A Nundu for A Pet

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Chapter 28 (When Loves Makes Home), Chapter 29 (A Nundu in France), Chapter 30 (The Minister's Request), Chapter 31 (Abyssantica), Chapter 32 (The Half-Human Princess), Chapter 33 (Echoes from the Deep), Chapter 34 (Crystal's Song of Ice), Chapter 35 (Song of Ice and Water), Chapter 36 (The Wardstone's Song), Chapter 37 (The Boy Who Saved), Chapter 38 (A Ball and A Veela), and Chapter 39 (Teacups and Homecomings) are already available for Patrons.

"Did you see this part?" Anna Sallow leaned across the Slytherin table, her dark hair falling forward as she pointed to the middle of the Daily Prophet. "'Young prodigy Harry Potter's revolutionary Talisman design promises to revolutionize Auror safety.' They used 'revolutionize' twice in the same sentence. That's terrible writing."

Harry, who had been trying to eat his breakfast in peace, let out a long-suffering sigh. "At least they didn't mention the 'Boy-Who-Lived creates Boy-Who-Lived-Saving-Device' angle I was dreading."

"Give them time," Sebastian said, buttering his toast. "I'm sure Rita Skeeter is already drafting twelve different versions of that headline."

The Great Hall was buzzing more than usual that morning. Harry could feel the stares boring into him from all directions, including the staff table. Professor Snape looked like he'd swallowed something particularly unpleasant, while Professor Garlick was beaming with pride despite Harry not being from her house.

"Potter!" Draco Malfoy's voice carried down the table. "I suppose you think you're quite clever now. My father says any competent wizard could have designed such a basic protective device."

Harry didn't even look up from his porridge. "Funny how your father hasn't done it then, Malfoy. Must be too busy polishing his peacocks."

Sebastian choked on his pumpkin juice while Anna tried to hide her giggle behind her hand. Even Daphne Greengrass, sitting a few seats away and pretending not to listen, cracked a small smile.

"Look at this," Harry groaned, reading further down the article. "They're talking about a contract being signed by me and my magical guardian. I don't even know who my magical guardian is."

"That would be whoever's legally responsible for you in the magical world," Sebastian explained. "Since you're living with the Tonks family now..."

"Probably Mister Tonks then," Harry mused, making a mental note to ask Tonks about it later. Itisa, curled up in his lap under the table, gave a soft purr that only he could hear properly.

A group of fifth-year Slytherins who had never so much as nodded at Harry before were now trying to catch his attention. One of them, Adrian Pucey, actually slid down the bench toward them.

"Hey Potter, is it true the Ministry's paying you fifty Galleons per Talisman? You'll be richer than the Malfoys soon enough!"

Before Harry could respond, another voice chimed in from across the table. "Oh, you'll be in such demand now!" Pansy Parkinson's voice dripped with false sweetness. "I bet Witch Weekly will want an exclusive interview. And the Magical Gazette. And The Charmer's Digest..."

Harry's face went pale. "They wouldn't... would they?" He turned to Sebastian in horror.

Sebastian adjusted his perfectly styled hair with one hand. "No interviews yet, but fair warning – once the contract's signed, you'll have to meet with Minister Fudge himself. Not to mention regular meetings with Madam Bones and the Defense Department heads."

Harry dramatically slumped forward, his forehead hitting the table with a thud. "Can't you go instead of me? Just... I don't know, wear my glasses and try to look perpetually annoyed?"

"Sorry, darling," Sebastian preened. "I'm far too pretty to pass for you. Besides, your hair looks like you've been permanently struck by lightning. I could never replicate that level of... authenticity."

Harry lifted his head just enough to roll his eyes. "Your modesty is truly inspiring, Seb."

"I try," Sebastian smirked.

Just then, Hermione rushed over from the Gryffindor table, clutching her own copy of the Prophet. "Harry! Have you seen what they wrote about the magical theory behind your Talisman? They've completely oversimplified the runic integration process! And they barely mentioned the innovative way you've managed to create a sustainable magical circuit within the..."

