The Betrothal

“Thank you Dobby.” Harry says with relief as he feeds his starving stomach.

“Master Hadrian should let Dobby take care of him. Nasty muggles shouldn’t make Master do the work.” Dobby scowls.

Oh boy.

###

Harry’s POV

It’s been weeks since Harry first bonded with Dobby and the summer holiday’s are so close to finishing. Just over a week and then he’ll be back at Hogwarts and his plan can go into effect. Harry knows it’s going to be an uphill battle for him regarding most things. He’s going to do better in his classes so, Snape is likely going to accuse him of cheating at least once.

He’s going to talk to the purebloods and half-bloods which could cause tension with Hermione and Ron. Harry is going to stay friends with Ron but keep him at an arms length until he knows whether or not Ron is actually his friend or not. That may affect his relationship with Hermione but he needs to know if Ron can be trusted.

Harry would have done some subtle questions during his letters with Ron and Hermione but he’s received nothing from either of them and whenever he sends a letter Hedwig comes back empty handed. (empty clawed?) 

Another thing that Harry is going to do is apologise to Draco. Ron’s not going to like that much either, but it’s needed. Harry has read a lot and learnt a lot about the wixen world and one of those things is that betrothal’s are a massive part of it and if a contract chooses you it’s considered a great honour.

Whilst Harry came into his interactions with no knowledge on anything, Draco came into it with the knowledge that they were betrothed and would be getting married to each other. Draco had come into the interactions looking for his future spouse to, if nothing else, at the very least respect him. But Harry didn’t take Draco’s hand, Harry choose Ron. A Weasley, the family that the Malfoy’s have a blood feud with.

When Harry had read about wixen etiquette and betrothals he knew immediately that he had made a massive mistake. And with that in mind Harry could view Draco’s actions in a completely different light. Their first interaction at Madam Malkin’s was different, Draco didn’t know he was talking to his betrothed but he still made a horrible first impression.

Their second meeting on the train though was where Harry made the mistake of not shaking Draco’s hand. Where he disrespected Draco, the betrothal and didn’t use any manners according to wixen society. As a result of Harry embarrassing Draco, Draco reacted. Harry hurt Draco and has continued to ignore and look down on Draco, making the teen turn around and do the same.

So, yes Harry would have to apologise to Draco, hope the teen forgave him and then get to know his betrothed. Harry hopes that Draco isn’t actually a muggleborn hating prick like’s he’s always seemed to be around him and his friends. It’d be so hard to convince Hermione that betrothals aren’t archaic and Draco is secretly a nice guy if he really isn’t.

Betrothals and etiquette aren’t the only things he’s read about however. He’s read about politics and the Wizengamot. Culture, religion, the olde ways and the differences between what’s considered dark magic and what is actually dark magic. He’s learnt a translation spell so he could read the family grimoires which contained more than just spells but also family history. And he’s read the basic introductory books that are given to muggleborns and things that Harry has never understood before finally make sense.

Harry is certain that he was kept away from those books on purpose. But magic feels more open to him now, more available to use and use it he has. He’s considered an adult, the trace is gone from his wand, he’s free to do whatever spells he wants. So far Harry has been keeping his spells small, he doesn’t want to let his relatives know what he’s doing. But he’s managed to put some safety measures on his trunk and figure out how to shrink and unshrink it without Dobby having to do it for him.

 He’s done spell to resize some of his (Dudley’s) clothes. He’s only done it on the trousers and has hidden the changes with the shirts that look like dresses on him. He’s repaired his shoes to the best of his abilities and made the glass of his glasses normal glass so that he isn’t damaging his eyes by using the wrong prescription. It also gives him the added benefit of being able to see things that aren’t straight up blurry.

One thing that Harry has been having a hard time with is Dobby and his reactions towards Harry’s relatives. Trying to explain to the house elf the reason he needs to be the one to do the chores was difficult and did not go over well. Dobby ended up coming to the decision that as long as Harry’s relatives don’t see him or the magic, Dobby can do the majority of the chores. Which has been mostly working. His aunt and uncle seem to know something is up but not what. Doesn’t mean they haven’t punished him for it though.

