62

CHAPTER SIXTY TWO:

"Luna!" Harry greeted happily when he reentered Severus's quarters. "I thought you had gone back to the Ravenclaw dorm," he said, walking over to where they were sitting and leaning down to give Severus a kiss.

"That's hardly appropriate in front of a student," Severus admonished him, though it seemed more out of habit than because he truly felt that way.

"But it's perfectly alright in front of a friend," Harry corrected, giving him a second kiss just to prove his point. "Did you two have a nice chat?" he asked, moving to the couch and sitting down next to Luna.

"I did," Luna smiled serenely. "The Professor wanted to know about Lump-legged Urgles."

"Ah, yes," Harry grinned. "Wonderful creatures. It was just a few older Gryffindor boys pushing Colin around because he's been annoying them with his camera, but I think he's more likely to listen to what I told him than to three bullies. Though I think they may have been about to destroy his camera when I got there," he frowned. "At any rate, thanks for the warning," Harry leaned over and gave Luna a peck on the cheek.

"You're welcome, Harry," she smiled, appearing completely unruffled at the spontaneous display of affection.

"You'll tell me if any Nargles bother you, right?" he asked worriedly, looking her squarely in the eyes.

"Oh, they haven't been bothering me lately," Luna replied dreamily, reaching up a hand to toy with her necklace. "I had theorized that the new necklace would need a few weeks to take effect…"

"That's good," Harry smiled, leaning sideways against the back of the couch. "But you'll let me know if the necklace stops working?"

"Sure, Harry," she agreed easily. Standing up abruptly, she turned to Severus. "Thank you for the tea, Professor; I enjoyed myself. Good night, Harry," Luna smiled dreamily and headed for the door.

"Good night," two voices called after her, and Luna skipped the rest of the way to Ravenclaw Tower.

"So," Harry turned to Severus with a glint in his eye. "What did she tell you about Lump-legged Urgles?"

"It was quite interesting," Severus temporized. "Rather extraordinary, really."

Harry laughed. "You can say it – Luna's unique."

"That she is," Severus agreed with a small smirk. "It was, however, a very interesting conversation. As far as I understood it, Lump-legged Urgles are creatures that have the form of one-legged furry bison with extremely large ears but very small lungs, and they come running for help when someone needs it, generally due to a violent situation. Correct?"

"That sounds about right," Harry grinned. "You wouldn't believe how often they helped us in the future, though – and sometimes when Luna was right next to me, even, so though I have no idea how she does it, she must have some kind of sixth sense that either perceives these creatures or the things she invents the creatures for; there's simply no other explanation when she's standing next to me and suddenly gasps that the Abbots need help," he shook his head. "However she does it, it's dead handy, and she's a fun person to have around, too."

"I see what you mean," Severus nodded pensively. "It would be interesting to find out how she does it, but it seems that she is convinced that there are creatures that we others all cannot see. Perhaps she is right."

Harry nodded. "You see what I mean. Others think she's crazy, but she clearly has some kind of skill that we others don't have, and I think it's a shame that others look down on her for it." Then he smiled. "But it seems that she enjoyed chatting with you, so at least she has one more person who understands her." Standing up, Harry walked over to Severus and slid into his lap. "Did she mention Kimdingers at all?"

"Ah, yes," Severus said, feeling his face softening. "She told me they suit me."

Harry laughed at that, then leaned in for a kiss. "I agree with her there!"

OoOoO

The next morning Harry's wasn't in quite as good a mood.

"Filius," he said as he stepped into the Charms classroom, "I need to borrow Draco Malfoy for an hour or two. I have here a permission form signed by his Head of House permitting him to leave Hogwarts for the day," Harry handed a piece of parchment to the part-goblin and looked over at the students. He caught Draco's eye just as the Charms teacher said that everything seemed in order.

"You are free to go, Mister Malfoy," Filius Flitwick smiled at his student. "I am sure that one of your classmates will be able to lend you today's notes."

"Thank you, Professor," Draco replied, watching Harry warily as he gathered his things together.

"You can leave your things with Goyle, if you want," Harry pointed out. "You won't need your books, after all."

The boy didn't give any sign of having heard him, but left his bag on the desk when he was done packing it. All eyes were on them as they left the classroom, and as soon as the door was closed behind them Draco demanded, "Why should I go anywhere with you, Potter?"

Harry just gave him a level look, trying not to react to the aggressive tone. "Didn't your mother write you a letter about joining the Black family?"

"What if she did?" Draco crossed his arms, and Harry was hard-put not to roll his eyes.

