Chapter 4 – Gringotts Will's and Memories

A/N: This is a chapter I was quite looking forward to write, but I have decided to split larger parts into different chapters to advance the storyline further on, like always enjoy, and please leave a review if you want.

Disclaimer: As usual I obviously don't own Harry Potter, otherwise I would have been a very happy adult. Right retains JK Rowling's.

Harry POV:

A quick shower left me feeling much more myself, instead of feeling down with the thought of Sirius, Voldemort, and Dumbledore. The only disruption to my peace while having a show was Dudley, banging on the door screaming he wanted into the room, just because I was in. Of course, it was best to let him have it, instead of receiving another lashing or even worse of Uncle Vernon. Who of course mentioned to him after cleaning his breakfast plate, "Another year boy, and you're legal in your world, I can't wait to see the last of you freak!" Delightful, wasn't he?

Anyways seeing the time was near 10am, I wondered how long another meeting in Gringotts would take, seeing as though I had went through Sirius's Will and became his son and heir, I properly had access to the Black Vaults, however I knew my parent's separate and combined Will's would be read. It could take some time, so I decided to ask Skullsmasher to end the meeting round about 3-4ish in the afternoon, obviously.

Seeing as I still only had oversized clothes that were not doing anything for my appearance, I grabbed my wand and picked up the portkey I left on my table from last night. After saying, 'Gringotts meeting,' again I felt the pull of space around me as I travelled. The crackle echoing in the room again, as I struggled nearly falling to my feet. Looking up and around me I saw the familiar guards who may have been the same ones as yesterday, who followed and guided me as I made my way back to the office of Skullsmasher.

Upon knocking and entering, Skullsmasher looked pleased to see me and wished me a pleasant "Happy Birthday, Heir Harry," before moving to sit back down again and start conducting business. I replied a simple thank you before sitting down and asking Skullsmasher to try and limit the meeting to a few hours.

"Well to begin Harry, be can start will both your parents separate will and their collective, if you wish and then move on to claiming the lordships if you wish at the time, before reviewing both the estates and the properties. However, I have to ask Harry are you sure you're alright? You look a little ill." Skullsmasher began the meeting.

"Yes, that seems reasonable Skullsmasher, I do feel a little tired, but I'm alright thank you." I replied, I did feel a little unwell since taking the portkey, maybe it was the eggs I ate for breakfast, I thought. "To begin with I'd like to start with your father's will," Skullsmasher quickly cleared his throat and began, while I sat back in the chair to take in my fathers' last wish's.

"I Lord James Potter, being of sound mind and body do declare this to by hereby be my Last Will and Testament, rendering all others null and void. To begin, in the event of my death where I am survived by my wife, Lady Lily Potter, and my Son Harry J Potter, I leave all my worldly possessions, including money and property of the House of Potter, and declare my Son as stated; to be the sole heir of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter, to come into inheritance on his 17th birthday or under the event of his emancipation. To both, I send my love from beyond the grave and hope they know I will always love them. To Remus Lupin, I hereby leave the sum of 20,000 galleons for his lifelong friendship, along with the hope he will soon find the love he deserves. To Sirius O Black, I hereby leave my journals of the pranks I used against you as well as my two charmed mirrors for long distance communication, and of course 20,000 galleons to use at your own discretion. To both my friends, I saw goodbye, and may you never forget the times we had together.

To Peter Pettigrew, I hereby leave any surviving old socks I have for the old rat, who I believe must have sold my family out, I hope only I have suffered for your betrayal Wormtail, I will be waiting on the other side. To Albus Dumbledore, I hereby leave on the condition that my son grows up with a caring family such as stated by a collective will, the sum of 15,000 galleons to use for either himself or the Order of the Phoenix against the half-blood dark lord Voldemort. If the condition is not met, such as my son entering the care of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, the sum becomes void as my son will suffer in that toxic environment against magic. That is all I have for my personal Will, goodbye." Skullsmasher began and finished without pause, I all the while was just staring at the parchment he was reading from, listening to the words of my father, and trying to remain strong before the warrior goblin.

"Now Harry, would you like a minute or prefer to continue with your mothers' will?" Skullsmasher asked, looking at me with a softish goblin glare. "We could continue," I stated wanting to hear if my mother had anything similar to say.

