Chapter 3: The Ore
Shade waited in the inheritance office. As the eldest version of Harrold Jamison Potter he would inherit the Potter title, he would need a new identity in the wizarding world. Fortunately he had changed, his once unruly black hair was pure white, bleached and straightened by the tremendous amounts of Chaos magic he had absorbed, his eyes, once bright green were now glittering emeralds which reflected the power within. He was shorter than he ought to have been - malnutrition was bad for a child. As was torture, starvation, lack of rest and overexertion. No, he and Harry would not be associated with one another - after all, Shade bore no scar. The goblin returned to the office, Shade knew he would have grumbled if he had not already received his goblin rank. One required a living goblin of the same order in order to receive a rank, Griphook was a financer, not a mage and not a warrior. The only reason Griphook, his daughter and her husband had survived was Shade. They would not tell anyone, but all five of those who had survived were bonded to Shade by parental or sibling bonds. Shade was now ranked as an Adept Goblin Mage, he smirked inwardly - certain that the others had achieved at least master level as warriors. That was of course the reason for Shade's first Request. And his status was the only reason the goblin before him was being on his best behavior.
[Well?] Only the Rigcaraff knew the whole story of who they were and why they were there.
[A drop of blood on the parchment - no magic.] Shade shook his head.
[My blood contains far to much magic not to be filtered.] The goblin grumbled and brought out a metal urn, it was a blood filter. Shade removed one of his gloves and nicked his finger with a small blade. The blood fell into the urn sizzling and burning, eating at the metal until a single drop fell from the tip of the urn onto the parchment. Shade knew, of course, that the parchment was spelled to reveal any and all vaults that he owned or had access too. The goblin blinked at the long list. [You own vaults 111, 215, 926, 1369 and 7521. And have restricted access to vaults 75, 7519, 7520 and 7522.] Shade nodded.
[Excellent, summon the managers of the accounts, include the manager of vault 75 on that list.] The goblin did so and several minutes later five goblins sat in the office. [State your name and which accounts you care for.]
[Noktat, I care for the vaults of the Black family including vault 75 to which you have restricted access.] stated a knarled old goblin.
[Ishik, I care for vault 215.] Piped up the youngest goblin in the room. Shade smiled at him.
[The Slytherin vault. I guess you have not had much work.] the goblin shook his head. [I will open the vault soon and you will have plenty of work youngling.] the goblin grinned up at him. [Continue.]
[Zigrak caretaker of the Potter funds which you own.] the goblin sneered at him and Shade pursed his lips for a long moment before turning to the last goblin.
[You know my name son - I care for our family vaults.] Shade smirked at his adopted father, at the others stunned looks.
[Of course Father. I need to establish my Wizarding Identity as Lord Potter. Zigrak - What is the status of the Potter Lords?]
[Henry Potter became Lord Potter in the Wizarding world when his older brother Andrew disappeared. He never came to Gringotts to confirm this by blood. He and his son James are dead. Currently Harold Potter is considered Lord in the Wizarding World.] Shade nodded and turned to the inheritance Goblin.
[I will require a Birth Certificate for Evander Shaddow Potter born 39 years ago yesterday. To Young Lord Andrew Potter and his squib wife. Name her Jasmine Rose Potter nee Blake. Black hair, green eyes no birthmarks. Assign my access to the Black and Slytherin accounts to her squib ancestry from the Black and the Gaunt family. Make the connection to the Gaunt family rather distant and the Black fairly near, Ariana Black. She was blasted off the family tree in 1892, make her the grandmother. Will you require anything else?]
The inheritance goblin shook his head. [Good. Noktat, prepare a formal petition to the head of the Black household to be officially recognized as a member of the family. Zigrak discuss the Potter Vaults with my father. Ishi - le us go to the Slytherin Vault.] the young goblin bounced out of the room in Shade's wake. They left behind a disgruntled Zigrak, who led the Master Vault Manager Griphook to his office and proceeded to turn over the care of the Potter estate to the new Lord Potter's goblin father.
Shade was unsurprised to see that he was owner of the Slytherin vault, he was a a parselmouth and had both basalic venom and blood in his veins. The venom had been filtered out - the blood had not. Ishik was obviously excited about getting to see the inside of his vault. He really was very young to be managing any sort of vault, but Shade supposed that he was related to someone who had pushed for him to be hired.
[Ishi - I would like you to work with my Father as a junior vaultkeeper. He is manageing 6 vaults. You will still be primary goblin for this vault, but he can help you if you need it.]
[I can! Thank you!] the slightest of smiles graced his face as he pushed the cart into high gear
Shade gazed out at the hustle and bustle of the public lobby of Gringotts. It was the main room of Gringotts as far as most wizards were concerned. He scanned the crowd, it was long since he had seen so many carefree people. The effort it took to enter the crowd was tremendous, and walking through it he was overwhelmed by the chaos of the inputs but hid it behind a mask of cool aloofness as he strode to the main doors which opened into Diagon Alley. He breezed through the alley to the Leaky Cauldron - he had a mission to complete.
