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Also, Massive Thanks to my beta's - Snarsha, Rit, Bomb, Ivy. You people be awesome.
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Chapter 4 – Progress
Hermione, Ron and Ginny sat side by side in a well ventilated, sunny room. Cheery butter-coloured sunlight streamed through the glass windows turning the fiery red carpet into lava.
"Can you please stop doing that!" Ron muttered under his breath, referencing to Hermione worrying the cuffs of her sleeves.
Hermione stilled herself for a few moments. Then she started fidgeting again.
Ron rolled his eyes, a rather futile gesture as Hermione wasn't looking at him. He slumped down even further in his seat and looked at his watch for the umpteenth time. He glanced towards the doorway at one end of the room.
"Maybe we should come back next year…" he said under his breath.
"Relax," Hermione snapped, still fidgeting. "Why are you so restless?"
"You're telling me?"
Ron stared at her incessantly moving hands and then shook his head and looked again at his watch.
The door handle turned. Ron and Hermione jumped to their feet and looked expectantly towards it.
Harry opened the door and stepped through. There was a big smile on his face and his eyes were shining.
"Well?" Hermione asked impatiently. "Did you…?"
In reply, Harry composed himself and straightened up. He began to blur. His hands lengthened and he fell onto paws the size of frying pans. Fur sprouted all over his body, his jaw elongated, teeth multiplied and grew longer, sharper.
In seven seconds Harry had turned into a massive grey wolf.
Ron and Hermione stared at him, with wide open mouths. Ginny gave him a wide smile.
"Bloody amazing!" Ron exclaimed. "Don't you have claws?"
In answer, the wolf slowly extended his claws. They came out slowly, sharp, lethal, dangerous.
Harry demorphed quickly, the process reversing. He rolled his shoulders and was rewarded with a satisfying crack.
His two best friends started forward to congratulate him when he began shrinking. Feathers sprouted all over his body, his nose elongated, his arms became wings… And a red tailed hawk flew around the room and perched itself on Ron's shoulder.
Ron reached out to touch the bird. The hawk snapped at his finger, flew off and changed into human Harry.
"Well, that was bleedin' …" Ron started and then broke off as all of a sudden Harry was engulfed in flames. Hermione and Ginny screamed. Ron's mouth was a perfect O. The flames died away to reveal a phoenix in flight.
It trilled a tune, flew around the room and burst into flames again. The flames dissipated leaving behind a smiling Harry.
He took a step and stumbled, and gestured to his friends that he was all right as they moved to help him.
"Becoming a phoenix takes a lot of energy out of me," he explained. "It's pretty cool, but I'm not going to be doing that too many times. It's very exhausting. I'll improve with practise."
"Are there more?" Ron asked weakly.
"No, just these three," Harry explained.
"That was amazing!" Ginny enthused stepping into his embrace.
"Wolves prowl on land. Hawks fly in air. The phoenix has something to do with fire, or something like that." Hermione mused. "Your training has had a deep impact on you, Harry."
"The four elements," Ron said softly. "Well, except water - but you suck at that.
"You've got it all figured it out, Holmes," Harry said. Not that Ron had any idea who 'Holmes' was. "Let's go shall we?"
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The very next day Harry and Zamu practiced Occlumency again.
Ron, Hermione and Marco sat on the floor leaning against the curved wall, watching them.
"Aren't you going to ask him about his being an animagus or anything? He's dying to tell you," Ron asked Marco.
"I can see that," Marco said. He paused, considering. "No, I think wait for him to volunteer."
Ron and Hermione exchanged a grin and then continued to watch Harry.
The two of the sometimes came with Harry to practice dueling with Marco and Zamu. There had been a few attempts on their lives, and one had come close to succeeding. Sometimes Ginny would come as well. She got on very well with Zamu.
Hermione was working on her defense, while Ron sent a steady stream of curses at her.
"Hermione," Zamu said gently, "You cannot block every hex with the same shield, the same way you cannot break every shield with the same hex. Different hexes require different shields to be put up."
"Unless you're me," Harry said with a grin.
"It applies to you too, even if your simple protego is ridiculously strong," Marco chided.
