Holiday Plans
DISCLAIMER: That part of this world and those characters you’ve seen before belong to their Creator: JKR. The rest is mine - although I cannot quit my day job as I make no $$$
A/N: FYI. Given the length of this tome and the number of chapters to come, I’ll probably break it in two with a sequel coming immediately. But that won’t happen with this installment. (I figured breaking at the Holidays made sense for a variety of reasons not in the least of which is old plot points resolved for now and new ones arising)…
CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO: HOLIDAY PLANS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 th 1993
Harry and his ladies were seated at the table in their informal dining room enjoying breakfast. Mondays through Fridays they took their meals in the Great Hall at school but aside from the one day before Gryffindor’s first Quidditch match, it had been a long time since they had done so on a weekend aside from diner on Sunday nights.
“Professor McGonagall wants to know if we’re going home for the Hols,” Hermione said as she buttered her toast. “It’s a week away Outside, you know.”
“But we are home,” Ginny replied.
“I think she means are we taking the Hogwarts Express to King’s Cross or not.”
“Sounds rather silly to me,” Hannah said. “I mean we can get to our parents' places with access trunks or, in Harry’s case, by portal. As much fun as the train ride was back in September, why waste nine hours?”
“I don’t know,” Daphne said. “Doesn’t Draco pop ‘round and do something dumb? That could provide a moment’s amusement.”
“He has,” Harry said. “But that assumes he’s on the train. He didn’t go home for Christmas last year.”
“And I don’t think nine hours on a train is worth it for a few minutes of the Dumb Draco show,” Ginny added. “I’d rather just be here. Besides, Ron and Katie told me they’re going to skip it and go to the Burrow by access trunk Friday night.”
“Why?” several asked.
“‘Cause they’re planning to get hitched at Gringotts while everyone else is on the train. Don’t ask me why.”
“My fault,” Harry said. “I asked Gringotts to set up the distribution from the dead snake stuff for as soon as convenient after term ends. They scheduled it for next Saturday as term ends Friday. We should get the formal notice tomorrow assuming it’s not in today’s post. I didn’t tell Ron, but suggested to the two of them that they do it next Saturday - get married, I mean.”
“Why didn’t you tell them why?” Hermione asked.
“Want it to be a bit of a surprise. Haven’t had time to get them a marriage gift but figured this would do sort of.”
“And Katie asked me if you lot can be there,” Ginny said. “And me too, of course.”
The others agreed as well. “I’ll inform Professor McGonagall later, then,” Hermione said.
“Damn!” Harry exclaimed looking at the paper.
“Language Harry!” Hermione scolded. “And I do hope there was a reason for such inappropriate language.”
“Now, Hermione,” Ginny replied, “it’s not like he’s Ron and the Cannon’s lost again - although for the life of me I can’t understand why he always seems surprised. He’s not even reading the sports section.”
“Well, what has caused the arrival of Sir Potty-Mouth?” Hannah asked.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Harry complained.
“No, but it’s also not an everyday thing for you,” Daphne added. “What’s in the paper that inspires such comment?”
“It seems Pettigrew escaped.”
“What?” a few voices replied. “Damn!” Ginny added.
“Says here they were transporting him to Azkaban. You got to read through a lot of rubbish complaining about how they do that and asking why can’t they just use the floo or portkeys or something to get to that. Apparently, they were at a dock waiting for a boat when three blokes in black robes with masks approached and started firing hexes.”
“Death Eaters?” Daphne gasped.
“Well, it says they were dressed like them and the stuff they threw at the Aurors and Pettigrew wasn’t tickling charms. One Auror and one of the attackers were killed. The other two attackers were taken prisoner, but Pettigrew vanished.”
“Went back to being a rat?” Luna asked.
“Fair bet that’s how he did it,” Harry said. “The dead Auror’s wand’s missing too.”
“Who’s the dead Auror?” Hermione asked.
“Pretty sure no one we know,” Harry said. “I don’t recognize the name. Not even a déjà vu thing. Don’t recognize the name of the dead attacker either.”
None of the others recognized them either.
“Who were the two others?” Ginny asked.
“Last names were Crabbe and Goyle,” Harry said.
“You mean like Crabbe and Goyle in Slytherin?” Hannah asked.
“Same name, although it could be uncles or something.”
“Those two troll aren’t that lucky,” Daphne commented. “It’s probably their fathers. The son’s might be the bright ones in that family.”
“Okay, there’s an unpleasant thought,” Hermione groaned. “I’m not even sure if they are intelligent enough to talk. Never heard them talk.”
“They can to a limited degree,” Daphne said. “Or at least that’s all I ever heard from them. Mostly it’s just grunts and the expected laugh of a sycophant.”
“A what?” Harry asked.
“The only kind of person who’d think anything Malfoy said was witty.”
“Oh.”
“Why were you so upset when you read that, Harry,” Luna asked. “I mean, you did tell us a while back that in your future memory it was Pettigrew who helped You-Know-Who come back and he can’t very well do that from Azkaban, can he?”
“No,” Harry replied. “But this is much sooner than it was then. Pettigrew didn’t scamper for months. That means he could be back sooner than our memories allow.”
“It could,” Luna nodded, “but I doubt it. I had another memory uncap or something like it the other night - the night Lord Black told us about the verdict and stuff.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Hermione asked.
“Because it made absolutely no sense at all,” Luna replied. “As it made no sense to me, a part of me thought it might not be what I thought it was so it would worry the rest of you to tell you something that had nothing to do with anything. Another part of me thought that it was what I thought it was, but the information was incomplete and until I had that bit too, it was almost useless. Well, what Harry told us is that bit. Pettigrew escaped, which I knew both ‘cause Harry told us that happened in the other time and 'cause my memory told me that too, although mine was not about it happening. I think it was from years later.”
