# # #
Out in the street, Emma spun him around to glare at him. "Harry, what did you think you were doing?"
"All four of us are going to need the space in our trunks, above and beyond what students normally need," he explained. "The trunks give them all a space into which they can retreat to work on matters relating to their high offices. That's something normal students aren't also tasked with.
"I also wanted trunks with high security so that others can't go in there to spy upon them once we come out into the open. Trust me on this, they're a necessity. And, as I'm way and above, the most wealthy of the four of us, I can afford it. If it makes you feel happier, I've finally given them each the congratulatory gift I should have given them a while back."
"Well, I don't like it!" replied Emma, firmly.
Harry said quietly but firmly, "Ma'am, your daughter is a Countess! This is not an expensive gift for the level of office we're talking about here."
Backing off a bit, he said, "Oh, and you're going to need to bring with you, the next time you come into the Alley, a pretty decent image of the Granger family crest. It should go on her trunk, and a copy of it should be made part of the application for the creation of the Magical House of Granger."
Dan, trying to placate his wife, said, "Well, we need to get a move on if we want old Dumbledore to find us."
Still fuming a little, Emma just gave a curt nod.
"Okay," said Harry a lot more calmly. "You folks know what stores we need to visit to get the first year supplies, so how about you lead the way?"
Emma took the lead and marched off back up the Alley. On the way they stopped in, first, Madam Malkin's for Harry's fitting. He needed his set of uniforms.
Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked Harry. Then seeing Hermione, she said, "Oh, I remember you, dearie."
"I'm here with Harry, Ma'am," replied Hermione. "He needs his uniform and robes."
Turning to look back at Harry rather closely, she said, "Harry?"
"Harry Potter, Ma'am," said Harry. "My new best friend Hermione here," he said, indicating Hermione, "said this is where she came to get her uniform. So I came, too!"
"Umm... yes, Mister Potter," said the little lady with a look of surprise.
"It's Lord Potter, actually, Ma'am," said Harry, once more showing his ring before saying brightly, "But you can call me Harry!"
"Oh... errr... yes... Harry," said the old woman shocked at the display of the ring. "Umm... this way, please. She said leading the way behind a rather large and thick curtain towards the rear of the shop."
Harry started to head through and noticed the Grangers hanging back. He turned to them and said, "Well? Coming?"
Dan replied, "Ummm... Harry... you're going to need to get changed... and..."
Harry shrugged and said, "I don't mind."
Emma firmly said, "We'll be across the Alley at Fortescue's getting an ice cream while we're waiting, alright? It's going to take about half an hour."
"Okay," he replied. Before turning and heading into the fitting room with Madam Malkin.
After his measurements were all taken, he waited as she went to collect a set of uniforms and brought them into the room. He knew the old witch was a bit of a gossip so took the opportunity to show someone else in the wizarding world the scars and marks of the beatings Dobby had received at the hands of the Dursleys.
"And why are you wearing these rags?" she asked.
"Oh, I don't deserve new clothes. I'm a freak, so I only get hand-me-downs from my cousin, Dudley. And he's really big," he said in a matter-of-fact voice.
The old witch frowned at that but let it pass.
"You can go into the change room here..." she began, but Harry had already whipped his long-sleeved shirt off over his head. He wasn't wearing an undershirt under it, so he was naked to the waist.
After taking one look at his torso, the old witch exclaimed, "Oh... my... God!"
Pretending to flush with embarrassment, Harry spun around and presented his back to her. "Sorry, Ma'am," he timidly said.
Now staring at his back, Madam Malkin said in a very quiet voice, "Dear... sweet... Merlin!"
Harry quickly pulled his shirt back over his head and turned around. The old woman was looking back at him quite horrified.
"Sorry, Ma'am. I shouldn't have done that," he said. Then, perking up a bit, he asked, "Are those for me to try on?" indicating the pile of folded uniforms the old witch held in her hands.
"Errr... yes," she quietly replied.
Harry took them and headed into one of the change rooms. He only found the pants to be a little loose and, on exiting, showed her.
The old witch was still staring at him a little horrified. She asked, "Who... who did that to you?"
"Did what, Ma'am?" he asked.
"Th... those marks... those scars?"
"Oh, that was my Uncle Vernon and my cousin Dudley. That's where I've been living since my drunk father and my whore mother were killed in the car crash," he said. "My Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia said I deserved it, though. Because I was such a bad boy and a freak. It's okay, though. I don't think I need to go back there, any more. I'm going to get a room at the Leaky Cauldron now I've got some money.
"Anyway, these pants are a little loose," he went on, changing the subject. "Can I get smaller pants?"
"You're going to put on a bit of weight once you reach Hogwarts, My... Harry," said the old witch quite distracted and horrified by what she was hearing. "You can wear a belt until you start to get some weight back on."
Harry frowned at her and said, "I don't like belts. That's one of the things my Uncle Vernon used to whip me with."
The old woman nearly fell into a nearby chair. Sitting down with tears brimming in her eyes, she said, "That's... not what belts are for, Harry. You'll need to wear one while at Hogwarts. They're part of the uniform."
"Oh," said Harry softly, looking down at the ground. "Well, if I must."
"Oh, Harry!" the old woman started to cry. Harry wasn't prepared for that so tried to head it off.
"Umm..." he stammered. "I was also told I can have my family crest put on my robe. Can I have that, too, please?"
Stifling her weeping, the old woman rose and walked towards him. "Of course, you can, My Lord," she said more firmly. "It would be my honour to attach it myself before you come back to collect it."
