Harry Potter and the Antiquity Link

Chapter 8

Bank of the Phoenix

"Amazing... just amazing..." breathed Gleason, gazing into the vault in the wall of Grimmauld Place.

"Feel free to take a closer look, open one of them up," offered Bill. "I did, and I could still barely believe it."

Gleason did, and looked no less impressed after he had done so. He looked at Harry curiously. "And you really had no plans for, or designs on, this money?"

"I already had seventy-five to a hundred thousand, according to the goblins, anyway," pointed out Harry. "That's more than enough for a lifetime, even if I never worked. There was just no way I was ever going to use it. I could've just let it sit there in the wall, but this seemed like a good use for it."

"Most people would build a mansion, acquire artwork, and so forth," said Gleason.

"I guess I just associate that kind of thing with families like the Malfoys," said Harry. This part of the conversation was off the record, so Harry felt free to say what he pleased.

"Not everyone who uses money in such a way is, shall we say, morally questionable," opined Gleason.

"I'd use the word 'evil' myself, but whatever you say," said Harry lightly.

"So, David," said Bill, "how do you think the goblins will react?"

Gleason's expression suggested the words, 'who knows?' "I would say that almost nobody can predict the goblins' actions at this point, as our friend Mr. Kassant discovered. If one were gambling, one would likely not go wrong by predicting the strongest possible reaction. I don't think they'll kill, but further kidnap attempts are far from out of the question. I'd strongly suggest, Bill, that you take your security very seriously, and behave as if constantly under threat."

Bill nodded. "My wife's already made sure of that," he said wryly. "But I understand very well that they aren't going to be happy with me, or the others working with me. My whole family, in fact, really has to be careful, and they know that. But I really don't think they'll do that, because if they do, it's all-out war; Kingsley said as much today. Not for print," he reminded Gleason in an aside.

"I believe that is not a secret, but I understand," said Gleason. "From the Minister's mouth is another thing entirely."

"What would happen if there was an all-out war?" wondered Harry. "Would it be, like, a battle, like at Hogwarts?"

Bill shook his head. "They're not fighters, at least not like that. Person to person, they can fight, but on a large scale, humans with wands will beat them, which is why they've suffered so much over the centuries. They'd fight by stealth, hiring mercenaries, doing strategic damage, using heavily guarded Gringotts as their base of operations. Our response would be to basically besiege Gringotts. A magical field would be put up around Gringotts that would disallow anyone entering or leaving, by Apparition, Portkey, or whatever. That would take at least a month, maybe more. Gringotts would then be stormed by Aurors, of course being careful to avoid booby traps, and the like. There's not that much doubt about how it would come out; the main question would be how much damage the goblins could inflict during that time."

"Why would it take a month to do the spells?" asked Harry.

"It would be very complex, and have to cover a wide area," explained Bill. "It would not be dissimilar to the magic that protects Hogwarts, except it would be for offensive rather than defensive purposes. There's a whole branch of magic, which isn't taught at Hogwarts because it's highly specialized, that deals with situations like this. But it's well known, and predictable, how this would turn out. It's like a chess position in that it can be, and has been, exhaustively analyzed."

"Harry," said Gleason, "getting back to the bank for a minute, if I could ask you a few questions for the record..." Harry nodded his assent. "What gave you the idea for this bank?"

Harry paused to remember. "Ron asked why there wasn't a wizards' bank, and it just popped into my head. I realized there was someone at the table who could actually do it, and I just thought, why not?

"Was this prompted by the goblins' recent change in attitude?"

Harry found he had to think about it. "I suppose so. I mean, I probably wouldn't have suggested it if that hadn't happened. There would have been no reason. But it all fit perfectly. Here was Bill, out of a job for no good reason, three million Galleons sitting in my home doing nothing, and a society with no banking alternative but one that was getting very aggressive. Let's put it this way, it probably wouldn't have happened if Bill hadn't had to quit."

"What are your expectations for the bank?"

Surprised by the question, Harry's mind was a blank for a few seconds. "I want it to do good," he replied. "I want the wizarding world to be a better place with it than without it."

"Not to earn a profit?"

Harry shrugged. "Bill tells me it has to, so I don't object to that." He saw Bill stifle a laugh. "But I'm not a businessman, I'm just not interested in that. That's not why I started this."

"Forgive me, but your stated reason sounds rather idealistic."

Harry was surprised at the tone of the question. "Is that a bad thing?"

Now Gleason seemed caught off guard. "It's... highly unusual, in business."

"Well, Ron likes to say I'm a highly unusual person," joked Harry. "Except he doesn't always mean it as a compliment. But... I don't know what else to say. I just answered your question as best I could."

"I understand, Harry. One last thing: what do you see as your role in this bank?"

"To provide the money, and stand out of the way. Well, that's kind of a joke, and kind of true. For the business, out of the way. About what kind of things the bank does, I'll tell Bill that I'd hope to see this or that, but then it's up to him. He's the one who knows what he's doing."

"Thank you, Harry." Gleason put away his notebook. To Bill, he added, "You're only starting with two staff? Especially with the situation as it is now, demand for your services may be higher than you can accommodate."

