Ooh. Alive after so long... Yosh. Did anyone miss me? No? Fine. Be that way! XP
A/N: erm. About the timing of the story... My totally awesome beta (Wrath of the Digital Hazard) had kindly pointed out to me that the dates I entered are inconsistent to that of JKR's potterverse. I've an explanation to that: I'm torn of whether I should set it in the new millennium(2000's) or in the 80's-90's, like in canon.. so yeah! Further on into the story, I'll be able to make up my mind about the whole thing, for now, the dates will suffice.
Anyhow, here's a new chapter, it's longer than what i would normally do since I was inspired! Yay
Thanks again for Wrath, for being teh KEWLEST and NICEST beta ever!! :3
Anywho, R&R, enjoy!
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Dumbledore scanned the cosy looking living room of one Arabella Figg. He had just come through her fireplace via the Floo Network and was now having both of his legs rubbed against by mewling cats. The absence of the house's owner went unnoticed by him and he proceeded to leave the cat-filled abode to walk towards the Dursleys residence. A Notice-Me-Not spell was cast on himself just as he walked out of the front door.
He was furious. He was both worried for Harry and at the same time was absolutely mad at the boy and the Dursleys for letting him slip out just like that. Although he felt a grandfatherly concern towards the Boy Who Lived, the greater good was far more important; not only to him, but to the rest of the Wizarding world, and so, personal feelings must be set aside for a later date and the consequences of his actions to be faced after the Dark Lord was no more.
He knocked the door twice, careful to arrange his magical aura so that the muggles would be able to feel it, if only subconsciously. He needed for them to fear him. Fear meant submissiveness, and right now, he did not have the time to deal with overweight, prejudiced muggles whose ignorance gives people such as Death Eaters reason to hate them the way that they do.
Petunia heard the knocking from the front door, her happy mood still obvious to everyone around her as she carefully wiped her hands dry at a dish towel before walking out of the kitchen towards the main foyer. A smile was permanently set on her face and she barely registered the slight fear that enveloped her as she opened the front door.
Her smile was wiped off her face as she was met by the thunderous blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore, no sign of the ever familiar twinkle in his normally light blue irises.
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Sitting around the breakfast table, all four young men ate their breakfasts silently, Harry now decently covered with clothes from the twins. The three redheads were surprised to find Harry wingless after waking up from their sleep. He merely showed them his new tattoo, earning an admiring whistle from George and a comment of, "Nice design," from Bill. It was now close to a quarter till ten, and Harry was nervous about going to the goblin-run bank. He shifted around his seat once more as Fred finished off his last piece of toast.
"You guys... You needn't come with me, I'll be fine. Honest!" Harry suddenly exclaimed as his nerves finally got to him. He was going to be alright. He knew that. It was just really hard to convince the other three men in the room of the fact. He appreciated their support, more than he could ever say, but he knew that he needed to do this alone. Coddling was not something that he liked being done to him, and as much as he cared for the redheads, that was what they were doing, and he wasn't really appreciating it all that much. He sighed inaudibly. He knew that the way the words came out of his mouth was not very nice, and not really being able to think of another way to rephrase his request, he merely walked up to each young man, giving each one a tight hug, and whispered, "I'll be alright," before throwing a small wave and walking out of the doorway.
It wasn't until Harry closed the door behind him that the three realized that they were left behind. Looking at each other sheepishly, all three tried to hide the faint blushes that stained their freckled cheeks at remembering Harry's hugs and whispered words. The boy really had turned into a sexy beast. A bit too sexy for his own good, if they had any say in it.
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Harry looked up at the familiar building that was the Wizarding world's bank. Gringotts. Well, it really was now or never and as much as he didn't want to do it, he knew that he needed this if he was to get any closure. It had been two years since Sirius died, surely, he must move on. And with this thought in mind, Harry walked past the massive entrance of the bank to talk to the first goblin available.
