Chapter 4: The birth of Janus
Exhaustion to its toll on Harry's body and he felt asleep in his parents' grasp.
In the following weeks, Harry decided to make good use of his visit to Nicholas Flamel. He spent all his time locked in his room; at first he believed it was going to be a problem with his family and all but his parents were both working and the baby-sitter (Mariana) had been warned to let him be.
Harry wrote down a list of what he was to do. Then a second one, and a third, then a fourth… When he lost one of the sheets from the fifth list, he understood he couldn't work that way. The most important thing was to protect his secret but he also needed someone he could trust and rely on. As such, Harry undertook to create a second identity for himself. One surrounded with mystery, but most importantly one with a place where he could hide all the secrets he had.
After a good week of hard work, Harry was able to create his avatar and use him to ensure things weren't going to change too much from the original time line (that is, until he started Hogwarts). It was already mid-August at this time but he believed it would be cleverer to wait until mid-September to 'appear'. This way, people would never believe he was a kid or even a recent Hogwarts graduate.
Harry made good use of his huge stack of books. He checked Modern Event in wizarding Britain and found a few very interesting facts. Probably the most important one was about Cornelius Fudge's campaign for minister in 1988 and how he nearly lost it due to a lack of funds, but mostly it referred to new Laws and such. Harry had found a Law book from Grimmauld Place. It was a bit out-of-date but the cover announced proudly a fifteen-year guaranteed update, which suited Harry just fine as it gave him every new decree (and their amelioration or cancellation) until the end of his Sixth year. As such, Harry spent his time going through the dry tome of old Laws and making annotations on what he'd change or add if he could get access to the Minister's office through a few bribes to Fudge (of course, it would be referred to financial help, but the result would still be the same).
So engrossed in his idea of creating a political figure, Harry felt a bit put out when four wizards knocked at the house door one morning. His parents were at work and nobody was expected. Carefully withdrawing his wand and hiding it in his robes, he made his way to the living room and met with three men and a woman.
"-om the Ministry. We were sent by Mrs. Potter. Apparently there was a problem with the Wards and she asked us to bring them down and erect new ones. Did she leave any indication?" One of the men was asking Mariana.
The poor girl didn't even know they were supposed to come, nor Harry for that matter and he didn't like it one bit. He decided to step in but knew he was going to be treated with nothing but contempt; after all he was only a six year old. Then again he had been in the front page of the Daily Prophet for a few days after the 'Lestrange Execution' as it was called. Putting back his wand in its holster he quietly made his way to the kitchen and took two steak knives.
Back in the living room he made sure to let them be apparent when he spoke.
"Do you have any proof you are from the Ministry?"
His little voice carried easily in the silence that followed his apparition (who would keep in talking when a kid comes in holding two big knives?).
One of the wizards smirked. "Why would we be there if we weren't from the Ministry?"
"And what was Bellatrix Lestrange doing there?" Harry replied easily.
"How should we know?" the woman answered.
"Exactly my though." Harry answered with a feral grin, while getting in a crouching position, ready to pounce if need be.
"Whoa, calm down kiddo!" A third wizard said, holding both his hands to show his lack of wand.
"Why should I?" Harry growled.
"I'm unarmed." The man answered like it was evidence.
"If you are stupid enough to be unarmed, it's not my fault. Identification or you die!"
The wizards laughed. A kid was threatening them? What a jok- A knife was resting on the sternum of two of them and the two others couldn't act as they were blocked by the door… The laughter stopped immediately.
"Harry! What are you doing?" Mariana screeched. "Drop those knives this instant!"
"Not a chance." Harry said. He was going to run the blades through those wizards when he saw who the fourth wizard was. A Ministry trainee that would later one work with Gringotts: Bill Weasley. Instead of killing as it was his first reaction, Harry growled "Identification"
The wizards slowly withdrew their Ministry badges. After a quick check, Harry dropped the knives on the ground and asked with a cheeky smile "Can I watch you erecting the Wards?"
The wizards, never knowing how close to death they had ever been, could only nod their head.
As Harry went back to his room to pick up his cloak, he could hear one of them whisper "I can understand why Mad-Eye said he was a future Auror."
Harry spent the entire day looking at the wizards. He learned a lot: some flicks and waves of the wand to keep the threads linked while going from one Ward to another. He also annoyed the shit out of the woman by always saying she was doing it wrong. Eleonor (that was her name) hated him. That is until lunch when she connected her part of the Ward to the focal stone and it went down in a loud crash.
