A/N: Hello my lovelies! First, Happy Birthday to Sinatu Falretoh, one of our members :) Secondly, enjoy :)

Disclaimer: We don't own HP...i think that's obvious, but still.

Chapter Eleven: Magic Is The Simplest Thing

May 2000,
Gringotts Medical Chambers, NY

The only similarity between the goblins' medical chambers and the hospital chambers below were the presence of beds and even that differed in Harry's mind as he lay down on the hard stone surface surrounded by two goblins waving their hands over him. Their harsh guttural language reminded him of Star Trek episodes featuring Klingons and he briefly smiled, considering how the fictional Klingons and the goblins would get along. Probably very well, he thought to himself – the similarities were quite obvious to a person who was a Star Trek afficianado as he was.

He found himself studying the auras that flared around him under the goblin magic and thought he could even detect a black shadow as one goblin waved a hand over his forehead. Right over the scar, he thought to himself.

Abruptly, the two goblins stopped and moved backwards, talking hurriedly and animatedly in the corner of the medical chamber. Then one of them stepped out and a few minutes later, Snagtooth himself walked in.

"Mr. Wells, you never cease to surprise me," the old goblin began. "It seems that you have made medical history of a sorts. You definitely carry a dark residue from a long way back – our lead healer here suggests that it most likely corresponds to the time of your encounter with the Dark Lord.

"He believes that you were hit with the killing curse as has been speculated, but that the aftermath of the killing curse saw a portion of the soul of the Dark Lord take up residence in your scar."

It was Harry's turn to be shocked. "You mean I was carrying around a portion of the Dark Lord in my head? Was he possessing me or something like that?"

"No, Mr. Wells. It was no possession," Snagtooth hurried to reassure him. "The best thing our healers can compare it to is that the soul part acted as a parasite, leeching off your magic and life force to survive."

Even the thought of a part of the Dark Lord in his body was enough to give Harry a chill. But then another thought struck him. "Wouldn't whoever had rescued me from the cottage where my parents were killed have checked me out prior to leaving me with my relatives? Would they not have noticed the soul fragment?"

Snagtooth nodded his head. "It would have been the prudent thing to do, Mr. Wells. However, I am coming to discover that as far as you were concerned, none of the steps which should have been taken in regards to you were ever performed.

"I suspect that the same person or persons who failed to check you out for dark curse residue also applied some pretty interesting blocks upon your magic."

"Magical blocks? I don't understand."

"Our healers found evidence that confirmed your thoughts about what happened in October 1994. It appears that your body thought you died and thus any of the restrictions on your magic which had been placed on you by others were removed.

"However, these blocks leave echoes which allow someone with the magical skill to reconstruct their existence and in many cases, their purpose. You had blocks on your magic to redirect mail, to decrease your wandless and silent casting ability and just a general block limiting you to a smaller portion of your magic – our healers estimate about 35 to 40 percent."

Harry was growing confused. "Why would someone want to block my magic?"

"We are not sure, Mr. Wells. Our healers have measured your current magical potential and you score right off the scale. You are not superhuman, but you do possess enormous magical ability – at least the level of a mage, if not an archmage.

"Perhaps whoever did this wanted to ensure that you would not grow too powerful before they had a chance to train you in a particular way.."

Harry could only nod his head in agreement. "No use in tearing myself up wondering what was planned – the fact is that it never happened as they had planned.

"Mr. Wells, I couldn't agree with you more. When you are finished here, I would like to see you in my office. I have some updates on what we were talking about earlier last week and I would like to lay some options out for you."

Harry indicated his agreement and Snagtooth departed as the goblin shaman returned to complete their scans and ensure the last residues and blocks were gone.

The room in which Harry was shown was smaller than the office where he and Fleur had met Snagtooth before, but Harry thought to himself that it looked more ferocious than the earlier office. Somehow the lighting, the realistic weapons on the walls and the overall décor suggested this office belonged to a warrior proud of his fighting skills.

