Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to Harry Potter, and precious little of this plot. This is my first attempt, and I need all the feedback I can get.
Over the rest of the week, Harry started on the long process of acceptance. Tonks and Remus guarded him at night twice more, both of whom were more than willing to help talk through his feelings, and correct misconceptions such as it being 'all his fault'. By the morning of Friday the 30th of June, he was finally starting to believe he was not solely responsible. Harry even managed a slight smile when Tonks, Remus, Mad-eye, and Bill Weasley took him to Gringotts for the reading of the will.
They flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, and walked to Gringotts, where Bill led them through a maze of corridors to a door marked 'Will and Trust department'. Upon letting the receptionist know they were here for the Black will, an obviously surprised Bill led Tonks, Harry, and Remus to the office of the Vice President in charge of Wills and Trusts, the goblin named Ragnot.
Shortly after their arrival, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy entered the office, along with a man that Harry didn't recognize. Mrs. Malfoy was careful to keep Draco as far from Harry as possible. At one minute to 10, Dumbledore entered and sat next to Harry, giving all in the room a small smile.
Ragnot cleared his throat and stood behind his desk. "Now that we are all here, I will commence with the reading." Ragnot placed a small glass ball in an indentation in his desk. The ball reminded Harry of the prophecy records kept in the Department of Mysteries. The similarities were confirmed as a ghostly white image of Sirius formed over the desk and started to speak.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound mind and body, declare this my last will and testament, canceling all previous wills, bla bla bla, so much for the boilerplate. I've apparently gone and done something incredibly heroic and, or, stupid, and wound up dead. I ask all Tonks' present, as well as Remus and Harry not to grieve. I would like to ask any Malfoy or Lestrange present to shove off. Here is the long and short of it, To Andromeda , Ted, and Nymphadora Tonks, sorry about the use of the name, I leave 1 million galleons each. To Remus Lupin, I leave 1 million galleons, under the stipulation that he spend 1000 of it on a new wardrobe. To the Weasley family, I leave 1 million galleons, for your excellent care of Harry over the years. To Albus Dumbledore, I leave continued use of your present lodgings, and 1 million galleons for operating costs.
The rest goes to Harry James Potter, save 2 knuts each for Narcissa Black Malfoy and Bellatrix Black Lestrange. If Either Narcissa or Bellatrix should at some point become single again, and can be proven to not have accepted the Dark Mark, each will be entitled to 1 million galleons and one of the many Black family estates.
That's it folks. If you don't like it, you can choke on it. I really hope Cissy and Bella can collect someday. Bye all. Live your lives well.
Immediately after the light faded, the person Harry didn't recognize stood and addressed Ragnot.
"I am protesting this will, citing the inheritance act of 1653, which clearly states that, and I quote, 'In order to protect the financial status of the pureblood families, only males related by blood, or through marriage to blood, shall be acceptable as inheritors.' Therefore making at least the last codicil concerning Mr. Potter invalid. The only person eligible, as blood related, male, and not at present incarcerated or a fugitive, would be Draco Malfoy."
Ragnot seemed to glower at the Malfoy's solicitor. "Your protest is noted Mr. Schrieber, and will be decided over the course of probate whether or not it is valid. In the mean time, I have certain private business to discuss with Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin, Miss Tonks, and Professor Dumbledore, so if you will excuse us?" Ragnot motioned to his door, which opened, and the two Malfoys and Mr. Schrieber left in a huff.
The door closed, and Ragnot motioned to Bill, who placed silencing and imperturbable charms around the room.
"Mr. Potter, there were several parts of Mr. Black's will that are not for public consumption. First is the property mentioned in his spoken will is under the joint ownership of you and Mr. Lupin. It is under a charm to prevent location, but he has informed me you know where it is.
Second, Mr. Black was aware of the law that the Malfoy's solicitor brought up, and could find no easy way around it.
Miss Tonks, the only way for Mr. Potter to inherit without a reversal of the law by the Wizengamot, is for you to marry him, and before probate is concluded."
Harry looked at Tonks, and noticed her shell-shocked expression, whereupon he quickly looked away. Tonks closed her eyes and asked, "What happens if I don't marry him?"
