Chapter: Chapter Five: The 'Reading' of the Wills
Author: King Harrison
Category: Action/Adventure
Sub-Category: Romance
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP,
Summary: Wherein three wills are told.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author Notes: Chapter Five is here! R&R!
"The Polyjuice Potion, when properly brewed, will temporarily transform a person into the form of another."
-Hermione J. Puckle–I mean Granger, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
(A/N Isn't that funny?! Originally, J.K.R. intended for Hermione's name to be Hermione Puckle, but in the end went for something a little less flamboyant. Think: H/HR lovers, the formal title of the ship would have been HJP/HJP!!!!!)
Chapter Five: The 'Reading' of the Wills
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione yelled "We've got to go! It's eleven thirty!"
"All right!" Harry came out of his bedroom. "I'm ready to go."
They ran through the mansion and out over to the Ferrari, which was waiting for them. Dr. and Drs. Granger weren't coming with, so a chauffeur would be driving them.
They passed the trip in silence, for they were too nervous about the reading to talk overly much. After about 15 minutes, they pulled up at a brick office building with the sign "Greendale and Redford, Attorneys at Law."
They entered through a bright white door that chimed as they did so. Harry was almost too nervous to move. He was actually shaking with nervousness. Hermione put an arm around his shoulder to comfort him.
Inside was a lobby with a long table. Seated at it were Albus Dumbledore, the Weasleys, Minerva McGonagall, Cornelius Fudge, Nymphadora (A/N Yes, Tonks, I know! You don't want to be called by your first name! It's just for introduction, jeeze!) Tonks, Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, and a tall, reed-thin man in a green suit (A/N greendale. Lame, I know) and had three boxes sitting in front of him. Harry wondered why Fudge was there.
When they entered, the man stood up. "Well, seeing as you are all here, let's get on with the show! I'm Mr. Greendale, if you hadn't guessed." He took one of the boxes and opened it. Inside was a glass orb, much like those containing prophecies in the department of mysteries.
"Listen closely. John! Come in here!" A portly man in a red suit (A/N Lame, again, I know.) much like Mr. Greendale's entered, carrying parchment and an acid green quill.
"This Quick-Quotes-Quill is charmed to write the heading of the will and then the text, and finally sign it with the deceased's own signature." Mr. Redford (at least that was who Harry thought he was) said at Harry's raised eyebrow.
Mr Greendale spoke up. "This orb can only be used once, that is why we make these documents. They are charmed with an identification spell and cannot be duplicated by anyone but one of us in this room, and cannot be modified whatsoever."
Greendale nodded to Redford, who set the quill point down on the parchment. He then picked up the orb and smashed it against the table.
The shadowy form of Sirius Black emerged.
Hello All!Well, I've finally kicked the bucket then! Serves me right for having an animagus form like that of a Grim, I suppose. Oh well. Harry, if you're listening to this (which you should be) I know that I probably died in some battle with Voldemort. I suppose that because of that, you blame yourself. Don't, Harry. It was my choice to fight, and there's nothing you could have done about it. Of course, if I just rotted from sitting around at home all day, then it's Dumbledore's fault. On to business then. Professor Mcgonagall, I give you my thanks for being a good teacher.
Mcgonagall snorted at that.
I also give you all of the textbooks on transfiguration in the Black family possession except for the second copy of THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TRANSFIGURATION, METAMORPHMAGI, AND ANIMAGI. That's for Hermione. Hermione, you also get all of the other books in the Black Family possession, but you have to share the books about the Dark Arts, and the defense thereof (did I say that right) with Harry. Remus, I found out just a few days ago (the first of June and you probably haven't been back since then if you don't know) that there is a closet full of the Extract of the Silver Rose-the only known way to fully stop a transformation into a werewolf. The supply should last about fifty years or so. I hope that you have time to use it all, Remus. Nymphadora–oh don't look at me like that–
Tonks had indeed glared at the image of Sirius at that point. Remus, however was staring at the image in shock.
You get the big Black Tapestry–HA HA–as well as the jewelry contained in the Attic of the headquarters (just in case it's still under the–uh–charm). Albus, you get all of my families little trinkets–the kind you love. I've put them all in 13 trunks in the northeastern corner of the Attic. Molly, Arthur, etc. I give you all a sum of exactly 10,000,000 Galleons, approximately 5 percent of my liquid assets. I also give you the guardianship of Harry–now you can officially mother him, Molly. Now for Harry. Harry, you get everything else.
