Harry potter and the breeding darkness

Chapter 64

After handing over what he had picked up from Sirius, Harry sat down by Tom with a tired groan. It wasn't even noon yet and he already had to deal with plenty. As expected, Dumbledore was trying to get everyone moving the way he wanted them to without violating the order put in place. It was just suggestions and worded like it was someone else's idea, but you knew he was behind it.

When Tom picked up what was there, he said, running his fingers through his hair and tugging on it, "Sirius is turning him down flat. He doubts the other owl has reached him yet, the one where he said no, but will write him another making it clear he's turning him down again. From what he told me, he's writing one to Remus as well making it clear not to agree as the old man is trying for something.""Good," Tom told him with a distracted nod as he read through what was there. However, as he reached the part about Grimmauld Place, he grinned slightly then told his lover, "If he doesn't want Grimmauld Place, tell him you'll take it. As it's Order headquarters, you never know if you owning it can help us.""Already told him," Harry grinned himself. "He said if I want it, he'll sign it over without a problem. I said I wanted it, so he'll make arrangements to shift the title to me. We just need to send off for the proper paperwork, nothing more. And pay whatever fees there are for the title shift.""Send something off to your Solicitor today," Tom told him, flipping through all the papers there. "He can come up with whatever you need. And it can be tended to fast as it's not a sale.""Will do," Harry nodded, making a note of it on his ever present clipboard.After finishing reading through what was there, Tom leaned back with a groan. "None of this is unexpected. We both knew he would try something to get this moving how he wants. This is the result. You and I will come up with something he can send, though rewrite it in his own words again. If he's making it clear to Lupin not to bite, it just leaves the ones you normally have to deal with. Those you can take on.""I can," Harry agreed with a nod. "Turning them all down. Just going with the line I've made arrangements to stay with you for the hols and go from there. Let's see what presents itself.""My bet is they're going to try to talk you into bringing Nick along for the hols. Don't bite. While it might be good to get into the house and be able to come through the Fidelius, we can't be gone that long. There is too much here to tend to." Tom told him with a sigh, knowing there was plenty to push for over the hols and having Harry around would help a lot as he wouldn't be distracted with schoolwork."Let's see what they say," Harry said, picking up the letters to himself again. After thinking it over, he suggested, tone distracted, "If they push too hard, I can suggest Christmas day to come over and meet up. It will allow you access to the house and you can get back in if you need to. Going about it that way might pacify the masses slightly."Tom thought over the suggestion then gave a slow nod. "Yes, we can do it that way. One day only, though. It should put some of their minds at ease as I doubt the old goat will be there. Good suggestion." However, he then grinned slightly and added, "We'll be married by them, a nice bomb to drop on them.""Oh yes," Harry laughed, grinning himself. "If it comes down to it, we can get Sirius to come along for that short of a time. He can make plenty clear if we need him to, such as the marriage, nothing wonky, whatever. And it'll give you access to the house again if you need it while I'm at school.""We'll plan for this as I'm sure plenty will push you hard to do something with them," Tom told him as he made a note on his calendar himself to plan for it. "If we do the deed on Christmas eve, we can just make it clear it's our honeymoon and that should get you left alone.""True," Harry told him, still grinning. He was looking forward to getting married more than almost anything right now. They had the worst of what Dumbledore could do stopped in its tracks, but this would help even more. Well, and he wanted the commitment that came with the license. He didn't have doubts about Tom and what he felt for him, but it would cement it in his mind. And, honestly, it was protection for both of them, in many ways. One never knew when they might need it."When you get the letter off to your Solicitor, tell him he needs to set up your test for the Apparation license. Since you're emancipated, you can get it rather than wait. It's something you'll probably need.""Will do," Harry nodded, jotting a note down about that as well. After he finished, he asked, "How do they work doing it? Do you know? Is it something you have to go to the Ministry for?""Because you're in school, they'll just have you meet at Hogsmeade," Tom told him. "Since it's an odd situation, you can get out of the school for it. If you send it off today and he sets it up, you can probably do it this weekend." Then he chuckled and added, "I can meet you there. If I remember right, one of the teachers will have to accompany you, but it's not a hardship. The more who see us together, the better we'll be.""Will have him set it up," Harry told him with a nod."We need to stay alert for anything Dumbledore is going to try beyond this bit," Harry then groaned and leaned back in his chair. "We've taken plenty out of his hands. That fake vision I had—I don't see it as a onetime occurrence, Tom. It'll factor in again.""It will," Tom agreed with a sigh. "I'm sure he's planning some bit to force the two of us together. As short as his time is now and how you've thrown him so far off will factor in as well. My guess is he's about to pull something huge to try. And I don't see us getting a heads up from anyone what it might be. The only hint I have is the Hall of Prophecy bit. Even Snape says the old goat is asking him to take a turn at guard duty there.""And if I'm making it clear I won't stay with anyone, want to bet it happens either just before school lets out for the break or the day he knows I'm at Grimmauld Place?""Oh yes, we need to watch for both," Tom nodded. "As limited as his magic is now, from what I know, I'm sure he's planning what's coming very carefully as he might not have the reserves to do it more than once. Which means you need to stay alert. If he tries anything, you get in contact with me so I know what it is. We aren't going to let him draw us in.""Drawing us in might be good, Tom," Harry told him, tone distracted as he thought it over. "He might think it's for the confrontation between the two of us, but we can then do something about him.""There is that, yes," Tom admitted, pondering it. "We'll see what we can concoct if we get any kind of foreshadowing about what he's up to. I don't want to drop either of us in the middle of something where we have no plan to deal with whatever he's concocted.""True," Harry agreed. "Let's see what I can figure out. I'm sure he'll give some hints, somewhere, when he realizes I'm not playing his game anymore. Up until now, I've made it look like I am, at least a little with some parts, though I've backed away from him. He'll give up something we can use to sort it out.""Pay close attention to everything," Tom schooled, reaching and tugging Harry's hair. "Between the two of us, we can probably figure some of it out."Harry grinned at the pulling of his hair then nodded. Straightening up, he asked, "What all do we have to do today besides this mess?""Legislation," Tom told him, focusing once more. "We'll knock out what you just brought first, then tackle the rest. I want as much in place as I can get before the break."Harry focused then nodded. Legislation was always the tricky part, so he would make sure to pay close attention.