"No," he said, "it's Harry, remember? I'd prefer it if you called me that. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley only ever called me 'Boy' or 'Freak'. I like my name."
Nearly crying again, the old witch said, "Thank you, Harry," she quietly replied. "I am honoured."
"Why?" he asked.
"Pardon?"
"Why?" he asked again. "I'm only a kid who just found out he's supposed to be a wizard. I mean, I didn't know I was a wizard until I received my Hogwarts letter, this morning. I was supposed to be going to Stonewall High Comprehensive for school in September, until I received my letter."
"Oh, Merlin! Harry. A muggle school?" she asked, shocked.
"Muggle? What's muggle?"
"Muggles are non-magical folk. Those without magic," she replied.
"Then why not call them non-magical? 'Muggle' sounds like a nasty derogatory name," he said, firmly with a frown.
"I'm sorry, My... Harry. I didn't mean to sound offensive. I've never considered it to be such," she replied.
Harry looked back at her and with a firm voice said, "Well, I think it is. My Aunt and Uncle may be non-magical folks, and I may hate them, they used to lock me in the cupboard under the stairs for a long time, but I'd never call them a name like that."
"Once again, My Lord, I apologise," she said a bit contritely and still horrified. 'A cupboard?' she internally ranted.
Harry gave a firm nod and, changing the subject, said, "Call me Harry, please. The goblins said I could pay for all this by using my ring."
He held up his hand to show her his ring. "Is that okay?"
Once more getting control of herself, Madam Malkin stood up straighter and said, "Yes, Harry; you may. Bring your purchases and come back through to the front, please."
Harry headed for the front on the other side of the counter. A few moments later, Madam Malkin came through carrying a second, larger pile of clothing.
"Harry," she said. "It's your birthday in about a week, isn't it?"
"Yeah," said Harry brightly. "How'd you know that?"
Hesitating, she said, "I just do. Now, as an early birthday present I'm also giving you all these new clothes..."
"No!" exclaimed Harry. "Don't do that! I don't deserve new clothes. And I especially don't deserve birthday presents. I'm a freak and a burden on everybody! I'll just wear these," he said indicating what he was wearing.
Again, nearly choking up, the old witch said, "I'll... I'll just put them aside for you... in case you change your mind."
"No, that's alright," said Harry. "I've got money now, remember? I'll pay for it when I come back. You shouldn't buy me anything. Give them to somebody who deserves them."
Harry paid for his new school uniform using his ring imprint and asked, "Can I leave them here until I come back for my robe? It just seems silly only taking part of my uniform and coming back for the rest."
"Yes, Harry; you may," she replied picking up the pile, still choked up. "I'll tie them up and leave them under the counter with your name on them. Then, when your robe is ready, I'll put them all together for you."
"Great," said Harry with a big smile. "I've got to come back in a week, anyway. So, is it alright if I leave it until then?"
"That will be fine, Harry," she replied. "I look forward to seeing you then."
"Okay, bye!" he said brightly turning around and heading for the door. He stopped, turned back and said, "Oh, and thank you. I know I don't deserve it, but you were really nice." Before turning once more for the door and heading out to cross the Alley to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
As soon as he walked out the door, Madam Malkin walked straight over to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. "Aurors!" she barked.
# # #
Dumbledore was pacing his office. He was trying to think of some way... any way... he could find the boy before anyone else did. He couldn't afford for anyone to get him to the bank or the aurors before he got to him.
Suddenly there was a flash from the floo.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, Sir?" he heard.
"Yes," he barked, after hurrying over.
"It's Mundungus Fletcher, Sir," the voice said. "I've spotted young Mister Potter."
"Where is he?" barked Dumbledore.
"I get paid the reward, right, Sir?" Fletcher asked.
"Yes, yes," Dumbledore snarled. "Now, where is he?!"
"I just saw him coming out of Madam Malkin's and going across to Fortescue's ice cream parlour, Sir," snivelled Fletcher. "I'll get my money right away, won't I?"
"Yes, damn it!" snarled Dumbledore. "Now, get out of the way, I'm coming through!"
"Yes, Sir!" said Fletcher.
Dumbledore stepped through into the public floo in Diagon Alley.
# # #
After receiving a very tearful floo call from Madam Malkin about that 'poor Potter boy' Amelia summoned her two top aurors who were currently in the outer office to her personal office.
"Shacklebolt, Scrimgeour; get me two teams together, right now," she ordered. "I've just received a report from the Alley from Madam Malkin about a boy who's been badly abused. He's now left her shop but he's still in the Alley. I want him found, I want him brought immediately here, and I want a report from the Malkin woman. Move!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" they both said. Scrimgeour asked, "Do we know who the boy is?"
Grimly, Amelia said, "Harry Potter!"
"Oh, Merlin!" exclaimed Scrimgeour.
"Move, damn it!" ordered Amelia in her most authoritarian, Head of the DMLE, loud voice.
They moved.
'And let the fun begin,' thought Amelia.
# # #
Harry was sitting down with the Grangers at an outside table enjoying an ice cream when he suddenly felt a hand grab him by the shoulder and lift him out of his seat.
"Harry! Harry, my boy!" said Dumbledore in as friendly a voice as possible. "We need to get you out of here, right away. It's too..."
Having already dropped his ice cream when he was wrenched out of his seat... and he was enjoying it, too... Harry was a little startled, at first.
"Arrrrghhhh!" he screamed. "Help! Help! A dirty old man has grabbed me!"
