Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
Some of the concepts that will be in this fic are from other Fan fictions about Harry Potter with my own twist on them. So I would like to acknowledge all the Harry Potter fan writers on this site for great work and hundreds of hours of reading. This is an AU story.
Chapter 8
Aftermath and Vaults
The next morning Tula awoke Harry from his dreams. He had been dreaming of both his parents living there with him in the manor. He was dreaming of his father flying him around on a broom and his mum reading to him while he sat in her lap. Harry remembered all his dreams and his nightmares. When he was a baby his dreams were of the love he received from his parents, uncle Sirius and uncle Remus. After his parents death his nightmares, the Dursleys and the night his parents were killed took over. Since locking away those memories and nightmares in his minds library, the good dreams had returned.
Harry had had another revelation dropped on him last night. Before going to bed, he sorted it in with his other memories. He had not fully come to terms with the information and was sure that it would be quite a while before he did. His Granddad had been upset by some of what they had found but was also intrigued by it.
Harry sat up in bed. Tula had already laid out some clothes for him. "Harry, Tula is to inform you that Mr. Black is awake and asking for you." Harry didn't even wait. He jumped out of bed and ran still in his night clothes to the suite were Sirius was staying. He stopped outside the bedroom door and knocked. Rasa opened the door for him.
Sitting up in bed was his godfather Sirius Black. He was looking much better this morning. The dark circles under his eyes where almost gone. When Harry entered the room he looked up at Harry and his entire face lit up. Sirius started to get out of bed but Rasa ran back over to the bed and gave him a look that said do it and you will be in trouble.
"Harry will you please tell this, this tyrant to let me get out of bed." Sirius indicated to Rasa.
"Mr.'s Black not to get out of bed, Rasa has orders that you get rested. Rasa will make sure Mr.'s Black gets his rest." Rasa said sternly crossing her arms across her chest, it just didn't sound right coming out of her squeaky voice. Harry started laughing at the defeated and chastised look on Sirius's face. Harry while still laughing ran to the bed jumping up on it right into Sirius's open arms.
"Sirius I've missed you so much" said Harry in a soft but excited voice. Before Sirius could reply, Harry sat up and started hitting Sirius.
"Why did you go and leave me, why did you go after him and get locked up, I needed you that night, why?" Harry had started crying again. Sirius grabbed Harry's arms and pulled him back into a hug. Sirius just held on to Harry as the sobbing rocked his body. Sirius had tears rolling down his face as well. He didn't know what to say to Harry. That night he was so angry and hurt that, he wasn't thinking when he went after Peter. If only he had stopped to think about his friends and Harry before going after Peter, Harry would have been with him all this time. He still didn't know where Harry had been staying; it was possible that Harry had been here the entire time. Where was Dumbledore, surly he was looking after Harry?
After Harry had calmed down a bit, Sirius took a deep breath and tried to answer Harry. "I'm sorry, I…I was so upset that night I wasn't thinking." Sirius pulled Harry tighter into the hug and just held him. "It will never happen again, I will always be here for you from now on." Harry nodded his head against Sirius's chest. The two just held each other for what felt like hours.
They were interrupted some time later by Tula. "It is time for Mr.'s Black to take potions and have breakfast!" Harry let go of Sirius and sat up. "Harry is having breakfast too." Tula held up the first of three potions for Sirius to take. Sirius took the potions grimacing at the foul tastes.
Harry just laughed at him. "That's what you get for leaving me that night and getting yourself locked up." He then turned to Tula.
"Thank you Tula, we can eat breakfast in here please." Harry spoke to the elf.
"Oh yes Harry, Mr.'s Black not getting out of bed for threees days. Expects fors washing." Tula crossed her arms the same way that Rasa had and stared at Sirius with a stern look on her face. Sirius was actually a little frightened.
"Harry, I don't know where you found the house elves but they're crazy. I tried to come find you this morning, I got as far as the door before I found myself floating back into bed and getting berated by, what was her name Rasa?" Harry started laughing again.
"I'll tell you about it later." replied Harry. "Ok Tula breakfast for two in bed please." asked Harry.