"I may need to revise my projections," Bill agreed. "I'm going to talk to Dad, see if I can steal Hermione from him for a while. Apparently she's a whiz at organization, and that's useful. But I'm not going to do more than I can handle."

Gleason nodded. "Oh, you said you would have a mission statement for me?"

"Yes, but first... Harry, had you thought of a name for the bank?"

Harry blinked in surprise. "No, sorry. I know you mentioned that, but I completely forgot. Did you think of one?"

"I did. If you think it's okay, I think a good name would be 'Bank of the Phoenix.'"

Harry found himself smiling. "I like that."

"I thought you might," said Bill, taking out a folded piece of parchment and handing it to Gleason, who started reading. "I like the fact that it subtly reminds people that those who started the bank were in the Order, trying to put society right."

Gleason's eyebrows rose high. "Are you serious, Bill?"

"What?" asked Harry. Gleason wordlessly handed him the statement. He silently read: "The Bank of the Phoenix is a bank by wizards, for wizards. Our purpose is to provide deposit, lending, and other business services to the members of the wizarding community, and in so doing, bring the community together. Our objectives are to help wizards improve their lives, provide efficient service at reasonable cost, and earn a profit. We strongly feel that these objectives are totally compatible, and that one should never be elevated above the other two. So that we never forget whom we serve, we pledge to, in perpetuity, distribute fairly half of any profit earned by the Bank to those with whom we do business, in the form of higher returns for depositors, lower loan repayment, or other widely distributed benefit to be announced by the Bank at the end of the fiscal year."

"What do you think?" asked Bill.

"It's very good," said Harry. "But I'm not crazy about the first sentence. It sounds too much like a slap at the goblins."

"I thought you might say that," said Bill. "But this is thinking about the future, forty or fifty years from now. It still makes sense, and it won't be viewed the same way at that time. And it makes the point that we have the interests of the wizard community at heart." Harry nodded reluctantly, still not very happy, but not wanting to make a further issue of it.

"Harry," said Gleason, "what did you think about the last part? About distributing half the profit?"

"Oh, yeah, that was a good idea," said Harry, suddenly enthusiastic. "I'm impressed that you thought of it," he added, to Bill. "After all that about how we needed to make a profit."

"Well, we do," said Bill, with a small smile. "I just didn't say what we'd do with it." To Gleason, he said, "Yes, I am serious, and not just because I knew Harry would be keen on it. I think it makes business sense. You might say this will discourage capital investors..." Gleason nodded. "But we have capital, so that's not so important. Even so, I think capital will come anyway. But I think it's good for business because people will see what the point of the bank is, that it's about helping them as much as it is about profit. That will encourage more business, give people confidence that we're not just out to make as much money for ourselves as possible--which, ironically, will lead to bigger profit, justifying capital investment. But I want it to be a bank that people can feel good about." With a wicked grin at Harry, he added, "And I want it to be a bank that Harry can feel good about, which is an even bigger challenge."

"Very funny," Harry retorted, trying not to smile.

Gleason turned to Harry. "Are you concerned, Harry, that the profit-sharing scheme could hinder capital investment?"

Harry looked at Gleason blankly. "I'm sorry, but I didn't understand a word you just said."

"I'm sorry. I'm talking about the idea that sharing the profits, as Bill just talked about, might discourage people from investing money in the business." Harry was silent; Gleason kept trying. "Because some of the profit they would have made will go to customers instead."

Embarrassed because he felt as though he was expected to understand but still didn't, Harry shook his head. "I think Harry doesn't know about the concept of capital investment," said Bill. "I'll explain it to him in more detail later, but I'm pretty sure that if he understood your question, he'd say it didn't bother him, and that he trusts me to do what I think is best."

"Well, I can say that without understanding the question," said Harry.

Gleason grinned. "I suppose your lack of knowledge can be excused, given your age, and that you spent the last year trying to find a way to get rid of..." He paused, and uncomfortably finished, "Voldemort."

Harry smiled, appreciating the effort. "Thank you."

Gleason gave him a mild shrug. "Your attitude about this is understandable, considering that you actually fought him, something that most of us would have trembled at the mere prospect of. Well, Bill, Harry, I must be getting back to work on this. It'll be close, but I think the Prophet will hold the presses, as they say, for this story. Thank you both for your cooperation, and Harry, for allowing me here." With a nod, Gleason left through the fireplace.

Bill gave Harry a humorously superior look. "So, would you like me to explain about capital investment?"

"Maybe some other time," said Harry. "But I was wondering, instead of giving back profit, why not just charge lower prices, and make less profit?"

"Well, it's partly symbolic," Bill explained, "and partly that it gives us more leeway. Your way, if we have a bad year, we might lose money. This way, we still make money, just less. We give back the money if we have it, and if we don't, we don't."

Harry nodded. "I may not know about business, but I did understand that." They talked for a little longer, and Bill returned home.

* * * * *

That night in bed, Harry thought again about the problem with Molly. It's like she just can't stop herself, he thought in frustration. In the end, he had reluctantly let Dudley in on the house's location, taking the opportunity to do it at the same time as he did it for Gleason. He hoped that the explanation given at dinner regarding not abusing the privilege of using someone's fireplace would discourage Dudley from visiting too much.