His examination of the office did not go unnoticed by the old goblin. "So Mr. Wells, I see you noticed the décor. Do you approve?"

Harry blurted out before he was aware of his wayward tongue. "It looks just like what I would have expected a Klingon warrior's home to be like – all fierce and proud."

At Snagtooth's raised eybrow, Harry tried to explain. "The non-magicals have a TV program which features …" The old goblin raised his hand and for a brief moment, smiled at Harry in genuine pleasure. "I know the program young Mr. Wells. Goblins in America are not ignorant of non-magical culture and civilization and personally I find the comparison to be a flattering one.

"We are like the Klingons, only a hair or two shorter."

Harry realized Snagtooth was making a joke and he found himself more at ease with him. "I would have to agree there, but somehow I can't picture you singing war songs and hunting targ."

"Oh, but Mr. Wells, we only end up in the bank after our warrior and hunter days are over. Do not close your mind to that possibility. Now, to business as they say.

" The first item before us relates to the will of your godfather. I will give you a copy for your own perusal, but it was written as I suspected it would be. Lord Sirius Orion Black did indeed leave everything to his godson thus circumventing what could have happened if it had been left to Harry Potter.

"My colleagues in London tell me that this proviso has stymied at least one major pureblood family in Britain – the Malfoys. It appears that the scion of the family, one Draco Malfoy, would have been the next blood descendant to have been able to inherit as his mother is or was a Black, a cousin to the late Sirius Black. But the will is clear that the next heir is his godson and the only indication who the godson might be was that he was a relation to James and Lily Potter. Thus no one in the United Kingdom know who the actual heir is."

Harry took a few moments to quickly peruse the will document. It was as Snagtooth had said. "So what do I do now?"

"Well, seeing as you already accepted the basic tenets of the will, you simply now have to state aloud in my presence that you accept the inheritance and the title of Lord Black. Magic will take care of the rest."

Harry felt like standing before stating in a loud and clear voice, "I, the godson of Sirius Orion Black, accept the inheritance and title he left me and claim my new name as Lord Black." At that, his right ring finger glowed for a moment and then a heavy man's ring appeared on it.

"Ah yes, the head of house ring. It appears that magic confirms your acceptance as the new head of the House of Black. Do I address you as Lord Black?"

Harry shook his head. "No. In fact, I am uncomfortable with you always calling me Mr. Wells – I find myself always looking around for my father or grandfather. Just call me Harry."

"Well…Harry. Now to the second item of business. What is your wish for the management of this account? Do you wish it to be managed by Gringotts in London?"

"No way, Master Snagtooth. I live here, not there. Are you able to manage the account from here? Are you able to transfer everything liquid, coin and heirlooms here?"

Snagtooth was nodding now, a satisfied smile on his face. "Of course…Harry. We can manage your estate here and if you wish, once I have an up to date accounting of what your holdings are, we can sit down and discuss them further."

"Well let's set up a time soon to discuss your management of the account. I see little reason to move anything and don't forget, I would like to learn some financial management from your people."

"We appreciate your trust and confidence in Gringotts New York, Harry. Our final item is to discuss your training program and set up a time to meet your teachers. They have been vetted and tested for their ability to teach as well as respect your confidentiality. I would suggest that you return here after lunch to this office and we will portkey over to the training facilities."

"Can Miss Delacour accompany me?"

"But of course as she will be one of your teachers. She will be instructing you in charms once you have passed the magical theory and practice session with RockSlade."

Harry was already liking what he was hearing – this would give him an excuse to spend more time with the French witch, with the added benefit that he was acting on her advice.

June 2000
Gringotts Training Center

Magical theory and practice – to hear Rockslade, an old wizened goblin shaman speak, the theory and practice of magic was zen. Harry swore that Rockslade had watched the TV series Kung Fu as he remembered some of the statements he had learned in the last four intensive week.

"To train to be a warrior, one does not start with a spear, a sword or a bow. One begins with one's self. You must be the weapon before you can learn to use one.

