Harry turned from the spectacle of fifteen men raising ladders and scaffolding against the front of the orphanage to stare at Podmore with a satisfied grin. He'd come out of his office, hair looking wilder than ever, to see what was going on on the normally quiet alley. Even those who normally hung back in the shadows had come out to see what was going on and why there were so many people around. Harry had been on his way to an early morning meeting Podmore had owled him about the night before when he'd come upon the scene of the work getting started, and decided that he had to stop and watch.

"Looks like repairs," Harry said. Podmore narrowed his eyes at Harry. "You're the cause of this racket? How am I supposed to get any work done?"

"Silencing charm?" Harry asked.

Podmore grumbled and then told Harry to come inside before he was late for their meeting.

Once they were inside, Podmore cast two silencing charms at the window and doors facing the alley, and then a third one at the other walls just to be sure, and turned to Harry.

"How much is that going to cost?" he asked, nodding towards the alley.

Harry shrugged.

"I'm trying to make a case for you being responsible enough to handle your own affairs and you're spending willy nilly."

"It's not willy nilly," Harry said. "Silver told me if I did something stupid with the accounts he'd tell me."

"He's a kappa kisser. He won't tell you anything you don't want to hear."

"A what?"

Podmore stared at him. "Nevermind."

Harry made a mental note to ask Justin what a kappa kisser was later, and sat in the chair in front of Podmore's desk.

"The initial hearing is in three days. Friday morning, nine am sharp."

"Where?" Harry asked.

"The Ministry. You're to be outside my office at eight. No delaying. You need to look respectable as well."

"I have slacks and a polo shirt. I don't have nice shoes because they don't sell them at Double Lane."

"Hire someone to get them for you," Podmore said. "You should be showered and clean as well, and make sure you smell good."

"I shower," Harry said defensively, but Podmore ignored him and kept speaking as if Harry hadn't said anything at all.

"Go to Madam Malkins and buy dress robes. Don't get anything flashy. In fact, wear your nice clothes when you go over there and they'll tell you what to get. Exchange some of your money at Gringotts for Muggle bills so you can buy lunch."

"What's going to happen at the hearing?"

"I was getting to that," Podmore said, sounding irritated. Harry wasn't sure if it was because a particularly loud noise from the construction across the alley had made it through the silencing charms, or if it was because he had a lot to get through and wanted Harry to just be quiet and listen.

"The initial hearing will involve at least two representatives from the Wizarding Welfare office, Albus Dumbledore and his Barrister, or team of Barristers if he has them, myself, yourself, and Silver. Likely the Minister will be present as well seeing as you are who you are and he's going to have a vested interest in where you end up."

"But Mr. Silver isn't involved in-"

"He might as well be," Podmore said. "Even if he's not involved in this particular case he'll be called upon in court to discuss the willy-nilly financial decisions you've been making with your family funds."

"Necessary, not willy-nilly," Harry snapped, causing Podmore to look up at him.

"I work for you, and whilst I don't appreciate being snapped at by any client, I'll ignore it," Podmore said, making a point to give Harry an unhappy look. Harry felt properly chastised for the look too, realizing that he'd been disrespectful. "I would suggest you learn to control yourself and not have any such outbursts in front of ministry officials, inside or outside of court. It will go against the case we're trying to make on your behalf. Now if you're ready to listen, I'd like to get on with this. I have paperwork I still need to go over for your case and it's going to take the better part of the next few days."

"I'm sorry," Harry said.

"You're not," Podmore said.

"I am," Harry insisted, but Podmore held up his hand.

"You are Harry Potter, a young man who is ready to act like an adult and take on his future. You are not sorry for your outburst. You are however ready to continue."

Harry wasn't sure what Podmore was trying to tell him, but then it snapped into place. He was teaching him how to speak like he wasn't thirteen.

"We can- continue," Harry said.

Podmore gave a nod, seeming satisfied. It occured to Harry then, that what he'd just said seemed very Draco-ish. Perhaps what Harry had always assumed was a pompous attitude (acting as though he was allowing others to carry on), was something Draco had been taught to do as a matter of decorum. Harry was still trying to wrap his mind around that when Podmore started speaking again.

