C10 Harry's Admission

# # #

Before leaving for Longbottom Manor, Harry wrote down which rune would link their mirror to which mirror.

He also wrote a tiny number into the top of the case corresponding to the rune on the back of the mirror within it. Now he wouldn't get them mixed up.

He left the last five behind in his trunk, dropped the first one into his pocket for his own use, and put the other six into his satchel with the cubes.

Checking to make sure he had everything he needed, and that the time was flying past, he knew he only had a short while to enjoy a meal before he needed to be at Longbottom Manor. So, he flashed to a laneway near a restaurant he wanted to try and went in for a quick meal.

At 8.20pm, he left the restaurant and went back to the laneway. He apparated to just outside the Longbottom Manor and was knocking on the door very close to 8.30pm sharp.

After giving mirror #2 to Neville and mirror #5 to Augusta he showed them how to use them. He also said how it would save their long-distance conversations being overhead by other parties. He also handed over a copy of the list that had whose mirror was linked to which rune. When asked about who Sir David and who Sir Anthony were, he told them they were Madam Boneses counterparts in law enforcement in the mundane world. And that they shouldn't contact either of them, or the Queen, unless in the direst of emergencies.

Neville was happy as it now allowed him to talk to the others about their experiences with the cubes, and it allowed him to talk to Harry and ask him questions whenever he needed to. And Augusta was happy as it allowed, he to talk securely with Amelia and with Neville while he was away at Hogwarts.

After applying the third cube, wizarding law and the laws of logic, to Neville, Harry headed to the Ossuary.

# # #

At Bones Manor Harry gave mirror #3 to Susan and mirror #6 to Amelia. He gave them both the same list and ran through the same spiel he'd given the Longbottoms'.

While waiting for Susan to get ready for bed, Harry broached the subject of his godfather's release.

"How's the research into the paperwork related to Sirius Black's incarceration coming along?" he asked Amelia.

"Well, you're right about me not being able to find any records relating to his arrest, trial or conviction," she began. "I've now started interviewing the Aurors who are still alive who were at Godric's Hollow that night. They remember him saying he killed your parents but none of them remember conducting a record of interview once he was brought back to the Ministry.

"I've also found out which Aurors took him from the Ministry to Azkaban. Both believed he'd already been tried and convicted. Both believed the other had the paperwork that was his conviction record that sent him to Azkaban.

"I think I'm going to be able to start the ball rolling tomorrow on getting him a proper trial."

"Do I need to retain a lawyer for him?" he asked.

"I think it would be a very good idea, if you did," she replied. "Would you like me to give you the details of a good, and honest, criminal case solicitor?"

"Yes, please," said Harry. "One that is very discreet but knows how to use the media to further the benefits of his client. But is also local to the Ministry."

"I'll use the mirror to contact you first thing in the morning with the details," she said.

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry gratefully.

"Come on, then," she said, changing the subject. "We'd best get you moving on to the Grangers."

She led Harry into Susan's room. And, after applying the third cube to Susan, he headed to the Grangers.

# # #

Arriving at the Grangers he found the household a lot calmer than it was earlier in the day.

After letting him in Dan led him into the lounge where Emma was already waiting.

"How was Hermione after I left?" he asked Dan.

"She meditated for the rest of the day, only coming down for dinner before returning to her room," said Dan.

"I'm not sure what I prefer," said Emma. "Having Hermione around and annoying the boys from MI5, or up in her room meditating."

"What did she used to do before the mediation?" asked Harry.

Emma thought for a bit before replying, "She used to sit down here in one of the armchairs and read, mostly. But she also used to help me with the meals."

"Okay," said Harry, thinking. "If she's still awake, call her down; and tell her to bring a book with her."

Emma headed off to collect Hermione while Harry turned to Dan and asked, "How was everything with the MI5 boys? They got everything in place yet?"

"They've got the internal sensors and alarms all installed," said Dan. "Another crew will be around tomorrow to do the outside ones and connect them through."

Emma then returned with Hermione, carrying a book.

With everyone sitting, Harry turned to Hermione and said, "You need to do me and your parents a favor."

"What sort of favor?" she asked.

"We need you to behave as you did before I started with the cubes," replied Harry. "That is, we need you to come down here and sit in your favorite chair and look like you're reading a book."

"But what about my meditation?" she asked puzzled.

"I said look like you're reading a book," explained Harry. "You can mediate anywhere at any time. I'm asking you to do it while sitting in your favorite chair looking like you're reading a book.

"But secondly; in just over seven weeks you're leaving home for the west coast of Scotland and won't be returning until Christmas. Your parents are going to miss you. You need to spend time not in a meditative state with them. The search for your Animagus form can wait."

"Oh," said Hermione crestfallen. "I didn't think of that. But you're right."

"Besides," said Harry. "I won't give you another present if you don't promise me, you'll spend time in the evenings, at least, and weekends, with your parents in a communicative state."

"A present?" asked Hermione perking up.

"Yup," replied Harry. "And it's a biggie."

"You do realize, My Lord," she said, ominously, "that what you're doing is extortion and is a chargeable offence under United Kingdom law."

"As a Peer of the realm I'm protected from such matters and have the right to have matters heard by my Peers," responded Harry.

"That's rubbish and you know it," she shot back. "Peers are not protected from criminal prosecution and, as such, the matter would be heard in the criminal courts."

"And what you refer to as extortion, I call incentive," responded Harry. "It's my Slytherin ways manifesting themselves. I guess you could say, I can't really help it. It's a magical imperative."

Dan snorted trying not to laugh at the byplay.

"Fine!" pouted Hermione. "Have it your way then. I'll be good and not meditate so much."

"In that case," said Harry. "I'll give you, and your parents, your presents."

Harry reached into his satchel and drew out mirror #4 and mirror #7. He handed them to Hermione and the Grangers, respectively.

He then explained how they worked and handed to each of them the same list of runes as he'd given to the Boneses and the Longbottoms.

