The next two weeks went well. Lucius tutored Harry in Arithmancy while Draco did the same for Potions and Ancient Runes. Harry, Draco and Lucius also worked out together. Draco and Lucius both groaning at the pace Harry set each morning.
Harry made sure that neither one of them over did it, trying to keep up with him. Lucius did catch up fairly quickly, his longer legs making him faster. Draco, however, stuck to it and was soon running the full three miles.
Their exercise was continued with Harry leading them through tai chi, even though he insisted that he wasn't a teacher. Draco chose to disagree with that and so did their father.
"Harry, you know all the forms and Frankie insisted that you were perfectly capable of instructing us in tai chi and yoga. He did warn me against trying to learn martial arts from you."
Harry shook his head. "Oh, no! I'd never try to teach you that. You'd get hurt for sure. But ... if you really think ... I'll try."
Draco joined the conversation. "That's all we can ask. So ... show me that 'Maid works a shuttle' again."
Harry obediently demonstrated the form and helped Draco get the steps right. Lucius continued his series alone. He was good at remembering the order of stances, he remembered the whole form perfectly.
Harry noticed that his Papa was almost done with the form. He thought Lucius was moving a bit too fast and told him so.
"The form should take about twenty minutes to complete. In that way you exercise for endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. If you go too fast you use inertia instead of muscle to go from one stance to another."
Lucius shook his arms out, remarking, "I see. So ... the slower I go the more benefit I get."
"Yes, and the lower you go in the squatting stances the more muscle you build."
Draco came over, having overheard the conversation. "I was wondering about that. And the yoga?"
"I do two different styles; hot yoga, or Ashtanga and Iyengar. Ashtanga yoga is intense, fast and meant to build strength and endurance. Iyengar is slow, methodical and uses props as necessary. It builds core strength, flexibility and balance. I start with Iyengar, then tai chi, Ashtanga then move on to kata. I'm leading you into the same routine so that we can all work together. Oh, Papa, while I'm thinking of it ... When do you want to start sword training?"
Lucius smiled. "Impatient?" Harry grinned and nodded. "I've been waiting until Draco is in shape to keep up with us. Today, he's in good enough shape for us to begin." Draco smirked at Harry.
Harry sighed, "Ok, after breakfast, I'll get my bag and we'll see which one of my swords suits me best. I just wish I was stronger, magically. That's going to cause me the worst problems, I think."
Lucius sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I think so too, but I have no idea how to increase your magical strength. You'll be stronger after your seventeenth birthday and again at twenty-one. But I really do not think Tom is going to wait that long."
Harry sighed as they trotted back to the château, their cool down jog was a time for conversation. "I don't either. I was expecting something soon, before my birthday. And speaking of which ... even though I'm in control of my life then ... I get to stay after that, please?"
Lucius had been expecting this. "Yes. There's a common mistake amongst most young people. Your seventeenth birthday is your magical maturity. The day that the ministry believes that you are old enough to be trusted to work magic in public. Nothing more. You won't reach physical maturity until you do, whenever that is. Legal maturity, the ability to sign non-magical contracts and such, is twenty-one. And you don't reach fiscal maturity until twenty-five, according to the tenants of your parents wills."
Harry sighed and refrained from groaning only because he was glad he didn't have to move out.
Draco gave Harry a sour look. "Pray do not sigh like that. I don't reach fiscal maturity until I'm thirty-five."
Lucius couldn't help himself, the looks on both his son's faces was just too much. He had to stop jogging to lean against a tree and laugh himself silly. Much to the disgust of his sons.
.
Cleaning up and eating breakfast didn't take very long, after which Lucius led his boys to another large room on the third floor.
"This is the salle. It is much like your dojo, Harry, it has rules of manners and such. Most for safety's sake." Lucius noticed Harry's puzzled look. "Yes, I know salle just means room, but that's what this family has called a fencing arena for years."
Harry just smirked and said, "Tradition."
"Exactly." Lucius pulled off his outer robe and handed it off to an elf. Harry, having been told by Mimsey what to expect, took his off too, revealing a tidy pair of trousers, long sleeved t-shirt and fencing shoes. Draco was soon revealed to be wearing the same sort of clothing
"Now, the first thing is, you will not be fencing each other anytime soon. The first things you learn are ..." Lucius smirked at Harry. "Forms. Just as in martial arts, there are attacks, feints and ripostes or defensive moves. You will practice these until you can do them correctly. But first, you have to have the proper sword, as the sword decides your style."
Harry nodded at this. "Ok, so ... what? I just try each sword?"
"Exactly. Until you find the sword that fits you. Just like your wand, you'll know it when you find it."
Harry got his bag out of his pocket, murmuring the charm that released the Lose-me-not spell. He put one hand in it then grumbled, "Can't find a damn thing. Engorgio." He envisioned a cabinet that contained all the swords available and that is what he got.
Lucius raised an eyebrow at this but didn't comment. He did wonder a bit at what else was in that bag, but he knew better than to tamper with it, even if he was inclined to do so.
"Well, did you have any ideas?" Lucius flicked his wand to open the door to the cabinet.
It swung open to reveal rank upon rank of swords. Lucius immediately rejected anything that was a long sword or double handed, explaining that the style wizards used, substituted a wand for a targ or dagger. That left the same swords that Harry had put on his list; Claymore, Basket hilted Schiavona, Arming sword, Rapier, Flamberge, and Saber.
