I still do not own Harry Potter or anything in any book pertaining to said character. That all belongs to the brilliant J.K. Rowling.
Harry, slept comfortably for about three hours, and woke about nine a.m. He dressed quickly and went downstairs to find his parents. They had changed into more festive robes. "Happy Birthday Harry," they said with a smile.
"Thanks Mum and Dad" Harry said beaming at them.
"We have a gift for you that we thought would be best given in private" James told him. Harry looked at him in an excited and nervous way, but sat in the chair that his father indicated anyway. His father laid two small boxes in his lap. Harry opened the first to find a small pocket watch that was charmed to tell, not only the current time of day but also where every member of the owner's family. "My great grandfather made that when he was young Harry," his father told him. Harry noticed that Ginny's name had already been engraved on one of the family hands. Harry looked up at his parents with raised eyebrows. "Harry, you can fool your friends but not your parents" James laughed.
"Really Harry, you can't keep your feelings for Ginny a secret for long. They're just too strong, you might as well ask her to marry you and let her share this home and your name." Lily smiled as she said this to Harry. Harry couldn't believe his parents were telling him to marry Ginny before he finished school or finished Voldemort.
"I love her dearly Mum, you know that" Harry said quietly. "But I'm afraid that Tom will use her against me."
"Let me tell you a secret Harry," James said just as quietly, "I married your mother in a similar time. She knew the danger, and I found the she loved me enough to understand when to help and when to stay out of a fight. Give Ginny that chance son."
"If it will make you feel better I'll be glad to explain that you don't doubt her ability, but that sometimes you need to be totally focused on your task. And that in those situations a spouse's presence is extremely distracting" Lily offered.
"I can't believe you two are actually telling me to get married" Harry said shaking his head.
"Harry, you and Ginny are almost carbon copies of your mother and I, and so is the relationship you two have" his father explained. "I know from experience that a relationship like that gives you a huge magical and psychological boost. I dare say that you'll need both very soon."
Harry couldn't argue with the logic, or the fact that he wanted to marry Ginny more than anything in the world. His desire to defeat Voldemort was only to protect people like Ginny, Ron and Hermione from the evil git. He nodded saying, "I'll certainly think about that Dad."
"Good" James said, "That being the case your second gift might prove useful." Harry opened the second package to reveal a small black velvet box. Inside were three gold and diamond rings. Harry looked at his parents with a question and tears in his eyes.
"They are our wedding rings Harry," His mother told him with tears forming in her eyes. "We told Sirius to save them for you. We found them in our room today." Harry couldn't think of the right words to thank them for this gift, so he just stood up and threw his arms around them both and cried. After a few moments he pulled himself together and mumbled an emotional thank you to them both. His parents wished him the best of luck with Ginny and advising him to decide quickly as an official looking owl swooped in through a small hole at the top of the wall.
Harry looked from the owl to his parents I surprise. "I think you'll find that that is from Gringott's Harry," James said with a smile in his eyes, "and don't worry about the hole in the wall it's charmed to only allow friendly owls through with their packages. It's also sealed against the weather." He finished enjoying Harry's joyful look. It turned out that James was correct; the letter was from Gringott's asking Harry for a meeting at eleven o'clock to discuss his inheritance.
"Well," Harry said slowly as he finished reading the letter, "It appears that I have some business to discuss with the goblins at eleven today."
"That would be them granting you the rest of your inheritance Harry" James said. "Sorry, but wizarding law prevent's you from gaining access to some things until you are of age. Make sure you are on time because the goblins hate tardiness." Harry looked confused but nodded anyway. "They will explain everything at the meeting," James said patting Harry's shoulder reassuringly.
Lily spoke up next, "Harry why don't you get changed and take care of any other errands you have this morning then we can all enjoy the party later." She smiled as her son nodded at her. "I think your father and I will just pop down to the kitchens and see how the elves are doing on the menu" she told him as she pulled James toward the stairs that led to the kitchens while smiling and waving at Harry. James just shrugged and waved to his son before following his wife.
Harry waved and smiled at them both until they disappeared from sight, then he turned to another staircase that led to the basement where Bellatrix Lestrange was held prisoner. He wore a menacing scowl on his face by the time he reached the dungeon's metal door. Menacing enough that Bellatrix didn't dare speak when he entered, she just stared at him from her relatively comfortable position on the floor. Harry was breathing heavily to control his anger as he faced his godfather's murderer. "Give me one good reason not to tear you in half with my bare hands Bellatrix" he snarled.