"Breathe, Hermione," Harry interrupted, but he was grateful for her focus on the technical aspects rather than the fame.

"What I want to know," Susan Bones said from the Hufflepuff table, "is how my aunt managed to push this through so quickly. She mentioned there was quite a fight in the Ministry about it."

"Politics," Sebastian said wisely. "It's always politics."

Anna, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly spoke up. "You know what this means, don't you, Harry? You're extra famous now."

"Thanks for that brilliant observation, Anna," Harry deadpanned. "I never would have noticed without your help."

"No, I mean..." She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "You're famous for something you've actually done this time. Something brilliant that you created yourself. Not for... you know..."

Harry's expression softened. She had a point. This wasn't about his parents' sacrifice or Voldemort's defeat. This was something he had achieved on his own merit.

Itisa shifted in his lap, and Harry absently reached down to scratch behind her ears.

"Still," Harry said, "I could do with a bit less attention. Maybe I should create a Talisman that makes people's eyes slide right past me."

"Wouldn't work," Sebastian said. "You're far too dramatic to ever go unnoticed."

Harry was about to reply when a voice came from behind him, he turned his head to look over his shoulder.

"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks's voice rang out, her hair shifting from purple to bubblegum pink as she waved enthusiastically from the Hufflepuff table. "Come sit with us!"

Harry grabbed his bag, and Itisa gracefully leaped from his lap to follow him. Sebastian made a show of clutching his heart. "Abandoning us for the badgers, Potter? The betrayal!"

"I'll try to survive without your running commentary on everyone's fashion choices for ten minutes," Harry called back, earning a few laughs from nearby students.

As Harry slid onto the bench between Tonks and Susan, Itisa jumped onto his lap again, earning curious glances from several Hufflepuffs. The cat's golden eyes seemed to gleam with amusement at their obvious curiosity.

"Look at you," Tonks grinned, ruffling his hair despite his protests. "Creating revolutionary magical devices before you've even completed your first year. Making the rest of us look bad."

"You should have seen Auntie last night," Susan added, her eyes bright with excitement. "I've never seen her so pleased. She practically floated through our Floo call. Said something about 'finally seeing real innovation in our lifetime.'"

Harry felt his cheeks warm slightly. "It's not that big of a deal—"

"Not that big of a deal?" Cedric Diggory leaned forward from across the table. "Harry, you've created something that could save Aurors' lives. That's incredible."

"Thanks, Cedric," Harry mumbled, absently stroking Itisa's fur.

"But is this it?" Cedric asked, his expression genuinely curious.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are you planning to create more talismans? Better ones?" Cedric clarified. "From what I've heard, this one's already impressive, but..."

Harry's mind drifted to his conversation with Professor McGonagall a few weeks ago. He'd been frustrated after reading about how the Shield Charm hadn't been improved in centuries.

' "Magic isn't evolving anymore," he'd told her. "We're just using the same spells, the same methods, over and over. Wizards and witches have become lazy, comfortable. They think everything worth inventing has already been invented."

McGonagall had given him one of her rare smiles. "Perhaps someone needs to prove them wrong, Mr. Potter." '

Coming back to the present, Harry straightened his shoulders. "This talisman is just the beginning," he said firmly. "There's so much more that could be done. Protection against stronger spells, different types of magical attacks. Maybe even talismans that could help healers or..."

He trailed off, noticing the various expressions around him. Some looked skeptical, others excited, and a few – like Tonks and Susan – seemed proud.

"Well," Tonks said, her hair shifting to a thoughtful blue, "at least you'll have plenty of marriage proposals to keep you entertained while you revolutionize magical society."

Harry, who had been taking a sip of pumpkin juice, nearly choked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Oh yes," Tonks's grin turned wicked. "Now that you're 'extra' famous, as dear Anna put it, and showing such magical innovation... every pureblood family in Britain will be eyeing you as potential husband material for their daughters."

Itisa made a sound that was suspiciously like a snicker, and Harry glared down at her. "Traitor," he muttered.