"The Child Welfare Office will take your side from the start. They don't look kindly on any abuse, so that's in our favor. Their interest doesn't lie with politics. Their only concern is that you end up in a safe environment where all your needs will be met. They will not however, care much for what you want or where you want to go. They aren't known to take children's wants into account, only their needs. In the end they may decide to put you somewhere you don't want to end up."

"Huh," Harry said.

"Before we go into court, I need to know where those places may be aside from the Dursleys."

"The Malfoys," Harry said, Draco fresh on his mind. Not that they would ever take him in, but he had just released their house elf a few weeks ago and Lucius might want to exact revenge by making life miserable for Harry.

"Why? They're an affluent family. All your needs would be met."

"Except safety," Harry said. "Lucius Malfoy doesn't like me, especially not when I just foiled his plot to bring Voldemort back and I set his house elf free on purpose."

Podmore made Harry explain, and he frowned more and more as the story of Harry's second year went on.

"That is something that would have been important to know before going to court," he said irritably. "That shows bad decision making skills on your part." Harry wanted to ask how but Podmore was busy scribbling down notes. He asked Harry a few minutes later if there were any other school exploits he should know about and Harry was forced to tell him about the Philosopher's Stone in his first year.

"Where else should you not go?"

Harry scratched the back of his head. "Crabbe and Goyle's house. Pansy Parkinson's house."

"Slytherins?"

Harry nodded.

"Do you have something against Slytherins?"

"Why?"

"They'll ask you in court. Those are all affluent families that may come up."

"I don't have anything against Slytherins, just those ones. They constantly try to start arguments and fights with my friends and I. They're always trying to point out any little thing we do wrong to get us in trouble. Crabbe and Goyle have cornered me three or four times and roughed me up while Pansy and Draco watched and laughed."

Podmore made notes and went on to describe the initial hearing process. From what he'd said it would be short, and would be nothing more than deciding if there was a case or not. If the court decided there wasn't, then Harry would be sent back to the Dursleys immediately if that's what Dumbledore decided. Otherwise they would set a hearing date and Harry would be allowed to stay on Diagonalley, unless Dumbledore could give a valid reason why he shouldn't.

"I don't have to stay here," Harry said, "just so long as I don't go back to the Dursleys." Even as he said it though he thought he would rather stay in the Leaky Cauldron. Life was interesting and he was learning a lot, even if he was frequently confused. And for the first time in his life he felt like he'd made a really good decision in fixing up the orphanage. It was the first decision he'd really thought out and researched, and Silver seemed to approve of it, even if he hadn't said so. Harry had spent many endless nights envisioning how the lives of the kids at the orphanage would be improved with the increased funds and better living conditions.

"Harry. Harry." Harry's eyes snapped back to Podmore. Apparently he'd been staring out the window.

"Don't do that in court," he said. "If you let your attention wander our case for early majority will be over before it starts."

"I'm sorry-" he paused at the look Podmore gave him, and rephrased. "It won't happen again," he said.

"Better," Podmore mumbled.

It was noon before Podore released Harry. Harry wasn't sure if he was feeling nervous about the initial hearing or not, but his attention was quickly drawn away from his legal troubles and to the orphanage as Mrs. Ginger crossed the alley. She seemed to be waiting for him.

"Justin said he saw you go into the barrister's."

"Yes maam," Harry said. "I have court on Friday."

"I want to hear about it, but first I want to know if this is your doing." She motioned to the workers who were now up on the scaffolding repairing cracks in the walls and patching missing bricks. He couldn't tell from her expression and tone whether she was angry or not.

"Are you angry?" he asked.

Instead of answering, she pulled him into a suffocating hug before he knew what was happening. "Thank you Harry. Thank you, thank you."

"Er-"

She pulled away and Harry took a deep breath. "I don't know why or how but thank you."

"It should have been done a long time ago. I didn't even know I owned anything until a few weeks ago and I only found out last week I had the orphanage. I would have fixed it sooner if I'd known sooner."

