Son of a Marauder

by zArkham

While the Golden trio catch their breath at Grimmauld Place after the attack on the Weasley wedding, Harry stops and really thinks on his life and all the odd questions he previously brushed off. Has he ever been in control of his life? Harry decides to start thinking for himself and become a true son of a Marauder. On Hiatus due to changes in where the story/ship is to go.

3. Of Goblins and Guns

DISCLAIMER THE FIRST: It is by JKR's writing alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the grace of coffee that thoughts acquire speed, the back acquires strains, the strains become a warning. The warning is that I make no money from this. It is by JKR's writing alone I set my mind in motion. Any recognizable bits of JKR's work are hers and hers alone and are used under the fair use clause.

DISCLAIMER THE SECOND: "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun." Mao Tse-Tung

XxXxX

CHAPTER THREE – OF GOBLINS AND GUNS

XxXxX

OUTSIDE GRINGOTTS, DIAGON ALLEY, LONDON – AUGUST 5th 1997 – MORNING

"Well, well, well; if it isn't my beloved sister and her half-blooded niece. Do you have a kiss for your auntie, dearie?" a sickeningly sweet voice said from a shadowy alcove along the wall of the great bank.

Harry felt his heart race and his hand tightened on his wand. Even so he reminded himself that he was safe under his cloak. Whether or not that protection would last in Gringotts was another matter. Of course to the goblins he was a valuable client and not a wanted outlaw.

Tonks had stiffened and turned red but Harry saw that Andromeda was as unflappably cool as always. As Bellatrix came out of the shadows with Crabbe Senior, Harry saw little of the Black cool in her. She had an almost comical smile on her face and her wide eyes were like a twisted version of Luna's curious stare. She seemed to ooze insanity and evil from her very pores.

"Bellatrix," Andromeda said with a slight, deferential nod. "I am surprised to see you here. Is there a problem?"

"A problem, Andy? Why do you think there is a problem?" Bellatrix asked. "Do you think there should be a problem because I'm here?" she cackled dangerously.

"Do not take me for a fool, Bellatrix. I know very well how high up in certain circles you are. You would not be here unless there was a problem. Are the goblins threatening another rebellion? I doubt your Master would assign you here simply as a mere guard."

Bellatrix cackled again and then suddenly reached out and took Andromeda's chin in her hand, "Still the smart one, aren't you Andy! Daddy did always like you best because of your brains." She twisted Andromeda's head to the side sharply in removing her hand. "Of course we shall see how smart running away with your little mudblood was in the long run, won't we?"

Again Harry marveled at how cool Andromeda was in the face of the barely contained violence which clearly seethed under the childlike façade Bellatrix wore like a mask. Unfortunately Bellatrix was blocking the way into the bank. One of the main purposes of the two witches being here with him was to provide a distraction so he could get into the building. So far, things weren't working as planned.

"Contrary to what you may or may not believe, Bellatrix, I do not regret marrying my husband. I do regret that for as smart as you say I am, I didn't listen to our father. If I had then you probably would not have ended up tied to the LeStrange family." Andromeda turned to Tonks, "Nymphadora, dear, why don't you go in? I haven't had the chance to speak with your aunt for quite some time."

"Yes mother," Tonks said in a very atypical respectful tone. Before she could enter the bank Bellatrix stepped to prevent her.

"Oh I don't see why ickle Nymphie needs to run along and miss all the fun. Besides, you seem to imply that the LeStrange name is a bit unworthy? Why is that Andy? Do you have some firsthand knowledge of this?" Bellatrix said in a quiet, dangerous voice. "Should I be looking for your knickers under Rudolphus' side of the bed?"

It was obvious to Harry that Andromeda wasn't going to deign to respond to this insinuation.

Bellatrix snapped her fingers as her face lit up as if she suddenly had a brilliant idea, "I know just what to do! I think I should pay a visit to little Teddy Mudblood and feed his entrails to him. Then you can keep poor, lonely Rabastan company at night. He so needs a bit of the feminine touch in his life. It might gentle his poor manners. I think you'd make him a lovely wife. It would be a much better match of blood than you whoring yourself out to that wretched mudblood shyster."

Andromeda's eyes narrowed but her voice was calm, "Say what you want Bellatrix, but my blood is still as pure as yours. Making a move against my husband will make a lot of people very concerned. Concerned people become nervous and nervous people start wondering about the future. Do you think your Master will thank you for stirring up dissent and insurrection after his bloodless coup?"

"I'll have your guts for my garters, blood purity be damned, if I so desire it!" Bellatrix hissed.

Harry pulled out the 9mm pistol Ted had given him with his left hand. He hadn't a chance to practice with it yet but at a range of less than a meter, Harry figured as long as he remembered to take the safety off, there wasn't much to it. Point and shoot as Ted had explained. His wand felt hot in his right hand.

Amazingly Crabbe Senior put a hand on Bellatrix's shoulder, "Lady LeStrange, remember our Lord's commandments! None of the Blood are to be harmed unless he commands otherwise."

Bellatrix shrugged off Crabbe's hand with a snarl but she backed away from Andromeda who never once seemed to show she acknowledged how close to death she might have been. "You see, dear sister? Your Master understands there is more to ruling a country than just killing those who you do not like. You would do well to remember that, Trixie, or you will find your success at being his best warrior will get you killed during the peace. It would be a shame for you to survive Azkaban only to be put down by your own Master like the rabid dog you act like. You are still a Black by blood and training, Bellatrix; act like one for a change. I'm sure Narcissa is as disgusted by your antics as I am. Come Nymphadora; we have business which adds value to the New Order. Let us leave your aunt to her little guard mission."

Under the cloak, Harry goggled at this. For a witch, Andromeda certainly had a huge, golden set of balls as Oliver Wood would say if he were here to see it. He guessed since she was the eldest, Andromeda knew what buttons to push with her younger sister. Even so, it was amazing to see her stare down the most feared witch in all of Britain and be able to not only walk away alive but in triumph.

Harry watch Bellatrix glare after her sister for a moment before she looked away. As Harry hurried to get through the door before it closed, he heard her say in a cross voice, "I'm going to the Happy Hag's House; I'll be back after I've had a drink. Keep watch for Potter, Longbottom, Lovegood or any of the Weasleys."

Harry paused and was able to hear Crabbe's reply before the door closed, "Goyle is watching the Weasley shop. He'll report if they leave or if any on the watch list show up there."

Harry carefully walked over to an empty spot along the wall opposite a bank of tellers. So far there didn't seem to be any indication he had been spotted under his cloak. Now all he had to do was wait for Andromeda to get someone who could talk to him.

While he waited, Harry thought about what he had heard. It seemed Voldemort wasn't going to move against Purebloods, even those who fought against him. He was watching them however. Harry felt that this made sense in light of what Andromeda had told Bellatrix. Fear and the Ministry's bungling had brought Voldemort to power but he really didn't have that many Death Eaters to keep control without using the Ministry. There just was no way people would stand it if Voldemort sent giants or Dementors against the likes of the Abbotts or the Greengrasses. This would trigger a general revolt not to mention he couldn't see the other ECMS countries letting it slide either.

So either Voldemort wasn't as insane as he appeared or he was willing to listen to the likes of Narcissa Malfoy. Andromeda had told him the previous night how Lucius was merely the pretty mouthpiece for Narcissa's schemes. She was just very good at making her husband think her ideas were actually his own brilliant plans. In light of what Hermione had told him about Ron's views of witches and how they related to tradition, Harry could see how that worked.

Harry made a note to himself to get word to Neville, Luna and the Weasleys to confirm to them they were being watched. He figured they probably suspected this but confirmation would help with remembering to keep up on with their constant vigilance.

Harry noticed that Tonks had stood and stretched which was the prearranged signal. He noted there were two goblins in clerk uniforms standing by. He assumed one would be for him and the other for Tonks and her mother. While not pulling their money out, the Tonks had wanted to start making discreet moves. Andromeda felt that the goblins would frown on too many account holders moving their money out all at the same time. Since the Black and Potter fortunes apparently constituted an important part of the economy, Harry and Ted thought it best for them to wait a bit. Today's confrontation with Bellatrix seemed to bear out that the Tonks family wasn't yet a target.

Harry carefully made his way to where Tonks stood. Luckily it seemed most witches and wizards were staying home and trying to avoid being noticed till thing died down some more so the lobby was rather empty. After a small nudge to Tonks' side, she made a slight nod toward one of the goblins. The goblin saw this and immediately said, "Follow me" in a quiet but forceful tone.

Harry followed all the while wondering about titles and duties.

XxXxX

KITCHEN, GRIMMAULD PLACE, LONDON – AUGUST 5th 1997 – AFTERNOON

Hermione tried to ignore Tonks' laughter as she tried to come up with a way around Kreacher's recent behavior. "Look Kreacher, you've been doing very well and I for one know Harry will appreciate your…erm diligence. However, I'm sure Harry would wish you'd wait till Ron actually tried to escape before stopping him. Oh and that stopping him wouldn't involve hitting him with an iron frying pan. Besides, Harry told me once that Dobby used house elf magic to push Lucius Malfoy away from him. Why didn't you do that?"

