Disclaimer: I do not and have never owned the characters from either Harry Potter or Highlander. I am just borrowing them for a little bit.
There Can be Only One…
Chapter 9: The Return
August 2, 1996
Harry was a bit sad. He was standing in Charles de Gaulle airport and had just said goodbye to he guessed his new girlfriend Hermione Granger a few seconds ago. He was still standing by the window looking out at her plane as it taxied away from the airport. The last week spent with Hermione was one of the best. They saw the sites with both her parents and themselves. He learned a lot about her in the time they spent alone. He realized that after knowing her for five years he truly did not know her. So he spent the time to learn some of her likes and dislikes, but he truly learned that spending time with Hermione opened his eyes to what kind of woman she truly was. He wondered again how lucky he was to have her in his life. Thinking of her though let his mind wonder to his other friends and Ron in particular. What was he up to, and how had his summer faired. Harry figured that he would be upset that he had not written to him at all, but Harry felt he had made the right choice. Not just because of his Immortality, but the fact that looking back the Headmaster has some master plan that he was the lynch pin for. As it was he was not looking forward to talking to Ron about this summer and about what he had been doing. His thoughts were interrupted by a voice to his left.
"You're thinking it is time to go back." His companion told him.
"Yes I am Duncan," Harry replied, "As much as I have enjoyed being away form the Wizarding world seeing her makes me realize what needs to be done there. Voldemort and his followers need to be dealt with and I am the only one that can do what needs to be done."
After seeing Hermione's plane leave the taxiway Harry turned to leave. "I guess we need to make arrangements to return to England and I need to figure out what I am going to tell people. The Headmaster knows I was staying with you and probably has figured out some of the things that I have been up to, but not all, and as he has some master plan that concerns me I will need to tread carefully with him. Hopefully when he gets wind of my return I can work with him and he will allow me some measure of freedom. If not then I think that my job will be all the harder."
"Do what you must Harry, remember only you can control your destiny." Duncan told him as they got into his land rover and returned to the barge. Harry went to his room and started to pack his belongings. He wanted be back in England by the end of the weekend so that he could prepare for what was coming, both with Dumbledore and Voldemort. He just hoped that the coming war was short and that loss of life was minimal.
August 4, 1996
Harry walked down the jet way of Heathrow airport lost in thought. He had sent Hedwig on a head with a note to Hermione that he was coming back home and where he would be staying. He wanted to see her again after he got settled. He needed to talk with her again about was coming and what to do about their other friends. He was particularly worried about Ron and his reactions. Harry hated to keep secrets from him, but his immortality needed to be kept secret even from those he called his friends. The only reason that he told Hermione was that she had his heart and he could not bring himself to not tell her.
Returning to the place where his training had begun Harry went up to his room and dropped off his luggage. Opening his school trunk and removing a winter cloak he had purchased last year. Harry set about getting ready to reenter the one world where he was both hated and loved at the same time.
Hailing a taxi, Harry told the cabby to head to Charring Cross road. Situating his cloak to hide his face Harry entered the pub that changed his life forever. The Leaky Cauldron was just how he remembered it. Dimly lit with patrons either at the bar, or tables talking in low tones. The din of the common room slowed as people looked who had entered the pub, but seeing nothing uncommon about the stranger went about their business, and Harry made his way across the way to the back where the entrance to the Wizarding worlds' main hub in England sat. Opening the back door, Harry saw the brick wall that contained to portal to Diagon Alley. Smiling to himself again, Harry tapped out the bricks and watched the portal open. Looking on at the busy street, Harry made his way down to his first stop the Wizarding bank Gringotts.
"Hello my good goblin," Harry greeted the first free teller. "I need a replacement key for my vault as I seem to have misplaced it."
"Vault keys are issued by the account managers," The goblin replied. "Head down the center hallway and it is the third door on the left, though fair warning if you are trying to access a vault that is not your own well." The goblin made a slicing motion across his neck.
Harry being acutely aware what would happen if he lost his head made his way down the center hallway and to the third door on the left. Going through the door he found himself in a rather large chamber with five goblins sitting behind desks.
"Hello good sir," Harry started again with the correct goblin for his account. "I need to get a replacement key as mine is lost."