But, he thought, I shouldn't have been put in that position at all. It's my decision who I open my house to, not hers. I don't want to stop going over there, but I may have to. Ron said I shouldn't stay away, but if I'm going to get that angry at her, maybe staying away is better. There's no way she won't know the reason, anyway.

He thought about Dudley's request, and to his relief he found that the more he did, the less it bothered him. He reflexively felt that he wanted to be around Vernon and Petunia as little as possible, and still felt that way in general, but realized that for the visit Dudley described, things would be very different, as they had the last time he'd seen them. In the past, Harry had always been more or less at their mercy, depending on the goodwill of people who strongly disliked him. Now, he needed them for nothing, and could say what he pleased; there was nothing they could do to him. Satisfied with this thought, he soon drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

After another morning visit from Fred, Harry went downstairs to have breakfast, finding his copy of the Prophet on the table as usual. The headline read, "Harry Potter, Bill Weasley To Start Wizards' Bank," with the sub-headline "Potter's Inheritance, Assets of 3,000,000 Galleons." He read Gleason's article, which seemed to him to be overly generous, painting Harry as highly altruistic. Turning to the editorials, he found two on the topic. One urged wizards in the strongest terms to abandon any dealings with Gringotts and do business only with the new bank; the other even-handedly analyzed the bank's impact on the battle between the Ministry and the goblins, suggesting that it would either cause the goblins to back off, or accelerate their recent aggressive tendencies.

Harry decided to go for a fly, staying out for forty-five minutes. He missed flying with Ron, and wondered how long the dementors would be such a threat that one couldn't go for a casual fly. On his return, Kreacher told him that Bill had been over, and had said that he would try again. Deciding to visit Bill, Harry threw the powder into the fireplace and walked in, only to feel a cushiony but quickly increasing resistance. He'd never felt that from a fireplace before, and imagined that it was what happened when someone was denied access. He assumed that Bill must have had his fireplace access altered for security reasons, and decided to Apparate to Bill's place, where he was further surprised that he couldn't see it at all. He was sure he was in the right place--he could see Dobby's grave--but, no house. Suddenly the answer came to him, and he Apparated back home.

Five minutes later, Bill came through Harry's fireplace. "Where were you?"

"Just some stuff I had to do," Harry replied, having previously prepared the answer. "I see you did the Fidelius Charm to your place. Good idea."

"Fleur's idea, but yes, I couldn't argue. I came over to give you access, as well as put you to work. Is there anything else you have to do today?"

Harry shook his head. "I'd planned to help Dudley out later, but mostly, no. You want me to use the Elder Wand, to tamper-proof documents?"

Bill nodded. "Passbooks, deposit slips, loan statements, basically anything on which we record that we took money, or are distributing money. You don't mind?"

Already having told Bill that he would do it, Harry shook his head. "How long do you think it'll take?"

Bill grunted. "As long as you're willing to do it. Demand has been very high; all three of us are very busy. We have a temporary office in the Ministry that we're using."

"Well, don't bother to show me your place now, we can do it when you're not so busy. Just bring over the forms, and I'll get started."

"I guess that works," agreed Bill. "I'll have to come over to store money that customers will deposit, so I can pick up what you've done to that point. Try to do roughly equal numbers of each of the forms as you go."

Bill left and returned in less than a minute, leaving several bags of parchment forms. Harry took a pile from each bag, put them on the coffee table, and started Charming as he'd learned from Bill the day before, making sure to clearly separate the ones that were done from the ones that weren't. It was slow; he found he could comfortably do one form every ten seconds. But he found he didn't mind the work. It was mindless, but he found a certain tranquility in the mindlessness of it.

After two hours, Dudley came through the fireplace. "How're you doing?"

"Just Charming these forms. It's very repetitive, but Bill needs it done."

"Oh, yes, to prevent fraud. I've heard about that."

Harry chuckled. "I guess Molly told you."

Dudley nodded. "She's interesting. She's a mother, all right, but pretty different from Mum. Look, about what I asked yesterday--"

"It's okay, I'll do it," Harry interrupted.

Dudley looked relieved. "Thanks, I appreciate it. So, is there anything I can do to help out with this?"

Mildly surprised at the offer, Harry wondered if Dudley was trying to get away from Molly for a short time. About to answer in the negative, Harry suddenly thought of something. "Yes, there is. Just get a pile in front of you, hand one to me, then take it and put it away while giving me another."

Dudley agreed, and after a few false starts, the system started working well; Harry estimated that it cut the time it took in half. Bill popped by at 1:00 to get into the vault; he appeared impressed at their system and progress, and came back in a few minutes with more large bags of forms, putting them on the floor near Harry and Dudley but not interrupting them.

They took a lunch break at 1:30, talking about the wizarding world, then about the visit to the Dursleys' home. Harry warned Dudley that he wouldn't hold back when talking to his mother; Dudley didn't object.

When they came back to the living room, Harry heard his name being called. He looked around in surprise, then realized where it was coming from. "Professor," he said, walking over to the portrait. "Sorry, I'm not used to your being here. Nice to see you."

"And you, Harry. But what request did I make of you yesterday?"

"Oh, yeah, Albus. Sorry." As Dudley edged closer, Harry gestured to him. "Dudley, this is Albus Dumbledore, you met him once, a few years ago."

