The Lion and The Snake - Scales of Justice

Chapter 2

Hurt and Comfort

Albus Dumbledore watched them leaving extremely satisfied with how things were going. Grimmauld Place was his only let down; he would just have to divide the meetings between different places until a more permanent place could be set up. He really should have removed all those books, now they were unfortunately in the hand of Bellatrix Lestrange. Perhaps it was time he visited the goblins, waiting around for information wasn't his forte. His decision made, he quickly got up and left his office, Gringotts here he comes.

As always Dumbledore loved grand flamboyant entrances, he made one as he entered Gringotts. Making his way to the desk, grateful for the lack of people milling around, he wouldn't have to wait long to see someone. He eyed the tellers before choosing one, and in his normal voice, demanded to see a goblin named Ironhide.

"He no longer works here," grunted the teller, his beady black eyes glaring holes at Dumbledore. Everyone knew what the goblin had done, and who his co-conspired with. This man wasn't in the good books with the goblins, not that he had particularly been fond of him. Goblins weren't like humans; they knew there were two sides to every story and also two faces to every human. They normally didn't trust humans as far you could throw them. They were greedy, self centred and not at all honourable. The Goblins were through dealing with them, they'd serve them, execute wills but that was as far as their relationships went with the humans.

"What?" asked Dumbledore his voice rising slightly in his panic? Of all the times it had to happen now it did? Why didn't he work there? Had there been some sort of accident? He couldn't see it. The Goblin had been a manager to the Black-Potter accounts. He had no reason to be making vaults or anything like that.

"I said he no longer works here," said Burdock, he was a transferred from the pits having worked there for ten years. He was now a teller, and hopefully he'd have another promotion in a few years. He really wanted to manage an account, but all good things are worth the wait.

"Why?" demanded Dumbledore gathering his momentarily scattered wits.

"I don't see why that's any of your business," said Burdock his beady eyes glaring at Dumbledore for his impudence.

"Then I wish to see the new goblin in charge of the Potter and Black accounts," said Dumbledore kindly, behind his masks storms were brewing. He couldn't believe it; he'd kept Potter oblivious to his true fortune for years. It would make him arrogant, conceit and he might run. It wasn't something he wanted happening. No the boy couldn't find out, plus he'd taken artefacts and books out that didn't belong to him.

"Griphook," said burdock into a small panel beside his desk, "Mr. Albus Dumbledore is here to see you." was all he said before removing his finger from the button. "He will be down to see you momentarily, now please excuse me," said Burdock gesturing towards the line that had formed behind him.

"Very well," said Dumbledore his mask almost crumbling, he did not like being treated so disrespectfully. With iron will he managed to maintain his composure, drawing in breaths he moved aside. The longer he waited though the more his anger boiled. His magic was starting to react, judging by the terror filled eyes of people walking by. Paling at the implications, he didn't feel so angry anymore. He couldn't have people becoming afraid of him; he was Albus Dumbledore, beacon of light. Or so he told himself, he'd been pushed aside fifteen years ago in favour of Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Dumbledore?" yelled out Griphook in English, standing at an entrance that was guarded by two goblins. No one unaccompanied got to go passed that point. A lot of private information resided there, information the Goblins worked hard to maintain 'Private'.

Dumbledore couldn't have gotten over there quick enough, once he was within distance Griphook began walking away. Leading him up the way to his new office, he loved it and was glad to have taken up Harry Potter's offer. Not that he would have turned it down, being a manger was the highest offer a Goblin could get. The highest promotion one could get. He'd gone from being a cart rider, to a teller then to a manager in the space of seven years. In fact he'd been a cart rider when Harry first entered Gringotts, he remembered taking the boy down. He'd loved it, very usual for most children; they usually hated it and looked sick. In fact if he remembered right Bill Weasley's little brother had been sick. Ronald Weasley? He wasn't sure there were just too many of them.

He sat down on his chair, and then pressed a button; it made the seat rise up to meet the top of his large desk. Dumbledore sat down without waiting for Griphook to say anything. Regardless of that Griphook stared at Dumbledore for a few minutes, as if he'd never seen him before then asked, "What can I do for you today?"

"I want to know what's happen about Harry Potter's vaults," said Dumbledore.

"Are you his magical guardian?" asked Griphook feigning he didn't know anything. Opening his desk, he pulled out the Potter account ledger, it would tell him. Oh he knew good and well Dumbledore wasn't his guardian, despite the fact the man had successfully removed things from Harry's vault. In fact he'd sent a letter earlier this morning to tell him as much.

"No I am not, but I am his guardian through school matters," said Dumbledore.

"His vaults have nothing to do with Hogwarts, his schooling has already been paid for…the day after he was born if I'm not very much mistaken." said Griphook, and he wasn't. There was a large withdrawal from the Potter accounts into the Hogwarts one. His school fee's had been paid for on the first of august. Many parents had elected to do the same thing, just in case anything happened to them.

"As Gringotts is well aware, Sirius Black was proven innocent, and his vaults will have been released is that not the case?" asked Dumbledore changing the subject.