"So, Dan," explained Harry. "Yours and Emma's has the little charged mini-wand, for wont of a better term, to allow you to use the device. Though you don't have the magical core to use these sorts of devices normally, the wand has sufficient charge within it to allow you to use it many, many times before it needs recharging. And, to do that, all you need to do is stay within a magical field for a little while, such as Diagon Alley.

"However, I'm also expecting that once Amelia has had your home warded, you'll be able to draw the magical energy off that to recharge the wand. So, you'll never need to recharge it if you return home occasionally. But I expect you'll stay living here so it'll never be a problem."

Dan asked, "So, what you're telling me is that we'll be able to talk directly with Hermione while she's away at Hogwarts?"

"Well, yes," replied Harry. "There's no distance limit on the devices that I can conceive, there will be no delay in the signal as you would get on a telephone, and the wards surrounding Hogwarts won't block the signal, either."

Suddenly Emma shot off the couch, grabbed a fistful of Harry's shirt and dragged him out of his own chair to give him a big hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried squeezing him to her body.

Harry next felt the arms of Dan around them both. "Lad," he said with a strain to his voice. "No matter what drama you've brought to our family, nothing can compare with the gift you've given us tonight."

Not knowing his gift meant that much to the Grangers, Harry didn't know what to say, so he went with humor.

"You know this suit's Armani, right?" he said a bit embarrassed by the sudden show of affection. "This is the third time I've been manhandled today."

Dan let them go with a snort and Emma backed off only to plant a big kiss in the middle of his forehead. "I'll believe that suit's Armani if you'll believe my dress is a Vera Wang," she said smiling with tears running down her cheeks.

"I'll go make some tea," she said suddenly. And took off for the kitchen.

Everyone else returned to their chairs. Looking across at Hermione, Harry could see she, too, had been crying a little.

Harry, still embarrassed, muttered, "I actually only made them as a way you could contact me, Amelia or Augusta if you were in trouble. And the one for Hermione so she could talk to the other heirs. But, once I'd conceived the idea, I just built upon it. The idea you could also contact Hermione while she was away pretty much an afterthought."

"It was a very, very nice afterthought, My Lord," said Dan quietly.

"Yeah, Harry," said Hermione, getting up to walk over and sit in his lap. "That was a very nice thing to do." Then she kissed him on the cheek.

Harry blushed. He blushed a lot.

"Ummm..." was all he managed to say.

Emma came back in carrying the usual tea service with four cups and saucers.

"Well, it wasn't really my idea," stammered Harry. "It was that guy from MI5 earlier today. He wanted to know if Dan had my number on speed dial, and then I remembered what could be done with mirrors, and then, well..."

"And then you took the idea and ran with it," said Dan. "So, you did all this since you were here, earlier."

"Yeah, I picked the mirrors and other equipment up on the way back to the palace from here and spent the rest of the day building them," said Harry. "'Mione, do you mind? I'd like a cup of tea."

Hermione, reluctantly it seemed, returned to her own chair while Harry leant forward and focused on making a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry it upset you," said Harry softly to the Grangers. "I just thought it was an easier way for everyone to be able to talk to each other without me having to run around all day checking on folks. I was being a tad lazy."

"We're not upset, Harry," said Emma. "It was just a very unexpected, but very welcome, gift."

"Harry," mused Hermione. "Would you not have given us the mirrors if I hadn't agreed to spend more time in the evening with Mum and Dad?"

"Of course, I would have," said Harry airily. "But as a true Slytherin why give you something for nothing when I could use it to get you to comply with something I wanted?"

Hermione didn't say a word. She just rose out of her chair, walked over to Harry, smacked him on the back of the head, and walked back to sit in her own chair.

"That's for tricking me!" she declared. "You're not allowed to do that, anymore."

"Awww..." faux-sulked Harry. "Now you're just taking the fun out of it."

After a bit more polite chit chat, Hermione was sent off to get changed for bed. While they waited, Harry felt Dan studying him with a thoughtful expression on his face.

Harry just sipped the last of his tea and waited.

"Harry," said Dan, and for the first time speaking to him by name, "you and Merlin watched a fair bit of the future on the other timelines, right?"

"Yes, Sir," said Harry carefully.

"In the original timeline, the one where the four of you went on to fix the issues in the wizarding world, what else happened besides that?" asked Dan.

Harry just focused on the bottom of his cup through the remainder of the tea and said, "Lots of things, of course."

"You're being evasive, Lord Potter," said Dan.

"Perhaps it would help if you told me what, specifically, you wanted to know?"

"Okay, then," he said. "Just how close were you and our daughter?"

"What happened in that timeline is irrelevant to this one, Sir," responded Harry. "But we were close."

Before Dan could ask his next question, Harry went on. "There are certain events I know are going to happen because the people involved, irrespective of what else is going on at the time, will still make them happen.

"For instance, I know that a red-headed boy our age named Ron Weasley, is going to come looking for us on the train. And that, once in the same compartment as us, is going to try to convince me that I should really want to go into Gryffindor House, and that those who go into Slytherin are all evil. I also know that a boy our age named Draco Malfoy will have been sent by his father to find me and try to get me to go into Slytherin, and that Ron will insult him.

"I know that Dumbledore will come across as the kindly old man who calls me 'Harry-my-boy' but, while talking to everyone else, will refer to them as Mister Weasley or Miss Granger. Another one of his little subtleties of getting me to adore him as the grandfather I never had.

"But things that haven't been put into play, specifically, are more likely to not occur than to actually occur, since I've already made such a major change to the timeline, just by getting all the heirs together and 'ringed' early. Things that happened in either of the other two timelines, unless they're major events, especially the further ahead in time from when I first visited the Prime Minister, are very unlikely to happen this time."

"Well, I'm talking about a major event," pursued Dan. "What ended up happening between you and our daughter after what you told us happened while we were all at the palace?"

Harry sat for quite a while just looking between Dan and Emma and his teacup. He hoped for something to happen that would derail the conversation. It didn't. And both Grangers were well prepared to wait him out. He could see it in their expressions and in their eyes.

Eventually, Harry sighed and softly said, "We were married."