"A pleasure, Dudley," said Dumbledore's portrait genially. "I am happy to see that you seem to be doing better than you were then."

Very taken aback, Dudley slowly nodded. "Um, yeah." After a pause, he looked more closely at the portrait. "Are you alive?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "That is a very tricky metaphysical question, my dear young man. In the sense that you think of it, no. My physical body died, over a year ago. But through a magical process that requires a complex explanation, my... essence, for lack of a better word, is captured here. One could say it is an echo of myself. I feel as though I am alive, though of course I am restricted to a very limited area of movement. I have three frames--here, at Hogwarts, and at the Wizengamot--and I can travel between those." Dudley nodded; Harry could see he was still unnerved at talking to a portrait.

"Harry, I could not help but overhear your conversation in the kitchen, and I thought I would offer some advice, if you are interested."

"Sure, of course," Harry agreed.

"You know, through what Severus showed you when he died, why Dudley's mother developed an aversion to wizards; that aversion through time has developed into something of a neurosis, which is in a sense a medical condition. A psychological one, but I believe it should be considered the same way. She will not want you there, Harry, and may be highly insulting in an attempt to cause you to leave. I urge you to expect this, and not to take anything she may say personally. You are a symbol of what she fears, but you personally have nothing to do with it. If she rails against you, consider that she is railing against a figment of her fears, because in fact, she is. She does not know you, so nothing she says about you should be considered truly offensive."

Harry sighed. He didn't want to admit what he was going to say, but he felt he should be honest when talking to Dumbledore, because otherwise, what was the point of having him there? "I understand that, but... after everything I went through there, it's hard to ignore. I'd get angry even if I tried not to."

Dumbledore nodded. "Understandable, of course. Part of becoming an adult, Harry, is unlearning old habits, and understanding others better. Now, some adults make it through their entire lives without accomplishing this, but I believe that you and Dudley can do this. Dudley, your challenge is to make your mother understand that you are the same person you have always been, but not the person she sees you as."

"Her Duddykins," said Dudley reluctantly.

"Yes, exactly," agreed Dumbledore. "She has infantilized you for far too long. You may feel reluctant to force her to stop, because that comes along with her love and affection, which you naturally do desire. This is important for you to recognize. You are Dudley Dursley, almost eighteen years old, an adult. We know that she loves her Duddykins. The question is, does she love Dudley Dursley, and is she capable of recognizing the difference? Whatever happens, neither of you should consider that you have done anything wrong. This is Petunia's issue, her challenge. If she is not ready, then she is not. You must be patient with her, but not allow her to see you as an infant."

There was silence as Harry and Dudley absorbed Dumbledore's words. Finally Dudley, looking thoughtful, said, "Thanks... Albus. That makes sense. I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Yes, thank you, Profess--sorry, Albus," added Harry. "I wonder how long it'll take me to change that."

"Old habits die hard," said Dumbledore, "for both of you, and Petunia as well. I will take my leave now."

Harry spoke quickly, before Dumbledore could leave. "Oh, one more thing, Profe--Albus." Harry grimaced, annoyed at having made the mistake yet again. "The next time you go to the Wizengamot, would you tell them that I've decided to accept their offer."

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course I will be pleased to do so. I will convey their response later this evening." With a nod, he moved out of the portrait.

Dudley looked at Harry. "I thought you weren't going to decide anything about your future for a while."

Harry shrugged. "This is different, since I don't have to actually do anything I don't want to. They'll send me owls telling me that such-and-such a case will be at this time tomorrow, and like that woman said, it's up to me whether to attend or not. So, are you okay to get back to it?"

They sat down and resumed their previous pattern; after an hour, they dug into the second batch of forms Bill had brought. They chatted occasionally while they worked; while some concentration was necessary, conversation was possible. Taking short breaks every hour, they worked until five forty-five, when they ran out of forms to charm. Bill came five minutes later for another vault run, expressing amazement that they had finished. "Thanks, both of you," he said. "I never expected you to get through this. We'll be set for quite a while."

Bill then took the next ten minutes showing both Harry and Dudley his place's location so they could visit. When they finished, Harry asked, "How long were the lines, people waiting to see you?"

"Almost an hour, from what I could gather," said Bill. "That article really did a lot for us. Though some people were disappointed that you weren't there," he added teasingly.

"Well, I could do more good at home," Harry joked. "But I'm glad it's going well. Was it mostly loans, or deposits too?"

"About fifty-fifty," said Bill. "And I took a few meetings with Diagon Alley merchants; we talked about short-term loans and lines of credit. And now you're not understanding, are you," he added, noting Harry's expression.

"Sorry."

"I understand it," said Dudley casually. "My Dad owns a small business, he talks about that kind of thing at home. What interest are you charging?"

"Well, there'd be a yearly minimum, but eight percent."

Dudley nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

"The goblins, apparently, were charging twenty," said Bill.

"Twenty?" Dudley gaped. "Wow! That's practically robbery!"