“Oh?” several voices asked.
Luna nodded. “I was in… well, it looked like a dungeon and I wasn’t there as a tourist like some of the places we visited over the summer. I don’t think I was the only one there. In my memory I didn’t feel all alone. But it was dark so if there were others I couldn’t see them and they weren’t saying anything. Pettigrew was there, but it was like he was the jailer and I was the prisoner. He was going on about how important he was to You-Know-Who. It was boring and, I dare say, it was hard to sort fact from fantasy. And people say I’m Looney! Anyway, without going into the details that might’ve been his fantasy, he got away late this coming spring and found You-Know-Who in early summer. Again, there were bits I couldn’t take as accurate, but what I consider close to the truth was that whatever plan You-Know-Who has - and I think he has the basics of it even as we speak, he came up with the thing after Harry defeated him when he went after Grammy and Grampy’s stone before Ginny and I started school. Anyway, his plan can’t even start ‘til next fall and can’t be carried on to any conclusion until much later. There might be other ways, other things he could do. But he wants something and he can’t get that something except with the same convoluted plan he tried in the other time, or something almost identical. I guess the point is, Pettigrew scampering now really doesn’t change anything important.”
“It doesn’t?” Harry asked.
“Well, it does, but not in a way that changes what you and Hermione remember or will remember, I should think. Funny.”
“What’s funny?” Hermione asked. “Pettigrew’s escaped early, you say that doesn’t matter? What’s funny about that?”
“Oh, not that,” Luna said. “I think for now that’s what my future memories are on about. I don’t think I was a part of things for a long while yet and even then, I wasn’t really a part of them. I was more like an interested friend watching her friends play a Quidditch Match. It mattered to me what happened, but I was not in the game and could only watch and see - and see from a different perspective, you know? My first memory from that other time wasn’t about what you two remembered. There was nothing about Lord Black in it. It was about the dementors, remember? We were already going to try and get Sirius free, right? But my memory said we needed to do so a lot sooner than you two were thinking ‘cause of what the dementors would do otherwise.”
“Okay, but now your memory says we shouldn’t worry about Pettigrew.”
“Exactly! I glad you get it.”
“I don’t.”
“Neither do I, Luna. Sorry,” Harry added.
“Oh pooh! Okay. So far, like the spectator at the Quidditch game, my memories have been on the edge of things that are actually happening. You guys see the details ‘cause you’re in the Match. I see the Match 'cause I’m not. Maybe that doesn’t make sense and I need a better example. But I think my memories for now are… I don’t know… to keep us honest as it were? You were content just to get Sirius safe and maybe to get him free. My memories said we had to do more and that was without knowing about Sally-Anne’s bond or Anna at all. In that other time, they died without knowing any of that, right? In this case something happened sooner than before but I had a memory that says it doesn’t change anything important so we don’t have to worry about the fact that Pettigrew got away.”
“You didn’t have a memory about the Horcruxes,” Hermione suggested.
“Maybe I never saw that part of the match.”
“That kind of makes sense,” Ginny offered.
“It doesn’t help the Auror who died,” Harry said sadly.
“No it doesn’t,” Luna replied seriously. “But do you honestly think we can save everyone or that it would be best if we tried? Because we got rid of the dementors on the train, Anna lived when before she died. Because Sirius was exonerated when he was Sally-Anne lived when she would’ve died. But people will still die. Maybe they did anyway, and maybe they didn’t. Maybe more people have to die in the next few years than did before in order that millions don’t have to die years and years from now. We can’t worry about the things our memories can’t stop and we have to accept that whatever we do people will still die. We are talking about You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters and when they do things, people die and that won’t stop until they can never do things again.”
“I suppose,” Harry said. “Any other memories?”
“A bit more, although it makes no sense.”
“Maybe it will to us,” Hermione suggested.
“Okay. In that conversation, I learned who teaches Defense for the next few years in that time. It’s never the same person from one year to the other.”
“And that’s news?” Daphne asked. “There hasn’t been a Defense professor who’s been here longer than three terms in a long time. The last retired before any of our parents were here.”
“Didn’t say it was news,” Luna said. “But Lord Black did tell us about his endowment the other night one which he thinks will keep Professor Lupin on as our Defense teacher. My memory suggests that might not be a good idea.”
“Because of his condition?” Hermione asked.
“No. Because that might upset significant events; make changes that might render our memories useless. For some reason it’s important that Professor Lupin not return as our Defense Teacher next year.”
“And after that?” Hermione asked.
“Oh, I don’t think it matters after. In fact, I think it might be a good idea at least while we can remain at school. But next year would not be good.”
“That really doesn’t tell us why it’s important,” Hannah noted.
“We’ll learn the why eventually,” Harry said. “But after all Sirius did…”
“The endowment keeps him on staff,” Daphne said. “This doesn’t mean he can’t be on staff, does it?”
Luna thought for a moment. “No. I’m pretty sure it’s only about that position.”
“In that case, what’s the worry?”
“But Sirius went through a lot of trouble,” Hermione began.
“To keep the idiots from running Professor Lupin off,” Daphne said. “The Endowment only guarantees that post ‘til the end of this school year. Afterwards, it seems less clear. They can’t kick him off the staff, but he’s not certain to be the Defense teacher - or the only one - after we finish this year. He can remain as a tutor or in some similar capacity if he chooses not to teach or if he needs to step aside from the Defense job for some reason. After all, endowment or no there’s going to be a lot of objections once people figure out what he is.”
“They haven’t yet,” Harry offered.
