Chereads / Imprisoned in the Past / Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Parkinson Problem

Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Parkinson Problem

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London, 7/7/1982, 13:42

Sirius was a nervous wreck today, he had come over for lunch to talk and was asking Harry all sorts of questions about his early life with the Dursleys. Currently, it was just Harry and Sirius sitting in the drawing-room, Bellatrix had gone over to Cissa's for the day to avoid having to deal with the Marauder.

Tomorrow Sirius would be going to retrieve the younger Harry from the Dursley home escorted by two Aurors to deal with any problems that may arise, and Dumbledore who would no doubt be trying to talk Sirius out of taking custody of Harry.

"Chill out Padfoot," Harry exclaimed pulling the man from his nervous brooding.

"This is driving me mad, I love my godson but I have no idea how to take care of a child," Sirius exclaimed.

"Yeah mate I can't help you with that, I was pressed into service almost as soon as the war ended and barely got to know my own godson," Harry admitted sadly.

"Tonks son?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Yeah, he was a metamorph just like her," Harry said with a smile.

"You never told me who the father was," Sirius pointed out.

"The father was a worthless piece of stool," Harry said dismissively.

"Who was it?" Sirius pressed.

"I don't think you will like the answer," Harry said seriously.

"I don't care, come on tell me," Sirius begged.

"Fine but it will count as part of that vow," Harry warned.

"Fine, now tell me," Sirius demanded.

"Remus Lupin," Harry said with a scowl.

"What?! he's my age," Sirius said incredulously.

"Yep, he tried to leave her after she got pregnant because he was scared his son would turn out just like him," Harry said sounding angry.

"I guess that explains why you don't like him," Sirius said thoughtfully.

"I don't think I have to worry about that problem this time around, Andromeda will flay him alive if he comes near her," Harry said with a malicious grin.

"So what's the deal with you and Bellatrix?" Sirius asked changing the subject.

"I have no idea where it's going, to be honest," Harry said with a shrug.

"How can you date her after she killed your godfather?" Sirius asked curiously.

"She's smoking hot and my godfather was a wanker," Harry said with a smirk.

"Oi, you wound me," Sirius said dramatically.

"Alright, truthfully I don't think she meant to kill you," Harry admitted.

"So basically your cock is calling the shots," Sirius said in understanding.

"How dare you make such an accusation?" Harry demanded without any real heat.

"I call 'em as I see 'em," Sirius said matter of factly.

"See you're a complete wanker," Harry pointed out.

"Whatever, back to the younger version of you, how bad were the Dursleys?" Sirius asked.

"Bad, I was absolutely miserable there for the ten years until I got my letter, and every summer I spent there when I started Hogwarts," Harry admitted.

"Did they abuse you?" Sirius asked.

"No, not physically at least. They locked me in a cupboard and hardly fed me but that's about as far as it went," Harry said with a shrug.

"A cupboard?" Sirius asked horrified.

"Yeah, I lived in the cupboard under the stairs until a few days before my eleventh birthday when I received my Hogwarts letter addressed to the cupboard under the stairs and they freaked out and moved me to my cousin's second bedroom," Harry explained.

"Those bastards!" Sirius exclaimed angrily.

"I got over it, they are pathetic human beings and not worth thinking about," Harry said dismissively.

"Fine, I'll leave it be and just get Harry out of there," Sirius said after some thought.

"Good, now onto other matters," Harry said happy to get off of the current subject.

"What other matters?" Sirius asked confused.

"Amelia Bones of course," Harry said as if it were obvious.

"What about her?" Sirius asked evasively.

"Where is that going, is she your future lady Black?" Harry asked.

"I got disowned even if I did marry her she couldn't be lady Black," Sirius argued.

"You didn't get disowned otherwise I wouldn't have become Lord Black," Harry said as though speaking to a slow child.

"But my mother-

" Didn't have the authority to disown you," Harry said talking over Sirius.

"I guess I'll have to visit my grandfather and figure out what's going on, he took over the lordship when my parents died last June," Sirius said thoughtfully.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Harry agreed.

"Easy for you to say," Sirius muttered.

