Chapter 17 – The Potter Vault
Friday night, Harry and Draco prepared to spend the evening in their respective House common rooms. They had agreed that at least one night a week, they would spend alone with their Houses; in Draco's case it was to ensure his political standing and alliances did not weaken with his absence.
Harry chuckled before asking "Slytherins! Is it always about rank?"
"Of course not, Harry" Draco replied aghast. His expression became a smirk as he continued "It's all about power. Of course, being the scion of the House of Malfoy, wealthy and a Veela certainly helps to guarantee said power. Adding the name of Black to Malfoy and coming the Head of an Ancient and Noble House only increased my power." He gave Harry an exaggerated leer. "Having the Boy-Who-Lived as a Mate doesn't hurt either."
The Gryffindor rolled his eyes. "Git. Wait, you added the name of Black to Malfoy? So when the goblin referred to you as Malfoy-Black it's a permanent change?"
The blonde nodded and practically purred with pleasure. "Yes, I am now officially and legally known as Lord Draco Lucius Malfoy-Black, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, scion of the House of Malfoy."
Harry chuckled as he said "OK, I can see how you've increased your power. You almost have as many titles as the Headmaster. Enjoy rubbing their noses in it." He strode to the door, tossing over his shoulder "I'll be back by curfew. Have fun consolidating your power base."
Harry greeted the Fat Lady with a smile. "Good evening. Would you grant entrance for one of your 'Virtus Leo' lovely lady?" Once admitted he stopped to say hello to different class mates before joining Ron and Hermione in the corner. Neville joined them almost immediately.
"I can't really ask how it's going as we see you every day, mate" grinned Ron, "but is everything still OK with Malfoy? Anything we need to hex him about?"
Harry laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Not that I can think of, but I'll let you know. Thanks Ron."
"Harry?" Neville began only to stop.
The dark-haired teen met the other's curious face. "What is it, Neville?"
"Well, I don't mean to be rude. I just wondered if the Quidditch match was going to be uncomfortable with Mates competing with each other."
Harry tipped his head and considered. "We haven't really talked about it, to be honest. We both did regular broom maintenance in our common room, so I guess it's all right. Usually Draco gets hesitant when the Veela is uncomfortable. But a good question. I'll have to ask."
Ron grinned broadly. "Maybe he'll withdraw rather than risk irritating you! We would have an easy time if they used their reserve seeker. She's no where up to your level!"
His friend shook his head emphatically. "Malfoy may be a git…although he's getting better. But he's still my best competition. Why play if there's no one to compete against?" He nudged the crest-fallen redhead. "What if you didn't have to work to protect the goals? You would be bored and you know it."
"Yeah, OK. I get it. You could let a guy dream though."
Hermione changed the subject from Quidditch by asking "Did you study in your room last night, Harry? We didn't see you after dinner." Her satisfied smile let him know the topic change had been deliberate.
"Remember I told you I contacted my family's former solicitors?" At their nod, he continued "Addison Brentwood came by last night. I liked him. Tall, grey-haired, military bearing, a no-nonsense type but still easy to talk to. He did some research before coming and brought me a copy of my parent's Will. It was never executed."
Stunned silence was quickly interrupted as his friends all spoke at once. Harry held up his hands. "Addison apologized and doesn't know why it wasn't executed. He can only surmise that the chaos when Voldemort was vanquished and then Sirius being arrested and Peter presumed dead knocked it out of everyone's mind. No one thought of it or even too much about me except Dumbledore, and he had me delivered to the Dursleys."
He frowned as he remembered. "The Will clearly stated that my guardians were supposed to be either Sirius Black, my godfather or…" Harry paused and looked at Neville before continuing "…or my godmother, Alice Longbottom."
Neville looked surprised. "My Mum was your godmother? I know my Gran would have taken you in if she had known. We could have been raised together." The regret on the other teen's face was echoed in Harry's.