"Told you." Harry smirked. Truth be told, the poor woman had done it perfectly but Harry had used a bit of his free time to create an inactive door in the previous Wards and it was interacting with the new ones. She used a technique that didn't allow the creation of a door (from the outside as well as the inside) and it didn't hold because the 'door' was more ancient and much more powerful than her Ward…
..ooOoo..
When Harry awoke the next morning he quickly learned it had been stupid to be so aggressive toward the Ministry wizards. Then again it was a blessing as it gave him the ability to go out without his parents being the wiser…
Dragging himself down stairs Harry ate with his sister Rose, while his father was feeding Daisy and his mother got ready.
"Harry?"
The young child looked sleepily over his bowl of porridge and gazed into his father's concerned eyes.
"Mmm?"
'Your mum and I will come back earlier from work. We want you to meet an old friend of ours. Her name is Healer Rasiac. She is a very nice person. We'll come back to pick you up at four. In the mean time, I don't want you to go at the log, ok?"
Absently Harry acknowledged his father's words. Hearler Rasiac? Who the hell was she? And why did he have to see a Healer? The Aurors had come with one who checked him for other injuries… but only the physical ones they could see… His parents wanted him to go see a shrink! What the hell! He didn't need one! He knew it and his parents knew-… His parents didn't know it! He had spent so much time in his room his parents were probably sure he was moping around about the life he took, as if! He was going to have to waste his time talking about made up lies! He was so screwed! Then again, it gave him time out of the house with an excuse… Maybe he could use it more efficiently, as he had much to do. And there was still the matter of Sirius' mother…
"Will Sirius be there?" Harry asked in a tone he believed was cheerful enough to avoid suspicion.
Clearly he wasn't successful as his father narrowed his eyes and asked "Why? What do you want Sirius to be there for?"
"I don't know. It's just he is often there and usually comes with you when you're home early" totally pissed Harry thought but didn't ad. His younger self hadn't understood why his father and godfather had balance problem but Harry was now old and experienced enough to know.
James' cheek reddened a bit. "Yes, it's true. Well, I don't know, maybe he'll be able to come."
"Great" Harry said childishly and returned to his porridge.
Harry waited for a few minutes once his parents left and said Mariana (the baby-sitter) he was going into the garden to paint something. It was time to start his new plan. Especially if he was going to see a shrink this afternoon... Gathering his drawing kit, Harry included a few he had done himself when he was eleven after Quirrell's death. They were clearly evoking death yet weren't descriptive enough to know who was in it.
Quickly making his way to a hidden part of the garden, Harry waved his wand and established his things then set-up a proximity Ward keyed on magic. He wouldn't have a lot of time to come back if someone was passing through it, but he figured it was enough as he had added a light Repelling Charm coupled with a Redirecting one. Every person coming for him would spend several minutes before managing to get to his point. It was enough delay for Harry. With one last glance, he applied a Shadowing Charm and a Voice Altering one on himself and Apparated to Diagon Alley.
With his hood up, Harry made his way briskly to Gringotts. Acknowledging the hidden guards in the dark corners of the room he approached a free teller.
"I want to open an account, speak with one of your goblins traders and I don't have all day." Harry said hurriedly.
The goblin nodded and clicked his fingers. Another one came forward and waited for the order.
"Bring this person to office 419"
Guess Bill's lessons on goblins behavior were right Harry mused. They've never been as nice as today.
Entering a scarcely furnished office with a single wooden desk and two chairs, Harry sat and stared at the goblin opposite to him.
"I don't have time for kids" the creature snarled.
"And I don't have time for idiots." Harry returned. Getting up he exited the room and motioned for the goblin who had guided him to the office. "Find me a cleverer goblin or set-up an office for you and me. Whatever you do, do it quickly, my time is precious."
The goblin nodded and smirked "As is mine."
After three goblins acting the same way, Harry was getting irritated and his guide could feel it as he led him to an empty room and sat opposite to Harry.
"What do you want and what is the problem?"
Harry cancelled the Charms and saw his interlocutor's eyes widening. "My problem is that my physical age is a third of my mental age!"
"I understand better. Your Charms hid me your true nature but these bankers are older and could by-pass the magic." The goblin explained.
