Chapter 33
Conniptions and Contracts
Author's Note: Made a mistake in Chapter 32 that some of my readers probably saw before it was corrected. Lord Blishwick's name is Isaac, I accidentally named him by his son's name, Ivan. This was changed and corrected a couple hours after the chapter was published.
Warning: Dumbledore Bashing and Plotting; Helpful Goblins
(Monday, December 21st, 1994 – 10:10 AM)
As he, and the rest of the Lords and Ladies on the Wizengamot, watched the newly introduced Lord Potter and Heiress Dagworth-Granger leave Courtroom Nine, Albus Dumbledore slowly sank down onto his chair. He could not believe what he had just witnessed take place. Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had just done something that he would have thought was impossible, especially given all the limitations they had – limitations he had set for them – inside Hogwarts Castle.
Somehow, over the past week, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had completely taken themselves out from under all the influence he had on them. Somehow, they had been able to accomplish a lot of work, without him knowing about any of it until today.
Albus could understand how Amelia Bones had become the Proxy for the House of Potter, and Minerva McGonagall had become the Proxy for House of Dagworth-Granger. Obviously the new Lord Potter had been in contact with Amelia Bones, and the new Heiress had discussed her Proxy with the Head of Gryffindor House.
But how had it been arranged for Lord Castor Greengrass to accept the Proxy for House Peverell? How had Potter been in contact with Houses Blishwick and Davis? How had this been accomplished without him knowing? Wait… he racked his brains as he tried to think of all the post he had received over the past week. As Harry Potter's mail was redirected to him because of enchantments and blocks, he would receive all of Harry Potter's post. And yet… he had received none recently, even though he expected Harry Potter and Hermione Granger to receive a bunch of post from people around the magical society of Great Britain, especially in reaction of Rita Skeeter's article about them becoming a couple. There might even have been Howlers and hex-letters sent to the new couple. So why hadn't Albus received any of this instead of it going to Potter?
Unless… it was now going to Harry Potter. Which is how Potter was able to communicate with these people – and perhaps the rest of the Great Alliance – without his knowing. The Block had somehow been discovered and removed. Of course! His suspicions about the Blood Test Potter might have taken! The Block might have been discovered! This meant it had been removed – and perhaps, many other blocks and bindings had been removed. Like the bindings on his magical core, his willpower to do better at certain things – such as his schoolwork, which had been originally bound quite a bit so he wouldn't make Ron Weasley jealous, and lose him as a friend and lose Albus a crucial spy. Like the Natural Occlumency, Natural Legilimency and Eidetic Memory abilities that had been blocked.
How had he discovered nothing of this? Of course, he had been extremely busy over the past weeks. Rita Skeeter's articles, his visits to the Ministry. Preparing for today's Wizengamot Council. His time in…
Fuck. His eight hours inside the Gringotts Holding Cell! He was there because Keeper Ragnok The Sixth – Harry Potter's Account Manager – had sent him a letter! That was the day Amelia Bones had come to Hogwarts to investigate and arrest Ron and Ginny Weasley, and apparently talk to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger! He could not believe it! Had Potter arranged that? Had Potter asked the Goblin to send the letter? Had Potter done it, because he didn't want Albus to interfere when Bones came to Hogwarts? That meant Potter knew he had stolen all that money from his Trust Vault. Which meant Potter likely knew about his Main Vaults and the vast fortunes inside! He wasn't supposed to know he had more than a Trust Vault! If he knew about the Vaults, he'd likely know about his properties all over the world. He'd know about Potter Manor!
If Potter went to his family Manor, he'd probably find the Potter Family Grimoire, something Albus did not want to happen! If Lily Potter could protect her son from Voldemort that night, then there had to be some magics inside the Grimoire that could help Potter defeat Voldemort. That could not happen! Voldemort had to defeat Potter, so he, Albus, could defeat Voldemort himself!
Hell, the Grimoire might help Potter defeat him, if the brat ever decided he wanted to do that!
It was all becoming clear to him now. Rita Skeeter's articles – perhaps Potter had given her that information! Which meant… he had suspicions about Albus' plans for Granger? Of course! Granger was Potter's Vassal now, obviously a move to protect her from Albus' plans!