"But... but I'm eleven!" Harry spluttered.

"Oh, they won't expect you to marry now," Susan explained, looking both amused and sympathetic. "But betrothals can be arranged years in advance. My aunt's already had to fight off three marriage contract proposals for me."

"Marriage contracts?" Hermione's voice came from behind them. She settled onto the bench next to Susan, her expression a mix of fascination and horror. "That's absolutely medieval!"

"Welcome to magical Britain," Tonks said cheerfully. "Where the medieval never really went out of style."

"Just wait," Susan added. "Once word gets out about the profit-sharing agreement for the talismans, you'll probably get proposals from families outside Britain too."

Harry groaned and let his head thunk onto the table. Itisa batted at his hair with her paw, clearly enjoying his distress.

"I can see the headlines now," Tonks said dramatically, waving her hand in the air. "'Boy-Who-Lived Now Boy-Who-Innovated: Eligible Young Bachelor Seeks Witch with Appreciation for Dangerous Magical Experiments.'"

"I hate all of you," Harry mumbled into the table.

"No, you don't," Cedric laughed. "But seriously, Harry, you might want to prepare yourself. My father works at the Ministry, and he says some families take these things very seriously."

Harry lifted his head. "Can't I just... I don't know, create a talisman that repels marriage proposals?"

"Now there's an invention that would sell," Susan giggled.

"Perhaps we should focus on Harry's actual achievements rather than hypothetical marriage prospects?" Hermione suggested, though she was fighting back a smile.

"Spoilsport," Tonks pouted, her hair turning a sulky purple. "But fine. Tell us more about these future talismans you're planning, Harry. Any chance of one that could help me stop tripping over everything?"

"That would take more power than even Harry could manage," Cedric teased, ducking as Tonks threw a bread roll at his head.

As his friends continued to banter, Harry felt some of his tension ease. Yes, there would be increased attention and ridiculous marriage proposals to deal with, but he had people around him who saw him as just Harry – even if they did enjoy teasing him mercilessly.

Itisa bumped her head against his chin, purring softly, and Harry scratched behind her ears. If a Nundu could pretend to be a regular cat, surely he could handle a bit more fame. Besides, he really did have ideas for better talismans. Maybe one that could...

"Earth to Harry," Tonks waved her hand in front of his face. "You've got that 'I'm about to do something potentially dangerous in the name of magical innovation' look again."

"I do not have a look," Harry protested.

"You absolutely do," Hermione, Susan, and Cedric said in unison.

Harry rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. "Fine. But if I have to deal with marriage proposals, I'm sending them all to you lot to handle."

"Deal," Tonks said brightly. "I'll tell them all about how you talk to your cat in your sleep."

"I do not!"

"How would you know? You're asleep!"

"Speaking of future plans," Cedric said, helping himself to more toast, "word is that Newt Scamander himself is taking you to France this summer. Is that true?"

Several nearby Hufflepuffs perked up at this, including a first-year named Justin Finch-Fletchley who nearly knocked over his pumpkin juice in excitement.

"Newt Scamander?" Justin exclaimed. "The Newt Scamander? The one who wrote 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'?"

Harry nodded, trying not to smile as Itisa preened slightly in his lap. If they only knew who they were really sitting near.

"So what's the plan then, Harry?" Susan asked. "Talisman maker or Magizoologist? Because you seem pretty brilliant at both."

"Yeah," Tonks chimed in, her hair cycling through various shades of yellow as she thought. "One day you're creating revolutionary magical devices, the next you're chatting with magical creatures like you're having tea with them."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Who says I can't do both?"

"Ambitious much?" Cedric laughed. "Though I suppose that's the Slytherin in you talking."

"Just imagine," Tonks said, putting on a mock-serious voice that sounded suspiciously like a news announcer, "Harry Potter's latest invention: A talisman that lets you speak to magical creatures! Side effects may include unexpected conversations with garden gnomes and deeply philosophical debates with your owl."