After what felt like an eternity to Harry, Dan spoke again.

"When?" he quietly asked.

"Sunday, 12th June 2005, at 2.00pm."

"So, Hermione was twenty-five and you were twenty-four," said Emma, equally quietly. "Was it a beautiful wedding?"

Harry nodded and said, "All the more so because of the beauty of the bride."

"We thought there was something more," said Emma. "The way you cut off your story, that way at the palace. The way you call Hermione, 'Mione. The way you've gone out of your way to make us happy and relaxed, far more than could be expected of you. The way you treat us like very old friends. Just all the little things you do."

"For me, as well as those points," said Dan, "it was how you knew Hermione had no friends at her public school - and don't tell me you didn't know that, how she can lose herself into a book, how she was - as you called her - an information sponge, and just tonight how you knew she had a favorite chair in which she'd sit and read."

"But I think it was the gift of these magic mirrors you gave us tonight, that cinched it for us," continued Emma. "You knew you didn't have to do that; you knew we'd have never known it could be done, yet you also knew we'd miss our daughter very much while she was away, and that she'd miss us. So, you made it seem like what you created was an... accidental by-product. And I don't... we don't... believe for a second it was."

"While all that may be true," said Harry quietly, "and I'm not admitting for one second it is, this is still a whole new timeline. Too much has already changed between and to us four heirs, let alone any other characters, for things to turn out the same as they originally did.

"No. She is never to know. If we find ourselves becoming romantically close again, it will be because she didn't know it's what we were fated to be. She must have free agency that's not... corrupted... by the knowledge of what should have been; the right to make her own choices; the right to decide her own path. This bloody prophecy has stolen enough choice from us all. I... we... will not take that one, too."

"Harry; you're not seeing it, because you don't want to see it," replied Emma with a sigh. "You already love her. We know that. It's reflected in everything you do relating to her, and everything you say to her. It's what started us thinking about and finding the clues.

"But she's also already falling in love with you. Her hopping into your lap and cuddling, her playful slaps, and that she's willing to lose an argument to you so readily. These are not things she would do with anyone else, even her parents, or favorite uncle."

"Face it, Harry," said Dan. "You are going to be our son-in-law. And probably much earlier than 2005, this time around."

With her eyes sparkling, Emma sat up straight and, changing the subject, said, "Well. I think we've embarrassed the boy enough, Daniel. If you don't get upstairs soon, Hermione is going to come back down here looking for you both."

Setting his cup down Dan said, "Well, come on, lad." And headed for the stairs.

Harry quickly drained the cold dregs of tea from his cup and followed.

# # #

Now that he had implemented a way for all the major players involved in getting things up and running to communicate with each other, Harry felt he didn't have to spend so much time running from place to place to coordinate things.

Last night, after returning to the palace, he phoenix-flashed to Sir David's office and left him on his desk mirror #8, together with instructions on how it worked and how to use it. This morning he left mirror #10 with Michael with the same instructions. He'd have Michael hold it until he moved out, and then have Michael give it to the Queen's personal secretary.

This morning he was headed to New Scotland Yard to see Sir Anthony.

Harry apparated under a Disillusionment Charm with his glamour on about a block and a half away from the building and, as he walked towards Broadway, he allowed the Disillusionment Charm to fade away.

Entering the building he approached the receptionist and used the same guise to be escorted by a young Woman Constable up to Sir Anthony's office.

On entering, Harry closed the door and dropped his glamour.

Sir Anthony, surprised at first at not knowing his guest, was further surprised when the young adult man in front of him suddenly changed to the boy he met at the palace.

"Damn!" exclaimed Sir Anthony. "I've never seen anything like that!"

"Just one of the things magicals can do," said Harry with a little shrug.

Reaching into his satchel he then drew out the last mirror, except for the two spares, mirror #9.

Offering it to Sir Anthony, he said, "This will allow you to contact me directly, plus the people on this list," and offered the slip of parchment with same list as he'd given the others.

He went on to explain how the device worked, and that the wand was fully charged for many, many uses. He also explained how to have it recharged.

Holding the device in his hands, Sir Anthony said, "This will make things a hell of a lot easier. And, you're saying the connection between them is secure?"

"Yes," replied Harry. "They're linked in a way no one else can intercept the signal. That's mainly because there isn't actually a signal to intercept. It has to do with what's known as the law of contagion and the theory of quantum entanglement. Physicists of today have not yet reached the stage where they know such things exist, only the theory behind it."

"Damn!" said Sir Anthony again.

Harry then asked, "Now, you wanted to see me?"

Putting the device aside, the head of the Metropolitan Police Service said, "Yes. I wanted to see if there was a way my people could deal with your witches and wizards, if they need to."

Shaking his head Harry said, "Sorry, no. Using the same sort of magics I showed you at the palace and here, wizarding folk can easily evade or escape capture by non-magicals. Non-magicals simply don't have the ability to hold them.

"What I recommend is that, if you strongly suspect a magical is involved in or committed a crime, you contact Madam Bones on mirror number six. Her people know what they're doing and how to deal with them."

"But you believe I probably have wizards and witches serving within the service?" asked Sir Anthony.

"Yes, Sir," replied Harry. "It's the sort of occupation magicals, who cannot find employment within the wizarding community, gravitate towards when they re-enter the mundane world. I'm in the process of working with Madam Bones to get a list of names and ages of magical folk who entered Hogwarts, graduated and have since been suspected of leaving the wizarding world. When she has it, she'll be sending a copy to Sir David."

"That would make the search that much easier," mused Sir Anthony. "It'll also make talking to them and getting them to admit they're qualified witches or wizards that much easier."

"Just be aware, Sir," said Harry, "that they won't be schooled in magical combat or policing. The two are significantly different to their mundane counterparts."

"Noted," said Sir Anthony.

"However," furthered Harry. "Once I've managed to smack around the leadership within the wizarding world, I believe Madam Bones and her Aurors will be able to play both a supporting role in your policing and train those magicals within your own service up to Auror standard. That should then have your people knowing what to look for, and a method of dealing with magical criminals."