"I Lady Lily Potter, of sound mind and body to declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, rendering all previous null and void. In the event I am survived by my husband which I consider unlikely knowing his protectiveness, I leave him everything along with the care of our Son, Harry J Potter. As this is likely not the case, I therefore leave him everything I own apparent from the aforementioned items; to Sirius O Black, I leave the care of Harry to you, knowing you will love him just as much as me and James do, I also leave my personal book on charms to help you deal with the messes you make Paddy. To Remus Lupin, I hereby leave my collection of notes regarding the Wolfsbane potion I have been working on, to increase its potency and usage for both yourself and any other inflicted with the curse. As well as 10,000 galleons from my personal account in order for you to find a permanent home, Moony. To Alice and Frank Longbottom, my friends, I ask in the case of Sirius or Remus being unable to take in Harry for you to have custodial guardianship and take care of him, please, with this I leave 10,000 galleons a year for his upbringing, and the sole amount for yourselves.

To Peter Pettigrew I leave, the request to the goblins to help find and capture you if you have somehow escaped justice so far, along with my memories of you as an unregistered Animagus to be used against you in a wizarding trial. To Harry my son, I leave you with everything else including my love forever, and my own personal truck which is in my vault, inside you will find a few surprises I hope you may count as birthday and Yule presents we may have missed, may it all help you live your life fully, whatever happens I will always be proud of you." Skullsmasher finished quite softly, as if even the words of my mother had an effect on the hard attitude of a goblin. Me of course, I was barely holding it together, glad for the chance my mother could speak to me, even just through her last words.

After a few minutes, sitting in silence with Skullsmasher contemplating my mother's words, I glanced up and started asking what the process was now, or if the collective will should be read before. Seeing as the collective will could be handled partially faster than the separate wills before the process of carrying out the wills with my signature, I began to listen to Skullsmasher for the last Will of my parents.

"We both Lily and James Potter, of the House of Potter, of sound mind and body do declare this the collective Last Will and Testament of the Lord and Lady of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter. In the collective summary, we wish both our separate Will's to be carried out according to our wishes, this being that both our collective possessions of our own and our Houses be given to our son, Harry J Potter. With this we also leave the collective Houses their own items for the alliance between their House and the Potters. As follows:

To the Most Noble and Ancient House of Longbottom, we leave the sum of 10,000 galleons for their effort and friendship during the long reign of terror against the Dark Lord V. As well as the continued alliance between our Houses so long as both our descendants survive and take up their respective titles.

To the Most Noble and Ancient House of Bones, we leave the sum of 10,000 galleons for their effort and friendship against as stated the Dark Lord, including the continuation of our beneficial alliance.

To the Most Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass, we leave the sum of 8,000 galleons for their aid against the efforts of the Dark Lord, the alliance between our Houses may continue through our agreed contract.

To the Most Noble and Ancient House of McKinnon, we leave the sum of 5,000 galleons for their aid against the efforts of the Dark Lord with the hope the House does not suffer any further than already.

To the Order of the Phoenix and Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore, we leave the collective sum of 15,000 galleons on the condition that the Dark Lord is not defeated, and if ever returns is needed to fund the Order, under the condition that Harry is both informed and protected about the events surrounding the war.

To our son Harry J Potter, we leave notes containing our personal responses the duties you will face under the Head of House Potter Lordship, and the request that he add our memories stored in the Potter Vault to our portraits in the Potter Manor.

So ends the Last Will and Testament of the Lord and Lady James Potter of the House of Potter, may the gold of the goblins forever flow in their favour and that of our kin." Skullsmasher finished with an appreciative nod to their respect of the goblin nation.

"Well, Harry before we take a break and have a light lunch, if you sign these papers indicating the reading of the separate and collective will of the Potters' their wishes will be carried out immediately." The goblin had barely finished before I had already signed my name to the papers, wanting my parents wishes to be fulfilled already as they were overdue.

"Now before we begin the lordship rings, I think we should discuss the implications of the Will's and any concerns." Waving his hand like yesterday, a tray appeared on a card with food and drink as they discussed some issues of the Will.

