Chapter II
Heir to the throne
Harry awoke, he leaned over and put on his round glasses. He looked over at his clock which read 7:00am. Harry slowly got out of bed and tried to find something decent to wear, which proved to be difficult. Most of his clothes were too big and very worn.
"I can't go to the bank looking homeless, but this is all I have!" Harry angrily thought to himself.
Harry decided his school robes would be his best bet, at least they were plain black and could pass, at least they were clean. Harry changed into them and patiently waited for the Headmaster to show up. It wouldn't be any good to see his Aunt and Uncle at this time, he'd have a list of chores and wouldn't be able to leave with the Headmaster. Harry sat there going over the Headmaster's letter in his head over and over again. He was nervous to see the Headmaster again, he didn't know exactly how to feel about the man. He still had Harry's respect that was for sure, he had made some mistakes. But everyone makes mistakes and he couldn't hate the man solely because of that, the Headmaster had his safety in mind, and in fear, people didn't always make the best decisions. How could the Headmaster have known his relatives would treat him the way they have? He blamed the Headmaster for not checking up on him and for not mentioning this man Sirius Black and how the Headmaster himself was supposed to care for him. He could find it in himself to forgive the Headmaster though. People deserve a second chance, maybe not everyone, but Harry decided what the Headmaster had done didn't condemn him for life and owning up to his actions showed a lot of courage. The time went by slowly for him while he waited for the Headmaster to arrive. Eventually it was 8:00am when suddenly a yell drew Harry from his thoughts.
"You get down here boy!" Uncle Vernon yelled angrily.
Harry sprung up from his bed and ran downstairs. The sight before him was his Aunt and Uncle staring slack jawed at the Headmaster. The Headmaster was wearing long sliver robes and a small smile on his face.
"What are you doing wearing those?! In my house! Walking around here like a freak!" Vernon yelled. Vernon made his way towards Harry intending to grab him when suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks.
"I am appalled by the way you have treated Harry! I cannot believe the lack of love and decency shown towards your nephew!" The Headmaster looked towards Petunia with a look of pure disgust.
"This is your sisters son! Your flesh and blood! If your son had been placed with your sister she would've treated him as her own! Harry, grab your things, you will not be returning here," the Headmaster finished. The outburst from the Headmaster was all it took for Harry to immediately run up the stairs and grab his trunk that was still not unpacked. Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage and his belongings and made his way down the stairs to meet the Headmaster. The sight before Harry was his Aunt and Uncle sitting on the couch with the look of pure terror. Only then did Harry notice the hinges blown off the cupboard under the stairs and a joyless Dumbledore handing him his Nimbus.
"Take my arm Harry, hold on tight, do not let go," Dumbledore instructed.
Harry did as the Headmaster told him. He took the Headmaster's arm and suddenly it felt like he was being pulled through a tube he was much too small to fit in, and before he knew it he was standing outside the Leaky Cauldron. Professor Dumbledore noticed Harry's discomfort.
"That was apparition Harry, it is one of the most common forms of wizarding travel. It is very uncomfortable the first few times, shall we make our way to Diagon Ally?" Said Professor Dumbledore.
Harry quickly nodded and replied "of course sir."
Professor Dumbledore nodded and led the way through the doors of the Leaky Cauldron. The small bar was dimly lit and smoke permeated the air. It was early and only a few people were drinking their morning tea and eating breakfast.
"Oh Headmaster! Would you like the usual?" Tom the barman joyfully said.
"I'm afraid that Mr. Potter and I have some business to conduct today," Professor Dumbledore replied.
"Oh Mr. Potter! Always a privilege to see you!" Tom said excitedly as he grasped Harry's hand and shook it. Harry nodded and politely smiled and shook Tom's hand.
"I'm afraid we must be going Tom," Professor Dumbledore interjected, ending the awkward situation. Professor Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder and urged him towards the entrance of Diagon Ally.
"Sir, I know that I stopped Voldemort when I was a baby, but I was just a baby and I don't think it was anything I did. Why is everyone so crazy about seeing me?" Harry asked quizzingly.
Dumbledore thought a moment before answering.
"Well Harry that is hard to say. To start, not many people know what happened that night in Godric's Hallow. And on the other hand, you come from a very wealthy and powerful family, politically and magically. Your fame as the Boy Who Lived only amplifies people's desire to meet you and be in your good graces," Professor Dumbledore carefully answered.
Harry thought about what the Headmaster had said to him. He now, at least, understood, even if he disagreed. They made their way into Diagon Ally and as always, the sights amazed Harry. A bright warm day, dozens of witches and wizards going about their business, this was a normal day for them Harry thought. And to him, this was still so new and amazing. And how it was sad seeing how they took all of this beauty for granted, then again if he had grown up with magic he'd be less amazed with it too. Harry and Professor Dumbledore made their way down the main street towards the bank on the corner. The pair made their way towards the banks grand steps and through the main doors. The bank was the same as he remembered. Goblins on either side doing their work. The pair made their way over to the teller.
