Until only revenge was left

by GekkouSenn

This is how, a young man that had very little, lost all. He lost his parents, he lost his name, he lost his will and finally he lost his very right to live. All of it, gone, vanished without leaving a trace. Until only a terrible desire for revenge was left.

2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - The long awaited opportunity

Light filtered below his cupboard door, waking Harry from the unconsciousness he had ended up succumbing to. He could hear aunt Petunia moving around upstairs. So Harry knew he would be let out soon to cook breakfast. He would have to push through the pain to do his chores, and maybe even accept a few more hits.

He was so sick of it all.

Harry's wandering thoughts were cut short when his cupboard door was unlocked. The door opened to the blinding morning light of the corridor and the angry face of his aunt.

"Come on boy, we haven't got all day. Go wash yourself! And don't you dare leave stains anywhere!" she said harshly, before strolling back to the kitchen.

He scrambled to his feet, exiting his 'room' and went upstairs, his limbs aching from staying bent to fit in the little space under the stairs. Once in the bathroom, he had to extricate himself from the torn clothes, ripping some of the gashes on his back open again. It hurt, but Harry had had worse. So he climbed in the shower and cleaned the red off his skin.

For once, his mind was calm, completely empty as he savoured the hot water cascading down his body. The feeling of numbness in his soul was still there but it only made his body more sensitive to everything else. So he took in all the sensation glad to be back in his body rather than be trapped in his head again. Well, he had done all the thinking he could have anyway, there was no solution, no escape, and he had made his peace with it. Or so he had thought.

When he caught his reflection in the bathroom mirror, a whole new set of tears came to his eyes. The blue and green skin, the claw of dragon imprinted in his shoulder, the fang of the basilisk in his elbow, the line he had been made to carve into his hand. " I must not tell lies."

What a joke! Harry thought, his thoughts more venomous than they had ever been.

He had done nothing but. No one knew him his very existence had been a lie. How was he supposed to go on ? Maybe he would have better luck in death, facing his parents and his godfather ?

Quickly wiping the water from his face, Harry ignored the now familiar pull at his heart. He knew he would get punished if he made his aunt wait to long. He dressed and joined his aunt in the kitchen his eyes still struggling with the bright light.

His uncle was already seated at the table, clothed and sipping his coffee. It surprised Harry greatly. The whale of a man should have slept until noon on a Sunday. Sitting uncharacteristically calm at the table, he was reading a letter rather than his habitual newspaper. At the sight of the parchment made letter, Harry knew this could not be good.

"Boy, we gave you shelter, food and clothes, have we not?" asked his uncle in a tone so calm it sent shiver down his spine. The young man knew his uncle had to be truly enraged to not have turned violet faced and unfurled his anger in a storm of strikes.

Green eyes fearfully glanced at the letter, his mind imagining that this could maybe finally be his last day. Maybe the Fates were finally giving up on him? He gathered the last remnants of courage he had, hoping it would be enough to support him through the hits until it was time.

Harry took a big inspiration, savouring what he hoped would be his last breath before answering his uncle, who had yet to lift his gaze from the words written on it.

"Yes, Uncle." He whispered softly.

"Then why have you hidden your wealth from us. Why are you keeping what we deserve, huh?" Vernon said his voice more forceful but still calm as he finally looked at Harry. "How come you never told us how much money you had? After all we have done for you!" Finally yelled his uncle standing up and walking towards Harry.

"Uncle… I… hum…" tried to justify himself but was cut off as an overly meaty hand hit him across the face. He could already taste blood in his mouth. The letter was trusted in front of him, his uncle still spitting at him.

"As soon as this freakish bank of yours opens you will transfer all your money into my account you hear me!" screamed Vernon anger starting to colour his face the expected purplish red. "When does it open, boy?" he asked growing angrier, shaking the paper in Harry's face.

"It doesn't close, Uncle." He whispered again as softly as possible, understanding he had once again been played. If his uncle wanted his vault money, he won't be killed. He would have to stay in Privet Drive unable to pay for Hogwarts, and there was no way the Dursley would pay even if to get rid of him for major part of the year. His thought sunk deeper into the darkness that had grown in his soul over the summer.

"What do you mean it doesn't close? Boy, are you taking me for a fool? It can't always stay open!" yelled Vernon, breaking through his thoughts, suddenly much angrier than he had been. He was bringing his hand up for another strike. But Harry hurried to explain, wishing to avoid unnecessary suffering.

"Uncle! It's because creatures run it. It's creatures that run it…" The hand still struck him and a foot caught him in the ribs for good measure, bringing him to his knees. His Uncle crouched, handed him the letter for him to read.

"Then you'll take us to that freakish establishment and wire all your money in my name, you hear me?" His uncle asked when Harry hadn't made any attempt to read the letter.

"Yes, Un- … Uncle." He breathed his voice shaking, from his uncle hitting on already bruised skin.

"How do we get there, boy?" Asked Vernon, calming now that Harry seemed cooperating.

"We'll have to get to the street you bring me to every year, Uncle." He answered.

"You mean that your freakish bank is in that street? You freaks dare to share the same street as us noble citizen?" His uncle interrogated him, his temper flaring again.

"Just one pub, Uncle. Only because we must to get to our own street." Explained the fearful fifteen year old.

