Lord and Ladies

End of Term

The teens sat silently, each trying to understand what they were told. Hermione was the first to talk.

"That means that Harry owns half the school, while Susan and I own the other half. Does it mean that we can now control the school?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Precisely so, Lady Ravenclaw. Hogwarts has always been a private school. The board of directors was set by the founders as a way to direct the school when the heirs were not able or not disposed to do it themselves. If you take control of the school, you may dismiss the board, gaining the school quite a bit of money that is now spent on the salaries for the board members, and ridding the school of the political influence that keeps it so conservative."

"What should we do to gain control and dismiss the board?" It was Harry who asked this time.

"The first step is to make your Lordships recognized. You may later need to make them publicly known, but not immediately. For that you need to go to Gringotts, as your letters suggest, and take your Lord and Lady rings. When you put them on, you become officially recognized as the bearer of the appropriate title. Once you have that, you may claim your seats in the Wizengamot, which are currently held by Ministry appointed delegates. As you have the Potter, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Peverell seats, it means six less seats for the ministry and six more seats for the truth. This will change the Wizengamot enough to force the Minister to take steps against Voldemort and his supporters."

"We should then go to Gringotts immediately," Harry said.

"Not really," Dumbledore calmed him with a smile. "Just like you, the Wizengamot is going on vacation for the summer. It met last week and its next scheduled meeting is a week after school starts. No need to attract undue attention before we can act. I suggest you go back to your dorms and act normally for the few days remaining until the summer vacation. Don't tell anyone about your bond or your marriages. I'll let your parents or guardians know that you're not going to spend the summer with them, but they may still come to collect you at the train station. We shall then all meet someplace and continue from there."

This made the teens pale. Harry was thinking of meeting his parents-in-law and wasn't sure if he'd rather face the Dursleys again. Hermione was also thinking of her parents and how they might react to her getting married before reaching sixteen. Daphne wasn't sure of her parents' reaction either, despite learning that Harry had always been her intended. She was still too young – not yet fifteen. Susan wasn't sure either. Getting the boy she wanted was nice, but presenting him to her aunt was quite a different story.

Dumbledore smiled. "Don't worry, I'll do most of the talking there." He turned to Harry. "I'll have Mr. Lupin escort you from the train station, if that's alright with you."

Harry smiled. He really liked Moony and was quite glad of the opportunity to meet him.

"What should we say when our dorm mates ask about the time we weren't here?" Susan asked.

"You can say that the Headmaster had you do something for the farewell ceremony. Unfortunately, it will not be a happy farewell this time. Now, I believe you should go back to your dorms and start packing."

Harry still gave a passionate kiss to Susan and then to Daphne before they parted ways. "Don't you want your kiss now as well?" he asked Hermione.

She laughed. "I can enjoy your company for the rest of the evening, using only a 'notice-me-not' charm, and you also have the invisibility cloak, if we want."

He smiled at her. "Sure!"

Not unexpectedly, Ron was the first to tackle them in the common room. "Where have you two been? I've been looking for you since yesterday's dinner."

Hermione replied, using her most intimidating tone, "The headmaster needed us to do something for him, as he asked a few other students. It's done now, and both Harry and I are back here. Nothing to worry about."

Ron looked like he wanted to argue, but then shrugged and turned to Harry. "Care for a game of chess?"

Hermione smiled and looked at Harry. "Go play. Maybe you'll finally win a game."

It didn't happen. After losing the third game, Harry gave up and joined a group of students talking about their plans for the vacation. None mentioned the events after the third task and all tried to behave like everything was normal, yet the tension was palpable. He then noticed Hermione sitting alone on the couch and reading a book. He plopped at her side. She lifted her eyes and smiled at him. "You're feeling awkward?" It was more a statement than a question.

He nodded. "I wonder what we'll do next. I hate it when I feel that I have no control over my life."

"Hey, it's normal for children our age to have other dictate their lives," she reminded him.

"Well, maybe, but it usually is people who care for you, or even love you. I'm not sure how much the headmaster fits that description."

She looked around and then took her wand and cast a silence ward before talking some more. "Well, you now have three wives who love you, and soon enough you'll be able to conduct your own life. Once we take our rings, we no longer need any guardians, although we shall probably keep consulting with others for a long time."

Harry was still reluctant. "I'm sure you love me and have my best interest in mind, but I don't yet know about the other..."

"They love you, I have no doubt about it. A girl would not willingly give her virginity to a boy she doesn't love, and both were more than willing. I saw them, you know."

"It doesn't help," Harry moaned, feeling his body react to the images in his mind. Hermione took his hand and pressed lightly.

"Don't worry. In two more days we'll be able to go back to the Manor and do as we please. Still, if you really want, we can use the invisibility cloak..." There was some suggestiveness in her voice.

Harry shrugged. "I don't really need that right now. I had more than enough earlier, you know. Besides, we shouldn't attract undue attention until we make it officially known."

"Alright," she smiled, "but you still owe me a kiss."

Harry looked around and cast a strong privacy charm before leaning to Hermione and kissing her lips tenderly and passionately. Hermione responded just the same, yet they stopped short of making it a snog.

In the Slytherin dorms, Daphne only had her friend Tracey to appease. "Why would he call you to do his errands? Although the top student in class, you're not any teacher's favorite and he's never shown any interest in you before."

"I don't know why he chose me. He just sent me away, let me stay the night there and bring something back this afternoon. He asked his phoenix to move me there and back. He said some other students were doing similar errands for him," Daphne told her.

