The floo to Gringotts was quick and painless, and I stepped out of the fireplace completely soot-free. Kreacher appeared beside me with pop.
"This, Kreacher," I said, gesturing to our surroundings, "is Gringotts."
Kreacher's eyes grew very round as he surveyed the wood-paneled walls and gleaming tiled floors. It was busy today – not unusual for a bank on Friday – and there were all sorts of people milling about. I led Kreacher to an open counter.
"My name is Harry Potter," I said to the attending goblin, "I'm here to go through the family vaults."
"Ah yes… let's see… Potter…" The goblin flipped through a large book and, after scanning the page, nodded. "Yes, here it is. Mr. Harry Potter. You are the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Black and Potter, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"Ferlore will be with you in just one moment. Can I help you with anything else while you wait?"
"Yes," I replied, handing him my key, "I would like to make a withdrawal. Twenty galleons, please."
"Right away." The goblin took my key, placed it into a glass container, and set the container down a chute. A moment later, the capsule returned with both my key and a small pouch inside it. "Here you are, Mr. Potter. Thank you for banking with Gringotts."
I took the money pouch and was just wondering where I should wait when a goblin appeared at my side.
"Harry Potter?" the goblin said in an unusually high voice for its species.
"Yes."
"Ferlore," the goblin said, shaking my hand, "From the Gringotts Department of Inheritance. I will be your advisor for all matters relating to your inheritance."
"Nice to meet your acquaintance, Mr. Ferlore."
"Miss Ferlore, if you wish to give me any title," she replied. It was at that moment that I realized that the goblin before me was wearing skirt suit and heels.
"Sorry."
"It's quite alright. I get a lot of that from your kind. I try not to be offended – I know most humans have never encountered a female goblin before." She smiled at me, and I couldn't help but think that she reminded me of a very short, good-looking Pansy Parkinson. She had black hair that was pulled into a bun atop her head, and small, half-moon spectacles like Professor Dumbledore perched upon a small, button nose. She was actually quite pretty, for a goblin.
"If you and…" she stopped gestured towards Kreacher.
"Kreacher."
"Kreacher," she turned and shook hands with Kreacher, who looked beside himself with bliss, "Would follow me, we have quite a bit of paperwork to go over."
Ferlore led us down a well-lit corridor of office suites, stopping at one marked 'M. L. Ferlore, Esquire'.
"After you," she said, gesturing us inside.
Once Kreacher and I were both seated, Ferlore took her seat behind her desk.
"May I offer either of you anything to drink?" she asked politely.
"None for me thanks. But Kreacher may have whatever he wishes."
"Kreacher would like a glass of water, if it is not too much trouble," he said, straightening his loincloth as best he could. After Kreacher had been served, Ferlore took out a large file.
"Mr. Potter, before we begin, do you have any questions for me?"
"Umm…" I thought carefully, "I do have one question, but it's not really relevant to my inheritance."
"I will do my best to answer you," she responded, crossing her fingers on the desk.
"I noticed that your door says 'M. L. Ferlore, Esquire'…"
"Ah, yes," she said, sitting back in her chair and smiling in amusement, "That. We goblins also have first and second names, although we tend to go by our surnames for formality."
"Oh. And 'esquire'?"
"I have a degree in inheritance law. Humans and veelas are not the only ones that value education. 'Esquire' is the title given to someone with a degree in law."
"Oh, ok," I said nodding, "That makes sense. I guess you would have to have some sort of formal schooling to work at a bank."
"Precisely. Any more questions?"
"Not at the moment, no."
"Well then it is time to move on to more formal matters." She opened the file on her desk and looked at a sheet of parchment. "You first contacted us regarding your current state of minority, correct?"
"Yes."
"You wanted to know why you are not allowed to do magic outside of school?"
"Yes."
"Hmm…" She shuffled through some papers for a moment. "Here we are," she said, scanning a page, "I see. Are you aware that your present legal guardians, Mr. Vernon H. and Mrs. Petunia E. Dursley have not, as of today, formally adopted you?"
"Yes."
"Are you also aware that the aforementioned guardians are now and have been, for the past fourteen years and eight months, in blatant violation of the Protection of Underage Magical Offspring Act?"
I stared at her open-mouthed. "Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are in violation of what?"
"The Protection of Underage Magical Offspring Act. It states that no child that possesses magical abilities or is of magical heritage, by birth or otherwise, shall be subjected to reside in a sub-species habitat. A 'sub-species habitat' is one that fails to meet the minimum legal requirement for treatment of a living species, as dictated by the legal system of the species with which the legal guardian identifies."
"What?" I asked confused, "Wait so that means… what does that mean?"
"It means, in your case, that Mr. and Mrs. Dursley are guilty of child abuse. You are the child they abused. According to human law, the way that the Dursleys have been treating you is inhumane, and therefore, by magical standards, sub-species."
"Oh." I sat back in my chair, quietly thinking about what I'd just been told. "So… what does that mean for me?"
"It means that you have two choices: you can either press charges against the Dursleys and be placed with another family, or you can petition for independence."
"If I press charges against the Dursleys, do I get to pick the family I'm placed with?"
"No. The Ministry will choose for you from those who show interest and exhibit both financial and mental stability."
"What if I don't like them?" I said, imagining what it would be like to be placed with a family like the Malfoys instead of Ron or Hermione's family.
"Then you grin and bear it."
"Ok… and if I petition for independence?"
"If you are granted independence, then you be formally declared a legal adult, and will have all of the privileges and responsibilities that come with being such."
"And I'll never have to go back to the Dursley's?"
"Correct."
"I think that I want to do that then."
"Very good," she said handing me a stack of papers, "I need for you to read these, and sign here, here, and here…"