The wide hallway was filled with bustling witches and wizards; behind their high counters, the goblins were busy calculating currency, appraising precious gems, and attending to the various monetary requests of the people. Carefully, as to not attract attention to himself, Harry made his way through the busy crowd, manoeuvring himself to avoid getting bumped by the people. Reaching the counter with the least people lined up before it, the young man waited for his turn to be attended to, all the while thinking of what kind of responsibilities he now had to maintain with his inheritance.
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Fred and George were unusually quiet as they pondered about Harry's strange inheritance. They were proud of him, that was certain, and they were sure that Bill was too. Once Charlie got wind of the news, he would certainly be reacting the same way as his brothers did, if not a bit more subdued.
Harry was their brother, and although they loved Ron and Ginny to pieces, the youngest Weasleys were too pigheaded for their own good. Ron would get jealous once again, and Ginny may try making a pass at Harry, although right now, they heard that Dean and she were still going strong.
Harry would need as much support as he can get, and although they were unsure if they were strong enough to be able to assist him, they would definitely try their hardest to be of some help to the emerald-eyed boy.
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It took a quarter of an hour before Harry finally reached the counter. Upon hearing what the youth's purpose was for going to the bank, the goblin attending to him, a teller who went by the name of Brontlock ushered him towards a set of ornate silver doors, which after a quick question was explained to lead to the private offices of the more senior members of the bank, those of which handled more specific requests such as will-reading and familial funding issuances.
Harry unconsciously quickened his steps as they walked through the doors leading to a new hallway. Numerous doors to various offices flanked the walls of the hallway. He had realized that the time it took for him to wait in line endangered his punctuality. He didn't need to listen to History of Magic to know that goblins greatly disliked tardiness. He glanced at the goblin beside him discreetly, wondering when they were going to get to the designated meeting place. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Harry, Brontlock steered sharply towards the left hallway, which, unlike the one previous, had only one door, a simple cherry wood, polished to perfection, right at the end of the hall.
Knocking on the door twice with quick efficiency, Brontlock gave a slight bow to Harry before taking his leave. Barely managing to get a word of gratitude out of his mouth, the door opened before Harry and he was quickly ushered into the room.
A quick glance at the clock hanging on the wall told Harry that he had come right on time, with literally only a minute to spare. A slight cough from his left reminded him that he had yet to greet the goblin that was to enlighten him about his current state of financial affairs.
"Oh, good morning, sir." A polite smile graced Harry's lips as he inclined his head towards the stern-looking goblin. For a moment, a glimmer of surprise flashed in the creature's beady eyes, before giving a greeting of his own to the young man; he was surprised at the manners that were shown to him, few wizardfolk were this polite to goblins, instead regarding them with wariness and barely disguised distrust.
"Mr. Potter, I presume? Please take a seat; it is a good thing that you have arrived on time." Leading the young man towards the middle of the room where a black marble desk was situated, opposite sides flanked by matching marble chairs, cushioned by soft gray cloths, the goblin proceeded to introduce himself. "My name is Sternkol. I have been the handler of the Black family funds for the past century. With the passing of one Sirius Orion Black, a will reading is in order, as well as tackling the issue of the new Black family head." With this, Sternkol proceeded to take out several parchments from a folder that appeared as soon as the two had seated. The folder was embossed with the Black family crest: a coat of arms with a black stallion in the center, its body wrapped by a basilisk and its head on the horse's neck. The edge was framed by silver ivy leaves, and the motto, "Aut vincere aut mori" engraved on the top, its simple font belying the true meaning of the words.
"Either conquer or die..." Harry murmured softly as his eyes continued to examine the crest that he was soon to carry, along with the Potter one. He glanced at Sternkol who was observing him quietly. Once the goblin realized he had the young wizard's attention, he continued his explanation of what the will reading entailed and what Harry was to expect. After a few more minutes of getting the technicalities out of the way, the goblin got out another piece of parchment, this one, longer than the previous papers, with a slight aura of magic surrounding it. Harry looked closely at the piece of paper, finally determining that the magic surrounding it was of a bluish-gray colour, reminiscent of his godfather's eye colour. Obviously, this was Sirius' will. He unconsciously straightened his posture, as Sternkol then unrolled the parchment, reading the last will and testament of one Sirius Orion Black:
THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of I, Sirius Orion Black, current head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, of the European Wizarding World:
I.
