A/N: So this is a different take on the Harry Potter world from some of my previous fanfictions. In this one while it will likely end up just as political as some of the other fanfictions I am working on it lack the fandom Lords and Noble Houses. With this fanfic I am taking a somewhat closer to cannon approach on the world before I suddenly take a sharp left and veer away. On that note I should mention that there will be a very sharp deviation from cannon elements rather shortly and the chances of return are slim to none. Anyways expect me to try and tackle a few things I absolutely adore in fanfics but haven't seen done yet (that I know of I have hardly read every fanfic out there) and trying my own spin on it. Expect Grey but not not maniacally evil Dumbledore also. As always the private messages and reviews are always appreciated.
It should be mentioned that I do not own Harry Potter. I can only thank Rowling for this sandbox that so many individuals, myself included, get to dream in. I write only because I have read so many fanfics that I've begun having my own ideas that refuse to get out of my head.
Harry lay in his bed as outside his window the morning light was just starting to creep up in the east. It was already light enough that he could read the elegant script of the letter he held in his hand. His fingers lightly traced over each letter one by one rereading it for the thousandth time, his eyes followed but were hollow as he relived for the millionth time that instant when his godfather Sirius Black had fallen through the Veil of Death in the Department of Mysteries's Death Chamber. In three years Sirius Black had gone from the man who had betrayed his parents and murdered thirteen muggles, to his innocent godfather who was going to take him away from the Dursleys and their abuse. Then in the same night that he'd learned that wonderful fact he'd yet again become a fugitive on the run when Peter Petigrew, the true traitor, had disappeared into the night and Sirius had been left high and dry once more.
He'd performed seemingly impossible magic by repelling over a hundred Dementors a few hours before rescuing Sirius a second time only to watch him fly off on Hippogriff back away from Hogwarts. Since then through letters and floo chats Sirius had become Harry's confidant and source of advice such as when he had been about to face the Hungarian Horntail in the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Sirius had been one of few who had believed without a doubt that Harry had been innocent of submitting his name. And then before his fifth year during his time at 12 Grimmuald Place Sirius had once been a source of stability. As much as Harry hated to admit it Sirius had come to be a father figure to him, more than just his role as Harry's Godfather, but in some way to Harry's mind, his true father. He had never known his real father James, his only memory of his mother Lily was found only with the help of the Dementors as she begged with Voldemort on the night of her death.
And now Sirius was dead and Harry was adrift once more. True he wasn't completely alone, glancing to the side at the window the opened letters from Ron and Hermione were stacked up already. There had even been a pair of letters from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in that stack both wishing him well in the aftermath of Sirius's death. As much as he liked his best guy friend's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley weren't parent figures to him either, after all he hadn't spent much more time with them than he had with Sirius and there had been even less of a bond there despite how much Mrs. Weasley mothered over him.
So Harry was once more alone and adrift without a father or mother and now without a godfather. His godmother of course was Mrs. Longbottom who though still alive was confined to St. Mungo's likely for the rest of her life due to her experience at the tender mercies of the Cruciatus Curse.
With a sigh he sat up and set the letter he'd been holding the whole time on the bed before glancing at the clock and seeing that it was almost six in the morning. With a sigh he got up and left his room to briefly make a trip to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day ahead being as quiet as possible and as quick as possible to avoid the Dursleys.
He was back in his room less than ten minutes later his hair still wet. He glanced at himself in the mirror hanging on his wall. He was finally starting to grow past his underfed size that had plagued him through years of the Dursleys. Hogwarts food ten months out of the year had helped of course. He was even barely starting to show muscle tone though it wasn't much given he had been absent a year of Quiditch, true as a seeker he had been lean anyways but contrary to popular belief flying around on brooms did require a certain level of muscle and most quiditch players usually came out with a lean build. Beaters of course had more pronounced upper body builds but given that they swung bats at flying cannonballs in midair that went without saying.
