Authors Note: Thanks again for all the support and reviews. I've got over 60 by now! CaseLC asked about Skeeter being on Hary's side in this one since that wasn't mentioned. I thought it obvious and logical that she isn't really on his side nor against him. She's doing everything she doe for herself like she did in the books. She want's high sells for the paper so the paper will pay her bonus money for great headlines. In the book she was going with the ministry against Dumbledore and Harry since the Paper probably didn't want to alienate the ministry against it. In this one it started the same way just Harry wasn't involved since he never said that Voldy is back. He was gone and there were good speculations and bad ones. When he reappeared and Skeeter heard what she did the obvious great headline that would work with getting Dumbledore in trouble as the paper was trying for the ministry was to write what he did and just did a side of questioning how the ministry could let it get so far but also that they were looking into it. Harry was hailed as the poor savior that was treated to badly and thus the later one questioning the ministry on what he said was considered reasonably save since the Minister can still try to save himself by acting now and getting on Harry's good side and it was a really got story to keep people reading and I wouldn't be surprised if some more ordered it regularly just to keep in the loop on what happens next.
Also, sorry for the late update. I had everything ready last night to update on the go during a family party I was forced to go to but sadly it was in the middle of no where with no connection at all!
Chapter 14
Harry is glad, when the class is over, that Draco can't scold him since he has to go to Arithmancy while Harry has the rest of the day off and can relax. Or at least that's what he thought. He's just about to walk down to the grounds with Ron to sit by the lake to relax and chat about quidditch when Professor Flitwick walks up to him, saying "Ah there you are, Mister Potter. I was looking for you, Professor Dumbledore needs you to come to him as soon as possible."
With a sigh he tells Ron to go ahead and that he'll be behind him as soon as possible before he follows the small Professor towards the headmaster's office. Once there Harry is glad to see that he won't be alone with the older man that probably isn't all that happy with him at the moment. "Hello Mister Gartnot." Harry replies cheerfully. "I hope you've been well."
"Of course, Mister Potter." Gartnot says as friendly as any goblin is ever going to get and then glares again towards the headmaster before saying, "As I informed you I need to speak with Mister Potter in private."
"I'm still his magical guardian and don't think it wise to leave young Harry alone." Dumbledore says, trying to sound friendly. "Who knows what you'll try to trick the poor boy to believe next."
"What HE'LL try?" Harry questions. "With all due respect Professor, you're the one that took money from my vaults without asking. I'll gladly let you explain that one to me later but since Mister Gartnot was so good to go trough the trouble of coming to me, I'd rather not make him wait. I trust the goblins, especially Mister Gartnot, Mister Nagnok and Mister Griphook with whom I've done business before." Harry looks upset towards Dumbledore. "Also Mister Gartnot is doing me a huge personal favor and until you regained my trust, I'm afraid Professor that I'm unwilling to share the details of that."
"You heard the boy." Gartnot drawls. "On top of that we have a right to request a private talk with our clients at Hogwarts should we notice irregularities in their vault and since he's over the age of 14, it's left to him if he likes to have a guardian present or not and he clearly doesn't want you present. Unless you like me to trouble the Aurors for your interference in our work, you better show us to a private location."
"We won't need him for that." Harry says charmingly. "I already know the perfect place. If you'll please follow me, Mister Gartnot."
"Gladly." Gartnot says, rising from the chair and walking ahead towards the door of the office.
"Harry," Professor Dumbledore says before Harry can leave the room. "I would still like that talk you promised me."
"In that case I shall return after my discussion with Gartnot but I don't know how long that might take." Harry replies and then leaves, already deciding to take Severus with him for that.
After he leaves the office and gets down the spiraling staircase Harry leads the goblin towards the Room of Requirement and asks him to wait a moment while he walks past the empty wall three times, before opening the door that appears. "Only very few know of this room and even fewer will be able to get in." Harry explains when walking into the same room he had been in the past night. He purposefully hadn't chosen to wish for a room for a private meeting, fearing that Dumbledore might know about the room and able to wish for the same to follow, while this way only Draco might be able to get in and Harry doesn't mind that the blond can find him. Harry sits down in one of the comforter by the fire and asks the goblin if he'd like some tea or snacks and after the goblin accepts the tea he calls Dobby and nicely asks for some tea for the two with biscuits. Once that is served he asks slightly worried, "Now, may I ask why you went to the trouble of finding me?"
"There is nothing to worry, Mister Potter." Gartnot starts after hearing the worry in the younger man's voice since he really likes the young boy. Especially since Nagnok had already told him about the will that states that everything Harry owns that is goblin made should be passed on according to goblin law. "It took me a little longer to find out all the information I wanted to get on your ancestors but I did find some very interesting information. Some that I thought should be passed on personally and privately."
"And what is that information?" Harry asks.
"From what you said before, as well as your companion back then, I assume you know about your real parents?" Gartnot asks, "And who your brother is?"