"Actually," Harry started thoughtfully, then caught himself. Everyone stared at him.

"Oh Merlin, he's actually considering it," Susan giggled.

"Well, why not?" Hermione jumped in, her eyes lighting up with academic enthusiasm. "The theoretical applications would be fascinating. If you could somehow incorporate the principles of magical creature communication into a runic array..."

"And there they go," Tonks stage-whispered to Cedric. "Once they start talking theory, we lose them for hours. Last week I found them debating whether you could combine Mermish water-breathing properties with runic enchantments."

"Can you?" Justin asked, genuinely curious.

"We're still working on it," Harry and Hermione said in unison, then grinned at each other.

"But seriously," Hannah Abbott leaned in from further down the table, "what's it like working with Newt Scamander? Anna Sallow says he's brilliant but a bit..."

"Eccentric?" Harry supplied. "Yeah, but in the best way. Yesterday he spent three hours explaining to me why Hippocampus Royale mating dances are crucial to understanding underwater magical currents."

"Only you would find that exciting, Harry," Tonks teased.

"Says the witch who can turn her nose into a duck bill," Harry shot back.

"And I maintain that it would have been very useful if we'd actually encountered any ducks."

"When did you need to encounter ducks?" Cedric asked, bewildered.

"Don't ask," Harry and Tonks said together, sharing a knowing look.

Itisa made a sound that suspiciously resembled a snort, and Harry gently tugged on her ear. "Nobody asked for your opinion, you know."

"And he's talking to his cat again," Susan announced to the table at large.

"Just wait until I create a talisman that lets cats talk back," Harry threatened. "Then you'll all be sorry."

"Please don't,"

"Too late," Harry said with a mischievous grin. "I'm already designing it in my head. I'll call it the 'Regret-This-Later Talisman.'"

"That should be the name of all your inventions," Tonks declared. "Harry Potter's Patent Pending Regret-This-Later Talismans: Because why not make life more interesting?"

"Sometimes I think you all forget I can actually create these things," Harry warned, though his eyes were twinkling.

"That's exactly what worries us," Cedric laughed. "Though I have to admit, a talisman that lets you talk to magical creatures would be brilliant for Care of Magical Creatures class."

"See?" Harry turned to Hermione triumphantly. "Practical applications!"

The morning conversation at the Hufflepuff table was interrupted by the familiar sound of rushing wings. Hundreds of owls swooped into the Great Hall, and Harry spotted Hedwig's distinctive white feathers among them. He suppressed a smile, watching his "owl" glide gracefully through the air. Only he, Tonks, Newt and Itisa knew Hedwig's true nature – a Thunder Bird masquerading as a snowy owl.

"Incoming," Tonks muttered, her eyes widening as she saw what Hedwig was carrying.

The white "owl" was struggling with an enormous cardboard box, nearly twice her visible size. Harry briefly wondered how a normal owl would manage such a load, but then again, Hedwig was far from normal.

"That's... a lot of mail," Cedric observed diplomatically.

Hedwig released the box directly over Harry's head, and he barely managed to catch it before it could land in his porridge. The moment the box touched the table, it sprang open like a jack-in-the-box, and letters exploded everywhere. Dozens of envelopes in various colors – pink, cream, lavender, and even one that seemed to be smoking slightly – scattered across the table.

"Merlin's saggy pants," Harry breathed, staring at the mountain of correspondence.

Tonks picked up a pink envelope and sniffed it. "Oh look, this one's perfumed. 'To the Most Noble and Innovative Harry Potter, Future Savior of Aurors Everywhere.'" She pretended to swoon. "How romantic."

"Give me that!" Harry snatched at the letter, but Tonks held it out of reach, her arm stretching unnaturally long thanks to her metamorphmagus abilities.

"Let's see what else we have here," Susan said, sorting through the pile. "Marriage proposal... marriage proposal... investment opportunity... another marriage proposal... oh, this one's from someone's grandmother!"

"A grandmother?" Harry asked weakly.