Albus couldn't believe it. The entire week – every bad thing he had suffered – was planned in advance by Harry Potter, Hermione Granger… and Minerva McGonagall?
How much had they already accomplished without him knowing? How much did they know? How many of his carefully thought out plans had already been destroyed? He thought after the Weasleys had been arrested, that would be the only part of his plan that would be affected. He could come here today, get Potter's Emancipation blocked before Potter could meet with his Account Manager, and he could continue his plans! The Potter Will wouldn't be opened, Harry wouldn't discover all those secrets, he wouldn't be able to get Sirius Black freed, and he would have to return to the Dursleys next summer, while Albus continued to work on his plans.
Now Harry Potter was Lord Potter and Lord Peverell. Hermione Granger was Heiress Dagworth-Granger, and Vassal of House Potter. How much did Potter know about the Peverells? About the Three Brothers and the Deathly Hallows? Did he know what his Cloak was? Did he know Albus had the Elder Wand? If that happened… no, Albus couldn't bear it.
Then there was the Great Alliance. It was back, and more powerful than ever.
That last one… that was a damaging blow, maybe more so than anything else. That was something he didn't want to happen ever again. The Great Alliance was his biggest problem. With their full power back, with the addition of three more seats, Albus' power in the Wizengamot Council – and the power of the Dark Alliance as well – was pretty much neutered. All those Bills he could create in the future. All those Bills the Great Alliance might create now that would succeed instead of fail. All problems for him and his plans for the near and distant future. Ruined, because of Harry Potter!
Albus needed to meet with Potter and Granger. He needed to find out what they knew. He needed to figure out how to get them back under his control. But how?!
The Prophecy… perhaps? If he let Potter know about the Prophecy, and what he needed to do, Potter might realize he needed to work with Albus to finish off Voldemort for good! If only to protect Granger who would surely be one of Voldemort's biggest targets when the monster returned to power! Yes, for Granger, Harry Potter would return under Albus' thumb. For Granger, Harry Potter would sacrifice himself.
Albus sighed as Cornelius Fudge continued the next step of the Council Meeting. Albus Dumbledore just wanted the meeting – which would likely span several hours - to be over. His biggest Bill he wanted passed was already destroyed before he could bring it up. He just wanted to go back to Hogwarts, so he could speak to Potter and Granger.
He shuddered, wondering what Potter and Granger were getting up to, without him being there to make sure they behaved.
(Monday, December 21st, 1994 – 10:15 AM)
Sirius Black could barely hold back the laughter, and the glee in his expression as he watched Albus Dumbledore's personal world fall around him. Sirius had wanted to laugh and cheer after Harry – ahem – Lord Potter and Heiress Dagworth-Granger had left the Courtroom after their amazing performance in front of the Council. What a glorious prank that had been! Not just toward Albus Dumbledore, but to the majority of the Lords and Ladies of the Council – everyone but the Great Alliance, of course.
Sirius knew James and Lily Potter must be grinning, laughing and cheering from wherever they were, as they sat and watched the scene in front of them. He knew they would be just as proud of their son, as he was as proud of his godson. What a masterful play!
Sirius' gleeful musing was interrupted as Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge smacked his gavel down on the surface in front of him.
"Now that we have welcomed back four Houses into the Wizengamot Council," Fudge said, "And have recuperated from the wonders of what we have just witnessed – the return of a previously thought extinct House, for example, which is wonderful news! - I believe we can continue on with this all-important Council Meeting.
"This is the Winter Solstice Session, as I am sure none of you need reminding. As per usual during Solstice Sessions, it is tradition for every single Lord and Lady in this Council to have a voice and speak up their issues if they wish it! The Solstice Session, unlike other sessions during the year, is not limited to two-to-four hours. We could be here for twelve hours, while all of you fine Lords and Ladies say what you need to say! And that is okay, because that is what these special Solstice Sessions are for! So let's get underway with what I am sure will be a very long and very interesting Council meeting!
"As per usual, we will begin with any announcements any of our Lords and Ladies may have, before we move on to proposals for Bills and other important topics. Raise your hand if you have any announcements you would like us to know about! Anything that does not have to do with Bills or other issues needing to be debated, discussed and voted upon. Anything that might have happened recently you want us to know about. Births, deaths, weddings, et cetera and so forth!"