Dobby was so sad and angry when Harry came back from a meeting with uncle Vernon’s belt that Harry had to stop the house elf from going to attack his uncle. Harry had to explain that Harry was the Dursley’s house elf and was punished regularly but he would soon be free so in the meantime it was better to just play along and get them back when he wasn’t living with them. Dobby understood that and popped away before coming back with healing potions and salve for his back.

The house elf has also been regularly feeding Harry any meals the Dursley’s don’t give him so he hasn’t been going hungry. Harry has never been so thankful but Dobby won’t except his thanks and keeps telling him that it’s what any good house elf would do.

Harry, just last night, finally read a book on horcruxes. Dobby informed Harry in a mischievous manner that he had ‘borrowed’ it from old bad master as he couldn’t find any books for sale on the subject. Harry had read it quickly so Dobby could put it back before anyone noticed it missing. And he has not been able to stop thinking about the book since.

He’s currently out in the park under the sweltering sun as his aunt and uncle have people coming over for lunch and don’t want to risk them seeing Harry. Dudley was asked to go hangout with some friends too. Anyway, Harry is sitting on a park swing and going over his plans and coming up with a horrid solution.

He’s going to need to make Voldemort his ally. He’s going to have to play nice with the mad man that murdered his parents. The very thought makes Harry sick to his stomach. But it’s the only way he can think of. Harry doesn’t want to fight Voldemort, he knows he won’t survive against the man several decades older than him with the experience to go with it. He’d die and Harry doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t want Dumbledore to win whatever game of chess he’s playing.

So, he needs to call a truce with Voldemort and the best way to do that would be telling the man that he is one of his horcruxes but that could cause more issues. Harry doesn’t want to risk the man keeping Harry hostage. So he’s going to keep that piece of information to himself unless absolutely necessary. Meaning that Harry is going to have to find a way for them to come to a truce. Maybe it would be easier if Harry knew why Voldemort was trying to kill him in the first place. 

“Oi! Potty!” Harry sighs at the sound of his cousins annoying voice.

He turns his head so he’s looking at his cousin and finds the obese boy surrounded by his not so fat friends. It just serves to make Dudley look bigger than he is and Harry thinks that’s kind of the point. To loom over and dwarf their victims. It doesn’t make it any better that his cousin is wearing brand name clothing that his aunt and uncle are only able to buy because of the money Dumbledore has been sending them. Harry’s money.

The very thought makes Harry angry. But he refuses to allow his anger to get the best of him. He refuses to allow himself to make any rash decisions that could get him another beating. So instead, Harry takes a calming breath and looks his cousin in the eyes.

“Yes Dudley? Anything I can do for you on this sunny day?” Harry questions with a bland smile on his face. He’s not going to give Dudley an ounce of his emotional battery.

“Yeah theres something you can do, scram. This is our hangout spot.” Dudley states.

“Yeah get lost.” One of his friends taunts from the background.

“I was unaware that the swings had your names written on them. Where should I go in the meantime…maybe the slide or the merry-go-round.” Harry says as he looks around at the playground.

“I don’t think you understanding me Potty. The whole playground is ours, get out of it or face the consequences.” Dudley threatens.

“Are the consequences telling your father so he can hit me with the belt again or you breaking my arm again?” Harry inquires and watches as Dudley’s friends seem to lose some of their confidence.

“What?” he hears one of the whisper. 

Apparently it’s even clear to some of the bullies that Harry’s relatives go too far with their punishments. Harry doubts they’d do anything about it though. That would require them telling a trusted adult and Harry has found that most bullies don’t have trusted adults in their lives and that’s why they act out and harm others. It’s sad…Harry feels sad for them.

“Shut it Potty! What are you going to do about it cry to your dead parents…or better yet your boyfriend. That is who you’ve been dreaming about right? What’s the name again…oh right…Cedric.” Dudley mocks.

