AN: Guys, please review. Thanks
Chapter 12: Business as Usual
August 28, Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley Branch…
Harry walked into the bank and marched straight into the inner sanctums where the offices of higher ranked goblins resided. With single-minded determination, he strode up to the office of Senior Goblin Chamlore Ironfist and burst into the room without so much as a knock on the door. Inside the office, Harry noted, were two seated goblins he was well-acquainted with. The first was obviously the owner of the office. The second one was a bit more of a surprise though. It was his Assets Manager, Griphook. He paused deliberately for a moment, shifting his eyes suspiciously from one goblin to the next, before taking a seat.
"Will one of you explain to me why I've been called here today?"
The two goblins looked at each other, as if playing a silent game between them to see who would have to do it. Finally, the more junior one sighed, and turned to face Harry again. "Harry, we have called you here today to discuss the alarming rate by which your wealth has decreased. While it is not standard policy for us to interfere with how you use your money, as your Financial Advisor and close acquaintance, it is my duty to stop you from traversing down a foolhardy path. Out of the combined thirty million Galleons you have inherited from Peverell, Amadeus, and Raveus, you have managed to spend over half of that in two months. Furthermore, you have given us signed orders to liquefy any other assets you might have inherited from these lines, presumably to spend as well. I cannot help but wonder why a man as intelligent as you would choose to squander his wealth." Griphook said, eyeing his friend with disappointment.
"I am not 'squandering my wealth' as you put it. And thirdly, I have not been informed I had inherited the Amadeus and Raveus lines. When did that happen?"
"You inherited those lines the moment you were freed from Azkaban. Being no longer a prisoner, and having received your Emancipation from the Ministry, they no longer had the right to continue restricting your access to your full inheritance." Griphook said. "And stop changing the subject. This meeting is supposed to be about talking some sense into your head, not about your inheritance."
"Don't worry I know what I'm doing."
"Harry, this is a serious matter. The rate you are spending your money is worrying. I don't know of many people who would spend that much money in such a short period of time unless they were gambling it off. It is…worrying." Chamlore said.
Harry looked at both goblins in front of him, and sighed. "I can't tell you what I'm doing with it just yet. It's not that I don't trust you guys, but to reveal anything at this point could seriously harm my plans. I can tell you this though. I'm not gambling it off, as you are implying, and it certainly isn't illegal. I am also not wasting it. In fact, one could say it is actually a long term investment."
"You have yet to break our trust in you and your business choices have been impeccable so far. So we'll trust your choice for now and honor your wish for secrecy." Griphook said.
"That's great. Now, what else have I inherited from Amadeus and Raveus exactly? I know that the Lordship of Peverell was dissolved when the last Peverell died off and the Potters became the de facto main line."
"Raveus, while being an old family, had never been particularly wealthy or prominent enough to be granted a seat in the Wizengamot. As for Amadeus, they did hold a seat several hundred years ago but they gave it away for unknown reasons."
"Excellent, I won't be bothered by any more of those pesky meetings then. What did I inherit exactly?"
"You received seven million galleons from Amadeus and three million from Raveus. All real estate was sold before you inherited so no concerns there."
Harry nodded. "How fares my delicatessen?"
"It does well. Too well, in fact. Manager Blueridge reports that the need to expand the store is becoming a pressing issue as there is no longer enough space to accommodate all the daily customers they must accommodate. It is becoming more of a restaurant than a delicatessen as you had originally planned."
"Very well, tell Blueridge to expand into the adjacent lot I own. Also Griphook, try to find some lots on sale in Vertic or Horizon Alley."
Griphook nodded, scribbling down some notes on a parchment he had. "What about in the Sorcerer's Bazaar?"
Harry shook his head. "Not yet the time to attempt expanding there. Maybe in the future. Sons of Stone, it has been a pleasure meeting with you today. If you will excuse me, I must be on my way. My family is expected to have lunch with the Weasleys today and I shan't hear the end of it if I am late." Harry nodded to each goblin once, before turning to leave.
Once he was out of earshot, Chamlore spoke up. "Do you trust him?"
"I…I'm not sure. His track record has been exemplary so far, but it makes me uneasy to see him spend his wealth so quickly. What about you?"
"He is my friend, one of my few human friends actually. Naturally, I am worried that his youth and arrogance might be getting the best of him. But he has shown wisdom and maturity well past his age. He's a man of honor, so I do trust him. Only time will tell if my trust is misplaced. But for now, he is my business partner, friend and perhaps one of the few men out there willing to fight for us goblins. It wouldn't do to alienate him over this matter."
"We shall see."
Ionos, Montfortal…
"Has the Council come to a decision?" The Irish diplomat asked hastily.
"We have. The Council has decided to accept your proposal. We shall be sending five thousand men to aid you in your war in exchange for the lands you have promised us. We have a request though." Rigan said.
The woman tilted her head slightly to one side. "What might that be?"
"We wish for our Supreme War Magus to accompany you back to Ireland in order to coordinate the retaking of Ireland and ensure strategic cohesion between our forces."
The woman smiled, and without pausing, answered. "I am certain that there will be no problems with that. Thank you for your time, the Minister will be pleased to know we have reached an agreement so quickly. I hope this shall lead to better relations between our two states." She bowed low, before turning to leave.