"But where is the money coming from?"

"Don't worry about it," Harry said.

"People are saying you're raising the price of rent on both alleys."

"I'm not," Harry said. "Not for this and not right now."

"The foreman keeps asking me what I want." She had gone from looking uncertain and nervous to excited so suddenly that Harry wasn't sure what to make of her yet.

"I told them to fix anything that was wrong with the building and to do anything you wanted. I said you're in charge and to paint what colors you want and fix things up the way you want. You know what's best since you have to live here."

She looked overwhelmed and Harry could see tears at the corner of her eyes.

"I do have a suggestion though," Harry said, hoping to avoid another crushing hug. "They're supposed to be fixing the entire building... including the third floor. You should have a garden for food and I was thinking about putting it on the roof. It's up to you I mean, but there's enough money for them to do it if you want it. And I know the kids don't have a yard and was thinking about putting grass in the courtyard instead of the cobblestone that's there now. I don't know if they like it the way it is or not though."

"Grass," she said. "Everything is always so drab. It would be nice to have some green in our lives."

"Tell the foreman then. Maybe have them install window boxes under all the windows. Hey, you could grow food in all the window boxes!" Harry said brightly.

"That's a good idea." She did hug him again, but only briefly, and then she hurried off to find the foreman. Harry wanted to go with her, but wasn't sure if he'd be in the way of the workers or not. As it turned out, the foreman came and found him twenty minutes later as he was still outside watching the work progress.

"It's bad," the foreman told him. "The third floor is going to have to come off and be re-built entirely. Nothing up there is salvageable."

Harry didn't doubt it. "Do it," Harry said.

"It'll take at least two days to get the third floor torn down, and we can't have people living in the orphanage while we do it. As soon as it's off they can come back."

"I'm not sure where they can go," Harry said. The Leaky Cauldron didn't have enough rooms to hold everyone and that would cost a lot of money Harry didn't have access to at the moment to pay for the rooms in any case.

"You don't have to make a decision right away," the foreman said. "We have a few days of work outside and on the first two floors that we can take care of, and we don't work on weekends anyway."

"But by Monday?" Harry asked.

He nodded. "We'll be ready to start on the third floor Monday. We shouldn't delay longer than that because there's other things we can't take care of until the new third floor is at least framed in."

"Do you know what you're doing for the new third floor?" Harry asked.

"Ginger gave us detailed instructions. We're re-arranging a few walls on the first two floors as well. It's going to be like a new building."

"How is this gonna affect the budget?" Harry asked.

"We're on track," he said. "I'll let you know before any decisions are made that would increase the budget."

As the foreman walked away, Harry noticed that there were several more people on the alley then there were that morning. The usual suspects had retreated back into the shadows and doorways, but many shop owners from Diagon had come over during their lunch hour to see what was going on. Harry walked down towards Gringotts to where Bennet was standing and watching the construction work.

"You weren't kidding when you said it needed work," Bennet said.

"They're gonna have to rip the whole third floor down and build it from scratch. I gotta find a place to move the kids to overnight by Monday so they can start work. They're not gonna fit at the Leaky Cauldron and I can't afford that anyway."

"You can't afford it?"

"I spent the entire last month's earnings just on this," Harry said. "My accounts are empty."

"But you're one of the richest wizards in Britain."

"Who doesn't have access to all that money until he's 17," Harry said. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not, because if Harry had a choice he would have spent the entire family fortune to buy a piece of land and build a mansion for a new orphanage.

Fortescue hurried up to Harry and Bennet then and when he had Harry's attention said quickly, "Harry, what's this going to cost us? They're saying you're raising rent by almost twenty Galleons a month to cover it! I can't afford that!"

Before Harry could answer, the Apothecary from Diagon and several other shop owners came to him to hear the answer as well.

Harry wanted to ask them who had been spreading rumors, but he knew it didn't matter in the end. "I'm not raising rent for this. This is all paid for." He wanted to say he wasn't raising rent at all, but he didn't know if he should make promises he might have reason to break in the future.