“No,” Hermione said. “And that bit about him as a student wasn’t clear in the paper. The reporter left out the name. But he does ‘get sick’ every month and sooner or later someone outside of those of us who know will figure out it’s right around the Full Moon and begin to wonder about it.”
“And it doesn’t help that Snape hates him,” Harry said. “I don’t think Snape will out him right off. He would’ve done so already. But if the gossip types really get their teeth into a rumour that Mooney’s a werewolf, he might confirm it somehow.”
“Well, that’s not good,” Hermione huffed. “The school rumour mill’s an unstoppable force of nature!”
“It can be slowed,” Daphne said. “Parvati’s part of that circle and she could slow it, keep it from reaching a critical point ‘til later like close to end of year exams when it won’t matter as much.”
“How can you say that?”
“‘Cause it won’t. But if it gets out before then, things might get ugly endowment or no. He might have to leave or something and then who would teach us?”
“What should we do?” Harry asked.
“Nothing for now, I should think,” Daphne replied. “I haven’t heard anything of that sort being passed about. Heck, they’re still on about Ron and Katie. If they haven’t begun to figure things out then doing something to keep them from doing so might actually have the opposite effect. I think we should wait.”
“And what about what Luna says about next year?”
“We wait on that as well. Once this breaks - and it will… Professor Snape might be quiet now but I guess he figures one of us students will figure it out. He’ll do something stupid if it seems we’re too thick. Once it breaks, we can tell Professor Lupin and the others. Until then, he should focus on remaining the best Defense teacher anyone can remember.”
The others agreed, reluctantly.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12 th 1993
“You asked to see me, Professor?” the blonde haired boy said.
“Have a seat, Mr. Malfoy,” Professor Snape replied. “I should begin by asking whether you have heard from your mother recently.”
Draco Malfoy snorted. “Why should I? She may be my mother but we hardly correspond. We’re not that close at all.”
“You seem to be overly familiar, Mr. Malfoy. Or have you forgotten how to address your Head of House?”
“Sorry Sir. No Sir. I have not heard from my mother recently. Not since I left for school… Sir.”
“Better. Have you made any attempt to communicate with her?”
“No Sir. I see no need to tell her things… Sir.”
“Surely, you would have occasion to discuss your plans for the Holidays.”
“With Father away, what plans would I have but to stay here,… Sir?”
“And interesting choice of words. You do realize where he is? You do realize he will not be leaving?”
“I am not as accepting of such things as most. I’m sure my father has it sorted. It’s just a matter of time, is all.”
“I see,” Snape said slowly. “What makes you think that?”
“Simple. If a Blood Traitor like Black can get out, my Father can.”
“You are forgetting yourself, Mr. Malfoy. What is worse, you are revealing your ignorance. I knew them both, Mr. Malfoy. In some areas I dare say I’d place my Galleons on your father. But in doing what many consider impossible? Your father lacks the imagination and certainly the particular skill Black used to obtain his release. You can believe me or live in your fantasy world, but I sincerely doubt your father will leave that island alive, not by his skills alone. There are those who are every bit as clever as your father who have never managed to escape. Before Black, the few desperate enough to try all died in the attempt, something I’m sure your father is aware of. Whatever you may wish to believe, as far as the rest of the Wizarding World in concerned, your father is dead.”
“But he’s not dead!” Draco protested.
“Not physically, no,” Snape replied. “But neither has he any ability to manage his affairs or move forward with any of his schemes.”
“So I’m Head of House Malfoy then?”
“And why would that be?”
“Because my Father can’t be! You said he’s in for life. The paper said he’s in for life. That means I’m supposed to be Head of House, right? I am emancipated now, aren’t I?”
“For losing your father to prison? I think not.”
“But Potter is! That useless squib Longbottom is! Oh, I get it. It’s mother. She’s standing in the way, isn’t she?” Snape glared at him. “Sir.”
“First of all, my personal feelings and observations notwithstanding, Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom’s situation are in no way analogous to yours. They were not emancipated because they are the last in line for Heads of their Houses. Losing one’s parents, without more, is not grounds for such. Their emancipation is entirely due to their being married. Even if their parents were alive or able to continue as Head of House, their marriages would have resulted in emancipation. The same is true for any student at this school without regard to their family’s status which is why the law grants very few exceptions to the general rule that you must be at least sixteen to marry. I am not privy to which exception those two slid under to gain their emancipation, but I can assure you it had nothing to do with the status of their parents and it was completely legal and beyond question or challenge.” Actually, Snape did know the reason. But if Draco had not bothered to figure that out for himself, Snape was not about to do the boy’s thinking for him. “As for Narcissa, she is in no position to do anything one way or the other regarding the future of House Malfoy such as it may be.”
“Of course not,” Draco sneered. “Father would never allow her to control House Malfoy. Nor would I allow such from a woman.”
“I see you missed the point entirely. Regrettable. It is a pity Narcissa did not see to it you were informed of your change in circumstances before now, but as you said you two did not correspond.”
“What did she do?” Draco almost hissed.
“There was little she could do, I would assume,” Snape replied. “What happened is entirely the fault of your father whether you wish to accept that or not. As a daughter of House Black, I am fairly certain your mother would not have made such grave errors in judgment.”
“What are you talking about?” Snape glared again. “What do you mean, Sir?”
“Lord Arcturus Black granted permission for your parents to marry or, more critically, for your mother to marry your father. From what I’ve been told, the only reason your mother and her parents were not disowned for that marriage was because there were so few Blacks left.”
“Disowned? But my father…?”
