Heyyo! Warning: I don't own J. 's words, or characters. There is some angst in the middle as well. If my Italian is wrong, I'm using what little I know from books and Assassin's Creed. Also the Japanese I'm using is Kansai Osaka dialect, which my family speaks, but mine is rusty, so yeah. I apologize ahead of time. Please feel free to leave a comment.
"I believe lunch is in order." Professor McGonaagall said stiffly. The piles of food materialized on the table along with plates, goblets and utensils. "FOOD!" Sirius cheered before he began to wolf down the food he heaped onto his plate. Everyone ate and began to discuss what they read so far.
When everyone finished the food and eating ware vanished. "Who wants to read next?" Ted asked. "I will read." Arcturus said surprising everyone there. Ted carefully passed the book to the Black family patriarch. Arcturus cleared his throat before beginning to read.
Chapter 6. Truths, Ribbons, Curiosities
"I can never make heads or tails of the titles." James said. Many nodded with him.
Harry woke up early the next morning. He could tell it was morning, but he kept his eyes close because he didn't want to wake up from his dream.
"But it wasn't a dream prongslet." Sirius said. "Sirius the book isn't alive." Remus told his friend. "I know." Sirius said. Remus groaned and Shizuka chuckled.
And what a dream it was, a giant named Hagrid told Harry, Aires and Leo they were wizards, and said he was gonna take them away to learn magic.
"Not a dream." "We know Sirius." "Your being a pillock." "You wound me Jamie." "Shut up."
Harry groggily rose as heard Aunt Petunia's knocking at the cupboard door.
"Yeesh."
However when Harry woke up he was still in the shack. Hagrid was asleep face first into the sofa that finally collapsed.
"From Dudley or Hagrid?" Alice asked. Many people laughed.
Aires and Leo were on either side of him, hugging him in their sleep.
James and Remus were pinching Sirius' cheeks. "Aww, he's a cuddler like you." They mockingly cooed. "Regulus does that too." Barty said to his friend's ire. Arcturus nodded. "They used to do that when they were younger." The Black brothers sent scandalized looks to their grandfather.
Harry carefully got out of their hold with practiced ease and followed the tapping noise to the window where an owl was hitting the glass with its talon.
"Huh."
Harry happily opened the window with a jerk upwards and the owl swooped in and dropped a newspaper on top of Hagrid.
"Wish I could see that." James said.
After it dropped off the newspaper it began to attack Hagrid's coat. Harry tried to stop it, but it hissed angrily at him.
"Prophet owls are vicious." "You know this how?" "Fell asleep and lost my payment." "Ouch." "I know Frank."
"Pay 'im." A muffled Hagrid said. "For what?" "Deliverin' th' paper." Harry looked through the many pockets and found some funny looking coins
"They're not funny looking." Many purebloods said.
as well as slug pellets, several keys, balls of string, tea bags and peppermint humbugs.
"Random." Remus said.
"Costs five knuts." Hagrid said tiredly. "Knuts?" "The lil bronze uns." Harry paid the owl, which took off with a hoot. Hagrid got up and stretched.
"If he was gonna get up then why have Harry pay the owl?" Andromeda asked. "I dunno, teach him a bit about wizard money I guess." Charlus said. "Most likely." Professor McGonagall said.
"How 'bout some, breakfast? Some o' yer cake and some lef'o'er sausages okay?" Hagrid asked walking towards the table.
"Sounds like a good breakfast." Sirius said. "You are a bottomless pit." Dorea said fondly. Sirius gave a lopsided smile.
Harry nodded, and moved to wake Aires and Leo up.
"What are the chances that they're morning people?" Alice asked. "Slim to none." Bellatrix said.
Neither were really morning people.
"Called it."
Harry shook Aires awake, who just glared and grumbled while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Mini-Regulus." The Slytherins said. He gave them a cold stare.
Harry tried the same thing with Leo, but he just rolled over.
