkeys don't work, and Side-Along Apparition is impossible if the second person isn't willing," replied Amelia.
That brought Tonks up short, "I hadn't thought of that, but who would Harry have left with willingly? All of his friends were already on the platform."
"I'm afraid I can't answer that question, Auror Tonks, as I don't know the boy, and have only met him once. However, unless you have proof that he has been abducted, I caution you to warn Dumbledore's little Order that any illegal activity that they engage in will be prosecuted most harshly. I don't approve of vigilante organizations."
Tonks nodded cautiously before slowly backing out of the room and fleeing for the Apparition point to get back to headquarters.
Remus apparated to Hogwarts and raced across the grounds into the castle. Minerva spotted him as he was running through the halls and hurried after him. He shouted out the password to the gargoyle, and raced up the stairs into Dumbledore's office. He stopped to catch his breath and gasped out, "Harry is missing," just as Minerva was entering the office.
Dumbledore stood in alarm, "What?"
Remus took a couple of deep breaths, "He got off the train with the others, and then he was just gone. None of us actually saw anything, not even Moody. Hermione was actually the first one to notice that he was missing. Mad-Eye sent Arthur to headquarters to start contacting Order members, and Tonks to Amelia to get the Ministry involved."
Dumbledore started moving towards the fire, "We must get to Grimmauld and get everyone organized to begin a search." The three of them went through the fire to Grimmauld Place and met several others as they were Apparating outside and coming or popping through the fire. Most of the Order was assembled when Sturgis Podmore came racing into the kitchen, and said, "Harry Potter was spotted going into Gringotts with a man and two younger girls. The person that spotted them didn't recognize the people that he was with."
Dumbledore jumped up with a purpose, "I'm on my way to Gringotts, then. The rest of you remain here, and be prepared to have a meeting when I return with Mr. Potter."
Remus and Minerva stood, "I'm going with you," they both said simultaneously.
Dumbledore waved them off, "That won't be necessary."
Remus insisted, "Yes, it is. Harry isn't exactly happy with you right now. He blames you at least in part for Sirius' death. He's far more likely to listen to Minerva and I than you."
Dumbledore sighed, "You may be right. Come along then."
The three of them Flooed to Diagon Alley and made their way into Gringotts. Dumbledore snagged the first available teller, "It is my understanding that Harry Potter is at the bank. I need to see him."
The teller eyed Dumbledore for a moment, "I will get you a manager."
A few moments later a goblin in more ornate clothing came out and said, "I am Ironknife. How may I help you?"
"I have been informed that Harry Potter is in the bank. I need to see him most urgently," replied Dumbledore.
Ironknife shook his head, "I am afraid that is impossible. Mr. Potter is in private conference with Runetooth and cannot be disturbed. You will have to wait until they are finished."
Dumbledore practically snarled at the goblin, "As Chief Warlock, I demand to see Harry Potter, right now."
The goblin smiled, which if you know anything about goblins you know is a bad thing, "Your titles mean nothing inside this bank, Albus Dumbledore. This is goblin territory. Only our laws matter here. If you would like to wait until Mr. Potter is done, then do so. If you persist in this action, I will have you removed from the bank."
Albus reached for his wand, but Remus grabbed his arm, "Have you lost your mind? Drawing a wand in Gringotts is a death sentence. The goblins won't allow harm to come to him. We can just wait."
Albus visibly calmed down, and went to the benches to sit and wait for Harry. Remus turned to look at Minerva and raised his eyebrows. She shrugged with an alarmed look on her face. Neither of them had ever seen Dumbledore lose his cool in such a fashion.
The three of them sat and waited for nearly forty-five minutes, until it was becoming apparent that Dumbledore's renowned patience was wearing thin. Remus got up and said, "I'm going to go ask and see if they know how much longer Harry will be." He walked over to the teller that had gotten Ironknife for them and cleared his throat. The goblin looked up at him. "I was wondering if we might inquire as to when Harry Potter would be finished with his business?"
The teller nodded, "I will get Runetooth for you."
Moments later Runetooth entered the lobby. He walked over to Remus, who was standing next to the bench that Albus and Minerva were sitting on. He said, "I understand that you are looking for Mr. Potter."
Albus interjected, "Yes, and if you are finished with your business with him, then I demand to see him, now."
"I'm afraid that's impossible, as Mr. Potter is no longer within the bank."
Albus' face darkened, "How did he leave?"
"By Portkey."
"That's not possible. Portkeys don't work in Gringotts."
