Chapter 2
Harry and Hermione watched the stare-down between Zatanna and the man she called her father. It was an admittedly uncomfortable few minutes, as neither of them seemed willing to back down. Her father practically radiated a barely contained fury, while Zatanna stared him down with a cold determination. Neither of them would blink, but neither Harry nor Hermione was foolish enough to intervene in this little family reunion.
"Well, Zatanna? What do you have to say for yourself?"
Zatanna raised a challenging eyebrow. "Have I done something wrong, Dad?"
He stiffened at her words, yet his tone remained quiet. "First, you disappeared from our suite last night without a trace. Second, I hear from trusted sources that you were spotted attending a poker game in the Mirage. And this morning, I received a letter from Gringotts informing me of your marriage. Oh yes, Zatanna, you've done something that requires an explanation."
"What do you want me to tell you? You didn't want to investigate the Mirage, even with three major criminals in attendance, one of whom is Lex Luthor. I found someone who was willing, and he even took total ownership of their casinos, denying them a legitimate source of income. Plus, he's a perfect gentleman and cutie, so marriage to him is a nice bonus for me. I'm certainly satisfied with the outcome."
Her father looked flabbergasted at her words and was about to respond before he realized something. She wasn't looking at him, but someone standing behind him. Turning his head, he immediately locked eyes on Harry, who fought the urge to flinch as the angry father turned his attention towards him entirely.
"You, young man, have five seconds to explain what's going on." He advanced on Harry, the anger evident in his tone as he raised his wand at Harry. Even without it, the undercurrent of a threat was obvious. With no other options, Harry decided he had to come clean.
"My name is Harry Potter, sir. My uncle and I came to Vegas with my girlfriend for a vacation after my godfather's death. All I remember of last night is a great deal of drinking and gambling, and waking up here. I wasn't even aware I was married until your daughter told me I was her husband."
The words stumbled out of Harry's mouth, and were he given time to mentally prepare, he might have offered a better explanation than simply saying he got drunk on vacation. However, despite having faced the most feared Dark Lord since Grindelwald multiple times, he had no prior experience dealing with concerned parents. His experience with the Dursleys told him to fess up because lying would make the inevitable punishment worse. All he could do was close his eyes and brace himself for the inevitable, trembling all the while.
But no curses, hexes or jinxes came from her father. Not even an angry lecture about him defiling his daughter. When he opened his eyes, he saw looks of concern on the faces of not only his wives but also Mr.Zatara. The man should be furious with him, yet was looking at him with shock and even... pity? Whatever it was, it caused the man to lower his wand, forcing himself to calm down as he appraised the boy in front of him.
"Harry Potter... as in the Boy Who Lived?"
'Sigh' "Yes, that Harry Potter."
"I see. Aren't you too young to drink? Or gamble? Let alone get married?"
Harry winced at the questions. "Glamour Charms, sir. As for the marriage... I don't know. But I do know your daughter is a remarkable young woman, and anyone would be lucky to be with her."
Zatanna shot her husband a smile at his words, while her father continued.
"I don't doubt anyone would be lucky to marry my little girl. What concerns me is how you managed it in the first place."
"I... I honestly don't know. I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of magical law. All I know is if Gringotts acknowledges it, then it must be legitimate."
"That's what I was afraid of. This is going to be a long day, isn't it?"
"You tell me."
That voice was one Mr.Zatara recognized, as he spun towards the door, wand at the ready. Likewise, Harry, Hermione and Zatanna all turned to the entrance and found his Uncle Remus standing at the entrance, wand at the ready, with a beautiful woman. This woman was aiming a pistol at Mr.Zatara, and the look in her eye indicated she was ready and willing to pull the trigger.
"Miss Graves, a pleasure to see you."
"Likewise, Giovanni. Now tell me, why are you threatening my employer?"
That gave the man a start. "Your employ-? You work for Lex Luthor. How is this teenager your employer?"
"Simple. Luthor bet my contract to regain his losses last night, and it backfired. I now work for Harry Potter, so I'll ask again. Are. You. Threatening. My employer?"
Giovanni looked between Harry and Miss Graves, before slowly lowering his wand. "I assume this is far from my last surprise?"
Remus smirked. "That's likely the safest option. My name is Remus Lupin, sir. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Likewise, Mr.Lupin. And please, call me Giovanni. Tell me, how badly should I brace myself?"
"That depends entirely on how much you want to know."
Miles away in Metropolis, the famed CEO of LexCorp, Lex Luthor, unceremoniously dragged himself out of bed. It was an undignified start to the day, and quite frankly, after what happened last night, he didn't give a damn. Once a year, a special poker game was held in Vegas, one in which only the wealthiest individuals might attend. The stakes of the game were high, with millions being won or lost in the opening hands, ensuring only those able to risk such losses would be in attendance. He'd attended for five years now, and it was rare for there to be more than three players.
