Chapter 4

Having dealt with Quirrell, Harry realised he had most of the year to try and deal with the more important things, like Sirius. He also wanted to try and grab some of the horcruxes including the one Lucius had.

The one in the Room of Requirement was fairly simple for him to access but he decided it was safer where it was for the moment until he could deal with the Basilisk in the Chamber of secrets.

So he focused on Sirius and decided to leave horcruxes as a summer project. As long as it didn't interrupt his fun.

The thing was that he needed a way to reveal Pettigrew. The little rat bastard was comfortably relaxing in the luxury of the Gryffindor Boys Dorm whilst his godfather wasted away in hell.

Of course Peter did have to deal with Ron's snoring, but it wasn't that much of a consolation.

Harry had the start of a plan. He needed to get access to the Map and Remus Lupin.

First step involved getting hold of the Map. Fairly simple.

He just had to corner the twins and convince them it was his.


Harry knew he had to act quickly and quietly. He needed the element of surprise.

Silencing charms on the unsuspecting targets followed by two stunners.

He then levitated one target on top of the other and then levitated them both into a nearby classroom.

Now he had to do the hard part. Talk to them.

He chickened out.


Fred Weasley groggily sat up from the cold hard stone floor of the classroom he found himself in. He rubbed his eyes as he tried to work through the headache. He heard a groan to his left and noticed his twin.

"George, wake up." He muttered tiredly.

"Tell mum I'm sick." George groaned as he rolled over.

This made Fred wake up a bit more so he jammed a finger in his brother's side. "Get up you great pillock! We aren't at home."

"We aren't?" He asked as he sat up and looked around. "Oh, right. What happened?"

"How would I know? I just woke up!" Fred snapped irritably. "Where are we?"

"Hogwarts."

"I was thinking a little more specific." Fred said dryly.

"A classroom."

"Merlin you're useless. Check the bloody map."

George slowly went through his pockets until he found a piece of parchment.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He intoned. "Fred… either this isn't the map or something went drastically wrong."

"What?" Fred asked as he looked over his brother's shoulder.

There on the parchment was a letter. Not the usual greeting or the familiar animated map.

'Dear Fred and George,

First, allow me to congratulate you on continuing the proud tradition of pranking at Hogwarts. You have brought laughter to these halls and that is the code of a true prankster.

But I must warn you not to be malicious with your pranks, a prank that causes pain, be it emotional or physical, is no prank but an act of assault and bullying.

I apologise for the way in which I have retrieved the map, it is a family heirloom and I prefer to remain anonymous at this time. If I manage to duplicate this map I will happily supply you with a copy.

I look forward to more of your work.

Sincerely,

Son of Prongs

PS: Have you ever thought about pranking each other?'

"Sweet merciful Merlin!" Fred gasped. "We were in the presence of the Son of a Marauder!"

George was a little more annoyed. "But he took the map!"

"Technically it was his, we were just lucky to use it all this time."

"But we need that map!" He whined.

"We survived before we found it and we can survive now. Pull yourself together man!" Fred snapped as he shook his twin by the shoulders.


Harry snarled as he watched the little footprints of Peter Pettigrew remain stationary in the boy's dorm. It was obvious the little bastard was sleeping peacefully.

Harry had decided that now was the time to enact the next part of his plan.

Harry knocked on the door of Professor Flitwick's office.

"Come in!"

"Professor? Do you have some free time?" Harry asked nervously.

Filius gave him a shrewd look. "School work or personal?"

"Personal sir."

"Then drop the meek little boy act and get in here." He smirked.

Harry just rolled his eyes. "It is not an act." He said as he slouched over to the chair opposite the desk.

"Around me it is and definitely around the Headmaster. Now, what brings you to my office this evening?"

"Well, you've said a few times that my parents were favourite students of yours, that you were my mother's mentor. But other than Hagrid telling me they were heroes and not dead-beat drunks who died in a car crash like my uncle said… I don't know anything about them." Harry said timidly.

Filius could see that Harry was sincere. He could also see a trip to Harry's uncle in his future… possibly with a large contingent of the magical population wanting justice for their saviour. But he realised Harry wouldn't want his life story spread all over the world.

He would just enlist Amelia and Poppy… maybe Minerva.

