Third Intermezzo:
Arthur Weasley was getting fed up with the obsession his wife had to marry their daughter off to the Boy-Who-Lived. As a result of the family meeting, he was certain that no more potions would be attempted. Any member of his family found to be attempting this would be expelled from the family and turned over to the DMLE; family honor required no less than this. Molly had sulked so much that Arthur was tempted to move into the shed.
His sons, for the most part, supported his decision. Bill, Charlie and the twins were completely flabbergasted with their mother. They had each advised him privately that they would support the honor of the family. Percy, although he disagreed with the potions use, had sympathized with his mother and her ambitions. Sometimes he wondered if his third son shouldn't have been sorted into Slytherin. His youngest son, however, had somehow decided that this was all Harry's fault.
Arthur had been advised by Bill as to Harry's current relationship with Hermione Granger. This interfered with more of his wife's planning. He suspected that this would be revealed on Monday, when they along with Ginny would arrive at a meeting that was requested by the bank. Arthur was told that Harry was involved. Arthur was preparing himself to try and control the members of his family that needed it.
Ginny, however, would not need it. She had been found to have some residual effects from the incident in her first year. When Arthur had gone to Gringott's and was attempting to withdraw the little money the family had saved up to cover the costs, he mentioned the purpose of the withdrawal in passing. Very shortly he had been shown into an office with the Director of Gringott's! Director Ragnok had explained that as she had been harmed by the diary of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that as part of their alliance with Harry Potter against the wizard also known as Tom Riddle, they would cover the costs of any treatment Ginny needed for any reason, regardless of whether it was from the incident or not. All he was asked was to not tell his wife, daughter or Harry Potter as they considered it as part of their honor to provide for this.
Arthur had been very grateful. Ginny, in addition to the residual effect of the possession, had been found to need time with a mind-healer to help counteract the years of her mother convincing her that she belonged with the Boy-Who-Lived. Arthur, when he had been told, had become very angry. Ginny, however, asked that this be kept private until the treatments were done. Arthur had agreed with his daughter; Ginny was now re-evaluating her relationship with Harry and had admitted to Arthur that she could see now that Harry belonged to someone else. She seemed happy about it, and started to feel she could move on with her life.
Maybe his youngest son needed a mind-healer as well.
Ginny was curious about the meeting at Gringott's. She had been told that her parents and herself had been invited to a meeting there on Monday.
She was looking forward to getting away from her brother. He was being quite thick. When she had mentioned Harry should date Hermione, he had blown up in jealousy and sent off some message to Hermione. Now that she was thinking clearly, she almost laughed at his stupidity.
Lucius Malfoy was not enjoying his time in Azkaban. None of his former allies would help in any way as he had been caught as an accomplice to the Dark Lord, and as far as they were concerned it was far, far better to stay off of Harry Potter's or Gringott's radar.
Narcissa Black was becoming annoyed. Her son was demonstrating the same idiocy her former husband had. The pureblood ideal was perfectly acceptable, but his fascination with power in Slytherin was becoming obsessive and he showed not one iota of true cunning. She was very close to informing her ex-husband's regent that the boy could be reclaimed by the Malfoys. There were some things she no longer wished to be associated with in any way. Maybe there was a nicer pureblood, or even a half-blood with a good name, that was available to try again for a child she could be proud of.
Amelia Bones was a busy woman.
The Ministry had now seen the incarceration of almost 35 wizards and witches because of information provided by Gringott's. It was a much more tolerant environment around the ministry as the most rabid of the pureblood supremacists found themselves in Azkaban. The remaining ones could see the way the winds were blowing and instead of voting for the power of laws which favored them were trying to create the image of the glory of being a pureblood.
It was a subtle difference. But one Amelia could live with. There WAS value to tradition, of course. Let them have "glory" while the Ministry finally became more representative of all the people.
Dolores Umbridge was feeling rather wretched.
She had been sentenced to several decades in Azkaban -- like a common criminal! The contacts that she had used to get ahead were ending up as residents of the island prison and she could not be more irate about it.
The next thing would be equal rights for half-breeds! It was intolerable!
Rita Skeeter had a headline or several everyday. The arrests and trials she had reported on were selling out the paper on a daily basis. The pureblooded faction was riveted by its loss of influence and the rest were fascinated by the depths of depravity she reported.
She had found that cooperating with the DMLE was much, much more profitable than slandering them. The "anonymous sources" she had from the other side of the blood issue were much easier to deal with and expected much less than the pureblooded factions she had used before.
It was actually quite fun to tell the truth for once.
Augusta Longbottom was looking forward to the meeting she had with Harry Potter on Sunday.
The group of people who had produced the animals that had hurt her Frank were losing power left and right, and she could not be more satisfied. The changes in her son made her much more hopeful for the future than she had ever been before. And finally she could relax a little bit.