"Thank you, My Lord," replied Sir Anthony. "That would be a huge help."

"Is there anything else where I may be of assistance?" asked Harry.

"No," the older man replied. "You've been a great help."

"Excellent," stated Harry. "If you can think of anything else where I may be able to help, you now have a way of contacting me, direct."

Harry, changing the subject, said, "Now, Sir, I have a favor to ask."

"Oh?" replied Sir Anthony.

"I would like you to pass on to me the name of any of the magicals you manage to track down who is a qualified electrician, and another who is a qualified plumber," explained Harry. "I own a manor house about six miles northwest of Hastings down near the south coast. It doesn't have electricity nor is it connected to the water scheme. I'd like to rectify that.

"However, I also don't want them to know my name. I just need the work done quietly so no one in the magical community knows where I'm located. It's my safe house and I want to keep its location secret under operational security."

Sir Anthony thought on that for a moment before saying, "If we cannot find such people, I'm sure Sir David and I can figure out a way to get it done for you," he said. "And I understand the need for operational security on this."

"Thank you, Sir," replied Harry. "Then, if there's nothing else, I have an appointment elsewhere."

Sir Anthony rose and walked around his desk while Harry stood.

"Thank you, once again, My Lord," said Sir Anthony, offering his hand.

Harry took it and said, "My pleasure."

Harry then walked a little apart from the man, redonned his glamour and disapparated away.

He left behind a thoroughly gob smacked head of New Scotland Yard.

# # #

Harry appeared in Diagon Alley at the apparition point and headed down the alley towards a set of offices. Amelia had contacted him and let him know the name and address of a reputable and trustworthy solicitor. He was heading to the man's office now to make an appointment in person.

Climbing the stairs to the offices above the shop fronts he entered the door marked Tobias Oswald Doge, Solicitor. He was the younger brother of Elphias Doge who sat upon the Wizengamot.

Entering, he was greeted by a receptionist he also knew to be Doge's apprentice and paralegal.

"Good morning," he said to her. "I wonder if I may be able to have a few minutes of Mr. Doge's time on a legal matter."

"Certainly, Sir," she replied. "I'll see if he can take visitors at the moment." She rose from behind her desk and, knocking once, walked into the office off to the side.

A moment later she returned and, holding the door open, said, "Mr. Doge will see you now, Sir."

Harry walked in to be greeted by a slight man with laugh wrinkles around his eyes, a ready smile, and eyes that bored into you.

"Good morning, Sir," he said, offering Harry a chair facing his desk. "How may I assist you today?"

"Your name was recommended to me, Sir," Harry began, "by a lady whom I hold in the utmost respect, who said I should secure your legal services on a matter that may bring great embarrassment to the Ministry and Wizengamot. It will be a very public issue and will, I've no doubt, garner much press and publicity. Do you feel yourself capable of such an undertaking?"

Doge looked back, obviously contemplating the matter, and said, "I would relish such an undertaking. You're no doubt aware my older brother sits upon the Wizengamot and are concerned I may be... uncomfortable... in being involved in a matter that may make him uncomfortable."

"That, Sir, is a major concern, yes," replied Harry. "But there's also the matter of media attention."

"I've dealt with those carrion before, Sir," he said. "I look forward to another opportunity to... pin their feathers back."

Harry smiled. He could see this man was both no one to trifle with and obviously very confident in his own skills.

"I'm happy to hear that, Sir," said Harry. "And in that case, I need your services to ensure a man, whom I know to be innocent of a crime, is properly represented in court."

"And who might this man be?" asked Doge.

"Sirius Orion Black," replied Harry.

Doge sat back in surprise.

"As you would no doubt know he is currently residing in Azkaban prison. What you do not know, because I don't believe you would have stood for it if you did, is that he never received a trial."

"He what?" Doge exclaimed in a near bellow.

"He did not receive a trial, Sir," Harry said flatly. "The then head of the DMLE, Barty Crouch Senior, under the orders of the then Minister, Millicent Bagnold, just threw him into Azkaban. There was no questioning, let alone under Veritaserum, no interviewing of witnesses, no record of evidence, not even a notice of conviction."

"That's... that's... abominable!" blurted Doge. "How dare they! It's... criminal!"

"Indeed, Sir," replied Harry. "The man deserves a trial, with Veritaserum to confirm his innocence, and I want it done as quickly as possible."

"Yes, yes," Doge sat musingly. Harry could see the man's mind already planning his case.

"Further, Sir," continued Harry. "You may find the current Head of the DMLE, Madam Amelia Bones, very... amenable... in providing the records to assist you in defending the case."

"Oh?" asked Doge. But before Harry could respond, Doge suddenly said, "Ah!" Harry could see he got it.

"It's been almost ten years since Black was locked away," said Harry firmly. "The Ministry and Wizengamot have no excuse, no excuse, for not rectifying the situation before now."

"No, Sir, they do not!" said Doge equally firmly.

"Then can I rely on you, Mr. Doge, to ensure this matter is brought before the Wizengamot with all haste?" asked Harry. "And that Mr. Black, or Lord Black as he should be by now since the death of his grandfather, is quickly given the trial he deserves?"

"Yes, Sir. You may," said Doge.

"In that case, Mr. Doge, allow me to provide you with a retainer for your services," said Harry drawing out a stack of galleons from his satchel and placing them upon the desk. "I hope this will be suitable for now?"

"That is more than sufficient, Sir," replied Doge nodding firmly.

"For now," Harry went on, "I wish to remain anonymous in this matter. However, you may inform the presumptive Lord Black, Sirius Orion Black, that his... benefactor... is Prong's Son; and that he knows he's innocent. He'll understand."

"And if I need to contact you, Sir?" asked Doge.

"You may do so through Madam Augusta Longbottom. She'll be able to contact me quite quickly. However, at the moment, I'm constantly on the move," replied Harry.

"Understood, Sir," said Doge.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Doge," said Harry rising. "And good hunting."