He took a comb to his hair briefly trying and failing as always to tame the classic Potter hair that had plagued him all his life. Giving up thirty seconds in like always he quickly got dressed. Today in half an hour Mad Eye Moody and Tonks from the Order of the Phoenix would be taking him to Gringotts for the reading of Sirius's will. As much as he wanted to avoid the finality of Sirius's death as it turned out in wizarding law, any person named in a will reading for any reason was required to be there. He selected a set of open robes over muggle clothes. As always the clothes were second hand, anything nice would be suspicious to the Dursleys but at least these fit him after he'd snuck out to a thrift store a few days previous. A trip to Gringotts at the beginning of summer had converted a few galleons into several hundred pounds of British Muggle currency and it had been more than enough to at least get him clothes that fit as opposed to Dudley's old hand-offs. He'd been purchasing new second hand clothes that fit him ever since the end of his third year when the threat of his supposedly murderous godfather had gotten the Dursleys to back off enough that he could catch the Knight's Bus wherever he needed to go.
He slipped his wand into his pants and folded his robes over his arm as he headed downstairs where he spent the remaining time until the bottom of the hour quietly eating toast while he waited for his escort and wondering why he needed the escort so badly when he'd been to Diagon Alley and Gringotts four separate times on his own in the past three years but he hadn't fought it much, frankly he liked Tonks and Mad Eye even as paranoid as he was was at least pleasant even if he kept expecting Harry, or anyone else for that matter, to suddenly attack him given how Mad Eye's magical eye always seemed to fix on Harry whenever the two were near each other. But then Mad Eye had spent the better part of the year locked in his own trunk so Harry figured the man wasn't completely starkers over his behavior.
At six thirty on the nose there was a knock on the front door of 4 Privet Drive and Harry walked over, his wand slipping from his pants to be held behind him as he opened the door and looked out to see Mad Eye and Tonks standing there dressed in Muggle clothes. Well Tonks was dressed in Muggle Clothes though the tee shirt did have the writing Wierd Sisters World Tour on it. Mad Eye on the other hand was wearing a robe that luckily looked like a trench coat somehow, no doubt the paranoid old man was carrying ever conceivable poison antidote in the pockets that littered the front and sides. "Wotcher Harry." Tonks said even as Harry glanced from her to Mad Eye.
Mad Eye's magical eye first looked at Harry's face and scar and then zipped down and Mad Eye smirked. "Smart Potter. At least you aren't keeping your wand in your pocket where it can blast your butt cheek off anymore. Harry couldn't resist smiling slightly even in his wearied mental state given that the Moody imposter Barty Crouch Jr. had said much the same, clearly the Death Eater had studied Mad Eye extensively before assuming his role. He glanced to the side and gave the pink haired witch in the teeshirt a nod. "Hey Tonks." Even as Mad Eye walked inside the house his magical eye swiveling around taking in everything before swiveling back on Harry. "Alright Potter. What creature is currently living in the upstairs of 12 Grimmauld Place."
Harry expecting the paranoid retired Auror's question to make sure that Harry was indeed Harry spoke instantly given that he knew the answer. "A Hippogriff named Buckbeak." Mad Eye nodded before pulling a rusted tin can from one pocket and a pocket watch from his other. "We've got one minute before this activates but best get your hand on it now." He said as he glanced at the face of the pocket watch before slipping it back into his robes. Harry did as he was told even as he heard movement coming from the kitchen. The seconds were ticking down as he turned to look back, still keeping his hand on the rusty can to see his Aunt Petunia glaring at the three of them from the kitchen. She'd known Harry would be leaving early but the sight of other magic users was without a doubt earning her glare of contempt. No one had time to say anything though when Harry felt the familiar feeling of a yank behind his navel as the portkey activated.
A moment later he was bent over resisting the urge to puke while Tonks rubbed his back. He was pretty sure it was Tonks anyways given that Moody didn't seem to have a sentimental or sympathetic bone in his body. Taking a few extra seconds he stood up while Tonks stood next to him, given that they were now standing in the public portkey and apparate square for Diagon Alley her hair was now purple as her metamorphagus talents displayed freely in the magical community now that she didn't need to worry about muggles and the Statue of Secrecy. "Alright there Harry?" Harry took a moment to nod. "I never do well with anything except a broom. Nothing ever seems to help either." Tonks gave a sympathetic shrug and rubbed his back a moment more while Mad Eye watched from the side.