"Now, you know I'm not a child something your colleagues didn't really care to discover." Harry said. Without waiting for an answer he enlarged his trunk and opened the second compartment, showing the integrality of his money. "I want to set-up a vault in your bank with only access to me and eventually to a few later on. The account will be under the name of…"
Harry looked like he didn't know what to say. He already had one account under the name of Harry Potter his parents had opened at his birth and another one from the Ministry for the bounty on Bellatrix Lestrange.
"If I may suggest, sir?" the goblin offered after several second of silence.
"Go on."
"Janus, the old man with the face of youth seems to be indicated."
"Sold! Under the name of Janus then!" Taking Ron's diary he opened it at the date of the 15th of August 1986; by passing the entire News, he went directly to the stocks section and looked at Ron's suggestions. "Invest a million galleons on a third party company that owns at least 15 of Zonko's supplier, Romasuald. It will take half of my vault, but I don't care. Just make sure to sell them before the closure of today's stock market. Which means…" Harry paused as he looked at his watch. "you have thirty-seven minutes to set-up the account and buy the shares if we want to make this legally."
The goblin's eyes widened. Seeing this, Harry explained.
"You are now my banker and I can tell you it is going to be a full-time job. Wait until the stock market closes and see if you are up to the task and feel it is a good one; then report your change in status to your boss. What's your name anyway?"
"Griphook."
Some things never change Harry noticed.
"Right. You'll use the remaining amount of money to invest in the emerald dwarf company in Northern Africa and sell them by lunch time."
Griphook looked stunned and it irritated Harry.
"Every second you waste is making me loose money as this company's shares are increasing at the minute we speak!"
It seemed to be enough as Griphook took a stack of paper and in seven minutes he had the account opened and called for two carriers and a trader. Harry put his Charms back in place and watched with satisfaction as his orders were carried precisely and swiftly.
Half an hour later, and a ride to his vault to set-up the blood wards, Harry was leaving the place under the scrutiny of every single hidden guard goblin who were baffled at Harry's ability to see them. Truth be told, he only saw their vague shape thanks to an anti-concealment Charm.
Without missing a bit, Harry went to a little shop that advertised renting and selling places. It didn't take him long to get a renting lease for an empty office in the second floor of Diagon Alley. It had six rooms and was perfect for Harry's needs.
Apparating near the Ministry of Magic phone-box he entered it and dialed magic on the phone.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
"Janus. Employment Office"
"Thank you" the same cool feminine voice answered. "Visitors please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."
Picking up the square silver badge provided, Harry put it on his robe and waited patiently for the descent to be over.
"Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."
Once in the lobby Harry used his small size by keeping close to a woman and passing wand control with her. Whatever the employee thought, he didn't know nor cared. Even with indications it took him half an hour of his precious time to find the Office of Employment.
It was sterile. No other word could describe the place accurately. White walls, roof and ceiling, the furniture was dirty grey, a sure sign of un-worked metal. A long line of wizards were there with forms in their hands. The state of their closing and the defeated look on their face was enough to know they were looking for a job. Harry sighed. Ron's notes were clear, the years from 1984 to 87 were the worst for wizard Unemployment with a rate of 7. Not that much in comparison to the Muggle world, but it was 3 in 1983 and 1 in 1987.
Brandishing his wand, Harry repelled the wizards in front of him and made his way to the teller without shame or bothering to listen to the growls from the people behind him. Dropping five galleons of the counter, he looked at the Ministry employee. He noted with irritation that the man had to look down at him…
"I want the list of all unemployed people with Os in their Defense Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T.s. Make special notice if they were prefects at Hogwarts and sort them according to Houses."
The man gave a sneer but pocked the galleons and asked "Want the beasts too?"
Harry heard a few angry mutters behind him. "If you are referring to werewolves, then yes. And in the future, refrain from making this kind of comments for you're only standing because I didn't get what I paid for yet."
The man snarled but gave the list anyway. Harry took it briskly. "Thank you." Then Harry aimed his wand at the man's right hand "That's for the werewolf comment you bastard. Diffindo."
Harry saw himself out under the respectful gaze of the majority of the wizards there and the howling of the Ministry employee. Turning around a last time he said cheekily "A werewolf would have healed in less than eight seconds. Think about it."
He was walking back to the exit leisurely when a trickle warned him someone had gone through his ward. Accelerating his pace he reached the Apparition Point and Disapparated to his parents' home. Harry just had time to cancel his Charms, and pick up a brush that Mariana went through the bushes in front of him.
"There you are! Come on it time for lunch!"
"Okay."