"Mini-Sirius." The marauders said. "Try mentioning food." Remus said. "Or his creepy stalker." James said. "OI!" Regulus looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow. "Crazy stalker?" The marauders nodded as Sirius shuddered. "Kept stealing his hairbrush to make a doll of him." Remus said. "Who?" "Don't ask." Sirius said as Shizuka hugged him tightly which made him smile.
Then Harry got an idea. He whispered in Leo's ear. Leo shot up like an excited puppy. "Cake?" He asked tilting his head in confusion.
Many people laughed. "Oooh, kawaii!" His mother cooed.
All three of them ate peacefully together as Hagrid read the newspaper, the Daily Prophet. "So what are we doing Hagrid?" Leo asked taking a bite out of a sausage.
"Excellent question." Moody said.
"Gotta go inter town to buy yer school things." Hagrid told them. Harry frowned.
"Why?" many curious magic users asked.
In all the stories Aires read to them about magic, money was kept in a person's house, usually in a trunk or safe.
"That's pretty outdated then." Septimus said. "Well, muggles wouldn't know any different with the Statute of Secrecy." Lily said.
"But Un—Mr. Dursley said he won't pay for us to go." Harry said nervously. "Don' worry abou' tha'. Did yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh with nothing'?" Hagrid asked.
"Money shouldn't be a problem for the boys." Arcturus said interrupting himself.
Harry looked nervous. "But if their house was destroyed-" "They didn't keep their gold in their house. They took it ta Gringott's Bank." Hagrid said."Wizards have banks?" Leo asked. "Jus' one, Gringotts. Run by goblins." Hagrid said simply.
"Bet that surprises them." Frank said with a smile.
Harry dropped his sausage. "Goblins?" He asked nervously.
"Why?" Many purebloods asked.
In the Lord of the Rings books and The Hobbit goblins were monstrous creatures of evil that loved war and death. And eating you raw.
"Ah." Remus said. "Yeah, that'll make you nervous." Sirius said. "Silencio." Liliana said.
"Yeah, yeh'd have ta be mad ta try and rob it." Hagrid said. "Why?" Leo asked. "Spells—Enchantments, hear a dragon guards sommat there."
"Wonder if that's true." Ted said. Septimus chuckled. "My grandson Charlie loves dragons." He explained.
They ate in silence for a bit more. "Ministry o' Magic, bunglin' things up again." Hagrid muttered. "There's a Ministry of Magic?" Aires asked looking up from his cake slice. "O' course." "What do they do?" Harry asked.
"Depends who you ask." The adults said.
"Keep th' Magical world hidden from Muggles mostly." "Why?" Leo asked. "Crickey, Leo, Muggles'd be up and down the street demandin' magic fer this and tha'. Nah, we best be left alone." Hagrid said.
"They do more than that though." Moody growled.
"Who is the Minister Hagrid?" Aires asked "Cornelius Fudge."
Everyone looked shocked. "That pillock is Minister?" Charlus asked incredulously. "Ministry is doomed." Septimus moaned. "Doesn't your son work for the Ministry?" Augusta asked the Weasly patriarch. He nodded. "Best of luck then." Frank said with a thumbs up.
Leo sniggered at the name.
"The man is just as ridiculous." Abarax muttered.
"Bungler if there was one.
"Understatement."
They wanted Professor Dumbledore fer Minister but he didn' wanna leave Hogwarts,
"I wonder why?" Andromeda asked. "Maybe to have a strong influence on the upcoming generations?" Regulus asked. Many looks were sent his way. "Think about it, he'll have control and influence over Britain's future generation of wizards. He can get them do what he wants when they become adults and hold jobs in the wizarding world." Many looked shocked at that.
so old Cornelius got the job. Keeps peltin' Dumbledore's office with owls, askin' fer advice."
"And current generations too it seems." Abarax said narrowing his eyes.
He heard a squeak from Aires' direction, and the grey dormouse from last night was perched on top of his head again.
"Aw." Many females cooed.
Leo scooted to the other side of Harry.
And cooed.
"Aw, she likes yeh." Hagrid said warmly.
"Lovely." Lucius drawled.
