C3 The Queen's Wrath

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The ride to Buckingham Palace was made in silence. It was only a short trip, after all.

The Prime Minister's car was not what Harry expected it to be, either. But, Harry wasn't surprised the Prime Minister would want to get him in to the Palace somewhat incognito. He just did not think a MI5 black Ford Explorer with tinted windows driving directly from Downing Street to the Palace side gate on Birdcage Walk was all that incognito. Photographers took pictures of the four wheel drive leaving Downing Street, and other photographers took pictures of it driving in through the Birdcage Walk entrance. It wouldn't be long before photographs from each location were compared at some newspaper editor's desk and for someone to start investigating why Downing Street was paying the Palace a visit.

Once inside the gates the car was driven up to a portico at what Harry thought of as the rear of the Palace proper.

After an inspection of their persons by Palace Security Harry and the Prime Minister were escorted through the Palace to the Queen's Audience Room not far from where he knew the Queen's private chambers were located. Harry was still wearing his glamour and carrying his satchel, while the clearly uncomfortable Prime Minister was holding a folio case under his left arm with both sets of documents. The one's from the hidden wall cubby, and the translations Harry handed him. The cube was in his pocket.

Once inside the room their Royal escort left them, but they weren't alone. Royal Page's were stationed at quiet attention paired at each end of the room. At least that's what Harry knew they pretended to be, instead of the highly trained bodyguards he knew they really were. Harry stood with the Prime Minister in silence in the middle of the room while they waited. It amused him the power play in action here. It was straight out of modern business practices to show dominance to a person making them wait like this.

After just over half an hour the door at the opposite end of the room from the one they entered opened. The Queen entered with a small retinue before she took a seat at a small desk. Harry could see she was quite angry.

The Prime Minister didn't move from where they were standing about twelve feet from the front of the desk, except for turning to face the desk; so neither did Harry. He just shifted position slightly to be standing alongside the Prime Minister facing the desk.

After taking Her seat and making Herself comfortable, and with Her retinue arrayed either side of Her desk, only then did She look up. "Now, Mister Prime Minister," She said. "We had to cancel a number of very important appointments for this outrage. The last time someone pulled this stunt on a reigning Monarch they enjoyed a week at Our pleasure in the Tower. Privilege of the Peerage, indeed."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the Prime Minister, clearly quite uncomfortable and not knowing what else to say under the stern stare of his Queen. He was not going to use his normal informal manner of addressing his Queen while She was in this mood.

"We believe you have some documents for Us," She said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied the Prime Minister, bringing the portfolio before him.

The Queen didn't move but one of her retinue stepped forward, took the folio, and carried it over to the Her desk. She took the case without a word, pulled all the documents out in the two bundles they were in, and laid them upon her desk. The original documents were on top.

"And these are?" she quietly asked without even looking up.

"The top bundle are the original documents found hidden in a secret compartment in my office, Your Majesty," replied the Prime Minister. "It is believed they have rested there since before 10 Downing Street became the Prime Minister's office.

"The second bundle is the translations provided to me by... Lord Potter, Your Majesty."

The Queen then set the top bundle aside, opened the second, and began to read.

Harry could see She had both some experience in speed reading and clearly understood the documents.

After She read the first couple of sheets and, without looking up, She said, "We need to see a list of peerages for the Kingdoms of England and Scotland of late tenth century onwards; and any information on the Earldoms of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

One of the retinue who was close to the door said, "Yes, Ma'am," and quickly left.

The Queen continued to read without seeming to pause or even hearing the response to Her command. She was only interrupted in Her reading by the return of the missing member of her retinue with two large tomes. Taking both books off the person She opened each book in turn, flicked through a few pages, and ran Her finger down a page before pausing for moment. Then She set each book aside and returned to reading the documents.

Once She finished reading the last document, and had set the pile on top of the first bundle, She looked up and fixed her stare upon Harry. "That is all well and good, young man," She said. "But, it does not prove you are the Earl of Slytherin."

Harry could tell she was referring to his enacting Privilege of Peerage.

"No, Ma'am," Harry calmly replied. "For that final piece Her Majesty will need to summon a goblin, as they are the only folk who have the skills necessary to prove my claim."

About half the people standing either side of the desk looked at him in shock, and the other half looked at him as if he was crazy. The Queen, however, barely flickered an eyebrow on hearing that. Harry was surprised at how much control She maintained in both expression and body language. If he wasn't watching Her very closely to see what Her reaction would be to his statement he would have missed it.

After hesitating in Her response for a few long moments, and still staring straight at Harry, Her Majesty said, "Send for Sir Kingston Davies. Those who know they're not privy to what Sir Kingston and I discuss may leave now." Flicking her gaze to the Prime Minister she said, "You two stay put."

About half of Her retinue quietly left with murmurs of, "Yes, Ma'am." And Harry noticed they were the ones who thought he was crazy.

After the doors closed behind them Her Majesty said, "We will also be informed of how four of our Earls disappeared from Our view some nine hundred years ago."

"They chose to, Your Majesty," said Harry. "When they could no longer agree on magical matters, instead of fighting each other for domination, they eventually all agreed that none would, and walked away from it all."

"Very well," She said. "Now, while We await Sir Kingston to attend Us, We have been informed this meeting is also about sedition in Our Realm. You shall inform Us of this matter now."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry. "As background, with the exception of very specific cases, the wizarding world does not interact with the mundane world - that is, with those who are non-magical. To ensure this continues to occur, the Ministry of Magic through the Wizengamot has enacted laws under their own authority to heavily penalise those who show magic, or talk to mundane people about magic, outside of their authority. Those who do so are usually penalised anywhere from a stern lecture to imprisonment in the wizarding prison called Azkaban.