Also rising, and offering his hand, Doge said, "It will be my pleasure, Sir. It will be my honor to free a man unjustly imprisoned in that hell hole."

Harry shook the man's hand and quickly left.

'Okay, Sirius,' thought Harry, walking towards Gringotts. 'I hope you're ready for this.'

# # #

In Gringotts, Harry awaited a free teller. Once one became available, he quickly flashed his ring and asked to speak with Account Manager Blockrig.

Once in a private interview room he waited only a few moments before Blockrig came in with the account book for the Potter accounts.

*Greetings, Blockrig, * said Harry in gobbledegook. *I trust your enemies still run-in fear of your presence. *

*Those not yet suitably dealt with, yes, My Lord, * the old goblin said with a shark-like smile.

Switching to English he continued, "How may I be of service today?"

"I have retained a solicitor to assist in the release of Sirius Orion Black, Mr. Tobias Oswald Doge, solicitor at law here in the Alley," said Harry. "Things are moving apace and I would like of you to create a method by which Mr. Doge may be paid for his services without such payment being traced back to me."

"This can easily be done, My Lord," replied the old goblin. "We shall send a goblin from the bank to Mr. Doge's offices to act as your representative in providing him payment for his services. He will not be aware of who is providing such payment."

Nodding, Harry said, "Excellent. You may also inform the Account Keeper for the Black fortune that the Lord Apparent of the House of Black will soon, finally, have his day in court. I anticipate his exoneration on all charges."

"That is kind of you to allow me to do that, my Lord," said Blockrig. "We goblins may be able to add our own authority to your cause in this. It will bear some thought."

Hesitating a moment, the old goblin asked, "I mean no disrespect with my presumptuousness, My Lord; but if I may, I take it this is part of your destruction of Albus Dumbledore?"

"I don't mind you asking any question of me, Blockrig. I, of course, will reserve the right to answer," replied Harry, and the old goblin acknowledged with a bow. "However, you are, indeed, correct. Albus Dumbledore was the one who cast the Fidelius Charm on the Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow. As such he knows the Secret Keeper was Peter Pettigrew, not Sirius Black. As such, he knows Black could not have led Voldemort to the Potter cottage.

"I believe there will be a fair number of questions asked of Dumbledore as to why he has not come forward with that information over the past nine and a half years. Information which would have meant Black would not have been incarcerated. Information which would have meant Pettigrew would not have been posthumously awarded the Order of Merlin.

"Albus Dumbledore is going to have to do a lot of legal dancing and calling in of favors to escape from this sticky situation. His reputation will have suffered its first blow."

Blockrig thought carefully on what to say next. He eventually said, "I believe I will enjoy watching the slow destruction of Albus Dumbledore. I thank you for allowing me to be a part."

"You are quite welcome, friend goblin," said Harry smiling. "And when his destruction is complete, I hope you will join me in a small glass of fire whiskey to celebrate the event."

"It would be my honor, My Lord," the goblin replied with a nasty smile.

"Now, I'd also like to set up an account in a mundane, muggle, bank under a false name - say, Harry Black - and I want to transfer about fifty thousand pounds into that account. On the account I'd also like a credit card attached to it. Can this be done?" asked Harry.

"Certainly, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "We've done this in the past for other clients. I will have the credit card and account details available for you tomorrow afternoon, if this is suitable?"

"Perfectly suitable," said Harry.

The goblin made a few notes.

"Then, until next time, Blockrig," said Harry before switching to gobbledegook. *May your vaults overflow with gold taken from your enemies; and your enemies beg for their lives as they taste the edge of your blade. *

*And may our business see much profit for us both; and our enemies be no more, * responded Blockrig, before escorting Harry back to the main floor.

# # #

After Harry left, Blockrig went up to see the Director.

Knocking on the door he was bid to enter. He waited on his feet before Director Ragnock's desk.

*Yes, Blockrig? * Ragnock asked the old goblin.

*Young Lord Potter has just been in to see me. He has begun his plan to bring down wizard Dumbledore, * replied Blockrig.

*Ah! * said Ragnock. *So, the 'Bringer of Goblin Salvation' has begun his work earlier than expected. That is good news, indeed. *

*He has also asked me to convey a message to the Account Keeper of the Black accounts informing him the new Lord Black will soon be free, * said Blockrig.

*Interesting, * said Ragnock. *Is that all? *

*Yes, Director, * replied Blockrig.

*Then do it, * instructed Ragnock. *You may go. *

Blockrig bowed and left the office. He was pleased he would live to see, and be allowed to play a part in, seeing the goblin nation raised to a status equal to the human witches and wizards.

# # #

Harry then went back out through the Leaky Cauldron into mundane London to do a bit more shopping.

He bought a nice ladies broach, a girl's hair clip and a men's lapel pin. These would make excellent emergency portkeys for the Grangers. And he bought a little statue of an Irish Wolfhound for Sirius that he'd also be setting up as a portkey.

He also bought a collection of a dozen various key chains. These he'd make into portkeys for certain people to allow them to enter Potter Manor.

On returning to Diagon Alley, Harry returned to just outside the gate of Potter Manor via the apparition point as he wanted to fix the wards on the property. He worked hard to sort them out, removing ones he felt no longer applied, and replacing them with his own choices.

One of the changes he made was to remove the floo block and set it to have a new floo address installed. He made note of the address for later addition to the floo network. He also adjusted the wards so any inbound portkey he made would be able to pass through them. Any inbound portkeys that he didn't make would immediately 'bounce' the portkey users into the ocean about seven miles to the south. However, he left them open for anyone to portkey out, no matter who made it.

He then set the apparition wards to allow anyone to apparate out but only he could apparate directly into the manor, including if he had someone side-along with him. Anyone else would have to apparate to a certain point just outside of the gate to the property or find themselves also in the ocean.

Next, he set about planting runes carved into stone in a circle well outside the wards that rendered temporary Anti-Apparition and Anti-Portkey Charms ineffective. He had learned from the last war that the Death Eaters had a nasty habit of setting them up just before they attacked a building. He would not allow himself, or anyone under his care, to be so trapped if the bag guys ever came at Potter Manor.