"I guess, you at least understand not to dare mingle with us." Commented Vernon. Harry could only hope they wouldn't cross another wizard on the way to Gringotts, for if his uncle heard that some wizards considered muggles as inferior, it would cost Harry a long and tortuous near death. Vernon would be too greedy to kill him and risk losing the money. Still, Harry half-hoped that they would cross some Death Eaters though, what he would give to die quickly and see his relatives finally punished for all they had put him through.

The Dursley's made quick work of getting dressed and getting Harry 'presentable' as Petunia had said. She had hidden the most obvious traces of abuse from his forearm and face with artful make-up. They then went outside where he was pushed head first in the car almost getting his feet caught in the door in his uncle impatience.

Only then did Harry recall that until today he had never received any letter from Gringotts. He had never received anything from the wizarding world really. Outside from his Dumbledore approved friends' correspondence of course. Did the old one also took away his letters? If so, then how did this one had made it?

So Harry started to wonder, if this could be another of the Headmaster plans. But to what purpose? He would not be able to go back to the old headmaster's influence if the Dursley's took his money. Maybe it wasn't Dumbledore's doing at all.

The Death Eater then? To get him to leave the wards of Privet Drive? But they were already out and nothing was happening, surely they wouldn't wait for them to get to Diagon Alley and risk a quicker intervention from the Aurors?

In this case, it had to be the goblins. Maybe they had some important information to pass on to him. He should have read the letter when he had the chance, then he would have known. They had probably made sure the letter would get to him. But how? And why had it been his Uncle that had got it?

Right then, Harry came to another realisation. He knew so little about magic. He didn't know how the charms on posting owls worked or if wards could keep post out, or even if another way of correspondence existed. But well, it's not like it would do him any good to know, right? I won't be making any use of the knowledge anyway. Harry snorted at himself, he had made his peace, hadn't he?

It took them about an hour of the two adults making plans for all the money they were about to get. And Harry wondering how the little he had in his vault could pay for two new cars, and a complete renovation of the house.

They asked Harry multiple questions about the creature he had talked about. And Harry took the opportunity to tell them that Goblins were rude and ugly looking and that it would all go quicker if they just let him deal with the "monsters" as Petunia had taken to call them.

Since it was a Sunday morning, Vernon found no trouble to find a spot to park and they made their way into the wizarding pub. Tom was cleaning a table when they stepped in and immediately welcomed Harry.

"Oh! Mr Potter, came to stay until the beginning of term again?" he asked enthusiast to see the Boy-Who-Lived in his establishment again.

"Not this time, Tom. We have urgent business with Gringotts." Explained Harry with a smile. "We'll be going out from here too, do you stay open even on Sundays?"

"I'll be waiting, Mr Potter." Quickly promised Tom. When Harry was about to persuade him otherwise, he rapidly continued. "I don't mind, I'll still be cleaning the place anyway. Nothing is more honourable than to help Mr Potter and his family."

Harry quickly thanked him and showed the way to the back door to his uncle and aunt. When they got to the deserted Alley, Vernon immediately started to question why the bartender had been so inclined to help him.

"When I left early two years ago, I stayed here. I helped Tom to tend to customer in exchange for staying in one of his rooms." They bought the lie and quickly pressed him to bring them to the bank.

They looked with a cross between disgust and curiosity at the different shop they passed on their way. But stayed silent until they got closer to the bank and suddenly Petunia read out loud:

"Enter stranger, but take heed,

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but did not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors,

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware,

Or finding more than treasure there."

"How dare they?" immediately started to fume his uncle.

Right then Harry knew he would have to use the slyness his Slytherin part gave him to trick Uncle Vernon into staying quiet and polite while they dealt with the goblin. So he made them stop in front of the bank.

"Uncle, Aunt, I have to warn you." Began Harry, green eyes full of worry.

"Warn us of what? Are you going to threaten us? Forget it! This money should be ours." Ranted Petunia. And as Vernon was about to start screaming himself, Harry continued.

"No, Aunt Petunia, only warn you about the goblins once again." That silenced his relatives and they started to listen to him strangely curious. "The Bank is considered as theirs. Which is why they can act upon their own laws if they see fit. Most wizard see them as you see us, but still acknowledge that crossing the goblins is always a bad idea. If you insult them openly or try to threaten them in anyway, they could take as a punishment to keep you and me from the money. I understand you don't really care for our world but we do have laws and everything concerning money is under theirs. I know how to deal with them, they seem to like me somehow so could I ask of you to let me deal with this and try to stay as polite as you are with Uncle Vernon's clients?" explained their young nephew. But Vernon seemed less than pleased with his speech.

"'as polite as I am with my clients'? I must have been too lenient with you if you start to compare such 'monsters' to us noble citizen." Said his Uncle is his voice starting to echo in the street.

"You misunderstood me Uncle. I am not saying this because I think we deserve so. I am asking for you to stay polite because this is purely business. And the goblin particularly like a polite tone and business behaviour from their clients. It's to make sure you get what is yours, Uncle." Finished Harry in a whisper, his eyes downcast in a show of submission and resignation.

His Uncle grunted and said he will try his best and the three of them walked into the bank. The green eyed wizard almost laughed out loud at how good he was at Slytherin techniques, and yet he could only act upon small matters like getting beat or inconsequent things. It seemed that Harry's near drowning experience in the darkness had allowed him to pick some useful traits. He knew instinctively what his Uncle wanted to hear. Maybe the monster hidden in his soul really wanted to help?

Harry shook his head as if to chase his dark tempting thoughts and walked to a teller. He was positively surprised when he recognised a familiar face.

"Good evening, Griphook. I was wondering why I wasn't seeing you during the day." He spoke with an ounce of cheerfulness that surprised his relatives.

