Chapter 8: The Potter Will

Harry yawned and rolled over in his camp bed on Ron's floor. It was such a lovely morning, and his covers were so warm and comfortable ... But what was that? He blinked and became aware of somebody chattering over him.

"– you think that you're spending anymore time in bed, you are most sadly mistaken –"

His sleep clouded brain zoned out as he yawned again and blinked. A small, red-haired person faded into view before him.

"– am not waiting a moment longer or I'll have to drag –"

He wondered what on earth Ginny was doing, disturbing him from his peaceful slumber, early, for the second time in two days.

"– going to open your presents for you if you don't lug your arse out of bed right this minute!"

Oh, that's right. Yesterday had been his birthday, and if he wasn't mistaken, the dull ache behind his eyes was a reminder of the evening they had had. He pushed himself up on his elbows and looked at her.

"Gin, why are you even awake? You had more to drink than I did," He wondered outloud.

"Oh! Excuse me," She turned and pushed the curtains open, revealing a strong bright sun high in the sky. "You've already slept half the day away! Mum says if you want any lunch, you'd better be down. And I guess I hold it better than you." She smirked.

"Ah." He said, squinting at the sunlight. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He hastily hopped out of bed and grabbed his towel, grinning at a restless Ginny. "5 minutes, okay? Then you can open some presents for me."

She grinned back at him, excited like a little girl at the prospect.

"Alright." She turned to leave, her long hair swinging behind her, and paused at the door. "Did you hear that Ron? Lunch!"

"I'm up! I'm up ..." A groggy Ron fought his sheets back, yawning and looking a lot worse for the wear than Harry felt.

He caught Harry's raised eyebrows and grimaced. "Don't tell Hermione ..." he muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, I think she knows. We all saw you down that last half-bottle –" Harry replied.

"Yes, we did." Hermione's voice came from the open door. Ron looked guiltily at her stern posture, fighting back another yawn.

Her face softened into a little smile.

"Well, I guess that hangover is punishment enough. Let's get something for you to eat." She relaxed, smiling a good morning to Harry, who was gobsmacked. Love really can change people, he thought, and headed out for his shower.


Half an hour later, Ron and Hermione joined them at the breakfast table, looking rather more dishevelled, and shooting each other furtive glances. Harry grinned into his quiche, noting Mrs Weasley pursing her lips, and pointedly looking away.

Ginny barely let him gulp down his last mouthful before dragging him into the dining room where, he was astounded to see the biggest pile of presents he had ever set his eyes upon. She grinned and took his hand, her eyes glinting mischievously.

"Now, where on earth should we start?" She winked. "Oh, have you decided on a name for my gift yet?" she added.

"Yes, I have." Harry replied, smiling.

She waited expectantly, then huffed.

"Well! What it is then?" He laughed. She could be impatient sometimes.

"Sirius." He said.

She smiled. "That's lovely."

"What was that, Harry?" Hermione asked, trailing into the room with Ron behind her.

"I said I've decided to call my new owl Sirius."

"Oh, that's nice!" She grinned at Ginny. "We knew you'd like him."

"Okay, present time!" Ginny exclaimed, clapping her hands.

An hour later, the dining table was strewn with ribbons, colourful ripped paper, and more gifts than they could count. He'd received numerous hampers of chocolates and congratulations cards from people he didn't even know, let alone those who'd been at his party.

In addition, Ron had given him a ginormous hamper of all his favourite sweets from Honeydukes, and Hermione a heavy stack of books titled, "Magical Careers – Find out what's for you".

"Now that the wars over, it's something we all have to think about!" Harry smiled his thanks while Ron rolled his eyes behind her.

In addition to organising the party, Mr and Mrs Weasley gave Harry a brand new travelling cloak, all dark blue velvet and silver trim. It must have cost them a fortune, and he decided to somehow reimburse them for it. Luna had given him, unsurprisingly, a book titled, "Dealing with the consequences of Wrackspurts: Memoirs of a clouded brain", and Harry smiled as he opened McGonagalls gift, a pocket pensieve with a note attached; "For you to remember, In your own time."

"That's a nice idea," Ron commented, his voice muffled through a mouthful of Honeydukes chocolate from his own hamper. They were sifting and sorting through his other gifts, Ginny persuading Harry to try on a peculiar tophat from Dedalus and Telius Diggle, when Mr Weasley entered looking harassed.

"I've just come from the Ministry," He started, avoiding their eyes.

"Dad..?" Ron questioned.

Harry's smile slid off his face. He got up, bracing himself. "Something's happened." It was not a question, but a statement. He had known it was only a matter of time. It couldn't just be alright. It had been far too quiet ever since ... that night. He would never be allowed peace.

"I have to tell you, before you hear it from someone else." Mr Weasley continued. "I don't want you to worry, but there's been a warning."

"What kind of warning?" Ginny asked, fear in her voice.