Tula snapped her fingers and two trays full of food appeared and floated in to each of their laps. Both Sirius and Harry ate in silence neither knowing how to start. Harry didn't have a lot of questions, the questions he did have were mostly personal questions about his parents. He was just happy to have Sirius back in his life and wanted to move forward. Sirius on the other hand had a lot of questions. As they both sat eating breakfast in silence it dawned on Sirius that Harry had called him Padfoot. It was Sirius that broke the silence first.
"Harry, how did you know my nickname, who told you, was it the same person that gave the memory of the night we switched secret keepers?" Harry looked up from his breakfast.
"Yes and No," Harry smiled mischievously. Sirius looked at Harry waiting for an explanation. Just as he put a bit of eggs in his mouth, Harry clarified. "I was the person that gave the memory of that night." Sirius sprayed egg all over the bed. "WHAT! How? You were only an infant Harry, it's not possible." Harry was wiping egg of the front of his night shirt, laughing.
"I remember everything, from the moment I was born. I remember my Mum and Da, Remus, Peter the real traitor, you, and the big black dog that would play with me on the floor, paddyfooot."
Now that the silence had been broken Harry started telling Sirius about himself and everything that had happened since that night. Harry didn't get as upset telling the story, it was the third time this week and he had cried enough over it. Both had finished their breakfast and Tula had cleared it away. Harry just kept talking, Sirius didn't interrupt him. By the time Harry was finished, Sirius was upset to say the least. He was already planning the world's biggest prank to play on Dumbledore. When Harry got to the part about coming to the Manor and finding all the house elves, except Biggly gone, and what Mr. Crandall, his granddad and he suspected, Sirius was in a right state of anger.
"I AM GOING TO HURT THAT OLD MAN…." Sirius started yelling. He stopped his yelling when Harry started backing away from him with some fear in his eyes. "I sorry Harry, I wasn't yelling at you, I was just yelling. Come here, you never have to fear me little prongs." Sirius used the nickname he had come up with for Harry after he had been born. Harry moved back over to Sirius and hugged him.
-oo00oo-
Some time later Harry was shaken awake. "Harry you need to wake up." He opened his eyes to see his godfather looking down on him.
"Don't wanna" replied Harry closing his eyes again.
"Well Mr. Crandall and Miss Stuart are waiting for you down stairs; it would not be nice to keep them waiting." Harry opened his eyes again and groaned.
"Ok I'm awake." Harry climbed out of the bed stretching. Sirius just laughed.
"I'll send Lynn up to check YOU out." This time it was Sirius that groaned.
"I hate healers." replied Sirius under his breath. Harry walk out of the suite toward his room. He could hear Sirius grumble, Rasa had appeared to give him his potions. Harry asked Tula to let Mr. Crandall know he would be down shortly and to have Miss Stuart brought to Sirius's room. Harry took a quick shower then got dressed in what Tula had laid out for him that morning. He wasn't sure what time it was but figured it was close to noon if Rasa was giving Sirius potions.
Harry walked down stairs to the guest lounge to find Mr. Crandall waiting for him. "Hello Mr. Crandall how was your morning?"
"Good Harry, the wizarding community is still in shock after what happened yesterday. Here I figured you would want to see this." Mr. Crandall handed Harry what looked like a news paper. "Sirius will want to see that as well."
Harry opened the rolled up paper to the front page. At the top was the name of the paper, The Daily Prophet, under that was four headlines all fighting for top billing.
Mysterious Evidence Exonerates Sirius Black Ministry Espionage Scandal, Under-secretary ImplicatedWizengamot and Ministry Official Named as a Death Eater
Fudge Out, Crabtree New Interim Minister
Mixed into the article were several moving pictures. The first Harry had no idea who the person was, a short balding man that was acting like a bully had just taken away his candy. The second was of Sirius, the chains that tied him to a chair falling away from him. Another was a picture of a room filled with people, all in robes screaming at each other. The last was of a women Harry didn't know standing next to Dumbledore. Harry started to read the article.