Aires gently lifted the dormouse off of his hair and into his hand. She was small enough to fit on his finger, with fluffy fur that was light brown on top and white on the bottom.
"Mousy?" Nymphadora asked. "Yes, sweetie." Her mother said.
He gave her some crumbs from his piece of Harry's birthday cake. "Yeh, can have 'er if yeh like." Hagrid said. Aires smiled at him in gratitude before petting the dormouse.
"That's a cute pet." Xenophilius said. Narcissa looked at her youngest cousin. "Reminds me of you and your first puffskein." She said. Regulus just shot her a look. "I wonder what he names her." Shizuka said.
After breakfast they walked down to the boat. They went to the boat Vernon Dursley got, which now had several inches of water in the hull. "Lovely." Leo said sarcastically.
"Whoop-di-doo." Sirius said sarcastically.
"How did you get here?" Harry asked when he saw no other boats. "Flew." Hagrid said. "Flew?" The boys asked in unison. "Flew." Hagrid said with a nod. They all settled in the boat, although Harry was trying to imagine Hagrid flying. Maybe the umbrella?
"Huh. Maybe an creature?" James asked trying to imagine him flying as well.
"Seems a shame ter row though." Hagrid said casting the boys look from the corner of his eye. "Yeh boys wouldn' mind if I – er, speed things along, would yeh, withou' mentioning this ta Hogwarts?" Hagrid asked.
"Hagrid." Professor McGonagall sighed.
"Of course." They said wanting to see more magic. Hagrid tapped the boat and they zoomed across the water to shore.
"That sounds fun." Most teenage wizards said.
As they relaxed in the boat Aires looked at Hagrid. "Hagrid, where is Gringotts?" Aires asked putting his dormouse safely in his pocket. "Deep underground London. Hundreds o' miles down." Hagrid told him. When they got to shore that was an adventure in and of itself.
"I bet with Hagrid." Many Gryffindors chuckled.
Hagrid kept separating the crowd apart, but every now and then he'd stop to marvel muggle inventions like parking meters.
"Arthur would have a blast with those." Septimus said fondly thinking about his oldest son.
"Hagrid did you say Gringotts has dragons?" Harry asked. "Tha's somethin' I heard. Crickey I'd like a dragon." Hagrid said. "You'd like one?" Aires asked shocked.
"That's Hagrid for ya." The Marauders chorused.
He read The Hobbit, so if dragons are like Smaug the Terrible, then he'd want nothing to do with them.
"What's Smaug the Terrible like?" Regulus asked. A piece of parchment shaped like a cat landed on its feet and unfolded itself. Huge, talking, hypnotic, fire breathing, gold hoarding dragon that loved riddles. "Can dragons talk?" Sirius asked. "I don't think so." Septimus said. Charlie would love a talking dragon though. He thought.
"Wanted one ever since I was a kid." Hagrid said.
"I remember him saying that." Remus said.
They got to a train station and Harry bought them the tickets to London since Hagrid has a hard time with Muggle money, although to the boys wizarding money was hard. "Twenty nine knuts to a sickle and seventeen sickles to a galleon. How is that easier than increments of ones, fives, and tens?" Aires asked curiously.
"Beats me." The muggle borns and half-bloods said.
People kept staring at them on the train. Hagrid did take up two seats, and he was knitting something shaped like a circus tent with canary yellow yarn.
"What is that?" Shizuka asked.
"What's that Hagrid?" Leo asked.
The Japanese witch blinked.
"Blanket fer my dog, Fang." Hagrid told him happily.
"Oh, that must mean Dagger died." Sirius said sadly. "Dagger?" Regulus asked incredulously. "With Hagrid, the nice ones have vicious names." James said sagely. "The ones with cute names are the ones you need to worry about." Remus added.
Aires cradled his sleeping dormouse in his hands. He looked at her for a while. "Tawny." He said. "What was that Ree?" Leo asked. "My dormouse, her name is Tawny." Aires said, softly petting her.
"Aww." Many of the females cooed. Regulus gave a small smile.