“Was not the sort of person Lord Black considered worthy of his House but, as you were not in the direct line of succession, he overlooked the lack of judgment on the part of your grandfather. But, overlooked does not mean ignored. The marriage contract your father signed was clear. Were he to do anything that would bring discredit upon the Ancient and Noble House of Black, he and his heirs could stand to forfeit everything. Arguably, your father violated that contract before the ink was dry.”
“What? How?”
“By failing to reveal he was a Death Eater, for one. Lord Arcturus might not have disowned your mother or her parents, but he cut your father off from any future support from House Black and stopped your grandparent’s stipend. He did the same thing to his son’s wife for allowing one of his potential heirs to take the mark.”
“But the Blacks supported the Dark Lord!”
“There is only one Black who ever mattered, Mr. Malfoy, and that’s the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black and while he did not openly oppose the Dark Lord, it was fairly clear he did not support the Cause either. As a Black, your loyalty must be to him and to no other! And House Black is loyal to House Black alone. Even under the more understanding tenure of the last Lord Black, swearing fealty to someone such as the Dark Lord was a betrayal for which there was no forgiveness! Your mother never took the mark for a reason. Your Aunt Bella was cut off for taking the mark.”
“But not disowned,” Draco said smugly.
“Two previous Heads of House were quite liberal with disowning their kin.”
“For being Blood Traitors!”
Snape shrugged. “For whatever reason they fancied. House Black was quite large, after all, so to cut a branch here or there would not destroy the tree. Moreover, those who were disowned had no ambitions with respect to the line of succession such that their removal would not inspire them to seek revenge. By your Aunt Bellatrix’s time, there were far fewer branches and further pruning might well end the tree forever. Moreover, of the few branches left, some such as your Aunt had ambitions; ambitions that needed to be checked. The threat of disowning works only when the threatened party cares about such things. Your Aunt cared. I dare say if Lord Black told her to betray the Dark Lord or be disowned, she would betray the Dark Lord.”
“She would never…”
“She would in a heartbeat as would your mother.”
“She would never follow the current Lord Black,” Draco sneered. “Not that it matters because father said it will be mine in time.”
“A true Black’s loyalty is to the House, no matter who is its Head, Mr. Malfoy. So long as she is not disowned, her ultimate loyalty is to the Head of House Black. You may not understand that and clearly do not believe that, but the current Head does understand such things. As for your father, he was a fool.”
“What?” Draco asked in confusion.
“Do you really think you were the next in line?”
“Of course I am! There’s no one else unless that Blood Traitor has a secret wife and brat out there!”
“It would appear he has the former and may well have the latter as well.”
“What?”
“At his trial, he stated he had a wife in a manner where it was clear he was not lying. They had married abroad. He conceded that he had no knowledge of her whereabouts or even whether she was alive, but that was several months ago. It is probable he has resolved that lack of information. You really should pay more attention to the papers, Mr. Malfoy, and less to the gossip of those you might consider acceptable. Be that as it may, there are many things I could say about the current Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black - many unflattering things - but he is neither a fool nor naïve. He would not have taken the action he has unless from the standpoint of House Black you are expendable.”
“Expendable? What? What do you mean?”
“It is a pity you and your mother were not on corresponding terms, for if you were no doubt you would know already.”
“I’ve been disowned? For what?”
“No. I have not been informed of your being disowned and I would have been if that were indeed the case. It is indeed fortunate, from your point of view, that he was not so inclined otherwise things for you would be far worse than they are.”
“Um… I don’t understand.”
“Aside from the fact that the Sirius Black I knew could be cruel and capricious, I cannot think nor will I speculate about his motivations. That being said, some weeks ago I received notification from the Ministry of Magic that per your mother’s request and due to a material breach of the Marriage Contract by your father as evidenced by his confession and other matters that have since come to light, that marriage was annulled.”
“So?” Draco said arrogantly. “What does that matter? In fact, doesn’t that mean I’m now Head of House Malfoy? Is that what you’re here to tell me?”
“One would think someone from your station despite your youth would be better versed in certain matters,” Snape sighed. “Legally speaking, it means your parents were never married… ever… and you, therefore, were born out of wedlock.”
“I… surely it doesn’t matter. It’s a technicality. My parents were married.”
“I believe it might be called a ‘legal fiction.’ Your parents were married when you were born, but the marriage has since been annulled. The legal fiction, therefore, is that you were born out of wedlock when the fact of that time was otherwise. But the legal fiction is the only truth that matters. As of the moment of the recording of the annulment, you became a bastard as surely as if your parents had never married. All you retain from before is your name. Then again, one can name their child whatever they wish, societal conventions be damned. It is merely convention that a child takes the surname of their father. As a bastard, you are no longer a Black for the purposes of the line of succession. Likewise, you are no longer a Malfoy unless your father was cunning in that regard, which he was not.”
“What do you mean?”
“The previous Lord Black had no use for House Malfoy. He made that clear - very publically - when he was advised your grandparents had entered into a betrothal agreement for their daughter. That was your Aunt, by the way, not your mother. When your Aunt found a way out of it and your parents disowned her, he did not, not irrevocably that is. He left that matter to the discretion of his successor. But your grandparents were cut off without a knut which was arguably what forced them to replace your Aunt with your mother. From disgraced parents or not, she was still a catch for House Malfoy. But it was conditioned on your father not disgracing House Black. By taking the mark, he was on thin ice as it were. Were he caught, were he to be the subject of public scandal, the heavy hand of House Black was more than ready to fall. You never met Lord Arcturus Black, did you?”
“No. I thought he died ages ago.”