Lucius rejected the saber at once, saying that it didn't suit Harry's personality. Draco interrupted when Lucius handed Harry a claymore.
"I thought a claymore was a two-handed sword."
Harry replied absently as he swished the sword through the air, "Not exactly. The two-handed claymore or, claidheamh dà làimh, is what most people think of but this is a one-handed basket-hilted sword also called by that name. I don't think I like it, it's point heavy for me." He put it back, seating it carefully.
Between them Lucius and Harry also rejected the rapier and the flamberge, leaving the schiavona, arming sword and a sword that Draco had brought from the Malfoy collection. This sword was a cross between a rapier and a saber, Lucius called it a duello and said that it had been developed for duellists that favoured a style that combined point work and edge work.
Harry wound up trying desperately to decide between the Schiavona and the duello. The arming sword, an almost exact copy of the Sword of Gryffindor, had been a bit too short, now that Harry was nearing six feet in height. They decided to have him start out with both as he could always decide between them later, or use them interchangeably.
.
Lucius pulled his braid out of his collar and settled into a chair, supplied by Mimsey, and said, "Now that that is over ... although I do think you might have been a bit hasty about the arming sword."
Harry shuddered slightly, replying, "Ugh! No thanks. Bad memories. I can still see that bloody basilisk when I hold it."
Lucius nearly choked on his drink, Draco did. "Basilisk? What basilisk?"
"The one in the Chamber of Secrets."
Draco sighed, "What are you not telling us and why aren't you?"
Harry sighed, "Because I didn't want to start a big thing. I'm still pissed at you for giving that fucking diary to Ginny and I didn't want to start an argument."
Lucius rubbed his cheek, trying to calm himself, he knew he wasn't going to like this at all. "Just tell your story, I'll refrain from remark, if you will."
So Harry told his father and brother the truth of the Chamber of Secrets leaving both of them flabbergasted.
When Lucius found his voice all he could say was, "Damnit! Dumbledore must be senile. A basilisk? And you killed it with the sword of Gryffindor then freed ... I don't believe it ." At the expression on Harry's face he amended, "I mean ... I do believe what you have said but ... Dumbledore has much to answer for. A twelve year old boy ... killing a basilisk then being allowed to face off with me! Me, of all people! I'll kill him myself."
Harry just fished in his robe, which he'd put back on to keep from getting chilled, and extracted a calming draught. "Here, drink this before you explode."
Lucius actually accepted and drank the potion. After calming down he asked a question that Harry had never thought of. "What happened to the basilisk?"
Harry gave him a blank look then said, "I suppose it's still there."
Lucius sighed, rubbed his eyes with both hands and groaned. He straightened in his chair and snarled, "I'm sure it is. Dumbledore proves that he's an idiot again. I shall see to it."
Harry looked blank. "See to it, sir?"
Draco groaned then said, "I suppose, if I asked nicely, you'd give it all to me?"
"Sure, if you want a rotten basilisk corpse."
Lucius looked like he wanted to bang his head on something hard. "Harry, a basilisk is worth a fortune. The skin, the blood, the ... every single bit. I will see to having it harvested."
Harry shrugged, "You can't get into the chamber unless you're a parslemouth. But ... won't it be rotten?"
Lucius shook his head. "I doubt it. It takes a century for it to even start. If it takes a parslemouth to get in, how ... never mind, I don't think I want to know. We will be going back to England day after tomorrow."
And that was that. Lucius refused to speak of it again, only cautioning Harry never to go out of Malfoy property bounds alone. Harry just said, "Yes, sir." and went to tell Mimsey before lunch.
.
Harry had his doubts about returning to England but Lucius seemed to think it would be fine and who was he to argue with his Papa. Not that he wouldn't, if he thought it was necessary but he got no bad feeling about the move so he just made arrangements, got packed and kept up with his homework.
Harry was finding that Lucius was an excellent teacher, he was also finding out that, while Lucius would never hit him unless the contract demanded it, he could be quite cutting in his remarks. Especially when he thought you weren't applying yourself. Draco could be snippy too, but he was also more forgiving. Harry found that he didn't mind all that much, especially as Lucius usually prefaced his more cutting remarks with, "Harry, I know you are quite intelligent so I would really like to say..." It was the quite intelligent bit that took the majority of the sting out of the remarks.
.
Lucius Malfoy entered Hogwarts with a sneer on his face. He didn't want to be here but he wasn't about to allow anyone to rob Harry of so much as a knut.
He'd gone to a knacker to find out if they could handle the basilisk and had been told that only goblins could. So he'd taken himself to Gringotts to see if they would deal with it.
The goblin who was in charge of Harry's vaults was as surprised as everyone else when Lucius was polite to him. Harry had been adamant that Lucius treat the goblins as politely as possible when on Harry's affairs. Lucius had decided that he wasn't going to argue with Harry about that and he would be as polite as he could manage. Which was a great deal more polite than anyone expected. The goblin was, after all, Harry's employee, not Lucius'. His first attempt had produced such excellent results that Lucius now treated goblins more politely than he treated his wizarding solicitors.
"Greetings, Master Grizzleshank." Lucius nodded his head then settled in the chair the goblin indicated.