"They were never sealed," said Griphook arching a long grizzly eyebrow at Dumbledore. He had a feeling the old man already knew that anyway. Dumbledore knew too much about Harry Potter's account. Something that shouldn't have been done, it was a good job it had been discovered. It had nothing to do with personal gain whatsoever. No he'd just become one of the richest managers in Gringotts.

"Did he have a will?" enquired Dumbledore; he knew Sirius would have surely left him the house. He knew how important it was for the Order. They needed somewhere safe and secure to meet up. The switching of Goblins must have been why Grimmauld Place had been sealed up.

"Again Mr. Dumbledore it's none of your business." stated Griphook.

"It is, Mr. Potter needs to hear it," said Dumbledore barely disguising his fury at the Goblins impudence. He was Albus Dumbledore; he could do whatever the hell he pleased. If it meant gaining custody of Potter then so be it.

"I shall look into it," said Griphook not moving the slightest.

"There is a war going on, if there is a will I want it executed." demanded Dumbledore standing up his magic flaring slightly at his anger.

Griphook didn't so much as twitch, having seen Harry Potter's magic flaring angrier and more powerful this was child's play. He couldn't believe it; Harry was more powerful than Albus Dumbledore? Wow, it was amazing, just remembering Harry's magic it had been powerful and awesome and he admired power. Who didn't? They weren't as stupid as humans. Humans either feared or admired power it had been that way since the time of Merlin. Not many had feared Merlin, he had been just and fair, fighting for the good of all mankind.

Dumbledore almost pouted, normally people tended to skitter and act quickly whenever his magic flared. He knew he was powerful and he quite frankly loved it. It's what had gotten him the job as Headmaster. They had offered him the job as Minister, but he had not accepted. He'd rather manipulate and mould a new generation, rather than run a place full of people that were idiotic and incompetent. What better way to gain followers and have people do whatever you wish? Than children who admired you and would crawl on all fours if you asked them to.

"I shall look into it," said Griphook once more. Not telling him he'd already sent out the dates and times for Harry. The others will be sent out one day before the will hearing. He'd finally gotten the Potter accounts into some sort of resemblance of normalcy. Not only had he been giving Dumbledore stuff he'd not been taking care of the accounts.

"Very well," said Dumbledore his face impassive, getting up he felt the building angrily. What he'd wanted hadn't been accomplished at all, and he just wanted to scream. He'd have to get Potter to find out, but that went against everything he believed. The boy couldn't find out about his accounts, damn it. He doubted the Ministry would give him custody. They would want it themselves if he raised a case, it wasn't as simple as getting Petunia to sign it either. The Ministry would have to approve it, and then he'd have control of the vaults. He would have to think of something, somehow someway he had to get Grimmauld place. He was so sure of himself that Sirius Black had donated it to his cause. Probably a lot of money as well, the idiot seemed to forget Sirius adored the ground his godson walked on. Even if he hadn't been there, he would have wanted to make sure his godson had enough money to see him through his entire life.

"What's wrong?" asked Severus sitting down near Harry. He could see something was troubling the young man. He was quiet, and it wasn't in Harry's nature to remain quiet for longer than five minutes. They'd returned from Dumbledore's office only thirty minutes ago. He had been quiet, withdrawn and pensive ever since.

"I used to love him you know," said Harry quietly, "As a grandfather figure I mean." he corrected himself.

"I think all of us did at one point or still do, your mother was quite fond of him," said Severus, "She couldn't believe it when I told her what happened during the werewolf incident." despite the fact they'd fallen out, she'd immediately came to him to make sure he was okay. Their friendship hadn't been the same, but they'd finally began speaking again. Not that it was often, he'd hated the fact she ended up with James Potter of all people. James Potter couldn't appreciate Lily as she was; he just wanted a beautiful wife in his book. Not that he'd loved Lily the way James had, he'd loved her as a little sister.

"I want to be angry and hate him, it's easier when I don't have to look at him," said Harry his face tormented.

"I can understand that," said Severus, he had never truly trusted Dumbledore as far as he could throw him. Then again Severus hadn't trusted many people in his life. Seeing his mother being beaten and being hurt himself tended to do that to a child. The only person that had known about his life was Lily. He'd trusted him like nobody else, and he'd spoiled that. Since then he'd kept to himself, ensuring he was never hurt again.

"I mean I knew from year one what he was like, but in my stupid mind I thought he was doing a good thing. Letting me face my parents killer, letting me get revenge." said Harry, remembering first year vividly.

"You thought that? At the age of eleven?" gasped Severus completely blown away, what the hell had Harry been thinking. Then he realized Harry had been a child, desperate for attention and love. He'd have done anything to make anyone happy.

"Yeah, it wasn't until the end of third year I stopped believing in him," said Harry, "It was far from hate…until he told the Dursley's about Cedric then Sirius."

"Stick to the hate Harry, it hurts less," said Severus honestly.

"Does it? There's a difference between informing the Dursley's and setting me up to be bullied cursed and hexed by you." snorted Harry bitterness written across his face, and deep in his voice.