"You are unusual in the Wizarding World Harry. Not because of the fame and fortune but because you are the only orphan of the war that was not placed with magical relatives or magical guardians. You should never have been placed with muggles… Albus Dumbledore has a lot to answer for." He groused. "I could tell you plenty about your parents. Especially your mother. Minerva would be better to tell you about your father though as she was his godmother."

Harry saw an opening. "Did I have a godmother or godfather?"

Filius scowled. "Your godmother was Neville Longbottom's mother, a lovely girl and although she was incapacitated in the war, by rights you would have grown up with Neville under his family's care, Augusta Longbottom is a formidable woman who would have treated you well and raised you right."

Filius paused, looking for the right way to continue. "Your official godfather was Sirius Black. He was like a brother to your father, thick as thieves and twice as crafty!" He smirked. "He was cast out by his own family and the Potters took him in as one of their own. Which is why the world was stunned when he betrayed you and your parents!" He finished as he slammed his tiny fist onto his desk making Harry jump. "I'm sorry, Harry." Filius said weakly. "Lilly was my apprentice, she was going to be my replacement here at Hogwarts, we loved her so much and it hurt us all deeply when she was brutally taken from us." Filius wiped a tear from his cheek.

"Do you have any pictures sir?" Harry asked after a while.

"I might have some somewhere." Filius frowned. He slid off his chair, which was piled with books to make him tall enough to see over his desk. He moved to a door behind his desk.

Harry sat there waiting for a few seconds.

"Do come in Harry." Filius' voice sounded.

Harry left his own seat and walked into the room. He soon realised it was the Professor's living quarters. Harry suddenly felt like an intruder.

"Over here." Came Filius' choked voice.

Harry looked and saw the tiny professor sitting on a stool and staring a baby's playpen. There were stuffed toys, educational toys, even a baby bottle.

"Professor?"

Professor Flitwick's voice was raspy and chocked full of emotion as he spoke. "You were such a wonderful distraction Harry. We would happily ignore her studies whilst we entertained you with magic. Our own theoretical discussions on charms would devolve into how they could be applied to make your toys dance and live just to see you giggle."

The tears dripped silently onto the hard stone floor as Harry stood there in shock. He had come to get information on his godfather but he had discovered a lost uncle instead.

On the mantle of the fireplace were pictures of Filius and baby Harry, Filius, baby Harry and Lilly, Lilly and baby Harry, James, Lilly and baby Harry and so on.

Harry gingerly stepped forward, he felt like he had invaded the inner sanctum of a holy place.

Then the smell of the baby toys and playpen hit him.

His scent memory was triggered.

"Mama." He whispered in awe.

Filius looked up at the childlike utterance. He put an arm around the young boy's shoulder and pulled him against his much smaller frame. "We missed you both so much, Harry. Come, let me show you my memories."


When Filius retired for the evening he was physically and emotionally exhausted. He had reconnected with his long lost honorary nephew and it had been something he needed as he felt refreshed now.

But he had found his plans to visit the Dursleys had been cast in steel as he discovered that the photos in his personal rooms were the first time Harry had ever laid eyes on his parents.


After the emotional turmoil of discovering the close familial connection he held with Filius Flitwick, Harry decided to wait a while before trying to get more information. He didn't want to push Filius.

He was fairly surprised when at breakfast just before the Christmas Holidays, a suit of armour came marching up to him and deposited a small cloth bag in his hand.

Harry frowned but inspected the contents by peaking in.

Harry gulped. "Don't suppose you could explain the whys and wherefores of this?" He asked hopefully.

To Harry's amusement, the suit tilted its head as if thinking before raising a metal gloved finger in the universal sign of 'wait a moment'.

At this point Dumbledore decided to make a nuisance of himself again. "Harry my boy, might I enquire as to what the castle has delivered you?" He asked in his grandfatherly manner.

Harry sighed before he looked over to Professor McGonagall at the staff table. "Professor, he's being rude again!"

"I was quite polite!" Albus declared offended.

"Albus Dumbledore, why are you bothering Lord Slytherin again?" She demanded as she stormed over.

"I was merely enquiring as to what the suit of armour had given him." He explained calmly.

"He was far too familiar with me, called me 'Harry' and 'my boy'." Harry scowled. "Most unbecoming for the Chief Warlock if you ask me." He declared snobbishly.

