Chapter 12

"Filius, Lord Potter good afternoon!" Griphook greeted them. "You have both come for the reading of the Potter wills?"

"Yes Harry asked if I would come with him when he heard them. I also have some business with the Director afterwards" Flitwick replied.

"Let's get started then. Please take a seat." Griphook picked up a sealed roll of parchment from his desk and flicked the sharp nail of a long finger along the wax. The parchment unrolled but before he could say a word Harry spoke.

"Can I see it?" he said.

Silence. "There's no reason why he can't is there Griphook?" Flitwick said eventually.

"None that I can think of. This is the late Lord Potter's will. He died first so his will gets executed first.' Griphook handed the parchment over and Harry took it reverently, handling it as if it were going to crumble into nothingness if he so much as closed his fist around it. The legal jargon at the top was complete gibberish to Harry but he did like the way his father also apparently had "chicken-scratch" writing as Snape had often called Harry's.

"What's a Secret Keeper?" Harry asked after a few seconds of reading.

"The person who holds the key to the Fidelius charm. Only they can give out the location of the thing that is being hidden. Didn't you come across that when you researched that charm?"

"Maybe?" Harry shrugged. "I didn't pay much attention because there are so many better ways of hiding something." Griphook smirked in agreement.

"We shall continue this discussion another time Harry, what does your dad say about Black?" Flitwick asked.

"Who?"

"Their Secret Keeper, Sirius Black."

Harry looked between the goblins in confusion. "Dad says that was Peter Pettigrew. Sirius Black isn't mentioned until later."

"But Black is in Azkaban for their murder and that of thirteen muggles!" Flitwick spluttered.

"Another thing Gringotts couldn't do anything about?" Harry asked Griphook.

Griphook was impressed again by how intuitive this boy was. He could only give the blunt, honest answer to such a question. "I'm afraid so."

"Gringotts is neutral, isn't it" Harry half asked, half stated.

"Of course" Flitwick and Griphook replied together.

Harry grinned. "Wonderful. Be back in a bit if that's alright? Sirius Black, Azkaban."

"Is he-?"

"I think so."

"Wow."

"Indeed" Griphook replied drily. "So tell me, how are your wife and daughter these days?"

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While the goblin and half goblin were catching up, Harry had landed in Sirius's cell. However there was no person just a large black dog facing the wall away from him. The portkey had never been wrong before but Harry was confused now. The sounds of his mum dying in his head weren't helping either. However as soon as the dog turned and saw him it turned instantly back into a man.

"Harry?" he breathed. "How did you get in here?"

"Did you kill my mum and dad?" Harry demanded harshly but quietly. "That's why you're here right?"

"No Harry I would rather have died than betray James and Lily. James was my brother in all but blood. His family were more like family than my own. I could never harm them."

"So why are you here?"

"Because Peter blamed me, then blew up the street and ran into the sewer, filthy little rat. The fact that it was Peter of all people stunned me motionless. By the time I had regained my senses there were thirty aurors around me and I was disarmed. They brought me here a few minutes later and forgot about me."

Sirius's started off in a quiet voice but as his frustration mounted, so did his volume. Harry heard shuffling feet and quickly grabbed Sirius.

"You need to touch my ring. It's a portkey."

"Portkeys don't-"

"How do you think I got in?" Harry interrupted. He grabbed Sirius's hand against the ring. "Gringotts."

Harry landed back in the room he left. On seeing the goblin sitting calmly behind his desk, Sirius fainted. Both Griphook and Flitwick had heard them arrive and therefore seen Sirius fall. All three stared at each other with a combination of shock, amusement and concern. After a brief minute Griphook touched a rune on his desk.

"What did you do?" Flitwick asked moving closer to Harry.

"Portkeyed in, talked and left again" Harry replied. "Will he be alright?"

"I have called for a healer and the Director. Both should be here shortly."

"You summoned the Director?" Flitwick asked aghast.

"I did. This is Lord Potter's Godfather we are talking about."

"Of course. I hope the Director agrees with you though."

"What?" asked Harry. The concern on his face had been replaced by utter confusion. "I have a Godfather?"

"Why did you rescue Black from Azkaban Harry?" Flitwick asked in response.

"Because he didn't do anything and it sounded unpleasant. I didn't even know what Azkaban was, I just thought he probably shouldn't be there and I could get him out. I did question him before we left."

Any response that either goblin or half goblin was going to make was stopped by a loud knock at the door and a throaty call. Griphook waved his hand to open the door and motioned to the still unconscious wizard.

"That's a wizard" the goblin said.

"Your observation powers astound us" Griphook replied drily.

"But ... he's a wizard, a human..." the goblin spluttered.

"Yes and he just fainted in my office" Griphook snarled.

"Please sir, can you help him? He's the only family I have."

Only when the goblins turned to stare at him did Harry realise that that whole conversation had been in gobbledegook.

"Lord Potter, meet Wingback. He is a Healer and will treat your Godfather or he will be explaining to the Director the reason why." Griphook glared at the other goblin.

"What will I be being told?" asked a voice from the doorway, breaking the glare-off.

At that voice Flitwick, Griphook and Wingback all spun around and dropped to one knee with heads bowed. Harry quickly copied them.

After the signal to rise Wingback started "Griphook called me to treat a human, Director" he said quickly in gobbledegook.

The Director turned to Griphook. "Explain" he demanded coldly.

"He is Lord Potter's godfather and only remaining family. Perhaps you would allow Lord Potter himself to explain?"

