July 24th, 1991; 7:01am, No. 4 Privet Drive

The mail slot on the door clinked as the mailman went about his daily round of the neighborhood. Everything seemed normal. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and Harry was in massive amounts of pain as he went about cooking breakfast in silence. For some reason, it didn't feel normal. At least not to Harry.

His sleep had been plagued by more than the usual amount of nightmares. One in particular set him on edge just thinking of it. Face blank, he served out the food, keeping none for himself, and made his way into the hallway to collect the letters from the slot. Alone, he allowed a sigh to escape.

In the dream he had been encased in shadows, walking through a world made of them. Shapes of people sometimes outlined against the inky blackness. He had been alone, but not felt alone. As if there was someone following him. It had been... oddly comforting. That was until a faint light appeared in the distance. It had grown bright to the point of blinding Harry, and driving away the shadows, the presence along with it. Alone, he had squinted into the light. Two twinkling blue eyes meeting his from the center of the brightness. At the appearance of those eyes, Harry had been gripped with a terror and loathing so powerful it had jolted him from a sound sleep.

It still troubled him even hours later. It had not felt like a dream at all. While he was in it, he had felt as awake as he was now. It also didn't make sense. Had he not lost the embrace of darkness years ago? He found it relaxing to play with the shadows, but still. And that presence... it was unfamiliar to him. He had dreamed of his parents before, and even in dreams he could tell when it was them. This one had been different. A loud voice shocked him from his musings.

"Freak! What's taking you so long with the mail?"

Shuddering, he grimaced and spoke up. "There's more to manage than usual, sir."

"Well hurry it up, you ungrateful lout!"

Suppressing another sigh he glanced at the stack of envelopes in his hands. He froze mid step as his sight landed on the topmost bill. It was made of heavy parchment paper, and had his name on it. Snapping his attention to his surroundings, he swiftly deposited the envelope into one of his pockets. Drawing in a deep breath, he schooled his face into the familiar blank mask and entered the kitchen.

He had waited nearly two years for this letter to come. A couple more hours would not kill him. He went about his chores as normal. The Dursleys never suspected a thing. On the inside however, he was a roiling mass of nerves and impatience. The key to his freedom was literally in his grasp, yet he was unable to use it. Not yet at least.

3:42pm

At long last he was alone. Harry sat in a tree in his corner of the park. It was still light out, but not many people were out due to the heat. The Dursleys had kicked him out of the house once again, this time because Dudley had fallen ill and they assumed he had something to do with it. He had, but they didn't know that. At lunch he had slipped some leaves into the stew. He didn't know what they were called, but the snakes had told him in their own way that it made large animals sick.

It had achieved the desired affect. He was pleased with himself. Thoughts of the beating he would surely receive upon his return to the house could not dampen his mood. They were a daily occurrence that he could grin and bear now, with this new gem he possessed. The letter sat open, pinned to the branch with his thigh. Contained within it was all the information that black snake had told him about in regards to his admittance into the wizard school.

Poisoning the Dursleys would be a delightful bonus to his plans. Getting them to take him to London would be easy. If Dudley got much worse they would take him to the hospital, and they would never leave Harry alone in the house if they could help it. He could slip away and purchase his school things, in addition to completing a few other select tasks.

A fleeting grin touched his lips before his expression returned to its normal blankness. Carefully, he folded the letter up and tucked it away. He needed to get back to the house just in case. If the pig wasn't sick enough yet to be taken to the hospital, Harry would slip the leaves into all of their food at dinner. The snakes had warned him that they had seen animals gorged on the leaves die after a certain amount. The thought actually cheered him up and bolstered his steps as he jumped from the tree and wandered towards Privet Drive.

Just in time too. The Dursleys were all bundled up despite the humidity and making a beeline for the car. The two males looked green, while Petunia was paler than usual. He received glares and muttered death threats at his sudden return, but was waved into the car. Obviously they had all gotten around to sampling the stew. Harry remained stoic despite the snicker wanting to escape his tightly clenched lips.