I, Sirius Orion Black, current head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, residing at Black Manor, of the European Wizarding Society, being of sound mind, do hereby declare this instrument to be my last will and testament.
II.
I hereby revoke all previous wills and codicils.
III.
I direct that the disposition of my remains be as follows:
In the instance that I am preceded by any of my companions, namely, James Potter, Lily Evans-Potter, and Remus John Lupin, I request that I be buried beside said companions in the place that was chosen for them so that I may rest in the presence of those close to me.
IV.
I give all the rest and residue of my estate, which I will list later on, to be passed on to my heir, my godson, Harry James Potter, should he accept the condition that should he be a legal adult in the Wizarding World, he become the head of my family, and carry my last name as one of his own. If my godson, Harry James Potter, refuses to adhere to the condition given to him, I give all the rest and residue of my estate to Remus John Lupin, with monetary funds to be passed on as well to certain individuals who have made an impression on me. If neither Harry James Potter nor Remus John Lupin survives me, I give all the rest and residue of my estate to my heirs as determined by the laws of the Ministry of Magic in England, relating to descent and distribution.
V.
I appoint Sternkol Wyrmcleave, to act as the executor of this will, to serve without bond.
I herewith affix my signature to this will on this, the 29th day of June, 1988, updated on the 13th of February, 1999, at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, in the presence of the following witnesses, who witnessed and subscribed this will at my request, and in my presence:
James Potter
Lily Evans-Potter
Remus John Lupin
Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Wizarding London, United Kingdom
VI.
The list of fortunes and holdings of Sirius Orion Black, head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, to be given to his successor, Harry James Potter, are as follows:
• 9,809,000,000 monies worth in galleons, sickles, and knuts (Wizarding Currency)
• 10,765,000,000 monies worth in English pounds
• 96 holdings in the the following wizarding businesses:
• Flourish and Blotts (European and North American branches)
• Zonko's Joke Shop (European branches)
• Magical Menagerie (European, and International branches)
• The Daily Prophet (European, and International Divisions)
• Quality Quidditch Supplies (European and North American branches)
• Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour (Diagon Alley, Wizarding England)
• 87 holdings in European and North American muggle businesses of the following persuasions:
• Science and Technology
• Music and Entertainment
• Fashion
• Literature
• Foods
• Estates spread out in the continents of Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, totalling to a net worth of 764,768,950,000 monies in galleons.
• A collection of heirlooms, treasures, art pieces, literature, and other miscellaneous objects pertaining to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and its collection totalling a net worth of 312,408,000 monies worth in galleons.
The list of fortunes and holdings of Sirius Orion Black, head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, to be given to Remus John Lupin, and directly transferred to his account, vault number 619, are as follows:
• 1,000,000,000 monies worth in galleons, sickles, and knuts (Wizarding Currency)
• The entirety of the Black Family Library, 12 Grimmauld Place, totalling a net worth of 234,070,000 monies worth in galleons, sickles, and knuts (Wizarding Currency)
The list of fortunes and holdings of Sirius Orion Black, head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, to be given to Messrs. Billius, Charles, Frederick, and George Weasley, and directly transferred to their respective accounts, vault numbers 326 , 351, 401 and 401 are as follows:
• 1,000,000 monies worth in galleons, sickles, and knuts (Wizarding Currency)
And to Messrs. Frederick and George Weasley:
• Marauder's Handbook (authors: Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs)
The list of fortunes and holdings of Sirius Orion Black, head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, to be given to the remaining members of the Noble House of Weasley, namely Mr. Arthur Weasley, his spouse Molly Weasley, Mr. Percival Weasley, and their remaining children, Ronald and Ginevra Weasley, whose accounts are under their parents' name, all directly transferred to their respective accounts, a joint vault for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ronald, and Ginevra Weasley, vault number 177, and vault number 384 for Percival Weasley are as follows:
• 500,000 monies worth in galleons, sickles and knuts (Wizarding Currency)
VII.
