Ch17. Politicking?

While the various Lords of Wizarding Britain descended into madness due to a Gringotts letter delivering greetings from the new Lord Black, Harry sat in the house he momentarily occupied, brainstorming about the consequences of the news he just received.

He gained not one but three Lordships at once!

According to Sharpfang, there was no Lord with more than one, at the moment. Harry was aware that, while the benefits are enormous, the consequences are even more so. He is not someone who can defend himself just yet. He doesn't have a family behind himself. He is alone.

Goblins would help, but they will do so only because they are oathbound to do it. On the same note, they will help only if it brings them benefits, such as the situation with the debts, or if the oath states their responsibility to do so.

They won't protect Harry legally, and definitely not butt into his problems. At least not unless he turns over a percentage of his vaults to them for it. And that was something Harry was not about to do.

Harry basically gained enormous wealth and influence, but it was packaged with enemies behind every corner. The only advantage he had was nobody knew who was Lord Black or Lord Slytherin. Same as nobody knew these two are one person. With the common sense of wizards, they would never suspect these two to be one person anyway. After all, one person having three lordships? It just isn't done!

On that front, Harry was fortunately safe.

At the end of his meeting with his account manager, Sharpfang gave him an oath that goblins won't divulge his little secret. Unless he personally stakes a claim to all three of his Lordships in front of Wizengamot or babble, nobody will know his identity, nor the number of the lordships he had.

That led his sight again onto the book he received from Sharpfang.

'Wizengamot and new Lords, how-to for dummies'.

Harry scowled at the name. He perfectly understood why the goblin-written book was apparently unpopular with Lords. His scowl deepened when he remembered its contents, though.

Wizengamot. Something that brought a sour mood to him every time he thought about it.

The irony in it all was, Harry's mood wasn't due to his responsibilities as Lord. No. It actually was because of his rights!

A right to have a regent until he reaches the majority.

That single right threw Harry for a loop. Something he had to solve fast. And while his problem was simple, the solution was far from it.

'Dumbledore,' Harry sighed in annoyance. 'you crafty, bearded, ancient jerk.'

Harry was in a proverbial check-mate. Potter regency was in Dumbledore's firm grasp and he could do nothing about it. If he did, he would be instantly revealed. Instantly suspected. And most likely mind-wiped to be again the obedient pawn Twinkles sees him as.

No, that simply would not do. He needed time but at the same time, he didn't have any, time.

That led him to his second house, House Black. Where Lucious Malfoy was warming the chair for Lord Black.

How did that happen, Harry will always remain to wonder. All his guesses came back to a single person though. Narcissa Malfoy née Black.

It was almost funny, how Dumbledore, the fabled leader of light stole the regency over Potters, supposedly grey house, leaning more towards light and a known Death Eater gained the regency over perpetually known to be dark, House Black, because the spouse daddy bought him was a former Black. Stupid Walburga!

Harry was angry at Wizengamot. There was no valid nor legal reason for Twinkles and that Death Muncher to gain his family seats. Yet, they gained them.

For no other reason than nobody objected.

For no other reason than these two jerks thought they had a right to sit in these seats.

Harry just thanked the heavens the founder Houses had no part in Wizengamot. Otherwise, he would have yet another headache coming.

The way Twinkles and Death Muncher Lucius obtained the votes of his houses brought quite mixed feelings for Harry. The revelations certainly weren't pleasant. While he understood Lucius who was supported by the previous allies of house Black, his fellow Death Eaters, he was stumped because of Potters.

Potters had many allies, after all. Longbottoms, Bones, Abbotts, Blackwaters, and many more houses from both Light and Grey sides. All claiming to be just and righteous!

Yet, not one objected when the celebrated Leader of Light stepped forward and claimed Harry Potter is fed and watered and in safety where nobody can find him. They did not even demand proof, instead, they were okay with his gaining Potter seat and dragging the entire house towards the light faction when it was grey before.

At least Lucius had to fight for the Black seat and most likely spent a few millions of galleons to be a temporary seat-warmer for Harry. Not that he thought he would be kicked outta the seat any time soon.

Anyway, Harry was not about to reveal himself in front of those people and ask for their help. That would be foolish. Utterly so! If they didn't care before, why would they care now?

Heck, he couldn't even go to Wizengamot! He was no Lord for them. While he attained Lordship of his family and nobody can take it from him as per noble family laws and the family charter. This, however, only pertained to his family and not its political position. To be a Lord presiding on Wizengamot, one has to be over 17 years old and have finished his O.W.Ls. Harry offhandedly asked Sharpfang if goblins could help him with it, for a fee, of course, but their reply was an instant 'no'. Figures. They did perform several rebellions, after all. Nobody would let them meddle with the government body.

His only way to get back the influence his family had into his own hands was through a regent. A trustworthy one, at that.

Not a commonly found commodity, that. Harry already gave up on the influence of the house Potter. He resignedly noted there was nothing he could do. Not now, at least. Not unless he wants his identity to be revealed.

But there were still Blacks. He was definitely booting Lucius out of that chair back to his own, designated for his Noble House of Malfoy! No way will he let someone from a House that brought its nobility for galleons sit on one of his family's seats! If Harry believed the tripe that the older the house is, the better and nobler it is, he would even say, Malfoys are too young to be sitting in Wizengamot itself!

On the other hand, that is quite a strong argument when it comes to wizards. Perhaps he could…

In his rueful pondering, Harry even thought about kicking Narcissa out of the family, severing any possible claim Draco had on House Black. In the end, he didn't do it. She was too distant a family to do anything the second he became Lord Black. Not to mention she was basically sold to Malfoys for galleons. Harry pitied her too much for severing the only remaining link to her family she had, the family magics.

As for Draco… there is always another, different, better not mentioned, ahem, option to make him a permanently silent non-variable.

Harry spent a long time thinking about various people he remembered from the movies and if they are fit for the regency of House Black. Most of them were rejected for not knowing where their loyalties lied. While others for not having sufficient status. Wizengamot would not accept any, as they put it, 'riff-raff' in their midst.

At the end of his musing, Harry really had only one, albeit unsure of acceptance but a highly trustworthy option. Simply said, he was betting on a positive reaction. And he was hoping for a 'yes' with all of his heart!

'Heck, I wouldn't even mind spending millions of galleons just to make her accept and throw all these political problems at her while I have my freedom!' Harry thought while his mind spun plan after plan how to properly 'convince' his victi-, ahem, target.

He quickly penned a letter to his account manager, asking him to set up a meeting in Gringotts with a few additional, uncommon requests. He hoped the goblin would be able to set it up for tomorrow which, he was sure, would greatly annoy his account manager. This in turn will surely increase the fabled fees of Gringotts. But the vision of annoying the old goblin was yet another reason why to go through him and not contact his chosen person by himself!

'Sigh, I can already feel the disturbance in my vaults due to the fees it would all cost.' Harry thought with tears streaming down his face.