During the two hour commute to the city they were forced to stop five times. Once for Petunia, and twice each for Dudley and Vernon. Through it all Harry forcefully managed to retain his solemn demeanor. As the cityscape came into view, he began mentally reviewing his plans.

After this little stunt he had no illusions that they wouldn't make good on those initial death threats. He would not be able to go back to that house. Despite the time that had passed he still remembered everything he had learned from the snake. Once he reached London and escaped, he was to go to Charing Cross Road and look for a place called the Leakey Cauldron.

From there he would have to keep his head down and go straight through to the back. Third brick up and two across, all he had to do was press on it with his hand and hopefully it would open. After that, he would have to go to Gringotts. The serpent had never said what exactly Gringotts was, simply commenting that he would know it on sight and that once there he should ask to speak with someone in a secure room.

Simple enough. Harry actually had a good idea of where Charing Cross Road was. If he was correct, it wasn't all that far from the hospital the Dursleys always went to. As the car carried them down the familiar rout Harry kept his eyes on the street signs. He silently counted down the minutes until they arrived at their destination. A sign post drew his gaze as they stopped at an intersection. Charing Cross Road.

Once they came to a stop in the patient parking lot he found himself ordered to stay in the car. The second they disappeared within the building he threw the door open and bolted. It was the first order he could ever remember so blatantly disobeying. It felt... indescribable. His expression remained the same despite the odd feeling in his guts. He felt... happy? Was this how the school teacher back in elementary school had described it? He could not remember, but he knew the feeling was a good thing due simply to the fact that he had never felt it before.

Backtracking, he had found his way easily. In what seemed to be no time at all he found himself in Diagon Alley. The pub had been amazing in and of itself, but the strange sights of the Alley left him in awe. Hearing the black snake talk about it had been one thing, but this was quite another. He wandered down the street, dodging the odd people who crossed his path. Half way down the alley, he paused to stare up at an imposing, white marble building. Gringotts Wizard Bank was clearly stamped in gold lettering across the entrance. 'Know it when you see it' indeed.

Harry received a shock when he saw the guards standing at the door. He had been warned that the bankers were not human, but he hadn't been expecting goblins. Intimidating though it was, he squared his shoulders and marched in. This was nothing compared to Hell.

So late in the evening, there weren't many customers and several windows held no line. He only hesitated once he reached the desk. This was where his plans got sketchy. The snake had told him to ask for one goblin specifically, but the name had gotten lost in translation. There were just some words that could not be fully understood via hissing. The best they had been able to communicate between them had been a snake-riddle containing clues.

"Excuse me, Sir?" The goblin looked up from counting out a stack of silver coins. It looked displeased at being disturbed, but smiled coolly in an effort to cover the initial scowl.

"May I help you?"

"Er, yes. You see, I need to speak with someone privately. Only I'm not entirely certain of this person's name...."

The scowl came back full force. The goblin leaned over the desk and frowned down at the child. Harry knew that he didn't look like much, but he returned the look without flinching. They stared each other down for several moments. Finally the goblin looked down and nodded slowly. He snapped to attention, calling out to another goblin as it exited one of the dozens of tunnels branching from the main lobby.

"Griphook! Take this boy to a secure room. Assist him with anything he requires."

Harry followed the new goblin out of the lobby and down one of the hallways. It was carved out of the same pristine white marble as the outside of the building, as well as the lobby. Several doors and other tunnels branched off, but Griphook kept a steady pace down the main junction. Five minutes later they halted in front of an unmarked wooden door. It opened automatically as Griphook stepped forward, revealing a simple, yet tastefully decorated meeting room. The one window in the room looked out over the roof tops of Diagon Alley, even though Harry was certain they had been going downwards to get to this room.

Seeing the direction of Harry's admittedly surprised stare, Griphook shot him a toothy grin as he sat took a seat in one of the chairs.

