Disclaimer: All Harry Potter™ characters and settings are the sole property of JK Rowling. No money is being made with this fanfiction and no copyright infringement is intended. All that belongs to me is the plot!
Spoilers for all five books. It's rated at PG-13 for now and there are no romantic pairings at the moment, but that is subject to change depending on future plotlines. Comments can be sent to jewel_of_atlantis@yahoo.co.uk
Chapter 3: A Strange Occurrence
Harry had obviously appeared in some kind of reception room since it was almost bare. The dominant feature was the fireplace that Tonks had just appeared in and the wooden double doors at the opposite wall. Having straightened his robes, he followed Remus through that door, with Tonks bringing up the rear.
This room, however, seemed to represent the prestige and grandeur of the law firm. The floor was wood panelled and thick dark wooden support beams could be seen. The walls were a cream, complimenting the dark couches and light coloured furniture. Everything about the room was tasteful and to Harry, it would not look out of place for a muggle building. Perhaps the only obviously wizarding items in the room were the portraits and pictures on the walls and the robes of those who worked there.
Remus approached a young wizard who was bent over a desk. After coughing to gain his attention, he introduced himself. "Hello. I'm Remus Lupin and with me are Harry Potter and Nym..." Remus winced as Tonks kicked his shin. "And Auror Tonks" he said, throwing a glare at Tonks. "We have an appointment to see Mr Austin?"
"Hold on Sir" the wizard replied in an accented voice, not looking up from the paperwork. Harry tried to place the accent but was unsuccessful.
Ever polite, Remus tried again. "Excuse me, but could you please let Mr Austin know that we have arrived?"
A new voice interrupted them. "No need, I'm Mr Austin" he said. "Niete, please try not to keep the clients waiting" he chastised before offering his hand to Remus. Harry looked at the older man. He looked to be over fifty but that meant little in the wizarding world and he was tall with well-defined features. There was a fair sprinkling of grey in his dark hair, but there was a hint of humour in his grey eyes. Though Harry was far from an expert in the field, he could tell that the lawyer's robes were of a high quality and he underneath wore a crisp business suit that even Uncle Vernon would have to dream about.
"Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice" Remus replied.
"That's quite alright" he replied with a smile. "Given the current events in Britain, it wasn't wholly unexpected. Ah, is this Mr Potter?"
"Yes Sir" Harry replied.
"Call me Richard" he offered but seeing the doubtful look on Harry's face, he amended it. "Or Mr Austin if you prefer then, but Richard is fine. Would you follow me to my office and we can get on with business"
Harry nodded and threw a confused look at Remus and Tonks. The trio followed the lawyer through corridors and up several flights of stairs until they reached a large wooden door which had a nameplate with 'Mr RD Austin, WLLB' inscribed upon it. Austin opened the door and ushered everyone in before pulling out a chair for Tonks. Tonks graciously thanked Austin, all the while ignoring Remus' and Harry's amused looks.
Austin moved to sit behind his large desk, which Harry had absently noted, had images of various dragons carved at its base. The desk held the usual items, quills, inks of various colours, blank sheets of parchment and owl treats. Spanning an entire side of the spacious room were shelves containing many books and tomes, a few of which looked decidedly muggle in origin.
The only things that looked slightly out of place were the large files that lay in front of Austin. A couple of the files were yellowing and slightly brittle looking, attesting to their age. One in particular nagged at Harry's memories, though he could not place what it was that seemed so familiar.
Mr Austin, who in turn was examining him, drew Harry attention. He unconsciously checked that his mental barriers were up while also ensuring his wand was within easy reach. "No need to worry about me Mr Potter. I assure you that I won't attack you" Austin said. Harry's surprise was betrayed by a slight widening of his eyes. "I was just considering the similarity in looks between yourself and your late father" Austin explained. "Though I had only met him a handful of time, he was the sort of young man that made an impression on you"
Harry did not respond. Not only did he had no idea how to reply, but he no longer felt that warm rush when compared to his father, ever since that incident with Snape's pensive. It was no longer the thought that Snape was right about his father, but rather the inability to reconcile the two different versions of the man ... of the teenager.
Luckily, Remus saved him from having to reply. "Mr Austin" he started. "Can you tell us whether the current proposals that Minister Fudge is proposing are legal? Can he actually do it?"