"How may I help you?"
Lucius told the goblin about the basilisk and the goblin nearly fell out of his chair.
"How big?"
"I cannot be sure. Harry was only twelve so his estimate of the size might be off. But any basilisk should be worth a great deal."
"Ah. Fifty percent."
Lucius shrugged, "I'm sorry to have wasted your time."
He started to get up but the goblin stopped him by saying, "Twenty percent."
"Not even close. One percent."
They wrangled back and forth for a while, until Lucius said, "Five percent and not a knut more.
The goblin grumbled about Lucius driving such a hard bargain but seemed pleased all the same.
"I'll bring Harry here tomorrow so that we may begin."
"Yes, that will be fine. How is the young master doing?
"Quite well actually. In the morning then, eightish?"
The goblin nodded, "Eight on the dot."
So, now they were on their way into Hogwarts, followed by a contingent of forty goblins, to claim Harry's kill.
They were met at the door by Dumbledore, Snape and Filch.
Lucius nodded to Dumbledore, ignored Filch and gave Severus a small quirk of the lips that might grow into a smile, someday.
Draco smiled at Severus and ignored both Dumbledore and Filch.
Harry nodded to them all, one short jerk of his head, then he stepped back behind two large goblins, putting them between himself and the Hogwarts staff.
Dumbledore gave him a sad look. He'd been told by the Wizengamot, as well as the Ministry of Magic, to leave Harry and the Malfoy's alone. He'd checked the parchment-work and realized that it was all legal and above board, he was stumped. He assumed that Malfoy's bribes had done it again. However, Harry looked well.
Snape glared at Harry, who glowered back.
Filch just wished they'd all get on with it so he could sit down, his bunions were giving him jip.
The goblins stepped into the front quad and up to the main doors. The first time in over six hundred years that goblins had been allowed on Hogwarts grounds.
"Mr. Filch, if you would."
Mr. Filch nodded and turned to lead the way.
Professor Snape made as if to follow but Harry just shook his head. "Not him. He has no business here."
Lucius sighed, this wasn't going to go well if he didn't interfere at once. "I'd like him to be there. He is a potions master after all."
Harry looked from a fiercely glowering Snape to Lucius to the head of the goblin harvesting team. The goblin looked at Snape, bared his teeth then said, "He should come."
Harry thought for a moment then said, "Alright."
They all trooped to the girls washroom to be met by Myrtle, who promptly screamed and dived into a loo, splashing water everywhere and annoying Lucius. He glowered at the loo then snapped, "What the devil? I don't remember her."
Dumbledore chose that moment to try to draw Harry aside. "Harry, my boy, ..."
Harry stepped back from Dumbledore's hand, snapping, "Don't call me that. I'm my Papa's boy, not yours. What do you want?"
"I just want to be sure that Lucius is treating you right."
Harry goggled rudely, then hissed, "You what? You ... you. Oh, that's really something. A man who has every right to treat me like shit, buys me everything, gives me new clothing, makes sure I have all the food I want. Treats me just like his own blood son and you want to make sure he is treating me right. But you leave me with people who starve, over work and beat me? You're ..."
"Harry! Come to me at once." Lucius held out his hand. Harry went to him as quickly as he could. "What did that old ... what did the headmaster want?"
"To make sure you are treating me right." Harry frowned over his shoulder at Dumbledore.
"Never mind him. Please open the door to the chamber."
Harry turned to the sinks and hissed, "Open.". The sinks obligingly sank into the floor, opening the passage.
"We'll have to slide down a chute, that's why I insisted everyone wear something they didn't mind ruining, not to mention butchering a basilisk." He turned to the head goblin to ask, "Did you remember the picks and shovels?"
"Yes, as you commanded, so it was done." The goblin refrained from asking the obvious question. He'd found that Harry was a smart, polite young man, unlike many wizards.
"Good. Because part of the tunnel is collapsed and I'm not sure if we'll be able to get through or not. I wish you'd let me come when you started this." Harry gave Lucius a grumpy look.
"You are just grumpy because you have not gotten your exercise in. And you have only had one cup of tea." Lucius graced Harry with a 'mind your manners' look. Harry just grumbled and jumped into the chute.
Draco followed then the goblins, Lucius wisely went last. That way most of the filth was wiped away by others, as Severus acerbically remarked at the bottom. Lucius was smart enough not to mention that Snape had gone directly before him.
Harry was right that the tunnel was partially blocked so five of the goblins crawled through to the other side while several more started picking up the shed skin that littered the area. Snape went gray when he saw it.
It didn't take long for the goblins to clear the way. They all trooped through to find the door to the actual chamber closed.
Harry looked at it for a long time before he began casting spells at it.
Snape showed his bitterness at once by announcing in a supercilious tone, "Yes, trust Potter to let us down at the crunch. What's the matter, boy, can't you open it?"
Harry rounded on Snape in a fury, jaw clenched. Lucius took a step back and let him go.
"Yes, I can open it. But do you really want me to open a door to a chamber that might contain who knows what? A door that I distinctly remember leaving open? Idiot! You're so involved in your need to humiliate and belittle me that you want to put the entire party in danger. Shut up and sit down somewhere. Papa, help me, I'm out of ideas."