"I know all that," Hermione said, never taking her eyes off Ron. "I heard that the last ten times you know."
"I do," Zamu said patiently.
When Hermione tired, Harry took her place.
"Stop," Marco ordered, an expression of annoyance on his face.
He faced Harry. "The only reason you're getting away with using only two different shields against a variety of hexes is because your shields are very strong, and Ron's attacks are weak. Be serious."
He turned to Ron and spoke gently. "You have the raw potential Ron, all you have to do is to harness it. You're not putting any power into your spells. You have to consciously charge your attacks."
Ron wiped sweat from his brow, and then trained his wand on Harry again.
Another ten minutes later, when they were all resting, Marco finally spoke up.
"The boy's almost killing himself trying not to talk," Marco said with a chuckle. "Aren't you going to ask him Zamu?"
"The poor thing," Zamu gave a mock bow. "Oh Chosen One, please show us your animagus form."
Harry made a face at Zamu and then stood up and walked to the middle of the room.
This time he drew the process out even longer. Fur sprouted all over his body, glistening, sleek, soft, yet strong. His fingers melted together and expanded.
He drew it out for fourteen seconds. Hermione counted.
"A wolf," Marco said. "Tireless, willful, strong."
"A fine animal, indeed." Zamu said. "Any other form?"
Now Harry had to decide for once and for all. How much did he trust these two?
He hesitated for less than two seconds, but Marco and Zamu both noticed. Some of the delight faded from their faces.
Harry sprouted feathers and a tail, shrinking rapidly. He took flight as a red tailed hawk flew around and fluttered back to the ground.
"A raptor! You can have fun with that one." Zamu congratulated him.
Marco clapped.
"Bravo," Zamu cried.
"Thank you, thank you." Harry said, bowing down low to acknowledge his fawning audience.
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The next day Harry, Ron and Hermione visited Madam Pomfrey.
"I think you're reaching the peak of your powers now," she said. "I don't think you're going to be passing out because of excess magic - unless your body can't handle the total amount developed in you. Although I think that's unlikely, you seem to be dealing with this anomaly very well, your magic seems calm and settled… Controlled would be a good way to describe it.
Harry grinned at her.
"He's learning elemental magic," Hermione told Madam Pomfrey.
"Whatever it is, it's definitely helping. I don't think there's a lot of danger of you burning up your body anymore." Madam Pomfrey said. "In fact, I believe your body has rejected a fair amount of magic as well, which is good, the way it was saturating your body... So whatever your total potential was, you're not going to reach it, but you're still going to be a powerful wizard. Most people already know that. After all you did defeat him…"
"Still, Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked her. "Even after he's gone you can't say his name?"
"Manners, Harry," Hermione said sharply.
"Sorry," Harry said after a moment. "That was uncalled for."
Madam Pomfrey didn't say anything.
"But there is still some chance of that happening? Of his body burning up?" Ron asked anxiously.
"Yes. You see, people like Dumbledore, their bodies are born with the ability to cope with their total power. Harry here did have power, but not Albus' level, not people like him and… the Dark One…" the mediwitch said.
"But some anomaly has forced his body to accept more magic, and it has adapted admirably.
"Now go on, out - all of you. Come back within two weeks time or I'll keep you locked up in a ward for a whole week."
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Hermione had been to see her parents. She had gone alone – much to everyone else's annoyance – and had come back without them. It had taken her more than a week to recover.
Her parents were in Australia, and had settled down. They weren't doing badly; they had both gotten jobs and had rented out a first class apartment. They were happy. Hermione had just watched them for a few days and then come back to the Burrow, an emotional wreck and unsure of what should be her course of action.
Harry's Gringotts account had been frozen, despite pressure from the Ministry and the general wizarding population. The goblins were still debating on a course of action. Despite the fact that he had broken in not out of any intent of personal gain, there were goblins that were still unhappy about the act and wanted retribution.
A week after the battle of Hogwarts, Harry had received a letter of Gringotts, informing him that he no longer had access to the vaults until they reached a decision concerning his break in.
Now, five days after he had become an animagus, and an unregistered one at that, he received another letter from the Gringotts.
