Shadow Council 129A

*****

Andromeda sighed deeply to herself as she approached the Weasley household.

Getting Harry to agree to this will take some convincing, She was rather certain.

That said, it had its merits to her mind, both in dealing with the current problems and with the eventual fallout of the Dark Lord’s return. Gaining favors was just the beginning of what it could benefit Harry and Houses Black and Potter.

The trick would be convincing Harry of it.

She took a fortifying breath and knocked on the door, forcing a smile as she heard a bustling sound approaching.

“Hello? Oh, Andromeda, please come in,” Molly Weasley said cheerfully as she stepped back and aside. “How have you been? Albus informed me about what you did for Harry, terrible matter that.”

“Indeed,” Andromeda let her smile drop as she honestly frowned instead, stepping inside. “Cornelius and I still have a reckoning scheduled over that abomination.”

Molly eyed her knowingly as she closed the door, “I have no doubts, I heard from… other sources what you said at the start. Dangerous declaration, that. I can’t be as happy about you pulling young Harry in that direction as I am over helping him with the trial, you understand.”

Andromeda nodded tightly, “I lost my temper just a bit.”

Molly laughed, “Just a bit, did you?”

Andromeda just shrugged, looking appropriately sheepish.

“Well, best it was just a bit then, I shudder to think of the mess you’d have made of the Wizengamot if you’d gone on a tear is that’s your definition of just a bit,” Molly told her, warmth returning to the other woman’s voice before she became serious again. “Take care, now. You’re representing that boy, and your actions are his.”

“I know,” Andromeda said seriously, before she sighed, “Which brings me to why I’m here.”

“The Queen’s invitation?” Molly asked knowingly, “yes I rather expected you to stop by soon enough. Is Harry ready for this?”

“Ready or not, her Majesty’s pleasure is fleeting,” Andromeda said firmly before she gestured casually, “However, it seems that Harry still enjoys her countenance, since this is a very mild introduction. No press, no public eye. Merely the peers of the realm.”

“Merely, she says,” Molly said with a roll of her eyes.

“It is the minimum tradition requires.”

“Yes, yes, of course. Well, Harry is in the next room. I expect you two will need some privacy?”

Andromeda grimaced slightly, “I’ll have to take him out for a bit. He’ll need new fittings, at the very least, and we need to have a very long, very private chat.”

Molly stared for a moment before she sighed.

“I don’t like it,” She admitted. “That boy has too much on his plate as it is, and too many people who’d do him real harm… but I suppose I can’t stop you.”

“Only Harry can, in matters such as these,” Andromeda said with an apologetic shrug.

“Of course…” Molly shook her head, “He’s so young.”

“He is that, but I’m more concerned with his lack of proper upbringing.”

Molly scowled, “Don’t get me started on those horrid muggles… I swear, just five minutes alone with them would make many of my dreams come true.”

“You are hardly alone in that,” Andromeda snorted. “Even my sister was rather tempted to curse them to within an inch of their lives.”

“You’re…? Narcissa, truly?” Molly asked, surprised. “I had heard that the Malfoy’s knew where Harry lived, but not that she’d visited.”

“Harry needed dress robes last year,” Andromeda said, “As I’m to understand it, young Alexander played go between and they all went to Paris, along with young Draco no less, to procure them.”

“No!” Molly covered her mouth, eyes wide. “That boy must be mad.”

“Who, Harry or Alexander?” Andromeda asked, dryly.

“Yes!”

Andromeda chuckled, “This was just before I was brought into the situation, or I doubt I would have allowed such a trip…”

“I should think not.”

“For all that, it went well enough,” Andromeda admitted. “Though I’m told, confidentially of course, that the look on Lucius’ face when he learned that Potter had gone shopping with his wife and son and neither thought to inform him before was… spectacular.”

The gasping laugh that strangled out of Molly Weasley’s throat almost had Andromeda breaking down as she felt her original reaction flood back.

Lucius had been utterly livid, apparently, though struggling to hide it to the point that Narcissa said that she honestly felt some concern for his health and had her wand ready in case she needed to get him to St Mungo’s in short order.

“Oh I would have loved to have seen that,” Molly admitted after getting herself back under control.

“I expect that we could have sold tickets and made a fortune the likes of which Merlin would have been stunned to see,” Andromeda replied with dry humor. “Pity it was a private moment.”

“Pity. Yes, that’s certainly a word to describe it.” Molly shook her head, casting a sharp and shrewd look Adromeda’s way. “Nothing more like that planned now, I hope?”

Andromeda grimaced a bit, but shook her head, “No, if only because Lucius is rather too tightly bound to you know who. We will be… letting a few people get close whom we might prefer not, but only to keep the dark lord happy that he has Harry under watch. Much as I dislike it in principle, it will be better to let him think he has people close than have him actively attempting to get others in.”

Molly grimaced, “I see your point. I don’t like it, though, have you spoken with Albus about this?”

“Albus and I do need to have a long chat,” Andromeda said. “He has been avoiding me of late, however.”

Molly made an irritated noise, “I suppose he has his reasons. Well, come now, Harry’s right this way.”

“Thank you,” Andromeda said, following her hostess deeper into the home.

*****