Mark_Ward
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Chapter 49: The Queen
🕑 Added 2020-10-21 03:25:24 +0000 UTCAppearing outside of a large and grand palace, Harry gazed up at the royal residents, Buckingham Palace. The place was very massive, made up of white marble stone with intricate beautiful designs, an open rooftop on top, and a balcony right in the center of the first floor. The black steel gates blocking all entrances from inside, as the ground floor stretching for over 100 meters long with endless windows lining the first two floors.
Coming up to the main entrance gate with a gold R and a crown on top, two royal guards stood to attention with rifles in hand, and they were allowed entry without a word.
Coming into the courtyard were beautiful flowers were in blossom and a grand statue stood in the center, they came up to the inner gate were rows of royal guards stood surrounding the premise all as stiff as statues themselves.
Once again, they were allowed in without a valid check of identity or for weapons as the inner gate was opened broadly for them. Finally entering the palace as maids and butlers greeted them at the front door, they came up to a grand staircase with golden designs lining everything, a dome glass ceiling up above, red carpets laid out, and portraits lining all over the wall.
"If you would follow me," the wizard said as he led them down winding hallways with even more lavish artworks and sculptures. Finally, they came up to a large door with beautiful inlaid designs were two royal guards stood guarding it dutifully.
"Her majesty awaits you inside," the Chief Wizard said as he pointed towards the door.
Coming to a pause a few feets before the door, Sirius spoke up, "If you could give us a few moments."
"Of course," the man said with a nod.
Turning around to face him, Sirius put up a Muffliato Charm so that their conversation couldn't be over heard. "Alright listen up, pup," he began with, "I do not know what the Queen wants since the royal family hasn't really participated in the wizarding world for hundreds of years."
"Must be real important," Harry nodded his head, "or more likely she wants something from us."
"Yes, which worries me, but still be respectful to her- she is this country's ruler and we do owe some homage to her."
"Alright," Harry said with a nod od his head. Then walking over, he indicated with his head, "we are ready to meet the Queen.
Signal to the guard to open the door, they stepped into a white drawing room with a dash of gold thrown in as expensive decorations and priceless pieces littered the place. Two guards which now that he had a closer look at him with his Magic Sight, saw that they were in actuality wizards.
"Wands please," one of them spoke up as they both held out their hands.
"Ha," Sirius chuckled as he handed over his wand just like he did, but he just couldn't help as he aded. "If you think I can't take the lot of you on without my wand, then you boys are sorely mistaken."
Saying nothing in response, they passed by them and sitting in the middle of the room was an older woman in her late sixties sipping tea from a golden porcelain cup. Seeing them walk in, she smiled a bit and indicated to the chairs before her.
"Introducing her Grace, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms," the Chief Wizard announced out loud.
"We are happy to see you, our Chief Wizard found it quiet difficult to locate your position under all those wards."
"Yes, I have been living in a safe location," he said, not mentioning were that was exactly. "What do I owe this pleasure of being summoned before you, your Majesty?" he asked, cutting to the heart od thing and skipping all the pleasantries.
Not looking taken back unlike her Chief Wizard who looked snubbed at the bypass of decorum, the elderly woman simply smiled and replied frankly. "It has come to our attention recently that We, including the Crown and the whole of British Isles and its sister nations, owe you a great debt for stopping a mencase that has plagued this great nation for a long time."
"That honor belongs to my parents who valiantly sacrificed themselves," Harry replied honestly humbly.
"Yes We know of Lily and James sacrifice and they should be immortalized for it, however, We too know of all the hardships you have gone through and believe you deserve a just reward."
"Then if your Majesty wishes so I dare not refuse," Harry politely replied since there seem no way to refuse this unless he wanted to come off as incourteous.
"Then bow," she said as she got up from her seat and nodded to one of the guards to pass her his wand.
Doing as commanded he went to one knee with his head lowered, "this might be abrupt and there is none of the grandiose, but please bear with me," she said as she rested his wand on one of his shoulders.
"For invaluable services rendered to the Crown and all its subjects, We grant you the Royal Victorian Order, the highest reward attainable for all our subjects. Rise Lord Harry Potter as a member of the Victorian Order who's deed should be written in the annals of history."
Getting up, he bowed his head to the older woman, "Thank you your Majesty for giving me this utmost honor."
"You deserved it, Lord Potter," the woman said as she sat down back on her chair. "Now," she said as she turned to Sirius who was sipping his tea peaceful, "We haven't met yet, correct Lord Black."
Spitting the tea in his mouth and nearly choking on what went down the wrong pipe, Sirius was finally able to collect himself and ask, "How did you know?"