"I would have liked that, Neville. We could have been brothers." They each sighed not realizing the other was doing the same. Harry shook his head and continued. "What's interesting is that the Will said if neither godparent was able to serve, then Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew would agree upon a new guardian and were permitted to participate in my upbringing. Remus knew how much Aunt Petunia hated magic and would never have placed me there."
"However, now that I'm considered a legal adult, I've ordered the Will executed. That means some of the bequests my parents had, such as for Remus, can be given. Also, Draco and I are going to Gringotts tomorrow. He needs to look at the Black vaults, and I want to see what's in the Potter Family vault."
Ron's eyes widened. "You have a second vault?"
Harry nodded and explained "My folks set one up as a trust vault to pay for my upkeep and education until I could inherit the estate. I have no idea what I'm going to find, only that it could be a thousand years of what the Potters accumulated." As he watched conflicting emotions race across Ron's face, he added "I'll have to learn a lot more than what Hogwarts can teach. I'm going to have to study investments, property management, law, politics, public relations and who knows what else. I'm only a teenager, but I have properties and employees depending on me to make sure their livelihoods stay intact."
Hermione pulled a parchment out of her book bag and began writing. "You'll need to know general fiscal policies and procedures, how to read a financial statement such as a profit and loss statement, balance sheet…" She nibbled on the quill. "Various financial analysis information, such as profit analysis, break-even analysis, ratios, taxes, insurance plus all the soft skills." At Ron's blank look she added "Leadership skills, negotiating skills, delegation, and networking."
Ron's face twisted into a grimace as he listened to everything Harry had to learn and then slapped him on the back. "Better you than me, mate! It's one thing to sit back and rake in the gold, but it sounds like you have several years of additional study ahead of you. And to have dozens or more people totally dependent on you being successful for them to have a living? That's right scary."
Hermione met Harry's eyes briefly and they shared a glance of satisfaction. Ron's jealousy was averted once he realized it involved a great deal of hard work.
"Does anyone want to come with us tomorrow? Draco will be in the Black vault, so it will just be me evaluating the Potter vault.
Hermione's eyes brightened. "Are you sure we wouldn't be intruding, Harry? Because if not, I've never seen a Gringotts vault and the potential of thousands of years of history hidden sounds like a treasure hunt!"
Harry chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I might need the help. Who knows if it's sorted or catalogued?" He turned to the other boys. "Ron? Neville? I might need some help figuring out what some things are. Of course, it could be mostly empty too."
Neville shook his head. "I doubt it, Harry. The Potters are an Ancient family. You'll likely find family grimoires, journals, family jewelry and weapons stored there. If you think I can help, I'll be happy to go."
Ron's face fell. "I have detention with Sprout tomorrow. I have to re-pot all the Abyssinian shrivel figs to make up for tripping and knocking over the table with bouncing bulbs." He wasn't looking forward to it.
"Sorry mate. We'll tell you about it when we get back though."
Draco wasn't pleased to have Hermione and Neville join them. He complained loudly for several minutes before Harry asked "Is this the Veela being jealous again? Because you're not making sense, Draco. You're going to be off in the Black vault cataloguing what's there, not in the Potter vault. I wasn't raised like a wizard, so Neville can help explain things and you know Hermione will help with notes and cataloguing."
The blonde glared at the dark-haired teen for several seconds before his face crumpled. "Yes, the Veela doesn't like you sharing something with others before sharing it with me. I'm sorry Harry. I don't like being jealous of a couple of Gryffindors, but I am."
Harry felt a mental nudge from his lowaar and heaved a martyred mental complaint. After losing the brief argument with Ydraith, he walked over to the blonde and placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly, before sliding down and grasping his wrist. "I don't know what to expect Draco. If it's a large vault filled with a thousand years of Potter history, I won't know where to start. Merlin, I probably won't even recognize a lot of what we find. I know you're willing to help, but you have to do the same with the Black vault. No one is taking your place; they are freeing you up so that you can do what you need to do as the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black." His thumb stroked the blonde's wrist as he spoke and he felt the tension released from the Veela.
