Muggle Summer
A/N: An alert reader caught a nasty continuity error in the last chapter, wondering when Hermione had changed from the fatigues described in Ch. 52 into a designer business suit described in Ch.53. It was fixed about 18 hours after first post, but those who read the earlier version should be aware that this is why Hermione begins this chapter wearing Impervious-protected military fatigues.
Disclaimer: Not my characters, no money being made, etc., etc.
Chapter 54: A Castle Comes Alive
Sunday, July 8, 5:30am
Round Tower, Windsor Castle
It didn't take Hermione Granger very long to determine that Harry had side-along apparated her directly into the Love Shack's hot tub. It also didn't take her very long to express her displeasure over the fact.
"Harry James Potter," she shouted, "if you think that you can just side-along me wherever you want whenever you want…"
"What, don't you like surprises?"
"Not when they get my spare ammo all soggy."
"Well, we can take care of that presently," Harry quipped, as he reached to undo her equipment belt.
Slapping his hand away, Hermione stepped out of the tub and pulled her flight helmet off of her head. "Don't even think about it," she replied. Cocking her head towards the front of the tent, she added, "Besides, we've got company."
"What?" Harry yelled, unable to hear her clearly now that she'd removed her charmed helmet.
Hermione looked towards Harry, shook her head, and put her helmet up against her mouth. "WE'VE GOT COMPANY!"
Harry winced as his hands flew to his helmet and pulled it off.
"Didn't have to shout," he muttered. "Besides, not for another forty minutes, right?"
"Clean the hormones out of your ears and have a listen, Major Potter."
Harry followed her orders. He then shut his eyes, shook his head, and reached for his Art Club badge.
"Steve?"
"Yes, Major Potter."
"Hermione and I have redeployed to our Round Tower apartment…any particular reason why it sounds as if we're billeting an army battalion?"
The MI-5 ¾ agent chuckled. "Actually, now that the House Cav's Scimitars are in place, it's more like two battalions."
"Really?"
"Yeah…might be worth a look from your roof. I understand that the Prince is up there right now."
"Right then, Potter out."
"Makes sense," Hermione said, as Harry stepped out of the tub. "This is, after all, part of the Castle's defenses."
Harry shook his head in disappointment. "Promise to hop back into the tub with me just as soon as we get back?"
"With or without our ammo belts?"
"Without, as in 'without wearing anything'," Harry quipped.
"Middle of a war," muttered Hermione, "and he's got a one-track mind."
"Would you want me any other way, sweetheart?"
Hermione smiled, grabbed Harry's hand, and reluctantly shook his head.
"I thought not," said a grinning Harry, as they walked out of the tent.
Even with Steve's warning, they were surprised by the armed challenge as they made their way up the Round Tower's spiral stairway. The situation was rather tense, as the troopers weren't part of the Windsor's normal security detail, and didn't recognize the two teens. It took a call into "Castle Command" to sort things out.
The soldier who made that call soon regretted the decision, as the doors behind him opened and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales stepped forward still dressed in his Parachute Regiment combat fatigues.
"Is there a problem here, Lance Corporal?"
The soldier looked over his shoulder and nearly wet his fatigues.
"No Sir…sorry sir, I mean…colonel, erm..Your Royal Highness…it's just that…well, this man's maroon beret and uniform scream out 'British Army' but his security badge reads "MI-5."
The Prince chuckled. "You might consider a situation where one man wears more than one hat…like me, perhaps?" He then stepped past the sentinel, extended his hand, and said, "Or seven or eight, for that matter…welcome back, Major Potter, Dame Hermione."
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Harry replied.
"I trust your latest foray was a success?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Harry replied. "At least that little part of the problem has been taken care of."
"Excellent," the Prince replied, as he escorted Harry and Hermione towards the roof. "On such a horrible night, every bit of good news helps."
The guard stationed at the rooftop exit saluted smartly and opened the door, allowing the early-morning sun to spill in with the sounds of a castle's defenses coming alive.
The rooftop was buzzing with activity. Two-man sniper teams armed with binoculars and 50mm Barrett rifles shared space along the ramparts with artillery scouts and anti-aircraft batteries armed with surface-to-air missiles. A staging area had been established away from the roofline, where men were busy offloading a palette of supplies that had just been delivered by helicopter.
Harry and Hermione were introduced to the Prince's military aide-de-camp and three other smartly dressed officers who were liaisons between the Royals and the troops currently protecting them. As they were given a tour of the ramparts the Prince pointed out units and recounted their overnight deployments.
