Chapter 25

In the Tonks' extensive back garden Nym stood glaring at her father, her hands on her hips.
"Daddy! How could you!" she accused him.

Ted grinned, picking the shotgun up from where Harry had dropped it when the unexpected kick had thrown him to the ground. One moment Ted was telling him to lead the target a little when aiming for the white disk and the next thing he knew he was lying on his back maybe a yard away from where he was standing previously, with his shoulder hurting like hell.

Ted started to laugh out loud as Nym rushed to her fallen fiancé. "Quite a kick there, eh, Harry? Don't worry, you'll get used to it," Ted told him, a grin on his face.

Nym glared at her father as she helped Harry back to his feet. "Every single time, daddy. And you wonder why I never take someone home."

"You could have warned me," Harry complained. His shoulder hurt, and he had hit his head when he had been thrown to the floor.

"Sure, but what's the fun in that? Want to try again?" Ted had reloaded the gun and offered it to the younger man.

"No!" Nym cut in. "Come, Harry, I'm going to take you up to my old room and see if you need any treatment," she informed him, taking his hand.

"Erm... okay," Harry mumbled as he was dragged back inside.

"You know they're going to shag under your roof, right, Teddybear?" Andromeda snaked her arms around her husband as she embraced him from behind.

"I was trying not to think of that, thank you very much," Ted grumbled.

"Did I do bad?" Andromeda started playing with his shirt.

"Minx," Ted breathed out. "Let me unload Betsy and put her back away and I'll join you, okay?"

Andromeda's smile was all the answer he needed.

–-

"You have quite the vocal range, Nymphadora honey," Andromeda commented.

Nym spluttered, spraying the tea she had just swallowed all over the table – and Harry, who was unfortunate enough to have her looking at him just then.

"Next time, don't forget the silencing charms hmm?" Andromeda smirked, casually waving her wand to dry the table and her daughter's suitor.

"Mum! Please?" Nym and Harry were both blushing, while her mother looked extremely pleased with herself.

"At least I can trust Harry will be able to keep you satisfied. Good, otherwise I would have had to ask your father to give him some pointers," her mother continued.

"Droma, stop teasing the kids," Ted cut in as he walked back inside.

"Thank you, daddy," Nym said with relief.

"Always spoiling my fun," Andromeda said with a small pout but then she got a serious expression back as she focused on Harry. "Now Harry, I am pleased to see you at least remembered to give my daughter a ring, but have you already met with the goblins?"

"Erm, no, do I need to?" Harry asked.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Do they teach you nothing at that school of yours anymore? As the Head of House Potter, you need to formally declare your intent to marry and of course submit to the tests."

"What tests?" Harry and Nym asked at the same time, smiling as they realised this.

"The usual, any checks for love potions, the Imperius, binding vows, and so on," Ted answered for his wife.

"Why on earth is that needed?" Nym wondered.

"Isn't it obvious? Nymphadora, your beau is Harry Potter. As in the Potter family who holds a seat on the Wizengamot," Andromeda said, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, I have a seat in government? But I'm fifteen!" Harry blurted out.

"Yes dear, you are, but as the Head of House Potter you will be eligible to take it up when you turn seventeen... or get married," his future mother-in-law informed him.

"Wow," was all Harry had to say to that. "Erm... okay, I guess that's good... but what does that have to do with the goblins testing me?"

"Harry, obviously they need to make sure you are not being controlled. Once we're... married... I'll be able to act as your proxy, after all," Nym realised.

"Exactly," Andromeda looked pleased her daughter got it. "So, Harry, how do you feel about a trip to Gringott's?"

"Now? But I don't have an appointment!" Harry protested.

"No need, goblins work 24/7, when money is involved. Nymmie, take my future son-in-law upstairs and get him dressed up as good as possible – yourself, too. He needs to make a good impression," Ted said.

"And don't jump his bones dear, you can have sex when we get back," Andromeda added.

Loudly protesting a whiny "Mum!", Nym and Harry disappeared upstairs.

–-

"Mr. Potter here to see the inheritances and contracts department," Nym spoke up as they came to the front of the small queue of a teller's at the goblin bank. Luckily her parents had decided they could handle it themselves, so at least she would not be embarrassed further today.

"Wait here," the goblin peered down at them and then with an annoyed huff got off his high chair and walked off.

