Blackstaff
Ch 2
"So, This Hermione. What can you tell me about her. Is she a rule breaker or a by the Book player?" He moved to the closest que, the lad following.
Harry snorted. "By the Book, more ways than one. While she is a good friend, my best friend in fact, She can be a bit of a drag in the day to day. I received a new broom from my Godfather, and She ran to our Head of House, worried it might be cursed…." Harry Shrugged, "It was From Sirius Black afterall."
"You know Black?"
"Yeah, he is my sworn Godfather." the line moved, "He is innocent after all."
Smythe sighed, "Command will Surely want to speak with you. At least you are not sitting any four X classed beasts."
"Well there was a Basilisk last year…"
121
Albus sipped his Cocoa, as he watched the sun set, off the Black Lake over the Forest. It was times like this where he truly felt that he was the King of World. All was going according to plan.
He chuckled. "To Plan." he murmured into his cup. Black was on the run. A small hiccup, but one paying great dividends; Black unable to interfere with Potter, yet both Potter and Black thinking he was trying to bring them together. Lupin was cut loose, by his own hand, to protect the Headmaster. Snape was pissed by not getting Black Kissed, and would take it out on the boy. His spy had signaled that the boy was depressed, but still responding to the triggers…
He finished his cocoa. Setting the cup on his desk, he stood slowly, as his bones were feeling his full 114 years, and he had yet to finish the brewing of the potion that would turn his clock back… He checked his wands, (deathstick and his first wand), then his Portkey(a pinky ring he kept under a 'notice me not' charm), and looked at the phoenix, who just shook it's head, turning it's back on him. Before he could call to the bird, it erupted into a blaze.
"Damn!" Now if he wanted to travel by bird, he would have to wait three days. He needed to travel 'Now', and could wait… he grabbed a pinch of floo powder, and with a century's worth of practice, flicked it into the Floo. "Diagon Alley."
He vanished into the green fire flash…
121
Smythe and Potter queued up, and soon were before the bitter-faced goblin manning the counter window.
"Yes."
"Mister Potter will be needing to see his accounts, as there a few things he needs to buy, paperwork to fill out for his apprenticeship, and other…" look at the lad at his side, "...banking opportunities."
"Does Mister Potter have his Key?"
"Ah, no..." The boy stood straight, "My last two years were covered by what I had in my pockets and coin bag. Last I saw my key, Hagrid had it."
"Young Lord, really must keep his Key on his person, when visiting the Bank." the sneer turned to a predatory grin, "Will the Young Lord be wanting to test for Identity, and Key access?"
Harry swallowed. He know that grin, having seen it on Vernon's face over the years. "I will Test." There was going to be Pain, and Blood involved.
The goblin scratched a note in it's ledger, before writing a note and passing it to a younger goblin at it's knee. "You wait there." it flicked it's clawed fingers at a stone bench beside the inner doors. "You will be seen shortly.
121
Albus arrived at the floo of his destination, and exited like the Queen he was. A flick of his fingers, banished to soot and ash from him before it had a chance to take hold. A smile to the Barkeeper Tom Abbot, he strode to the back door and into the alley.
A wave or a nod to those he deemed worthy, he never broke stride as he headed to the bank. Murmuring under his breath, he cast a 'Cloak of Benevolence' as he crossed the threshold of the Bank. Because he did it wandlessly, the Guards did little but sneer at him.
The 'Cloak' worked as a combination of a 'Notice Me' and a 'Cheering' charm. Everyone between him and the Teller would feel refreshed, and no matter how bad their day had been up to this point, would remember that 'today' was a good day.
As he Queued up, a smile, and the name of the witch before him saw him passed up the line. As was the Wizard before her… Now and again he had to shake a hand, or pat a shoulder, in under three minutes, he was at the head of the Que.
"Yes."
Pulling the Potter trust vault Key from his sleeve, "Yes I need to move some money from this Vault." He handed to Key to the teller, smiling his Grandfatherly smile.
The Goblin turned the Key over his talons, before turning to peer through his Monocle at the Sorcerer. "Sorry." the Goblin Spoke loudly, his voice carrying across the room. "This Vault is Locked Down. Until it's Lord or Guardian comes in to correct the Issue." the Key was offered back to the Bearded human.
"I am the Boy's Magical Guardian." Albus ignored the Key under his nose. "What do you mean 'Locked Down'?"
"We received a challenge to the Ownership of this Vault System." the Goblin made no attempt to muffle the words spoken before his window. Every Goblin had an eye and an ear on the two of them. A couple of the younger tellers stopped counting coins and weighing bars of Gold. "As to you being the Lord's Guardian, We have heard from the Boy's True Guardian, and He claims that he never released the Lordling into your Care."
"There was no Need." Albus tried to soften the Creature's attitude, with a bigger smile. "He was sentenced to Life for crimes…"
"Not according to our Ledger's." the Goblin grinned, showing his shark-like teeth. "He was locked away, without Conviction, Trial by Court, or Confession of Guilt." he dropped the Key to the desk ledge. "And a Lord Heir himself. The only reason he has not stopped in to claim his Ring, again, according to Our Ledger, is the Gauntlet of Wands he would have to run to get here. So many People trying to kill Him, for Crimes he did not Commit." Here the Goblin locked eyes through it's monocle and Albus's spectacles. "Unless making a Fool of the Ministry is now a Crime."