Harry Potter,
You are asked to be at Gringotts in Diagon Alley at 10 in the morning tomorrow. You are guaranteed safety for the duration of this meeting. You are advised not to bring any counsel along with you.
If you are unable to come, let us know immediately and we will send you another time. If you do not wish to meet us at all, your account will be shut down, half of the gold will be absorbed by the bank, and the remaining half shall be given to you.
The letter was not signed.
And thus the next day, Harry Potter entered Diagon Alley wearing his best green robes, flanked by Ron and Hermione. Heads turned from every direction towards them.
His friends accompanied him right up to the entrance to the bank.
"Look around and have some fun. You two are heroes, people will probably want to buy you firebolts," Harry told them, trying to inject as much cheerfulness as he could into his voice.
"I'll be fine. See you!"
Kingsley met him as soon as he entered.
"Harry," he said with a nod by way of greetings.
"Hello Kingsley," Harry said, pleasantly surprised. "I think you can trust the goblins not to kill me as soon as we are behind closed doors."
"They wanted to have you disarmed before entering the meeting," Kingsley told him. "I had a hell of a time, but you can keep your wand."
"Wands," Harry corrected with a grin.
"That's not allowed Harry," Kingsley said with a frown. "You need a special license to carry more than one wand. Better not let anyone know you have two."
"Then get me a permit," Harry said with a shrug.
"I'll try," Kingsley said. If he felt any annoyance at Harry's manner he did not show it.
"Thanks," Harry said, and he meant it.
"Don't mention it, I sent an underling to do most of the hard work," Kingsley grinned. "Good luck."
Harry was escorted deep into the building. A golden door was opened and he was ushered inside a circular room of magnificent proportions.
One lone goblin – the biggest Harry had ever seen - sat in a chair that looked like it was made entirely from gold.
He waved his hand without looking up and the doors were closed behind Harry, leaving him
alone.
The goblin gestured to a plush red chair in front of him, separated from the golden chair by a small wooden table, exquisitely built.
He looked up and right into Harry's eyes. "Harry Potter," he said slowly.
His voice was deep and serious, and reflected power and authority.
Unsure how he was supposed to respond, Harry nodded and placed himself in the chair, finding it very comfortable. "That would be me," he said just as seriously.
The goblin stood up and took a few steps about. "You may call me Nunok," he said. He paced about a bit more, Harry chose to remain silent. He sighed heavily and stopped pacing, plopping back onto his chair.
"You have no idea how many problems this has caused," he said tiredly.
"And you have no idea how many lives have been saved," Harry said quietly. He had decided that he was going to use every bit of his being their savior, he was sick of playing it quiet and shy. He wasn't going to keep quiet anymore, he was going to press his points. He remembered the night when Pettigrew had escaped, the night when he had met Sirius and heard his story. Maybe if he had pressed his case, shouted, tried to make the other fat headed fools see some sense, Sirius would still be alive and acquitted. He should have at least tried a little harder. But if he had remained silent then, he was not going to do that anymore.
"Most of the goblins are willing to let go of what has happened, because you say that without doing what you did, you could not have killed the Dark Lord," Nunok said.
"Then what is the problem?" Harry said, with traces of exasperation in his voice.
"There are powerful goblins, one's who do not like that you have broken into the bank and stolen from a vault under our protection," Nunok explained. "They want your head on a platter."
Harry mulled this over. "How many of you are willing to let this be?"
The goblin considered. "About sixty eight percent," he said.
"Damn all the Lucius Malfoy types all around the world," Harry cursed.
"Amen," the goblin agreed, surprising Harry.
"Have you thought that maybe many of these goblins were supporting Voldemort?" Harry asked him.
"The Minister of Magic suggested that," Nunok said. "We had not been able to gather any concrete evidence, although there were some things that point to them having given their lot with the Dark Lord."
Harry spoke, his voice cold and hard. "I have no idea what you goblins were doing when Voldemort was killing here and there and setting up his reign, but even if you couldn't show any initiative there… Maybe you had reasons. You take pride in staying neutral... Now, you have to decide where you stand."