"Erm... okay," Harry said, looking at Nym for support. She just shrugged.

A few minutes later the teller goblin re-appeared, looking at them with an annoyed expression. He reached up on his desk and put a plate saying 'Closed'. Some of the people who were in line behind Harry and Nym started to protest, leading to the goblin smiling a toothy grin at them and saying, "You can wait at the next counter." He looked pleased with himself to be able to inconvenience the wizards and witches as they had no choice but to obey, then turned to Harry and Nym and said, "Follow me, humans."

Making surprisingly good speed for such a short creature he lead them through the bank's back doors down a corridor that was at a slight incline, then turned a few corners seemingly at random before they ended up at an unlabelled, unremarkable door.
"Your manager is waiting inside. Now stop wasting my time and get in there," he snarled at them.

"Yeah, thank you, buddy," Nym mumbled as they stepped inside.

Another goblin sat inside, glaring at them when they entered "Finally decided to answer our summons, did you?"

Harry, startled, took a small step back. "Err... sorry? I didn't realise I had to hurry..."

"You humans always waste our time," the goblin said, still sounding annoyed. "Sit down and listen," he indicated two wooden chairs that looked very uncomfortable. As Harry and Nym sat down they realised that the goblin's desk was placed on a kind of plateau, so he could look down on them.

"What is your name, sir?" Harry asked, trying to remain polite.

"None of your business. You may address me as Account Manager," the goblin nearly snarled, then picked up a knife. Instantly, Nym's posture stiffened and she nearly whipped out her wand, then saw the goblin smirk and actually give a small nod.

"Your mate has good reflexes, Mr. Potter. Cut yourself with the knife and leave a drop on it. I need to confirm your identity before we continue," the goblin said, sliding the knife forward on the desk.

Harry did as asked, keeping his expression neutral as he drew blood on his left thumb, then re-placed the knife on the desk and slid it back.

The goblin smeared the blood on some parchment, then for the first time looked pleased as it apparently confirmed Harry was indeed Harry.
"What is your relationship to Sirius Black?" he asked without warning.

Harry breathed in sharply and looked at Nym. She squeezed his right hand in support.
"Sirius Black is my godfather, why?" Harry answered. Saying more could incriminate him as Sirius was still – despite Amelia's efforts – a wanted criminal, right?

"And have you spoken to him recently?" his account manager prompted. Seeing Harry was hesitant to answer, he barked out a laugh, sounding very much like a hyena, Harry thought.
"Relax, human. We don't care about who your Ministry decides to persecute or not... just answer the question."

"We are in regular contact, yes," Harry admitted. "I spent part of the summer with him. Why?"

"That is in order then," the goblin said, marking something on a piece of paper that Harry and Nym could not see.
"In a few minutes the Potion will be ready and brought here. You will drink it, then Gringott's business for the day will be concluded. You have until then to bother me with your own needs," the goblin told him.

"What? What is this about? What Potion?" Harry demanded.

"You will learn when you need to," the goblin dismissed him. "And a standard Willpower Draught. If you are not a weakling who is controlled by others, nothing will happen when you drink it. Gringott's needs to make sure you are capable of making decisions," the goblin smirked.

"What happens if erm... I am under control?" Harry wanted to know.

"Nothing pleasant," the goblin said, looking pleased. "And your time is running out."

"Err... right." Harry frowned, not happy with how little he was being told, then remembered why they came in the first place. "Account Manager, it is my intent to m– to marry Nym Tonks here, come Yule. Under inheritance law, I request you confirm I am doing so of my own free will," he stated.

"And sign such officially, so that the Potter inheritance will not be negatively affected," Nym added, since Harry forgot that part.

"Right, that," Harry agreed.

"Fine, since you're getting the Potion anyway," his account manager agreed. He rummaged in a drawer, then pulled out a roll of parchment and slid it to the other side of the desk.
"Sign this, both of you," he told them.

"I'll read it first," Harry countered, getting a smirk in reply.

Quickly he glanced through it and found it to be a document declaring that the signing parties had decided to get married within a year of giving their signature, and that the third party (Harry correctly assumed this to be their account manager) had confirmed the husband was not being controlled by potions or charms.

"Wait, it only checks if the husband is not controlled? What about the witch?" Nym asked.