Snape shut up with a sharp grunt. A grunt caused by Lucius poking him in the kidney with his cane. Draco sighed. This was going to be a most unpleasant day.
Lucius approached the door and tried a variety of spells meant to reveal hexes, jinxes, curses and traps. Then he tried spells that revealed anything living in the chamber beyond.
"Nothing. Perhaps it is just self closing." Lucius braced himself for Severus to rip into Harry again.
But, instead of cutting Harry, Severus glowered at him for a moment then snarked, "Finally, he is beginning to learn a modicum of caution."
Harry mumbled, "Arsewipe." then commanded the door to open. It did, with a lot of commotion of banging locks and slithering serpents. Harry made his opinion of Salazar Slytherin known with a snort and the remark that the man was a drama queen. All the goblins made a grinding sound that was their form of laughter.
Lucius entered first, followed immediately by Draco. The only sound for a moment was total silence except for dripping water. Then Draco let out a tiny moan. Lucius fought the desire to faint.
Severus gently set Draco aside then exclaimed, "Bugger!"
Even the goblins were startled into exclamations. Harry just eyed the giant corpse with disfavour. It hadn't changed one iota in four years.
It was still huge, at least eighty feet long and proportionately monstrous in circumference.
Harry stepped around everyone and walked up to it. He looked it over for a moment then said, "Huh! Somehow it doesn't seem quite as large as it did when I was twelve."
The goblins started chattering amongst themselves then turned to the basilisk.
One of the goblins put a carry box on the floor and started unfolding it, for lack of a better explanation. Every time he did this, it got bigger and bigger, finally it was the size of a tractor-trailer rig. Then several of the goblins started a pass-along, a line of goblins who passed the contents of the box from hand to hand, removing storage containers of all kinds from its depths.
Other goblins seized bottles, jars or boxes and started butchering the basilisk. First they drained all the blood out of it, then removed the poison sacks, remains of the eyes and the fangs. Harry watched the proceedings for a few minutes then turned to Draco.
"I'm grossed out now. Let's go explore a bit. I'm not going to stand here and watch, thankyouverymuch."
A goblin approached them, excused itself then asked, "One of the fangs is broken, do you know why or how?"
Harry just said, "It bit me when I stabbed it through the roof of its mouth. The fang broke off in my arm."
The goblin blinked once then said, "May this one ask to see the scar?"
Draco started to get indignant but Harry patted him on the shoulder then rolled up his sleeve to show the goblin the oval, brownish indent.
"Not much to see really, but if Fawkes hadn't cried on it, I'd have died."
The goblin inspected the scar for a moment then called another goblin over. This goblin also looked at the scar then bowed to Harry. Harry glanced at Draco but Draco shrugged indicating that he had no idea what was going on.
Lucius noticed what was going on so he came over to stand behind Harry. The head goblin of the group walked up, glanced at Harry's arm then nodded to him. Harry nodded back, wondering what the hell was going on.
He soon found out. All the goblins stopped what they were doing and lined up in front of Harry then they all slapped their chests with their left hand, stamped their right foot and shouted, "A grak, Harry Potter."
Harry nearly jumped out of his skin. "What? What was that? Did I offend someone somehow?"
Lucius patted Harry on the shoulder. "Don't worry. They just gave you a very great honour. That's the goblin equivalent of 'Well done.' "
Harry just sighed. "Oh, ok. Thanks. Um ... how are we doing?"
"Very well. But it is going to be quite a while before we get this done. Severus is in alt. I swear, I haven't seen him so excited in quite some time."
"How can you tell? He just looks dyspeptic to me. But, never mind, Draco and I are going to explore a bit."
Lucius chuckled at this barb from Harry but realized that he was going to have to do something about the antagonism between Severus and Harry. He decided to deal with one thing at a time.
It took the goblins over three hours of steady work to get the basilisk reduced to parts and packed away in the box. Harry noticed that they used magic of some sort to do a lot of it. He'd also noticed the longing looks Snape cast at the basilisk from time to time. He'd been a great help, moving containers from place to place and even lending his considerable physical strength from time to time.
Lucius approached Harry with a small box in his hand. "I have taken the liberty of putting this together. I think it would be nice if you gave it to Severus."
Harry eyed the box which was about the size of a pack of playing cards then shrugged. "It's fine. You give it to him if you want. I don't care."
Lucius sighed, the rift was deep between Severus and Harry, it was going to take time to heal.
Severus took the box reverently but gave Lucius one sharp look. "If Potter finds out you've done this, he'll be most displeased."
Lucius shrugged in his elegant way and replied, "He knows. I asked his permission."
Severus longed to throw the box in Harry's face but he well knew the value of any bit of a basilisk so his greed over rode his temper. He pocketed the box with a curl of his lip then went to check on getting them all out of the chamber.
This was accomplished easily by the goblins. They produced a flying carpet of enormous size from the carry box and spread it out on the chamber floor. Lucius called Harry and Draco away from the last of their explorations and the whole group stood on the carpet which rose into the air, taking them up through the same sinkhole Fawkes had used the first time.
They exited the cavern and landed in the field that surrounded the mouth of the sink hole. The goblins immediately picked up the box and used a port key to return to Gringotts to begin cataloguing the carcass.
Lucius took his sons to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch.
.
