Authors Note: Thanks again for the support and I'm glad that there are so many that still follow my story.
Chapter 12
Harry walks outside with Severus after his business with the goblins is finished and is hardly out of the door when Hermione and Ron run towards him and give him a hug. Harry grins and greets them before they start to talk and ask where he's been like they hadn't seen him. While answering all that drivel chatter and explaining to them how Severus had overheard them talking and supposedly acted to protect him, he looks around and sees not only Ron's mother but two more redheads he hadn't seen yet. He assumes they are Bill and Charlie but can't be sure about anything right now. Moody is also not far from them by a shop and not directly looking at them. Harry notices another witch he hadn't seen before not too far away and sees her looking around all the time without going anywhere. She might just be waiting for someone but she is occasionally looking towards Moody who is giving a tiny shake whenever he sees it and she resumes looking around, making it clear that she's part of the order too.
They are still standing there and talking when Nagnok comes out and says, "Mister Potter. I got your coins." He hands over a bag and Harry is about to move them into his own but as soon as Nagnok notices what he's about to do he adds, "You may keep the bag as a gift. I made it myself and it's something only a goblin can make. No wizard will be able to steal from it and no matter how many coins you put in, there will always be space for more." Harry hears one of the redheads inhale and assumes that he has heard about it, meaning that it's probably Bill who is working for the bank. "Do you have a problem, Mister Weasley?" Nagnok drawls glowering towards the redhead.
"No of course not, Nagnok." Bill says.
"I thank you for your gift." Harry quickly says to stop them from possibly starting a fight. "I will treasure it and respect your gift and and never forget the honor you and Mister Gartnot granted me, most of all not the reasons for this honor." Harry smiles a little, hoping that the goblin understands that Harry intends to write a will soon that states that the item will be passed on according to goblin law after his death.
Nagnok returns the smile and says, "I'm sure my son will thank you for it." Making it obvious to Harry that he understood. "I will need to return to my post and ensure that you will get everything you asked for as soon as possible, Mister Potter." After that Nagnok bows a little with the head and wishes Harry a productive day.
Harry does retuns the wish, as well as the little bow, before he turns back to his friends who stare at him. "What?" Harry asks. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No." Bill says, "But he just treated you like a goblin."
"Oh, I know." Harry says grinning. "He and the head goblin of Gringotts said that they see me as one of theirs. We got along rather well while I checked my vaults. Severus advised me since I voiced some worries that I might not have enough to keep me through my school years and whatever I might need during training. I'm not sure when I'll earn enough to actually support myself."
"Got along rather well would be the understatement of the year." Severus drawls. "They all but adopted you."
Harry just grins and says, "Either way, I got plenty of money to burn, so who want's to go shopping?"
Everyone is in on that, even though Molly cations them to buy their school supplies first and save some money. Harry just smiles and assures her that he'll be fine since Nagnok and Gartnot will ensure that he is okay, financially anyway. They still decide to get their school shopping out of the way and Ron is nearly sad that he can't talk Harry into buying him the new broom, since the one Harry gave him is still at Harry's place. Voldemort had insisted on it to make sure that no one wonders where it came from. Harry promised to return it to him at Hogwarts and just gift him with it again there. The same goes for the ones for Fred and George and the Firebolt for Hermione.
Once it is getting late Moody steps closer and says, "It's time, we should get Potter to safety again."
"Guess that means goodbye." Harry says looking towards Hermione and Ron. "I'll go back with Snape, so Moody doesn't have to worry anymore."
"I meant the Headquarter." Moody grumbles. "We have order to return you there."
"Order by whom?" Harry asks.
"By Professor Dumbledore, of course." Moody replies.
"In that case I'm afraid I have to decline." Harry says angered. "I refuse to do as he pleases. Not only because I fear he would send me back to the Dursleys, seemingly not caring what they do but also because of what Nagnok told me."
"And what did that lying goblin tell you?" Moody asks grumpily.
"He wasn't lying." Harry hisses angrily. "He told me that Dumbledore is my magical guardian and as such had control over my vaults until I was 14. He moved money from my vaults regularly towards his own. He paid himself from my money. He used my money to support his war efforts. He took my money without asking. I don't care what you or some ministry says. I refuse to let that man steal from me and send me to abusive relatives anymore. I'm sick of being starved and used like a house elf. I'm sick of being hit and screamed at. I'm sick of being called freak and having to play Harry hunting until I black out from the pain. I WILL NOT RETURN!" this time Harry actually allows his anger to rise enough to cause the earth to shake a little and only tries to calm himself when he hears some of the other wizards and witches scream in fear. He takes a deep breath and tries to look at Moody more calmly before he says loud enough that those around him hear. After all, the shaking most certainly got their attention, "I will go with Severus unless you want to kidnap me. At least Severus doesn't tolerate it that those muggles abused me like probably most of you did. Which reminds me, did you know it too?" Harry asks looking towards Moody. "I know Molly must have at least assumed some of it since her son's saw the room I was looked up in and she kept sending me food during the summer clearly assuming that those Muggles didn't bother to feed me. After all feeding a worthless freak like me is just wasting money."