"As you can see, Mr Potter. I have been working nights and weekends mostly. What can I do for you, Mr Potter?" asked the goblin as coldly as he had warned his relatives and he felt them shift behind him. Finally, trusting his words of warning when they noticed that even if their nephew acted friendly the 'monster' stayed cold and professional.

"I came to transfer my account content to the Muggle World, is there an accountant available?"

"Certainly, Mr Potter. If you and your guardians would follow me." He walked down his boot and guided them through a labyrinth of halls and corridors.

Harry had never been this deep inside Gringotts' halls. He took in the simple paintings, mostly patterns on a canvas, but still a bright and elegant contrast to the dark stone of the building. He read the names on each office door, finding a certain pattern in Goblins' naming sense until they arrived to a silver decorated door.

"Gringotts, is supervised by this accountant during the week-end and nights. He is also the only one available today. I have to inform you that he is one of the few that have the privilege to seat on our King council. Be aware of it in your dealings with him, Mr Potter." Griphook warned the young wizard, still stubbornly ignoring his relatives.

Green eyes focused on the goblin in understanding and determination. Only then Griphook nodded to the young man and opened the door, bowed and left after a last meaningful look at the Dursley's.

Harry looked to his Uncle and Aunt, and they both gave him a nod of understanding, at least believing in what he said, and trusting he knew best in this situation. It was so weird for them to put their trust in him, Harry had to purposefully drown the seed of hope that appeared in his soul. As if they would do it for him, of course his aunt and uncle were doing it for the money. They all entered the office and made their way to the three chairs sat in front of a massive desk.

The office was mostly bare, if not for the silver forged into the wood on the desk or the bookshelves that were overflowing with official looking files.

"Please sit down, Mr Potter, Mr and Mrs Dursley it's an honour to finally meet you." Spoke the goblin politely, put staying seated. "I am Lord of Silver, my name is Kiznaiver."

They all sat quietly. Only thanks to the magical reinforced chairs since they would have broken under the strain of his uncle weight. After a short silence, due more to both his and the goblin surprise at the wonder magic could do, Harry spoke. "I wish to transfer all my account to a Muggle one, my Uncle's to be more exact. Can it be done?"

"Of course, but you have to be aware of the particularity that the name Potter has concerning the transfer of full accounts to individuals that don't have the name Potter." Inquired Kiznaiver fully unaware that Harry had absolutely no idea of what he was talking about.

"I have to apologize but having been muggle raised I am not aware of any such requirement. Could you explain what that particularity you speak of pertain to?" asked the green eyed wizard as polite as he knew how to be.

First the goblin frowned at his lack of knowledge but finally smirked at him, apparently pleased with his politeness and began is explanation. "This requirement we speak of states that accounts can be moved only by an adult member of the Potter Family. As you are still a minor and your guardians doesn't bear the name Potter, we have to revert to another of these particularities. In the case, a minor heir wish to attribute an account to one individual such course of action is agreed upon only if the individual in question share blood with said heir. I understand this rule was made to keep anyone from outside the family to trick a young heir into giving away the family gold." Patiently explained Kiznaiver. They all understood that the rule was a good one, and probably what had kept Dumbledore from his vaults too, thought Harry.

"Then, do we have to procure you with a proof of our identity so the transfer can be made?" inquired his Uncle, rapidly coming to terms with the 'monsters' of the bank, that seemed to be efficient workers.

"Precisely, but any muggle document can't be received as proof as it can be falsified quite easily with magic, Mr Dursley. That is why I will have to ask for a drop of your wife blood, to prove she is most certainly Mr Potter's aunt."

Uncle Vernon nodded silently, but Aunt Petunia didn't present her hand to the goblin. She seemed suddenly quite skittish under Kiznaiver's gaze and he quickly informed her that the knife he was about to use would not let her feel any pain and would allow the wound to heal instantly when they had finished gathering her blood. But she still refused to give her hand to the goblin.

"Mrs Dursley is there a reason to refuse to abide to the testing of your blood?" Asked the Lord of Silver seeing that Harry instantly flinched, worried.

"Lily was adopted by our parents when she was six." Answered Petunia as if it should have been evident.

"Well, I am sorry to have to announce that it isn't enough, then. Had the adoption been done in the Wizarding world, it would have involved a ritual with which the child becomes a blood relative to the ones that adopted him. But as this adoption is a muggle one, it doesn't meet the requirement made by the Potter family. As Lady Potter has passed, to proceed with the transfer you would have either to be adopted into the Potter family, which can't be done as the unique member of the House is a minor. Or wait for said heir to reach his legal majority in about one year's time, if I recall?"

What the goblin said made sense, but his relatives seemed less than pleased to have to wait to get theirs hands on their money. Harry knew he would get punished for making them come all the way here for nothing. He saw his Uncle stand up and bidding farewell to Kiznaiver, he proceeded to follow his Uncle until a younger goblin walked into the office quickly to hand a piece of parchment to the Lord of Silver. The intruder quickly vanished back out, and Harry's Uncle was about to follow when Kiznaiver stopped them from leaving.

"I fear Mr Potter can't go back with you, Mr and Mrs Dursley."

"And why can't he? We took care of him until now didn't we?" declared Petunia her anger flashing in her eyes as she looked upon the 'monster' that had kept her from her money.