Harry took a menu from the waitress and sighed, he had always been a bit leery of the Leaky but now, the food put him off completely.
"I'm not hungry enough to eat this. Sorry, Papa, but I really think it's too much for my stomach."
Lucius started to argue but the green tinge to Harry's face convinced him that it was a lost cause.
"Very well. Shall we go someplace else?"
Harry's expression quashed that idea quickly. "I'll be fine until we get home."
Draco thought for a moment. "You might try the chicken soup and hard roll. There's not much he can do to that. And, the kitchens are quite clean, I checked myself."
Harry shrugged, then said, "Ok. But I'm not making any promises." He sighed. "I think it depends on the cook. Sometimes, the food is really greasy and I'm reluctant to take chances."
So, they ordered.
When the food came Harry was glad he'd let Draco persuade him, the soup was delicious. The roll was tender and smelled of yeast and butter. Draco's shepherd's pie was perfect and Lucius' 'common fare' was freshly cooked. The waitress kept their basket full of fresh bread and the butter dish exchanged when it was empty. She also took the tea pot away for refills.
When they got up to go, Lucius dropped two sickles on the table for her.
Draco trailed behind Lucius and Harry. He really wasn't interested in sitting around in Gringotts while Lucius dealt with Harry's finances.
"Father, I see Theo and Vince. Would it be all right if I hung around with them, instead of going to Gringotts?"
Lucius considered this for a moment. "I don't see why not. Do not leave the ally."
Draco breathed a silent sigh of relief, he was sure to have been bored to tears, now there was a chance of a bit of fun. "I won't, sir."
Lucius watched as Draco hurried to catch up to his friends then turned to Harry. "Well, I suppose we better move on. Our appointment is in thirty minutes."
Harry sighed, "It really wouldn't do to be late, would it?" Neither one of them noticed the man watching them from the side street.
Lucius let Harry go first and greet the goblin at the door. Harry greeted it politely, saying, "Hello, may your gold ever increase."
"And yours, young sir." The goblin nodded its head. "How may I help you?"
"I need to see my financial manager. Harry James Potter is my name."
"Ah! And you are the heir of the Black and LeStrange estates as well." The goblin led them into a parlor with several seating arrangements in it. "Please, make yourselves comfortable while I find out who you are supposed to consult with."
They sat down, Lucius on the edge of his chair and Harry nestled in his with his feet on a poof. Lucius frowned at this but didn't say anything.
"Ah! The young lord makes himself comfortable. Good, good. Trust where trust is earned." The goblin nodded to Lucius, lips pursed to hide his teeth.
Lucius nodded back and rose to follow the goblin with Harry on his heels. They were led to an office filled with file cabinets where a goblin sat behind a large, low desk. In front of the desk were two deep, wing back chairs. Harry took one and Lucius took the other.
The goblin nodded to both of them and started by introducing himself. "Hello. I am Grumbleguts. I have been assigned to this ... project due to my experience with such things." He glanced at Lucius then continued, "Your guardian, Mr. Potter, is a singularly dedicated man. He has seen to many arrangements to organize your portfolio, that is to say, your fortune. They are all, in my opinion, excellently thought out. However, you have to read and approve them."
Harry groaned, "All of them? How many?"
Lucius nodded sharply and said, "Yes, all of them." While Grumbleguts announced, "Only twenty."
Harry rolled his eyes and snorted, "Only? Thanks." He rubbed his face with both hands, his contacts were bothering him. He needed a new box and he had been wearing these for two weeks now. "Ok, let's get started then."
Lucius looked at Harry's red, irritated eyes and demanded, "What is wrong? Are you up to reading all this?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've just been wearing these contacts too long, I need to get a new box. I'm only supposed to wear them for a week and I've been wearing these for two. They're my last pair."
"Then you should take them out and wear your glasses. You will get an eye infection, if you are not careful."
Harry fumbled in his robes for his glasses, gave Grumbleguts an apologetic glance and took out his contacts. He just banished them as he knew he'd never get them back in again, shoving his glasses onto his nose he returned to the parchments.
He read each one, asking questions that made both Lucius and Grumbleguts smile. They were all intelligent and to the point.
When Harry finally signed the last of the contracts Grumbleguts stacked them and put them away.
"Now, we come to another thing. All the arrangements Mr Malfoy initiated have already been carried out, no matter that you just signed off on them. Except for one thing." Grumbleguts turned to Lucius. "We understand that Mr Potter wanted to end the LeStrange line, deface the family crest. He had already combined the LeStrange vaults with the Black vaults and those, in turn with the Potter vaults. I would like to know why you haven't sent in the ring yet."
Lucius bowed slightly, he respected anyone who could come to the point like that. "Political expediency. I am doing my very best to keep Dumbledore off balance. He already tried to remove Harry from his home. Harry, very wisely in my opinion, fled to France."
"Hmmm. I see. Not wise of him. Now, my advice is to send that ring to the Wizangamot at once. Otherwise they might see it as an attempt to subvert their authority."
Lucius thought for a few moments then said, "I agree. I do not have the ring with me. I could send for it. It might look better coming from a Gringotts representative."
Grumbleguts put something on the desk. "I have the master seal here. It might be better to send it instead."
Harry looked blank. "Master seal?"
