In Servitude to the Dark || Tom Riddle

𝙋𝙖𝙮 𝙏𝙤 𝙐𝙨𝙚 𝙈𝙮 𝙉𝙖𝙢𝙚

"I don't care about the money or the fame," Aster said. "But I want the chance to turn this around, make it benefit me instead of whoever's trying to hurt me." Namely Dumbledore, she added privately.

And thus, she immediately scrapped today's lessons in Goblin-Human Relation Laws in favor of Media and Privacy Laws. Aster honestly didn't know what she would do without her.

"In fact, I have been meaning to consult with you about this for a while, Aster," she said. "Your name is something we lawyers like to call Intangible Property. You own it and you have rights to how it is used, which means those who wish to profit from your name must first get your permission and compensate you for its use."

Aster only blinked blankly back. "You mean people have to pay me to use my name?" she asked, shocked.

Andromeda nodded. "Not just your name. Even your lightning bolt scar can be trademarked."

Stunned, Aster's mind instantly went to all the silly Aster Potter products, from brooms to toys to candies to books, being sold at Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and who knows where else. "How come no one's told me about this?" she asked.

Andromeda shrugged. "Well, it's not every day a wizard or witch's name becomes valuable enough to become Property," she said. "Only celebrities really have to deal with this sort of notoriety, and you can bet they already have lawyers who specialize in this sort of business."

"Huh. Well, I guess I don't mind," Aster said dubiously. She couldn't imagine forcing all those people to pay her just to use her name like it was actually worth something. It seemed sort of pretentious to her. "It's not like I need the money or anything."

"Aster," Andromeda said, in a tone which Aster recognized was fond exasperation. "It's not about the money. It's about the rights. Trademarking your name will protect it from being abused."

"How do you abuse a name?"

Andromeda took a moment to put it in terms that her pupil would understand. "Say a bill is presented to the Wizengamut that...let's say it will classify pixies as deadly creatures and calls for their complete annihilation."

Aster snorted. "Who's gonna vote for something like that?"

"Exactly," Andromeda said. "But what if they say Aster Potter endorses it? That you think it's a good idea for all pixies to be executed?"

Aster stiffened. "I would never!" she protested, and then she got what Andromeda was trying to tell her. "Oh, I see now." Suddenly a hundred scenarios popped into her mind. What if someone invented a dangerous toy, and put her name on it. It would be like she approved of the dangerous item when in reality she wouldn't.

"If the money part bothers you," Andromeda said. "You could always open up an account, under your name, for a charity of your choice. Any royalties you get from the use of your name or your symbol will go into that account."

Aster brightened at that suggestion. "Oh, that's brilliant! Can we do that today?"

"Certainly. While we're at it," Andromeda continued. "It is probably best, with you participating in the Triwizard Tournament, that we also ensure your name does not get slandered by the media."

For the rest of the weekend, that was what they did, with Aster even staying over the night, with Sirius' permission. Andromeda, having done some research already, estimated more than 100,000 galleons a year on the use of her name and image alone. Then there were book royalties on her life story which cost more, her lightning bolt symbol on almost every other children's product, and even her messy scrawl of a signature was worth something.