"According to Lord James Potter's will, Mr Potter was to not be placed with your family even if none of the others guardians could take him in. This was overruled by the Chief Warlock Dumbledore when the Wizengamot, our ruling court, proclaimed that Harry Potter would stay with his closest blood relative, rather than his secondary godfather Severus Snape because of his possible appartenance to the Death Eaters, or Remus Lupin for the motif of him being a werewolf. But as you admitted that you aren't in fact his blood relative, his guardianship revert to the will of his parents, which make Severus Snape his present guardian. That is why I cannot allow Mr Potter to go back with you."

The rage on his Uncle face that had built up with each and every word Kiznaiver had spoken, exploded in a tempest of insult on the magical population at large including the goblins to which he referred to as 'disgusting monsters with a freakish obsession for gold'. To say the least, the Lord of Silver was less than pleased with his relatives and armoured guards quickly proceeded to drag them out of the office, in the clear intention to throw them out of the bank. But as one of the goblins guards closed the door, Harry heard his Uncle curse him for 'they would now lose the money Dumbledore had given them to keep the freak in his place'.

Harry froze, as he had never imagined that the old man manipulations would run that deep. He had accused Fate to be the source of his treatment at Privet Drive. But the Headmaster had been paying them for all the beatings he received, all the insults, all the despair. Harry had rarely been angry, but the rage he felt in this moment made his heart pump the blood that had almost stagnated in the last few month, since his godfather's death.

Thankfully, his magic's focus was on closing his multiple wounds and mending fractured bones, so he avoided the usual magical storm that would come from his anger. Dumbledore's office had been almost destroyed from his last rage, the day he learnt about the prophecy. At that moment he had stopped believing the man was only trying as best he could to save a world about to give in. Even a fool wouldn't have hidden his destiny from Harry. He should have been told he could have no future unless he beat the snake Lord and train his whole life for that purpose. At least, he wouldn't have been made to hope in vain.

But again, paying the Dursley's to literally break him apart was something else entirely. Harry didn't doubt that the old goat had been behind it. Though, he couldn't help but fear what role his puppeteer had played in everything else. Could Dumbledore really be responsible for his Godfather's death? He had thought his paranoia was taking liberties, but maybe it was the truth. If the man had been twisted enough to pay a child's own family to torture him, it made only sense that he wouldn't shy away from killing said child only chance at happiness.

The suspicions invaded his mind once again, the liquid blackness of his soul rising in anger at the implications. Had Pettigrew betrayed his parents on his own or had the Headmaster stirred him in the right path? Maybe he had killed them himself to get to Harry?

But the brunt of the blow was that maybe, the prophecy he had been told about could be something else entirely. But it couldn't, the man had thought he had heard it from the globe itself. Could the reporting of a prophecy be false? He would have to check the process out then. Maybe Fate had at least, given a way out. Maybe this was his chance.

"Mr Potter, if you could take a seat, we presently have much to discuss it would seem." Spoke Kiznaiver bringing Harry back from his rage induced hopes.

Harry took the seat he had just left and waited for the Lord goblin to continue, only Kiznaiver called on a few younger goblins who came back after only moments with a strange instrument, files and potions.

"What is this all for?" blurted out the fifteen year old, the shock still heavy on his mind.

"From your former guardian's ranting as they left, I gathered that you may have not been treated as well as an heir to both of the most ancient and most noble house should be."

Harry didn't fail to notice that Kiznaiver had refused to refer to the Dursley as family any longer, nor the sarcasm that had accompanied the reference to pureblood speeches. He couldn't help but snort at the attempted humour. When he brought his eyes back to Kiznaiver, he noticed a smirk mirroring his own, before the Lord of Silver continued in a more serious tone.

"Mr Potter, as you are now fifteen rather than one year old, a few more choices are open to you. You see as you were wrongfully placed in the care of the Dursley, the discovery of their lack of family ties with you, give me the power to revoke the Chief Warlock status as your magical guardian, with your agreement only."

"My magical guardian? Dumbledore? Since when? I… I never knew." Questioned Harry wide-eyed.

"You weren't informed on your eleventh birthday of his status, then?" asked taking notes in one of the newly arrived filed.

"No, I only received my Hogwarts letter!" confirmed Harry. "What does it mean? For him to be my magical guardian I mean?"

"As your magical guardian, he was required by law to inform you of your magical heritage upon your eleventh birthday at the latest. This include, explaining to your legal guardians, the Dursley's, you're possible inscription to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as well as the possibility to enrol in another school or even being home schooled. He should also have been the one to give you, access to your vault as he was the one guarding your key and teach you how to manage your finances in the magical world. Lastly, he was in charge to take care of all matters regarding your health. As most wizard become quite sick from muggle medicine, he should have taken you to a wizard healer every time he deemed necessary." Finished the goblin.

Harry then understood that the Dumbledore had most certainly chose the put him in the Dursley's care knowing they would hate their nephew. He had expected them to abuse him and even paid them to urge them on. And on top of it all, the old man had been blessed with the considerable advantage of becoming Harry's magical guardian. If Harry had never had considered murdering the Headmaster, well he was sure as hell doing it now.

"I want Dumbledore to be revoked as my magical guardian." Stated Harry, anger clearly heard in his voice.

"Very well, as to justify such endeavour, you are required to state the reasons you believe he doesn't deserve such status anymore." Asked Kiznaiver unexpectedly gentle.

