A/N Okay, another chapter, who would have thought…anyway please please please post reviews, I don't know if you like the direction the story is taking if you don't tell me, also a great thanks to Kate, who kept me focused on the goal at hand and kept me motivated…anyway, until next time.
An Unexpected windfall and confessions of the heart
You
love the way I look at you
While taking pleasure in the awful
things you put me through
You take away if I give in
My life
My
pride is broken
Linkin Park – Points of Authority
Dear Mr Harry J Potter
This letter is to inform you of the meeting in which we will be discussing the will and testament of Mr James Potter, and Mrs Lilly Potter. If you would be so kind as to join me at my office in London tomorrow, we should be able to sort it out.
Jason Smith
Smith and Associates magical law firm
Harry stared at the letter blankly for a few moments before handing it off to someone else, his mind racing with thought. This had been what the goblin at Gringotts had been talking about. His inheritance, he shook his head a little before looking up at his friends, all who had varying looks of amazement and surprise on their face. Mike, the first to recover from the shock, rose to his feet "well, this doesn't really concern me at all, I'll just go to bed…" he said and made his way up the stairs. Mike was out of earshot of the others before anyone of them found their voice. "Do you know what's in it Harry?" Hermione looked over at him, Harry just shrugged. "No idea." Ron stared at the parchment "you…you could be like a millionaire…well, even more so…" Harry stayed silent for a few moments before speaking. "Well, I shall see when I go there I suppose." Ron gave him back the parchment and he stowed it in his pocket. Ron sat looking pensively up the stairs for a little while as Hermione and Ginny talked quietly and Harry was lost in his own thoughts.
"What do you see in him anyway?" Ron shot at Hermione suddenly, causing everyone else to jump. Hermione stayed silent for a few moments as she chose her words. "Because Ron, to some people intellectual conversation can be somewhat stimulating every once and a while"
"Well it didn't seem very stimulating when you were talking to him before….it just seemed like normal talking to me." Ron countered
"Well, maybe I just…" she stuttered, trying to find the right words for a change ""it's none of your business Ron, it doesn't matter what we were talking about….nothing gives you the right to be listening to my conversations…" Ron was one searching for words now "well…I'm just…I was looking out for you….I still don't trust him anyway…he's up to something…I know it…"
Hermione gaped, lost for words, her mouth moving like a fish out of water
"Ron…I can't believe that you would think that a human being could think of such a story, that story is beyond horrendous. Nobody could be evil enough….to think of such things..." Ron shook his head as dismissing her comment "it is completely possible, if Malfoy came in here and told you the same story….it wouldn't even pass your mind that he might even be telling even one part of the truth…but now that this other guy is here…there is no way he could be lying…"
She stood up "Maybe I'm attracted to him, is that what you wanted to hear Ron, that I'm Attracted to him!" She was nearly in tears now "Well, I'm attracted to him, and now everyone knows…you know what Ron, I'm sure Michael even knows now…thank you Ron, you just helped out a lot, now I wont be able to show my face in front of him out of embarrassment, I hope your happy!" she stormed up the stairs closely followed by Ginny and moments later the remaining occupants of the living room heard the girls room door close loudly, before being reopened and closed again. The silence in the living room was so deafening that it was quickly broken by Ron
"Completely mental she is..." he said, looking up the stairs that she had just stormed up "Completely mental…anyway, I think that he's up to something…do you believe him, his whole story about his parents, seems a little too convenient don't you think…"
Harry wasn't so sure.
Harry was woken early by Ron's mother. He and Ron had gone to bed soon after Ron's row with Hermione and Michael had been asleep, or to Ron's cynical mind, was only pretending to be asleep. Ron and Michael were asleep as Harry wearily rose from his slumber; he made his way down to breakfast to see Mr. Weasley at the table eating a bit of toast and reading the daily Prophet. He looked up as Harry walked in "Mr. Potter, so nice to see you once again…" Mr Weasley gave him a warm smile and held out his hand to shake. Harry shook it firmly as he spoke "Mr. Weasley, the same to you…going into the office early today?" he asked, as he sat down at the table
"Well, actually Harry, I'm taking you in to your appointment with the solicitor…." Upon Harry's look of surprise "Dumbledore asked me to take you in….so we shall be flooing there….plenty of time for you to have breakfast and get ready…" he said, as he opened the newspaper and started to read it. Harry started on the large breakfast that had appeared in front of him via Mrs. Weasley as he had been talking to Mr. Weasley. It's took him the good part of 30 minutes to get through the mini feast that was on his plate, as he finished Mrs. Weasley took his plate and told him "Now Harry, I have laid out some of your clothes that you should wear…You really should be leaving soon Arthur…" Harry hurried up the stairs as quietly as he could, as not to wake anyone else up. On his bed, he found his best clothes, laid out an ironed. He quickly got changed into them and snuck out, the sleeping figures of Michael and Ron, unmoving the whole time. He finally got down the stairs and Mr. Weasley was waiting for him. "Ready to go Harry?" he was about to reply as Mrs. Weasley bustled over "oh Harry look at your hair…oh well never mind…it's not going to change then is it…" she frowned a little as she walked away.
Harry looked over to Mr. Weasley "sure. I'm ready to go…" They proceeded over to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder each. Mr. Weasley went first, threw the floo powder into the fire and stepped in. "Smith and Associates Magical law firm" he stated clearly, and like that, he was gone. Harry repeated the process, and nearly instantly, found himself in a large, plush waiting room, where comfortable sofa's lined one wall, and a reception area lining the other. In the room, he saw Arthur Weasley, Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore. After brushing himself off, he went over to his parent's best friend. "Hey, Remus.." he said, a little sheepishly after what had happened only days ago. The older man looked over at him, smiling brightly "Hello Harry…" he said, but was cut off as a pretty receptionist smiled at them and said "Mr. Smith will see you now." The four adult walked into a large conference room, with a long table as the centrepiece of the room. Mr Jason Smith was standing at the near head of the conference table, waiting them eagerly "hello Professor, Hello Mr. Lupin, Hello Mr. Weasley….Ahh Mr. Potter, such a pleasure to finally meet you for the first time." He greeted everyone with genuine warmness and a "please take a seat, we can all fit up this end can we? There we go" Harry had only met this man 30 seconds ago, but he instantly liked him, he wasn't bossy, he wasn't just nice to him because he was the Harry Potter…he was nice because that's the person he was.
"Now that we are all comfortable, let's get down to business shall we…" he said "allright well, you may, or may not have been aware that your parents left a will, so that in the unfortunate circumstance of their death, that their possessions would be properly divided, now seeing as you are the only living relative of Mr. James Potter, and Mrs. Lily Potter, They have seen fit to provide you with everything…Now, there is a few bits of paper I will need you to sign, and the parties of the room will need to sign. Now before we get into all that paperwork too much, I have a few things to give you, that don't need signing for" he pressed a button on his desk, and a goblin came in with a small safe, he lifted it easily on the table, and then retreated out of the room. "now, all the things inside here are yours Harry, you can choose to open it now, or you can leave it till later, and open it by yourself, the latter, I think would be the best, as the opening of a loved one's possession can be a deep experience, one that you might like to experience alone…at least initially" Harry just nodded, taking the advice of the older man, to which Mr. Smith pressed on. "Now, the first set of papers" He got out a parchment, and quill and ink. "This is the account balance of your trust fund" he passed the piece of paper over to Harry, and he looked at it, before looking up at the man "I have how much!" his eyes bulging a little in shock