"What business do you have to conduct with Gringotts today?" The goblin asked professionally.
"I believe we have an appointment with Account Master Steel," Dumbledore replied just as professionally.
"Oh yes, the guard will escort you to his office immediately, have a pleasant day," the goblin finished, pointing towards the goblin guard who would be escorting them to the office. The guard nodded and led the way down a magnificent hallway lined with gold and engravings of the goblins rich history. They walked until they arrived at office 23.
Professor Dumbledore turned to Harry before he could open the door and spoke.
"Before you enter Harry, you must know I am not needed or entitled to be privy to the business of the House of Potter, I can offer you advice and guidance if you wish it, I however wish to notify you so I do not overstep my boundaries." He finished.
"I'd like for you to come with me sir, I'm over my head in this and anything you could do to help is welcomed," Harry replied honestly.
"Very well Harry, lets enter, I'm sure I don't have to say this but as a reminder, have the upmost respect for the goblins, one could be the greatest friend, or your worst enemy," he said before knocking on the door.
"Enter," said a voice.
Harry entered the office. It was large, one side had a black leather couch and two chairs with a coffee table in the center. The other half was a light and beautiful wooden desk with runes carved onto its surface. The room was full of natural light and the walls were a shade of white, the hardwood floors were also light. The room was very inviting.
"Account Master Steel, this is Harry Potter, we are here for his appointment," Dumbledore said professionally as he had with the teller.
"Of course you are, take a seat and make yourself comfortable, we're going to be going over a lot of things today," Account Master Steel replied.
Harry and Professor Dumbledore made their way towards the desk and took their seats across from Master Steel.
"So you have come here to claim your Lordship and birthright Mr. Potter, is that correct?" Master Steel asked.
"Um yes sir, and please, call me Harry," Harry replied nervously. Master Steel looked a bit shocked at first before quickly recovering.
"Very well Harry, the first step in the process of claiming your lordship is to identify who you are," Master Steel said. He then opened his desk drawer and placed on the a sliver bowl with a grey and black pool of liquid in it on top. He handed Harry a small dagger and instructed Harry to make a small cut on his hand and let the blood drip into the bowl. After Harry did as he was told the cut instantly healed itself. Master Steel looked down into the bowl for less than a minute before waving his hand over it as the new golden liquid disappeared and was replaced with the grey and black liquid it held previously.
"You are Harry James Potter, heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, now we will get you the family ring and see if it accepts you as the next Lord Potter," Master Steel said. He stood up and went to the wall safe behind his desk and waved his hand in front of the many locks. They promptly followed his command and opened. Inside lay a single ring box which was red with pure gold etchings along the top and bottom. Master Steel returned to his seat and handed the box to Harry. Harry opened the box carefully and beheld the sight of the ring. It was blood red with an engraving of a griffin on the front. The band was gold with runes engraved all the way around it. Harry slowly slid the ring on to his right hands' ring finger. Harry felt immense warmth and power as the ring was slid on and it was over as fast as it came.
"Congratulations Lord Potter, you have become the 7th Lord Potter. The ring can be used as a last resort defense against danger. I, however, do not know what it can do, only that it could enable you to draw on your ancestors power if their Lord is close to death. It only has as much power as it has been filled with from the previous Potters, so use it wisely. The ring is also a portkey to any and all of the Potters many properties. Now I will present you with a bank statement that will include all of your holdings being managed by myself," Master Steel finished. He then slid a binder 15 pages thick towards Harry and smiled bearing his sharp teeth.
"I've condensed the stuff you need to know on the first two pages," Master Steel informed.
Harry took the binder and started to read. It had to be wrong he thought. The amount of money his family had amassed was ridiculous. It read that in liquid assets he had G442,108,482 galleons! That was more money that Harry could even comprehend. He also owned property and business all around the world. The main properties being the Ancestral Potter Manor and various vacation homes. His stock holdings were also vast. It took Harry a minute to comprehend it all, he went from someone owning nothing to someone who could own anything in a moment. It shook him to the core.
"This is my legacy, I have to honor my family and bring the Potter name honor once more. This is what my parents left me and I'll be damned if I squander it," Harry told himself.
"May I keep this Master Steel?" Harry asked politely.
"Of course Lord Potter, it will automatically update due to changes in your holdings, I also have an offer for you, a Gringotts card, it is of newer design. It will work in the wizarding world as well as the muggle world," Master Steel answered.