"Master's Mistress should bez knowing how what can'tz bez seen is often ignored. Ginger Weasel won't bez ignoring my iron skillet, oh noez he won'tz!" Kreacher said rather proudly.

"I'm sure he won't" Hermione said dryly as Tonks fell to the floor, hooting with laughter and holding her side. "I'm just saying that until he actually makes a break for it, there is no need to hurt him."

Kreacher shook his head which made his bat-like ears wobble. The old elf leaned closer like he was telling a secret, "Master's Mistress would bez hitting him too if youz bez seeing his shifty eyes. They bez looking at Kreacher. Kreacher noez Ginger Weasel bez plotting! He bez planning! Old Mistress always bez saying preemptive attack bez bestest strategy."

Hermione couldn't help but snort, "I'm sure Walpurga Black would have you just kill him to ensure he couldn't escape. I mean why waste the food or time guarding him?" she asked sarcastically.

Kreacher beamed and hopped from foot to foot like an arthritic version of Dobby, "Master's Mistress bez understanding!" Kreacher suddenly frowned and his ears drooped, "Sadly Kreacher noez the Master not bez happy if I bez killing his Ginger Weasel. Mores bez the pity."

A rattling wheeze from the floor made Hermione turn to see that Tonks' face had turned a brilliant red. She was gasping for breath and holding her side, "Stop! Stop! You're killing me! Oh my kidneys are going to implode!"

Hermione realized any more trying to reason with Kreacher would probably cause Tonks to have a miscarriage so she just decided to accept defeat. If Ron couldn't learn to remain perfectly still when Kreacher brought him his meals…well there wasn't a lot she could do about it. If Ron wanted to try for a runner-up Darwin Award, who was she to stand in his way?

As she chuckled mentally at the image of Ron in a full body cast accepting a gaudy trophy at St. Mungo's, something Kreacher had been saying finally registered. "Kreacher, why do you call me 'Master's Mistress' when just this morning I was 'Master's Muggleborn friend'?"

Kreacher bowed low which managed to get Tonks to finally stop giggling. "You bez sleeping in the same bed as Master Black. Kreacher bez a good elf and noez his place. Lord Black's Missy bez the new Mistress even if she is a filthy mudbl…Muggleborn."

Tonks' eyebrows shot skyward while Hermione gasped. "I guess that answers whether or not Harry was going to be able to become Lord Black," Tonks said. Her face turned thoughtful, "You know, while I was laughing earlier when Kreacher here was telling about whacking Ron upside-down and sideways with his pan, I felt a sort of tingle. I didn't think too much of it at the time."

Hermione face brightened, "Oh! You think Harry must have reinstated you into the Black family?"

Kreacher frowned, "Yes, silly Missy. Missydora bez once again bez of the mostest noblest House again." Kreacher turned and wandered back towards the kitchens. Tonks blushed as the two witches heard Kreacher grumble, "Why can't bez the Master bedding the pink Missy instead of the bushy Missy? Oh my poor old Mistress. These bez odd days; odd days indeed."

Of course Tonks wasn't going to let a blush slow her down, "So Bushy Missy, you've been sleeping with Harry?" Tonks smirked and went on in a reasonable impression of Rita Skeeter, "I always knew you were a galleon-digging hussy!"

Hermione screwed up her face in disgust, "It wasn't like that, Missydora! Both Harry and I were at the end of our ropes last night and we both needed someone to cuddle with. Honestly Tonks! Nothing happened. Besides we both had to get up early. It is not like we shagged the night away."

Tonks waggled her eyebrows suggestively, "Uh-huh!"

Tonks' smirk faded a bit at the sad look on Hermione's face. The younger witch reached out and took Tonks' hands in her own, "Harry was really emotionally drained having to tell you about Remus. It really hurt him. While I can honestly say I'm glad I didn't have to see it, I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you but I couldn't leave. I wish I could have helped though."

Tonks just stared at Hermione for a moment before turning her head away, "Well thankfully my meltdown was quick and dirty. So dirty my mum had to hit me with a sleeping spell because I was crying so hard I was hyperventilating. When I woke up, Harry was there. He'd been talking all night with my parents and before he left he wanted to look in on me. I must have felt his magic; you know how around Harry there's that slight sizzle of power?"

Hermione nodded. It was like a lower dose of what she felt around Dumbledore. It had grown more noticeable every year as Harry grew more powerful. Lately it seemed this feeling was growing stronger every day.

Tonks gave a wan smile, "He just said, 'hey, how are you doing?' and then he sat there and ran his hand through my hair." Tonks ran her hand through her long hair. "You know I always used my power to keep my hair short and colored it to make it look less like the signature Black hair. I fiddled with my face to make myself look less like Bellatrix…or that's what I told myself. I realize now I didn't want to look like my mother."

Hermione squeezed Tonks' hands. Hermione had her own issues with her mother. Her mother had always been driven to succeed in what she perceived as a man's world. She held herself to almost impossibly high standards which she had passed on to her daughter. In many ways, Hermione resented her mother as much as she loved her. She could understand the desire that drove Tonks to do what she did.

Tonks sighed, "My mum and I have always had a rough time of it. But this morning I saw her face down Bellatrix and she didn't blink, she didn't twitch and her voice never wavered. I didn't realize that until that moment that I shouldn't be worried people will see my real face and think of Bellatrix. I should be damned proud to wear the face my mother gave me."

Tonks suddenly dimpled, "It was nice having Harry tell me that he thought I looked pretty in my base form though he missed my pink hair."

"How dangerous is it for you to morph while you're pregnant?" Hermione asked. There was so little info available on metamorphmagi. Of course she hadn't really had the time to make a thorough go at the Black library yet.

Tonks chuckled, "Actually not that much if I'm very careful in what I'm doing. I mean if I fiddle with my face or arms and legs, than there really isn't that much of a problem. Even later in the pregnancy, things like changing my skin, eye or hair color won't matter. The trouble isn't my powers; it's the fact that Remus is a werewolf. There isn't a lot of data about children born to werewolves. Half the literature says chances are I'll miscarry for sure and the other half says the baby will be stronger and be more resilient." Tonks made a face, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, now won't we?"

Hermione nodded, "Well I'm glad Harry was there to give you some comfort. I slept a lot better just having him around. Even if I have to put up with Kreacher's insinuations."

Tonks grinned, "Well I can't blame your choice for a cuddle-companion. I wouldn't kick Harry out of bed for eating crackers!'

"Tonks!" Hermione said in a scandalized tone.

"Come on Hermione, Harry's great! He's kind, he's considerate and he is learning to compliment a witch in the right way. Plus now that he's getting fed better, he's starting to fill out in all the right places! Oh sure he's a clueless twit most of the time but most wizards aren't fully house-broken until they're 25 or so anyway." Tonks replied.

"Besides, it was very touching for Harry to say the things he said. In fact even as I...uhm, well mooned over Remus, Harry has always had something nice to say about how I looked. Sure he's the typical bloke checking out my paps or my bum but he never leered and he always blushed so cutely when I'd catch him at it. I tell you, I should have seen it sooner." Tonks said with a sad shake of her head.

"Seen what?" Hermione asked.

"That Remus never complimented me. Not really. Oh sure he'd always go on about how a guy like him didn't deserve a gal like me. But you know what? While that sounds nice, it does make it less about me and more about him. He never really told me I was pretty or beautiful. Even after sex, he'd always say how lucky he was to have me, like I was a possession he felt unworthy of. Well again that sort of sounds romantic but I never got to hear, 'hey Tonks I love the way your eyes sparkle when you're mad' or some twaddle like that. Ever notice how Mr. Green-Eyed the Clueless manages to come up with little things about how you look? I never got that from Remus. It's just another thing I should have seen but I was so dead set at proving my parents wrong about Remus."

Hermione thought about it for a moment. Tonks was right. Harry did make those types of comments. They were usually quick and easily forgotten but he made them. Hermione thought about how many times Harry would smile and say something sweet like, 'that scarf your mother sent you really looks good on you, Hermione' or 'you always smell nice, Hermione, even in potions class. How do you manage that?' Ron had never made comments like that. He was all about checking out her bum (which was nice if she said so herself) or staring down her cleavage (which sadly wasn't as nice as some) till she'd clear her throat to call him on it.

Tonks looked at Hermione with a sad look in her eye, "You know, you are I are a lot more alike than you realize."

"How so?" Hermione asked.

"We both thought we could reform our man," Tonks said softly.

"Ron was not my man," Hermione sad hotly.

"Don't lie to yourself Hermione. The common love potions, even the strong ones like Amortentia, do not create love. All they do is create a huge infatuation. In the case of Amortentia it's almost like a limited, liquid Imperius curse. The problem is you and Harry weren't fed a common potion." Tonks said evenly.