"Magic is not something you learn to use, young Harry. Learning your magic is learning yourself. You cannot try to do this or that with your magic – you must make it happen in your heart, in your will – and then it will happen.

"Before you can do magic, you must be magic. Magic must be as natural a part of you as your heart beating or your lungs breathing. Do you tell yourself to breathe? No. Neither should you tell yourself to do magic. It just is.

"Spend an hour, young Harry, with your eyes closed to the outside and instead, feel your heart. Hear your breaths. Look to see if there is anything within you."

At first Harry had felt frustration at what appeared to be philosophical meanderings of the old shaman. He had even expressed that thought after their sixth session in which all Harry had done was fall asleep during his meditation session. Rockslade only smiled. "Oh, the impatience of youth. Try to remember, Harry, when you last performed an action with your 'gift'. What did you feel? What do you remember about your thoughts, about how your body reacted? Then go and try again."

It was after this short talk that Harry, remembering an occasion when he was lifting some heavy rocks while helping to shore up a cavern wall, saw the multi-colored ball of light in what he felt was the centre of his body for the first time. When he excitedly shared it with the old goblin, his only answer was a laconic sentence.

"Now you begin – to see a little. Continue meditation."

The site for the meeting between Snagtooth, as representative of Gringotts, and Vincent, Diana and Harry as representative of the World Below, took place near the Great Hall. Snagtooth who appeared alone walked into the chamber from what appeared to be a small cavern which quickly closed when he had entered the chamber.

Harry, who was acting as host of the meeting, introduced Vincent and Diana as his adoptive parents and then the three senior adults looked carefully at one another even as they took their seats.

Breaking the silence, Vincent extended his hand to the senior goblin. "Welcome, Master Snagtooth. While I will admit being surprised at your request for a meeting, my son has been telling me wonderful stories about your world and the help that you are furnishing him to understand magic better."

"Your son is a credit to you and your mate, Vincent," Snagtooth replied. "I will stress that this meeting and indeed knowledge of who and where we are must remain confidential."

"We are used to keeping secrets, Master goblin," Diana replied, extending her own hand. The senior goblin took it in turn and then pulled a map out of his waistcoat.

"On behalf of the director of the New York branch of Gringotts, the purpose of this initial meeting is to gain a better understanding of your world and those places where our two worlds might interact – to ensure that we respect one another's boundaries. Then perhaps we can discuss future mutual associations.

"We do not associate with humans easily as we have found wizards and witches tend to look down on us – although perhaps we might be some of the cause of our own problems as we tend to react quickly and violently to perceived insults." Here Snagtooth smiled, baring no teeth, but somehow conveying a warrior's presence all the same.

Vincent found himself becoming comfortable with the old banker – although he could sense Snagtooth was capable of great violence, his control was evident and while the old goblin appeared cautious around him, there was no fear, but a hint of genuine respect.

Bowing his head to Snagtooth, he smiled back taking care to conceal his own fangs. "I sense an honorable warrior, Master goblin, and from one warrior to another, I salute you."

Harry could not quite understand the byplay that was going on, but noticed the goblin seemed to relax further as he spread out a map on the table between them. "Then let us begin by comparing maps and where your community lies…."

"So you ended up taking over the banking and financial services for the wizarding community," Diana asked, several cups of tea and one bottle of goblin ale later. Snagtooth had not seemed offended when both Vincent and Diana begged off the drink after having one small sip.

"Yes, it appears that the wand carriers as we like to call them do not trust us with wands, but they trust us with their gold. In fact, I believe that your son is the first human in several generations to actually talk with us about learning how we invest those assets entrusted to us."

A daring idea began bubbling up in Harry's mind as Snagtooth was speaking and before he could rein it in, it burst forth. "Dad, could we talk to Snagtooth about investing some of the legacy funds from the Chandler Foundation? You could actually be a bit more involved as Snagtooth has met you whereas the financial houses we deal with up top have not."

