Hey folks. Sorry for the long wait; College midterms are all over the place. Here's the fourteenth chapter and no review answers this time around.
Hermione could only look at the scrap of parchment that held her lineage; Dumbledore…Grindelwald…she was a great-granddaughter to the first Dark Wizard of the twentieth century and a great-niece to the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
"Well, this certainly changes things…" Wolfbiter said with a frown.
"How so?" Hermione heard Harry ask with venom in his voice.
"The story behind Arianne and Joseph is a complex one Master Harry…" Griphook said as he regarded the parchment.
"Again, how so?" Draco asked as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder to stop him from attacking.
"Both were killed…but the circumstances were about the same, the killing curse was used on them and they were dumped outside of a Muggle city. Whoever killed them left a message saying that traitors were to be dealt with accordingly?" Wolfbiter said with a small frown.
"In other words, they were killed by someone who didn't want the Dumbledore name to be tarnished with Grindelwald's descendants." Lucius said with a bitter tone.
"Rightly so, Master Malfoy. It was no doubt a hit wizard so that the family of Dumbledore wouldn't be linked." Griphook said.
"How is it that you know all of this?" Draco asked curious.
At the question, both goblins gave a frightening smirk that made shivers dance up and down the spines of the three Malfoys.
"We caught the hit wizard some decade ago after he attempted to steal from us. Its protocol that we interrogate prisoners before we sentence them and this one sang like a bird, thinking that he would get a lighter punishment; he did not." Wolfbiter said with small wicked grin.
"Did he say who hired him?" Harry asked quietly making everyone start at the sound of his voice; strained and simmering with an anger Draco knew about.
"Sadly no, the killer did not give up the name what with a powerful loyalty potion in his system. We never did figure out who it was keyed to." Griphook said with a small shake.
"Damn it. I'm betting that they didn't know about Hermione and if whoever hired this hit wizard did know, that would explain why she was placed in the orphanage." Draco said with a look of annoyance from his mother.
"Indeed. I feel that Miss Grang…Miss Grindelwald is still in shock. May I request something?" Griphook said.
"Go ahead, mister Griphook." Harry said to the goblin teller.
"I suggest that Miss Grindelwald returns to claim her inheritance…" Griphook began before Harry cut him off.
"Out of the question. I understand what you are saying Griphook, but if what I think is true, then we're just going to be asking for a whole shitload of trouble." Harry said making Griphook confused and a tad angered at being interrupted.
"And may I inquire as to why she wouldn't want her vaults, wizard?" Griphook sneered making Harry sigh.
"I'm sure that you recall seeing me in the bank before and how I looked correct?" Harry inquired at the goblin.
Griphook nodded stiffly not understanding where this was going. Harry looked at the still silent Hermione and began his explanation.
"I was like that due to poor guardianship; according to Hagrid, the keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts, he had said that Albus Dumbledore was the reason I was at my mother's so-called relatives. If we allow Hermione to gain the vaults you are talking about, we would be alerting Dumbledore." Harry said making Griphook and Wolfbiter's eyes widen at what the Sith-who-lived words. "I see that you understand what I'm getting at. Dumbles would stop at nothing to make Hermione one of three things; dead, a slave to some 'Light' pureblooded family or a pawn to his will just so that he could control his family's vaults. I'm not going to subject her to either one of those options."
"I…see your reasoning, Mister Potter. I apologize for getting angry at you." Griphook said with a small bow at the boy.
"No harm was done, Griphook. But if you would excuse us, it's been a stressful day, more so for others." Harry said with a look over at Hermione, still sitting in shock over her heritage.
Both of the goblins looked at the shell shocked girl and nodded their heads; this was a very big shock to the child's system and she would need some time to recover. Who better than her own friends and one of the friends' families? The goblins were about to leave when Hermione spoke, but it was with a soft tone.
"Take me to the Vaults." The newly Grindelwald said in a whisper.
The two looked at Harry but the question they wanted to ask was answered again by Hermione.