There were times she thought Harry James Potter was a little too James-ish. But he wasn't wrong.

"Lord Slytherin is quite right, he has given you the option to call him 'Mister Potter' but you completely disrespect his station as a Lord and as a student. Furthermore, there are no laws or rules that allow us to inspect a student's belongings or mail without good cause. Do you have good cause, Albus?"

"Mister Potter is a well known celebrity, there is always a chance that he has been given something harmful, something booby trapped."

Harry started snickering. "He said 'booby'."

The other boys started snickering as the girls either rolled their eyes or scowled. Sometimes both.

Minerva just glared at Albus.

"If the castle is giving Lord Slytherin dangerous or harmful items then I think we have far bigger problems that would involve shutting down the school. Have you seen evidence that the school has begun hurting students?"

"Of course not! Hogwarts is perfectly safe-"

"Then bugger off!" Harry said exasperatedly.

"Language Mister Potter!" Minerva snapped.

At this point a second suit of armour arrived with the Sorting Hat.

"What is the meaning of this?" Albus demanded. "My office is private and locked!"

"Your office is part of the castle, you are granted access because the castle recognises you as the Headmaster. That can easily be changed." The Hat warned. "Harry, put me on please."

"I would feel much better if we could all hear what you have to say." Albus objected.

Harry glared at him. "Tough." He stated before he jammed the hat on his head. "Alright, why do I now hold the Philosopher's Stone in my hand?"

"The danger has passed and it poses too much temptation to keep it here in the school. Not that we approve of Albus' little trap. Far too reckless." The Hat said beneath the privacy charms.

"Ok, but why do I have it?"

"Because the castle cannot act outside of its own geographical area, it requires you to act on its behalf."

"So… what? Send it back to Nicholas Flamel?"

"I suppose." The Hat said airily. "Or you could keep it in your vaults at Gringotts or just destroy it. As long as it isn't here the castle will be happy."

"I definitely don't want another target on my back. I'll try and contact Flamel and see what he wants done. I also want to know why he agreed to this little farce."

Harry took the Hat off his head and shook out his hair.

He turned to address Professor McGonagall. "I'm going to need to visit Gringotts straight away, castle business."

"May I ask the nature of the business?" She asked with a frown.

"You may, in private, at the bank. I will need Madam Bones to be there as well."

"Perhaps I should accompany you as well." Albus offered, he really needed to get control of this situation. Whatever it might be.

"You aren't invited." Harry snapped. "Professor, we should leave now."

"I really must insist, if this is sch-" Albus quickly backed up when the nearest suit of armour took a menacing step towards him.

"MISTER POTTER! I insist you call off the armour!"

"Look, Dumbledore, you can't have it both ways. If I control the armour then I must be Lord Slytherin. But you keep saying I'm not, so that means I don't control the armour. Make up your mind but do it away from me!" Harry said angrily as he stomped off leaving his unfinished breakfast behind.

The Slytherin students had to smirk at the way Harry had put the Headmaster down. He had given him a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Potter currently held all the cards.


"Harry, why am I being dragged out of my office this morning?" Amelia asked wearily as she walked up to the young Lord Slytherin and Professor McGonagall outside Gringotts.

"Can't tell you until we get inside Gringotts and a private room." Harry shrugged as he lifted the brim of the hat up so he could see.

Amelia wanted to ask why, but she thought, after a moment's consideration that the answer was obvious, it was sensitive information.

The exact reason was revealed when they passed ten paces beyond the large entrance to hear a scuffle behind them. They turned to see Albus Dumbledore being held at spear point by a group of very irritated goblin guards. He had tried to sneak in invisibly and goblins really don't like that!

"Has Alastor Moody been by to visit you?" Amelia asked worriedly.

"Nope, why?" Harry asked with his perfected innocent smile.

"Because your paranoia seems like his fault."

"It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you!" Harry objected.

"You are far too young to have people 'out for you'!"

"Amelia! You do remember what happened on Halloween?" Minerva gasped.

"Right, of course." Amelia admitted with a sigh.

Harry just smirked and headed for the nearest goblin teller. "I need to speak to someone about claiming the Slytherin Vaults." He snapped in a very business-like fashion that bordered on rude.

Needless to say Minerva was about to reprimand Harry but Amelia laid a calming hand on her arm.