Dumbledore, startled by the outburst, almost let go. He then just gripped tighter.
Harry tried his best to kick Dumbles in the shins as hard and as often as he could.
After one swift and painful kick to his shin, Dumbledore managed to drag Harry a bit away from the table where he was sitting with people the old man had never seen before.
Harry was still kicking out but was now also trying to pull the old man's beard out by the roots.
"Help!" he continued to scream. "A dirty old man is trying to drag me away and play with my naughty boy bits!"
"Harry!" cried Dumbledore still trying to drag Harry away. "You need to stop this at once! I'm here to take you home!" By now Dumbledore had managed to drag him into the middle of the Alley.
Harry continued to scream, "Arrrrghhhh! I don't know you, you dirty old man! Somebody help me!"
Dan had already risen to his feet and was boring in on Dumbledore. He roared, "Now see here, you filthy old bugger! You unhand that boy at once!"
Harry heard someone call, "Somebody summon the aurors!" and someone else call back, "They're on their way!"
A crowd had started to gather. Many recognised Dumbledore but had no idea as to the identity of the small boy.
Meanwhile, Harry had managed to give Dumbledore another hard kick to the shins and had managed to stomp on the old man's foot. Dumbledore, though, wouldn't release his grip.
He continued to scream, "Arrrrghhhh! Help! Somebody help me!"
Harry could see Hermione sitting on the other side of the table he'd just been dragged out of, talking in her mirror. He heard her calling his godfather by name.
"Harry!" cried Dumbledore still trying to drag Harry away. "Stop! I'm your magical guardian!"
The boy shouldn't be acting this way. He was supposed to be rather meek.
Next thing Harry knew he saw Emma swing her hand bag at Dumbledore's head. She must've hit him pretty hard as Dumbledore suddenly let go and staggered back. Dan used the opportunity to grab Harry and put him behind him.
"You leave him alone you dirty old bugger!" Dan roared at Dumbles. "We have a name for individuals like you who want to fiddle with little children!"
'Go, Dan!' thought Harry. 'Have at him!'
"No, no!" cried Dumbles. 'You don't understand! It's all a misunderstanding!"
Emma took another shot at him with her purse. Dumbledore had to duck to avoid being clonked again.
"Madam! Please!" cried Dumbledore. "I'm the boy's magical guardian!"
Suddenly, with calls of "Aurors! Aurors!" the now sizable crowd was surrounded by Amelia's aurors with wands drawn.
Kingsley and Rufus both stepped through from opposite sides. "What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" Rufus bellowed. They were followed by the other aurors. Six more.
Harry was doing his best to both huddle behind Dan and watch what was going on. He looked behind himself and spotted Hermione still sitting at the little outdoor table calmly eating her ice cream. She saw him look at her and she grinned. Harry had to turn away before he did the same.
Dan was yelling about the pervert who tried to drag the little boy away. And Dumbledore was spluttering how it was all just a simple misunderstanding. Other people were also chiming in with what they thought was going on.
Rufus bellowed, "Silence!" And everyone shut up.
The next voice coming from up the Alley was Sirius's. "Dumbledore!" he roared, coming through the crowd.
The crowd parted and Sirius strode into the middle. He took one look at Dumbledore, grabbed him by the lapels of his robe and tried to lift him into the air by them.
He bellowed, "Where's my godson, Dumbledore?! Where's Harry Potter?!"
'There's my cue,' thought Harry. Sticking his head out from behind Dan he called, "I'm Harry Potter!"
That created one hell of a buzz through the crowd.
Quick as a flash, Sirius dropped Dumbles, making him stagger back. He spun about and stared straight at Harry.
"Harry?" he asked in a voice of pure concern. "Harry Potter?"
'Yep,' thought Harry. 'Just making sure everyone heard the name correctly.'
"That's me," said Harry coming out from behind Dan and calling across the now sizable gap. "Who're you?"
Just standing there, Sirius said in a voice dripping with anguish, "Harry, I'm your godfather, Sirius Black."
Then Sirius strode across the gap. But Dan stepped in front of him. "No, sir!" he said. "I'll not have you touch the boy until we sort this mess out!"
Sirius dropped to his knees just shy of Dan and pleaded, "Please! I've been looking for him for sooo long!"
'Bloody hell,' thought Harry. 'Don't lay it on too thick.'
"No, sir," said Dan loud enough for everyone to hear. "Not until we get this sorted out."
"You're Sirius Black?" asked Harry reaching into his pocket to pull out his copy of the Potter Will. "You're in my parents Will!"
Scrimgeour called "Call for Madam Bones!"
"I'm already here!" replied Amelia, stepping through the crowd from Madam Malkin's. The little old witch was right behind her. "Lord Black, please step away."
"Albus Dumbledore!" she called. "Aren't you in enough trouble already?"
"Hey, if he's Albus Dumbledore, he's in my parents will, too!" said Harry, waving the Will about.
"No!" cried Dumbledore even louder. "You can't! That's sealed by the Wizengamot!"
Looking across at Harry she then called, "Mister Potter! Please come over here."
"Who're you?" replied Harry from behind Dan's back.
"Madam Amelia Bones," she replied. "Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"You're a police officer?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Mister Potter, I am," she replied in a kindlier voice.
Harry ran around the other side of Dan, ducked past his godfather, who was rising to his feet, and ducked up close to Amelia.
"Hi!" he said cheerfully. Then, pointing to Dumbledore, he accused in an angry voice, "That bad old man was trying to drag me away!"