"Please use this quill and sign your name." The goblin said gruffly in a no nonsense sort of way.
Harry recognizing the type of quill it was knew he would not need any ink. So signing his name he handed the sheet and quill back to the goblin and waited patiently for them to process the request. Harry knew that Duncan would not accept anything from him, but still he would try to pay back some of the money he had been using as well as start to use his own. Harry then requested from the goblin to be taken to his vault so he could make a withdrawal for it after the new key had been created. The goblin who had been working on autopilot filled out the rest of the paperwork and reached into his desk for the new key to synchronize to the vault in question when he finally realized just who he was serving.
"Mr. Potter," The goblin said, "It seems that Gringotts has been trying to contact you for the past month in regard to a will reading."
"Will reading?" Harry said, "For who?"
"Gringotts was notified about the death of one Sirius Orion Black," The goblin explained hurriedly. "As he was never given a trial to prove his guilt, his last will and testament were never voided by the government. Now sir if you will follow me I will take you to the will and trust department and do not worry about the withdrawal from your vault. Please let me know how much you need and I will be sure it is delivered to you in short order."
Harry got up and followed the goblin through the hallways of Gringotts. Till finally they both arrived at the Will and Trust department of the bank. Going through the door Harry told the goblin that had escorted him exactly what he needed and thanked him offhandedly for showing him the way, and was greeted with the site of a goblin sitting behind an opulent desk.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," the goblin said as he rounded the desk and greeted the young wizard. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Ragnok and I head the will and trust department. Please have a seat." He gestured to a set of couches separated by a small table. "Now, normally I would not be dealing with a such a small matter as to a will reading, but there appears to be some irregularities in the Sirius Black matter, Both Albus Dumbledore and Narcissa Malfoy have tried to get the bank to either execute the will or even hold off on reading it. As neither is mentioned in the will it is up to the beneficiaries to set the stage for the reading. As you are the first to come to Gringotts it is up to you whether you want the will to be probated or not. Do you understand Mr. Potter."
"Yes sir." Harry said politely. "Please go ahead with the reading of what is in the will."
"So you know, you and a Remus John Lupin are the sole beneficiaries and you are the major beneficiary." The goblin started in a business like manner.
Harry spent the next hour going of the will and various papers. He found that Sirius had left him the majority of the Black fortune as well as the head of House for the entire Black clan. Other papers contained instructions for what to do about Bellatrix and Narcissa. After signing the appropriate papers in regard to the Black family and both of its wayward daughters Harry asked the goblins would it be possible for them to tell him when Remus came to sign his portion of the papers. The goblin informed Harry that an owl would be sent after this meeting to Mr. Lupin and once he had signed the appropriate papers Harry could be notified, Ragnok informed him it was it was highly irregular. Sensing what was going on, Harry sweetened the deal by offering the goblin a large sum of galleons to forward any information on to him.
Leaving the bank Harry was given his money as the goblin had told him and headed back out into London. Feeling better about the passing of his godfather Harry hailed a taxi and giving the address headed off into the London traffic. Sitting back he started to make plans, both for the immediate future as well as for when he returned to Hogwarts. He needed someplace to practice and the first room that came to mind was the Room of Requirement. He was brought of his own thoughts as the taxi stopped in one of the shadier neighborhoods. Harry paid the taxi driver and the waiting for the taxi to exit, looked at the buildings across the street. Remembering those magical words Harry watched as No. Twelve Grimmauld Place appeared sandwiched between No.'s Eleven and Thirteen. Smiling Harry started to looking around he found the perfect place to hide if the Order decided to return here once Remus knew he owned the building. Harry then set about his next task.
As the day progressed Harry was feeling better about his return and the plans he had set in motion. Returning to flat he shared with Duncan, Harry changed into his workout gear and started his workout that he had skipped that morning. The exercises were coming easier and easier to Harry as he practiced. Swing, block, parry and thrust were becoming second nature to him as he fought with his Katana. Finally after an hour of heavy practice Harry knelt down and started to meditate to clear his mind. Once he had finished, Harry went upstairs left the package he had prepared for Duncan where he could find it and headed off for bed.