Apologetic grey eyes met green. "Sorry Harry."
"No worries, Draco. Perhaps you can call in a few Slytherins to lend you a hand?"
The blonde shook his head emphatically. "Not until I go through everything myself first. I need to know what's there and make sure there's nothing to embarrass or blackmail me first."
Harry laughed out loud and clapped Draco on the shoulder. "Always make sure you know the blackmail material before anyone else?"
"Absolutely" Draco sniffed. "That goes without saying."
Saturday morning, the teens met at the Great Hall entrance immediately after breakfast and walked to Hogsmeade, Floo'ing from the Three Broomsticks to the Leaky Cauldron. They walked to the imposing bank and walked to a goblin behind an information desk. Draco was directed to Gnarlfang, the Black Account Manager while Harry and his friends were directed to Grimtoe. They agreed to meet in the lobby after four hours for a late lunch and decide whether they needed more time or not.
Harry and his friends were led to Grimtoe's office by a young goblin who didn't speak with them. He or perhaps it was a she, just walked at a rapid pace down two hallways, stopped and knocked on a door and opened it upon a sharp "Enter!" "Harry Potter and friends" was the brief comment and the goblin left again without a word.
The three Gryffindors looked at one another puzzled, but entered the room. Carved stone walls would have given it a cold appearance, but several tapestries of goblin battles added color and a bit of warmth, even if it was violence-related. A large wooden desk was at the back of the room and presumably the goblin behind it was Grimtoe. He was a dark-skinned goblin that if standing might have reached only Harry's chest. He had very long fingers and a pointed beard with a white fringe of hair around his head. His dark slanted eyes evaluated the teens closely and the students felt they had come up wanting.
Harry stepped forward and gave a peer to peer bow. "Greetings and the day's blessings to you Grimtoe, may your gold multiply. I am Harry Potter. These are my friends Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. Thank you for the inventory of assets you sent this week. That was precisely what I needed." He paused to let the goblin reply.
The sharp eyes appraised Harry with merciless precision before the goblin nodded once. "Greetings Mr. Potter. I met your father only briefly, but have managed your family's account since your grandfather's day. Do you wish your friends to be present as we review your accounts?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, they are going to help me review what is in the Potter vault."
Two seats were in front of the desk, and several lined the wall. With a wave of one dark green hand, a third chair joined the other two. Harry saw Hermione's eyes widen at the wordless and wandless magic, and knew she would be researching goblin magic after this visit. The teens seated themselves as Grimtoe opened a drawer and withdrew a small box which he slid across the desk. "For you, Mr. Potter."
Harry opened the box to find a gold ring with a dragon salient facing a lion salient separated by a nearly 3 carat ruby. Neville smiled at the other teen. "The Potter signet ring; it shows you are the Head of the House."
Harry withdrew the ring and slipped it on his forefinger, as his Heir ring to the Black House was on his ring finger. The ring immediately sized itself to fit and tingling warmth began on his finger then immediately spread to his body. A golden glow surrounded him briefly and then faded away.
Hermione was the first to speak. "What was that? Harry, are you all right? It didn't hurt you, did it?"
The goblin narrowed his eyes and appeared insulted. Before he could reply, Neville spoke up quickly. "Gringotts would never permit a client to be injured, Hermione. That would be bad for business and an affront to their honor."
The young woman looked with dismay at the goblin. "I didn't mean to cause offense. I just wasn't expecting that reaction."
Neville spoke again "Most signet rings are not only spelled with a variety of protections, but once they approve the wearer, it provides additional family access."
Grimtoe inclined his head to the teen. "Correct, Mr. Longbottom. The Potter signet ring just gave Mr. Potter the Family protections and access to the Family vault."