Harry then offered his copy of the Will to Amelia, who took it. And, opening it, read it, "It says here, you knew Mister Potter was never to go to the home of his muggle Aunt and Uncle."
"No! Wait!" said Dumbledore waving his hands in front of himself in a warding gesture. "There's been a misunderstanding! I'm the boy's magical guardian, I tell you! You can't read the Will it's sealed, I tell you!"
With a sudden screech, Madam Malkin launched herself at him, "You're his guardian? You're the one who's allowed the abuse of that poor boy?"
Two aurors stepped forward and carefully dragged the old witch away from Dumbledore, where she had a handful of his long beard and was whacking him about the head. Harry noticed they did seem to move a little slower than would be called 'with alacrity'.
"No, no, no!" cried Dumbledore. "That was his muggle relatives! His uncle!"
"What?" roared Amelia. "Harry Potter has been abused?"
"Look at his back!" cried Madam Malkin from where she was being held by two aurors. "Look at all the scars and marks!"
"No, no, no!" cried Dumbledore. "Nooo! There's no need. The boy exaggerates!"
"Look at his back!" screeched Madam Malkin.
Looking from the old witch down to Harry, Amelia said, "Mister Potter. Please lift your shirt."
Harry looked at his feet and shook his head.
"Mister Potter," said Amelia in a grandmotherly sort of voice, "Please... lift... your... shirt!"
Moving with the appearance of reluctance, Harry moved his hands to begin lifting his shirt.
"Noooo!" cried Dumbledore. "Not here! You'll embarrass the boy!"
Harry ignored the old fool and lifted the bottom of his shirt to between his shoulders in a quick upward movement.
There were gasps and angry mutters coming from all around. Even Dan and Emma were quite shocked by what they saw.
"The boy who lived!"
"The hero of wizarding Britain!"
"How dare they!"
Harry quickly dropped his shirt and hung his head in the appearance of shame.
"Dumbledore knew! He admitted it!"
Suddenly there was a cry of, "Dumbledore, you mongrel!" and people surged forward.
The aurors suddenly surrounded the old man and Amelia called, "Emergency portkey him back to a cell! Now! Everyone else, get back!" She pointed her wand in the air and fired off an explosive crack. Harry dropped to the ground and cowered next to her feet.
Dumbledore and two aurors suddenly disappeared.
The crowd stopped and moved back a couple of paces. They were quiet.
Amelia bent down and took hold of Harry's hand, his left hand, and lifted him back to his feet.
"Mister Potter, we're going to need..."
"Errr... excuse me, Ma'am?" he asked.
"Yes?" she asked.
He held up his right hand and let the sunlight glint off his Potter House ring.
After a heartbeat, Amelia said in a clear voice, "My apologies... Lord Potter."
Another ripple of murmurings passed through the crowd.
She went on to say, "Lord Potter, we're going to need to take you back to my offices, so we can investigate this further."
Harry declared, "I'm not going anywhere unless my new best friend, Hermione, and her parents can come too! They saved me!"
Looking over at the Grangers, Amelia said, "Well, it looks like you're coming, too. I need your statements, anyway. You, too, Lord Black."
Amelia and her aurors portkeyed everyone back to the offices of the DMLE.
# # #
Finally, just arriving back at the Pottery via floo from Amelia's office after a pretty gruelling couple of hours, Harry was sitting on a couch in the parlour with Sirius, Dan, Emma and Hermione.
"Well, there goes a day of shopping down the drain," he sighed.
Emma, still standing, walked over to Harry and said, "Harry. Stand up and take off your shirt."
He stood, shrugged his shoulders, and took his shirt off up over his head.
Emma turned him about and asked, "I know you were abused by your aunt and uncle. But not all of these could have come from your time before you turned four."
"No," said Harry. "Some of them are. But these are the marks and scars I took from Dobby when he first arrived here. In order to have the Dursleys and Dumbebutt properly dealt with, I used very old magic that Myrrdin and I knew to take them from Dobby's Polyjuiced body and transfer them to mine.
"It's irreversible and, besides, he may only be a house elf, but I refused to allow him to bear the brunt of what was meant for me, one moment longer."
"It was not meant for you!" scolded Emma. "It was not meant for anyone!"
Harry started to pull his shirt back on before he stopped and said, "Excuse me. I'm getting out of these rags." And headed for his room to get changed.
When he returned, cleaner and feeling much better wearing his own clothes, he saw that Pixie or Dobby had prepared an afternoon tea for them.
That reminded Harry of something he needed to do.
"Dobby!" he called.
The, now, little elf popped into existence alongside him.
"Yes, Master Harry, Sir?" he asked.
"Dobby," Harry sighed. "What you did... what you put up with... for six years with the Dursleys, is something I can never repay. However, I'm going to try my absolute hardest to do so. Tell me, if you can have anything in the world right now, anything your little heart desires, what would it be?"
Hopping up and down from foot to foot, Dobby said, "Dobby wants to be Master Harry's house elf! That's what Dobby wants more than anything!"
Surprised, Harry said, "You can have anything, Dobby. I mean it! You can have house elves of your own, if you want."
"Dobby wants to be Master Harry's house elf!" the little elf declared again.
"Well, okay..." Harry started to say.
"Yes!" cried Dobby throwing himself to wrap his arms around Harry's legs. There was a sudden flash of magic pass from Harry to Dobby and back again.
"Dobby is very happy with Master Harry!" the little elf declared. "Master Harry is the greatest master Dobby could ever have!"