"Well imagine my surprise when loyal subject of our nation, the goblins came to me with the most startling news about the life a member of the peerage has been leading. It did make us wonder who was helping him from the shadows since no poorly oppressed child could do it on his own."
"So just from all that, you connected it that it would be me?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. "I find that a bit hard to believe, no offense meant you Majesty."
"None taken," the woman replied, "but when you did step through the wards that have been placed in this place long ago, it picked up who you truly were."
"Should have known," the Black wizard muttered to himself, then looking over at the two guards and the Chief wizard he eyed them as if assessing if he could take them and safely get out of here with him.
Sensing where his thoughts were at, the woman comforted, "you do not have to worry yourself, Lord Black. Since you have Lord Potter in tow with you and he has no spells cast over him or looks threatened then We would assume that you had no part in the death of Lily and James Potter like most would assume."
"Of course not," the two of them answered at the same time.
"Then it's as We assumed," the lady said with a nod of her head.
Seeing the lull in the conversation, Harry took his chance and asked, "I suppose giving me an award wasn't the only reason why you summoned me here, correct, you Majesty?"
The elderly woman did not look offended at all at the question but Albert looked like he wanted to throttle him for his ill-manner. But he never had time for all this maneuvering that most of his peers played, and he imagined he would never give it his time of day.
"Yes, We... no I worry about the direction the magical world is heading in. Every day we see lines being drawn with much radical ideology coming to the surface, and divisions all around as conflict and operation seem to be around every corner."
Nodding along, Albert added to the mix, "her Majesty is correct. Our Magic Task Force is made of all muggle-borns who couldn't find work at all or any prospect in the magical world thanks to oppressive things are. You either are a pureblood or you are nothing."
"You must understand," Sirius cut in she held his hand out for the man to pause, "that the pure-bloods feel that their way of life is being threatened. Most of them have died out in the previous wars with countless families going extinct, they are experiencing an all time birthrate low, and they feel like what little is left is being stolen from them. Now I do not agree with most of the rhetoric going on, but you have to understand their point of view."
"Mmm, that is good and all," Harry said, "and I do agree with your Majesty- tensions are boiling even with the war concluded, but what do you expect me to do. I am simply a Hogwarts student who just inherited my family's asset which come with a lot of responsibility. I really don't know what I can do."
"That's where your wrong," the older woman said as she sensed a surprisingly amount of sharpness from her. "You are an idol, a public figure, and a hero. You have no idea, how much your words carry weight child. Believe me when I say that you can unite everyone in the magic world, muggle-born and pure-blood."
"But...." Harry tried to argue but the elderly woman cut him off with a wave.
"You do not have to worry, I will give you sufficient backing."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"The Magic Task Force," she answered plainly, however, before she could go into detail about his secretive force, the door to the drawing room swung open.
The two wizard guards had their wands out in a matter of moments as spells were right at the tip of their wand and word spilling out. However, they seem to be able to get anywhere as their opponent just waved his hand over them and their spells resided with a fizzle.
"Put those things away," the old man that walked in said in a commanding voice. Behind him was a haggard man that seem to following unwillingly but accepted his fate.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked in open mouth wonderment, never in his wildest dream did he expect to meet the old man here and to walk in on them like this. "What are you doing here?"
"I can ask you the same my boy," the old fool said as he too was surprised for a brief moment but quickly hide it.
Grinding his teeth, Harry just hated how he called him that, he wasn't the old fucker's boy, but he knew that he needed a cooler head to deal with him. Looking at Sirius he was more worried that the man would tear into the old man with disabandonment.
However, he was surprised to see how cool and serene the reckless wizard was, however he knew the man better and could see the dark look inside his eyes.
"We take it that you are Albus Dumbledore Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot."
"Your majesty, " the old man bowed, acknowledging the woman.
"Dennis, is that you?" the Chief Warlock asked in surprise joining the party in shockness.
"Sir," the young men said as he included his head towards the man, but said nothing more.
"We would have asked what you are doing here, but We can already guess."
"Yes," then turning to Harry he said in his usual kindly grandfather voice, "Harry, my boy, please come with me. Everything will be alright."
"That won't be happening," Sirius cut in as he stood up to his full out like a vicious dog getting up on its front paws.
"Sirius, is that you," the man asked as this time he couldn't hide his shock as his eyes flashed the very familiar glowing blue indicating the use of Magic Sight.
"Yes, Professor," the man said, and Harry could see how much he hated putting on this show.
"Harry will be staying with me at my family home, so you do not have to worry yourself about that. It is time that I do my duty, Lily and James gave me now that I am finally free from that accursed place."