"Escaped death-eaters. The ones who didn't hang around to see Voldemort fall, but they've decided they're loyal enough now. A threat. To the ministry, to hand you over and they'll stop."

"Stop. Stop... what exactly?" Harry's voice was hard.

Mr Weasley sighed. "They've escaped to Europe. We don't know where exactly, but they're recruiting. We think..."

"Yes?" Ron prompted, frowning.

"We think that they're trying to turn Durmstrang against us. School against school. Country against country."

"Hermione caught her breath.

"But, nobody knows where Durmstrang is..." Ginny said.

"Right."

"So how are we supposed to fight them, or keep an eye on them?"

"Nobody knows where it is... except for the people who went there." Harry replied.

They all turned to stare at Hermione.

"I don't know where he is." She whispered.

"He would help you." Ron said. "Much as I hate him, I know he would."

"I could, try..." She said, looking doubtful.

Mr Weasley looked at her intently. "Hermione, I'm not asking you to do anything. In fact, I don't want you lot involved at all. I just wanted you to know before you found out some other way. I'll have some people at the ministry try to track down Krum." She nodded slowly. "And Harry, I definitely don't want you helping. You couldn't escape from facing Voldemort, but this is not your fight. I don't want to hear of you doing anything but keeping yourself safe."

"But –" Harry protested.

"But nothing. The ministry is strong again, and Kingsley will lead us all out of this one. You have to trust him. Do I have your word?"

He was silent, his brow furrowed.

"Your word, Harry." Mr Weasley sighed. "Molly didn't even want me to tell you, but I thought you deserved to know. Without your promise, you know she won't let you leave the house."

He looked at Ginny, Ron and then Hermione before finally relenting. "My word. I promise." He sat down.

Mr Weasley sighed again. "Thank you. Now, you have a visitor. From Gringotts, I believe. He's waiting in my study."

Harry's frown became a look of confusion. "Waiting for me? From Gringotts?"

"Mmhmm. I believe he said it was a matter of utmost importance." Mr Weasley left the room, humming discordantly.

Harry turned to Ginny. "Come with me?"

She smiled.


"Griphook?" Harry entered the room ahead of Ginny, and thought he recognised the Goblin sitting on the other side of the desk there. The Goblin raised its head to stare at him through wise, beady eyes, similar to his Goblin acquaintance, but unfamiliar.

"My name is Gornuk, Mr Potter, and I wish to see you alone." He turned a disapproving gaze at Ginny.

Harry vaguely remembered meeting the Goblin at Gringotts during one of his many visits there. "Her name is Ginny, and you are to see us together."

Gornuk regarded him silently with raised eyebrows. Harry stood his ground, staring back.

"Very well." The goblin sat back and motioned to the chairs. "Take a seat."

"Mr Potter, are you aware of the nature of my meeting you today?" Gornuk spoke to him only, ignoring Ginny's presence. He scooped up a stack of official looking parchment bearing both Ministry and Gringotts seals.

Harry shook his head impassively.

"I have here," Gornuk said slowly, "the combined will of Mr James Potter and Mrs Lily Potter née Evans." He paused at Harry's widening eyes. Ginny took his hand and squeezed it, the warmth of her palm reassuring. His throat felt dry.

Gornuk plucked the topmost parchment, a single sheet, with his long slender fingers and handed to Harry. He took the paper. Underneath the formal statements was written a single line, in elegant flowing scripture that Harry recognised as his mothers.

I, Lily Potter née Evans and I, James Potter hereby do declare Harry James Potter our single and only heir, leaving in his possession all our worldly goods and inheritances.

Harry read and re-read this sentence over and over again, and stared at the signatures below, memorising them. His parents had written this, signed this, and left him everything. His heart felt both light and heavy as he was consumed with love and grief.

He looked up through misty glasses. "So, Godric's hollow is officially mine?" He thought to himself how much he would like going back there and fixing it up.

"It's quite simple Mr Potter," Gornuk selected a few more sheets of parchment. "Everything they owned and/or had inherited is officially yours."

He cleared his throat and regarded the parchment in front of him. "Your mother was the official and legal owner of the house in Godric's Hollow, this is what she bequeathed to you. Your father however, was the last living member of a small but very powerful wizarding dynasty. The Potter's have been prominent in society for well over three hundred years."

"But how come.. I mean, why didn't anybody ever tell me this?" Harry asked bewilderedly.

Gornuk fixed his eyes on him once again, but this time there was a flicker of pity evident.

"There was an epidemic of a rather nasty form of dragon pox in the early 1890's. Many fell victim, and unfortunately the Potters were all but wiped out. Your father was descended from the small family who survived. Incidentally, this was also when dragons became illegal in the UK and Ireland, as published in law by the Ministry of Magic. Your remaining ancestors saw fit to remove themselves from society, mourning their losses and, I believe, re-building their fortune."

Harry and Ginny were shocked into silence. So that explained why no-one had told him. No-one he knew was over a hundred years old, and therefore wouldn't have known about his family. Except, he reminded himself, Dumbledore. But then he had long accepted that it was Dumbledore's way to let him discover things for himself.

