The ladies were also dressed in high style. Both were wearing late fashion robes of, in Hermione's case, autumnal colours, while Daphne wore robes that gave the impression of sea foam. Both were also wearing jewellery Harry hadn't seen before.
When he pointed it out, Daphne told him it was on loan from the 'Greengrass collection'.
"During summer, we go down to the Potter heirlooms vault and see what's available to you," he told them while they waited.
They were just doing a last minute check of their appearance when the Headmaster walked up to them.
"Mister Potter... ladies," he said.
"Headmaster," replied Harry a little coldly. "Have you found out anything about the dream I've been having?"
"Errr... no, Mister Potter. I'm still investigating that," replied the old man. "I've come to ask you not to accept the Order of Merlin, this morning."
"Why ever not?" asked Harry.
"I-I'm sorry?" stuttered Dumbledore. "I asked, 'why ever not?'" replied Harry.
"Oh," said the Headmaster. "Errr... I do not believe you are ready for the responsibilities such an award carries with it."
"Again, why ever not?" asked Harry.
"Pardon?" asked Dumbledore.
With a sigh, Harry asked, "Headmaster, is there something wrong with your hearing? I'm being very concise and clear in my diction; and I know I'm being loud enough for you to hear."
"No, Harry; I'm just surprised question," replied Dumbledore.
by
the
"I cannot fathom why, Headmaster," said Harry. "It is, after all, quite logical. Why do you believe I'm not ready for the responsibilities of accepting an Order of Merlin?"
"Oh, yes," said the Headmaster. "Because, I believe you to be too young, Mister Potter."
"You mean, just like I was too young, as an eleven year old, to kill my Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, who was being possessed by the malevolent spirit of Tom Riddle?" asked Harry. "Do you mean, just like I was too young, as a twelve year old, to face a sixty-plus foot long, one thousand year old basilisk with nothing but my wits, your phoenix and the Sword of Godric Gryffindor?
"And yet, Headmaster, that's exactly what I did. I killed Slytherin's monster; a giant basilisk. In so doing I saved the life of an eleven year old girl and, quite probably, the lives of a great deal more. Also, in so doing I defeated Tom Riddle again, and in the process stopped him from being resurrected to again terrorise magical Britain.
"I'm not being awarded the Order because I did all that as an eleven year old and then as a twelve year old, I'm being awarded because I did that, irrespective of my age at the time. If I'm old enough to do that, I'm old enough to handle the responsibilities of a holder of the Order of Merlin.
"However, maybe it's not the responsibilities that concern you, Albus Dumbledore. Maybe it's that you cannot stand the idea that there's someone else in magical Britain who holds the Order of Merlin, First Class, besides yourself and Fudge!"
Harry didn't realise it, but as he berated the Headmaster his voice became louder and louder. The strident voice of Professor McGonagall cut across the Hall as she stormed out of the Great Hall. "Mister Potter, calm yourself!"
Harry almost flinched from the voice and had to clamp down hard on his emotions. After a few moments, during which Professor McGonagall reached them, he turned to her and said, "My apologies, Professor. But, the Headmaster is... yet again... attempting to butt his way into my life!"
Turning to Dumbledore, she asked, "Is this true, Albus? After how much the senior staff told you to stop; you're, again, attempting to manipulate Mister Potter's life?"
"What I do..." began Dumbledore before the Professor verbally rode over the top of him.
"There is no such thing as your 'Greater Good', Albus," she shot back. "Stay out of Mister Potter's personal life, or I and the rest of the senior staff will go to the School Board!"
Dumbledore braced himself up, stared coldly at Harry for a moment, and said, "Very well." Before he then turned about and strode from the Hall with as much dignity as he could muster, just as Sirius came striding in through the main doors.
He took one look at the tableau before he asked, "What'd I miss?"
Rounding on Sirius, Harry almost snarled, "That antiquated, manipulative old fool..."
"Mister Potter!" McGonagall.
barked
Professor
Again, Harry clamped down on his emotions after almost flinching from the Professor's rebuke.
Sirius cut in and said, "Perhaps we should take this to Professor Flitwick's office. He's waiting for us to use his Floo connection to Floo to the Ministry of Magic atrium."
"Yes; thank you, Sirius," said the Professor. "I think that's a wise idea."
Harry just gave a firm sharp nod in response.
With his wives on either arm, Harry followed Sirius and Professor McGonagall up to Professor Flitwick's office.
Once in Flitwick's office the little Professor said, "I see from the face of Mister Potter there was at least a verbal altercation in the recent past. Who was it, this time?" Professor McGonagall replied, "Albus has been attempting to stick his beak in Mister Potter's personal life, again."
"Oh," said the Charms Master. "From your comments I take it the Headmaster was slapped down for his efforts?"
"Quite resoundingly," McGonagall. "And loudly."
smiled
Professor
Harry sighed and said, "Again, Professor; my apologies."
"That's quite alright, Mister Potter," she gently said. "The entire staff is now fully aware of the manipulations of that old man."
Harry looked at her rather calculatingly but didn't respond, and she wouldn't elaborate. The Potters were unaware of the loyalty potions the staff had been dosed with; that had now been utterly flushed from their systems; and the staff had no intention of informing them.
"How much time do you have until you need to be at the Ministry?" asked Professor Flitwick.
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