Disclaimer: I Don't Own Anything to Do With Harry Potter.

Chapter 3: The Ritual and Nightmares

Tuesday, August 1st, 1989

The next day James, Lily, Remus, Sirius and Harry visited Gringott's. Amelia agreed to take the day off to watch the other children.

"State your business Wizard." said the teller.

"We have an appointment with Ragnok." said James.

"Very well, Griphook we'll take you to his office." said the teller as said Goblin appeared behind them.

"This way." said Griphook.

The group followed Griphook down a passageway passed several doors and finally stopped at a huge door where Griphook knocked three times at which the door opened on its own. They followed him into the room. Ragnok on seeing them got to business.

"You may leave, Griphook. If you'll follow me the ritual chamber is ready."

"We have some questions." said Lily.

"As a rule we prefer to stay out of Wizarding affairs that don't pertain to this bank, but Albus Dumbledore long ago earned our trust and respect so I granted his request when we were asked to find a solution and I am doing so again by allowing this ritual. Aside from that I don't see the need to answer your emotional questions to help you make this decision. All I am honor bound to do is perform the ritual and the Inheritance Test that were requested by Dumbledore and then our business will be finished."

"Why do we need an Inheritance Test?" asked Remus.

Ragnok said something in the goblin language that sounded like a swear.

"While this ritual normally only changes the soul and not the body there is a chance that magic will see the change in a way that makes him no longer the heir of your family. If this happens there's no way to change it, but out of courtesy we do this so you will be aware. Now can we get on with this?" Ragnok asked then without waiting for an answer started walking toward a door that led down another long passage where they entered a room with a stone table in the center. There was a runic circle around the table and several runes painted along the floor, walls and ceiling.

"Place the boy on the table and give him this potion. It will put him to sleep." said Ragnok.

Lily and James kneeled down and hugged and kissed Harry. They had told him an abbreviated version of what was going on, but he didn't understand it all except that it was important that they do this, but he was still frightened.

"It'll be okay, Harry. We love you and we'll be here when this is all over." said Lily.

They took Harry and placed him on the table and gave him the potion which put him immediately to sleep. As they stepped back three other Goblins came into the room and removed his clothes and started drawing runes on him.

"Once the ritual is started I warn you that if any of you breaks the circle and interrupts the ritual the likely outcome will be your son's death." said Ragnok.

The three Goblins finished drawing the runes. Two of them went to either side of the table and placed their hands on Harry's legs. Two more Goblins came in and placed their hands on both of his arms. The third of the original goblins pulled a dagger out and sliced a deep cut in his forehead where the lightning bolt scar was then walked over and stabbed the dagger into Harry's heart. When this happened Lily moved forward and had to be restrained by the three Marauders. The Goblin then walked to the front of the table and placed his hands on Harry's head. The Goblins started chanting and a visible energy started pulsing through all their hands into his body. After several minutes of this the runes that were drawn on him started glowing blindingly bright. Harry started shaking under the hands of the Goblins and his head jerked back and his mouth opened like he was screaming, but there was no sound. A flash burst out that stopped at the edge of the runic circle and when the group could see again they saw a small white orb come out of Harry's mouth and a similar orb come out of his scar. The two orbs floated to each other and merged together and changed to a greenish black color before switching to a bright gold. After another flash the orb lowered down back into Harry's mouth and his body and head relaxed to where it looked like he was just sleeping peacefully. The Goblins stopped chanting and the one who was at his head pulled the knife out of his chest and a small burst flared and the scar on his forehead and chest disappeared. Even the lightning bolt scar was gone. As the Goblins took their hands off him and started to leave Harry's clothes appeared back on him and he awoke after they broke the barrier of the runic circle.

Lily ran to him and grabbed him picking him up into a hug.

"Harry, my baby boy. Are you ok?" asked Lily.

"My head hurts, Mum." said Harry.

"That'll be the new memories from the Dark Lord's soul piece. It'll go away." said Ragnok.

Ragnok had Harry prick his finger and let three drops of blood drip onto a piece of parchment. He then handed the parchment to James.

INHERITANCE TEST OF HARRY JAMES POTTER

AGE - 9

PARENTS - JAMES AND LILY POTTER

GODPARENTS - SIRIUS BLACK AND ALICE LONGBOTTOM

TITLES:

HEIR OF THE ANCIENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF POTTER

LORD OF THE ANCIENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF SLYTHERIN

VAULTS:

VAULT 687 - 10,000G

VAULT 3 - UNKNOWN AS VAULT HAS BEEN SEALED UNTIL ACTIVATED BY THE CURRENT LORD

James was about to ask a question, but was stopped by Ragnok saying,

"If you have any questions see your account manager. Our business is finished."