Lucius took over explanations. "The master seal is the first copy of a seal and the one that all others are magically copied from. Deface that and the line is truly gone. No one has done that for ..."
"Almost seven hundred years. Most wizards don't even know their family has a master seal. They just come to us for seals and seal rings."
Lucius sighed, then explained, "I never even thought of the master seal. I apologize, Harry."
Harry waved that comment away as unimportant, instead he asked, "What do I do?"
Grumbleguts pushed the seal across the desk and said, "Just deface it. I'd suggest sending for a chisel and hammer. Use the chisel to cut across the face of the seal ruining the design but leaving it identifiable."
Harry just pulled his wand out and flicked, saying, "Incidere!" a cut appeared across the face of the seal from side to side and about half the thickness of the seal. "Will that do?"
Grumbleguts nodded, "More than. I think we should send it off at once. I have a letter prepared for your signature, Mr. Potter." he took a parchment from a folder and handed it to Harry.
Harry read it, handed it to Lucius, who also read it then handed it back. "Sign it. I think it is to the point and politically neutral."
"Ok." Harry scrawled his signature on the letter and handed it back to Grumbleguts.
He folded it carefully and dropped a dollop of wax on it. "You should impress your seal on it but I'm sure you don't have it with you."
Harry smirked slightly. "Which one? Black, Malfoy or Potter."
Lucius eyed Harry for a moment, then asked, "You have them all with you? Is that wise?"
Harry pulled his devil's bag out of his pocket, saying, "Don't worry, you know not even Dung Fletcher could get this away from me." He stuck his hand into the bag and pulled out all three rings and a handful of sugar quills. He flushed and stuffed them back.
Lucius and Grumbleguts refrained from comment while Harry examined the rings, thinking. Finally he said, "I think the seal of the House of Black. The LeStrange money went into that vault."
Harry frowned, "I remember another letter and the ring. What happened to that?"
"I sent it to my solicitor, I'll send him an owl to send it on now."
Harry nodded, "Ok. Oh, will a standard warming charm work on the wax."
Grumbleguts said it would so Harry warmed the wax, sealed it with his ring and pushed it across the desk. The goblin handed it to a clerk standing by then turned to Harry again.
"And now for the next bit of business. I have here an estimate of the value of your kill." Harry looked blank so Grumbleguts explained, "The basilisk?"
"Oh, that. Did we get a good price for it?"
"Oh, an excellent price! Wonderful profit, just wonderful! Of course it has not sold yet but the Goblin Nation will pay you now and market the actual goods in an appropriate fashion."
Harry took the parchment that a clerk reverently extended to him, he glanced at it, turned pale and passed it to Lucius. Lucius looked at it, made a sound very like 'eep'; which he would deny to his dying day, and passed it back.
The sum mentioned was a third of Harry's yearly income.
"I see what you mean. Our gold has increased tremendously. Congratulations to the goblin nation."
"Thank you. Here are your new keys. And now, our business is concluded." The goblin nodded in a rather formal way. "As our business is concluded I would like to ask a question."
"Sure." Harry didn't see any reason to deny the goblin, he could always refuse to answer.
"Where did you get that bag."
"From the Darklings. The Go-between gave it to me and asked that I close the Crossroads."
The goblin turned a very strange color and said, "I see."
Harry held out the devil's bag. "Would you like to see it? I don't recommend sticking your hand in it. It burned Mimsey rather badly."
Grumbleguts held up his hands. "No, I thank you. I'd rather not. Darkling objects are nothing to fool around with. If it was given to you, it's yours to do with as you please. As well as all contents. But do be careful with it."
"I will be. Thank you."
Harry turned, handed his keys to Lucius and said, "As you are still in control of my finances, you better keep these, don't you think? Besides, you're doing such a good job, I'm a bit reluctant to jump in until I know what I'm doing. I'll just keep the key to my allowance vault."
Lucius accepted the keys and added them to a small ring of such keys. This ring included Harry's keys, the Malfoy keys and a key to Narcissa's personal vault and Draco's allowance vault. He didn't need one to Harry's as it was self replenishing from his personal vault.
The whole group of goblins escorted Harry and Lucius to the lobby and left them with the goblin farewell of, "May your gold ever increase." Harry returned the sentiment.
Lucius turned to another of the goblins and said softly, "Do not forget to acquire the item I mentioned in my missive."
The goblin just gave a short nod and returned, "I will not. It shouldn't be too hard to lay my hands on it."
They shared a look and Lucius turned to leave.
They were stopped by a grubby looking man who smelled slightly of garbage.
"Harry James Potter. I, Elwin Burbage, challenge you to a duel. On your honour as a wizard and Head of an old and honourable house you must accept."
Harry stared at the man for a moment then looked at Lucius. Lucius scowled at Burbage then snarled, "I'm sorry Harry, but you have to take the challenge."
Harry nodded, "Ok, um .. first hex or what?" Harry eyed the man for a moment then said, "And, for your information, it's a Nobel and Ancient House. Twit!"
Mr, Burbage looked offended and said something he shouldn't have. "You wait, you snot nosed little shit, when I defeat you, I'll have the reputation and the adulation. I'll be famous and you'll be maggot meat."
Harry scowled, turned to Lucius and exclaimed, "See Papa, I told you. It's more trouble than it's worth. All he wants to do is get a reputation as the defeater of the boy who lived. Total rubbish."