“You keep his name out of your mouth.” Harry warns because Harry can take insults about him. But Cedric was innocent. Cedric was worth more than to have his name used to mock Harry. Cedric deserves respect.

“Or what are you going to do Potty? Can’t believe anyone would want a fairy boy like you. I bet you had to pay Cedric to even touch you. Bet Cedric is an ugly…” Dudley shuts up when Harry pulls out his wand and points it at him.

Dudley’s friends laugh because as far as they care, Harry is pointing a stick at Dudley. But Dudley knows better. Dudley freezes and puts his hands up in surrender. It makes his friends quiet down and look at each other in disbelief.

“You can’t…you can’t do that out of school.” Dudley stutters making all of his friends look on in confusion.

“Try me.” Harry threatens, voice low.

“Dudley, mate. What are you…?” Piers is about to ask when the weather suddenly changes. 

It goes from warm and sunny to cold and windy in the matter of seconds and something about the change sets everyone on edge. Clouds roll in and the world seems to turn as black as night. The whole thing sends a horrendous chill down his spine. Harry steps back from Dudley and looks around because the weather doesn’t feel natural.

“We should go.” One of Dudley’s friends say.

“Yeah.” Another agrees.

Harry starts to feel a bone chilling coldness that seeps into his very being reminding him of something. It takes a second but once Harry realises he shouts, “Run!” and takes off.

The boy’s scatter with most of them going in different directions but Dudley follows Harry. They run through the park, heading towards the Dursley’s residence. They make it out of the park and down a couple of streets. They make it as far as the underpass before Harry has to stop as Dudley pulls him back.

“What the hell are you doing?!” The boy exclaims breathless.

“This isn’t me, we’ve got to get home.” Harry urges but Dudley stays still and doesn’t let go of Harry’s arm. “Now Dudley!”

“No, you will tell me what your doing!” Dudley demands face going red with anger that mirrors his father.

The very sight has Harry automatically flinching back but unable to go anywhere with Dudley’s hand still tight on his arm.

“I’m not…!” Harry starts before he can suddenly see his breath causing him to freeze.

He looks around the underpass and finds a dark floating figure coming towards them from one entrance and a second one from the other entrance.

They’re boxed in. Harry doesn’t even give them a chance to come closer. He lifts his wand up and waits for merely a second to retrieve the right memory.

“Expecto patronum!” Harry yells as a blinding white light leaves his wand and banishes the dementors. 

“What did you just do?” Dudley asks.

“He just saved you life.” An old familiar voice states causing Harry and Dudley to whip around and find Mrs Figg standing at the exit of the underpass. “Come along boys, we best be getting you home before they come back. Can’t believe Fletcher left his post.”

Harry and Dudley follow Mrs Figg back to Privet Drive. The whole time Harry’s thoughts are running wild. His old babysitter knows about magic. She saw the dementors but did nothing to protect them. Meaning she’s likely a squib. A squib has been watching him his whole life and has been muttering about someone called Fletcher leaving their post. 

He had been watched all summer. He’s been watched his whole life. The only ones that know where Harry has been living his whole life are Dumbledore and Hagrid as far as Harry is aware. Hagrid doesn’t have the connections to set something like this up, but Dumbledore, the man that’s been running his whole life, does. Forcing Harry to be the way he wants, this has Dumbledore written all over it.

Which means that not only did Dumbledore already know about the abuse before Harry told him in Hogwarts, but that he has been ignoring it for Harry’s whole life. Harry is going to destroy the old man, he’s going to do it without anyone the wiser and it will be brilliant. 

When they arrive back at the Dursley’s his relatives guests have already left. Mrs Figg leaves the moment she’s walked them up to the door, not bothering to explain to the Dursley’s what happened. Meaning that when they enter and Dudley tells them that Harry did magic on him they automatically believed Dudley and Harry was punished. 

