Obviously the Gringotts poem is taken from canon, but I don't own it.
"Alright boys, we're here. Remember our rules for going into the city, even if we are visiting a… different part of it." As the Evans family piled out of the old car she had inherited when her parents passed, Petunia was hit with another flash of deja vu. 7 years worth of "family outings" to Diagon Alley meant Petunia could recognize the dingy front of the Leaky Cauldron, muggle-repelling charms or not. Before Petunia could get lost in memories, however, she spotted the very man who had accompanied them each year, at least until the summer before Lily's sixth year.
"Ah, Severus. I do hope we weren't late," Petunia said, ushering Dudley and Harry to the storefront and taking slight note of their whispered conversation ("Whaddya mean there's a pub? I don't see it." "Here, hold my hand and I'll wish for you to see it, like we did with the owl!" "Woah! That's wicked!")
"Not at all, Petunia. I arrived early to take care of some personal business. Good morning, gentlemen."
"Morning Professor Snape!" The two chorused.
"Are you coming with us to get my school stuff?" Harry asked.
"I am indeed. Your aunt and I thought it might be a good idea for me to accompany you as she hasn't been here for several years. I also plan on making sure you have the best ingredients for potions, as most of the standard first-year kits use substandard ingredients." Petunia flashed Severus a grateful look for his cover story. "Shall we?"
The group entered the Leaky Cauldron, Snape leading and Petunia bringing up the rear in an attempt to conceal Harry as much as possible. Thankfully, they slipped through without garnering notice and made their way swiftly to the brick wall.
Upon seeing the confusion on the faces of the two youngest of the group, Severus couldn't help but be a bit more dramatic than necessary. "Now, prepare yourselves," he said as he began tapping bricks with his wand. "And welcome, to Diagon Alley!" He finished tapping with a flourish and stepped aside, allowing the arch's opening to be in full view of the eyes now wide with excitement and awe. Petunia and Snape (although neither would ever admit it) both gave soft smiles at the sight.
"Woah! This is amazing!" Dudley whisper-yelled.
"I can't wait to see all the cool stuff they have here! Just wait Dud, your birthday and Christmas presents are going to be so cool."
Clearing her throat slightly to disguise the slight teariness she felt at hearing the conversation, Petunia suggested they continue on to their first destination, Gringotts bank.
Upon reaching the gargantuan white building at the far side of the alley, the group paused to read the sign upon the door.
Enter stranger but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed.
For those who take but do not earn
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.
"Well, that's not very welcoming, is it?" Dudley said. "Seems more like they're trying to keep you out of the bank than coming in for business."
"You're quite right, Mr. Evans. That is exactly what they're trying to do," Snape responded in a low tone as they passed the goblins (and wasn't that a shock). "But not for the reasons you might think. That, however, is a discussion for later."
Dudley gave the man a confused look before nodding, a silent request to have that conversation at a later date.
Seeing an open teller, Snape approached and stood patiently in front of the tall desk, the rest of the group imitating him. After a good five minutes had passed, the goblin looked up with a sneer, although it became less pronounced as he saw who was waiting in front of him.
"Professor Snape, back again so soon. What other business could you have with us today?"
"Today's business is not mine, naturally. I am merely accompanying young Mr. Potter-Evans and his relatives for their trip today. He wishes to know of any vaults he might have access to, as well as their contents."
"I see. Does young Mr. Potter-Evans have his key? Or does his guardian, perhaps? It will be the easiest way to identify that he is in fact who he claims to be."
Petunia was startled by this question, as when they'd come here for Lily she had to make her own vault and had a new key forged for her personal use. She hadn't even thought of Harry having a key. Severus, however, had planned for this occurrence.
"Unfortunately, we believe the key to have been… misplaced… prior to his arrival with Ms. Evans. Would Gringotts consent to offering a blood test? For a fee, of course."
The goblin raised an eyebrow, staring deeply at first Severus, then Harry. "I see. While unusual, I suppose such an arrangement would suffice. Please, follow me." He stepped off his high stool and floated gently down, as if on an invisible escalator, before walking rapidly down a hallway to the right. Snape and the rest of the group followed behind. Upon reaching the end of the hallway, the goblin knocked thrice upon a door labeled "Griphook: Potter Accounts Manager".
"Enter," came a voice from inside. As they did so, the voice continued. "Ah, Slipknot. I see you have brought me some clients?"
"The boy claims to be Harry Potter-Evans, but as neither he nor his guardian were given a key they have requested a blood test. I thought it best they be delivered to you for such a test, in case he is who he claims to be."
"Quite right, thank you. You are free to return to the tills." With a sharp nod, Slipknot departed, closing the door behind himself. "Now, in order to administer a blood test I first must have proof that none of you are in possession of the original key. If you would permit me to run a detection spell?"
They all nodded, and Griphook waved a hand toward the group and said something in a deep, gravelly sounding language. They felt a light tickling sensation, then Griphook nodded in apparent satisfaction.
"Well, that is as it should be. Now, Mr. Potter-Evans, would you mind pricking your finger with this-" he held out a ceremonial knife, "-and letting seven drops fall on this parchment?" He then slid the parchment and knife across the desk.
"Um… sure," came Harry's understandably unenthusiastic reply. With a hesitant glance to his mum, he took the knife and looked at it for a moment.