Moody notice the whispers around him and the way the people stare at him and then whispers to avoid being overheard. "He did it because of the blood wards. You are safest there."
"I'm not safe when they beat me half to death." Harry shouts at him. "I'm not safe when I faint from hunger or pain and most of the time BOTH! I'm not bloody safe there. And apart from that. What about the money?"
"We are fighting a war." Moody says. "He probably needed some urgently for some reason."
"Voldemort hasn't been seen since I was a year old, so what on earth is so bloody urgent that he takes money from my vault regularly without even bloody asking?" Harry shouts at him. "Albus Dumbledore didn't even bother to ask! He moved money from MY vault to his own without stating a reason AND took money for war efforts ON TOP of that. What was the first for? Did he need to be paid to be my magical guardian? My parents will stated that Severus be one of the people to look after me or even McGonagall but so far Severus was the only one to really care that I was hurt, beaten, starved and locked up every bloody summer! That I didn't even bloody know my name until I was called upon in that bloody muggle primary school because the only name I knew was FREAK! I'm not going anywhere Dumbledore wants me to go! I'll go back with Severus, because he's the only one that ever helped me and only after hearing me telling Ron and Hermione that I'm not afraid of that stupid task because if I die I'd at least be safe from my aunt and uncle. The rest of you saw my bruises when I was picked up from there. You saw how skinny I got every summer and yet none of you cared enough to help me!"
Harry inwardly nearly laughs at the way Moody looks around at the wizards and witches that gossip and watch everything going on. "I really think it's better to leave Potter with me for now." Severus drawls. "I doubt that it be good for anyone if he'd be forced to see Dumbledore after finding out about the money today. You better let him calm unless you want another earthquake. I personally blame the emotional abuse for his sometimes short tamper and he'll need time to learn how to control it."
After that he just takes Harry's arm and apparates him back to their new home where he says, "You do realize that you'll be on the front page tomorrow?"
"I know." Harry replies calmly. "I didn't mean to make such a big spectacle when I planned to use the abuse to get them to let me return with you but after what Nagnok told me, I want to see Dumblebore get in trouble. I'm sure the fact that he tried to tell the ministry that I was killed by Voldemort or in an attempt to return him won't make them help him all that much now. I do hope that he'll get into big trouble now."
"I even see a chance for the guardianship to be moved to someone else." Severus replies.
"I hope it will be moved to you or maybe someone else that is okay." Harry says, "But currently it'd be easiest with you, since you now about me being the dark Lord's son." With another sigh he asks, "Can you tell him what happened so I can go and find Draco? I haven't seen him all day for the first time this summer and worry that he might already need me more than at the start of this summer."
"I hope you two don't do anything that will be a cause for worry." Severus questions, looking worried already.
"Don't worry, I might want to become an uncle but I'm not gonna make you one just yet." Harry replies cheekily, "And you know I would never do anything that might cause you to worry." After that he just leaves, knowing that his brother probably does worry but actually enjoying that he has a brother to do so too much to really mind and just looks for Draco. He finds him in their room lying on the bed the shared since they moved to this mansion. Draco seems to be sleeping but shortly after Harry quietly walks into the room Draco mumbles. "I'm glad you are back okay. I was worried they wouldn't let you come back to me."
"I wouldn't let that happen." Harry reassures the blond and sits down on the bed and moves his hand through his hair. "I made sure they had no choice but to let me go unless they want to be in big trouble."
"How did you do that?" Draco questions.
"You'll be able to read that in the Prophet tomorrow." Harry replies with a grin. "For now let's just enjoy to be together again." After that Harry leans down and gives him a little kiss. And no matter how curious Draco is, the fact that he gets to kiss Harry sufficiently distracts him from asking anything. The only worry still on his mind is if Harry is only this clingy because he's lonely being with so many Slytherins and non of his friends. Is he just a step in because Cho doesn't want him? He hopes not. He really hopes that Harry cares for him as much as he himself cares for Harry but doesn't dare to believe it yet.