"The merchants seemed to think so," agreed Bill. "They were quite happy to hear the rates. Some of them were very keen to get loans quickly, because the goblins have been holding out on them too. They were hoping that now that things are getting back to normal, the economy would take off again, but they couldn't get loans to finance inventory expansion and hiring new staff. So, there's some pent-up demand; after dinner, I'll be spending a few hours meeting more business owners. It would be nice if this got the economy moving again."

Back at Grimmauld Place, Dudley looked inquiringly at Harry. "I'm surprised you didn't know about that. You were there when Dad talked about it."

"Wasn't listening much, I'm afraid." Harry decided not to add that almost anything he'd said at such times was dismissed or criticized, so he'd learned not to make comments or ask questions, which led him to not listen much.

They talked more during dinner, Dudley explaining what he knew about what Bill had been talking about, and that he'd had introductory business courses at Smeltings. "You own a bank, you should learn more about this."

With a wry grin, Harry replied, "You may have noticed, or heard, I'm kind of allergic to the word 'should' right now."

"Oh, yes, that's right, Ron did mention that. I asked him why, and he said he didn't know, and wasn't sure that even you knew."

Harry nodded. "No, I don't, really. Even if it's something I don't mind doing that much, or know I should do, I still really dislike being told I should. I was never really that way before, so it's kind of strange."

"Maybe you should try to figure out why," said Dudley.

"Well, if I could, then--" Harry cut himself off as Dudley grinned; with annoyance, Harry realized he hadn't gotten the joke. "Very funny."

Dudley shrugged. "A little funny, maybe." They talked for another half hour, then left for the Dursleys'.

* * * * *

Later that evening, Harry Apparated Dudley back to the living room of Grimmauld Place, where Ron and Hermione were sitting, talking. "Hey, you guys," Harry greeted them. "What are you doing here?"

"We both just finished working," said Ron, "though of course there was a dinner break. We just figured we'd hang out here. We didn't know you'd be gone, but sometimes it's nice to be alone."

"Dudley and I could leave," Harry joked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry, be serious. Oh, how did it go?"

Harry and Dudley exchanged a look. "It could have been worse," said Dudley.

Harry nodded. "That's as much as you can say, really. The good part is, they do want Dudley back, both Vernon and Petunia. The bad part is, Petunia's just not ready to accept him as a wizard."

"You know what it reminded me of?" said Dudley. "Last year at Smeltings, they showed us this movie in social studies class about a kid our age who was gay, and the whole thing about telling his parents, and they couldn't accept it at first, but finally they understood that this was just the way he was, and they had to accept him the way he was. Of course, we all made fun of it, like, 'oh, Thomas, it's all right if you're gay, we'll accept you as you really are, just keep your hands off me,' that kind of thing. But it really reminded me of that. I'm a wizard, I can't change that, but she's in denial. 'Oh, Dudley, you can change, just don't do that anymore. It's a choice.' She really said that. I swear, I think she'd actually be happier if I was gay than if I was a wizard."

Ron grinned. "What if you were a gay wizard?"

Harry and Dudley burst out laughing as Hermione looked on disapprovingly. "I think she couldn't handle that," Dudley finally said, still chuckling. "She'd try to change both things, but she'd try to change the wizard thing first."

"I came in for some abuse, of course," added Harry.

"Yes, it's all your fault, apparently," agreed Dudley facetiously. "Again, in that gay movie, the father accused someone else of making his kid gay. My mother accused him of making me a wizard. Everything was just like that movie."

"Well, it's human nature," said Hermione, more serious than the others. "We want to blame someone for the things that happen to us, but if we don't want to blame the one directly involved, we find someone else to blame."

Harry rolled his eyes. "And that does seem to have been my function at that house, all these years. Between her, Snape, and now the goblins, I seem to be a professional blame-taker." He saw pity in Hermione's eyes, and suddenly wished he hadn't said it.

"Anyway, it's obviously going to take more time," he continued. "It was pretty clear that Dudley's father, while he's not thrilled with it, can get past it. It's just his mother. I tried to tell her that wizards aren't terrible people, but of course, she doesn't believe anything I say. Dudley tried to tell her, but she accused me of influencing him. At one point, she accused me of putting him under a spell."

"Then Harry got all sarcastic, which didn't help," said Dudley, with a mildly accusing glance at Harry.

Harry shrugged apologetically. "It was so absurd, I couldn't help it. For the most part, I tried to follow Professor Dumble--"

"Albus," corrected Dudley with a small grin.

"Yes, Albus, thank you," sighed Harry, with a 'very funny' glance at Dudley. "I tried to follow his advice, but it wasn't easy." In response to a question from Hermione, he summarized what Dumbledore had said.

"I can see why it was difficult, but he was absolutely right," said Hermione enthusiastically. "You're so lucky to have his portrait here. You can get the benefit of his wisdom anytime you want."

This caused Harry to look over and notice that Dumbledore was in his portrait. "Hello, Albus," he said from across the room.

"Good evening, Harry," said Dumbledore. "And thank you, Hermione, though in life I was not always as wise as I hoped to be. Harry, I should have mentioned earlier... many portraits, especially those in the headmaster's office, pretend to be sleeping when they do not wish to impose their presence on those in the room. I prefer not to do so, but I hope that you will not consider that you need to include me in any particular conversation simply because I am in the frame. Unless you specifically wish to include me, I hope you will think of me as simply a portrait."