In a move usually orchestrated by only the best of Slytherin minds, the Head of the DMLE brought forth evidence implicating the Under-secretary to the Minister of spying on multiple Department Heads within the Ministry. Madame Amelia Bones presented the evidence, through her own office's surveillance charm, of Delores Umbridge entering her office and re-enabling the listening charms previously disabled.
The evidence continued to show Madame Umbridge reading an undisclosed document on Madame Bones' desk. Upon Madame Umbridge's arrest, Madame Bones provided even more damaging evidence by swearing a magical oath stating that her surveillance charm was true and accurate. The ruling of the Wizengamot was swift and just.
Dolores Umbridge was fined the maximum 10,000 galleon penalty, stripped of her seat on the Wizengamot, and terminated from her position in the Ministry as the Under-secretary to the Minister. Umbridge was then placed into custody and questioned under Veritaserum. The questioning was quick, and revealed that Umbridge had placed listening charms in the offices of all the Department Heads within the Ministry, as well as revealing at least one accomplice, Frez Kealler, whose whereabouts are unknown at this time.(more on page five)
Throughout the entire proceeding, witnesses could see the unease and apprehension of the Minister .Could it be that our own Minister was aware of his Under-secretary's underhanded and illegal activities in order to benefit from them? Only questioning our esteemed Minister under Veritaserum will ease our suspicions and reveal the truth.
Another Wiz Bang (Zonke's trademark firework) was dropped on members of the Wizengamot when Madame Amelia Bones and Gringotts solicitor Scott Crandall presented evidence of the Potter's true secret keeper, in the form a mysterious pensive memory.
As the memory played out, it was obvious that the long thought infamous convict and mass murder Sirius Black pleaded his case with his childhood friends that Peter Pettigrew would be a better and less obvious candidate to be their secret keeper. As the memory finished, the Potters stated their agreement, and Pettigrew's agreement to inform Albus Dumbledore. When questioned why this evidence was never presented during Black's trial, Madame Bones stated that no trial had ever taken place. Minister Fudge was then witnessed as becoming enraged, stating that Sirius Black would be staying in Azkaban prison, and should have received the Dementor's Kiss. As Black was brought before the Wizengamot, Minister Fudge became flustered and immediately ordered that Black received the Dementors Kiss.
Chief Warlock Dumbledore suspended that order stating that such an order executed on anybody without the benefit of a trial was tantamount to murder, causing Minister Fudge to grudgingly take his seat. Sirius Black was then questioned under the influence of Veritaserum, revealing the truth almost Ten years after that fateful night He-Who-Must-Not-Named was vanquished. In addition to proving his innocence, Sirius Black also revealed the name of numerous Death Eaters as stated from his neighboring Azkaban inmate and cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. Upon the conclusion of his questioning, Sirius Black was declared innocent and was seen leaving the courtroom with Gringotts solicitor Scott Crandall.
During his questioning under Veritaserum, Sirius Black named multiple people as followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Of those named, the most prominent was Lucius Malfoy, a member of the Wizengamot, Ministry Official, and Confidant of the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. Other names include Peter Pettigrew, Drumstrang Headmaster Igor Karkaroff, Potion Master and Hogwarts Professor Severus Snape, and the most notorious werewolf in history Fenrir Greyback. Other minor Ministry and Wizengamot officials were named before the questioning was completed. It is reported that Sirius Black received his information from his cousin and long time Azkaban inmate Bellatrix Lestrange. Recently, an order from the office of the Head of the DMLE authorized moving inmate Lestrange from Azkaban to the Ministry holding cells for follow up questioning. Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Igor Karkaroff were not available for comment. The DMLE are currently seeking Peter Pettigrew and Fenrir Greyback (see wanted photos on page two) to answer questions regarding their alleged crimes.
