Albus Dumbledore couldn't help but frown. The Wizengamot was disinclined to maintain the seal on the Potter wills the goblins had the audacity to demand be opened. He couldn't find the keys he knew he had somewhere to Harry's vaults. He figured he could earn some trust by handing them over. He'd heard rumors that the solicitor's office of Davies, Corner and Ogden had filed that they were the solicitor for the Potter estate but that couldn't be right because Albus had assigned that task to Dadelus Diggle and his old friend Elphais Doge's law firm. He was slowly being driven mad by Fudge's constant demands for advice. There were problems with the ICW and now he had to to leave for Geneva while there were all these bloody problems with Harry.
Harry being sorted into the wrong house. Harry not falling in with his plans. Harry being entirely too willing to commit violence. Harry making friends with the Slytherins.
Molly being annoyed with Albus and sending him a howler. Because her children almost missed the train, because she was looking for a child that apparently had no trouble on his own, and because it was clear he had chosen poorly in his choice of guardians for the poor boy or he wouldn't have been sorted into Slytherin. James and Lily surely were rolling in their graves because of his mistake. Molly had told him years ago and now it was poor little Harry reaping what Albus sowed. Muggles raising him indeed.
Filius and Minerva seemed of like mind with Molly because they refused all offers of lemon sherberts, biscuits and tea, and would only discuss school related topics. It was quite downheartening. Even Severus had taken the boy's placement poorly, all those detentions and grounding him to Slytherin house following the troll incident.
About the only good news he'd had since school started was that Fawkes liked Harry quite a bit, and that Harry had proven quite capable when faced with the troll. That he had not deserted his two Gryffindor friends also said good things.
Albus preferred not to think too hard about what the true significance of the Troll incident was. Albus' plans to challenge and test the boy weren't going well either. Harry showed absolutely no curiosity about the third floor Albus had had students, at least a few from every house, investigate the corridor but was Harry Potter among them no. He was proving an able student, but displayed no desire to investigate the mystery. Albus had high hopes the week that Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger discovered it, figuring they would tell Harry but aside from looking into the newspaper about the break-in he ignored the presence of the stone. His plans to have Hagrid drop a clue or two would come to nothing because Hagrid who before had seemingly adored Harry, steered clear of the boy since his sorting. Perhaps he should have a conversation with Hagrid where the boy or better his friends could overhear it. Perhaps he would add another layer of security to the stone, the main trick would be how to expose Harry to it beforehand, perhaps over the Christmas break.
But all of Albus' plans for the holiday came to nothing because he and Harry weren't there.
....
After a half dozen trips for Hedwig to Surrey and back Petunia and Harry came up with a plan for the holiday. Harry came back on the Hogwarts Express with all the other students. He stayed with Petunia overnight. The next day his Aunt escorted him to London for the will reading. After the will reading the plan was for Harry to go to the Potter apartment in London under the care of the elves, while Petunia would take the train to Marge's. He would go to the Corners for their solstice party and to the Longbottom's via the floo in the apartment. Libby would go with him to the Longbottom party to act as a guardian as well as a servant. When the Longbottom party ended Harry would return to the apartment in London until the fifth when he would return to school on the express.
Plan in place Harry took his end of autumn trimester tests and brought his homework with him on board the express. On the day between his arrival home and the will reading, Harry completed his holiday homework. Harry and Petunia also saw to a couple small issues, Harry's gifts for his hosts and hostesses.
His first dilemma was what to get for the people who invited him to their parties. He had only met Mr. Corner once and he had never met his wife so the question was what would they like. In the end Harry bought a nice pair of winter gloves for Mrs. Corner and on his uncle's advice and with his help a nice bottle of Courvoiser for Mr. Corner. Oddly enough it was his gift to Neville's Gran, the Dowager Countess of Longbottom, that was the easiest to decide, and the most time-consuming to complete. Harry painted a picture of Neville in one of the moments when Neville had accomplished a spell. Harry in his mind's eye caught Neville's glow of accomplishment and transferred it to canvas.
Harry's second dilemma was his wardrobe, if wizarding society was anything like Victorian Society at a high class house party he would be expected to change clothes at least three times a day, but Harry had no clue as to what was appropriate and even his etiquette book was no help. In his few months in the wizarding world he had made a few decisions about his wardrobe. One he hated the basic dresses that were wizarding robes. Although he didn't mind the long flowing lines and the bit of swish the long length provided, he did mind the having to hike the skirt to safely climb the stairs. Not to mention the fact the skirts weren't full enough for the kicks he liked for defense. He usually wore trousers and a shirt under his robes but that only went so far. As he thought about fashions from other countries and other eras and he had gotten a few ideas of things he could adapt that would make him blend in on the surface while still granting his own preferences. His first day home he used Dudley's computer to get some patterns for clothes he liked. He planned to use the days between the will reading and the house party to fix his wardrobe dilemma.
Finally the day of the will reading arrived. The will reading room was oddly empty of people. Barchok, Mr. Corner, Harry, Aunt Petunia, and a ministry clerk were the only people there. Petunia was monitoring the time, and Harry had his trunk and his owl with him.
Barchok grunted, "Let's get started." Then he broke the wax seal on the document.
....
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