"But you are raising rent?" the Apothecary asked.

"I didn't plan to, no," Harry said. "Look, I can't make promises that your rent will never increase, but I'm not planning to raise rent right now. I was told things were fine the way they were and that I should learn as much as I could before deciding anything about any businesses my family has part in."

There were murmurs of agreement and relief at Harry's statement, and Harry wondered then just what other kinds of rumors had been going around about him.

"Look, Peverell's was falling apart," Harry said. "There's people living there. Kids living there. The third floor is falling down and there's holes and cracks in practically every wall... it wasn't safe. If I would have known I had the power to change it sooner I would have. I didn't even know there was an orphanage down Knockturn until a few weeks ago let alone that I could do something to make things better. If we have the power to help someone, shouldn't we?"

"Just so long as you're not raising our rent to make your improvements," a shop owner Harry had never spoken to before said. Harry wanted to snap at the man about being selfish, but didn't, remembering Podmore's words about his temper. Court was in three days and he figured he'd gotten enough practice with Snape so far in the last two weeks that he might as well keep practicing until court was over and done with.

When the crowd began to disperse, Harry followed Bennet back towards Gringotts and Diagon Alley. "I need Friday off," Harry said. "I have court."

Bennet nodded. He seemed to be waiting for Harry to say something else, but Harry wasn't sure what was expected of him. Finally Bennet said, "When you have to skive off work for some reason, you're supposed to make up for it somehow."

"I can come in Thursday," Harry suggested, hoping this was the right answer.

"There you go."

"I may need a day off next week too. I'm not sure yet."

"For?"

Harry bit his lip, thinking about the kids at the orphanage and where they would go. "I've got to figure out where the kids at the orphanage are going to go Monday night." Come to think of it, he was going to have to talk to Mrs. Ginger to see if she was even ok with them moving out for two days and a night. "I've got to go back and talk to someone," Harry said. Bennet waved him away and Harry turned around to go back to the orphanage.

* * *

Friday morning found Harry heading down Knockturn Alley as the sun rose. He was an hour early for Podmore but he hadn't been able to sleep and figured an early start wouldn't hurt. He was dressed in his new clothes and his new dress robes, and Miss Ava had gone out with some money Harry had given her and bought him a new pair of dress shoes. He felt guilty even wearing them because they cost 30 pounds and he knew that the kids in the orphanage could all use new shoes instead of the used ones they all wore.

Harry had been up half the night going back and forth in his head between how court would play out and where the orphans were going to spend Monday night. Mrs. Ginger didn't have any ideas, and neither did Miss Ava. Harry had asked Podmore, who laughed and told Harry to get himself out of his own messes, and Mr. Silver had been reluctant to offer any advice at all with the upcoming initial court hearing. Basil and Bennett had also been unhelpful. Harry had even written to Hermione to ask for suggestions, but she hadn't written back, and he knew it was because she had gone on vacation and probably had not yet gotten the letter.

"You're early for once," Podmore said as he walked down Knockturn and to his office door.

"Silver said it was important to be early to meetings."

"Relax," Podmore said. "If I have to scrape you up off the cobblestone because of stress induced accidental magic, we'll be late to court. Did you bring Muggle money for lunch?"

Harry pulled twenty pounds out of his pocket.

"Go get more," Podmore said.

"But I never buy anything expensive for myself," Harry said.

"How often do I give you advice?" Podmore said as he unlocked his door.

"Not very?"

"Go to Gringotts and come back with at least a hundred pounds. You have time since you're early. Hurry now before you end up being late."

The uncertainty creeping in on him mixed with the anxiety he already had and made Harry feel like he wanted to throw up. He walked down the alley in the crisp morning air to do as he was told however, and was back in twenty minutes with another hundred pounds in his pocket.

"What am I gonna buy with all this?" Harry asked. He'd had to exchange two Galleons for the hundred pound note.

"Lunch," Podmore said.

"But I thought we were trying to prove I wasn't spending ‘willy-nilly'."

