CH 38

Daphne gave a nod and sigh in agreement. She stood, leaned over Harry, and gave him a quick chaste kiss on the cheek, and said, "I'll see you soon."

Cygnus then led her back out the door, where she turned and gave a final wave before stepping through.

Gran looked to Harry and said, "It seems young Miss Greengrass is quite taken with you." "And I, with her, Gran," he replied.

"Do not think I did not notice that betrothal ring on her finger. Or, that one on yours," she said with a nod towards Harry's left hand. "I take it they're paired?"

Nodding, he said, "We both kind of knew she'd be sorted into Slytherin. And I wanted to make sure she was as safe as I could make it for her. So, yes, the rings are paired."

"Sapphire and white gold," she said. "I seem to remember that was the one worn by your great grandmother Dorea. The paired rings were, if I remember correctly, a gift from your great great grandfather, Gabriel Potter, to Dorea and your great grandfather Charlus on their formalising of their betrothal. It's good to see you're following tradition." "Well, I didn't know who last wore them; so, thank you for telling me," replied Harry, a bit uncomfortable. "I saw them in the heirloom vault and thought how the ring matches Daphne's eyes and skin tone so well. I then took them to our family jeweller and had the enchantments on them updated."

"A wise precaution," smiled Madam Longbottom.

Over the next two plus days Harry was visited by a mind healer, who used Legilimency to enter his mind and show him how to quickly repair all the damage to his mindscape. Once Harry set to work, the healer departed and left the boy to it. Then Harry spent as much time as he could working to get everything fixed.

As his mindscape was so badly damaged, Harry decided to use the opportunity to modify his palace into a stronger fortress, and then built in traps and other defences as he went. His memories he also sorted in better warded sections so, if someone managed to get through his defences, they would only be able to get to one set of his memories.

He also used phantom memories as part of his defences. So, if someone did manage to get through, they would not be sure that a memory they were able to see was, in fact, an actual memory.

His final trick was to store a copy of every memory in a dungeon vault that was only accessible through following a specific route through his palace/fortress and thinking of the correct password. He'd read up on memory charms that were designed to strip memories for someone, so prepared his defence against it in case someone attempted to use the charm on him. Harry had all the memories in place and was working on his outer defences two days later when Madam Bones returned.

"Hello, Harry," she said by way of greeting.

"Aunt Amelia, you're looking well," he replied.

"As are you," she smiled.

"I take it you've come a-visiting to see if I'm ready to give you those memories?" he gently asked with a grin.

"Indeed, I have," she said. "But, I've also dropped by to make sure you're alright. And to let you know what's been happening for the past couple of days."

With a snort, Harry said, "Well, according to the Daily Prophet, I'm either an up and coming dark lord, I'm the poor victim of treachery by the Greengrasses, or persons unknown attacked me as soon as I stepped in the doors of Hogwarts and I'm either dead and the DMLE is hiding it or I'm at death's door."

"Yes, well, we know none of that is true," she replied with a sad smile. "How's the Occlumency rebuild coming along?"

"I'm almost finished, for now," he sighed. "On the advice of Mind Healer Whimple I used the opportunity to rebuild with better defences integrated into my mindscape."

"Good," she said, conjuring and taking a seat nearby within easy sight of him. "As for what's really happening - Dumbledore has been stripped of your magical guardianship. For now, you're now a Ward of the Ministry and fall under my direct authority.

"Your relatives, the Dursleys, have been taken into custody and will face trial before the Wizengamot. We have enough evidence from the Healer's report to lock them away for what they did to you, but I'd prefer to also have some of your memories of their treatment of you to make sure they end up going away for a very, very long time. And, hopefully, you want have to take the witness stand yourself.

"Though he has not been yet, Dumbledore will also be charged over placing you in that environment; especially, as it went against the Will of an Ancient House. Minerva McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid have also not been charged and are unlikely to be. It seems their - crime - was to put too much faith in Dumbledore doing the right thing. I'm hoping your memories of the events will help clear up a lot that's unknown around that.

"And the final matter we've discovered is that your godfather, Sirius Black, was never given a trial over what happened on that night and over the next few days. As such, he was never formally convicted of a crime. That's why the goblins told you he's the current Lord Apparent. The magic only recognises the convictions in the Book of Convictions kept for that purpose, and his name does not appear in there. Again, we're hoping your memories of that night will aid us in setting that matter to rights."

"Huh! If Black's name does then appear in the - Book of Convictions - that means, as I'm already recognised as the Head of House Potter, I'm also going to immediately become the Head of House Black. As if I don't have enough on my plate, as it is," said Harry frowning. "And what about the regencies?"

"The Wizengamot has not sat in session since this has all come to a head," she replied. "However, it's merely a formality Dumbledore will be stripped of both and the proxies annulled. As you're now a current Ward of the Ministry the seats will be left vacant until a new guardian is appointed, and they decide what to do with the seats.

"We're worried the vacating of the seats will cause a - power vacuum - on the Wizengamot. And that the Minister will try to claim regency of the seats as you're a Ward of the Ministry. That would be a problem. And I would like to hear your views on how to handle the situation. I know you're only eleven, but you're also incredibly smart and knowledgeable."

Sighing, Harry thought for a minute and said, "We know my parents assigned, in order, the Longbottoms, Black, the Greengrasses and the Boneses as my legal guardians in the event of their passing. How about we use that to force through my choice as regents?"

"Go on," she said.

Sitting up a little straighter, he said, "As Head of House Potter I want to appoint Dowager Lady Augusta Longbottom as Regent of House Potter. As Heir Apparent for the House Black, in the absence of the Rightful Head and Lord of House, Sirius Orion Black, I want to appoint Lord Cygnus Greengrass as Proxy cum Regent for House Black, as is my right as next in succession.

"I figure, no one will question me choosing Gran Longbottom as my Regent for House Potter given the incredibly long term alliance between our two houses. And I somewhat satisfy - both sides of the divide by choosing Cygnus as Proxy or Regent for House Black. The 'Light' see Cygnus as 'Dark', the 'Dark' see him as 'Dark Grey' enough for them, and they know the 'Light' don't like him; plus, as he's the father of my betrothed and I'm forging alliances, they shouldn't fault it. By having the seats immediately refilled in that way, it negates any chance of, as you put it, a power vacuum.

"Furthermore, it will mean, of my four true guardians, Black is in prison, you have two seats already, and Gran and Cygnus will also then have two seats. I think it kind of evens things out for my guardians to all have an equally powerful political footing."

After sitting there in shock or wonder for a few moments, Amelia suddenly burst into laughter. "That's - just - perfect!" she exclaimed in glee. "And, you're right; no one could really fault it. I can't see a problem getting it past the old fuddy duddy traditionalists; and no one else will be able to argue against it; including, Dumbledore!"

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