"Took me ten minutes to find you. Luckily now I know where you are."
Shit! "Well it isn't a very good spot. I think I'll try to find a new one tomorrow morning." Harry replied neutrally as he started to pick up his things.
..ooOoo..
After lunch and the food fight that erupted between his sisters and him, Harry sat on his bed and perused the list he got at the Ministry. He quickly found Remus' name as it was the only Gryffindor prefect to get an angry 'WEREWOLF' stamped in red near his name.
So engrossed in his readings, Harry barely had time to hide his stack of papers and his books when he felt someone breach his wards around his room. Sure enough, Sirius' face appeared behind his wardrobe.
"Hello kiddo! You changed your room didn't you?"
"Yep" Harry replied happily at the sight of his living godfather. "Didn't like it anymore. So, what's up?"
"What's up? What's up? I'll tell you what's up midget. It's the time where you give me a hug and I carry you down stair or I'll stick you ears to the ceiling!"
Laughing Harry launched himself at Sirius' neck, marveling at the sensation of being a kid again. Slowly he picked up a few of his godfather's hair and put them in his pocket. "You wouldn't stick my ears, would you?" he asked in a small voice.
Sirius smiled a ruffled his hair. "Nah. There're funnier ways than that!"
Before Harry could think any comeback, he felt his body traveling at high velocity toward the stairs, then to the kitchen.
"Sirius Black! Put my son down this instant!" Harry heard his mother screech.
"Aww come on Lil' it's not like he's scared!" Sirius said in defense.
"Right and I supposed him being so white is a response to being elated?" she returned
Sirius looked at Harry who was still clutching his neck. "Merlin! You are white as a sheet, Harry. Did I scare you or something?"
"I don't like not to be able to control my body's direction anymore." Harry murmured softly. He had learned his lesson well when he had reviewed 'his' memory of Bellatrix Lestrange summoning him.
"I suppose. Sorry kiddo." Sirius said with a smile, but Harry could see the worry etched in his eyes.
"It's ok. It's just… I didn't expect it, that all." Harry answered. "But I'll know now." He added with a grin.
Looking around he saw his sister eating a bit of bread with jam, Mariana talking with them and his parents waiting for him near the Floo. His father still sported his Auror robes as his mother, except hers were from the Committee on Experimental Charms.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked. He knew it was a one way ticket to the shrink but for the life of him couldn't remember anything about psychiatrists in the wizarding world.
"To see our friend Healer Rasiac. I told you this morning, remember?"
"Yes dad, that I know, but where is it?" Harry answered, happy for once to see his father eye to eye and not from three feet below.
"Oh. Well she's at St. Mungo's."
"Floo?" Sirius asked his friend.
"Floo" James acknowledged.
Harry was already bracing himself for the spiral that always came with this way of transportation but didn't have to worry as his mother grasped him by the shoulder and entered with him in the fireplace. Throwing a pinch of Floo powder she yelled "St. Mungo's"
For once, Harry didn't really mind the traveling as he was able to rest against his mother. He soon found himself in St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries with lime-green robed Healers going in every direction. Once Sirius and James were there, Lily led Harry to the fourth floor (Spell damage) and to a specific aisle (mental damage) where she asked for Healer Rasiac.
She was a plump little woman with brilliant red hair and blue eyes hidden behind glasses nearly as thick as Trellawney's. In front of Harry, she kind of pretended to know his parents, but he could feel that none of them were very comfortable with the hugs and back tapping.
"And this is Harry!" she exclaimed. "I'm Healer Rasiac, but you can call me Sofia. Do you want to visit a little?" she asked jovially, without a second thought he would say anything but yes.
Harry was half tempted to say no, but for presumption's sake he acquiesced and followed her while his parents and Sirius went to the fifth floor to get a cup of tea.
After a brief visit of the wing, Sofia led Harry to her office.
"Sit down Harry."
When he was installed, she sat herself face to him behind her desk.
"So, Harry. How are you today?" she asked nicely.
"Fine" Get on with it you damn shrink!
"How do you sleep?"
"Fine" Do you really think I'm that thick or what?
"Really? Your mum told me you had troubles sleepingt?" she insisted.
"So?" Come on, I had just gutted someone. I know it, you know it, so what the hell?
"Do you want to talk about what it is that stopped you from sleeping?"