Before Harry could respond Bellatrix and Narcissa entered the library and Narcissa handed Harry a folder before taking a seat in a highbacked chair.

"What's this?" Harry asked as he opened the folder.

"Relevant information on Reginald Parkinson," Narcissa said primly.

"Oh god, she's got you working for her doesn't she," Sirius asked in dawning horror.

"We made a deal a few days ago," Harry said dismissively.

"That's how it always starts," Sirius said warningly.

"How what always starts?" Narcissa asked pointedly.

"I heard the stories about you in Hogwarts, you always found a way to get someone to take care of your dirty work for you," Sirius said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Narcissa said innocently.

"That Vaisley bloke you were dating that cheated on you, heard him and the girl were both found stuck to the great hall ceiling in my third, year" Sirius accused.

"I was with Andy in the common room all night," Narcissa said with a shrug.

"Exactly, because one of your little mercenaries did the deed," Sirius exclaimed.

"You'll never prove anything," Narcissa said smugly.

Harry listened to their conversation with half an ear while he perused the file, there was a copy of the marriage contract and a rough itinerary for Lord Parkinson daily routine, he ran a small chain of apothecaries that had stores in London, Hogsmeade, and York that he would visit periodically.

He was also known to frequent the 'Drunken Pixie' a gentleman's club in Knockturn Alley known for catering to rich purebloods, it had some of the priciest call girls in Britain and was where the elite went to release there... tension, this appeared to be his beat bet into getting to Parkinson.

"Hmm, I suppose it is time I visited a brothel," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Excuse me?" Bellatrix asked dangerously.

"Hmm," Harry asked looking up from the file.

"Why are you planning on going to a brothel?" Bellatrix asked sweetly.

"To meet with Lord Parkinson," Harry answered nonplussed.

"Hmm, then I will accompany you," Bellatrix said firmly.

"It's a gentleman's club, women aren't allowed," Harry explained.

"I will come as a snake then," Bellatrix said with a shrug.

"You can't bite anyone," Harry warned.

"Oh, but you'll find that I can," Bellatrix argued making Sirius snigger.

"You need to be on your best behavior in the establishment, I don't want to be chucked out because of a misbehaving cobra," Harry rephrased making Bellatrix pout at him.

"Fine, but if one of those bints touches Bella's favorite broomstick I will be very cross," Bellatrix said warningly.

"I have no plans for any philandering with any of the prostitutes there, it is simply the best opportunity that I can see to get to Parkinson," Harry assured her.

"Which brothel?" Sirius asked curiously.

"The Drunken Pixie," Harry said.

"Oh that is a very good one, they even have a few veela on staff, or so I've heard," Sirius hastily corrected when he saw the disapproving look on Narcissa's face.

"They have veela?" Harry asked curiously not noticing the glare Bellatrix was shooting her cousin.

"Yeah last I heard they had three, though they charge per hour and the price is unbelievable," Sirius said.

"That might actually work in my favor," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Come again?" Sirius asked.

"If Lord Parkinson were to be gifted an hour with one of the veela mistresses, and said veela was paid to help a dashing dark-haired young man by getting Lord Parkinson to sign a piece of paper terminating a marriage contract then that could be very helpful. Wouldn't you agree, Narcissa?"Harry asked with a smirk.

"Yes Harry, that would be very fortunate and very neat," Narcissa agreed with an appeoving smile.

"Good then I suppose it's time to visit the brothel," Harry said with a triumphant grin.

"No touching," Bellatrix said firmly.

"Of course, dear, want to come along Sirius?" Harry asked innocently.

"Really?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"Heavens no, I just wanted to see your face when you thought you were," Harry said happily.

Sirius shot him the bird making Narcissa tsk at him.

"When do you want to go?" Bellatrix asked curiously.

"We'll go tomorrow afternoon and speak to one of the vella," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Good, I still want to tag along" Bella said flatly.

"Fine with me as long as you behave yourself or you won't be getting any more spankings," Harry warned making Bella gasp and Sirius look sharply in his direction.

"Even if say mudblood?" Bellatrix asked hopefully.

