"HP: Bloodties" AU
'Chaos of the Phoenix'
Chapter Ten
- Gringotts -
A/N: I don't own squat, except the plot.
This chapter is split in half mainly because I have a sinus migraine from hells heart. Expect a part 2 in a few days.
I was accused of clichés. Honestly, with all the fanfic out there, there's hardly anything that isn't anymore. Well, save for Harry Crow. Now THAT's one hell of a story. Highly recommend it.
Chapter Ten
- Gringotts -
It was just after seven in the evening when six people arrived at Gringotts via portkey. The atrium they appeared in was several floors below ground and guarded by no less than six armoured Goblins. Out of everyone there, only Tonks and Harry were staring up at everyone in annoyance.
"I hate wizarding travel," Harry grumbled as he was helped to his feet by a smirking Hermione and Luna.
Tonks was being hauled up by the Marauders and was nodding her head in agreement. "I'm with you, mate. It's like they're all specifically designed to make me look ridiculous!"
Remus and the girls chuckled, but Sirius was eyeing Tonks and Harry with a look of speculation on his face. Nymphie explained once that her centre of balance was askew due to her being a metamorphmagus. While Harry was a demigod on a broom, every other form of magical travel had him on his arse. Testing his theory, he asked her a simple question. "They're not all bad, are they? You're decent on a broom, right?"
Rubbing her bum, Tonks tilted her head while her hair changed from purple to pink. "Yeah, okay. Not all travel, but that's the exception to the rule. I was a decent keeper on the pitch." Harry nodded his agreement to the broom theory when they were interrupted.
Standing at the archway to the portkey atrium, a Goblin in a rather expensive looking muggle three piece suit cleared his throat. "Welcome to Gringotts. If you will follow me, we can attend the first of your requested meetings. Snaphook is awaiting the Scion of the House of Black."
While they followed the as of yet unidentified goblin, the triad had a silent conversation in their minds. Harry marvelled at how quickly things could get done when one involved house elves, as Dobby had delivered Sirius' request and returned with the hoop portkey in hardly any time at all. Hermione thought that house elves were horribly underestimated, while Luna wondered why no one had thought to do such a thing before. That thought caused the other two to shrug.
They were led to a rather unremarkable conference room, which had an equally mundane appearing table. The only thing of note about said table was that it was somewhat triangular in shape. The odd thing about it was one point of the stretched triangle didn't have a seat. The shorter of the three sides was for the goblin representative, as the amount of paperwork normally required the space.
As their guide was leaving, Harry held out his hand. "Thank you, Griphook. May your coffers overflow."
Startled, the goblin looked up and blinked at him, before grinning and shaking his hand. "And may your enemy's blood drench the earth, Mr. Potter."
After the door closed, everyone took a seat. Remus and Sirius sat on either side of Tonks, while Hermione and Luna did the same with Harry on the other side of the table. Sirius grinned at his godson. "That was perfect, Harry. How'd you know his name?"
Shrugging, Harry grinned back. "Well, he was the first goblin I ever met."
"How can you tell them apart?" Tonks asked, completely confused.
Harry just stared at her and countered with, "You can't?"
When Snaphook arrived, everyone stood as Sirius had instructed earlier and either gave him a half bow or a one handed curtsey. Snaphook smirked at them. "Please be seated. As Orion Arcturus Black left only a standard will to the line of succession, this will be brief."
Opening his briefcase, Snaphook retrieved a small dagger and a rather thick piece of parchment. Handing both to Sirius, he nodded to the man. "Please knick a finger and let three drops of blood onto the parchment."
Nodding, Sirius neatly sliced his left middle finger and did as he was told. While he held the rapidly healing finger to his mouth, everyone watched as words and boxes appeared on the parchment. The boxes were a hereditary lineage, while the words below stated what Sirius could claim as his inheritance.
Sirius Orion Black
Hereditary Titles:
Lord Black – Repository 13
Earl of Blackmoor – Vault 25
Count of Hanover – Vault 53
Baron Macmillan – Vault 1123
Special Abilities:
Animagus – Grim
Affinity:
Charms, Potions
I.Q. - 149
"Count of Hanover and Baron Macmillan are a surprise," Sirius commented, then looked up. "No, wait. Macmillan was my grandmother's maiden name."