He then pressed a jewel on the wall and Griphook led them to the lobby where they had to ask the teller if Account Manager Snaggletooth was available. Fortunately he was and he was more pleasant to deal with as the Potter's over the years has made him very wealthy.

"Lord Potter, while I would prefer if you had made an appointment it's good to see you. What is it I can do for you today?" said Snaggletooth.

James handed over the parchment and asked if he could explain how Harry was Lord Slytherin. Snaggletooth pressed one of the jewels on his desk and a folder appeared on his desk. He looked through the papers and found what he was looking for.

"Ah, yes. Here it is. It says that on October 31st of 1981 Harry became Lord Slytherin by Right of Conquest. There is currently no Account Manager for the Slytherin account. If I can have three drops of the young Lord Slytherin's blood I can unseal the vault and be assigned as the Account Manager and run an audit to find out how much is in there." said Snaggletooth.

James agreed and once again Harry had to prick his finger.

"Thank you Lord Slytherin. It'll take just a few minutes for the audit if you have the time to wait." said Snaggletooth.

"Yes, we might as well get it all over with now." said James.

After about five minutes a parchment appeared in front of Snaggletooth.

"Well that is something. While we already knew that because of the fortune that the Potter Family has that young Harry would've not had to work unless he wanted to with this many generations of his offspring will have that option." said Snaggletooth handing the parchment to Harry who immediately handed it to James.

"Wow." said James followed by Lily, Remus and Sirius.

"Wow indeed, Lord Potter." said Snaggletooth.

Potter Manor

The visit to Gringott's took the majority of the day. Since James already participated in the Wizengamot he took the proxy for Slytherin until Harry was old enough to join. By the time everything was settled it was a very tired group that arrived back home. Sirius flooed home and returned with Iris and Ivy then went back home. The Potter's and Remus had a quick dinner and then went to bed.

Lily and James were discussing when they should go visit Dumbledore to try and get the memories of where the other Horcruxes were when there was a horrifying scream. They jumped out of bed and ran down the hall finding Harry drenched in sweat crying and screaming.

"Baby, it's ok. Shhh, mummy's here. Nothing's going to hurt you, love. Mummy's here." said Lily as she got in bed with Harry and pulled him into a hug. "I don't give a damn how late it is. Get Dumbledore and tell him to bring Madame Pomfrey."

James knew not to argue when she used that tone so hurried out to use the floo. Harry calmed down a bit and tried to start telling her what he saw, but with the images he described of Voldemort torturing and killing he worked himself up and started crying again and broke down to where he couldn't be understood.

"Shhh, baby. You don't have to say anymore, love. Mummy's here. Just listen to my voice and focus on that. Let those images fall to the back of your mind." said Lily.

James then returned with Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey and Lily told her that she wanted Harry given a dose of Dreamless Sleep potion. Madame Pomfrey argued about giving that potion to a nine year old, but Lily wasn't having it so she relented. Once Harry was back asleep the four of them went down to the sitting room.

"We can't keep giving him that potion." said Madame Pomfrey.

"Calm down, Poppy we won't have to keep giving Harry the potion." said Dumbledore. Lily tried to object, but he continued. "Voldemort knew Occlumency, Lily. We simply have to get him to use that knowledge to learn how to build shields that he can put those memories behind."

"But that'll take month's maybe years to learn. What will we do until then?" asked Lily.

"You'd be correct, Lily, but you are forgetting one thing." said Dumbledore.

"What is that?" asked Lily sharply.

"He already has the knowledge of how to do Occlumency we just have to talk him through it and show him that he does. It'll be like this when he comes to Hogwarts as well. He already has the knowledge of what is going to be taught and he'll learn very quickly because of that. Now don't worry. I'm not saying he could take your wand now and use the Killing Curse on you, nothing like that. But with the knowledge already there once shown he'll be able to access the knowledge and perform it as if he had his whole life." said Dumbledore.

"So, what you're saying is that we start teaching him Occlumency in the morning after breakfast and he'll have mastered it by the time he goes to bed tomorrow night?" asked James.

"I believe so." said Dumbledore.

"I want a dose of the potion in case you're wrong." said Lily.

Madame Pomfrey disagreed, but Dumbledore told her to give it to her. Like James he'd learned a long time ago to not go against Lily Potter.

Author's Note: With the issues that the site is having I hope you all get to read this soon. When you do please review, favorite and follow. As always thank you to those who have and thank you to everyone for reading.