"Firstly, I was abused for as long as I can remember. And claiming he didn't know won't work, even though it was his duty to check up on me before I came to Hogwarts. At the end of first year, I pleaded him to let me stay at Hogwarts because my relative didn't feed me and beat me daily. He only said it couldn't be as bad as I was painting it to be and added that he had no legal rights to intrude on a familial matter. Secondly, when I was first informed of magical school was when I received my Hogwarts letter, I never knew I could have enrolled in another school nor what that school was even. After I failed to respond to the letter to accept my inscription, Hagrid was sent to bring me another letter that I finally got the opportunity to read. When I asked if I would still be accepted even if I hadn't responded in time. I was told the 'Dumbledore wouldn't have it any other way'. Finally my vault key was first handed to me by Hagrid and each year after by Mrs Weasley, and I was never told how much I own or if money was still being used from my vault or anything really. And I have more than enough reason to believe that Dumbledore actually tried to get the little money I own for his damned Order and manipulated the whole Wizengamot to have guardianship shifted to the Dursley to make me easier to manipulate when I got to Hogwarts!" Raged Harry, panting with anger. The bloody Headmaster had made his life so much more difficult than it had needed to be.

"I understand. I hereby revoke Albus Dumbledore status as Harry Potter's magical guardian." Spoke the goblin regally. Harry felt magic intervene and cutting of a link to his core he had never been aware of, the action made Harry panic with what Dumbledore would do. Kiznaiver reading the anxiety on the young man face, quickly clarified.

"Dumbledore won't be aware of the change. No one will until I send those files to the ministry. And even then if you wish to keep the documents secret, they can be sealed so that every person that will treat them will not be able to speak of them." He finally proposed.

"I would like that, Lord of Silver." Answered Harry, calmer and obviously thankful.

"Kiznaiver, will do young one. Now I will gladly inform you of your financial status in the wizarding world, but we have more urgent matters to attend first. Your legal guardian is presently Severus Snape. But as a fifteen year old, if you can state sound reason for which you should not be placed in his guardianship, your legal guardian would become Remus Lupin." Kiznaiver held up his hand to stop Harry from launching himself in another rant about another of his tormentor. "And should you found reasons to keep Remus Lupin from being your magical guardian also, I could then offer you the possibility to stay in goblin guardianship until your sixteen birthday in two weeks' time. As a sixteen year old wizard, you will be able to file for emancipation, Mr Potter." Explained Kiznaiver.

Harry then understood why the Lord had stopped him from interrupting. Emancipation was in fact his best option knowing he was the Boy-who-Bloody-wouldn't-Die.

"I will file for emancipation, Kiznaiver. Snape used the excuse that he had to teach me Occlumency to make me suffer from his spelling for hours each week of the last school year. To say, I didn't learn much Occlumency would be an understatement, if I had done any learning he would have brought my protection to shambles with the strength of his assaults. And as far as Remus Lupin is concerned, I personally have nothing against the man. But his trust in Dumbledore is dangerous. Just because the old man said I would be safer in the Dursley's care, Remus let him place me there even though he was well aware of how much Petunia hate all things magical. To make him my magical guardian would be as good as giving Dumbledore the title back." Testified the young wizard ending his speech with a profound sigh.

Kiznaiver could see in his green eyes that the young one was beyond tired. He wished for an end that wouldn't come until the wizard populace decided it was alright for him to disappear. The Lord could only hope giving the young one his freedom back would bring him back to saner plane of thoughts.

"I will petition to the King to have you placed under my guardianship until your birthday. You shall stay here in Gringotts and no one other than your former guardians, the King, you and I shall know where you are. Now we can't start any legal action against your headmaster and the Dursley's until you are formally Head of your house. The day is still young and we are probably both too upset by the recent events to sleep. Why don't we distract ourselves with something else, so maybe we could check for any inheritance. I could instruct you about your finances and your status in the magical world." Proposed the noble goblin, clearly taking a like in Harry.

"I would like that very much, Kiznaiver." Harry said with a smile, he hadn't gave with sincerity since before his godfather had passed.

Kiznaiver handed him a knife they used to draw blood and explained it would not cause any pain and heal the cut immediately after the need blood was collected. Kiznaiver asked him to fill a full potion vial with his blood. Once done, the goblin proceed to drop three drops back into a silver bowl, Harry could recognize runes carved into it but couldn't understand them as he had never taken the course. Once again a field of magic he knew nothing about.

The goblin quickly added a potion to the mix and took a new piece of parchment where he dumped the content of the bowl on. With a glow that took some time to receded, the parchment revealed words. But when Harry saw Kiznaiver frown, he knew something was not as it should be.

"It seems Mr Potter that you have inherited much more than I expected." Kiznaiver commented as he could finally read the document. "You are obviously the Potter heir. You seem to also have inherited the title of Head of house from your godfather. And another three title to join them and make you sole heir to the Potter, Black, Gryffindor, Lefay, and Peverell families. It seems you also became heir to the Slytherin House thanks to wizarding law. The fact, that the Dark Lord is sought out as a renowned criminal granted you the title of heir in his stead. Do you have any knowledge of these families, Mr Potter?" asked Kiznaiver, having clearly slipped into some sort of teaching mode.

"I know the names but I was unaware, I was a descent of Gryffindor. I didn't believe Morgana Lefay had truly existed though. And I found the Peverell armoires on the cloak I inherited from my dad but never found any information about them. And even if I was almost sorted in Slytherin, I never imagined it was because I was one of their descendant." Said Harry quite confused.