Harry feigned to hesitate while thinking. Maybe he could pretend to need lots of help with his parents and get her to give him a clean bill rapidly. But then, his parents would know; unless she was sworn to secrecy. But what if someone was to ask her if she saw him? Maybe a Secrecy Contract?
"Harry?"
"Hmm?" Harry replied automatically when he was jolted out of his thoughts.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Will you tell my parents?" he asked in a small voice, brushing his laps to avoid showing his face. He knew he wasn't good enough to lie to someone who's probably lied to everyday by people who want to get out.
"Of course not Harry. Whatever you tell me will stay between us."
"How can I be sure?"
"I promise it to you."
Harry looked at her directly in the eyes. "It's not good enough."
A bit taken aback by the strength of his voice, Sofia smiled weakly. "If you want I can write it on a piece of paper?" she offered
Perfect! "Ok, but I say what you write!"
"Of course Harry" she returned with a bright smile which kind of faltered, when Harry took her quill out of her hand and selected a blood one form her stack instead.
"Oh no Harry. I can't use this quill." She tried softly.
Harry looked at her across his glasses and raised an eyebrow "Really?"
"Well… I guess, I could. It's just I don't use it a lot. You're sure you don't want me to use this nice one instead?"
"Blood-quills are good for this kind of writing" Harry supplied.
"How do –"
"This one will do Healer Rasiac, I assure you." Harry replied with the most serious tone he could.
"Right. So what do you want me to write?"
As Harry dictated the exact wording of a Secrecy Contract, he could see her eyebrows rising. When she was done, he took the parchment and wrote his part. Once it was completed he waited for the magic to do its binding and incinerated the contract with a flick of his wand.
Sofia jumped out of her seat and held her wand shakily at his face.
"Who are you?" she asked with a trembling voice.
Without acknowledging either the threat or the question, Harry added a Silencing Charm to the ones that were probably already there.
"Sofia. We just did a Secrecy Charm. Yes, I know what it is. And I used my name, meaning I am Harry Potter in body and spirit. Now sit down." Harry said with steel in his voice. He forced a bit of magic in his voice at the last sentence and was pleased to see her hurry to get in her chair.
"Now, Sofia Rasiac, I am Harry Potter and I'm eighteen years old in my six-years-old body. Sucks isn't it? I killed Bellatrix Lestrange because she was a bitch, a lunatic, and a murderer. I don't feel bad about it and I don't loose sleep over it because I hated her with a passion. Now, my parents swallowed this lie about insomnia which enabled to hide my little traveling to Ollivander and Gringotts. They figured I need some counseling and I'm grateful for it; not that I need it but because it shows concern. Then again maybe I do need counseling, but I don't want to…"
"Now, I'm really in need of the three two-hours-sessions we will be doing in the next six months. So what about you go and tell them I'm really perturbed and need that much time? In exchange, I'll pay you the regular working fee. Every time, I'll come here, give you the money, you'll do whatever you want as long as nobody, and I really mean nobody, sees you, and I'll go my merry way until they come back to pick me up. What do you think?"
"What if I don't want do it?" she asked weakly.
Giving a sinister smile that really looked out of place on his face, Harry allowed a bit of magic to go in his eyes, giving them a glow and he asked "Do you really want an answer to this question dear?"
Sofia shocked her head frantically. "No, I don't think I want to."
"Good. It's settled then. I'll go downstairs while you tell my parents of this arrangement."
Harry could feel his authorization releasing part of the secret kept by the magic of the contract and smiled softly. "Wonderful thing, isn't it? Well, I'm off. I'll see you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays then."
As Harry left he could hear Sofia Rasiac muttering something about monsters and scary six-year-olds. With a laugh he went to wait for his parents in the lobby.
..ooOoo..
The next three months were filled with intense work for Harry. He was clearly juggling two lives as Flamel had warned him about. On one hand he was a six-years-old with insomnia problems that was very sweet with his parents and two younger sisters and was the first of his class. On the other hand, he was Janus, an unknown wizard who went to Gringotts twice or thrice a week and had multiplied his fortune three folds in less than a trimester, bringing him to the attention to the goblin's council. He was also owner of an office in Diagon Alley and nobody knew who he was or what he was doing.
Using his little liberty with efficiency, Harry had used his time home to review a big part of his life at Hogwarts and had come up with a few things like a list of all the passwords for Gryffindor Tower for his seven year of schooling, as well as a certain number of those for Dumbledore's office. He had redone all the assignment he was ever given and made notes on what to know for every single year's exam, even the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.
