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The Guile and Devotion of a Black Heir	By : StarLightMassacre Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 104291 -:- Recommendations : 9 -:- Currently Reading : 26
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter; all rights go to J. K. Rowling. I make no money for this piece of fictional writing and never will.

Chapter List
- 26
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Last Time

Harry smiled happily at Rabastan, and accepted the teacup handed to him by his fiancé. It was made just how he liked it. He hadn’t been the only one learning about the man he was to be married to and that made him so very happy.

Chapter Twenty-Seven – Prophet Run-ins

Everything was a lot more frustrating for them after they’d come back from their holiday, as the two of them were once again chaperoned and unable to interact as passionately as they had enjoyed in Fiji. There was always someone there to give a false cough to break them apart if they started kissing too heavily, or started getting a little too flirty or handsy with one another. It was incredibly annoying, and frustrating.
Rabastan really didn’t help matters as he’d started to leave his hand pressed to Harry’s back...his lower back, where his fiancé’s hand would casually slip all the way down to touch his bum. Harry would turn to glare at Rabastan, but the infuriating man would just stare ahead, a slight smirk playing at his mouth. The bastard knew what he was doing.
Of course Harry didn’t take this treatment lying down, he had decided to retaliate against Rabastan, so when his fiancé put his hand to his back, and started slipping it lower, Harry would suddenly lie down, put his head into Rabastan’s lap as he usually would, only he’d turn to face his body, instead of out into the room. Rabastan had frowned at him the first time he’d done this, until Harry had started mouthing around his lap.
It was becoming a game to them both, a dangerous, but very arousing game. Rabastan had suddenly started wearing dragonhide trousers, which weren’t as flexible as cotton, thus prevented Harry from mouthing at him, but Harry still laid down, he still faced towards his lover, and he started rubbing his chin over Rabastan’s lap instead. The both of them were so highly sexed, being unable to relieve the growing tension between them, that this was enough to make Rabastan react, so Harry was still up on ‘points’ in this little game. Though Rabastan had sworn retribution, and Harry couldn’t wait to find out what Rabastan came up with.
They were still planning the wedding in their free time, though. Narcissa wouldn’t allow them to get away with not planning absolutely every detail in advance, but, like all the times they’d done this before, it was very frustrating, slow going, and not much got done, mostly because the three of them couldn’t agree on anything.

“Harry, please be reasonable.” Narcissa tried.

“No, I’ve said I want Astoria to make my robes for me, Rabastan can choose whoever he wants, but I’m sticking with Astoria.”

“She’s going to be underaged at the time of your wedding. You cannot exploit a minor to make clothing for you, it’s not proper.”

“I’m not going to be exploiting her, Mother!” Harry said angrily. “It’ll be good practice for her, good exposure, and she’s doing really well in her apprenticeship! Besides all that if Twilfitt and Tattings aren’t taking advantage of a minor by forcing her to work over the summer for no pay, then I won’t be either!”

“Have you even asked her yet?” Narcissa demanded of him.

“Not yet.”

“Then don’t you think you ought to before getting so stubbornly set on it? She might not want the pressure of making your wedding robes when you have rightly pointed out how many people will be scrutinising them!”

“You know what, plan this wedding how you like, as clearly my opinion doesn’t even matter!”

Narcissa and Rabastan watched as Harry stormed out of the room angrily. Rabastan went to stand to follow after him, and Narcissa turned to face him.

“Do not go to him.” She ordered sternly. She could see how angry that made Rabastan, but she was fed up of all of this now. “You will stay away from my son until his father has spoken to him!”

Rabastan gave one grudging nod of his head, but she could see clearly that he didn’t like it, not at all. She stood herself and went to the drawing room, where she knew her husband was sitting, enjoying his afternoon.

“Are you finished with the wedding planning so soon?” Lucius asked her.

“No, our son has decided to storm off like a child. Go and speak with him.”

Lucius sighed and placed his teacup to the side of him before standing.

“He went in the direction of the back door, I believe he has gone outside.” She said, taking her own seat.

Lucius left the drawing room and followed in Harry’s footsteps. His younger son was indeed outside, once again fussing over the albino peacocks, as he was wont to do when feeling overly emotional.

“I know I was childish, temperamental and overdramatic.” Harry said as soon as Lucius’ shadow was cast over him. His voice was hard and angry.

“Why do you feel this way?” Lucius asked, standing so that he could see Harry’s face, even as his son stroked the poor peacock being smothered in his arms.

“I don’t know!” Harry exploded. “I just do.”

Harry fell silent, stroking the peacock softly. Lucius left him to think, left him in silence. He didn’t have to wait long for Harry to start speaking again.

“It’s supposed to be my wedding!” Harry ground out. “Why can’t I have my wedding how I want it?”

“You believe that your mother is being unfair?” Lucius questioned.

“Of course you would side with her.” Harry sneered. Not at him, his son wouldn’t dare, but at the patch of grass in front of him.

“She is my wife, it is my duty to side with her in all things outside of our own little squabbles, as you must side with Rabastan in all things, and vice versa, but in this particular case I don’t know what has actually transpired between the two of you to spark this most recent argument.”

“She thinks it’s wrong of me to ask Astoria to make my wedding outfit.” Harry said sulkily.

“Please remember that you are now of age.” Lucius sighed. “It is not seemly to have such blow ups over something so small.”

Harry’s sneer deepened, and Lucius heard his jaw click from where he was clenching his teeth so tightly together.

“Perhaps we are putting too much pressure on you. I have voiced concerns that I believe that you are taking on too much at once. Perhaps this blow up is proof of that.”

Harry let the poor peacock free, and watched it dart off back to the others. He threw himself back onto the grass and covered his eyes with his forearm.

“The tension between me and Rabastan really doesn’t help. Its grating on us both, and yes, we both understand the need to adhere to tradition, but that doesn’t make it any easier. We’re suffering for a tradition that neither of us wanted to follow in the first place!”

“Your mother and I chose to force you to stick to tradition to protect you, Harry. We have not done as such to harm you.”

“I know that, but it’s not easy, and I know that nothing worth doing is ever easy, but I just wasn’t expecting it to be this difficult either. I wasn’t expecting to love him. I wasn’t expecting to want to do those sorts of things so soon and now that I want to do it, I can’t.”

Lucius was at a loss. He didn’t know how to help Harry through these sorts of situations or feelings.

“It’s just not fair.” Harry groaned. “Why do I have to stay a virgin just because I have the gene?”

“The Lestranges insisted upon it.” Lucius told him. “I agreed because I wanted to give you time to get used to your betrothed. I couldn’t have imagined how well you would have responded to Rabastan, or how quickly the both of you formed a bond. I was expecting it to take years, not a matter of weeks, so I prepared for such an eventuality. I didn’t foresee this problem, of you wanting the contract to move quicker. Truthfully I was expecting you to dig in your heels and go to your wedding kicking and screaming.”

Harry let out a soft chuckle, and Lucius eased down a little, feeling relieved.

“Truthfully I still might go kicking and screaming if mother has her way. She vetoes everything that Rabastan and I actually agree on, which isn’t much to begin with. I shouldn’t have shouted at her, but I stand by what I said. If she keeps vetoing us on everything, then she can plan the wedding and to hell with what Rabastan and I want. We aren’t being listened to anyway so what’s the point of putting ourselves through the frustration of the planning of it when what we want isn’t even taken into consideration?”

“I will talk to your mother, but you should know that she is very excited for this wedding. She will not have a say in Draco’s wedding. As has been pointed out it is the bridal party who plan the wedding, you have become an exception, as you do in most things due to that stubborn nature of yours, and you are making Rabastan plan the wedding with you, which isn’t a bad thing. I’m not saying that it is.” He added when Harry opened his mouth, likely to shout at him. “But you should know that it isn’t the done thing. So Narcissa wasn’t expecting to plan her child’s wedding, not until you came into our lives and into our home. I still remember those wonderful, peaceful days.”

That made Harry laugh again, and he gave the goofy grin of his that was very endearing, as it was a very genuine smile in a culture that was so very controlled over all displays of emotion.

“I will ask that you do not spoil your mother’s enjoyment, but I will also remind her that this is not her wedding, and that she cannot veto anything that you and Rabastan both genuinely agree upon, as this will be your wedding day. Is that fair?”

Harry nodded, sitting up. “I will apologise for my words, and for storming out also. I just want to feel like I’m being listened to.”

Lucius placed a hand on Harry’s head and bent to kiss the forehead that turned up to look at him.

“We have come to love you as our own, Harry. You have every right to speak, and have your thoughts heard, but that doesn’t mean that people have to agree with you. You can’t win every argument. You can try, of course, but you will only be setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. You need to sit down and talk this out like an adult, and even then, you need to understand that you won’t win around everyone’s point of view, some will still disagree with you. Even if you believe wholeheartedly that you are right, and you see that it is the right thing to do so clearly, others will see just as clearly that you are absolutely wrong and they will argue as such. That is the beauty of life, and human nature, as frustrating as it can be at times.”

Lucius watched as Harry sat on the grass, a thoughtful frown on his face, as he took that little bit of advice in. He had worried that debating so successfully in the Wizengamot meetings was setting Harry up for a harder fall when he did eventually come across something that he was outvoted on, outdebated on, or just simply overruled.
All of them had had to taste disappointment at one time or another, some more than others, but it was just a part of being on the Wizengamot, and all of them had had to learn to taste the bitter disappointment, and even humiliation, of a resounding loss. Harry had yet to do so however, and he had shared his fears with Xerxes that Harry would take his first loss all the more personally because of this spell of successful debates so early on in his political career. He had to get Harry to understand that he would not always win, and others would not always agree with him, and those who voted with him on one matter, could as easily vote against him in another. He did not want to see Harry’s confidence knocked so thoroughly that he did not recover from it, but that is what would happen if Harry believed that he would always win, and then he suddenly lost.

“Mother believes that she is helping us, so she won’t be swayed when she vetoes us, despite it being what Rabastan and I want, is that what you’re saying?” Harry asked, looking up at him.

“It is. But instead of storming out here and harassing my peacocks, you need to stay calm, sit and talk your way around someone else’s point of view, but you also need to understand that some people will not be swayed, and will not listen to your arguments.”

“Are you still talking about mother, or the Wizengamot?”