Austin looked pensive. "I must say, you're not the only ones who have asked us about this. In fact, there seems to be a greater political and legal minefield if what Fudge is proposing is allowed to go ahead. Other Ministries would then be able to petition for the same laws. In many countries, this would cause a great deal of trouble. However, here in Switzerland, most assets and monies are protected to a certain degree. However this can't apply to your case since although our firm represents the Potter, your estate and assets are under British laws and dispensed by the UK branch of Gringotts"
"So where does that leave me with regards to Fudge?" Harry asked. "Just before I flooed here, I got this letter from one of fudge's lapdogs!"
"May I see it?" Austin asked. In reply, Harry fished out the letter and handed it over. There was a tense silence as Austin read the letter. Finally, he put the letter down. "Well that was a wonderfully informative and useful letter" he said sarcastically, his distaste evident on his face. "Mr Potter, what the Minister and the Ministry is attempting in trying to become the executor of the family estates until the heir comes of age is technically illegal. This is usually because the executor or guardian had already been named in a will or a clause somewhere"
"Right," Harry said while nodding his head in understanding.
"As to your question. Fudge, and let's not beat around the bush, it's not so much the Ministry but Cornelius Fudge who is pushing the agenda, could attempt to claim the estates and any and all items from the vaults of convicted Death Eaters. That is if he can draw up legislation that can be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Wizgamot. In normal times"
"In normal times?" Remus asked, having picked up on the conditional clause.
"Yes. However, since the Ministry has declared a state of war, he only need a majority vote to pass legislation" Austin explained.
"Wait a minute" Harry broke in. "What about last year at Hogwarts. With all the tripe about the High Inquisitor and all those Educational Decrees. Were they all passed by the Wizgamot?"
"I'm under the impression that they were"
"Well I'm not holding out much hope then" Harry said in a tired voice.
"Well we can deal with that when it happens" Austin said briskly. "Now Fudge can seize assets belonging to Death Eaters but he'll most likely have to go through the courts to do so. The main thing in his favour is the fact that the Ministry is at war. What is less clear is whether this extends to circumstances where the heir to an estate is not yet of age. In fact, one of the other senior partners and myself were discussing the matter with the Bones' and Longbottoms' family lawyers yesterday. I believe you know the current heirs Mr Potter?"
"Susan Bones and Neville's also in Gryffindor" Harry answered.
Austin nodded though Harry suspected the older wizard had already known the details. "However, given your situation Mr Potter, I believe you may be able to circumvent a lot of the problems that might occur"
Harry straightened his back. "How's that?" he asked eagerly.
"There is a way, I believe, for you to take control your own finances" Austin replied. "Through the Last Will and Testament of Sirius Black, former heir to the Black estate"
Silence met his statement. Harry clenched his hands as those words echoed in his head. Remus and Tonks also showed signs of grief and discomfort about the news. "How do you know that Sirius ... is dead" Remus finally managed to ask.
Austin looked surprised and upset at the reaction of his three visitors. "I'm sorry. I was under the impression that you all knew. I apologise for bringing it up in such a manner. I'm afraid that it becomes instinctual somewhat considering my line of work. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? A glass of water?"
All three declined and so Austin continued to speak, allowing his visitors a few more minutes to fully compose themselves. "I'm not sure what you know about magical documents. A will shares many similar attributes to a magical contract. In fact, in many ways, it is just another form of a contract. An alert is sounded when the Will comes into effect, so we know that the person in question had passed on. This occurred in the case of Sirius Black about a month ago"
"Why weren't we told about this before now?"
"I attempted to post the summons but the self-addressing quill could not locate you. In fact, Mr Potter, I have been unable to contact you at all. It is only because Mr Lupin here arranged a meeting, that I have had the opportunity to talk to you" Austin stated, though there was an undercurrent of confusion and slight annoyance. "I did, however, send an owl to Hogwarts since I knew that you were still attending the school. It seems that the message was not passed on to you"
Remus frowned. "I guess it's still there somewhere. The Headmaster is incredibly busy at the moment, as you can guess. Or perhaps the owl returned?"
Austin shook his head. "The owl returned minus the letter. It must be, as you say, at Hogwarts then. Anyway, you are here now Mr Potter and I can go over the main points of the Will now. I must warn you that the whole business is very complicated so feel free to ask me to clarify matter, though I'll try to keep it understandable" the old wizard said, smiling at Harry.
Harry smiled back, though he was sure that his nervousness was obvious to all in the room. Austin nodded before looking at Harry's guards. "It is also quite fortunate that you, Mr Lupin and Miss Tonks, are also present since the Will also refers to you." Remus shook his head stiffly while Tonks kept her eyes firmly fixed on the floor.
"Now the first point of order will be dealing with Sirius' Will, however, also linked to that is the management of the Black Estate" Austin began.