"You and Your Government, Ma'am, are also now considered to be of the mundane world. As such, the Ministry of Magic would rule I have broken the law speaking about this with you, and would probably seek I be placed in Azkaban for a very long time. That sentence will probably exceed my life span as most folk sent to that prison rarely survive past a few years into their sentence."

As Harry spoke he could see the Queen becoming more and more incensed with what he was telling her.

"Further, when a non-magical learns of the wizarding world, or even just that magic is real, people working for the Ministry are sent to wipe their memories of the knowledge, by force if necessary."

On hearing that the Queen raised Her right hand in a stop gesture.

"Do you mean to tell Us," She said in a low angry voice. "One of Our Ministries... is passing laws of which We are unaware... and carrying out aggressive acts... against Our subjects... without Our knowledge?"

"Yes and no, Ma'am," Harry quietly replied.

"Explain!" snapped the Queen.

"You may have noticed I referred to it as the Ministry of Magic, rather than the Ministry for Magic," said Harry. "The Ministry has now reached the point - under the direction of the current so-called Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge - where they believe they no longer have to pay any attention to any non-magical whomsoever; including you, Your Majesty."

"WHAT!?," the Queen nearly bellowed.

The Prime Minister, showing more backbone and fortitude than Harry initially gave him credit for, took a short step forward raising his hands in a placating gesture.

"Ma'am, please," he pleaded. "Your blood pressure."

Swivelling her gaze to Her Prime Minister She asked, "And what do YOU know of this, Mister Prime Minister?"

"I learned of this only a few short hours ago, Your Majesty," he replied. "When Mister Potter here presented himself to my personal private secretary and, using a secret code phrase that indicated there was trouble in this magical world and someone needed to talk urgently to me about it, demanded an audience with me.

"I must confess I spent a great deal of that time trying to verify a lot of what he told me before contacting Your offices," he said. "Even then I delayed in action trying to verify as much as I could before Mister... Lord... Potter claimed Privilege of Peerage and forced my hand."

"There's more, isn't there, Mister Prime Minister," demanded the Queen.

"Errr... yes, Your Majesty," he said. "During the course of the morning Lord Potter dealt with a magical device that was the equivalent of a listening bug that was on my desk. And... and he cast a spell upon me that undid spells Fudge had cast upon me to make me believe the meetings we have had were... long and healthy discussions over a wide variety of subjects. When Lord Potter removed the effect of those spells I was able to remember that those meetings I had thought we had held were nothing more than fallacies. That, in fact, the meetings had consisted of nothing more that Fudge walking into my office, casting the spell on me, and then walking out again."

Just as the Prime Minister was speaking his last few words, the door through which the Queen had entered opened again and a man appearing in his late seventies with white hair, a trimmed beard and wearing an expensive suit entered and closed the door; before starting to make his way over towards the Queen's desk.

"WHAT!?," the Queen bellowed again.

The elderly gentleman, on hearing that, recoiled in shock.

Still showing the depth of his fortitude the Prime Minister again raised his hands in a placating gesture and pleaded, "Ma'am, please."

Pausing for a moment before swivelling her basilisk-like glare on the elderly gentleman, the Queen said, "You!.. Sir Kingston!... Why haven't you briefed me on the sedition... treason!... I'm hearing about... coming from the magical world?"

"Tr...treason? Your Majesty?"

"Yes, treason!" she exclaimed. "These gentlemen are informing Us that all is not well with Our subjects in the magical world. Why are We only hearing about this now, and not by you?"

The old man spluttered, "I... I don't... I'm unaware of any such treason, Your Majesty!"

"You're supposed to be Our Royal Wizard, Sir Kingston!" she barked. "We find Ourselves, at the moment, most wroth with you!"

"Your Majesty! I... I don't understand!" he spluttered.

"Save it!" snapped the Queen. "We will have words with you concerning your lack of knowledge on this matter at another time. For now, you are to summon a goblin to Our presence with all haste. See to it and return here immediately. Now, go!"

"Y... Yes, Your Majesty!" the old man blurted before turning tail and hurrying from the room just as a younger, middle-aged, man in a similar suit walked in through the same door and approached the Queen's desk.

"Pardon me, Ma'am," he said deferentially, while offering Her a thin document folio. "I have that information you requested."

"Thank you," the Queen said, taking it from him and placing it on Her desk before Herself. Opening it, She began to read.

The man bowed deferentially to His Queen before turning and quietly leaving the room through the same door.

Harry hoped, whatever it was, the time she spent on it would help her calm down a little. However, he soon saw she was still somewhat upset.

Looking up from Her reading, the Queen angrily stared at Harry before asking, "Who are you really, young man?"

"I really am Harry James Potter, Your Majesty," he replied. "I swear to it on my magics and my life."

"Well, Mister Potter; then We have a problem," the Queen said. "I have before me background information on one Harry James Potter, and you are not he.

"According to Our information, Harry James Potter is a ten year old boy just shy of his eleventh birthday who resides at Number Four, Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey, with his Aunt and Uncle, his guardians. And, at this very moment, he is sitting in a classroom in Little Whinging Primary School, with the rest of his class."

Knowing his cover was now blown, Harry softly sighed and said, "I was hoping to do this while your Royal Wizard was here, Your Majesty, so he could verify what I was doing. However, I need to cast a small spell upon myself, if you don't mind."