"You must be new to the wizarding world, Sir." He motioned to the chair beside his and snapped his fingers. Immediately a folder appeared on the table in front of him. It caused Harry to jump, but otherwise remain unaffected as he took the offered seat.

"Now Sir, what business brings you to Gringotts?"

He blushed and squirmed under the expectant look. He actually felt bad for possibly wasting their time. He normally didn't hold any emotion or regard for humans. They tended to just ignore him, or treat him cruelly. But Griphook wasn't a human, and his full attention was on Harry. So far the goblins had been nothing but polite.

"Well, you see, I was instructed by a friend of mine to come here.... He, er, he told me to ask to use a secure room, and to ask for someone by name. Only, we don't quite speak the same language, so the actual name didn't translate...."

He ducked his head under the scrutinizing look his confession provoked. The goblin cleared his throat and chuckled lightly, causing Harry to look up.

"Young one, what is your name? Perhaps that may clear up some of the confusion."

"Harry Potter."

Griphook's eyes widened slightly. "Ah.... Do you have any clues as to the name of the person you must speak with?"

Harry cursed mentally. He had been hoping to avoid that particular question. He had been able to understand the riddle, but not solve all of it. If 'Griphook' were an indicator of how goblin names ran, it could mean any number of things. He didn't have much of a choice though.

"Well, it's rather confusing. Something about a leader of something. The closest word I could understand to it was 'kin'. And something about 'life essence' and 'knives'. That's the only part of it I've been able to figure out. It translated as a riddle.... Head of kin, leader of none; knives that rend flesh and drink of the essence of life; through the white death in the midst of predators.... Oh, erm, 'white death' means winter."

He observed Griphook as the goblin looked deep in thought. He really hoped it was enough. Apparently luck was with him, as a look of recognition crossed over the banker's face. His eyes were sharp as he smirked at the boy and finally commented, "Wait here a moment. I believe I know who you are looking for."

Several tense minutes passed for Harry as we waited for the goblin's return. His eyes were distant as they locked on some far-off point outside the window. This all seemed so surreal now that he had a moment alone to think. Mere hours ago he had been awaiting his next beating from Vernon. Now he was sitting in a wizard bank run by goblins. Since he had met the serpent that small glimmer of hope had rekindled. He had wanted to believe. But he never expected for any of it to be true.

Some things the snake had spoken of resonated within him so deeply that there was no way he could dismiss it. But others, such as this entire new world, he had been skeptical of. A part of him had still held dark thoughts that perhaps the snake's words, and even the letter, had been a prank. Now though, he knew without a doubt that it was all true. It solidified his resolve.

Of all his lessons, survival had been the one to stick with him firmly. Harry knew that this wizarding world held dangers to him, possibly far more than even the Dursleys. Anything would be better than that Hell. Surviving had been as much a daily chore there as the housework. At least taking his destiny head on would give him more freedom. More of a chance at defending himself. The Dursleys had never given him a chance to fight back.

Haunted green eyes flickered to the door as it opened and admitted Griphook and a new goblin. He showed no emotion even as he recognized that this new goblin could easily snap him in half if he wanted to. He was two feet taller than both Harry and Griphook, and sported rippling muscles on his torso. It was obvious that he was not one of the bank attendants. Either that or he was in a position to not have to worry about appearances.

His upper body was bare, save a leather belt crossing one shoulder across his chest. It was decorated with gems and polished bone. He wore tan breeches that sported tell-tale rust colored blood stains. Harry should know, he had washed enough of his own blood out of the carpet at Privet Drive. On one hip he openly displayed a jewel encrusted sheath with a worn knife hilt poking out. His feet were bare, showing off sharp talons.

Also unlike the other goblins he had seen, this one sported a full head of bristly black hair, tied back in braids to keep it from falling into his eyes. As he turned to dismiss Griphook, the boy caught sight of a pointed ear, slightly bent at the tip under the weight of several gold earrings. The snakes at Little Whinging would have called him an 'eater', or predator. One who was highly dangerous and should be avoided.