"But I thought Mrs Malfoy was trying to claim the Black House and vaults" Harry questioned.
"Ah. Yes. In fact, I believe she has been in contact with the firm several times. It seems that Mrs Malfoy did not realise that Mr Black had transferred the handling of all matters pertaining the Black Estate to this particular firm before his death. It seems she had to contact several people and lawyers before she discovered we held the account" Austin replied. Harry had the impression that Austin was quite amused by the news.
"Serves her right" Tonks muttered under her breath from her seat to Harry's right. "Stupid cow"
Remus coughed while everyone else pretended to ignore the comment. "Now as I was saying" Austin continued. "The Black Estate and Sirius Black's Will have dependant clauses and conditions attached. It's perhaps easier to go over the basics of Sirius Black's Will. Mr Black was aware of the line of inheritance and as such made several alterations to both contracts. The Black Estate will pass down to the next male heir. However, since Mr Black left no dependants, male or female, by blood, the person who would inherit the Estate is a Mr Draco Malfoy"
"What!" Harry shouted. "How can someone like that slimy prat be next in line? That's just wrong, especially since he's practically a junior Death Eater!"
Mr Austin seemed torn between sympathy and severity but finally chose to ignore the outburst. "However Mr Black foresaw this problem and so made up a legal binding document. In it, he declares that Harry James Potter is his heir. There is a note expressing his apologies that you, Mr Lupin, cannot be named. Primarily since you are a werewolf and would likely lose to Mrs Malfoy if she contested the Will. However, if Mr Potter accepts, there are several instructions Mr Black has left with regards to both Mr Lupin and Miss Tonks"
"He named me?" Harry asked in an uncertain voice.
"Yes"
Remus furrowed his brow. "How is that possible. Won't young Draco Malfoy have a better claim since he has Black blood in his veins?" he asked, though his distaste was evident in his tone.
"That would normally be correct, but apparently Sirius Black anticipated this. The documentation doesn't explain how it is possible, but he expressly states that if Mr Potter agrees, he will be the primary heir. If Mr Potter were to die without any dependants, then the Black Estate would revert back to Mr Malfoy or his dependants"
"I think I'm getting a headache" Harry complained, not liking the talk about his dying before having children, a possibility that seemed far too likely in his opinion.
"You're not the only one" Tonks groaned. "Give me a bad guy any day!"
Austin chuckled. "Indeed. Would you like a break?" Remus and Tonks turned to Harry, who finally decided to continue. "Unfortunately, there are a couple of hidden clauses in Mr Black's personal Will that I cannot discern nor inform you on. I believe his intention was that you either knew what the clauses involved, or could anticipate them"
Remus snorted while Harry rolled his eyes. Sirius was a Marauder and even Harry knew that whatever Sirius had planned was likely to be as far away from the norm as possible. However, Harry had also implicitly trusted the dark-haired animagus, and deep down, he felt that Sirius would have held his best interests at heart.
"Now, Mr Black has stated that his personal vault at Gringotts, UK branch, is to be evenly split between Mr RJ Lupin, Mrs A Tonks, and Miss N Tonks. His motorbike is bequeathed to Mr HJ Potter. The documents for these items are here," Austin said, before passing several parchments across the table. "Finally, Mr Black wrote another magical contract, which involves a fair few issues, hence the reason why I have left it to last. It affects what I have already explained, as well as the conditions for the Black Estate, and Mr Potter's future"
Remus, Tonks, and Harry exchanged looks. Harry was not sure if he could cope with any more legal minefields and conditions. It was more suited towards Hermione, not him. Still he tilted his head and attempted to understand what was about to be explained.
"This document here" Austin started, laying a hand upon a piece of parchment. "Not only declares that Mr Potter will officially become Mr Black's heir, but also is a document of emancipation"
Remus tensed up while Tonks let out a low whistle. Harry, on the other hand, was confused. "I'm sorry, but what does that mean?"
"It means that if you sign this contract that Mr Black wrote, you will become an adult in the wizarding world subject to several conditions. That means that you would be well within your legal right to inherit the Black Estate"
"Meaning that Fudge or Malfoy can't get their hands on it" Harry questioned.
"Yes"
"Wait a minute" Remus interrupted. "Do you fully understand what this will do? If you become an emancipated minor?"
"I'd be considered an adult" Harry replied, slightly confused.
"Not just that Harry. You'd be subject to Fudge's manipulations to a greater degree. As a minor, Dumbledore can protect you to a much greater degree" Remus explained.
A slightly bitter look crossed Harry's face before being replaced by sadness. "It's not helped me all that much so far, has it?" Harry asked. "Do you think Sirius would have done this if he didn't think it was for the best?"