"Not for her," Susan clarified, scanning the letter. "For her granddaughter."

Itisa made a sound that was definitely a laugh this time, and Harry glared down at her. "You're supposed to be on my side," he muttered.

"Well," Tonks said brightly, her hair shifting to a cheerful rainbow pattern, "looks like you'll need to build quite the harem to accommodate all these proposals. Maybe you can create a talisman to help you remember all their names?"

"Sure," Harry deadpanned. "Right after I create one to cure chronic foot-in-mouth disease. I'll test it on you first."

Hermione giggled, then tried to look disapproving. "This is ridiculous. You're eleven!"

"Age is just a number when you're revolutionizing magical society," Tonks declared grandly. "Besides, these are just preliminary offers. Got to stake their claim early, you know."

"I'm not a piece of real estate," Harry grumbled, then paused as he spotted a more official-looking envelope among the mess. It bore the seal of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Amelia Bones's personal crest.

"That's Auntie's seal," Susan noted, her tone becoming more serious. "That one's probably actually important."

Harry carefully set the letter aside, making a mental note to read it somewhere private later. Knowing his luck, it probably contained sensitive information about the talisman contract that he didn't need the entire Great Hall gossiping about.

"Mr. Potter."

The silky voice made everyone at the table freeze. Professor Snape had materialized behind them, his black robes making him look like an oversized bat as always. Harry noticed with some amusement that even Itisa had stopped purring, though he could feel her tensing slightly in his lap.

"Professor?" Harry turned, keeping his expression carefully neutral. While his relationship with Snape wasn't as antagonistic as it could have been – being in Slytherin had helped there – it wasn't exactly warm either.

"The Headmaster requires your presence in his office. Immediately." Snape's eyes swept over the pile of letters with a mixture of disdain and what might have been the smallest hint of amusement. "Though perhaps you should deal with your... fan mail first."

"I'll take care of it," Tonks offered quickly, her hair settling into a responsible-looking brown. "Can't have our resident genius drowning in love letters when he's got important meetings to attend."

"How kind of you, Miss Tonks," Snape said dryly. "Though do try to resist the urge to reply to any of them pretending to be Mr. Potter. We wouldn't want a repeat of the Great Valentine's Debacle of 1990."

Tonks's hair turned bright red, but she managed to keep a straight face. "That was never proven to be my fault, Professor."

"Indeed." Snape's expression suggested he believed otherwise. "Mr. Potter?"

Harry carefully shifted Itisa from his lap and stood, grabbing his bag and Madam Bones's letter. "What should I do with the rest of these?" he asked, gesturing to the pile.

"Burn them," Hermione suggested.

"Frame them," Tonks countered.

"Use them as practice for your next talisman's defensive capabilities," Cedric offered.

"Perhaps," Snape interrupted silkily, "you should focus on your meeting with the Headmaster rather than your burgeoning career as a recipient of questionable correspondence."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said, then turned to his friends. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do with those letters."

"That leaves us with a lot of options, actually," Tonks mused. "Given your track record."

Harry rolled his eyes and followed Snape out of the Great Hall, Itisa padding silently beside him. He could hear Tonks starting to dramatically read one of the letters aloud behind him, followed by Susan's giggling and Hermione's scandalized "They did not write that!"

Later

Harry climbed the spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office, mentally rehearsing his "respectful young wizard" persona. After leaving Itisa with Tonks (who had solemnly sworn not to transfigure any ribbons onto her), he'd had a feeling this meeting would be important.

"Ah, Harry, do come in," Dumbledore called before he could even knock. The headmaster's eyes twinkled with their usual mysterious amusement as Harry entered to find quite the gathering of magical Britain's finest - and Fudge.

"Minister," Harry greeted politely, hiding his surprise at seeing Ted and Andromeda there as well. "What an unexpected pleasure."

"Harry m'boy!" Fudge bustled forward, clasping Harry's hand in both of his own. His lime green bowler hat seemed even more garish up close. "Wonderful to finally meet you properly! Simply wonderful! We've all been so impressed by your accomplishment - remarkable work for one so young!"

