It was the start of the first week of March when Harry received an update from Violet. Some progress had finally been achieved with the Ministry of Magic. It appeared they were prepared to offer each of the four champions a compensation of one thousand five hundred galleons for their failure to disclose critical details about the magical contract associated with the Goblet of Fire. Furthermore, Harry was to receive an additional five hundred galleons for his coerced participation.
Of course, these developments were to remain behind closed doors, as the pompous officials in London were not fond of acknowledging their blunders, especially in public. Ms. L Bridget had candidly admitted that they had only managed to extract even this much from the Ministry due to repeated threats from her colleagues—Victor Krum's and the Beauxbatons Academy's legal teams—who warned the British Ministry of Magic that they would escalate the situation into a significant and public international scandal.
Violet also noted that neither she nor her colleagues were particularly satisfied with the outcome, but they recognized that pushing for greater compensation or attempting to force the Ministry to publicly acknowledge their oversight would meet substantial resistance, ultimately resulting in no benefits for any of the champions.
As much as Harry disliked the idea, he had to admit that Ms. L Bridget was correct; it was wise to settle while they still had something to gain. When he met with the other champions to discuss the situation, they all reluctantly agreed that pursuing true justice from the British Ministry for Magic would likely cost them whatever small gains they had already achieved.
~/ *** \~
Later that week, Draconica received a letter from home. Apparently, her father, Lucius, was either in a foul mood or had indulged too much in fire whiskey upon receiving another report about her ongoing association with—his words—"that dirty half-bred scumbag Potter." He was particularly concerned that this relationship might result in her fiancé rejecting her, which would bring even more shame and financial difficulties to the Malfoy household.
As a result, Draconica was informed that a special training regimen on how to behave like a proper lady awaited her upon her return home for the summer holidays. The blonde beauty was uncertain about what this 'training' entailed, but it certainly didn't sound appealing.
Normally, she faced her father alone, but in this instance, she could think of nothing that would shield her from this impending ordeal. Thus, she sought Harry's assistance, hoping he might devise a way to resolve the situation.
"Doesn't sound like your father has a fun summer planned for you, 'Nica," Harry remarked after reading the letter. He paused for a moment before continuing, "Unfortunately, there's not much we can do. Lucius, as the head of a Noble house, wields considerable power. He could compel you into this, even if you were a legal adult." Draconica nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation—she had known this all along, but the reminder of her limited freedom was painful. Harry added, "But Lord Malfoy will lose his hold over you if you secure… um… another Lord." Realization dawned on Draconica's face.
"Yes, but haven't we agreed to wed on the Summer Solstice after our OWLs?" she replied. That had indeed been their plan, although keeping Lucius pacified had proven difficult.
"We did," Harry confirmed. "But… I know that the bond is until death do us part, but I'd rather have you with me, safe and sound, even if we're not ready, than…" He trailed off, uncertain of the specifics of what Lucius might have planned for her 'reeducation.'
"Well…" Draconica sighed, moving closer to Harry. "It doesn't sound too bad, even if I'd prefer to wait until we're ready." They were both only fourteen; despite the depth of their relationship, they weren't prepared to start a family just yet. Circumstances, however, seemed to dictate that their union would happen sooner rather than later. After a moment, she asked, "So… when will we wed now?"
Harry sighed; it was a decision that couldn't be made on the spur of the moment.
"Well…" he began awkwardly, "We could probably handle the official part in a couple of hours, but the bond needs to be consummated. We could do that here at Hogwarts, but I think Slytherin's cottage would be more fitting, don't you? We can always christen some classrooms later," he joked to lighten the mood. Draconica responded with a gentle laugh and a playful punch to his shoulder.
"Even if that's the case, some arrangements need to be made beforehand." He contemplated the timing for their bonding. "I'd say the last weekend of March would be the earliest we could go ahead, but Easter holidays would work better."
"Alright," Draconica replied, then asked, "Is there anything I can do to help with the organization?" After a moment of silence, Harry responded:
"If you could arrange for your family's barrister to be present at—" he paused, "the official part of the ceremony at Gringotts, without your father knowing, that'd be fantastic." Draconica shook her head in response, and Harry nodded in understanding: her family's barrister likely wouldn't keep Lucius in the dark about this. "Well, your account manager would suffice too, though it would be preferable for the witness to be human."
"That could work," Draconica mused. "And why not have both? I'm pretty sure Daphne could serve as a human witness if necessary."
Harry chuckled. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but yes, she would." He paused, considering the logistics of the situation. "But since the official part of the bonding ceremony will be at Gringotts, Daphne must get there and back to the castle without anyone in the staff noticing. I can leave Hogwarts at any time as I'm a legal adult, and it will be the same for you too… but Daphne doesn't have that privilege."
"I see…" Draconica nodded, looking thoughtful.
"Don't worry; I'm sure Violet—Ms. L Bridget—would be willing to drop Daphne at Hogwarts gates after the official ceremony," Harry assured her.
~/ *** \~
Saturday arrived, and Harry decided it was time to start arranging his and Draconica's bonding. After breakfast, he slipped out of the castle. Once outside Hogwarts' extensive wards, he apparated to Diagon Alley. His first stop was Gringotts bank. Having scheduled a meeting with his account manager earlier via owl, he merely had to ask one of the tellers to summon his guide to Goldsaw's office.
"Good morning, Master Goldsaw," he greeted upon being seated across from his account manager. The goblin returned the greeting before asking, "What business do you have with Gringotts today, Lord Potter-Slytherin?"
Harry took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I'm getting married on April second, Master Goldsaw," he announced finally. "I'd like to rent a small ceremonial chamber here at Gringotts. Ideally, in the early afternoon, but if that's not possible, morning should work as well. I would also like you to be present during the official portion of the ceremony."
