Goblins of Gringotts, I don't know whom to direct this letter to.
My friend Neville says I should have an account manager but I've not met them that I know of. I have not been allowed to go to Diagon Alley for several years and I'm wondering about the state of my vault. My trust vault is number 687. Is there a charge to get a statement so I can know what's left?
If there is someone I could write to, I have some questions I'd like to ask if it wouldn't be too much trouble. I do apologize if I'm causing any trouble, no one has told me the proper etiquette for this kind of correspondence. Usually, they tell me not to worry everything's fine or the adults will handle it. But I'd like to have some questions answered instead of being brushed off. I do understand if you do not have time. I thank you for anything you can do, please just tell me if I'm going to be charged for something before you do it, I don't want to run up a bill I can't pay.
Sincerely,
Harry James Potter
Harry was unsure about the letter but Hedwig was waiting so he tied it to her leg and set her off before he could change his mind. He was in bed and asleep by the time the ruckus started at the bank. The next morning, Saturday, Harry was prepared to eat breakfast and head to meet with Merry. However, he was stopped from that by three Goblins entering the great hall and approaching him.
"Mr. Potter, we received your letter last evening and are here to address the concerns." The first goblin spoke.
Before Harry could respond Dumbledore was up and heading their way, "Excuse me but what is going on?"
McGonagall and Snape weren't far behind him and Harry was beginning to seriously wonder why everyone was so interested in his finances. He still didn't have time to voice his concerns before the goblin spoke again.
"Mr. Potter addressed some questions on his financial health to Gringotts and I am here to address these questions." The goblin explained.
"Harry you should have come to me if you had questions." Dumbledore looked a bit put out.
Harry finally got the chance to speak, "I'm sorry Headmaster. I was unaware you would have answers to my financial questions."
"I am your magical guardian, Harry; I will be able to answer any questions you have." Dumbledore smiled, "You have no need to bother the goblins."
"You are my magical guardian?" Harry asked bewildered, "I didn't know that."
"Perhaps you should have read the first-year packet McGonagall provided at the visit before your first year." Dumbledore patted him on the head.
"I would have done that, had she visited me before first year." Harry frowned, "However, you had Hagrid come to me before first year and he took me to Diagon Alley. I didn't meet McGonagall before I arrived at Hogwarts and I didn't receive a first-year packet. I could not have known these things."
"You must have lost it." Snape sneered, "You couldn't have entered the school without the physical form, that is in the packet, being filled out."
"Professor, I didn't get a physical." Harry looked him dead in the eye, "I didn't get a packet."
"He's correct that I didn't visit him." McGonagall stepped in before Snape could get nasty, "We'll need to check with Hagrid to see if he delivered it. Perhaps your family has it and didn't realize to send it in."
"In the meantime, we will be meeting with Mr. Potter." The goblin stated, "It is obvious that as his magical guardian you did not do as you swore to. Part of taking the guardianship was to inform him of his financial status. As that has not been done by you, it will now be done by us. You will be invited to keep your nose out of it."
"Come along Albus lets figure out what happened to his packet." McGonagall grabbed his arm but paused before walking away, "Mr. Potter report to the infirmary when you finish with the goblins. We have a physical that is required to be done, today! You may use the room you met the other champions in for your meeting."
"Thank you, Professor." Harry nodded to her and led the Goblins to the room behind the hall.
They weren't gone five minutes, in fact the professors hadn't finished questioning Hagrid, when a goblin stomped out of the room and yelled at Dumbledore.
"You blocked Gringotts mail from an account holder?" He demanded.
"I blocked all owls from Harry, except his own, the Weasleys and Hogwarts." Dumbledore replied loudly, "I didn't think his muggle relatives would appreciate being bombarded with owls."
"You should have removed it when he was eleven at the latest." The goblin growled out, "It is gone now, do not attempt to put it back."
"It is for his safety that not just anyone can send him mail!" Dumbledore yelled, "It must be put back on before a death eater sends him a portkey and whisks him off to his death!"
"Well, if they didn't have that idea before, they do now." The goblin indicated the rest of the students avidly listening to their conversation, "You will add Gringotts to the exceptions being let through."
"Very well." Dumbledore huffed.
