Harry landed in a large unfamiliar room. It was larger than the whole first floor of his relatives' house and decorated beautifully. There were many paintings on the walls, all appeared to be moving and sleeping. There were sculptures of various designs and very plush furniture about the area. He pulled himself up, having landed quite hard on his bum, off of a very ornate rug and suddenly became frightened. He didn't know were he was or how he arrived. Harry felt the urge to run out the nearest door when a gentile voice said.
"Good evening Harry Potter and happy birthday." She said to him.
Harry turned towards the voice to see an older woman. Well old to him. She was in her mid thirties with shoulder length blond hair. She had blue eyes and a bright smile that calmed the nervous child. She was wearing a flowing full length blue dress that Harry thought was very pretty. Harry cautiously spoke to this stranger.
"Um, thank you. Who . . . Who are you?"
"My name is Amelia and we are in my home." She said in a very kind voice.
"How did I get here?" Harry asked feeling less scared but still reserved.
"Do you believe in magic Harry? Because magic is real. I didn't mean to frighten you but there was no other way. We need your help."
"Magic isn't real. My uncle told me it wasn't. Why do you need my help?" He said defensively. He was starting to back away.
"Please Harry, I promise I won't hurt you. If you sit in that chair you're by I will try to explain. I won't come any closer." She said calmly and quietly.
Harry decided to give this woman the benefit of the doubt. He carefully moved around the plush arm chair he was hiding behind. He hopped up onto the most comfortable chair he ever sat in and waited.
Amelia, seeing that Harry was willing to listen, moved slowly to the chair she was standing near. She sat down and crossed her legs in a lady like fashion and began to speak.
"Harry, first of all, magic is very real. How do you explain the gifts you've received?"
"You sent them? Thank you." Harry said with a bright smile. This was the one who loved him.
"Yes I did, but I had help from some friends. In fact my niece Susan was the one who picked out your bear. She's your age by the way. You are a very special young man Harry. You are a wizard, just like your daddy. He was a great man. Your mummy was a fine woman as well. She was a witch, a good witch not a bad one and they both loved you very much."
Harry could not believe what he had just been told. He had read stories about witches and wizards but never believed it could be true. His mummy and daddy were good people who loved him. He began to cry.
"What's wrong? I didn't mean to upset you." Amelia said caringly.
"My aunt and uncle lied. They said my parents were worthless drunks." He said in between sobs.
Amelia's blood boiled upon hearing this. But now was not the time, there was much to do and time was of the essence. She spoke softly.
"I know you are hurting but try to understand. Your aunt was jealous of your mummy because she could do magic. Your parents were the finest people I've ever met. I'll tell you about them later but now I need you to help me."
"What do you need me to do?" He said trying to hold back his tears.
"I need you to come with me and talk to some people. A bad man wants to steal your parents' things from you and we are going to stop him."
"Why would he do that? What did I do to him?" He said. The sadness was gone and now he felt angry.
"That is a story for another time. Will you come with me? I'll show you some magic." She said hopefully.
"Okay, I'll help, but what can I do?"
"Don't you worry about that. Now may I come closer, I want to show you some magic."
"Okay." He said with a shaky voice.
Amelia stood up and walked slowly towards Harry. She pulled her wand from her robes and pointed it at him. Harry suddenly became frantic and she lowered her wand and spoke kindly to him.
"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. I just want to change your night cloths into something else. Please."
Harry nodded and sat rigid in his chair. Amelia waved her wand at him and his pajama bottoms and t-shirt he was wearing changed into a very nice dark blue suit. She waved her wand again and a comfortable pair of dress shoes appeared in front of him on the floor. One more wave and a plain black cloak appeared.
Harry looked at his new attire and was stunned. Magic is real. He thought to himself. He put on the shoes and he felt like a different person. The only thing he could think of to say was. "WOW!"
Amelia chuckled aloud at Harry's exclamation. She thought to herself. It's not as good as Minerva but not bad at all. She spoke to Harry.