"These men on the roof and those below guarding the Upper Ward and the gates are with the Foot Calvary battalion based in Victoria Barracks," he noted. "We had the snipers in place early yesterday evening, when the West End was evacuated. Once all hell broke loose at ten the balance of the battalion was mobilized."
Taking in all of the heavy equipment now positioned on the Round Tower's rooftop, Harry asked, "How did they get all of this equipment up here?"
"Helicopter transport," the Prince replied. "Wally thought it'd be best to wait for Dame Hermione to adjust the Tower's protections before we started running troops through the front doors."
"Make sense," Hermione replied. "Is there still public access to the Castle?"
The Prince shook his head. "Authorized personnel only."
"Good idea," said Harry, "although I bet Dean Conner's not going to be pleased about Sunday services."
"Oh, he assured me that they'll still be held," the Prince replied. "And that he's expecting to see you in the pews if at all possible."
"That….actually sounds like a good idea," said Harry, thinking that the vicar might offer some additional support for Hermione's post-battle stress. He then pointed towards the missile batteries stationed along the ramparts, and asked, "What type of weapons are these?"
"The platform-mounted systems are Starstreak HVM's, Major Potter," one of the liaisons replied. "Primarily used for short range surface-to-air attacks."
"And those bigger missile tubes on the ground?"
"Short-range, fire-and-forget light anti-tank missiles," the liaison replied.
"Thinking of certain targets, Your Highness?"
The Prince nodded, and noted, "You did have giants and dragons on the list of possible adversaries."
"Then we might want to look at punching power, sir," Harry replied, as he looked closely at the SAM battery launch tubes. "Dragonhide might be a little tougher than metallic fuselages."
Smiling, the Prince asked, "Don't suppose you have a dragon laying about that we could use for target practice?" Without waiting for a response he then turned towards his aide and instructed him to look into the installation of heavy-duty wire-guided TOW missiles.
Looking out beyond the castle's walls, the Prince then picked out roadblocks associated with an outer perimeter. "Those boys are with the armoured reconnaissance squadron out of Combermere Barracks. Up above, of course, we've got Joint Helicopter Command keeping watch."
Hermione and Harry were pleased to see that the checkpoints at each of the Castle's main entrances were just inside her attenuated wards. "How tight are they monitoring the authorized personnel that are coming into the castle?"
"Complete lockdown," the Prince replied. "We're taking your warning about Imperius curses seriously…the only way into the castle right now is by helicopter transits flying out of RAF Northolt."
"Excellent," Harry replied. The mention of helicopter transit prompted him ask about the Phoenix Team helicopters. The RAF officer representing the Joint Helicopter Command informed Harry that the two Pumas had already been cleared to land on the helicopter pad that had established in the Lower Ward's courtyard.
"Hope you don't mind, Your Highness," said Harry, "but I thought it best to bring the Phoenix Teams here for the time being."
"Quite all right, Major Potter," the Prince replied. "We hadn't gotten to a discussion of where exactly TPOMS would be stationed, and the extra wands will be welcomed….which reminds me that we need to consider augmenting the magical side of the Queen's security."
"You mean beyond the Queen's Wizard?" asked Hermione.
"Precisely," the Prince replied. "While having a Order of Arthur member permanently assigned to her security detail means that you two are only a badge-call away, Agent Jackson can't be expected to work 24/7, and there are situations where he can't be expected to be by her side."
"Like where?"
"Harry," Hermione chided gently, "Start with the Royal dressing rooms and use your imagination from there."
"Oh, yeah, guess you're right," Harry replied. "So we're talking about a witch, and preferably one that can more or less move into the Castle and travel with the Queen at all times?"
"That's one possibility," the Prince replied. "Were it not for the fact that Dame Hermione's talents were currently being so brilliantly exploited by the Prime Minister's office and his Intelligence Ministers, we'd ask her."
Hermione blushed. "You are too kind, Your Highness."
"Not at all, Dame Hermione," the Prince replied. "He said as much himself just an hour ago when Her Royal Majesty broached the topic."
"Really?"
"Yes, really, Dame Hermione…from the way he was zealously guarding your time and talent I half expected him to announce intentions to adopt you and offer the spare bedroom above Number 10."
"Oh my," the red-faced witch replied. "I'm afraid that my parents might object to the adoption."
"And I'd object to the spare bedroom," Harry whispered, earning himself an elbow to the ribs.