It wouldn't be over until the idiot Riddle, that's all he was to her now, was dead but she could look forward to a bit of traveling when Neville grew up and took over the family interests.
Fenrir Grayback was shocked to find himself in a cage with silver-covered bars guarded by goblins. He had been about to dine on a delicious young girl when he had been overcome before the full moon had come out.
It was a painful experience.
Voldemort had arrived back to Riddle Manor. He had had to avoid all contact with anyone else and it was becoming a dreary existence. He would have to get himself disconnected with this flawed shape very soon. Then he would be able to do it right. He would have power. He would make them all pay for their insolence.
Especially that damned boy.
Severus Snape was in a quandary.
His dark mark had come back during the third task of that thrice-damned tournament. And since that time, nothing was as it had been. The spawn of the thrice-damned Potter had declared Blood Feud and the goblins had allied themselves with him. The barmy old codger had been disappointed when the boy had not followed his lead or consulted him on his fight with the Dark Lord.
He had not been called, he had not been attacked and he had a meeting set for Monday that he was given oath would not result in his harm. All in all, it was very confusing these days.
Maybe that thrice-damned prophecy would be fulfilled soon and Lily Evans could rest in peace and he could move on from teaching these dunderheads.
Dumbledore was pouting.
He had learned from Hagrid, after he had come back to the castle on Saturday afternoon done with his trip early, that he had missed Harry Potter by a mere 27 minutes. Apparently he had claimed the body of the basilisk that he had killed in second year. It was too bad the beast had not been able to be controlled and saved. Such old magical creatures were rare.
Minerva had even let him transport a number of items that were found in the Chamber! Minerva did not elaborate what had been found but said that agreements were made for items recovered. And he hadn't even been allowed to inspect them before they fell into the hands of some creature of wizard that might use them to become dark! After all, it was Salazar Slytherin's chamber. There had to be dark purposes behind at least some of the items found.
Still, when all the item were returned as he asumed Minerva meant when she said agreements were made, he would secret them away so that they could not be used for dark purposes, just like the books that he had confiscated from the library at various times in the past. He would, of course, allow Severus to inspect them. He was the head of Slytherin.
It was time for a lemon drop, or five, before he went to bed.
Wormtail was mindless. His soul had been sucked out by a dementor. He had no thoughts whatsoever.
Dobby and Winky had been told that they would be asked about house-elves that very night. It was time for Mr. Harry Sir's Miss to learn what it meant to be a house-elf.
The Grangers were amused.
Their studious daughter, although involved in what was apparently a war as her boyfriend was the main focus, was currently being very distracted from books by one Harry Potter.
The teenager had been a revelation. Respectful and courteous, brave and resourceful, rich and humble, he also had an unbelievable moral compass. Although it was apparent that the teenagers had become closer, it was also apparent that they had limited themselves. And that it was more Harry limiting it than their formerly reserved daughter.
Never in their wildest imaginations would they have expected any teenage boy who so obviously doted on what he obviously thought was an extremely attractive teenage girl to have the willpower necessary to wait until they were both ready.
They had resigned themselves to the fact that the relationship would most likely become fully physical, and after discussing it, even Robert had finally just allowed it to progress. Not that they would tell their daughter that of course.
Because, as a result, they could just be very amused.
Ragnok pondered the unusual qualities of one Harry Potter as he and his Guard dined on some their very tasty meal courtesy of said wizard.
Goblins were very set in their ways. Through long centuries of experiences, certain things could be counted upon. There were always enemies to be destroyed. There was always profit to be made. And wizards always in the end were beings to be wary of. No matter how much they appeared to be honest and honorable, there was always some hint of something to hide; some avarice in their makeup to subject others to their own power; some disrespect for the customs of their people; there was always SOMETHING wrong when one dealt with wizards.
This did not appear to be the case in their dealings with one Harry James Potter, Scion of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, friend of house elves, claimed family of a werewolf, enemy of a vile creature they themselves would spend all of their resources to destroy. Once they had placed themselves under his command in this one thing, Ragnok had expected some small indication at least that he enjoyed the command of beings such as they themselves were. But there was nothing.
He still treated them as equals, and he had, as he had AGREED to, left them to prosecute their part of the Feud on their own terms without interference. Perhaps, finally, there was some hope for wizardkind.
Bob cackled as he and Larry had a beer again while watching their client and Bob's plans unfold.
They had deliberately fanned the flames of passion between the client and his soulmate. A few timely interruptions, a certain lack of concern, and she had begun to become the being of passions of ALL types that they needed her to be to affect the destinies of so many of their clients.
Besides, it was fun watching the dance between the two as they, and a few dozen of their colleagues, sat around having an after work beer while sitting around the client monitor.
A/N: Ok so it wasn't the party yet. Sooon. Very very soon.