"Damn, Pup!" said Sirius. "Now that's what I call loyalty!"
Once Dobby let him go, Harry collapsed onto a chair and softly began to weep. "How the bloody hell do I deserve this?" he asked the room in an anguished cry.
Hermione came over and hopped into his lap. She cuddled him and held him until he'd wound down.
"That's all the stress you've put yourself under, Harry," she said. "You can't keep things bottled up like you've been doing. It's not good for you!"
When Harry looked up, he'd noticed everyone else had left the room. He had Hermione hop off his lap and he went looking for them. He found them in the kitchen. Dan and Sirius sat at opposite ends of the little six-seater kitchen table. Emma sat on Dan's left.
When they walked into the room, Hermione went and sat at her Dad's right while Harry sat alongside her, on Sirius's left hand.
They each had a cup of tea sitting in front of them. As Hermione and Harry sat, identical cups of tea appeared before them.
While he was sipping his tea, Sirius was quietly humming a tune.
Harry quickly recognised it as Wagner's Bridal Chorus. "Shut up, Padfoot!" he demanded.
Sirius, ignoring him, continued to hum the tune while sipping his tea.
"God damn it, Padfoot! Shut up!" snarled Harry.
Again, Sirius continued to ignore him. Dan and Emma just exchanged slightly amused glances.
Harry placed both hands on palm down on the table of either side of his cup and saucer and snarled ominously, "Damn it, Snuffles! If you don't stop that incessant tune this instant I'm going to have Dobby stuff you head first down a garbage chute somewhere!"
Sirius still continued to ignore him.
Harry just sighed and gave up. He picked his cup up and just decided to sip it and ignore his pain-in-the-butt godfather. He hoped ignoring the man would see him give it up.
While he took a big sip of his tea, Hermione quietly and with an air of dignity, said to her parents, "He's wasting his time, you know. Harry and I aren't going to be married for years yet."
The sheer shock of Hermione's statement had Harry coughing his tea halfway across the kitchen. They were just lucky no one was sitting opposite at the time.
The outburst had Sirius throw himself backwards so hard, and begin laughing so hard, he fell over the back of the chair and ended up on the kitchen floor. There he lay, rolling back and forth, absolutely howling with laughter.
Harry was sitting at the table trying to cough tea out of his lungs. He had tears in his eyes from the effort.
Dan had hung his head and was shaking it back and forth, while Emma was looking a bit of a cross between being faintly amused and quite scandalised at her daughter.
While no one was looking Pixie popped in and cleaned the sprayed tea up off the table, the back of the other chair, the kitchen floor and the cupboard doors under the kitchen bench. Then she set a fresh cup of tea and a glass of water down in front of Harry with a couple paper napkins, frowned at him, and disappeared again.
Hermione, after her little statement, just looked around and harrumphed. Then she rose from her chair and walked around to where Sirius was on the floor. She said, "Sirius Orion Black! You will stop that this instant! There is nothing to laugh about!"
Sirius laughed even harder. So, Hermione harrumphed again, stuck her noise in the air and stormed out of the kitchen.
Emma rose and quietly said, "I'd better go talk to her." And followed after her daughter.
Dan looked up and said, "It looks like the cats out of the bag... son."
Harry, still not able to talk, tried to sooth his throat by taking a couple of swallows of water.
Sirius was finally getting control of himself again, and was trying to climb to his feet by pulling himself up on his chair.
"Oh... Merlin!... She sounds so much like Lily," he gasped.
"Padfoot, you bloody idiot!" rasped Harry, still trying to talk properly.
"Oh, knock it off, Pup!" he replied, finally getting himself back into his chair. "I don't think there's a person in our little group who has not already figured out you two are meant to be together! You're the only one who's fighting the inevitable."
"I think her father might have something to say about that," sighed Harry, still with a bit of a rasp.
Dan sighed and shook his head. "Not anymore," he said. "I just ask you hold off on the nuptials until you're both well over eighteen."
Harry nodded and said, "I so did not want this to happen."
Dan replied, "No, you said she had to be free to make her own choice. She's made it. Even if it was far quicker than either of us expected."
"I'm only the first boy she's really been friends with. It's 'puppy' love", said Harry. "There's every chance she's going to find someone else when we get to Hogwarts."
"I don't think so," said Sirius, while Dan shook his head. "I doubt I've ever seen a more soul-bonded couple than you two. Your parents came close, though"
Harry just harrumphed. And, in doing so, matched Hermione's effort of a few moments earlier.
Sirius said, "You have your mothers eyes, love for others and sense of justice. You have your father's cunning, determination and drive. Hermione is your equal, but she's more intelligent and not as cunning, plus a few other things. You're a match, but with enough differences to remain individuals."
# # #
Early that evening they were joined by the Longbottoms and the Boneses. Neville and Susan, and even Augusta, wanted to know everything that happened.
Harry, Sirius and Dan did their best to run through what happened, when and where. Harry didn't know but Emma had about forty galleons in her purse when she clonked Dumbledore a good one upside his head. She thinks she also got another good shot in but it only glanced off.
Amelia said Dumbledore was going to be spending the night in her cells. "For his own safety, of course," she smirked. They'd called the healers for him as he had abrasions on his shins and a badly bruised pinkie toe where Harry had landed once with the heel of his shoe.
