Chapter 36

These are the notices we received on the evening of the 1st of September, Sir," he said.

Ant quickly opened each and read. When he was done he sighed and handed them back to Harry.

"Young man," he said. "My daughter is everything to me. If you hurt her; if you harm her..."

"I understand, Sir," said Harry. "I cannot promise you I will not hurt her feelings. I can promise you, however, I place my life after hers. Before both of them, actually. Our... enemies... will have to get past me to get to either of them. And, at that point, I'll either be unconscious or dead."

Daphne practically dived onto his lap and kissed him. "Damn, Potter. You're a noble git."

Knowing her parents were right there, and that her father was on the verge of getting quite upset, Hermione only came around and kissed him on the cheek. "She's right," she said with a grin. "You are a noble git."

As Hermione returned to her seat, Madam Pomfrey said, "Actually, a lot of that is the bond. Mister Potter's... alpha male mind view... is heightened to the point where instinct will automatically move him to protect both girls. You've nothing to worry about there, Doctor Granger."

"How will he support them both, let alone a family... when that comes... many, many, years from now, I hope" asked Ant of Poppy, though glancing rather pointedly at Harry.

"The Potter family is one of wizarding Britain's oldest families, Doctor Granger," replied Madam Pomfrey. "They're also one of the richest. And, as Harry is the sole surviving heir, he inherits the lot on his majority."

"I'm rich?" Harry squeaked in shock before he remembered being told precisely that by John before he was backstepped.

"Yes, Mister Potter," said Madam Pomfrey, surprised. "I would have thought you knew that."

"Errr," he said. "I didn't think there was that much in my trust vault."

"That's just your trust vault, Harry," said Daphne. "The Potter fortune is quite substantial. Your magical guardian should have told you all this."

"Dumbledore," sighed Harry. "He kept it from me."

Of course, Harry already knew this. But demonstrating the knowledge was not something he was allowed to do, just yet.

"What about your bank statements?" asked Ant. "Surely, they'd tell you how much you have."

"I don't receive any," Harry replied with a shrug.

"Mister Potter," said Madam Pomfrey. "What do you mean you don't receive any bank statements?"

"I just don't," replied Harry. "I've never received one."

"Well," she huffed. "We'll have to see about getting you into Gringotts, at some time, to get that sorted out."

"As long as young Harry can support my little Princess, I'm happy," said Ant.

"Then have no fear on that, Sir," Daphne firmly said. "In muggle terms, I believe you would say, Harry's loaded."

"Something else to talk to the goblins about," Harry muttered, annoyed yet again at Dumbledore keeping things from him. This was something he didn't learn about in the previous timeline, either; so, it's not as if Dumbledore was going to ever tell him.

Once they'd finished their teas, as they were about to head back to school, Cele said, "Harry, Daphne; as this looks like Harry, at least, is going to wed our daughter. We hope, at some time, you can look upon us as another set of parents."

Surprised, Harry said, "I'm... honoured. I've... Yes. Thank you. What would you prefer I call you?"

"What ever you're comfortable with, for now," Ant replied, smiling. "However, we hope... when you're comfortable with it, mind... you'll call us Mum and Dad."

"I... th-thank you," said Harry, quite moved by the gesture.

"I, too, am honoured," Daphne said, noticing the effect the gesture had on Harry. "Thank you."

"And with that, we really must be going," said Madam Pomfrey, herding the three teens out the door.

When they'd gone, Cele softly said, "I can't believe we met three angels tonight."

"Which ones?" asked Ant. "The kids or the one's in white?"

Cele turned to him and smiled, "You can't fool me, Anthony Michael Granger. I know when you're feeling really moved or shocked about something."

"How can you argue when it's three angels who tell you not to interfere?" he sighed.

With a smile, she replied, "Well, you did get to give your 'or else' talk; even if it was quite curtailed."

He smiled back and hugged his wife. "I did, didn't I?"

Madam Pomfrey and the three teens caught the Knight Bus back to the Leaky Cauldron and immediately Floo'ed back to the Three Broomsticks.

On the walk back to the castle, Madam Pomfrey said to Harry, "I'll let Professor McGonagall know you need to visit Gringotts as a matter of some urgency. However, I don't know when one of the staff will be able to escort you, Mister Potter."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," replied Harry. "That would be appreciated."

Finally getting their chance to investigate the Room of Requirement the next night - specifically the Room of Lost Things - the three teens moved through the towering stacks towards where Harry remembered the diadem could be found.

They also found a half-dozen empty and sealable large potion ingredient jars. Each looked to hold about half a litre - or, an eighth of a British gallon.

Using a levitation charm, Harry forced the diadem off the bust and out of the room. Once they were outside in the corridor with the diadem and the potion jars, Harry reconfigured the room into a place to destroy the horcrux.

However, when they went inside. They found a ritual room.

And, there, on the floor next to a runic circle laid in gold on the floor, was a small booklet explaining how to destroy horcruxes without destroying the vessel.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and laughed a bit.

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