Just before the closing of the fall session of the Wizengamot, minor Ministry official and Wizengamot member Newton Crabtree call for a vote of no confidence to be held next week in current Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, a move that came as no surprise to the other members in the gallery. With the events that played out throughout this session of the Wizengamot, and the impression the other members had of Fudge's dealings as Minister, a vote of no confidence was quickly scheduled. In the ensuing scramble to appoint an Interim Minister, many prominent names were nominated including Albus Dumbledore, which declined the honor. In the end, Newton Crabtree was nominated and voted in as the New Interim Minister under the provision that he not be forced or pressured to run for Minister of Magic during the next general election (see the full page biography on Minister Crabtree page eight).
Former Minister Cornelius Fudge was seen collecting his personal possessions from the Ministry, and then being escorted from the premises. He was not available for comment. Speculation is the Department of Magic Law Enforcement may open an investigation to follow up on Fudge's rein as Minister and the events that led to his disgraceful departure.
Albus Dumbledore also had no comment after. Though this reported did witness a strange altercation between our esteemed Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts and Sirius Black were the name Harry Potter was mentioned, at the end Albus Dumbledore was heard ordering Sirius Black to meet with him at Hogwarts.
BY Phntm-Phnx (reader challenge winner)
Harry finished reading the article with a frown on his face. "All this because I gave you a memory to get my godfather out of prison, if anyone finds out it was me I'm going to be in big trouble. I'm going to be famous enough as it is."
"Don't worry Harry, your covered. No one can find out, Ragnok, Sirius, and I are the only people that know for sure. Oh, here I figured you would want this back." Mr. Crandall pulled a small vile that contained a silvery liquid from his pocket. "I figured you would want this memory back."
"I still have the memory Mr. Crandall; will I lose my copy if I don't put it back?" Mr. Crandall got a perplexed look on his face.
"What do you mean you still have the memory Harry?"
"I made a copy of it before I gave it to you, was that the wrong thing to do?" replies Harry with a little bit of concern.
"Harry, to my knowledge no one can make copies of memories. When a memory is extracted, the person losses it until they put it back. Are you telling me you can make copies?"
"Ya." Harry looked up at Mr. Crandall awkwardly. .
"Don't worry about it Harry, just because I've never heard of it doesn't mean it's not possible. I'm a good Occlumens, and I know legilimency which is the art of entering someone else's mind. May I take at look at your mind Harry to see how good your occlumency is?"
"I don't know Mr. Crandall; I really don't like the idea of someone in my head. I mean I trust you; you have been more help to me then any adult ever has been since my parents died. Let me think about it?"
"Don't worry Harry, I completely understand; I wouldn't want anyone in my head either, now how about you put this somewhere safe." Mr. Crandall indicated the vile with the memory in it. "And we can move on to something else." Harry took the vile from Mr. Crandall and put it in his pocket. The conversation switched to plans for visiting the four other vaults later that day. Mr. Crandall informed Harry that he would have to go alone and that Griphook would help him if he needed it. Mr. Crandall was going out of town for a few days to finish up other matters and would contact him when he gets back.
"Oh, Harry before I forget, the Gringotts ward breaker we send back out, confirmed that the elf ward was placed on the house. He was not able to get the spell signature of the caster though. So we don't have any proof it was Dumbledore."
Mr. Crandall got up to leave just as Miss Stuart came into the room. "Hello Miss Stuart, how is Sirius doing?"
"He will be fine by tomorrow Harry, he will still need rest for a week or two, no magic, but he can get out of bed starting tomorrow." Miss. Stuart informed Harry.
"Thank you for looking after him. Have you given any thought to my offer?" inquired Harry. Lynn sat down in one of the offered chairs. She had a neutral look on her face.
"Yes Harry I have, I just can't give up my position at St. Mungo's right now. Being a healer is what I've always wanted to be. So I can not accept your great offer. You can still call on me if you need a healer." Harry looked down at his shoes and quietly thanked Miss. Stuart.
"Thank you Miss. Stuart for thinking about it, I understand. I just know I need help, this is a new world to me." Lynn stood up, walked over to Harry and gave him a small hug.
"Don't worry Harry; Sirius will take good care of you. I have to get back, my shift starts in an hour. Remember if you need anything just call." Harry walked Miss. Stuart to the floo and she disappeared into the green flames.
