The Contract

Chapter 128

"Good morning," Corvus said, pleased as always to see his soon to be son-in-law, albeit two years away. Eyes following Harry as he sat down in his usual seat. Newspapers and letters had already been delivered and were set on a silver tray on the table next to their plates.

"Good morning, Corvus," Harry said, stretching out, "Are you going somewhere?" noticing his travelling cloak was situated at the back of his chair. Normally that wasn't present unless he was off somewhere directly after breakfast. He was also dressed in his best robes Harry idly noticed.

Corvus wiped his mouth before responding, "I am going to visit the goblins and then browse a little this morning," he informed Harry. Normally such questions would border on insolence, but he knew Harry didn't ask out of sheer nosiness.

"Would you like some company?" Harry asked, Corvus hadn't had any dizzy turns and his cholesterol was well under control. However, that didn't stop Harry from worrying about him all the time. It was worse when he was at school, if anything happened, he wouldn't know for ages.

"I'll be just fine, if I need anyone, I shall call upon the House-elves," Corvus reassured Harry, "Your summer holidays will be over before you know it. Spend that time with Rabastan." They'd likely end up married after Harry leaves Hogwarts, so the summers and the holidays would be his only time to truly spend time with Rabastan.

Harry wrinkled his nose displeased, "I've been putting my homework off a little bit too much." He admitted, a rueful grin on his face. Trusting Corvus that he would seek aid from the House-elves otherwise he wouldn't have let it go. Not that he could force Corvus to let him come, he wasn't sure who was the most stubborn out of both of them.

"That's not like you," Corvus said, teasingly, "Are you feeling well?"

Harry turned and said, "Ha, ha, ha," as his breakfast appeared with a pop, "How long after the party do you think word reached the journalists?" eyeing the newspaper article. "And how long it took them to develop the pictures." At least it was a good picture of him and Rabastan, he liked that. Grateful for the simple meal, scrambled egg on toast with two pieces of bacon.

"Undoubtedly within fifteen minutes," Corvus said amused, he had already read the article. He wholeheartedly approved of the piece; it wasn't stirring the hornet's nest. Then again, these people would know better than to anger him, he would have had their jobs, and sued them into bankruptcy. Glancing at the doorway just as his eldest son and son-in-law joined them.

"Good morning, father," Rodolphus said, moving towards him, hands descending onto his shoulders as he kissed his head. "I see you've already had your hangover cure?" amused.

"Good morning," Sirius said cheerfully, surprised to see letters on a silver plate by his seat. Peering at them, noticing they weren't Gringotts statements.

"Go on you," Corvus said, deeply amused, "Good morning," he added politely, to both of them.

"Where are you going?" Rodolphus asked, noticing like Harry, that his father's travel coat was prepared.

Sirius opened the newspaper and began reading the article about his family. Gratitude sinking into his bones when none of it was nasty. He didn't want Harry going on the warpath and giving up his summer holidays. It was highly unusual, the Daily Prophet usually loved causing a scandal, it made the viewership skyrocket. Then again, given who his family was, there was no way they'd be stupid enough to start that sort of nonsense.

"To be a fly on the wall of each home in Magical Britain," Harry said with glee, well aware that their reactions were going to be varied and mixed. Many would be happy for them, mostly due to the names merging. Others a little envious that they hadn't been picked, and hadn't thought to send in a betrothal to gain the Potters alliances. Others would believe wholeheartedly that Harry was being manipulated, that he couldn't possibly know his own mind. Who would want to marry one of the Lestrange's after all? They might be out of Azkaban and proven 'innocent' but mud sticks, and the Lestrange's had a whole load of mud to their name that they'd never be able to clean off. At least to those who proclaim themselves to be 'light' luckily more dark and neutral fractions existed.