Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for what is mine.
Chapter 2
Harry woke up excited. Today was his 10th birthday and Ebony said she would take him somewhere special. She had been teaching him more about magic and the magical world since that first day he moved a feather. She taught him languages and weapons and magic and creatures. He had learned a lot in these past 2 physical years. Mentally, he wasn't sure how long he had been training in Ebony's realm exactly, but it was many, many years. He felt that he was ready to take the magical world by storm.
He jumped out of bed and put on his clothes as fast as he could. He waited impatiently for Aunt Petunia to yell at him to come make breakfast. The moment she did, he composed his face to the normal emotionless mask he needed to wear and walked out and made breakfast for the Dursleys.
Once he was finished, he went back to his cupboard and started looking around, waiting for Ebony to show up. After a few minutes, she appeared on the bed next to Harry.
"Ebony!" Harry gave her a big hug, "Is it time? Where are we going? What are we doing?"
Ebony laughed, "Woh, woh, woh. Slow down, I can't answer any of your questions if you keep asking them too fast. To answer your questions in order, yes it is time, we are going to Diagon Alley, we are going to the goblins to receive your inheritance."
Harry's eyes got big, "Really!? We are going to Diagon Alley? Sweet!"
Ebony laughed again, "Yes we are, now tell me how do we travel magically?"
Harry scrunched his brow, thinking, "We visualize where we want to go, then have our magic take us there."
"Exactly Harry," said Ebony, "but today we are taking a special trip. I am going to take you Shadow Walking. Shadow Walking is using the surrounding shadows to take us to our destination, for all shadows are connected."
Harry exclaimed, "Cool! When do we leave?"
"Right now," said Ebony, and she grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him into the shadows.
Everything went dark, and Harry experienced a sensation of movement and cold air. This lasted for only a moment, then they were out in the sunlight. It took Harry a moment to regain his composure, when he did Ebony gestured in front of her, "Welcome Harry, to Diagon Alley."
Harry looked around, jaw dropped. Everywhere he looked was magic, objects floating by themselves, cauldrons and broomsticks and boomslang skin and ashwinder eggs. He had heard about all of these things from Ebony, but he had never actually seen them.
Ebony let him look for a few more minutes, then she gently poked him to get his attention back. "Are you finished gawking?" Harry looked at her, "Yeah, let's go."
Ebony took his hand and lead him towards a marble building. "Remember what I told you about goblins beloved?"
"That goblins are a proud warrior race, but they are honorable. Remember, when you approach a goblin, you nod your head as a sign of respect and don't show teeth, they see that as a threat." Harry recited as they walked toward Gringotts."
Very good Harry," stated Ebony, "Now once we get to the doors, I am going to leave for a while, so the goblins don't see me."
Harry turned to look at Ebony, "What do you mean leave?" Ebony responded, "You do remember who I am right? And what that makes you?".
Harry nodded and replied, "You are Death, or at least an incarnation of Death, and I am your champion."
Ebony ruffled Harry's hair, "Very good my beloved, well the goblins worship me as one of their gods, so I don't want them to get any ideas until after they have already formed an opinion of you."
Harry thought for a moment. "Alright," he said, "When will you be back?"
Ebony stopped and engulfed Harry in a hug, "The moment you ask, my beloved. The moment you ask." With that, she vanished.
Slowly Harry turned to Gringotts and realized that he was on the front steps. He straightened, put on an emotionless mask, and walked purposefully through the golden doors.
After he walked into the building, he saw the room. It was huge and looked like a long hallway with desks all along the outer edges of the room, with tellers every few feet from each other, waiting for the next person to come and ask them something.
Harry walked to the nearest free goblin. When he got to the desk, he nodded his head to the goblin and said in perfect Gnarl, "Master Teller, my name is Harry James Potter, and I am here to claim my rightful ownership of my vaults as the last heir to the Potter line."
The goblin stopped writing on the desk and looked closer at Harry. He growled back in Gnarl, "You know that you will need to take a lineage test and if that statement proves false, we can kill you."
Harry looked back impassively, "I know, I am willing to take that bet."
The goblin hopped off the desk and said, "Follow me." Harry followed the goblin behind the desk and through a partially hidden door to a long hallway. They traveled for a few minutes, taking turns here and there, until Harry was completely lost. They came to a door with a plaque which read 'Manager HangNail'. The goblin knocked on the door and stepped back. A minute later, the door opened and a voice emanating from the room said, "Enter." The goblin gestured to Harry and Harry entered the room."
What do you want human?" growled HangNail.
Harry bowed his head and said, "Manager HangNail, I am the Potter Heir and I am willing to take a lineage test to prove it."