Back in the room Harry was chuckling, he could hear the yelling too. The goblins had already figured out there was a mail block and had taken the opportunity to get their mail through.
"Thank you for humoring me Mr. Potter." The goblin started once it was quiet again, "I am Sharptongue your Account Manager."
"Just Harry please." He replied, "It is nice to meet you Sharptongue."
"Very well Harry." Sharptongue smiled, "Here is your most recent statement."
He handed over the letter and encouraged Harry to open it. He did so and his eyes widened at the amount he was reading, "Wow, is that the total?"
"That is the total of your trust vault." Sharptongue turned the page, "This is your parents' personal vault. Their money and important things all went in here. This page is the family vault, this one was Sirius Black's and lastly the Black family vault. You do not have access to any of those, except your trust vault, until you reach seventeen. This page gives the overall monetary wealth and starts your holdings. Next section is a bit extra. Since Dumbledore obviously hasn't explained things to you, I've included the properties you own, who is renting them if they are not empty and where the monies are going. Lastly is a report of all monies removed since your parents were killed and where it went."
"The Dursley's did get money." Harry noted the money entering their bank and he supposed their account, "Well, it's not really a surprise, I've always known they were liars. Is that my tuition?" Harry noticed a rather large payment to Hogwarts.
"No, your tuition was paid before you were even born." Sharptongue narrowed his eyes a bit, "Dumbledore told us you wanted to pay your friend Ronald's tuition and that of his sister."
"I didn't know that." Harry bit his lip, "When did I start paying for it."
"Before your first year." Sharptongue answered.
"I didn't even meet them before the first of September." Harry murmured, "Don't change that yet, do they know I'm paying for it?"
"Molly Weasley knows." Sharptongue frowned, "It may be possible that the younger two know, but I am not sure. The father and other children do not know. She made sure we knew not to tell them."
"We'll keep that quiet." Harry said, "We can tell them that you told me how much money is in my trust vault. Since I don't have access to the others you told me they exist but not any details for now. Do you have anything else for me?"
"No, this is all, I am willing to answer your questions now." Sharptongue offered.
"I believe there is a block on my magic." Harry bit his lip, "Can you tell me if I do and how much is blocked?"
Another goblin approached and waved his hand around Harry. When he was finished, he was frowning, "You do have a significant block, this is not something to take care of in a school. The fact that the block has significant cracks in it is both alarming and good. It is only by the cracks that enough magic is getting through for you to do your school work. But if the block was to rupture you could endanger anyone within the area as well as some damage to yourself. I'll need more details from the block to tell you more. But I am suggesting we take you to Gringotts immediately and have this removed."
"Dumbledore will have a fit." Harry sighed.
"Not for long." the goblin gave a scary looking grin, "When I mention the fact that the castle could be blown up if we don't get this fixed now, I think he'll let you go with just a few bodyguards."
"Can we do this quietly." Harry asked, "I don't want to let Voldemort and his flunkies to know I have more magic than they think. I'd like them to keep underestimating me."
"Certainly." Was the answer as another goblin left to inform the headmaster.
"Would I blow up the castle?" Harry asked.
"Not likely, but the possibility is there. It depends on how much magic is blocked." Sharptongue gave a scary grin of his own.
"Any other questions?" Sharptongue asked.
"Can someone keep anything at all in their vault or do you block certain things?" Harry asked.
"I doubt you would handle anything we wouldn't allow." Shaprtongue went on to explain, "We allow all but destructive and black magics into vaults."
"Would a Horcrux be black magic?" He asked.
"You know what they are?" Sharptongue hissed.
"Voldemort has made some." The goblins hissed again as Harry explained, "I am worried that some of his minions put them in their vaults, I don't have any proof of that though."
"Magic such as that is insidious." Shaprtongue frowned, "It could slip by even a watchful guard. We would have to be looking specifically for that magic. I'll speak to others on this possibility. I will let you know what I can, if we find anything."
"Thank you." Harry breathed a sigh of relief.
The door was thrown open at that time, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape followed the other goblin in. Harry sighed thinking that there were a lot of people in his business, he could understand Dumbledore and McGonagall, but there was no explanation for Snape. The goblin was still talking as they entered.
