Poetic Justice [Tomarry]

Chapter 1: Ironically Alive

(His strawberry patch was coming up nicely.)

He worked without much thought, only pausing to take a small lunch break and stretch. It was peaceful, being alone to his own thoughts. Not having to worry about a war going on, living up to people's expectations, being able to live alone and not having anybody tell him what to do. Nobody to control his every thought and action.

Even now, months after the war had ended, and even more months since Dumbledore had died, he was still finding out things about the wizarding world that everybody (especially Dumbledore) had kept from him. It was such common knowledge to every other wizard and witch alive, but he was kept in the dark so he was easier to control-

"Master Harry, sir, your meeting is in twenty minutes," Kreacher warned, effectively snapping Harry out of his thoughts.

"Hm?" Harry processed the words. "Oh! Thank you, Kreacher."

Harry headed inside, not caring that he left his tools out. He'd come back to work more soon, and there was no forecast of rain to worry about. A truly beautiful day, really.

He decided on a quick shower. He could just use a quick cleaning spell to gain the same results, but Harry likes the feeling of the water washing the dirt away. He also likes choosing hot or cold water, and being able to take one whenever he wants—something that was denied from him for his entire childhood.

. . . . .

A few minutes later, Harry is standing in one of the Ministry offices, with a rightfully confused look on his face. The lady at the desk—Ms. Holly, a young woman with a short red bob and a kind face—had handed him a thin book with no discernible cover. Before he was able to open and flip through it, the lady asked for him to take a seat.

With nothing better to do, he sat, leaving the book closed.

'It better not be for another interview,' Harry muses, already been in way too many for his liking.

The lady seemed to take that as her cue to begin explaining why he had been summoned.

As soon as she began talking, Harry wished it was for another interview, no matter how boring. Hell, he'd take Rita Skeeter over this.

"This book covers all of the basics of owning a slave, such as an overall guideline on how slaves are treated, various common punishment methods, and other-"

"Wait, hold on," Harry interrupts, really wishing he heard that wrong, "did you say slave?"

"Yes."

In all of his wonderful and eloquent speaking, and without anything else he could have possibly said, Harry blurts out, "But I don't have a slave?!"

(To be fair, shock is a hell of a drug.)

Ms. Holly doesn't seem to mind his blunder, continuing on easily with a soft smile. "Criminals are sometimes turned into slaves under special circumstances. During the slave's trial, you were chosen to be their master, since they had the greatest negative impact on your life."

"Wait, what? Hold on a second, wizards still do slavery?!" Harry questions, half standing up in his chair without realizing. Slavery is still a thing?!

"Yes. It is not a common punishment, mind you, but it has been known to happen in the past. Nothing anybody in the wizarding world would find strange, unlike muggles, who outlawed slavery a few years ago." Mrs. Holly answers, her kind voice disrupted only by what she was saying.

"I see."

Harry really doesn't. Just the thought that slavery is still a thing makes him want to be sick. Perhaps he should've expected it? Since house elves are still a thing, but they choose to serve their masters-