Given that it wasn't yet even seven in the morning the Alley was mostly empty. A few store clerks were visible sweeping cleaning up for the day ahead. One using a broom to sweep, the others all using their wands. There was the smell of breakfast coming from the direction that the Leaky Cauldron was located but they were headed in the other direction. Mad Eye took lead with Tonks walking beside Harry as they made their way to Gringotts. As they walked Tonks quietly spoke to Harry as she walked beside him. "Alright so I know Sirius just died and you're still grieving but you should know how this is going to work, a lot of this wizarding stuff is likely going to catch you off guard. Anyways while the will is being read at Grigotts that's just because its a neutral ground, the goblins keep the peace between everyone. Lots of families do it that way to keep hexes and curses from being thrown by keeping it on neutral ground and not letting anyone go until everything is over. Lets tempers cool down a bit that way. Anyways so you and me are going in since we're both mentioned in the will. Make sure if you need to use the loo you do it before. Like I said no one leaves until the end and the goblins will slow things down if they think wands will come out as soon as it ends so best go before if you have the need."
"Anyways like I said so we all go in there. Mad Eye stays outside since he isn't mentioned in the will apparently. Anyways the solicitor handles the reading. Uncle Sirius used my Dad's firm to write the will but hired a different firm for the reading since because of me and mum there's a connection to him. So Mr. Hatterman of Hatterman and Greengrass will be the one reading the will." Harry blinked for a minute recognizing one of those names. "Greengrass, any chance he's related to Daphne Greengrass? She's in Slytherin House same year as me." Tonks raised a brow and Harry smiled for the first time since she'd seen him that morning. "What? She may be the Ice Queen of Slytherin but the girl is a knockout." Tonks just snorted in amusement. "Leave it to you boys to be fixated on a girl's arse. Anyways he's her father. He's also a neutral political in the wizengamot which is why Sirius used him. Hatterman doesn't have a seat but Greengrass does and he's in the neutrals. Having a seat on the wizengamot as the lawyer keeps anyone else with a seat from trying to introduce some law in advance of the reading or in the aftermath since he can use his seat to work as a neutral third party and make sure the will is carried out as intended. Most of the solicitor firms have at least one partner with a seat for the same reason."
By that point there were at the entrance of the bank. Two goblins short in stature but armed with swords and spears and wearing gleaming golden army stood on either side of the doors watching them through the slits of their helmets as they watched the trio ascend the steps and walk in through the entrance. Inside the goblins were already at their tellers positions. One wizard and one witch each stood in front of different tellers but that wasn't what caught Harry's eye as soon as they were in. What did catch his eye was the first was the blond hair of his arch rival, Draco Malfoy. Harry grimaced his eyes narrowing as Draco saw him enter and sneered in silence and contempt. Behind him stood his mother, if Harry looked closely he could see the same bone structure on her that he could on Bellatrix Lestrange his godfather's murder. She eyed him with cold eyes her lips pressed tightly as she kept her hands folded in front of her. Both Mother and Daughter were dressed in expensive but subdued black robes that were undoubtedly tailored to them.
A dozen feet away from the first groupings of individuals was another clump of figures that included Professor Dumbledore himself, Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger, his two best friends. Hermoine was clearly fidgeting while Ron was glaring quite openly at Draco. Next to them stood Professor Lupin who like always looked rather washed over in his threadbare robes. Finally next to him stood a man and woman, Harry had a start at how like Mrs. Malfoy the woman looked, she was rather strikingly close in her facial appearance to Belatrix Lestrange as well. The mystery of who she was solved when the woman smiled quite happily seeing the three of them walking over and she waved and Harry noticed Tonks next to him waving back.
Mad Eye moved to the side taking up a position of sentry in the lobby of the bank while Dumbledore watched on, the Headmaster was of course dressed in an eye catching robe, periwinkle blue that though it was quite bright wasn't nearly as bad as some of the others the man had been known to wear in the past. Hermoine waved to Harry and Ron gave him a nod. Draco of course just glared and continued to sneer while Tonks walked up and embraced the woman who Harry figured was probably her mother. He didn't get an answer though as a goblin and a wizard walked out of a doorway nearby. "Since everyone is now here for the will reading please use the bathroom if you have the need. Once we step inside for the reading none are permitted to leave under pain of death until the reading is over."