"Thank you, Minister," Harry replied, carefully extracting his hand. "Though I must say, age seems a rather arbitrary measure of capability. After all, Nicholas Flamel was once eleven too."

Behind Fudge, he saw Andromeda's lips twitch slightly. Even Moody's magical eye seemed to roll with something like approval.

"Yes, yes, quite right!" Fudge agreed enthusiastically, clearly missing the subtle jab at his patronizing tone. "Speaking of capability, that's actually why we're here. Such a promising young wizard should be properly supported by the Ministry, properly guided..."

"Minister Fudge has some thoughts about the contract terms," Amelia Bones cut in, her monocle glinting.

"Oh?" Harry raised an eyebrow, the picture of innocent curiosity. "I thought the terms were quite standard for magical innovation contracts. Twenty percent is actually rather modest compared to some private sector agreements."

"Ah, but this is the Ministry, dear boy!" Fudge said expansively. "Think of the exposure, the connections! Why, this could open so many doors for you. Much more valuable than mere Galleons, wouldn't you say?"

"How fascinating," Harry mused. "I hadn't realized the Ministry was having budget difficulties. Perhaps we should discuss alternative compensation? I'm sure the Prophet would be very interested in an exclusive interview about how the Ministry can't afford standard contractor rates..."

Fudge's face went slightly pale. "No, no, nothing like that! The Ministry's finances are excellent, I assure you. I simply thought, given your age..."

"Minister," Harry interrupted gently, "would you say the Talisman's effectiveness changes based on who created it?"

"Well, no, of course not..."

"And would you say an Auror's life is worth less protection because the shield protecting them was designed by someone young?"

"Certainly not!"

"Then surely," Harry continued, his voice perfectly reasonable, "the value of the innovation should be judged on its merit rather than its creator's age? Unless you believe youth automatically diminishes worth?"

Fudge was starting to look rather trapped. Behind him, Ted was hiding a smile behind his hand while Andromeda watched with undisguised pride.

"The boy has a point, Minister," Moody growled. "Magic doesn't care how old you are when you cast it. Neither should we."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Fudge tugged at his collar.

"I completely understand your position," Harry assured him smoothly. "You have to be careful with Ministry resources. But consider this - by maintaining standard rates, you're sending a message that the Ministry values innovation regardless of the source. Imagine the headlines: 'Minister Fudge Champions Young Talent' or 'Ministry Leads Way in Supporting Magical Innovation.' Much better than 'Ministry Attempts to Underpay Young Inventor,' wouldn't you say?"

Dumbledore's eyes were practically dancing now, while Amelia Bones wasn't even trying to hide her satisfaction.

"You make some excellent points, my boy!" Fudge declared, as if this had been his position all along. "Very mature perspective, very forward-thinking! Yes, we must support our young innovators properly!"

"I'm so glad you agree, Minister," Harry smiled. "It's wonderful to know the Ministry values substance over age. Very progressive of you."

"Yes, well," Fudge puffed up slightly, "one must move with the times, eh? Now, about that Prophet interview you mentioned..."

"Perhaps we should finish the contract details first," Andromeda suggested smoothly. "Harry has quite a busy schedule ahead, what with his summer apprenticeship with Newt Scamander."

"Scamander?" Fudge perked up even more. "The famous magizoologist? My boy, you are full of surprises!"

"I try to keep life interesting," Harry replied modestly. "Though speaking of interesting, I've been curious about Ministry policy on magical creature research. Perhaps while we're finalizing the contract, you could share your thoughts on updating some of our more... traditional regulations?"

Moody's magical eye swiveled to fix on Harry, who kept his expression perfectly innocent. No harm in laying some groundwork for future possibilities, after all.

"Of course, of course!" Fudge agreed readily, clearly thrilled to have an apparently attentive audience. "Though some creatures are naturally restricted for good reason..."

"Oh, I completely understand," Harry nodded seriously. "Safety first, always. Though I wonder if our classification system might benefit from more... nuanced research? But perhaps that's a discussion for another time."