Harry returned up stairs to let Sirius know that he was going to Gringotts but when he entered the bed room Sirius was asleep. Harry left the Daily Prophet news paper on the stand next to Sirius's bad and wrote a quick note that he would be back later. Harry returned down stairs to let his granddad know he was going to Gringotts and then activated his portkey to the family vault.
-oo00oo-
Harry appeared in the family vault, landing on his butt again. After shaking the dizzy feeling out of his head, Harry walked to the vault door, pulling the call rope then opening the doors. Several minutes later Griphook appeared in a mining cart. "Lord Potter, how may I help you today?"
"Good afternoon Griphook, I want to visit the other vaults today." replied Harry as he gave a slight bow to Griphook. Griphook bowed back to Harry and motioned him to the cart. Harry closed the doors to the vault and jumped into the cart with the goblin. As they sped down the tunnel, Harry contemplated the events of the previous night.
"Okay, magical people will be in blue, squibs in red, and muggles in black." He continued to unroll the parchment; it looked to Harry like the parchment roll would never end. At the bottom edge of the parchment roll Harry could see his name. Right above his name was James Potter and Lily Potter.
Both Harry and Mr. Crandall traced his maternal line up the parchment. Above the blue Lily Potter was her parent's names, Tim Evens in black and Rose Evens in red, there it was, proof that Lily came from a squib line. Both Mr. Crandall and Harry followed the tree back through the generations. When the got to the top of the parchment one name stood out, Hufflepuff, now Harry knew he had three of the four founders in his bloodline. He still didn't know who the last vault belonged to.
It took another hour and following several branches but they finally found it. Several generations down from Helga Hufflepuff a Slytherin branch line had married in to the direct Hufflepuff line. Mr. Crandall then found something else on the parchment that put everything into question, the Peverell family. The daughter of Ignotus Peverell had married into the Potter line.
Mr. Crandall explained to Harry that they were another old family, as old as the Potters, that was thought to have died out. So in the end the last vault was a toss up. It could be the Peverell family vault or Salazar Slytherin's vault. But it was now true that Harry was a descendant of all four founders even if one was from a branch line. Mr. Crandall explained that if all other branches had died off then he was now the Heir of Slytherin as well, but they could not tell until Harry opened the last vault.
Harry's granddad had been upset that the Potters now had Slytherin blood. He was happy that they now knew where at least one of the vaults came from. He had not known about the Peverell daughter, however Harold did know of someone that descended from the Peverells, Albus Dumbledore.
After talking about it for a few minutes Mr. Crandall pulled out his wand, tapping it on the parchment over Harry's name. "Harry you can do this with any name on the parchment and it will give you some vital information about them." On the Parchment Harry's name glowed for a second then additional writing appeared.
Harry James Potter.
Born: 31 July 1980
Death: unknown
Magical abilities: Charms prodigy, Occlumency/legilimency Prodigy, Arithmancy Prodigy, Transfiguration Master, Potions Master, Rune Master, Parselmouth, Parcel Magic, Wandless/Wordless Magic, Light Magic, Enchanter.
Patronus: Changing
Animagus Form: Unknown
Wand: Redwood and Griffon Crest feather, twelve inches
Mr. Crandall let out a gasp of shock when the parchment wrote out Parselmouth, he turned to look at Harry. "What does all that mean?" Harry asked Mr. Crandall.
"It means Harry that you are going to be a very powerful man someday. But the thing that has me worried is the Parselmouth, everyone today looks at that as a sign of an evil wizard." Mr. Crandall then looked up at Harold's portrait. "It must come from the Slytherin line. He was known to be a Parselmouth."
"What's Parselmouth?" asked Harry.
"It is the ability to talk to and understand snakes. You need to keep that under your hat Harry; people will get the wrong idea about you." Harry nodded his head. He then asked about the other things listed.
The cart came to a stop; Harry didn't remember the ride at all, so caught in his own thoughts. "Well that's a first" thought Harry. Griphook stepped out of the cart followed by Harry.
