A/N: So I was reading about the monetary change between galleons to pounds and it's pretty weird. I'm guessing, and this is personal and based on gold price at the time (which was about $405) that a galleon is about the size of a liberty double eagle and made up of about 33.44 grams of 99.65 percent pure gold. Thus making the coin worth about $391.84 and confusing me. How the hell do you convert a gold cointo 7 USD? Or FIVE POUNDS?! WTFH? Anyway, I might just be over thinking this. But I'm being rational. But I think it's also backed by the movies. I mean really, the conversion rate and the Weasley vault… ARGH. I know, rant. But seriously! Five pounds for a gold coin? At the market rate for pounds, (in the 1990s it was .5632 pounds to 1.00 USD) it made that one gold coin I referenced earlier worth 695.74 pounds! IT'S MIND BOGGLING! The sheer tonnage needed to fu—okay calming down, maybe the Wizarding world doesn't appreciate the sheer value or the coins are plated. I don't know, it's just… Freakin' ridiculous.
A/N 2: My apologies for the rant. This chapter got almost completed then the doc disappeared. Depressing, I know, anyway, I'll leave the currency alone for now, but… ARGH aggravating, so so aggravating!
Disclaimer: I don't own this at all. Thank you for not suing me.
A Rational Child
Chapter 2: Money and Nonsense
Well, Harry thought as he stared at the professor, that little bit of info clinched it.
"There may be one, however… You did not receive any other letters of acceptance, correct?" Severus said after the brief silence and Harry shook his head no before sighing.
"Alright then," Harry said calmly. "I guess we'll move onto other topics. Will that be acceptable?" The professor nodded.
"What else do you need then Mr. Potter? What questions can I answer for you?" Severus asked mildly, as he hid his anger behind his Occlumency shields. He still couldn't wrap his mind around what Potter had believed had happened to his parents for the past ten years. It was preposterous! But then, he should have expected it, Petunia Evens had never been the kindest of people, instead she was a jealous horsey woman who never lived up to her own expectations let alone what she thought her sister was or her parents thought she and dear Lily should have been. Pretentious shrew, Severus thought angrily before focusing back on Harry who had pulled out a small, leather bound notebook and held a pen at the ready on it.
"I have a list," Harry said calmly. "May we begin with the government and its interactions with the non-magical side of things? Furthermore, who is in charge and just how exactly do your government officials get chosen or elected? What kind of monetary sytem do you have and what is your currency and exchange rate?"
"We have a Ministry with a Minster who is elected every eight years, and serve as many terms as he or she wants or until their death. There are two major bodies, one is the House of Lords and the other is Wizengamot. Wizengamot doubles as our judiciary system and acts similarly to the British Muggle Parliament. Our monetary system is based on Goblin gold, and has three basic coins; the galleon, the sickle, and the knut. Currently the exchange rate exchange rate is five pounds to a galleon which is surprisingly low. However, the average housing costs are around one hundred and seventy-five galleons for a middle class family of four. The non-magical government and the magical government skirt around one another, neither actually interact with one another, but they both do a lot of cover up. It's quite irksome."
"That's probably around four hundred pounds cheaper then." Harry said with a serious nod. "Is it the same with investments?" He asked, "Is there possibly a higher rate of return in the non-magical world's stock exchange and investments than in the magical world?"
"I do not believe we have such a thing." Severus admitted honestly. "To my knowledge money matters are handled by the goblins who are our banking system or are already part of a large estate. If not that the government has control over the largest hospitals, the main newspaper, and other public works. Nothing is privatized in the manner Muggles, or non-magicals, do it. If you were going to invest you would probably have the most success with specialized professions like Potion Masters, Spell Creators, and Charm Masters, or in a completely new venture. A lot of the Wizarding world hasn't changed in the past hundred to two hundred years. The culture still uses parchment, robes, and quills after all. They don't have the technological advances the non-magical world does. The plain and simple fact is it's a closed-off community without any advancements of acclaim. The most recent one would be the Wolfsbane Potion, and it is only useful in a limited fashion." Harry sat back and contemplated this.
