After settling his betrothed down as to how much he was actually worth, Harry finally got them started on going through the finances. Of course, one of the first documents they read was Ted's analysis of his shares in the muggle stock market. He gave that to Hermione to have a good look-over before he'd be telling Ted to go ahead with his recommended changes.
After she determined she could not tell if Ted was wrong on any of them, Harry gave them a quick glance through, shrugged his shoulders and signed off on the recommendations. That sign-off was set aside to be sent back with the rest of what they managed to get through that day later in the afternoon.
There was a short break while Harry answered a mirror-call from Sirius. He was in Ted's office.
After a quick explanation from Ted, Harry was quick with instructions. "Have the goblins, as soon as possible, move in and secure the property. If it's mine I want it secured from any further damage and or vandalism.
"Then, as soon as the goblins move in to secure the property, I want Madam Bones informed it's been done. I don't want her to be caught flat-footed when someone alerts her to how the cottage has been secured. Then we'll sit back until someone visiting the place reports it to the Ministry.
"While Madam Bones might not have had anything to do with the Ministry effectively stealing the property from me, she is still now the Acting Madam Minister; and, as such, responsible for the actions of the Ministry."
"It'll be done," Ted immediately replied. And grinned.
After recovering the documents on the rental properties they'd gone through a few days earlier, Harry and Hermione then compared them with the income the properties were generating. Each property was making a steady profit, but Harry could see a couple of warning signals within the documentation that Ted must've missed, due to the two piles being dealt with separately. He recommended changes there and set that aside.
The two teens were discussing what else to do about it when Dobby turned up and handed Harry the note from Neville.
"From Mister Neville, Sir, Master Harry," said Dobby.
Harry immediately said, "On the table, please, Dobby. And, thank you."
Dobby popped the letter onto the table and popped away.
Casting his detection charms on the letter and finding nothing, Harry picked it up and unfolded it.
~ # ~
Harry and Hermione,
Mum and Dad have to do quite a bit of work with the Ministry and Gringotts to get started on getting their lives sorted out and I don't want to be at home alone with Gran.
Does Hermione mind if I pay a visit? I don't think I've ever been in a muggle home before and I think it'd be interesting.
Do you like how I asked via 'house elf express delivery'? I think it'll really shock my parents that I thought of calling Dobby, when I do.
I'm currently in Madam Bones's office in the DMLE awaiting your reply.
Neville
~ # ~
Knowing it was more her permission than his, Harry handed it straight off to Hermione without a word.
After she read it, she said, "That'd be great!" And grinned.
Harry grinned back and said, "I think it'd be best if you replied. That way he'll know, as it's your home, he actually does have permission."
Still grinning, Hermione gave a short nod, pulled over a small blank sheet of parchment and quickly began to write a reply. Stopping after the first line, she asked, "How will he get here?"
"Portkey," he immediately replied.
He then suddenly had a thought.
Excitedly, he said, "No, not a portkey! I've got a better idea. Write this..."
As he dictated to her what to write, Hermione wrote it down. When she'd finished, she looked at what was written and stared in shock.
"Harry, you know what this means?" she asked.
"Of course, I do. If it works, it'll show a huge security hole in everyone's wards, especially at the Ministry," he grinned. "But, this will be an excellent way to prove it to Madam Bones."
"She's going to hate you even more," she giggled. "She's going to half panic."
"Meh!" he said with a shrug. "It's not as if I caused the problem. I'm just pointing it out. And who else should I point it out to, if not her? Besides, if I just told her of it, I doubt she'd believe me. This way, she'll see it happening."
He hesitated a moment before he said, "Add a postscript, if you wouldn't mind."
"Yes?" she asked, readying her quill.
"P.S. Harry says, please tell Madam Bones I'm sorry for her to see this happen before I warned her. But, I don't think she'd believe me if she didn't see it with her own eyes," he dictated. "I think that should do."
Once the note was written and breath-dried, Hermione called Dobby and told him what was going on.
He was all for it and popped away with the note a few moments later.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Seeing Dumbledore walk into the shop, one of Malkin's shop assistants immediately summoned her over and quietly said, "I do not wish to deal with the old fool and, if you force me to―"
"No," Malkin just as quietly sighed, "He's my responsibility."
Madam Malkin's was a store Dumbledore would not usually be caught anywhere near, other than to pass it by. However, needs must.
When the dumpy little woman approached him, she politely greeted him, "Good morning, Professor Dumbledore. Here for your three sets of Professor robes, are you?"
That question, of course, alerted him to the fact Marchbanks had also already contacted the woman. He just didn't realise that was exactly why she asked it.
With an initial frown at her that was immediately masked again, he politely replied, "Yes, actually. However, I'm looking for something a lot more colourful than just the plain black. After all, I have an image to maintain. I'm sure you understand." And gave a light self-deprecating chuckle.
However, she had already been made aware he would try this.
"Certainly," she immediately replied. "I'm sure we can dress it up with some nice colour piping, or maybe something understated at the cuffs or hems."
After hearing the first word, Dumbledore thought he was in the clear. The follow-up, however, shut him down again.
He never saw the amusement on the face of the shop assistant, who had moved to stand out of his peripheral vision and look to Malkin.
"Errr... yes," he quietly said.
The next forty minutes in the store were almost painful for the man who hadn't worn anything darker than a muted pastel in almost thirty five years.
Eventually, he left with the best he could hope for. He'd pushed and pushed for brighter colours and larger areas but was neatly shut down every time.
"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore," she would say. "That exceeds the limit of coloured material you are permitted to have in the specifications I've been given. I'm afraid we're just going to have to reduce that.
"No, Professor Dumbledore; I'm afraid the piping and external material panels, together, exceed the limits as stated in the specifications. I'm afraid you're going to need to choose between the piping and panels. Perhaps if we use some silk to highlight, instead? Black, of course.
"I'm sorry, Professor Dumbledore, but I simply cannot exceed the limitations as laid down by Headmistress Lady Marchbanks. She is using fitting you for Professor's robes as a test to see if I am willing to rigidly meet the specifications. If I exceed them, then she will inform the rest of the staff that Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions is not an approved retailer. I simply cannot afford to lose the business.
"I believe all clothing retailers the length of wizarding Britain have been given the same specifications and instructions."
Frustrated at every turn he fully intended to just dump the lot into the nearest bin until Malkin said, "I will, of course, be sending the specifications of the robes you purchased, together with a copy of the receipt, to Headmistress Lady Marchbanks... Why? So she knows I met the requirements to outfit you for your Professor's robes, of course!"
Actually, that last was not an instruction Marchbanks had given her. However, she really didn't want the man to have to return when he returned to Hogwarts without them. She decided she'd immediately floo the woman with what she'd said so her bum was protected from any backlash later.
Besides, she was enjoying tweaking the man over it; especially after what he did to Lord Potter. It was just her sense of satisfaction and 'revenge by proxy' by blocking him at every turn that drove her on.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Neville was getting a little antsy Harry and Hermione weren't going to get Dobby to give him a reply before his parents wanted to go. However, before that happened, the little elf returned.
"Mister Neville, Sir," said Dobby, handing him the note.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Neville accepted the note and read it. As he did so, he grinned and then laughed.
"I take it you can go?" asked his father.
"Yes," he chuckled.
"In that case, I'll organise a portkey for you," said Madam Bones.
Neville snorted in amusement and said, "I trust Harry."
"Oh?" she warily asked.
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