Leo looked at his cousin and smiled. Aires usually tries to give, and he hardly gets anything in return so, if Tawny the Dormouse keeps him happy, then Leo will just have to get used to it.
His parents nodded.
"Do yeh have yer letters boys?" Hagrid asked as he counted stitches. They nodded. "There's a list with yer letters o' yer school supplies." Hagrid explained. Harry pulled his list out and they read the list together.
"HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY UNIFORM
First Year students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed (black) hat for day wear.
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should contain name tags
"So nothing's changed then." The current students said.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
"The only books that are different are the potions and DADA." Lily noticed. "Guess that means Slughorn retired."Barty said.
wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set
glass or crystal phials
telescope set
brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS"
James, Regulus and Lucius groaned. "Why do we have that rule?" James asked.
"Can we really buy all of this in London?" Harry asked. "If yeh know where to go." Hagrid said. They passed all sorts of Muggle shops and stops. Harry was still a bit nervous this was an elaborate hoax. Leo was giddy. Aires was curious and excited.
Their parents looked sad. They wanted to be there with them.
They stopped in front of a grubby looking pub called the Leaky Cauldron, which according to Hagrid was a famous place.
"Doesn't really look like it does it?"
The inside was dark and shabby. Aires saw some old ladies drinking sherry together in a dark corner. One was smoking a long pipe. A little man was talking to an old bartender who resembled a walnut and was missing some teeth.
"Must be Tom." Many of the men said.
The low buzz of chatter died when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid, as they waved at him and said hi.
The Transfiguration professor sighed in exasperation.
"The usual Hagrid?" The bartender asked him. "No' today Tom, on duty." Hagrid said as his hand patted Harry's shoulder which caused his knees to buckle.
James winced. He knew that hurt.
"Good lord…" Tom the bartender said breathlessly "can it be…" Then he smiled at Harry. "Harry Potter what an honor." He said before he shook Harry's hand.
"Merda." Shit. Liliana cursed.
Soon everyone came up to shake Harry's hand, look at his scar, etc. (Although Leo swears a creepy guy actually stroked his scar).
James looked sick. "Ew." Was the only noise he made.
So far Harry was greeted by a Doris Crockford, several others, and a wizard named Dedalus Diggle Harry remembers since he bowed to him in a grocery store, (And Deadalus boasted this fact to everyone).
"Not very subtle." McGonagall groaned. "But he is funny." Dorea said.
"Can I have an autograph, Harry?" Leo joked. Harry shot him a look,
"Not very effective if he's like James." "HEY!"
which made him chuckle. Aires patted his head.
James' eye twitched. "What is he a puppy?" He asked. "No that's Leo." Remus said. Sirius just shrugged.
Then a pale young man walked nervously towards Harry. Leo noticed his eye had a nervous twitch.
"Who's twitchy?" Shizuka asked.
"Professor Quirrell!" Hagrid beamed. "Harry, Aires, Leo, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts." Hagrid said with a smile towards the three of them.
"Wonder what he teaches." Alice said.
"P-P-Potter, h-how pleased I-I am t-to see you." Professor Quirrell stuttered. "What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" Aires asked curiously. "D-Defense A-Against The D-D- Dark Ar—ts. Not th-tha-at Mr. P-p-potter w-would n-need it." Professor Quirrell stammered.
Many looked shocked. "Really?" Moody asked disappointed.
"P- Pardon m-me b-but wh-who are you, child?" He asked with a polite nervousness. "Aires Black." Aires told him. "Ah, p-p-pleased to m-make you're a- acquaintance A-Aires." Professor Quirrell said.
"I hope he doesn't have many lectures." The students chorused.
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly. Something about this guy is off.
Moody looked intently at the book.
Leo didn't like the thick black smoke that followed him.
Shizuka hissed. "What is it?" Moody asked. "That's the sign that a dark and ancient magic is attached to him." "Care to elaborate." "He could be invoking a curse, undergoing a possession, or taking the brunt end of some ancient magic." She explained. Moody looked back at the book with a mental not to keep notice on Quirrell.