Augusta, who had visited the Alley later in the day, reported how the whole Alley was abuzz with how Harry Potter had turned up in the Alley and that he was attacked by Dumbledore. They also said how Harry was abused, with the most fanciful tales saying he had ended up deformed from it all. And how he was now Lord Potter; though, they didn't know how that was possible.
Yet another evening version of the Daily Prophet came out. There was even a photograph of Harry with his head dropped low and his shirt up. Another of Madam Malkin pulling Dumbledore's head down by his beard so she could whack him about the head with her hand. Harry didn't even know there was a photographer there. The one of Madam Malkin reported how she had to attend St Mungo's later in the day to see to injuries sustained to her hand.
This time there was only one voice speaking out in favour of Dumbledore; a lady who wasn't there in the Alley at the time. She couldn't believe the great Albus Dumbledore could ever do such a thing. She insisted it must have been someone Polyjuiced to destroy Dumbledore's reputation.
One article covered, again, what they believed happened on the night of the 31st of October 1981. This time, however, Peter Pettigrew's name was substituted for Sirius's as the Secret Keeper and betrayer of the Potters. Another article covered Harry's recent family tree and how Harry was currently the last of the line. Hence, that 'must have been' why he was able to take up the family Headship.
Another article covered how Dumbledore was still yet to be tried for not coming forward with information about his role in what happened on the night of the 31st of October 1981, and not coming forward with the information he knew the now Lord Black was not the Secret Keeper. It also covered how the DMLE had received over five thousand individual complaints about owl interceptions by Dumbledore of Harry's mail and how the DMLE wanted to put him on trial for that matter, as well.
"That reminds me," said Harry, looking up from reading the article. "We're going to need to put in place our own owl interception once Dumbledore's stopped from doing it. I'll need the mail to be sent to the goblins to check the whole lot, as it comes, before they forward it on to me. Who knows what's going to be in it all."
Amelia sat up and said, "Actually, have it sent through to us first. We've the manpower and will want to know what may be included, too. If there's anything that shouldn't be there, I'll be having words with the people concerned."
Harry nodded and said, "Do you need me to fill out any paperwork for that?"
"No," said Amelia. "It's something we can do, considering the nature of the matters involved. I'll see to it when I get home. The on-duty night shift aurors can organise it for me."
The large editorial was the most interesting and pleasing. And also the most damning. It covered Dumbledore's many accomplishments. How he was Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, defeater of Grindelwald, and the only man He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named appeared to fear.
Then it went on to cover his recent actions. Actions that appeared to be of a man who had either snapped, or was losing his faculties. The editorial questioned whether Dumbledore, hero that he is, should be 'allowed' to quietly retire. Or, whether his recent alleged crimes were so dire, he should be placed into permanent enforced care at Saint Mungo's Wizarding Hospital. The editorial oozed concern for a man 'who had borne so much for so long'.
After reading the editorial, Harry looked up and said to Amelia and Augusta, "Is this..." indicating the editorial "... going to be enough to start having Dumbebutt stripped of some of his positions?"
"Legally, no," said Amelia with a sigh. "Though he's been charged, he's not yet been found guilty of a crime."
Augusta took up the thread of the conversation and said, "However, that doesn't mean we cannot act within the Wizengamot. At the next session, I'll be putting forward a motion to have Dumbledore stripped of the Chief Warlock position and replaced. If I can't get the support to make it permanent, I'll move it be temporary until all the legal matters relating to him are cleared.
"Whether or not I can get him removed from the Chief Warlock position, I'll also be trying to get him removed from the ICW, as we don't want someone who's under a legal cloud representing Britain in matters of international importance; and from the Headmaster's slot at Hogwarts, as he is under investigation for child abuse, conspiracy to commit child abuse, child endangerment, assault upon a child and claiming magical guardianship of someone who he wasn't in a position to do so. That last, in Harry's case, can be construed as an attempt at Line Theft."
Sirius asked, "And who would you ask to replace Dumbledore in any of the three positions?"
Harry piped up and said, "Madam Marchbanks, as Chief Warlock. She's fair, will warrant no nonsense from anyone, and really should have been the Chief Warlock if not for Dumbledore's... popularity."
Amelia said, "Tiberius Ogden for the slot on the ICW, though it'll be up to the ICW to appoint a new Supreme Mugwump. I think there's a wizard from New Zealand who'd be the choice for that."
Sirius said, "And it would have to be Minerva McGonagall for the Headmaster slot. She's only been Deputy Head for a couple of months. But, it's the role she was born to hold. And I'd also put Filius Flitwick up for the Deputy Head position and say bugger the fact he's part goblin. Like McGonagall he's been there since the 1970's, and all the staff and the students love him. I did, as did James, Remus and, especially, Lily."
"And talking about Hogwarts," said Harry, grateful for the segue. "Is this going to be enough for you, Madam Bones, to have aurors stationed at Hogwarts from the first day of school?"
Nodding, Amelia said, "Definitely! Even if Dumbledore is able to get himself back to Hogwarts for the first day, I can have aurors stationed there to make sure he's watched and monitored. If we can't get him removed from his position as Headmaster, then I'll definitely be able to get Wizengamot approval to have the aurors in place."
"Merlin!" said Augusta. "To think, our greatest allies on the Wizengamot to get this done are going to come from the dark families."
"Well," said Harry. "I don't think we can make Dumbledore's life even more of a living hell, tonight. I think this last lot, added to what happened at Sirius's trial, will keep him back-footed and dancing to our tune we play for him until well after the 1st of September."
After their guests had departed for their own homes - Amelia and Augusta took the Grangers home - Harry sat down and typed up a report for Sir David to forward on the information to the Queen.
