Lady Tonks, Lord Potter

Magicals and Muggles

Harry walked slowly behind Effie and tugged at his collar. It was bad enough that he had to be Lord Potter for this thing but couldn't the Americans had found someplace cooler to have the meeting? The stone walls were thick, and he knew they were underground because of the way Effie seemed to light up. Goblins, she had told him before, loved being underground. That was obviously the case as everything around him was stone, and not nice, polished stone like in Gringotts; no, it was rough-hewn stone that looked as if someone had taken an impossibly large piece of Muggle equipment and just hacked out the passageway. The passageway that seemed to go on forever and ever.

As he walked Harry reflected on the morning. It wasn't that bad, as mornings go. He woke up and was disappointed to see that he was still sixteen. That was something he was getting used to, still being sixteen, as the rush of being more grown-up and having a more mature body was something he rather liked. He knew Tonks liked it, too. He did have to get up really early and wondered if Kipsey didn't take some odd enjoyment out of waking him up so early. At least he didn't have any dreams that made him sleepless like before; well, he'd had a dream, but all he could remember was Hereweald talking to a bunch of old wizards or something, it really didn't stick in his memory. At one point he could have sworn that Hereweald winked at him, but that was probably just something he imagined. From there it was pulling on all the Lord Potter gear, something that reminded him of putting on his Quidditch uniform, and then a quick breakfast with Effie and Hermione.

Hermione was happy, that was obvious, and it was just like revising for exams when he sat down at the table because she had a quill behind her ear, absentmindedly chewed on a piece of toast while a folder thick with parchment sat in front of her. She barely acknowledged him as he sat down and then got the briefing from Effie.

Amelia Bones, the acting, well, Ministry, was over then as she was the ICW representative for Britain now. She told them they would take a portkey to the place she was staying and then yet another portkey, an international one, over to America. Effie tried to prepare him for the sensation of an international portkey but he didn't really pay too much attention. Later on, when he was violently vomiting in the desert, he realised what she was trying to tell him and wished he had paid better attention.

After cleaning himself up, with a little help from some cleansing and freshening charms from Hermione, he followed them to a big rock in the middle of nowhere. It was hot as blazes, something he hadn't thought of, and finally Amelia touched her wand to the rock. A primitive image of a bird appeared on the rock and then everyone touched the rock and, yet again, the now-familiar sensation of a portkey deposited them in a big chamber made of stone. Off across the side of the chamber a door stood, leading to a hallway.

Now, as Harry walked along the hallway which seemed like it was never going to end, he heard voices up ahead. He looked over to Amelia, but she didn't indicate that she'd heard anything, instead she continued to walk in that way that adults did when going to some official thing. He slowed his walk to drop in line next to Hermione.

"So, ready?"

"I believe I am." Hermione nodded determinedly. "Effie and I spent most of the day, and some of the night, going over everything. It should be very simple for you, Harry. They know about..." she rolled her eyes. "...the Dark Wanker, and what happened at the Ministry. They might ask you about the High Council but what they'll really focus on is the horcrux. I'm sorry, I know you may not want to talk about it, but it is on the agenda. Just tell the truth and Effie and Madam Bones will take care of the rest."

"They still can't think I'm making this stuff up, not now?"

"Harry..." She gave a disgusted snort. "They're politicians. They believe what they want to until there is no other alternative."