Hermione looked like she was about to argue but Tonks held up a hand, "Hermione, I know you're considered the smartest witch of your year but credit me with knowing a bit more about the magical world I grew up in. The potion Molly fed you was a home brew which was keyed specifically to you. Now the types of potions sold by the likes of Fred and George are keyed to you the user. This is done by handling them and casting the activation spell. But you knew that, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"Good. Now what Molly used on you required not only something of Ron and Ginny but of you and Harry. Considering how often Molly has been around you, this wasn't that hard for her to accomplish. So while her potions didn't create love, they did create a connection between you and Ron and Harry and Ginny. This connection could only work with what already existed." Tonks explained.

Seeing Hermione's face flush with anger, Tonks held up her hand again to ward off whatever Hermione was going to say. "Now don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm not saying you had deep romantic feelings for him. I'm betting a lot of it was simple physical attraction. Ron may be a thick git but he's a good looking bloke if you like his type. Not as good as Charlie; now there was a Weasley with a good set of hands!" Tonks said with a lusty grin and a wink.

Hermione just stared at Tonks until she continued, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you were just falling for a pretty face. I think the thing the potion worked on was your desire, your passion to reform Ron. To make him worthy of you. To civilize him a bit and make him less of a boy and more of a man. I think that's what I really tried to do with Remus even as all sorts of warning flags kept coming up. Worse, even after all the really good points my parents made, in the end I stuck with him because I didn't want to admit to myself I'd made a mistake."

Tonks sighed, "In fact as much as I'm happy to be here helping you two out instead of heading off to France like my parents, I am sorry that I'll miss the opportunity to reconnect with my mother. You should have seen her today, Hermione. She was bloody fantastic."

"So your parents have decided to go with the move to France?" Hermione asked. According to Harry, as of the previous night they weren't sure.

"I think so. After we met with the goblins, Mum seemed pretty sure it was the best bet. That and considering Aunt Bellatrix up and threatened to run off and kill my dad before Crabbe stepped in. Harry was right; the only thing it seems that is holding off a full scale purge is You-Know-Who doesn't want to cause a panic."

Hermione pursed her lips before it blossomed into a full frown, "It makes sense. There are too many neutral houses or even Pureblood houses which rely on half-bloods and Muggleborn labor. He can't afford to destabilize everything by tossing all the non-Purebloods into camps."

"At least not right away," Tonks agreed. "Mum isn't willing to risk dad's life trying to second guess when they will start to make their move. So yes, it's looking like France or maybe Belgium. I'm banking on France since mum thinks there is still a Black property or two there. We'll find out more when Harry gets done at Gringotts."

Hermione looked at the clock, "I'm surprised he's still gone."

Tonks shook her head, "Don't be. While we know he has become Lord Black, we still don't know about House Potter. I wouldn't put it past Fudge to have put some sort of block on him taking up his House. Hopefully the goblins can get around any of those ministerial moves. They are rather good at it. Then Harry probably has his vaults to look at. I mean he's never been to his family vault before."

"Family vault? I thought Harry had been in it as early as his first year at Hogwarts." Hermione asked.

"Oh no, that was simply his trust vault. The only thing it ever had in it was money for his education and care. His trust vault would have been closed and everything rolled up into his family account when he came of age. So I'm betting he won't be able to resist looking through it."

"I hope you're right," Hermione said as she began to unconsciously worry her lip. "I know Gringotts is neutral territory but we both know that it is also the one place Voldemort would expect him to go. Bellatrix being at the bank proves it."

Tonks patted Hermione's hand with her own. "Don't worry. Harry is worth far more to the goblins alive as a client to risk him. He'll be fine. Although if I know the goblins, his hand might be a bit tired from signing forms. Hope he doesn't freak out when they break out the blood quills for some of the really important signatures!"

Tonks had to laugh at the sudden look of horror Hermione's face.

XxXxX

GRINGOTTS, DIAGON ALLEY, LONDON – AUGUST 5th 1997 – AFTERNOON

Harry looked at the ceremonial dagger Griphook held in his hand with a bit of unease, "Is this really necessary?"

Gold-Master Zahav smiled in the typical goblin manner which seemed to be made for showing off as many of their sharp teeth as possible, "Yes it is, Lord Potter-Black. In fact, you should feel lucky that the Dark Lord has done little to reign in some of the disarray of the Ministry. This disarray has broken many treaties between the Goblin Nation and your Ministry. Nothing serious but there are certain formalities which must be observed whenever there is a change of power. These formalities have yet to be done which presents us with many opportunities for profit."

The elder goblin gestured and the younger goblin clerk made a quick, yet oddly painless slash into Harry's left palm. He then held rotated Harry's hand so the blood would drip onto a large blank parchment on the table in front of them.

The elder goblin gestured to the parchment as Harry's blood dripped onto it and was absorbed in a way that reminded Harry of Tom Riddle's diary, "This is an inheritance test. Your blood will tell us of your relationships to other houses. This test is highly regulated by the Ministry via treaty. However until the formalities of the Acceptance of Treaty ritual has been completed, we can legally administer this test and there is nothing the Ministry can do about it."

Harry watched as the absorbed blood began to create a very detailed and intricate family tree. After a bit, Griphook gave him a small white crystal to hold with healed up the cut on his hand. The three watched quietly as the lineage chart firmed up. Gold-Master Zahav made soft 'uhms' and 'ahs' from time to time. Finally after 10 minutes or so it seemed the document was finally complete. Harry had a hard time trying to process it. Due to Pureblood inbreeding, it made for a lot of connections!

Neither goblin seemed to have his problem. Griphook look to the older goblin and asked, "Shall I send for the rings?"

Gold-Master Zahav stroked his goatee and nodded. Griphook turned and quickly left the office.

"Rings?" Harry asked. He already had the Black and Potter signet rings. He had been able to magically summon them after he had made the magical oath taking up his houses. While the Ministry had put in place blocks via the Wizengamot to block him from gaining House Potter back when Fudge was against him, there had been no such block against House Black. However, Gold-Master Zahav showed Harry that there were at least three ways they could circumvent the Wizengamot so House Potter was now his as well.

Harry had worried about gaining House Black since from his reading of the Black tapestry that Draco had precedence due to being descended from one of the paternal lines. Gold-Master Zahav showed him the documents where Sirius had voided the marriage contract between Narcissa and Lucius before he died. This did not invalidate the marriage legally nor did it cast Narcissa out of House Black. It did drop Draco out of being able to inherit leaving the way clear for his godson. Harry was glad the goblins hadn't cared if Sirius was innocent or guilty: he was the head of House Black and that's all that mattered to them.

Harry was starting to realize that the goblins filled a vital role in Magical Britain that had nothing to do with banking; they were a work-around. Harry thought about all the things he had heard wizards complain about goblins but he realized everyone complained about it but never actually did anything about it. The fact that the goblins had worked with Sirius regardless of his status as a fugitive made Harry think that people like Fudge might want that same neutrality if something bad happened and it was they who were the fugitive.

Harry's musings were interrupted when Griphook returned carrying a purple cushion with two rings on it. Harry looked to Gold-Master Zahav who easily read the question in his eyes. "Lord Potter-Black, while I'm sure you've been taught how Pureblood families try to keep their blood lines, the reality is quite different. Between secretly murdering their squibs or quietly leaving them in Muggle orphanages, there is also a great deal of…shall we say illicit liaisons which are used to cover up when a witch cannot bear an heir. This is why this test is so important; magic hides many things but the blood never lies."

Harry frowned, "Wait, I would think paternity would be sort of an iron-clad issue to prove."

Both goblins laughed, "You would think that, yes," Gold-Master Zahav chortled, "but the truth is far more complex. It is a subject most know about but never acknowledge. It is similar to the rash of babies dying of Dragonpox before their first birthday. While testing for a squib is not very accurate at that age, many families do not want to take the risk. Thus as they murder or send away their squibs, they say the child died of Dragonpox…"

"…and everyone just winks and accepts it, right?" Harry finished.

Gold-Master Zahav nodded, "Exactly! The same is true with bastards. Take young Lord Malfoy. With you meeting more and more of your Black relatives, did you ever notice a common trait you all share?"

Harry thought about it for a moment before it hit him, "Our hair. We all have this crazy wild hair. My cousin Tonks said if she wasn't a metamorphmagus she'd shave her head. Apparently her mother has to use quite a bit of magic and Muggle hair-care products to tame it."

Gold-Master Zahav grinned another toothy smile, "Very good, my Lord. Now you inherited this from your great-grandmother Dorea Potter née Black. After three generations, this trait still is strong so it does bring up the question of why young Lord Malfoy looks so uncommonly identical to his father."

Harry couldn't help but gasp, "Are you saying…?"

Gold-Master Zahav shrugged, "Magic is a mysterious force. It is quite common for children to look very close to their parents. You are living proof of that. I am merely suggesting that while the fact young Malfoy looks eerily similar to his father, he has none of the traits one might suggest he inherit from his mother. Curious yes?"

