Stephen Corner thought carefully about both wills. "I see one potential problem. Minerva McGongall is named third guardian in both wills. It's completely fixable, we merely file for a challenge in guardianship based on her failure to follow through."
"But how would she have known she was listed third?" Harry asked.
"Your parents would have asked if she was willing before putting her in the wills."
Petunia was quiet. Here it was grounds to hand the boy over to someone else and wash her hands of it. She looked down at her hands twisted in her lap.
Harry was scared. He knew enough to know this gave his aunt legal grounds to hand him off to another person. Never mind the woman in question was a prejudiced dried up old prune that thought Dumbledore was a god. He muttered an internal prayer. He knew his relatives didn't like him, but they treated him mostly fair and he always knew what to expect from them; what they wanted from him.
Petunia thought carefully about the choice she was about to make. She knew from Harry's letters while at school the McGongall woman was Dumbledore's lapdog. Her thin lips tightened, yes she now had legal grounds to pass Harry to someone else, but she hadn't come this far in her revenge against the old man to hand Harry over to someone else. "File it. I haven't spent the last ten years raising my nephew to hand him over to a woman who was stupid enough to endanger a toddler by letting someone else leave him on a doorstep. Barchok, do you have Harry's portkey to the Potter apartment?"
The Goblin handed a silver and gold bracelet to Harry "Touch the gold spots and say Potter Place. The elves are waiting, floo is connected for exiting and calls but warded against entry. The portkey is the only way through the wards you should be safe enough."
"Good, Harry I need to leave or I'll miss my train. Be good listen to Mr. Corner while you're at the party. Mr. Corner pleasure as always. Thank you for the work you and your partners do. If there is paperwork for me to sign owl it to me, I'll sign and owl it back immediately. Harry don't open the gifts from us until Christmas day alright? Mind your manners when you go to the Longbottoms and I'll see you when school's out." She headed out.
Mr. Corner found Harry's expression sightly odd. He would have described it as one part shocked delight and two parts amazed relief although why the boy had gotten that expression in response to his aunt's words he didn't know. The relationship between Lord Potter and his aunt was just strange. He never would have let any of his children be alone with house elves for a holiday but both of them seemed perfectly comfortable with it. "Well young Lord Potter how about you come with me to the office and we can see about getting all the paperwork connected to fulfilling these wills started."
"Yes, sir. Mr. Corner?"
"Yes?"
"Do you know who I should talk to about a proper wardrobe for a ball and house party? I have a dress robe that should work for your party but…"
"I know just the person."
.....
Felicia Corner was ready to box her children's ears. Here they were enjoying the benefits of the firm's increased income and they were bad-mouthing the source of that income. Adrianana and Michael both were eager to relate all the stories they had experienced or heard from the other students about Lord Potter and in true gossip fashion Felicia doubted even a tenth was true.
Felicia had been one of those students offered a choice. Despite her muggle birth the Hat had strongly considered Slytherin for her. Together by a narrow margin she and the Hat figured she would be better off in Ravenclaw, but as result she really disliked judging people based on their house. And what her children were doing was bashing Lord Potter because he was in Slytherin instead of one of the other houses. Much more of this and she was going to explode. The floo chimed.
On seeing her husband's head she snapped, "Yes."
"Felicia I have a young man in my office that desperately needs your expertise. I just have paperwork that I can just as easily do there if you are willing to leave the children."
"Given I'm almost ready to strangle those said children I'd be delighted my love." She went to the kitchen where the children were making cookies with their oldest sister. "I'm stepping out to the office your father is coming home and bringing paperwork with him try to keep it down to a dull roar."
"Okay Mum. I'll keep an eye on these brats." Charity spoke softly. Charity had been in Hufflepuff, despite having two Ravenclaw parents, and she could see her Mum was losing her patience.
Felicia stepped through to her husbands office. Stephen was quick to perform introductions. "Lord Potter may I present my better half and wife Felicia Corner. Felicia, Lord Harry James Potter."
Harry was quick to extend his hand. "A pleasure, Mrs. Corner." She placed her hand in his and he was quick to place an appropriate kiss on its back.
"The pleasure is mine Lord Potter."
"I know it's proper for you both to call me Lord Potter because of my title but I would be much more comfortable with Harry."
"If you wish Harry." Stephen was quick to say. "My love, Harry needs advice on a proper wardrobe for the Longbottom house party could you..?"
"I'd be delighted."
She led Harry to a small restaurant where they could eat lunch and she could get an idea of what would suit him. He was wearing a simple robe in gunmetal gray that was quite unremarkable but despite the austere color it seemed to suit him completely. They spoke extensively about wizarding fashion for the entirety of their lunch and it was halfway through when Harry broached what he wanted. Felicia was astounded.
Over her years in the magical world she had grown used to the fashions, appalling as they were. Her mother-in-law had drilled her extensively on society manners and dress before allowing Stephen to publicly tie himself to her. Felicia knew exactly who she wanted to take Harry to for robes.
Madam Malkin made nice basic robes, Gladrags tried to appeal to the younger crowd by pulling in muggle fashions that looked like they were put together by a colorblind hippie, Twillfitt & Tattings had expensive wizarding wear that was staid and boring, but what Harry was after would require a totally different touch. Fortunately Felicia knew just the wizard.
....
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