"Okay, I'll keep it in mind," he said. Turning back to the others, he added, "You know, you can come over and talk to him, if he's in the frame. I don't have to be here. If he doesn't mind." He glanced at the portrait.

"Of course, I would be most pleased," said Dumbledore.

"Anyway, Dudley, you just have to keep after her," advised Hermione earnestly. "Don't rub her nose in it, but don't let her pretend it isn't the case, either. Are you going to live in the wizarding world, or the Muggle world?"

"That came up, actually. Dad asked me to stay with them, but I said I'd rather not. It's partly that I need to live in the magical world for a while, but also, I don't want to live with them right now. Mum would be all over me, telling me what a horrible thing magic is, and I don't need that. I said I'd visit, and I will, but I think she needs more time."

"You could write her, also," suggested Hermione. "Maybe once or twice a week, tell her what's going on in your life. Maybe she'd gradually see that being a wizard isn't so different, or so bad."

Harry could see on Dudley's face the reaction he himself had had more than once recently: Dudley wasn't happy with the suggestion, but didn't want to reject it and be rude, and he knew it made sense. "Hmmm... maybe," he said.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you," he said to Ron and Hermione, "how would you feel about coming over for dinner tomorrow?"

"Sure," said Ron, but Hermione looked doubtful. "Of course, we'd be happy to, but Harry, it could look bad. It was pretty obvious the other night how angry you were with Molly, and if we come over here, it could look like you're deliberately avoiding her."

Irritated, Harry responded, "So, I can't see you unless I see her too? Maybe I need a vacation from being told what to do. It's practically the first thing that comes out of her mouth when she sees me."

Hermione was clearly trying to rein in her own annoyance. "No, Harry, I'm not saying you can't see us. I was just saying how I thought it might look. But of course, we'll come."

Ron nodded, his expression indicating that he would have just agreed and not said what Hermione had. "Oh, I wanted to tell you, people are pretty excited about the bank," he said. "They were asking so many questions, I had to go ask Bill a couple of things, and he was getting annoyed because he was already so busy, the line was backed way up. I'm going to have to become an expert on what the bank does, if only so I can do my job." He chuckled. "Funny how I say 'my job,' but I'm not even getting paid."

"Well, you're doing a lot of good, and I'm proud of you," said Hermione firmly.

"And that makes it all worthwhile."

"I knew you were going to say something like that," she chastised him. "You can't just accept a compliment."

"Not when you say it like you'd compliment a four-year-old on eating his vegetables!"

"I did not say it like that! I am proud of you!"

"I'm looking forward to tomorrow night already," sighed Harry. To a grinning Dudley, he added, "Of course, they've been like this for years. I should have known all along that they'd get together."

"Okay, we'll finish the argument at home," said Ron, getting up. "See you tomorrow, at six?" Harry nodded, and they left. Dudley left soon thereafter, thanking Harry for his help.

Harry walked over to the mail desk; there was mail that had arrived in the past ten hours, and Dumbledore was still there in the frame. Harry told Dumbledore what had happened with the Dursleys. When he finished, Dumbledore said, "Petunia's reactions were very much in line with what was to be expected, and I would say that you did a reasonably good job of holding back your emotional reactions."

Harry nodded. "I'd rather not have them at all, to be honest. I know it's all her problem, I wish it just didn't affect me."

"One thing at a time," Dumbledore counseled. "Emotional wounds cannot vanish overnight; it takes time. For her, too. She has deep emotional wounds; she has simply allowed them to fester, rather than heal them. Some people treasure their wounds, Harry, their feeling of righteousness. Perhaps I should have said, many people do, to various extents. Good man though he is, my brother does, regarding me, as you saw when you received the portrait. Especially in my later years, I tried very hard not to hold grudges. Draco is in a sense correct when he says that a grudge can provide motivation and energy, but it is energy of quite a negative kind, that you would do well to stay away from. In that matter, Ginny's feelings are extremely understandable, though I would have recommended that she allow you to do what your conscience felt was right. But she is still young, and she was being honest about her feelings, which is also to be commended."

Dumbledore's insight reminded him of another current problem. "What do you think I should do about Molly?"

With a smile, Dumbledore replied, "I cannot help but find it ironic that you ask me what I think you should do."

Harry also smiled. "Well, maybe when I ask, it's okay."

"As is so often the case. I should tell you that I myself was on the receiving end of her advice more than once. This is one of the many small challenges we have in our lives: how to handle people whom we care about, but whose current actions are highly annoying. We can change our own reactions, but that is difficult. We can attempt to change their actions, but that is far more complex and problematic, and can negatively affect our relationship with them if not handled properly. Another part of becoming an adult is learning how to relate to others in such situations without alienating them."

"And, some adults don't totally manage that either, right?"

"More than you might guess," Dumbledore agreed. "Molly herself is arguably not doing as well as she might. I believe she is seeing you as if you were one of her own children, and treating you as such. Her blind spot is that she does not have intimate knowledge of your childhood, and unconsciously assumes it must be similar to that of her own children, which it is not. She may be realizing this now, but it is a process for her. I can only urge you to be as tolerant as possible, and when your tolerance has run out, communicate with her in a clear but not hostile manner. One trap that many people fall into is that they do not communicate their feelings, let hostility build, and when they can tolerate no more, they are in no emotional condition to confront the other person in a non-hostile manner. It is difficult, but far better in the long run, to say something early on."