HangNail threw back his head and laughed, "Harry Potter has no authority to claim anything until he turns 17 years old. Dumbledore has control of these vaults until then."
Harry raised his head sharply and stepped forward aggressively, "Oh really? Under whose authority can Dumbledore do this?"
HangNail snapped at Harry, "Quiet human, unless you want your head removed. And besides, I am the one who decides who has control of the vaults and Dumbledore gave me plenty of reasons why he should be in charge."
Harry glowered at HangNail, "If you are purposefully obstructing my claim of ownership, than I challenge you to fight me in the Arena."
HangNail sneered, "I deny your challenge to the Arena and further say that you will never have control of these vaults if I can help it."
Lord Ragk'nok, the ruler of the Goblins, was sitting at his desk, papers strewn about, working furiously on paperwork, the bane and burden of all leadership. His thoughts were distracted from the paperwork when the secret door opened up behind him to his left and an ancient female goblin shuffled into the room.
She was old by goblin standards, 237 winters to be exact. Her skin hung from her boney frame like folded, damp paper. Eyes clouded over from cataract, hair sparse, wispy and white, ears dropped so low they touched her shoulders. She had on a raiment of tattered old cloth who's color had long since faded away. In one hand, she clutched an ancient looking ritual dagger. The other, a torch glowing with a somber red flame.
Lord Ragk'nok raised his head and looked at her startled and exclaimed, "Soothsayer! To what do I owe the honor of your presence here?"
The Soothsayer turned her head toward Lord Ragk'nok and said, "The End of the Endless has spoken. She has warned me that if you don't make restitution for Her chosen, he will slaughter us all and bathe this city in our blood. She won't deny him anything he wants. And if he wants our destruction, She will support him and there is nothing we can do about it. But we do worship Her and have done so faithfully, so She sought to warn us before we make a decision that would be the end for Goblinkind."
As she was speaking, Lord Ragk'nok's face got paler and paler. After she was done speaking, Lord Ragk'nok plead, "How can we avoid the extermination of our kind?"
The Soothsayer replied, "She has spoken, you must seek out Manager HangNail and prevent him from denying Her chosen his request. She has also said that at this point in time, he doesn't need us, but we need him. If we grant his request, we will prosper more than ever before in the history of goblinkind. So has the End of the Endless spoken. Go now, oh Lord, and prevent our utter destruction."
Lord Ragk'nok fled out of his office the moment the last word left her lips. He ran as fast as he could toward the office of Manager HangNail.
He got there just in time to hear HangNail say, "I deny your challenge to the Arena and further say that you will never have control of these vaults if I can help it." Lord Ragk'nok burst into the room and said, "Overruled!"
Both occupants jumped and turned toward the door. Lord Ragk'nok roared, advancing on HangNail, "Manager HangNail, tell me what's the name of Gorg are you thinking!"
HangNail stuttered, "M-M-My L-Lord, what are you doing here?"
"Answer the sagashed question!" barked Lord Ragk'nok.
"This human," spat HangNail, rage taking over, "and a child at that, thinks he can tell me how to do my job!"
"Well from what I heard, you aren't doing your job, so I am commanding you to accept this challenge and I will see you in the Arena in two hours. Now get out!" Roared Lord Ragk'nok. HangNail fled from the room as if the very hounds of hell were chasing him.
Lord Ragk'nok walked to the chair behind the desk and sat down, turning to Harry, "Now, Champion of The End, I hope you know what you are doing. Manager HangNail will ask for a champion to take his place and his champion is one of the strongest goblin warriors we have."
Harry replied coolly, "As the Champion of The End, I know exactly what I am doing."
Lord Ragk'nok nodded his head, Ah, yes. My apologies. I saw you and mistook your challenge as a folly of youth."
"That is understandable, Lord Ragk'nok,'' Harry said while sitting down in the chair in front of the desk, "But you must not let my age fool you, I am much more mature than my age would imply. Being the Champion of Death has its perks."
Lord Ragk'nok nodded his head again, "Very true, I will try not to underestimate you again. Now down to business, why were you here to see Manager HangNail?"
Harry straightened up, "I am here to take control of my vaults, as is my right as the last heir of the Potters and am 10 years old. That is the law."
Lord Ragk'nok crossed his long, knobby fingers, "Very true, except for Manager HangNail is the manager in control of your vault, and if he refuses to give it to you, the only way to gain control is to beat him in The Arena, which, I presume, is your intent?"
Harry nodded, "Yes, that was exactly my intent. Once I gain control of my vault, no one will be able to separate it from me."
"Very well," said Lord Ragk'nok, "Let us head to the Arena and you can get everything you need situated."
AN: Wow! Things are heating up fast. Here is the next chapter. Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated. Please r&r.