As all of my affairs have now been handled fairly, I request for the following piece of parchment to be read by my heir and godson, Harry James Potter, and in the event that he is unable to attend this reading, I request for the parchment to be burned.
To Remus John Lupin, I hereby cast a spell on you that forces you to accept this small token of appreciation from me. Please accept this parchment by way of explanation.
In the event that Remus John Lupin is unable to attend this reading, I request for his parchment to be placed in the trust of my will executor, Sternkol Wyrmcleave, until the time when Remus John Lupin is able to hold a meeting with him.
The parchment in the goblin's hands glowed brightly once, before fading back to its natural colour. Once Sternkol had finished up reading the will, another parchment appeared on top of the Black family folder, the same aura of magic that enveloped the will covering the folded piece of paper as well. Sternkol slowly picked up the paper and quietly passed it on to Harry. He saw as the young man scanned the page from left to right, his brilliant green eyes, slightly hidden by his hair, becoming brighter with unshed tears.
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Harry reached for the folded piece of parchment, opening it and with slight trepidation, began reading its contents:
Dear Harry,
Well, Prongslet, if you're reading this, then most likely, I'm very much dead, and if I know myself as much as I think I do, then I died doing something that I believed to be for a good cause. If Moony's with you right now, give me a hug for me, will you? I'm sure he's mad as hell at me right now, but he knows me well enough to know that I don't really have any regrets, save for not having enough time to spend with you and not being able to see you grow up to the amazing person I know you'll become.
I love you like a son, Harry; you're not just James son, you're Harry. Don't be pressured into doing something you don't want. You're not a pawn, remember that!
By the end of this letter, you'll be getting the Black family signet ring. I may not like Dark magic, but in some insane, twisted way, I'm still proud of my family. We don't have the best of reputations now, but I'm sure you'll do great with upholding the family name. Don't be pressured by it, okay? A name will only always be just that: a name. By accepting my name, you're acknowledging the fact that you see me as a parental figure of sorts. Harry James Black-Potter. I hope you don't mind that, kiddo.
I miss you, I love you. Never, ever forget that, yeah? It's strange for me to feel all mushy, but I guess you're just that special to me. Don't worry about me, Prongslet, I'll be with your mum and dad, and we'll all be having a blast 'til you come here, to which I must add, don't you dare come here until you're all old and wrinkly, you hear me? If not, then godson or not, I will personally kick your arse! Same for Moony too, eh?
Take care of yourself, and make sure Moony doesn't do anything stupid like me!
Sirius
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Finishing up the letter, Harry raised his head to look at Sternkol only to find something forming on top of the Black family folder. He watched quietly as a small black box landed on top of the folder with a muted thump. He slowly reached for the box, feeling remaining traces of magic brush the back of his hand as he wrapped his palm around the velvet surface.
The ring inside was simple: a platinum band with a thin weave of silver braiding itself on the surface. A black obsidian chip with an incredibly detailed engraving of the Black family crest was embedded into the centre. It pulsed with sentient magic, and called out to his core. Without thinking, Harry reached for the ring, placing it on his left middle finger. A wave of magic washed over him and for a moment, he felt his Godfather's presence with him once again.
A slight cough from Sternkol got back Harry's attention. Harry felt the ring adjust itself to fit his finger snugly, and another pulse of magic, this one considerably weaker than the first, came from the ring, before finally melding itself into Harry's core, finally bounding Harry to the Black family name, and thus making him the new head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.