Harry slowly nodded. "I didn't do that, of course, but I think she knows how I feel by now. Well... anyway, thank you, Albus. I appreciate the advice."

"Not at all, Harry. By the way, you should be able to find a notice from the Wizengamot in the mail. They would like you to appear at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon, first to be sworn in as a member, then to give testimony about Draco."

"Is there some particular reason they're doing it in that order?"

"I cannot be sure of their motives, but I do know that the testimony of a member of the Wizengamot is accorded greater weight than that of a non-member. After you have been sworn in, what you say will be taken very seriously indeed."

Good news for Malfoy, thought Harry. "I understand. Well, I think I'll get to the mail, do that before bed." Dumbledore nodded, said good night, and was soon out of the frame.

The letters were mostly about the bank; there was a lot of general praise, and two inquiries about the exact source of the money. Gleason had recommended that it simply be referred to as Harry's 'inheritance,' which was accurate, strictly speaking, if misleading. This was because Gleason and Bill felt that if it was publicly known that the money was inherited from the Black family, however legitimately, distant Black relatives might initiate legal action, trying to claim part of the fortune for themselves. Harry would almost certainly win the fight, but the presence of conflict could undermine confidence in the bank, if its assets were in any question legally. Reading the letters, it seemed to Harry that a few people knew that there was no chance that the Potter family had that kind of money, and were curious about its source. Fortunately, thought Harry, I don't have to answer those questions, and he put the letters aside.

Next, there was a letter from Luna; he was suddenly curious to know how she had responded to his three-page letter, by far the longest he'd ever written.

Dear Harry,

Thank you so much for your interesting letter. I feel as though I suddenly got to know you a lot better than I had before. You're kind of well-known for not talking about yourself much, so I was very complimented that you told me what you did.

Harry chuckled as he read. Still as direct as ever, he thought. I didn't know I was well-known for that, but I suppose it makes sense, when everyone's been digging into your life since you were eleven. The letter continued:

You talked about how you feel as though you don't know yourself. I think we can't really know ourselves that well, not when we're this age. I mean, for example, when we're five, we hardly know ourselves at all. All we know is what we want. Of course, there are some Hogwarts students who are like that, too. Michael leaps to mind. I think that how well we know ourselves has a connection to how much we understand in general: about people, about life, and so forth. For example, I said that you're well-known for not talking about yourself. I'd guess that's because everyone wants to know about you, and it's a protective reaction. I also assume that's why you haven't told the story of the last year. You might be able to understand that about yourself, but when you were, maybe, twelve, you wouldn't have understood it. There are probably things about yourself that you'll understand better in ten years, or even two or three. It's hard to say.

You said it seemed as though I would know myself. I suppose I do (though not completely, of course), which is why I wasn't popular until recently. I know myself well enough not to worry what other people think of me. I think it's partly my natural character, and partly that my mother died when she did. I think it would have affected many people differently. For me, it made me think a lot.

Harry read on, fascinated, as Luna described what she'd gone through when her mother died, how it had changed her, made her 'grow up' and become more aware of many things, but at the same time made her more determined than ever to be who she was no matter what anyone thought. She finished the letter with news of Hogwarts, some of them things he'd already heard from Neville.

He sat there, marveling at what she'd written. She'd revealed more about herself than anyone ever had to him, and much more than he'd ever revealed about himself to anyone, even Ron and Hermione. It just wouldn't have occurred to him to do it, and he wondered how Luna could. I guess that's part of what makes her different, he thought.

Part of him wanted to start writing a response right then, but he told himself he should wait, take a night to think about what she'd said. He put the letter aside, and read through the rest, including the Wizengamot's invitation. He didn't respond, figuring that Dumbledore would let them know about his acceptance.

He went to bed an hour later, first reading, then turning off the light and thinking about things Luna and Dumbledore had said. I may not know the answers, he thought, but maybe I'm beginning to understand what the questions are.

* * * * *

Dressed for the first time since Fred's funeral in formal robes, Harry strode down the corridors of the Ministry, drawing stares as always. He had just dropped by the Ministry offices where Bank of the Phoenix business was being conducted, talked to Bill for a few moments, met Pamela and Derrick, and said hello to the customers waiting. He said 'yes' to a woman who asked him whether the bank's money was safe. When she asked where it was, he answered, "If I told you that, it wouldn't be safe, would it?" Pleased with the laugh the joke got from the bystanders, he said goodbye and moved on.

Earlier, he had spent most of the morning writing Luna back, telling her about his early childhood with the Dursleys, his discovery of the wizarding world, and how he'd felt about it. He wasn't sure whether it would help her understand him better, but even though it was very personal, something about writing it felt good. He understood that it was because she had said so much about herself that he could feel comfortable with it.

