Arriving with a crack in the entrance of Gringotts had been more than a little interesting. Due to the late hour, there had been no other wizards in the wizarding bank and the goblins did not seem so pleased with their sudden and rather unconventional arrival. The goblins closest to them were those standing guard and swords were drawn before they even had a chance to speak.
"We seek sanctuary!" Hermione said quickly, the only one among them to have paid much attention during History of Magic. She had also, out of sheer curiosity, researched the customs of these small creatures in greater depth.
At her words the guards stopped, looking them over as if uncertain as to the truth of their words.
"We come to you humbly and with great need. We request sanctuary and aid in this hour." The brunette witch said solemnly, holding her hands out in a sign of peace, showing that she held no weapons and wished them no ill.
One of the guard goblins, the tallest of the six around them nodded, pushing his sword back into its sheath. "Then you shall have sanctuary. What are your names and what aid is it you seek?"
At this Harry took over explanations. "I am Harry James Potter, with me are Hermione Jean Granger and Neville Franklin Longbottom." Harry answered, indicating the two with him as he said their names. "We need to pull money from our accounts and secure them against all other parties previously having access to them. As well as blood testing." He added the last, Luna's words had struck a chord within him.
"Your account manager will be able to handle these things." The tall goblin said, motioning to one of the other goblins who turned and left. After a few moments, the goblin returned and said something in Gobbledygook to the tall one and he nodded. "Follow me."
Turning, he left, the three Gryffindors and the house-elf following him. He led them across the main floor of the bank and through a side door. The group, including two other guard goblins, continued down passage after passage until they reached an ornate door. "The head goblin has requested you come to him." He said gruffly and pushed the door open.
Upon entering Harry, Hermione, and Neville were in awe. While the main floor of the bank had been impressive it was nothing in comparison to this room. High vaulted ceilings covered in intricate designs Harry was sure were done in pure gold were amazing. The walls were lined with shelves of books and scrolls which he could practically feel his girlfriend itching to run to and see what sort of knowledge they contained.
"Ah, Heir Potter, Miss Granger, and Heir Longbottom." Said an aged goblin who was currently sat behind a large ornate desk scattered with papers. "I am Ragefist. I have been informed that you come to us this late evening seeking sanctuary and aid." At a nod from the three Gryffindors, he continued. "Sanctuary, you shall have and we can certainly provide the aid you seek, for a price of course."
"Of course." Replied Neville with a respectful incline of his head, knowing how to deal with the goblins from his many trips to the bank with his Gran.
"I am told you wish to withdraw funds, secure and restrict accounts, as well as blood testing?" Ragefist inquired, picking up a quill and scribbling something on a spare bit of parchment.
"Yes, sir." Harry answered, careful to show the proper amount of respect.
The older goblin looked at the young raven for a few moments, his gaze seeming to bore straight into Harry's soul. "As you wish. First things first, blood testing. Normally we would do things the other way around but we have been attempting to contact you for some time about claiming your lordships. It seems all communications have gone unanswered. And while we will require payment for all blood testing and rituals, the issue of your lordships is more pressing."
"Lordships?" Harry asked in confusion. "I wasn't aware of any lordships. And I apologize but I haven't received any letters from Gringotts."
"Dumbledore…" growled Ragefist in mild disgust. "That would explain a great many things in relation to you and your accounts."
"What have my accounts to do with Dumbledore?" asked Harry, his confusion only building.
"He appointed himself as your magical guardian upon the passing of the previous Lord and Lady Potter." Ragefist said succinctly before turning to one of the goblins by the door and barking what seemed to be an order in Gobbledygook. Turning back to the three teenagers standing before him, the goblin continued. "And yes, lordships. As the son of the late Lord James Charlus Potter, you are Heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Potter. Also, your godfather, Lord Sirius Orion Black named you his heir in the event of his death."
Harry stood shocked, the hand in Hermione's squeezing in distress. "Why was I never told of any of this?" Harry questioned in a tight voice.
"Dumbledore has been sitting on the Wizengamot in your stead for years, gaining more power in his place as regent upon the death of your godfather." Ragefist answered honestly.
"We will do blood testing for inheritances as well as potions and spells. I have a feeling that the latter at least will yield interesting results if my idea of Dumbledore is accurate."
"Alright." Harry said, attempting to keep calm. "I want every test you can possibly run. I don't care what it's for but I want to know everything there is to know about me, my accounts, and my person. What do I have to do?"
