Disclaimer: I do not own HP or anything like that. I do own a large Louisville Slugger baseball bat though...

A/N: I was thinking about this for maybe about 10 minutes, and started it on impulse. Post OotP, pre-HBP, but will not follow canon. I can't kill off Dumbledore if I want to play with/bash him hehe. Plus, I don't like Slughorn or any of the characters introduced in Book 6. I'm also looking for a beta/proofreader, since I'm not that good with paragraph breaks. And without further ado, I present to you…

Grim Lineage

by Arclite

Chapter 1 – July 30th, 1996

Harry Potter sat at his desk in Dudley Dursely's spare bedroom at Number 4 Privet Drive, doing his homework by candlelight. After the Order's surprise visit at King's Cross, Vernon had backed down on some restrictions he placed on Harry during the summer. First, Hedwig was allowed to leave the house at night to hunt, as long as she didn't make a mess. Second, Harry was allowed to take his schoolbooks and parchment and the like out of his trunk up to his room as long as no one except himself saw it. His wand was still locked under the stairs along with the rest of his possessions inside his battered school trunk. Third, Harry was given a shorter list of chores to do, but instead of accepting the idea that moving around and doing some work would actually be healthy, instead of sitting around and eating, the Dursleys hired a part-time housekeeper to do whatever Harry was relieved of this summer, including cooking and the gardening. Harry sometimes helped the house-keeper with the gardening, as the menial labor helped him take his mind off of…

'Sirius' Harry thought, the slight beginning of tears forming at the edge of his eyes. 'If I'd only went to Grimmauld Place, checked for him instead of taking Kreacher, that bastards word for it. And Dumbledore didn't have to withhold that shit-load of information and just dump it on me right after he fell through." Harry thought as he felt an unexpected surge of anger when thinking about Dumbledore. The clock struck midnight, as Harry realised he was now 16.

Harry's brooding was interrupted by a tapping on his window. He looked at it and was surprised that, in addition to Hedwig returning from her daily hunting, a large Great-Horned Owl was also flapping at the window, a letter clutched in his talons bearing a strange crest Harry had never seen before. He opened the window. Hedwig flew to her cage and kept watch from there. The strange owl however, dropped the letter onto his bed and flew on top of Harry's wardrobe, apparently waiting. Harry walked over to his bed and picked up the letter. It was addressed to him in some sort of loopy handwriting, similar to Dumbledore's (again, another flash of anger). Harry turned over the letter, unsealed it and pulled out the parchment. He read it, eyes clouding over as he kept going.

To Mr. Harry James Potter,

This letter is being sent to you in the event of the death of one Sirius Orion Black. As he included you in his will, you are requested to attend the public reading of the will on August 10th, 1996 at Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. A private reading prior to the public one may be requested by letter. Failure to attend the public reading however, will result in Sirius Orion Black's assets will be automatically divided between his closest living relatives, and your self-appointed guardian, one Narcissa Black-Malfoy, one Bellatrix Black-Lestrange, and one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Please take note that family members that were disowned by the head of the family are not eligible to receive assets. We here at Gringotts hope to see you on the 10th.

Goldtooth

Black Family Accountant

'Dumbledore is listed as my "self-appointed" guardian? When the hell did that happen?' Harry wondered as he put down the letter. Seems Dumbledore was trying to influence his life outside of school at a level higher than he thought. 'I have to listen to that will. Any money deposited in the Malfoy and Lestrange vaults will probably go towards funding one of Voldemort's "anti-muggle" campaigns. But how to sneak out of the house without the Order knowing…?' Harry decided to sleep on it and see what happened tomorrow. Until a second letter arrived, this time by a Hogwarts owl. Harry slit it open and pulled out a piece of parchment.

Dear Harry,

I am writing this letter to apologize for putting all of this new information on you in such a short span of time. After realising that Sirius was dead, your reaction was somewhat expected, but that can not excuse your behaviour while in my office during the discussion we had. I am hoping that we can still be close and you will tell me anything without hesitation.

Albus Dumbledore

'Old man hopes that I won't do anything stupid and remain loyal to him' Harry snorted. 'Well, now I know I will be at a private reading, as I doubt Lestrange and Malfoy will be up to attending the public one.' Harry grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write a letter to Goldtooth.

To Goldtooth,

I have decided to take advantage of your offer of a private reading of the will. I can meet you at Gringotts bank in two days, on August 2nd, 1996. Please give me some sort of sign that this is acceptable, if not, we can arrange for a day to meet.

Harry James Potter

Harry sealed the letter and walked over to the wardrobe and held it out for the owl. The owl looked at the letter, nodded, and flew out the window towards Gringotts, Harry assumed. 'I should be able to figure out how to sneak past the Order by tomorrow night, and catch the Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron. Until then, sleep,' Harry finished thinking, and collapsed on his bed, promptly falling asleep.

A/N: Review/Flame! The flames keep me warm at night…