Harry looked at the ring closely and at Azreth's instructions cast a quiet spell. He smiled at the results, which tallied with the inventory he had reviewed several days earlier. "It has protections from curses, jinxes and hexes as well as the elements. Very nice."
The new Head of House Potter looked at Grimtoe and withdrew a parchment from his pocket. "I have some questions, sir."
The goblin inclined his head and picked up a quill. "I would be disappointed if you did not. Proceed Mr. Potter."
They discussed the investments and Harry learned that his grandfather had noticed the aging Muggle population and had suggested investing in medical research and support. Grimtoe had researched appropriate investment opportunities and together they had selected what best complemented the Potter account.
"Being raised Muggle might be an advantage with Muggle investments that could be brought into the wizarding world" Harry mused. He looked at Hermione as Grimtoe watched carefully. "We should identify all the basic necessities of life. Communication, roads, sewers, bridges, refuse…"
Neville looked puzzled. "Refuse Harry?"
"Muggles use landfills and incinerators to discard most of their trash and refuse, and they have a lot of it. Think of the advantage if we could use Evanesco spell instead. Our landfills could last centuries instead of decades. We would just have to be sure to keep any magic secret."
They eventually discussed the many properties, and Harry was surprised to find that they were all sitting vacant, staffed only by house elves. "If we rented the properties when not in use by the Family, would there be a large enough return on investment to make it worthwhile?"
Grimtoe nodded and a hint of an approving smile appeared. "Many of your houses are in what are considered prime vacation or business locations, Mr. Potter. We would likely be able to lease them for enough to make them self-supporting. I will write a proposal for your review."
After an hour, Grimtoe summoned a goblin to take them to the Potter Vault. They followed him down a narrow stone passageway until they came to tracks in the floor. Harry smiled at the goblin, who seemed to be ignoring them. "Hi, I'm Harry Potter, and these are my friends Hermione and Neville."
The goblin looked at him suspiciously. "Snarltooth" he admitted grudgingly.
"Thank you for assisting us today, Snarltooth" Harry replied, inclining his head. He hid his amusement at the goblin's mistrustful nature, maintaining a polite demeanor.
The goblin whistled sharply and a cart came hurtling toward them. All four of them climbed in, and the cart took off, accelerating as it went through a maze of twisting passages. The cart eventually stopped beside a full-sized door bearing the Potter crest. Harry looked the door over, seeking a way of requesting entrance.
Snarltooth grumbled "Place your hand anywhere on the crest and demand entrance." Harry could almost hear the "idiot" that wasn't said.
He laid his hand on the door and felt a tingle around the signet ring. "I am Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient House of Potter. Permit me and my two friends to enter."
The crest lit up from within and the sound of gears tumbling echoed in the hall. "Since we took an hour with Grimtoe, our four hours is down to three. Would you please return in three hours please, Snarltooth or ask someone else to get us?" The goblin grumbled an affirmative and left with the cart.
From inside the vault the sound of tumbling gears could still be heard followed by a series of what sounded like locks being opened. The hinges creaked from the strain of years of neglect as it slowly opened inward. Harry and his friends stood wide-eyed at the threshold staring at the sight before them.
Globes set in the ceiling lit as they stepped inside the vault, illuminating the interior. It was an enormous cavern, easily the size of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The volume of items and colors made it appear to be disorganized chaos. They stood inside and tried to take it all in.
Hermione recovered first. "It seems to be divided into specific sections, Harry. See? Armor and weapons are on our left." He looked and realized she was correct. Suits of armor stood on the left, followed by mannequins wearing chain mail and dragon hide armor. Next to the armor was a section for weapons, including staves, swords, daggers, throwing stars.
They moved through, looking but not touching. Neville stopped at one chest piece. "Harry…is that…?" His voice trailed off. Harry looked at the chest piece and smiled. He stepped forward and stroked it, feeling the aura of his opsola. "Made from the scale of a Juanth Darastrix, from my adopted father" he confirmed. Neville looked at the armor in reverence.