Harry had also finished reading the dry tome of Magical laws and was fairly confident in his knowledge and believed he could use a loophole in nearly all the new ones (after 1857 anyway).
Using his free time, Harry had gone to 'his office' and furnished it. A dark wooden desk for himself with a comfy leather chair, three stack of parchments with his name. Two as Janus, one with Janus symbol (a circle with a lightning bolt at the center a face of a young man on the left and of an old one the right) the other one with the name, and one with his name as Harry Potter.
Harry had had a blacksmith come and double the walls, ceiling and floor of one his rooms with hard magically enhanced steel. The room could only be opened by a numerical pad and was virtually impossible to escape from.
The third room was divided between a laboratory and some beds as he figured he could need to be healed or bring some persons injured in. The fourth room was a training place. Even though he had never used it yet, it was filled with everything he could ever need (blunt weapons, moving targets, etc). He had set-up the fifth one as a ritual room. He knew it would be needed for his merging of his cores after his Second year and figured there was probably going to be some magical explosion (or something) when he'd have found a way to attune the Founders artifacts to him.
The sixth room was the entrance one, it was currently empty but Harry had high hopes for it.
He had also raided a shop about Dark Art detectors, buying Foe Glasses, sneakoscopes and such. He was pleased to see that Janus was on their list of valuable customers between Albus Dumbledore and Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody (who had just been put on retirement). Speaking of the old Auror, Harry remembered his promise to tell him everything and sent a letter to the man, proposing a meeting in March. Harry figured he was going to need his precious time a lot, especially if he was to meet Cornelius Fudge. He didn't have time to see the Auror before then.
To protect 'Janus' security, Harry had performed the Fidelus Charm on his office after all his furniture had been delivered. All in all, he felt he had done very good.
But this Friday was going to take its toll on Harry. He had been asked (more like summoned) to come to Gringotts and had an appointment with a man of the past. He just hoped he would have enough time.
Checking his immaculate dark green robes for the tenth time, Harry raised his hood and Apparated from Healer Rasiac's office to Diagon Alley and made his way to the bank. With a smile he waved to the hidden goblins guards and noticed with a smirk than one had tried a new way to conceal himself (not that it helped as Harry's spell enabled him to see magical signatures). He hadn't even crossed half of the lobby that Griphook was already at his side.
"Good evening Janus."
"Griphook" Harry acknowledged.
"As you know, the goblin's council wishes to meet with you." Griphook continued. Harry growled.
"I had to ensure everything was in order, as such I noticed two other vaults could be linked to your Blood-Ward and-"
Noticing nobody was within ear-shot, Harry half-whispered half-growled "Harry Potter has never set foot in Gringotts yet. As such he can't possibly have a third account!"
Griphook nodded and ripped a sheet of paper from his note book. "Please take a sit."
Harry sighed as he had to get into one of the infernal carts. "I know there is only one speed, but is there a way to go faster? I really don't have all day you know." He told his banker.
"As I am aware Janus. Hold yourself." Griphook replied as the cart lurched at thrice the usual speed in the bowels of Gringotts.
To Harry it seemed like it was hours later that the cart stopped, but his watch shot this idea down as he saw it had only been nine minutes.
"Good" Harry started but noticed how his legs wobbled "hmm, in the future, use the regular speed unless I tell you I'm really late, ok?"
"As you wish," Griphook shot back with a grin "but you were the one who asked for it."
Harry wisely decided not to answer that and quickly followed the young goblin to a big door. It was only made in wood, but the details on it were exquisite, showing goblins fighting against dragons, big snakes (probably Basilisks) and wizards. Griphook knocked on the door in a strange pattern Harry couldn't pick up and they entered. It was clearly a conference room. A circular wooden table had a dozen old and ugly looking goblins seated in half a circle. A unique chair was there for Harry, a quarter of the table free on both side of him. A quick glance around revealed a full squadron of goblin guards (twenty of them) hidden in the room's corners.
Before Harry could wave at them as it had become his custom, the oldest, ugliest goblin snarled
"Yes, yes, we know you've seen the guards. Seat down Mr. Janus"
Harry narrowed his eyes and took his seat while starring at the goblin in front of him (who had just spoken). "It's Janus, no title and being in a hurry doesn't dispense of politeness, at least in the tone of voice used."
A few goblins stirred but mostly just grinned showing their teeth. Harry found the gesture quite aggressive and barred his teeth a growl ready to burst if needed. He was beginning to think he'd have to let it escape when the goblins' faces became expressionless.