He wasn’t just beaten with the belt, he was beaten with fists and feet. He was screamed at and admonished and taunted. Then he was marched upstairs and thrown into his room. Dobby came out the moment the last lock clicked and immediately started on healing Harry’s wounds. It was painful, having the bruise paste and healing salve rubbed onto and into his wounds but is was necessary.

#####

An hour after being locked in his room, Harry hears a tapping sound at his window. Harry doesn’t want to move or twitch or even lift a finger with his back hurting so much. Apparently Dobby can buy healing potions and salves easily but pain potions need to be prescribed and there’s no off the counter pain relief potions. Harry thinks that’s annoying but he understands that people can become addicted to things, especially pain relief.

As a result of this though, Harry may be healing but he’s not pain free. Meaning that any movement pulls at his wounds. The tapping at the window however continues so Harry braves the pain and sits up to find an owl outside his window. It doesn’t look like a Gringotts owl. Or his lawyers owl.

Harry has been sending letters back and forth to his lawyer about a lot of things including his Wizengamot seats. Apparently the law firm has wanted to sue many individuals, companies and many others for using Harry’s name in books, advertising and just straight up slander. Harry is unfortunately unable to give permission to the lawyers to do anything on his behalf yet as they haven’t signed a contract. He hasn’t managed to book a day for them to meet either and now gets the feeling that he won’t be able to meet them before summer ends. Harry dislikes that greatly. 

Thankfully though his lawyer has sent through the contract for him to read and sign. However for his lawyer to become his proxy for the Wizengamot seats a ritual needs to take place with both of them in attendance. The ritual will mean that his lawyer will have a better grasp on what Harry would and wouldn’t vote for. The magic behind the ritual is fascinating and Harry wonders if it’s applicable to more than just being someones proxy.

He gets up from his bed and opens the window to let the owl in. The owl drops the letter on his desk and then flies out of his room at top speed. Harry gets the feeling that whatever’s in the letter is bad news and the owl doesn’t want to be part of the ‘kill the messenger’ trope. Opening the letter is easy, reading it is a lot more difficult as with each line Harry wishes to burn the letter more and more.

Dear Mr Potter, 

We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past two this afternoon in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle. 

The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand. 

As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the twelfth of August. 

Hoping you are well, 

Yours sincerely, 

Mafalda Hopkirk 

Improper Use of Magic Office Ministry of Magic

Harry is seeing red for a moment before taking a breath and starts thinking. He’s done magic all through out the summer and not once has he received a letter for underage magic. He can’t do underage magic because lady Magick considers him an adult. The Dementors can only be ordered around by the ministry and in the last war Voldemort. Harry knows from past experiences that Voldemort wants to kill him, himself. Therefore, someone at the ministry just tried to kill him and are using the fact that he used magic to get their way despite their plan failing.

Someone…someone other than Mrs Figg was watching. Someone from the ministry. Someone with power within the ministry for their word to be excepted as evidence of underage magic instead of it showing up on the trace. Oh how Harry is going to enjoy destroying their arguments. He’s never going to give up his wand or magic. Not now that he’s finally got a taste of the real wixen world.

Harry sets about to start writing his own letter back. They can’t break his wand and expel him before he’s even had a trial. That’s against the ministries own laws. Harry should know, he just recently read a chapter on the punishments, laws and restrictions for underage magic after Dobby informed him that he never should have been reprimanded for the floating cake incident.

Harry has gotten two lines down a very passive aggressive letter, which doesn’t outright say the ministry are idiots but does heavily imply it, when an old warn out owl flies through his bedroom window. That’s the Weasley family owl. 

Harry,

Dumbledore's just arrived at the Ministry and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE. DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND!

We are sending some people to bring you to us, pack your things.

Arthur Weasley

Harry does not like that. Mrs Figg must have told Dumbledore about the use of magic, which just confirms to Harry that she’s been reporting his entire life to the man and he’s ignored the fact that Harry’s being abused. Then the fact that it’s Dumbledore that’s trying to sort things out with the ministry. He’s just his headmaster, or at least he is now. The most he should be able to do is get him unexpelled. But Dumbledore thinks he’s still Harry’s magical guardian…how many other people know that Dumbledore was Harry’s magical guardian and just never told him? 

