Petunia took Harry to King's Cross the first of September, but when they got there Harry couldn't get through. He checked the time they still had twenty minutes until the train left.
"What is going on Harry? Why can't you go through?"
"I don't know." He frowned. "Tell you what, I'll figure it out. Thank you, Aunt Petunia, this summer was great. Thanks for bringing me to the station."
"Are you sure?"
""Yes, I'll portkey to Potter Place and floo from there. If I have any problems, I'll call okay."
"Alright have a good year. Write."
"I will."
Harry took his trunk and found the men's room. After verifying it was empty, he portkeyed to Potter place. He knew he was supposed to meet Cassandra at the platform so he wasted no time flooing to Platform Nine and Three-quarters. Once there he spoke to one of the station master about the difficulty he'd had coming through the station. The man immediately went over to figure out the problem. Cassandra saw him and hurried over.
"There you are. I need you to sign these. I have a mirror to give you and-"
"Slow down, what is it you need me to sign?"
"There are three form letters to do acknowledgements with I can reproduce them as much as I need to to answer your general mail. Anything I think is worth your attention, statements and what not, I'll duplicate and send to Felicia and your aunt in addition to what I forward to you. The first letter is a general thanks I appreciate your feelings, very bland absolutely committing you to nothing to send in response to fan mail. I figure I can send it and a three by five unsigned photo, the one I made you get on your birthday, that will take care of the bulk of your fan mail. I also have an equally bland response to general hate mail, specific hate mail or threats will be forwarded to the DMLE. I also have a not at this time letter to send to all requests for endorsement and most all propositions. I'll screen the propositions for the most part, any that I feel are worth your time, like I said, I'll forward via Hedwig once a week."
"Sounds great now what's this about a mirror." Harry was relieved the new mail ward on him made it that all his mail unless sent via Hedwig was redirected to come to Cassandra. She knew what mail he needed to see versus what mail he got. He scanned the letters and signed them.
Cassandra handed him a small rectangular compact. "Sorry for the girlishness of a compact; it was this or something much larger. This is a communication mirror. I have it's match this works a bit like a muggle cell phone in that you can use it to get hold of me anytime. Open it and say my name, mine will vibrate and I'll know you're trying to reach me. I would appreciate it if you kept it to business hours. Don't try to use it in any class except History of Magic, it's not exactly against Hogwarts rules to have one, but it is against them to use it during class. I'll keep any calls I make to you outside of class hours.
"The Manse is coming along nicely, it should be finished by Christmas. I'll be sending you paint chips and fabric swatches next week for the rooms other than the kitchen and baths. The old Mail will probably take a month maybe two. Which leaves me wondering what my next project is?"
"Dossiers."
"What?"
"I want backgrounds: start with my father's friends. I suppose my parents too, since what I know about them would fit an index card. Then Dumbledore and the other teachers at school, then the members of the government and others of influence starting with the ones that were involved with my Godfather's not trial. I don't want just the public stuff. I want complete backgrounds, family info, education, job histories, who their friends are, finances if you can manage it, and any skeletons that you can find without putting yourself in danger. You like research. That's what most of this will be. Everyone has secrets; I want to know those secrets."
Cassandra gulped. "Why?"
"Sandra, I'm a kid. There's not really any way I could have done something to stop Voldemort last time. Yet the Headmaster has tried to manipulate the wizarding world into seeing me as some sort of hero. I think it is in some way related to a prophecy he heard. Superstitious mumbo jumbo… Anyway he tried to manipulate me into Gryffindor and he tried to see to it I'd be ignorant of my heritage. If my aunt were a different sort of person I could have come to the magical world all set to be his pawn. Information is power of a kind. I need it, so I have leverage if they try to force me to do something I don't want to." Harry kept the knowledge of the prophecy to himself.
Cassandra was about to say something when the Corners appeared.
"Harry don't you think you should get on the train?" Felicia asked.
"In a moment Mrs. Corner, Sandra and I were just finishing up a few last minute things."
Cassandra took a deep breath. "I understand, and you're right. I'll do it."
"Thanks and Cassandra, take care, and don't take any risks. It's important, but not as important as you."
"Understood. Have a good year, Harry."
Harry boarded the train as the conductor yelled out, "All aboard!" and it wasn't long before he found Neville, Hermione, Aaron and Susan and Hannah.
"Hey Harry."
"Hay is for horses, Aaron."
Susan and Hannah giggled. "How was your summer, Harry?" Susan asked.
"Good, insanely busy, but good."
"Yeah Neville was telling us about the karate class he was taking at your school." Aaron said.
"It's not my school. It's the dojo where I take karate. How about the rest of you, how was your summer?" His eyes met Hermione's. She looked at him. It wasn't hard to see the angst that rested there. "Mione?" He knew the nickname would make her relax and let her know he held no grudge over last year's behavior.
"My.." She cleared her throat and started again. "My parents took me to France. My summer was good. I read a lot."
"Shocking. Miss Granger reading a lot. Neville, would you ever have dreamed such a thing?" He said with a warm look and a teasing grin.
The rest of the trip to Hogwarts they shared what they had done over the summer. They were interrupted several times as people they knew from other houses stepped in to say hello.
After they changed into their school robes halfway to school, Will and Dan stuck their noses in. "So Harry, did you want to continue defense with us?"
"Hell, yes."
"Cool we'll set up a schedule after class schedules are out."
"Good." Harry nodded. The two Slytherins left, only to have Marcus Flint stick his nose in.
"Mr. Potter."
"Mr. Flint."
....
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