"Yes even then, you'll just get a lecture worthy of Professor Binns," Harry threatened.

Bella looked horrified and Narcissa nodded approvingly, Sirius still seemed lost for words gaping like a landed fish.

"I promise to be good," Bellatrix said at once.

"Excellent," Harry said with a smile

"You two are weird", Sirius said shaking his head.

"Says the man who is the human embodiment of his animagus form," Narcissa quipped.

"You were always the mean one," Sirius pouted.

"I have no idea what you're talking about cousin," Narcissa said innocently.

"How about the time you lined the inside of my underwear with bubotuber puss because I broke your china doll," Sirius accused.

"You can't prove anything," Narcissa said confidently.

"I know it was you, you left your hairclip on my dresser," Sirius exclaimed.

"Circumstantial evidence, you could have stolen it to frame me," Narcissa argued.

"Like I would cover my bits in painful swelling boils just to frame you," Sirius exclaimed incredulously.

"Alright, this has gone on long enough, Sirius. If you know how vindictive she can be then don't provoke her," Harry said cutting the argument short.

"They have always been like this," Bellatrix said amusedly.

"So basically the only one he got along with was Andy," Harry asked.

"Only because she would protect him when he got on our nerves," Narcissa said with a shake of her head.

"Makes sense,'" Harry said thoughtfully.

Harry heard stomping feet in the hallway and a few seconds later a very grumpy Tonks entered the drawing-room and plopped onto the couch without saying a word.

Harry glanced at the door and saw a very angry Andromeda walk into the room a minute later.

"Good afternoon," Andromeda said as she sat primly on the couch on the other side of Bella.

"What's got you so riled up?" Bella asked curiously.

"My daughter, she went flying without permission and I caught her trying to perform a dive over the gardens," Andromeda answered shortly.

"I could have pulled it off if you hadn't immobilized me," Tonks protested.

"You could have broken your fool neck!" Andromeda exclaimed.

"Alright I think I'm going to head out, good luck Nymphadora," Sirius said before hastily leaving the drawing-room.

"Bloody coward," Harry muttered as he saw Sirius disappear through the door.

"Language, Harry," Narcissa said pointedly looking at her niece.

"My apologies, I think I might go make a withdrawal for tomorrow, you girls have fun," Harry said before following his godfather in a strategic retreat.

"Ha, at least your learning godson," Sirius said when Harry entered the kitchen.

"Enough fatherly lectures Padfoot, I'm three years older than you," Harry shot back.

"Ah, but I have decades of experience with my temperamental cousins," Sirius said with a smirk as he pulled on his leather bikers jacket, Harry noticed that it had a large reaper stitched into the back of it.

"Nice jacket, where did you get that?" Harry asked curiously.

"Belfast," Sirius answered as he stepped into the floo.

The Drunken Pixie, Knockturn Alley, 7/8/1982, 15:45

Harry strolled down the street in his finest acromantula silk robes, Bellatrix was coiled around him in her snake form her head resting on his shoulder as they made their way to the gentleman's club.

This place was always a downer and Harry hated coming here because the place was so dingy and gloomy, there was also the fact that he accidentally came out here on his first trip through the floo, the place had always given him the creeps since that first somewhat traumatic experience.

Harry walked past a group of hags who shied away from him, they could feel the power coming off of him and Bellatrix and did not want to provoke a confrontation with such a powerful wizard.

Hags and vampires were quite common here and were partially responsible for the shady reputation of the alley even though for the most part they were harmless, it's the other wizards one had to worry about in Knockturn Alley.

This place was no different than it was in his time, even though the sun was high in the sky it looked like dusk in Knockturn Alley, the buildings were very close together and there seemed to be some type of magical barrier that prevented sunlight from shining into the alley.

"I see the brothel," Bellatrix hissed into his ear.

"I see it too," Harry said stroking her head affectionately.

Harry turned to the right and headed for the only building in the alley that looked presentable, the outer walls were granite and looked to have been freshly washed, it had large windows that were opaque by design rather than from lack of cleaning and a large wooden sign hung over the door with a picture of a muggle style fairy painted on it drinking a bottle of ale with the words 'Drunken Pixie' carved underneath it.