"Thank you Master Steel," Harry replied. Master Steel then touched the runes on his desk and a shiny black card appeared. It was a simple black card with golden numbers and his name on it. He handed it to Harry who took a moment to inspect it before putting it in his robes.
"Well Lord Potter, it looks like our business is concluded for the day. It was truly an honor to do business with you and I look forward to our future working together to build your wealth, may your vaults flow rich with gold," Master Steel finished.
Harry gave a small smile and replied,
"It was an honor to meet you Master Steel. It was a pleasure doing business with you and I look forward to our next meeting," Harry said. Harry and Professor Dumbledore made their way to the door and left the office. The guard was waiting for them and they made their way towards the door, the clock at the end of the hall read 11am. The pair made their way back to the tellers and out of the bank doors. As they made their way down the bank steps Professor Dumbledore spoke to Harry.
"We have much to discuss Harry, I think the first order of business is buying you a new wardrobe and anything else you might want, then we can eat lunch and discuss some important matters," Professor Dumbledore concluded.
"Ok sir that sounds like a good idea," Harry said.
The two made their way down the Ally towards the tailors that specialized in formal and dualist robes. He needed robes that asserted his new status, at least that's what the Headmaster has said. Harry was fitted for robes and cloaks for dueling. He was also fitted with robes to impress and impose his new status on people. It wasn't exactly something Harry wanted to do but he trusted the Headmaster. Afterwards the went to a clothing shop much more Harry's style and bought him a brand new wardrobe for everyday clothing. The Headmaster shrunk all of his bags and gave them to Harry to put in his pocket. They made their way through the Ally were Harry bought himself a new trunk that was much more secure. It was getting later, and Harry couldn't stop thinking about the "important matters" that the Headmaster wanted to discuss at lunch, the pair made their way toward the Leaky Cauldron when something caught Harry's eye. In the display case was a broom. It was the most beautiful broom Harry and ever seen. It was slick and refined it was calling to Harry. Harry instantly headed toward the shop it was in. At the counter was an old man. Harry approached the clerk.
"Hello sir, I was wondering about the broom in the display case," Harry asked.
"Oh that, new company called Firebolt, it's the fastest broom in the world. It's on its way to becoming the official broom of the league. I'm afraid that you'll be emptying your vault if you want to own that," the clerk replied.
"How much is it sir?" Harry asked.
"It will cost you G32,000 including registration fees," the clerk answered.
"I'll take one," Harry said taking out his card and handing it to the man. Harry then had to fill out some forms and he purchased the insurance. Afterward the Headmaster shrunk the broom with a smile and handed it back to Harry.
"I think it's about time we get back and discuss some important matters," the Headmaster said.
"Of course sir," Harry replied.
The pair made their way to the Leaky Caldron, they entered the bar. The clock read 3:45pm. They then approached the bar to talk to Tom.
"Hello Tom, I would like a private table for Mr. Potter and I," Dumbledore inquired.
"Of course Headmaster, right this way," Tom replied happily.
Harry and Professor Dumbledore followed Tom towards the back room where a small table for two.
"I'll be in to take your orders in a few minutes," Tom said.
Harry and Professor Dumbledore took their seats at the table and looked at their menus and decided what they would order when Tom returned.
"So Harry it's time for us to talk, I think the best place to start is your new status. You are now Lord Potter and that means you are part of Wizarding parliament, the Wizengamot. It is composed of fifty members from the most powerful families. All laws come through the Wizengamot. Recently the traditional thinkers and some darker families have ruled the scene. I have tried my best to further the rights of all people, I have however been losing. Such as werewolves and muggleborns, in our society someone muggleborn has a much harder time getting a job. And werewolves, who are inflicted with something that they can not control, are looked upon as dark," The Headmaster begun.
"But sir, Hermione is the most brilliant person I know and she's muggleborn," Harry defended fiercely.
"I know Mr. Potter, Miss Granger is one of the brightest students to grace Hogwart's halls in a very long time, that however doesn't change the opinions of the traditionalists. They are very closed minded and set in their ways, you will need to come up with your own voting agenda and then on the 15th you will need to claim your seat, until then we need to discuss your current arrangements. I am no longer your guardian, your lordship emancipated you. As I see it you have two options, you could live on your own at one of your many properties. As an alternative I would like to offer you an apprenticeship under me. I would offer you my mind and wisdom, my knowledge from decades of study and experience. I offer this to you in hopes that it will help you in any hardships that may come to pass. As we both know, trouble seems to find you Harry. As my apprentice, I would help you reach your full potential. You would come to live with me during the summer holidays and be under my tutelage. I can teach you elemental and blood magic, I can teach you things lost In the depths of time if only you are willing to dedicate yourself to the arts, willing to embrace magic with all of your being," The Headmaster concluded his offer.
Harry sat and thought about the Headmaster's offer.
