Chapter 5: Meeting with Griphook
And it was in this manner that their days progressed from there, training in the morning and afternoon, talking and getting to know each other in the evenings and sleeping at night. As the days went by the sexual tension and level of teasing between the two seemed to multiply, but neither pressed the other for anything more than that at this stage as it was all just for fun.
On the Thursday morning, one and a half weeks after Tonks began staying at Privet Drive they had just begun practicing, this time in the rapidity of firing offensive spells, when Harry's Aunt Petunia called him downstairs and to the door.
When Harry arrived at the door, he was confronted with an average looking man in a muggle business suit.
"Good Morning, Mr. Potter." Said the man.
"Good morning, I'm sorry, do I know you?" he replied.
"As a matter of fact we have met, just once before, but I doubt you would remember me. My name is Griphook and I am a representative of Gringotts of London, the image you currently see is an elaborate glamour we use while in muggle areas. Would it be possible to talk with you privately regarding some rather sensitive matters?"
"Oh, hello Griphook, I do actually remember you, you took me in the carts when I visited just after my eleventh birthday. Please, come in, we can discuss whatever business you have with me upstairs." Harry stated and they both walked past his rather speechless Aunt and up the stairs to Harry's room.
Once inside, Griphook asked Harry, "Mr. Potter, it is policy to only discuss these matters with the client. May I enquire to the identity of your friend?"
"Yeah, sorry, this is Nymphadora Tonks; she's a witch who's been helping me train over the summer. Anything you want to say can be said in front of her, no problem with me."
"What's going on Harry?" asked Tonks
"This is Griphook from Gringotts; apparently I've got business to deal with."
The goblin removed his glamour charm and sat on the opposite side of the table to the witch and wizard. "First of all I want to apologise for any inconvenience my visit may have caused, as the bank does not routinely make such visits, however, we find ourselves highly troubled by your banking record with us. There are a number of questions which need to be addressed first, if I may?"
"Please go ahead" Harry replied.
"Why have you never replied to any of the correspondence which the bank has sent you, if you don't mind my asking, sir?"
Looking confused, Harry responded, "What correspondence Griphook? The only contact I've had with the bank has been when I came in before my first and second years at Hogwarts."
"Indeed?" the goblin replied looking serious and somewhat angry (not a pretty sight on a goblin Harry thought) "There has been a grave error on someone's part then as our records show that we have sent you monthly statements, Director Ragnok has requested 4 private meetings with you, I have personally attempted to contact you regarding affairs of several of your companies and just last week a letter was dispatched inviting you to the reading of the will of a Mr. Sirius Orion Black. Are you telling me you have not received any of these things?"
"No, I really haven't. I didn't know Gringotts issued account statements; I've never heard of…who was it? Ragnok, did you say? This is only the second time I've had contact with you, and I didn't realise Sirius had a will."
"I see. I will defiantly be investigating this matter further. Well, no matter, we can discuss some of these matters now. Here is a list of the contents of the vaults you inherited from your parent's estate." He stated while passing Harry a scroll of parchment.
Harry looked at the list:
Contents of Potter Vaults:
Family Chambers
16, 275, 173, 935, 126 (sixteen billion, two hundred and seventy five thousand one hundred and seventy three million, nine hundred and thirty five thousand, one hundred and twenty six) Galleons
42,185,038 (forty two million, one hundred and eighty five thousand, and thirty eight) Sickles
12, 583,921 (twelve million, five hundred and eighty three thousand, nine hundred and twenty one) Knuts
Precious and semi precious stones – estimated value of 12, 162, 948, 726 (twelve thousand one hundred and sixty two million, nine hundred and forty eight thousand, seven hundred and twenty six) Galleons
Assorted weapons, armour and shields – approximate value 18, 621, 000 (eighteen million, six hundred and twenty one thousand) Galleons
Various personal possessions – value not listed
Heirlooms vault
Assorted family heirlooms and personal possessions – itemised list not available – estimated total value 174, 274, 582 (one hundred and seventy four million, two hundred and seventy four thousand, five hundred and eighty two) Galleons.