In it he covered what had transpired, especially the day just past, and how things were progressing. He also reported on what had also been transpired within the wizarding world, in general. He typed it in as dry and bureaucratic a style as he could, as he knew it would be appreciated. He also left a note reminding the man he could be contacted via the mirror.
After he finished, and made sure he made no mistakes, he tucked it into a DL envelope and wrote upon the front of it:
For Sir David Smythe-Umpton,
from Lord Harry James Potter
He stood back, shifted into his animagus form, and picked the envelope up with his beak. Then he phoenix-flashed it to the blotter on Sir David's desk in his office at MI5, before returning to the Pottery.
# # #
The next morning, Harry collected Sirius's copy of the Daily Prophet from where the owl had delivered it. There were yet more stories about the scene in the Alley of the day before. There was very little of new information about what happened, but there were now articles quoting members of the Wizengamot and the Ministry. However, there were a number of quotes from Malfoy, the Minister and even a short one from Amelia.
Amelia was quoted as saying, "Mister Dumbledore..." she used none of his titles... "is to be given the benefit of trial before people comment on his alleged crimes against Lord Harry Potter..." but used Harry's title. Nice.
The comments from Malfoy were, as suspected, very scathing of the old man. He hinted how he was "... discussing matters with other members of the Wizengamot about Dumbledore's actions these past days" and how "He felt sorry, but appalled, at how the 'old man' was now losing touch with all reality". He laid it on a bit thick but, in this, Harry considered him an ally.
The Minister, however, was very reluctant to comment. Most unusual for the man, thought Harry. But he did say Albus Dumbledore... again, no title... was to be presumed innocent until the findings of the court were made public. However, he felt the man was a hero and should continue to be treated with respect.
In other words, the Minister was straddling the fence. Harry wondered how many splinters were in his butt from how much he always sat on said fence. He must've saddled the damned thing.
What did get under Harry's skin were the remarks in a couple of the articles where it said, 'Lord Potter has refused to comment on' and 'when speaking with Lord Potter, we were unable to get his views on'. Harry highlighted both remarks and made a copy of the two articles. Both were written by one Rita Skeeter.
Sirius went into the Alley later in the morning and picked up the rest of Harry's supplies. He didn't bother with the text books, of course, as Harry already had those memorised. And Harry would return in six days to pick up his uniform and robe, and his trunk.
There were also some potion ingredients not on the approved list of school supplies Harry wanted, as well. Plus, he knew where there was a perfectly good giant basilisk just waiting to be killed and sold off. He'd make sure the skins went to Amelia's aurors to be made into armour. He thought about having four sets of that armour set aside for himself and the others. However, they'd be growing too much over the next couple of years to make it worthwhile. He did wonder, though, just what Ollivander would make of eye string from a basilisk.
This morning he collected off Dan a high quality image of the Granger crest and gave it to Sirius to make sure a copy went both to Gringotts and to the trunk manufacturer. He reported back the goblins would ensure a copy was presented to the trunk manufacturer.
He asked Sirius to call in to the Daily Prophet offices while he was in the Alley and wave both his own thirty per cent share, and how he held the proxies for another forty-five per cent share, of the paper. He would demand an immediate retraction of both comments that Harry had indicated, that the retraction was to be on the front page, and the journalist concerned would be publicly reprimanded for her deliberate lack of truth. Or the editor would quickly find himself fired and someone who would obey the owner's instructions would replace him.
The editor was also given instructions relating to interviews. They were to destroy every quik-quote quill in the building - not sell; destroy - and replace them with dicta-quills. All staff were not to interview anyone under the age of consent, or not emancipated, without the presence and permission of the parents or guardians of the child. Any source was, in all instances where possible, to be verified prior to publishing.
Sirius also reported how he was often stopped by shopkeepers in the Alley, and by shoppers while he was moving from shop to shop, by people asking after 'that poor boy, Harry Potter'. Sirius confessed to using the opportunity to curry further support and see if he could 'hook up'.
Susan and Neville were happy to learn, yesterday, of Harry's purchase for them of a new expanding trunk for each of them. But he had to smooth over ruffled feathers with Amelia and Augusta. Once he convinced them the other heirs would need them to properly fulfil their duties, once their heritage became known, they were accepting of the gifts. But Harry still had to point out it was not considered an extravagant gift for one of their station, even if they hadn't yet taken on the duties of those stations.
Well, anything further he bought for each of them he'd just pack in his own trunk and give to them once they all arrived at Hogwarts. Their guardians couldn't stop him, once there. They could only send him a howler or two. Embarrassing, but better than getting an earful while they were standing in front of him. He'd just hide behind the wards at Hogwarts. Yes, both Amelia, especially Amelia, and Augusta could come directly to the school to... remonstrate... with him, but it would take effort on their part.
Now that the great Harry Potter reveal was done and out of the way, Harry decided there was another issue he could take care of. He couldn't very well champion the rights of other sentient magical creatures when his own house elves were made to wear linen or rags.
"Pixie! Dobby!" he called. Both elves flashed into existence in front of him.
"Yes, Master Harry, Sir?" asked Pixie.
"Okay, you two," he said to them. "I don't like how you wear rags while you work for me. So, I want you to wear uniforms. This is not me giving you clothes, understand. This is me requiring a certain level of dress in my staff."
Both elves nodded vigorously.
Harry thought first of what he wanted Pixie to wear. "Can you see my thoughts, Pixie?" he asked her.
