The courting

Chapter 6. The second meeting

Harry POV

I was surprised that there weren't many suitors that wrote their letter too late.
I hung a list of all suitors into the hall, where the death eaters met. 

Father held a meeting today and everything went fine, when suddenly two owls came flying in and landed on my seat.
Who thought it would be funny to send their letters now?! That will give them negative remarks. I took the letters from the owls and hid them in my cloak, I wouldn't open them now.

The owls flew away and I listened to my father again. Today, many young death eaters were here, maybe so they could talk to me. Some of them I knew already, like Draco or Crabbe, but to others I still had to put a name to the face.
As I thought, after checking if their name was on the suitors list, many men came over to talk to me.
They made me compliments and asked how I liked their presents so far. I noticed that some of them seemed nervous and uneasy while talking to me, like Goyle, and when I searched for the reason, I found his father behind him, glaring. 

I guessed that Gregory Goyle didn't enter the courting by his own will. Sadly, I will have to eliminate him, I didn't want someone that was highly afraid of their parents and not able to leave them.
I mean, when they can't look after themselves, how do they want to look after me and our children?
And if my assumptions were right, I would help him too. When only some people were left, young Lord Malfoy came over to me and kissed my hand. 

"Good evening Harry. I hope the courting didn't take too much of your energy." he said and smiled.
"Oh no, it was actually quite pleasant. Of course, there were little incidents, but most of the letters had not tried to kill me or bind me, thank god." I replied and let myself sink down on my seat.
Instead of looking down, Draco had taken another chair and sat down opposite of me. "There is a reason I need to speak to you. Next month I will stay in my second residence in France, so the letters will cost more. I will, of course add a stamp, like all suitors that aren't from Britain. It might happen that Heka will come a little later than normal, but please don't think I'm slaking or forgetting you."
I nodded and said that that was okay, I didn't require my suitors to stay in Britain, as long as that didn't stop them from courting me. With a kiss to my hand and a goodbye, Draco left, and I decided to open the letters, that came in not long ago. 

It wasn't some stupid suitors, but someone far more dangerous

My boy,

my boy, we are really concerned about you. Your relatives don't know where you are, the blood wards have been destroyed. Your friends are really worried about you, and if we can't find you, they will have to go horcrux-hunting without you! You will put them in great danger, my dear boy. Please come to Gringotts as fast as possible, so we can talk. It seems that the goblins don't see me as your legal guardian anymore and want the money back I took from your vault to provide your well-being and education.

See you soon, my boy

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

The second one smelled like badly brewed amortentia:

My loved Harry!

I'm really worried about you! What will I do without my boyfriend? I'm really scared, you-know-who is out there, and what if he wants to capture me, to use me as a bait for you? You don't want that, do you? I love you so much Harry, I even asked mom if I could marry you, even when I'm not old enough yet!

Please answer soon, my love

Your fiancée Ginny

I started to gag and burned the letter with the kiss mark at the end of the parchment.
I hated her, and if Father was to capture her, I would be happy. And marry her? What did that crazy thing of a women think she is talking about?!

Neville had seen me burn the letter and ran to me. "What is it Harry? What happened?"
"Ginny happened. She was talking about us marrying and I couldn't take it." He nodded and rubbed my shoulder, when he jerked his hand back. 

"Harry, your magic feels strange. I will run some diagnostic spells on it." Now it was my turn to nod while he waved his wand around me. "As I thought. Who sent the other letter?"
"Dumbleduck."
"FUCK!"
Neville said, what alarmed my parents. "What is it, Neville?" Mother asked. Neville rubbed his eyes his thumb and pointy finger. 

"Dumbledore put a locating charm on Harry. He knows where he is. What are we going to do?" Father ran his hand over his bald head, while Mother started taking off the spell. "I could alarm the council, well I need to do that. They could put Dumbledore into Azkaban, for interfering with the courting." Mother shook his head.
"Then, the Order would know about us, we can't risk that. When you tell the elders, tell them not to fill in a lawsuit immediately, but to wait what he does else, and to strike when Harry is mated. For now, I think it is best for Harry, if I tell the Order that we kidnapped Harry and are holding him hostage." Mother said and finished taking the spell off. 

"Love, I don't like it when you return to the Order." Father said. "I know, but it is for the best."

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