"I could learn so much from the Headmaster, he has defeated a dark lord before, and I have one constantly coming after me. If Voldemort successfully comes back somehow, I won't stand a chance. I only escaped the the basilisk because of luck. I can't count on luck," Harry decided.
"I think I would like to accept the apprenticeship Headmaster, if Voldemort manages to become more than a spirit, I won't stand a chance," Harry answered honestly.
"Excellent, there are some oaths that must be exchanged tonight, but until then I am very pleased that you have chosen to accept my offer," said the Headmaster with a warm smile but a hint of knowing and worry.
The arrival of Tom stopped their conversation. He took Harry's and Professor Dumbledore's orders and left to fulfill them. The two talked for while longer before Tom returned with their drinks. They chatted about the current political landscape and who was kissing who's butt and who was lining who's pockets. Harry was having a little difficulty understanding all of it, but for the most part he kept up. The Headmaster was also informing Harry of the current laws that restricted muggleborns and other "dark creatures". Harry found it unfair that people affected with lycanthropy weren't allowed to adopt children or how there was no laws protecting them in the workplace. It's not like they chose to be bitten, and with the wolfsbane potion it made them harmless, the potion was however very pricy. Harry wanted to find a way to make it more accessible to all, for free. Then they begun to speak about the Headmaster's home and what it offered. It was a small manor on a semi large piece of land. The Headmaster admitted in the 30 years he's owned the home less than 10 people have been there. Harry promised himself that he'd do his best to get to know The Headmaster better. They got their food and enjoyed it and by the time they were ready to leave it was nearing 6pm. They made their way over to the fireplace to use the floo.
" Ok Harry, speak clearly and say 'Dumbledore Manor' very clearly," The Headmaster instructed.
Harry grabbed a handful of floo powder and entered the fireplace. Harry threw the powder at the ground and spoke, green flames enveloped him. Harry stumbled out the fireplace landing on the ground. Harry slowly rose and took in the sight. He was in a brightly lit living room with comfortable looking chairs facing the fireplace. It was a normal hardwood floor and the room had many windows, green hillside out the windows. Some art decorated the walls and bookshelves lined the walls. A coffee table was in between the chairs. Through the arch you could see the main entrance and a staircase leading upstairs, as well as a staircase leading downstairs. Suddenly the fire tuned green again and out came the Headmaster.
"Have you taken a fall Harry? Again it takes practice, welcome to your new home'" the Headmaster said.
"Thank you sir," Harry said happily, it felt so good to be away from his Aunt and Uncle for good.
"Well Harry, I will give you the full tour," said The Headmaster. The Headmaster led the way through the first floor which included a dining room, a gym, a training room that was protected from magical damage, a study, and an indoor pool. In the basement was one of the biggest libraries he had ever seen. Thousands of books lined the walls with two desks in the corner of the room ready for the pursuit of knowledge. On the top floor there were three large rooms. Two of them were bedrooms. Harry's room was very large, it was mostly red with some gold trim. A king sized bed with a dark oak headboard was on the right wall. A dark oak desk and matching bookshelf were in the corner. There was a door leading towards his bathroom which was very brightly colored with sun beaming through the windows. A very large tub was in the corner of the room, in the other corner a large shower was facing him. A sink and mirror were directly behind the tub. Harry was on the verge of tears, this looked like home. He felt wanted and cared for. Harry gave the Headmaster a grateful smile with a silent thank you. The Headmaster gave Harry a smile in return.
"It is getting late Harry, I think you should unpack your things and retire for the night. We have an early morning ahead of us, goodnight Harry," the Headmaster finished warmly, he exited the room and softly closed the door behind himself. Harry took his now unshrunken bags and packed his clothes in the wardrobe. He set his new broom on the shelf on his wall ever so delicately. Harry had to admit to himself how weird it was to be in his Headmaster's home. It felt so personal, but that didn't mean he didn't feel welcomed, because he truly did feel welcomed in the Headmaster's home. Harry still believed there were things the Headmaster had not the told him yet, but he would give the man the benefit of the doubt in hopes that he'd do the right thing. Harry was quite tired from today's events, he changed into his new pajamas and crawled into bed. Harry closed his eyes and sleep overcame him.
A/N, next chapter will be the beginning of Harry's apprenticeship and the beginning of Harry and Dumbledore's bonding. The story will mainly focus on their bonding for a while at least (probably 2 chapters) until other characters are introduced. It will pick up pace when a routine is established. I worked tirelessly for this chapter from 12am-7:30am then I took a break and picked it back up from 1pm-3pm to wrap it up, then I have my editor look it over and publish it. So I hope somebody finds it enjoyable. Let me know if you would like a lot of training and conversation to be highly detailed in the next few chapters or for it to be more of a description so we can get on with the plot I have in mind.