Sirius raised his hand – it had been decided he would be the one to announce his and Amelia's engagement – as did many others.
"Lord Black!" Fudge said, "Welcome back to the Wizengamot Council, Lord Black. As this is your first Council session in many years, I believe we shall begin with you. You have an announcement for the Council?"
Sirius stood up and cleared his throat as he found every eye in the room staring at him.
"It is my pleasure to announce the future union of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black," Sirius said, "and the Ancient and Most Noble House of Bones. On Saturday evening, I asked Lady Regent Amelia Bones to marry me and she accepted. We plan to marry during the week of Easter holiday!"
Applause and cheers were heard from the majority of the Light and Neutral Alliances. Several members of the Dark Alliance were merely clapping politely, while others weren't clapping at all.
"Congratulations Lord Black and Lady Regent Bones!" Fudge exclaimed, after he finished his applause, and slammed the gavel on the surface in front of him, "I am sure I speak for everyone here, when I say I am thrilled for the both of you, and what should prove to be a fruitful and wonderful union for the future of your Houses and our society as a whole."
Sirius hid a snort at the pompous nature of the Minister's reply to his statement. Obviously the man was still trying to get on his good side, as a way of apologizing for what happened to him. Sirius merely bowed and sat back down in his chair.
"I trust I will be invited to the wonderful festivities," Fudge said, chuckling; then he cleared his throat. "Next!"
As Fudge named another Lord, who stood, Sirius ignored the proceedings. The beginning part of these meetings were always Lords and Ladies boasting about certain things that only a few people out of the whole Council might care about. But it was a traditional part of the Solstice Sessions. As Fudge said, everyone got a chance to have their voice heard if they wanted it to be. No one was to walk out of the Session unsatisfied and disappointed that the things they wanted to be voiced weren't voiced – as happened sometimes during regular meetings. Maybe their Bills wouldn't pass, but at least they had brought it forth.
At least there were scheduled breaks every couple of hours to relax and wind down a bit from the drama. There was a reason these types of Sessions only happened twice a year. Because it was very long, mostly boring, and most Lords and Ladies didn't want to spend so long in the company of the certain Council members they did not like. Things tended to heat up when that happened.
Sirius merely slumped back in his chair and watched the show. As he did, he wondered if Harry and Hermione had made it to Diagon Alley yet with Moony. He also started making mental lists of Christmas gifts he needed to buy over the next couple of days for several people.
He already knew what he wanted to give to his godson and Hermione. Minerva McGonagall had told him an interesting piece of information in a letter yesterday. Something Harry and Hermione had not told him – because they hadn't thought much about it since they learned of it. Harry and Hermione had confirmed Animagus forms, but they needed to train and learn how to gain these forms. That was something Sirius could do.
He, James and Remus – with no help from Pettigrew – had done a lot of research when he, James and Pettigrew wanted to learn how to be Animagi to help Remus. They had written all this research down and made copies of it. Sirius' copy of the research was in his Personal Vault at Gringotts. He didn't know where James' research was. So he was going to give Harry and Hermione his copy. A perfect Christmas gift in his mind!
Now he just had to come up with gifts for others… including his fiancée!
(Monday, December 21st, 1994 – 10:30 AM)
Harry and Hermione, accompanied by Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, stepped through the brick archway and into Diagon Alley. They had taken the Floo Network from the Ministry of Magic to the Leaky Cauldron. Nymphadora Tonks, after hearing what they were planning – and congratulating the couple on their planned Betrothal – decided she wanted to tag along, for no real reason other than that she had an off-day from her job as a Rookie Auror for the remainder of the day, and she had nothing better to do!
Even when Harry and Hermione said they would be spending most of the time in Gringotts and not Diagon Alley, Tonks waved them off. Remus wasn't accompanying them, so he needed some company of his own. Remus' cheeks had gone red when Tonks – Harry and Hermione quickly learned not to call her by her first name – had decided she would keep the man company.
"Did you know Remus used to babysit me when I was little?" Tonks asked, as they walked down the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley, "Along with Sirius and your father, Harry! This was back before you were born, even before James and Lily got together. Of course, your mother joined them the summer after they finished their education, in those weeks before James and Lily got married. So Remus and I are old friends! Of course, I hadn't seen him in ages before Sirius' trial. I was jealous when I heard he was the Defense Professor last year. Missed him by two years."