Griphook bowed low to the other goblin and gave Harry a brief nod before he left. The remaining goblin turned his attention to the young wizard. Unlike the staring contest with the goblin in the lobby, their exchange was more assessing than challenging. Harry dropped his gaze first. His reaction, or lack thereof, seemed to amuse the other being.

"If only all wizards reacted to my kind as you do, Mister Potter." His voice was deep and scratchy, reminiscent of a bear. He let out a rumble as he took a seat, further emulating the mental image.

"I am Bloodclaw, Head of ClanFear. I am the one to whom you were referred. Tell me, how did you come by a riddle such as the one you posed to Griphook? And the truth, please. I do not appreciate being deceived."

Harry glanced around the room and frowned. "This place is one hundred percent secure?"

"Yes. I am also forbidden to speak to anyone of this meeting. I will swear a blood oath if need be."

The boy tilted his head to the side, frowning. It was the most emotion he had shown since Griphook left. He didn't feel safe talking about his abilities to just anyone. He needed more than simple words. He posed his question carefully while eying the goblin.

"What does a blood oath entail?"

Bloodclaw nodded in approval before answering. A blood oath, he explained, was a magically binding contract written in the blood of the parties involved. It used a special type of quill which drew a small amount of blood from the person holding it, using it as ink as the contract was drawn up and signed. According to Bloodclaw, magic resided in a persons blood. To break a blood oath was to sever ones magic, which would kill or cripple the one breaking the oath, depending on their species and the strength of the person's magic.

It sounded reasonable to Harry. At his request, Bloodclaw summoned a blank sheet of parchment and a quill the color of blood. It was the goblin who wrote the contract, stating that as the only one who could reasonably break it, it should be mostly his own blood used. He allowed Harry to read it over before they both signed. A feeling like charged electricity traveled down his arm to the quill as he wrote the last letter of his name.

He felt better with it officially in writing, but it took him a few moments before he could find his voice. Bloodclaw, to his credit, waited patiently.

"I can talk to snakes."

That caught the goblin's interest. He sat up even straighter than before and looked serious. "You are a parselmouth?"

"I don't know what that is. But if it means talking to snakes then yes. A snake came to me one night and told me to come here and speak with you. I don't know how or why it knew such things."

"Parseltongue is the language of serpents, young Potter. Wizards with the ability are called Parselmouths. It is extremely rare. I believe I know why you are here."

He reached across the table and picked up the folder Griphook had summoned. It looked empty to Harry, but it obviously held something from the way Bloodclaw was staring at the inside covers. With everything he had witnessed since stepping into the Leakey Cauldron, he surmised that appearances were deceiving when it came to magic. Bloodclaw let out ponderous rumble and sat the folder back down.

Turning his eyes on Harry, he rumbled again, and the boy realized the sound must be a type of laughter. Black eyes glittered at him with amusement. The open folder was pushed across the table so he could see. It looked like a number chart, and some of the figures were quite large. Ignoring the numbers, he focused on writing at the bottom of the parchment. It didn't make much sense to him, what could be amusing about what the words contained.

Harry didn't understand all of it, but he understood enough.

'Harry James Potter, born July 31, 1980, Location Unknown

James Potter, Deceased

Lily Evans, Deceased

Magical Guardian(s): Sirius Orion Black, Incarcerated* and Remus John Lupin, Ineligible*

Secondary Magical Guardian(s): Alice and Frank Longbottom, Terminal

Note: If no Magical Guardian is available, it is the order of Lily Evans and James Potter that their son, Harry James Potter is to under no circumstances go to Muggle Petunia Evans Dursley. Head Goblin Bloodclaw is in agreement to, upon unfortunate circumstance, contact select Muggle foster care homes for placement of one Harry James Potter should guardian death or incompetence occur before minor's coming of age.

Signed,

Ragnok

Head Goblin

Will Contested as of November 13, 1981.