Still glaring at the young man before her, the Queen asked, "Is it dangerous?"

"No, Ma'am," Harry firmly replied. "It's a simple glamour cancelling charm."

The Queen hesitated for a moment before saying, "We give you permission."

Harry then reached up before himself a little above his own head and cast the charm. Then, as he slowly lowered his arm back to his side, the glamour he had been supporting with his magical core for so long slowly faded away.

As the glamour slowly faded Harry could hear the quiet gasps of surprise coming from the Queen's remaining retinue and, even closer, from the Prime Minister standing nearby; who took a couple of quick steps away from him in his surprise.

The Queen, however, didn't even bat an eyelash at Harry's reveal. Even though, what She now found before Her, was a small and slender dark-haired ten year old boy with a short back and sides haircut and wearing a dark blue sports jacket over the top, white buttoned-up collared shirt with a plain unadorned dark blue tie, dark grey slacks with a black belt, and black lace-up shoes. The only thing that hadn't changed was the black leather business satchel he still had hanging from his left shoulder. His most notable feature was the small lightning bolt scar on his forehead below his hairline just over his right eye.

The Queen stared at him for a moment longer, looked down at the photograph of the ten year old boy in the folio before her, before again looking back up at Harry.

"Then, if you really are Harry James Potter, just who is it currently attending Little Whinging Primary School?" she asked in an almost flat monotone.

"That is Dobby, Your Majesty," Harry calmly replied. "He's a House Elf, a magical being, who has taken a potion to take my place until the first of September, this year."

"And just why would he do that?" the Queen asked in the same voice. "And why the first of September?"

"He volunteered for, and took on the role, on my fourth birthday," Harry replied. "It was necessary to ensure a manipulative old wizard in the wizarding world did not learn of my disappearance while I studied and learned of my heritage under the tutelage of my teacher.

"And the first of September is the day I board the train for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Scotland at Kings Cross Station."

"To what purpose is this... house elf... impersonating you?" asked the Queen.

Just as the Queen was asking her latest question Sir Kingston came hurrying back into the room. He'd come about four steps in before he noticed the young boy, Harry, standing near the Prime Minister.

"Oh, my God!" he exclaimed in shock at Harry. "You're Harry Potter!" drawing all eyes towards him.

"Sir Kingston!" said the Queen loudly. And then more calmly called to him, "Come. Here."

Sir Kingston flicked his eyes back and forth between Harry and his Queen for a few moments before actually blushing when he paid more attention to Her and stammered, "Oh... Your Majesty... I'm sorry."

Then he continued to walk quickly over to the Queens desk and addressed her directly. "Your Majesty, the goblins have been contacted and their... ambassador... will be with us momentarily," he near stammered rushing his words out. "He will be arriving via the Floo network and will come out into the room from the fireplace over there," the old wizard said gesturing toward the fireplace half way along the side wall opposite the windows. "I've also temporarily dropped the palace wards to allow him to come through. But I'll have them back up for you once your business with him is included."

"Sir Kingston!" the Queen firmly said. "Calm yourself in our presence. We are definitely not amused by your behaviour this day!"

Blushing and near-physically trying to calm himself, the old wizard said in a calmer voice, "Y... Your Majesty, I sincerely and deeply apologise. I just did not expect to see the hero of the wizarding world standing here before you."

"Be that as it may," said the Queen. "If We did not need your counsel, right now, We would be banishing you from Our sight! However, as We will be needing your counsel, go stand over there," the Queen gestured off to one side. "And get yourself under control, man!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the old wizard said much calmer now before bowing and moving to where his Queen directed him.

"Hero of the wizarding world, young man?" enquired the Queen turning back to Harry.

"Errr... yes, Ma'am," replied Harry blushing. "The wizarding world - all of them - believes that I killed one of the most powerful dark wizards in their history while I was only a fifteen month old baby."

"Extraordinary!" She said.

Hesitating a moment expecting Harry to say more she then said, "We believe you were about to inform Us as to why this... house elf... is impersonating you."

"In the magical world, Your Majesty," began Harry, "there is a very powerful wizard named Albus Dumbledore. Over the past sixty plus years he has been setting himself up as..."

Suddenly there was a 'poof'' of sound and magical flame from the fireplace. And from the fireplace a goblin dressed in a mundane business suit without a jacket and carrying a small business satchel stepped out startling nearly everyone. The goblin brushed a few spots of soot off himself before calmly turning and walking towards the Queen's desk settling his satchel more comfortably on his shoulder. He paid no attention to anyone else in the room.

A few steps short of the desk he stopped, dropped to one knee with a flourish while also bowing his head, and said, "Your Majesty," to the Queen.

Pausing a few moments he then rose back to his feet, looked at the Queen, and asked, "You wished to see me?"

Hesitating only a moment the Queen said, "Yes, and you are?"

"Grunnark, at your service, My Lady," the goblin replied. "I am Director Ragnock's envoy to you. The Director hopes I find you in good health and asks how Gringotts of London may be of service to the Crown of the United Kingdom."

Pausing to look over at the old wizard the Queen just asked, "Sir Kingston?"

Sir Kingston stepped forward a few steps and calmly said, "Your majesty, the goblins are a proud warrior race who now dedicate themselves to running the banking system for the wizarding world. They take care of all the monetary needs of the wizarding world as well as hereditary matters and the passing on of estates and heirlooms. Their dedication to that role is absolute and, while they can be ruthless in business, are utterly uncompromisable in their trustworthiness."

"Thank you, Sir Kingston," she said with a small nod and turned back to look at the goblin.