"Wait just a second, Harry dear. Mr. Griphook, is the knife necessary for the purpose of the test?" Petunia questioned.
"Not as such, no. But it cannot be done with magic and most of our clientele are not in the habit of carrying their own blades," he answered with one eyebrow slightly raised. "Did you have something you would prefer the boy use, then?"
"Yes, one moment please." Petunia opened her purse and rummaged for a moment before pulling out a sewing needle. "With two boys, you never know when you might need to sew up a pant leg or sweater." Both Dudley and Harry grinned sheepishly as Petunia handed the needle to her younger son.
Harry took the needle, pricked his finger, and let the drops fall as instructed. The blood then began to separate and form words. Harry sucked lightly on his pricked finger to stop bleeding and looked on in wonder as the entire parchment was filled.
"Well, Mr. Potter-Evans, I appear to have good news for you. Not only are you who you claim to be, but Magic herself has recognized your preferred name." Griphook turned the paper around and the group read:
Hadrian "Harry" James Potter-Evans
Parents: James Potter (Father, deceased) Lily Evans Potter (Mother, deceased) Petunia Evans (Mother, blood-adoption)Godparents: Sirius Black (incarcerated) Severus Snape Remus Lupin Petunia Evans (acting guardian) Alice Longbottom (clinically insane)Vaults: Potter Family Vault Trust Vault Vault formerly belonging to Lily Evans"Well Mr. Potter-Evans, your parents certainly selected a… varied… set of personalities to take care of you in their absence," said Snape, who appeared slightly in shock. Petunia nodded in agreement, suddenly very pale and looking to be near tears.
"Does that mean you know all of these people Professor? Obviously I know you and Mum, but who are the rest of them? Were they friends of my parents?" Harry rambled off questions faster than anyone could even think about how to explain them.
"We'll discuss that later, Harry. It's a long story and we don't want to take up too much of Mr. Griphook's time with other business," Petunia replied, still sounding a little shaky. "Now, Mr. Griphook, I see Harry is listed as having three vaults. Do you possibly have a record of the items in them that are not monetary?"
"I do not have a complete list, unfortunately. Many of the family vaults go back centuries and as such some artifacts will not be listed. Even we goblins are not perfect record keepers. I do, however, have a file of the items deemed by either the owners or myself to be exceptionally valuable or otherwise… important. Is there a particular reason you were inquiring?"
"Well, it recently came to my attention, and the attention of Severus as well, that neither of us recalled there being a reading of Lily's will. We had both simply assumed we were not listed, but our listing as godparents does make me wonder. Is it possible you have a copy of Lily's will? Or James's?"
"As it so happens both wills are entombed in the Potter Family Vault. You are also correct in that they were never read. In fact, they were ordered sealed until specifically enquired about by the Chief Warlock." Griphook looked both angry and mildly amused, if a mix of the two emotions were possible.
"Is it common practice for the Chief Warlock to seal the wills of the deceased? Particularly when they involve the placement of their children?" Snape queried, looking decidedly less amused than Griphook.
"Due to the state of war, he managed to seal them under the premise that their contents could hinder the war effort if they contained secrets, which was possible as Mr. Potter was an Auror and both he and Mrs. Potter were members of the Order of the Phoenix. Because the war was brought to an end after the trials of the Death Eaters the Ministry did manage to get its hands on the wills should have been opened and beneficiaries notified immediately. It seems, however, that there were further… instructions… which permitted them to stay unread," Griphook sneered at this. "However, with two presumed beneficiaries and the next-of-kin requesting they be opened, I see no reason to not do so posthaste. I will have the wills opened and a reading scheduled by the end of the day." He had a smug, if terrifying, grin on his face as he concluded.
Snape appeared to be trying very hard to contain his temper, if his clenched fists were to be believed. Petunia was still very pale, but had now pursed her lips very harshly. Harry and Dudley, being completely clueless as to the meaning, let alone the significance, of anything Griphook had just said simply sat in their chairs with confused looks on their faces.
"Um, Mr. Griphook, sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm assuming the three vaults all have money in them or you would have closed the accounts, right?"
"Yes, and quite a bit of it. Your grandfather was a rather famous inventor." Griphook answered.
Harry almost bounced in his seat as he went on excitedly. "That's great! Now I can buy new school stuff for Dudley at Stonewall and maybe even get his somebody to help him since I won't be able to be there to help him a lot! And you can get some new stuff too Mum! And we could all go out to dinner together!" Harry paused for just a split-second before turning to Severus. "Would you come with us to dinner too Professor Snape? I want to thank you for coming with us today and for all the help you said you'll give me getting supplies!"
Snape stared at the boy in shock. How could he ever have thought the boy would be a copy of James Potter? He had just found out he was rich and his first thought was to spend it on others. It was then and there that any remaining resentment Severus might have had for Harry was completely and utterly gone. He didn't look at the young boy in front of him and see a carbon-copy of James Potter, nor a cherub with Lily's eyes. He saw Harry Potter-Evans, a boy who he knew was going to shock the Wizarding World.
"I would love to accompany you and your family, thank you very much for the invitation." Petunia didn't think she had ever seen Snape so close to tears.
Please don't kill me, I've got the next chapter ready and it will be posted tomorrow!