Harry looked to the others but he'd gone not even twenty minutes before and didn't find the need. Ron muttered something but Harry didn't hear it as the wizard turned on his heel seeing no one taking advantage of the offer for the bathroom and led the way through the Gringotts corridors away from the lobby. They were led to a room that already had four goblins in gleaming golden armor standing along the walls. There was a table with room for ten to sit at it. Mr. Hatterman the solicitor stood at one end pulling several very legal looking papers from his briefcase and laying them out in front of him.
Draco and his mother moved to sit nearest the lawyer on one side and Dumbledore sat next to Mrs. Malfoy and Professor Lupin next to him filling that side out. Mrs. Tonks, sat next to the lawyer along with Tonks herself both of whom eyed the Malfoys with a coldness that could freeze. Ron and Hermione sat next to each other next to them. Harry who had entered last looked to Mr. Tonks but saw that he was standing and figured it had something to do with him being a lawyer. Looking at the table he saw that there was only one open seat at the end opposite from Mr. Hatterman.
Reluctantly but with the glares of both Mrs. Malfoy and Draco he walked over and took a seat giving Lupin at his left a nod and Hermione at his right a smile. Lupin seeing what could only be described as uncertainty on his face leaned over. "It'll be alright Harry. If you want to talk after all this is done you and me can slip off to talk all you need to." Harry could only nod his appreciation as at the far end Mr. Hatterman cleared his throat loudly gathering everyone's attention.
"We will now begin the reading of the will of Warlock Black." Harry frowned at the odd title for Sirius but Lupin gave Harry a clear I'll explain later glance and Harry nodded slightly while Mr. Hatterman continued picked up one of the documents he had previously laid out and began to read. "I Sirius Orion Black, Warlock of Black being of questionable mind and shit body after what those cloaked bloody bastards in Azkaban did to me do hereby leave the following to the people that matter to me. But first lets get the uncomfortable stuff out of the way. To my Cousin Narcissa and her arrogant little spawn Draco. You both get nothing. I won't blame you for your foul bastard of a husband who gets off on licking the boots of a dead dark lord but I know from Harry how Draco treated him. Cissy you should have raised him better."
Harry couldn't resist the urge to grin, nor was he alone as Ron was smirking at this and even Hermione was smiling slightly though she was clearly affronted at how Sirius had written his will so brazenly. In addition Lupin was hiding a slight smile and Tonks was smirking as well. Mrs. Tonks was a cool mask that betrayed nothing while Mrs. Malfoy was much the same although she wasn't hiding how much she glared at the will in question with the intensity that lesser documents would have already burst into flames from. Draco on the other hand was glaring at Harry as if it was Harry's fault that he'd been a ponce when they'd first met and how things had only gone downhill from there.
"As for Draco Malfoy have fun just sitting there since the goblins won't let you leave. Next time don't pick your idiot father for a role model. As for the rest of you. To Andromeda and little Nymphy. Hah can't do anything to me now that I'm dead girl." Tonks was now matching Mrs. Malfoy with a glare at the parchment and her hair had shifted to fire red and Harry could see her muttering something under her breath though he couldn't hear what it was though it did cause Ron to snort in amusement and Hermione to get a scandalized look that she fixed Tonks with. "You both got kicked off the family tree and since I didn't become the Warlock of Black until I was in Azkaban I haven't had a legal chance to change that. I hearby name you both back into the family. In addition Andromeda I leave you a thousand galleons as a belated wedding gift since the family never did anything. The same goes for you Nymphadora Tonks so that you can give whatever chap you fancy a decent life with a little help from your favorite roguishly handsome cousin."
Mrs. Tonks now had a look of surprise and a small smile on her face while Tonks seem torn between glare and grin after she had learned what Sirius had left her. "Remus Lupin I leave a home in the Forbidden Forest." At this everyone around the table on both sides had looks of surprise. "It's unplottable and got more than a few wards that will prevent anyone from ever finding it if you don't want them to. It isn't much but with your furry little problem I figure you should at least have a place where you can live off the land. You can hunt in the forest and it has a garden for food as well as being close enough to Hogsmead and Hogwarts that you can get a job there if you want and get lucky. Plus since its older than Hogwarts itself its been grandfathered in with several laws and the Ministry will never be able to take it from you regardless of what asinine werewolf restriction laws they come up with. Finally I leave you a burden to look after Harry for me and teach him the noble art of pranking if I haven't gotten around to it yet. If I'm dead he may need a few laughs so I'm looking to you to be there for him Moony."