"Well that isn't much, is it?" commented the goblin, before he launch himself in explanation. "Let's start with the Potter and the Black. They are both families titled as most Noble and most Ancient. Those titles were not bestowed upon the families when they were known as Potter and Black. The titles of most Noble can only be given for service to the Crown. At the time, the Potters were known as Gryffindor and the Blacks as Lefay. They then gained their Ancient and later on most Ancient, thanks to longevity of their lines. Being one of the most Ancient House means that your house as existed for a millennium. Quite a feat in fact, the Black have a history of 1123 years long, the Potters of 1065 years, the Slytherin House also have the title with 1068 years of longevity. To make it clearer to you how important that title is, you should know that they are the only British wizarding families that have gained the title yet, after them comes the Malfoy family with only 999 years. Not quite most Ancient yet, but since they have passed the cap of the 500 years they have been titled an Ancient House." Harry took the opportunity, seeing a pause in the goblin lecture to ask.

"You spoke of service to the Crown? Do you know how they got the title? And I never knew their used to be a royal wizarding family." He inquired more curious of the wizarding world history that he had ever been.

"The Potter heir saved one of the Crown advisor's son from drowning if I recall well, and the Blacks used to be in charge of diplomacy within the wizarding nations for the Crown so they were warranted the title after a few generations of good service." Clarified Kiznaiver. "Now, concerning the Crown, the Crown is actually still very much present. And the title doesn't pertain to a family like most wizard are inclined to believe but to only one person still believed to be alive to this day."

"You mean that the Wizard's King is still alive and letting the Ministry rule in his stead? Even when the Ministry, is doing such a lousy job and Voldemort is going around killing his subjects?" asked Harry, suddenly infuriated by the inaction of said King.

"Not a King, Mr Potter, a Queen and more of an Empress really, as she was the one brought all the eight high nations of magical creatures together even before the Wizards came into existence. She is in no way a Wizard ruler, for she has not a drop of human blood in her. Unlike wizard belief, the magical creature had existed for centuries before the human appeared of the face of the earth. But among them the eight original race are the oldest, and our Empress is said to be as old as magic herself. Some even go as far as to believe she shall walk the surface of the world until all that is magic has disappeared." Said Kiznaiver reverently.

"But still, she let the ministry persecute the werewolves and Voldemort kill muggleborn and half blood, if she is still alive why isn't she doing something?" inquired Harry, still not understanding why the goblin respected her so when she had abandoned them to the Ministry's authority.

"It may be a little hard to understand for you, Mr Potter. But the Empress was a magical creature. One of great power from the stories I have been told. And she ruled for centuries, millenniums even, but the Empress ruled alone. You must be aware of a veela's fate should they stay unmated?" asked the goblin suddenly grim.

"They wither as they magic leave them, and they die." Declared Harry coldly, trying not to let himself appear too emotional on the matter.

"Well, our Empress is a magical creature, part veela some say, and the need for a mate made her weak over the centuries, but still she never found one. Some legends say that she had one once but he died to save her life and she has yet to have found another mate since. History relate that some centuries ago, she got too weak to rule and created the High Council and their Ministries. The system should have been sound, she had chosen three representatives of each races to seat in the High Council a senate of sort, to speak of all the greater matters of our world and under them ruled one Ministry for each country. But the wizards quickly outnumbered the magical creatures and they took over the Ministries and began to restrict the magical creature freedoms for they feared their greater powers. The magical creatures quickly reverted to their own realm and the High Council evicted the wizards from their seat. But that was all that could be done without going to war, and that would have been against the Empress wishes.

"Sadly even the Empress can't help us, as she fell to a deep sleep a few years after she put this system in place. Those that knew where she was hidden, died to protect her from the wizards that wished to make sure she wouldn't come back to take the power they had taken for themselves. So now the Empress is sleeping away the little time she has left, alone in some forgotten hideaway." Kiznaiver seemed almost as sad as if he had known her himself. "You have to understand Mr Potter, never speak wrong of her in front of a magical creature. I understood that your lack of knowledge was what made you speak ill of our ruler. But remember than even if the Wizards have forgotten to her very existence, to us, she brought peace and equality, she grounded the lightest and accepted the darkest, she saw no good or evil, she only saw magic. She taught my own race the art of warding. The elders of the goblins say she was one with magic, a goddess sent to guide us, to teach us the real magic of this world and we failed her, and that is why magic cursed us to serve the Wizards. Because we failed to protect her, we lost her, and she will now die alone. To the magical races, there is nothing as sacred as the Empress, she was so revered even before she became our ruler that when she was crowned the People were the one that titled her, the Empress of Magic they named her."

Harry couldn't really bring his head around the fact that someone could bring out so much loyalty out of the magical races. He couldn't really understand what she was to them as he had never imagined someone like that could exist. Like him, she had done her best, the better she had done the more tired she had become. Only because people had expected it out of her. How he wished he could join her in her sleep and wait for his end, in his dreams. It seemed like a good end. A better one than magic had fated him with anyway!

"I apologize, I never knew. Thank you for telling me about her, I shall admire her as much as I can. She seems to have been a great ruler. May she wake and save herself and us all." Harry surprised himself by speaking that very last sentence. He hadn't planned on saying it, it had flown from his mouth so naturally.

"This is a saying of the People, Mr Potter. Your magic seems to be more in tune with the world than common wizards. Maybe you have some magical creature blood that you will inherit on your birthday." Informed him the goblin with a faint smile.

"How do you inherit creature blood?" asked Harry back to his curiosity for the world he had never been taught about.