“Not hardly. He died a couple of months after you started Hogwarts of natural causes I might add; a fate that did not befall his father or grandfather. The fact you never met him adds credence to my impression that he was neither the least bit pleased with that marriage nor did he consider you a potential heir. That is certainly something both of your parents' would have known. Be that as it may, one would think your father would have taken precautions to preserve his estate and yet he did not.”
“I don’t understand.”
“As your father was sentenced to life without parole, the disposition of his estate is governed by inheritance laws. With the annulment of your parents' marriage, you are a bastard and cannot inherit unless your father specifically and by name identified you as his heir in an accepted writing usually that would be his Will. He failed to do that.”
“I was never to…?”
“It appears to have been an oversight, not an outright disinheritance. His Will as it stands would have been sufficient but for the legal fiction of the annulment. He last modified his Will before you were born so it was not possible at that time to name you specifically as his heir. He never changed that. Then again, annulments are hardly a common occurrence so it is entirely conceivable that the thought of what is generally a very remote outcome never crossed his mind. Not that it matters in the end. Even without that oversight that would leave you with nothing, you would still be left with nothing from House Malfoy.”
“What? What do you mean? My father was rich! We had all kinds of money!”
“The past tense being appropriate,” Snape said. “As of today, the total value of House Malfoy is nothing.”
“The vaults?” Draco said in disbelief. “The manor? The stuff?”
“Gone. Between the penalties for breaching the marriage contract and criminal penalties for your father’s uncovered illegal business activities, the vaults were emptied and, as that was insufficient, the manor and all else that could be legally sold - apparently there was quite a bit that was illegal to merely possess, much less sell - it all has been liquidated leaving an unpaid deficiency. Fortunately, it is not one you are or could be expected to repay from your own resources. Not that this matters, Mr. Malfoy. The annulment would have cut you off just as surely as the confiscations. The only thing neither could have touched would have been a trust vault, but as your father appears to have believed he had better use for House Malfoy money than funding such a vault, there is not even that from House Malfoy.”
“Father always said such vaults were for idiots who could not manage their affairs,” Draco said.
“And here we are,” Snape replied. “Obviously, the converse is also true: to protect the children of such idiots from their parents' fiscal irresponsibility.”
“So I have nothing?” Draco asked after a long pause. “He left nothing?”
“You tuition is paid in full through your seventh year. Additionally, your father paid into a fund that supplies your school robes, books and supplies. Many families are known to do that as to buy them years later when needed is more costly. Your Malfoy legacy is limited to that, which cannot be liquidated, and such possessions that you have here at school.”
“Which is nothing.”
“Were your entire financial future limited to House Malfoy, you would be correct. But I did say things could be worse and by that I meant that they would be if House Malfoy was all there was.”
“What else is there?”
“House Black.”
“What? But he annulled the marriage and made me a bastard!”
“Indeed. Remember, I did say he is cruel and capricious. I would also add ruthless. There are many Death Eaters who underestimated him during the war. They all died by his wand and his recent acquittal aside, he is a killer. I don’t know what he’s playing at, but you would be well advised to keep your head down.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Apparently, it has been the custom of House Black to set up trusts not just for the children and grandchildren of the Head of House, but also for the minor cousins in good standing. Such a trust was set up for you when you were born.”
“Not that it matters now, seeing as I’m a bastard apparently.”
“An acknowledged bastard.”
“What?”
“Had Lord Black merely annulled your parents' marriage, your fears are well founded. The Trust would have reverted to the House given your new status. But for whatever reason Lord Black saw fit to acknowledge you as a child of House Black, illegitimate though you may be. You have no claim whatsoever for Head of House. You have been quite completely severed from succession. But you have not lost the Black Minor’s Trust, which would also have been the case.”
“So, I’m not poor like a Weasley?” Draco said with a sneer.
“You are subject to a trust, one that remains under the control of the Head of the House of Black and can be withdrawn at any time for any reason. Without that trust, I dare say a Weasley is wealthier.”
“Wh-withdrawn?”
“I mentioned it earlier, Mr. Malfoy. House Black is only ever truly loyal to House Black. But that being said, threat of being disowned has not been effective in controlling a House member who wished to forge their own path in life. It might work for the heirs apparent. But for those who have no such expectancy in the ordinary course of things, it is a somewhat hollow threat as such individuals cannot be persuaded to behave at the cost of a lost inheritance seeing as whatever inheritance they might receive would not come from the primary estate. But, through the use of such a trust control can be achieved. While you have no rights to the primary Black estate - and it now seems doubtful whether you ever had such rights - your financial future remains entirely under Lord Black’s control through that Trust.”
“Entirely?”
“Until such time as he should decide to release it to you, if there is ever such a time and subject to the withdrawals you are allowed, yes. Unless, of course, you are willing to start from nowhere with nothing. Most do, but arguably not so much by choice than by circumstance. I did. But I should think it harder for someone born to privilege to turn his back on such things and doubt many not born would turn their backs either should such financial flexibility be placed at their feet.
“Without that trust, Mr. Malfoy, the Weasleys you so despise are far wealthier than you are and can reasonably hope to be any time soon. Without that trust, perhaps by the time you are a grandfather you might reach their level. But it’s not likely. They own land, Mr. Malfoy, far more than they actually use for themselves; more I dare say than your father had. They may not have the deep purse that your father squandered, but they are land rich by our standards. Without that trust, you have nothing and House Black can withdraw that trust at any time for any reason or no reason at all.”
“Until I’m seventeen,” Malfoy began.