"Did you like that? I'll show you some more later. For now if you would put on that cloak and pull the hood up we will be off."
Harry nodded in agreement and set to comply with his instructions. While Harry was donning his cloak, Amelia donned her own. When his hood was in place she spoke sweetly to Harry.
"Now what I need you to do is hold my hand and don't let go. Just relax."
Harry took hold of the proffered hand and held it tightly. He relaxed as much as he could and with a loud crack they were gone.
The two reappeared in a darkened alcove. Amelia could feel Harry trembling. She spoke calmly.
"I'm sorry I frightened you Harry but it was the fastest way to get you here. You are in Diagon Alley by the way."
"Why are we here?" He said with a nervous tone.
"We are going to speak with some . . . people about your parents' things. The people are not quite . . . Human but don't worry they will not harm you." She said sweetly.
"What do you mean not human? Are they monsters or aliens?" He asked.
"I'll explain along the way." She answered as they began to walk out into the alley.
The alley was moderately lit with oil type street lights that gave it a Victorian feel. There were a few people out for the evening, enjoying the warm night. A few of the people Harry observed had very pasty white skin, like they had never seen sunlight, but the pair was other wise ignored. As they walked along the cobble stone road Amelia spoke.
"The people we are going to meat with are called Goblins. They are not a very friendly sort of people but if you are respectful to them they will be the same to you."
"Will they be mad at me because it's so late?" Harry asked.
"No. In fact they were more than willing to set up an appointment just for us."
They walked along for a short while until they arrived at a large building in the center of the alley. The large marble pillars and intricate sculptures were an amazing contrast to the blandness of the rest he had seen. Amelia spoke.
"Welcome to Gringotts Harry. Now don't you worry about a thing, if you have any questions just ask me."
"I only have about a million of them mam."
Amelia chuckled aloud as they entered. The bank was sparsely populated. There were a few of the pasty white people Harry had seen earlier and he gasped aloud when he saw their fangs. When the pair arrived at the counter, Harry became increasingly scared when he first saw a Goblin up close. They were a short creature with large protruding ears and very little hair on their heads. The long noses and wide eyes only made their appearance scarier, but their spiky teeth put Harry over the edge. He squeezed Amelia's hand tightly and she returned the gesture to comfort him. She knew he was frightened by everything that was happening but it was necessary. After speaking with a Goblin named Griphook, the pair was lead to a private meeting room in the back. The room was sparsely decorated, with only a table, a few chairs and some landscape paintings on the walls but otherwise it was nothing special.
The pair sat in silence for a few minutes when another Goblin named Sharkbreath entered. He was carrying a stack of folders and wasted no time and began to speak.
"Good evening Madam Bones. Is this the young man that we spoke of earlier?"
"Yes Sharkbreath, this is Harry Potter. I hope you can help us."
"In light of what has happened recently, we are more than willing to help. Off the record of course." He said with an evil grin.
"Of course." Amelia said grinning.
Harry was confused about what he had just heard and asked politely.
"Mr. Goblin sir. I don't want to get anyone in trouble helping me."
Sharkbreath smiled warmly, well as warm as a Goblin can, and answered.
"My name is Sharkbreath Mr. Potter and no one is going to get into trouble. Now on to business. I assume you are wearing your family ring?"
Harry nodded and showed Sharkbreath the ring he was wearing. After examining the ring for a few moments he spoke.
"It appears that you are in fact Harry Potter but we need to make sure. Please give me your hand. This might pinch just a bit."
Harry nervously complied and offered his hand. Sharkbreath quickly poked Harry with what looked like a feather and let go of his hand. The Goblin was impressed that Harry did not even flinch when he was poked. He took the blood tipped quill and placed it on some of the thick paper Harry had seen before and to his amazement, it began to move on its own.