"This is politics," Podmore said. "We're going out for lunch in Muggle London. You are going to graciously offer to buy lunch for yourself, myself, Silver, and the Minister."

"Fudge?" Harry asked, surprised.

"Minister for Magic Fudge," Podmore corrected. "Once he overhears us talking about lunch, you can expect him to invite himself. If he has any sway at all in court, I would rather it be in your favor."

"That's-" Harry didn't know what to say. It was playing dirty and he didn't like it.

"Politics," Podmore said. "You're the Boy-Who-Lived. You're going to be dragged into political matters occasionally whether you like it or not. There's Harrison," Podmore said as Silver came down the alley towards them.

"Ready Podmore?" Silver asked.

"As well as can be expected given the surprising exploits Harry told me about only days ago. I would have liked to have had more time to prepare."

"Did you know we're going to lunch?" Harry asked Silver as they walked down the alley towards Double Lane Clothing.

"Yes."

"But it's going to cost a lot," Harry said.

"Some costs are considered fair play. Taking the Minister to lunch will be seen as a political move on your part and show that you are mature enough to understand the game and enter it."

"But I didn't know about-"

"It was your idea Harry," Podmore said.

"My idea," Harry repeated dutifully, wishing he didn't have to. Why did things have to be so complicated? All he wanted was a safe place to live, and a bed of his own, and three meals a day. If Dumbledore would only give him that, then he could spend his summer worrying about normal things, like whether or not his Nimbus 2000 would be fast enough to beat the new Firebolt he hoped none of the other students could afford. Life on Diagon Alley wasn't boring, but it wasn't what he wanted either. He wanted to lay in the grass under the shade of a tree, and read Quidditch Magazines, and take naps. Not take the Minster for Magic out for lunch, dodge Snape, and have to go to court.

They crossed through Double Lane Clothing and out into Muggle London. Podmore hailed a taxi, and they drove a few miles to the strange street entrance to the Ministry. "Are you sure?" Harry asked as he stood in the toilet, but before he could be reassured Podmore pulled the handle and Harry was flushed away, popping out of a fireplace a moment later in the Ministry. His shoes were surprisingly dry and his clothes free of soot or other undesirable possibilities given what he'd just been standing in. Podmore and Silver appeared a moment later and Harry glared at Podmore for flushing him down the toilet.

They rode a lift to level nine and then had to take the stairs down to level ten where the courtrooms were. There was a desk with a secretary at the entrance to level ten.

"Case?" the male secretary asked, not bothering to look up at them.

"Preliminary hearing with Wizarding Welfare, Potter versus Dumbledore."

"Courtroom ten," the secretary said, glancing up at Harry's scar. Harry wished he could curse the scar off. No one ever looked at him first, just his scar.

"It's this one," Silver said, pointing to a door a few feet down the gray corridor. He pushed open the door and Harry and Podmore followed him in.

"Ah Harry." Harry had barely had time to register that the room was small and only had a long stone table in the center, when Fudge's voice greeted him. "Two barristers. Smart, very smart. I've been interested for weeks to see how this will play out."

"Sir," Harry greeted in return. Harry didn't sit since Podmore and Silver hadn't, and Fudge was also still standing. A few moments later the door opened to admit a middle aged man and woman wearing official looking robes.

"Minister," the woman greeted. "Mr. Silver. Mr. Podmore. Mr. Potter."

"Maam," Harry said, not certain who she was. Podmore and Silver had both cautioned him in the taxi ride over to be quiet until spoken to and to keep his answers as simple as possible.

The door opened again less than a minute later, and Albus Dumbledore came in with Severus Snape, and a man Harry didn't recognize. He was wearing robes like Podmore and Silver's though, so Harry surmised he was Dumbledore's barrister.

One final person came into the room before the door closed and was warded shut. It was an aging woman wearing a dark green robe that looked as though it was made of finer material than everyone else's. She greeted the Minister and the three Baristers, and then sat down at the head of the stone table. Everyone else made a move to sit, so Harry did as well, sitting directly to Podmore's left. Silver was on Podmore's other side. Dumbledore's party was on the other side of the table directly across from Harry, and the man and woman Harry didn't know sat on either side of the woman in green. Harry was vaguely aware that Fudge was sitting on his side of the table somewhere, but wasn't sure if it meant he had already taken Harry's side.