"Then We might be breaking the Law." a teller down the way hissed to his neighbor.
"But they make it so easy…" was the reply.
121
Jason slumped on the Stone Bench, clutching his staff like a pillar of support. The lines around his eyes spoke of pain of the joints.
Harry sat on the bench beside him, looking about as the Sheeple moved in semi-ordered lines, tired, having spent the Day putting in the eight to twelve hours that their work demanded of them.
Then a wave passed through the room. Everyone perked up as the Headmaster in his Baby-Powder-Blue robes swept into the Bank. A warm smile on his lips as his silken beard floated on a wind that did not blow.
Harry was suddenly on his feet.
"You noticed it too, em?"Jason asked, all sign that he was hurting gone. "It is called the Charm of Benevolence, or the Cloak of Benevolence. Mostly it is an inverted Cheering charm." he peered at the Que, "Watch, as He is moved quickly to the front of the line." Sure enough the Headmaster was soon before a Teller. "He did it Wandlessly, So he has not broken any Laws or customs...yet."
As the key was offered, inspected, and offered back, the Voices between Albus and the Teller grew in Volume, as the rest of the Bank fell silent. The ring of the Key striking the Teller's desk caused minor ripples throughout the room. Was it because the Goblin was telling the Headmaster 'NO', or that the Headmaster wa trying something that caused a Goblin to Say 'NO', but the Flock was starting to get nervus. A fact that both the Goblins and Albus noticed.
Harry's eyes widened as Smythe's Hiss of indrawn breath flashed over the crowd, Albus had flicked his left hand, before turning to look in their direction.
"Now he sees you." a Voice at his shoulder, caused Harry to look at a grizzled Goblin, grinning Gold-capped teeth and glaring at the Century old man.
'Say that five times fast. Grizzly Glaring Gold-capped Grinning Goblin. Ouch!' Harry looked back just as the Headmaster stepped close enough for a quiet word.
"Harry, my boy." the Grandfatherly smile firmly in place, the twinkling eyes probing for clues, as the warm and honeyed tones tried to make the Lad feel great shame for putting everybody out… "What are you doing here? You should be home with your family."
"Good evening Headmaster." Harry felt a bit jittery. "Just getting a few things for the Summer, Sir. Uncle Vernon Okayed my Summer Plans." All true… just not the truth. He slid his hands into his Pockets, as he looked past the Headmaster.
No One had moved other than to watch the Headmaster approach Harry. "Come on, my boy. I need get you home, quickly. You have no idea the trouble that can befall you, walking about unattended."
"Sorry, Sir." Looked the man in the eye, "But I can not return to Surry." he cocked his head, "It was a sticking point in the Deal. Vernon even signed the Contract."
"Easy Laddy. You are giving away too much." Jason stood, before leaning on his staff again. "Never show all your cards at once."
"What Contract?" the Sorcerer asked, fingering the Elder Wand in his sleeve. "Who are you?"
"Master Jason Smythe." he thumped his black oak staff. "The Lad is my contracted Apprentice."
"No contract can be made without the signature of the Magical Guardian." Albus declared.
"Yes, that is the case…" a twisted sour grin on the War-Mage's face brought a rekindled flame of hope to the Boy. "But His Guardian would need to Challenge the Contract in person."
"Consider it Challenged." Albus sounded like he was dropping the winning card in a game of 'Snap.
"I would…" Smythe smiled wickedly at the older wizard, "If you had the Right to Challenge." His grip shifted on his Staff.
"I am recognized as the Boy's Guardian, approved by the Ministry." Dropping another card…
Smythe's head bowed, as if to conceded, "Yes, but I do not Answer to your Ministry." He raised his head to glare at the doddering old man, "And your position is not Recognized by the ICW." he thumped his staff again.
Albus stepped back, both physically and mentally, as he took in the thin wiry wizard before him, leaning on a staff...a black oak staff… a Blackstaff...he swallowed.
"Milord Potter." the Goblin smiled gently, having fully enjoyed the show, "This way please."
It was here that Albus made his big mistake…
He drew his wand.
The Elder Wand.
As the wand cleared his sleeve, the Staff blurred in the hands of it's Mage.
The foot of the staff slammed into the Sorcerer's chest as the head hooked the back of the bearded man's knees. Albus was knocked flying towards the great doors of the Bank, the Wand flying from his hand, into the air before it was snagged from the Air by the youngest Seeker in a century.
Normally when the Death stick takes a new Master, it is little more than a whisper in the back of the New Master's head. This time it was like a new wand choosing a wizard. A wind swept around the Boy, fluffing his hair, as the Wand spewed white sparkles.
Now the Sheeple moved, so as to not get hit by the flying wizard. He his the polished marble and slid the rest of the way to the Doors. Coming to a stop at the feet of the Guards, who grunted before turning to a Wizard wearing the Bank's Coat of Arms. "Call the Medi-wizards. He is not walking out of here, and he never cast with a wand, so we can not throw him out." the Guards stepped back out the Doors.
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