Bellatrix knew this had been coming, she had known it from the moment her favorite cousin fell through that veil. But Harry didn't know how she had changed, He didn't know that she had gone to Privet Drive with the intention of being captured, He didn't know that she had only fought so ferociously because she knew that if Harry had a chance to go offensive in that duel she would not survive. He didn't know that she and Sirius used to duel as children and that in the Department of Mysteries she had been able to recapture part of her childhood by dueling with her cousin again. She rose gracefully to her knees in front of Harry, lowered her head to expose her neck and said very quietly, "There is none my Lord. I deserve whatever punishment you feel appropriate after taking the life of my own cousin."
Harry was stunned, he had expected to hear how he was a muggle lover and had no right to judge her. He never expected to see her adopt the traditional position of surrender used in medieval execution ceremonies or to see tears falling freely from her eyes. His anger began to cool and yet, there was so much he wanted and needed to know. "Why did you kill him if you knew that his death would put you in this position?" Harry asked her coldly.
She remained staring at the ground, "I did not desire his death Sir, dueling was a childhood game for us, the few times we were together, and he was always better. I wanted to win one duel against him. I wanted him to be proud of me for once" she said as her tears continued to fall.
Harry looked livid, "What have you done that anyone could be proud of? You've murdered children, tortured people into insanity laughing while you did it, and you have supported the most evil wizard of all time! Why would any decent person be proud of that?" Bellatrix broke down as he listed her life's accomplishments to her, she fell to the floor at his feet and sobbed for a long time at what she had done. This only served to enrage Harry more. "What are you crying about Bellatrix?" he screamed at her. "I've told you nothing you didn't already know and brag about, or are your tears a result of the fact that you are at the mercy of a seventeen year old muggle lover?" Bellatrix said nothing but continued to sob at his feet. "Answer me you bitch!" Harry screamed grabbing her hair and forcing her to look at him.
Her eyes were wide with fear as she stuttered, "There is no excuse for what I have done. Everything you have said is true, I have wasted my life and destroyed the only member of my family that was worth something because of the beliefs of my parents that I was too cowardly to challenge. Sirius was the brave one of the family" she said as a faraway look haunted her eyes. She continued softly almost reverently, "He was so brave and beautiful and kind, He was the only one who would just play with me. The rest of my childhood was spent learning how to be a proper wife and proper servant to the Dark Lord. I knew all of the unforgivables before I could tie my shoelaces, I had performed them all by sixteen and Sirius was the only one that saw the damage those curses caused me. He kept me sane, he comforted me, tried to get me out of the family with him but I was already betrothed to Rodolphus. He could not help me once that happened, I became my husband's property in the eyes of the law and Rodolphus continued my quote education."
Harry let her go shocked at what he was hearing. Bellatrix immediately lowered her face again so as not to be looking at her captor. Harry was beginning to understand that she had been taught to do this at a very young age, this was a sign of respect to him and his position. "You have not answered my first question" He reminded her quietly, "And I am not better than anyone else. I am not going to kill you Bellatrix if you look at me."
Slowly she raised her face to look at him. "When he left me I didn't understand why he couldn't help me, I was so brainwashed by my parents that I saw his departure as a betrayal of the family and me. My parents and husband encouraged this belief until I began to hate him, I never saw him after he left my aunt's house until he was brought in to Azkaban. Then he broke out to go save you from my master leaving me again in a prison. The next time I saw him was at the Department of Mysteries. I started the duel, like any other, to kill my opponent. But as we dueled I noticed that he was not sending anything worse than a stunner at me. Slowly the truth dawned on me, after all that I had done and become, Sirius still loved me and did not want to kill me. I started to send stunners too, and for a while we were kids again. We were dueling and both of us were laughing and teasing the other, and then I hit him with one. I was elated I had finally beaten him in a duel, but then he fell through that veil and I realized that I had killed him. I had killed Sirius, the only family member who ever loved me, Bellatrix Black." She nearly screamed the last words as her tears started falling again. "Then you started trying to pull him back and that man, Remus I think was his name, was pulling you away and telling you he was gone. I couldn't stand it so I ran. I tried to get away but you followed me and started to duel with me. All I wanted was to get away from you, the Order, the Dark Lord, all of it. But I couldn't because you were going to kill me, I had to defend myself and then the Dark Lord showed up and I knew he would never allow me to be captured. I was his most loyal servant, I had been taught to be from the day I was born. So I returned to his side out of self preservation but kept looking for a way to escape. Then it came, The Dark Lord sent me to capture you. You're not stupid Mr. Potter, I knew you'd be ready for us. I chose the dumbest death eaters I could, but the Dark Lord sent Lucius as well to redeem himself. With Malfoy there I had to do my best or Malfoy would squeal to the Dark Lord and I would be killed. So now that I am finally free again I beg you to protect me from the Dark Lord so that I can try to make Sirius proud of me in death" she finished by crawling to Harry and kissing his feet and hands before laying both of his hands on the back of her neck.