Terms– Contested by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Council proceedings withheld. Ultimate ruling by Goblin Law 85, Section 29, Subsection 187, Paragraph C-9. Inheritance withheld until minor is of a knowledgeable age to collect. All vaults sealed until further notice. Trust Vault to be unsealed upon Harry James Potter's eleventh year.

All physical properties to be withheld. All deeds and items collected and sealed in Potter Ancestral Tomb. Addendum; British Ministry of Magic's attempt to seize all physical properties of the Potter and Evans line failed. Renegotiation of Goblin Rights to occur immediately. All deeds and items to be moved and sealed under Orc ClanFear Mines. Deed Status – 2 Deeds claimed as of December 20, 1907**. Total Deeds: 5. Item Status – One Item Missing. Total Items: 206. Books and Scrolls not cataloged. The Cloak of Invisibility to be Recalled upon request.

All monetary assets to be withheld. All vaults sealed. Trust Vault to be reinstated as of July 31, 1991. Key Status – One Key Missing. Total keys: 6. Trust Vault key to be deactivated and/or Recalled upon request.

All Titles to be withheld. All Family Rings to be sealed with physical properties. Ring Status – Two Rings Missing. Total Rings: 4. Wallach Family Ring and Gryffindor Family Ring to be Recalled upon request.

*Sirius Orion Black was charged with the alleged murder of one Peter Pettigrew. Mister Black was sentenced to life in Azkaban prison. Investigation under Goblin Law yielded that no evidence was collected by the wizards in connection with the alleged murder. Full investigation pending Goblin Rights renegotiation.

Remus John Lupin is ineligible due to his Werewolf status. Newly instated Anti-Werewolf legislation bars Mr. Lupin from claiming magical guardianship over any child not of his own blood.

**Potter Mansion Deed claimed by Wizard Jonathan Harker, April 18, 1849. Potter Mansion Deed willed to Muggle Abraham Van Hellsing, May 1, 1860. Current Deed Holder: Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Muggle.

Windy Mire Deed claimed by Wizard Bernard Marrick Evans, December 19, 1907. Windy Mire Deed willed to Heir, January 4, 1971. Current Deed Holder: Harry James Potter, Wizard.

Withholding Contract Signed and Witnessed,

Ragnok

Bloodclaw

Snarltooth

Ridgeback

Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge

Albus Dumbledore

Minerva McGonagall

Alfredius Noris'

Harry glanced up when he was done reading the page fully. The Head Goblin still looked amused. There was nothing to laugh about on that page, and the other's seeming enjoyment irritated the boy. Seeing this, the goblin spoke up. He looked solemn as he intoned firmly,

"Mister Harry James Potter. I, Bloodclaw, Chieftain of ClanFear and Executor of the Potter Will, do here-by release all family inheritance to the rightful Heir. Under Goblin Law, and enforced unto Wizardom, you are of a knowledgeable age to collect. All Family Vaults, Properties, Titles, and Records are here-by released into your care."

Looking back at the page, Harry eyed the wording of the withholding contract. A grin crept onto his lips, mirrored by Bloodclaw. The sheer cleverness of it immediately increased his respect for the goblins. He bowed his head in acknowledgment and thanked the Head Goblin.

Once again, his actions seemed a source of surprise. He didn't know why. It was just his way. All he knew of etiquette had come from observing the residents of suburbia and the snakes. He liked the snake way better as it didn't involve skin to skin contact. The snakes, on the rare occasion they should happen across each others paths, bowed to each other if they meant no harm or acknowledged that the other was an equal, and therefor not food. Foolish humans often interpreted it as an aggressive stance in the serpents.

Bloodclaw bowed in turn before folding his hands on the table and clearing his throat. A new folder popped into existence under his palms. This one was green, unlike the first which had been manila. He opened it up and pulled out a small stack of papers.

"Mister Potter, there are a few things which must be gone over with you before you can access your inheritance. A couple questions also need to be answered in order to update our files here at Gringotts. First of all, where have you been living for the past ten years?"

"I was left on the doorstep of Petunia Dursley. I've been staying with them until recently."