"Your opsola used his own scale and magic to create the armor for ancestor, his adopted son Ealdred" Ortinoth said softly. Harry continued to caress the armor affectionately, reveling in what was not only a gift of love from of his opsola, but a piece of hisfamily heritage as well.
Hermione's voice was quiet in the large room. "A scale, Harry? The chest piece is made from a single dragon scale? Umm, just how big is your sire?"
Harry grinned at her. "About 35 meters tall in his natural form." His grin broadened as her eyes widened.
As they continued, they noticed a shelf with wands there as well. "Most families keep the wands of their ancestors and family members" Neville observed. "It can give a sense of continuity if a child finds an affinity for an ancestor's wand."
Beyond those were mannequins wearing robes and cloaks in front of massive wardrobes. Stacks of metal boxes lined the back wall, while the right side was filled with hundreds of shelves of books. Hermione's eyes were continually drawn to the books, and her fingers twitched as if she could barely control them.
Beyond the books were several paintings, each of a specific location. One was a beautiful manor house; two appeared to be European villas, etc. "I'm guessing that these are the Potter properties, but I don't know why each has its own picture" Harry commented.
As they walked through the cavern, they passed several areas with tables and chairs in the center of the room, obviously used for working while in the vault.
They finally reached the back of the enormous room only to find it turned a corner into another chamber. This one was filled with gold galleons, silver sickles and bronze knuts, divided in smaller areas by walls reaching halfway to the ceiling.
"Bloody hell" murmured Harry in shock. The piles of galleons could easily fill the Hogwarts greenhouses. That Hermione didn't reprove him for language indicated her own astonishment at the sight.
"Any profit that isn't reinvested must come directly here" remarked Neville in an only slightly unsteady voice at the sight.
They continued making their circuit of the room and reached the books. To Hermione's delight, there was a catalogue that divided the books into topics. "Harry, it looks like most of this is Potter history and family journals. But it also looks like there are books with the annotation "duplicate" on them."
Neville nodded as if that made sense. "The Potter Manor likely has an impressive library. If they had duplicates of books they didn't have a need to sell, they likely sent it to the vault. That way, as children start their own libraries, they can take the duplicates from the vault."
Harry cast a quick Tempus and was surprised that they had already spent two hours there. "We have an hour remaining. If you don't mind, I would like to look through some of these family journals." Hermione and Neville each had a book in their hands and nodded their agreement absently.
Harry chose the oldest book he could find and was pleased to see it was signed by Ealdred, son of Aironth. He struggled with the Olde English spelling until Azreth gave him a spell that allowed him to read it in modern English. Finally he settled back and began to read with avid interest. He learned that Godric's Hollow was named for Godric Gryffindor. It originated as a small settlement on the moors of West County. Constance Gryffindor, Godric's third daughter married Ealdred Potter, Margrave of Taunton who began building the initial Manor House.
Ealdred met Constance when he found her beset by brigands as they traveled from the newly built Hogwarts school to her family's summer home. Her two servants were down and she was singlehandedly holding off the five attackers, but they pressed her on all sides. Ealdred rode to her defense, using both mundane and magical means to help rout the outlaws. Ealdred wrote that it was his "most blessed day" as he met not only the fair and gifted Constance, but the most noble and terrifying dragon Aironth.
Aironth had been flying overhead when he felt the magics being cast and heard the clash of sword upon sword and investigated. He watched the young man rush to the lady's aid, and when one brigand attempted to escape, he found himself clutched in the massive claws of a golden dragon.
Over the course of the summer, the dragon found the young Margrave of Taunton to be an honorable young man, thrust into his father's role at a young age. He felt the need to defend the oppressed and give aid to the poor. On more than one occasion, Aironth had to show himself to prevent the young man's untimely death. They forged a great bond of affection and Ealdred wrote that he was humbled and honored when the dragon found him worthy of companionship and ultimately invited him to join his most righteous Clan, one of the last humans to be so privileged.
