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Chapter 1

Sophia Potter looked around the grand manor as the House Elves finished emptying it of all its contents, moving it from the warded property to the completely muggle manor nestled in the Welsh countryside. For every magical property her family held, they had a non-magical one that the ministry did not know about. The Potter family had apparently been a powerful force in years gone by, and with power came enemies. And sometimes those enemies held power too. So, as a precaution, her great grandfather had bought a muggle property for every magical one he owned. While they were by no means identical, they did each have the same amount of space and land. He had five magical, and five muggle properties then. Her grandfather had bought an extra two magical properties, and muggle counterparts. Her father, one, with a counterpart. Boltholes for the family. Her great grandfather also had a standing agreement with the goblins to transfer all their fortune in Gringotts to various muggle banks, to accounts registered to the different, muggle, addresses.

Unfortunately, Sophia was implementing the plans of her great grandfather. She knew that, in the next few days, something was going to happen to her fortune, and she would be damned if she let those that had been using her get their hands on her family money. Unfortunately, she did not have the time to do anything about the properties themselves, but this would be all they would get. Dumbledore was too clever for his plans to be stopped now. He had her backed into a corner, even if he did not know she was aware of that fact. Whatever happened in the next few days, her future was secure. She could live out the rest of her life without having to work a day, and they would be unable to take her family inheritance from her. They had no control over muggle wealth, and would have no idea how to track it down, or follow any sort of paper trail. So, while she could not stop Dumbledore carrying out his plans, she could prevent him from reaching the prize.

The house suddenly grew silent. Sophia drew in a breath and looked around the large entrance hall. "Bops!" She called out. An old house elf appeared in-front of her.

"Yes Mistress?"

"Is it done?"

"It is, Mistress. Every elf, in every house, has removed everything you own to muggle properties."

"And should this property, and you and the others, change hands?"

"We will not be able to take them back. They are the property of yourself, Mistress, and on Muggle Property, out of magical jurisdiction. So long as those properties do not change hands as well."

"Thank you Bops. This means the world to me."

"Mistress does not need to thank Bops. He is doing his job. Bops will miss his Mistress if she leaves for good. As he has missed her these past years."

"I'll miss you too Bops. But I don't think I will be able to come back," she said, smiling sadly as she looked at Bops. "I am going to go to my muggle apartment in London. Will you wait for me there, with something to eat ready for my usual lunch time?"

"Of course, Mistress."

"Thank you Bops," Sophia said. With one last look at the grand room, she turned and left the manor, walking down the drive to the gates and closing it behind her with a wave of her wand. Then, she apparated to London, and appeared silently in the shadow of trees beside the large luxury apartment block her London penthouse was based in. She walked into the building, over the white marble floors, and smiling at the woman at the desk as she walked past.

"Welcome back, Miss Potter," Amanda said.

"Thank you Amanda," Sophia responded, walking towards the elevator. She rode up to the top floor and walked calmly to her door, and opened it with her key, heading in to the smell of fish being cooked in fresh batter. Bops was going to give her yet another wonderful meal. It saddened her to wonder how many more he would cook for her.

Sophia headed past the floor to ceiling windows which looked out over the city and river, and past her modern open plan living room and kitchen to the patio doors which led straight to the large wooden balcony, complete with a garden and two sun loungers. She headed to the railings and looked out over the city and river, watching as life moved on. How many people in the city were aware of how close they had come to living in a country run by Voldemort? She was happy they lived in ignorance though. She wished she could do the same. Life would be much simpler, she thought.

A screech sounded and she looked up to see a barn owl flying towards her. It landed on the railing and held out its leg, offering the letter bearing the Ministry Seal. She took it and the owl flew off. Heading back inside, Sophia sat down on the white leather sofa and opened the letter to begin reading.

Dear Lady Potter,

I am writing to inform you that a marriage contract between yourself and one Ronald Billius Weasley has been activated. You are hereby summoned to the Ministry of Magic to meet with your betrothed and discuss arrangements for your coming nuptials on Friday 18th June at one o'clock. Failure to attend without sufficient reason, such as severe illness where a healer has confined you to bed rest, will result in loss of your magic and also the loss of your family fortune and titles, the fortune and titles which will be awarded to your betrothed as compensation, the same result will occur should you decline the marriage.

Yours Sincerely,

Maverick Talon,

Department for Magical Bindings and Contracts.

Sophia raised an eyebrow. So this was Dumbledore's plan. Of course, most of the Weasleys were fanatically loyal to the man, so he would no doubt receive a good portion of the money. And it would tie her to a 'decent' light family that could be trusted. She felt her magic well within her and the windows began to shake.

"Mistress?" Bops asked, wearily.

Sophia looked up. "Sorry Bops, I just received some bad news. The ministry has just offered me an ultimatum. Marry or lose my magic and family property." Of course, her fortune, apart from the magical houses, was all secure and safe from them. She had even sold her shares and sent the money to muggle accounts with the rest of her monetary wealth. Everything else in those vaults had been placed in safety deposit boxes. The windows stopped shaking as she calmed, realising she was scaring her faithful elf. "I am afraid after this Friday, you and the others will be serving another."

"Mistress is going to say no?"

"Yes I am. Luckily, thanks to our joint efforts, all they'll get is a few empty houses and two Knuts. I know the property is worth something, but they will get nothing like what they were hoping for."

"Mistress was very wise. Very wise indeed," Bops said. "Bops is very sad to lose his Mistress."

"I am very sad to lose you too Bops. But I cannot take you with me. If I would not lose my magic, I would be able to free you and the others now and bind you all back to me on Friday, but I won't have the magic to do it."