“It’s not that kind of trust. Until you’re seventeen, you have very limited ability to withdraw. I believe you can withdraw up to five hundred a year - although it may be less than that - without restriction. If for some reason you think you require more, you must have permission from your guardian to take out so much as a knut above your annual limit. Once you turn seventeen, you will not gain control over the Trust, rather you no longer need your guardian’s permission to exceed your previous withdrawal limits. But you cannot under any circumstances make withdrawals in excess of the Trust’s annual income and, before you ask, I am not privy to that information. If Lord Black should be in one of his capricious moods or if you should offend him in some way, he can and no doubt would revoke the trust leaving you with nothing.”
“And who is my guardian?” Malfoy grumbled. “Before whom do I have to grovel for a pittance? You? This undeserving Blood Traitor Lord Black?”
“I would be careful with your attitude, Mr. Malfoy, lest word get back to such undeserving Lord Black who holds your future in his hands. It is neither of us. As your Head of House at school, I do not have a claim to such position. Were you truly an orphan, guardian such as this would fall to the Chief Warlock to retain or pass on as he pleases.”
“Dumbledore? That… that… He’s my guardian?”
“Are you truly an orphan, Mr. Malfoy. This is not a trick question best answered by understanding another legal fiction.”
“No?”
“No. A bastard by virtue of an annulment from a destitute House is not a true orphan. Despite his oversight in other areas of his House affairs, your father did make contingent arrangements for legal and custodial guardianship should you be left without parents. It was not uncommon at the time, given the war and the number of children winding up without living parents. It was a prime reason why so many of your generation find themselves betrothed from a very young age.”
“Parkinson?”
“Indeed. Your betrothal to Miss Parkinson carried provisions for both of you in the event of the untimely demise of your natural parents. While both your parents still are among the living, your specific situation is considered analogous to having lost your parents. Thus, as of the date of your mother’s annulment - which came after your father was sent to prison - you became the Ward of Mr. Parkinson.”
“He doesn’t like me!”
“And why should he? I am aware of how you treat his daughter, Mr. Malfoy. Before, all he could do was complain. But now he holds your finances almost as surely as Lord Black does. I would suggest you treat his daughter with more care and respect.”
“But she's…” Draco began.
“Yes?”
“Um… Well, it’s not like I have to marry her. I can have any girl I want.”
“Perhaps that was the case before, Mr. Malfoy, although I very much doubt that. The fact is I am quite aware of your amorous exploits which is to say that unless Miss Parkinson as seen to extend her favors to you as her betrothed, no other young lady has done so. But as I said, that was before. You are not what you were and as no better offer has been made before now, it is fair to say no better offer will be made. It is doubtful that any young lady or her family would find an orphaned bastard with a tied up trust particularly desirable. My understanding is your betrothal is binding on the Parkinsons. House Malfoy could terminated it in favor of a better offer but House Malfoy no longer can do so that seeing as you are no longer of that House. It would seem your fate in that regard is sealed. As I said, it would be wise to treat your future wife with more care and respect.
“That being said, your guardian as made it clear that he expects you to spend the Holiday in your new home.”
Draco paled at the thought.
“Madam Longbottom,” Sirius said, “thank you for having time to see me. Is Lord Longbottom available as well?”
“He is, Lord Black. He and his ladies are waiting for us in the South Salon. And having observed the formalities…”
“Of course, Augusta.”
Augusta Longbottom led Sirius to the South Salon on Longbottom Manor where indeed Neville and his ladies were waiting. Or at least they were sitting around. Fortunately, no one else was there.
“It’s been a while, Neville,” Sirius said as the young man stood and shook his hand.
Neville blushed. “Um… yeah. Sorry ‘bout that. I mean I guess we’re neighbors now.”
“Don’t be. We’ve both been rather busy, haven’t we?”
“I… I suppose we have.”
“And I do play golf with some of your extended family,” Sirius said. “You don’t pay, I take it?”
“Um… well, I am working at it with Mr. Perks and Mr. Davis. Figured I’d keep that quiet for now, or at least play with them. Maybe when I’m not such an embarrassment to golf clubs I’ll be up for a round with the rest of you.”
“Neville spends a fair amount of his free time on farm matters,” Augusta said proudly.
“As does Harry,” Sirius admitted. “Not knowing better, you’d think there’s nothing else going on. But this is not why I asked to visit. Neville? Have you told Augusta and your ladies about the Common Trunk?”
“N-no. Was I supposed to? I thought we were keeping that quiet.”
“Keeping secrets from us, are you love?” Sally-Anne said.
“Don’t be too harsh,” Sirius answered for Neville. “I honestly doubt he’s eager to tell you about your other Christmas presents either.”
“Then why are you telling us?” Tracy asked.
“Ah! Yes, well this one is more of a present for your families, although because it is it’s sort of one for you lot as well. Harry’s been silent about it as well and I’m also pretty certain Ron has seeing as neither Harry nor I have heard about it from anyone else even as a rumour.”
“Fidelius Charm?” Padma asked.
Sirius chuckled. “No. I suppose I could do one, or Harry, or Neville and maybe even Ron. But not every surprise needs such elaborate protections and this isn’t so sensitive that it needs such protections. I mean, I am here to tell you lot about it now.”
“The details, he means,” Neville said. “I’ve known about it, but left it to Sirius and Harry, the details that is.”
“Neville? What have you been doing?” Tracy asked in an almost accusing tone. There was an amused smile on her face but perhaps Neville did not catch that.
“It was Harry’s idea,” he said defensively.
“A good one, I should add,” Sirius nodded. “I regret that I didn’t think of it. Then again, while several have noted a trend, no one seems to have thought it through to the obvious conclusion.”
“You’re not making much sense,” Susan complained.