The journal continued with the building of the Potter Manor house, the raising of the children, their involvement with Hogwarts and their gradual withdrawal from the non-magical community.
A chime from the tempus spell alerted them that their four hours were up and it was time to join Draco in the lobby. Harry agreed to let Hermione and Neville borrow the books they were reading and they exited the vault to find Snarltooth waiting with a cart.
They found a pleased Draco waiting for them. "I gather the time was well-spent, Draco" Harry teased.
"A most profitable morning" Draco agreed urbanely before allowing a hint of a smirk to show. "There is a restaurant called Panettone off a block beyond Gringotts. Shall we enjoy our luncheon there and share our discoveries?"
Panettone was several steps up from The Leaky Cauldron, but not as posh as the restaurant Lucius Malfoy had taken them to after the reading of Sirius' Will. They specialized in Italian cuisine and the teens selected the "family style" dinner. Draco was the only person familiar with the meals, as his family had a villa in Tivoli. They allowed him to order and were not disappointed. He selected Saltimbocca alla Romana which he explained were slices of veal with prosciutto, Melanzane alla parmigiana made of thin slices of baked egg plant topped with a tomato sauce and parmesan, as well as Carciofi alla Romana which were artichoke hearts baked with mint leaves and garlic.
Harry watched Draco as they ate. Here he was, the Slytherin Ice Prince, having lunch with three Gryffindors and carrying on a civil conversation. He may not have been as relaxed as he was when they were alone, but the teen had to acknowledge that the blonde was sincerely trying to get along with Harry's friends.
When they finished eating, each sighing in contentment over the wonderful meal, Hermione cast a quick tempus and gasped. "Oh no! It's already nearly two o'clock! I promised Professor Vector that I would meet her at three o'clock to go over my extra credit project."
Neville groaned as well. "I told Professor Sprout I would trim the Flutterby bushes today. I should get going as well."
Harry glanced quickly at Draco who was starting to stand and replied "I have one more errand to run, but it could take a while. You go ahead without me."
The Slytherin immediately sat down again, saying "Thank you both for joining us. Harry is fortunate to have such good friends."
Hermione and Neville looked at the two seated teens with obvious curiosity. The fact that Hermione didn't immediately demand to know what errand they were going to run, where, and why demonstrated how much she had matured. Instead, the two Gryffindors said polite good-byes and exited the restaurant.
Draco looked at his Mate and hoped he hadn't misinterpreted the glance. "Would you like my company on your errand, Harry?"
The dark-haired teen smiled at him in relief. "Yes. I…" He fidgeted slightly and hurried on to say "I would like to visit my parent's graves in Godric's Hollow."
To Harry's surprise, the Slytherin inclined his head and said formally "Thank you for including me on such a private occasion." As they walked to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo to Godric's Hollow, Harry pondered the fact that he hadn't really wanted Hermione or Ron there. Hermione would have been too curious and Ron would have been either a sight-seer or just plain uncomfortable. Neville might have been all right; he knew how to be a calm and comfortable companion. But he had to acknowledge, he thought Draco would be a good partner for this trip. He snorted mentally. Who would have thought that he would have welcomed Draco Malfoy's company a few months ago? Now he knew he could trust the other teen to be quietly supportive.
At the Leaky Cauldron, a soft conversation with Tom let them know of a wizard restaurant named Browning's in Godric's Hollow. They Floo'd there and quietly exited the restaurant, stepping out in what appeared to be the town square. A war memorial stood nearby and Harry turned his steps in that direction, only to be surprised when it transformed into a statue of a man and a woman holding a baby. Harry was both astonished and uncomfortable to recognize the two figures as his parents and the baby as himself. He shook his head and looked around the square.
"There's the cemetery, Harry" Draco murmured. The teen followed the blonde's gesture and spotted the cemetery behind a nearby church. It was an old cemetery, filled with many family plots. They began looking at the headstones, trying to find the Potter names.