"Most magical creatures including wizards have their magic naturally bound to allow their bodies to develop without the strain of too much magic. So the day they become adult, which means finish to grow their bodies, they're magic is unbound. This phenomenon is what we call a magical inheritance. Wizard are a particular case though, as wizards came from the union between a magical creature and a muggle, every wizard has magical creature blood in them. Which is why, when a magical child was born with magic especially in tune with one of the creature is has blood from, on the day of their magical inheritance, the wizard revert to the magical creature he got his powers from. Wizard call it a magical creature inheritance."

"So that means that I may become a creature on my sixteen birthday?" asked Harry quite worried of what would happen if he became one of the creature the Ministry had a kill on sight order on.

"It depends on the creature blood, Mr Potter. As every magical creature doesn't reach maturity of their bodies at the same age. This could happen on your sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth birthday. But don't worry, I can determine if you truly will have a magical creature inheritance and had already plan to do so that is why I asked for an entire vile of your blood, Mr Potter." Kiznaiver reassured him, quite pleased with himself to have been so considerate.

This time he grabbed for the strange object that the goblins had brought him earlier. It seemed like a muggle test tube had been put on a balance instead of scales. Kiznaiver poured what was left of his blood in the tube and put the lid back on the middle of tube's length. At once, it began to balance, dropping to the left before dropping to the right, it did so a few times before it stayed on the left and the magic Harry had felt interact with the artefact receded.

"Well, sixteenth birthday it is. Now let's see what you will become, shall we?" said the goblin as he detached the glass tube from the balance and tipped it so the blood spilled on fresh parchment producing a glow once again.

"So what does it says?" asked Harry impatiently. Half excited to know what he will become and half afraid of the problems it could bring.

"Well, it seems you will be a Grey elf, Mr Potter. Quite rare I have to say." Declared Kiznaiver, when he noticed the young man looking at him expectantly. He chuckled, understanding that Harry had no idea what an elf was, much less a grey elf. "You see, Mr Potter. Elf are a lot like the ones painted in muggle literature. Only they are two classes of Elves, the Light and the Dark ones. A Grey elf is the child brought from the mix between the two classes, which doesn't happen often. You see the two classes have been at war often in the years before the Empress rule and even though peace came between them they still arbour great anger against each other. For a Dark or Light elf to have mated into your family even after one of the opposite class had is quite rare." Explained the unusual teacher.

"I see, what do you know about Grey Elves and what's the difference between Light and Dark Elves?" asked the young one hesitantly, visibly not quite comfortable with the Dark aspect of his heritage.

"Mr Potter, once again, wizards misunderstand the meaning of Dark and Light. Dark doesn't mean evil and Light doesn't mean good. For example, We Goblins are a Light race, but that doesn't keep the Wizards to see us as evil does it?" commented Kiznaiver with a smile.

"I guess not…"

"Well the difference with the Elves reside with their belief more than anything. The Dark Elves admire the Moon where the Light Elves worship the Sun. Magically, Elves are stronger during the time their class star his out in the sky. And the way they use their magic is also different but not the spells or their intentions. Dark Elves don't wish for the destruction of the Light ones just because they are Light. Their conflict actually started with the Light Elves, when young nobles found amusing to destroy a Moon Temple. That's how the war between the two classes began." Instructed the kind goblin in a smile at the irony of what he was teaching his young charge.

Harry too smiled and then even laughed since the Dark evil Elves had gone to war to protect their deity, quite nobly un-evil then.

"How did the war end then?" asked Harry curious about the history of his future race.

"The Empress of Magic appointed a Grey Elf as king."

As soon as the words were spoken, both goblin and wizard burst into laughter. How diplomatic of her to put one of the rare individual that couldn't be faulted for his difference since he had none. He had both the characteristics of Light and Dark, if he was King and said to cease the conflict, no one could fault him to take the other side as an excuse to not listen to his orders.

"She was quite the ruler wasn't she?" joked Harry.

"So much more than anyone could ever be." Answered Kiznaiver once again his tone full of admiration.

"Is there a difference in being born Grey Elf and coming into an inheritance as one?" he finally asked as he regain his breath.

"None outside from the perks your magic give you as being born wizard." Once again Kiznaiver was only met with curiosity so he went back to his lecture. "You see Wizard are naturally a Grey race, the human blood in them seem to counterbalance the magical blood no matter how Dark or how Light it is. Thanks to this particular aspect of their genetics, Wizards have the privilege to be able to use every field of magic. For example, a born Grey Elf would be able to use only very basic Blood magic, but you as a wizard-born Grey Elf will be able to acquire a Master level in it. Each races have affinities with particular fields of magic, but only the Wizards can be proficient in every one of them. But as a counterbalance to this advantage, Wizard are less magically and physically powerful than magical creatures, and even though they can learn to use every field of magic, they can only use spells to the Master level of the Art. I believe the Wizard have since then even forgotten that it is possible to acquire higher status in an art, but it wouldn't really help the magical races to remind them, would it?" finished the noble goblin in a smirk.

Silence came to the office, as Harry processed all he had learned. So for the Elves, being Dark only means they used their magic differently, Kiznaiver had said. But what of the others races, what of the wizards? Harry was about to ask when his eye caught sight of the folders that had been brought in by the younger goblins. He saw on with the name Peverell written and was reminded the goblin had yet to speak of the last families he was heir to.

"Kiznaiver, what of the Peverell family? We have yet to speak about them." asked Harry, getting more and more curious the more he learnt.