"Vault five; place your hand on the door." Harry exited the cart and looked at the vault door it had a very detailed lion that looked like it was ready to leap after some mysterious pray depicted on it. Harry put his hand on the center of the ornate door. Feeling something prick his hand, Harry pulled it away to see a small cut in the palm of his hand that was already healing. The vault didn't open as any normal door would; it just seemed to fade away. Harry entered the vault. It was small compared even to his trust vault. The only thing in the vault was a pedestal, on which lay a large book. Harry walked to the pedestal and found that there was also a ring and letter. Harry picked up the letter and opened it not knowing what to expect.
To My Heir,
What you see before you is the Gryffindor family ring and the original Hogwarts: A History created by me. Use it wisely as it can give you great knowledge. It is self updating so for however long it sits in this vault it will be accurate to your time. Hogwarts hears and sees everything that happens within her walls or grounds. It is all recorded within this tome. All you need do is ask it for what you want. Wear my ring with pride and courage, it will allow you to enter my personal chambers within the castle.
Godric Gryffindor
After reading the letter Harry picked up the ring slipping it on his index finger opposite his Potter Family ring. "Tula" Harry called out. With a small pop Tula appeared next to Harry. "Tula, please take this book and letter. Place the book in the Manor Library on a pedestal and the letter in the Master Study please." Harry handed the letter to the elf.
"Yes Harry sirs" And with a small pop Tula, the book, and even the pedestal disappeared. Harry turned walking out of the vault. Instead of the door returning, a solid stone wall appeared. "Griphook, where did the door go? And when I was shown the ledger for this vault it was huge, where is everything else?"
"Lord Potter this vault is now closed, that is the reason that the door did not reappear." Griphook then pulled the large ledger from a pocket and opened it to the last page. "The entirety of the vaults contents was transferred to the Potter Family vault, nine hundred years ago. Before that, there was a lot of activity on the vault." Well that explained the why to both Harry's questions. Harry joined Griphook back in the cart and they sped away.
It was a very short trip to the next vault. "Vault four." stated Griphook as he climbed out of the cart again. "Same as the last vault Lord Potter."
"Griphook, please stop calling me Lord Potter, just call me Harry." Replied Harry as he exited the cart.
Griphook nodded to him as Harry walked up to the vault door placing his hand on it. This vault door had a depiction of a large eagle on it, poised as if to take flight. Harry braced himself, waiting for the pain in his hand as it was cut but instead his hand began to glow blue for a moment. The door faded away like the last time. Harry stepped into the vault, it was not much bigger then the Gryffindor vault. Again there was no gold or silver, just a single shelf filled with books and a small table with a ring on it.
Harry had been half expecting to find another letter but there wasn't any. Harry picked up the ring and slipped it on his right ring finger then walked to the book shelf. All the books looked old. Pulling one from the shelf Harry found that it was authored by Rowena Ravenclaw. Checking more of the books he found all were written by Rowena, Harry called for Tula again.
"Tula, please have everything taken to the Potter Manor Library." Tula snapped her fingers and everything disappeared. For Harry finding books was like finding gold so he was not disappointed in the least. Reading was his thing, his escape from the real world of the Dursleys, but now he found that with Dursleys gone he still had a thirst to read everything he could get his hands on. In the past week he had not had the time to read as much as he would like to, he now had libraries full of books on magic to dive into and that was what he intended to do.
The cart ride to the next vault only took a few minutes. Rowena's vault had disappeared just like Godric's. With the ledger, Griphook confirmed that everything else had been transferred to the Potter vault at around the same time as Godric's vault.
"Vault three, Harry." Griphook called out.
Harry walked to the door of the third vault that had some animal depicted on it. He wasn't sure what it was at first then remembered from a book called Natures Animals that is was a badger. He placed his hand on it. Nothing happened at first and then the door just faded from view. This vault was much larger then the last two. Inside he found gold and silver, lots of gold and silver. Harry turned to Griphook. "Griphook, could you please have an accounting of the gold and silver, then transfer it all to the Potter Vault?"