"You are a dominant fighter." One of them stated.
"So?" Harry prompted.
"Usually economists don't even know how to wield a wand correctly and as such do not have any fighting instinct. You obviously have both. Strange occurrence for one as young as you are." Another one supplied.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever. What do you want?"
"A couple weeks ago you said to Griphook, and I quote 'if someone was to invest money in Borgia Poisons and Potions, between today and Friday morning, they'd triple their money by lunch but loose everything at the stock market's closure', yet you didn't invest in it. Why?"
"What is it to you?" Harry replied carefully. He had said that after being aware of the goblins council scrutiny on himself and wanted them to come to him with an offer in exchange for these tips. He knew he had to play it carefully for the goblins could get him nearly everything if he could strike a deal.
"We took your words at heart and made a heavy profit, yet you didn't invest while knowing the gain you could make. Why did you give us this information and what do you want from it?"
"I didn't give you any information. I mentioned something and you decided to act on it. It could have been the other way around."
"You are well aware, as you asked Griphook a few times, we can't use the orders you gave to your banker for our own profit. You knew we would try this tip. Why did you do it?"
"Because I could." Harry answered simply with a small smile. Slowly he retrieved his wand and conjured himself some tea, being careful to do it slowly and enunciating the words (wouldn't look good if he was suspected of Cursing the leaders of the Gringotts banks). "My knowledge of stocks variations is probably the best you could find and that for the next ten years as there isn't a single Hogwarts student that could match me. I know exactly who will take my place and when. As such I know I have more than ten years of undisputable trading skills. But I'm a single wizard. I have to go through so many indirect ways, it is kind of annoying. If a bank was able to invest directly, make heavy profit and charge its customers higher trading fees, it would be much easier and would clearly lessen my heavy load of work." Harry said while sipping his tea.
"Do you mean to say you are ready to give us the benefits of your work?" a goblin asked incredulously.
This is it. "Give?" Harry laughed. "I don't give anything gentlemen. I'm a business man like you. I trade, buy and sell. The question is what are you ready to give for this information?"
The goblins started to speak in some language Harry couldn't identify - Probably goblin's language – and it annoyed him greatly. Finally after five long and extenuating minutes, they appeared to agree on something as they turned toward him and the oldest goblin asked "What do you want for this information and how much are we going to make?"
Harry smiled softly. "How much you'll make will depend of your investments. Of course, they'll be limited to avoid disrupting the market and that is the first rule. If I give you some knowledge of the future behavior of the stock and specify a limit, you do not go over it or the deal is off."
"Understandable."
"I offer you…" Harry took Ron's diary and read it for a minute or two before talking again "a weekly average of one million three hundred thousand galleons of benefit for an average of ten million invested: a weekly benefit of 13. You've got to admit it, it's good, no?"
The goblins nodded among themselves. "But what do you want?"
"I want one percent, before Gringotts fees are deduced of course and a few other things." Harry replied carefully. His heart was beating so hard it hut. Were they going to take it?
"What other things?" One goblin asked suspiciously.
"I want a goblin to teach me goblin language and customs, another one sword fighting, a third one knife fighting and finally a ten-year supply of monthly doses of Wolfbane for one person" Harry stated.
Before any goblin could answer he continued (after all he had rehearsed this meeting over and over) "You'll notice I didn't ask anything that could damage Gringotts relations with the rest of the Wizarding World as I could have by asking to stop any dealing with know Death Eaters when, for it will happen, the Dark Lord rises again. Of course, this deal would only be valuable as long as I'm in need of those lessons. When I'm done, with it, we will re-examine it. In addition, I keep a few investments for my regular dealings and a couple ones a year that would enable you to make profits higher than 50. In exchange for them, I'll ask for precise things, like Warding an estate or something similar."
"I will of course sign an exclusivity contract with Gringotts to ensure you are the only one aware of the market's evolution."
The goblins starred at Harry for a couple minutes and at once said "Agreed"
"Good. Now gentlemen, there is another question. Do you wish to invest in the muggle world?" Harry said with a smirk.
The goblins blinked owlishly at him. Harry's smirk increased, he could hear them thinking He knows how to make money on the muggles?
..ooOoo..