But last night, a fourth player arrived. Lex strained his brain trying to remember the details in between the haze caused by a hangover. He was young, likely a teenager... and he had an accent. A British teenager, if his memory was right... which Lex freely admitted it might not be. He and the others hadn't just lost to this teen... they'd been utterly decimated by him. The Mirage, The Luxor, and Excalibur casino resorts had all been won by this random teenager, this... limey bastard, along with an ungodly amount of money and other possessions that only added to the humiliation, including his private jet! Even being forced to do the Walk of Shame after losing his pants would have been preferable to everything else.
But the absolute worst part was the loss of Miss Graves's contract. Assistant, bodyguard, driver, and pretty much anything he needed her to be, Mercy had been an excellent asset, not just for her skills and professionalism, but also her loyalty. She had stood by him through everything, and even when he was forced to hand over the reins of power to her, she had unflinchingly returned them afterwards. And he'd lost her contract trying to regain The Mirage. He could only chalk it up to a terrible combination of alcohol, and a wounded pride. At least he was able to get back to Metropolis, though not before drinking enough alcohol he can't clearly remember what happened once he got back.
He was swearing off alcohol entirely. Last night just proves he can't risk losing control of himself in that way. He needs to remain focused going forward. The money he could make back without much difficulty, even with the loss of The Mirage. Worst case scenario he cashes in on some of his projects early. Replacing Miss Graves on the other hand... that was going to be a challenge. She was a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition, and he'd be hard-pressed to find someone of even half her talents and loyalty. Her loss, sadly, was one where he'd have to just bite the bullet and move on.
But there was something he could do. A little bit of payback, the kind that didn't require any action on his part beyond... letting someone know of a... discovery he'd made. The image of the boy from last night was slowly becoming clearer. Messy black hair, green eyes, a lightning bolt scar, and... a name, Mr.Potter, if his memories were accurate. In any event, he just needed to pass on a message of a recent artifact the Luxor had acquired and was preparing to put on display. They thought it was from Egypt, a relic from one of the earliest dynasties.
Sadly, the collector who sold it to The Luxor was wrong. It was really from Kahndaq. And he just happened to know someone who'd be thrilled to get it back.
"So, let me get this straight," Giovanni started. At the moment, he was sitting in a chair across from Harry, who had both Hermione and Zatanna cuddled up next to him on the couch. Mercy stood next to the couch, upright and professional, ready to snap into action in an instant, while Remus sat on a second chair, watching with faint amusement.
"Voldemort, who was thought dead for the past decade, has returned to life, and your Ministry is so incompetently corrupt, that not only is it denying the truth of his return, but taking every opportunity to slander you in an attempt to discredit your claims, and is now trying to expel you from Hogwarts for saving your life, and that of your cousin. All the while, Dumbledore, who you thought was trustworthy, has not only been keeping Harry from learning about his inheritance for the past few years but has been keeping him confined with an abusive family for reasons you're not quite sure of. Have I missed anything yet?"
Harry simply shook his head. It was... not exactly inaccurate to describe his life that way. He just wished his personal life wasn't part of the recap. Giovanni then continued.
"Said confinement was only possible because his godfather Sirius Black was imprisoned in Azkaban for crimes he didn't commit, while the true traitor was able to hide in plain sight as a rat animagus. Said traitor escaped at the end of your third year, and the Minister not only ignored your claims that Sirius was innocent but then tried to have the man Kissed without even giving him the courtesy of a trial."
"All thanks to a greasy dungeon bat of a teacher who has had it out for me the moment I set foot in Hogwarts," Harry added on, bitterly remembering how Sna... Snivellous tried getting Sirius killed.
"And after your godfather was killed in a confrontation with Aurors, his will named you as the Lord to House Black, disinheriting any other claimants to the Lordship, while sending you on a vacation here, where somehow you not only won a massive fortune, including three casinos but married my daughter after beating Lex Luthor in a high-stakes poker game?"
A few nods all around, and Giovanni sighed in resignation. "Well, this is hardly how I expected meeting your boyfriend, Zatanna."
Zatanna smirked in response. "True, but it certainly makes for a great story. 'Hello, sir, I'm the Boy Who Lived. I just married your daughter and my girlfriend in a Vegas ceremony officiated by Elivs, after winning enough money to set us all up for a lifetime. Also, there's an insane Dark Wizard after me, and my country's magical government is too corrupt and inept to do anything about it. Pleased to make your acquaintance.'"
Remus snorted when Zatanna finished, while Mercy fought the beginnings of a smirk. Hermione blushed slightly, while Harry looked like this was all going over his head. Giovanni, on the other hand, looked equal parts perplexed and annoyed.
"What I don't understand is how Harry could claim the Lordship of House Black. There's an argument to be made for claiming the Potter Lordship, given that Harry's the last of the direct lineage, but how does he end up Lord Black as well as Lord Potter? Not just because his godfather said so, I assume?"
"Simply put, the Goblet of Fire," Remus spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "As I'm sure you're aware, Giovanni, this past school year, the Triwizard Tournament was held at Hogwarts. Harry was, unfortunately, entered against his will and forced to compete as the fourth Champion."