Personal vault of Mr. J. and Mrs. L. Potter
294, 946, 309 (two hundred and ninety four million, nine hundred and forty six thousand, three hundred and nine) Galleons
5, 428, 046 (five million, four hundred and twenty eight thousand, and forty six) Sickles
2, 694 (two thousand, six hundred and ninety four) Knuts
Trust Vault of Mr. H. J. Potter
821, 645 (eight hundred and twenty one thousand, six hundred and forty five) Galleons
23, 469 (twenty three thousand, four hundred and sixty nine) Sickles
58, 634 (fifty eight thousand, six hundred and thirty four) Knuts.
Harry sat staring at the parchment, he couldn't even comprehend the amount of money he now had. And why was he never told about this before?
"I trust you have all of the appropriate keys, Mr. Potter?" Asked Griphook.
"No, I only knew about the trust vault, as far as I knew that was all my parents left me, and I don't even have the key to that any more because someone went to make a withdrawal on my behalf and never returned it, now I think about it."
"I see. Well no matter." He muttered a complex string of what was obviously a form of Gobbledygook and three gold keys appeared before him, which he handed to Harry. "The vault numbers are on the keys Mr. Potter. The family chambers are not accessed via key therefore none is provided for that one.
"Now the next matter you should be aware of is the properties left in that same will." He said while handing another scroll of parchment to the wizard.
Harry looked at it and was again rendered speechless. In addition to the cottage at Godric's Hollow, which he was always led to believe was destroyed, but apparently not, there was something called "Potter Manor" which according to the listings was a twenty five bed, 18 bath property with close to two thousand acres of land, as well as 28 other, smaller houses spread across the world and close to two hundred and fifty commercial buildings, including what appeared to be half of diagon alley and a fair bit of Hogsmeade. He also owned a few empty plots of land scattered around the country.
This was just more than Harry could take in at once. One minute he just about has enough to get by, the next he's rich beyond his wildest dreams.
"Are there any more surprises you're going to spring on me today?" he asked the goblin, only half joking.
"Indeed Mr. Potter, there is still the matter of the Black estate to consider. Now while not quite as old or rich a family as the Potters, the Blacks were by no means poor. I will forward the precise details to you when they become available but at this moment I can tell you that you have received well over a billion galleons from Mr. Black if you take into account the various properties that you will inherit.
"Next we come to the matter of titles and status. In the wizarding world Mr. Black was your legal guardian, even if he was in no position to exercise that authority, therefore you are currently without one. In such circumstances provisions are usually made in the deceased will, this was the case here. Mr. Black declared that at the earliest opportunity, in this case – now, you should become an emancipated adult with all the privileges that entails. Therefore if you will please sign here, here and here." He said while pointing at various parts of a form "we can complete the process."
Harry complied and Griphook smiled. "Congratulations, when that paperwork went through you just inherited a collection of titles, including the head-of-house position for the Moste Noble and Ancient House of Black and the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Each of these comes with a Lordship and a Barony therefore you are now properly addressed as Lord-Baron Potter-Black. Are you following all of this sir?"
Harry nodded meekly. "Very well my Lord, I can see that this has been a lot of information to take in, therefore I will take my leave of you now. I will investigate your accounts as there seem to be several discrepancies therein. Should you have any need of further service then please do not hesitate to contact me personally. Additionally as you are now officially an adult, I have taken it upon myself to become your personal family banker, if this is acceptable? It just means that I deal with all of the dealings the bank has with your estates."
"Umm…Yes, that's fine, thanks."
"Very well my lord. Good day." He then gathered his papers and vanished into thin air.
Harry sat there for a moment trying to comprehend it all then said, "Tonks, did that just happen?"
She grinned, "Why yes it did my Lord Baron." She replied with a mock bow.
"Knock it off Tonks."
"Soz, couldn't help it."
For the remainder of the day Harry and Tonks went through the paper work Griphook had left so she could try and help him make sense of it all.