"So Draco might not be Lucius' son?" Harry asked incredulously.

The elder goblin made a dismissive gesture, "Without a test one cannot be sure. The day-to-day truth is if Draco Malfoy is not actually the son of Lucius, there are blood adoption methods which for all intents and purposes make it so. Do you know any Muggle science, Lord Potter-Black?"

Harry nodded, "A fair bit. I read a lot over the summers in the library and I had a primary school education."

"Then perhaps you know of the Muggle concept of DNA?" the goblin asked.

Harry nodded again; this time with more energy, "Yeah, I do. I learned quite a bit about it in primary school. Not a lot but the basics of it I think."

"Good because it makes it easier to explain what might have happened with your cousin. The blood adoption spell uses the DNA from the donor, in this case Lucius Malfoy, and his DNA then overwrites the previous DNA. However, it cannot be a complete rewrite it all or the child would die. So outwardly and for most magicks, Draco Malfoy is the son of Lucius Malfoy and enough so the family magicks consider him a Malfoy. However, deep in every cell in his body, the truth lies hidden. This truth is what our inheritance test uncovers."

A light went on in Harry's brain. Something Andromeda had said about her sister the night before. "So let me see if I understand this correctly. Narcissa can't get pregnant with Lucius..."

"The Lady Malfoy did have many disappointing miscarriages; it is a matter of record," Griphook interjected. The elder goblin shut him up with a withering glare.

Harry nodded at this information, "Okay so Narcissa and Lucius are getting desperate. The War is going on and if he's killed then House Malfoy might go extinct." Harry rubbed his chin, his mind working, "So Narcissa has a liaison with someone, maybe someone she liked back at Hogwarts. Someone like Damien Rosier. She gets pregnant, Damien Rosier ends up dying shortly thereafter and Draco Malfoy is born. One blood ritual later, no one is the wiser."

"Very good, Lord Potter-Black. Very well reasoned," Gold-Master Zahav said genially.

"So if there were no living Rosier family members, this test would make Draco the next heir because the test knows Draco is actually a Rosier…if only for this example." Harry said.

"Again, very well reasoned, young lordling. This is, of course, mere speculation. Far be it for me to insinuate that an heir of a powerful house might not be legitimate. Such a blood ritual is highly illegal and even most Purist believe it is immoral even as some of them have used it in the past in desperation. However we have drifted off topic and I apologize for wasting your time. Forgive an old goblin for his meanderings."

Harry hurriedly spoke up, "Not at all Gold-Master! I thank you for helping bring me up to speed on information I've been denied. I feel this time has been very profitably spent!" Harry might have slept a lot in Binns' class but he knew enough about goblins to know how they felt about time, money and waste.

The elderly goblin bowed slightly before gesturing to the rings on the cushions, "These rings are yours by blood. Now in your case, they come to you in a less unsavory way than the way we've just been discussing. The first ring is to House Peverell. The test shows you are descended through the late Lord Potter to one Ignotus Peverell. However, you have another link through your mother."

Harry blinked in surprise, "I thought my mother was a muggleborn?"

Both goblins chortled, "There are actually very few true Muggleborns, Lord Potter-Black. With squibs being cast out, they rapidly assimilate back into the Muggle world and are forgotten. But the blood never forgets. With more and more squibs being born, when they finally begin to breed, they have a larger and larger chance of mating with someone with their own trace of magical blood."

Gold-Master Zahav, traced a line on the test, "In this case, magic came into your mother's line through Igraine Peverell who married a Muggle. She was the daughter of Cadmus Peverell, brother to Ignotus. As you can see here, that line ended with a squib who married Isla Black, another reason you were so easily able to take up the mantle of House Black."

With a gesture, the goblin motioned Harry to inspect a group of family links on one part of the chart. "Here you can see an interesting collection of coincidence, although with magic there is usually little in the way of coincidence. The currents of magic always move towards maintaining a balance. The prophecy which links you to the Dark Lord is an example of that."

Harry looked up, "How did you…"

Gold-Master Zahav cut Harry off with an airy gesture, "It matters not how we know suffice to say we do. My point is the Dark Lord is throwing off ancient harmonies. His existence defies Death itself. I am sure he is proud of his cleverness in cheating Death. Yet he has created an imbalance which you have been raised up to correct."

"But on to business!" the elderly goblin said as he turned back to the chart which he tapped lightly with his finger. "Here and here you can see squibs in your line. Isla Black's daughter was a squib who married a Muggle. From that union another squib daughter Ceyln was born. She was your grandmother. Now notice how she also married a squib."

Gold-Master Zahav's finger traced a line over to another cluster of names. "As you can see, your maternal grandfather himself came from a line of squibs. Here we see House Pryce, a Welsh Pureblood family who had been rumored to murder their squib children. In this case, we at Gringotts learned the nanny spirited the child, Braen to a Muggle orphanage where he ended up with the name Evans. His son Lloyd, also a squib, married a Muggle and their son, Bedwyr finally married your grandmother Celyn."

Harry stared at the chart. It was amazing to see that next to his mother's name was his Aunt Petunia who was listed as a squib! If only Vernon knew! Dudley, however, was shown as being a Mundane. Something caught his eye over by the House Pryce cluster, "All these witches and wizards all died the same day. What happened?"

"Ah a sad day; a bad day that was," Gold-Master Zahav said with a sigh, "We lost so many clients that year. The members of House Pryce were visiting Diagon Alley to take in a meal at one of the finest magical restaurants in England to celebrate the birthday of their patriarch. They, and many others, were killed when a German V-2 rocket hit the building."

Harry frowned, "I thought Diagon Alley had all sorts of wards to prevent that from happening."

The elder goblin shook his head, "Oh no, young lordling, you are forgetting the arrogance of wizards. For centuries the wards were mere Muggle repelling wards. Yet in the span of just a few decades, Muggles leapt into the sky and the wizards were far too slow to realize the implications of this. A ward designed to repel Muggles means nothing to a bomb or a rocket. More the fools, they! Many on the Continent had learned during the First Muggle world war that artillery shells care little for anything but a ward designed specifically to shield physical objects. Such shields create many problems and thus are rarely used. Did it never occur to you to ask why your Ministry is underground? Certainly most of Gringotts is so but we goblins live underground. Why would wizards mimic us?"

Realization dawned on Harry, "By being underground, the Ministry doesn't have to deal with as many wards or worry about bombs." Harry answered.

Gold-Master Zahav's eyes glittered with an evil glint, "Exactly. This information is something for you to think about carefully, Harry James Potter. It is obvious to me you have plans. Fate has chosen you to be the sword which might strike down the Dark Lord. Yet the Muggle weapon hidden in your trousers tells me you are not going to let Wizarding tradition stop you. So if you will accept some advice from a goblin, I tell you to look carefully how wizards throughout England go about keeping hidden or protected from Muggles. You will find many surprising things."

Harry's eyes narrowed but he forced himself to give a short bow, "I am honored you gift me with this information. But with no disrespect intended, I have to ask why? I didn't think goblins were in the business of giving out free advice."

Once again both goblins chuckled, "Very good, young lordling! Such suspicion is healthy!" Gold-Master Zahav said approvingly. "I give you this advice because war is bad for our business. We at Gringotts can see the signs. Even for us who live underground, we can see which way the wind is blowing and we do not like the direction. Soon the Ministry will start to purge undesirables. This will cause a labor shortage and this will cause economic problems. Instead of admitting their own actions were the cause of these problems, the Dark Lord will either have to distract the people or terrorize them. Sadly we expect he will do both. This distraction will either be regarding Muggles which leads down a very dark and dangerous path or will involve waging war into the Continent. Either way, it will be very bad for business."

Harry fingered the Potter ring on his right hand, "So you're hoping I'll vanquish Voldemort before things get bad." Both goblins nodded. "My question is, beyond advice, what is Gringotts willing to do for me?"

Gold-Master Zahav scratched his ear and glanced away from Harry. He had noticed the goblin do this a few time during their meeting. Harry felt the tapestry covering that part of the wall where Zahav always looked probably wasn't what it appeared to be. If he had to guess, Harry felt they were being watched by goblins higher up the Gringotts hierarchy. While important, a Gold-Master wasn't the highest rank at Gringotts. "What would you ask of us?" the goblin finally asked.

"Nothing I believe you will not be willing to give," Harry answered. "Right now my main concern is money. I need it since it looks like I'll be funding the rebellion against the Empire myself. However I want to move it to someplace safe like France. Now I have learned there are other banking options on the Continent. However, I'd rather not destabilize the economy by shifting my money to the likes of the Gnomes. If it can be done where my money is safe in France but still can be used in England to keep things from going bad, then let it be done. My main desire is speed and secrecy. I want the contents of my vaults out of England as soon as possible and without anyone being the wiser."