"Yes, I've heard that Susan Bones was also missing."

"There you are! She was probably doing a similar errand for the headmaster. Now, I can see you've already started packing. Can you help me a bit? I'm a day behind my schedule."

Daphne started preparing her stuff but then stopped in the middle of her packing, looking a bit dreamy. Tracey noticed. "What now?" she asked.

Daphne tried not to blush. "I just remembered a boy I've seen there. He may become interesting in two or three years, you know."

"The Ice Queen getting interested in boys?! That's some worthy news!"

"Oh, no, you don't! I'm not interested in anybody right now, but a girl may dream, doesn't she?"

Tracey laughed. "Well, as much as you like to pretend otherwise, you're still human. I'm sure you will eventually find your Mr. Right and give in to him."

Daphne only nodded, smiling internally. 'I've already found him and it was magnificent. I can hardly wait until we can be together again.'

Susan had easier time in the Hufflepuff dorms. They accepted her explanations and didn't ask for more. Her friend Hannah was worried still, though. "Are you sure you are alright? You look a bit more pensive than usual and you walk a bit differently. Are you sure that nothing happened?"

Susan smiled at her. "I didn't say that nothing happened, but everything that did was good. I promise to tell you more after I tell my aunt. It wouldn't do to tell you first, you know."

Hannah smiled. "I don't care, as long as you are content."

The next day was almost as stressful. Both foreign schools were leaving after dinner and everything seemed to burst with activity, yet it was much quieter than normal. Most students ignored Harry and kept away from him. He spent the day with only Hermione and Ron, wishing his other wives could join them.

Fleur came to say goodbye during dinner, and Krum did the same a few minutes later. Both seemed sad. Harry couldn't guess if it was due to the events of the last task or due to them leaving. He didn't really care too much either.

Harry slept fitfully during the last night at school. He had some nightmares that kept waking him up, although his scar didn't hurt. He was also thinking of the looming meeting with his wives' families and that didn't help him sleep either.

He was thankful to have Hermione with him on the train, at least. He was glad that Susan and Hannah joined them soon after the train started moving, staying for quite a long visit, although it was completely innocent. Still nobody was too happy during the ride. Not even the Weasley twins could change much, yet Harry gave them the money he won during the tournament, to help them open a joke shop. He was sure everybody would soon need some laughs.

Remus was already waiting for Harry when he descended the train, engulfing him in a big hug. Harry didn't escape another hug by Mrs. Weasley, though, and a shy hug and kiss from Ginny. He watched Daphne and Susan depart and then accompanied Hermione to the barrier, where he kissed her furtively before she passed the barrier and vanished.

"Hold tight and I will apparate us both to your apartment in Diagon Alley. We shall wait there for the others to come," Remus told Harry, after shrinking his luggage and putting it in his pocket. Harry grabbed the hand tightly. A moment later, he was standing in the entrance hall of a large apartment. It took him a bit to overcome the nausea caused by the magical travel. He then looked around. The apartment was located across the street from Gringotts, seen through the large window in the living room. It had three bedrooms, a small study with some books in it, a dining room and a kitchen, where a house elf was busy preparing some refreshments.

"Who are you?" he asked the house elf.

"Thimble, at your service, Harry."

"Do you know how many people are expected?"

"The Grangers – three; the Greengrass – three; the Bones – two; you and Mr. Lupin – two and the headmaster is bringing an additional guest – two; total – twelve. I believe you'll all stay for dinner as well," Thimble said.

"Will you cope with that alone?"

Thimble smiled. "I can cope with double the number with no problems, and I can always call some more house elves for help. Now, I think you have a guest to entertain."

Harry joined Remus in the living room. "How are you doing these days?" he asked.

Remus shrugged. "I had better times, you know, and much worse times as well. I'm doing fine, everything considered. What about you? The headmaster wouldn't tell me anything. 'You'll find out soon enough,' he told me."

"He's probably right. You already know about the third task, don't you?"

Remus's face hardened. "Yes, I was told everything about it. I'm sorry you had to suffer this, to see somebody killed by your side and be unable to help. At least you survived."

"Yes, I did. No thanks to Dumbledore or the Ministry."

"Well, Dumbledore tried to..."

"He could do better than that! He may just be taking too much on himself and becoming unable to cope with it all, yet that is no excuse, really."

Remus sighed. "You're probably right."

"How come you could apparate me in here? I thought we'd come to the other side of the door."

Remus smiled sadly. "Your father and I spent some time here as teens. He then keyed me into the wards, as well as Sirius. Peter has never come here, though."

There was a knock on the door. Harry opened it to find Dumbledore standing there with a large black dog at his side. He let them in.

"I thought Sirius could apparate in here directly," Remus said.

"He can, but we didn't dare alert the Ministry. Taking my dog along would cause no problems, though." He looked down at the large dog and smiled. "I told him he should stay that way until after I tell his story to our guests. No need to alarm them prematurely."

The dog waggled its tail happily and barked once.

They were soon joined by the other guests. Last to arrive were Daphne and her parents. "We had to leave Astoria with some friends first, as your letter made it clear that her presence was not welcome at this time," Lady Greengrass apologized.

Nobody seemed surprised when Hermione took her place on the sofa, at Harry's side, once the introductions were over. It was a bit of surprise for most when both Daphne and Susan did the same, yet most adults assumed that they just wanted to be with their age-mates.