"Dumbledore" Harry said in surprise. "Kendra and Ariana." He looked at Draco and shook his head. "He never once mentioned that we had family in the same town." The blonde rested his hand on his mate's shoulder in support until the raven-haired teen turned to keep looking. They found many old tombstones, including one where the stone's letters are badly weathered; Harry can only make out the first name, Ignotus. Finally, they found the white marble Potter headstone two rows behind the Dumbledores. Below their names is the inscription: The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Harry mouthed the phrase in confusion. "What do you suppose it means?" Draco raised his hand to the other teen's shoulder again. "Perhaps it means they defeated death by existing beyond it." Harry found little comfort in its meaning, knowing his parents' moldering remains lie beneath the ground. He knelt by the graves and laid his hands on the soft earth.
"Mum? Dad? It's me, Harry. I'm sorry I haven't been here before. I only learned this week that you were buried here." He didn't see Draco's eyes widen at that information or the look of quiet rage that flickered across his face. His fingers tightened momentarily on the kneeling young man. "It's been hard without you" the young man continued. "They sent me to Aunt Petunia. Sirius was falsely imprisoned for being the traitor instead of Pettigrew. He escaped and I had a short while to get to know him. I saw Remus just recently. It's difficult for him on his own. I think he always needed his friends to give him focus or to give him a sense of 'pack'. I had a very interesting summer…I met the old family friends. They took care of me and helped me through a difficult time." He was silent for a few minutes and Draco respected the silence.
Draco's mind wandered in Harry's silence, expanding the list of people and activities that needed to be addressed. Everyone that hurt his Mate was on the list. They would all feel his wrath in the manner that caused them the most pain or embarrassment. Harry's voice drew his attention again.
"This is Draco Malfoy-Black, scion of the House Malfoy. He also inherited being the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black from Sirius. He identified me as his True Mate. It's been a challenging few weeks, but we're working through it."
Draco blinked the involuntary moisture from his eyes and murmured "I will take care of him, I promise you." He was rewarded with Harry looking over his shoulder and giving Draco a warm smile.
"I'll come by again. I'm just learning of the Potter heritage, but I'll try not to let you down." In a sotto voice he murmured "I love you both."
Harry rocked back on his heels and stood up gracefully. "Let's go see what's left of the house, shall we?" He walked out of the cemetery quickly and Draco stayed a few steps behind to give him time to compose himself.
They came back out to the town square and looked around. At the far end of one street, they found the former Potter house. It had once been a large two-story home, but now it stood partially destroyed with a good portion of the upper floor blown off. To Harry's surprise, a sign outside the house testified that it had been left in this state as a memorial. Draco noticed his Mate's eyes narrow as he read the plaque.
"What is it, Harry?"
"Someone made this a memorial without my knowledge or permission. They forget that the Potters were a family, they were real people. They were not public property." He stepped towards the house and felt a ward restraining entry. "This is my parent's house" he muttered angrily. "You will not deny me entry!" His magic battled with the ward, then he grabbed Draco's arm and dragged him through the ward that shimmered around them.
They entered the house and looked around. It was depressing in the devastation. He couldn't believe no one had cleaned it up. In a sheltered alcove, a painting spoke up. "Who goes there? You shouldn't be here!"
Harry turned to the knight in the painting. "My name is Harry Potter and this was my parent's home. I have every right to be here." The knight looked down at Harry's hand and his eyes widened. "Of course, Mr. Potter. Please excuse this old knight. It has been long since we have had any visitors."
Harry nodded and turned away. Draco watched as the figure in the painting ran off the edge, obviously heading to another painting. The two teens walked through the house and Harry felt his depression rising. He wasn't sure what he hoped to find, but it wasn't this desolation. They cast a strengthening charm on the stairs and climbed up to the second floor. Harry had the impression that one room had been a nursery, but it had been stripped bare, probably from souvenir hunters before the house had been warded.