Lucius’ felt his lips pull into a smirk. “You are a very clever boy…man.” He corrected himself. He needed to remember now that Harry was a man, Draco too. Where had the time gone?

“So this is a learning opportunity?” Harry asked.

“It is. You’ve been very lucky with the subjects we’ve had to debate thus far, and the business with Gringotts was a very lucky stroke, as you had read that old law only recently when that issue came up. I am exceedingly proud of you for these achievements, naturally, but you need to understand that one day you will lose a debate, or a vote, and there is nothing that you can do about it. Everyone loses a debate at one point or other. I have lost debates, Xerxes has, even your friend, Dawson Shacklebolt, has lost a time or two. You will feel very passionately, and very wronged, and emotions will be running high and patience will be thin. You cannot storm out of a Wizengamot meeting, Harry.”

“Will you still be as proud of me if I lose?” Harry asked, the hint of an insecure little boy poking out.

Lucius laid a hand on Harry’s narrow shoulder, and he squeezed gently. “I will be just as proud of you, depending on your reaction to your loss. If you act like a spoilt child not getting his own way, I will be deeply embarrassed and ashamed of you, but if you remain calm, and accept that you have lost with dignity and with the understanding that you cannot win everything, then I will still be just as proud of you, Harry. Everyone loses a debate or two, everyone comes up against a brick wall once in a while, it cannot be helped. It is your reaction to the loss that will reflect badly on you. I don’t want you to think that you have to win every debate, or even take part in them if you feel that you have nothing to say, to make us proud of you, but neither do I want you storming around and throwing a fit because things do not go your own way.”

“That wasn’t why I walked away from mother!”

“No, you believed that you weren’t being listened to, and your opinion was not being valued or respected. I understand this, but neither can your behaviour continue in such a manner. You’re an adult now, Harry. You can’t walk out on your problems, do you understand me?”

Harry nodded. “I understand. I just want my wedding to be how Rabastan and I want it.”

“I will tell your mother to be more lenient with you both and this matter will be settled. Now, is there anything else that you want to ask?”

Harry looked up at him, and there was that damnable twinkle in his eye and the naughty look he’d come to associate with Harry, and he knew that something cheeky was coming his way.

“Yes, actually. When I was on holiday Rabastan told me that you had a fan club when you were in school.”

Lucius fought hard to suppress the blush that he felt forming on his neck and cheeks. “I’m sure that I don’t know what you mean.” He said calmly.

Harry laughed, once more the happy, bubbly teenager. “You do know. Tell me about your fan club!”

“Rabastan must have been mistaken.”

Harry laughed harder, and he trailed off to a stream of happy giggles that made Lucius smile. A man he might be, officially and legally, but in many ways Harry was still just a boy. A seventeen year old still in school. There was more room for him to grow and mature, and there was the potential for more growth too. Harry was coming on wonderfully well, but he had a ways to go yet, and he would need more direction from them in that time. He just hoped that Harry stopped being so very emotional, it was detrimental to his image and standing in the political circles, and he would not have Harry ruining his own chances of success, not when he was doing so wonderfully well.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

The day had come for Harry to make a formal, three course meal for his family, and his potential future in-laws. Only there was nothing ‘potential’ about him marrying Rabastan. Xerxes would be his grandfather-in-law, and Rodolphus his brother-in-law. He refused to claim Rhadamanthus in any way, shape, or form. The man could kiss his arse for all Harry cared.
He’d made up with his mother the same evening that he had stormed out on her and the wedding planning. He would have done it immediately, but he’d gone to Rabastan first, and found out that she had forbidden his fiancé from coming to see him and that had rankled Harry’s cage and made him angry all over again. Rabastan had calmed him by holding him tight and stroking his hair and back, kissing his forehead and talking to him quietly. He had calmed down, and he had made up with his mother over the issue of the wedding planning. Narcissa had promised to be more understanding towards his, and Rabastan’s, wishes regarding their wedding and they had called a truce.
That had been two days ago now, and today he was spending half the day in the rarely used kitchen, which had been set out like the dining room upstairs, only with a perfect view of Harry working at the counter. He’d even had to go out and buy all of his own ingredients, as part of the process.
He’d agonised for the last few days over what to make, and fretted about how everything he’d chosen would be received. Once he’d set up his meal plan, however, he felt more comfortable with everything and he’d made sure that he knew the recipes for what he was making, memorising the processes, and working out how long they’d each take so he knew what to do first, and then going out and shopping for the ingredients himself, which he’d had to do that morning after his breakfast.

“So, what are you making?” Draco asked curiously, as he watched Harry roll back his sleeves and wash his hands from the dining room table which Harry had already laid meticulously for the meal.

He’d had to do that while everyone watched too, while they sat at the table and all but stared at him setting it, and the vile Rhadamanthus had not made that a very comfortable experience, as Harry put down his placemat and plate, before arranging his cutlery with the man all but breathing down his neck. Thankfully Xerxes was not only sat next to Rhadamanthus, but he’d been close enough to watch closely, and hear anything spoken, so Rhadamanthus had made no move to touch him, and had not said a word.

“Well, I thought to start we’d have omelette, because I can make those. Then a salad, because it’s easy. I mean, how can you mess up a salad of all things? And then for the main course I was planning on pizza, just throw it in the oven and its fine. For dessert I bought a dozen chocolate frogs. I haven’t made them myself, but I will arrange them in a very pretty way on a decorative plate.”

Harry kept a straight face as he looked at his family, and his future in-laws, who all looked horrified. Lucius sighed.

“Is there any chance that you’re joking?” He asked, exasperated and sounding like he already knew that the answer was a resounding no.

“There might be the smallest possibility that in this specific case, I was joking, yes.” Harry laughed.

“Oh, thank Merlin.” His mother declared, laying a hand over her chest.

Harry laughed harder, before turning and unpacking the stuff he’d bought specifically for this meal. It was a bit weird that everyone was watching him, but the Dursleys had gotten him used to that anyway, as they had mostly glared at him from the kitchen table as he cooked, shouting at him to go faster as if he could somehow make food cook quicker by glaring and shouting as loudly as they could at him.
He had to make the full meal, from scratch, right in front of everyone, so he started by laying out what he needed and preparing everything. He’d been thinking heavily on this for a few days now, as serving the right food was just as important as doing it right, given Rodolphus and Rabastan were still on strict diets. He’d definitely taken that into mind when he’d chosen what to cook.
He started by peeling and preparing the vegetables he was going to use, and adding the peelings and scraps to a saucepan, he added water and threw in a handful of fresh herbs he’d bought and set it to boil to make vegetable stock.

“You’re cooking the wrong parts.” Rhadamanthus cut in.

“No, that’s your dinner.” Harry couldn’t help but quip. He immediately felt better when he heard Rabastan chuckle.

“Harry.” Lucius called out warningly.

“Will you please just let me cook? Unlike the rest of you I actually know what I’m doing.”

“Because you’re a little house elf.”

There was no need to guess who that comment had come from either. Harry wanted to take the knife in his hand and ram it through Rhadamanthus’ thick neck.

“I would be very careful.” Rodolphus hissed to his father. “He has a knife in his hands.”

Rhadamanthus scoffed. “As if the little muggle knows how to use it.”

Harry assumed that being called a muggle was meant to be insulting. All it did was amuse him.

“You know that muggles have knives and know how to use them, don’t you?” Harry asked calmly, carrying on his vegetable preparations.

The table behind him lapsed into silence, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He carried on his work, dicing up the peeled onions, carrots and parsnips very small. He was going to start them off with a clear soup made with vegetables and vegetable stock. Something nice and light.
He’d been told that three courses was sufficient, a starter, a main, and a dessert, but he was planning on making little chocolates as well, to go with after dinner tea and coffee, which he was also expected to make and serve. He’d do the desserts next, after he’d set the soup to cooking, as it was going to take a good hour to boil the peelings for stock. It was a good thing he’d been told that this was usually something that took half a day. It was just after lunch, everyone would be full for a few hours at least. Draco had even brought some of the last pieces of homework he had left to do, and he was finishing it off at the table. Harry had understood that Draco had asked their parents if Astoria could come, but they had said no, apparently as they didn’t want to put that much pressure on him. If Harry had been consulted he would have happily agreed, he felt no pressure, he was actually happy and relaxed now that he knew what he was going to cook and had worked out the best order in which to cook it all in timewise. That had been the hardest thing though, choosing a set meal that was something that would impress, would taste nice, and stick to Rabastan and Dolphus’ diets.
As soon as his vegetables were ready, he put them aside, neatly segregated on a plate, and he started making his desserts. He was going to make a more indulgent chocolate mousse, because he knew it would amuse Rabastan, and maybe even Rodolphus too. He’d made sure that there were enough posh little glass bowls here at the manor, before he’d gone shopping, but he had picked up the most expensive, luxurious chocolate that he could find.
He took a small chunk of it over to Rabastan, and fed it to him before kissing his cheek. It made his fiancé laugh.

“It’s good, isn’t it? It’s the best chocolate I could find.” Harry grinned.

“Where’s mine?” Draco demanded.

Harry grinned at his brother, but he dutifully went back to the counter and he put some of the unneeded chunks of chocolate into a bowl and took it over for Draco.

“Here. There’s a mix of milk and dark chocolate.”

He went back to the counter and pulled out one of the pots of whipping cream, pouring it and some milk into a saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Harry watched it like a hawk, waiting for it to boil, and when it did, he poured it over his broken pieces of dark and milk chocolate and he stirred it continuously until it was nice and smooth. It smelt amazing already.
He broke six eggs, taking out the yolks, and he whisked up the whites until they were fluffy, trying to remember how the recipe he’d found said to do this, as apparently it was against the ‘rules’ of this little task to have a written recipe with him. It was supposed to be spontaneous. He felt sorry for when Astoria would have to do this.
Harry gradually added sugar to his whisked egg whites, making a meringue. Merlin he hoped this mousse tasted nice now. He’d never live it down if it didn’t.
Grabbing his bowl of chocolate and cream, Harry took the meringue and carefully folded it into the chocolate one spoonful at a time. It smelt even better now and he was at least hopeful that no one would spit it out…well, he wasn’t sure about Rhadamanthus, but this wasn’t for him. It was for Rabastan more than anyone else.