"I am Justice Araminta Abbott, hearing the preliminary arguments in the case of Potter Versus Dumbledore. Barristers, present your parties."

"Barrister Theodore Podore for Harry Potter." Harry turned to look at Podmore, startled that he'd spoken, and Podmore gave him a look. Harry could almost see in his eyes the word, ‘relax'.

"Harrison Silver for Harry Potter." Silver said.

Across the table the other Barrister said, "Nathanial Coombs for Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore." Harry watched as the man introduced himself and found Dumbledore giving Harry a serene smile. Next to him however Snape was giving Harry a sneer, which set him on edge more than it normally would. Why was Snape even there?

"Wizarding Welfare Authority?" the Justice asked.

"Iris Cooke, Case Investigator," the woman on the Justice's left said.

"Dane Conner," the man on the Justice's right said, "Case Supervisor."

The Justice looked around the room. "Other parties?"

"Severus Snape," Snape said calmly, not looking in Harry's direction.

"Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge."

Harry wasn't sure if he was supposed to introduce himself or not, but no one was looking at him, and Dumbledore didn't say anything so he figured he was covered in that his Barrister's had already introduced them as his legal aid.

The Justice seemed to be looking over several documents while everyone else in the room remained silent. Finally, without looking up, she said, "Barrister Podmore, you are the lead in this case?"

"Yes Justice," he said.

"Present the need for this to go to full trial."

Podmore stood up and began to speak. Everyone's eyes were on him, except those of the Justice, who was marking things down on her parchment.

"Mr. Potter would like to be found a new home instead of being returned to the home of his abusive Muggle relatives. If his current guardian, Albus Dumbledore cannot find a suitable home for Mr. Potter or refuses to, then our intention is to seek early wizarding majority."

The Justice finally looked up, first at Harry and then at Podmore. "You realize he is only twelve?"

"Thirteen in five days," Podmore said.

"Four years too young for majority," the Justice said slowly, as if Podmore was somehow unaware of the fact.

"We are aware, and are prepared to make the case for majority if a suitable home cannot be found," Podmore said calmly.

"Barrister Coombs?" she asked, noting something on her parchment.

Podmore sat down and Coombs stood across the table. Dumbledore gave Harry another serene smile. Harry didn't have time to wonder what his motives were for smiling however because the other barrister was talking.

"Because of the nature of Mr. Potter's encounter with an unnamed dark wizard, his guardian felt it would be best if he were protected from any of said dark wizard's followers who may wish to do him harm. Mr. Potter was placed under the care of his Muggle relatives, and a blood ward was established around their home. The magic maintaining the blood ward relies on his residence with his biological aunt, Petunia Dursley. The ward keeps any magical danger from coming to Harry whilst he is in residence there, and makes his home unplottable to any who do not already know of its existence. Currently the only people aware of the home's location are Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Rubeus Hagrid."

"Does Headmaster Dumbledore intend on moving Mr. Potter's residence now that allegations of abuse have been made?"

"No Justice," Coombs said. "Headmaster Dumbledore maintains that the safety of the wards must be maintained or they will fall and Mr. Potter's life will be at stake."

"Barrister Podmore, I assume you have evidence of abuse that would warrant a full hearing?"

Podmore stood up and walked a folder down the table to the Justice. She opened it, shuffled through several photos, and then handed the folder to the man from Wizarding Welfare. Podmore returned to his seat and sat down.

The Justice sighed and looked between Podmore and Dumbledore.

"I wish to see this case resolved immediately. Headmaster Dumbledore and Barrister Podmore, is there no chance of resolving this in mediation before it goes to a full hearing? Mr. Potter has clearly received a beating as evidenced by the photos provided by Mr. Podmore, and was tossed out by his relatives as documented in the notes of the Accidental Magical Reversal Squad."

