Uncle Albie is not going to be in a good mood as things seem to keep staying -just- out of his reach; 'tis amazing what one can do with good knowledge, ability, and the Force. I love the way Harry's "team" is working together while Albus has no idea that there's even a coalition against him; it should be quite amusing when the entire block controlled by Harry's team votes en masse for things that cause Dumbles much, much heartburn. Severus getting sprung didn't surprise me and the attack on 4 Privet Drive is going to make Harry look rather good to Vernon when he hands him the insurance check (though it might well be a check actually from Harry's private funds). It appears that Harry is very definitely getting in the very good graces of the goblins for all he's done and helped them with; Albus should be worried about that combined effort; as he no doubt will be, shortly, when that audit starts. Looking ahead, it's going to be right interesting to see Dumbles' reaction when Harry & friends don't return to Hogwarts and he can't find them due to the protections on Potter Castle.
I'll definitely post more after a couple more readings, but this one was a fun read after a long day.
Author's response
Let's just say Albie's year is going to start bad and get worse. Harry's actions are going to be just this side of legal, and with his crony's Dumbley is going to be meeting inconveniences at every turn.
Parts of Harry's mistreatment are going to be made public, and the blame is going to be laid entirely at Dumbledore's feet. Dumbledore is going to have a very hard time trying to explain why he took the actions he did.
While Dumbledore lost his temper and throttled the editor, he's going to have to deal with the Quibbler and Ms. Skeeter, as reprinted by The Prophet and several french papers. Remember previously, Harry asked Carolyn to get him a controlling interest in the Prophet? That interest will be arriving a little after the school year begins.
Don't worry. Mayble will be safely abroad.
Sorry. No cheque for Vernon. As Harry said in chapter 7, he wants to watch Vernon lose everything before he self-destructs. He's going to plant some evidence with the help of the goblins as to a new insurance policy taken out just before the house burns down, and coincidentally just as the Dursleys are in Majorca. And that's just the first blow! (REALLY Evil chuckle!)
Harry is now the goblin's favorite human. After all, gold is gold, and he's shown himself as a goblin.
Albie isn't gonna learn about the audit until just after he's slapped down in the Wizeacregamot, but after that he's gonna need a whole lot of Maalox!
Return to Hoggy's. All I can say is "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
I'm glad it took the edge off.
Alorkin