“Of course you’d make chocolate mousse.” Xerxes teased him, watching him closely from the table.

“What? I really liked Dolphus’ gift!” Harry grinned.

“Did you like mine as much?” Rhadamanthus asked him with a sly smile.

“Oh yes, it was wonderfully artistic. I didn’t know you were so creative. I’ve hung it up on my bedroom wall. It’s great.” Harry replied blithely, even as he separated the mousse into the decorative bowls. They’d need two or three hours to set, which gave him time to put his soup together and serve it, and cook his main course. “You should take up painting as a full time job, it might drain all that tension from you. I’ve heard hobbies can do that.”

Harry had decided that the best way to deal with Rhadamanthus was to pretend like nothing bothered him. That painting had deeply disturbed him, and it had severely upset Rabastan too, but to show that to Rhadamanthus was paramount to showing your weak spot to an enemy. He would use it to do more damage, to upset them further. So Harry was opting to show that he didn’t care about such things as it was the only way he could think of to survive this encounter.
He put the eight bowls of mousse onto a tray and went to pop them into the fridge, it was time to start his little after dinner chocolates and chocolate caramels.
He was humming gently as he worked, without realising it, as he put some butter and cream into a saucepan and heated it gently until it was melted. Putting that aside, Harry grabbed yet another saucepan and put in sugar and honey with three carefully measured tablespoons of water before bringing it to a boil, stirring continuously, making sure none of it splashed his hands. There was nothing worse than boiling hot sugar syrup coming into contact with bare skin. Harry amused himself by imaging himself tipping the saucepan of boiling sugar syrup over Rhadamanthus’ head, making sure to get it into the brute’s eyes.
Using even more chocolate, because who didn’t like good chocolate, Harry lowered the heat under the caramel and left it alone, while getting another saucepan of water boiling on the hob and putting the bowl of dark chocolate over it and he waited for it to melt, keeping an eye on his caramel as it bubbled away happily, going a nice golden brown. He really didn’t want it to burn or he’d have to start all over again, and that would be humiliating enough, as he was sure that Rhadamanthus wouldn’t let it go, and wouldn’t let Harry forget about it, which was likely to throw him off the rest of the dishes too. Harry took a deep breath and calmed himself. He wasn’t going to burn anything. It was going to be completely fine, because he was going to keep a good eye on everything. His body still remembered the punishments for burning food in the Dursley home, he had more than learnt how to juggle multiple pots and pans at the same time, he was not going to let anything burn here.
He reached for the butter and cream mixture he’d put aside and carefully added it to his caramel and stirred it in before putting it back onto the heat and set it to boil before lowering the heat to simmer the mixture. He checked on the melting chocolate, giving it a stir, before checking his caramel every minute or so, using a teaspoon to take out a small amount of mixture, dropping it into a bowl of cold water, and trying to roll it into a little ball.
As soon as he could make a little ball he took the saucepan from the heat and stirred in the melted chocolate, beating it until it was fully incorporated. He poured it into a tin he lined with baking parchment, levelled it off carefully, and he took that to the fridge too.

“Are you ever going to get around to cooking anything that’s not chocolate?” Rodolphus asked him.

“Yeah. But these need a few hours to set in the fridge first.” Harry said distractedly, as he cleaned up as he went, mainly so he didn’t run out of saucepans. “It would have been better if I could have made the desserts yesterday.”

“You know you’re only supposed to make one dessert?” Draco told him.

“There is only one dessert.” Harry sighed. “You’ll see when it’s done.”

Harry started making the little after dinner chocolates, swiping a hand over his face. Maybe he should have started with these damn things, instead of starting with the soup. A quick glance in the other saucepan showed that the peelings and herbs were simmering away happily, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
He started once more by heating up the remaining cream until it boiled, breaking up more chocolate while he waited. He poured the cream over the chocolate and mixed it until smooth. He then left it, as it had to cool, and he took a moment for himself, grabbing a glass of water to drink.

“Are you having fun?” Rabastan asked him, smiling.

Harry couldn’t resist going to him for a chaste kiss. He would have loved to deepen it, but not with a table full of people watching them.

“I’m having a lot of fun. How often do I get to poison seven people at the same time?” He joked.

“Only seven?” Xerxes asked.

“I’m not going to be eating any of this! I like my stomach inside my body, thanks.” He exclaimed with a grin.

Rodolphus laughed, and reached up a hand to ruffle his hair, but because of the heat and humidity in the kitchen, not to mention him sweating, his hair stayed stuck up in odd tufts, exactly how Rodolphus had ruffled it.

“Dolphus!” Harry whined. “I’d just gotten it how I liked it!”

“All over the place and sticking out in every direction?” Rodolphus asked him, one eyebrow raised in incredulous askance.

Harry grinned. “Yeah, exactly. And now you’ve gone and ruined it.”

He had to leave the table and go back to his chocolates, but at least he would only ever have to do this once. Once was more than enough.
He measured out the right amount of butter, putting it on a plate by his hand, before he pinched off little pieces, beating it into the melted chocolate and cream mixture piece by piece. Once done he made sure all the butter was mixed in properly before throwing the whole bowl into the fridge with everything else, before finally starting on the actual soup, draining the peels and scraps from his stock before adding his diced carrots, parsnips and onion and setting them to cook.

“Oh, you’re finally starting on something not chocolate.” Xerxes teased.

“Don’t tempt me to add chocolate to everything.” Harry said, shooting a grin over his shoulder.

“I’m sure you’d find a way to do just that.”

Harry just laughed. “I’d love to do that. You know I have heard of pasta made with cocoa powder. So I know chocolate pasta is a real thing.”

“That sounds disgusting.” Rabastan insisted.

“It sounds amazing!” Harry contradicted with a wide grin.

Harry went to his shopping bag and he pulled out a multitude of spices and herbs and tried to remember the recipe for this. He’d gone halfway between fish and meat, and he’d chosen tuna steaks. He’d never had them personally, but he figured this was a new experience for the people sat behind him, and it could be a new experience for him too. They were always encouraging him to try new things, and if he didn’t like it, he’d steal Rabastan’s chocolate mousse. He grinned to himself as he got out a small bowl, and a mortar and pestle.
He carefully measured out paprika, cumin and chili powder and added them to the mortar, he tore several leaves of coriander and added them in as well, before slicing and squeezing in some lemon juice. He frowned as he tried to remember if that was right, he had the feeling that he’d forgotten something. Then he saw the garlic bulb lying innocently on the counter and he rolled his eyes, grabbing it and peeling it, breaking off three cloves and adding them too, before grabbing his pestle and he started grinding them all into a paste for his tuna steaks. The reviews for this recipe had been raving, which is why he’d chosen it, but dear Merlin he hoped those reviewers had been right.
It took some serious elbow grease to grind all the ingredients into a paste, but tired, his arm aching, Harry finally managed it, and he smiled happily at the paste he’d made.
Everyone behind him was talking softly, he could hear them, and if he focused he could even make out what they were saying, but the conversation was light and Harry blocked them back out again as he went to the fridge and pulled out his bag of perfectly filleted fish. He’d gone to an actual fishmonger, and he’d paid a fortune for the eight large fillets, but it would be worth it if this came out as well as he was hoping.
He got an oven-proof dish and laid the eight steaks into it, and he used most of the sauce to cover them over before leaving them to marinade in the fridge.
He couldn’t stop though, as he took his chocolate mix from the fridge and checked on it, making sure that it was malleable. It was and he was grateful.

“Back to the chocolate, Harry?” Xerxes asked, laughing.

“Absolutely!” Harry declared passionately. “Chocolate is the best.”

“Please remember that I am a seventy-five year old man, Harry. My digestive system can’t handle all these sweet things.”

“Pfft.” Harry scoffed. “As if you don’t know you look and act half your age!”

“That doesn’t mean that I can eat like I’m half my age.” Xerxes pointed out, laughing.

Harry chuckled as he grated chocolate onto a plate and used a spoon to scoop out some of the mixture and he rolled it between his hands to make a ball. He then rolled it into the grated chocolate and put it aside. This took forever to do and when he was done, he put them back in the fridge to chill. He cleaned up what he’d used so far, washing and drying all the plates and pans, checking on his soup and using a clean spoon to pull out some of the vegetables, trying them to see if they were soft.

“How are you doing thus far?” Narcissa asked him.

“Everything’s done except the main course.” Harry said, turning with a smile.

“Will that take long?” Narcissa asked.

Harry shook his head. “Not overly long, am I running out of time?” He asked, slipping his pocket watch from his pocket and checking the time.

“No, dear, you have as much time as you need, but you should be thinking of serving soon.” Narcissa told him fondly.

It was already gone half past four in the afternoon, he’d been cooking for three hours already, and the time had actually flown by. Harry was shocked by how much time had passed, but then he’d hardly stopped for breath since he’d started cooking.
He grabbed another saucepan and filled it, setting the water to boil while he picked up the bag of baby potatoes. He washed them, then tipped them into the saucepan. The tuna steaks and asparagus would only take a few minutes to grill. The potatoes would take the longest.
Harry made sure that everything was done, he checked everything off of his mental list and went to the fridge to make doubly sure that he’d done everything that he’d needed to and to check on everything, of course. His tuna was marinating, his desserts and chocolates were setting, and his soup was simmering on the hob, the vegetables cooked and tender. He took another spoon to it, to check again, just in case.
Carefully pouring his soup into a serving bowl with a ladle, Harry was ready to start serving his meal at twenty to five, after making sure that everything else was on track as expected, and rather nervous, he levitated his bowl of soup over to the table and he served everyone himself, making sure not to spill a single drop. He was expected to sit and eat too, so he filled his own bowl and sat next to Rabastan to eat, but he couldn’t help but keep a close eye on the boiling potatoes, even as he jammed vegetable soup into his mouth. He kept an eye on his pocket watch too.

“This is bland and tasteless.” Rhadamanthus complained.

“It matches your personality then, doesn’t it?” Harry quipped back, as quick as a flash, in absolutely no mood to deal with Rhadamanthus’ caustic comments.