Nunok did not speak for several seconds. Then finally -
"We have set about spreading rumors and accusations against these group of goblins." Nunok told him. "We decided to try and undermine their power, drop them low in the eyes of the less powerful goblins, and then give you back full access to your account. With a penalty though. I now have enough backing to resolve this issue, and forget the entire episode."
"What do you want?" Harry asked.
"A painting, goblin made, that resides in your vault."
"There is no painting there," Harry said.
Nunok stared him in the eye. "When you became of age, we were supposed to contact you and hand you ownership of your true vault, and all the properties and assets that it entails. But due to the circumstances, this didn't happen. Nobody even knew where you were. What you have visited is a trust vault, made just so you could get by in your school years."
"Just how much wealth is there in the actual vault?" Harry asked.
"More than what is there in the Malfoy's," Nunok told him.
Harry blinked a few times, processing this information. "Wow." He said.
Nunok grinned, giving Harry the impression he wanted to behead him.
"The Black and Potter families are both as old as the Malfoy's" Nunok said. "You now control the combined wealth of both those vaults."
"Wait, did you just say properties a few sentences back?" Harry asked. "I own houses?"
"You only have Grimmauld Place from the Blacks, but from the Potters, you have inherited three properties. Two are falling into ruins, one is still proud and strong."
"I do not wish to live in Godric's Hollow," Harry shuddered. "Let's leave that house out."
"Very well," Nunok said. "That leaves you with a country home that your parents used to go to for their vacations, as did many Potters before them, and another home in the wizarding village of Corley, a few miles north of London. But, what about that painting?"
Harry nodded. "I agree to your proposition. Why don't we use this as a stepping stone - maybe hold some talks - there should be less of this hatred between wizards and goblins. There have been mistakes on both sides, wizards have looked down on goblins, but it's not like you've been blameless."
Nunok considered this. The boy's words made sense, and for some reason, Nunok felt he could trust him. "I agree." He offered a gnarled hand. "Shake on it."
Harry shook his hand.
"Now - how much do you know about your inheritance?" Nunok asked him.
"I didn't even know the one I visited was a trust fund" Harry informed the goblin.
"There are businesses, investments… If I start explaining it could get quite technical…"
"Then don't," Harry said. "Do you goblins take care of these businesses and the other financial aspects? I mean, "
"No," Nunok informed him. "Again you would have been briefed when you came of age, but the circumstances were…"
"Well, can we come to some arrangement? I know nothing about handling investments..."
"I'm sure we can come to a mutual agreement. But for that, we would have to sit down and talk. It will take a lot of time to hammer out all the details."
"Sure. When do we do this?"
Nunok was surprised. He expected Harry to dictate the time and place to his own convenience.
"That's for you to decide," the goblin told him.
Harry nodded. "I'll get back to you on that."
Nunok rose to his feet. "Well then, come along, it's time you see the combined might and power and wealth of the Potter and Blacks."
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Harry walked with slow steps to where Ron and Hermione sat.
"We didn't have too bad a time," Ron said with a half smile. "Everyone stares at us and everyone's kind of… scared? I don't know how to describe it."
"They're in awe," Harry said. "Like me."
"And you're in awe of?" Hermione asked him.
"I control," Harry said slowly, "the entire fortune of the Blacks and the Potters."
"Yeah, we kinda knew that already," Ron said.
Harry shook his head. "All I ask is that you both never say no ever again when I offer you something expensive. Okay?"
"Why?"
"If you promise me, I'll show you." Harry said.
"I don't promise," Hermione said.
Ron shook his head.
"I wasn't going to show you anyway," Harry said, not put off in the least. "I suppose you'll change your mind later."
"Just how much gold is there in that vault?" Hermione asked him.
Harry shook his head. "See for yourself."
(((0)))
"There are chambers," Ron said, shaking his head, his voice full of wonder. "It's unbelievable. Caverns full of gold. We didn't even see all of it."
"You did, there were only two or so chambers left," Harry said.
"It's not just money in there," Hermione was telling Zamu excitedly. "There are swords, and daggers, and chests that we didn't open, and paintings, and the BOOKS! OhmygoshsomanybooksthatIveneverheardofbefore!"