"That was interesting." Rigan turned around in surprise, unaware that someone had been watching the proceedings. "Relax, sir. It's only me." Donovan Orthex, the Dragon Elite attached to the Phoenix Legion, said, raising both hands in mock surrender. "No need to be alarmed."
"Don't sneak up on me like that. You'll make me suffer from a heart attack one of these days." Rigan muttered. "I need to ask you something. Do you think it would be wise to leave General Storm as the commander of the garrisons?"
"He is loyal to the King, and indirectly, to us if that is what you are asking. I wouldn't trust him with some of our more sensitive information, but of doubts that he will become a turncoat I have none. Besides, his men aren't ready for another campaign. They need time to bring themselves back to full numbers and train their recruits up to an acceptable level of combat readiness."
"Very well, I have another question. Do you think that General Storm would be opposed to having his men help around?"
Sinther frowned at that. "What do you mean?"
"Have you noticed how we have four new docks being built? Or how the foundations for buildings are being set up everywhere? How roads are suddenly being commissioned here and there?"
"Of course I have. You would have to be blind not to see it. But where is this leading?"
"Who do you think pays for all this?"
He pursed his lips. "I would presume the state."
Rigan shook his head. "The state's treasury barely breaks even. We don't have the money for such extensive development. I suspect that the King is using his own acquired wealth to fund these projects. But the speed by which these projects are being completed is less than satisfactory. I have been ordered to oversee these constructions to ensure they are completed in good order. In line with that, I wondered if we might be able to ask some of the soldiers to participate in the construction. Keep them busy, so to speak."
Donovan paused for a moment, before locking eyes with his superior. "Why are you asking me this instead of General Storm?"
"Because out of all the people I trust explicitly, you know him the best. If it was the King giving this command directly, I'm sure the General would be happy to comply. But I am not the King, and it wouldn't do to earn the ill will of the man we are placing in command of our forces here." Rigan said wisely.
"I think that the General might like this idea. After all, it should serve as an excellent training regime focusing on physical strength and unity. Would you like me to convey your message, sir?"
Rigan nodded, dismissing the Donovan with a wave of his hand. Spinning on his heel, he walked towards a nearby table with stacks of folders on them. With an expert eye, he deftly picked out a single folder, and opened it. Skimming through it, he changed certain parts of the parchment, making corrections here and there before skimming through it once more for anything he may have overlooked
OPERATION: RECLAMATION
Status: Completed Successfully
Objectives: To search for and crown the new King of Ionos
To unify the five original Ionian Islands, and secure the Ionian borders
To eliminate the threat of a quick Ionian annihilation
To reestablish Ionian presence on an international stage
To establish a Kingsguard
Initiated by: Clark Sinther, Dragon Elite Operative
Approved on: July 18, 2002
Approved by: Falthas Rigan, Lord Regent and Master Advisor
There were several other parchments compiled in the folder, such as a copy of the Guardian's Decree, reports and accounts on the retaking of Silidus, Prodimus and Marporre, detailed descriptions on several well known rebel leaders collected throughout the years, and a map following all known military movements. There was even a Crystal Holographic recording on the coronation of the King. However, the thickest part of the compilation was in the form of Faren Serathi's meticulous research and notes on the eligibility of the King.
Sighing heavily, Rigan closed the folder, and moved it to another stack on his table, where it would eventually be moved into the castle's storage room for classified operations such as this. He looked at the closed folder fondly, as if saying goodbye to a friend. Then with sudden drive and purpose, he began to look through another folder.
"…The question many wizards ask Lord Ionos is the mystery surrounding his Inheritance. For how could a third born child inherit anything from his family? To answer this question is no easy matter, and it has taken several dedicated historians and experts in the field to determine how it was all made possible. The line of Peverell has had many branches (notably: the Potters, the Starks, and the Whites) when sons or daughters of the line either changed their name or were married off. The last of the Peverells, Kendric Peverell (aka Kendrick the Mad) did not name a successor but rather described him as "a man of my blood touched by Magic". This rather vague description was fulfilled when Harry Potter was part of the three children attacked by the Dark Lord Voldemort. Being a male blood relative and having been touched by the Killing Curse made Harry Potter the most suitable candidate and therefore the heir to the Peverell Line.
As for the lines of Amadeus and Raveus, these were eventually integrated into the general Potter Line through intermarriage. When the last of those that bore the names died, the Inheritance immediately passed onto the patriarch of the Potter Family, James Potter. Subsequently, he bequeathed many lesser lines as part of his three children's inheritance (immediately inheritable upon reaching adulthood), which was not uncommon at the time for Pureblood Families. This was an old tradition used to be done in order to eventually maintain the Family names of lines that had disappeared due to the lack of an immediate Male Heir as well as to decrease the chances of infighting in families because of succession squabbles..."
-excerpt from: Mage Network, Historical Documentaries, transcript of episode XII: Harry Potter
"…kingsguard (n.) \KINGS-guard\
a group tasked with the official capacity of defending the head of a state
an organization whose primary purpose is for the defense of high ranking officials or things of high value whether strategic, economic, or sentimental
Etymology:
A compound word combining the words 'King's' and 'Guard'. The word was coined by Sir Jonathan Greengrass in reference to the Imperial Guards of the Japanese Emperor in 1894.