“Harry mentioned this idea to me,” Neville said. “Well, to me, Sirius and Ron. It wasn’t long after he knew that the Goblins would be paying quite a bit more than they originally offered for the Basilisk so Ron would be able to participate as well. It wouldn’t be right to leave Ron out, you see, or worse expect some kind of rents. It was also not long after Sirius bought his trunk, but well before he could move in, you know? Harry, Ron and I couldn’t do it easily. Emancipated or no, we can’t just pop off to Diagon Alley ‘cause we have an idea. I happen to agree with Harry we shouldn’t push it that way even if legally we could.
“Harry came up with this idea when it struck him - well, I don’t think it was quite like that as what struck him was pretty obvious by then - but it struck him that our families spend an awful lot of time here at the estates.”
“Of course we do,” Parvati said. “We live here.”
“I meant your parents, Parvati,” Neville continued. “And Susan’s Aunt, and Tracy’s family, and Sally-Anne’s and Astoria’s and let’s not forget all of Harry’s lot and the Weasleys and now the Bells. We live here, but they practically live here and while there are plenty of places for guests to stay, they’re more and more not like guests, are they? Shouldn’t they have something more than a couple of rooms in a guest house? Something more - um - personal?”
“Their own houses?” Sally-Anne asked. “Oh, I think that’s wonderful! But, why the big secret? I mean, we have plenty of land and all and surely we could just build the houses, right?”
“We could,” Sirius nodded. “But it would be like when Harry built the village for the elves. We would need the materials, real materials, and our ability to obtain lumber is severely restricted; at least if we are to cut our own as we don’t have relatively limitless forests. We’re even less able to supply other materials from our estates. In most cases, we’d have to purchase everything from Outside and bring it here and then build, which takes time and a fair amount of money.”
“But you are thinking about houses?”
Sirius nodded. “If, however, the houses are part of the base matrix for a new trunk, we avoid the costs of materials and the time involved in construction.”
“I don’t get that,” Sally-Anne said.
“Basically,” Neville replied before Sirius could answer, “when you get one of these trunks and set it up, you create its world. Not just the lay of the land and its general climate, but also its buildings. True, living things can’t be created that way. As I understand, it’s based on an extremely advanced kind of transfiguration, way beyond Mastery level, of course it’s rune based so it has permanence wand based transfiguration lacks. The point is, what is in the base matrix is permanent and as that is part of the initial set up, it comes at little additional cost and requires no raw materials from Outside. So, whatever buildings you find on a newly opened estate are as much a part of that world as the ground, hills, valleys, rivers and such unlike Outside where they are manmade additions. This Manor House is part of this trunk and not a later addition, so its existence is part of this ‘world’ and not a later addition. This world will always have this manor house. The manor house is part of the base construct of this trunk. Harry’s trunks have their guest houses, their livestock things and so on, all of which - or certainly most - were part of the base construct as well. A building that is part of the base construct does not need to exist at the start. It can be created later. Likewise, a building that’s part of the base construct can be moved just by telling the trunk to move it - assuming there isn’t a tree or other living thing where you plan to move it. You would need to deal with that. But you can’t create a new building that way. If you want a building that’s not part of the base construct, you would need to build it the same way as you build one Outside.”
“How do you know that?” Astoria asked.
“It’s in the Owner’s Manual,” Neville said. “Don’t ask me how it all works ‘cause the Manual doesn’t say. The wizard who made these things probably keeps that bit to himself.”
“And what does this mean?” Padma asked.
“It means,” Sirius answered, “that the only truly immutable characteristic of a trunk at the start is the maximum extend of its footprint - 40,000 acres - and the height of its ceiling which is between 300 and 1,500 meters above a set point depending upon whether you pay for the extension at the outset. Within those constraints, all that limits the world within is the owner's… imagination for lack of a better word. If you want your trunk to be a city and if that city fits within the space limitations, it can one day be a city. Actually, it can be one from the off, but the trunk cannot provide it with a population any more than it can provide it with trees or any other living thing. That sort of thing - life - must be brought in from outside.
“So, what we’ve done is between the owners - or in Ron Weasley’s case - soon to be owners, we have agreed to purchase and set up a common trunk as it’s called. It will have a town which one day could be quite sizable but for now will be but a village. There will be a few shops there staffed by Estate elves and should a human wish to open a shop, premises for such will become available. The seven Houses of the Estate will each have a place there as well, as will all of the extended family. Naturally, whether the village is their primary residence in both worlds, or merely their residence in the Estates will be up to each resident. For now, it will probably be in addition to Outside seeing as there really aren’t a lot of jobs here or nearly enough of us to make a job profitable for another.”
“Seven estates?” Parvati asked. “I count four. House Longbottom, House Potter, House Black and now Ron.”
“Harry’s parents are the fifth,” Sirius said. “James bought a trunk recently although it probably won’t be ready for a few weeks Outside time. Amelia tells me she will probably buy one as well as a seed for the future Bones estate and I’ve heard the same from House Abbott although in those two cases, they have not yet made the purchase.”
“You’re saying all our families could live here - or there?” Sally-Anne asked. “I mean, my parents are Muggles.”
“As are the Grangers,” Sirius said. “For that matter, so are my wife’s parents and she has asked me to make them an offer at some point. Of course, first I need to meet them.”
“You haven’t met them?” Tracy asked.
“Nope. Married in secret ‘cause of the war. They know Connie married and then had Anna and such, but never met me. Been meaning to do that since we got back together but things have been hectic… Outside that is. They’ll be visiting us over the holidays along with her brother and sister and their families. That lot, I’m told, is a magical bunch. But as for the question, why can’t a Muggle family live here? The ones that visit have no problems in that regard. The four girls under my House protection seem to be adjusting quite well, or so I’m told. The only restriction is whether we let them as this is our estate. Given the number of Muggle Borns in the families, I can’t see a reason against it. Well, an exception to this will probably be made for Harry’s Aunt and her family as they’re a disagreeable sort. But aside from that, we say who can and cannot live here.”