"Oh, you are right, Mr Potter. The Peverell family was actually titled Keeper of the Realm by the Empress herself as she chose that family as one to seat in the High Council. Sadly, the Peverell were the only wizarding family titled such which brought jealousy from the rest of the wizarding populace. When the High Council evicted the Wizard from their ranks, the Peverell were not welcomed into wizarding society as they had been against taking over the Empress' system. So after, many attempt to kill the line, the family finally disappeared after an attack where the head of the family and his two eldest son died. It was said that the third son had managed to escape thanks to a familial heirloom and sought asylum in one of their allied family. But it was never confirmed. At the time the Potters had been one of their allies so my guess is that the last of the Peverell was probably adopted by the Potters." Lectured Kiznaiver once again, before his curiosity was ticked for once by Harry as he read understanding dawn in the young one eyes.

"He used the cloak, so the deathly hallows really exist then?" asked Harry eagerly.

"I heard rumours that the children tale about the three brothers that were gifted artefacts from death herself, were in fact the Peverell but no one ever found proof as the Wizards had killed the line and the last of them was lost. Would you mind telling me more about that cloak you speak of?" Inquired the goblin as eager as Harry. The green eyed wizard only smiled as he tugged on the pouch he took everywhere with him, out from under his shirt. He opened it and took out the cloak and handed him to the gentle goblin.

"It's the cloak of invisibility I inherited from my father, a family heirloom Dumbledore told me." Declared Harry, shrugging his shoulder when he mentioned the information from Dumbledore since it couldn't be trusted anymore.

"This cloak is unlike any other I have seen. There is no spell on this cloak, Mr Potter." Commented Kiznaiver mesmerized by the heirloom.

"But how can it turn me invisible then?" asked Harry confused.

"I would also very much like to know, Mr Potter. It seems the fabrics itself has such properties but I can't identify it and I used to work in textile appraisal before I earned a seat on the King council. There should be no textile that I don't know but here it is. This is most certainly a mysterious artefact." Explained the goblin, talking about himself for the first time, in their long conversation.

"Then this is really a Deathly Hallow?" asked Harry suddenly fearful of what this could entail, accepting the cloak back.

"I do think this is the artefact the story was made to tell about, but I doubt the entirety of the tale should be taken as the truth, Mr Potter. If your father and then you, managed to live your lives without death coming every now and then to ask of you to die. I believe the tale must be somewhat false." Joked Kiznaiver in an attempt to reassure Harry, that obviously worked when the young wizard started to chuckle.

"As long as Voldemort doesn't reveal himself as death itself, I think you are right Kiznaiver." Said the young one in humour.

"We skipped lunch, and it's almost the end of my shift, Mr Potter. Let me file these documents, and I will show you to my chambers. You are lucky, as I am a noble my apartments are above ground. As a Grey Elf you need the light of the sun and moon to keep you healthy, being underground would have added to the abuse you already received. I will take you to our healers tomorrow afternoon, as I believe you will be asleep for a while now that you seem less tense." Smiled Kiznaiver knowingly.

"Will it be alright with your family that I am staying with you? I could rent a room somewhere, I can afford it." Proposed Harry, suddenly worried to intrude on the Lord.

"As a Ward of the goblins, our King's law require that you stay under gobblin lodging until you cease to be so. And I certainly don't mind, you are respectful and polite, curious and kind. You make a fine young one, I am sure my mate will like you very much once she has met you. She feels quite lonely you see our children, are all old enough to apprentice for their career already. That is why I proposed to take the night supervision. So by day I can spend more time with her." Revealed Kiznaiver, obviously trusting Harry a lot.

"It's really sweet of you, Kiznaiver. I really hope she will like me then, after you helped me so much." He said really thankful for what the goblin had done for him.

Kiznaiver quickly finished to file the papers and explained to Harry that he could be taught the goblin's customs and their language if he wished to. Harry was more than pleased to be able to learn another language. They also agreed that Kiznaiver would use Harry's account to hire him a tutor about Wizarding laws and Pureblood etiquette and customs. He also promised to try to found a creature able to teach Harry more about his upcoming Grey Elf inheritance.

Another goblin interrupted them to take over from Kiznaiver, and after a little bit of explaining in Gobbledegook, the Lord of Silver guided Harry through Gringotts deeper hallways. After a few flight of stairs, Kiznaiver opened a door to a set of ravishing rooms. The silver accents being brought out by the dark blue walls and textiles, and white carpet and furniture. Like the goblins it was full of taste but still efficiently organised. The room was an open space including a dinner table a kitchen and a living room. Big windows let the sun's light enter the room from either side to a massive marble fireplace.

Kiznaiver showed him a door as they crossed the room saying it was his own chamber. He directed Harry to the one across the space from his and said this was Harry's rooms until he had to leave. He opened the door for Harry, and the young discovered that the style was the same as the precedent room, only the dark blue had been replaced by emerald, Harry couldn't help that he loved the room even if it had Slytherin's colours. He thanked Kiznaiver and after the goblin promised he would send someone to get his belongings from the Dursley, left him to go to sleep.

The new goblin ward found a door on the left wall, next to his desk, and opened it to find a bathroom made of dark stone, silver appliance and emerald coloured accessories. He took a quick shower, but before he could think to take his bathroom robe off and make use of the few emergency clothes he kept in his pouch, he jumped on the bed, curled in the warm spelled textile, and slipped under the cover. Before he could thank his luck to have provided him with the long awaited opportunity to break free from Fate, he fell asleep as soon as he let his head dropped on the cushions.