"You won't be," said Severus unable to help but point out. He couldn't help but admit inwardly he would have gotten great pleasure out of it. If he'd not gotten to know Harry over the summer.

"He doesn't know that," Harry said, he was feeling a little better; he'd get the better of Dumbledore on this one. He was ever so grateful that Severus had seen the true him. Otherwise this year would have been beyond unbearable.

"No he doesn't, I'm sure it will drive him insane when you don't go complaining the way he wants you to." chucked Severus, in bitter amusement.

Harry sniggered himself deeply amused, their little talk was cut short by the arrival of the mail. It came falling out of the metal container at the side of his room. There was quite a lot of mail, and Harry didn't expect it from a man who was like a hermit. Severus immediately moved off, gathering his bundles, temporary surprised about something. That something turned out to be for him, a letter from Gringotts two in fact. Taking them while curiously watching Severus open his mail. It turned out to be a huge quantity of Potion ingredients, he inspected each one, ensuring they were all secure and what he ordered before he nodded in satisfaction and left.

"What does Gringotts want?" asked Severus walking back into the living room; he'd barely been gone five minutes.

"It's Griphook, he's going through my accounts, did you know my parents wills were never executed?" asked Harry his voice even more pensive than twenty minutes ago.

"No I had no idea," said Severus smoothly, but it was nothing to do with him but it still surprised him though. Normally wills were executed right away.

"It that normal?" asked Harry, as naive as he was, about certain things; he even suspected it wasn't right.

"No it's not, but the circumstances weren't either, Gringotts might have decided against executing it." said Severus.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry green eyes staring into black filled with confusion.

"Well…everyone close to the…your family were killed or imprisoned." said Severus clearing his throat nervously. The Longbottom's, Black, Lupin and Pettigrew. Lupin could have done with the money Potter would have left him no doubt.

"Oh," said Harry the truth dawning on him instantly. Yes, that's true; the people in his parents wills were gone. Pettigrew, Sirius, Lupin, he didn't know anyone else close to his parents other than Severus. He wasn't even sure his mother would have included him, why would she? They'd not been friends.

"Doesn't Griphook explain?" asked Severus getting Harry's mind off everything.

"No just that it's being executed…along with Sirius's," explained Harry, whispering the name. He knew Severus hated him, he had ever right and there was nothing to be done about it.

"When?" asked Severus.

"September the third for my parents, September the tenth for my godfathers," replied Harry.

"I'll mark them down, as soon as Hogwarts starts up you might want to think about getting a proper timetable, not just the one you get at the start of the year." said Severus.

"I'll order one," said Harry quietly.

"Good," said Severus satisfied that his advice wasn't going unadvised. "Come I'll show you where you will be sleeping. No doubt Dumbledore has already asked Hogwarts to create another room." he grumbled.

"You speak as though it's alive," blinked Harry rapidly trying to process what he'd just said.

"She is, she's a sentient being Harry, how else do you think the castle moves," said Severus refraining from rolling his eyes, students, they just didn't read these days.

"Magic?" murmured Harry dryly, he really should read more - he felt so stupid sometimes knowing nothing.

"Well yes, but one would argue magic is a sentient itself." said Severus opening his door and grimaced in distaste. Really did the school have to make it like that? His eyes would never recover nor would his quarters. Red and gold, he never thought he'd see the day where his domain had those two particular colours in them.

"Er…can it be changed?" asked Harry staring at it in horror that was going way overboard. Everything was gold and red, everything. Carpet, curtains, bedding, hell even his furniture was a ghastly red oak colour.

"The house elves can do it," said Severus. He was rather glad Harry didn't want to keep it that way.

"Dobby?" called Harry, he was the only house elf Harry would ever call.

"Yes Master Harry Potter sir?" squeaked the elf his huge eyes shining with adoration.

"Dobby could you change the room?" asked Harry, Severus wandered off allowing Harry to do whatever he liked.

"Of course Harry Potter sir," said Dobby staring at Harry strangely, he was a house elf after all.

"Okay, um…change the carpet to cream, same with the bedding but brown curtains on the bed." said Harry, there was a magical window, he could see what this side of Hogwarts would be if they weren't underground. It was rather beautiful, and he wanted to keep the light out.

"Anything else Harry Potter sir?" asked Dobby.

"Well can you get me some different furniture? Either beach or some other light colour? Anything but that red," said Harry pointing to the disgusting furniture.

"Yes sir," said Dobby.

"You can get the others to help you if you want," said Harry, "I have to go I need to find a timetable from the catalogue before school starts up."

"I'll get it for you Harry Potter sir," said Dobby looking up at Harry hopefully, he'd been so bored at Hogwarts with nothing to do. They'd resorted to re-cleaning everything waiting eagerly for something proper to clean. The nearer it got to Hogwarts starting back up the happier they got.

"Alright, I'll call you when I've decided," said Harry leaving the room, letting Dobby change it.

There we go :) hope you like it! so will harry's training be very intense? want to see severus go on about light and dark magic? the diffrences and them not being as different as one assumes? dark arts? do you want to see harry become a healer or auror? as harry could still change his mind ... his class electives hadn't been picked yet! R&R PLEASE!