"So…" Harry said, "this is common for all of the Wizarding World, not only Great Britain?" Severus nodded. Harry's hands formed a thoughtful steeple pressed carefully against pursed lips. Slowly a smile curved Harry's lips, "Then I guess change will be coming soon." Harry's gaze focused on the professor and he put his hands down flattening them on his thighs. The man studied him silently before nodding almost hesitantly.
"You have more questions?" Severus asked. Harry nodded and the next hour passed with a number of different items being discussed. Were there any things he should specifically get that weren't on the list? Yes, extra robes for one, and a deluxe student potion kit with extra practice materials and supplies as well as a guide to understanding the Wizarding World, etiquette, potion ingredients and their preparations and perhaps a dictionary for Wizarding terminology. Was there special transportation and how to access it? Yes, but most of it was unavailable to him until a later time or wasn't suitable for him since he lived in a Muggle neighborhood. Any species or groups he should know about… The questions went on and on. Finally, they wore the topics out and Harry had filled his small leather bound book with a series of notes on as much as he could purloin from the dour, and now slightly incredulous, professor. There had been over twenty-five different questions, topics that never occurred to the Potion Master, and he was a half-blood who was Muggle-raised as well! It might have been the fact that Harry had asked about careers, the job market, land development, and treaties instead of the generic 'do we actually fly on broomsticks," shtick. Severus, all in all, was impressed and now that they were about to leave he felt admirably even more civil towards this young boy than he was to most of the older school members, and faculty. It must be because he's so logical, Severus thought to himself as Harry excused himself briefly to gather a few items.
Harry came down with a leather messengers over one shoulder, a charcoal blazer over a white button down shirt, and khaki slacks. His shoes were a serviceable leather type that laced up and had a slight heel to keep him from being swallowed to the ankle by the prevalent puddles found in the country. Harry adjusted the forest green newsboy on his head before settling his glasses with a serious expression. "I am prepared to leave whenever you are Professor Snape," he said tidily. The tea tray and food had been removed to the kitchen and the sever professor stood patiently in the hallway next to the door with a look of slight interest on his face.
"Good, there is only one last thing before we must leave," Severus said before elegantly pulling out a small golden key "The matter of returning this to you."
"Is this my vault key?" Harry asked in curiosity before accepting the delicate gold item.
"Indeed," Severus said with a slight incline of his head. "The deputy headmistress gave it to me to deliver to you. It has, apparently, been in trust to the headmaster who was a mentor of sorts to your parents."
"I see," Harry said slowly. "I guess that makes sense. Is that all?" He asked after slipping the coin onto a small key ring which held what to be a P.O box key, a key that looked like it went to the front door, another key for what was possibly for the garage or shed, and a small bedroom key.
"It is indeed, we shall depart now via apparition." Severus said offering his arm to the young pre-teen. Harry took it and the man continued saying, "Hold on tightly and keep your knees loose. This is a fair bit disorientating for the first time, so do not be surprised if you feel sick on the landing." Harry nodded. "Now we will be departing on the count of three." Harry gave another nod and the Professor started his next count down. "One…Two…Three." Then with a small crack they apparated into the marble and mahogany lined foyer of Gringotts, upon Harry leaned forward and braced himself against his knees for a moment taking a series of deep breathes to keep the contents of his stomach settled, the trip had been quite disorientating. After a few seconds the professor led his new student over to a marble podium.
Standing behind it on a brass stool was a small, hunched, and slightly wizened figure. Glasses perched on a long, crooked nose and beady black eyes peered down at them and he snarled at them, "How can Gringotts be of services today, Professor Snape?" Harry watched as the long fingers tapped its long nails impatiently against the thick tome in front of it as it leaned forward.
"We are here to make a withdrawal," Severus said stiffly but politely.
"Vault number," the goblin bit out.
"Six hundred and eighty-seven," Severus said in an equally grumpy manner. "The school trust for a one Mr. Potter." The goblin's eyes narrowed.
"Key?" The goblin said shortly.