"Two years?" Harry asked. "You were at Hogwarts when we were first years?"
"I was a seventh year," Tonks said. "Sorry I never approached you. I wanted to. But I was… well, it might have had something to do with that enchantment that recently got lifted. I don't know. We're cousins, you and I, you know? Second or something. Confusing, that. Your grandmother was my Great Aunt, I think."
"Would have been nice to know I had some good family members back then," Harry said.
"I would have liked to get to know you too, Harry," Tonks said, "I met you a few times when you were a baby. My mother has a picture of me holding you, I think."
Harry blinked, and suddenly remembered a photo of a little pink-haired girl in his photo album. More than one.
"I think I have a picture – maybe more than one - of you in my photo album I received from Hagrid," Harry said. "He got a lot of pictures from my parents' friends and made the book from them. Anyway, I think there was a picture of a pink-haired little girl at a wedding – my parents' wedding maybe."
"I was there with my parents!" Tonks said, grinning. "That was a very fun day."
"I also think I have a picture of you holding little me," Harry said.
"Might be a copy of the same one Mum has," Tonks said.
"I was one of those friends Hagrid mentioned," Remus said, smiling. "He wrote me a letter back then, and I sent you quite a few copies of the photographs I had. I am quite sure Ted and Andromeda sent you a few too, if you have one of Tonks when she was little. I wrote you a few letters too, Harry, but now I know Dumbledore kept them from you. Otherwise you would have known me more than just a Professor last year. When you didn't know who I was, I knew something was quite off. Sorry I didn't speak up about it. I was confused and questioning everything. I only started learning the truth after that night you saved Sirius and the hippogriff."
"I understand, Moony," Harry said, smiling. "Hey, how is Buckbeak?"
"Buckbeak is fine, though now we call him Witherwings, because he – unlike Sirius – is still a fugitive in a sense," Remus said, "He has a little paddock in the back of the cottage Sirius and I rented from Tonks' mother. The one we used as a safe house."
"I'm glad he is safe," Harry said.
"Me too," Hermione said, "I was worried about him."
"It was a good thing you did for him," Remus said, smiling.
Soon, they arrived at Gringotts. "Come find Tonks and I after you're finished. I know you told us you're planning on going to the Daily Prophet Headquarters. If you don't find us, we might be in the Leaky Cauldron."
"We'll meet you there then," Harry said.
It was mutually agreed, and Harry and Hermione said a temporary farewell, then headed into Gringotts Bank. Earlier, before they had stepped into Diagon Alley, Harry called for Dobby and asked him to tell Keeper Ragnok that he and Hermione were going to be at Gringotts soon to meet with him.
So it was no surprise that Keeper Ragnok the Sixth was waiting for Harry and Hermione when they arrived.
"Lord Potter, Heiress Dagworth-Granger," Ragnok said, with a smile, "It is wonderful to see you again. Follow me please."
Harry and Hermione nodded and followed the Goblin. Five minutes later they were sitting in the very same meeting room they had been in the last time they had been here.
"I have actually been expecting you to meet with me – whether it be today or in the near future," Ragnok said, after the two humans and Goblin sat down at the table. "When I realized that the Wizengamot Council was holding an all-important meeting today during the Winter Solstice, I theorized that the two of you may claim your seats on the Council. Is this so?"
"It is, Keeper Ragnok," Harry said, "It just happened at the top of the hour."
"Excellent," Ragnok said, "I am sure it was a most entertaining moment. Am I correct to assume that the reason you are here is because you wish to do some damage control in the aftermath of these discoveries?"
"Heiress Dagworth-Granger and I wish to pen a Betrothal Contract, Keeper Ragnok," Harry said.
Ragnok grinned. "Yes, I had actually foreseen the possibility of this happening. Obviously you would want to pen a Contract, if only as a preventative measure to block other possible Contracts."
"Yes, Professor McGonagall told us she had a conversation with you about this very thing," Hermione said.
