Chapter 2: Gringotts
Remus Lupin was standing in front of a mirror the following day. With the help of Minerva's house elves, his hair had been cut, his unshaven face had be turned into a neatly trimmed goatee, and he was wearing the sharpest suit he had worn since his best friends wedding. Minerva was currently circling him looking over her elf's work while Harry was sitting up on the floor nearby playing with his stuffed animals. "Excellent." She said, "I'm glad I kept my father's old suits. Though he was a bit pudgier than you, but I see Nora tailored it to fit you perfectly."
"Is this really necessary Professor?" he asked her.
"Remus I haven't been your Professor in four years its time you start calling me Minerva." She told him causing her former student's to widen his eyes in shock. "And yes, we're are going into Gringotts acting as Harry's guardians we should look the part your old wardrobe was in tatters."
Remus sighed and nodded his head, "I suppose you're right…Minerva."
"See? That wasn't hard was it?" She asked him.
"It felt weird coming out of my mouth." He told her causing her to chuckle.
Harry giggled with her before holding up a stuff animal that looked like a large black dog, "Pa'Foo." He said waving it at them.
Remus turned and smiled kneeling beside his 'nephew', "Yes pup we're going to get Uncle Padfoot back, I promise." He says petting the boys head gently.
Minerva walked over to them bending down and picking the boy up, "Lets go Remus. Before that wretched place can do any lasting damage to Sirius." She says as she slips Harry inside a baby sling that she had on. She gives the boy his dummy and his stuff dog to hug. "Be a good boy for Nana and stay quiet okay Lion cub?" the boy grunted in response, "Good boy." She says before waving her wand around her chest. In the blink of an eye the sling and Harry seem to vanish making it appear Minerva wasn't carrying anything.
Remus was standing by the door, "Shall we?" he asked.
She smirked and walked over to him, her right arm was bent, Remus could tell she was using that arm to support Harry's head. The two left McGonagall Manor through the Floo network, arriving in the Leaky Cauldron. It had been nearly a month since the 'fall of Voldemort' but some were still 'celebrating'. This infuriated Remus, the fact idiots were celebrating the deaths of Lily and James, made his wolf want to unleash on them. Minerva escorted him out the back quickly the moment she saw his eyes flash that golden yellow.
Once there, Remus drew his wand and opened the arch way to Diagon Ally and the pair swiftly made their way to the marble building. They entered and Minerva walked up to the reception desk, "Minerva McGonagall here to see my account manager Daggerbold." She told the goblin sitting behind the counter.
The goblin looked at her then to Remus, "Is this a guest of yours Lady McGonagall?"
"Indeed," she told him, "He has permission to join me."
"Very well." The goblin said and gesture to the hallway to his left, "I assume you remember the way."
"Thank you," she tells him and begins heading down the hall. It took them four minutes to arrived at a door. The name plate read 'Account Manager Daggerbold'. Minerva exhaled deeply and knocked on the door.
"Enter!" a gruff voice called.
Minerva opened the door and stepped inside. The office was as big as her sitting room with shelf upon shelf filled with rolled parchments. She walked inside, Remus following behind her the door closed on its own and the goblin looked up from his current work, "Ah…Minerva welcome."
"Daggerbold." She said before giving the goblin a polite curtsy, "May your horde be as large as your battles are ferocious."
The goblin chuckled, "I always love your visits. You're one of the few wizards who show me and my kind the respect we deserve." His eyes fall on Remus and they narrow at him, "Minerva I assume you know the man accompanying you is a werewolf?"
"Yes I'm aware fear not he is nothing like the one who sired him." She turns presenting Remus to the goblin, "This is Remus Lupin a former student of mine who is as kind as he is brilliant…when he's not drinking."
Remus bowed, "Sir Daggerbold, it is a pleasure." He told the goblin.
The goblin smirked, "Alright now before we get down to business." The goblins eyes narrowed as he looked at Minerva's crooked arm. "Minerva, you've known me since you were a young girl…you know we don't like it when your kind walk into our offices with active spells."
Minerva bowed gently, "I apologize I will happily remove the enchantment but before I do, I must request you have the account managers of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter and The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black to join us. Then I'll remove the enchantment."
The goblin raised a bushy eyebrow, "This is most unusual Lady McGonagall but very well." He reaches across his desk grabbing a quill jotting down two messages before snapping his fingers and each piece of parchment vanished. "They should be here shortly."
Barely a minute went by when a door appeared behind Daggerbold. It opened at out walked two goblins, both looked rather grumpy to be summoned here. "Daggerbold! What is this about?" one growled.