Still both enjoy the rest of the day and the next morning everyone is waiting at the breakfast table for the Daily Prophet, to see what they wrote about Harry's little show in Diagon Alley. As son as it arrives Draco reads the Prophet out loud, since he managed to get his hands on it first.
'Dumbledore: kind old man or sadistic thief?
Yesterday afternoon many people, this reporter included, were glad to see the 'boy who lives' shopping with his friends for the coming year at Hogwarts. We all have worried for the boy, since he went missing during the last task of the triwizard tournament. The worry only increased when Professor Dumbledore claimed that He-who-must-not-be-named has returned and killed said boy. Still the wizarding community refused to lose hope and we are glad that the man's words were proven wrong and the boy seemed to be in perfect health and happy while shopping with his friends. Towards the end however this reporter and everyone else in that Alley was shocked to feel the earth tremble along with the anger of the 'boy who lives'. Observers present will be able to confirm that the boy quickly seemed to notice it and obviously had a hard time controlling his tamper but the poor boy made an effort as soon as he noticed it getting out of control.
The reason for his anger was quickly clear to everyone present, myself only being one of those. Former Auror and known supporter of Professor Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, was trying to take the boy somewhere the headmaster of Hogwarts wanted him to go. I was surprised to see the fear this seemed to cause the poor boy. Why, I wondered, was the golden boy of Gryffindor refusing to join his friends and protectors? He answered it quickly by accusing many of the people surrounding him, Moody included, that they had all known that the muggles he lived with had abused him. The 'boy who lived' went further and said that he was starved, beaten and called freak to the point of not even knowing his own name during a vast amount of his childhood. The poor boy seemed to be close to tears of sadness as well a anger, when he claimed to have been treated like a house elf and that he fled from that situation with the help of his potions Professor, Severus Snape. A former death eater that had spied on the dark Lord for the light.
I wondered why the man did that? It turns out that the man that the child hadn't gotten along with before is the only one that actually heard his cry for help when the man heard the poor terrified boy talking about the situation with his friends. It seems the poor child had told his friends that he wasn't afraid of the tasks because if he died, he at least wouldn't have to return to his relatives. How despaired must the boy be to think death preferable to returning home? How afraid must he be of going back to his relatives, that Dumbledore has always said were loving and doting towards the 'boy who lived'? How can the headmaster of Hogwarts justify such treatment of any child, never mind the one that saved us all from the dark Lord's reign of terror?
Moody tried to excuse Professor Dumbledore's actions by claiming that those muggle's home was the only place the boy would be safe. He did not however deny the accusations that those muggles abused the boy! He didn't even seem surprised about the accusation and really seemed to have known about it for at least some time! But from what was the boy supposed to be kept safe from now? At first some death eaters might have tried to come after him but now we are living in peace! And even at the start there must have been other options than condoning our savior to such treatment that he'd rather die than go back to it?
All was made worse when Harry claimed that Professor Dumbledore, who had been named his magical guardian after the tragic death of James and Lily Potter, took money from the boy's vault for his own, as well as for the war effort. A war that has ended the day Harry became an orphan! For what purposes the boy asked those around him and could get no satisfying answer. Mister Potter even said that if the money was needed, he would have given it freely being asked and seemed more outraged at the fact that no one bothered to just ask for it and that Dumbledore has just taken it than that it was taken at all. The fact that they had betrayed his trust seemed to be worse to the orphaned boy than the loss of money.
After talking to a goblin at the bank they confirmed to me that the still young boy had been in the bank only a few hours before. He had appeared worried about his own money, never having been informed how much he even owns and never was taught how to look after his own finances. Even the goblins seemed to feel sorry for this lonely and emotionally hurt child and helped him to discover the fact that money was taken from his guardian, a man that was supposed to act in the child's best interest. They advised the boy to file a complaint and after quickly checking where the money went and what it was used for the head goblin didn't even hesitate for a second and agreed that the money will be returned as much as possible and Dumbledore's vaults will be completely emptied in the attempt. I also managed to get the goblins to tell me that the boy's relatives have been receiving money for everything the boy would need and yet, according to the memories the child had shown them, the poor boy had seen nothing of it and was treated like a financial burden as well as a waste of space and as such had to live in a cupboard for the first few years in that household.
I tried to ask the ministry how this could happen, but couldn't get hold of anyone that could answer my question and was only promised that they will look into this and to make sure that the boy will never have to return to those vile muggles that hurt him. And I'm sure that this reporter is not the only one that will pray for the poor child and hope that he will never have to suffer so much and find a more appropriate home and that Dumbledore will be punished for that poor orphan's pain.'