Ragnot answered quietly, "Mr. Malfoy will receive the inheritance, including ownership of the property in question, which will nullify any non-detection charm now placed on it. If you were to marry Mr. Potter, you would have to wait until his 16th birthday, and then get the consent of his guardian, which is now you, Mr. Lupin"
Harry, who was happy that Sirius thought to name Professor Lupin as his guardian, was unable to articulate that feeling as he was still stunned by the day's events. Remus and Bill also seemed struck speechless. Tonks spoke again in a detached voice.
"Why are you telling this to us? Surely the Malfoys have lots of money in your bank, why let us know of a way out?"
Ragnot answered quietly once again, showing more emotion than anyone there had ever seen.
"The Malfoys are well off, but they also hate goblins, and have backed every restrictive law that the Wizengamot has passed over the last 50 years. The Potters have pushed for equality amongst the races ever since the line helped in forming the Wizengamot in the first place. The Black fortune is roughly 10 times the size of the Malfoy's, and it would be in our best interests to keep that much influence away from the Malfoys and, ultimately from Voldemort."
Albus spoke as he stood. "As much as I agree with you, Ragnot, I will attempt to convene the Wizengamot, in order to strike down the law. In the meantime, we will begin to move out of the building in question. If you have nothing else, Ragnot, we thank you for your services."
Ragnot bowed and said the pleasure was his. The stunned party returned to the lobby, where Bill had left them, and were rejoined by Moody. They passed through Diagon Alley without a hitch, and flooed back to Grimauld Place.
As soon as they arrived, Dumbledore told Moody that they needed to move headquarters in the next two months. Remus, Tonks, and Harry moved mechanically to the kitchen and collapsed into their chairs. Harry noticed Tonks was deep in thought, staring at him every so often, then at Remus, then at nothing.
After a half an hour of uncomfortable silence, Tonks stood, and announced, "I have to check in with the Ministry, let Professor Dumbledore know I'll be back after my shift." Whereupon she walked out of the kitchen and apparated with a loud crack, and was gone.
Remus looked at Harry and said, "She must be really upset, she probably has not made that much noise apparating since she learned how to. How are you, Harry, okay with me as your guardian?"
Harry managed one of his lopsided smiles, "That was the only thing about the whole reading that I am completely okay with. What would I do without a Marauder for a guardian?" Harry's face changed to one of worry, "Is Tonks okay? She seemed so detached, why didn't she just tell Ragnot it was a stupid idea, what would she want with me? If you see her before I do, could you tell her I understand that she wouldn't want to marry me. Tonks is beautiful and smart, as well as eternally cheerful and funny. She should marry someone she loves, who could give her everything she could want, not a morose teen with a lightning shaped bulls-eye on his forehead."
Remus raised an eyebrow, "Morose? Hermione has certainly had an influence on you. Is that the only reason you think the marriage shouldn't go through? No objections on your own part? You know that wizarding marriages are magical contracts, literally til death do you part?"
Harry shrugged, "I really don't think I can come up with any objections on my own part, considering I know nothing of what a normal marriage is like. I've seen the Weasleys, but seldom together. From what I've seen, they act like good friends; it's the parts that I haven't seen that probably are the difference. Having never really had a girlfriend, and a total of one disastrous kiss, I'm completely in the dark as to the specifics. Any way I look at it, it seems to me that Tonks would be getting the raw end of the deal"
Remus was more than a bit shocked at the openness Harry was showing, as well as the level of maturity.
"You look so much like James, I forget how much you act like Lily. You are truly a good man, Harry, and the woman you end up choosing will be lucky to catch you."
Professor Dumbledore entered the room and locked on to Remus, "Could I speak with you for a moment, Remus?" Both men retreated to a corner of the room to speak. Remus seemed angry, and left the corner saying, "this is not the end of this"
Mooney returned to Harry, and said in a strained voice, "Shall we go?"
Harry got up, looking twice his age, and they flooed to Arrabella Figg's. On the short walk from Wisteria Way to Privet Drive, Harry decided he would eventually like to find out the specifics of a relationship someday. With the Prophesy hanging over his head, the only way he could see to live long enough to do that, was to make sure that Voldemort was the one who dies. The task seemed impossible, but he remembered a bit of philosophy he read from a discarded Chinese food wrapper. It read 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.'
Upon reaching his room, he set up his books like he did while studying for his O.W.L.s, and wrote a quick note to Hermione, asking her for last years study guide. Harry was taking his first step.