"Account manager Ragnok, account manager Nagnok," Daggerbold said turning to face them. He gave them both a short bow since to two were higher up in the hierarchy of the goblins, "One of my clients, Lady McGonagall has requested your presence." He turns gesturing to Minerva.
Minerva immediately curtsied to both of them, Remus bowed as well. Ragnok spotted Remus, "Remus lad? Is that you?"
"Indeed, Master Ragnok it is a pleasure to see you again." Remus said.
Ragnok frowned, "I heard what happened to Lily and James…such sad loss…I like that Lily…"
"And she adored you, Ragnok." Remus said causing the other two goblins to laugh while Ragnok blushed a bit.
The two goblins looked to Minerva and both immediately saw the enchantment, "Daggerbold, surely your client knows not to enter our offices with active enchantments what is this?!" Nagnok asked.
"My client has apologized and promised to remove the enchantment as soon as the two of you were present." Daggerbold turns back to Minerva, "Lady McGonagall you promised, they are here now. Please dispel that enchantment.
"May I take out my wand?" she asked calmly, the three goblins nodded. Minerva drew her wand and waved it over her own chest. The spell vanished and there looking around with his emerald green eyes was Harry Potter.
Ragnok's eyes widened in shock then he looked to Remus, "Is that the Heir to the Potter family…my new client."
"Yes Ragnok," Remus said, "This is James and Lily's son, Harry Potter."
"If this matter involves my client I recommend we move to my office." Ragnok said, "Lady McGonagall will you be requiring Daggerbold to join us?"
"No sir, the only reason we are hear is to see you and Sir Nagnok." She looked to her account manager, "I apologize old friend, but Harry and Sirius are in danger we need their account managers help, but I could just go to their offices…its possible we are being watched."
"Sirius Black?" Nagnok spoke up, "What's happened to my client?" the goblin growled.
Remus stepped forward and handed Nagnok a copy of the Daily Prophet that was issued on November 2nd. The two goblins looked at the paper and fury was immediately lit up on both of their faces, "HOW DARE THEY!" Nagnok yelled, "They've thrown the Heir of the Black family in Azkaban without even giving him a trial!"
"Come both of you, we will take this door back to my office." Ragnok said turning to the door, "Daggerbold thank you for acting as our go between. I will see to it your client is kept safe." He tells the other goblin who bows to them as they leave.
Minerva and Remus were led through a dimly lit passageway before they turned to a door on the left. Ragnok opened the door and escorted them inside. As soon as they enter Ragnok waved his hand in front of his desk and two comfortable chairs and small bassinet appeared. Remus and Minerva walked around the desk. Minerva pulled Harry from the sling and placed the boy in the bassinet with his stuffed dog before she and Remus took a seat.
"Now lets get down to business. Lady McGonagall can you please explain why my newest client is in your custody."
"Gladly Sir Ragnok." Minerva said, she then began explaining the night she received the prophecy from her old friend. Then the night she over heard talk of another prophecy. "The night James and Lily died I over heard a certain individual talking about placing Harry into the custody of his muggle aunt and her husband. Upon hearing this I immediately went to their residence in my animagus form and observed them for an entire day. They were awful people, belligerent, rude, and there child was a terror. I was adamantly against leaving the Potter Heir with them, but before I could return to protest this decision the one responsible showed up. He was proceeding with his plan that very night. The Potter heir was brought by another party. The man responsible simply placed the boy on the front step with nothing but a letter then walked away without even knocking or ringing the door bell."
Ragnok's eyes narrowed, "He was going to leave a babe, outside until he was found by his relatives, in November? He could have froze to death." The goblin growled.
"Indeed." Minerva continued, "I acted as if I was following along with him, but as soon as he left I went back and took the boy from the step and brought him home with me."
"A wise decision." Nagnok said from his spot behind Ragnok.
"Thank you," Minerva said before continuing, "The next day I read the article involving Sirius Black and realized what a portion of the prophecy I had received meant when it said I may save more than one Heir should I succeed. It meant Sirius was innocent. I immediately had my elves find Remus here. As a close personal friend of the Potters and Black I assumed he would be able to provide me with insight to help both Heirs, and indeed he did. It was Remus who figure out another verse in the prophecy I received, to take the child of the prophecy to 'where the treasure rests' . That was how we figured out that to protect Harry and save Sirius we had to come here. The place all treasure rests."
"A remarkable insight as always Remus," Ragnok said, "Lily would be proud."