"I am afraid Harry that some wishes of the will cannot be carried out, such as the sum to the House of McKinnon's, as their family was destroyed by the Dark Lord in the previous war, unless a living descendant comes forth to claim the family title and vaults frozen by Gringotts, the transferal cannot take place until then." Stirring a cup of tea as he spoke looking me in the eye. I simply nodded waiting for him to continue with any of the other matters as I slowly ate my lunch. "As for the Order of the Phoenix, until recently the Dark Lord had been classed and defeated, thus the transferal was unnecessary, however even with his return the sum still cannot transfer into the Order's Vault as Dumbledore has failed to meet the conditions set by your parents for both your knowledge and protection to be included. Now we can move onto the Potter and Black lordship rings, if these rings accept you then you are the rightful heir and lord of both families. However, if any rings reject you, they will simply vanish back into the family vaults to await the next heir." Skullsmasher finished taking a long-needed inhale before reaching into the desk and bringing out two selective ring boxes baring the family crests of Potter, a ruby red Griffon insignia with the motto 'Potter and Proud', quite amusing I thought. As well as the crest for the Black family, a simple black opal with diamonds surrounding it, along with the image of a dementor inside and the motto 'Always Black and Pure' which I didn't find amusing this time.

Skullsmasher warned me to put on the rings in order of how I want to be known, such as Harry Black-Potter or Potter-Black, of course choosing the latter option I would be putting the Potter ring on first. However right now something was telling me to wait, and instead find out the last part of Sirius's Will before claiming the Lordships. After asking Skullsmasher this, he looked at me a little funny before of course following along with where I was going with this. He summoned an goblin intern as he called it, and ordered a pensive as well as the memories of Sirius O Black to be retrieved from the Black Vault, before explaining to me how being the Head of Inheritance allows him to enter Vaults for such items, as well as how after claiming my lordships, the account manager of both the Potters and Blacks would be joining the meeting.

After another few minutes, the goblin intern returned, carrying a box of memories and a small bowl that floated before him and he set them down on the table and took the lunch tray away with him. Skullsmasher opened the box and explained how the memories could be viewed one after the other straight away and poured the contents into the pensive. Watching me as I looked beyond nervous, he said, 'The memories were left for a reason, whatever you see you need to know." With that last piece of sage advice, I might add, I dunked myself into the pensive to get sucked into the memories.

I appeared inside the memory in Grimmauld Place, the office of the House of Black, proudly displacing the portraits of its past heads, I watched as Sirius used his heir ring to sign what must have been his Will before looking up, almost straight into me and told me what he had found out.

"Harry, if you're here my pup, I am honestly sorry to you with another person to grieve for, I had hoped the life we could have lived together after the war would be long and full of laughs together. But alas, it cannot be as I'm sure I either died to protect you or at least taking down a few death heads. My reason for leaving you this particular memory and the set that accompanies it are this; Dumbledore is manipulating you, and not just you but nearly everyone closest to you. Trust me, the evidence you can see if you want but basically its this, Dumbledore has everyone closest to you either hindering you or spying on you for him. This includes and I'm sorry to say this pup, but Ron, Ginny, and Molly Weasley. I know you properly find this hard to believe but with the help of the goblins and some of my pranking set I discovered the truth, the goblins will tell you the financial details, but I'll tell you why, Ron is jealous and angry of the attention you gain wherever you go, Ginny is obsessed with claiming the place as your wife allowing both Ron and Molly to claim your fortune after an truly horrible death." Sirius paused, for a whole moment as if knowing I would need a second to process and understand the information. I did because I was raging. My best friend, his own mother who I thought was my closest mother figure in life and his sister! How could I not realise the subtle way they would ask me things and watch me, as I could clearly now watching some of Sirius's memories of the previous Christmas flow by. The eyes of Molly and Ginny as they watched my reactions and of course the envious look of Ron at the attention. I looked for Sirius to continue, "Dumbledore has also took money from the Potter Vaults for Molly, Ron, Ginny and himself, the goblins can help to reclaim it, but one of the main problems is that Dumbledore has placed several charms and compulsion on you, I know not the extent to them but they have been effecting the way you react and behaviours to certain areas, such as to people and areas of magic like Slytherin and Grey or Dark magic. Now I can't do much to these compulsions and charms, and even perhaps the potion or two as Dumbledore has already suspected me and refuses to allow me any close access to you to try. I believe he may even obliviate me if I overstep any further. Oi! Still listening? Good." Sirius shouted making me jump, an affective way to snap me out of my brooding thoughts regarding my friends and the headmaster.