Lucius sighed and agreed. "I do see what you mean. Well, nothing for it but to find you another second, I'll be one, but you have to have two. I wonder where Mr. What's-his-name is going to find two seconds."
But that question was answered when Rita Skeeter and some man walked up.
"Oh, my poor, dear boy, so tragic a death at the hands of a ..."
She didn't get any farther as Harry hexed her with a 'silencio'. "Bitch." Lucius drew a handkerchief from his sleeve and hid a smile behind it. She was a useful tool, true, but she was so annoying that it had always been all he could do not to hex her.
"Mrs. Skeeter, fancy meeting you here. I presume you and your ... er ... companion are Mr. Burbage's seconds?"
Rita nodded, being bereft of speech for the moment.
Lucius looked around, they did need a second and fast. If they couldn't find one, they would forfeit the duel, to Harry's disgrace. He saw Severus Snape coming out of a side door and called him over.
"Severus, this is most opportune. This idiot has challenged Harrison to a duel. I need you for the other second."
Severus blinked, "And, why would I second ... Harrison?"
Lucius raised an eyebrow at Severus and said in his most haughty tone, "Because I request it of you."
Severus just let out a long suffering sigh. "Very well. Let's get this over with."
Severus, as Harry's secundus, Lucius was Primus, went to make arrangements for an arena. He was told by one of the goblin clerks that the middle of the bank's main room was acceptable. The goblins would just erect a shield to keep stray spells from harming bystanders.
He also made arrangements for a Wand Weighing then returned to Lucius. Lucius thanked him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Severus managed to hide his faint flush by turning his head to watch the goblins setting up the arena.
Harry, standing by Lucius, remarked absently, "I still remember the ... ahem ... duel between you and Lockheart. Nearly hurt myself trying not to laugh at him. Great demonstration of how to fly without a broom."
Snape gave Harry a strange look. "One would have thought that you might have wanted me to ... do the flying."
Harry snorted, turning his head to look at Snape for the first time. "Lockheart was an arse. And worthless as tits on a boar. You might be one of the nastiest people I ever met but no one could call you useless. What do I do now?"
Lucius eyed Harry then Severus in mild disgust then said, "First, we weigh your wands. Then you mount the duelling platform. I've taught you all the proper forms, just do as we have done in practice."
Harry nodded his understanding. "Ok. What If he cheats?"
"As your Prime Second, I'll kill him at once. As your father, I'll make it as painful as possible."
"Fine." Harry huffed in mock irritation. "Have all the fun. Let's get this farce started."
A goblin appeared as if Harry had actually called him. He set up a small table and a pair of scales. Harry offered him his wand and watched as the goblin weighed it then measured it. He also asked the components. Harry told him, watched as he wrote the information in a small book then accepted his wand back.
The other wand caused a bit of an uproar as it was unregistered. The goblin just registered it without much comment as Mr. Burbage complained and Rita Skeeter employed a Quick Quotes Quill to record everything he said.
Harry watched with disfavor, he didn't like Rita and hated the vile green quills.
The entire group realized that a goblin was going to be the judge when it called, "Gentlemen, to your places."
Harry mounted one side of the dais while his opponent strutted to the other. Harry lifted his robes to climb the three or four steps while Mr. Burbage tried to jump from the floor to the top and nearly tripped. A titter ran through the observers.
After taking their places at either end of the dais the combatants took a waiting stance. The goblin called, "Ready! .... Duel!" and the fight was on.
Harry waited while Burbage got himself together and cast the first hex. Unfortunately, for Burbage, Harry's shield was strong enough that the 'Bombarda' bounced off it and zinged into the protective shield around the arena.
Harry couldn't resist and cast "Serpensortia" leaving Burbage facing a fifteen foot long, very angry cobra. His attempt at dismissal was a dismal failure. Harry had to laugh but since he was looking at the snake it came out in Parsletongue. This had the snake turning to look at Harry.
It asked, "What is so funny and why am I here?"
"I needed you. I'll send you back home now." Harry swished his wand and said the counter charm. The snake disappeared while everyone in the crowd whispered.
Harry fooled around a bit, blocking Burbage's spells and hexes, until Lucius barked, "Harrison James Potter! Put an end to this, now!"
Harry shrugged and flicked his wand in the sweeping poke of stupefy. He put a bit of power into it and Burbage dropped like a stone.
A goblin mounted the dais while Harry waited. He announced, "This contestant cannot continue." He turned to Harry. "A courtesy bow would close the duel."
Harry bowed with all the elegance he could command.
"The duel is won! Victor Harrison James Potter, Ward of Lucius Malfoy." The goblin turned to Harry. "It is tradition and common practice that the victor may claim a souvenir from the vanquished"
Harry glanced at Burbage, he wasn't sure that the man had anything that he wanted. Then he saw the ring on his finger. It was a rather elegant thing for a foul creature like him to have and Harry wondered where he'd gotten it. It was a heavy band of some white metal with a beautifully carved stone of green carved into a gryphon. Harry tugged it off and dropped it into his pocket.
He bowed to the goblin judge murmuring, "You honour my house." Then hopped off the dais and walked over to Lucius.
"Sorry if I upset you, Papa. It's just that I wanted to ... didn't want to embarrass him too much."