Harry strolled confidently up to the door and stepped inside, he had to stop to take a look around, the place reminded him of the entrance hall at Malfoy Manor, the vaulted ceiling and the row of hanging crystal chandeliers leading the way to the main lounge, the floors were covered in velvet carpet and the walls and ceiling looked to be white marble.

There were tapestries on the walls showing depicting women in skimpy outfits dancing provocatively and some even performing various sex acts.

Harry took a look at the lounge and almost snorted, there were velvet chaise lounges and overstuffed couches with end tables everywhere, the room had thick velvet red carpeting and paintings of nude women hung on the walls, they were currently gossiping amongst themselves and took no notice of him. This place looked like a cliche whore house with all the red velvet and for some reason, Harry found that amusing.

Harry also noticed that they had boxes of complimentary cigars on the endtables presumably for the patrons who wanted to socialize and talk politics while they waited their turn with a prostitute.

Harry casually took a seat making a note to throw these robes out when he got home and waited patiently for someone to approach him.

It didn't take very long before a very attractive redhead approached, she was barefoot and wearing a see-through white negligee that emphasized the black lacy undergarments underneath very nicely, her approach made the cobra on his neck hiss irritably.

"Good afternoon sir, My name is Ariel, are you here to see a specific lady?" The woman asked in a soft sensual voice.

"No, I've never actually visited this establishment before but I have heard tale that you have some Vella in your employ," Harry answered in a passable imitation of Draco Malfoy's aristocratic drawl.

"Yes, but the rates are rather high for the veela, are you sure you wouldn't prefer one of our other girls? I am free at the moment" Ariel asked the last part sounding hopeful.

"Cost is hardly an issue, I want the best," Harry said dismissively picking up a cigar out of the box and placeing it in his mouth.

"Very well if you would follow me I believe Isabelle is free," The woman said looking a bit put out.

Harry followed the redhead through the lounge and through a side door that opened into a narrow hallway with doors lining both sides, Harry made sure not to glance at the womans magnificent bum that was swaying in front of him for fear of being bitten by a jealous cobra.

Towards the end of the hall Ariel knocked gently on the last door on the right and waited for a French accented voice to call through the door, "Come in."

Ariel opened the door and let Harry step inside before closing the door behind him.

The room was small with just a bed and a vanity and a small door leading to what Harry presumed was a bathroom, it was carpeted in the same red velvet and there were candles lit give the room a romantic vibe.

Sitting on the bed was a woman wearing the same type of white negligee, though she wasn't wearing undergarments underneath, her silvery blond hair fell down her back like a waterfall, and her blue eyes looked him up and down appreciatively, Harry thought she looked a lot like Fleur Weasley, but maybe that was just a veela trait.

"Bonjour, you requested an 'our wiz a veela", She said her voice sounding very sexy with the French accent, and Harry couldn't help but notice how full her ruby red lips were.

"Yes, but I was hoping to hire you for something besides the obvious," Harry explained with a cough using all his efforts to look her in the eyes and not glance downward.

"And what exactly is it you want?" Isabelle asked suspiciously.

"I need you to get a patron of yours to sign this," Harry said handing her the parchment Narcissa had given him to terminate the betrothal contract.

Isabelle unrolled the parchment reading the name and smirked at him before speaking, " ze man is a cochon, he is very rough wiz ze other ladies I would 'ave no problem 'elping you if ze price is good."

"I will pay you quite a large sum if you can pull it off," Harry assured her throwing a large sack of galleons on the bed.

" 'ow much is this?" Isabelle asked picking up the bag her eyes widened when she opened the bag.

"Five thousand galleons, you will get five thousand more if you get him to sign it with this," Harry said handing her a blood quill.

"You 'ave a deal, he should come 'ere tomorrow night, I will get him to sign zis," Isabelle said confidently.

"Excellent, I will return the day after tomorrow but if you try to cheat me on this no amount of fireballs will save you from me," Harry said menacingly making the vella physically recoil.

"You 'ave my word, zat money will get me out of 'ere and I would not risk zat," Isabelle assured him.