Again the goblin scratched his ear and looked thoughtful for a moment. Finally he said, "I believe that can be easily arranged. We have ways to delay the Ministry from snatching money tied up in businesses. That should be enough protection for us to continue using your wealth constructively here in Britain. Is there anything else?"

Harry nodded. "Yes and it relates to this," he said with a gesture towards the inheritance test. "Would it be possible to get a list of living squibs?"

Gold-Master Zahav blinked in surprise, "Why would you request this?"

Harry smiled grimly, "You said it yourself; I'm going to war and while I have some ideas which will allow Muggles to help me, so much in the magical world cannot even be seen by them. This isn't the case with squibs. While they may not be able to do magic they at least can see it. It is my intention to enlist their help in getting back at the society that shunned them."

Harry waited a moment before continuing to let the old goblin think on this. "I also feel that in light of today's discussion it would be profitable for you. If things can be changed to allow more freedoms for squibs, say to actually inherit, this would allow for more extinct houses to be reclaimed. Griphook told me earlier how there is a great deal of wealth lying untouched in vaults of Houses which have gone dark."

Harry leaned forward. It was time to use some info he had gotten from Bill earlier when he had ran into him while eating lunch. He had needed the break from all the paper signing and his hand still stung from the few times he had to use a blood quill. Bill had told him of some interesting things about how goblins looked at things.

"In the interest of showing good faith, if Gringotts is able to grant my requests I shall return any goblin made items found in my vaults. However, I would like to reserve the right to review them first before giving them up. If I feel they could be of use in my fight against Voldemort, I would ask that I be allowed to purchase the right to use them until the Dark Lord is vanquished." Harry paused and then said with a sly grin, "Of course by 'goblin-made' I mean items and not any galleons, sickles or knuts!"

This time instead of a shocked blink, Gold-Master Zahav almost let his jaw drop. Recovering quickly the goblin leaned forward, "Do you have any idea of how much wealth you are giving up?"

Harry shrugged, "It doesn't matter. One of your curse-breakers, Bill Weasley, explained to me how goblins view the items they create. Now I'm not sure how things work regarding them. I would think that if I contracted the goblins to make me an item I would have written it out so the item was to be mine and my heir's property for all time. However in the interest of time and trust, I will just take it as given that my ancestors were typical wizards who bought their items from the goblins but then refused to return them after the death of the original owner."

Both goblins looked at each other briefly in stunned silence. Finally Harry said, "Look, as you have already figured out, I'm going to use every means at my disposal to fight Voldemort. In the process I'm probably going to piss off most Magicals on the planet. I can see for now and in the future, having goblins as allies is lot more important than some heirloom which has been gathering dust in a vault I didn't know existed before today."

Harry gestured towards the rings Griphook had brought in, "So how about I claim these Houses and we can be to business? I am sure we can bring great profit to both of us."

Gold-Master Zahav nodded slowly, "I think you are correct, Lord Potter-Black, I do indeed."

XxXxX

BASEMENT FIRING RANGE, GRIMMAULD PLACE, LONDON – AUGUST 5th 1997 – AFTERNOON

"Not bad for a first attempt, Harry," Ted said as he looked at the bullet holes punched into the target in his hands.

"I think it's because I don't have to do any movements with the pistol. I mean after having to do spells with twists, flicks and swishes and still have my wand point at my target…well this is almost easy." Harry said with a happy grin.

Ted tapped his finger at the many outlying holes. "That is true for your first shot but I can see the recoil of the gun is something you're not used to. We need to get your shot-group a lot tighter. I admit that you already look like your first shot will be on target but you shouldn't rely on that one bullet doing the job."

Ted gave Harry his target and took Hermione's from her, "Well Ms. Granger it looks like you have a similar problem to Harry. However while you seem to have a harder time keeping to center mass, your shot-groups are better. Did your dad ever take you shooting?"

Hermione shook her head and to Harry's surprise blushed, "No. Oh and please, call me Hermione. This feels like a school test enough as it is without you sounding like Professor Flitwick."

Ted smirked, "No? Nothing to be ashamed about, Hermione. Any reason why you're so embarrassed?"

Hermione blushed a bit more, "Well my cousins convinced me to go with them a few times to do paintball and some woodball over the summer."

Ted looked surprised, "Why is that embarrassing? That is great training since you're not standing still but actually firing under much more realistic conditions."

Hermione looked at Harry briefly and then looked away, "It's just that…well you see I got a bit…competitive while playing."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at what he imagined what a 'competitive' Hermione must have been like.

Hermione grimaced, "My cousins didn't mind but I felt terrible. I was like a different person! I really got into it and I think I liked it too much."

Ted seemed to understand what Hermione was implying, "Let me guess, a lot of people you played against either had made fun of you earlier or didn't think you'd be much of a player."

Hermione nodded, still blushing.

Ted patted Hermione on the shoulder, "That's not something to be ashamed of, Hermione. I've been in your shoes many times myself. The fact you realize you were indulging in a little schadenfreude is usually enough to keep you from starting to enjoy actually hurting others.

Tonks, however, didn't seem to be one to pass up on some teasing potential, "Wow! Who knew you were such a tiger when you put a gun in your hand! I can see it now, bushy-haired librarian by day and fierce huntress at night! Stalking her prey and dispensing justice upon the wicked." Tonks winked at Harry, "Then coming home and seducing young and impressionable young lords into her bed!"

"Tonks!" Hermione squeaked as everyone else laughed.

Still chuckling, Ted look at his daughter's target and nodded, "This is good Dora, but like Harry you need to work on your shot-group."

Tonks accepted the critique but frowned, "I know, Dad, but I'm not used to such a short range."

"Maybe Missydora isn't as good as she claims!" Hermione snarked at Tonks.

Ted ignored the filthy look his daughter shot Hermione as he nodded, "I know. We're lucky the basement is even big enough for this 25 meter range and that Kreacher was able to create it in the first place. Luckily the lower levels here expand under the adjoining properties. Unfortunately we can't create a long range using expansion charms without compromising the Fidelius charm."

Harry looked up from examining the old Lee-Enfield rifle Ted had brought over when he and Andromeda had come over after dinner. "Well now that I'm Lord Potter-Pryce-Peverell-Black…"

"Try saying that five times fast!" Tonks said to Hermione quietly to which the younger witch couldn't help but giggle.

Harry glared at Tonks before continue, "As I was saying, now that I've come into my lordships, it looks like I have lots of properties. I would expect one of them could be converted to have a real firing range and other things we'll need. In fact, the goblins showed me something really fantastic. It looks like Potter Manor wasn't destroyed after all."

Both Ted and his daughter both said, "What?" Hermione, on the other hand, looked confused.

"Potter Manor? Was that something like Grimmauld Place?"

"Oh no, Hermione, Potter Manor was nothing like this dump," Ted said. "Potter Manor, or more properly Domus Devovitia, was a true manor house like Waddesdon Manor. It had huge gardens and orchards. The lands around it held farms and ranches so that it was almost completely self-sufficient. It was one of the finest houses in Magical England," Ted looked at Harry, "But Voldemort had it burned to the ground in the first war. It's one of the reasons why your parents ended up in Godric's Hallow. Or at least that's what every thinks."

Harry shook his head, "According to the goblins, Voldemort only thought he had burned it down. From what the goblins have pieced together, my dad knew there would be an attack on the manor. So what he did was have a fake structure built and then transferred the wards to that building. Then the real Manor was hidden with minimal magic, just enough to alter how it looked to Muggles. So Voldemort came in with his Death Eaters, smashed the wards down and torched the place from a distance and called it good and left."

Ted looked stunned, "But what happened to the real manor? How has it remained hidden all this time?"

Harry smiled, "Where was Potter Manor?"

"In Upper Poppleton near York. Everyone knows that," Ted replied.

"Well everyone got told the same misinformation," Harry said. "I guess another thing the Potters have been doing for a long time is something they actually learned from the Blacks. Most Magicals travel to a place by floo or by side-along apparition the first time. From then on they either floo or self-apparate. So people visiting get told the manor is in Upper Poppleton but it isn't. It's actually near Malton. It is why, I just learned, the Battle of Stamford Bridge was staged were it was. It was a convenient distance from Dom-Devo."

Hermione looked interested, "The Battle of Stamford Bridge? That's where King Harold Godwinson, the last true English king defeated the last Viking invasion!"

Harry shook his head, "That's what we learned in school, Hermione, but that's not what happened. I just found out that it was a ploy to bring over all these Magicals from Scandinavia who wanted a safer place to practice the old ways. So my ancestor, Coburn Potter worked it out with Harald Hardrada of Norway to fake an invasion which they'd lose and then all the immigrants would disperse into the country. Anyone asking about them would be told they were one of the 'few' survivors and had pledged loyalty to the English king. This way a lot of new people, magical and mundane could come and get settled before the locals got wind of it. Even back then it seems Magical Britain didn't like change."