She said, "Yes, Master Harry, Sir!" and suddenly she was wearing what he had in his mind. A light white blouse with a female cut dark blue blazer with a grey skirt to the knee. On the breast pocket of the jacket was the Potter crest sized to fit the uniform.
Turning to Dobby, Harry said, "Okay, now yours." and suddenly Dobby was wearing the male version of what Pixie was wearing. A light white open collared shirt with a dark blue blazer with grey trousers. On the breast pocket of the jacket was the Potter crest.
"Excellent!" said Harry leaning back to survey his handiwork. "Okay, do a slow turn about, both of you." And both elves turned full around in front of him.
"Definitely, excellent!" said Harry, quite satisfied. "You both look very smart and I feel blessed to have both of you working for me."
"Thank you, Master Harry, Sir!" said Dobby, before he dove at Harry's legs and gave them a squeeze. Pixie very quickly did the same.
"Does Master Harry need anything else?" asked Dobby.
"No, thank you, Dobby," replied Harry. "You can both go back to what you were doing."
"Thank you, Master Harry, Sir!" said Pixie, before they both disappeared again.
Harry thought to himself, 'Make them start to look like people, and witches and wizards will start to treat them like people.'
# # #
At Hogwarts, Dumbledore had arrived back at the castle just in time for breakfast. He quickly changed out of the robes he'd been forced to wear from the previous day and headed down to breakfast with the staff.
He stomped into the Great Hall and 'flomped' into his throne-like chair. No one on staff even said, 'Good morning' to him.
Still in a foul mood, he'd just started to load his plate with his favourite breakfast dishes when the owls streamed in from overhead. A few flew over to the other members of staff. The remainder, however, unloaded on him.
As with a couple weeks ago, Dumbledore was buried under a veritable avalanche of folded parchment.
Roaring out his displeasure, he banished almost all of it out towards and across the four, currently empty, house tables. "God damn it!" he snarled.
Bathsheba Babbling on his left, and Minerva McGonagall on his right, both moved as far from the old man as they could. And still no one said a word. Dumbledore just sat there, hunched over, and shovelling food into his mouth as if he was trying to kill his breakfast with his teeth.
As soon as he'd felt satisfied enough to have broken his fast, he rose and stomped back out of the hall back to his office.
Well," said Professor Flitwick, "There goes a most unhappy individual."
Professor McGonagall calmly finished her breakfast, took a sip of her tea, and said, "I think it's time we spoke with the School Board. This cannot be allowed to continue."
Up in his office Dumbledore was trying to figure out how to get Harry Potter back under his control. He did not yet know the Dursleys had been arrested... again... and that the computers of the police involved now had full and detailed reports of their atrocities. He also did not know it would not matter if he obliviated everyone involved, as the computer systems would simply remind the officers of the serious nature of the Dursleys' crimes and they'd be back behind bars within an hour.
Their own Headquarters at New Scotland Yard, and MI5, were monitoring things from afar. If it appeared minds had been wiped both departments were prepared to go in to Surrey and set the involved officers back on track.
Wiping the minds of Her Majesty's Metropolitan Police Service would no longer be an effective way for magicals to escape police investigations.
Dumbledore also did not know that Harry Potter was not staying at Grimmauld Place with Black, but at the Pottery, his own Manor House.
He also did not know that what funds he'd secreted away in his own office from the boy's trust vault was going to be the last he ever took from there. And he did not notice the missing books off the shelves, or the invisibility cloak from its package under his bed.
All Dumbledore focussed upon was his plans for when the boy arrived at Kings Cross Station for his trip on the Hogwarts Express. Once he had him at Hogwarts, he would very quickly get the boy back under control.
# # #
After lunch, Harry was preparing to head out into non-magical London to track down a publisher for his book. He'd sent in an initial draft of the first few chapters to a number of publishing houses a while ago. Now he had a call back from one of them. It was a relatively new company that had only been running for about five years. He was going in to see them today.
Finding a secluded spot just around the corner from the offices of the publisher, Harry apparated directly to the spot with his glamour on and under a Notice-Me-Not charm. The address, Harry found, looked a lot like a brownstone walk-up.
Harry checked the address again - 50 Bedford Square, London - and thought, 'This is it. Bloomsbury Plc. It sure didn't look like much from the outside.'
He dropped the Notice-me-Not charm and entered. He was greeted by a receptionist behind a reception desk. On introducing himself he was led to an office upstairs.
The man in the office said, "I gave that teaser you sent us to my daughter. She loved it and wanted to read more. So, that's why you're here."
Harry said, "And I thank you for your time."
He handed over the typed up pages of his book to the man behind the desk and said, "I'll understand if you don't want to print it, but it's for a very select audience. I'd like to pay for all costs associated with printing the book and need an advanced run of about four hundred copies before the 1st of September."
The man leafed through a lot of the pages, frowned, and said, "Yeah, we can do that."
Harry gave the man his credit card details and said, "Take what you need, but be prepared to provide very detailed invoices to go along with the charges. I'll be by in about a week to see how you're doing. Is that okay?"
"More than okay, Sir", said the man standing and offering his hand.
Harry stood, shook the man's hand, thanked him again for his time and left.
'Another job crossed off the list,' thought Harry.
# # #
When he arrived home, Sirius had a guest waiting for him in the Parlour. A tall lanky man wearing a threadbare herringbone suit with a shock of short blondish red hair and a very scraggly moustache.
Harry walked in and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hello, cub," said the man rising from his chair to come forward.