Harry briskly walked up the stairs leading to the entrance of Gringotts. He paid no mind to the goblins standing guard nor to the warning written on the banks doors. Never mind the grandeur that met his eyes upon entry. With single minded focus, Harry strode toward the nearest available teller to politely request a private audience. Given the goblin sneering down at him, Harry realizes that perhaps this won't be as simple as he anticipated.
"And what exactly do you have to offer us that would make us grant you an audience?" The goblin drawled. "We don't have the luxury to waste time on no name clients barely holding on to their last knut." The goblin gave a sharp smile as it finished its assessment of his character.
Harry simply rose a brow in response and held fast on his slowly mounting anger. He never expected his first obstacle to be making it past the teller. If this is any indication on how his time in the past is going to go, Harry dreads the years to come.
Plastering a smile on his face that's probably more grimace than anything else, Harry gives the goblin a simple and straightforward reply. "I'm here to request a test of bloodline and change of name. Should the results be as expected, I will then be depositing the entirety of my not insubstantial fortune into a vault. I trust that Gringotts does not want me to take my business elsewhere?"
With a sour look upon his face, the unnamed goblin led Harry around the podiums and through a well concealed door in the back wall. They were both silent as they made their way down a long dimly lit corridor. Harry had just enough time to wonder if perhaps the goblin was actually going to do away with him before they appeared to have reached their destination. A large oak door with intricate gold trimming and a rather vivid depiction of a battle between goblins and centaurs stood before him. Harry couldn't help being intimidated as apprehension slowly crept up his spine.
Harry never had much contact with the goblins. In fact, his only real interaction was when he was freshly turned eleven and entering the bank with Hagrid. He never really had to worry about it beyond that first trip since someone else always handled his key and he can't help but regret it now. Dumbledore made sure to prepare him as much as possible before he was to leave, but Harry can't help the small voice in the back of his head telling him that it will never be enough.
Lacking any of the trepidation Harry was feeling, the goblin didn't hesitate to push the large oak doors open and stride through. Harry kept pace quite easily, but he couldn't help marveling at the room he found himself in. It really wasn't all that different from the front of the bank, except instead of standing at podiums lined along the walls the goblins where situated in glass cubicles. Some of the cubicles glass were fogged almost to the point of being opaque. Harry can only assume that those cubicles are receiving clients.
Feeling a little better about the situation, Harry allowed himself to relax somewhat. Surely if the goblin wanted to discreetly kill him he wouldn't make a production of it? Although, Harry supposes the other clients and goblins won't be able to see much once he's within one of those cubicles.
In no time at all, they had crossed the room. Without further ado, the goblin escorting Harry ushered him inside and closed the glass door with a soft click. There were two chairs situated in front of one of the tall podiums that can be found in the front of the bank. Sitting behind it was, if possible, an even more severe looking goblin than the one Harry had the pleasure of escorting him. Harry awkwardly took a seat as the new goblin silently assessed him.
"My name is Vargot and I will be handling your business today. What about the nature of your visit today elicits a private audience?" Vargot spoke monotonously.
"As I told the goblin who led me here, I would like to request a test of bloodline and then change my name if the results permit me. I will also need to deposit the entirety of my fortune into a vault. Given whose bloodline I know I am descended of, I preferred to have the testing done in private."
Vargot gave a noncommittal hum before disappearing behind his podium. He reappeared a moment later with a machine resembling an ornate typewriter. After placing it on the podium, Vargot inserts a piece of parchment and turns the device to face Harry's direction.
"You will place your thumb in the center below the first row of keys over the small hole you'll find there." He promptly instructs.
Standing, Harry does as instructed and reaches upward to place his hand where instructed. Harry feels a small prick in his thumb before the machine abruptly comes to life. Pulling his hand back, Harry watches as the carriage slides back and forth at a dizzying speed as the keys start frantically typing away. It takes less than a minute before the machine lets out a small ding and suddenly stops all motion. Vargot snatches the parchment out of the machine as soon as it stops moving and silently reads it over. Harry watches as an unsettling smile slowly stretches across Vargot's face.
"Well, well, it appears we do have much to discuss Mr. Potter." Vargot finishes reading the parchment before handing it to Harry. Slowly, Harry reclaims his seat and begins reading the parchment.
oooooooooo
Bloodline Eligibility Results: HARRY JAMES POTTER
Blood of Potter detected.