"Thank you." Remus replied.
"Well, Remus was indeed correct in his assumption." Ragnok said as he reached to one of the safes beside his desk and opened it, "I do have the means to help you protect Heir Potter and save Heir Black." He reaches into the safe and pulls out a stone box. He places the box before them on his desk, "I present to you the last will and testament of Lord James Fleamont Potter and Lady Lily Jade Potter nee Evans."
Remus and Minerva's eyes widened, "Master Ragnok are you saying James and Lily's Will hasn't been read at the Ministry?" Remus asked.
"Indeed," the account manager said, "Had the copy being held at the Ministry been open and read…" He points to a rune on the stone box, "This rune would be glowing. Someone is purposely blocking the will at the Ministry from being read otherwise it would have been open by now."
"Merlin," Minerva exclaims before looking to Remus who's eyes were flashing yellow.
"Calm down, Remus." Nagnok told the man, "Ragnok has clearly said he can assist you I know you're angry your mate is being wrongfully incarcerated but we will help you get him out."
Minerva cocked her head to Remus, "Mate?" Remus' eyes return to their normal color but his face reddened, "Remus? Are you a Sirius…together?" Remus nods causing Minerva's mouth to break out in a broad grin, "Since when?" she asked.
"Sixth year." The man says quietly.
"Fabulous, I'll have to tell Filius he lost that bet." She was grinning.
Remus turned to her wide eyed, "You were betting on us?"
"Not just you…James and Lily too." She was smirking, "I won that bet as well."
"Are you sure you're not a seer? How many of your students love lives have you guessed correctly?" Remus asked.
"Too many to count we can discuss this matter more when Sirius is with us. Back to the matter at hand." She turned back to Ragnok, "What do we have to do to open that will?"
"Only Heir Potter himself or one of the appointed guardians named in the will can open this will. Fortunately, I penned this will myself and know for a fact you, Minerva McGonagall, were indeed name a potential guardian for one, Harry James Potter.
Minerva's eyes widened, "Then how do we open it?"
"As young Harry is in your custody, we must ask your permission to allow us a drop of the babe's blood. The will is sealed behind a blood seal, without the boy's blood the box will not open." Ragnok told her.
Minerva frown and looked down to the boy who immediately looks up at her and smiles, "We will heal him immediately Lady McGonagall he will hardly notice the prick." Nagnok advised her.
"Alright, do it quickly." She says nodding to Remus. Remus lifts the boy from the bassinet and brings him closer to the desk.
"Place his hand here Sir Lupin." Ragnok say pointing to an engraving of the Potter Family crest which was a phoenix holding a rose in its beak.
Remus sighed and did as the goblin instructed and placed Harry's small hand on the crest. Suddenly the boy jumped and his face began to scrunch up as the babe prepared to start wailing. The boy's uncle felt awful when Ragnok quickly reached over and took the boy's hand holding it between his. There was a brief glow of light inside his cupped hands. Harry immediately calmed down, "There child, no need to cry."
Harry still had a pout on his face and looked up at Remus as if he had betrayed him, "I'm so sorry pup forgive me." he says hoisting him up and hugging the boy close.
The boy spots Minerva behind his uncle and begins reaching for her, "Nana." He whines.
Remus sighs and turns passing the boy to Minerva, "You had me do it so he wouldn't be mad at you." Remus grumbled at her.
Minerva took the boy placing him on her knee and gently bouncing him while smirking at Remus. Remus returned to his seat and both adults looked back to the stone box seeing the top had slid sideways revealing its contents. Ragnok reached in and pulled out a thick tub. He pops to the tube's lid off and uses two of his long fingers to pull a rolled parchment from it. Ragnok then proceeds to unroll the parchment and looks to the two in front of him, "The Last Will and Testament of Lord James Fleamont Potter and Lady Lily Jade Potter nee Evans. Are you ready to begin?"
Remus and Minerva look to each other and nod firmly before looking back to Ragnok, "Proceed." They both said.
The reading took a good forty minutes to complete. In that time, Harry had fallen asleep and was laying in the bassinet while Minerva was pacing the room with a furious expression on her face. Remus on the other hand had pushed himself in a corner attempting to stifle his rage. I will tear out your throat Dumbledore, He thought to himself, You were a witness to this will and did everything you could to prevent anyone from seeing it. Remus was panting heavily he was lucky Minerva had procured him some wolfsbane potion of his inner wolf would be rampaging right now.
Minerva whipped around to Ragnok, "Sir Ragnok can you summon Amelia Bones, Director of the DMLE to this office immediately."