Next to him, Rabastan snorted a laugh, and Harry nudged his shoulder with an elbow. The soup was bland, but it was far from tasteless with the vegetables cooked to perfection. He’d wanted to start off with something nice and light, ready for the spiced fish main course.
Once everyone was done, and had had a few minutes to settle after eating, Harry collected up the used bowls and took them to the sink. This was another part of the test, his time keeping skills. Had he timed everything perfectly, or was this about to crash down around him?
He stabbed the boiling potatoes with a knife, checking how tender they were, before he turned and grabbed the last thing in his shopping bag. Two bunches of asparagus. He washed them, trimmed their stems, and he rubbed them with olive oil before sprinkling them with salt and pepper. It was time to see if this fish was as nice as he was expecting, as he went to get the marinated tuna steaks from the fridge and set the grill on high.
He checked the potatoes again and he smiled happily. Everything was coming together nicely. He laid the steaks on the grill and he timed them. The fishmonger had been insistent that they’d only need four minutes to be cooked to perfection, two minutes for each side.
He drained the potatoes, putting them in a serving dish with a little bit of butter and a sprinkling of chopped parsley, before he turned back and turned over his tuna steaks, adding the asparagus to the grill to cook for the last few minutes. He was glad that the magically enhanced kitchen was big enough to do everything he needed.
He was impatient to serve, but he calmed himself and timed the fish instead. He got the one piece that would be for him and he cut it, checking the inside, and though it was pink in the middle, the fishmonger had insisted that this was how it was meant to be eaten, like a nice, rare steak. He popped a bit into his mouth, praying that it was actually cooked and he wasn’t about to poison himself. It tasted wonderful and he was very pleasantly surprised. Harry did the same with a spear of asparagus and he tasted it. Everything was cooked and he was nervous as he put the steaks on a platter and the asparagus in another serving dish. He levitated the three dishes behind him to the table. He served everyone, then himself, before going back to the counter to get the little bowl of leftover marinade.

“Dolphus, don’t you dare eat that.” Harry told him.

Rodolphus sighed and lowered his fork. “It smells wonderful and I’m hungry. I want to eat it now. What have you missed?”

Harry went to him and spooned on some of the sauce, sticking his tongue out at him. He went to Rabastan next, kissing his cheek and adding the sauce. He served everyone sauce, leaving Rhadamanthus for last, because Harry just hated him and he wanted to tip his plate over his fucking head, but he settled for going back to his own seat, next to Rabastan, and eating. Of course Rodolphus was already eating, and from the way he was eating, he very much enjoyed the tuna steaks.

“I must say, Harry, you really are full of surprises.” Xerxes told him. “This is one of the best meals I’ve ever had.”

Harry snorted. “Has everyone else been feeding you cat food?” He asked innocently.

“Don’t disparage yourself.” Lucius told him sternly.

“We should think of replacing the house elf with you.” Rhadamanthus told him. “I hear that you’re used to being a slave to others.”

Rabastan tensed next to him, and Harry laid his free hand on his thigh.

“I am, yes, but I think you’re the only one here who is crass enough to make light of child abuse. Then that’s only to be expected after the way you treated your own children. You’d get on well with my muggle relatives for that reason.”

“Do not dare compare me to filthy muggles!” Rhadamanthus exploded.

“Why not? You’re exactly like them.” Harry insisted, glaring at the man. “Imagine being on the same level as abusive muggles. You really are disgusting.”

“Harry, enough now.” Narcissa cut in. “This is supposed to be a nice, relaxed meal.”

“Was that ever possible with him sat at the table?” Harry inquired, faux politely.

“Harry.” Lucius warned him this time and Harry sighed and went back to his food, cutting another piece of tuna steak and putting it into his mouth to prevent himself from saying anything. He was really enjoying this new food experience.

“I really like this, I’m glad I decided to buy it.” He said casually. He was blatantly changing the subject, but no one cared.

“I love a nice tuna steak, and you have definitely lifted my expectations for future dishes. The spices are well balanced and not overdone. They complement one another, and the fish too.” Xerxes said, his plate almost completely clean.

“It’s new for me too. I never even knew you could get a tuna steak. I like it.”

“You chose a new taste experience for yourself?” Rabastan asked him proudly.

Harry nodded and swallowed his piece of asparagus. “Yes, I thought that it would be new for all of you, so I should make it new for myself too. If I didn’t like it though I was going to take your mousse. Though I still might do that regardless.”

Rabastan laughed and touched his face gently, pulling him around for a soft, chaste kiss. They both tasted of the marinade.

“I would have gladly given it to you.” Rabastan told him. “Though I am glad that you have tried something new and liked it.”

“As soft and as pathetic as ever, by the looks of things you will become the wife of a house elf.” Rhadamanthus cut in.

Harry felt the fury thrumming through Rabastan, and stroked his neck to calm him. He kissed him again.

“You will not say such things about my son.” Xerxes demanded firmly.

“I wouldn’t love you if you were not the man you are before me right now.” Harry said softly, for Rabastan only as Xerxes took Rhadamanthus to hand. “If you were different, we wouldn’t be getting married.”

Rabastan breathed out slowly, and cupped both sides of Harry’s face, pulling him into a harsher kiss. Harry stroked through Rabastan’s hair, which was thicker and healthier than it had been back when they’d first met, trying to calm him more with soft touches.

“Thank you.” Rabastan whispered to him.

Harry pulled back and smiled. “Never thank me for such things. I love you, and I will support you in everything.”

Rabastan slung an arm around Harry’s shoulders and kept it there, and the both of them went back to finishing the last bites of their food.
Draco looked a little uncomfortable. He was sitting opposite Rhadamanthus, and he was looking quite pale. He wasn’t enjoying this meal at all.

“Draco, do you like it?” Harry asked curiously, trying to draw his brother, who was sat next to him on the end of the table, into conversation.

“It’s delicious.” Draco told him. “So much for poisoning everyone.” He teased.

Harry laughed. “I’ve said before I’m a good little chef, I was never going to be so abysmal as to poison anyone. At least not accidentally.” He added.

“Where is this mousse you’ve promised?” Rodolphus demanded. Of course he’d already finished eating.

“You’ve donated it to me.” Harry teased.

“Absolutely not.” Dolphus insisted. “I refuse to give you any of my food, so be a good boy and fetch me my mousse.”

Harry laughed. “You’re lucky that I actually like you.”

Harry waved his wand and collected all the used dishes, going to place them on the side of the counter, near the sink, and he went to get his mousses out of the fridge. He checked the one that was his, making sure it was set and he smiled happily when he found that it was. He took the tray to the table and he placed one in front of Rabastan, then Rodolphus. He went the other way and put his own down, then served Draco, Narcissa, Lucius, Xerxes and finally Rhadamanthus.

“You’re the expert at mousses, is this one better than The Garnet Swan and Honeydukes?” Rabastan teased him.

Harry put a spoonful in his mouth and hummed happily, his eyes widening. “It’s good.” He said. “Really good.”

“This is my favourite part of your meal.” Draco told him.

“Sweet things always were more your thing.” Harry grinned.

Draco scoffed. “Don’t pretend that it’s not your favourite thing too.”

“I can’t help it, Rodolphus has gotten me hooked on mousse. You had better keep that up too!” Harry said pointedly to Dolphus.

“It’s not fun when you know what to expect.” Rodolphus told him.

“So what were those other things you were making?” Draco asked interestedly, once all eight bowls were empty, in a very, very short amount of time too.

Harry winked at his brother and stood, collecting all the bowls with a wave of his wand and repeating the process all over again. He filled a teapot and a kettle, and set both to boiling. He set everything up for tea and coffee, putting the ground coffee beans into a carafe before going over to the fridge to collect his chocolates and caramels. He used the sharpest knife he could find to cut the little chocolate caramels into diamonds. He put them into separate bowls, but there were far too many, so he left the remainder where they were. He would take them to bed with him and have a very happy nibble later on, when he could finally relax after completing this expected contractual task for his betrothal.
He took the teapot and the carafe of coffee over to the table and went through the rounds of asking everyone what they wanted to drink, pouring their drinks carefully, even if he did want to pour Rhadamanthus’ over his face and scald him.

“So what are those and can I eat them?” Rodolphus asked.

Harry put the two bowls on the table and picked up a chocolate caramel, popping it into his mouth. They were soft and wonderful and he hummed happily. He snatched the whole bowl.

“No one can have these. These are mine.”

The table laughed at him, as Rhadamanthus sneering on the end didn’t count, but it was Rodolphus who wormed the bowl from him and passed it around.

“Well, this certainly went better than any Pureblood family ever expects.” Xerxes chuckled happily. “Most families pass just the one recipe down, mother to daughter, or to gene bearing son.” He added quickly. “And they never really go very well. This has been delightful, and delicious.”

“I’m glad that you enjoyed it. I do like cooking, though maybe not while being stared at from ten feet away while I’m trying to cobble together a three course meal in one afternoon. As I said, I would have been happier making the desserts, and these little chocolates, yesterday. Though with how nice and moreish they are I don’t think they’d have lasted the night.” He giggled as he took a chocolate truffle and bit into it.

“Not with you in charge of them, at least.” Rabastan teased him.

“I might have been convinced to share them with you.” Harry grinned.

“Well in that case you should have made these yesterday and shared them with only me.”

Harry laughed. “I have a lot left over.” He whispered.

“Then we have a date.” Rabastan told him.

Harry smiled at him and he gave Rabastan a kiss. “I love you. Thank you for putting up with me.”

“I believe that that is my line.” His fiancé insisted.

“Nope, I said it first.”

“I’m just going to have to say it more often then.”

Harry snorted. “You can try.” He challenged.

After tea and coffee was drunk, and little chocolate treats were nibbled, Xerxes told Rhadamanthus to leave and they all left the kitchen to reconvene in the drawing room. The little bowls of chocolate truffles and caramels came with them, and despite his complaints that his seventy-five year old digestive system wouldn’t be able to handle all the sweet things, Xerxes was seriously trying to eat as many as possible, which amused Harry.
His meal was a success, it was over and done with and everyone had enjoyed his food, and even Rhadamanthus hadn’t complained as much as Harry had expected, so he considered everything well received, and the full meal a success, and this part of the contract fulfilled. Now he just had to survive the Ministry party with as much grace and he’d be much happier and less stressed. Maybe Lucius was right after all. Maybe he was taking on far too much. He still hadn’t found a charity that he wanted to champion, and it was now just over a week before he would be back in Hogwarts for his final NEWT year. Time was running out and he was feeling the pressure of everything, pressing on his shoulders, making his neck ache. He groaned mentally to himself. Lucius was definitely right, he was taking on far too much, but he was determined to juggle it all, he wouldn’t fail in his plans now that he’d made them, he’d just have to knock several things off of his plate soon, so that he eased his workload, as he had absolutely no plans on visiting the hospital wing, or even Saint Mungos, because he’d collapsed due to overwork. He could do it, he knew that he could.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Harry had just barely finished going through his family portfolios for the morning when the Daily Prophet owl landed on his shoulder and nuzzled into him. The Malfoy family had five owls that were regularly selected to deliver their morning newspaper, and all of them had come to know Harry very well, as he smiled immediately and reached out to stroke soft breast feathers.