The old wizard bowed and backed back into his spot against the wall.

"Grunnark, on your return please inform Director Ragnock We are in good health and hope he is also," the Queen said. "In the mean time, We are led to believe the goblins are able to confirm an heir for Us associated with the wizarding world."

"We can do such a thing, Your Majesty, but we cannot divulge the findings without the permission of the heir involved," replied the goblin.

The Queen nodded and said, "The young man behind you claims to be the rightful heir of the Earldom of Slytherin. We would have this confirmed."

Grunnark nodded and turned to face Harry. He paused a moment and said, "You are Harry James Potter. We of Gringotts would know why you have not responded to the correspondence we have sent you."

"I have received no such correspondence, Grunnark," replied Harry almost haughtily. "I believe my magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore, has not been forwarding it to me."

The goblin stared at him for a moment before replying, "Very well." Then he reached into the small satchel he was carrying, removed a small vile and knife, and said, "I will need a few small drops of your blood."

"I shall give you no such thing, Grunnark," Harry said. "Instead, you will return to Gringotts, gather the material you need to perform your tests, and return here. I wish for Her Majesty to witness the rite so she may verify for herself the validity of my claim."

"As you wish," the goblin said, and dropped the vial and knife back into his satchel. Turning back around to the Queen he said, "I will need about twenty minutes to gather what I need."

"Then you have Our leave to depart via the means you came here," the Queen responded. "We shall see you once more in twenty minutes."

The goblin then just turned and walked away back to the fireplace. Once there, he then Floo'ed away.

Harry wondered why the goblins had been trying to contact him.

"Mister Potter," said the Queen, drawing Harry's attention back to her, "you were quite rude to that goblin. He was an envoy and deserved respect."

"Your Majesty, as Sir Kingston said the goblins are a warrior race," replied Harry. "When someone is polite to them they think it's because that person is weak. Instead, I acted exactly as a rightful heir should by showing I believe myself to be better than he. In that way I have gained his respect.

"I also denied him taking my blood away because blood, freely given, can be used in magics against me. He knew this, so he was being contemptuous with me by demanding it. When he returns he will demonstrate greater respect and we will establish a better relationship."

The Queen thought about what Harry said for a moment before turning to Sir Kingston and demanding, "And why did you not make Us aware of this, Sir Kingston?"

"My apologies, again, Your Majesty," the old wizard said. "It has been many years ere I have been anywhere near a goblin's bank. And I do not believe I even knew those facts back then. It is not something they taught us at Hogwarts, Ma'am."

"Then after we have concluded today you are to begin updating your knowledge of the wizarding world," huffed the Queen. "As Our Royal Wizard We expect better."

The old wizard blushed and contritely said, "Yes, Your Majesty," with a small bow.

The Queen then focussed her attention back on Harry before saying, "Now then, you were telling us about this Mister Dumbledore. A name I also heard you say to the goblin was your magical guardian. We would hear more."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry. "It is a long tale but will both update you on the wizarding world and answer your question."

The Queen just gave a curt nod in response.

"Back during the Second World War there was also a magical world war going on," Harry began. "The two wars were about the same thing; one man trying to claim power over everyone else. In the mundane world you had Hitler trying to take over. In the magical world you had Grindelwald trying to take over. It is also believed Grindelwald was driving Hitler onwards in his quest to hide what he, himself, was doing.

"Albus Dumbledore, a powerful wizard, rose during the war to become one of the leaders for 'our' side. He fought hard for what became known as the Forces for the Light.

"Dumbledore is then credited as the wizard who defeated Grindelwald in a duel and ended the magical war. For this the Ministry awarded him the Order of Merlin, First Class. What really happened is Dumbledore came across Grindelwald by accident and, approaching from behind, shot him in the back."

"Mister Potter," interrupted the Queen. "It is not the place of one of Our Ministries to award medals. That is Our prerogative!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "But, as I said, the Ministry do not seem to be bothered with that."

The Queen was once more quite irate. "Just how long has this... sedition... been going on, Mister Potter?"

"It has slowly been building and getting worse and worse since at least the First World War, Ma'am," replied Harry. "But it is since the Second World War it has become... more overt."

The Queen was quite livid. It took her quite a few moments to get herself back under control. Then she said, "Please, continue, Sir."

Continuing, Harry said, "Peace reigned for many years after that, with Dumbledore being lauded right across the wizarding world as a great hero. He then built his political power base from the adulation of the populace.

"But, after many years, the hard won peace once more came under threat. By this time, the early 1970s, Dumbledore was an established professor at Hogwarts and in line to take the mantle of Headmaster. Quite a prestigious position.

"A past student of Dumbledore, by the name of Tom Riddle, had recently returned from Eastern Europe where he'd headed soon after his graduation in 1945. He began to foment discontent among the magical community by espousing how those wizards of pure blood - though, there's no such thing - should be running things. He convinced others to join his cause; and his number of followers grew. He also gave himself a brand new name; Lord Voldemort."

"Lord Voldemort?" asked the Queen. "Another Lord of which We are unaware?"

"No, Ma'am," replied Harry. "He named himself that, but he was no Lord. Riddle chose the name so he could convince those who were Pure Bloods, those with money, to follow him. He took it to hide the fact he was what the wizarding world call a Half Blood; born of a magical mother but a mundane father.

"By the mid 70s a structure of authority had formed within Voldemort's followers. He collected about himself a core of about twenty of his most fanatical and bloodthirsty followers and marked them with a magical... tattoo... on the inside of their right forearms called the Dark Mark. These people he named 'Death Eaters', and then he let them loose to wreak havoc. Which they did.

