Once Upon a Wish

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Vic tied up Fudge and Malfoy and let Shacklebolt, the Auror that had accompanied them, just stand by. He had relieved him of his wand though. He let the two tied up men keep theirs, just made sure their hands were secured. It would make them feel helpless, not to mention frustrated.

“Why are we tying up the Minister?” the black man asked, not sure what was happening. He was standing off to the side, and not making any sudden movements. There was a man pointing a gun at him and he knew what one was, so therefore didn’t want to be shot.

“He barged into the Prime Minister’s office without notice,” was a secret service man’s answer, who was holding the two men under gun point. There were three of them in the office right now. Two were covering the two captured men, and one was covering the untied up one.

“I’ve just always wanted to do it,” Vic answered, making sure the knots were extra secure. He hoisted them into chairs and woke them with a spell. “Wakey, wakey,” he said as their eyes blinked open.

Fudge sputtered awake, while Malfoy just blinked a bit.

“Let me go immediately,” the Minister of Magic said, struggling in his bonds. “I am the Minister of Magic. You can’t treat me this way,” he stated, puffing up as much as his bonds would let him. He was outraged that he could not reach his wand. He would show them not to underestimate him when he got free. “Shacklebolt, do something,” he said to the Auror.

“What can I do?” the unarmed man inquired, holding up his empty hands.

“Yes, this is most uncalled for,” Lucius said, glaring at everyone. He didn’t recognize anyone within his range of sight, but he knew he was in the Prime Minister’s office. The man didn’t have magic, therefore a wizard must be here with him.

“You will find that entering the Prime Minister’s office without an appointment is reason enough for arrest,” Selby said, lifting an eyebrow at the two pompous men.

“I have never had an appointment before,” Cornelius said, confusion entering his tone.

“And I have told you each time to make one,” Selby stated, frustration in his.

“Well, I never,” Fudge stated, huffing.

“Why are you here?” Selby asked, looking at Cornelius with disdain. He never liked this overblown idiot. He was just too vain for his taste. “And why did you bring your lackey with you?” he added.

“You covered up the portrait,” the portly man stated, like it was obvious.

“Which is my right,” Sorrel stated, looking at the curtains and smiling. He was so going to keep those there.

“I need to know what is going on in this office,” Fudge stated, like it was his business.

“No, you really don’t. I will not be spied on. I don’t know where you get off thinking you have the right to do that. I am your boss, not the other way around,” Selby stated, looking at Fudge with anger.

“I am the Minister of Magic,” Fudge said, though there was some doubt in his tone.

“Which means you answer to me. I am the Prime Minister. All the ministers of the UK answer to me. Now, I need to know what is happening in the wizarding world and these fine gentlemen have been filling me in on some of your dealings. I could have you up on treason charges,” Selby stated clearly, leaning forward, and getting as close to Fudge as he could without leaving his chair.  

“I never,” Fudge said, though his eyes were blown wide. It was then that Arcturus and Vic came into view and the two tied up men’s eyes widened.

“Black, what have you been telling the muggles?” Malfoy asked, disgust in his tone. He should have known Black would stir up trouble. Now that his grandson had escaped Azkaban, the man was going to do his best to make things go his way. He was sure he had convinced this man that Sirius was innocent too.

“Only the truth,” Arcturus said, not the least bit intimidated by the man. He brushed off an imaginary piece of dust from his shoulder. “You are ruining the magical world with your prejudice laws and your backwards thinking. I am doing what I have to, to stop you,” he added, lifting an eyebrow at Lucius.

It was a good thing they had Harry out of the office. He was playing in the waiting room with the secretary. They didn’t want him in the same room where spells might fly, let alone bullets.

“You are a pureblood,” Lucius said, not understanding why Arcturus was saying what he was. “And a Black,” he added as if that explained his first statement. Which in his eyes it did. The Blacks were a dark family. Arcturus should be loving how the wizarding world was running.

“And I know where the money is,” Black stated, looking down his nose at the man. Malfoy should know this. His family once practiced the same. They stopped when the Statue of Secrecy came into play. Not cunning enough to play in the black market.

“Who is this man?” Lucius asked, turning his nose up at Vic, who he guessed was muggleborn.