"Good, now how much is the standard rate for an hour with you?" Harry asked

"Three 'undred and fifty galleons," Isabelle answered at once.

Nodding Harry pulled out another pouch and summoned the required amount making it hover in the air before he gently lowered it onto the bed.

"I have taken up enough of your time, Ms.?" Harry said.

"Dubois, are you sure you would not like to experience what being wiz a vella is like?" Isabelle asked seductively.

"It would be very bad for my health I'm afraid, my girlfriend would kill me," Harry said having noticed Bella's coils tightening around him when Isabelle had spoken.

"Zat is a shame, you have the qualities veela look for in a mate," Isabelle said sadly.

"What qualities are those?" Harry asked curiously.

"Handsome, powerful, and resistant to our veela magic zat turn most men into drooling morons," Isabelle said simply.

"Oh," Harry said at a loss for what to say to that.

I will 'ave your parchment signed, what is your name by ze way?" Isabelle asked.

"Harry, Harry Peverell," Harry said as he exited the room and made his way out of the building.

"Girlfriend?" Bellatrix asked softly.

"Yes, we are dating aren't we?" Harry asked as he made the trip back towards Diagon Alley.

"Yes, but we haven't talked about it," Bellatrix hissed.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend, Bellatrix?" Harry asked as he passed 'Borgin and Burke's' and got closer to the exit.

"Yes, Bella would love to be your girlfriend," Bellatrix hissed happily.

'Then it's decided, now we have to be quiet until we get home' Harry said as he stepped into Diagon Alley, the sunlight hurting his eyes after the near twilight quality of Knockturn.

Harry made his way to the ice cream shop and bought two cones before apparating home, step one in his plan was complete and he had a good feeling about this working out.

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London, 7/8/1982, 16:45

Harry was surprised to arrive home to a full house, the sound from the drawing-room carried down to the entrance hall and Harry followed the sound up the stairs.

Upon entering the drawing-room he saw Sirius and the other two Black sisters watching three children play on the floor.

'Draco was actually a cute baby', Harry had to grudgingly admit to himself as he saw the blond toddler coloring in a coloring book, though looking up every so often to watch the other two children playing.

There was a good reason for this, Tonks was down on the floor on all fours letting a dark-haired toddler ride on her back like a horse, he was laughing loudly and screaming, ' faster Tonky Faster," at the top of his lungs.

You were very cute at that age"Bellatrix hissed catching toddler Harry's attention and making him slip off of Tonks back.

"Snakey," Little Harry hissed excitedly seeing Bellatrix slithering off of Harry onto the ground.

"He talks like a snake too," Tonks exclaimed.

"Snakey, hello," Little Harry said happily.

"I'm not a snakey, I'm a woman," Bellatrix protested.

"You look like a snakey," little Harry argued.

"But I'm not really a snakey," Bellatrix explained as her head rose to little Harry's eye level and her hood flared outward.

"Bellatrix, just change back already," Harry said with a sigh.

Harry watched his younger selves look of amazement as Bellatrix changed back into her human form right before his eyes.

"Snakey woman," little Harry said shyly.

"I am Auntie Bella," Bellatrix said gently.

'Oh boy, is it wrong that I want to call her Auntie Bella later tonight?' Harry wondered to himself.

"So how did it go?" Sieius asked.

"Great, I accomplished what I sought out to do and I even got myself a girlfriend in the process," Harry said happily.

"Really, and you're still alive?" Sirius asked lookng warily at Bellatrix.

"I finally asked her to be my girlfriend," Harry said catching where Sirius was looking.

"It's your funeral, I picked up Harry by the way," Sirius said happily stating the obvious.

"I saw him turning Tonks into hippogriff," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Not a hippogriff her little bum is grounded after yesterday," Andromeda cut in.

"Poor kid," Sirius said with a grin.

"So the veela you talked to accepted your offer?" Narcissa cut in.

"Yes, she assured me she could pull it off," Harry said seriously.

"What do you get out of this?" Sirius asked Harry.

"My cottage in Cornwall," Narcissa answered with a shrug.