"I-I suppose y-you'll be o-off t-to buy y-your school e-equi-equipment. I sh-should b-be off a-as well. I n-need to buy m-myself a book on v-vampires." He said before Harry got hit with another crowd of people.
Liliana groaned.
When Professor Quirrell left Leo and Aires looked at each other. "Bad feeling?" Leo asked Aires. Aires nodded. He felt something… something dark, and eerily familiar about Professor Quirrell and it made his skin crawl.
Moody raised his eyebrows at that.
"Same here." Leo said. It was an unspoken agreement to keep an eye on Professor Quirrell.
The Head Auror nodded.
Hagrid managed to get them out of there, although Doris Crockford got the last hand shake.
"Really?" Liliana groaned.
"C'mon, lot's to buy." Hagrid said.
Most of the wizards groaned. Shopping was not a favorite pastime for men afterall.
Leo looked up at Hagrid. "Is Professor Quirrell always that nervous?" He asked. "Well, naw. Had a nasty run in with a vampire in Albania, then anoth'r one with a hag. Been tremblin' e'er since." Hagrid said.
"Guess that explains the stutter and twitchiness." Lily said. "What about Aires and Leo?" Alice asked the red head.
Aires and Leo looked a bit surprised. Maybe that's what set them off earlier; he had a run in with some bad magic or something.
"That would still make him potentially dangerous." Shizuka mumbled. Lily scoffed. "I highly doubt Professor Dumbledore wouldn't hire a Death Eater or the like." She said. "You're still defending him?" Frank asked. "I'm sure he has a good explanation for why he did what he did." She said stubbornly.
In a back alley Hagrid was counting the bricks of the wall above the trash can, "Three up, two across" he muttered. "Yeh boys might want to stand back." They did. Then a mole sized hole appeared and it kept growing and growing until it opened into a gate way.
"So that's the Muggle entrance." Septimus mused.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Hagrid said happily. Harry kept looking at all the windows and stalls. Aires kept turning in circles to take in the whole view and saw the archway turn back into a brick wall. Leo looked every which way following all signs of movement.
Their parents looked sorrowful. They should be the ones to show the boys Diagon Alley.
The sun hit the cauldron store the brightest. They had cauldrons of every shape ,size and metal. They watched all the shops on their way past the Apothecary. A plump woman left their muttering about how seventeen sickles for dragon liver was outrageously high.
Snape looked shocked. "The price went that high?" He asked incredulously.
There was a store that sold broomsticks. Leo heard the boys in the window rave about the Nimbus 2000.
James, Regulus and Lucius cheered and/or drooled.
Then they stopped at -"Gringotts" Hagrid said. The bank towered over the neighboring shops, with the cold white color and pristine bronze doors of it sticking out among the various other buildings. In front of the metal doors was a figure a head shorter than Harry wearing a gold and scarlet uniform. "Hagrid is that-" "Yeah, tha's a goblin." Hagrid said.
"The ones the boys read about seem very different from the ones at Gringotts." Augusta noted.
As they walked up the stone steps of the bank the boys got a better look at the goblin. They weren't monstrous creatures that carried iron hatchets and lusting for their blood and innards.
"Charming." Barty said going pale, making his freckles stand out more.
This goblin at the entrance had a swarthy face that showed cleverness and a pointed beard. Leo gave a bow of his head and saw that the goblin had long fingers (with long sharp nails) and feet.
"The politeness is all Shizu." Remus said. Sirius nodded.
Aires did the same before looking at the bronze doors. They opened to a pair of silver doors. On those silver doors was a warning.
"I love that poem." Xenophilius said airily. Most just gave him a weird look.
"Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there."
"Lovely." Xenophilius said.
"Li'e I said. Yeh'd have t' be mad t' steal from Gringotts." Hagrid said
"Does he want them to steal from Gringotts?" Shizuka asked incredulously.
as he led them past a pair of bowing goblins and into a marble hall. It was a vast hall with tall counters on either side of the halls where hundreds of goblins were busy working. Some were weighing various gems and coins, some were scribbling in ledgers, and others were showing people in and out of Gringotts or through the various doors at the ends of the hall.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Many said.