"Director Ragnok, may your gold pile higher than the oceans are deep." Harry bowed again as he finished. It may be over the top but Harry did not want to offend this highest of goblins by not following some unknown custom.

"You are a strange wizard indeed Lord Potter. You show respect, not many of your kind do. You also know our language - a trait shared by even fewer. In response I shall let you explain what is happening."

"I came to read my parents' wills as I am allowed as the last Potter. I found out that Peter Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper but Sirius Black was in prison for that crime. I fixed that problem but as soon as we returned he fainted. Griphook then summoned Wingback and yourself and here we are now. Sirius is my godfather and my only family and I am concerned about him."

"Wingback, find out what is wrong with Mr Black" Ragnok ordered.

"Malnutrition, magical exhaustion and severely underweight Director."

"Nothing life threatening then. You are dismissed."

Once the goblin healer had left there was a brief silence before Ragnok continued. "Lord Potter what I am about to say goes no further than this room. You cannot even talk to Filius about it."

"Yes sir" Harry replied.

Ragnok nodded. "Gringotts has an asylum facility. Because of your ongoing respect and good business with the goblin nation, I offer your godfather use of this facility for an appropriate fee. This offer is also made with the understanding that he will be released to wizards to stand trial for his crimes as soon as possible. The outcome of that trial is not our concern, but he may stay here for a short time until his guilt is determined."

Flitwick was staring at the wall behind the Ragnok with shock plastered all over his face whereas Griphook looked merely slightly surprised. After a few moments of silence Flitwick came out of his trance and spoke to Harry.

"Harry the Director is the only goblin who can issue this offer and there has not been any asylum for centuries, let alone wizard asylum. When the Director says he can stay here, what he means is that your godfather will have armed goblin guards that will not let any harm come to him whilst they live. The place may not be luxurious but it will be safe I can assure you. You will not get this offer again." Flitwick added in the bits that a young wizard probably wouldn't know.

"Thankyou Director I would be honoured to accept your offer. Please take the payment you require from my vault. Can I leave that with you to sort Mr Griphook?"

"Certainly Lord Potter."

Harry smiled. "Thanks. Professor, please can you wake up Sirius? I don't want him to freak out again and upset the goblins whilst he's staying here."

Flitwick knelt down to enervate Sirius and muttered into his ear when he showed signs of alertness. "Ragnok, The Director of the goblin nation is in the room and Harry accepted asylum for you until a trial can be called at the Ministry. If you care for your godson think very carefully before you say anything."

Sirius sat up slowly. Why the hell was he in Gringotts? How had the goblins got him out of Azkaban? Then he remembered - Harry. He must be dreaming but if so he never wanted this dream to end. His godson had portkeyed into Azkaban and then portkeyed them both out. Then there was a civil conversation with a goblin. Sirius inwardly chuckled at the things his imagination could come up with. Suddenly he heard his name being called.

"Sirius! Sirius! Sirius can you hear me?"

"I'm not bloody deaf that was Prongs' speciality" Sirius grumbled to himself.

"Mr Black inform us of the events of October 31 1981" Ragnok ordered crisply.

Sirius's head shot round as he came face to face with a grizzled yet powerful goblin. On second glance he saw the medallion marking him as extremely high ranking. Suddenly Flitwick's words came back to him.

"Director Ragnok, may your enemies tremble at the thought of your coming." That greeting wasn't the best but given the circumstances Sirius was just glad he'd remembered any at all.

Ragnok gave no move to acknowledge the greeting and continued to stare, unblinking, at the wizard.

Sirius gulped. "I heard the explosion and I pulled Harry out of the house. Hagrid came to get him then on Dumbledore's orders and asked if he could use my bike. When he had gone I realised that Peter must have been the spy and told Voldemort everything he wanted. I went to find the traitor but he found me first. He blew up the street, changed into his rat form and disappeared leaving me surrounded by everything. It was my idea to switch Secret Keepers; I was the most obvious and Peter the least obvious. I believed that made their deaths my fault. I was in such shock that all I could say was "it's my fault". The aurors must have taken me literally, chucked me in Azkaban and then with job done went to join the party. I imagine it all just got swept under the rug after that."

"As per Lord Potter's offer, Gringotts will give you asylum until a trial can be called. You are not to speak of this anywhere except this room. The trial will be called as soon as possible. Come."

Ragnok swept out of the room. Sirius looked over at Harry in slight concern, but at Harry's nod and proximity to Flitwick he followed the revered goblin from the room.

"Griphook. I think I know a way to get him a trial. Whether he is guilty I do not know, but every being deserves a trial at least" Flitwick started. "A letter to Madam Amelia Bones requesting her presence concerning a client's will should do the trick." Flitwick's scheming grin was met by one from Griphook. "I'll leave that to you. Now before Harry falls asleep I believe he has something for you."

Harry jumped to attention and took the wrapped gift from Flitwick. "I wanted to do something for you since you've been so good to me, helping me with everything and things. Professor Flitwick suggested this. I can't cook with magic yet though so I made it the muggle way. I hope you like it."

Harry placed the box on the table and Griphook looked questioningly at Flitwick who gave nothing away. Griphook opened the wrapping and the box carefully. Inside was a large victoria sponge cake with "THANKS. Harry" written across the top. It was Griphook's turn show his shock whilst Flitwick looked smug.

Eventually Griphook composed himself, although a smile kept creeping onto his face that he couldn't entirely remove. The boy had put a lot of time and effort into creating this for him, because he wanted to.

"Thankyou Lord... Harry" he said.