Chapter 4
"Sit down Minerva, I hope you don't have anything planned for today, there is a lot to discuss with these revelations." Axegut says.
"It is Saturday and I sent a letter to Albus that I am taking a leave of absence from work until next school year. I need to make sure Harry gets settled in well and I cannot take Harry to Hogwarts without Albus finding out that he isn't at his relatives house where he insisted he had to stay. My house elf Tilly is waiting in his office to catch his expression about having 1 day to find someone to fill my post." Minerva explains.
"I would pay good money to see that bearded fool scramble around his office, may I ask what excuse you used for your leave of absence if I may ask?" Axewielder queries.
"I told him that my brother and sister in law were in a car accident last night and are currently in a coma, and we don't know when they will reawaken, so I have custody of my niece until further notice."
"Valid excuse, and close enough to the truth that it shouldn't be too hard to keep up the story. Now onto business, a horcrux is one of the darkest types of magic any witch or wizard can do. We have curse breakers find these things in tombs all over Egypt, no matter how dark the magic is, more desperate wizards try to find a way to escape Death, but it never works out the way they want. What wizards don't realize is that when you create a horcrux not only do they physically split their soul, but they also shorten their lifespan." Axewielder explains.
McGonagall looks horrified at this explanation. "Thank you for the explanation, Axewielder, but who is this Tom Marvolo Riddle and how did he manage to get a horcrux attached to Harry? Albus only said that You-Know-Who arrived to kill the Potter family and while he managed to kill James and Lily, his curse rebounded onto himself."
"Luckily us goblins pay closer attention to details than most witches and wizards these days, no offence Minerva, but a lot of purebloods do not have a lot of common sense." Axegut chimes in with this, "Tom Riddle is a half blood born to Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Sr. He graduated from Hogwarts in the 1950s and opened an account with us the year before he graduated. I don't know how he got the minimum amount of galleons to open a vault for himself without a job or an inheritance from his family, but he managed to open an account and once he left Hogwarts and then got a job at Borgin and Burke's in Knockturn Ally. A couple years go by and he quits working there, but suddenly there are a lot of transfers coming into his vault from a lot of purebloods, and slowly but surely Tom Riddle seems to disappear from the wizarding world, and this Lord Voldemort," Minerva shivers slightly, while Axegut continues, "appears and starts preaching to the purebloods, saying that muggleborns and half bloods are below them on the totem pole. In summary, Tom Marvolo Riddle and Lord Voldemort are the same person." Axegut leans back in his chair now that he is done is speel.
Minerva collapses in her chair, "Where's the firewhiskey when you need it?" She looks over at Harry and notices that he has fallen asleep cuddling with Padfoot, while Elanor is holding the stuffed stag. Elanor conjures a pillow and a light blue blanket with the Seven Dwarfs on it. Minerva chuckles to herself, amazed that goblins are familiar with Disney movies.
"Seeing as it is now 12:00, do we want to take a quick break and return to this office in an hour to do the blood adoption? In that time we will also attempt to locate Remus Lupin and let him know about the current developments, and allow him to receive what has been left to him in the will?" Axewielder asks.
"How long will it take to prepare the potion for the blood adoption Elanor, and I thank you for the offer, Axewielder, but I would honestly prefer to figure out a way to get that monster out of Harry's head and finish our business before I have to give Harry another bath because he would rather wear his lunch than eat it." Minerva replies.
"Excellent reasoning Minerva, in answer to your questions it will only take 30 minutes to prepare the potion and it will take a special ritual that us goblins can perform. It will also take 30 minutes; however, it will take 3 goblin healers, 2 goblin curse breakers, and 2 humans, preferably the intended guardian and close family friend. So we will need Remus here anyways in order to cleanse young Potter here, so what we can do is the blood adoption today then may I call upon your house elf when we locate Remus to do the cleansing ritual?" Elanor replies.
"Yes, you may call upon Tilly once you all locate Remus, and Rockgrinder, I know Albus will be away from Hogwarts next week Saturday for a Wizengamont meeting, so that will be a perfect time to swap out brooms. I recommend getting some Comet 220s for the 1st years to learn on, the research I have done in the past has led me to believe that they will be perfect for this and buy some other models as back ups specifically for the quidditch teams." Minerva tells Rockgrinder, turning back to Elanor, she asks, "Will it affect the ritual in any way if the family friend is a werewolf?"
"No, in fact, it will help the ritual immensely. I have secretly done some research on werewolves, and my results have shown that not only do werewolves have heightened senses-much like animagi, they also have a stronger core which help immensely in situations like these. If his core is as strong as I suspect, I may even offer him a job contract." What Elanor means by secretly doing research, is that she has a witch in the Department and Control of Magical Creatures that lets her know when a new werewolf is forced to register with them. When she gets a new name, she contacts them and offers them a contract, paying them well above what they would make anywhere else, if they even got hired in the first place.
"That sounds wonderful Elanor, and I'm sure Remus will jump on the offer, honestly I've been worried about him ever since he graduated. Well, I won't keep you any longer, please prepare the potion." Minerva sighs in relief hearing this, and is hoping Remus accepts the position Elanor offers him, that way she can have help raising Harry.
"I will be back in 30 minutes with the potion, before I leave I need 3 drops of your blood along with 3 drops of young Harry's blood, and it looks like his nap's over." Elanor explains, Minerva looks over and sees Harry looking uncomfortable sitting on the floor. She looks over at Axewielder and asks him to lower the privacy shield. "It looks like Harry needs a diaper change, and I'll also give him a quick bottle to tie him over until we can get home. Can you give me 10 minutes to do so? I will give Elanor the blood before we leave for the bathroom."
"Minerva, take 30 minutes and get him a small scoop of ice cream at Floreans as well. He has been very well behaved for one so young, and I have never seen anyone make Elanor smile like that in a long time, I even believe that she had fun playing with Harry." Axewielder states.
"Thank you, Axewielder, and Axegut, I believe that our business is finished for today, and I hope you will continue to be the Potter account manager, I can't think of anyone else to hold that honour. Harry, come here please."
"Hi mama, I hungry." Harry bluntly states walking towards Minerva.
"Yes sweetie, we will go for a bite to eat in a few minutes, but first, can you let Elanor take some of your blood? It will hurt a bit but it won't hurt for long."
"Ok mama, Nor can have my blood. She nice, pwetty goblin."
Minerva tried hard not to laugh at the 15 month old, for one so young, he is about as blunt as a sledgehammer. 'Probably gets it from James' she thought. Just then, Elanor comes up, pricks Harry's finger and fills an unbreakable vial with 3 drops of Harry's blood. After she heals Harry's hand, she turns to Minerva, and repeats the process with her.
"Thank you Minerva, I will see you in 30 minutes, may your vaults overflow with happiness." With that, Elanor leaves to prepare the potion.
"Thank you again Axewielder, we will return in 30 minutes, may your blades never dull." Minerva bows to the goblins one last time.
"Thank you Minerva, may your heart overflow with the love of your family." Axewielder replies.
As Minerva leaves the bank with Harry, she is shocked with how the goblins have treated her. She has heard stories from Albus that goblins can be downright nasty, but she believes that if you treat someone with respect, you will get it back tenfolds. Ever since she started coming to Gringotts she has always been polite to the goblins, and because of this, the goblins consider her an equal in the goblin nation, which is one of the highest honours within the walls of Gringotts.
End Authours notes:
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