"We did, indeed, discuss it, while you were with our Healers last Sunday," Ragnok said. "It was suggested, because I had foreseen the possibility of you wishing to prevent other wizards and witches trying to take advantage of you with Betrothal Offers. Now, since it should be expected that these Offers will be sent to you, I would suggest you allow me to redirect such offers here to Gringotts. Therefore - just in case any of these offers have some type of hex-letter enchantment, or Compulsion that might make you react more positive to such an offer than you normally would – you wouldn't have to deal with these."
"We have house-elves who control our post before we receive them," Harry said. "But since these are Contracts and such, and Gringotts is in charge of such a thing, maybe you should be in charge of this. Hell, just reject all the offers in the first place. I don't even need to see them."
"Ah, I would suggest otherwise, Lord Potter," Ragnok said, "Perhaps you know why, Heiress Dagworth-Granger?"
"The daughters targeted in these Contracts might receive letters from their parents, Harry," Hermione said, "What if this happens, and these girls approach you? You wouldn't expect them to, and you wouldn't know why they approached you."
Harry grimaced. "That is a good point, I suppose. Very well. Keeper Ragnok, I request that you redirect any Betrothal Offers sent to me, back to you. After you have cleared them of any nefarious enchantments, please send them my way."
"Of course, Lord Potter," Ragnok said, "And you, Heiress Dagworth-Granger. Would you like the same treatment?"
"Yes, Keeper Ragnok, I would," Hermione said.
"Excellent!" Ragnok said. "Now, without further ado, let us discuss the Betrothal Contract between the pair of you. Heiress Dagworth-Granger, as Vassal to Lord Potter, you do not need any other witness besides Lord Potter to sign on your behalf. Therefore, you are free to sign your own name, as it is assumed Lord Potter would favor this."
"Of course," Harry said.
"Therefore, Heiress," Ragnok said, "You have permission to discuss the details of the Betrothal Contract without outside interference or suggestion that isn't of your approval."
"I am very relieved about that," Hermione said, smiling.
"As I have been considering and planning for such a thing for over a week," Ragnok said, "I have considered a few suggestions for the provisos for your Contract. For example, the Contract cannot be canceled without both of you seeing a Gringotts-certified Healer. This will make sure that there are no Potions nor other outside influences, influencing you to cancel said Contract."
"I accept the Proviso," Harry said. "It can be canceled at any time, as long as we are not under nefarious influences."
"I agree," Hermione said.
"Given your history with nefarious potions and other enchantments, I thought you might favor it," Ragnok said, "Which is why I considered it. Let us discuss and consider other Provisos and then we can officially pen this Contract. First! Offspring! Children!"
Harry looked at Hermione, who smiled.
"My decision, then," Hermione said, and Harry nodded. "Three, at the very least. So that they can respectively hold the titles of Potter, Peverell and Dagworth-Granger. If we have daughters, the eldest gets the Dagworth-Granger title. Our eldest son gets Potter, and Peverell goes to the other oldest child, be it son or daughter."
"I like it," Harry said, "A minimum of three children, then we can have as many more as we want."
"Agreed," Hermione said.
"A very good suggestion," Ragnok agreed. "To continue the thought, usually those who pen these Contracts like to decide when the first child should be expected. Like for example… barring any complications, the oldest child should be born less than five years after the marriage is consummated."
Harry looked at Hermione, who bit her lip. "I might want to go to University, Harry."
"I can be a stay at home Dad if I don't go to University, Hermione," Harry said, "With the fortune we will have, I don't need to find a job immediately after leaving Hogwarts. Plus, we'll have house-elves to babysit any children if we have plans for University or jobs."
Hermione looked thoughtful. "Barring any complications, before our fifth anniversary, I must either be pregnant, or our eldest child should be born. If I do three or four years of University, this gives us a bit of an opening. Especially if I decide to take off a year in case I do end up pregnant before completing University."
"I am alright with that," Harry said. "That should satisfy our Alliance members, and the rest of society, interfering tossers they might be."
Hermione giggled at this and nodded.
"Very well," Ragnok said, smiling, as he wrote on the parchment in front of him, "A fine addition to the Child Proviso."
"Adultery and Infidelity," Hermione said. "I am not saying it will happen. This is a preventative measure, and needs to be included. If either of us commit adultery, we must be immediately checked for nefarious Potions and other enchantments."
"I agree," Harry said, "Nefarious Potions and enchantments are the only way it would happen, as far as I am concerned. Given the… celebrity… part of my life, this is a good Proviso."