Vincent considered the idea carefully. "We are not wizards Harry – with the exception of you and possibly Erin."

Snagtooth's eyes had lit up at the possibility of landing this legendary figure as a client. "However, Vincent, you are magical in your own way – and you are the parents of wizards. There would be no issue from our bank's point of view."

"What would be the advantages for us as well as for you?" Diana asked, a bit more cautious than her husband.

"Well, those wizards who trust us have found on average that they have received returns greater than 10 to 20 per cent a year for the past several decades. We adopt a balanced approach….."

He was only called the Blademaster and from his first encounter with Harry as his teacher, Harry rated him as the toughest, meanest SOB that he had ever had the misfortune to encounter.

His routine now included runs through the tunnels with a fifty pound backpack of rocks on his back, half hour sessions of cuts and thrusts with his body only as he learned just how many ways he could use his body as a weapon and finally, after four weeks, his first introduction to a sword.

"You may be passible in several generations, young wizard," Blademaster told him after the second week. "You begin to show that you have a brain between your ears," Blademaster told him after the fourth week.

His schedule had become a marathon. The only good thing was that he had finished the second semester of his sophomore year and now he had a few months of 'free time' to intensify his studies. From magical theory and practice he went to weapons and physical fitness with Blademaster to magical history, customs and society with a young wizard who was almost too much in his enthusiasm for the subject.

And now, thanks to his idea which had been shared at the first of several meetings between the ruling council of the World Below and the goblin representative Snagtooth, he was learning goblin financial administration with a quarter of the Catherine Chandler legacy and appreciating their cut throat approach to business.

"Never get so attached to a holding that you do not act if the prospects of it going bad or tanking as you Americans call it are present," Snagtooth's assistant Griplock explained to Harry as they were seated in his much smaller office.

"So you are saying that humans get over attached to some holdings or investments?"

"We goblins rarely hang on to any holding for sentimental reasons. Those same reasons can kill you. When on a battlefield, once your enemy is vanquished, cut his throat. Too many times in human history, an enemy left for dead can rise up and kill you in turn when your back is turned."

Harry was tempted to say something, but then grew silent as he remembered his first year course on WWII in the Pacific and the practices of some Japanese soldiers after being wounded in firefights.

"Griplock, you may have a point there."

End of June 2000
Tunnels into The World Below

I am a fool, a now frustrated French witch told herself as the sound of the winds increased. She thought she had taken a wrong turn and she had begun seeing rock formations and tunnel glimpses that she had not seen before.

Then her torch died and she found herself in darkness,

She had thought she was familiar with darkness – her stay at Hogwarts during the TriWizard Tournament in the middle of nowhere in northern Scotland had taught her that. The lack of light pollution from neighboring cities had left the night skies above Hogwarts black as pitch when the skies were cloudy and the moon was new.

But now, her senses screamed for light – even imagined light. She could hear the dripping of water from nearby, the distant sounds of the winds howling – but the familiar sounds of clanging pipes and subway trains were absent.

She felt for her wand and spoke with s slightly tremulous voice "Lumos." The sudden onrush of light blinded her and her eyes closed, if only for a moment. When they opened again, there stood a figure from one of her magical cultures around the world books – a vodoun mambo.

How she had managed to approach her without giving her presence away Fleur did not know. And a closer examination of the woman told her she was blind. Yet, with her Veela senses, Fleur could also tell that this woman was a woman of power in her own right.

"Aieee…child of fire, child of passion. Old Narcissa bids you welcome to her world," the mambo began. "I have long foreseen this day – you will be linked to the child of destiny." As she was speaking, Narcissa had grabbed hold of Fleur's arm and suddenly Fleur felt herself being dragged along down a tunnel.

"Come with Narcissa, child of flame. Narcissa would get to know you and help you to adjust to this world. It will be your home in the future as you will help the child of destiny achieve his future."