“Good morning to you too.” He greeted with a grin. “Here, have some bacon.”

The owl took the strips of bacon Harry tore off for it, eating gratefully. Harry reached for the Knut in the centre of the table and showed it to the owl, tucking it into the little leg pouch.

“You made a very good delivery, thank you for your service.” He praised, gently ruffling the feathers between those large, yellow eyes. “Have a safe flight back.”

The owl hooted softly, and took off, and Harry shook out the paper to read it. A morning habit he had emulated from Lucius. Who had given up on trying to read the paper first in his own home, as all the delivery owls were so very attached to Harry and immediately swerved to him every morning.
It was Harry’s evil laugh that got him the most attention.

“And what, may I ask, has happened to make you laugh like that?” Lucius asked.

“Fudge was fired last night.” He said happily. “The inquest results were published yesterday afternoon, and found so many discrepancies and errors in the handling of our own written laws that he was given the option of resigning, or being booted out of office. He tried to talk his way around it, promising to cooperate fully with the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol, but he was fired before he’d even finished his sentence.”

Harry read on a little further, but he found something troubling.

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Xerxes queried this time.

“Thicknesse has competition, it seems.”

“From who?” Rodolphus demanded angrily, his right hand twitching, as if to reach for his wand.

“The Head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones.”

“I told you we’d end up having to take out that bitch!” Dolphus exploded. “We should have taken her out with Scrimgeour!”

“We didn’t have orders to do so, Dolphus.” Rabastan cut in.

“Thicknesse was always going to have competition, boys.” Xerxes reminded them. “It would be unseemly to have just the one candidate for such an esteemed, and lucrative, position.”

“How is a new Minister selected?” Harry asked curiously.

“We are a democracy, Harry. A complete countrywide, public vote will be held, where all those over the age of seventeen, including yourself and Draco, will be called to the Ministry to register your vote.” Lucius told him, slipping into his ‘teacher’ voice. The voice that made Harry sit up and take notice.

“Amelia Bones is going to be an incredibly popular choice.” Harry pointed out.

“I imagine we will all be called in in the next few days.” Xerxes told him casually. “We will have our orders, and we will be sent out to blackmail and coerce more votes for Thicknesse.”

“I see.” Harry, folded the newspaper and handed it to his father, having not read more than the front page article. His mind was racing, and he would need to see what the Order’s reaction to this ‘race’ between Thicknesse and Amelia Bones was. He would expect Kreacher tonight.

Two new owls swooped into the room, dropped two, thick, heavy letters onto the table and immediately flew back out again, and Harry’s heart started hammering in his chest, even as Draco lurched forward and found his own exam results.
Harry reached for his results more leisurely, taking a gulp of tea to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth. He was so nervous as he opened his letter, which seemed thicker than Draco’s, and heavier than it should have been. He wondered if Dumbledore hadn’t slipped him a note of some kind.

“Well, don’t keep us waiting anxiously.” Narcissa encouraged.

“Straight O’s.” Draco said, with a very satisfied smirk as he passed his exam results over to his mother and father.

“Oh, well done, darling!” Narcissa praised, smiling happily.

“This is very well done, Draco. I’m very proud of you.” Lucius added, perusing the sheet.

“Harry, are you that nervous over your results?” Rabastan asked him.

Harry took a breath, and he ignored the badge in his envelope and instead found the result sheet and pulled it out. He scanned through all the subjects, and his grade mark beside them quickly, then went back over them and he sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping.

“Are you going to make us beg, darling?” Narcissa teased.

“Eight Os, and one EE.” Harry said, grimacing at that one blot on his sheet.

“What was the EE for?” Draco asked him.

Harry snorted. “Arithmancy, of course. It would never have been Runes. Marcus would have had my head decorating his front parlour if I’d gotten anything other than an O.”

Harry handed his sheet over to his parents to look over, but he couldn’t help feeling just a touch of disappointment that he hadn’t achieved straight Os. He made a mental note to try harder, much harder, in Arithmancy from now on.

“After the year that you’ve had I am exceptionally pleased with your marks, Harry. You didn’t use your debilitating illness as an excuse, and one Exceeds Expectations, in a run of Outstanding’s, does not diminish the effort you put in. Well done, I am proud of the both of you for these marks.” Lucius told them, and he couldn’t keep the smug smirk from his mouth as he looked proudly at the two sheets in either hand.

“I have a bigger worry anyway.” Harry sighed, reading his welcome letter.

“What?” Rabastan asked worriedly.

“I think they really are trying to kill me with overwork. Apparently my exceptional transformation and dedication to my studies during my last year has warranted them giving me this.”

Harry pulled the Head Boy badge out of the envelope and showed the table. Draco was the first to laugh.

“Shut up, Draco.” Harry snapped, but he couldn’t help but chuckle at his brother’s amusement.

“You have been made Head Boy?” His mother asked him.

Harry nodded and put his chin into his hand, looking at the badge pinched between his finger and thumb.

“Do you think I could give it back and say I don’t want it? This is bound to be some trick. I’ve had more detentions throughout my schooling than my year mates put together, though most of them were from Snape before I was adopted. ”

“The decision was based on your conduct during the last school year.” Lucius pointed out. “That alone shows how hard you have worked.”

Harry scoffed. “It shows how desperate that Dumbledore is to try and get me back on side.”

“We have talked about you not disparaging yourself, Harry.” Lucius told him firmly.

Harry sighed. “What else can it be but a trick?”

“Your exceptional hard work despite a very debilitating disease and carrying on despite the severe side effects of ridiculously strong potions?” Draco questioned. “I saw you day in, day out, remember? You looked awful on your good days, Potter. You’ve got nine pass grades, and I can bet that you were close to an O in Arithmancy as well, you likely only just missed out. You were feeling really bad on the Arithmancy testing day.”

“I don’t want to be Head Boy.”

“You can take points from other people for hassling you.”

Harry blinked, then he laughed. “No one will come near me again.”

“Exactly!”

Harry groaned. “It’s mostly because I know Hermione will definitely be Head Girl.”

“So? It’s not like you both have to walk around hand in hand!”

Harry laughed harder. “Alright. I get it. Damn, Head Boy, who’d have thought that?”

Narcissa stood and came to kiss his cheek. “I am very proud of you for achieving this honour.” She told him.

Of course that made Harry go all gooey and soft hearted and he grinned happily. Narcissa brushed the hair from his face and kissed his forehead again.

“I believe that I promised you both a small party. We’ll celebrate Draco getting straight Os and Harry being made Head Boy. You can each invite two friends, though your betrothed do not count in this.”

“Theo and Luna.” Harry said immediately.

“I only want Blaise.”

Harry laughed uproariously, and Draco realised his slip of tongue too late, and he pinked up and sighed.

“Will you ever let that go?” He demanded.

“When you make it so easy? Absolutely not.”

“I am not having an affair with Blaise!”

Harry giggled. “I don’t believe you.”

“Settle yourselves, it is entirely too early in the morning for all this activity.” Lucius chastised them. “Eat your breakfasts.”

The two of them shared a look, before doing as they were told, though they were looking through their required equipment sheets and booklist.

“They want us to buy how many books?” Harry demanded. “They need to sort out a better system for this, I mean, the older years don’t need their books from their early years, can’t we just set up an exchange system? We just pass our books down when we no longer need them instead of spending an absolute fortune on twenty-three books!”

“Harry, please remember that you are exceptionally wealthy in your own right, and that I will be buying your school equipment for you.” Lucius reminded, turning a page of the paper without looking up at him.

“Yeah, but not everyone can afford that luxury!” Harry pointed out. “I’ll see if I can’t set something up as Head Boy.”

“Already planning to change the school?” Draco teased. “You haven’t even pinned your badge on once yet.”

“Harry, you’re expecting too much from yourself.” Lucius told him, looking up at him. “You’re taking on too much as it is, just let this matter lie. There are second hand book shops that sell all of these books for a discounted price for those who can’t afford to buy them brand new.”

Harry blew out a breath, and he let it drop…for now at least. But he was right, he certainly didn’t need the books he’d bought for his first five years of schooling. If he could get enough students to ‘donate’ their old books, then some of the younger years wouldn’t even need to buy any books. And when he graduated and no longer needed any of his books, then he could donate all of his and then perhaps those taking their NEWTs wouldn’t have to spend a fortune on buying twenty-three required books.

“I am not in work for the rest of this week from tomorrow, so we will go early in the morning to collect your school supplies.” Lucius told them, closing the newspaper and passing it to Xerxes.

“I need to be fitted for new dress robes for the Ministry party.” Harry reminded.

“I have not forgotten. We will make time to have the both of you tailored with new robes and dress robes.”