“But the Statute of Secrecy,” Sally-Anne began.
“There are older treaties and such that have not been invalidated by that agreement. A much older one does not prohibit wizards from allowing Muggles to live on or work their lands. As such, nothing prevents us from allowing Muggles to live and even work here aside from the fact that they would need to know about magic to begin with and would probably need some family connection to our world - such as a son, daughter, brother or sister or some such. That and we have to let them. But the point is we can let them if we want.”
“But surely the Ministry has some say,” Sally-Anne began.
“Why should it? The Ministry’s primary function is to enforce the Statute of Secrecy and other agreements and such. Whether and to what extent it does so is beside the point. It’s jurisdiction does not extend into the home, as it were, unless the people who live there do something to allow for that and even then it needs a warrant. The Estates fall squarely under the old Manor laws, which leave it to the landowner to police - as it were - the activities that occur entirely on his land. But that aside, they can’t truly say this is Britain, can they? There’s no consensus as to where we are now except that we’re not truly in Britain.”
“That matters?”
Sirius nodded. “More than you know. The Wizengamot was formed to deal with disputes at first and that has never changed. At first, it was those between wizarding clans and then later as a place that could deal with disputes within clans if a party felt they could not get justice within their clan. Later, it added dealing with the Muggle rulers. But always, the lowest level of governance and law has remained with the clans. The Treaty of Separation kept the Muggles out of our lands and such, but did not change what a clan could and could not do on its own lands and with its own members. There are laws out there that regulate such things to the extent that those things can be harmful to all if they are not regulated or if it is deemed behavior harmful to society as a whole like murder. But even then, that means that the Wizengamot can step in but only if the clan fails to. The fact that our society has practically delegated everything to the Wizengamot and the Ministry does not mean the old system has gone away at all. The Manor Court that dealt with my case could not have done so if the old laws and conventions no longer applied. And, while it was unlikely the Wizengamot would have done anything to change that before, I’d say it’s a fair bet they won’t now. Too much to lose, really. Oh sure. There may be some who are less than pleased that a Manor Court did what it did. But they all know to take that away, while it might be in their interest at the moment, deprives them that right as well and they’re not inclined to risk that at all. Then there’s the fact that this place does not exist in the world at all and that also means that the Outside world and this world are truly separate. They can’t impose their will on this world if they can’t enforce it and since they can’t come here at all without our leave, how can they enforce their will? We are subject to their law Outside. The Manor law allows us to submit our internal disputes to them, but does not require us to do so and they can’t impose their law on us here for things that happen only here without our leave without further showing that to fail to do so would be damaging to the entire magical community. After all, if they can interfere here, then they can interfere with what happens in any home in the realm so unless there’s a reason to cross that line that is more important than the reasons not to, the line won’t be crossed.”
“So what does that all mean? Are we outlaws or something?” Sally-Anne asked.
“Break any laws I should know about?” Sirius quipped.
“No. But if we can ignore laws we don’t like?”
“Can we? Can we really?” Susan asked. “Just because one of us here doesn’t like some law, doesn’t mean no one else here does either. The only laws we can conceivably ignore are those we all don’t like and which will have no effect outside if our disregard for them is only here at the Estates. So, in this instance, I’d say many of us take issue with the laws that treat Muggles and Muggleborns unfairly in Wizarding Britain. But you’re not expected to follow those laws in your house Outside. There are those who do not and no one sends the Aurors after them for that provided their disobedience does not clearly violate the Statute of Secrecy. The only real difference here is the size of our ‘house.’ Rather than several rooms and a garden, our house or houses is a lot larger. Besides, it’s not like we really have neighbors Outside who are in a position to peek over the fence and then complain, is it?”
“Well said,” Sirius agreed. “As for ‘outlaw,’ I take it you mean the Muggle definition?”
“There’s more than one?” Sally-Anne replied.
“Definitions change over time and outlaw is one word that has one meaning now, but a very different meaning long ago and it is that different meaning that has meaning under the old Manor Law and not the new one,” Sirius replied. “An outlaw is not someone who’s on the run. Today it is and I was until the Manor Court. But long ago it meant someone whom the law did not protect. If you were an outlaw back then, you’d be well advised to go on the run since anyone could do anything to you - even kill you - and never even be charged with a crime since the law did not protect you at all. In our world, an Outlaw was someone outside the law of the Manor Court or later the Wizengamot. Well, the term did not apply to Muggles, unless they had been subject to our law and were then cast out. It was for that reason that Muggle Borns were required to attend our schools since in doing so they submitted to our laws and gained its protections. Before Hogwarts, they were required to join a clan.”
“Why?”
“Their own safety, really. To a lesser extent for ours. Without school or before then without being taught how to control their magic, they would be a danger to themselves and to others. And without training they were also vulnerable to the Muggles around them who might try to use them or might see them as evil or something and do away with them. There are some who managed, but many who did not and the best thing for them was to bring them under the protection of our law and our people. As outlaws - and they were born that since we could not protect them if we didn’t know who or where they were - as outlaws, they were fair game for those who might wish them ill.”
“So, if I hadn’t come to Hogwarts, I’d be an outlaw?” Sally-Anne asked.
“Back then and by that definition,” Sirius nodded. “Not a criminal, mind you. Just someone outside of society’s protection. These days, if you hadn’t come to Hogwarts, you’d be at another magical school. If your parents refused… well, it seems the Muggles would’ve seen to it that they did not.”