Harry hardly listens after quickly noticing that it must have been Skeeter that wrote the article and is just glad that for once she seems to be on his side. He is more focused on the owl from Gringotts that arrives when Draco just started to read. He opens it as soon as Dobby passes him the letter and stares at the parchment that unrolls and looks like it might be about a mile long at least. He sighs and then reads the note that is attached to the start.
'Mister Potter,
we are happy to inform you that every transaction your magical guardian did was found unjustified and that the money will be returned to you as soon as possible. the dept that is left after emptying all his assets within the bank is already included in the requested report that is sent with this letter.
The money that was sent towards the Dursleys will also be reclaimed as much as possible and after checking their memories, we're attempting to get you reimbursed for the pain caused by them, meaning that their dept to you will be higher than what they received in the first place. The dept is also included in the report and we'll be working on getting the money for you as fast as possible.
I'd also like to inform you that I'm making good progress with the secret mission you entrusted to me and Nagnok and that we hope to send you the results within the coming week. Should you have further need of our assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me personally.
With respect.
head goblin of Gringotts,
Gartnot.'
Once Harry read that, he puts the note down next to his plate and looks at the much longer parchment. If this is only the start, as Severus had called it, he'd rather not see the end. With a sigh Harry tries to at least get an overview of how much money he has and maybe find out if the list of regular activities within his vault or the items list is longer to help decide what he'll read first. He knows that he probably should read the regular activities first but if the other one is much shorter, he might be inclined to look into that first.
"He offered to contact him personally?" The dark Lord sounds surprised at reading the note his son had placed close enough to do so without even having to pick it up.
"Didn't Severus mention that they consider me one of their own?" Harry asks.
"I doubted he'd believe me and even more that he'd be pleased at what you did to achieve that lucky feature." Severus says.
"That is no more luck than the fact that I own two house elves that can get trough any wards you might put up to keep me locked up, should I go against your orders." Harry points out, "I might have been honest enough, claiming to understand their law, because I feared they might notice a lie but I also wanted them to trust me enough to assist me, since that must be helpful. The goblins control the bank and with that most of the flow of coins in our world. Like house elves I thought it wise not to underestimate their value. I didn't expect them to fall for it that quickly and had assumed that I have to find some more goblin made artifact that I can buy and hand back to their rightful owner according to goblin law. However, I'm glad that I don't have to use my money for that though."
Everyone in the room stares at the boy, that is still calmly looking over the parchment, in shock. "What do you mean?" Voldemort asks, "About the elves?"
"I knew that Hermione would freak if I bound an elf to me and that there was no way she would allow Winky and Dobby to be separated, so I just had to wait for the right moment to have you worry about him being free in front of Hermione, so you could talk her into letting it happen." Harry says calmly. "Much easier this way and less troublesome than trying to explain it to her afterwards and the girl is a walking library, which is rather handy at times and which is why I'd rather not antagonist her. And now I have two elves that do my every bidding and you have how many to stop me? None I believe."
Bella is the first to get over the shock and starts to laugh maniacally before asking the dark Lord, "Punish me if you must but I have to ask you, my Lord, how does it feel to be outsmarted by your own son?"
"HOW," Draco rather asks, looking at Harry, "did you NOT get sorted into Slytherin? And where on earth did you hide that sneakiness all those years?"
Harry just shrugs and replies, "Remember the talk we had about how you acted around Hagrid and Ron before the sorting?"
"Yeah." Draco replies.
"You were sorted before me and I begged the hat not to put me into the same house." Harry replies, "It went on about 'Slytherin will help you on your path to greatness' or some such nonsense but it did as I asked and sent me to Gryffindor instead. Which is where I hid it, no one expects a Gryffindor to actually think before he acts, so I just have to always think and act quickly, so no one notices!"
"Well Bella." Voldemort says after hearing his son's explanations, "I'm not sure if I'm upset or proud."
Harry grins cheekily at his father and wonders how long he'll believe the crap of actually having planned the whole thing and not just having thought of all that, as he did. Oh well, tricking him into buying this bullshit could be seen as sneaky too and maybe this way Severus won't be getting on his nerves when he wants to do something, like giving the goblins their stuff back, in the future.
Authors Note: Will Voldemort ever find out that Harry never planed any of that the way he claimed to have? Will Draco ever be sure about Harry's feelings for him? Is Harry even sure about them? Will he stay with him or start abandon him once he's in school and might get distracted by other things? What will Dumbledore do after Harry's little show in Diagon? Will he try to play the good old man and worm his way back into Harry's good graces or consider it hopeless and get angry with the teen? Will Harry be careful enough having openly questioned the headmaster of his school?
And as a warning, the update might be a little later again tomorrow due to my work but I'll update as soon as I can!