"You think you are the first human to come demanding such things? Do you know what we do to thieves?" The goblin snarled.

"No, but if you keep me from my vaults for any longer than necessary I'll find out when I have you branded a thief." Harry drawled.

That one brought the goblin up short. Normally the wizard would have started ranting about how they were superior and how goblins should be grateful for the honour of serving wizards.

None of them ever actually threw goblin threats straight back at them.

"I've got the Head of the DMLE and the Deputy Head of Hogwarts here. I'm sure they will be happy to testify about how I was accused without evidence." Harry continued. "Now either you do your job or you… well… I'll let you know when I figure it out, but I doubt it will be good for you!"

The goblin was about to make another comeback but Amelia stepped in. "Master goblin, Hogwarts herself has declared Harry James Potter the Heir of Slytherin. Surely that will be enough to see the vaults to check his claims."

The goblin would have rolled its eyes if it were human. If the wizards weren't insulting them and looking down on them they were being sickeningly polite. It was a trait often seen in first generation magicals who thought goblins might respond better to politeness.

"It's that or I'll put the Sword of Gryffindor through your throat and find another teller." Harry snarled.

"You would challenge me to a duel?!" The goblin asked in shock. "A duel with melee weapons?"

"Are you deaf? Look you stupid idiot, get a move on or-" Harry paused as he whipped the Hat off his head and plunged his hand into it withdrawing the gleaming silver sword.

Amelia gasped.

Minerva fainted.

The goblin gulped as it found the sword pressed at its throat.

"Yes or no, you gonna be more helpful?" Harry demanded.

"Y-Y-Yes!"

Harry leaned in menacingly. "Then why are you still here?"

The goblin squeaked before backing away carefully then turning tail and running.

"Harry James Potter! What the devil did you just do?" Amelia demanded as she tried to revive Minerva.

"I am not a fan of goblins." Harry stated dryly.

"And you felt the need to start a war with them? You do realise the penalty for drawing a weapon in Gringotts is death?"

"Actually, the penalty is for drawing a wand." The Hat corrected. "Drawing a sword is a whole different kettle of fish."

"By Merlin, the Sword of Gryffindor!" Minerva gasped in awe as she finally came too. "Where did you find it? It has been lost for centuries."

"That is a question I want answered as well." Came a high pitched voice. Harry turned to see a very well dressed goblin with guards surrounding him. "That sword is Goblin property and you will return it at once!"

"Like hell! I found it and I'll keep it, that or you will give me a replacement sword of equal value." Harry objected as he swung the sword back round to point at the new goblin.

Minerva's hand went to her wand as the spears the guards held were instantly lowered threateningly towards Harry, but Amelia quickly stayed her hand.

"I'm sure Lord Slytherin doesn't mean to offend-"

"Oh yes I do!" Harry interrupted Amelia. He was still sore over being betrayed by Griphook. The little bastard. "In fact, if you don't start showing some respect I'll challenge you directly to a duel. No seconds or champions, just you and me, to the death!"

"HARRY!" Minerva screeched.

Harry wasn't being entirely reckless. He had just taken the time to assess the goblins as warriors since their betrayal during his horcrux hunt. Even at eleven years old, he still towered over them, his arms and legs were much more suited to physical combat. He couldn't understand why Wizards got caught up in so many wars with them when they could pick them up by the scruffs of their necks and toss them in the sea.

Whilst this was going on, the tellers had ushered the other customers out of the bank and sealed the doors. The mighty thump of the doors closing caused Amelia and Minerva to jump.

"Oh Merlin, we are going to die." Minerva whimpered.

"Well goblin? Will you show me a little respect and honour or shall we throw down and duel?" Harry asked.

A slow smile crept onto the goblin's face. "I like you. Most human children are scared of us. They think of us as villains. The adults think of us as servants.

"But tell me child, do you honestly think you could defeat all of my guards to get to me?"

"Yeah, I do. But your question makes me doubt your honour. I thought goblins were all about honour. You wouldn't be very good bankers without it."

There was a loud groan from the Sorting Hat. "Harry, don't you pay any attention in A History of Magic?

"The reason for all the goblin wars is because they kept trying to cheat and steal wizard's money!"