The goblin nodded. "My congratulations on finding your mate, Lord Potter-Slytherin. I'm confident Gringotts will gladly provide the ceremonial chamber you request." Indeed, the goblins were known for their financial acumen, and they would stand to gain quite a sum—both from the rental of the facilities and from the Slytherin vault's expected activity.
"However, I must ask why you want me present," Goldsaw inquired.
"Thank you," Harry replied, "and I'd like you there as one of my witnesses—should any issues arise later, I'd want you, Master Goldsaw, to confirm that the bonding was executed properly according to wizarding law and that both my fiancée and I entered into it willingly."
The goblin nodded approvingly. "Very prudent of you; I appreciate that."
Harry continued, "I understand that Gringotts has miniature versions of Thief's Downfall, right? The ones used to examine guests during particularly important meetings held here." Goldsaw confirmed their existence. "I'd like to rent one for the bonding ceremony."
"While I can't guarantee one will be available, Lord Potter-Slytherin, if I can secure one, it won't be inexpensive. Nevertheless, I understand your reasoning. I will endeavor to assist you… and your future bride."
"Thank you," Harry said with a small bow. "As a final note, I'd like to arrange for a one-way portkey from Gringotts to bring my fiancée, her human witness, and myself to the bonding ceremony." After a brief pause, he added, "Please send me the portkey once everything has been arranged, Master Goldsaw."
"I shall do as you request, Lord Potter-Slytherin," the goblin replied. With their business concluded, Harry thanked him once more and left Goldsaw's office, intending to retrieve Draconica's ring from the Slytherin vault.
After a quick chat with the portrait of Salazar, he obtained the ring. It was one of the few priceless items in the vault that predated his lordship over Slytherin; its family connections had saved it from being sold off during the house's financial difficulties in the early sixteenth century.
With the ring safely tucked away in his jacket pocket, Harry exited Gringotts and made his way down Diagon Alley toward the office of the law firm "Carter, Bridget & Ashford." He had arranged a meeting with Violet via owl earlier, and it was nearly time for their appointment.
While the main focus would be his bonding arrangements, Harry was eager to learn about the progress Violet had made in building a case against Dumbledore. Hopefully, they were making headway in their quest to hold the manipulative old wizard accountable for his actions.
~/ *** \~
As Harry approached Professor McGonagall's office, he hesitated several steps away. He had rehearsed this conversation countless times in his head, but now that he was on the verge of addressing the deputy headmistress, nerves began to creep in. Although the Hogwarts charter was undoubtedly in his favor, he secretly worried about the implications for his and Draconica's plans if McGonagall declined his request.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he knocked on the door. He heard the unmistakable sound of papers being shuffled before McGonagall called for him to enter. Without delay, he stepped into her office and was greeted by an impressive mound of parchment on her desk—she was clearly busy grading transfiguration essays.
"Good afternoon, Professor," he greeted her, noting the critical glint in her eye as she assessed him, undoubtedly questioning the purpose of his visit.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," she replied. "What can I do for you? I assume you're not in need of academic assistance." Given that most Gryffindor students came to her when they were struggling, it wasn't surprising that she jumped to that conclusion. Harry shook his head.
"No, Professor, that isn't why I'm here. However, I do require your assistance as deputy headmistress." The young Potter continued, "I'd like to request that married quarters be prepared for my fiancée and me. We hope to move in right after the Easter break." According to the school charter, any married couple residing in the castle was eligible for a small apartment in the southern wing, even if the last time a pair of students had made use of it dated back to the eighteenth century.
"Oh… I see…" Professor McGonagall responded after a prolonged pause. It was clear this request was unexpected, leaving her momentarily taken aback. Following another pause, this time shorter, she continued, "This is quite an unusual request, Mr. Potter. I'm uncertain about the condition of the married quarters as they haven't been used in decades if not centuries. However, I'll see what the house-elves can do to make them presentable…" Professor McGonagall paused once more, finally processing what Harry said about his upcoming marriage. "Mr. Potter, you are getting married?"
"Yes, we are," Harry replied. Sensing a lecture coming, he quickly added, "And no, that isn't the reason; we're not expecting, nor do we plan to have a child before we're both ready." After a brief pause, he added, "We'd prefer to marry a bit later, but circumstances require our bonding to happen sooner."
"Very well, I'll take your word for it, Mr. Potter. You've shown yourself to be quite a responsible young man, and I trust you won't disappoint me." Harry felt optimistic they would indeed be granted the married quarters. "By the way, Mr. Potter, you've yet to mention who your Lady Potter will be." She said this in a surprisingly friendly tone, quite different from her usual stern demeanor.
"Don't you already know, Professor?" Harry replied. Despite their efforts to be discreet, it was likely everyone within the castle had at least an inkling of their relationship. He could easily sense that Professor McGonagall had pieced it together as well. "However, I must clarify that my fiancée won't be Lady Potter; I hold another lordship, and the title suits her much better." After a brief pause, he added, "I hope that one day we can have a proper wedding, and you'll be a welcome guest."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Potter," replied Professor McGonagall. "And my best wishes to you." Not waiting for Harry's response, she said, "Like I mentioned, I'll do my utmost to arrange married quarters for you and your fiancée."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied with a polite bow. "You're being incredibly helpful." The room sat in silence for a moment before he spoke again. "I can see you're busy; I won't take up any more of your time. Have a productive afternoon, Professor." After another small bow, he stood and left her office.
As he made his way back toward Gryffindor Tower, Harry couldn't help but feel grateful for Professor McGonagall's cooperation. She had tremendously aided Draconica and him by helping to secure an apartment in the married quarters… or at least, she was on track to do just that. He had no doubt the professor would have everything ready for them when they returned to Hogwarts after the Easter break.