"'Scuse me sir - but ye best change afor ye leave ta Cauldron." Shade turned and gazed at the man with his glittering emerald eyes. He blinked at the man.
"There is no need, Tom." Shade's inflectionless, slightly rasping voice apparently startled the man who had spoken. The man was in fact Tom, the keeper of the Leaky Cauldron. Shade recalled that there hadn't been enough of him left to identify after the first strike went through the shields around Diagon Alley. "While not the clothing of a respectable human, this is suitable for the less cultured aspect of the non-magical populous of this isle. I have no intention of appearing respectable." Tom blinked.
"Well, if ye insist. Have a good day sir." Shade nodded to the man.
"And to you."
A short walk, the underground and a commuter train brought him to Little Withing, Surrey. He made his way through the grid of cookicutter houses to Privet Drive, He stood before number 4. Years of overexposure to chaos magic had given him the ability to see raw magic. Now he saw a red shield about the house - a bloodward. A very week one by Shade's estimation, it lacked an integral component that would complete the protective ward. The ceremonial shedding of blood by the Protector - this would be easier than he had thought that it would be. He removed a bloodquill from his pocket and drew a protector rune on the shield with it.
[By this blood I claim the child, Harold Jamesison Potter, heir apparent of the house of Potter as my protectorate. Through this blood of the mother I claim the child; Through the blood of the father I claim the son; Through the blood of the Lord I claim the heir.]The wards flared, accepting the sacrificially shed blood. The loose bond to the house snapped as the magic latched onto Shade, and within the small cuboard under the stairs, Harry felt safe.
Once the glow of the bonds faded into the background Shade strode up to the house and pressed the doorbell. It was opened by a tallish woman with strawblond hair and a long neck.
"Petunia Leanne Dursley nee Evans, I have come for the child held in trust by your family." She stepped back as he spoke, eyes wide as he advanced. "For your services to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter you and yours have been accepted as a memberhouse to the House of Potter. This most gracious and kind position cannot be refused." Petunia attempted to say something. "Be forewarned the mistreatment of any submembers of the house of Potter will result in disciplinary action." He was now even with the cupboard door and opened it, gently stooping down to the eye level of the tiny seven year old within the enclosure. "Harold Jamesison Potter, are you prepared to leave this domicile and return to your home?" Confused green eyes met his own and he gave the slightest of smiles.
"Me?" the boy asked timidly pointing to himself. Shade nodded. "You want me?" Shade nodded again.
"I do indeed." The boy bit his lip.
"Why?"
"We are kin, young one and I love you." He waited as the boy pondered that for a moment.
"You sure?" Shade could see the child's desperation and nodded, forcing his smile slightly wider - he had not truelly smiled in years. The boy appeared indecisive so Shade opened his arms, offering the boy a hug. He instantly had his arms full of seven year old Harry. who was crying silently on his shoulder and clinging to him. He held the boy tightly and whispered gentle words, often slipping into the goblin tongue. When Harry had calmed he looked up at his new relative from his choulder, apparently unwilling to lift his head. "Do I get to leave?"
"Of course. Is there aught you would care to bring with you?" the boy frowned, weighing whatever was in the cuboard against remaining here he was. In the end he nodded and scrambled into the cuboard.
"Wait just a minute! If you think that little ingraciate gets to keep anything of my Dudders -" Shade rose swiftly.
"Silence, scion." she was instantly quiet. "My heir may bring ought that he desires from this disgusting domisile. Leave us and disturb us no more." Petunia found herself leaving his presence.
"Wow." Shade turned to see Harry gazing at him with hero worship in his eyes. He turned his attention to the boy's posetions. a ragged blue blanket with the initials HJP, a few broken toys and overlarge clothing.
"Unles the clothing has sentimental value please leave it behind. Kip will be appaled enough with the garments you currently wear." Harry dutifully placed the offending garments on the cot and Shade beckoned for him to follow him. "Come. Before we leave this location I have some general information to impart to you." Shade glanced down, Harry was folloing him as he made his way towards the train station. "The first truth we must establish is that magic is real, insofar as the direct manipulation of energy through biological means is concerened."
"Huh?"
"Magic esists. The second truth is that the Dursleys lied to you."
"My parents didn't die!"
"Your parents were murdered, not killed in an accident. I know little of them but have heard both good and bad - indicaing that they were humans with good and bad qualities." Harry bit his lip. "I appoligize if I seem calus Harry, I have been isolated for a very long time. As much as I love you, I am uncertain how to approach young children.