By this point Lupin had raised a hand to wipe away the tears his friend's words had caused to him. Dumbledore gently patted Lupin on the shoulder in understanding. At the other end of the table Mr. Hatterman waited a moment before continuing. "To Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger I leave each of you two hundred and fifty galleons. Its not a lot but the Blacks aren't the richest of families these days. Still I wanted to leave you both something for being Harry's friends. You've done a lot for him and that deserves reward regardless of how little I have to give. To Albus Dumbledore I leave nothing. You already have everything it seems so I will simply give you the answer to an old problem you never figured out. The singing pudding New Years Eve my seventh year was me. I had flooed back from the Potters just for that prank before dashing out before I could be discovered."
Dumbledore seemed to smirk as if a long forgotten riddle was finally solved while everyone's gaze shifted back to Mr. Hatterman resumed reading. Harry knew it was his turn since everyone else seated had been addressed already. "To my godson Harry Potter I leave everything else I have. Harry hopefully we've had years together and I've just been a lazy bum in not updating this but in case that isn't the case I just want you to know how proud I am of you. You are everything James was at his best and Lily too. You have his looks, and her eyes, but you also have their hearts, their courage, bravery, honesty, and loyalty and I for one could not be prouder. That's why I'm naming you my heir as Warlock of Black. I doubt I've told you about this but the Blacks have always had a seat on the Wizengamot its yours. Of course there's probably a few people confused by how its yours sitting around this table. As your godfather I'm declaring you emancipated and an adult. The Black family is the oldest line of wizards and witches in all of England. We are not the richest of bloodlines, and as much as I may hate my parents I too am a Black. I can't run from that now at the end. Particularly since if I don't name an heir it'd go a certain poncy Malfoy due to the damnable male line rules. Which both Andy and Cissy should agree with me about it being funny given the Blacks started out as an all female coven in its earliest days."
"So I leave you the legacy. Do me proud and make it more than just about more than just a bunch of inbred idiots following whatever dark lord is currently around and bring pride back to our family. Whether you know it or not Black blood runs through your veins thanks to your grandmother Dorea Potter nee Black. Which is good because otherwise my wishes be damned I couldn't name you Warlock. So Harry do me proud. I'm leaving you everything and I'll be waiting for you on the other side, don't be too quick to join me."
At this Mr. Hatterman looked up from the will and set down the will and pulled out his wand and tapped the will with the wand's tip. Immediately a number of items appeared on the table. In front of Lupin a scroll sealed with wax appeared while a Gringotts vault key appeared in front of Ron, Hermione, Mrs. Tonks, and her daughter while in front of Harry a vault key as well as a stone box appeared. "We will now witness Mr. Potter don the ring and become Warlock Black after which everyone is free to leave."
Everyone's eyes were on him and Mrs. Malfoy and Draco were both glaring daggers at him while Lupin and Professor Dumbledore both gave him smiles of encouragement. Lupin leaned in and whispered. "Go ahead and open it. There'll be a ring inside, just put it on and let the magic accept you. Sirius would have done his homework making sure you could wear it first so there should be no danger, he wouldn't want to harm you by accident in any of his gifts after all.
Harry gave a nod of agreement as while Sirius might be the type to do something as a prank he wouldn't want Harry to come to harm. Opening the black box he looked inside at where an ancient ornate silver ring with a black onyx gem inlaid in it sat. He picked it up gingerly with his left hand and could swear that he felt the ring humming with magic. Turning it so he could slide his finger into it he slid it onto the ring finger of his right hand while everyone watched. He waited a moment wondering just what would happen before he felt a surge of magic race through his body.
His breath caught from the power of it but then it was over. He glanced at the others and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly without warning his body was wrought with overwhelming pain as it felt like every vein in his body was filled with molten lead with the Cruciatus curse for good measure. All he could do was scream from the overwhelming all encompassing pain for a few agonizing seconds that each felt like an hour before blackness took him.