Hagrid led the boys towards a counter where a goblin was scribbling in his ledger with a pile of coal sized rubies sat neatly on the corner of his desk. "Morning" Hagrid greeted "we've come t' take money ou' o' Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Aires Black, and Mr. Leo Black's safes." The goblin looked up from his ledger to Hagrid, then down to the three boys. "Do they have their keys?"
"They are mildly creepy." Andromeda said. "But not like muggle story ones." Narcissa added.
"Yeah, I go' it here some'ere." Hagrid said as he began to empty his pockets on the goblins desk.
Many winced at that.
Aires was actually scared from the anger the goblin seemed to radiate when Hagrid put a handful of moldy dog treats on his ledger.
"Hagrid's in for a good time." James said sarcastically.
"Here 'ey are." Hagrid said pulling out three small golden keys. The goblin looked at the keys and nodded.
"Whatever."
Hagrid leaned closer to the goblin and in a not so quiet whisper said "Here's a letter from Professor Dumbledore" Hagrid said proudly puffing his chest out
Many sighed.
"it's abou' th' You-Know –What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."
"What is it?" Many people asked.
The goblin read the letter carefully. "Very well, I'll have someone take you down. Griphook!" Griphook was a dark eyed goblin who walked towards them.
"I think I've met him before." James said.
Aires and Leo grabbed Harry's sleeves and they seemed to have a conversation just with a shared look.
"What?"
Hagrid didn't notice he was too busy putting the molding dog treats back in his pockets. "Thank you Sir." They said in unison to the goblin at the counter. He looked shocked before dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
"At least they're polite." The future mothers said. Barty then sat a bit straighter. "I just realized something." He said. "What?" Remus asked. "Who's Aires' mother?" Many looked surprised. "I guess we'll find out later." Sirius said with a smirk.
They followed Griphook through one of the doors at the end of the hall. "What's the You –Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked Hagrid. Hagrid would say anything, said it was Hogwarts business and worth more than his job to tell them.
"So something important." The marauders deduced.
They followed Griphook into a narrow passage way lit with torches. "Mr. Griphook" Aires said which seemed to shock the goblin who whistled a mining cart forward "what's your job here at Gringotts?" The goblin looked at Aires with a raised brow.
"Most wizards don't talk to goblins." Septimus said.
"I manage affairs for heirs to Ancient and Noble Houses. I work with the Family Accountants and assist in Family Affairs."
"Oh, yeah." All the pureblood children said.
"What are Ancient and Noble Houses?" Leo asked when he crawled into the cart. That really surprised the goblin.
"Hell they didn't even know they were wizards." Frank scoffed.
"You don't know?" He asked in bewilderment. "Er—Mr. Griphook we only found out we we're wizards yesterday." Harry said nervously.
"Told ya."
The goblin nodded but said no more as Hagrid struggled to fit into the cart.
"I am curious about what that title mean." Lily said.
Then they took off like a roller-coaster.
Ted smiled.
At first it was a maze of twisting passages. Harry was trying to remember which ones they took. Left left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. Leo was laughing and screaming as the air blew his hair back. Aires was doing the same once he put Tawny safely in his pocket.
"It is fun." Their fathers said.
This was the most fun they'd had in years and Aires loved the rush of the air it whipped his hair back, and he could almost imagine that he was flying.
Regulus smiled warmly.
Harry noticed that the rattling cart was steering itself as Griphook just sat there calmly in his seat. The cold air stung their eyes, although Harry's glasses helped him a bit more.
James pushed his glasses up his nose at the mention.
Harry thought he saw a burst of fire and leaned over the edge to see if there really was a dragon.
"Per che!?" His mother wailed into her hands. James looked terrified.
Before he got a good look though, Hagrid pulled him in by the scruff of his shirt. Before he could try for a second look they plunged deeper underground.