"It is essential that he be moved to the bank immediately." The goblin spoke, "He could be a danger to everyone."
"What made you ask about blocks Harry?" Dumbledore turned his narrowed gaze on Harry.
"He didn't." Sharptongue spoke up, "He was not in my office during his eleventh year. Gringotts makes it a point to check children for blocks before they attend Hogwarts. It is standard practice. This is our first meeting even if it is several years late."
"It was not safe for him." Dumbledore argued.
"It was not safe for him to be with his account manager?" Sharptongue asked deceptively calm, he was outraged at the comment.
"It was not safe for him to be in Diagon Alley for long periods of time." Dumbledore corrected himself.
"It was fine before his third year." Sharptongue pointed out, "But it does not matter now. I hope his guards are on their way."
"I will be going." Dumbledore stated.
"No, you will not." Sharptongue cut him off, "We have already determined you have not been acting as a fit guardian and we will be taking this up with the Ministry."
"Then Severus can accompany him." Dumbledore frowned.
"No." Sharptongue had noticed Harry tense and grimace at the suggestion, "It must be someone he trusts."
"I have the utmost faith…" Dumbledore started.
"It does not matter if you trust him." Sharptongue talked over the headmaster, "Mr. Potter must trust them. I can clearly see the lack of trust between the two. That doesn't even take into account the unfounded accusations Mr. Snape harassed my client with earlier this morning."
"Mr. Potter, I can accompany you if you wish." McGonagall offered.
"Thank you, Professor." Harry agreed.
"Minerva you are needed…" Dumbledore began.
"It will have to wait." She put her foot down, "Mr. Potter needs someone he trusts and I'm glad he is allowing me, his head of house, as I should."
"What reason will we give that doesn't include a block on my magic?" Harry asked, "I don't want everyone to know."
"It is your private business." Sharptongue agreed, "You are being allowed to see the contents of the family vault. Under normal circumstances you would have been taken to the vault by your father or guardian near your eleventh birthday. Another item missed."
"Only you three know of the block." Another goblin added, "If anyone finds out we'll know it was one of you."
"We at Gringotts feel client privacy is extremely important." Sharptongue made sure they all understood that the person who let it out would suffer.
"I will need to inform Madam Pomfrey." McGonagall pointed out.
"Only her and only in a room with privacy spells." Sharptongue allowed.
Harry waited until they arrived at the bank before he broached any other subjects, "Professor, are there any eye healers?"
"Yes, there is one here in the Alley." She responded as they moved to an office, "Have your glasses become deficient?"
"Most likely always were." Harry shrugged, "My aunt found them in a donation bin and decided these would work. I'd like a pair that was a bit less… clunky if I could."
"It will be our next stop if we have time." She agreed immediately, "If we don't have time today, I'll make an appointment for next weekend in Hogsmeade."
"Thank you, professor." Harry smiled.
They made it to the ritual room and Harry entered. As the other goblins prepared him for the procedure Sharptongue turned McGonagall to the side. They saw Harry step behind a curtain as Sharptongue guided McGonagall behind a wall with a window in it. Harry came back wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and sat on the bed. McGonagall was shocked that she could count all his ribs. She had thought he ate well enough but obviously something else was in play. She'd need Poppy to do some additional scans. It took a few minutes to remove the block and as it finished and pulled away there was a flash of light and the window shook in front of her. This was caused by a wash of magic that rushed from Harry and hit the walls causing them to tremble a bit. The goblins reentered the room and helped him up and over to the changing curtain where he redressed. McGonagall and Sharptongue were waiting for him as he left the room.
"You are doing remarkably well at containing your new magic." Sharptongue pointed out.
"I can feel that the magic is released, I feel like I'm walking on air, but it's not overwhelming." Harry replied.
"Impressive." Sharptongue smiled, he knew how much blockage had been there, obviously the child had been meditating searching for his core, it also explained his knowledge of the block.
"Mr. Potter I will meet you back in the lobby." McGonagall grinned, "I think you'll be perfectly safe taking a trip to the family vault without me. However, if you want me there, I would go."
"Thank you, Professor." Harry grinned, "I'll be fine."