Turning and starting towards the entrance hall, Harry replied, "Then you already know that Narcissa will be rejoining the Black family, and you have the same chance. If you choose not to become a Black, you can go back to Charms class and finish your last year at Hogwarts, for after that you won't have any funds to pay for a further education. Nor a home, incidentally, or even clothing past what you have at Hogwarts. Not a mother, either, as Narcissa will no longer be a Malfoy. I am headed for Gringotts now to formally bring her back into the Black family," Harry stopped and looked back at the blonde, "and you should have decided by now whether you'll come along or not."

The light-skinned boy was even paler than usual, but his arms were still crossed and he was glaring at Harry. "I hardly have a choice in the matter, do I Potter? If you hadn't defeated the Dark Lord none of this would have happened," Draco spat.

A silence fell as Harry simply met Draco's gaze neutrally. Eventually he turned away and said, "Come or don't; I don't care." Then he walked away, knowing that in a few seconds the young Malfoy would follow him and realizing that he truly didn't care if he didn't.

OoOoO

"Lord Potter-Black," Narcissa Malfoy rose from the seat she had been waiting on in Gringotts' entrance.

"Lady Malfoy," he replied formally, accepting her hand and bowing over it to brush a kiss on the back of her hand. It would be the last time he did. "Shall we proceed?"

"After you," she inclined her head, stepping aside for him to pass and falling in step with her son. She didn't greet him verbally, and neither did he her, but Harry couldn't see what they may be doing behind his back. For all he knew they could be holding hands.

"Good morning, Warrior," Harry saluted the first free teller, ignoring the stares all the other humans were giving his small party. "I came to annul Narcissa Black's marriage to Lucius Malfoy and bring Draco Malfoy into the House of Black."

"Please follow me, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said promptly, putting up a 'closed' sign on his desk. Harry was surprised that the goblin would deal with it personally, but shrugged it off thinking that perhaps this goblin was responsible for such things. He and his two companions followed the goblin down a marble hallway, reaching an office just a minute later.

"Have a seat," the goblin offered, giving Narcissa the piercing look that Harry had expected to receive. The two adults took the chairs in front of the desk while Draco remained standing behind his mother; the goblin proceeded to the other side of the desk and promptly started rummaging around in a drawer.

"The Malfoy-Black marriage can only be declared invalid by the Lord Black if the Malfoy family is no longer capable of supporting the bride," the goblin said as he slapped a document down on the desk. "No other reason, including attempted murder by the husband, is a valid reason for dissolution of the Malfoy-Black marriage."

"So even if Malfoy had tried to kill you you couldn't have ended the marriage?" Harry asked Narcissa incredulously. "Mad." Turning back to the goblin he asked, "Can the Lord Black still dissolve the marriage if Lord Black personally killed Lord Malfoy?"

"As long as the Malfoy family is incapable of supporting the Black bride the Lord Black is capable of dissolving the marriage," the goblin said neutrally. He didn't seem at all surprised at Harry's revelation.

Just then Draco's brain seemed to catch up, and he pulled his wand with a roar. "You killed my father!"

Harry however was much faster, and Draco had hardly raised his wand when he was already frozen in a body bind. "You may not want to try that," he told the boy mildly. "I killed Lucius Malfoy on Voldemort's orders; what makes you think that you'll be able to take me down when I defeated both your father and his master? Calm down and use your head for once." Leaving the boy bound, Harry looked to the woman beside him. "Do you object, too? It's not too late to say that you'd rather not have me as your Head of House."

"You believe that I did not already know the identity of my husband's killer?" Narcissa asked stiffly. "He knew that to betray the Dark Lord was to court death; any Death Eater would have killed him. That the Dark Lord chose you to fulfill the task was pure chance."

Harry looked at her for a moment before inclining his head wryly. "True. If not me, then Severus would have killed your husband. I wonder how Draco would feel had his godfather been the one to kill his father?" Not expecting an answer, Harry turned back to the goblin. "I, in my role as Lord Black, choose to dissolve Narcissa Black's marriage to Lucius Malfoy."

"Please sign here, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said evenly, sliding a document across the desk. "Doing so with this blood quill will immediately annul the Malfoy-Black marriage."

Harry narrowed his eyes in distaste at the sight of the blood quill, but picked it up without ado. He gave the document a brief one-over - it was the original wedding certification, it seemed – and signed swiftly, twitching slightly at the familiar bite of a blood quill.

"You may keep the document if you so wish, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said when the blood had dried on the parchment.

