cloudy with a Chance of freedom

chapter 12

"What happened to you?" asked Blaise when it came time for them to get their supplies.

"Lovegoods," said Camellia. "Lovegoods with an idiot who actually understands what they're saying and is capable of keeping up with them without the use of recreational potions, plants or alcohol and was able to get into a debate over details that make no sense at all."

"...Please for the love of Maeve don't tell me..."

"That idiot dragged me on a summer-long trip with the father and daughter who run the Quibbler and was practically adopted by them by the end of it," whined Camellia with a pained sound in her voice. "All because Scamander suddenly got called in for a review of his license and permits and thus couldn't take us on for a few months."

"Wow, that play is so obvious only an idiot would miss it."

"Oh it gets worse for you," said Camellia darkly. "While we were in China he took the test to determine whether he could get a license allowing him to have to carry around the portable magical creature sanctuary and trade in certain ingredients and he passed it. With full marks."

Blaise turned to her wide eyed in absolute horror.

"Oh gods, don't tell me..."

"He's now legally allowed to carry around dragons and other dangerous creatures so long as they stay within the confines of his case. He's also made it clear he intends to take care of the dog that Hagrid had confined last year, since the Ministry can and will throw a fit once they learn it's so close to the school."

It was illegal to own dragons and other class five creatures. However thanks to a legal loophole created (once again, due to Scamander's actions when he was younger and a family who wanted to keep him out of Azkaban for it) it was not illegal to carry a dragon around in a portable magic sanctuary so long as it stayed in there and you could prove you were capable of handling the hazards of dragon breeding.

However due to his age, Harry couldn't actually have any dragons in his case... yet. If he happened to find one and rescue it, he could keep it as long as he was able to relocate the beast to a proper sanctuary...at least until he had passed the proper secondary exams to be considered "competent" around dragons in particular.

Blaise made a distinctly pained noise in his throat. That fool was going to be the death of him.

"Our life, why?" he whined.

"Look at the bright side."

"There's a bright side?"

"Your mother's here to watch a complete idiot sign over control of his vaults because Harry is sneaky enough to get his signature on a magically binding contract without him even realizing what he's signing in the first place?" said Camellia with a dark grin.

Blaise perked up at that.

"Mother, did you bring the camera like I told you?" asked Blaise with a dark expression on his face.

In Flourish and Blott's...

Skull wanted to gag. Lockhart was just as bad a second time around, but this time he was armed with something to make sucking up to the jackass entirely worth it.

If for no other reason than they'd have immense enjoyment in driving him completely insane before blowing his little scam out of the water.

It would give Viper plenty of chances to practice her illusions on a live target she wasn't required to keep sane.

Skull laid on the charm thick (but not too thick to make it obvious) before holding out the 'scrap' piece of parchment that had a bunch of what appeared to be doodles and had just enough room for a decent signature.