A quill was extracted from the folder and the goblin scribbled something on one of the forms. He looked displeased as he paused and read from another of the papers. He growled and muttered in another language, adding another note.

"Did they harm you physically in any way?" He asked, still writing. Pausing, he glanced up when no answer was forthcoming.

"Mister Potter, the answer is highly important. None of this information will be communicated in any way, shape, or form to anyone, and you need not go into detail. However, actions can be taken against them depending on your answer."

"Yes, they did." The assurance that he would not have to divulge how far the abuse went set him at ease. With a sharp jerk of his chin to show he had heard, Bloodclaw sat the quill down while eying the sheet of paper.

"Were you aware that your mother also suffered at the hands of Mister and Misses Vernon Dursley?"

Slowly, the boy shook his head. He had not known. The Dursleys had never said anything about his mother, other than when in reference to her 'freakishness'. The thought that he was not the only one harmed by them made his heart ache. He never knew his parents, but from his dreams and faint memories he remembered that his mother had cared for him greatly. That the Dursleys had hurt her as well....

"I apologize for my bluntness, Mister Potter." He cleared his throat and continued, "Your mother's parents died when she was twelve. There was a nine year age gap between your mother and aunt, and when Mr. And Mrs. Evans died, custody defaulted to Petunia and her spouse. I am restricted by contract in regards to the information I can divulge to you, but I can tell you that if you wish it, the Goblins can enforce certain measures to ensure they receive due punishment."

"Please do." There was no hesitation needed. Had Harry stayed with them, eventually he would have been killed. He had been planning on poisoning them all himself if he were forced to go back. Better to keep his own hands clean of the mess and let the goblins take care of it now that it appeared he was free of them.

"It will be done. Now that the unpleasantness is taken care of, on to the matter of your inheritance. As you read, there are now six vaults under your name. Collectively they hold nine hundred million galleons, seventy-five thousand sickles, and one-hundred and ninety-three thousand knuts. I'll explain our money system later. Currently all non-monetary items are being held in the ClanFear Ancestral Tomb. They will be moved to a new vault here at Gringotts within the hour.

Legally you now own five properties located in England and neighboring countries. Although one of the properties was Willed to someone outside the Potter or Evans bloodlines, the terms of the original agreement still hold. You may repossess or co-habituate that property at your leisure. Although it is currently populated by muggles. A list of all properties and locations will be provided to you before you leave.

You are also granted four Titles. These Titles are more symbolic than anything now days, but may still grant you certain... privileges within the wizarding community. They are marks of status. As is customary, I shall explain each Title based on which side of the family it comes from, and based on which are most influential in recent times.

Before I go on, do you have any questions?"

Harry's mind reeled at taking in so much information at once. Never in a million years would he expect that he could be rich. Or that he actually owned property. Maybe he wouldn't have to go homeless after all. That thought made him remember his goals. He snapped himself back into focus. There were things that he could think about later. Right now he needed all the information he could get his hands on.

"That key that's missing. Do you know who would have it?"

"We have ideas. If you give the order it can be summoned to Gringotts, and the tracking charms traced to see where it has been. It will take several days."

Harry agreed readily. If someone had a vault key he wanted to know who and why. It was quite obvious to him that someone had deliberately sabotaged his parents' will. The name of the person who had contested it was familiar. On the Hogwarts letter, hadn't it been the Headmaster? Later, he told himself mentally.

Everything was moving too fast. He had been the one to set it all in motion though, and he knew it. Had the black serpent not warned him about meddling with these things? He had anyway, despite the warnings. Ever since most of the bindings wore off on his fifth birthday he had dreamed of taking back the control robbed from him by some faceless person with twinkling blue eyes. Now that he knew of his ties to the wizarding world, and of the contents of the will, he couldn't just drop it. He had made his decision the moment he decided to follow the snake's instructions.

"Tell me about the Titles, please."