Once he'd done that, he entered the house and began the process of setting up the Grangers' emergency portkeys. They would bring them here, to the manor. He also explained what he was doing to Pixie, as he didn't want her to worry if people suddenly arrived in the parlor via portkey.

And he wanted her to make anyone who arrived by such a method welcome in his home. They would be his honored guests.

He then dropped the portkeys for entering the manor into his satchel, to be handed out later.

And, finally, he left hundreds of Pounds in currency, so that Pixie could 'shop' for other groceries if guests did arrive. He knew that the elves actually entered the shops and removed the groceries they needed but would leave the money as payment. They actually had a pretty good grasp of the currency of the United Kingdom and knew how to pay for what they took. Most owners of house elves didn't know that.

"Okay, Pixie," said Harry, calling the little elf to him. "I have to head out again. And, again, I don't know when I'll be able to come back. In a few days I'm expecting to send someone in using a portkey. His name is Sirius, and I'm pretty sure you'll know him from when Master James and Miss Lily lived here. Please make him welcome and treat him as an honored guest. Okay?"

"Okay, Master Harry, Sir!" replied Pixie. "Pixie like Mister Sirius. He nice."

"Thank you, Pixie," he said.

Now Sirius had a safe house and somewhere to recuperate.

# # #

Harry headed back to the palace to recuperate after a busy morning and early afternoon.

Though he was late for lunch, Michael organized an afternoon tea for him of quarter-cut sandwiches and tea.

But, before Michael left again, Harry showed him mirror #10 and how it worked.

"You can use it to contact me, if I'm needed back here at any time," explained Harry. "Once I depart for other digs, I'll ask you to hand it off to one of Her Majesty's personal staff who can hold it for Her. That way, if Her Majesty needs to see me, she'll quickly be able to contact me."

"Very good, My Lord," said Michael. "And, might I say, what a clever little invention. I only wish we mundane had technology that could match this."

"You will, in a couple of years," replied Harry. "Mobile telephones you can carry in your pocket will become all the rage over the next few years. However, they're going to be voice only for at least the next couple of decades."

Michael took his leave, leaving the mirror communications device within the room for when he'd need it. Outside, he chuckled over the imagination of boys. 'Mobile telephones, indeed,' he thought.

Harry sat back and enjoyed his sandwiches and tea while watching some more news on the television. After sating the hunger beast, he laid his head back, just thinking of what he'd accomplished and what he still had to do, when his own mirror started vibrating and buzzing.

Taking it out of his pocket and flipping it open he was met by the somewhat frazzled appearance of Amelia.

"Come to the Ossuary, now!" she half-begged, half-ordered.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes," replied Harry.

Flipping the mirror shut, he looked around to make sure he had everything he needed. With a shrug he picked up the two spare communication mirrors and stuffed them into his satchel. He flashed out of the palace directly to the path outside the Ossuary and changed back to his normal form. Looking around with wizard eyes he saw the rune that allowed the Bones Manor to be visible, activated it and walked up to the door.

He knocked on the door and, as soon as it opened, Amelia grabbed him and dragged him inside.

"You've got to talk to her and make her stop!" she pleaded.

"Make who stop what?" asked Harry, quite confused.

"Susan!" begged Amelia. "She keeps flooing and mirroring me to tell me I'm not doing my job right, that I should arrest this person or that, and other stuff. It's driving me insane!"

"Okay, Ma'am," sighed Harry. "Call her into the parlor and I'll have a talk with her."

Amelia almost ran to find Susan and send her to talk to Harry.

He should have realized, he thought. The third cube had wizarding law and the rules of logic on it. Susan was accessing her new knowledge and, because she was such a good kid, was trying to help her aunt with it.

Harry walked into the parlor and sat in one of the chairs near the fireplace.

When Susan entered the room, followed by her aunt, Harry pointed to the chair opposite his own and said, "Sit!"

Susan stood just inside the room, huffed, crossed her arms with a pout, and said, "That's not how you should address me, My Lord!"

"Susan, we're friends. Friends don't stand on formal protocols. I need to talk to you in a comfortable setting," he explained, before again pointing to the indicated seat. "Now, please, sit."

Susan walked across the room and plonked herself into the indicated chair and, once again, folded her arms and pouted.

"Thank you," said Harry patiently.

"Now, what's this I hear from your aunt about you harassing her at work?"

Susan launched into a rant about all the problems she saw with wizarding law and the injustices of it all, and about laws that had been broken by various members of the wizarding community and they should be dealt with.

Harry let her go on for a while before he held up his hand and said, "Okay, enough."

Susan's rant petered off and she glared back with her arms, once more, folded.

"I know there are problems, and I know there are people who have managed to escape justice," explained Harry. "I know what you're talking about because they're my memories, remember?"

"Yeah, I know," she said in that manner all young girls knew.

"Well, your aunt is currently doing very important work to help get my godfather out of Azkaban, she's also probably already had my godfather's lawyer already knocking on her door," explained Harry before glancing at Amelia.

Amelia nodded.

Turning back to Susan, he went on to say, "And part of that means your aunt needs to tread very carefully between the requirements of the law and keeping certain other people unaware of what's going on so that they don't try and stop her. She needs to be able to concentrate because it's not just a matter of law she has to deal with, it's also politics. Understand?"

Susan grudgingly nodded.

"Plus, your aunt is trying to ensure Dumbledore, her previous boss and the previous Minister don't skate away free from the charges that'll be filed against them for their part in my godfather's incarceration. The resulting political storm that is about to descend upon the wizarding world, and the embarrassment it'll cause to the Ministry and the Wizengamot, will need to be handled very carefully. Understand?"

Again, Susan grudgingly nodded.

"Good. Because you're currently distracting your aunt from being able to do her job to the best of her ability, while also avoiding allowing anyone to escape being fingered for the crimes actually committed. We need you to stop distracting her."

"But there's just so much wrong that needs to be fixed!" Susan shot back.