After breakfast, Harry stayed sat with Rabastan, but he quickly headed off his mother, who likely wanted to do some more wedding planning, by calling Pimsey and asking for the portfolios that he’d collected for the charities. He really needed to choose one before the end of the summer, and September was looming ever closer. He needed to pick one, or two of them, quickly.
He pored over them, reminding himself that this was not a small, trifle decision. He would be championing this charity for the rest of his life. The problem was there were so many to choose from, and the adults around him kept adding more, and all of the portfolios tugged on his heartstrings. He needed more than that though, he needed one of them to inspire him, to ignite his passion, and his desire to help to the point where he was determined to do something, anything, to fix it.
Rabastan wasn’t so much helping him as just keeping him company, and Harry appreciated that. Lucius and Xerxes were both in work, and they were certainly going to scope out the opinions of their colleagues, and start subtly pushing more people towards Thicknesse, over the very capable Amelia Bones. Harry really hoped that she wasn’t another casualty of this war, just because she’d been chosen to run against Thicknesse.
Harry took a break for lunch, eating on automatic as his mind was still mulling over the details of the charity portfolios. He needed to write himself a damn schedule to keep up with everything that he was trying to do. There would come a point where he forgot something very important and damaged his own image, and such a thing would be disastrous when he was trying to reach the top and change laws.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Harry had finally chosen his two charities to champion, and once chosen he had gone immediately, on his own, to see to both charities and not only did he donate a substantial sum to both, he also dedicated some of his time as well.
The first charity that he had chosen was a coalition of all magical creatures, or classified non-humans, that aimed to try to get witches and wizards to understand magical creatures. Harry had been deeply struck by their uphill battle to get people to listen to facts, and not the fear mongering, and their fight to get even the merest of donations to keep themselves afloat and able to help others who needed it.
It had been absolutely no hardship to spend time with the founders, and some of their representatives, learning more deeply about what they did and what their goals ultimately were, and Harry was pleased to have his name linked to this coalition. What had made up his mind was that it was a representative for all magical creatures, and not just one group or another. This way Harry could help all of those classed under the umbrella term of magical creature, or non-human, at once, without needing to choose a dozen or more charities that only helped one creature or another.
The time had flown by and before he knew what was what, three hours had passed and Harry was up to date with the goings on of the charity and he’d parted with a very large sum of money to help. He’d also promised to help out as much as he possibly could, after all this wasn’t just about flashing his gold, it was about helping, and making a difference, and he was determined to do as such.
The second charity had been gifted to him by Xerxes, and it was less of a charity and more of a self-funded foundation that took all magical children under the age of eleven and taught them the basics of magical education early. It was a sort of magical day care for those who didn’t have house elves at their beck and call, and busy parents with no alternative childcare. They got a small subsidiary from the Ministry of Magic, but they were still rather underfunded and not really taken all that seriously given that the day care enabled both parents to work, knowing their child was well looked after. Harry had wanted to help immediately after reading the portfolio.
After talking through all options with his fiancé and his family, and his thoughts and feelings on both charities, he’d selected them for his two to champion with the approval of the others, and as his mother had pointed out, children’s educations were just as important as their health, and was taken just as seriously.
His trip to the little day care, which was run by five women and two men, was very enlightening. They looked after seventy children between them, and they barely made enough to give themselves a decent wage, and often they were buying snacks and drinks out of their own pocket. They asked for any and all donations from the wizarding public, but it wasn’t a popular choice for people to give some spare Knuts and Sickles to, they’d rather donate to Saint Mungos. Everyone donated to Saint Mungos.
It was the hard working parents of the children who were giving the most, and Harry just wanted to help. He didn’t have to give any of his time, in fact he couldn’t as he wasn’t properly qualified, but sitting and playing with a group of kids for an hour he could do, and he did, after donating enough Galleons to ensure every child in the day care could come in for free for the next six months. He also gave the selfless workers a bonus each, and paid for new outdoor equipment for the children.
But the two charities that he had chosen were perfect, because the day care just needed money, and perhaps him to pop in every couple of months to show his face, but the coalition of magical creatures needed his time more than anything, and he was willing to do what he could on the weekends. He had already come to terms with the fact that this meant he probably wouldn’t be playing Quidditch this year, not with him entering his seventh and final NEWT year, and without the hypocalcaemia to hide behind, he was going to be on the same workload as his year mates. It was going to be a struggle to juggle everything, but he had one more year left, and then he would be graduated. Things would calm down then. He’d have no school, no homework, no school related stress, nothing of that sort. Though he would be married, and possibly pregnant, so he’d have to learn to deal with those new stresses too. The baby would be the most difficult to handle, as he didn’t really know how to look after a baby, or what it would entail…oh, he knew the theory of it, the expectations and what would be required, but he had yet to experience it personally, he’d never even held a baby before, so like most new parents he was going to have to learn on the job, and that could potentially be incredibly stressful. He was going to have to learn to juggle his career and his family, but he swore, he would never sacrifice his family for his career. Family was everything to him, he’d grown up without one, he would not allow his children to grow up without him. He would keep his priorities right, his children would come first, always.

“You’re very deep in thought, Harry.”

Harry startled at the sudden loud voice and turned to blink at Rabastan. His fiancé chuckled and bent to peck a kiss to his lips. Harry blinked again, trying to make sense of what was happening.

“You were so lost in thought I wasn’t sure we would be able to get you back.” Rabastan grinned.

Harry snorted. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Would you care to share these thoughts?” Lucius asked him, sipping his morning tea.

Harry shook his head. “It’s nothing to be concerned over, I’m just figuring out the best way to juggle everything I have going on. I’m thinking of making myself a schedule, or at the very least a reminder board, so that I don’t forget anything.”

“Please prioritise the more important things.” Lucius told him. “Your own education comes before anything else, am I clear?”

Harry nodded. “I understand, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to do everything else too.”

They were interrupted by the arrival of the post owl, and as usual Lucius lost out on his chance to read the paper first, as the owl immediately swerved to Harry and landed on his shoulder, where he made an immediate fuss of the owl and petted it gently, using his fingernail to scratch between those big, bulbous, amber eyes.
He took the paper after dropping the Knut into the little leg pouch and as the owl took off, Harry unfolded the paper and almost dropped his teacup.
He spilt his tea, but managed to save the cup, even as he frantically scanned the article. He wondered who had been behind this slandering article. It made him wonder just how much influence Fudge had had on the editors, as the moment he was booted from office, the editors posted this crap about him again. Fudge had always been reliant on Lucius Malfoy, or perhaps frightened of him, and he had shown openly that he had no personal love for Harry, not with the way he belittled him as often as he could in public. But he had stopped the editors calling him all sorts in the newspaper the moment he’d been adopted by the Malfoys, likely out of fear of Lucius.

“Is something the matter?” Narcissa asked him concernedly, watching him spill the tea he’d been lifting to his mouth, almost dropping one of her teacups and only barely saving it by the tip of his little finger.

Harry said nothing, still reading as quickly as possible, ripping open the paper to carry on to the next page, and then the next, while trying to calculate how devastating this would be for his budding political career. He needed to retaliate, quickly, but effectively, to contain this damage. Damage he hadn’t foreseen.

“Harry.”

Harry snapped his head up to look at his father.

“What has happened?” Lucius asked him calmly.

“Is it something to do with Thicknesse?” Rodolphus asked angrily.

“No.” Harry replied just as angrily, his voice tight and strained. “It seems that Fudge was keeping the Daily Prophet editors on a tight leash, with him gone they’ve decided to pick up where they left off, slandering me and calling me stupid, ignorant, crazy, unstable and dangerous.”

Rabastan tensed next to him, and Harry could almost feel the anger coming from him.

“They’ve found out about the charities I’m backing, they’re demanding to know why I’m doing this now, asking why I didn’t do it sooner if I actually cared about these things, they’re accusing me of just flashing my wealth, donating with dirty gold, and trying to exercise my sense of superiority over normal people. Apparently I’m a spoilt brat who needs to be taken down a notch.”

“Hand that to me.” Lucius demanded silkily, his voice gone dangerously low.

Breathing hard, Harry handed over the paper. The article was an obscene four pages long, all dedicated to slandering him, bringing up his false claims of Voldemort’s return a year ago, to him cashing in shares worth a rumoured several hundred thousand Galleons, and they’d even brought up him being on the Wizengamot, with two seats and two votes, being able to sentence people to Azkaban, and of course they’d brought up Mister Jute again, and apparently he was being blamed for that man being executed by the Gringotts goblins too, as if he had been the one to wield the headsman’s axe himself, instead of just pointing out the valid law. They were asking the British wizarding public if a ‘child’ should be allowed to be a part of the parliament of their country, a decisive factor in which laws were passed or not, presiding over court hearings and trials, and apparently he was ‘shouting and screaming’ in the Wizengamot meetings, at older, more respectable witches and wizards who knew what they were actually doing, if he didn’t get his own way. They were calling for a shake-up of the Wizengamot, a fundamental change, which meant that no one under the age of thirty could be a part of the Wizengamot, all aimed at forcing Harry out and giving his two seats, and votes, to the Ministry, until he came of a ‘decent’ age to take on the responsibility of actually having a seat on the Wizengamot.
Harry was so angry that he was shaking. He wondered if the editors hated him that much, or if this was just a way to sell newspapers, by using his name, or if there was someone else behind all this. Dumbledore came to mind, it would be just like him to try to get him booted from the Wizengamot after he had been the cause for Dumbledore losing two seats, two votes, and the Chief Warlock position. He wondered if Lucius being his adoptive guardian now meant that Harry’s seats and votes would go to him, or if this ‘fundamental change’ that the editors were calling for would put his seats in someone else’s hands. Perhaps the Minister for Magic…perhaps even giving them back to Dumbledore, who Harry had noticed was not slandered in the article like he had been. There hadn’t even been a mention of him when they ranted about his claims that Voldemort had returned ‘from the dead’. Harry thought that that was rather telling.

“Lucius, you must do something. They can’t treat our son in this way! I won’t allow it.” Narcissa was hissing angrily.

“There’s no coming back from that sort of damage, is there?” Harry asked, his teeth gritted and his fists clenched, as he saw Lucius’ worried frown.

“We will do what we can…”

“But the damage is already done.” Harry finished, sucking in a huge breath, trying to calm himself.

He shoved himself away from the table and stalked away, up to his bedroom. He locked the door behind him. He wanted to be alone.
He couldn’t believe that this had happened. He hadn’t expected it, and it seemed that neither had his family. It had come as a nasty shock, and now his political career might be over just as soon as it had started. Especially if there was a shakeup of the Wizengamot and he was booted out and barred for another thirteen years. He calmed himself, no, that wouldn’t happen. The Lords of the Pureblooded houses, the Ancients, would never allow it, and they still made up almost half of the Wizengamot, with the New Men, again nearly all of them Purebloods, making up almost the other half. Only the Neutrals included any muggleborns at all, as they were made up of the Department Heads of the Ministry, and they numbered only seven in a Wizengamot of fifty-three.
Harry wondered then if that was the motive. Using him as an excuse to try to remove the Purebloods from power and get more muggleborns into the parliament of wizarding Britain.
He sat on his settee, in his little living room, and tried to think of a way out of this mess, but he was so angry he could barely think. He’d wanted so little in his life when he was growing up, and no one had cared. Now that he had a family, and a future, the moment he started trying to work towards achieving something, he was knocked right back down to the floor.
The door handle rattled, and then someone sighed from the outside of his room and knocked sharply. Harry ignored it.