"Take it up with your Ministry, this garbage is theirs," the account manager said. "They only care about wizards not being controlled."

"Sexist backwards a-holes," Nym grumbled. "Come on, Harry, let's sign."

Silently the goblin slid a dark looking quill forward, with no ink. Harry eyed it wearily. "A blood quill?"

"I am impressed," the goblin said, his teeth showing as he smiled. "Not many humans recognise these... where did you see one, human?"

"Never mind," Harry declined to answer. If the goblin was not telling him anything he didn't 'need to know', neither would he. He signed his name on the first spot quickly, then handed Nym the quill. She, too signed, then the goblin took the scroll back.

"How long until the Potion–" Harry started to ask. Just then the door opened and a young looking goblin entered holding a goblet.

"On the desk, Anklebiter, quick!" his account manager ordered.

"Yes, uncle," Anklebiter said, placing it down, then disappearing.

"Was that your nephew?" Harry asked.

The goblin looked annoyed again. "Just drink the Potion, human. Do not concern yourself with Gringott's matters you have no business with."

"Right... bottom's up, I guess," Harry took the goblet and looked at the contents. It looked a little like pea soup, if pea soup were bubbling, and had occasional red flashes occur inside it. Cringing at the foul odour, he swallowed the contents in a single gulp.

Nym looked at him with worry in her eyes as he grimaced, but nothing happened except that the account manager took the blood quill in his own claw, signed the scroll, then rolled it up and placed it in a desk drawer.

"Well? What are you two still doing here?" he glared at them after a few seconds.

"Err... are we done then?" Harry asked, confused.

"Obviously," the goblin snarled. "Get out, I have more work to do."

Harry and Nym got up and both decided saying anything more was useless, as the goblin wasn't even looking at them.
"Nasty critters with worse manners than the offspring of Goyle and a mountain troll," Harry said under his breath to Nym as he opened the door for her, only to come face to face with the young goblin from before.

"Err... hi, Anklebiter was it?" he quickly said, as Nym stifled a giggle.

"Follow me," Anklebiter told them, and quickly they were back in the lobby, then outside.

"That was weird," said Harry.

"That's goblins for you," Nym agreed. "They hate our guts, but the treaties make it so they can't actually hurt us or betray us until we act in bad faith first. Come on, mister, we're going to share a sundae at Florean Fortescue's, and you're buying."

"Oh, am I now?" Harry said with a grin, letting himself get pulled down the alley.

"Yup... you're my rich boy toy after all," Nym sounded very pleased with herself.

–-

In the rather empty ancestral Black home at Grimmauld Place, Sirius looked up as a postage owl entered through the open library window and landed in front of him. He took the letter and gave the owl a treat.

"Fan mail from your Azkaban girlfriend?" Remus Lupin asked, walking inside.

"Piss off, Moony," Sirius said, grinning. "Nah, goblin post. Harry came by and has had the Willpower Draught, so he's now officially accepted as my heir, should something happen."

Remus smiled slightly. "Have they told him?"

Sirius shrugged. "I doubt it. I'll tell the kid over the Yule holidays. Better him than that Malfoy brat, right?"

Remus frowned in distaste at a memory of the blond ponce. "You can say that again. Still, you're not interested in even trying for an heir of your own?"

"Moony, even if Amelia manages to get me trial and I am freed... that's not going to happen," Sirius said, sounding a little sad.

"Why not? You still... like girls, don't you?" Remus asked.

Sirius barked out a laugh, "Like them and love them, mate. But no puppies for me in the future... long-time Dementor exposure has ruined that for me."

Remus winced. "I didn't know," was all he could say.

"Yeah, it's kept a secret... guess I'll have to make do with being the crazy loveable uncle for any of Harry's kids... or yours," the dog animagus said, grinning.

"Wha? Mine?" Remus spluttered. "Padfoot, you cannot be serious." As Sirius got a smile as if Christmas had come early, Remus let out a huge groan as Sirius started to pick up on his favourite – and much overused – pun: "Serious? Moony, I am always Sirius..."

–-

A/N: Sorry for the long time between updates. Christmas was hectic and my muse wasn't cooperating... but the story should be back on track. I have half the next chapter written as well so hopefully I'll be able to post that soon.

Thanks to firefly81 for correcting some of my many mistakes!