"I know," replied Harry. "And all four of us are going to fix them, just not now."

"So, I'm just supposed to keep my mouth shut until then?" she demanded.

"No," Harry patiently answered. "Instead, what I want you to do is go through that knowledge of the law you now have; get a stack of parchment, a couple of quills and some ink; and start making a list of what needs to be changed. Use the rules of logic that you also received last night to put them in some semblance of order that we can then send to Her Majesty's legal team she's assembling to deal with them.

Harry thought for a bit and said, "Anyone want to come with?"

"Actually, scratch that," he said, suddenly coming up with another idea. "It's pointless us having to rewrite everything just so it can be rewritten properly. I'm going to the Ministry and demanding a copy of every wizarding world law. It'll make it easier, I bet. Then, go through them and ready them for sending to Her Majesty's legal boffins for their review. I'm sure Her Majesty will want her people going over them as soon as possible.

"In the meantime, start looking through your magical law library and find when the Wizengamot began to stop sending the laws to Her Majesty for ratification. That'll be you chronological starting point. But also remember, she wants the discrimination in the laws removed first.

"If you need to talk to someone about it, mirror Hermione and Neville. They have the same knowledge, remember? And you can bounce ideas off each other."

"Yeah, I guess," replied a much-subdued Susan.

"Good. And if you promise me, now, you won't bother your aunt unless it's an actual emergency - because I know she doesn't mind you contacting her for that - then I'll tell you something you can learn that's really fun," said Harry, baiting the hook.

"Fun?" asked Susan, now quite interested.

"Uh-hmm," said Harry.

"Okay, okay! I promise!" said Susan in that rolling-the-eyes manner young girls had the world over.

"Good. And I'm going to hold you to that," he said.

Then, leaning back, he asked her, "You remember at the palace how I changed into my Animagus form?"

"Yeah..." she said carefully.

"Well, you can learn to do that to," he said brightly.

"I can?" she asked, perking up. "How?"

"All it takes to learn what form your Animagus will take is to meditate on it," he explained. "You need to go into a meditative state and let your mind run free and seek it. Merlin will help.

"However, it can take some time. You may or may not discover it before we go to Hogwarts, and it doesn't mean anything if you discover it sooner or later. Each person is different.

"However," Harry said, leaning forward again and holding up a finger, "don't let me hear you've also spent too long meditating at one time and haven't looked after yourself by not eating or caring for yourself. Okay?"

"Okay, Harry," Susan answered with a bit of eagerness.

"Thank you," said Harry with graciousness. "Now I need to talk with your aunt."

"Okay, bye!" said Susan hurrying out of the room.

Amelia then came forward from where she was standing over by the door and sat in the chair just vacated by her niece.

She sighed and said, "Thank you."

Harry chuckled and said, "You're welcome, Ma'am. I had a similar issue with Hermione yesterday about mundane law. She went off at the specialists from MI5 about building code violations and breaches of privacy and a few others while they were trying to install the mundane security systems into the Granger house."

Amelia lightly laughed and said, "I bet that must have been fun for them."

Harry grinned back and said, "These are highly trained men who go into highly dangerous situations and are trained to deal with things that go bump in the night that normal folks don't want to know about and would probably give them nightmares if they did. She had them absolutely cowering.

"Think of someone like Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt cringing and pleading to you, 'Please, Ma'am; make her stop!'" he explained.

Amelia couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

"Now, as the Head of the DMLE, I think you should know what sort of man Dan Granger is. And I hope you'll keep what I tell you in the strictest confidence," said Harry.

Amelia had calmed down and nodded in response.

"Dan was... is again, now. a member of a very elite force of men in Her Majesty's British Army called the SAS. It stands for Special Air Service. Even more, he's a high-ranking officer in that service," he explained. "The SAS are normally tasked with dealing with situations where the normal army or the police are ill-equipped or trained to handle.

"They are often inserted deep into hostile territory behind enemy lines. Once there they are like black ghosts. They move through the enemy leaving death and destruction behind them. More often than not whole units will be taken out by them and barely a sound will indicate their presence, if any at all. And it is very rare that one of their own numbers will be lost in the process.

"They are also the go-to men in hostage situations. They know how to get in, free the hostages and kill all the bad guys with as minimal a loss to life, except the bad guys, as possible. They will do all that calmly, efficiently and expeditiously. They are that good.

"However, even Dan was frazzled when Hermione went on her rant at the MI5 boys. When I turned up there on a hunch yesterday afternoon, Dan grabbed me before I could even give the password - just as you did today - pinned me up against the wall, and barked at me, 'You broke it, you fix it', before flinging me into their lounge room."

Amelia just about roared with laughter.

Harry waited until she'd calmed down a bit and said, "For grown adult men, pre-teen girls on a rant are the most terrifying of things. No one has ever taught them how to deal with them. They'd rather face in battle a highly trained squad of enemy than face off against an angry little girl."

Amelia couldn't help it. As Harry talked, she just laughed harder and harder. By the time she managed to get herself back under control she had a ruddy complexion and tears running down her cheeks.

"Now," said Harry gleefully, "think about what's going to happen when Susan and Hermione - armed with the extensive and intensive knowledge they'll have of law, traditions, strategy, politics and diplomacy - get together on the Wizengamot, and tag team those old men who are nothing more than arrogant, overweening cretins who think they know, and are above, the law. Those two girls are going to send them whimpering for their mummies. And, if the old fools try and insult them or belittle them, they'll have Neville and me - armed with masteries in wandless and wand-based magic, dueling expertise, strategy, tactics and traditions - to call them onto the dueling piste for their arrogance, insufferably and insulting behavior."

"Oh, Merlin!" exclaimed Amelia, still calming down from laughing so hard. "They don't stand a chance!"

"That's the whole idea, Ma'am," Harry quietly responded. "As best as Merlin and I could do in the time we had, all four of us will be as much an unopposable and unassailable force, as we could make it. I intend for us four to save the wizarding world in Britain, Ma'am. Whether the wizarding world likes it or not."