Ragefist pulled three pieces of parchment out of a drawer of his desk, each with a slightly different sheen to them. "These have each been dipped into a different potion. One will show any magical effects currently in effect on your person." At this Ragefist pointed at the parchment on the right which had a slight green tint to it. "Another shows any inheritances left to you by any means, blood or magic." At this the center parchment, which had a barely noticeable blue sheen to it. "And the third will show a direct family tree spanning several generations, including both births and adoptions, be they legal, magical, blood, or all of the above."
Harry nodded along as all of this was explained to him. "And you need my blood on these parchments, I'm assuming?" He asked with his cold mask firmly in place.
"Yes, three drops on each if you please." Ragefist said, handing him a small ceremonial blade that looked deadly sharp. "This blade is enchanted to heal the wound once the required blood has been given."
Taking a deep breath, Harry looked at both Hermione and Neville in turn. Upon receiving matching nods of encouragement, he stepped forward and took the blade, slicing his palm and letting the needed drops fall on the indicated parchments. The moment his life's blood touched the potion-soaked parchments, they gave off a gentle glow as inky words began to spread across each of them.
Once the ink settled into the parchment, all were silent as Harry read the words there. All that could be heard were a harsh "What the hell?"
Harry stood there in Ragefist's office, in utter shock as he stared down at the offending parchments. He wasn't sure which one was the worst, to be honest. The spells and potions were concerning but not the most shocking. Nor was the embarrassingly long list of inheritances and properties. No, the truly shocking thing was that he was not Harry James Potter.
Reaching out, he picked up the parchment containing his family tree and stared. Trying to rationalize what he was reading.
Family Tree
Birth Name: Corvus Antares Black
Parents:
Father: Regulus Arcturus Black - Deceased (James Charlus Potter via blood adoption - Deceased)
Mother: Evangeline Dorea Black nee Potter - Deceased (Lily Josephine Potter nee Evans via blood adoption - Deceased)
Grandparents:
Paternal Grandfather: Orion Black - Deceased (Fleamont Potter via blood adoption - Deceased)
Paternal Grandmother: Walburga Black - Deceased (Euphemia Potter via blood adoption - Deceased)
Maternal Grandfather: Fleamont Potter – Deceased
Maternal Grandmother: Euphemia Potter - Deceased
Paternal Relatives:
Sirius Orion Black (Uncle) - Deceased
Narcissa Malfoy nee Black (1st cousin once removed)
Lucius Malfoy (1st cousin once removed via marriage)
Draco Malfoy (2nd cousin)
Andromeda Tonks nee Black (1st cousin once removed)
Theodore Tonks (1st cousin once removed via marriage)
Nymphadora Tonks (2nd cousin)
Bellatrix LeStrange nee Black (1st cousin once removed)
Rodolphus LeStrange (1st cousin once removed via marriage)
Paternal Relatives via Blood Adoption:
Evangeline Dorea Black nee Potter (Aunt) - Deceased
James Charlus Potter (Uncle) - Deceased
Harry James Potter (1st cousin) - Deceased
Maternal Relatives:
James Charlus Potter (Uncle) - Deceased
Lily Josephine Potter nee Evans (Aunt via marriage) - Deceased
Harry James Potter (1st cousin) - Deceased
Maternal Relatives via Blood Adoption:
Petunia Jacqueline Dursley nee Evans (Aunt)
Vernon Byron Dursley (Uncle via marriage)
Dudley Byron Dursley (1st cousin)
He felt as though his world was turning upside down and inside out. His entire life had been a lie. All he could hear was ringing in his ears. His magic had begun swirling around him, crackling with agitation. He just continued to stare down at the words scrawled across the parchment. He had been lied to his entire life. His name wasn't even his name! How could this possibly have happened?! He was a Black by birth. He was never Harry Potter. He was Corvus Antares Black, born of Regulus Black and... Evangeline Potter. Sirius, his beloved godfather, was actually his uncle.
As his thoughts raced, his magic began to condense, becoming an almost touchable wall of anger and confusion.
"How…." The young Gryffindor said, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. "How did this happen?" Finally pulling his eyes away from the offending parchment, Harry looked up at the goblin, his green eyes luminous with power and rage. "How can this be real?"
"Blood never lies. As to how it happened, I am not certain. However, rest assured that we here at Gringotts will not stop until we find the answers." Ragefist stated gravely. The goblin grabbed a quill and scribbled a note before motioning for one of the guards by the door to take it. Speaking quickly in Gobbledygook before waving the guard off. "I am sending for the managers of the accounts and estates included in your inheritance." He said turning back to Harry "I will find answers." He finished venomously.