Harry looked at his watch, it was ten thirty and he still had to dress for the meeting at Gringott's. "Very well, I need to think this though and I have other things that required my attention today. You will remain here in my custody for now" Harry said before turning and leaving the dungeon. He never heard her gasping Thank You.
Harry showered and dressed as quickly as he could finishing at about ten forty five. He rushed downstairs and out the front door calling goodbye to his parents as he went. He never saw his mother laughing as he flashed past. He made it to Gringott's with two minutes to spare.
"Ah, Mr. Potter" Griphook said bowing slightly to him, "We are pleased you could make it on such short notice."
"Not to worry Griphook," Harry said smiling, "I meant to be here ten minutes ago but got distracted doing other things around my new house.
"So Mr. Lupin did give you the key" Griphook said smiling, "Very good. We usually take care of these things but your parents insisted that the key go to Mr. Lupin for safe keeping.
"Yes, Lupin gave me the key early this morning before my apparition test." Harry said following Griphook into a conference room. Harry had taken the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley but he lied to protect Lupin. He looked around and noticed another more ancient looking goblin sitting at the end of the table with a pile of folders almost as tall as him on the table in front of him.
"Mr. Potter," The goblin said rising and walking to the side of the table where he could be seen before bowing respectfully. "My name is Snaglepaw and I am the goblin in charge of your family's affairs at the moment. It is an honor to meet with you today to discuss your inheritance, though I wish that we could be discussing your parents wills at a much later date. They were both good wizards. Please accept my condolences and my congratulations."
Harry had the good sense not to laugh at the formality of the goblin and the absurdity of what he just said. Instead he merely nodded to the goblin and said, "Thank you, both mean a great deal to me."
"Shall we get to it then?" Snaglepaw asked.
"Please do" Harry responded.
"Right, well the first part of this is fairly straight forward," Snaglepaw said. "As you are now seventeen years of age and are considered of age, you are hereby granted and entrusted with all the financial and property holdings of the Potter family. This means that you will now have access to the Potter family vaults and have the option of moving the Black family fortune into these vaults if you wish. You also are granted the titles to five residences owned by the Potter family. One is the Potter Manor in Lymington which I am sure you are aware of now." Harry nodded. "You also have a small home in Godric's Hollow which I am told is in need of some repair. There is a vacation home near Amarillo, Texas in the United States, some place called Palo Duro Canyon, good luck with that one. There is another small cottage in France a few miles south of Paris, and one more about fifty miles west of Hogsmede. Although I am told that one is rather inhabitable right now, something to do with giants or something like that. Any questions so far?" he asked levitating the top six folders over to Harry.
"Uh, if I have access to the Potter family vault now, then what vault have I been using?" Harry asked.
"Your educational trust vault" Snaglepaw replied. "It was started at your birth by your paternal grandfather, who was an excellent financial manager by the way, with about fifty galleons to be invested in both the magical and muggle world."
Harry eyes showed his shock. He knew that his "trust" vault had contained over five hundred thousand galleons at one time. "How much do I own in magical and muggle currency right now?" he asked fearfully.
Snaglepaw smiled, "Well all of your money is converted into galleons when we receive it. As to the amount you currently own, well I'd rather not name a figure aloud so." He touched a blank piece of parchment with one finger, folded it in half and slid it across the table to Harry.
Harry opened it and nearly passed out, he had never seen such a figure. He tried to count his way up to it but got confused at around a billion, which was only halfway through the figure.