"And I'm going to be there watching it happen," said Amelia with wonder.

"Mmmm. Changing the subject," said Harry. "I take it Mr. Doge has already been in to see you?"

Sitting up straighter and leaning forward, Amelia replied, "Yes. He was in my office just before I had to come back here. That man is positively relishing the idea of giving his brother a legal black eye and making life interesting for the other members of the Wizengamot and the Ministry."

Harry nodded and said, "We'll need to prepare Madam Longbottom to keep going after the issue of why Dumbles didn't speak up about who the real Secret Keeper was these past nine and a half years. The more she can do that, the more she can keep him on his toes, the less time he has to worry about... other matters."

"Gus... Madam Longbottom... knows her role only too well," she replied with a smirk.

Harry nodded and said, "I really didn't expect any less of her. I don't expect anyone to be charged over the matter, except maybe Millicent Bagnold and Barty Crouch Senior if we're lucky. But, as long as Dumbles is off balance and he receives a black mark in the papers against his name, that should give you the opening to get Aurors into Hogwarts when we call for them. Dumbles won't be able to oppose it."

"You really want to destroy the man, don't you?" she asked.

"It's the only way, Ma'am," he replied. "We've got to get the people to lose complete faith in him, to get them to stop blindly following him."

"Yes, well," she said changing the subject again and preparing to rise. "I've got to get back to work if I'm to get everything else sorted out before your godfather's trial."

Harry rose and asked, "Any idea when that's likely to be?"

"The way things are moving, either tomorrow afternoon or the next morning," she answered.

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry sincerely. "This means the world to me."

After a few more minutes of idle chat, he walked to the fireplace, activated his Henry Black persona disguise and activated the floo. "The Ministry!" he cried. Then stepped into the green flame and as gone.

# # #

Moments later he appeared in the atrium in the Ministry. He quickly made his way to the office containing a copy of all the laws of wizarding Britain.

Walking up to the counter, he said to the bored looking witch, "Hello, I need a copy of the laws, please."

She looked up and asked, "Which ones?"

"All of them!"

She blinked, hesitated a moment, and asked, "No, I mean which set of laws?"

Harry replied, "And I said, all of them."

Shocked, she carefully asked, "Ummm... You want a copy of... all... the laws of magical Britain?"

"Yes, please," said Harry.

"Ummm..." she stuttered. "To... How far back?"

Harry sighed and said, "I said... All of them!"

"Y... Yes... Sir," the young lady replied. "It... It's going to take a while."

Harry said, "I know. I'll be back tomorrow morning for them. I have other business to attend."

She replied, "Y... Yes, Sir. It'll be... I don't know how many galleons... to have all that printed for you."

"That's quite all right," said Harry. "Just get it done... fast."

# # #

Returning back to the palace, Harry sighed and relaxed back on the couch in his quarters. He wondered what the next mini catastrophe was going to be that would bite him on the butt.

He mentally reviewed the next few cubes to see if they triggered the sort of behavior he now had from, first Hermione yesterday, and now Susan today. Traditions, ceremonies, courtly behavior, ethics and morality tonight. Then three days of the sciences and medicine. There shouldn't be anything there that'll cause a similar reaction in any of the other three.

Sighing, he thought he might be able to enjoy a day of leisure tomorrow if Sirius's trial was the next morning.

After an evening meal from the palace kitchens alone in his suite, Harry thought to take a stroll outside. To save returning to his suite he took his ever-present satchel with him.

Once more donning his glamour, this time in a more relaxed dress of polo shirt and light slacks with casual dress shoes, and his satchel looking like a tourist's bag, Harry flashed over to St James Park. Walking out from amongst the trees he just strolled along the walking trail path, as did many Londoners, enjoying the summer weather.

Later in the evening he visited the other Heirs and gave them the next cube. And, once more stopping with the Grangers, he gave them the emergency portkeys that would take them straight to Potter Manor.

"They're the ultimate safe room," said Harry. "You just grip it in either hand and say, 'Activate!' It'll take you straight there depositing you in the parlor. Once there, you'll be behind the strongest wards I could devise.

"However, its only one-way. Once you go, you can't be brought back using the same item. And you can contact me on the mirrors to let me know you've had to use them. You'll get a rough ride, and it means sacrificing your home, temporarily at least, until an attack is repelled. But you'll be safe.

"I haven't told anyone else you have them, not even Madam Bones, who should be coming around soon to set up the magical wards for this place.

"In the meantime, you can handle them to put them on and take them off. Just don't think of the activation phrase while you're handling them."

"This is amazing," said Emma, looking down at the brooch in her hand. Handling it gently, she pinned it to her blouse above her left breast where she could easily grab it with her right hand.

Dan already had his pin adorning his left lapel, and Hermione had her hair clip in her hair.

"Well, you're now safe so long as you have a couple of seconds warning," explained Harry. "Once Madam Bones sets up her wards, you'll definitely have at least that much time."

Emma stepped forward and, holding Harry's cheeks between her hands, leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. "You're a good boy, Harry," she said.

# # #

Albus Dumbledore had awoken that morning to a normal day. The letters to those students who were not muggle born and raised were about to start going out. And Hogwarts' owls were all given a clean bill of health by owl experts from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, so they were all healthy and ready to start delivering the Hogwarts letters.

He already had the Philosopher's Stone from Nicholas Flamel and it was now in his vault at Gringotts. He'd arrange to have it brought to Hogwarts later in the month.

His staff had all already provided him with the curricula for the coming year, and he had signed off on them all, barely even bothering to go over them.

Then, suddenly, that afternoon he had a floo call from that idiot, Fudge, demanding he, the great Albus Dumbledore, see him in his office the next morning as if he was some common wizard or one of his lackeys.

According to Fudge, someone had discovered Sirius Black had not received a trial before being sent to Azkaban and demanded an immediate trial for the man to rectify the error.

Dumbledore began to make his plans to ensure Black was found guilty and sent straight back there. If he played it right, he might even manage to get Black immediately kissed by the dementors. Bribes would need to be paid and favors called in.

# # #