Chapter 6: WHERE THERE IS A WILL OR TWO...
Albus Dumbledore had walked into the hallowed halls of Gringotts like he owned it all, his genial smiles hiding his roiling anger at every single thing this day. Despite his best efforts, Potter wills and Sirius Black's wills were to be read today. And old Dumbledore hid his dire thoughts rather well in resplendent, distractingly bright blue robes, animated yellow suns and orange clouds gently circling the fabric. People, he was ever so glad, were predictable in that they often forgot to check his eyes and expressions, distracted by his confusing words and psychedelic clothes. As he waited in the waiting room he was surprised to see Lupin, the Longbottoms, Amelia Bones along with the Tonkses join in. His surprise and anger only grew when he saw his Spy Severus Snape slip into the room along with his deputy Minerva McGonagall. Even Rita Skeeter had lined up at the collections desk to hand over her wand before heading off to join the other media persons at visitors' gallery.
Gringotts has specialized rooms for this purpose and wands weren't allowed in. Not even in the viewing gallery. A trio of assigned cart goblins stood by, collecting visitors' wands. The depositors were given temporary tokens and the Wands were stored safely until the wizards completed their appointments and exited the chambers to reclaim their wands. Albus was guided into the viewer's gallery, humiliatingly enough; the family section was restricted access only and it seemed he did not merit a substantial bequest in either wills. Despite being the head of the Wizengamot and the ICW, even he wasn't exempt from the Laws governing Gringotts and thus, the visitors' gallery had to suffice for him as well as any other commoner.
It grated at his pride to accept it, even as Albus made a show of being gracious about being led off to a sorry looking chair in the Gallery. Without his wand, he couldn't transfigure it into his trademark chintz wing-back. Contrary to people's belief, he wasn't all that well versed in wandless magic; he had always taken great pains to hide the fact that he could only do placebo jinxes and cosmetic charms. Albus startled and panicked a bit when he felt locking runes fall into place as soon as he sat in the chair. A hush fell into place as all witnesses and attendees in the visitors' gallery, family seats and the executors table settled in for the business of the day. Even Albus leaned forward, eager to learn exactly how much damage control was required.
In a short few minutes scattered murmurs broke through the silence when Lord Arcturus Black came in with an angelic, dark haired little child in his arms and Cassiopeia Black by his side. The two elders hadn't been seen in public anywhere in wizarding England for a few years now. The child in Lord Black's arms seemed startlingly alike Sirius with strong resemblance to Regulus and strangely enough, Alice Longbottom, beside whom the new trio had now seated themselves. Of course, many then remembered that Alice had been a McKenna before marriage and there had been scattered rumors of a squib sibling in the family too. Albus idly wondered where Sirius had met the squib.
Soon the Potter wills were being processed.
Reading past the legalese, Potters had left 10000 galleons and some books on law and healing to the Tonkses, 50000 galleons, a letter, the jungle campers' trunk (you know which one it is, Remy) and a small cottage and the connected muggle bookstore in Oxford to Remus Lupin and 50000 galleons, one letter per birthday for the next 20 years, and a muggle greenhouse in Meadville, Leeds, to Lily's godson Neville Longbottom, to be held in trust until legal adulthood and some shares in some muggle business and a letter each for Alice and Frank. Pettigrew's share was another 50000 and a letter, unless he had sold them out to the dark wizard. To Sirius and Andrea Black they gave their most precious treasure, custody of their only son and Potter Regency until Harold James Potter came of legal age, a bundle of letters, all their love and the marauder trunk.
To James' godson, Aiden Libéraux Black, was given James' share in all marauder inventions and books. To Susan Lorelei Bones, the daughter of their dear friends Edgar and Malorie Bones, they gifted 10000 Galleons and their shares in a country club in muggle Pembroke Park, London. But they weren't the only Bones to be cited in the Potter's will; someone else had won the biggest lottery, so to speak. It was Amelia Bones, the Senior Auror of the DMLE, and a strong force to reckon with in the Ministry.