He got off the elevator at the correct floor, walked down the hall, and was intercepted by an old man, tall with gray hair around the edges of a bald head. "Mr. Potter," he said firmly, as if making an affirmation rather than an introduction. He offered his hand, which Harry shook. "My name is Edward Martin Flourish, the fourth," he announced self-importantly. "I am the senior member of the Wizengamot. My father and grandfather were also members, and were the first to meet new arrivals. We like to say that we greet every new member of the Wizengamot with a Flourish."

Harry grinned, partly because he knew that he was supposed to. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Flourish. Do you have anything to do with Flourish and Blotts, may I ask?"

"Yes, indeed, my family has owned that esteemed business for over a century," he said. "Please, come with me." They walked together through the door that Harry had passed through once before, on that stressful day three years ago.

Inside, a crowd of perhaps four dozen witches and wizards stood waiting, and to Harry's great surprise, he received applause when he walked through the door. Harry was debating how to respond when, from behind him, Flourish said, "Thank you all, but there is no need to applaud for me." This was greeted with laughter and some scoffing, as members stepped forward to introduce themselves to Harry. He tried to remember their names, but knew he wouldn't be able to. He did remember Bennefort's name, and greeted her with it when she shook his hand. The only other member he recognized was Cornelius Fudge, who he greeted politely, but well remembering Fudge's vendetta against himself and Dumbledore.

Within a few minutes, he was being sworn in, promising to "administer justice fairly, in accordance with the law and what is right." Harry felt like asking what happened when those two things conflicted, but thought he'd better not make jokes in such a serious setting.

Harry was then gestured to the chair from which one gave testimony. "Would you please have a seat, Jurist Potter," said Flourish.

Sitting, Harry asked, "I'm sorry, what did you just call me?"

Bennefort explained. "'Jurist' is the title by which members of the Wizengamot can be called. It is not unlike 'Professor' at Hogwarts."

Harry was asked about what he knew of what Draco Malfoy had done, and answered truthfully, saying both what he knew and what he suspected. After he had answered all questions, Flourish asked, "Is there anything you would like to add, Jurist Potter?"

Harry wondered if all witnesses were asked this, or if it was a special privilege granted to jurists. "Yes, there is. I recommend strongly that Draco Malfoy be shown leniency, and not be held legally responsible for his actions."

There was some murmuring among the jurists. "Why is that, Jurist Potter?"

Harry had prepared for this question. "One reason is that I'm very familiar with his childhood. He was raised in a way that predisposed him to the kind of thing he did; he was steered rather strongly by his father in this direction. Another is that I'm very confident that he plans to change the direction of his life, and never repeat the sort of thing that he's done. I wouldn't request leniency for him if I wasn't confident of that."

"May I ask what informs this confidence, Jurist Potter?" asked a man in the back row.

"I'm sorry, do you mean, why am I so confident?" asked Harry; the man nodded. "The answer to that question is something I promised I would keep private, so I'm not going to answer. Let's just say, I'm very confident."

"Would you be willing to give the same answer on pain of perjury, if this were sworn testimony?" the man persisted.

Harry glanced around, surprised. "I'm sorry, I thought--I mean, I assumed it was sworn testimony anytime anyone said anything from this chair."

Bennefort spoke. "Normally it is, but speaking unsworn is a courtesy extended to our number in certain matters. In any case, I gather that we can take your response as a 'yes.' Is there a particular reason you request clemency for Mr. Malfoy, but for no other Death Eater?"

He wondered if she would have asked the question if she hadn't already known the answer. "Yes, there is. Narcissa Malfoy saved my life shortly before I defeated Voldemort." This caused a fair bit of murmuring among the jurists; Flourish asked for quiet. Harry briefly told the story, making sure to include her motivation. "So, I make this special effort for that reason. But I wouldn't be doing it if I wasn't confident that he won't do any such thing in the future. What I say is the truth, and... consistent with my ethics," he added, glancing at Bennefort.

"Are there any more questions?" asked Flourish; there was silence. "Very well. Jurist Potter, will you be joining us in the deliberations and vote?"

Harry's eyebrows went up. "It wouldn't seem right, since I just testified. Can I do that?"

"Normally, if a jurist has a close personal involvement in a case, he recuses himself," said Bennefort. "But it is not a requirement. You have the right to join the deliberations, if you choose."

Harry shook his head. "I see. But no, I won't be joining, thanks."

"Very well," said Flourish. "Jurist Potter, thank you very much for your time and testimony." Nodding, Harry stood and left. Well, that wasn't so bad, he thought. But, probably the last time I see that place for a while. I'm not sure I want to spend my time up there, listening to all that.

* * * * *

Next: Chapter 9, The Chocolate Frog Card: The Malfoy matter behind him, the bank doing well, and the dementors kept out of Diagon Alley, Harry is able to enjoy an evening with Ron and Hermione, their first extended time together since Voldemort's defeat. But soon thereafter, Harry lets his guard down for just a second...

From Chapter 9: "Do you ever feel satisfied, because Voldemort's gone?" asked Hermione.

"You'd think I would," Harry agreed. "It feels like I should. And I'm glad he's gone, but... no, I really don't have that feeling you're talking about. I guess that throughout my life, especially my time at Hogwarts, I've always felt as though the next crisis was just around the corner, because it almost always was. It's like, I can't let down my guard. Who knows, maybe that's what's causing me to be weird like I am. I just keep feeling like something else is going to happen."