"Mr. Potter?" Severus asked glancing down at Harry. Harry pulled his key ring out and the goblin leaned forward as Harry offered it to him. The goblin stared at Harry for a long moment before barking, "One moment!" The goblin then hopped down from his spot and waddled away. The pair of wizards blinked after him in surprise. Harry glanced up, "Do you understand what's going on?" He asked when the goblin was out of earshot. The professor shook his head in a negative answer. "Okay then," Harry said with a sigh. They stood there waiting for him to return and both felt their eyes widen in surprise when he returned with a small group of armed goblins.
"Please follow us, Mr. Potter, Professor Snape," the first goblin they'd seen said gruffly. Harry blinked before shrugging and following. Severus followed a tad reluctantly. They were ushered down a dimly lit hallway and into a cavernous office that was nearly bare of any and all furniture. The two wizards were ushered into the two plain guest chairs in front of a heavy wooden desk, and a studded leather armchair which the goblin immediately perched himself on. The guards, because what else could they possibly be, placed themselves inside and outside of the office.
"We are overjoyed that you are both here," the goblin in the chair said abruptly. "It has been exceedingly difficult getting two of the members mentioned in the Potter wills here at the same time. Unfortunately, there were only a small number mentioned and three have been incapacitated making the usual procedures difficult to enact." Harry blinked and glanced at Severus who looked back at him in surprise as well.
"You're telling me that my parents' wills have never been read?" Harry asked. "Then how was it determined who was going to be my guardian until I was of age at seventeen?"
"There was no decision officially documented," the goblin said, "however, the Supreme Mugwump stated that it would be best to put you with your closest living relatives until such a time a decision could be made." Harry blinked in confusion and Severus felt his eyebrow slip up in a display of annoyance.
"Well then," Harry said, "I guess that will have to do for now. Why were the beneficiaries never contacted?"
"We at Gringotts are forbidden to contact wizards outside of our transactions within the bank. To contact a bank member unless it concerns their own vault or family fault before they are of age or for something outside their personal bank affairs is not permissable." The goblin said in a grouchy manner. "It was all defined in our last treaty." The word treaty had a distinct tinge of disgust echoing in every letter of it.
"I see," Harry said with a nod. "Well, I guess we should get on with the reading then, if it is alright with you, professor?" Severus nodded. The goblin cleared its throat before opening a drawer and removing a thick folder. Calmly the small creature read out the information,
"I, James Charlus Potter, the Baron Potter, and I, Lily Marie Evans Potter, Baroness Potter, of sound mind and body state in this joint venture proclaim this to be our last and latest will and testament. All previous wills and testaments before this, writ upon October 7th 1980 are now null and void. This will was made in the case one or both of our lives are forfeited in this tumultuous time. To our son, our main beneficiary, we leave the entirety of all vaults, properties, and estates except for those we give to the follow: to Remus Lupin we leave the Ivy Cottage in Hampshire and five hundred hundred thousand galleons and a selection of books marked specifically for him from our numerous libraries. To Sirius Black we leave ten percent of our shares to Zonkos and all prankster memorabilia. To Severus Snape," Severus' head jerked up, he'd guessed that they'd left something, but to actually hear something… "We offer our sincere apologies for all the wrongs done to you while we are still alive, the Potter Gold and Silver Potion sets, a lifetime of free potion supplies from the International Confederacy of Potion and Alchemy Suppliers, three hundred and fifty thousand galleons, and the Hayden House in London. Finally, it is our express wishes that our son attend either Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or the Magical Academy for the Gifted, Intellectual, and Cultured in Alexandria, although we leave the ultimate decision up to him." Harry blinked and his eye narrowed. "Furthermore, our son will be fully emancipated at the age of eleven if he so wishes, and his guardians until this age will go to in this order; the living parent if they are capable, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, and Minerva McGonagall. In no case, none what so ever, should our son ever be in the care of Petunia Dursley nee Evans and Vernon Dursley, or Albus Dumbledore." The goblin finished. Harry let the information sink in before nodding it calmly.