"While it is impossible to make a Portkey to get into Gringotts, you can however leave Gringotts by Portkey with the permission of a bank manager. I gave Mr. Potter and his associates permission to do so."
Albus ground his teeth together, "Who were his associates?"
"I'm afraid their identity is covered by bank confidentiality."
"I am Harry Potter's magical guardian. I have the right to know who he is meeting with and what he is meeting for."
"I'm afraid you are once again misinformed. Your guardianship of Mr. Potter only gave you rights to know his dealings when it involves removing money from an account. Since, no money was removed during this visit to Gringotts, you have no rights to interfere in his business, and I am not bound to break confidentiality and inform you of anything." With that the goblin turned around and walked out of the lobby.
Albus stood there completely flabbergasted at not getting his way for a few moments and then wordlessly turned and walked from the bank. Remus and Minerva hurried after him with perplexed looks on their faces.
The three of them returned to Grimmauld Place, where the rest of the Order were waiting for them. Once they entered the kitchen Molly Weasley burst out, "Where is Harry?"
Most of the Order member rolled their eyes at the possessive and overbearing woman. Albus responded, "We don't know, Molly." He raked his eyes over the rest of the Order to make sure he had their attention, "It is imperative we discover who Harry was meeting with while at Gringotts, and we must find out what they were meeting about. The goblins could have told him anything."
Hestia asked, "So, we know he did have a meeting at Gringotts?"
Remus nodded, "Yes. The goblins confirmed that he was there, but they wouldn't reveal why he was there, or who he was meeting with. Also, they allowed Harry and whoever he was with to Portkey directly from the bank, so that we were unable to speak with him."
Dumbledore began to dispense orders to everyone of what they should be doing to help find Harry. The Order began to notice that nothing was said about combating the Death Eaters, which didn't sit well with several of them, but most thought of it as who were they to question Albus Dumbledore. They had focused on keeping Harry safe for a year, so he must be more important than just a symbol. This concept had several of them wondering just exactly what was in that Prophecy.
After most of the Order was filing out and Dumbledore had left, Remus walked over to Minerva, "Did you notice how tense Albus was?"
Minerva sighed, "Yes, I've never seen him behave in such a manner. He was actually going for his wand in Gringotts. If there is anyone who could actually get out of Gringotts alive after doing so, it would be him, but the ramifications on wizard-goblin relations if he did so is mind boggling. I can't imagine what would cause him to act so."
Remus mused, "Well, I have a bit of an idea about that. Albus seemed far more concerned with what Harry could have possible learned at Gringotts than with his safety. That has me wondering what it is that he doesn't want Harry to know."
"Could it have something to do with Sirius' will?" asked Kingsley from behind them.
Remus and Minerva both jumped in surprise, "That's possible, but I can't imagine what would have been in Sirius' will that would be so bad. It was my understanding from Sirius that he planned to leave most of the Black fortune to Harry, but since the Potters were already rich, I don't see how that could be that much of a big deal."
Minerva added on to Remus rumination, "The only thing that I could think of would be a magical emancipation, but even that shouldn't be a cause for worry. Harry can be a bit reckless when it comes to protecting people he cares about, but he mostly has a level head on his shoulders. Even if he is emancipated, he will still listen to advice from us."
The others nodded, and departed on their way with doubts still permeating their minds about what Albus Dumbledore could possibly be up to.
A/N: I know Dumbledore is extremely out of character, and my argument for that is so far in the canon universe, no one has actually challenged his plan for how things are to turn out. Harry re-learning about his heritage from the goblins, and them discovering and breaking the memory charm, which is what he assumes was happening, are a serious threat to his plans for the Greater Good of Albus Dumbledore. Thus, his loss of composure.
Chapter 5
They landed from the Portkey and Harry looked outside and saw the sun glaring down at him. He turned to Rupert, "We're not in Britain anymore."
Rupert chuckled, "No, we're not. This is Florida."
"Why are we in Florida?"
"This is my wife's cousin's beach house. Also, I believe that we should get introductions out of the way. We ignored that at the bank in favor of taking care of business quickly, so as to escape Dumbledore's clutches. Harry, this is my wife, Eleanor."
She held out her hand, which Harry shook, "I'm pleased to finally meet you, Mr. Potter."
Harry smiled, "Please, just call me Harry. As your husband pointed out to me, we're going to be family."
Just as this was occurring, another man walked into the room. He was tall, with extremely short hair, and tanned on a level that British people just weren't accustomed to. He smiled as he stepped over and kissed Eleanor on the cheek, "I see all of you handled the overseas Portkey trip without incident." He held out his hand to Harry, "I'm Daryn Spencer. Welcome to my home."