"I would prefer to leave it in the goblins' capable hands," Harry returned, laying the blood quill down carefully.

"Gringotts is honored by your trust," the goblin said, and Harry couldn't tell whether he meant it or not. "Will you wish to bring Draco Malfoy into the Black House?"

Harry turned his head to look at the bound Draco. "It is up to Malfoy," he said neutrally, raising his wand to release the boy from the spell but keeping his wand raised. "Well?"

Draco scowled darkly, but lowered his wand. His hand however was gripping the wood so tightly that his knuckles were white. "I will join the Black House," he bit out.

"Narcissa, you will have to make sure he knows how to speak to his Head of House," Harry told his cousin without taking his eyes off Draco. "Draco Malfoy will join the Black House, Warrior," he informed the goblin, only turning away from the boy when he was reasonably sure that he wouldn't try to curse him in the back. The rings he wore should be able to protect him from nearly anything the boy could throw at him – except for an Unforgivable, but that would be a one-way ticket to Azkaban for the last remaining Malfoy.

"Oaths will be necessary, Lord Potter-Black," the goblin said, giving Harry the long-expected shrewd look. "Draco Malfoy will first pledge a magical oath to belong only to the Black family and never renounce it for another, acknowledging you as his Head of House, after which you in your capacity as Lord Black will swear an oath welcoming Draco Malfoy into the House of Black."

Harry hummed quietly. "Is it possible to have two Heads of House?" he asked. Narcissa's sudden intense look almost made him smirk – she probably thought he meant for Draco to become Lord Black when he turned seventeen.

"It is possible for two or more people to possess the Lordship of the same House simultaneously," the goblin confirmed. "Currently both Harry Potter-Black and Sirius Black are the Heads of House Black."

"Excellent," Harry said. "Once Draco Malfoy has joined the Black House I require emancipation papers for Harry Potter. The House of Potter will also have two Heads."

"It will be done," the goblin said, pulling a piece of parchment from a drawer and laying it to the side.

A pause, then the three adults turned to the single underage member of their group.

"Oh, very well," Draco snarled, raising his wand. "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, renounce the Malfoy name and ask," he spat the word, "the Lord Black to receive me into the House of Black. I hereby swear to never renounce the Black family for another and acknowledge both Sirius Orion Black and Harry James Potter-Black as my Heads of House." A bright light flashed from the tip of his wand, and Draco lowered it again, glowering at Harry.

Harry promptly raised his own wand. "I, Harry James Potter-Black, accept Draco Lucius into the Black House." An identical light flashed from his wand and he turned back to the goblin, dismissing Draco out of hand.

"Harry Potter will need to sign this parchment, as will his legal guardians," the goblin said promptly, sliding the single parchment across the desk. "Once the parchment is filed back at Gringotts Mister Potter will receive his Lordship ring and the keys to the Potter vaults."

"Wonderful," Harry said, taking the parchment and rising. "I thank you for your time, Warrior."

"Gringotts anticipates doing business again soon," the goblin returned formally before leading them back to the exit. Harry gave the goblin a salute before turning to his silent companions.

"Draco is excused from classes for the day," Harry informed Narcissa. "You may want to show him around the Black manor; it will be his new home, after all."

"And what will you be doing, Potter?" Draco sneered. "Going to destroy other Pureblood names?"

Harry gave the boy a cold look. "You will refer to me as 'Lord Black', 'Lord Potter-Black', or 'my Lord'. Do I need to remind you that you just swore a magical oath acknowledging me as your Head of House?" Turning back to Narcissa, he said in clipped tones, "I will be at the Ministry attending the trials. Once they are over I will come by with two young children and the man who will be assisting you. I believe you've already become acquainted with the house elves at the manor?" She nodded. "Good. Instruct your son in the rules of House Black and the instructions I gave you. If I find him mistreating any of my servants he will have to accept the punishment I choose."

"You can rely on me, my Lord."

"I'm sure I can," he said, knowing that at least he could trust her to take care of the children properly. Whether he could trust her with more than that remained to be seen. After a pause he said to Draco, "The permission form is only valid for this day. Be back at Hogwarts before curfew and inform Professors McGonagall and Snape of your new status. The Headmistress will most likely announce it tomorrow so that people know to call you by your new name." With a last nod to Narcissa he left for the Ministry and another long day of trials. He had most likely missed part of the first one, but there would be at least another three to sit through.

Oh, joy, he thought, tucking the emancipation papers for Harry into his robes and apparating to the Ministry. Here we go again.