“Victor Henry Potter,” Vic said, not holding out his hand, for two reasons. One, their hands were tied, and the other, he didn’t want to shake hands with Malfoy. “I know who you are,” he added, waving off any introductions, which weren’t coming.

“There are no more Potters, bar the half-blood child,” Malfoy stated, glaring at the man. He knew the genealogy of all the families that mattered. The Potters were down to the Boy-Who-Lived and that was it.

“I am here, and I can prove it,” Vic said, waving it away. “Not that I have too to you,” he added. “To you, I might,” he said to the Minister of Magic. He produced his Birth Certificate and showed it to the man. “Bastard child of Charlus Potter,” he said with a flourish.

Fudge read the document with beady eyes, and they bulged out as he read. “He’s telling the truth,” he said when he was done.

“Documents can be forged,” Lucius said, not believing it for a moment. Charlus would not step out on Dorea. He knew that for a fact.

“Blood test can’t,” Arcturus said, nodding his head toward Vic.

“We can get the goblins to do one, if need be,” Vic stated, adjusting his cuffs. “Which we won’t do for the likes of you. I’ve already proven myself to the appropriate people. If the Wizengamot needs proof, they need ask them,” he added.

Lucius narrowed his eyes and studied the two men in front of him. He knew the dark arts as well as Arcturus and knew there were ways to fake blood tests too. He had a sneaking suspicion on who this man was. However, trying to prove it would be futile. The old man had played this game well. It was just one more obstacle that needed to be taken care of. He would see his son the Black heir if it was the last thing he did.

“Back to the matter at hand, gentlemen. Fudge, gone are the days that you will be spying on my office. That curtain will stay were it is. You will come here only when I call for you, or you will be stunned upon entering. I will have a magical or two on staff who will answer only to me,” Selby stated, going over the new game plan.

“Now see here…” Cornelius started, not used to being talked to this way. He was so used to people ‘yes, siring’ him that he thought he was in charge of everything.

“I will have someone on your staff that will be reporting to me the real happenings about these biased laws you lot are passing, which will be gotten rid of posthaste. You are allowed to self-govern as long as you do so within the rules of Great Britain. Which means you are still under the rule of the Queen,” Sorrel stated, picking up a paper that was in his drawer and placing it on his desk. He read a few paragraphs and then held it up. “This is our treaty. If you don’t start abiding by it, I will call it null and void,” he added, holding it out to Vic.

Vic untied Fudge and gave him the treaty. He held him under wand point while the man read.

Fudge started reading it and his eyes started watering from irritation. Lucius was getting miffed that he was still tied up and not privy to what Cornelius was reading. The more Cornelius read the madder he got until he finished. There were tears of frustration running down his cheeks. His hands were well and truly tied. He felt like a kid that had been told that Merlin didn’t exist.

“Come, Lucius, we must go,” the man finally said, getting up from his chair and taking his wand out of his pocket and waving it to untie his friend.

“Cornelius, you cannot be serious,” Lucius stated, not believing what he was seeing. This muggle was calling the shots.

“Come, Lucius,” Fudge said again, briskly, heading towards the fireplace. He knew he was outclassed this time. He might come back when Black and Potter were not here and see about putting this uppity muggle back in his place, but for now… There had to be a way around this treaty. If he could mind-whammy the man into forgetting that it existed. Yes, that was the ticket. He would just come back another day and take the memory away. He plotted the whole way to the floo.

Lucius straightened his clothes and followed his ‘friend’. He sneered at everyone in the room and stepped into the fireplace and flooed back to the ministry.

“Shacklebolt, was it?” Vic asked, giving the Auror his wand back.

“Yes,” the man said, begrudgingly.

“Sorry for disarming you,” Vic said, in a sheepish manner. “Please don’t tell them that the boy was here,” he asked, his tone not quite pleading. “They are not nice people,” he added.

“I know,” the other man said, in a knowing tone. “I’ll keep it a secret,” he swore. Taking his wand and tucking it in his sleeve. He too stepped in the fireplace and disappeared.

“You need a magical detail as soon as you can get one,” Arcturus said to Sorrel. “They’ll be back as soon as they’re done licking their wounds,” he added, his eyes never leaving the fireplace.