+++
Harry, Hermione and the Prince of Wales were at the helicopter-landing pad to personally greet the Phoenix Teams as they arrived. They even helped off-load their equipment. And if anyone wondered why the Prince of Wales was walking within the castle grounds carrying a seven-and-a-half foot long broom, they kept it to themselves.
There was more than enough magically-supplied hot water between the Round Tower's three magical tents to offer each of the Phoenix Teams members the chance to clean up. Sir Evan, who was now back from his Rookery deployment, was happy to host Andy and the other muggle military men. They, in turn, were more than happy to closely examine Sir Evan's artwork as they waited their turn to shower and shave.
The Grangers offered up their magical lavatory to Fred, George, Katie, Alicia and Lee, which allowed Harry and Hermione to show off the Love Shack to Luna and Harry's four Gryffindor dormitory mates. Needless to say, the tacky-romantic décor created quite an impression, and no small amount of grief to be delivered onto Harry's shoulders by his male friends.
"Bloody hell, Harry," said Dean, "this is the same tent you had pitched on Privet Drive, isn't it?"
"Erm, yeah, it is."
"Did it come this way, or did you and Hermione doll it up this way to suit your moods?" asked a smirking Seamus.
"It came this way, thank you very much," said Harry.
"Where did you get it?" asked Dean.
"Headmistress gave it to me," Harry replied.
"Really?" asked a smirking Neville. "Reckon I might like the way the new Headmistress will run Hogwarts when we return, then."
With all of their teasing, the boys failed to notice Hermione as she slipped into the back room with Luna. By the time that Harry tried to show them in the door was locked, and it was only after a five-minute wait that the locking charm was removed and they were allowed inside.
Harry Potter was used to seeing two trails of clothing leading from the bath house door towards the hot tub. That said, he was not used to seeing bras and knickers included within both sets of discarded garments.
Ron and Harry took in the sight of their girlfriends' heads floating just above the water's surface and simultaneously uttered their first names in disbelief.
"Hermione?"
"Luna?"
"Hop in, Ronnikins," the Ravenclaw witch replied.
"Just make sure you wash first," added Hermione with a smile.
"Erm you want us to strip down and wash first?" asked Harry.
"That is how we generally do it, isn't it Harry?"
"Erm yeah, but…not when we've got company."
"Oh pish posh, Harry…weren't you the one that made me promise to jump in with you just as soon as we got back?"
"Erm yeah, but…but…"
"Luna, I should know better than to ask what you're wearing, right?" asked Ron.
"Yes," Luna replied matter-of-factly.
"Sweet Merlin's shorts," uttered Dean Thomas.
"Wait a minute…you two girls expect us to strip down starkers and jump in with you?"
"No," Hermione replied patiently. "We also expect you to scrub yourself clean somewhere in between stripping and jumping."
"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed.
"Oh, you…boys," Hermione sighed, as she reached for her wand. The bit of naked shoulder exposed by this movement drew in more breaths as she turned and fired Obscuro charms on each of the five young wizards. This spell played with the light rays as they reflected off of each wizard and his clothes, so that they, or anyone looking at them, could only see a blurred image.
Harry thought it similar to the pixilated soft-core porn that he'd once caught Dudley trying to make sense of on a partially-blocked telly channel.
"There, happy now?" asked Hermione. "Luna and I can't see your bits as you wash….oh, and Harry, be sure to show them how to use the scrub brush."
"Erm…yes dear," he replied, just managing to remember the proper response to that situation.
As Luna and Hermione watched the five blurry Gryffindors strip down and wash up they decided that the blurry images were highly entertaining. The obscuring charms affected the wizards themselves, so scrub brushes didn't always land where they were supposed to. The spells also played havoc with depth perception, and made it hard for each of the boys to keep to their own spaces. Combine these vision problems with soap suds and a slickened floor (which may or may not have been made more slippery by a discrete spell cast from the peanut gallery), and the boys found themselves falling all over themselves. (to their embarrassment and to the Hermione and Luna's amusement).
Finally, after five minutes of slipping and sliding the boys were allowed to join the witches in the now-expanded hot tub. Ron and Harry made sure that Luna and Hermione were sitting next to each other and that they were by their respective girlfriend's sides.
As the group finally began to settle down, Hermione leaned towards Harry and whispered into his ear.
"So, is this as fun as you thought?"
"Not as such."
"Planning on surprising me again with a side-along apparition into the tub?"
"Not anytime soon."
"Good," Hermione replied, squeezing his upper thigh for emphasis.