“Harry. It’s Rabastan. Open the door.” His fiancé called out.

Harry was half tempted to ignore him too, but then he realised what he was thinking. He was not angry with Rabastan. Not at all. His political career might be finished, but he didn’t have to flush his future family down the toilet as well.
He stood and unlocked the door, opening it. Rabastan entered the room carefully, closing the door behind him, but he watched Harry as if he were some sort of wild beast waiting to attack. Harry slipped his arms around Rabastan and buried his face in his chest.
Rabastan held him tightly then, wrapping his own arms around his back and squeezing him.

“I know that you are upset, you have every right to be.” Rabastan told him. “But this will be dealt with.”

“How?” Harry asked miserably. “They’ve cut off my legs and kicked me while I was down for good measure. No one is ever going to take me seriously again, Rabastan. Anything I propose now is just going to be rejected out of hand.”

Rabastan chuckled, and Harry immediately pulled back from him and gave him an incredulous glare.

“No, I’m sorry, my love. I don’t mean to make light of your upset, but do you really think that the Pureblood Lords will accept this lying down?”

“If the public turn against the Wizengamot…”

“How can they? The Wizengamot is the ruling body of this country, Harry. It is the Wizengamot who makes the laws, and enforces them, they are not going to vote to diminish their own power.”

“Not all of the Lords like me, I’ve insulted a few, debated and argued with others.”

Rabastan chuckled again. “Yet you are still Lord Potter-Black. Do not underestimate how deep Pureblood culture goes, Harry. Every single Pureblooded Lord will be behind you on this matter. They will not vote to diminish their own powers, just to get you out of the Wizengamot.”

“I’m still ruined. Seventeen years old, still in school, and my future career has been destroyed right in front of me.”

“Stay tall and strong. That article is a pack of lies, we can fight this.”

“The Daily Prophet is the only newspaper in this country.” Harry pointed out. “How can I fight against what they’re saying about me when I can’t tell the public my side of their accusations?”

“We can start by telling those in the Ministry the truth. Your father, and my grandfather, can start by saying what really happened, and letting it spread that way. There is also suing the paper for libel, as well as defamation of character.”

“It’s not going to be enough, and it won’t be done quickly enough to stop people from forming the wrong opinion of me. All I need now is for the charities to throw my money back in my face and run for the hills, they were both named and shamed for accepting ‘dirty’ money from me. This isn’t going to help either of their organisations now. I’ve ruined them both.”

“You need to stop wallowing and feeling sorry for yourself now.” Rabastan told him firmly, taking him by the shoulders and looking at him. “You need to build yourself back up, and don’t take this lying down. Show that it doesn’t affect you, even though I can see that it is tearing you up inside.”

“I’ve always wanted so little.” Harry said sadly. “I wanted to be loved, and cared for, like any normal person is. I wanted a family who looked after me, who helped me when I needed it. When I was being abused, no one cared. No one loved me enough to care that I was suffering through that, it was just brushed under the carpet. I was dying from that hypocalcaemia, I was crying out for help, and I was ignored by everybody. Now that I have a family, and dare to dream big, I’m just some spoilt little brat who needs to be taken back down. Well I’ve been down, all the way down. I was treated like a slave, I was beaten and starved, locked in a cupboard. I almost died, but I’ve somehow survived it. I’m not going back to what I was before. I’m not going to be anyone’s punching bag or scapegoat. Not anymore, never again. I will fight this, Rabastan. To my last breath, I’ll fight them. They’re not getting away with doing this to me, making me feel like this just for daring to have a dream.”

Rabastan held him tight, stroking his back, as Harry shook in his arms. He was already talking himself out of torturing and murdering those editors, because it would swing back on Harry, and the Malfoy family. But that didn’t mean that he didn’t want to do it, and there was no harm in imagining it, as he held his devastated, beloved fiancé in his arms. What he wouldn’t give for an hour or two with those editors if he could get away with it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

No one had thought to cancel the little celebratory party that had been scheduled for that afternoon. It had slipped everyone’s mind with the morning newspaper and the first anyone remembered was when Blaise flooed into the house and went looking for Draco.
Harry seriously wasn’t in the mood to celebrate his exam results, or being made Head Boy. He was still upset, still angry, and of course Blaise had read the article as well. By now everyone would have read it. The six of them were holed up in Harry’s living room, and the atmosphere was almost grave.

“No one who actually knows you is going to believe that, Harry.” Theo pointed out, having joined them only minutes after Blaise, you could always count on Purebloods to be punctual.

“Not many people do know me.” Harry sulked. “I don’t really like having a lot of people clamouring around me. I prefer to keep a handful of really close friends, and no more.”

“Daphne is already laughing about it.” Astoria told him, looking apologetic. “She’s been in such a good mood since Pansy’s betrothal announcement was made. She even spent time collecting an ironic card and a gift to send to Pansy congratulating her on the news. This article has just buoyed her mood all the more. She hasn’t forgiven you for having her dragged out of your birthday party, so this is payback in her eyes.”

“The worst part is not being able to get my own version of events out. The Daily Prophet are hardly going to accept an interview from me, calling out their bullshit, are they?”

Harry blinked as he said that, and then turned to Luna.

“Actually, Luna. Your father run that interview for me last year, do you think he’d do it again?” He asked excitedly, remembering when Hermione forced Rita Skeeter, who she had kept in a jar, to write the interview for the Quibbler.

“Oh yes, it was the bestselling edition he’s ever had.” Luna replied dreamily.

“We need to do this properly!” Draco insisted, running to get parchment and a quill, very eager to help now they had an option.

“None of us are journalists!” Theo said. “How are we going to set this out?”

“It’ll be easier if we just answer each one of their points with Harry’s defence.” Blaise insisted. “They believe he’s old enough to be slandered in this way, like an adult, but at the same time they continuously call him a child. He can’t be both. We should use that against them.”

“I’m seventeen now.” Harry pointed out, sitting on his knees by his coffee table.

“But you’re still in school.” Astoria told him. “Even if you are seventeen, it’s generally considered that you’re still a minor until you’ve graduated, because you still can’t use magic outside of school.”

“But the trace on my wand has gone.” Harry frowned.

“Because you’re expected to know how to behave.” Blaise said. “But if we’re caught doing magic outside of school, while we’re still attending, we’ll be prosecuted for underaged magic still. Trust us on this matter, Harry. You’re officially an adult under our laws, but while you’re still in school, you’ll be tried as a minor still.”

Harry nodded.

“Let me go and get that paper, so we can address each point.” Draco said, standing back up and going to hunt down the paper, hoping that it hadn’t been thrown into the fire yet.

“I’ll be your interviewer.” Luna said, taking the parchment and quill, dipping it and writing down some notes for herself.

“Do you think it’ll be better to do it in order of the accusations, or the most important issue first? Which is of course the Prophet trying to overturn the Wizengamot.” Harry asked.

“I think order of accusation will work better, because then those reading both articles can follow your answers to the Prophet’s accusations.” Theo told him.

Harry nodded, and looked over as Draco came rushing back into the room, the scrunched up paper in his hand.

“Right, we’ll do this properly, run it by father, and then see about having it printed.” Draco said, taking charge. “The first issue is them slandering the charities that you chose to back, and them calling the timing into question, as well as stating that you’d made the donations with dirty money.”

“Yes, me flashing my wealth and exerting my sense of superiority over the masses.” Harry scoffed.

“We’ll start with that, as it seems to be finding out about you donating to these charities that set off the article in the first place.” Theo said, grabbing another quill and some scrap parchment. “They are calling the timing into question, what is your answer to that?”

Harry shrugged. “I’ve only just come of age.” He said. “What could I have done before that? True I am a Lord, but I was adopted, not emancipated.”

“So the ‘why now’ question is answered with you’ve just come of age.” Theo noted down. He seemed to be doing as such for Luna, so that she could embellish his notes with full answers.

“We also need to address the flashing of ‘dirty’ gold, because we know Harry wouldn’t do something like that, so we can’t let others think that that is what he was doing.” Astoria pointed out.

“I spent three hours just talking with the coalition representatives, I’ve already promised to do what I can on the weekends. I’m donating my time as well as gold. I don’t want to flash my wealth, I have never done that before in my life, I just want to help.”

“They’re not going to believe that you’re a caring person, because this article has also brought up the sentencing you declared while sat on the Wizengamot, and they’ve made you sound cruel and callous.” Blaise said. “We need to address that really well, and get your thoughts exactly on that issue, Harry, before people will change their opinion.”

“Well the goblin execution was already a written law.” Harry pointed out. “I just reminded the Wizengamot of that fact. It’s not as if we debated and I just shouted out for someone’s execution. I was just upholding the law.”

“What about the other one, the one sentenced to Azkaban?” Theo asked, writing down Harry’s answer for Luna.

“He was a danger to our society, he was firing off blasting hexes at muggles, any one of which could have caused serious injury or death. Two muggles even had to be treated in Saint Mungos. I didn’t call for him to be sentenced to Azkaban for being drunk, I did it because he posed a very serious risk to the muggles, and he broke several laws and decrees while doing so, including the Statute of Secrecy.”

“That’s a good answer.” Draco nodded. “The Prophet never ran the article like that back when this first happened, they didn’t print the truth, now you have the opportunity to do that.”

“The next point I can see is they somehow have an issue with you selling your shares and then using the dirty money collected to donate to charity. I don’t know why they have a problem with this as you’re entitled to sell them when you want as soon as they’ve matured. I can guarantee they were decades old, weren’t they?” Blaise asked, scanning the article.

“Yeah, they were from the Potter portfolio, a business investment of my grandfather, Fleamont’s.” Harry said. “I have no idea why they have an issue with it, unless it’s because I sold my shares and cashed in, and then blew the whistle on the embezzlement. Oh…I wonder if one of the editors of the Daily Prophet was a shareholder in that company. Me selling my shares bankrupted the company, it had to go into liquidation just to pay me off, and the company directors were sent straight to Azkaban. But I was the only one who profited, there was no money left for any of the other shareholders.”