"I am in agreement with this," Ragnok said.
"The Dagworth-Granger Title," Harry said, "From this day forward, unless Hermione dies before our future eldest daughter, the next Heiress of the House of Dagworth-Granger, reaches her majority I will not interfere in the decision-making of the House of Dagworth-Granger. I will not sit in the House of Dagworth-Granger seat, nor will I hold the votes for the Dagworth-Granger seat. Hermione and our eldest daughter gets this honor."
Hermione smiled, her eyes misty. "Thank you, Harry. I wouldn't have thought of that."
"I did not think of it either, I admit," Ragnok said. "It is a good Proviso. Other Lords and Ladies might expect you, as Hermione's husband, to take control of her House's votes and responsibilities. This allows her to keep such responsibilities. Forgive me for bringing up this next topic, as it is a tough one. What about when it comes to divorce?"
"Again, I don't foresee it happening, but on the possibility of it," Harry said, "we must be checked out for nefarious enchantments and Potions if we even suggest such a thing. We must also agree to sit down here at Gringotts and discuss how we go forward when it comes to children and what will happen with them. Such as what they will inherit, and such."
"I cannot see it happening either, Harry," Hermione said. "But I suppose it must be added in the Contract, just in case. I agree with what you have suggested."
"Very well," Ragnok said, "I apologize for that. It is always the most difficult part of a Betrothal Contract, even when the future bride and groom don't even have any involvement in the decision-making. Are there any other suggestions?"
"I think we covered pretty much everything I could think of," Hermione said. "We're not going to do a bride price as this is a Contract agreed between the two of us, not any parents or guardians. We're not going to suggest a required wedding date. That gives us a choice of when we want to be married, be it in the days and weeks after you turn seventeen, Harry. Or, like your own parents, in the months after we finish our education at Hogwarts."
"I agree," Harry said, "I don't want us to have a pre-set required wedding date. That is our decision we can be free to make in the future. I have no other suggestions either."
"Very well," Ragnok said. "With that, I can pen an official Contract, and the two of you can sign it."
"I request a copy of the Contract after we sign it, Keeper Ragnok," Harry said, "So that I may give it to Rita Skeeter, so she can announce our Betrothal in the Daily Prophet."
"Of course, Lord Potter, I assumed you would probably suggest such a thing," Ragnok said, "Speaking of Contracts, I should have asked this first. My copy of the illegal Contract penned between Albus Dumbledore and the late Molly Weasley was destroyed this morning. Was this because of you, Lord Potter?"
"It was," Harry said, grinning, "I destroyed it early this morning. I didn't want its existence – illegal or not – interfering in the Contract being created now."
"I would have suggested its destruction before you signed this Contract if you had not done it," Ragnok said. "As you alluded to a precaution of it interfering in this Contract."
Ragnok spent the next five minutes creating the Contract with all the suggested Provisos. He then placed it front of Harry and Hermione, both who read through it.
"Looks good," Harry said, "Do we need a human witness for this?"
"No," Ragnok said, "Betrothal Contracts are one of the few Contracts that do not need a Witness. Mostly for privacy's sake between the two to-be united families."
"Very well," Harry said, "I suppose we should sign it then."
Ragnok snapped his fingers and two Quills appeared in front of Harry and Hermione.
"These are a combination of our Blood and Honor Quills," Ragnok explained. "I decided your Contract should be penned with this type of Quill, because of past mistakes with Contracts in your case. If an Honor Quill had been used with Albus Dumbledore, the illegal Contract wouldn't have been penned, because he was not your legal Magical Guardian."
"Understandable," Harry said.
Harry picked up the Quill and signed on the line for the Groom. He winced as he noticed his signature appeared in his skin, for a moment before it disappeared.
"Multiple exposures to the Blood Quill, over a short timespan would cause scarring on your hand," Ragnok explained, after Hermione signed her name on the Bride's line, and winced and stared at her hand. "As such, the use of the Blood Quill is illegal outside of Gringotts. If you find a Blood Quill outside Gringotts soil, report it to me immediately please."
"Yes, Keeper Ragnok," Harry said, and Hermione echoed her boyfriend.
Keeper Ragnok signed his name on the Gringotts Witness line.