Harry exited Gringotts swiftly. He was three minutes late for his appointment and hadn't taken the polyjuice yet. Apparating to his office, he rushed to his potion lab and took on the last three doses he had. He had started a batch but was more confident in using those provided by Snape during the war. Carefully taking off his clothing, Harry put his battle robes on and drank the potion. He had taken a hair of an unknown muggle that was roughly the same size and weight as he was at seventeen. Gritting his teeth, he waited for the pain to lessen then put his hood up and Apparated just behind the Leaky Cauldron.
Making his way in, Harry was pleased to see that he was only five minutes late. He quickly found his target. The man was sitting in a corner, nursing a hot mug of butterbeer, his clothing was shabbier than before if it was possible and looked sick. Harry made himself known by standing in front of the man's line of vision.
"Mr. Remus Lupin?" he said, fighting to keep his voice free of any emotion.
Remus looked up. "Yes?"
"I'm sorry to be late and yet elated to see you found the time to come and meet me."
"Not that I have much to do…" Remus whispered.
Without acknowledging the words, Harry extended a piece of paper. The werewolf took it and read it.
Janus' office his situated on the second floor of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Remus nodded and Harry incinerated the paper, grasping Remus arm he Apparated them in his office.
Taking his cloak off, Harry seated himself in his armchair and indicated the other one opposite to the desk to Remus.
"Have a seat Mr. Lupin. You don't know me, but I know of you. I'm looking for an assistant. Someone clever and hard working, someone for whom rules are mere guidelines and fight against Evil with a capital E."
Remus looked stunned. "Why me?"
"Because you were part of the Order of the Phoenix, a Marauder and a werewolf. The Order of the Phoenix's membership shows you are against evil, the Marauder part is a clear illustration that you agree with the need to bend some rules as long as it benefits you but doesn't hurt the others too much. Finally, you are a werewolf and as such will probably like my offer more than the others with the same capacities as yours."
"What is the job?" Remus asked, hope shinning in his eyes.
Harry smiled. "First, you'll have to agree to a Secrecy Contract level twelve. You don't know who I am, but will, in…" Harry checked his watch "…forty-eight minutes. I can't have my identity displayed. Your main job will be to go to Gringotts everyday to give them some papers. You'll have to deal with my finances and ensure to give my investment orders at the right time: not too early nor too late…"
Harry stopped as one of his Dark Arts sensors, based on dark beasts, was starting to whistle too loudly. With a flick of his wand he silenced it.
"You'll be paid the high fare of personal assistants, that is to say 500 galleons a month, less the days of illness. You'll be provided Wolfbane freely as well as a secure room for your transformation and will have healing potions and salves for the next day of the full moon."
"Now, as I said, you'll juggle my finances and my heavy schedule, deal with the goblins, go and talk with me with ministry officials and potential Masters that might teach me their art. What do you think?"
"Of course!" Remus exclaimed. "But… hmm… what about your identity? I mean I might not be comfortable working for you…"
"That is of no concern to me Mr. Lupin as I won't tell you who I am if you don't sign a Secrecy Contract and you won't have one if you don't work for me. One last thing, if you do work for me, your first pay will be less than the others for you'll go and get new robes. Someone working for me has to display wealth and power. You don't. I understand why but it's not an excuse anymore if you do accept the job."
"You'd start on Monday at four. I have written down a temporary schedule of next week's dealings. Take a look at it and tell me. Can you do it?"
Remus looked at the heavy stack of papers form Harry and said
"Yes, I can do it."
"Good. Now do you want to do it? And be quick, Mr. Lupin for you only have five minutes before the potions wears off and I don't care about your memories enough to not delete them if you see my face before signing a Secrecy Contract."
Remus looked a bit put out by the rushing voice of Harry. After a couple minutes he sighed and took the blood-quill Harry offered him before writing
"Upon my magic and life, I swear not to reveal any of the secrets I discover or given to me by the person going under the alias of Janus, prior or anterior to this contract, either by my actions or inactions, and this until such a time where he allows me to do so."
Harry smiled and wrote his own part of the contract while Remus read and signed his engagement contract. As he felt the magic accommodating his mind to give and receive secrets, Harry asked
"Why did you accept Mr. Lupin?"
"You smell, sir."
"My smell?"
"Your clothing retained your smell. I don't know who you are yet, but I already met you and feel ok with it. Your body is clearly under polyjuice as your smell was a mix of someone else and your regular one for the first ten minutes."
Harry nodded with a smile as he felt his body starting to shift back to its original appearance.
"Hello Moony."
"Harry?" Remus croaked before fainting.