"Oh, I love that place do you remember the sandcastles we used to build there?" Andrmeda asked sounding nastalgic.

"How could I forget, I never got to finish one because Bellatrix would always destroy it pretending she was a dragon," Narcissa said fondly.

"I was bored and mine always fell apart," Bellatrix defended.

Harry was distracted when his younger self came up to him, "Hi I'm Harry."

"Hello Harry, I'm Harry," Harry said to younger Harry with a grin.

"Don't confuse him, Harry," Andromeda said with a shake of her head.

"Sorry little guy, my name really Harry," Harry said holding out his hand to shake.

Little Harry nervously took his hand and shook it. The boy looked to be decently well fed. Harry vaguely remembered that his aunt didn't really start the harsh treatment until Dudley's third birthday when his first bout of accidental magic caused all of Dudley's presents to fly around the room.

His younger self still seemed a bit timid but he seemed in decent health though the clothes he was wearing were still a bit big on him, no doubt the were Dudley's cast offs.

Harry had to agree with Bella he really was cute at that age with chuby cherks, messy black hair, and his mothers emerald green eyes.

Harry smiled warmly at his younger self as he ran off after Tonks asking, "Tonky be my horsey, please."

"Give him a good life Padfoot," Harry said looking Sirius directly in the eye.

"I will, I owe it to James," Sirius said looking at little Harry sitting next to Draco and coloring in the book with him, apparently Tonks had refused to be a beast of burden any longer.

"This will be good for Draco to have someone his own age to play with," Narcissa said happily.

Harry shook his head in amusement, that was something he could always respect about Narcissa, she loved her son above all else.

The rest of the evening flew by pretty quickly, all of the Blacks stayed for dinner, then they let the kids play some more while the Black sisters caught up on their gossip. By eight the toddlers were winding down, and Narcissa decided it was time to return home to get Draco to bed, not long after Sirius and Andromeda left with the same goal in mind leaving Harry and Bellatrix to have a bit of quiet before they turned in for the night.

"So, got any ideas for tonight?" Bellatrix asked hopefully.

"Well, I kind of want to call you Auntie Bella tonight," Harry admitted blushing slightly.

"I don't mind as long as you do that snake talking thing again," Bellatrix said her own cheeks turning pink.

"Alright," Harry said eagerly.

"Alright then Harry, lets go to Auntie Bella's room," Bellatrix said with a grin.

"Why Auntie Bella?" Harry asked innocently.

"Because you have been very naughty boy today and it's time to put your parseltongue to good use," Bellatrix said sternly practically dragging him up the stairs.

"Yes Auntie Bella," Harry said dutifully as she pulled him into their room.

'Role playing is awesome,' Harry thought as Bella's robes fell to the floor.

The Drunk Pixie, Knockturn Alley, 7/10/1982,14:45

Harry entered Isabelle's room after receiving permission and closed the door behind him.

"Good afternoon Ms. Dubois," Harry said pleasantly.

"Good afternoon monsieur Peverell," Isabelle said smiling widely.

"Were you able to get him to sign the contract?" Harry asked getting straight to business.

"Oui, ze parchment flashed blue as soon as 'e signed it," Isabelle said happily.

"Excellent," Harry said looking over the parchment she handed him, he could see the Gringotts seal signifying that the termination of the contract had been accepted.

Harry reached into his robes and pulled out the other bag containing the other half of her payment and handed it to her.

"Zank you, I will be leaving for France as soon as our business here is complete," Isabelle said as she tucked the money pouch into her suitcase that was open on her bed.

"Thank you for this, my client will be most pleased that I accomplished the job without bloodshed," Harry said sincerely taking out his other money pouch and summoning the three hundred and fifty galleons for his visit.

"You do not need to pay me for ze hour," Isabelle said looking a bit incredulous.

"Think of it as compensation for having to deal with Parkinson," Harry said with a shrug.

"Zank you, I hope we will meet again. If you are ever in France look me up I will be staying wiz my cousin Appoline and 'er 'usband until I can find a place of my own," Isabelle said warmly.

"I will, good luck in France," Harry said before exiting into the hallway.