"Lord Potter, Heiress Dagworth-Granger," he said, "With your signatures and mine, the Contract is complete. You are now a Betrothed couple. Congratulations. You may kiss your Betrothed, Lord Potter."
For a moment, Harry thought Keeper Ragnok was jesting, as affections weren't allowed in front of Goblins. He shrugged and kissed Hermione briefly, before backing away. Harry and Hermione's eyes widened as the Contract shone in gold.
"Magic has approved of the Contract," Keeper Ragnok said. "Doesn't always happen, and it isn't required for a couple to be Betrothed. But when it happens, it is a joy to see. Congratulations again, Lord Potter, Heiress Dagworth-Granger."
Harry and Hermione blushed and smiled at each other. Ragnok snapped his fingers and five copies of the parchment was made.
"Two of these copies are for you to have in your possession," Ragnok said, "However, if these are destroyed, they will not destroy the main Contract. Two of these copies will go Vault Potter and Vault Dagworth-Granger respectively. The last one for Miss Rita Skeeter, as requested. Only when the main Contract you signed with your blood is destroyed, will it terminate the Betrothal Contract. That cannot be done without – as per your Contract – you visiting our Healers for an appointment to make sure there are no nefarious enchantments or Potions influencing you."
"Thank you, Keeper Ragnok," Harry said, "May I request writing material and an envelope? I will pay the cost for these."
"Ten sickles taken from the Potter Vault," Ragnok said; he snapped his fingers and writing material and a large brown envelope appeared.
Harry quickly wrote a letter for Rita concerning the Betrothal Contract, and giving her permission to write an article about it, and his and Hermione's show in Courtroom Nine that morning. He signed it, then Hermione did, and he placed the letter and copy of the Contract inside the envelope.
"Now that the Betrothal Contract is penned, we can move on to the other message I wished to give you today," Ragnok said, "I expect to have the audit reports for Potter, Peverell and Dagworth-Granger completed before the end of the year. If you so desire, I would like to suggest you meet with me again during the first week of the new year. I can deliver the audit reports to you then.
"We can also go over the results of the Contract that was given to the Dursleys on Saturday morning, which was penned and accepted by Vernon Dursley. By New Year's Day, the Dursleys will be gone from Number 4 Privet Drive in Surrey, and from Great Britain as a whole – if they know what is good for them."
"Excellent!" Harry said, grinning, "Thank you very much for doing that. Who was the Gringotts representative who visited the Dursleys?"
"A Muggleborn named Samuel Preston," Ragnok said.
"Give Mr. Preston a thousand Galleons from Lord Potter," Harry said, "for doing a wonderful job, and putting up with the Dursleys, which must have been difficult."
"I am sure he will be quite happy with such a gift," Ragnok said. "I will be happy to do so. I believe we are finished if you have no other questions. Would you like to visit your Vaults, Lord Potter? Your Betrothed will have permission – if you allow her – to go with you into your Vault."
"I would," Harry said, "I need to pick up a few things I expect I will be able to find there. Hermione is, of course, welcome to join me."
Hermione smiled and nodded.
"Very well," Ragnok said. "Let us go then."
Harry and Hermione collected their documents and followed Ragnok out of the room.
And so we come to the end of another chapter. Hope you liked it! Thanks to Rhys Thornbery for his assistance – and approval – of the Provisos of the Betrothal Contract. The Adultery/Fidelity and Divorce provisos wouldn't have been included without his assistance.
I am sure, since it is now known that Albus wants to tell Harry the Prophecy, that questions will be raised. Could Albus Dumbledore the Dark Lord in the prophecy? Yes. Could Voldemort be the Dark Lord in the prophecy? Yes. Could both? Yes! Does Albus want to even think that he is the Dark Lord in the prophecy? Absolutely hell no! He doesn't want to believe it, because that could mean that Harry could find out that he is the one named in the prophecy. It means that Harry could be destined to defeat him! He doesn't even want to think about that! Therefore, to him, Voldemort is the Dark Lord in the prophecy, and therefore that is what he wants Harry to believe.
Next Chapter: Harry and Hermione visit the Potter Vaults, and do some stuff before going back to Hogwarts. Maybe the Dumbledore meeting? It should happen next chapter. Depends on what else happens in the chapter.