Remus arched his brow. "Isn't Hanover a muggle title?"
Nodding, Sirius agreed. "Yes, but so are the Earl of Blackmoor and Baron Macmillan."
"What does that mean?" Hermione asked.
Sirius grinned. "It means that I can sit on the muggle House of Lords if I wanted to. I think Greengrass is the current proxy for the Earldom."
Tonks leaned over to take a peek. "So, you really are a Grim? Thought that was a magical creature."
"Don't," Remus chided. "You're just going to inflate his ego."
"Like he needs it," Harry quipped. Sirius replied with a very mature tongue sticking out at his godson.
Amused with the byplay, Snaphook cleared his throat. "Now that we've verified your inheritance, here are your vault keys and signet ring for the House of Black."
Sirius pocketed the keys and slid the ring over his right middle finger. It glowed briefly and resized itself to fit. Immediately following, Sirius head popped straight as the rush of family magic filled him.
"You all right?" Harry asked him.
Sirius nodded. "Yeah. Surprisingly, the family magic feels neutral. I'd have thought it to be a bit Dark."
"Only a few families have truly Dark hereditary magic, Lord Black," Snaphook commented. "Now, are you certain about your other requests?"
"Yes," Sirius said firmly. "Andromeda Tonks is to be restored to the Black Family Line along with her daughter Nymphadora." He caught the fist that was about to smack his shoulder. "Sorry, but it's required."
"Hate that name," Tonks growled.
Sirius just grinned at her. "As to the other, Narcissa and Bellatrix are to be struck from the Black Family Line. Draco is to be included with that, and the other will have to depend on what happens next."
Nodding, Snaphook flicked his fingers over the dagger to wandlessly scourgify it. He then handed it and another parchment to Hermione.
Startled, Hermione paled. "Please, I don't want to know," she whispered.
"Hermione," Sirius said gently, "we discussed this. Kreacher recognised you. We need to know your birthright."
Feeling Harry and Luna's emotional support, Hermione inhaled sharply and grabbed the dagger. A swift cut on her left middle finger, she squeezed the required three drops onto the parchment – then sucked on her finger with closed eyes. She really didn't want to know, but with Harry and Luna watching the parchment she'd know soon anyway.
Harry's sharp gasp caused her to snap her eyes to the parchment. The sight of it had her shrieking, "NO!"
Meissa Belladonna Potter Peverell Ravenclaw (née Riddle)
Hereditary Titles:
Duchess of Ravenclaw – Repository 7
Lady Peverell – Repository 10
Lady Potter – Repository 11
Heiress: House of Slytherin – No Vault
Heiress: House of Gaunt – No Vault
Trust Vault 2336
Special Abilities:
Animagus – Leopard
Affinity:
Transfiguration, Potions
I.Q. - 206
Luna was out of her chair and on the other side of Hermione, when she fell into Harry's lap bawling. Tonks snapped the parchment up, and Sirius and Remus read it from the side. "Well," Remus commented. "That's quite a shock."
"Several, I would think," Tonks added, looking at Hermione with concern.
Sirius saw the maiden name and was confused. Looking to the lineage trace, he verified that Bellatrix was her mother – while Tom Marvolo Riddle was her father? "Who's Tom Riddle?"
Harry glared at him, hissing. "Voldemort."
Wide eyed, Snaphook leaned forward to look Harry in the eye. "Is this true?" At his nod, the goblin blinked rapidly while cursing in his native language. After a bit, another goblin entered the room and handed him a key and a small box. "I'll just leave her these," Snaphook said quietly, "and let you to talk amongst yourselves while waiting for your next appointment. I assume that you will not be striking Meissa Potter from the Black Family Line?"
Sirius shook his head. "No. Thank you, Snaphook. May your enemies falter at the sight of you."
The goblin nodded with a grin. "And may your gold ever flow." His business concluded, he collected his things and left the room.