"Harry?" asked Neville softly, getting his friend's attention. "What is it?"
Silently, Harry passed the parchment over to him, Hermione moving over to read along with Neville. "I am not Harry Potter."
Hermione and Neville both stood in shock at the words they were reading. "Corvus Antares Black. You're not Harry Potter, but Harry Potter's cousin. How does something like this happen?" asked Hermione. "We didn't even know that Sirius had a brother. Much less that James Potter had a sister!"
"What does the rest say?" asked Neville, holding his emotions in check until all the news had been delivered.
Nodding them forward, Harry motioned for them to read the other two parchments. The two stepped up to read what was written about the inheritances and current magical effects.
Lordships:
Potter (Blood and blood adoption)
Black (Blood and named heir)
Le Fey (Blood via the Black line)
Peverell (Blood via the Potter line)
Gryffindor (Blood via the Potter line)
Slytherin (Magical inheritance via Right of Conquest)
Ravenclaw (Blood via Le Fey Line)
Inheritances:
Potter estate and vaults (Properties include Potter Manor, 23 Godric's Hollow )
Black estate and vaults (Properties include Black Manor, 12 Grimmauld Place)
Le fey estate and vaults (Le fey Castle, Brynmoore Glen)
Peverell estate and vaults (Properties include Peverell Manor, Grimm's Hollow)
Griffindor estate and vaults (Properties include Gryffindor Castle, Godric's Manor, Lion's Landing, ¼ Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry)
Slytherin estate and vaults (Properties include Slytherin castle, Darkwood Manor, ¼ Hogwarts School For witchcraft and Wizardry.)
Ravenclaw estate and vaults (Properties include Ravenclaw Castle, Raven's Nest, ¼ Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.)
The blood drained from Neville's face as he read. This was not good, not at all. Turning his attention to the spells and potions currently in effect on Harry, he was not surprised in the slightest considering what the family tree had revealed.
Spells:
Praesidium – Regulus Black
Horcrux - Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr
Compulsion – Albus Dumbledore
Obliviate – Albus Dumbledore
Modify Memory – Albus Dumbledore
Potions:
Faciem Domus – James and Lily Potter
Familia Vinculum – Regulus Black, James Potter, Lily Potter
Neville wasn't surprised that potions had been used to bind Harry to the Potters as well as his appearance altered to match theirs. As the heir of a noble house, Neville had been taught certain spells as part of preparing to take his place as Lord Longbottom.
"Harry, the Praesidium is a spell crafted by Merlin for use by the noble families and only the noble families." Neville began to explain. "My Gran told me about it. It's the strongest protection spell in existence and requires the blood of a noble line to cast. And this, Familia Vinculum, means family bond. It's the potion used for blood adoptions."
"Blood adoptions?" Asked Harry, slightly confused. "Why would blood be needed for adoption?"
Neville sighed softly, mild frustration filtering into his mind. "You should have been taught this from birth. And considering the lines you are heir to, how you ended up with Muggles is a mystery and a travesty." Taking a deep breath, Neville began to explain further. "Faciem Domus" is a potion used to give one the appearance of their adopted family. And yes, blood is necessary. In the magical world, at least in most cases, an adoption isn't just a matter of legal proceedings. The family literally brings the child into their family with blood. Drops of the adopting family's blood are added to the potion and then the potion is administered to the child. Their blood becomes part of the new member of the family, forever binding them together."
Harry nodded along with this information, understanding the mechanics of what was done to him but one thing still stuck out. "And this?" he asked pointing to the Compulsion spell administered by Dumbledore. "What is this?"
"A Compulsion spell is used to compel someone to do something they wouldn't otherwise do or to discretely control someone. An Imperius curse would be too blatant and obvious, compulsion is more subtle and harder to identify." Said Hermione, her voice tight with emotion. "Dumbledore's way of controlling you under the radar."
"And the Obliviate…?" Harry said, trying to hold himself together in the face of all this new information. "Why would I need to be obliviated?"
"The Dementors." Said Neville. "They make you relive your worst memory. And yours… you said that you heard your mother, Lily, screaming, heard your parents, the Potters, dying. What if that wasn't your worst memory? It was used as well as modify memory to make you forget the real memory and implant the fake of the Potters? True, if this information is correct, you would have been there that night, but what if your worst memory was of your real parents?"
"That would explain quite a bit." Said Ragefist, speaking for the first time during this conversation.