"I shall start with your father's side. The first Title is Heir to Gryffindor. Godric Gryffindor was one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Through your father's blood, you are one of three heirs to the Gryffindor bloodlines. It is a very prestigious and acceptable name to bear. The last Title from your father: Lord Potter. As the last remaining heir of the main bloodline, you are Head of the family. This is the reason you have access to Potter Mansion despite not being the deed holder. It is a house which was built by your ancestors; it contains many of your family's secrets. Jonathan Harker and Abraham Van Hellsing signed a contract agreeing to the Potter's continued lordship over the home. Harker was a direct heir through Cicilia Potter. The Potters have traditionally held close ties with the muggle Royal Family. To my knowledge, the Queen still acknowledges the Potters as a part of her court.

Next, from your mother's side; Master of the Mire. This one is rather unique, and a bit of a sore spot for most wizards now days. Have you heard of the Four Founders of Hogwarts yet?"

"No Sir. I only just received the letter for Hogwarts today."

Bloodclaw waved it off. "No matter. You can learn about them in depth at school. In regards to the Title, I recommend that you not use it openly. Not many remember what it signifies, however the few who do hold ill will to those who bear it. Especially if you go to Hogwarts. Salazar Slytherin was one of the four who founded the school, along with Godric Gryffindor. He is most famous for his persecution of muggles and muggle-borns. Your mother's father was a direct descendant. Master of the Mire was once Slytherin's Title. As with the Potter family Title, it means that you are the last of the direct decedents.

And last, Chieftain of Wallach. The Wallach were a clan of nomadic gypsies in eastern and central Europe. They were muggles for the most part, but some wizards intermarried. I do not possess much knowledge of them, beyond rumor and myth...."

He hesitated and shot the boy a questioning look. Harry nodded for him to go on. He was curious about his ancestry.

"It is said that despite being muggles, the Wallach knew of magical beasts, and were known to travel with werewolves and vampires. Some tales even go so far as to say the Wallach were making deals with the creatures in exchange for magical powers. It is impossible for this to be true of any dealings they might have had with the werewolves, however vampires can, given sufficient age and power increase, transfer blood into a human without killing them or turning them undead.

That is all I know on the subject of those stories. Regrettably I only learned what I felt was pertinent to the Titles. To that end; the clan bloodlines still flourish in certain areas, even after several decades of war and famine. They were forced to settle during the first World War. Your grandmother was the last Chieftain they ever had. During World War Two she was placed in a concentration camp in Poland, where she was later rescued and brought to England by muggle troops. She never named a successor within the clan. The Title is passed down by both blood and choice. If the Chieftain does not name someone, then it passes to the next of kin.

I can also have the Wallach and Gryffindor rings Recalled, but such as with the key, it will take some time. Their last known location was at Godric's Hollow the night of your parents' deaths. The same also goes for the Cloak of Invisibility."

"Thank you. Er, I don't mean to be rude, but what else needs to be done before I leave? I've had a long day and it's a lot to take in."

The Head Goblin rumbled in amusement. "But of course. Forgive me for rambling. The only other matter that needs seen to is the issue of your guardian. Normally the choice would fall to the Ministry, however seeing as how you have claimed your inheritance, you may choose for yourself. Your Titles grant you the right."

Harry signed and gazed down at the file still open in front of him. He should have expected that no governing body would knowingly let an eleven year old live on their own. But he didn't know anyone, and the last thing he needed after the Dursleys was yet another adult with control over him. His eyes trailed over the paper before unwittingly settling on one specific line. It took him a moment to register what the words said. An idea slowly bloomed.

Face blank despite the smirk wanting to shine through, Harry looked up at Bloodclaw. The next question was asked carefully, despite his swift thinking.

"What duties... would my chosen guardian be required to perform, by law, concerning my wellbeing?"

"They would be required," Bloodclaw rumbled, "by law... to provide you reasonable shelter, clothing, and food. Additionally they must provide health care whenever needed. Schooling is already seen to, thanks to Hogwarts. That is all."