Amelia was proud of Harry for not making a fuss about what had happened. She silently scolded herself for not warning him before hand but it worked out in the end. She looked at the charmed parchment and smiled at the results. There were a few lesser known families that were listed and this would definitely anger a few people in the morning. When the quill stopped writing and fell down, Sharkbreath spoke.
"My apologies Lord Potter but we had to make sure. Now we can retrieve all your things without any difficulty. From what Madam Bones told me, I assume that you will want your library at your disposal when you start school?"
"I have a library? Why did you call me Lord Potter? What just happened?" Harry asked with a mixture of excitement, confusion and fear.
"Calm down Harry. You are a lord because your daddy was a lord. Yes you have a library. I believe it was one of the things the bad men were after. I asked Sharkbreath to have it set up so you can use it when you go to magic school. I hope you don't mind I did that?" Amelia said lovingly.
"I'm going to go to magic school?" He asked with wide eyes.
"Oh Yes. When you are old enough. In fact, my niece Susan will be in your class."
"Wow. Thank you both. I don't mind you did that but why did those bad men want to take my stuff?"
"I can answer that Lord Potter. It seems that some people think they are better than others and believe they deserve your things more than you do." Sharkbreath said.
"So they are like the bullies at school who steal from little kids because they are bigger than them."
"Something like that, but we stopped them tonight. Your parents would be very proud of you. Now unless there is anything else I have to get you back before you are missed." Amelia said.
Sharkbreath stated that they were finished, but would meet later for the final details. Amelia and Harry both thanked him for all his help and quickly left the bank and returned to the alcove where they first arrived and with another loud crack they were gone. They reappeared in the lounge where Harry began his little adventure and he couldn't stop grinning. Amelia noticed this and asked.
"Did you enjoy yourself Harry?"
"Yeah. I feel like a spy or something. You know stopping the bad guys without them knowing it."
Amelia laughed aloud and said. "I suppose it was like that, wasn't it. How would you like to see some more magic?"
"Really?" He asked excitedly.
"Yes really. Now just sit on the sofa and watch."
Harry eagerly complied with Amelia's instructions and quickly got comfortable on a very plush sofa.
Amelia walked in front of Harry and with a deep breath waved her wand and Harry instantly fell asleep. She then ended the transfiguration on his clothes and banished the conjured items. It was at this time another woman entered the room. She was a mature woman and had a very dignified air about her. She walked over to the sleeping child and waved her own wand over him. After examining Harry she pulled a vial from her robes and poured its contents down Harry's throat, using her wand to help him swallow. She then pulled a small box from her robes and enlarged it to its original size and placed it upon the sleeping child's chest. She nodded to Amelia and took a step back. Amelia came forward and said regretfully.
"Please forgive me. OBLIVIATE" After she completed the task, she waved her wand over his ring and made it invisible. She then touched the wrapped box with her wand and said, "Portus" and in an instant Harry was gone. She turned to the other woman and said. "Come along Poppy the others are waiting." Poppy nodded and with two sharp cracks the two women were gone.
The two women arrived in a Muggle hotel room and were greeted warmly.
"Good evening sisters. I hope everything went well." The older woman said.
"Yes Minerva. Everything went smoothly." Amelia said.
"Excellent! Now tell us everything." Minerva said.
Poppy and Amelia quickly took their seats that were provided. There was several other women in the room and all were eager to here their sisters' reports. Amelia spoke first.
"We arrived at Gringotts and took care of the problem of Harry's inheritance. I also found out that he is the sole heir to several lesser families. The Carmichael, Gambler, Decker, Jefferies, Shaw, and Kirkland families have all died out. Everything from the Potter and the other families will be moved to his family vault except for his library. He seemed quite excited at the prospect of having his own library at his disposal. He is just like Sister Lily in that respect. A portion of the money retrieved from the lesser families has gone to the Goblin Nation and another portion has gone into our fund, the rest will be placed in a separate vault for Harry's use when he turns thirteen. He seemed to think he was playing spy when we were done. I disillusioned his ring and his memory has been blocked and modified prior to his return."