"Their – fortune, sir?" Ginny asked tentatively.

Gornuk slowly turned his head to stare at her, but she didn't quail.

"Your father," he said, addressing Harry, "has left you an estimated fortune of three million galleons, six hundred and twenty four sickles and eight knuts."

Harry gave a strangled choke, and Ginny gasped, her mouth wide open in disbelief.

"Estimated, because I currently have five goblins counting."

"But I – my vault at Gringotts –" Harry spluttered.

"Your vault at Gringotts contained that which your parents had set aside for your childhood years. It was decided that you would come into your inheritance on your seventeenth birthday which occurred, if you remember, in the middle of a war. The Ministry attempted to contact you, but were told that you had left The Burrow."

Harry was silent.

"In addition to the property at Godric's Hollow, you have also been bequeathed a summer cottage in Cornwall, a rather spectacular town house in central London, and the main residence, Potter Manor located on the outskirts of the village of Lochinver in North Scotland."

At this point Harry found his voice. "Potter...Manor?"

"Yes. A lovely property that dates back to the 1600's. Since then it has been reconstructed and modernised." The corners of his lips twitched as if he wanted to smile. "I daresay you and Miss Weasley will be quite comfortable there."

Harry turned red and spluttered as Ginny grinned and squeezed his hand again.

"Thank you, Mr Gornuk." She said leaning forward. "Is that all?"

"Not quite." The Goblin replied.

"There's more?" Harry could hardly process it.

"From the last will and testament of Mr Sirius Orion Black, last remaining heir of the Black family –"

"I know – Dumbledore already told me." Harry cut in. "He left me Grimmauld Place, and Kreacher."

Gornuk inclined his head. "That he did Mr Potter, but what Dumbledore evidently did not tell you, is that since Sirius named you as his heir, you have also inherited the Black family fortune. In other words Mr Potter, you are a very rich Wizard. The Black family fortune adds another four million galleons to your wealth."

"Right." Harry said, feeling lightheaded.

"The Blacks also owned a castle in Bulgaria."

Alarm bells went off in Harry's head. Bulgaria...Rogue death eaters... threats of violence... he looked at Ginny, seeing the same realisation in her eyes.

"Is everything alright, Mr Potter?" Gornuk inquired.

"Yes, fine." Harry said frowning.

"Well to finalise the transactions, I'll need your signature –"


Twenty minutes later, Harry and Ginny exited the study, still dazed. They wandered into the living room, where Hermione and all the Weasleys were waiting for them. Harry told them.

"NO FREAKING WAY!" Ron grabbed his shoulders and shook him, his eyes wild and feverishly excited. "Mate – you're set for life! For five lives!"

"Careful, Ron." Hermione admonished him, then addressed Harry. "That's wonderful! And crazy."

"Very crazy." He agreed. "Now, Mr and Mrs Weasley, I have something to give you." He brought two documents out from behind his back and handed one to Mrs Weasley.

She took one look at it and sobbed. "Harry! Oh, Harry, no! You don't have to –"

"What? What is it?" Ron wanted to know.

"It's the deed to the Cornwall cottage I inherited, with their names on it." Harry explained. Ginny grinned, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you." She whispered to him.

"No way Harry! You're too noble for your own good." Ron said, wide-eyed.

"Mrs Weasley, please. It's a gift, a small repayment for everything you've done for me. You treated me like a seventh son, and I am eternally grateful –"

He was unable to say anything else as Mrs Weasley had flung herself at him, sobbing and thanking him. When she had at last recovered, Harry gave Ginny the last, now rather crumpled document to hand to Hermione, who stared at it for a full thirty seconds before Ron lost patience and demanded to know what it said.

"Harry's given us a London town house." She said in a small voice.

"You WHAT?"

Harry grinned. "Well, it's not like I'm expecting you two to go live in it for a while, but when we leave Hogwarts, you're gonna need a place to be alone." He winked at Ron, who looked as though Christmas, Easter and his birthday had come early.

"Mate, I can't ever repay you for this." He sounded more sincere than he'd ever been. Hermione stood, tears in her eyes and hugged him too. She and Ron sat back down holding hands.

"Well," Ginny exclaimed. "I think that has been successful!" Harry grinned and snaked an arm around her waist.

"I think we will be quite comfortable in Potter Manor, don't you?" he whispered into her ear. She grinned in delight and kissed him, mindless of her family watching.


Managed to introduce a few new plotlines in this chapter! I don't know about you, but I was getting a bit bored with nothing really happening. I don't intend to throw them into another war, but the Death-Eaters are going to wreck a little havoc here and there...

As always, please review, and SUGGESTIONS! Nobody has given me any, but if there if ANYTHING that you want to see happen, please let me know. I know that potter-fans like myself are extremely verbal, especially in imagining what happens after book 7. However crazy or far-fetched, at will at least consider your idea

Thank you xxx