Andromeda's eyes narrowed slightly - she knew him too well not to recognize when he was up to something. But she simply said, "Shall we review the final contract terms?"

As the adults began discussing details, Harry caught Dumbledore's gaze. The headmaster gave him the smallest of nods, and Harry had to fight back a grin. Sometimes, the best way to change the system was to work within it - and if that meant playing politics with politicians, well... he had a rather good teacher, Andromeda Black was quite good at using words as weapons.

After all, what was the point of being famous if you couldn't use it to make things better? Even if "better" sometimes meant "making sure certain large cats could eventually walk around without causing mass panic."

But that was definitely a problem for another day. Right now, he had a contract to sign and a Minister to charm - and judging by Fudge's increasingly enthusiastic responses to his carefully crafted comments, both were going rather well.

Sometimes, Harry reflected, being eleven had its advantages. People tended to underestimate you - right up until it was too late to realize their mistake.

"Well then," Amelia Bones said, producing an ornate contract scroll with the Ministry seal, "shall we make this official?"

Ted Tonks stepped forward, accepting the blood-red quill from Dumbledore. "As Harry's magical guardian, I'll sign first." He turned to Harry with a warm smile. "Though I must say, when Andromeda and I took on this role, we didn't expect to be signing Ministry contracts quite so soon."

"Sorry to be an overachiever," Harry quipped. "I'll try to wait at least another year before revolutionizing any other magical industries."

"Don't you dare," Andromeda mock-warned. "I've already told all my friends my ward is a prodigy. You can't ruin my bragging rights now."

Ted signed with a flourish, the magic in the quill making the signature glow briefly golden. "Your turn, Harry. Just remember - read everything twice, even the small print. Especially the small print."

"Particularly when dealing with the Ministry," Moody added gruffly, his magical eye spinning to glare at Fudge, who suddenly became very interested in adjusting his bowler hat.

Harry accepted the quill, quickly but carefully reading through the contract one final time before signing his name beneath Ted's. The signature shimmered with magic, sealing the agreement.

"Excellent!" Amelia said briskly, pulling out an elegant silver card embossed with Gringotts' seal. "This will authorize the creation of your new business vault. The contract payments will be automatically deposited there."

"A new vault?" Harry asked, accepting the card.

"Can't mix business and personal finances," Ted explained. "You'll need to sign several contracts with the goblins - account management agreements, investment parameters, security protocols..."

"Wow, such joy," Harry replied dryly. "Nothing says 'exciting business venture' quite like spending hours signing paperwork with creatures who consider smiling to be a declaration of war."

"Could be worse," Ted chuckled. "Could be dealing with Ministry bureaucrats instead."

"I heard that," Amelia said mildly, though her lips twitched.

"The goblins aren't so bad once you get to know them," Andromeda added. "Just don't try to haggle unless you're prepared for a six-hour debate on the philosophical implications of currency exchange rates."

"Speaking from experience?" Harry asked innocently.

"Perhaps," Dumbledore interrupted, eyes twinkling madly, "we should focus on young Harry's immediate banking needs?"

"Yes, quite right," Fudge jumped in, clearly eager to wrap things up on a positive note. "A momentous occasion! The Ministry looks forward to a long and profitable partnership, my boy!"

"As do I, Minister," Harry replied smoothly. "Though I do hope any future negotiations won't require quite so much... creative discussion."

"Oh no, perfectly standard rates from now on!" Fudge assured quickly. "Progressive thinking and all that, just as we agreed!"

As they began filing out of Dumbledore's office, Harry heard Moody mutter to Amelia, "Kid's going to be running the Ministry before he's twenty."

"Better him than some others I could name," Amelia replied quietly.

Harry pretended not to hear, but he couldn't quite hide his smile. After all, he had a rather large cat who would make an excellent Minister's advisor - once they sorted out that whole "most dangerous creature alive" classification, of course.

But first: goblin paperwork. Joy indeed.

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