"The Ministry and the rest of the wizarding world were under attack and many within the magical community were being killed in large numbers; especially those who were half bloods, and those born where both parents were mundanes. Many of the so-called pure bloods in the magical community look down with disdain upon those whom they think are not as pure as they. They even have quite derogatory terms for them. And, such folk are often treated as second class citizens within that world.

"The Ministry's own law enforcement branch sent out their Aurors, those trained in handling wizards who break the law, to bring down these Death Eaters; and those who followed Riddle but were not so marked. However, they were failing; they were losing.

"Also by then Dumbledore had secretly drawn about him his own group. They were a collection of about a dozen people who knew something had to be done and, as the Ministry's Aurors were failing, decided to do something about it. By this time the wizarding world, especially here in Britain, truly was at war."

"Do you mean to tell Us a war existed in our realm," the Queen asked ominously. "That one of Our Ministries knew of it; and that they failed to advise Us of it?"

"I believe, Your Majesty," Harry responded. "That the Minister for Magic reported to your then Prime Minister that a small terrorist group was causing a few minor problems within the wizarding world but they were handling it."

The Queen was furious. Harry knew that one Cornelius Fudge would soon learn his Queen's wrath was not to be trifled with.

After a short while the Queen once more got her temper under control and said, "Please. Continue."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry. "Dumbledore's group called themselves the Order of the Phoenix. They numbered Aurors who were disgusted in their own Ministry, and others with skills in offensive spells and battle tactics. They came from pure blood families, the elite of the wizarding world, through to what is referred to as muggleborns; those born of non-magical parents. In order to protect themselves and their families the Order operated in secret. Few outside the organisation knew who was in it. Both my parents were in the Order.

"The war didn't rage on continuously, either. There were periods of months at a time where both sides were silent. But, all within the magical community knew that Voldemort - Riddle - was winning. It was only a matter of time, and Riddle was proving to be a patient man.

"During one of these quiet periods in early 1980 two of the ladies of the Order fell pregnant pretty much at the same time. My mother was one. And not too much later the fighting broke out again.

"Also by then, and due to a spy within their ranks, Voldemort had learned of the Order of the Phoenix. He gave orders to his Death Eaters to hunt them down as a matter of priority. However, the Order also discovered that they had been discovered through their own spy within the Death Eater ranks.

"The Order went into hiding; all except for Dumbledore, who returned to Hogwarts and hid behind its powerful wards. Wards similar to what you have upon the palace, here.

"By this time Dumbledore was Headmaster and was trying to ensure he had enough teachers to fill the vacancies caused by the war. He tried hard to ensure wizarding children were still receiving an education.

"During the interview of one Sybill Trelawney, who had applied for the vacant Divination Professorship, he found the woman to be a little... scatterbrained. He was about to thank her for her time and dismiss her when, suddenly, she dropped into a full Seer's trance.

"Miss Trelawney then began to speak. She said, 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches'."

"There was a sudden noise outside and Dumbledore jumped up to quickly investigate. He saw no one. But the sudden noise startled Miss Trelawney enough to knock her out of her Seer's trance. Dumbledore tried to get her to drop back into her trance, but she couldn't do it.

"Believing there was more to the prophecy, and there was though he didn't know that, he hired her on the spot so that she would be close by him if she ever dropped back into the trance and finished the prophecy."

"It was real?" asked the Queen. "It was a real prophecy?"

"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry. "In the magical world a prophecy uttered by a magical Seer is real. It's just that people more often than not do not know to what they pertain.

"However, Dumbledore believed he knew what it meant. He believed that the child born to either my mother, Lily Evans-Potter, or another lady within the Order, Alice Longbottom, would be the prophesised child. He then sent both sets of parents into hiding.

"Not long after, Dumbledore learned that Voldemort knew of the prophecy, or at least part of it. It was an agent of Voldemort's who had made the noise that knocked Miss Trelawney out of her trance. So he sent both sets of parents into deep hiding."

Suddenly, the fireplace gave another flash of magical flame and soot. Grunnark again stepped out of it. But this time he turned around and waited. A moment later the fireplace gave another flash and cough. Grunnark then reached in and pulled from it a polished wooden box about two foot long, a foot wide and about six inches deep. He waited a few moments more and a third flash and cough another goblin stepped out dressed in an even better business suit than Grunnark's.

Grunnark then bowed to the second goblin and, carrying the box in front of him, led the second goblin over to the Queen.

Just in front of the desk both goblins dropped to one knee, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty."

As both stood Grunnark said, "Your Majesty, I present Director Ragnock of Gringotts of London." Then he stepped aside.

Ragnock then said, "Your Majesty, due to the importance of this situation, I felt I should attend this matter personally."

"Thank you, Director Ragnock," said the Queen. "Did Grunnark inform you of what we wish to discover here today?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Ragnock. "We have the necessary equipment with us to perform the rite."

Then looking around, he asked, "If we may have a small table on which to place this box?"

The Queen nodded and one of her retinue hurried across to the side of the room, grabbed a small Queen Victorian side table, and brought it back placing it in the middle a few feet in front of Harry.

While Grunnark placed the box atop the table Ragnock looked up at Harry and said, "Mister Potter. I have been informed you have not been receiving the correspondence we sent to you. I will have words with you concerning that ere we are done here today."

"If there's time, we shall do so, Director," replied Harry.

Grunnark had opened the lid of the box and removed from it a sheet of parchment and a small pointed knife. He closed the lid and placed both atop and stepped back.