Harry slumped down into the water and considered the possibility that Hermione's Slytherin streak was just as strong as his.
Especially when Hermione scooted next to him and he felt the fabric of her strapless bikini top scrape against his chest.
+++
By the time that they had finished their soak, reapplied obscuration charms, and gotten dressed, a House Calvary Unit's quartermaster had arranged for muggle tents, cots and other supplies to be set up in the Round Tower's upper floor. They had decided to convert this upper story into a barracks, with facilities not only for the Phoenix Teams but for the muggle military troops that would now be stationed on the Round Tower's roof. Harry had been all set to tuck into some serious conjuring and transfiguration remodeling work, before Hermione quietly reminded him that the expended magical energy might negatively interfere with the laser-guided target acquisition systems and other sensitive electronics now positioned on the roof.
The Prince had arranged for a fresh set of uniforms to be left on each cot, not realizing that the magical hampers installed within each of the three tents had cleaned and pressed the uniforms that had been worn into the field. Luna was surprised to find that a fresh set of black fatigues had been discretely set out for her use inside the Deputy Commanding Officer's tent. On top of this clothes pile was a plastic identification card attached to a lanyard necklace.
Ron snickered when Luna brought this to his attention.
"M…I….5," Luna sounded out, as she looked at the badge. "What does that mean, Ronny?"
"Ask Hermione," he replied brightly. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to tell you."
Once they'd reassembled, Harry asked for a show of hands on the issue of rest vs. rations. Ron was ready to argue that his growling stomach deserved its own vote, but this wasn't necessary, as the post-combat high was still in place and food won out.
Given the Castle's augmented security forces, the mess had geared up in its own way and changed over from menu service to a buffet line, and from individual tables to long, Great-Hall style seating. Fortunately, the quality of food didn't diminish, as Ron was all too eager to state as heaped food on his plate.
Neville Longbottom ended up sitting across from Harry and Hermione, which gave opportunity to address something that had been nagging him all night. Gesturing at his uniform, and down the table towards the Phoenix Teams, he asked Harry, "So…what's all this mean now, after last night?"
Harry shared a look with Hermione, then replied. "Don't really know myself, Nev…was there something specific?"
"Well, lots of things," Neville replied. "But maybe I should start with asking what it means to be Lieutenant Longbottom, and a wizard within the muggle army."
Harry sighed. "When I talked with The Prince last night, he said that the muggles wanted to be sure that the Phoenix Teams couldn't get into trouble for what happened in the woods with the werewolves."
"What kind of trouble…and from whom…the muggles or the Ministry?"
"Both, I think," Hermione replied. In the muggle world, people can't just go out and kill werewolves, or wizards, or each other, unless it's a clear case of self-defense. Even then, very few muggles are allowed to carry the kinds of weapons we have to defend ourselves."
"What, you mean those guns?"
Hermione nodded. "That's a huge difference between the muggle and wizard worlds, Neville…in the wizarding world, everyone can legally carry a concealed, lethal weapon."
"You mean our wands?"
"Exactly," Hermione replied. "Muggles who don't have permission to carry a gun can be sent off to muggle prison if they get caught. And muggles who don't have permission to use guns against criminals or terrorists can get into even more trouble."
"So….if you're in the Army you've got permission to carry and use weapons?"
Hermione nodded. "To a limited extent, yes….so long as you are doing your job and follow orders."
"Oh," Neville replied. He then asked, "So what happens if the muggles say our job is to kill wizards?"
"It won't happen, Nev, unless it's fighting Death Eaters who are trying to kill us," Harry replied. "But if it did happen….well, muggles have a different set of laws to cover those cases."
"What do you mean?"
"Moral laws," Harry replied. "Killing innocent people is morally wrong, and if a soldier is ordered to do that he can say no and refuse to carry out those orders."
"But won't he get in trouble?"
Hermione shook his head. "The soldier would only get in trouble if they obeyed."
"So how do we learn when it's okay to follow these types of orders and when we have to refuse?"
Harry thought for a moment. "My first thought is that you don't have to learn that kind of thing, Neville….because you already know the answer. You know what's right and wrong, you fight for the light….you just know."
Neville responded with a contemplative nod. "And second thoughts?"
Harry turned to Hermione, who replied, "Neville, the muggle army has Code of Conduct that it has to teach you before it can expect you to follow the rules. And as for what's moral during wartime, well…Harry and I are actually working with someone on that."
"In fact," Harry added, "if we're not too terribly busy later this morning we'll introduce you to Dean Conner."