"Griphook, why don't you get Mr. Potter a cold drink. I believe this has come to him as a bit of a shock" Snaglepaw said smiling. Griphook immediately left and returned a moment later with a pitcher of pumkin juice and a crystal goblet. Harry took a drink and looked at Snaglepaw in surprise. "We make it our business to know what drinks and foods our customers like as a courtesy sir" Snaglepaw said still smiling. Harry was still in shock so he just nodded his thanks. "Now the next part is a little more complicated."
"The… The next part. You mean there's more" Harry stammered.
"Oh yes," Snaglepaw said cheerily, "We haven't discussed your seat at the Table of Wizards, or the stocks you own, or the privileges and responsibilities you have as the legal head of two family lines.
"The Table of Wizards?" Harry interrupted.
Snaglepaw smiled at him, "It's like both houses of the muggle Parliament. They make our laws and can only be overruled by the Wizengamut. But their laws do have to get past the minister."
"So they're kind of like the American congress?" Harry asked.
"Yes" Snaglepaw said, "You could say they are." Snaglepaw smiled and quickly returned to listing Harry's inheritance.
It was one thirty before Harry finally started home, he had stayed in the conference room with Snagglepaw until twelve thirty learning that he owned a large amount of stock in Gringott's, Airbus, Aerospatiale, and many other muggle and magical businesses. Cash and investments combined the next three generations of Potters could be nothing spoiled playboys and the fortune would still not be depleted. He was expecting to hear from most of the companies within the next month or so congratulating him on his birthday and informing him of his investments' health. He had also learned that while he had the power to arrange marriages if he wished he was also responsible for the health and happiness of both the Black and Potter families. As the head of both houses he had two seats on the Wizengamut and at the Table of Wizards. This meant that he needed to appoint a representative for either the Black or Potter seats within the month. He had also learned that he had the titles to several homes owned by the Blacks including Number Twelve Grimauld place and Black Manor.
After the meeting at Gringott's and his earlier conversation with Bellatrix, Harry had a killer headache. He was thinking of Sirius as he traveled home. He had just arrived when he remembered something from the department of mysteries that he had never noticed before. He had a few minutes before the party started so he went back to the dungeons with the pensive he had taken out of the Potter family vault.
Bellatrix looked up as Harry entered her dungeon and fell to her knees looking at the floor immediately.
"Get up Bellatrix," Harry said tiredly. "I am not your master and you are no slave." She looked at him incredulously. "I have been thinking about what you said earlier and I have just found out that I am legally the head of the Black family and so responsible for your health and happiness. I cannot protect you from the ministry, Bellatrix." He told her as she nodded. She had known he could not. "However I will testify for you at your trial and try to keep you alive."
She looked up at him gratefully and nodded, tears in her eyes and said, "Thank you Mr. Potter. I know I don't deserve your mercy."
"Please call me Harry, and no you don't." Harry said. "I have a memory to show you about Sirius that may give you some peace, but it will be painful to watch. Do you wish to see it?" he asked
"What is the memory?" she asked fearfully.
"It is the last thing I heard him say as he fell through the veil." Harry answered.
Bellatrix hesitated for a long time trying to work up the courage to watch her cousin die again. Finally she answered in a scared voice, "If you think I should see it I will watch it Harry."
Harry nodded at put his wand to his temple, pulled the memory from his head and added it to the pensive. He stirred the pensive with his wand and the image of Sirius starting to fall through the veil rose from the pensive. Harry waved his wand and the memory played like movie Bellatrix was already crying when she heard the memory Sirius say, "Nice one Trixi" just before it disappeared through the veil. Bellatrix collapsed on the floor holding her chest as if she had been stabbed, sobbing hysterically.
"I thought you should know that he acknowledged your victory before he died" Harry said getting up to leave.
"No" Bellatrix said. Harry turned and looked at her, she had pulled herself together a little but she still looked pitiful. "He was saying nice shot, not nice win, Harry." She explained through her tears after seeing his angry and confused face. "When we dueled as kids he always called me Trixi just to annoy me. He didn't finish his statement. Whenever I landed a curse on him he always said 'nice one, Trixi, but not nice enough'"
"Sounds to me like he recaptured a piece of his childhood that night too, Bellatrix," Harry said putting a hand on her shoulder, touching her for the first time. "I have to go now, I will write to the minister to secure a fair trial for you and I will come back and let you know when and where it will be held."
Bellatrix nodded through her tears and Harry turned to go up to his party feeling a little better about Sirius' death. Just as he closed the door he heard Bellatrix whisper, "I'm so sorry Siri."