"Yes, I do." Harry replies with a sigh. "I'm not sure if I like it though and rather keep that part a secret for now."
"I understand." Gartnot replies, "But there is more that might be of interest. I would like you to gift you with a family tree that shows all your ancestors going back about 2000 years. It also shows all of their descendants so you'll know to whom else you have a distant relation and how distant that is. Muggles are not included since it updates automatically with their magic and muggles don't have any."
"I thank you for that." Harry replies with a slight frown, "Would that also go to your decedents according to goblin law? Because I must admit that since it is about my family I'd like to keep in in my family."
"I don't know how closely Nagnok explained why we have that law but it is to keep personal items in the family as a momentum of the diseased. A family tree of your family wouldn't do that for mine but for yours. That is why a family tree or something that includes some very personal family history for your family rather than the one who gave it to you would always be passed to your closest living blood relative. If you keep your will the way it is now, it would currently go to your father but even after gaining it, it might be moved to someone else eventually if your father doesn't have a child and passes it to someone else while your brother has son or daughter we would give it to those because they'd be of your blood. Once you said it goes on from you by goblin law nothing can change that. Nothing but wizarding law but we will always try to find a way to pass it on by goblin law, like any other goblin made item."
"So it'll stay in my family or at least return to it no matter what?" Harry replies smiling a little, "I think I'm starting to really like this law of yours. Now I'm even more grateful to you."
The goblin smiles a little towards the young boy who seems to cherish family above all, just like the goblins do. "Mister Potter, the thing is that something else was willed to be passed on by goblin law, something made by a wizard." Harry frowns a little, again wondering where this is going. "But the 'item' if that's what you can call it, was created by more than one, there had never been a single person it could be passed on to. Knowing that it would be that way at least at the start, the wizards had willed it that it would be taken care of by a nominated group of wizards and that is how it is until today. It doesn't belong to anyone, because we couldn't pass it on to anyone before."
"What are we talking about?" Harry asks curious.
"Hogwarts Mister Potter. We are talking about Hogwarts." Harry looks surprised and feels his heart beat increase. Could Gartnot really mean what Harry thinks he's meaning? "Mister Potter, you probably already know that you are a descended of Slytherin, is that correct?"
"I heard it rumored that my father is the heir of Slytherin but I hadn't been sure." Harry says.
"Oh he is." Gartnot replies, "But you are also a heir of Salazar Slytherin. Another generation down the road sure but you are a heir of his. Unlike your father though, you and your half-brother are also heirs of Gryffindor by your mother."
"No way?" Harry replies shocked. "My half-brother the head of Slytherin is the heir of Godric Gryffindor himself?"
"I assure you that is the case." Gartnot replies with a little grin, "Your mother's father was Gryffindor's heir but, and here it is starting to get even more interesting, your mother's mother was a heiress of Helga Hufflepuff, thanks to her mother."
"But that means that Severus is also..." Harry says nearly laughing and curious what his brother will have to say about it should he ever hear of it."
"It also turns out that Tom Riddle senior, your grandfather, is a descendant of a squib that descended from Rowena Ravenclaw."
"But that would mean..." Harry says, his heart beating even more, "That I'm a descendant from all four founders."
"And as such the first legitimate heir to Hogwarts." Gartnot replies, "I checked the family tree and it was part of the reason I decided to make it, there is no other possible heir alive nor has there ever been one. That means that the castle will go to you and that no one will be able to take it from you. You are a direct heir and now that I have to give it to you, it can't be taken."
"You mean, this castle is mine?" Harry questions.
"Not only the castle but the school as well." Gartnot replies. "Of course the ministry or the board of Governors could open a new school elsewhere and try to get the students but they wouldn't be able to name it Hogwarts or the houses after the founders nor can they just close Hogwarts, unless you change it too drastically against their existing laws. Also there are certain contracts that can't be broken, like the head of houses aren't allowed to just quit, unless the school's headmaster gives them permission. That means the ministry can't take all your teachers."
"But Dumbledore could do that." Harry replies.
"He can't." Gartnot replies, "The headmaster is representing the board of Governors and was chosen by them. But the board has no more say. You are the headmaster as of now. Dumbledore just doesn't know that yet."
"You mean, I could be the headmaster of the school I'm attending?" Harry wonders, not really liking it and certain that most people won't.
"Yes." Gartnot just grins, "However, people might take their children from this school if a child is acting as headmaster. If I were you, I'd find a replacement people can understand that after everything. Just let that person act in your stead. And to be frank, I'd wait a little longer for the reactions of the people on your claims towards Dumbledore. I'm sure that at least some people won't want him as headmaster in this school. Try to further that and hit when people want him gone."
"I will consider your advice and wait for a while at least." Harry says, thinking how he might go about this. "Is there anything else I should know, Mister Gartnot?"