"Take a breath," Zamu said smiling. "I didn't understand your last sentence at all. Calm down."
"You have to see it for yourself," Harry said from his perch in mid air. "We're going today. You two have to come. I need you to tell me what some of those things are for. There seems to be a lot of dangerous stuff in there."
Marco hesitated. Then – "Very well."
(((0)))
The five of them – Harry, Ron, Hermione, Marco and Zamu stood in front of a small door that seemed to be made of wood. They were deep underground, with light only from magical torches and walls and earth all around. The unassuming door was set into a magnificent marble wall that rose high beyond sight, and spread out on either sides into darkness.
"The door's not very grand," Marco said with a grin. "The walls are nice though." (Ron snorted)
Harry hissed something in parselmouth, placing his left hand on the door.
It swung open. The five of them stepped through, Harry shutting the door behind them.
And then Marco had no words to speak.
Zamu did. He swore. Fluently.
(((0)))
"That's another wand holster," Marco informed Harry handing him something red and black and made out of fabric. They were kneeling in front of a metal chest, filled with wand holsters.
Ron followed them, occasionally touching something, picking something up and saying "Wow".
"Should I take this one, or was that first one better?" Harry asked him.
Marco laughed and his laugh was swallowed up by the chamber – entirely filled with gold and other valuable items – with only a walkway of sorts through the middle and side aisles to move around in.
"I do not know everything," he said. "But I think the first one was better. Take the one which you feel is the most potent. You did say you could feel the magic in an object?"
"I could, and my head is almost spinning in here, surrounded by powerful artifacts," Harry said rubbing his forehead.
Ron sidled up to Harry as they moved along. "Is there anything as powerful as what's in your pocket?" he whispered.
"Not that I've come across yet, no," Harry told him and Ron nodded.
"That's what I thought," the redhead said. "I mean, it's a hallow and all that…"
"I must say, it's quite orderly in here," Marco said. "Generations have been storing stuff in this, you'd expect it to be all haphazard, a greave here, a pair or robes there, a sword here, a wand holster, pouches of coins here and there, gold littered around…"
Harry grunted in agreement. "Hermione will probably turn this place into a mess looking for more books."
"You should most definitely take what's inside this," Marco told Harry. He was crouched down besides yet another chest.
"What's that?" Harry asked as he sauntered across to where Marco knelt.
"Full battle robes."
"That's amazing," Ron said.
He was saying that a lot that evening.
(((0)))
When they finally made their way back outside the vault, Hermione and Zamu were carrying seventeen books between them. Harry and Ron carried a lot of stuff too. They had taken wand holsters, three sets of battle robes, and a few other things that Marco and Zamu wanted to examine.
Of all of them, Hermione was the happiest.
A day later, Harry's mind sank into the blue mist again, and this time he stayed that way for almost fifteen minutes. He described pulling his consciousness out of the mist as 'a hell of a fight'. It had taken him a lot of willpower to force away the mist from his mind and come back to the world of material things.
This prompted Hermione to go into research mode. She read her way through the books that she got from Harry's vault. Most of the books were very old, many of them without any title.
Hermione managed to formulate a theory seven days later on a rather cloudy afternoon.
Harry and Ron were sitting on Ron's bed at the Burrow, when Hermione walked into the bedroom.
"I did it," she said triumphantly, drawing up a chair and sitting next to Ron.
"You're a genius Hermione," Ron said. And he meant it.
"The brightest witch of our generation," Harry added. "What do you have?"
"It's related to the magic," Hermione said (and stopped to smack Ron's head as he said, "That's a surprise.").
"Go on," Harry said, listening intently as Ron rubbed his head.
"Well, my theory is based on the theory of magic. You know what we were told at Hogwarts about where magic comes from, how it defies fundamental physics and all that… you remember right?
"We just know there are many theories, and nothing has been proved. There was one person who did some experiment of a sort… I don't remember his name." Harry was pleased that he remembered that much.
"This person features prominently in the book which gave me this idea. His name is Cassus." Hermione explained. "Two of the theories are discussed in the seventh year of Runes at Hogwarts.
"Anyway, here goes…"
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Cheers,
Timefreak