"Now, Mister Potter," instructed Ragnock, "you will need to use the knife to prick your right ring finger. You will then allow one drop of your blood to land on the parchment. The magics within the parchment will then reveal to us your true heritage."

Harry looked up at the Queen who then, after a moment, nodded back. He stepped up to the box and did as he was told before taking a step back and pinching down on his finger to stop the bleeding.

From where he was standing Harry could see the single drop of blood beginning to seep into the parchment. Even the Queen had risen from her chair to lean over her desk and watch.

After a few moments the drop of blood suddenly all but disappeared and very quickly lines of red began to flow out from where the drop had landed upon the parchment. After a few more moments it stopped, leaving written lines in its place.

Ragnock then stepped forward and picked the parchment up, orienting it to himself so he could read it.

Quickly scanning through what was written Ragnock said, "Hmmm... I see."

Then, turning to look at Harry, he said, "You are, indeed, the heir to the Earl of Slytherin, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin; just as you are the rightful heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter, and the rightful heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

That startled Harry. It was more than he anticipated hearing. Grunnark again opened the box, placed the knife within it and removed what looked like three small ring boxes, before closing the lid again.

It took Harry a few moments to regather himself before he said, "It is Her Majesty who sought this information today. Please, show her."

Ragnock gave Harry a small bow before turning and walking over to stand in front of the Queen's desk.

"Your Majesty," he said, offering the parchment to Her.

The Queen, who by this time had recovered her seat, took the document from Ragnock and quickly read through it.

After a moment she looked up and called Sir Kingston to her side.

"Well?" she asked him.

"It is authentic, Your Majesty," he said. "The document, and the information on it, cannot be forged."

"Very well," she said motioning the old wizard aside before turning back to face Ragnock.

"We require a true copy of this document, Director Ragnock," she said handing the document back to Ragnock. "For Our records."

Hesitating but a moment the old goblin said, "Of course, Your Majesty."

Turning back to Grunnark he made a small gesture. Grunnark reached back into the box and drew out a second sheet of parchment and the small knife.

Then, turning to Harry, he said, "You will need to repeat the rite, Mister Potter, to make the copy."

Harry stepped forward for the second time and, again pricking his finger, repeated the rite before again stepping back.

When the blood finished its work Ragnock stepped forward, picked up the document and compared the two. Then he walked over and handed it to the Queen.

Walking back over to stand before Harry he asked, "Will you be taking up your heirs rings at this time, Mister Potter?"

Instead of immediately answering Harry asked, "If I take up my rings will the Wizengamot and my magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore be informed?"

"Yes, Mister Potter."

"Is there a way I can take my rings and not have the Wizengamot nor Dumbledore informed?"

The old goblin hesitated for a moment before replying, "It has never been done before, Mister Potter. But it could be done."

"What is this Wizengamot of which We are hearing?" the Queen asked firmly.

"The Wizengamot, Your Majesty," began Harry, "is a body of wizards set up by the Ministry. It is formed of three parts. The first is the Heads of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses, the Noble and Most Ancient Houses, the Noble and Ancient Houses, the Noble Houses and those Magical Houses who hold a lordship; and the second is the Heads of Department within the Ministry, usually Undersecretaries, who are not part of the first two groups but are there as advisors in magic. Albus Dumbledore is Chief Warlock of the small group of powerful wizards.

"It is this body that write and pass the laws that govern Magical Britain, and the Ministry enacts."

"They most certainly do NOT!" the Queen called out. "It is the Houses of Lords and Commons in Westminster who write and pass laws in the United Kingdom - magical, mundane or otherwise! And they do so only under Our authority!"

It was Ragnock who responded in the face of the Queen's ire, "They do not agree, Your Majesty, and have passed laws to that affect in their own name."

"WHAT?!" the Queen near bellowed again, rising from behind her desk.

And again, it was the Prime Minister, who had been content to try and make himself as little noticeable as possible since the last time he spoke, who once more stepped forward trying to calm his Queen.

"Y... Your Majesty!" he croaked. "Your blood pressure!"

Again, visibly controlling Herself and retaking her seat, the Queen called, "Davies!"

The old wizard blanched but hurried forward.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked quite deferentially.

"We are hearing of yet more information of which We were not aware," She snapped. "Explain yourself!"

"Your Majesty," he said. "The sum total of the time I spent immersed in the magical world consisted of the time I attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from shortly after my eleventh birthday until the year I turned seventeen. On graduating I sought employment within that world but, on finding none, I returned to the non-magical world. I have not returned since.

"I believed Your Prime Minister was receiving regular briefings from the Ministry, so I saw no reason to make my own investigations."

The Queen just glowered at the poor man for a moment before gesturing, "Go back over there!"

'Yep,' thought Harry. 'The Royal Wizard is in deep doo doo'.

Ragnock spoke up just then and said, "Shall I gut him for his incompetence, for you, Your Majesty?"

The Queen turned her gaze back upon the old goblin, hesitated for a moment, and said, "No. We shall deal with him in Our own manner at a later time."

The old goblin bowed and said, "Very well, Your Majesty." But he gave every sign he was quite disappointed in Her response.

That, at least, seemed to amuse Her Majesty, even if the only sign of it was a slight twitch near the edge of her mouth.

"Now," she said looking back up at Harry, "I take it you have reasons for not wanting this Wizen... whatever... from learning of your... elevation, My Lord?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he replied. "My investigations lead me to believe members of the Wizengamot - led by no less than my own magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore - will attempt to prevent me from taken my rightful place within the wizarding world if they... catch wind... of what I'm up to.