"I only wish to see what in them, not take anything out." Hermione said in the somber tone. "I'm sure if I take something out, the bank will send a monthly statement to him and he will see the difference."
"You do speak the truth miss Grang… Grindelwald. We will take you down to the vaults so that you may look over what is inside." Griphook said as he and Wolfbiter left the room with Hermione in tow.
Harry sighed and looked heavenward though he couldn't see it through the building.
Merlin be with Hermione. He thought simply before he sat down.
RotS
Later
Harry, in a light doze, snapped awake when he felt someone shaking him and he went for his Phoenix wand forgetting where he was momentarily. But before he could pull the wand out, he saw the face of who was shaking him and calmed down some when he saw that it was Draco.
"Drake, don't do that again please. I hate for both of us and your parents to be kicked out of Gringotts because I used a wand in their Nation." Harry said to the heir of the Malfoys.
Draco had the decency to blush a fine red before he sobered up and nodded.
"Noted. I'll have to remember that the next time we're in the bank. Anyways, Hermione got done inventorying the Vaults Dumbles has and wants to head back to my house. You fell asleep for about fifteen minutes so I was sent in to wake you up. Hermione's already left with my Mum to head home. Dad and Professor Snape are waiting for us." Draco explained to the Sith Heir who nodded as he got up.
Draco, seeing his job done, left the room just as Griphook returned with Wolfbiter.
"Mister Potter, before you leave with your friends, shall we schedule you for a lineage test and an inventory of your vaults for a later day?" Wolfbiter asked the young Sith.
"Yes, that would be most profitable. Is December twenty-second good for you Master WolfBiter?" Harry asked while looking at the Goblin.
"That would be fine mister Potter. I hope to see you soon. May your pockets overflow with Gold and Silver." Wolfbiter said with a slight bow.
"And may your coffers never empty. Good day master Goblins." Harry said with a returned bow.
The two goblins nodded and left the boy who left as well after they had gone. He joined Severus who then explained the Draco and Lucius had left to Malfoy Manor. Harry grabbed onto his Head of House's arm and the vanished with a pop.
RotS
Harry and Snape appeared at the front of some iron wrought gates and walked quickly through them. Harry felt a slight tingle wash over him and he knew that the place was warded to keep out intruders.
The potions master and the Sith who lived walked up the winding pathway toward a large manor; it was three stories tall with over fifty windows and very well kept. No vines grew on the sides like most old houses and this one looked pretty old. Because Harry was so busy looking at the manor, he completely was unaware that they had reached the steps to a door. Snape walked up the steps and rapped on the door. The door opened up and a Harry was greeted with a tiny figure with tennis ball sized eyes and wearing a black vest with the Malfoy crest on it; A rose and Horse both intertwined with Thorns.
"Greetings Dobby. Your master and mistress no doubt informed you of our coming?" Snape asked the figure who nodded.
"Yes, Master and mistress did inform Dobby kind sir." The figure said before turning to Harry and giving out a small squeak. "Is this being the great Harry Potter sir?"
Harry looked at the figure curious about whom or rather what it was before nodding.
"I am he." Harry replied making the creature bow.
"I is Dobby sir. A house elf." Dobby said when Snape interrupted.
"Forgive me Dobby for stopping your explanation but can you tell us where Lucius and Narcissa are?" Snape asked the house elf who looked at the man.
"Yes, they is in den waiting for yous. I will escort them there." Dobby said as he led the two down a led the two toward the den where everyone was seated; Draco and Lucius were missing though and a look from Narcissa said to talk about it later.
"Thank you Dobby for bring Harry and Severus here. I would like you to inform the kitchens that we'll be having lunch in the den." Narcissa said to the house elf who bowed before vanishing with a loud pop.
Narcissa turned to Severus and spoke to the potion master.
"I need you to check up on Hermione, Severus. We did move her here but then Draco made the suggestion to put her in one of the guest rooms. She'll need to talk with someone and soon." Narcissa said with a look that said 'do what I say or else'.