"I'm not sure" Remus finally replied. "Sirius was a lot of things and he was one of my best friends, but..."
"Even so, if it was about my welfare, Sirius always made sure I was safe. Hell, he even ... even died to save me. Isn't that enough Moony?" Harry pressed.
Remus turned sad brown eyes away for a moment. Finally, he met Harry's emerald orbs once more. "I trusted Sirius when it came to you and I still will. The choice is yours, but keep in mind, this won't be the easy answer to all your problems. Most likely, you'll have Fudge, the Ministry, and Mrs Malfoy to deal with. Dumbledore too!"
"So?" Harry asked. Without waiting for an answer, Harry turned to Tonks for her opinion. The young Auror smiled at Harry in reply. Turning to Austin, Harry said "I understand and agree"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes"
"Well then, if you'll sign this. It states that you are of free will and sound mind and agree to become Sirius Black's heir and thus heir to the Black Estate, and that you agree to you new emancipated status" Austin stated, pushing a piece of parchment across the table.
Harry glanced at the main bulk of the writing, making out various phrases pertaining to him. At the bottom was a place for Harry to sign. He accepted the quill from the lawyer and started to scratch his name onto the parchment.
Harry James...
Many months down the line, Harry would still never be able to explain what possessed him to sign the document in the manner that he did, but he was grateful, nevertheless, that he did.
... Black Potter
Harry watched as the ink glistened on the magical contract. As Harry finished scripting the final letter, a white light surrounded him, causing the three adults in the room to rise to their feet, wands ready for an attack. A minute later, the light dissipated and Harry slouched into his chair.
Remus took two steps until he was kneeling in front of Harry's chair. "Harry? Harry? Are you okay? How do you feel?" he asked, his worry obvious to all. Austin conjured up several cups of tea and pressed it into Harry's slightly numb hands.
Harry took a sip of the warm brew before finally looking at the werewolf. "What happened just then?"
"I've no idea. Are you feeling better now? Do you remember anything?"
"I'm just a bit cold but the tea's helping with that. It wasn't a mental attack, my barrier's still holding up. I don't feel any different Remus" Harry replied. "Just a bit tired"
"I think it's probably best if we end this meeting now and arrange another one tomorrow?" Austin suggested.
"Yes" Remus replied distractedly. "That seems fine"
The next few minutes were a blur. Austin seemed to be sorting out several pieces of parchment and handing several to Remus. Harry did manage to hear that one copy was for his records, one for Austin's company files, one for the Ministry and one for Gringotts. Harry had wondered how there could be so many when he had only signed the one, but apparently it because the documents were magical contracts. He vaguely remembered that Remus and Tonks both signed several documents, attesting as witnesses before the two wizards vanished, leaving Harry with Tonks.
To pass the time, Tonks used her metamorphagus abilities to change her nose, leading to Remus and Austin finding the pair giggling upon their return. "Glad to see you are feeling better Mr Potter" Austin said. "Now I've made arrangements and booked a suite at a nearby hotel. We'll meet again tomorrow to go through the Black Estate and it's implications as well as the Potter Estate. Also, I'd suggest you have a look at the paperwork that Mr Lupin is holding and send the signed contracts to the Ministry as soon as possible"
"Uh. Right" Harry replied, though completely confused. He saw Remus send him a sympathetic look and knew that he could ask the older man for help. "Okay then. I guess we'll see you tomorrow Mr Austin"
"Indeed Mr Potter," Austin said, offering his hand for a handshake.
Harry shook the hand and the three of them finally made their way to the first room they had arrived in. Harry suddenly realised that he had no idea where he was going. "Remus?" he asked.
"Oh yes. Hold on. It's called the Basel Noir"
~~~~~~~~~~
Many thanks to RogueFankFC, captuniv, Raphaelle, and Black Vengeance for reading and reviewing!
RogueFankFC - I think we may see a bit more of the lawyers for a while yet. Not quite. Fudge is going to do is anything in his power to make life harder for Harry. It's quite definitely a personal thing now. But it's slightly more subtle, after all, Fudge can't be seen be obviously going after Harry.
captuniv - I agree, especially with Dudley's (small) influence. I can honestly say, that Harry has a lot to discover about his heritage and his inheritance. Especially all the particulars of the latter.
Black Vengeance - Ah. That is because I don't have a beta reader to check these things. I don't have any idea how to go about to get one and this story is literally written, checked for obvious grammar/spelling mistakes and posted, since I don't have time to go into it further Is likely true regarding the commas situation. Sorry.