Capítulo 11: The Dispute with Dumbledore
"But your enchantments won't protect me from the hostile forces inside that house," Harry shot back. "Feel free to use Legilimency on those worthless Muggles, sir, and you'll see exactly what happened there. Had my magic not reacted instinctively, I would have died or maybe suffered brain damage."
"From what I can infer from speaking to you now, you were the one to leave me there. I've heard enough from my relatives to know that you left me on their doorstep in the middle of the night with nothing more than a letter. Didn't you know how much Petunia hated my mother? I should never have gone anywhere near that filthy Muggle! It was your fault we are in this position, Professor, so don't try to manipulate me by mentioning my mother. It won't work."
Dumbledore paused. "Do you harbour a hatred for Muggles, Harry?"
Harry's expression suddenly turned colder. "I have homework to finish. Permission to leave, sir?"
Dumbledore sighed as he dismissed the boy. He watched Harry get up and walk out of the office, but just as he about to close the door, he turned back and said, "Sir, I would appreciate it if you returned my Invisibility Cloak. I'm not sure what my father was thinking, giving it to someone outside the family, but I expect it to be delivered to me by tomorrow evening."
After the door closed, the aged man turned to his phoenix and said sorrowfully, "I think I have made a grave mistake, my friend. I should have been more careful. I should have ensured that the Dursleys didn't go overboard in their hatred of magic."
The phoenix trilled softly.
....
Lord Cyrus Greengrass walked into his study in a daze. He couldn't believe it. He sat down and meticulously went over the contract again. He had just come back from a meeting with his solicitors. Why hadn't he known about this? If he had, he would have done something to ensure that his daughter wasn't trapped in a loveless marriage. Now it was too late. There was a time limit mentioned in the contract. Since so many years had passed without another Potter being born, the contract had activated.
He didn't have a choice. The contract was very specific. Should there ever be a situation where either family was reduced to one member alone, the betrothal clause would come into effect. Logically, since his daughter had not signed it, it wouldn't bind her to it. But unfortunately, the contract had been signed in blood, and because there was no escape clause expressly mentioned, the will of magic would determine if the contract was voided or not. If that were to happen, with magic having found his daughter and Harry Potter having violated the terms of the contract, it would be disastrous. The situation was still too unpredictable to comprehend. His solicitors had advised him to accept the terms of the contract without fighting it.
But how could he do that? This was his baby girl, his daughter!
"Any luck?"
Cyrus shook his head as his wife Elizabeth sat in the armchair by the fireplace. "It's iron-clad," he explained. "They have to get married before they turn twenty-one."
"Who's the boy's guardian?"
Cyrus scowled. "Albus Dumbledore. There is no way am I talking to that man about something as delicate as this. I -"
He was interrupted when he sensed an owl enter the wards and head directly for the study. A beautiful snowy white owl entered through the window and dropped a letter on Cyrus's table and took off.
"What a stunning bird," murmured Elizabeth. "Who is it from?"
"The object of our conversation," exclaimed Cyrus in shock. "Harry Potter!"
"Really? What does it say?"
Cyrus opened the letter and read it out loud. Harry basically said that he wanted to meet them during the Yule holidays to discuss the contract. He also wondered if Daphne knew about it because while they were acquaintances, he didn't want her to be in the dark for long. He also requested them to not contact Albus Dumbledore about the betrothal, since the boy wasn't comfortable with the headmaster knowing about it.
"Well, it looks like we have a new guest for our Yule Ball this year," said Elizabeth. "We can invite him here the day after the holidays start. And he's right; we better inform Daphne soon."
"I'll first send a reply to the boy," grimaced Cyrus. "I don't even want to think of the political ramifications of this betrothal. Daphne is going to be pissed, and she has every right to be!"
"Give her some credit, dear, she'll understand," Elizabeth said softly.
"I sure hope so," muttered Cyrus.
.....
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