And no more magic? Does Arthur think him an idiot? Considering the next line is to not give up his wand, Harry thinks he must do. He looks down at the beginnings of his letter to the ministry and decides to scrap it.

“Dobby.” Harry says calmly, knowing that his relatives left the house to go to the hospital to make sure that ‘Harry’s’ magic didn’t do anything to Dudley.

“Yes Master Hadrian?” Dobby inquires as he pops into existence in front of him.

Harry isn’t sure where Dobby stays most of the time, because it isn’t his wardrobe. It makes him worry for the elf but the one time he asked, Dobby had simply smiled and placed his long bony finger in front of his lips. So Harry didn’t ask again.

“There are people coming to collect me and I need to pack. I don’t plan on coming back here so please pack everything and then please add extra security to my trunk so that only I will be able to open it.” Harry instructs.

“Yes Master Hadrian. Will Master be needing anything else?” Dobby questions.

“Dinner?” Harry asks.

“Of course Master Hadrian.”Dobby agrees.

The elf snaps his fingers and everything on Harry’s desk disappears and his trunk appears from under the floor boards.

#####

Four days. Harry has been stuck, locked in his room with no meals and very little water for four days. Well, that’s not true. Dobby has been feeding him and giving him water. Dobby has also been emptying the bucket that his relatives slid through the doggy door on day one. Harry is disgusted and angry. 

He’s so angry that when the cavalry finally do arrive in the form of Remus Lupin, Mad eye Moody and two others that he’s never met, he points his wand at them the moment they remove all the locks from his door. Lupin looks devastated, whether it’s from the lock and doggy door or the bucket or Harry’s obvious mistrust, is unclear. Moody looks proud of Harry’s cautiousness and the other two look confused and are hanging back.

“Harry? Are you okay?” Lupin asks.

“Not in the slightest. What was my Boggart in third year?” Harry questions.

“Smart my boy, always vigilant.” Moody nods.

“A Dementor. What form does your patronus take?” Remus asks.

“A stag.” Harry answers.

“That’s Harry.” Remus tells the others.

“So we all know we are who we say we are. Can we go now?” The woman with purple hair asks.

“Go where?” Harry inquires as he lowers his wand but doesn’t put it away.

He trusts one person in the group and even then he hasn’t heard from Lupin all summer.

“Can’t tell you until we get there I’m afraid. You’ll need your broom.” Moody states.

“Give me a second.” Harry says causing Moody and the two he doesn’t know to nod and disappear downstairs.

Harry puts his still large trunk on his bed and opens it. He grabs his broom and then decides that keeping his wand in his pocket whilst flying is a terrible idea so he unfortunately has to place his wand in his trunk. Harry closes his trunk and then places his thumb against the trunks lock, it shrinks.

“Why are there locks on your door Harry?” Lupin asks.

“Why didn’t you send me a letter all summer Lupin?” Harry inquires, letting his displeasure known.

“Dumbledore said…” Lupin starts and Harry scoffs.

“Dumbledore said…well then I guess we must all bow down to our lord and saviour.” Harry says sarcastically.

He places his trunk in his trouser pocket, attaching it to his belt loop via a key chain to keep it on his person. He grabbed Hedwig’s cage before pushing past Lupin and heading down the stairs.

“Ready to go.” Harry states.

Harry doesn’t turn to look at Lupin as he walks down the stairs behind him but if he did then he would have noticed the devastated glint in his eyes. Instead he just follows Moody and the other two out of the house. They place a Disillusionment Charm on him and themselves.

“I’m Tonks by the way and thats Kingsley.” The woman introduces herself and the other one.