"Then why do we keep giving it back?" Harry asked incredulously. He was not ashamed to admit that the only attention he paid in that class was to the back of his eyelids.

"Because goblins are formidable warriors, their battle magic's are too powerful for ours!" Amelia snapped. "Every time we draw up a peace treaty they demand to be in control of our gold!"

"You should listen to your females child." The goblin sneered. "Drop the sword and leave, we will take your gold as recompense and we will spare your lives."

Minerva and Amelia didn't like the sound of that. "Surely we can come to an agreement, Master Goblin." Minerva pleaded.

"Yeah." Harry nodded, his sword never wavering. "How about this, you give me everything that is in every one of my accounts and I won't chop off your head." He pushed the sword forward quickly and it dug into the goblin's throat causing his eyes to widen.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Why? Afraid to die? I thought you were a warrior." Harry taunted.

"My guards will cut you down."

"But you'll still be dead."

"You value your life so little human?"

"No, I just value yours far less." Harry smiled.

"What about the lives of your females?" He moved to snap his fingers but Harry jerked the sword.

"Ah! No, you move you die." Harry warned.

"Madam Bones and Professor McGonagall are about to be rescued by the armies of Hogwarts." The Hat spoke up.

"Hogwarts has no armies, it's a school!"

"You keep telling yourself that." Harry laughed. He was bluffing at this point. He didn't want to, but he would kill the goblins. He had no idea what the Hat meant by armies of Hogwarts though.

*BOOM*

"There they are now." The Hat said blandly.

*BOOM*

"I imagine it will only take them about twenty minutes to break down the doors."

*BOOM*

*RUFF RUFF RUFF* *AAARRRROOOOGGGG*

"Is that-"

"Fluffy and the troll."

"I'M A COMING HARRY!"

"And Hagrid, apparently."

"So the army of Hogwarts consists of a Cerberus, a troll and a half giant?" Harry asked.

"Not to mention the one hundred and fifty odd suits of armour." The Hat corrected. "And Albus Dumbledore… for all his faults he takes his role as Headmaster seriously."

"Thank Merlin." Minerva breathed.

"Well, what do you think? Gonna start behaving now?" Harry asked.

The goblin growled. "Fine! Put the sword away and we will discuss terms."

"You first. And send someone to open the doors or they will keep banging away!"

"Why should we move first?!"

"Because you still have the home advantage, my army is stuck outside, plus I am the only one on my side willing to kill you.

"And I have a sword at your throat." Harry twisted the blade a little just to put a little point on his argument.

"How about an Unbreakable Vow?" The Hat suggested.

The goblin grimaced. "We do not sully ourselves with human magic."

"A blood contract?"

"We could agree to that." The goblin said grudgingly.

"Then send one of your goblins to bring the required instruments and we will draw up a simple blood contract." The Hat ordered.

The goblin gave a slight jerk and another goblin ran off.

"What will the contract say?" Amelia enquired.

"Simple is best. That if either party attempts to act against the other in a detrimental way then they will forfeit their life." The Hat explained.

"He signs on behalf of the goblin nation." Harry demanded.

"And you sign on behalf of yours."

"I don't have a nation. So I can't."

"You claim to be Lord Slytherin, you can claim to sign on behalf of all your holdings."

"In that case we need to put in a clause about individuals acting without the knowledge or approval of the signatories." Amelia warned. "Some of Harry's vassals are the worst type." She said as she thought of all the people who swore allegiance to Lord No-Name.

"Deal!" Both Harry and the goblin agreed.


Outside the bank Severus Snape was having a very conflicted time. On the one hand he was infuriated that his slave bound body was forced to head to the bank in order to save its new master. On the other hand, he was actually enjoying using some of the most vicious spells he knew to try and break down the doors of the most loathed creatures on the planet just shy of the Dementors.

What made it worse was the proud and approving smile that Dumbledore had given him when his body had opened its mouth and told the aging man that they were there to rescue Potter. He had never wanted to die so badly before in his life.

"THA' DOORS ARE CRACKIN'!" Came the jubilant cry of Hagrid followed by an answering roar of simple enjoyment from the half-giant's pet troll.

Whilst Albus and Severus along with a contingent of Aurors cast all manner of blasting hexes and the like, the suits of armour had brought a battering ram with them. Somewhere deep in the bowels of the castle, the weapons of war still sat. How they got to the bank was still a mystery.