Harry shook his hand, "I'm happy to be here. I'm Harry Potter."
Daryn chuckled, "You don't need an introduction, Harry. Your name is known on this side of the pond as well."
"Understood. Now, however, I'm confused as to why we came to Florida."
Rupert explained, "I've been setting this up, because I got a peek at Sirius' will beforehand, so I knew that he was emancipating you. The goblins will file all the paperwork with the Ministry to make it legal, but will do so quietly, so that Dumbledore won't find out about it immediately. That way we can make plans to surprise him at the next Wizengamot session. Coming here was a way to get you completely out of his reach."
"How does coming to America get me out of his reach. He can come for me if he finds out where I am."
Daryn interjected, "Maybe I should explain this part. Harry, I'm the equivalent of Dumbledore within the American Ministry of Magic. I'm the Chief Warlock of the Wizarding Legislature, and my brother is Minister of Magic. Also, I should mention that we don't like Albus Dumbledore."
"That's all well and good, but Dumbledore has obviously broken the law when it comes to me before. What's to stop him from doing so again?" asked Harry.
"Ultimately, you will, once we've removed the block from your core, but in the meantime, I will," answered Daryn.
"How are you going to stop him? Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard on Earth."
Daryn fell down laughing, "I'm sorry. I get tickled every time I hear someone from Europe parrot that line. Dumbledore isn't even in the top 25 most powerful wizards in the world. Voldemort just barely is. Once we've removed the block on your power, and you actually finish with your core growth, your Hammerstein will put you in the high teens."
"I don't understand," replied Harry, "we've been taught our whole lives that Dumbledore was so powerful. Are you saying that his power is a joke."
Daryn shook his head, "Certainly not. Dumbledore is a powerful wizard, and he is not to be taken lightly. However, he isn't as powerful in relation to the rest of the world as he claims to be. How much do you know about Hammerstein Indexes?"
Harry shrugged, "I've never even heard of it."
Rupert sighed, "That's not surprising. Purebloods are completely in control of the governments in Europe, and they don't want the information that Muggleborns and Halfbloods are much more powerful than Purebloods getting out. The average Hammerstein in Britain has fell in the last generation to an anemic 79. The only country with a lower score is France at 77. That is extremely sad since a few hundred years ago, Britain was in the top five nations for average magical power."
Daryn interjected again, "Maybe we should explain what the numbers actually mean to them. I can see by the expressions on Daphne's and Astoria's faces that they don't understand either. A Hammerstein Magical Index is a numerical representation of the amount of power in your core. Don't ask me how it works, the person that invented the spell that does it was dead before wizards even had recorded history. All we know is that it does work. A zero means that you are a Muggle. Anything else less than 20 denotes a squib. 21 to 50 indicates what we call an adept. They can activate a wand, but depending on where they fall in that range, their spell casting ability is somewhat limited. Once you pass 50 you can basically cast all the spells that you have to be capable of to get your N.E.W.T.'s. 51-150 is the range of what we consider normal witches and wizards. 151-250 is Sorcerer class. Incidentally, that is where Dumbledore and Voldemort both are. Dumbledore's recorded HMI is 187, and Voldemort's 243. 251-350 is what we call Grand Sorcerer class. That is what Grindelwald was."
Harry interrupted, "Wait, if Grindelwald was that much more powerful than Dumbledore, how did Dumbledore beat him, and how do you know what their indexes are?"
Rupert said, "HMI's have to be recorded for every member of the wizarding world at 11, 15, and 17. We'll explain why, after he finishes going through the classes."
Harry interrupted again, "But wouldn't I remember having the scan ran on me?"
Rupert shook his head, "No, in Britain they are always done while the children are asleep on their birthdays, so that they have no knowledge of the process. The Purebloods instituted that so that they could just Obliviate the knowledge from the Healer that performed the spell, and then the only record of the numbers are at the Ministry and the ICW offices, both of which are sealed except for officials, which is how we got access to their scores."
Daryn re-entered the conversation, "The long and short of Dumbledore is that he didn't defeat Grindelwald, but I'll explain that later. Now, 351-500 is Warlock class, which is where I fall. 501-750 is Mage class, and 751-1000 is Archmage class. There has never been more than one Archmage alive at a time. Then, anything above 1000 is considered Grand High Archmage, but there have only been two in recorded history. Merlin and Xiang Xu, who was a Chinese wizard around 4000 B.C."
Astoria asked, "Is there an Archmage right now?"