Harry smiled. The Weasleys would finally have money. And Harry would be yet even richer and more famous. He frowned at that.
Yes, everything. I know I perhaps thought of you as too much like James sometimes, and too much like a son at others. But, Harry I loved you like a son. Don't hurt yourself, kid. Goodbye, Harry.
Harry wiped away his tears as the form disappeared. "Goodbye."
"Here, you must all magically sign this." Greendale passed around the will and a needle.
"Magically sign?"
Hermione nodded. "To magically sign something, you prick your thump and place it in a square directly above your name. If you have titles, it will list them.
When Hermione got it, it read: Hermione Jane Granger, Heir of Ravenclaw and High Seat of House Ravenclaw. Hermione looked at the paper bewilderedly, but passed it to Harry.
Harry's signature took a lot of space. Harry James Potter-Black, Kingpriest of Camelot, Ruler of Avalon, Heir and Head of House Merlin, Heir and Head of House Gryffindor, Heir and Head of House Pendragon, Heir and Head of House Potter, Heir and Head of House Black. Knight of the Mortal Realm, Hereditary King of the Amazon, King of Magia, Emperor of the Realm, Hereditary King of the Elves, and the Boy-Who-Lived.
Harry gaped. "Professor? Did you perhaps find me too young to tell all of this, too?"
Dumbledore looked bemused. "I had no Idea about all of this. It's not very surprising, though."
Harry shook his head and passed it on.
When they were finished, Redford and Greendale prepared again, and then Greendale opened the second box and smashed it down.
The figure of James Potter appeared.
Well. It would obviously seem that I am dead, and since I made this when Harry was a little over a year old, it has been fifteen years since I created this. Few know that the Potters are actually a VERY old line, which my grandfather (with one or two greats, I think) should know about. Since I just mentioned him, I'll begin with him. To Albus Dumbledore, I bequeath my thanks. You've helped us through all of this. Of course, since you are of my blood, you may access my accounts all you wish, and I can't really stop you even though you gave it all to your children, grandchildren, et cetera.Harry looked to Dumbledore for confirmation. He nodded grimly.
To Peter Pettigrew, I give my loathing, because if I am dead and have not changed this, then he betrayed us to Voldemort. To Sirius Black, who is probably in Azkaban, I give not only our entire collection of magical vehicles, but the Guardianship of Harry if Lily is dead as well. I give the minister of magic proof that Sirius Black is innocent. I give Remus my appoligies for not believing him, and give him all of our family books on magical creatures. To Molly Weasley, I give 200,000,000 Galleons, exactly 3.985674235 (that number is thanks to Lily) of the Potter Family liquid assets currently. Hopefully Harry has met you and your family by now (what are you on, the seventh?). Whatever interest those specific galleons have gained is yours as well. Albus and Minerva, I can't think of much to give you, except to tell you that we did the seventh year graduation prank, if you haven't guessed. Harry, you get everything else, though if Lily is alive, she gets it. If any of the parties mentioned in this will are no longer alive, their items go to Lily, and if she is also dead, it goes to Harry. Sorry we've never been there for you, Harry, since I would've updated this every month and I obviously haven't. I love you all (except probably the minister–since I don't know who he or she is and if he's Barty Crouch I most certainly don't–and the solicitors).
Mr. Greendale passed the paper around and everyone signed it again.
He prepared Lily Potter's will parchment and then smashed her glass orb. Then Harry's mother appeared.
Well. It would seem that I am dead (or you wouldn't be listening to this). I've obviously been dead since 1981 since I updated this every day, and this was not to be opened until the day before Harry's sixteenth birthday. I don't have much but muggle money to give, so I'll just give it to Harry. I also have a small deposit box at Gringotts. Harry, you need to go there. I just want to say that I love you Harry. Take care.
"That was short." Fudge said.
Harry glared at him through his tears. Hermione had her arm around him and his head in her shoulder.
Mr. Redford sighed. "Here are the deeds and keys to the different places and Vaults. Sign this, and then you can go." They once again passed around the paper. Harry received a large stack of papers and a bag with a lot of keys in it.
As they left, Fudge came over to Harry. "Harry, I'd like to apologize for–"
"Oh, shut it, Fudge."
Fudge blanched angrily, but Harry and Hermione quickly left.