Initially, Fleur wanted to resist Narcissa's pull as she found herself going down tunnels she had never seen before. The woman was magical in her own way even if her kind of magic was only discussed at Beauxbatons, but not thoroughly explored. The world of vodoun was looked down on by the European magical societies, but at least their instructor at the French magical school had not discounted the magic altogether.

What held off Fleur from doing something to stop Narcissa, however, was the sense that the black mambo meant her no harm. Instead, her reading of Narcissa suggested that her intentions towards her were good ones. But what was this she was speaking about in relation to her and a child of destiny.

A thought crossed her mind even as they continued their slow descent down unknown tunnels. She had heard words about her and Harry before from Harry's youngest sister, Erin – something about being together with Harry.

Her teachers at Beauxbatons had encouraged her to not look down on other forms of magic – instead she had been taught to see what lessons she could learn from other practitioners of magical arts. So she would see what this Narcissa could tell her.

Soon enough she entered a cave with many articles of voudoun with incense and candles burning in many places. She could sense the power of the place and gained a new respect for this blind mambo.

What followed was one of the strangest conversations Fleur remembered. Narcissa was a fountain of information on her vodoun and in her singsong voice, she talked about the magic of the tunnels, the world above, the loas she was contact with and her use of vodoun to protect the community.

"You child of flame are beloved of Erzulie Freda, the spirit of love, but your heart is one of fire, aggression for those you love. You will have need of another of the nation of Rada, the cool, calm one, who will serve to anchor both you and the child of destiny," Narcissa had said at one point.

The scents of the burning candles, incense and meal collided with a sense of both light and dark magic for the young French witch as she remembered anew that vodoun was a form of magic that dealt with both sides of magic. After what seemed an interminable time, her head began to swim and Narcissa laid a gentle hand on Fleur's arm.

"It is enough for you for the moment, dear one," she told the young woman. "Those above are searching for you and they grow worried. There will be many more times when we will be able to learn from one another."

Guiding Fleur back through the Chamber of Winds, the blind woman unerringly proceeded to the edge of the Hub tunnels and then turned back, leaving Fleur to consider her descents – into a deeper world below and into the world of vodoun.

But the greater question which filled her mind now was her future relationship with Harry Jacob Vincent Wells – this was now the second time that a total stranger had told her that she was destined to be with the child of destiny – and she did admit that it was a pleasing prospect. But there were two complications – what did Harry think of this and who was this other that both Erin and Narcissa had hinted at?

"Ah, I sense that you feel your magic, that you have touched your core," Rockslade said in a calm voice. Yet Harry swore he could sense a hint of pride in the ancient goblin's words. "Now we will begin to manipulate it and help you achieve your intent.

"Remember, young Mr. Wells. Magic is above all else intent. Without your will, without your intent – nothing happens. Let us now explore extending your magic."

"Lumos!"

The light burst forth from his extended hand to the delight of Fleur and the amazement of his family. This was the first public manifestation of Harry's magic before his family and it brought home as never before that he was more than just a young man growing up in the tunnels and attending university.

But his next words startled them all.

"Mom, Dad, Fleur – all of you are glowing. Even Jacob, Catherine and especially Erin."

Fleur was the quickest to grasp what Harry was seeing. "You are seeing their auras, Harry. And most likely, you are seeing the glow from the gifts they themselves have.

"I think Erin is glowing the brightest because she is a witch herself. But most of all, you are seeing what only we Veela have ever seen – that all people have some form of magic within.

"And now that you have learned to access your magic directly – now we begin to use foci such as a blade or a wand," Rockslade nodded with satisfaction. "You are a powerful young wizard Mr. Wells and now we will begin to form and mold your magic until it responds to your commands as the other parts of your body respond.

"Let us begin."

A/N: Well, what did you think? Good, bad, horrible? Review and tell us! Flames won't be accepted, and i can't think of what to make with them, so don't send any, cus they're useless. And remember, if you see any mistakes, tell us ASAP so we can fix them :D