Harry looked at Ted and Tonks to see they apparently didn't know this as well. "Actually Harold Godwinson is only the name he's know to Mundanes. His real name was Harold Godricson. It seems his grandfather was sort of like the Yank George Foreman since he named all his sons Godric. One of the other Godrics was Godric Gryffindor. Harold believed that it would be better for England to have a magical be an advisor to a Mundane king like Merlin did to Arthur. So he planned to bring in someone who could be king and bring a lot of Magicals in as well to keep them from getting into troubles with the Church. Hermione, you might be interested to know who Harald Hardrada's main lieutenant was, a one Ivar Longbottom!"

Hermione's eyes lit up, "You mean Neville is descended from Vikings?"

Harry laughed, "Yeah, hard to see it but yes he is. It's also why, as I've also just learned, why House Potter and House Longbottom have been allies for so long. We helped them get their start here in England."

Ted rubbed his chin, "So did Harold's plan fail? I mean the Battle of Hastings did him in."

Harry shook his head and scowled, "Yes and no. Actually William, the Duke of Normandy, was Harold's choice to be king. Working with the head of House Potter, Henry Potter, older cousin to Coburn, the Battle of Hastings was supposed to be another sham like the Battle of Stamford Bridge."

"So what went wrong?" Hermione asked.

"A certain Hadrian Cauchon went wrong. He was the French equivalent of Ivar Longbottom working for William who Henry was coordinating with. He said he was bringing in all these Wizarding families because they were suffering persecution but it was all a lie. He had confunded William into agreeing but in actuality was just using him and his troops as canon-fodder. King Harold realized this when the fake battle turned into a real battle. He dueled Cauchon but couldn't kill him. Because the duel weakened him so badly, his shields were low which is why he took that arrow in his eye." Harry explained

Harry looked at Hermione with an odd glint in his eye, "Here is where it gets interesting! Before he died, he cursed the Cauchon family. He cursed it will all his dying power and the power due him as the one true King of England. This curse caused all of those in Hadrian's line by blood or marriage to have pale hair to mark them as traitors and the only family name which magical documents would ever accept would be that of bad faith."

Hermione's eyes grew wide in recognition, "Malfoy!"

Harry nodded, "Exactly. Well to make a long story short, Malfoy and his allies, the Rosiers, Bulstrodes, LeStranges and others tried to take over Magical Britain. With so much of the English army destroyed by the Normans, Henry called upon Coburn to raise troops up north and to have Harold Hardrada get his army back together. This caused William and Malfoy's forces to have to turn north to meet this threat which gave the southern loyalists time to retreat and regroup."

Harry paused and looked at everyone. They were all hanging on his every word so he quickly went on, "When the two armies fought, Harald was killed breaking much of invader's army. Before he died, Hardrada cursed the Malfoy line like Harold had. Now a daughter of his married a son of Coburn Potter just as Harold Godricson's only daughter married one of Henry's son's. A century or two later those two lines married into each other so I'm descended for both. I think one of the reasons I disliked Draco from the minute I met him was because of the curse being strengthened by both lines."

Harry ran his hand through his hair, "Anyway the Wizengamot, as it turns out, isn't something that goes back to before the time of the Druids as we're taught at Hogwarts but was a compromise between the loyalists and the invaders. This compromise stopped the war which had turned into a bloody stalemate neither side could break. Apparently from what the Goblins told me, much of what would later be codified in the Statute of Secrecy came out of this compromise."

Harry suddenly smiled, "Wow! Today has been a day to get off topic! Getting back to the matter at hand, Ted. Potter Manor isn't where people think it is and so no one ever looked for it where it actually is. Right now it's under a glamour which makes Mundanes think it's an old style manor house converted into a bed and breakfast. People come there and then go hiking in the surrounding nature preserves. It seems to even make money doing it! I have some other properties which may suit us since they seem to be far enough away from Mundanes that a few charms will cover us firing or exploding things."

Harry gestured to the rifle on the table. "So what did Dobby and Winky say about this, Ted?"

Ted picked up the rifle in question, "Well they can easily fabricate the wooden stock but they really didn't think they'd be able to do much with the metal even if we break it down to its smaller components. Frankly working with metal is something most wizards and magical species leave to the goblins and dwarves. However, I'm thinking that we should be able to hire someone handy with a forge and metal press who won't ask too many questions. I also have a lead on an AK-47. Unlike this museum piece, it was actually hand-made in Peshawar in Pakistan. Once again it should be easy for a competent metal-smith to be able to replicate it especially if we use magic to help out."

Harry nodded, "Then it's just a matter of buying or stealing the ammunition. House Pryce has one company which might have an enough of a hand in dealing with police business which with a little work could cover buying ammunition and some other low-grade military hardware. I really don't know enough about such things to say. I was hoping you and Tonks could do the honors."

Ted shook his head, "It'll have to be Dora. I agree with my wife that after the confrontation with Bellatrix it would behoove us to leave for France as quickly as possible. I'll still be available to consult with but Dora here will have to do most of the legwork."

Tonks shrugged, "I'm familiar enough with it from my auror training. If anything I at least know what the DMLE looks for when they watch for Magicals using magic to cheat or steal from Muggles. I'm sure Hermione will be able to research the rest."

Hermione frowned at this, "Not to sound like I'm complaining, but I have a lot on my plate. I can't do it all." She looked at Harry. "I know you're excited about contacting all of the squibs from the list the goblins promised you but I think there is another resource we can and should access right now. There are a lot of Muggleborns out there who are in danger. For right now the ones who dropped out of Magical society are safe but what about people like Katie or Alicia? I know my old room-mate Sally-Anne is working as an apprentice seamstress at Jorkin's Capes, Coats & Cloaks in Diagon Alley. They are going to be the first targeted. We need to offer them a way out and quickly."

Harry chuckled, "Funny you should mention Sally-Anne, Hermione. When I became Lord Black, I found the official version of the Black lineage tapestry in the vault. This one is based on blood and not what lived in Walpurga's diseased mind of how she wanted the family to look like. Well it turns out Sally-Anne's great-grandfather was actually Marius Black, my great-grandmother's brother. He got tossed out of the Black family for being a squib. So he changed his named to Perks so like my mother, Sally-Anne really isn't a Muggleborn."

Harry shook his head, "Not that anyone is going to care. You're right Hermione, we do need to act quickly to give people like her an out and quickly. Plus I'm sure they'll be useful. If anything Katie is a demon on a broom and I'm pretty sure she told me her Yank dad taught her how to shoot."

"There is also Shaddrach Moon. He works for Martin Creswell. Didn't you say you were friends with his sister Hermione?" Ted asked.

Hermione nodded, "Yes I got to know Lilith really well because she was friends with Sally-Anne. I think she's trying to catch up in her Mundane schooling. She wants to be a scientist or something. Although I think she might be working part-time at the same place Sally-Anne is."

Harry looked grim, "Of course the big question is how many of them will be willing to throw in with us considering how we're about to break the biggest Wizarding taboo?"

No one had an answer to that. Ted looked at his watch, "Well it's getting late and it has been a long day for all of us I think. Hermione's right though, she needs help. Right now I see her doing far more important work weaponizing potions and the like especially some of the stuff in that textbook of Snape's. I think it's rather fitting that his work is going to help us bring his master down."

Everyone nodded and started cleaning up. Hermione suddenly made a small noise of excitement. Harry looked at her, "What?" he asked.

Hermione looked at him curiously, "I just realized something Harry. You said that Harold Godricson had a single daughter who married the son of the head of House Potter, correct?"

Harry nodded, "If everything I learned from the goblins is true. The blood inheritance test certainly showed it."

Hermione face brightened at this, "Don't you realize what this means?"

Harry shook his head, "It been a long day Hermione; my brain is a bit mush right now."

Hermione frowned before blurting out, "It means you are the direct heir to the last true King of England!"

Harry blinked at her and then shrugged, "I'll keep that in mind if I come upon any swords stuck in an anvil."

Hermione swatted him on the arm, "Harry! Honestly! This is big news!"

Harry shrugged again, "Right now Hermione I can't see why. It's not like I can take a trip to Windsor and sneak up to the Queen and say, 'Jolly good show on keeping the place up, old girl! However you see there was this water-logged tart who lobbed this sword at me and it means I'm actually the real king.' Come on, Hermione! They'd put me away!"

Ted and Tonks started to chuckle. Harry kept his face impassive as Hermione just glared at him with her hands upon her hips. Then Ted and Tonks started to laugh. Harry fought to keep from joining them. Finally he couldn't resist, "Come on Hermione, it's not like I know the unladen airspeed velocity of a European swallow. I mean you've got to know such things when you are a king!"

Hermione's eyes flashed but before the expected explosion, she suddenly smiled and then broke up laughing. This broke Harry's resolve and soon the room was filled with laughter.

Finally after she caught her breath Hermione swatted him on the arm again, "Harry James Potter! You are a colossal prat!"

"That's Lord Potter-Pryce-Peverell-Black the Prat to you!" Harry joked.