Harry just nods at them, he’s not in the mood to deal with new people. Four fucking days, he was stuck in that room. One full summer holiday without any word from anyone. And yes Albus fuck you Dumbledore is the one to blame, but they are people with the ability to make their own choices. Someone should have written, someone could have sent a message saying it would take four days. Someone could have removed him from the Dursley’s years ago if they’d just stopped trusting Dumbledore.

“Everyone on your brooms, remember to stick together and stay in the clouds. Don’t want to risk any muggles seeing us let alone death eaters.” Moody instructs.

Harry releases Hedwig.

“Fly with us girl.” He instructs.

Moody sighs before casting the disillusionment charm on Hedwig too. Harry then gets on his firebolt and lifts up, as does everyone else and then they start flying.

#####

He’s not quite sure how Moody is leading then through the clouds in the correct direction but assumes that it must have something to do with his magic eye. Either way when they eventually land, it’s still night time, no one is around and from the street sign Harry sees, they are in London on a street called Grimmauld Place. 

Hedwig lands on his shoulder not a moment later and Harry strokes her as a job well done.

“Here read this.” Moody says as he pushes a piece of paper into Harry’s hands.

“Don’t say it out loud.” Lupin adds.

12 Grimmauld Place

London, England

When Harry looks back up again, feeling confused. He startles when a house appears from between two other houses. The house must be under the Fidelius Charm, Harry thinks and then wonders why. Harry knows Voldemort is back but there is no way they put up the charm for a random building just so they could place Harry there. Dumbledore doesn’t seem to care enough about Harry’s safety to do something like this for him. So it must serve Dumbledore in some manner.

Moody grabs the paper out of his hand and burns it before rushing him into the house. “Come one, no dilly dallying.”

They enter the unassuming house and Harry can’t help but feel underwhelmed at the inside. Its filthy, there’s clutter everywhere and cobwebs in all of the corners. Harry makes the mistake of looking up and finds himself staring at the decapitated heads of house elves. 

The sound of footsteps coming closer makes him look down and soon he finds himself staring at Molly Weasley. Harry has decided that his best bet is to act normal around everyone until he finds out who knew about the spells and charms. The only reason he hasn’t acted normally around Lupin is because no matter Harry’s anger at the man, he believes without a doubt that Lupin would never have agreed to spells and charms and blocks being put on Harry.

“Harry, it’s lovely to see you.” Molly tells him before looking at the others. “He’s arrived, the Order meeting has just started.”

The wixen behind Harry take off towards a room and Harry follows them before Molly stops him. 

“I’m sorry dear but only members of the order can be in the meeting. Ron and Hermione are upstairs, you can wait with them until the meeting is over.” Molly informs.

Ron and Hermione have been here together? For how long? Why were they allowed to come to what Harry is realising is the secret base of Dumbledore’s little group. They keep calling it ‘The Order’. Harry was spelled to have loyalty to ‘The Order of The Phoenix’. Harry dislikes them on principle.

“Harry.” A voice makes Harry look over and he finds himself face to face with Sirius.

“Sirius!”Harry exclaims as he runs over to wrap his godfather in a hug.

“Missed you too lad.” Sirius says as he holds onto him tightly.

“I’m angry at you too.” Harry mumbles into Sirius’ shoulder.

“Wh…” Sirius starts but Molly’s voice breaks them apart.

“Alright that’s enough, Sirius, we need to be in the meeting. Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the second floor, first room on the right. Don’t touch anything or wake anything up.” Molly orders before ushering Harry up the stairs. 

Harry does go up the stairs and whilst doing so he prepares himself to face Ron and Hermione. They were his best friends before he had everything removed. Harry isn’t sure how they are going to like the new him. Because whilst he may be acting normal or more like nothing is wrong, that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to act like himself. God that’s confusing and the only person Harry can blame is Dumbledore.

He makes it up to the second floor and walks to the door on the right hand side. He considers knocking before shrugging and opening the door. He spots Ron sitting on one of the two beds in the room whilst Hermione is sitting on the floor surrounded by open books and parchment.

“Doing Ron’s homework, Hermione?” Harry asks.

“Harry!”

“Mate!”