To their friend Amelia Suzanne Bones, the Potters had deeded 20% of the income from the harvests of the Potter Sanctuary for Magical Creatures even if it were locked down for access. But it was a conditional clause, strictly applicable only as long as Amelia remained in charge of using the funds on behalf of the DMLE. They hoped that Amelia would put the earnings to good use supporting the DMLE and help build a safer world for the next generation to grow up in. The Potters stated that they trusted Amelia Bones to be just, wise and honest above all others and this contribution was merely an expression of that unshakable faith. The stoic witch was now sitting stiffer than ever before, her eyes glistening with suppressed tears.
To Hogwarts, the Potters bequeathed the price of 20 new Cleansweep 20 brooms, 300 classic muggle novels and 50 ground maps to be placed around campus for the use of all future students. Also bequeathed were 5000 Galleons a year to be held in trust by all four heads of Houses at Hogwarts to the exclusion of all others including the headmaster or the board of directors. The fund was strictly intended as a scholarship for one deserving muggle-born student from each of the houses per year, third year onwards, depending on their personal achievement or performance or both for next 10 years in the hope that others in the community would add on to this trust fund.
It infuriated Albus that even there, he wasn't mentioned at all.
More legalese followed with not one mention of the order or any kind of reward for Albus himself except what sounded like a joke. To Albus Dumbledore, the Potters had bequeathed an unlimited supply of specially contracted lemon flavored candies from the Honeydukes store in Hogsmeade, for the next seventeen years as an incentive to watch over Heir Potter's education and safety.
They expressed sincere hope that they died helping make this world a safer place for the next generation. After Sirius Black, along with his wife Andrea, the next in line as legal guardians for Harold, with legitimate Right to custody of Heir Potter was to be assigned with Lady Alice and Lord Franklin Longbottom and next in line were Andromeda and Edward Tonks, followed by Filius Flitwick who would be requested to raise Harold in tandem trust with Minerva McGonagall.
It was to be noted that Potters had declared that they had no other relatives except the Blacks and Harold being magical child, could not and should not under any circumstances be given to Lily's adopted sister and her family. They, as muggles, would be totally unequipped to raise a magical child. If none of the Potters survived, they had willed their entire remaining wealth and family magics to James' godson Aiden Libéraux Black in the hope that Potter name wouldn't be forgotten.
Mention of the muggle relatives of Lily had Albus breaking into a nervous sweat. If anyone discovered what he had done, it would be an incredibly costly mistake. What was their names? He was getting too old for this; he couldn't even remember the insignificant muggles or their residence. The Muggles weren't all that important anyway, he mused and turned his attention back to the will reading.
Potters had stated that they did not expect to survive the war fighting the way Dumbledore expected them to but hoped that their Harold survived and grew up with Susan, Neville and Aiden as closer than siblings. Their next loving bequest was to Potions Master Severus Snape, Lily's best friend since she was 8 yrs old, to be given five Potions Books from the Potter Library, (titles of the books enlisted and personally selected by Lily Potter) 10000 galleons, a copy of Lily's Journal and a personal Letter addressed to Severus. Finally there were a series of Letters addressed to Heir Potter to be given to him each year, starting his 7th birthday till his 45th Birthday from each of his Parents.
Arcturus noticed that each time Harold Potter's name was mentioned specifically, everyone present except himself and Ragnok seemed to gain a dazed disoriented look for the time; he guessed that the name was being magically replaced with "child" or "son". It was an old magic from centuries past when new born children of noble families were thus protected from name taboo hexes and curses by blurring their names and identities.
Arcturus was impressed beyond words. It was an extremely smart move. It was being proved time and again how incredibly smart, powerful and wise the new Black Heir Primus was turning out to be. Arcturus would be the first to admit frankly that he was a total sucker for properly functioning brains.
The Blacks weren't finished like he had feared for ever so long. Arcturus Orion Black the second had found a worthy heir. He would protect and train this one like he always meant to. The world wouldn't know what hit them when Aiden would walk in. Arcturus was determined to live long enough to ensure at least that much. It was a new turning point for the Black Family.