“I bet anything that that is what happened.” Theo insisted. “But that’s not your fault. You’re entitled to sell your shares at any time, and you were the only one eagle-eyed enough to spot the embezzlement happening in the first place. The company would have folded if you’d sold your shares or not, it was only because you sold them when you did that you got anything at all.”

“The next point is…is his return and them calling you deranged and unstable.” Blaise said.

“Father already addressed this issue, the Prophet even ran his interview last year.” Harry pointed out.

“I’ll find out the issue date, so that that can be printed and those who wish to can look it up and see that answer.” Draco told him.

“Moving on to the last point then. You sitting on the Wizengamot.”

“They can ask anyone they like, I don’t shout and scream at the other members.” Harry insisted firmly. “I debate with them, occasionally make them look stupid, but I am never the one to raise my voice. Not even during the trialling of Dennis Jute did I once raise my voice, even though other, apparently more mature, distinguished, members were shouting at and disrespecting me. There were members of the press there then. I think they would have run something at the time if I’d been shouting and screaming for not getting my own way.”

“None of us believe that you’d behave in such a way.” Astoria assured him.

“This is where they’re calling you a child the most. To do with the Wizengamot.” Blaise said, reading the article. “They’re trying to make it seem like you aren’t mature enough to handle the responsibility of having a seat on the Wizengamot, or two seats in your case, and they’re trying to inflate your behaviour to make it seem more childish and immature by insinuating that you have tantrums to get your own way. It’s pure libel aimed at getting you off of the Wizengamot. I just don’t know why.”

“I’ve been rocking the boat a lot, making waves.” Harry said. “I’m trying to set up my own law reforms, any one of which could be motivation for having me removed from the Wizengamot as quickly as possible. My magical creature reform laws could have been in the Chief Warlock’s hands before the New Year, and certainly before I graduate. I made it no secret that I was writing these reforms either. I’ve been talking about them a lot, trying to garner support for it, all it would take was for someone to not want those reforms even brought before the Wizengamot to be debated upon.”

“Did you only tell the members of the Wizengamot?” Theo asked him.

Harry shook his head. “The Minister also knew of these reforms.”

“Do you think he’s trying to take you down with him?”

“That or he’s told others about what he overheard at the Wizengamot party back in April. It would be just like him to rant and rave to other people about the inquest I manoeuvred him into, or even about the law reforms I was hoping to pass. If anyone didn’t like the sound of that creature reform, then it could be them aiming to block me and have me removed from the Wizengamot. I know there were photographers there that night, but I can’t remember if there were journalists or even the editors themselves, there. I wasn’t interested in them at the time.”

“You’re saying that perhaps one of the editors overheard about your reform?”

Harry nodded. “Perhaps they overheard, didn’t like it, but this is the first chance they’ve had to act upon it. With Fudge out of office, and Britain between Ministers at the moment, there’s not really anyone who can exert any control over them or what they publish.”

“We’ll get your version of things out now.” Theo insisted, as he wrote the last of his notes before passing them over to Luna, who had been taking her own notes.

Using both sheets of notes, Luna started writing the main ‘interview’ out on a fresh piece of parchment.

“It’s a shame we can’t get someone to validate your conduct in the Wizengamot. Father obviously can’t do it as he’ll be called biased.” Draco sighed. “You said you were on friendly terms with Dawson Shacklebolt, do you think we could get a statement from him?”

“I don’t want to drag anyone into this. All the members of the Wizengamot know how I behave during a meeting, and it’s certainly not how the Prophet has said I do. They’ll all know that it’s a lie.”

“Then they should want to stand up and claim it as such.” Astoria said fiercely. “I’ll ask my father to do just that. He always speaks well of you when he talks of the Wizengamot.”

Harry smiled for the first time since that morning. “Hopefully some of them will, especially when this interview is printed. I’m just upset that anyone felt the need to do this to me.”

“They won’t get away with it.” Draco soothed him.

“I’m glad to have all of you with me. I’m glad to know that you don’t believe any of this.”

“Why would we believe any of it? We know who you really are.” Blaise insisted. The others made murmurs of agreement.

They spent the time waiting for Luna to finish writing out the interview by playing a short game of what they would do to the editors, and the journalist who had written the article, if they could get away with it, before Luna interrupted, claiming that she was done. She handed it to Harry, and everyone else was hanging over his shoulders as they all read the ‘interview’ with Harry Potter.

“This is really well-written, Luna.” Theo praised.

“We need to show father.” Draco said.

“I’ll do that, you stay here. It’s rude to leave guests.” Harry said.

Harry stood and took the interview downstairs, to the drawing room, where he seemed to have interrupted a very serious debate.

“Harry, how are you feeling?” Rabastan asked immediately, standing and pulling him into a hug as Harry came closer.

“We’re debating the best course of action to take. Clearly we will be suing for libel, and telling everyone the truth, but we know it is not enough.” Xerxes insisted.

“I might have the answer.” Harry said, handing the parchment to his father.

“What is this?” Lucius asked, reading the first few paragraphs, understanding what it was, but not what it was for. “The Prophet would never run an article that proves them wrong, Harry. You know this.”

“It’s not for the Prophet. Luna’s father happens to be an editor himself. I once published an interview in The Quibbler, I think it’s time I did it again.”

“I spit on the Quibbler!” Xerxes exploded. “We’ll find another way, Harry. You don’t have to resort to this.”

Harry shook his head. “No. This is immediate retaliation. Luna said this article could be in tomorrow’s issue if her father prints an emergency edition. People bought the Quibbler once to read what I had to say, I’m hoping that they’ll do so once again.”

“Answering all of their issues with cool logic, and the truth.” Lucius said softly, passing the parchment to Xerxes. “I will pay Xenophilius if I need to.”

“There should be no need. Luna has said he’ll run it if she asks him to. He did before. I just want a chance to answer these lies with the truth, and I hope that that will be enough to get people to realise I’ve been slandered. Suing them for libel will also help immensely.”

“It would be better if you had a member of the Wizengamot stand up in your defence.” Xerxes told him.

“We thought of that, but father can’t do it because he’s biased and I don’t really want to owe anyone favours. I did think of Dawson Shacklebolt, but I just don’t want to ask.”

Rabastan laughed, and so did Rodolphus.

“I was talking about me, Harry.” Xerxes chuckled. “You’re to become my grandson, the mother to my future great-grandchildren, what affects you and your family also affects me and mine. If I stand up and defend you and your conduct in the Wizengamot, it might get the ball rolling, so to speak, and others may well stand up and defend you in the same manner.”

“Would you really do that for me?” Harry asked, looking hopeful.

Xerxes stood and came to cup Harry’s cheek. “With that look of your face, I’d do anything for you.” He insisted seriously. “Get me a quill and some parchment, I’ll give a written statement for your friend to add to this interview, and we will do what needs to be done to see it published.”

With the interview and now an added written statement in hand, Harry hurried back up to his bedroom, his face flushed with excitement.

“Did he say yes?” Draco demanded.

“More than that, Xerxes gave me a written statement! He’s a member of the Wizengamot, and no one knows that we have a personal connection to one another, so he can’t be labelled as biased.”

“Really? That’s amazing! With a written statement from a Wizengamot member, it validates everything you’ve said!” Theo exclaimed happily.

“Luna, are you sure your father will want to run this interview?”

Luna nodded, her radish earrings swinging. “Yes. I know he will.”

“Send me a copy, won’t you Luna?” Astoria asked. “I don’t want to miss this.”

Luna smiled happily. “Of course.”

“Me too!” Blaise grinned. “This is going to be great. Harry Potter taking down the Daily Prophet.”

“They’ve taken themselves down by running this libellous article.” Harry sniffed.

“Send me a copy too, Luna.” Theo insisted.

“Daddy will be so happy to be selling so many issues. I will get it to him right now.”

Harry walked with Luna down to the entry room, which was the only room connected to the floo in the manor, and he hugged her tightly in goodbye.

“Thank you for this, Luna. Thank you.”

“Of course, Harry. Anything for you.”

Harry saw her off safely before going back up to his room to hang out with the others. He was in a much better mood than he’d been that morning, and now that he’d actually done something about the libellous article, he felt better, and happier, too. They would still be suing the Daily Prophet, but answering their accusations with his own article made Harry feel like he’d done as much as he could to try to protect his character from complete and utter ruin. Maybe he could try to save as much of his political career as he could, and he wouldn’t have to scrape and struggle to get people to take him seriously. He was not just some kid playing at being an adult. He had never really gotten the chance to be a kid at all, and he refused to allow anyone to label him in such a way now, not when he was sitting on the high court, and parliament, of wizarding Britain. Not just because they wanted him booted out, especially not if this had anything to do with his planned law reforms. He would keep going, he would keep writing for that creature reform law, and he would get it passed by any means necessary. Even if the media tried to block him and slander him, he would stand tall and strong, and carry on despite their efforts to stop him. He would never let them win.

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A/N: This has been a long time coming, I know. I have been exceptionally busy with a particular unposted fic of mine called The Antlered Lion, and it has taken all of my focus and concentration for the last few months. I am only going to be here for August, then in September I will be going back to The Antlered Lion, and I hope to finish it before the end of this year, but as always, I will be back to this fic, and my others, before you know it, lovelies. It is not going to be abandoned, and to confirm this you can join me on Facebook, I am always active and updating everyone of what I am doing on there.

A huge thank you to Chef 101 for being the 3,600^th reviewer for this fic.

Moonstone18: The other Weasleys are considered Purebloods, technically, as they are all still magical, but they are officially classed as blood traitors, as they refused the legitimisation, and turned their backs on their blood status.

Pixie8859: Harry will become confident enough with his familial relationship with Lucius and Narcissa to tell them that he loves them one day, at the moment he’s still wary of rejection to say such sentiments out loud, but he definitely thinks it.

I think that this was all, lovelies, but I’ll be back in exactly a week with another update for you, then I might skip over to Rise of the Drackens, or Iron-Bound Commitment, I don’t know yet, but until then,

StarLight Massacre. X
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The Guile and Devotion of a Black Heir