Vic did a few spells on the fireplace that would warn the Prime Minister if anyone was coming. That would give him some time to at least shoot anyone coming through. However, there were ways to disarm those wards from the other side.

“I’ll put in a call as soon as you two leave,” Selby said, having cleared his schedule for the day.

“I need to talk to you about one more thing. My grandson. I know you have a warrant for his arrest, but I know for a fact that he is innocent, and that he never received a trial. If you find him, can you make sure that he gets one,” Arcturus requested. He wanted to make sure to make this plea public. That way he couldn’t be accused of not caring about Sirius.

“I will see what I can do, but my lawyer days are over. I’ll put in a few calls about that too,” Selby said, making a note on that as well.

“On that note, we should let you get to your day. If you ever need to speak to the Minister of Magic, just open the curtain and let the portrait know,” Vic said, nodding to the green and gold curtains.

“I will speak to Andromeda, and have her call you,” Arcturus said, knowing she had a phone.

Selby handed him a card with his secretary’s number on it. Not his private number, they weren’t privy to that yet.

They said polite goodbyes and headed out. They collected Harry and left the building, Arcturus a free man.

“What now?” Vic asked, wondering what they needed to do.

“We get Harry enrolled in a good school and then play it by ear,” his new uncle said, adjusting his cuffs. It was the middle of spring and not quite chilly, but not quite warm either.

“What about leaving England?” Vic asked, he remembered Arcturus mentioning that once.

“I think our family is too invested in this country to leave now. Besides, we’re both free men now. You can take the Potter seat, while I take up the Black seat. It will be us against them. I know a few rituals that will stave off death for a few more years. At least until Harry is old enough to take my place,” the old man said. Not that he felt he was at Death’s Door anymore. Sirius and Harry had given him a new lease on life. He hadn’t felt this young in years. Still, he’d do those rituals to keep him feeling this way a little while longer.

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Harry got into a good school near Arcturus’ house and Vic became a Wizengamot member. It caused an uproar, but he was proven to be a legitimate member of the Potter family. Even if it was through illegitimate means. He made sure to let everyone know that it was through surrogacy that he was conceived. That is mum had backed out and hid the last minute and that Charlus and Dorea had hidden the fact. Charlus had not stepped out on his wife.

He had visited Spike one more time and had him whip up a diary that was supposedly from his mum. In it ‘she’ said it was all prearranged that he was supposed to go to Charlus and Dorea, but ‘she’ changed ‘her’ mind last minute. Charlus didn’t fight it because Dorea became pregnant.

It was a heart wrenching tale that Vic sold as a novel just to get it widely known. The women ate it up and he made a bundle. It was the number one best seller for months.

Everyone bought it hook, line, and sinker. Vic even got a few dates out of it, and he was widely known as a poor victim of circumstance. He was now the recognized guardian of one Harry Potter as well, having the most connection to him.

Dumbledore was not happy.

“Mr. Potter, you must return Harry to the Dursleys,” the old man said one day after a Wizengamot meeting where Vic announced that he was the guardian of Harry. It had been about two weeks since the meeting with the PM.

“I cannot for two reasons. One, they are under suspicion of embezzlement. Two, and this one is more important, they are child abusers,” Vic stated, ticking them off on his fingers. The Dursleys hadn’t come up with anything to show they had spent a dime on Harry. They had even ‘lost’ his papers. They were up on some serious charges and a full audit. They were going to see the inside of cells soon.

“How do you know they are abusers?” the old man asked since it was knowledge he didn’t have. As far as he knew the Dursleys never laid hands on the child.

“I was there when Arcturus pulled the child from the cupboard under the stairs,” Vic said, looking at the man like he was slow.

“That is not abuse,” Albus stated, not seeing anything inherently wrong with shoving a child in a cupboard. At least it was a place to sleep. In his time that was the lap of luxury.

“In polite society it is. This is not your time anymore, old man. We are much nicer to our children nowadays,” Vic said, disagreeing with the man. “Nevertheless, the Dursleys misappropriated funds that were meant for Harry and will soon be guests of the Queen,” he said, vindictively. His smile was not a nice one. He, for one, couldn’t wait for that glorious day.