"Bops understands Mistress. And we will all do you proud."

"Well done Bops. Now, how about lunch?"

Sophia arrived in the Department for Magical Bindings and Contracts at precisely one o'clock and asked to see Maverick Talon. She was guided to his office and saw Dumbledore, Ron, Mr and Mrs. Weasley and a greying man with wire rimmed glasses. Sophia tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear so it did not fall into her eyes. Emerald eyes studied those in the room cautiously, slightly narrowed.

"Ah, Lady Potter," Talon said happily. "I'm so glad you made it. Please, take a seat!"

Before she could, she was ambushed in a hug by Mrs Weasley. "Sophia dear, it's so good to see you. We haven't heard from you in three weeks."

"I've been busy," Sophia said, freeing herself and sitting down. "Get on with it Mr Talon. I have plans for today. I ask that you get to the point."

Talon blinked, the smile slipping off his face. He cleared his throat. "Well then, this betrothal contract, drawn up by your magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore," at this he nodded to the old wizard, "and signed by both him and Mr and Mrs Weasley state that you and young Mr Weasley here will marry before your eighteenth birthday takes place. Should one of you refuse, you will lose your magic and family funds, the latter going to the slighted party."

"I see. When was this contract drawn up?"

"Your twelfth birthday, my lady," Talon answered, a nervous edge to his voice.

"Would someone care to inform me why I was unaware of this until now and why I did not get a say in my future?"

"Not told?" Arthur asked, confused. "I believed that you were informed, and had agreed to this, before the signing. I thought you just wanted to act like you and Ron were in a normal relationship."

"We aren't in a relationship, Mr. Weasley. We never have been. Professor, would you care to tell me as my supposed magical guardian?"

"I did it in your best interests. I did not want to burden you further," he answered benignly. Sophia could see the twinkle leave his eyes though. He was expecting meek acceptance.

"And you, Ronald? Did you know?"

"Yeah. Course I did."

"Mrs. Weasley?"

"Yes. It really is the best. To secure your future."

"To secure my fortune more like," Sophia snorted angrily.

"How dare you-"

"Shut up!" Sophia yelled at her, raising her voice for the first time. "I believe there is only one person in this room who really cares about what's best for me, and that is not you, Molly Weasley. Or your son, or the esteemed Headmaster. And I will tell you this now, I would rather die than go through with this."

"Sophia, dear girl, you will lose your magic and your fortune if you say no," Dumbledore pointed out, obviously hoping to sway her.

"You forget, headmaster, thanks to you and your decisions, I have spent more of my life without magic and money, than with. I can survive going days without food. I can survive being outside on freezing cold nights with nothing but rags on my back. All because you abandoned me to the oh so tender mercies of the Dursley's. I do not need magic. I do not need money. So I say a big Fuck You to you and this stupid contract!"

"Sophia, think about this, I'm your best mate! It's not as if I'm Malfoy!" Ron all but shouted back at her, ears reddening.

"My 'best mate' would not have reported on me for money," she hissed, glaring at him. He paled drastically. So did Molly, and no doubt, so did Dumbledore.

"How did you…?"

"I'm not as stupid as you all think. I grew up having to hide it. Came in handy when I saw someone claiming to be my friend always sneaking off," she turned to Talon again. "Now, Mr. Talon, how do I go about officially turning this down?"

He was staring at her, shocked. The saviour of the wizarding world was willingly giving up her magic and fortune. No one had done this before, let alone anyone near her magical levels and wealth. "Uh, I… um… I just have to scratch your name out in your blood. Or you can wait until your birthday. If you are not married to young Mr Weasley by then, you'll lose your magic automatically."

"May as well get this over with," Sophia sighed, holding out her hand, before turning to look at Arthur. "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Of course," he answered, looking at her, tears in his eyes. He had honestly believed this wonderful young woman would be joining his family. How had he failed her so badly?

"I won't let you do this, you ungrateful little-"

Sophia laughed sharply, cutting her off. "Ungrateful? I saved you from Voldemort. I'm assuming that and my fortune was all you wanted? Well, you're welcome to everything in those vaults, and those properties and titles. Good luck to you. Now, Mr Weasley, once this is done, will you make sure I get back to Muggle London in one peace? I will be able to make my own way from there."

"I would be more than happy to," he agreed. He would do anything he could to make her life as easy as possible now.

"Mr Talon, get on with it!"

"I must insist," Dumbledore interjected, "that you think long and hard on this, Sophia."

Sophia snorted. "I did. Several days in fact. A few more won't change my mind. Mr Talon?" She fixed the man with a hard stare.

Shaking, the man pulled out a golden quill and reached out and grasped her hand. He used the sharp point of the magical quill to cut her finger and allowed the blood to well up around it, coating the tip easily. He then moved it to the contract, and crossed out her name. The moment he finished, she felt pain rip through her as her magic was dragged away from her body. Sophia doubled over, clutching her stomach, but she did not make a sound. Years of getting hurt even more for making a noise in a beating had taught her that.

When the pain stopped, she was breathing heavily, and could not feel her magical core. She blinked away the tears and straightened up as best she could. "I believe we are done here. Next time you all need saving from a Dark Lord, I'm afraid you're going to need to find some other poor sod to do your dirty work. Even had this not happened, I would have been done."

"Come on, Sophia," Arthur said gently, helping her from her seat, and leading her from the office.

"At least we still get the money," he heard Ron say. Oh he was going to be having a lot of strong words with his son and wife when he saw them later.

A/N: Please review! I decided it was time to start posting this here, and not just on AO3.