Harry and Luna spent quite a while simply rocking Hermione during her breakdown. "I still love you," they said together. "Don't ever forget that."
"But I'm horrible!" Hermione hissed.
Sirius took offence to that. "Hermione, I was the white sheep in the House of Black. Rather than follow my parents' belief in pureblood supremacy, I ran away from home… straight to Potter Manor at the age of sixteen. So, don't you ever judge yourself because of your lineage. You decide who you are, not anyone else," he said rather vehemently.
"He's right Mione," Harry murmured in her ear. "You are Hermione Jane Potter to me, so don't you ever doubt yourself you brilliant and beautiful witch."
"I love you, Harry… Luna," Hermione whimpered.
"We love you too," they chorused.
"Besides," Luna said, "it is not every day you discover that you are married to Duchess Ravenclaw. I am suitably impressed and somewhat aroused."
Hermione's head popped up. "What?"
"It's right here in black and brown," Harry said, taking the parchment to hold up for her to read.
"I will not be called by that name," Hermione stated flatly, glaring at the name on the parchment. "Whatever it takes, I will be Hermione Jane, dammit!"
"It seems that you're going to be a leopard," Sirius opined with a smirk. "I already know what your Marauder name is going to be," he stage whispered.
Hermione glared at him from under her brow. "If it's any variation on the word 'Spot', you won't have any hair for a year," she threatened.
Sirius' head went back with wide eyes, before he squinted at her. "Spoilsport." He pushed the small box towards her with his finger. "Here, put that on."
While she was beyond pleased with her reported I.Q., she picked up the box with a frown. "What's this?" Opening it, she was astonished to see an elegant silver ring. A sapphire was set as the eye of an engraved eagle. "Is this?"
"The Ravenclaw Family Ring, yes," Sirius said with a grin. "Put it on your right middle finger."
Her emotions a complete wreck, Luna had to help her since her hands were shaking. She did grin when Luna commented, 'One day,' as she slid it on her finger. The ring glowed a bright blue, then shrunk to fit her finger. She then shivered as the family magic filled her. "Oh my," she whispered.
"Not to sound completely obtuse," Tonks said, completely confused, "but how does my first cousin rate a family ring?" she grinned when Hermione looked up at her in surprise. "That's right, honey. I'm your first cousin." Her head shifted right and left as she winked at her.
"I think that makes me your Uncle, or something," Sirius said.
Remus shook his head. "First cousin once removed. And according to this," he said with a flick at the parchment, "the last Duchess of Ravenclaw was Merope Riddle (née Gaunt). Somehow, I don't think she knew that."
"Regardless," Sirius said, waving his hand dismissively, "You're family, Hermione. And, as I am your Head of House and only struck your insane birth mother from the family, I can legally change your name to Hermione Jane Black. Well, née Black, but you get the point."
Hermione beamed at him through her tears, and blubbered out a, "Thank You!"
They were interrupted when the door opened. Luna saw the goblin and lightly squealed. Patting Hermione on the back, she trotted over and bent down to hug him. "Hello Ripfang!"
Ripfang pursed his lips and patted her on her shoulder. "Yes, yes. Hello Miss Lovegood. I mean, Lady Potter. I've told you before: Not in front of others. Now please sit down."
"But I hardly ever get to see you, though," Luna pouted.
This caused Ripfang to start laughing. "Only you, my dear," he shook his head. "Only you."
Pleased that she could get him to laugh, Luna took Hermione's seat since she was using Harry for a chair. The others were chuckling, but Remus and Sirius were gaping at her with wide eyes. No one ever heard of anyone actually hugging a goblin before. No one in their right mind even considered it, either. Needless to say, it was beyond odd and very Luna.
Once Ripfang took his seat, he opened his briefcase and took out a similar dagger and parchment along with a wax sealed scroll. The sight of the scroll caused Luna's mood to drop. Hermione and Harry reached over to rub her shoulder and back, respectively.
"As I drafted Xenophilious Lovegood's will, I will spare you the legalities." He snapped the seal and unfurled the scroll to read.