That was exactly what Harry wanted to hear. His gaze darted back down to the paper, chewing the inside of his cheek in thought. Depending on what type of person this Sir Integra was, he may not have to worry about anyone getting in his way. All he wanted was to be left alone for the rest of the summer. He needed to heal physically, and do research on the wizarding world so he knew what to expect at the school. The serpent had hinted at the fact that something or someone at the school might cause him problems.

Finally, he spoke up. "I would like to approach Sir Integra Hellsing about being my guardian." There was a moment of silence before Bloodclaw snickered. Harry would have been offended had the goblin not immediately bowed his head and apologized.

"I'm sorry Mister Potter. It is simply amusing how much you think like one of us. We rarely see it in adult wizards, let alone a child. Had you not requested it, I would have suggested Sir Hellsing myself. A representative will be sent first thing tomorrow morning, and a list of terms drawn up. It will be quite a challenge getting her to agree. The situation is a delicate one, as while the Hellsing family are muggles, they are fully aware of the magical world. The Hellsing family runs a secret organization in cooperation with both the muggle Queen and the Ministry of Magic. The organization hunts down creatures in England who prey on humans, mainly vampires."

Wider than usual eyes were the only show of astonishment at that. Really, with all he had learned, and even his ability to manipulate shadows, he couldn't help it. Every bit of new information he heard sounded more and more outlandish. He blinked as the quill Bloodclaw was holding suddenly started writing under its own power. Shaking himself from his stupor, and at the goblin's prompting, he outlined the terms for his stay at Hellsing.

For the most part all he really needed was a room to himself, access to the general areas of the manor, and someone to drive him so he could buy his own food and clothing. From what Bloodclaw said, the family was well established in that house and he didn't want to make a nuisance of himself. The goblin counseled him to keep loopholes for himself though. Rather than unwittingly restrict his own rights and access in a house the rightfully belonged to him, he worded it to be more open. It took some time, and many corrections, before it was to both their liking. Harry looked it over before signing awkwardly. Bloodclaw insisting he use his Titles.

Relief swept through Harry when the goblin informed him that they had done all they could for now. It had been a very trying day and all he wanted to do was sleep. Bloodclaw summoned a small leather pouch and handed it to him before escorting him to the lobby. On the way he explained that it was a First Class Anti-Thief money purse. All he needed to do was specify how much wizard money he needed and it would be there. It would shrink to impossible size if anyone but he tried to use it.

Bloodclaw instructed him to stay at the Leakey Cauldron for the night and wait there for Griphook to collect him when word came about the letter. Before leaving, he received a warning to keep his head down while at the pub, or if he went out into Diagon Alley. The words echoed what the snake had already told him, but nodded his agreement anyway.

It was dark out and most of the shops were closed as he wandered back to the pub. He barely noticed the blessed lack of people, distracted as he desperately attempted to make sense of everything that had just happened. More than likely it would take him a couple days to sort through it all and make sense of it. Just like all the other information he had learned in the past. He was intelligent, but his relatives' conditioning was hard to break. They had always beaten him whenever he did better than Dudley in school, or if a teacher commented on his fast learning ability while in conference.

Normally it was easy for him to retain information, especially if he learned it by listening. He could hear entire passages of text read, and remember every word of it. His brain just needed time to translate it into a context he could understand before he could put it to practical use. Yet another reason he preferred snakes to humans. The only thing they could do was speak and use body posture, both things he was best at interpreting.

It bothered him, as much as it overjoyed, that he was leaving the familiar behind. Abusive and cowardly though they were, the Dursleys had at least offered him stability. He knew how to predict them, and how they would react to any situation on any given day. But this.... He was just as blind here as he had been that first time he was forced out into the light. Anything could happen to him, and allies were hard to spot from enemies. It troubled him, and made his eyes ache at the remembered pain. It was not a good feeling.

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Note: Thank you all for the reviews! Yes, even the one person who swore at me ^.^ It at leasts let me know there's some interest in it while at the same time reminding me that it still needs work.