Snape caught the look and knowing what the look entailed he nodded. He left the den and after saying a far-off name in a soft spoken voice, headed for Hermione's bed chambers.
Narcissa then looked at the armored Sith who lived and gestured toward a chair. Harry complied with the unspoken request and sat down in the chair. Narcissa clasped her hands together and started to speak.
"Harry, would you like me to tell you about your mother?" Narcissa asked making Harry start.
Of all the things that could've come from this meeting, this was the one thing he had never expected even with The Force guiding him. Quickly getting his wits about him, he nodded his head.
Narcissa smiled sadly as she recalled her first female friend.
"Lily was at the time thought to be a muggleborn witch when she came to Hogwarts for the first time. So imagine everyone's shock when she was Sorted into Slytherin, well, not everyone was shocked. Severus was stunned but then started to clap making everyone of the pureblood status glare at both of them." Narcissa said before chuckling. "It wasn't until we started to get into our first semester that we snakes saw that Lily was different. No matter how difficult the spell was, no matter how long the incantation, she was the first to get right on the first try. Naturally this made us from a wealthy background green with envy but she wouldn't treat us like she was our better. No, she always went out of her way to help us out even if we didn't want it."
"What made you all change your mind?" Harry asked as he listened with rapt attention.
Narcissa chuckled as she recalled a fond memory.
"She did a heritage test and only showed a few people Lucius included." She said with a grin. "Snape, Sirus Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter and Lucius were the only ones that saw it. Naturally, when Lucius found out, he started to treat her with respect not only for her linage which lead the rest of the House into respecting her but for somehow keeping the Marauders in line."
"Marauders?" Harry asked confused.
Narcissa laughed happily as she went down memory lane.
"A group of boys who just loved to cause mischief. It's how McGonagall got so many gray hairs. Lily was the only one who could make them heel and it was usually with her own version of pranks." She said with a giggle as her laughter subsided.
"But who were they?" Harry asked in a forced tone.
"No one knew back then and still don't know now. They had these names, Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail, Prongs and Sonar. No one was able to figure out who they were. Only your mother knew but she never told anyone." Narcissa said with a shake of her head. "But the most proficient field your mother was good at was Charms and Potions, the only one who could meet her in those were Severus and Sirus, my brother."
"Not to change subjects, but most of what you are about to tell me has already been told to me by Professor Flitwick and McGonagall. What about my father, James Potter?" Harry asked.
Narcissa gained a furrow brow as she recalled the Potter Heir.
"James…James was a riddle wrapped up in an enigma. He had just shown up in the middle of the great hall during your Mother's sorting with nothing on but a black cloak on his body. Someone then announced in a loud voice James Potter, Heir of the Potter fortune a pureblood family. Naturally we all accepted it expect for your mother. She had researched all of the Pureblood families before she had gotten on the train through a Gringotts book of current heirs. Your father was sorted into Gryffindor and made friends with Remus, Sirus and Peter. He, your mother and Snape didn't get on good terms at least at first. It was second year that the two warmed up to him after a near potion's accident in Professor Slughorn's class. But like I said, he was a riddle wrapped in an enigma. He did very well in class with a wand delivered to him by Ollivander after he had broken his heirloom wand when he was just ten. Other than that, I can't tell you much." Narcissa said making Harry sigh.
"I thank you for this information Cissy. I now have a more detailed picture of them then when I had started out." Harry said as he sat back. "If it is alright, I would like to wander around a bit before lunch starts."
Narcissa nodded and stood up as well.
"I have to talk to Lucius about something anyways. It is fine and if you get lost, just call out for a house elf." Narcissa said as she strolled to the door and turned to face the Sith who lived. "They would be proud of you, Harry."
Harry nodded absently as he left the den through another door, hearing the words but not acknowledging them.
Alright, next chapter will be a bit of a leap forward showing the aftermath of Harry's Lineage test. Don't worry you will see who else he is related to and trust me it will be interesting to say the least. Please read and review.