Left without word with how sincere Sirius was, all the old man could get out was, "but, but he needs to stay with his closest family members."
Face going dark as he played his role perfectly, the Black family head snarled out, "You think I will allow him to ever go back to those animals? Forget that, if I had my hands on them I would have torn into them like a pack of devils!"
"No, no," the old man said with a shake of his head as his bushy beard shook from side to side. "Never, I only meant he should stay with the Weasleys. Or he can stay in Hogwarts, I will have Minerva set up a room for him."
"I thought you could stay at the school? You said it from your mouth that all children must head back home." Harry cut in, as he remembered the man giving him a clear no even after he begged him to stay.
"I can make an exception for you, my boy," the man said with a kind smile. "After all that you have been through."
"No," Sirius said, "They already have enough on their plate raising seven kids. Plus I alone am enough to raise Harry myself."
"But," the old man said as his rational arguments were slipping away. Then grabbing on to the last slip of justification for taking him away, "But Sirius, you have a criminal record.
"So what?" Sirius asked with a snort, "What does that have to do with anything, huh? You think I care about what they think?"
"You can't raise Harry then," the older man said, "no matter what, your crimes will reflect on poor Harry. You have to do the better thing and let go of him."
"We thought that they were untrue?" her majesty interpreted which was good timing as he could see Sirius's nearly losing his top at that bullshit and lame excuse.
"Yes," the old man said, "but the wizarding world will not see it like that and it would ruin harry's reputation and image, making life hard for him if he was associated with a so called criminal."
"Well then if that is the case," the elderly woman said as she gave her tea a sip, "then We in our capacity as ruling Monarch and by constitutional right, We grant Sirius Black a royal pardon. From here on out he is expunged of all crimes and is a free man!
Albert if you could write that up."
"I will get to it immediately, your Majesty" the wizard said with a bow.
Mouth closing and opening like a fish stuck on land, the old man was rendered silent as he had no argument left to make.
"Anyways," Sirius said as he showed the right amount of righteous fury, "if you think for a moment that I will trust Harry's well being with you then you are sorely mistaken. You have failed Lily and James badly already by leaving him with those animals and not even checking up on him a single time.
There is no way at all that I would allow you to take care of his welfare and happiness!"
"Sirius trust me I never wanted this to happen," the old man uttered as he put on a saddened expression. "I never imagined that they would treat their own nephew this bad."
"Lily clearly stated her distrust for her sister and her fat walrus of a husband and made it clear that she would never ever put her child near them, but what did you do. The exact opposite. I do not know if you had malicious intent or was just too lazy to take of Harry or maybe give him to another family. But that over now. I am here and it's final- I am taking care of him now!"
Hitting a bit too close to the mark, the old man bite back whatever he was about to say and only uttered, "I was going to make everything right, Sirius, I was planning on giving those.... animals a personal visit to give them a very thorough talk down."
"It's too late for that," Sirius said with a shake of his head.
"I know," the old man said sadly as he hung his head, "I just wonder if I could visit young Harry once in a while."
"That would be up to him," Sirius said blankly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Looking at him, Harry played his innocents to the max, "I don't know Professor I did try to speak up to you about all the abuse that I have suffered, but you did not listen. Plus I asked you multiple times if I could stay in Hogwarts but you waved it off and said I need to go back home. It's... its like you did not even... c-care!"
Looking his age for the first time, the man seem to fold in on himself as all he could say was, "I am deeply sorry my boy. I... I have failed you deeply. But know that all I did was for the light!"
"Well that's enough, you heard the boy," Albert cut in as he couldn't hold back the disgust he was feeling, "you know were you came in from, so leave. You are clearly not wanted."
Nodding his head, he slowly walked out of the room and Harry felt like break dancing on the spot. Just that look on his face was so worth it all.
"Now," the elderly woman said, "where were we?"
"Tell me more about this secret Magic Task Force?"
Comments
yeah, w/ the goblins he might get away since wizarding-kind see them as servants a step above slaves. but for wizards and a queen, well that is a big no-no.
Darkanlan
Kind of wish he tried to brainwash everyone in the room again. That would have ended wonderfully.
Thanks for the chapter on a good story
KristofferXxXxX
Sounds good to me. Harry really need someone who can look after him, and Sirius IS Harry’s true magical guardian.
Muggle cops won't be chasing him now and he won't be on the most wanted list. But he still has to clear his name which will happen in a few chapters as Barty Senior old cases are reviewed.
KristofferXxXxX
With the Royal Pardon, does that mean Sirius now can't be arrested by the Ministry of Magic as long as the protection is in effect?