"My own plan - which has taken a great deal of forethought and planning between my tutor and myself - has for me to ambush those sons of... folks before they can act."

"We see," said the Queen. "We shall hear more of this plan of yours once We are satisfied We have what information We need.

"In the mean time, Director Ragnock," she said looking down at the old goblin, "By Our command, you are to ensure these rings of which you speak do not advise this Wizengamot, nor anyone else, that Lord Potter has accepted them."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," the old goblin said, bowing deeply forward.

"Lord Potter," She said turning to Harry. "You are the Earl of Slytherin and by Our command you will take up your Earl of Slytherin and other rings."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Harry stepping forward to join Ragnock before the large box.

Ragnock, on hearing what the Queen said, looked back down at the rite of inheritance document and seemed a little startled by what he saw.

He then picked up one of the small boxes and looked up at Harry, before saying, "First will be the Head of House ring for the House of Slytherin."

He then opened the box, cast an intricate spell upon the rings inside, and offered it to Harry, "Yours is the ring on the left. The magics of the ring will not now notify anyone it has been donned. Please put it on the ring finger of your right hand."

Harry then reached into the box with his left hand and removed the ring on the left. Then, raising his right hand before him, he slipped the ring onto his finger as he'd been directed. After a few moments, the ring slowly shrunk to his size finger before giving off a little flash of light. Harry could see the house crest of Slytherin on it in detail.

"That was the final confirmation that you are, indeed, the new Earl of Slytherin," the old goblin said. "Congratulations, my Lord. By ancient law you are now emancipated as a minor. And you have the full rights and authority of an adult in the wizarding world.

"Now that you are recognised as an emancipated minor you no longer require a magical guardian to act in your stead. However, as the magics of the ring has been suppressed from notifying anyone you have donned it, your magical guardian will not be automatically informed."

Then, turning to and picking up the next box, Ragnock turned back, opened it, and cast the same spell on this ring before offering it to Harry. "Place this ring, on the left, on the same finger, My Lord. It will merge with the first."

Following the same process Harry then took the ring and placed it on his finger, watching as the two rings combined into one on his finger before giving off the same flash of light.

"That was the final confirmation that you are the new Lord and Head of House Potter," the old goblin said. "Congratulations again, my Lord."

Ragnock went through the same steps with the third ring offering it to Harry. "This is the Heir's ring for the House of Black. It is the one on the right. Same finger, my Lord."

Following the same process Harry watched as it merged with the first two and flashed.

Ragnock then waved his wand again over the rings and said, "All three rings are now bonded to your magical core, My Lord. All you need to do is think of which ring you want displayed and it is that one which will show itself."

"Is there any way I can obscure them from sight if I don't want them seen?" Harry asked.

"Yes, My Lord," replied the goblin. "You merely need to will them to disappear and they will do so."

Harry looked down at the merged ring on his finger, willed it to cycle through the three different Houses, and then willed it to disappear, before lowering his hand again.

Harry looked up just in time to see the Prince of Wales enter the room. The tall, middle aged man, walked a few paces into the room and noticed the goblins, Harry and the Prime Minister. He hesitated a moment before making his way over to the Queen.

"Mister Clinton will be arriving momentarily, Mum," he said in his deep soft spoken cultured voice.

Turning to look up at him the Queen said, "You go deal with the philandering fool, Charles. We are about to invest a new Earl into Our Peerage. Tell him We will see him tonight. If he doesn't accept that, confide in him We've taken ill."

"Yes, Mum," said Charles before turning around and walking back out the door.

The Queen then gestured towards one of the pages in Her retinue and said, "Go and get my sword," before then turning to another and saying, "Get four chairs and bring them over for Our guests to sit. They've been standing long enough." The two so indicated scurried off to do their Queen's bidding.

Then, turning to the goblins, She said, "Director Ragnock; you and Grunnark are welcome to stay."

"One moment, if I may, Your Majesty," Harry said, interrupting.

"Lord Potter?" She asked, clearly a little annoyed with the interruption.

"Your Majesty, I happen to know the identities and probable locations of the other three Earls."

Focussing Her stare on Harry the Queen waited for a moment before asking, "And just why are We learning of this now?"

"Your Majesty was focussed on the matter of sedition we were discussing, and my... claim," he said. "I thought it best to wait until you had received information to your satisfaction on those matters before raising the matter of the others.

"Secondly, they, too, will need to verify their claims through the rite of inheritance we have just carried out here concerning my own... elevation.

"And, finally, none of them are aware of their current... status. They are unaware they are the heirs."

"Lord Potter," the Queen said. "You and I will be having a long discussion concerning how you have this information and We are just learning of it now. We also find your manner of speech quite... advanced... for someone of your purported age.

"For now," She said reaching for a blank sheet of paper and a pen. "We will have those names. Take a seat."

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry replied as he and the Prime Minister sat on the antique chairs they were supplied. "Earl Gryffindor is Neville Francis Longbottom. At present he should be at Longbottom Manor under the care of his Grandmother, Madam Augusta Longbottom. He is considered a Pure Blood and I believe his family rarely interact with the non-magical world. Longbottom Manor is located just outside of the village of Staining just outside of Blackpool. Neville is one day older than I am and is the other child Dumbledore thought to whom the prophecy might apply."

While Harry was speaking the one sent off to get the Queen's sword returned with it in his gloved hands. And just stood there with it, waiting.