"Only that we added the documents of ownership over the castle, the grounds and the school together with a few items that were given to us for safekeeping, to your vault," Gartnot takes a scroll out of his poked. "Each of the founder had some items they had given to us for safekeeping until it could be returned to a rightful and deserving heir. It was determined by us that such an heir should respect the family bond more than the financial value of items, since all of the founders placed their own family above all else which is why they, like you, decided to go by goblin law with many things including everything they owned that was goblin made. We goblins of Gringotts decided that you would be the one to receive them, since you are the first wizard in centuries to go by goblin law and return some of our possessions to us and are an heir to all of them. Because of that everything that could be handed to you was. We are still completing a list of items that are in the possession of other wizards because it hadn't been within a vault or gifted to others, so we can't return them but maybe you can buy them or try to get them back otherwise if you wish."
"I thank you for going through all that trouble." Harry replies politely.
"It was my pleasure." Gartnot replies. "I left the family tree in your vault to avoid Professor Dumbledore seeing it and it is rather big. You can pick it up anytime or send someone you trust."
"Could I send my elf Dobby?" Harry asks.
"Of course," Gartnot replies. "I also placed a couple of books with it that has a detailed report about everyone of your ancestors and relatives, dead or alive."
"I thank you very much for that, Mister Gartnot." Harry says smiling at the goblin, "I don't know how to ever repay you for this."
"You already did with what you did before as well as your will, Mister Potter." Gartnot replies, "You are the first wizard to respect us and our laws in centuries. I'm honored to know you."
As soon as Gartnot has said his goodbyes and left, Harry is walking towards the portray that he knows by now is hiding Severus' private quarters. His brother had specifically told him how to find him to ensure that Harry can go to him should he need him. Harry looks at the wizard in it and asks, "Is Professor Snape in? I need to talk to him."
"He is." The wizards says, looking at the boy with a bit of surprise and Harry muses that it must be due to the Gryffindor crest on his robe.
"Could you let him know that I need to talk to him?" Harry asks, "He never gave me his password."
"You don't need one." The portrait says and opens for the owner of the castle. Harry just wonders if Dumbledore could do that before since he was the representative of the board of Governors that replaced the owner until one was born.
"How did you get in?" Severus grumbles as soon as the portrait closes behind his younger brother.
"Let's just say that you should never underestimate a snake dressed as a lion." Harry replies grinning, keeping the secret from his brother to use it when he needs it most. That will teach that snake not to underestimate his brother. He enjoys seeing the startled expression on his brother while it lasts, before Harry says, "The headmaster wants to talk to me some more and I'd rather not go alone since I can help it this time."
"This time?" Severus grumbles.
"Professor Flitwick brought me up earlier but I got out again with Gartnot, who was there to talk to me." Harry replies, "I'll tell you more about that later since it's not really all that important, apart from the fact that I have a family tree that includes Salazar Slytherin and that for can prove my father's claim of being his heir. But now we should go, I still got a detention after dinner."
"A detention? On your first day back?" Severus asks.
"Oh, don't worry." Harry replies. "Umbridge will regret getting on my nerves. I think I already have a plan."
"I hope it isn't a Gryffindor plan." Severus frowns.
"Oh, don't worry." Harry replies, "And you'll find out more about eventually, once I find what I'm looking for, but now we need to get a move on."
A little later Harry and his brother stand in front of Dumbledore, who clearly doesn't like that Harry isn't alone and even dares to trust Snape more than him. Dumbledore tries to explain that all that money was needed for the war and Harry just keeps asking for details like what was paid by it? Did he pay his spies? A question Snape just laughs about, not really sounding amused at all. Brooms also weren't bought to be used according to Snape who was a part of the order. Harry then left Dumbledore, saying that he'd like to have a account of where the money went to and then will return whatever he deems appropriately spent. He also asks to have the name of whoever got the money to be written down for every single knut so he can cross reference, at least some of those at random.
Dumbledore doesn't seem pleased at all but Harry just leaves him to his task with the words, "By the way, while you write all that down you might want to add an explanation as to why you thought it necessary to try ligilimens on me while we talked." After that Harry just goes down to dinner, without giving Dumbledore another chance to speak, to get some food before going to his detention. So much for his relaxing day by the lake.
Authors Note: Now you know why it's called uncovering secrets...not secret! There was another one he found out! And Severus is a heir of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff! Shocking isn't it? And will Harry use this new development to his advantage and if yes, how? Anyway, next is the detention and let me warn you this plan he mentioned to Snape will also start and he'll find out more about Dumbledore then he ever wanted to know. Another one of his secrets will be found out as well! A very disturbing one that will get him in BIG trouble with Harry. My friend that beta reads this story couldn't stop reading it. But will this secret help Harry and Draco getting together? Will it help Harry to care for his father or will it make everything go downhill again? And what is that secret? Will it explain why Voldemort seems to really fear the man?