"Ah, yes, I remember reading about that. I wasn't that invested, but I did find it curious how a fourth Champion was even possible. I don't recall reading any details on how that happened."
"Simply put, a Death Eater infiltrated the castle, and Charmed the Goblet into thinking there were four schools instead of three. But more to the point, before even announcing the Tournament, it was decided that only students who were 'of age' would be permitted to compete in the Tournament. When Harry's name came out, rather than disqualifying him for being underage, he was forced to compete under the pretense that refusal meant he could lose his magic. But by allowing him to compete, the Ministry inadvertently declared Harry was an 'of age' wizard. And Gringotts recognizes this declaration."
Giovanni's eyes widened in realization. "This means Harry is now the Lord of two Houses and this trial for underage magic is an even bigger sham than before, as they have no legal grounds to persecute an 'of age' wizard for performing magic outside of school."
Remus nodded his head. "Yes, but more than that, it means Harry no longer has to comply with whatever Dumbledore wishes anymore. Before now, Dumbledore claimed magical guardianship of Harry, mainly because there was no official documentation to disprove this. As far as I'm aware if James and Lily left a will, it was never read, and with Sirius imprisoned, and Harry's godmother Alice in Saint Mungo's, there was no one else to challenge his claim of guardianship."
"Wait, why was my godmother in Saint Mungo's?" This was the first time Harry had heard of ever having a godmother.
"Your godmother is Alice Longbottom, Harry. She and her husband Frank were driven mad after being held under the Cruciatus Curse for so long."
"Alice and Frank Longbottom... are they Neville's parents? Is Neville my godbrother?"
Remus nodded his head, causing Harry to slump in his chair.
"Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"I've recently learned, Harry, just how much you haven't been told. Admittedly, part of the blame for that falls on my head. I should have tried to meet you sooner, or at least told you this when I was your teacher. But it's becoming increasingly obvious that for whatever reason, Dumbledore is intentionally keeping you in the dark, especially concerning matters that involve your family."
Harry could only nod his head. "So, what do we do now then? We have to go back to Britain in two days, but where do we go? There's not a chance in hell I'm staying with the Dursleys if I have options."
Remus shook his head. "You are definitely not staying with the Dursleys. Bloody hell, I'd like to send those bleeding rotters to Azkaban myself. But there are Potter properties you can use, including Potter Manor, where your father grew up. We'll have to meet the Potter Account Manager, probably the first thing we should do once we get back. As for while we're here... you're still on vacation. Enjoy yourself, Harry, while you still can."
Mercy Graves, who until now had been keeping silent, spoke up. "Mr.Potter, if I may be so bold, I think we should visit the casinos you currently own. It's probably a good idea to establish a working relationship with the managers of your various properties if only to ensure they don't go behind your back."
"Uhm... sure, Miss Graves. We'll meet with the manager here in Mirage, then we'll visit Excalibur and Luxor. After that," Harry looked at Hermione and Zatanna. "I guess it's whatever my wives would like."
The girls smiled and kissed him, giggling at the blush blooming on his cheeks. Remus smiled in joy at his nephew's happiness, while Giovanni... tried to trust his daughter and remember that she knew what she was doing.
In Hogwarts Castle, Dumbledore paced in his office. The situation was growing increasingly frustrating! First, there was the death of Sirius Black, an incident which normally he could use to his advantage, using Harry's grief to manipulate him towards sacrificing himself for the Greater Good. Unfortunately, said death also forced him and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix out of Grimmauld Place, their headquarters, and only the Lord of the House could allow them back in!
Loathe as he was to do it, he'd have to grant Harry his Lordship, at least without telling him everything that came with it, but he couldn't because that damned Will Reading set Harry up with a vacation to America! Well beyond his influence! He wasn't even entirely sure where Harry was at this point. Someplace called 'The Strip'? He'd hoped that once this little excursion was finished, he could get back to grooming Harry for his inevitable martyrdom, maybe even get him sent back to the Dursleys for the rest of the summer.
'That would certainly help keep him miser- I mean, it would help keep him humble enough to remember the necessity of sacrifice in the face of evil.'
He'd especially have to remember that when it came to dealing with his girlfriend. Hermione was indeed a brilliant girl, and he needed to remove her from Harry, and keep her influence over him limited. The mudblood might just convince Harry that he shouldn't sacrifice himself for the Greater Good! The girl even dared to tell him off when he tried to impris- when he tried to offer her protection. The nerve!
What was causing him to pace, however, involved neither Harry nor his mudblood, but the goblins! His spy in Gringotts had yet to contact him, notifying him of the recent transfer of funds- a transfer Harry would obviously approve of- from one of Harry's gift vaults into one of Dumbledore's discretionary accounts. He didn't have access to Harry's trust vault anymore, now that the boy was attending Hogwarts, so he'd have to make do with the gift vaults instead. It was still a lot of Galleons, but it wasn't as consistent as he would have liked.
'No matter' Albus told himself. 'One way or another, Harry will be back in Britain soon. And the Greater Good will be back on track.'