"Grazie." Thank You.
"What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?" Harry asked. A green looking Hagrid told him "Stalagmite's got an m in it." before shutting himself up.
Many chuckled at that.
When they stopped by a small door (to the disappointment of Aires and Leo and the relief of Hagrid) Hagrid put a hand against the wall and Harry was worried he might throw up.
"Ick."
When Griphook unlocked the door a green smoke billowed out causing the boys to cough and splutter. When the smoke cleared though, Harry gasped. In the center of the room was a huge mountain of gold galleons, towers of silver sickles and hills of bronze knuts. "All yours" Hagrid explained.
"That's the trust vault." Charlus said. Lily looked shocked. "How many vaults do you have?" she asked incredulously. "Several, bit we only use three or four regularly" James explained offhandedly.
Harry was dumbfounded. How many times did the Dursley's complained that Harry, Aires and Leo were burdens?
Growls and hisses spread through the occupants.
According to Aires they were just stuck up jerks considering what they bought Dudley for his birthdays, Christmas, and random gifts. Guess he was right.
"Really?" Shizuka asked sarcastically.
Harry shoveled the money in a bag Hagrid gave him. When they got to Aires vault it was pretty much the same.
"Glad he has a trust vault too." Barty said.
What was different, however, was a small key buried in a pile of galleons that he sneaked into his bag without Hagrid noticing.
Regulus looked surprised. "That shouldn't be there." "I wonder what it opens." Remus said.
When Leo got to his vault he knew what he should expect. He bagged his coins and got into the cart again.
"Woohoo!" Sirius cheered.
When they all got back into the cart Hagrid looked uncomfortable. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen please. And can yeh go more slowly?" Hagrid asked Griphook. "One speed only." Griphook said punctually.
"That's a lie." Charlus said. "Really?" Lily asked. He nodded. "Otherwise they would injure sick, elderly or pregnant customers." He explained.
They zoomed, zipped, dipped, and raced further into Gringotts and stopped at a vault with no lock or key hole on it.
Abarax looked shocked. "That's a top security vault."
"Stand back." Griphook said importantly. He ran a long nail down the center of the door and a long series of locks and clicks echoed. "Wow." Aires breathed. "If anyone besides a Gringotts goblin tried to do that they would be sucked through the door and trapped inside." Griphook said. "How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked. "About once every ten years." Griphook said with a grin that showed his razor sharp teeth.
Many people grew pale.
Ok, goblins are still creepy Leo thought with a shudder.
Sirius gave a weak chuckle.
The boys leaned to their sides to see what wondrous treasure could be inside. It had to be something really important for such high security.
Many people nodded.
They were disappointed however when all that was in the vault was a small grubby package.
"That's it?" Many questioned.
Hagrid picked the package up and pocketed it into his coat.
"What is it?" Liliana and James asked.
Harry knew better than to ask about it, but Leo and Aires tried to figure it out, but Hagrid wouldn't budge.
Liliana huffed.
"C'mon, back inta th' infernal cart. An' don' talk ta me on th' way back. It's best if I keep me mouth shut." Hagrid said.
"Eurgh."
The boys got in with no complaint. One wild cart ride later they were back in the hall of Gringotts.
"That was quick."
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, Mr. Black." Griphook said stiffly. The three boys looked at him. "I need a word with you three, it's about your finances." Griphook said.
"I was wondering about that actually." Charlus said. Arcturus nodded.
The three boys looked at Hagrid. "Yeh three go, I need some fresh air." Hagrid said walking to the doors. "This way." Griphook said walking towards another door. The boys followed him.
"Aren't they a bit young for financial dealings?" Lily asked. Charlus shrugged. "Usually they would just get a brief discussion of inheritance and how much money they have so they don't spend it all away." Arcturus said.
They entered a large room with a large wooden desk that had several papers and files on top of it. "Please take a seat." Griphook said taking a seat in the large chair behind the desk. Each boy sat in a cushioned chair as Griphook went through the papers and files.
"And down to business." The pureblood patriarchs said.