"Very good. Well done. What do you have to report Poppy?" Minerva said.
"I have examined Mr. Potter and I am most pleased at his progress. He is almost where he should be for his age, but not quite. I administered a time-release nutrient potion to him and completed my scan. His magic is growing stronger but the dark magic from his scar still worries me. The blocks that were placed on him by Sister Lily are almost gone and his pendent seems to be working perfectly to suppress accidental magic as well as any outside tampering. I finished my scans and gave him the gift and let Amelia complete her tasks."
"Well done both of you. You seem to have outdone yourself Anastasia. Your unique gifts seem to be working splendidly."
"Thank you Minerva. I'm not a runes mistress for nothing." Anastasia Fitzpatrick stated.
"And so modest as well."
"Oh be quiet Dolores." She said chuckling.
"That's quite enough ladies. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention Dolores. If you hadn't, Mr. Potter would have lost everything."
"You are most welcome. Tell me why the old man hasn't done something. It's almost like he wanted Mr. Potter to loose his belongings." Dolores Umbridge said.
"I have no idea. Albus does things for no apparent reason. I'm beginning to wonder about his sanity. He says he does things for 'the greater good' but who's good is the question. If we hadn't stepped in, Mr. Potter would still be living like an animal and would have lost everything. Does anyone have anything else to add?"
"Yes. I have recently discovered a prophecy concerning Harry and You-Know-Who. I can not retrieve it, only Harry can, but it was given to Dumbledore originally." Cassandra Lovegood stated.
"Be careful Cassie. If you are found out, the Unspeakables will eliminate you." Septima Vector stated worried.
"I'll be careful. I don't think I should poke around as much as I have been in the past. Luna is coming into her powers."
"Is she a Seer like you thought?"
"No Rita, but she is a Clairvoyant. She can already perceive creatures of pure magic and also has limited mage sight." Cassandra stated proudly.
"She will make a remarkable addition to our ranks, when the time comes. Our numbers are at an all time low and we haven't had any potential candidates for some time." Minerva stated.
"I beg to differ. Miss Tonks is quite a remarkable young lady and a metamorphamagus as well." Pomona Sprout stated.
"True but we will have to wait and see won't we. Dumbledore and his teachings are making it nearly impossible to find young women to recruit. They all idolize him and are unwilling to go against him." Deloris said.
"I agree. That is why we needed to help Mr. Potter. His popularity could be just what we need to undermine Albus. He is just to well connected and influential to deal with directly. If he continued to treat Mr. Potter with disdain, Mr. Potter will look up to Albus as a sort of savior instead of the jailer he truly is. If there is nothing to add we will adjourn for the evening." Minerva stated flatly.
"There is one more thing. I uncovered a betrothal agreement, created by James, aside from the two we already knew about." Deloris said.
"Who is the agreement with?" Amelia asked angrily.
"It is to Ginerva Weasley." Dolores said.
"This is not good. Molly was denied entry into the Sisterhood because of her loyalty to Dumbledore. For now we do nothing. If we can recruit her; fine. If not we will find a way to break the agreement. Thankfully it is not a marriage contract, which would have been disastrous. I will not have Lord Potter in the hands of someone we have no influence over." Minerva said sternly.
All the ladies agreed at this statement. They all said their goodbyes and left the hotel room to their respective homes. Two women were not happy with the thought of the third agreement and hoped for the best. If hope wasn't enough they would make something happen. All of them were left with one thought; how do you out manipulate a master manipulator.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter.
A/N: The family names I got from friends of mine. I like using Dolores Umbridge in a good way because no one else will. I've seen good Snape and Malfoy but no Umbridge. The Weasleys, in general, will not be evil just too loyal to Dumbledore. Dumbledore will be manipulative and controlling but not evil. Betrothal agreements and marriage contracts are different, from my point of view.