A small pop caused Draco and Harry to spin around, wands in hand. A house elf stood before them, gazing at Harry in rapt adoration. He was tall for a house elf and dressed in black pants, a white shirt and a black vest embroidered with the Potter crest.
"Master Harry…Is that you sir? Yes, of course it is. Zigby sees the Master's ring and Master Harry was the last of the line. Oh sir, we didn't know where you were. You are alright Master Harry? You are well? Are you coming home, Master Harry?" Tears began to gather in the house elf's eyes and his hands twitched as if he wanted to check Harry for injuries and was restraining himself with a herculean effort.
Harry looked at the house elf in front of him in some surprise. "Zigby is it? How do you do? Yes, I'm Harry Potter, son of Lily and James Potter. This is Draco Malfoy-Black, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black." The elf's eyes widened at that. "I'm a student at Hogwarts right now. But coming home? I don't think the house is in any condition to be lived in."
The house elf looked around in surprise. "Oh no, sir! This is not home! This was a cottage built for a spinster aunt. I meant Potter Manor, Master Harry."
"My parents died without giving me the location of Potter Manor, Zigby. I think it's still under a Fidelius charm?"
Zigby nodded, obviously pleased to share information. "Oh yes sir. Potter Manor was placed under a Fidelius charm shortly before the death of Master James parents. They were elderly sir. They no longer entertained and decided to move to the cottage so they didn't have to walk far. They expected Master James to move into the Manor with his bride. However, when Master James parents died, Master James decided to continue to live at the cottage, saying the Manor was too large for a bachelor. When he married the Mistress, they were so busy fighting the Dark Lord, they decided to continue at the cottage until the Dark Lord was defeated. Then the Dark Lord killed them, and there were no Secret Keepers left, only the house elves who could not share the secret except with the Heir. But you are here now sir!"
Harry looked at Draco, who simply raised an eyebrow. Looking back at the house elf he asked "You can share the location of Potter Manor with me?"
"Oh yes sir, but since Master Harry has the Master's ring, he can go without it. Master Harry only needs to tap the stone and say 'Potter Manor' and Master Harry will instantly arrive in the Entry Hall."
"Zigby, how big is Potter Manor?"
The house elf drew himself up. "There are 87 rooms in the Manor, Master Harry. That is if you count some divided rooms as one. For example, I count the wine cellar as one room, although there are four connected rooms that make it up."
Harry's voice squeaked and he had to clear his throat and try again, glaring at Draco's muffled laugh as he did. "Eighty-seven rooms? Even at only a couple minutes per room, it will take half a day to see it. I want to see it when I'm fresh, not worn out. It's already early evening and I have to brew that potion tomorrow. If I start at eight o'clock in the morning, I should be done by noon. Bring it to the Headmaster and I should be able to come around one o'clock." He looked at Draco. "Do you want to join me?"
"I think I can fit it into my schedule" Draco drawled, but obviously pleased with the invitation.
The house elf bowed to the blonde and asked hesitantly "Lord Malfoy-Black inherited Lord Black's House? Is Lord Malfoy-Black related to Lord Sirius Black, sir?"
Draco's eyebrow raised and Harry could tell he wasn't used to being questioned by a house elf so answered himself. "Lord Sirius Black died several months ago, Zigby. He did not betray my parents. It was Peter Pettigrew. Lord Malfoy-Black's mother was Sirius' cousin. He was the next in line."
"Oh Zigby did not mean to imply anything against good Master Sirius! He was another son to Master James' father. Zigby is sorry to hear he's gone." The house elf bowed as he spoke, but Harry thought he saw sadness in the downturned face.
"Zigby, Draco and I will use the signet ring to come to Potter Manor tomorrow afternoon."
The house elf quivered in excitement but showed proper decorum with a mild "Yes sir. Zigby will have the Manor ready for the Master."
Opsola = Father, Sire
Juanth Darastrix = Elder Dragon
Lowaar = Indwellers