"Thanks, Harry," Neville replied. "I think I'd like that." After a moment's pause and another bite of food he asked a related question. "But what about the Ministry?"
Harry chuckled. "Well, I think that the Prince and Prime Minister will be keeping the Ministry occupied for the next few days…why?"
"The internships," Neville replied. "Today's Sunday, but tomorrow it's the start of another work week for all of the pure-bloods that were drafted into becoming the Ministry's house elves."
"Ah, I hadn't thought about that," Harry replied. "Well, my first response is to tell the Ministry to sod off."
"Harry!" Hermione chided.
"Probably my second response as well," said Harry with a grin. "What's the penalty for calling in sick?"
"Hmm, there's a fine and if you skiv off long enough they say they'll arrest you."
Harry nodded. "Well, we can cover any fines, if need be, and if the Aurors think they've got enough time on their hands to play truant officers, well…."
"What Harry is trying to say is that we'll raise the issue with our bosses," interrupted Hermione. "For now, consider TPOMS to be the same kind of part-time job as the Clan Air Force."
"Thanks, Hermione," Neville replied. "Not that I wouldn't miss the grunge work, but there have been one or two good things about that internship program."
"Oh, what's that?"
"Lunch dates with Susan," chimed in an eavesdropping Seamus.
As Neville blushed, Harry raised an eyebrow, "Really, Nev?"
Hermione swatted her boyfriend's arm. "Oh, shush, Harry. You're the Queen's Wizard, not the Queen's Gossip…it's Neville's business, not yours."
"Yes, dear," Harry replied with a smirk.
Mention of the Queen brought Harry's mind back to an earlier conversation, and the need to expand and rearrange his white board.
"So, Neville, you've been talking with Susan last couple of weeks?"
When Neville smiled and nodded, Harry followed up. "Do you think she likes being an intern, or that she only likes it for the same reasons you do?"
Neville sighed, then admitted that Susan hated her job, but seemed to enjoy her lunches.
"So," Harry reasoned, "if TPOMS were based here, at the Castle, and you were living in the Tower and taking your meals here in the Queen's Mess, and we found a way to offer Susan a job that would do the same…"
"Oh, Harry, quit playing yenta," Hermione said. "Although….it's not a bad idea…haven't got Susan on your org chart yet, have you?"
Harry shook his head. "Nope, not her, or Padma, or Parvati, or Hannah Abbot…"
"Thinking about more than one magical bodyguard, Harry?" Hermione asked.
Nodding, Harry explained, "Well, if the whole point is to find a way to get Neville and Susan some quality time together, then it'd hardly do to have her spending all her time with the Queen, right?"
"Harry," Hermione replied, "Are you planning on bringing the entire Peanut Butter Brigade onto the Royal payroll?"
The Queen's Wizard shook his head. "No, not at all, just minding my responsibilities."
"Responsibilities to the Queen?"
"No, silly," Harry replied. Giving Neville a wink he said, "To my troops."
"Planning on housing these witches-in-waiting in the Tower as well?" Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "We'll see…it would be up to the Queen. Although…we do have that spare bed in the Love Shack to offer. What do you think, Nev?"
Hermione thought to kick Harry's shin, as Lieutenant Longbottom choked on his Cheerios. The call out of "Attention!" and the scrape of chair legs as the mess hall sprang to its feet saved Neville from further teasing.
"As you were," the Prince called out, as he entered the room and strode towards Harry. The Royal Historian trailed closely behind, looking extremely worried and wringing his hands together as he muttered to himself. When he caught sight of Ron dressed in his captain's uniform the man let out a sharp cry.
"Hush, Mr. Baxter," said the Prince, "We'll soon get to the bottom of this."
"Is something wrong, Your Highness?" Harry asked.
The Prince nodded. "There may be…I'm afraid that I gave our Royal Historian quite a shock when I saw him in the hall just now and mentioned your commissions."
"The orb, Your Highness," the historian begged.
"Ah, yes," the Prince replied. He turned towards Harry and said, "Mr. Baxter is afraid that certain actions taken on our part may have caused some difficulties with treaty obligations."
"How is that, Your Highness?"
"Well…we are not quite certain, but it has to do with your Queen's Wizard's necklace. You don't happen to have it with you, do you?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Harry replied. "It's here in my rucksack…would you like to see it?"
"If it isn't too much trouble, Major."
Harry shrugged his shoulders as he set his rucksack on the table, opened the top flap, and rummaged through the expanded interior. After a few moments he muttered, "There it is!" and fished out the symbol of his station.