That had worked out wonderfully, true he had paid a lot of money for a very simple task but it beat having to force a stubborn pureblood into terminating a contract that would have gained the Parkinsons a lot of gold and likely having to kill the man afterward. Isabelle had gotten him to sign the paper with a vacant smile on his face.

Harry couldn't have used any other form of coercion to make Lord Parkinson sign the termination contract, there were enchantments placed on the parchment that would not accept his signature if he had signed under duress, Isabelle's veela magic hadn't nullified the signature like the imperius would have since the man was more than willing to do whatever it took to bed her.

The termination of the betrothal contract wouldn't be official until Narcissa signed it and presented it to the Malfoy family account manager so Gringotts was his next port of call.

Bellatrix had let him go by himself today as she was indisposed visiting the property and assessing what they would need when they moved in. She seemed to be more relaxed since he asked to be his girlfriend.

The walk to the bank took very little time and Narcissa met him when he entered the lobby looking at him expectantly.

"She was successful," Harry said handing her the signed betrothal termination contract.

"Excellent, follow me and I will have the deed transferred to you after I present this To Nogrod," Narcissa said leading him down a hallway to the left side of the lobby.

Their business went off without a hitch, once Narcissa signed the contract and it flashed blue she had presented it to Nogrod who quickly filled it in their records, the dowry Lucius had already paid Lord Parkinson was transferred back into the Malfoy vaults and since Parkinson signed the termination first he had to pay ten percent of the Dowry to the Malfoy's as cited in the original betrothal contract.

The transfer of the cottage in Cornwall was straightforward as both parties were present, after the deed was transferred to Harry they left the bank, Harry escorted Narcissa back to the apparition point before parting ways both heading for their own homes feeling they both had gotten the better deal.

Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London, 7/10/1982

Harry stepped out of the fireplace into the kitchen to find Tonks seated at the table munching on a sandwich.

"Wotcher Harry?" Tonks asked through a mouthful of food.

"That's disgusting Tonks, chew with your mouth shut," Harry said while fixing himself a sandwich.

"So where is Aunt Bellatrix," Tonks asked when Harry took his seat.

"Checking out our new house," Harry said taking a large bite of his sandwich.

"You got a new house?" Tonks asked curiously.

"On the beach," Harry said happily.

"Really?" Tonks asked excitedly.

"Yep," Harry said.

"Will you let me come over," Tonks asked hopefully.

"That's up to your mother," Harry said with a shrug.

"We'll see," Andromeda said as she came into the kitchen.

"Good afternoon Andy," Harry said after swallowing the last of his sandwich.

"Good afternoon, I take it things went well?" Andromeda asked curiously.

"Yes, I got the signature the for Narcissa, the cottage is officially mine," Harry said said happily.

"Good, you made Cissa three hundred thousand galleons richer," Andromeda said.

"Three hundred and thirty, Parkinson had to pay ten percent on top of the dowry," Harry said with a smirk.

"You do realise she is just going to find other things for you to do for her now," Andromeda said in amusement.

"I know, but It seems to be working out pretty well so far,'" Harry said with a shrug.

"Well don't say I didn't warn you," Andromeda said.

"You did," Harry agreed.

The fireplace burst into green flames and Bellatrix stepped out looking pleased.

"The house is in perfect shape, how did things go with the veela?" Bellatrix asked.

"Great, Isabelle held up her end and the deed has already transferred into my vault, we can move in whenever," Harry answered.

"Good because I moved all our stuff there this morning," Bellatrix said looking quite proud of herself.

"Good, I hope you packed a swimsuit," Harry said anticipating swimming in the ocean this evening.

"I don't plan on wearing anything when I go swimming," Bellatrix said with a smirk.

"Excellent," Harry exclaimed before receiving a glare from Andromeda.

"You swim naked?" Tonks asked curiously.

"Sometimes," Bellatrix said ignoring her sister's disapproving glare.

"Oh, I guess it's like taking a bath," Tonks said thoughtfully.

'She is definitely a bad influence," Harry thought as Bellatrix and Andromeda started bickering about propriety and whether or not Andromeda was a prude.