“I will see that they are back where they belong by nightfall,” Dumbledore started, only for Vic to start laughing.

“The Prime Minister knows about magic and has placed them under magical guards. There are goblins helping with the audit. There will be no erasing the evidence this time,” he stated, turning around, and laughing his way towards the floo. It did his heart good to see the gobsmacked look on the old man’s face.

Dumbledore stood there flabbergasted and frustrated. He wasn’t going to get his way in this. He really needed Harry with someone who was loyal to him. Not this unknown person, whose mannerisms were vaguely familiar, but not enough to place. He shook his head and left for Hogwarts. He had much to think over.

The Potters and Black had a hard time explaining why they were staying at the Black Family Seat, but Arcturus explained it away as Harry was his heir and he wanted him close in case of assassination attempts.

Vic said that he decided to stay with Arcturus because he felt that Harry needed a family structure. That’s what he told people anyway. There was talk of asking the Tonks to move in with them, but it was still in the air right now.

They became the head of the Grey Faction in the Wizengamot. They led in the overturning of many of the biased laws against the muggleborn and werewolves, but not all. It had only been a month after all. They could see the influence of the PM in the voting of the MoM in that he was no longer kowtowing to the likes of Malfoy.

Lucius was livid. Fudge might not be long for this world, and there might be a new Minister soon. They were hoping to get someone like Amelia Bones in the office. However, if she was there, they needed to up security. No need to put her life at risk unnecessarily.

They did note that Fudge didn’t go anywhere without Auror guards, so maybe he wasn’t as stupid as they thought. They had heard rumor that he had tried to go back to the Prime Minister’s office, only to be caught and reprimanded. He was toeing the line now.

They still regularly visited the PM and were happy to see that he had a few magicals on staff. He now had two secretaries. One for his muggle side of things and one for the magical, which he was keeping regular tabs on, via the newspaper and gossip.

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Andromeda Tonks felt that Nymphadora was too young to even think about spying for the muggle government. However, it was pointed out that it was the prime time for her to start learning. She was still going over the pros and cons.

“It will be a beneficial career for her,” Arcturus said one day as they were taking tea, which they did at his house every Sunday afternoon since he had brought her back into the family. He and Vic were trying for the third time to talk her into it. She had already talked to a government official and had the entire process explained to her.

“I just don’t want my baby taught to kill at a young age,” Andromeda said, sipping her tea. Nymphadora was only eleven right now. She was set to start Hogwarts this year, and the government was all ready to have her start her spying career this summer, if Andi would agree. Ted was all for it. He was a huge 007 fan.

“Doesn’t she already want to be an Auror?” Vic asked, watching Harry and Dora play in the yard. Dora was making her face turn many different shapes, making Harry giggle. She was really good at it and getting better every day.

“Well, yes,” Andi said, also watching her daughter. “But I don’t want her to do that either,” she added, sighing. She knew that she really couldn’t stop her daughter from joining if she wanted to. Nymphadora was just as stubborn as she was.

“This will give her a leg up and a spy that the muggles desperately need,” Arcturus stated. He could demand that she do it, but he really didn’t want to pull rank. He had just reinstated the family and wanted to stay in their good graces.

“I will read the paperwork they gave me once again and have an answer for the Secret Service tomorrow,” she finally conceded. She already knew she was just putting off the inevitable. Nymphadora would do what she wanted, so she might as well give her all the tools to do it right.

“I knew you’d see it our way,” Vic said, giving her a very familiar smile. Just for a moment he reminded her of Sirius.

“Tell me again how you obtained Harry,” she said, changing the subject.

So, they told the story of how Vic and Arcturus went to the Dursleys and found Harry in the boot cupboard. She was getting suspicious of how this man and her cousin were both dog animagus. Though they were different breeds. Then again, her uncle knew many dark rituals that could change a person. Perhaps…

Well, she would not say anything. Sirius deserved to be free. She knew he was innocent and would never have hurt James and Lily. Let alone young Harry. Just looking at them interact now, she could tell he loved that boy with all his heart.

No, she’d take this secret to the grave. She just smiled and enjoyed the day with family.