"The goblins can help you with everything Dumbledore may have done to you for a price of course, however that depends on the level of work they may have to do on you. Of course I doubt the goblins would refuse to help you of all people, especially since you're so kind, however if need be and the amount is not ridiculous, offer them double upon the acceptance of the Lordships and access the vaults. I say this because the Lordship ring will allow the family magic to become one with you, including the wards from each property when you enter them, however when you first put on the ring, the magics will swell inside you and thus break some or all of whatever Dumbledore and the others may have done to you. This can be clearly to dangerous as it wouldn't be done as safe as a goblin healer will be. Which is glad you choose to see the memories first. Now onto another piece of information, you aren't the only one under spells and compulsions from the oh so Light Leader, your friend Hermione is as well. I discovered this when monitoring the food Mrs. Weasley was feeding everyone at Christmas and saw both potions in both your and her food, I know why didn't I do anything then, however I swear I was still collecting evidence and I couldn't risk losing this element of surprise you can use at the official reading of my Will. As I said I can't tell what potions, spells, or suggestions you and any others may be under from Albus, however I can say he wants you dead by the end of the war. I know Harry I'm quite furious too. However, Dumbledore will think you need him in order to understand how Voldy can be defeated.

Don't worry pup, he underestimated the power of Padfoot and Moony when we work together, yes Harry, Remus knows. However, to be safe I locked away his memories with his permission of course to be given back to him after the Will reading, in case of Dumbledore reading his mind. Another quick thing the Lordship rings can provide adequate protection against charms, curses, potions, and mind arts, of course this is just a base, but it definitely provides something you can build on.

Now onto the way to win the war, pup, I'm afraid to say this but Voldy inserted a piece of his soul into you, effectively turning you into a walking breathing horcrux, which is a piece of someone's soul locked away, allowing the person to come back to life if they find a suitable body, thus causing them to basically have the darkest version of immortality magic can create. The magic is utterly dangerous and immoral, Harry, it causes the user to split their soul and killing an innocent to solidify their immoral betrayal of life itself.

I have found through my useful brother, Regulus that Voldemort created six horcruxes, but this was before I found out you are an unintentional seventh. I'm not sure what all the horcruxes are but from what you told me before I can identify some, let me show you." Sirius paused again as the memories continued to flow around me and him in the office. Each one backing up what he had said to me including the poisoned food of Mrs. Weasley and Mooney's willing involvement. Before long, the memories showed the diary, I had destroyed back in second year, as well as the snake I had seen attack Mr Weasley, I wondered if the snake was also a living horcrux. Continuing on Sirius explained, "As you know the diary you destroyed was one of the seven, including this is the snake, Ravenclaw's lost diadem, which unfortunately I was unable to locate, a locket which my brother was able to find and hide away. I believe it should be somewhere in Grimmauld Place, perhaps Kreacher will help. Another one is a Slytherin Heirloom, a ring of the House of Gaunt, the goblins should help you find it, and the last one other than yourself, is the lost cup of Helga Hufflepuff. It seems old Voldy had a founders kink. Ha. Anyways the cup is located in my cousin Bellatrix's Vault, I could locate it through the ancient familiar magic as the heir of House of Black. Since I couldn't become Lord I was unable to claim the right to retrieve it from the Vault, but you should be able to, especially with the goblins help to strip Bellatrix of some of her power and perhaps shut down her Vault.

As always pup, stay safe but have fun, pranking never gets old. I love you, Sirius." I watched longingly as the man who blood adopted me gave me the evidence, I need against those who were using me and basically the lifeline to end the war before it could really begin.

I exited the pensive and looked at Skullsmasher, unsure of where to begin, however as soon as I began it seemed Skullsmasher understood where I was going, as soon as I mentioned having charms, potions or compulsions on me he had already sent for a healer. Not to mention his face when I told him about horcruxes, apparently to goblins it was one of the worst magics to ever be found and studied by the darkest of dark lords.

As the healer walked into the room, Skullsmasher informed me her name was Bone-culler, quite a freakishly scary name for the healer, but I nonetheless greeted her warmly, shocking her as Skullsmasher grinned at my politeness for their race. He continued and explained what while I was getting checked out by Bone-culler, he would inform the account managers and even give the Director himself, a report on my case. I shook this off and caught up with Bone-culler as we left the office and shortly came into a healing room, before long I was sitting on a table ready to be healed of any and all substances and powers.

A/N Ch5 should be out in the next few days, please be sure to check in whenever you have the time, thanks.