"I'm prepared to put several charms in place on Harry's home to prevent any future physical mistreatment," Dumbledore said.

"Barrister Podmore?" the Justice asked.

"Upon a full investigation by the Wizarding Welfare Authority it will be revealed that the abuse of Mr. Potter goes far beyond the physical. No charms can protect against mental and emotional abuse or neglect. Mr. Potter cannot be placed back into such an environment."

"Headmaster Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore held up a hand to indicate that he had nothing further to say. He looked unsettled, but not angry.

"Barrister Coombs?"

Coombs stood and said, "We intend to prove that Mr. Potter is incapable at this age of making good decisions, managing his finances, and meeting his own needs, which are all required for early wizarding majority. If barristers Podmore and Silver intend on making a case for his removal from the custody of Headmaster Dumbledore, we intend to prove this will not be in Mr. Potter's best interests considering his political status."

"I see no other option than to declare a full hearing, presided over by myself. Case Investigator Cooke, how long will a full investigation take?"

"One week."

"The hearing is set nine days from today at nine am. This will not be a drawn out trial gentlemen," she warned the three barristers. "I want this case resolved immediately and Mr. Potter placed in a suitable home, whether that be back with his relatives or elsewhere. You will come prepared. I will not be granting trial extensions."

"Yes Justice," the three barristers said in unison.

The Justice stood, gathered her papers, and said, "Dismissed."

Snape leaned in to hear what Coombs was whispering about with Dumbledore, and Harry was nudged by Podmore to indicate that he should stand up and follow them out. Harry thought they'd been in the courtroom for less than half an hour. Even though Podmore had told him it would be short, he'd expected to be there much longer.

"Lunch Harrison?" Podmore asked loudly. Harry's eyes flickered to the Minster, who was clearly listening.

"Yes," Silver answered. "Harry?"

Harry looked up at Silver, and nodded. He noted that Snape and Dumbledore were also watching the exchange as they followed them out of the courtroom and into the oppressive gray corridor.

"Lunch gentlemen?" Fudge inquired, and Harry was surprised by how the two barristers had called the events that would play out.

When neither Silver nor Podmore answered, Harry said what they had practiced in the cab ride earlier, "We would enjoy your company Minister."

Harry heard Snape snort somewhere far behind them in the corridor, and a thought struck him. He wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, or if it would anger his barristers, but he turned and said directly to Dumbledore, "Perhaps you would also care to join us for lunch sir?"

Podmore and Silver both stopped, and Harry wondered what their expressions were, but didn't turn to judge what they thought of his suggestion.

"I would enjoy that dear boy," Dumbledore said, smiling warmly and leaving Snape and Coombs behind him.

"Wonderful suggestion Harry," Fudge said. It wasn't until they were on the lift that Harry caught the calculating look Podmore was giving him and the sly smile Silver wore as he stared at the lift door.

Podmore led them down the Muggle street to an expensive looking restaurant a block away, and they were seated at a large table outside on a patio that was set back from the sidewalk. Harry only hoped the hundred and twenty pounds he had in his pocket was enough to pay for all five of the meals.

A waiter took their order and Harry tried to calculate the cost of all the dishes as each man ordered. When the waiter left, Fudge began to babble about the excitement of a case involving early majority for the Harry Potter.

"What do you think Harry?" Fudge asked. "Where do you think this will end up when all is said and done? Where do you expect to be placed?"

Podmore and Silver seemed to be waiting for Harry's answer. They were sitting on either side of him, and Harry could feel the tension radiating off of them.

"My best hope would be to remain in the custody of the Headmaster, but be placed in a different home Minister."

"Is that so?" Fudge seemed surprised, but Harry was busy watching Dumbledore's reaction, though it was well masked. "Why is that?" Fudge asked a moment later.

Harry turned to look at him. "There's no one I respect or trust more Minister. I don't want a new guardian, just a new home." Harry didn't look back at the Headmaster, but was aware that Silver was staring straight at the man. Instead Harry took a drink of water and listened to Podmore, Silver, and the Minister discuss the Justice and other cases she had presided over, including a ruling on flight law and broom manufacturing.