"Put it on, Sir Harry, please?" begged the Historian.
"Erm, sure," Harry replied. He held the huge pearl in one had as he slipped the heavy gold chain over his head with the other. Once he let the orb dangle against his uniformed chest it began to glow with the same amber light displayed when the Queen elevated him to the position of Royal Wizard.
"Oh, thank goodness," the Royal Historian cried, as he held a hand to his heart. "I was so certain that…can't imagine why it wouldn't…."
Harry shifted his confused gaze between the Prince and the Royal Historian.
"Major Potter, there is an explanation, but perhaps it best be provided elsewhere?" asked the Prince.
"Of course, Your Highness," Harry replied, as he closed his rucksack back up. "Might Ron and Hermione join us?"
"Oh, certainly," the Prince replied.
Harry turned to Neville and said, "Lieutenant, once everyone's eaten the squadron can stand down in the Tower Barracks."
"Yes, Sir, Major Potter," Neville replied with a smirking salute.
The Prince led the three teens and the historian out of the mess hall and down the walkway towards the State Apartments that housed the Royal Family. Finding an empty sitting room just inside the entrance, he asked an assistant for tea and bade the others to sit.
"Mr. Baxter, has your heart rate slowed to the point where you can talk again?" the Prince asked with a smile.
"Yes, Your Highness," the historian replied. After a moment he said, "Sir Harry, your right to wield magic as the Queen's Wizard was established by the Treaty of Carlisle signed in the year 1567 by Queen Elizabeth I."
"Yes I remember…you mentioned this back when we met on Privet Drive," Harry replied.
"Yes, well you might also remember me saying that this was a negotiated treaty, with terms and conditions that each of the signature parties, or their successors, were obligated to fulfill," said the historian. "One of those conditions was that the muggle monarchy would disband her wizard military forces, and authorize the Ministry of Magic's Aurors and Hit Wizards to work in their stead."
"And so," offered Hermione, "you thought that the creation of The Prince's Own Magical Squadron violated that condition?"
"Exactly, Dame Hermione," the historian replied.
"What's that got to do with Harry's gaudy jewelry?" Ron asked.
"Ron!" Hermione chided.
"Quite alright, Dame Hermione," the historian quickly said. "The question was one of treaty enforcement," he stated. "Since the magical and mundane worlds were to be separated, there were concerns at the time of signing about how each side could verify that the other side was honoring its obligations."
"So?" asked Ron.
"So, according to what I've read within the treaty's ancillary documents, a magical way was created to ensure compliance."
"And that has to do with the necklace?" asked Harry.
"Yes, Sir Harry," the historian replied. "That necklace and one other was created with magic linked to the treaty. Based on what I've read, so long as the orb on the Queen's Wizard's necklace glows, he has the right and authority to do magic for the Queen."
"So if the Queen or her Wizard violated the treaty's terms or conditions, his necklace would stop glowing?"
"Yes."
"So…what does that mean?" Harry asked. "Based on what you've said, it should have stopped glowing, right?"
"Not necessarily," the historian replied. "It's possible that there's some sort of loophole about the military commissions that you've been offered. But…"
The historian paused to sip some tea. "It's more likely that this is the result of other concerns at the time of signing…fears that one side or the other would at some point knowingly abrogate the treaty in order to make it unenforceable."
"Why was that a concern?"
"This was the treaty that basically created the Ministry of Magic," the historian explained. "Before this treaty, all British wizards and witches were subject to direct rule by the muggle monarch, just like their muggle counterparts."
"So," Hermione reasoned. "The wizards were afraid that some future king or queen might want to go back on the agreement, disassemble the Ministry of Magic, and bring the worlds back together again?"
"Exactly," said Baxter. "So the solution was this. If one side violated the treaty, it lost the rights they gained by treaty, but the other side got to keep their own treaty rights, as well as any rights they had previously given up."
"Oh, my," muttered Hermione.
"What?" Harry asked.
"I don't think you want to know, Harry."
"Why is that?"
The Prince, who had followed the conversation closely, suddenly reached the same disturbing conclusion.
"Because Sir Harry," he explained, "there is the distinct possibility that you have just gained yet another title."
"Let me guess," snarked Ron. "Harry is now the Minister of Magic."
"Oh no," the historian replied. "As the Queen's proxy ruler over the wizarding world, I believe that his correct title would be Duke."
Harry choked on his tea.
Hermione jumped to help.
Ron learned the Heimlich maneuver.