"Now that the will reading is done, may I be the first to congratulate you on your newfound Lordship, Mr. Potter." Sternkol gave a slight nod of respect to the young lord, his curiosity starting to get to him again. It had been a long time since the signet ring had pulsed like that. This wizard was certainly someone to look out for.
"Thank you, Sternkol. Uhm. If it's alright with you, I still have a few questions I'd like for you to answer, as well as some things I'd like for you to help me with, that is, uhm, if you're not too busy?" Harry rushed out the words quickly. He was unsure if he was polite enough to the goblin, and as he was the only one he knew who was personally familiar with his financial standings, he was unsure of what he was going to do if the goblin refused him. He was then pleasantly surprised to hear the goblin's acquiescence to his request.
"Of course, Mr. Potter. I am, after all, the one managing the Black funds, and since you are the new head of the family, it is my duty to assist you in managing your finances."
"Oh... Well, great then! I was wondering if you could help me concerning my family's finances, the Potters, I mean, since I figured I might as well do it now, considering I'm already at the bank and all. Then maybe I might check out the vaults for both houses, since I kind of plan on combining the two, that is, if it's even possible, so... Yeah!"
Sternkol raised a bushy brow at the wizard's request. He was an adult, surely, he must have some knowledge about his own familial fundings. He was now the head of two very prominent families in the Wizarding world, and if he was to let even one slip out of control, people would surely exploit it. With a curt nod towards Harry's direction, the banker decided to call upon his senior adviser to ask for his opinion. Surely, he should know about the current situation as it concerned two of the biggest clients they had. If what he thought to be happening was true, then that would mean that someone within their bank was breaching the code of conduct and was playing spy. This was of course, punishable by nothing less than death, so the gravity of the implied situation was not lost on the goblin.
After explaining all this to Harry, whose expression hardened, Sternkol sent a message to his senior adviser via another goblin whose position was as a clerk working under his division. A request for Harry to wait was given to the young man, who simply nodded his head and sat back in his chair. Barely a few minutes passed before a sharp rap on the door was heard, followed by it opening, and letting inside one of the biggest goblins Harry had seen so far.
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Runebok Orekutt was once again checking up on the Potter house's financial standing. It had been frozen, save for the small trust fund left to the last Potter. Even with his high standing in the bank, Runebok had decided to keep track of the Potter records personally, as they were one of the biggest clients of the bank. With his careful guidance, the Potter fund remained untouched, growing in size and value, waiting for it to be reclaimed by the rightful heir. Lately though, small amounts of money were slowly being taken out of the account. They were by no means small in laymen's terms, landing itself around 10,000 galleons per transaction, yet due to the vast size of the Potter fortune, someone with less experience may have not taken notice of the vanishing monies. It had puzzled and angered the goblin to find out that someone was daring to steal from them, and it frustrated him to not be able to catch who. Their bank had topnotch security systems installed in each and every account they had, and the Potter one was no different, and yet, someone was thinking that they were clever enough to try and steal from them without being noticed. After deciding that once again, the bank had to compensate for the lost funds, he closed the Potter folder and proceeded to place it back inside the drawer. He was about to let go of the file when he was interrupted by the sound of knocking. The folder was momentarily forgotten as the goblin stood up and proceeded to let the person in. The light glinted off the golden coat of arms of the Potters, a phoenix with its wings outstretched to either side of the crest that held up a delicate crown with its talons. The edges were made of ruby red and golden flames and the white-gold colour of the background represented the magical affinity the Potter family represented. Their motto was placed on just below the upheld crown, "A Deo et Rege"... "From Gods and Kings..."
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And... Done! Ooh. Krazee just made a new record longest chappie evah so far, anyways. I'm not sure if this is considered a cliffie or not, but weber... I finally caught a nice, fat, plot bunny! Yay. Review, review, thankee
The will wasn't entirely made up. I got help from a template and then added my own stuff to it. Wow. Sirius is pretty damn loaded, yeah? Woosh. Oh, and forgive ze latin. I just used a word translator. Anyone who knows latin, feel free to correct me, kk? Great. :P