"JUS' A FEW MORE WHACKS!"

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

*BOOM*

*THUD*

There was a cloud of dust that gradually settled revealing that they hadn't so much as managed to smash the doors open as blast them off their hinges. There was a cheer of triumph from the Aurors, although truth be told, they hadn't been very effective as the doors were warded against magic.

Severus wanted to curse as his traitorous body didn't wait but sprang through the massive doorway. He might have actually succeeded in dying of shame had he seen the beaming smile on Dumbledore's face. The old man truly believed that Severus had grown beyond his petty grudge and had come to care for the son of his late rival.

"Stand down! Stand down!" Came the voice of Amelia Bones as she walked through the dust.

"Is 'Arry alright?" Hagrid asked.

"Lord Slytherin is perfectly alright. He has arranged a treaty with the goblins and he is taking care of some personal business. He should be back shortly."

"Thank Merlin." Albus sighed.

"Why did the goblins attack him?" Auror Shacklebot asked.

"They didn't, he attacked them." Amelia growled.

"Is he insane?" Another Auror asked incredulously.

Amelia was about to scold the Auror… but she couldn't really justify it considering Harry's actions.

"Alright, everything's sorted." Harry said as he walked out of the bank with a very pale and shaky Minerva McGonagall trailing behind him.

"My b- err… Mister Potter, what exactly happened here?" Dumbledore asked.

"Goblins tried to cheat me I negotiated an agreement. Fairly simple really." Harry shrugged.

"You negotiated with the goblins?" Shacklebot asked sceptically.

"Sure, once they saw my point they were quite eager to talk." Harry grinned.

"I need to get back to the castle." Minerva muttered. "I need a stiff drink."

"Well, I'm finished here. Let's get going then." Harry said as he clapped his hands.

"Harry, I'll be round tonight so you can tell me what you were going to." Amelia said.

"Sure, I'll be waiting." Harry nodded as he took Minerva by the elbow and led her back to the Leaky Cauldron and the floo.


"Uncle Fil, you in here?" Harry called as he entered the charms classroom.

Since the revelations about how close he and his mother had been to Professor Flitwick Harry had begun calling him 'Uncle Fil' in private. Filius had just laughed and hugged him, it still brought a tear to his eye.

"In here Harry." Came the reply from his quarters.

"Hi, I need some help." Harry said as he plopped onto the edge of the bed.

"I believe the long term ward at St. Mungo's might be able to help." Filius said dryly.

Harry winced. "Heard about Gringotts, huh?"

"I can't believe you actually challenged the king… and to not only come away without a scratch but with all your money and a treaty? It beggars belief Harry."

"I also found the Sword of Gryffindor?" Harry offered appeasingly.

"What do you need help with, Harry?" Filius decided to change the subject.

"Right, did you know some of the girls are in marriage contracts?"

"Yes, it's a custom used by purebloods to ensure their inbred-ness." He said dryly.

Harry just smiled widely at his uncle's joke. "But did you know most of the girls don't want to be in those contracts?"

"Of course. We've all seen the change in Miss Parkinson."

"I need your help to communicate with the Death Eater fathers and force them to cancel the contracts and prevent them making new ones."

Filius had a very serious look on his face. "Harry, as noble as that is, the only way around that is for you to take the contracts for yourself."

"Couldn't I buy the girls or adopt them into my family so I control who they can marry?"

"You'd have to spend a whole lot of money and I doubt there is much in the Slytherin vaults."

"Well… I can easily make money." Harry said hesitantly. "I did just acquire the Philosophers Stone after all."

"Ah! So that is why you decided to turn the Goblin and Wizarding worlds on their head this morning." Filius smiled. "Do the goblins know you have the stone?"

"No, and they won't." Harry said adamantly. "I don't keep any of my stuff at Gringotts anymore."

"What about all your money, your family's belongings are in one of the vaults there."

"Not anymore. I took it out of the vault this morning. It's sitting in the room where the Stone was being kept and guarded by some armour. I'm not letting those cheats get the better of me!"

"Do you know how to use the Philosophers Stone to make gold?"

"Not a clue!" Harry grinned. "But I figure Flamel owes me for putting my school in danger."

"I'll draft a letter." Filius sighed.