"Is there a list of what I was left? My parents didn't go in specifics." Harry said rather calmly. Thoughts were churning through his head. "And what exactly is this, Magical Academy for the Gifted, Intellectual, and Cultured in Alexandria? I haven't heard from them in the slightest, the only letter of admittance I received was from Hogwarts. Is it possible I have others?" The goblin frowned and pulled out another file to look through, a look of seriousness displayed upon his features. He must have finally found something because he pulled it out and handed it to Harry who skimmed it before handing it to the professor who took it after the shock of the gift from the Potter will had faded. The parchment was a statement of how Gringotts handled mail directed to them for a minor without emancipation status or hearing otherwise. If the child was magical the mail was redirected towards the end of the school year of the previous one before the child started. How many admittance letters they received however, depended purely on the child's suspected magical strength, abilities, intelligence, and financial status.
"We've been receiving all of your magical mail for the past ten years. However, we lifted the redirection as of May 1991 to allow for all information concerning prospective schools to reach you and then forwarded all held mail." The goblin informed them.
"Could there have been a mistake of some sort?" Harry asked frowning. The goblin nodded and barked something in their mysterious language to one of the goblin guards who nodded and left to do whatever he was ordered.
"Would you like to consider both schools? To be completely honest the school in Alexandria is a much more diverse and exclusive school compared to Hogwarts. I understand you have probably already accepted, however if you do get an offer, I would personally suggest you take it." The goblin informed him. "However, that would be something you and your guardian, Professor Snape, would have to discuss." Both wizards jerked a bit at that. Severus glanced awkwardly at the slight youth seated next to him before clearing his throat.
"Mr. Potter most likely wishes for some sort of emancipation that is conductive to his independence and financial folder." Severus said. Harry pondered this for a moment weighing the pro and cons before nodding in agreement.
"While I have no doubt that it would be pleasant to live with Professor Snape, he is no doubt housed at or near Hogwarts and I would no doubt get in the way of his responsibilities. Quite frankly, I wouldn't know what to do with a parent. I already make a living of roughly twenty-five thousand pounds a year, or five thousand galleons a year. I would be much more comfortable with the idea of Professor Snape and I growing into an amicable friendship or perhaps acquaintanceship that is not taxing on either party." Harry said. The goblins and the professor both blinked in surprise.
"How do you earn that much money in a year?" The goblin asked in fascination.
"I invest in numerous companies and developments. Right now I'm in the process of moving my shares in the dot com bubble to housing market. I currently have a crew refurbishing a rather splendid series of 1920 townhouses and flats that will likely have an excellent return." Harry said calmly while straightening his glasses.
"I think that is a clear sign that Mr. Potter is quite able. However, I would venture you this," Severus said with a faint smirk, "you may spend a few weeks with me over the holidays if it is to your pleasing. It would be better than staying with those horrid Muggles. That is, after you chose your main house. You might wish to decide based on where you go to school." The conversation was cut off from there because the goblin returned with another goblin. He was as well dressed as the goblin they met at the podium, or dressed in armor like the guards. The guard who dragged the almost ragged figure looked highly displeased and barked something in Gobbledegook. The goblin behind the desk surged forward slamming the palms of his hands down on the flat of the table top, the sharp curves of his nails carving into the ornate wood. The goblin at the desk practically roared in Gobbledegook before slipping into what had to be a series of obscenities. Finally, Harry had enough and cleared his throat pointedly.
"Well, Mr…" Harry said, before trailing off realizing he didn't know the goblin's name.
"Fangblade," the goblin, now identified as Fangblade said cordially, or what passed as cordially for goblins. "No Mister, just Fangblade." He took a deep breath and let it out in a clearly aggravated hiss of displeasure. "It is my misfortune to inform you Mr. Potter that your mail," he glared at the huddled figure of the goblin who was still being held by the rather unhappy looking guard, "has been illegally forwarded to the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with your monthly living endowments since your parents' deaths by one of our newest goblins."
Harry blinked. Severus stared. Both felt their rather impressive control dwindle and their equally impressive tempers rise. Harry's hands, no longer in their calm relaxed position on the tops of his thighs, gripped the chairs arms as he rose to his feet.
"And just what are the repercussions for such a stupid decision, if I may be so bold as to ask, Fangblade?" Harry said with a clear bite in his voice.
"For a goblin? Decapitation." Fangblade said with a pleased snarl. Harry's face echoed that sentiment.