"Oh you!" Hermione said and stomped up the stairs. Everyone else started up after her. Harry paused when he thought he heard yelling from down by the safe-room.

"Oh bother," Harry said to himself and hurried down the corridor. Tonks had a hard time retelling the tale about Ron and Kreacher to him after he had gotten back from Gringotts because she kept laughing. He had looked in on Ron before going down to the new pistol range but he had been asleep.

Sure enough, as he expected, he found Ron backed into a corner of the safe-room. What he wasn't expecting to find was Ron naked, shivering and holding a sponge over his crotch as if to protect his genitals. Nor did Harry expect to find Kreacher with what looked like a fire hose in his hands pointed at the shivering wizard in the corner.

"Nasty Ginger Weasel bez scubbin hisself or it gets the hose!" Kreacher said with obvious enjoyment at Ron's suffering.

"You wretched bleeder! I hope Harry cuts your head off with a rusty spoon and mounts it on the wall with the rest of your bloody mates!" Ron snarled before yelling some more as Kreacher used the hose to shoot water into his face. Even from the doorway, Harry could tell the water was ice-cold.

"Kreacher, what are you doing?" Harry asked. He knew the answer but he wanted to hear Kreacher's rationale for it. From what Tonks had implied earlier, it would be funny.

Kreacher turned and bowed low, "Ah Lord Black, good eveningz to the Master! I bez keeping youz house clean of vermin. Kreacher knowz what vermin bez attracted to nasty wizards locked up in dark dungeons, oh yes Kreacher doez. They bez needing cleaning! No vermins allowed in Master's house!"

"You saying I'm attracting rats, you little fucker?" Ron yelled.

Kreacher quickly grabbed up the hose he had dropped in bowing to Harry and hosed Ron into another fit of screaming and hollering. "Nasty Ginger bez quiet! Master is talking to Kreacher!"

Harry was trying hard not to laugh. No matter what Molly had done, Ron didn't really deserve this. On the other hand, he had been a colossal arse to Hermione during his whole time with Lavender to say nothing of not believing him about not entering the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry hated himself but he wasn't inclined to throw Ron a bone quite yet.

"Now Kreacher, this isn't necessary. Ron doesn't have a wand. If you block the floos and doors, I want you in the future to take Ron here to a proper bathroom. He can shower on his own. I'm sure I can trust you to keep him from escaping."

Kreacher ears drooped at first then he got a devilish gleam in his eyes, "Oh yes Master Black! Kreacher can ensure nasty Ginger doesn't escape…or use up too much hot water. Or bez leaving a mess! Yes, yes…Kreacher can ensure this quite well!"

Harry couldn't help but shiver at some of the things going through Kreacher's mind. However he doubted it could be worse than what he was doing to Ron.

"Harry! Best mate of mine! You can't do this to me! I know mum went a little off her rocker with the potions and all but that wasn't me! I'm sure Hermione put this little bastard up to all of this. Ron gulped as Kreacher scowled and made to use the hose again before a gesture from Harry stopped him.

"Sorry Ron, I had no idea about all this. We've got a lot going on and I think both Hermione and I forgot to have Kreacher move you back to your old room. I'm sorry about that but you did point your wand at me and threaten to walk out to who knows where. As for Kreacher, I'm sure Kreacher will be more pleasant in the future, right Kreacher?"

Kreacher scowled, "Yes Master. Kreacher will bez treating Nasty Ginger more pleasant."

"See? It's all set. Kreacher dry him off, take him up to our old room and ward it off. I figure we'll have you home in a day or two Ron." Harry said genially.

Ron just goggled at Harry, "You are still going through with this?" His face turned as red as his hair, "Unbelievable! Un-fucking-believable! After all these years of being your BEST MATE! This is what I get! This is all the thanks I get for putting up with all your ruddy moody black moods, you git! You are a fucking piece of work Harry James Potter!"

Before Ron continued with more in that vein, the merest glance from Harry towards Kreacher had the little elf hosing the ranting Weasley again. Ron's rant was quickly reduced to pleas to shut the water off.

"You need to be careful Ron. I'm Lord Black now and Kreacher is rather sensitive to all those Pureblood social customs. So mind what you say! Well I'm a bit knackered. Take good care of Ron from now on Kreacher. Oh and be sure to sweep the room for spiders. Ron hates spiders." Harry said innocently.

Harry turned away before he started laughing. He knew he should really, really feel guilty for what he just did. However, where did Ron get off on calling him a moody git? At least when he was moody he was quiet. Not like Ron 'Let's wake up the ghosts with my arguments' Weasley!

He made his way up to the master bedroom. He'd already been informed by Kreacher that Lord Black could not be expected to sleep anywhere else. Right now Harry wasn't fighting it because between the incident with the locket and becoming the head of House Black, Kreacher had become tolerable. Tolerable was good enough for Harry since he needed all the help he could get if he was going to defeat Voldemort.

Plus he knew he was going to have to disappoint Dobby and keep him at Hogwarts since Dobby was too associated with him. That meant having Winky around. Harry figured dealing with Kreacher's idiosyncrasies would be good practice for dealing with Winky. Harry knew the prim and proper elf was probably going to be a little Molly Weasley if he let her get away with it.

Thinking of Molly reminded Harry of Bill and Fleur. After Harry had finally gotten all the paperwork signed and he had done a regrettably swift walk through of his vaults, he had bumped into Bill again. This time, however, Fleur had been with him. After a quick kiss on his cheek, she had told him how Bill had mentioned his interest in France. She had cryptically said Harry needed to visit the Continent and meet with her family. She said it wasn't her place to say why but Harry was to trust her on the importance of doing so. After trying to find out more proved fruitless, Harry finally had promised Fleur he'd try to get there as soon as situation warranted. She had kissed him good-bye again which left Harry a bit-lighted headed as had made his way to the chamber where he could portkey safely back to a point he'd chosen near Grimmauld Place.

Harry opened the door to the opulent master bedroom deep in thought. Trying to figure out what the Delacours might have for him or want from him was difficult. He simply didn't know enough about them to even hazard a guess. Harry was so distracted by these thoughts that he was halfway through undressing when he realized he wasn't alone. An image of a woman on his bed he caught in the mirror above the writing desk shocked him into stillness. He turned slowly to find Tonks lying in the bed wearing what looked like a skin-tight, full-body unitard.

"Tonks! What are you doing here?" Harry asked in a voice which was about an octave higher than his normal one.

Tonks gave him a sultry smile. "Hermione and I did a little bit of girl-talk this afternoon over tea and it got me thinking. About me and Remus. About you and Hermione and about you and Luna. I got to thinking about how I told Hermione that you always had nice things to say about how I look and how Remus never did. Then I got to thinking about last night. I've been teasing 'Bushy Missy' all day about it but I understand why you two slept together last night."

Harry blushed, "We didn't sleep together! Well, we did sleep together but we didn't…uhm, you know sleep together."

Tonks laughed, "I know Harry. The point is there are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't have slept together last night. On the other hand, you're both adults, both adore each other and quite frankly haven't had much time to just be teens. A little making of the two-backed-beast might do wonders for the both of you."

Harry struggled with how to reply to that. He couldn't help but notice the unitard Tonks was wearing was really tight and didn't leave much to the imagination. Tight was becoming a situation in his own trousers as a result.

Tonks seemed to notice his discomfort and her eyes traveled down to his crotch. She licked her lips seductively and then looked back into Harry's eyes. "Of course the problem as I see it, Harry, is you went through your 'kid years' and never got to be a kid. From what Hermione told me you barely made it into a broom closet. Let me guess, with all the weirdness in your life you haven't done more than the odd snog, right?"

Harry stammered a bit in denial before he looked away. Tonks was right. He'd barely done more than the furtive grope of Ginny's bum. Merlin, he'd never even seen a woman naked! The closest he had gotten was the bits here and there during some of the towel-snapping fights they sometimes had after a Quidditch match. In retrospect, he'd probably seen more of Katie Bell naked than any other girl he knew. The more he thought about it, the more Harry realized how he had never indulged in any of the post-game 'warm-downs' like all the other team-mates. For some reason he couldn't understand why he hadn't.

Tonks seemed to read his mind as she nodded with a knowing smile, "See now this is what I don't like. Everyone is expecting you to charge off and save us from the big, bad Dark Wizard and in the process you haven't had the chance to even have a quick roll in the hay." Something in Harry's face made Tonks revise that, "Or is even that expecting too much? Ginny never showed how Purebloods witches keep their wizards happy before marriage?"

Harry looked at Tonks in confusion.

Tonks grinned, "So no blow-jobs behind the bleachers? She didn't sneak in a wank in the library when Hermione was too busy to notice? I doubt an innocent lad like yourself would have been up to buggering her bent over a desk in one of the unused classrooms."

Harry's just goggled at this and at the imagery she was planting in her head.