Daryn nodded, "Yes, he's Brazilian. There are three Mages, and I'm the most powerful of the ten Warlocks, which makes me the fifth most powerful wizard on the planet."
Daphne asked, "What was my Hammerstein?"
Rupert replied, "At 15, you scored a 49."
Daphne's face fell, "So, I'm weak."
Daryn put his arm around Daphne's shoulders and gave them a squeeze, "No, what you have to realize is that at 15 you've only achieved about half of your core growth. Have none of you ever wondered why we don't start magical schooling until 11?"
Astoria shrugged, "We just assumed it was tradition."
Eleanor finally spoke up, "No. Your magical growth from birth to 11 is extremely erratic. Its only at 11 that your core stabilizes and it becomes safe for you to use a wand. Now, there are some exceptions to that, but it is usually only very powerful wizards whose cores stabilize early. I was very jealous of Daryn as a child, since they let him start using a wand at 7."
Rupert picked up the explanation, "Between 11 and 15 your core is basically static. It grows, but it is so insignificant an amount it is more or less irrelevant. Then, between 15 and 17, your core doubles give or take 20%."
Harry asked, "What do you mean, give or take 20%?"
"In other words, you will gain 80% to 120% of what your core is at 15 by the time that you are 17. Take Daphne for example, she scored a 49 at 15, so by 17, her Hammerstein will be somewhere between 88 and 108, which is powerful for a Pureblood in Europe and about average for the rest of the world, where inbreeding isn't a concern," responded Daryn.
"What about Harry?" asked Daphne.
Rupert answered, "That depends completely on how much of his power the block is holding back because his recorded numbers only show the portion of his core that is available around the block. At 15, he was showing a 60. If as the goblins believe, the block is holding back 60% of his power, that would put him around 150, which would make him by 17 between 270 and 330. In other words, he's going to be Grand Sorcerer class, it's just a question of how powerful within that scale."
Astoria asked, "So, what about me?"
Rupert grinned, "At 11, you were 43."
"Does that make me weaker or stronger than Daphne?"
"You're going to be relatively close, which makes sense because your mother and I are both in the upper nineties. She's a 98 and I'm a 97. Since the Greengrasses have made a conscious effort to marry Half-Bloods, and Purebloods from other countries, we've avoided most of the problems that the inbreeding in families like the Malfoys have caused," replied Rupert.
"Where does Malfoy stand?" asked Harry.
Rupert consulted a piece of parchment, "I figured you would ask that. Lucius is an 81, and Draco scored 35 at fifteen. I wrote down your entire class if you would like to peruse them." He handed the parchment to Harry, who looked it over while Daphne craned her neck to read it beside him.
She protested, "There is no way Longbottom scored a 74. He's practically a squib."
Harry shook his head, "Neville will surprise you. I think the problem with him comes from the fact that he was using his dads wand."
Daryn put in, "A low wand compatibility will stymie even the most powerful of wizards. If your compatibility with your wand is anything less than 70%, you might as well have a stick from a tree in your yard in your hand. From what I know of the Longbottoms, who regularly marry Half-Bloods and Muggleborns like the Potters, a 74 sounds perfectly reasonable."
Harry nodded, "Yeah, Neville is capable. In the fight at the Ministry, everyone was down, but Neville and I, and that was him using his dad's wand. I have a feeling he's going to turn heads with his own wand next year."
Rupert asked, "Why would he have his own wand next year?"
"His dad's was broken during the fight. So, he will have to get a new one."
Rupert cringed, "Augusta is going to take him to task for that. That woman is strict. She does Neville a great disservice with her attitude."
A house elf popped into the room, "Master Daryn, lunch is ready."
Daryn nodded, "Thank you, Shawn. We'll be right in." He stood, "Well, I assume all of you are famished as it would be dinner time in Britain right now. Come along, and after lunch we'll dive into our plans for the next couple of weeks before you return to Britain."
Harry asked, "Why a couple of weeks?"
Rupert answered as they walked down the hall, "It's actually a little longer. It's June 29th, and the Wizengamot meets on the 15th of every month. So, we have to have you versed in politics enough to claim your votes, and Occlumency to keep your secrets from Dumbledore. Then, we can go back the day before and inform the goblins of how we want them to proceed."
Harry nodded, "Good. I want to begin moving against the old man as soon as possible. I need him neutralized as much as possible before I step foot in that castle September, 1st." With that the six of them sauntered into the dining room and sat down to eat.
A/N: I figure the Express gets to Kings Cross by late afternoon, so if you factor in going to Gringotts, and then go back five hours, you're in time to have a conversation and then a late lunch.