"I, Xenophilious Lovegood, being of sound mind and body…" he was interrupted by both Sirius' and Remus' soft snorts and a 'crazy bugger', "… hereby leave all my worldly goods and finances, along with all of my shares of the Quibbler, to my only daughter, Luna. I am truly sorry to have left you, my dear. I do hope that you will forgive me.
"If you have any need before your age of majority, please get in touch with either Arthur Weasley or Andromeda Tonks." Tonks perked up at that, wondering what that was about. "However, please mind Molly. She's a right vindictive bird, as you found out when you were eight years old. Regardless, I do hope your mother was right, and that you are currently with your husband and wife. I do not like the idea of leaving you on your own, my moonbeam. For that, I'm not sure I can forgive myself.
"That being said, if the husband and wife are present at this reading, please take good care of my only child. She's a wonderful girl, and will do anything for you simply out of the kindness of her heart. I entrust you both with her well being, and I do hope my little Luna doesn't join me in the hereafter for an extremely long time.
"Farewell, my daughter. Know that I love you always.
"Xenophilius Lovegood"
By the time Ripfang was finished reading the will, Hermione and Luna had changed places. Harry wished he had enough lap for both of his devastated girls. As it was, Luna was quietly crying into his shoulder while he and Hermione did their best to comfort her.
Harry and Hermione had to help her when it was her turn for the parchment blood drip. She didn't want anything to do with it, and no amount of reassurance that the dagger was pain free would dissuade her. Harry held her hand still while Hermione nicked her thumb. While she sucked on the healing digit, more surprises came.
Luna Celeste Potter Peverell Hufflepuff (née Lovegood)
Hereditary Titles:
Duchess of Hufflepuff – Repository 8
Lady Peverell – Repository 10
Lady Potter – Repository 11
Heiress: House of Lovegood – Vault 206
Trust Vault 3489
Special Abilities:
Animagus – White Panther (Leopard)
Mage Sight
True Telepathy
Affinity:
Healing, Charms, Beast Lore
I.Q. - 197
Blinking at the page, Luna and Hermione shared a baffled look. "I do not know what is more disturbing, Hermione – the fact that we are both heirs to two different Founders, or that our animagus forms match."
"Both are highly unlikely," Hermione admitted. "We're also beyond genius level…"
There was a large whap, startling everyone except Ripfang, as Tonks had slapped the table. "Another Founder? We've got Ravenclaw, but which are you?" she half asked, half shouted with wide eyes. Remus put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down.
"Hufflepuff," Luna said quietly, wiping her eyes with a conjured handkerchief from Sirius.
Harry frowned. "Something else that's odd – What's with both of you having Peverell in your names?"
"I think that has something to do with you, Harry, since they both have it as well as Potter," Sirius said as the same goblin entered again with another key and wooden box.
Tonks thought about that. "Isn't Peverell the name of 'The Three Brothers'?"
"I thought that was just a wizarding fairy tale," Remus half asked.
"Might be more to it than that," Sirius commented.
Ripfang slid the box over to sit in front of Harry and Luna, with her two vault keys on top of it. She looked at him, a touch confused. "Why both? I thought I had to be of age to access the Lovegood Family Vault."
"Once you're married, you're considered an emancipated adult," Ripfang explained somewhat gently for a goblin. It was a bit disturbing to see a gentle goblin, to tell the truth.
Pocketing her keys, Luna flicked the box open with her thumb and actually cooed at the golden ring. Much like the Ravenclaw one, it was decidedly feminine with an onyx set as the eye of the engraved badger head. "It's so pretty," she grinned. Like Sirius and Hermione before, the ring sized itself to her finger with a golden glow and gave her a rush of family magic.
Her mouth hung open from the rather rapid tingles she felt, then smiled. "That was extremely pleasant."
Eyeing his godson, Sirius speculated. "Two left, Harry. Any idea which is yours?"
"I speak Parseltongue and drew the sword of Gryffindor," Harry said with a shrug. "Wouldn't surprise me in the least if it's both."
"Cynical much, Harry?" Tonks asked with a wry grin.