"But why would Dumbledore do this to me? I know he's meddling and nosy, but why the need to hide this, even from me?" Asked Harry in frustration.
"Because he needed a weapon." Stated Neville bluntly. "I'm sorry Harry but we all here know it's true. The real Harry Potter was dead and he needed someone to be his weapon and you were there. So convenient for him to use to his needs. He knew you were obviously not the real Potter Heir but he needed not only his weapon but the Heir to the Potter and Peverell lines so he could control those Wizengamot seats."
Harry was almost radiating with anger by the end of Neville's speech. "So my life, everything I am and everything I know, is all a lie…" Harry surmised.
"Not everything Harry," Hermione said, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. "We are real. I am here. Neville is here." She said comfortingly. "Your name may be a lie, but those of us that love you are not." The young Gryffindor said, emotion clear in her voice. "I refuse to let you believe that you are any less or different than you were when we walked into this office. You may not be Harry Potter, but you are still the strong and wonderful man you were half an hour ago. Nothing in these pages changes that." She finished passionately.
Taking a deep breath, Harry nodded and turned his head to place a soft kiss on his girlfriend's palm. "I love you."
"There is one more thing on this paper I don't understand." Harry said as he turned to Ragefist, pointing out the spell listed as Horcrux. "What is this? It says Voldemort cast this."
The goblin visibly froze as he saw the spell the young Heir pointed out, an absolutely disgusted look coming over his face. "A horcrux is one of the most foul magics known to exist. The subject has been banned in every country and the knowledge of them, not just the mechanics but the existence of such a magic was thought to have been wiped out centuries ago. Only the Goblin Nation truly remembers them. Wizards have outlawed any forms of soul magic." The goblin explained as he grabbed a quill and made yet another note and held it out to be taken off by a goblin by the door, the one who had only just returned from taking his last note off. It was taken silently and the goblin ran out the door to do whatever bidding the scrap of parchment said.
"A horcux, Heir Black, is a piece of a soul. It anchors the creator to this world, even if their body is destroyed and they would otherwise be considered dead. For you cannot completely die, your soul cannot be sent on to the next world, while part of it is still here in this world." The words that flowed from the aged goblin saw the three teenagers paling and tensing progressively with each new piece of the explanation. "In order to create one, the caster must split their soul. The soul fragment is then transferred into a vessel and hidden away for safekeeping. The vessels are always inanimate objects as two souls cannot reside in the same body. It has never, in the entire history of magic, been done with a living vessel. Yo9u must be exceptionally powerful to be able to carry and contain the soul piece without completely having been taken over."
"Taken over?" Harry gasped out in shock.
"Yes, Heir Black. Had Voldemort known that you were indeed one of his Horcruxes, he could have used you, your body. He could have taken you over completely and forced your own soul out, or at least locked it away as his fragment has been locked away inside your scar. Which is where I believe the fragment is located. Your magic has been constantly flowing to sustain it since you were infected with that abomination. Which, I believe, is when your family was killed and Voldemort was supposedly defeated."
"Get it out of me!" Harry said, his panic having risen to uncontrollable levels and his magic crawling beneath his skin with his anxiety. Turning to face Ragefist, Harry steeled himself. "Do you have any information on how to go about that or who I need to contact to get it done? I was told by a reliable source not to trust anyone but my companions here with me, the source themselves, and the goblin nation. I need it out, and I need it out now!"
"We can provide this service. We have the means to purify you of the horcrux. We haven't had to deal with one in an age but we still have the knowledge of how to go about it. It will also purify you of all spells and potions. Anything currently in your body that is not native to you. Even the darkest of magics or anything these scans may have overlooked will be removed. You will be purified from the inside out. You will essentially be you, as you should have been without the horcrux or the blood and appearance altering spells and potions. The only thing it will not remove is the protection spell placed on you by your father as that specific spell is linked to shared blood and would require both his blood and yours to break it. And since it was made with and for your blood it will not be seen as a foreign entity to the purification. Usually, this would be quite an expensive endeavor but I feel as though this bank is partially at fault for not uncovering this sooner. Let us do that first. We have much to do."
"Yes, and we must do so quickly. I don't want this thing in me even a second longer! And we also must be out of Diagon Alley by sunrise." Harry said, taking Hermione's hand and squeezing it, attempting to ground himself with her calming presence. She was here and she was safe and they would be fixing this issue momentarily.
"Then let us begin. We will free you of the current magics affecting you then we can aid with the other legal matters. Follow me." Ragefist said, standing and heading toward the door.