Chapter 3

Harry was taken back to see the goblin healers. Sirius waited patiently. The trunk was in his pocket containing Nookie, who was cleaning the entire house and grounds within the trunk, as if it hadn't been nearly immaculately when they arrived inside.

Sirius thought of how to approach his prospective adopted father. It would be an adoption in blood only. Sirius intended on choosing a new name for himself and Harry. He was thinking of keeping Harry's nickname and merely changing the surname that created it. Harry's full name was currently Charlus Jameson Potter III. Harry shared the name with his own father, James, and with his great grandfather, lovingly known as Charlie.

James was ready to change Harry's name. He thought the tradition of naming your child after someone else was bonkers. Lily loved the idea. She said it showed Harry's history and gave him a sense of family pride. James didn't care what Harry's name was on paper as long as the boy had a decent name to be called. Hence, Harry was born. Both James and Lily had loved the name. Very few people even knew Harry's full name. Sirius was loath to change it but felt he had to in order to keep Harry safe.

Sirius was glad at the idea of changing his own name. Sirius was a unique name and he felt he wore the name well, but the only name that really mattered to Sirius was the name he'd earned with his friends. The name he called himself. Padfoot.

He was leaning towards the name Padfoot Artemis Prongsworth for himself and Harrington Hermes Prongsworth for Harry. Sirius could be called by his true name and Harry's father's legacy would still be honored. Lily would think the names were classy. James would think the names were a lark.

The only thing Sirius wasn't sure about were the middle names. He thought that starting a name tradition would be nice but he wasn't sure if the names he had chosen were quite right. Maybe middle names of cities? Harrington Versailles and Padfoot London? Maybe middle names of celestial bodies? Harrington Juno and Padfoot Mercury? No. That was too close to star names. Sirius wanted to stay as far away from his own name as possible. Sirius would think on it some more. He wouldn't need the names until the blood adoption anyway.

Harnock reentered the room.

"Mr. Black, we have a … situation. Young Mr. Potter's scar … it has an … entity … attached to it. We have a way to transfer the possession but it must be completed immediately. The child is in a stasis sleep. The entity is hostile. There is no easy way to say it," the goblin took a deep breath before speaking again. "The Dark One has left a portion of his soul attached to the child. The soul leech has begun to bond to the child's core. We are not sure why but it appears to have been intentionally left after diagnosis. Someone attempted to heal the scar around the entity. If left in this fashion, it could bond to the young one's core. Only death could separate them then."

Sirius jumped to his feet. "WHAT! Who would do this to Harry? The only person who could have done this to Harry is Dumbledore … or Hagrid but I really don't think Hagid would do something like that. At least, not on purpose. But, by the gods, why would Dumbledore do it? How could anyone do this to a baby?"

The goblin had no answers. "I do not understand wizards or the reasons they do many terrible things," the goblin said with malice in his voice. A goblin would never leave a child in such a state. Best to put the poor thing out of its misery rather than left with a soul leech. "Time is of the essence, Mr. Black. We must act quickly. If you will just sign here, agreeing to the fee."

The goblin held out a sheet of parchment and a quill. Sirius almost laughed. Greedy to the last second but still more useful than the supposed greatest wizard in Britain. Sirius didn't even read the sheet, he just signed the paper. There was no way he would quibble over mere galleons when Harry's life was on the line. He would be glad to know, if he cared to know, that the price was very reasonable. Goblins didn't believe in profiting exorbitantly when righting a wrong done to a child.

A mere 30 minutes later, Harry was back in Sirius' arms, in front of the desk of Harnock.

"The transfer of the possession went smoothly. We will attempt to destroy the soul leech momentarily. Our warriors will be successful; however, a serious issue remains. The great lady of the goblin people, our seer Rawrina the Elder has seen the item. It is but a shard in a broken glass with many pieces. She suspects there are currently five soul leeches for the Dark One. His shade remains in this world as long as they remain."

"What does that mean?" Sirius asked in a panic. "Voldemort is dead. He was vanquished when he couldn't kill Harry. His killing curse rebounded. There's nothing left of him, not even a body. Everyone has been talking about it! The guards at Azkaban couldn't be quiet about it." Sirius froze as the words left his mouth. He didn't want to focus attention on the fact that he was on the lam.

The goblin ignored it. The prices the man was paying reflected the cost of goblin silence.

"It means that you must find the other pieces. Five. For a price, our seer will give you the shadow impression she has of the item and the location of each. You must get the items yourself. If you bring the items to Gringotts, we will assist you with their disposal for a fee."

Sirius shook his head but didn't mention the fee. He would gladly pay it.

"Will that destroy Voldemort? If his soul shards or leeches or whatever are gone?" Sirius asked.

"No, I am afraid not. The wraith must at a minimum be in possession of a physical host. The physical host must be destroyed prior to the death of the wraith." The goblin said this statement the same way he would say a statement balance. Sirius began pacing, gently rocking the baby as he moved. Harry was out cold. Poor guy just had a piece of Voldemort's soul pulled from his head. Sirius bet he'd sleep through the night.

"Okay, but at least he can be killed if the soul shard things are dead, right?" Sirius asked this a little desperately.

"Yes, that is correct," the goblin was pleased to give the excitable man a positive response. Sirius sat down again, heavily.

"Well, that's a load off. I have to destroy him! He'll come for Harry again! He's weak right now; I have to try." Sirius was talking to himself by the end.

"Yes, well, that is lovely, Mr. Black. Is there anything else we can do for you today? If you agree to the seer fee, we will get that information for you right away. If you sign this contract here, it will ensure that future soul shards will be destroyed at the same price that was paid today." The goblin sat a stack of papers before Sirius.

"Er, yes, I need to get all the money out of my vault, and Harry's trust vault. It will refill on his birthday, right?"

"Correct," the goblin responded. "As his guardian, that is your right. The Potter wills have not yet been read. Would you like that done now, sir? Execution can begin after that. It will greatly increase the funds available to you."

Sirius quickly agreed. He knew these wills by heart. The part he was most concerned for was the statement that would be sent to the ministry naming their secret keeper and the part giving Sirius custody of Harry. After he received custody legally, he'd be able to enact his plan to hide Harry in plain sight.

The reading was over fast and the guardianship papers were quickly in Sirius' hands. They felt heavy. The full responsibility he was taking on for Harry's health and safety hit Sirius in full at that moment. He took a deep breath and thought hard. He couldn't think of any more damage he could do at the bank for that moment. With a trunk laden with gold, Sirius left the bank. He'd be back after the blood adoptions to finalize the paperwork.

-oooOOOoooOOOooo-