Harry barely paused before continuing. "Neville's parents are still alive but both are now... mentally incapacitated. They are permanent patients at Saint Mungo's Hospital, magical Britain's wizarding hospital, where they are under twenty-four hour care. Madam Augusta Longbottom is acting as Regent for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom on the Wizengamot."

Harry waited while the Queen wrote down the information before She glanced up again and quietly asked, "What happened to them?"

"Neville's parents? Frank and Alice Longbottom, were tortured to the point where their minds... snapped," Harry quietly said. "The Death Eaters tortured them to find Neville's location but, as they didn't then go after him as he was in the care of his grandmother at the time, the Death Eaters were clearly unsuccessful. Voldemort's - Riddle's - minions used the... event... as an example of what would happen to anyone who stood against him, saying there were worse things than death for those who defied him."

Seeing the Queen was no longer writing Harry went on.

"Countess Hufflepuff is Susan Charity Bones. She is about the same age as me just a few months younger. At present she should be at Bones Manor under the care of her Aunt, Amelia Susan Bones. She is a Half Blood, the same as me; and both her parents and magical grandparents were killed in the recent war I was talking about earlier. Bones Manor is located in High Stakesby about twenty miles east of Middlesborough along the east coast.

"Amelia Bones is the current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the DMLE, within the Ministry and Chairs the Wizengamot as presiding Judge when a criminal case is brought before them. It is the Wizengamot that acts as a court in such matters. It is the Chief Warlock, Albus Dumbledore, who Chairs the Wizengamot at all other times. The DMLE is the wizarding world's version of MI5 and Scotland Yard combined."

Harry expected the Queen to say something about that. But the only sign he knew She understood what he meant was a slight pursing of Her lips and narrowing of Her eyes.

Once the Queen paused in Her writing Harry continued.

"Countess Ravenclaw is Hermoine Jean Granger. She is about ten months older than me. At present she should be at Highgate Middle School where she is in Year 7. She is mundaneborn and lives at home in Highgate with her parents. All three have no idea Hermoine is a witch but they know there is something... weird... going on. They should be visited within the next couple of weeks by Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts, who will bring with her an invitation for Hermoine to attend Hogwarts.

"Professor McGonagall will also set the Grangers straight about what it means to be a witch or a wizard and make sure they understand they cannot speak about the wizarding world. That is one of the rare exceptions to the secrecy... rule... I spoke about earlier.

"Doctor Daniel and Doctor Emma Granger are dental surgeons who run a dental practice together in Highgate proper, not far from their home."

After the Queen finished taking Her notes, She asked, "Is that all, Lord Potter?"

"Not quite, Your Majesty," Harry said. "Both the Longbottom and Bones manors are hidden from mundane eyes. That is, non-magical folk would walk right past both manors and not know they were there. The Granger home, however, can be found in the local telephone directory.

"You will also find little to no record in any system concerning Susan Bones. She has spent her entire life within the wizarding world and I am unaware of any time she has interacted with the mundane world where they would be entered into a record.

"Madam Amelia Bones, in her role as Head of the DMLE, is likely to have interacted with either or both MI5 and Scotland Yard in her work within the DMLE. However, both organisations are unlikely to know of her, or her role within wizarding Britain. I would suspect knowledge of her would have been wiped from the minds of the officers and agents concerned.

"Susan's mother, Charity Bones nee Martin, was a mundane born. There should be a birth certificate, medical and school records of her available somewhere. A search on such records for her will find she disappeared shortly before 1st September when she was eleven years old. And to answer the obvious question; yes, it was because she attended Hogwarts. As far as I know she never returned to the mundane world except, possibly, to visit non-magical family members.

"Though Neville is a Pure Blood, he was born in a mundane hospital. The same one as me, actually. And only a few hours before. The Order sent both our parents to give birth in a mundane hospital because they had intelligence Riddle knew when our mothers were due. As Saint Mungo's is the only wizarding hospital in Britain it was too great a risk for either of us to born there. So, you will be able to find a birth certificate for Neville but no other records.

"That is all I have about the other heirs, Your Majesty," finished Harry.

The Queen finished jotting down the last of Her notes before She gestured for another member of Her retinue to step forward. Giving the couple of sheets She had been written upon to him She said, "Get this to the Director of MI5 immediately. He is to make his own investigations and report directly to Us with the results. We would have those results within... ninety minutes. If he seeks clarification of any matter he is to contact Us immediately. Go."

The man in question said, "Yes, Ma'am," bowed, and fled the room.

Turning to look back at Harry she said, "Lord Potter, We would be informed as to how you obtained this information of which you are providing Us now."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Harry.

He then turned to the Prime Minister and asked, "Mister Prime Minister, may I have the message cube, please?"

The Prime Minister hesitated a moment before he reached into the pocket of his suit jacket and wordlessly handed Harry the cube he drew from within.

Harry then stood up and stepped forward to the goblin's box, which was still sitting on the little table upon which it was first placed and remained during the rite of inheritance.

He placed the cube on top of the box, looked back up at the Queen said, "Your Majesty, this is a message from the person whom I'm proud to call my tutor, my mentor, and my friend. He is the first person to ever hold the position of Royal Wizard in England. It is he who set me on the path I now tread.

With that, Harry reached out with his right index finger, tapped the top of the cube twice and said, "Begin!" before stepping back and resuming his seat.

The space above the cube shimmered slightly and an image of Myrrdin appeared facing towards the Queen.

"Your Majesty," said Myrrdin, "my name is Myrrdin Emrys, I have been called many names, but you may know me as Merlin Ambrosius."

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