"I see. Next time you endanger yourself that way. I'll have something more to say to you."
Snape looked from one to the other then snarled, "I'm not sure what is going on here, but does Dumbledore know Harry is here in Gringots?"
Harry turned and snarked, "Yes, Bumblemore knows. He chased me all the way to Malfoy Manner, brought Aurors into a private house and tried to grab me. I went to France to get away from him and I think we'll be going back to Paris as soon as business is finished. So, yeah, I'm sure he knows exactly where I am. Sir?" He turned to look at Lucius, who had choked rather loudly.
Lucius looked at Severus with new eyes. The professor was glowering at Harry in a fashion that would have gotten someone else hexed. "Severus, I know you and my treasure have issues, but do not force me to choose between you. Please."
Severus gave Harry another look then nodded to Lucius. "Very well. Just keep us apart then."
Lucius sighed and nodded. "I do wish you'd at least try to get along with him."
"I left a casket of basilisk potion ingredients, identical to the one he gave to me, in trust with the goblins for him. Enough to last a master brewer his life time. I made the arrangements with the goblins to sell the rest. I'm sure you have the accounting by now."
Lucius sighed again at this obvious change in subject. Harry followed all this with annoyance but interjected, "I'll allow Draco to use the basilisk ingredients as soon as you tell me he is competent." He then turned a speaking look at Lucius. "If we don't leave soon, we'll be late to find Draco and he'll worry. We should leave soon."
Severus realized that Harry wasn't going to rise to his barb again. In fact, the first rise was more of a backhanded compliment than anything else. He left, putting his thoughts behind him. It wasn't worth his worry.
.
Lucius put his hand on Harry's shoulder and guided him toward the door. "We shall leave now. I have no desire to be mixed up in the melee that is sure to follow."
But first they had to get by Rita Skeeter and her photographer. Harry glowered as he was blinded by the flash reflecting off his glasses. He still had to get more contacts.
"Well, Harry, how do you feel, now that you've fought your first duel." Rita's sickly sweet tone made Harry growl.
His reply could be heard by everyone standing near. "That was my second duel. My first was during the TriWizard farce. I fought Voldemort."
Rita smirked, "Now, Harry, we all know that that's just a teensy bit of self-aggrandizement."
Harry glowered at her while Lucius bit his lip. He should interrupt this and support Harry. He'd been there, after all, and hadn't done anything to help. Although, he wasn't sure what he could have done without getting his family killed for his interference.
Harry neatly solved his problem. "I don't care to be called a liar by a fucking mealy mouthed, sensation hunting hack like you. I don't care what you think, only what you say. The next time you print a damned mess of lies like you have been, I'll challenge you to a duel to the death. So think carefully before you write." With that, he flicked his wand, snapped, "Incendio." burning her notebook and quill to ashes. "Come along, Papa, I don't want Draco to worry."
Lucius followed Harry out the door, struggling mightily not to burst into laughter. The expression on Rita's face had been worth gold. The fact that Harry's spell had also caught the camera was also priceless.
They ran into Draco and Theodore Knott just outside the building, headed their way.
Harry braced himself, Draco's expression boded no good for someone, probably someone named Harry Potter.
"Harrison James Potter! Tell me you did not just get involved in an honour duel with some alley rat."
Harry looked a Lucius for rescue, but he just shrugged in his elegant way and purred, "Pray absolve me."
Harry sighed, "Ok, I won't tell you. Nor tell you that I won."
Draco snarled wordlessly and swatted him on the shoulder. "Duelling, damnit! And I missed it."
Harry grunted softly at the swat but grumbled, "Well, you didn't miss much. He was smelly, Skeeter was there, and Snape was my other second. Took me about a minute to squash him. I took longer than Papa liked, but I didn't want to humiliate him too much. Didn't work really. And the goblin judge said I could take a forfeit from him but all he had was this." Harry took the ring from his pocket and showed it to Draco.
Draco was nearly pulling his hair out, trying to understand what had happened. Lucius took pity on him, dismissed a too curious Theo and told them to meet him at the Hotel de Malfoy in Paris.
When they got there, Lucius settled them in the small family parlor and told Draco everything over tea. Then Harry and Draco told Lucius the real story of their duel. Lucius snickered at the image of Severus blasting Lockheart, but snarled at Draco when he told about using 'Serpensortia'. This spell is a lot more dangerous than you'd think as, if you had no control over the snake, the chances of your weapon turning on you were great. Draco just agreed then apologized to Harry for being a 'toerag'. Harry waived it off as being in the past and forgotten.
Harry finished the stories with, "And so, here's the ring. What do you think of it?"
Lucius took the heavy band and remarked, "Mmmm, very nice actually. Jade stone in a platinum band. I've never seen anything quite like it. You might take it as a personal ring, if you like."
"Personal ring?" Harry looked blank.
"A ring that you use to seal personal messages to friends and family. Much nicer than sealing with a seal of any kind. You'd only use it to seal messages to Draco, me, Weasley, Longbottom or other close friends."
Harry nodded. "I see. So now I have ... four seals? I'm confused."
"Don't worry about it. If you have any doubts ask me, or Draco. Or even that bossy elf of yours."
And with that, they broke up the conversation to get ready for lessons.