Blood of Evan detected.
Blood of Black detected.
Blood of Peverell detected.
Blood of Fleamont detected.
oooooooooo
On the list went until Harry finally reached the end.
oooooooooo
Please keep in mind that those descended of muggles with no magical blood within the family tree will only have the foremost bloodline listed. All magical bloodlines will appear should they be prominent enough within the blood of the one performing the test. Gringotts thanks you for your business and would like to remind you that we cannot be held liable or responsible for any loss of state and/or the discovery of any illegitimate descendants.
oooooooooo
"Huh, that's a lot more straightforward than I thought it would be." Harry thought while blinking down at the parchment before him. After finally looking his fill, Harry tore his gaze away from the test and turned his attention to Vargot. The goblin was still watching Harry with a smile just a bit too wide and a tad too sharp.
"So, would you be wanting to establish yourself as an heir to the Potter estate? The problem of your legitimacy is of little consequence. If you are a first born male that will work even more in your favor." Vorgot looked almost gleeful as he explained.
Harry ruefully shook his head, a smirk settling on his lips. "I suppose that clears one thing up. Goblin and wizard relations have never been the best. I can't really be too surprised that they'd enjoy ruffling some feathers and causing a bit of embarrassment. Unfortunately for them, I'm not here to cause a scandal for the Potters."
"I'm afraid my business at this bank has nothing to do with the Potters. I'm actually here because I'm looking to claim the Peverell name. I'd hoped being a first born male directly descended of Ignotus Peverell would also help my case." Harry couldn't help but notice Vargot looked quite a bit put out at this information.
"Very well, there are no others holding the name at this time, so there is no one to deny your claim to the name." Vargot disappeared from view once more before popping out with another sheet of parchment. "We have already performed the test of bloodline, so we will not need any other form of proof for you to claim the name. You will hold the test in your non dominant hand and this," he handed over the piece of parchment, "in your wand hand."
Harry glanced over what he had been handed. It appeared to be a list of instructions and an oath of some sort. Feeling a bit lost on what to do next, Harry gazed up at the goblin for further instruction. Luckily, Vargot obliged with only a sigh.
"Hold the parchments as I instructed and read the instructions on the parchment. When you feel you have a sufficient understanding of what you are meant to do, start speaking the oath. In this oath you agree to swear away your other name and claim this new name as your true one. After the oath is completed all files, paperwork, and documents that have your name written on it in any kind of official capacity will be self updated by magic. You completely relinquish your claim on your previous name, so should you ever want to go back, you will have to put forth a case with the head of the Potter family asking for permission to hold their name. Do you understand?"
Nodding in affirmation, Harry does as he's told. In his nervousness, Harry stumbles over his words a few times and hopes it has no affect on the result. He can't help feeling tremendously ridiculous speaking to thin air, but when he finishes the air shimmers for a moment and both parchments glow. When it stops he looks at both pieces of parchment. On the top of his test of bloodline and the bottom of his oath, the name Harry James Peverell is now written. Not wanting to waste any more time, Harry quickly hands over both parchments and enquires about any vaults or estate. Unfortunately, all the vaults and properties associated with the Peverell name have been passed down and distributed throughout the families they married into.
Harry isn't really upset by it given he brought the entirety of the future Potter vaults back in time with him. He quickly opens his own vault and makes sure to also open a trust vault. He only deposits a thousand galleons into it, but Harry's sure it will be more than enough for his soon to be ward. As the one to help him open his vault, Vargot will be the manager in charge of helping and overseeing him in the future. Harry exits the bank more than pleased with the results of his visit.
Two hours had passed while he was inside. Harry can't help feeling a bit of trepidation in the fact that it took him so long. He can't afford to waste any more time and quickly makes his way out of the alley and back onto the streets of London. Stopping only to ask for directions, Harry heads toward the entire reason he undertook this journey. He's left Tom Riddle waiting long enough.
[I've managed to update in a timely manner? What is this? In all seriousness, I hope you enjoy this chapter. The pace is going to remain pretty slow for now while I get everything established, but it should pick up soon. I'll make no promises on that, though. I'd like to once again reiterate the fact that I'm without a computer and doing this through a phone. If there are formatting mistakes, I greatly apologize.]
This is also posted on my Wattpad and Archive Of Our Own accounts.