Again Tonks laughed at his expression, "Come on Harry; you barely know anything about things like your titles and House politics. It's no wonder you didn't know about all the sweaty things. Witches usually will do all sorts of things before marriage as long as they are virgins when they at the wedding. I'm surprise a little fireball like Ginny hasn't had you in every way she could short of shagging. Why do you think all the Pureblood girls are so down on the Muggleborn girls? Didn't you ever notice that?"

Harry thought about it. He hadn't really noticed it that much if only because when he thought of Purebloods witches, he thought of Pansy. Now that he gave it some thought, he saw Tonks was right. "Yeah, I guess I did notice it but never really gave it much thought. Why is it that way?"

Tonks stretched a bit which made her body undulate which did little to help the 'tenting' problem Harry was having. "It's simple Harry. The Pureblood girls are worried that they the Muggleborns are going to snag the good wizards because they'll give it up before marriage. My mother might have been a Pureblood but since I'm a half-blood, I had a lot of Pureblood wizards sniffing me up hoping I would be 'easy as a mudblood' as they so quaintly put it.

For the first time Harry was able to smile and try to tease a bit back, "That and I'm sure your abilities had nothing to do with that."

Tonks shrugged, "Not my fault I can decide not to have a gag reflex!" She snickered as Harry blinked at that and managed to blush a bit harder.

Harry finally got his pervy imagination under control. "Uhm like I said earlier, today seems to be the day to go off topic. What were we discussing again?"

Tonks seductively motioned for Harry to join her on the bed, "I think we can do with less talking and more bodily contact." As she said this, her unitard started to disappear. Harry blinked again in surprise when he realized Tonks had been nude the whole time and had just changed her skin color and kept her sex hidden by keeping her legs crossed. Now she shifted and Harry got his first look at a fully naked woman in the flesh.

And what a woman it was!

However Harry's brain wasn't going down without a fight even if so much blood was heading south. "Tonks! We can't! You're married! Merlin! You're my cousin! My PREGNANT married cousin! Your dad would string me up for target practice if your mum didn't dice me up for potion ingredients first!"

Tonks giggled, "Your mouth protests but your willy is willing it seems."

"Tonks!" Harry exclaimed sounding a lot like Hermione earlier in the evening.

Tonks stopped giggling and her face grew serious. "Okay Harry all kidding aside. Here is the deal. You have a lot of things to do where the choices aren't the best. We live in an imperfect world. Right now, the way I see it if you don't get some things going on in your life, the stress will kill you. As an auror let me tell you we got all the grim and gruesome truths about stress and how it will kill you just as dead because it makes you make mistakes. You tracking?"

Harry nodded; not sure where she was going. That and looking at her in all of her naked glory wasn't doing his thought processes any good.

"Now right now you have the weight of the world on you and all giggly jokes aside, a good shag can work wonders. I'm not going to go into it much because until you've done it you won't have a frame of reference. Sex can be transcendent and it can just be sweaty adult fun. Sometimes it can be both and more. What it doesn't have to be is this big deal which must mean love and marriage."

Tonks patted the bed next to her but Harry remained rooted to his spot. "Next, Hermione and I commiserated on our men problem. It's over between Remus and I; barely a bride and already tossed to the curb. Now Hermione has to deal with the whole potions thing while coming to grips with her feelings for you which had been suppressed. Now you, Lord Clueless, have to deal with your feelings for Hermione as well as for those of Luna Lovegood. A great girl, by the way; I think she could be a good match for you." Tonks said.

"And what does this have anything to do with you trying to seduce me?" Harry finally muttered. He knew the right thing to do but his body didn't want to dismiss the invitation he was being offered.

"My point is you don't know squat about witches. So when the stress gets to you, and it will, and you and Hermione or Luna fall into bed together; it's almost a given you'll make a botch of it. Everyone does. The problem is we don't have the luxury for you to go through all that teen drama you were supposed to get out of your head your fifth and sixth year. You should already be set for adult drama." Tonks said with a grin. "Anyhoo, I realized that I know I'm in shock over Remus. I acknowledge that freely. However in talking to Hermione I also realized I've been denied a lot of basic human closeness from Remus. Werewolves are supposed to have this huge sexual stamina. I wouldn't know because it was like a labor of Hercules to convince Remus he was worthy to have sex with me. In retrospect that hurt me."

Tonks patted the bed again, "Well I'm tired of being hurt and quite honestly I'm bloody well horny. Yes I'm pregnant but that doesn't turn off a witch's urges in the slightest and it will be a couple of months before I won't be able to have sex. Right now, Hermione was only able to accept cuddling from you to comfort her through the night. That isn't going to last for her or for you. I'm betting you had to be careful hiding the chubby I'll wager you were sporting."

Harry looked away. He was tired of having Tonks see him blush.

"I knew it. There is nothing to be ashamed of. I'm just saying Harry that your body is pushing you to do things and you will give in. I'm offering you a night where you can learn about the so called passions of the flesh. I know what I'm doing and I'm not going to laugh at the fact that I know you don't have a bloody clue what you're doing. But it'll be fun teaching you."

Harry looked back at Tonks. His brain seemed to be raging at him like Uncle Vernon but the offer Tonks was making was starting to sound a lot better. Vice was starting to sound rather virtuous.

"Trust me, I'm doing this because I think you've turned into a fanciable bloke and you've been there for me when I needed it. Well I think you need this. I want you to know what you're doing a bit more so you don't just break down and shag Luna or Hermione at the wrong time and for the wrong reason. Plus I think both girls deserve a first time with a guy who knows what he's doing." Tonks said.

Then the witch frowned, "Well I'm assuming you might be Luna's first. For a Pureblood she doesn't seem to give a fig for any convention. I wouldn't put it past her to have lost her virginity in the Forbidden Forest with a satyr or something."

Harry couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of a lusty satyr having his way with Luna while she obliviously told him about Nargles.

Tonks grinned, "Also, Lord Black, you're the head of my House and I am Black in distress. Won't you help a poor maiden who has been cruelly used by a base, dark creature?" She batted her eyelashes at Harry while running her hands up her stomach and under her breasts. Her hard, pointy nipples seemed to stare at him and for a moment Harry felt like a mouse caught in the gaze of a cobra about to strike. "Come to bed, my Lord. For one in your life, the Greater Good is going to be greatly good indeed!"

Harry tore his eyes away from Tonks' perfect cleavage and sighed. His brain suddenly stopped shouting at him. Tonks was right; she was using a weapon against him he hadn't been trained to defend against and he needed to know how to defeat. He had been sorely tempted to fool around with Hermione the night before and if he had Harry was sure he would have mucked it up.

Harry unbuckled his trousers and let them fall to the floor.

Tonks raised one eyebrow in appreciation as Harry slowly came towards the bed, "Now there is a true sword of Gryffindor!" She made room for Harry as he carefully got into bed and gave him a lusty look.

"And now, my Lord, let us duel!" Tonks said in a husky voice filled with the promise of forbidden pleasure.

XxXxX

Chapter Four Preview:Harry 'faces off' with Tonks & Hermione!

A/N: Once again I prove I cannot help from cranking out back-story. =[ Nor, does it seem, that I can write short chapters. Or toss in lots of crap from my other stories I hadn't planned on putting in. Alas, alack. Actually, in editing this chapter, I realized I'm 'copying' lots of information you haven't seen yet. I 'first' introduced Gold-Master Zahav in Chapter 7 of HP and the Order of the Stag. The problem is I'm only about 65-70% finished with it so none of you have read it yet! However, how Harry becomes Lord Black will be different in that fic. In fact the idea of how Harry might beat out Draco to become Lord Black was the thing that got me excited to write OotS again.

Thanks where thanks are due: A big shout-out to those who do a belated beta in sending me my errors, especially texas-muggle. Just a reminder, please send any error type messages to me via the FFnet PM function. Telling me I misspelled something isn't a review.

Acceptable Humor: Likemany of my reviewers, I'm finding Kreacher funny. Now I can't stop! I'm not one to get silly in my fics, but I'm finding house elves just lend themselves to it. Then I can't keep from delving into Monty Python. Ah well…

Domus Devovitia: I won't bore you with how I came up with this other than Devovitia was the name of a Roman camp which may have been near or where modern Malton is today. Suffice to say it is cool that Devo Vitia can be translated as 'vices consumed' – Considering in my 'Harryverse' the Potters have been brewing for centuries (and owned the Samuel Smith Brewery in Tadcastle) was just icing on the cake. That and I like the short version Dom-Devo; it rolls trippingly off the tongue a lot better than Potter Manor.

Third Base: Tonks steals home to score again! The crowd goes wild while Hermione, Luna, Ginny and Cho look on in jealous fury!

Handmade Weapons: While I was in Afghanistan I got to check out a Lee-Enfield and AK-47 which had been made by hand in Pakistan. It would still kill you just as dead as one right off the factory assembly line. Oh and all you Brits can hold your horses. I've been studying WW II for longer than many of you have been alive. The Sten will make an appearance.