Their lunch was served, and Harry was asked a few more questions by the Minister, such as what he wanted to do when he came of majority at seventeen. Harry said he wanted to play Quidditch Professionally, which caused the Minister to chuckle. When the meal was over, Harry asked for the check, as he'd been coached to do in the taxi that morning, and was pleased to find out lunch costed one hundred and ten pounds. Harry signed over the last ten pounds as a tip and they stood to leave.

"Thank you for inviting us to lunch Harry," the Minister said. "It was an enjoyable affair."

"Thank you for coming," Harry replied. He looked at Dumbledore, who gave him a smile, though Harry noted it was off. It was no longer serene, and somehow seemed uncomfortable, like it wasn't a true smile. "And thank you Headmaster," he said quietly, unsettled by the man's lack of a true smile.

"I was touched to be invited," he said.

They parted ways, Dumbledore walking away with Fudge towards the Ministry, and Podmore hailing another taxi to take the three of them back to Double Lane Clothing. They were quiet on the ride back, and it wasn't until they were back on Knockturn and into Podmore's office that any of them uttered a sound. Silver began laughing as soon as the door to the office was closed, and Podmore slumped down in his chair.

"Reckless Potters, the lot of you," Podmore said.

"Reckless... it was brilliant," Silver countered. "The look on Albus' face when Harry said he respected and trusted him more than anyone." He laughed again.

"What did he look like?" Harry asked curiously.

"I thought the man was going to cry," Silver said.

"You should have stuck to the plan," Podmore grumbled, irritated. "The Minister was accounted for, not the Headmaster." Harry thought he heard the man mumble, "willy nilly," but couldn't be sure. "What did you intend to accomplish?"

Before Harry could answer, Silver sat down in one of the two client chairs and said, "It doesn't matter what he meant to accomplish. He showed respect and restraint when he invited his adversary, and proclaimed his respect for the man to the Minister of Magic. This will get back around to the Justice straight from the Minister's mouth."

"I didn't do it for that," Harry said.

"No, you were making a play at Dumbledore's heart strings," Podmore said. "It was reckless. He's already made his decision. You haven't been able to sway him before and you won't be able to now. With the questions the Minister was asking at lunch, you could have let slip an important detail that we don't want revealed until the hearing."

"You're both wrong," Harry said. He hadn't been trying to prove he was respectful and he hadn't been trying to play Dumbledore (at least not initially, it had only occurred to him after they were seated at the restaurant).

"What then?" Silver asked.

"You won't like it."

"It's too late for that," Podmore said.

"Snape snorted at me in the hall outside the courtroom."

Both men stared at Harry. "Severus Snape?" Silver asked.

"When I invited the Minister. He snorted like I was being all high and mighty and playing dirty. That's just what he was thinking too. So I invited the Headmaster to piss him off. The Headmaster and Minister were invited, but he wasn't." Harry felt smug to finally admit his real reasons. There was no victory in it if he was the only one who knew. Ron would have thought it was brilliant. Harry had, at the very least, enjoyed the shocked look Snape had given him as he walked away with the Headmaster and Minister in tow.

"You almost ruined the plan, and put the hearing in jeopardy because your Professor snorted at you?" Podmore looked faint but Silver began laughing again.

"Go-" Podmore said faintly, and gave a shooing motion with his hands towards Harry, looking like he might be sick and didn't want Harry around to witness the event, or make it a certainty.

Harry got up and moved for the door. Before it closed behind him though he heard Silver say with mirth, "He's only a boy Theo. He did better than expected, and that snort worked out in our favor in any case." The door closed and Harry huffed in irritation. They wanted to pretend he was old enough to have majority but shoo him away like a child? He couldn't be irritated with them for long however because Dumbledore's smile kept coming to mind. He'd looked disheartened is what Harry had decided. Before long thoughts of the orphans and the third floor chased even the thoughts of Dumbledore away however, and Harry went back to his room to be stressed out over the upcoming event in private.