Harry Potter and the Heir of Slytherin

Mailcot

Following his lunch with Hermione, Lisa, Tracey and her parents, Harry met with Andromeda Tonks.

After learning that someone may or may not be blocking his mail, he had decided that it would be prudent to inform his barrister of this, if for no other reason than because he had told his friends to forward their letters for him to her address.

"I swear, Harry, you are one of my most trouble prone clients," despite her words, Andromeda sounded more amused than angry or exasperated. "Wanting to sue a large number of companies, picking fights with Lucius Malfoy at the Ministry Ball, and now this."

"I do apologize for doing this to you," Harry felt a bit sheepish as she laid out everything he had done so far. When said it like that, it made him realize that most people would probably never do half the things he had done, much less in just a year. Even less at age eleven. "I couldn't really think of who else I would trust not to look through my mail and, well, if my mail is being blocked..."

"I understand," Andromeda said, holding up a hand to stop him from speaking. "Though I don't think your problem is someone blocking your mail."

"Why is that?"

"Because blocking your mail is impossible for anyone who is not your magical guardian," Andromeda started before elaborating for him. "The spell used to block mail is a very special spell created by the Ministry in order to keep certain people of high status from receiving mail from people who may mean them harm. In order for the spell to be performed on you, it must be done with the consent of your magical guardian."

"Which is Sirius Black, who is currently incarcerated in Azkaban," Harry could see where this was going.

"Yes. Sirius Black was incarcerated in Azkaban by the time you were sent to live with your relatives. Considering you have been receiving your mail daily until recently, it stands to reason that he did not give consent to block your mail. Not that he could anyways. Only the Minister of Magic can visit him, and he would not do something that may put him at odds with the Boy-Who-Lived."

Harry frowned as he realized that his first theory was wrong.

"If my mail isn't being blocked, then how come I'm not getting it?"

Andromeda looked pensive.

"This is just a thought, but I would hazard a guess and say that someone is intercepting your mail for some reason." She worried her lower lip as Harry gave her a startled look.

"Someone's intercepting my mail?" Harry didn't know whether to feel shocked or angered at the audacity someone must have possessed to actually steal his mail. It wasn't just a matter of ethics, but a matter of cause, of motive. Why would someone want to steal his mail?

Could it be Voldemort? Possibly. Harry was not quite terrified, but certainly concerned by the thought that Voldemort might be going through his mail. It was definitely unsettling, especially given that he had been after the Philosopher's Stone during their most recent encounter.

Still, while he didn't discount the possibility of Voldemort learning that he actually had the stone in his possession for a time and was now hoping to find it via looking through his mail, he didn't think it was feasible either. Right now, Voldemort was nothing more than a wraith without a body, and while it was possible that he had possessed someone else already, it was also unlikely.He was too weak at the moment, so unless someone willingly allowed him to possess them, it wouldn't be happening.

That left the question of who was intercepting his mail up in the air, which put him back at square one.

"Well," Andromeda tried to liven up the tense atmosphere her dropped bomb had created. "I wouldn't worry about that right now. While not a perfect solution, you have found a way to still get your mail. In order for them to figure out which mail belongs to you, they would have to intercept all of my mail, which is impossible because I am a Barrister. There would be an investigation if they did." She tapped her chin with a long index finger and added. "And I doubt anyone would be able to figure out that you've been seeing me unless they're also spying on you, which would be impossible unless they had the ability to watch you twenty-four seven. So, let's not worry about that for now."

Harry relaxed at Andromeda's words. She was right. He had come up with a solution towards his mail problem, albeit, a temporary one. He could figure the rest out later, no matter how much it rankled him to leave this issue unresolved.

"Now, you'll be pleased to know that I have everything ready to begin our campaign against the companies using your name for their products." Harry perked up, causing Andromeda to smile. "I was actually going to send you a letter. Good thing I didn't, eh?"

They both shared an uneasy chuckle. Neither wanted to think about what would happen if someone had intercepted that letter. That would have been a disaster and a half to deal with.

"All that's left for you to do is give the ok," Andromeda continued. "Then I can begin my campaign."

"Is it possible for you to start at such a time that the first public apology is given the day after I go to Hogwarts?"

Andromeda chuckled as she seemingly read Harry's thoughts.

"Want to avoid the publicity?"

"Only partially," Harry answered with a shrug. "I just don't want to have my daily schedule interrupted by hungry reporters trying to convince me to give an interview. I would prefer it if I could simply send my response via mail instead of having to sit through several hours of someone asking me questions and such. By having your campaign go live after my first day of school, I can use the 'I'm in school and can't speak to any reporters' card."

Andromeda had a suggestion for that. "In that case, should you wish it, we could field all questions by predicting what people will be asking and coming up with prewritten answers before then?"

Thinking over the offer for a second, Harry nodded his head. "Good idea. That would save me a lot of trouble in the long run." Not to mention a lot of time, which Harry would be having very little of once he started Hogwarts again.

Gods he was going to miss that time turner. Such a useful device, it was.

"In that case, I believe that concludes our business for now." Andromeda smiled as Harry stood up. Now that there was no more business to be done, her demeanor went from a professional barrister to that of a mother whose child happened to be someone as wily, excitable, and accident prone as Nymphadora Tonks. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Thank you for the offer," Harry inclined his head politely. "But I have to decline. I've made other dinner arrangements today."

Andromeda giggled, a little as a teasing grin crossed her face, both at his word choice and what it meant.

"Having dinner at your girlfriend's house today?"

Harry groaned as he rubbed a hand over his face. Why did every older women he knew think that he and Lisa were dating? They weren't dating! He was too young to think of something as inconsequential as romance, especially when there were more important things to be done!

Besides, Lisa was like his sister. Dating her would just be wrong.

"You... ugh, why is it that every woman I meet says stuff like that?"

"Maybe it's because you act like an old whipped husband responding to his wives every beck and call," Andromeda teased him some more. Great, first Katrina, then Perennelle and now Andromeda. Did all older women enjoy teasing him?

And he was not whipped! He wasn't!

...

...

Was he?

*************************************************************************************

Hey all. Remember, if you liked the chapter, please vote for it. That would really help me out. Thank you! ^_^