"Yes Harry we can have that done for you, Ragnok has waived all fees for any services you require. It will be done before the end of the day and an account sheet sent to you."
"Thank you, Griphook." Harry investigated the vault some more, he found some more books; several of them were on House elves. There was a small selection on cooking charms, and a rather large selection on magical and mundane plants. The books he had Tula take away to the manor, He found the Hufflepuff Family ring on a small pedestal at the back of the vault, he slipped it on. There were many other things in the vault, several closed chests. Harry asked that they be inventoried and place in the Potter family vault. He really didn't want to have five vaults so the fact that he was closing the founder's vaults never even crossed his mind. When Harry exited the vault the door reappeared as he climbed into the cart for the ride to the last vault.
This was the question, whose vault it would be. When the cart came to a stop, Harry didn't have any doubt whose vault it was. A large snake was depicted on the vault door as if ready to strike.
"Vault two." Harry nervously climbed out of the cart. His Granddad had warned him to be careful, if it did turn out to be the Slytherin vault. Slytherin, according to his granddad had been the darkest of dark wizards and any number of dark or cursed items could be in his vault. Harry wasn't even sure if he wanted to enter this vault, it took a few minutes with Harry just starring at the doors to get the nerve to touch it.
Harry approached the door and like the other three placed his hand on it, as soon as he place his hand on the door the snake depicted there started moving, The head of the snake coming off the door and hovering over Harry's hand with its fangs out.
"ssstate your name." came a voice from the door.
"Harry Jamessss Potter" Harry replied. He tried to remove his hand from the door to get it away from the snake. As soon as he tried the snake sunk its fangs into Harry. Harry let out a scream but didn't try to pull away.
"You will be judged, ifssss you aressss the heirsss of Sssslytherin you willssss enterssss. Ifsss you aressss not yousss willsss die." Harry stood there stock still not wanting to chance interrupting whatever was judging him. A moment later the snake pulled its fangs from Harry's hand, the two wholes healing themselves. "Hiersss of Sssslytherin you maysss enter." The door faded away. Harry almost collapsed, if it was not for Griphook. Griphook had moved up beside Harry and was holding him up.
"Young Lord Potter, it is not wise to speak the snake language, we had been informed by Mr. Crandall that you had the talent. I would suggest that when in the presence of a snake that you not speak if others are around." Harry was shocked; he had not known he was speaking in Parselmouth.
"Thank… thank you Griphook." Harry looked at the goblin. "Has anyone else ever tried to enter this vault?" Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.
"Oh yes Harry, we get the occasional wizard or witch that claims to be of Slytherin decent and tries to access the vault." Harry had cleared his head and was listening to Griphook. "What happened to them?" asked Harry.
"They all died Harry." Harry again felt like his legs would fall out from under him, he could have been killed. Harry sat down hard on the cold stone floor of the tunnel and put his hands to his face. It took him a moment to realize that he had entered him own mind. He looked for the memory of what just happened to him and locked it away in one of the rooms on the third floor where he kept his other unpleasant memories. After locking it away he felt much better and opened his eyes.
Harry turned to Griphook, who for a goblin looked worried. "I'm fine now Griphook." Harry stood back up and looked into the vault. Within the vault he found two items, the Slytherin ring and a journal. Harry walked in and retrieved both items. He didn't slip the ring on his finger though, taking his granddad's advise he put the ring in his pocket until he could have it looked at.
When he exited the vault the door did not return, the vault was closed a solid wall appeared instead. "Thank you Griphook for coming with me." Griphook having watched Harry put the ring in his pocket instead of wearing it asked.
"Why do you not wear the ring like the others?"
"My granddad told me to have it checked for curses before wearing the ring." replied Harry as they climbed back into the cart.
"We goblins can tell if an object has a curse on it. May I please see the ring?" Harry pulled the ring out and handed it to Griphook.
Griphook waved his hand over the ring making it glow for a moment. "There are no curses on the ring Harry, it is enchanted however, much like the other rings you wear." Harry took the ring back from Griphook, after looking at it for a moment he slipped it on his finger.