"I can…" he says eyeing Minerva, "You have a plan don't you?"
When Ragnok said this, Remus whipped around to look at his former teacher, "Truly?"
"Yes, but I need Amelia…I know she is trust worthy. She may be new to the position as Director to the DMLE but she is loyal to a fault, and was one of Lily's close friends…" Minerva said, "She will help us." Ragnok sent and urgent owl to the Ministry, while the Remus and Minerva took a seat to try and calm themselves before Amelia could arrive.
Amelia Bones had been in her office when an urgent request for her to come to Gringotts immediately for an urgent matter landed on her desk. She sighed and prepared to head that way. She had only recently taken over as Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and since the fall of Voldemort she had so much to take care of. It didn't help she had to deal with so many breaches of the Statue of Secrecy at the beginning of the month. It appalled her they way people were celebrating. Sure, You-Know-Who was dead, though she wasn't entirely sure about that, but so was her dear friends James and Lily Potter.
These fools partied for days instead of mourning the loss of two great wizards, and NO ONE was asking where their child, Harry Potter, was. Dumbledore assured her the boy was safe, but she highly doubted that. Now she was being summoned to Gringotts. She made her way to the marble building andd once inside, she was directed to the office of Account Manager Ragnok. She walked into to the office after knocking and stopped at the door. She scanned the room spotting two goblins, Remus Lupin, Minerva McGonagall, and finally a child sleeping in a bassinet with a scar on his head.
"Professor McGonagall," Amelia said before looking down to the child, "Tell me, is this boy…Harry Potter?"
"Yes Amelia…he is." Minerva responds, "Please sit this will be a long story."
Amelia sat as requested, "I'm listening." She said crossing her legs. It took Minerva nearly an hour and a half to explain everything and even fill her in on the Will they had just had read to them. By the time they were done Amelia was clenching her fist, "Damn you Albus Dumbledore!" she said through gritted teeth, "Thank you for bringing me in on this…I will be happy to help you. I already have an excellent idea." She stood and walked over to the goblins desk, "May I have a copy of this Will?" she asked them.
"As Heir Potter's Guardian, Lady McGonagall will have to give us permission first," the Ragnok said before looking to Minerva who nodded, "Very well."
"What are you planning Amelia?" Remus asked her.
Amelia turns and faces them with a fresh copy of the Will now rolled up in her hand, "Albus Dumbledore went through great lengths to hide all this from us…now we will use that against him and make a grand public spectacle by holding a Special Wizengamot Session and publicly read it aloud in front of everyone named in the Will, the entire Wizengamot, and select member's of the press. I look forward to seeing Albus head explode when all his plans go up in smoke."
"As do I." Minerva said.
Amelia looks back to Ragnok, "Sir goblin are you willing to come to the Ministry on the appointed day and serving as the executor?"
"Not at all Lady Bones," the goblin replied, "It would be an honor to watch the man who attempted to meddle in Potter family affairs get arrested. Simply send me a owl with the date and time I will be there."
"Excellent," Amelia said, "Give me at least three days, possibly four, and you will all get exactly that." She turned and headed for the door stopping before facing Minerva, "You were very brave to do what you did. Disobeying Dumbledore could have cost you greatly, though what does one expect from the Lioness of Gryffindor."
Minerva stood and extended her hand to Amelia, "I'm grateful for your assistance."
Amelia shook her hand firmly, "It's a pleasure. Await my owl. Until then stay out of sight with young Harry. I'll see to it Sirius is present for the reading, after which he should be free. Can't believe Bagnold didn't even hold a trial for him." She growled and opened the door, "I will see you all in about three days." And with that Amelia Bones left the office and stormed out of Gringotts to put her plan into motion.
A/N: Who else besides me is anxious to see Dumbledore get his due. I don't know about the rest of you but I am. I know alot of you were expecting to see the will this chapter but I wanted to save that for a bit later. Further more I'd just like to say as an advid fan and fanfiction writer I have delved deeply into the Harry Potter universe and I am of the opinion that Albus Dumbledore is not the kind hearted old man he appears to be even in the original works. I am absolutely positive he knew Peter was the true Secret Keeper for the Potters, and he just let Sirius rot in Azkaban so Harry would have to go to the Dursleys. Even if that ward was protecting the Dursley's house it was not Dumbledore's place to make that decision he had no claim to be Harry's Guardian. I will warn you all Major Dumbledore Bashing is coming up so be prepared.
Up Next: The summons are sent out.