"You three only found out about your heritage yesterday correct?" Griphook asked. "Yes sir." Harry said. Griphook frowned. "I was afraid of this." Griphook muttered. "As for your question earlier in the underground" he said folding his hands "Ancient and Noble Houses are essentially the highest rank a wizard family can uphold."
"Really?" Lily asked. Everyone else nodded. Then she looked at Ted. "You knew this too?" Ted rubbed the back of his neck. "I gave up my place in an Ancient and Noble Family to be with Ted." Andromeda shooting the red head a sharp look.
"So aristocracy and nobility?" Aires asked. Griphook nodded. "You three are heirs to Ancient and Noble Houses as well as other rankings." "Other rankings?" Leo asked.
Abarax looked curious.
"At the top of the social ladder, I suppose you would say, are the Ancient and Noble Houses, such as the Potters and Blacks. Other Ancient and Noble Houses, for example, would be the Longbottoms, and the Families of Hogwarts Founders."
Lily looked at the Longbottom family with wide eyes.
The boys looked shocked. Harry closed Aires and Leo's open mouths.
Laughter has returned to the Room of Requirement.
The day before yesterday they were orphans with maybe two bus tickets worth of money, and now they're wizarding nobility?
"Technically they were always wizarding nobility." Regulus said.
Talk about dropping a bombshell.
More laughter.
"Then there are Noble Houses," Griphook continued "they're families much like Ancient and Noble houses, but they haven't been in England long enough to qualify for that title. Noble Houses would include the Zabinis, Prewetts, and Malfoys to name a few." Griphook paused to let them sink in the information.
The Malfoys nodded. "Aren't you a Prewett Alice?" Remus asked. She nodded. "Molly is too." Septimus said.
"Then you have Ancient families." "Are they families that have existed as long as Ancient and Noble houses?" Aires asked.
Regulus smiled proudly.
Griphook nodded. "They have existed in England long enough, but they lack the requirements to qualify a Nobility entitlement. Most in fact were Ancient and Noble Houses, but lost some standing and became Ancient Houses. Some families that are Ancient are the Weasleys, the Diggorys and the Bones family." Griphok said.
Lily looked at the Weasley patriarch. "Really?" She asked. Septimus just nodded with red ears.
Griphook turned to Harry. "You Mr. Potter are sole heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, as well as kin to the Ancient and Noble House of Black." Aires and Leo turned to look at Harry. "Harry's family?" Leo asked. "Yes, his mother was Dorea Potter nee Black." Griphook said.
"WOOHOO!" "Chill Sirius."
"Not only that you are legally Hadrian J. Potter, the heir to the Italian Noble family Evangelista." Harry looked shocked. "Your mother Liliana Evangelista was the only surviving child who had a surviving heir.
Liliana started to cry. "Lana?" James asked. She said nothing, but her shoulders shook so James just held her close.
The Evangelistas were a powerful Noble Family who grew their wealth through trade and medicine. Your great grandfathers on both sides were good friends as well as trading partners.
Charlus nodded. "I remember Signore Hadriano well." He said sadly. "So that's how she knows you guys?" Lily asked. "Our families are close and we'd write to each other." James explained.
When your mother was seeking refuge from attacks on the continent that ended up killing her brothers and their families,
"I-I have three brothers." She sobbed. "What attacks!?" Dorea asked nervously. Liliana grew pale. "There have been rumors of a revolution…" she breathed. "Revolution?" Moody asked. "I don't know much about it." She said with a shake of her head.
she was put under the protection of the House of Potter."
"Of course." James and Charlus said in unison.
Harry was trying to absorb all of this.
"Not the only one." Lily said.
Griphook turned to Leo. "You, Mr. Leo Black are a co-heir to the Ancient and Noble house of Black.
"Aires is an heir as well?" Regulus asked. "It would seem so." Dorea said with a raised eyebrow.
Your father placed you and Aires as the two heirs.
"So Sirius is the head?" Bellatrix asked. Sirius looked shocked. "Makes sense he's the surviving son." Regulus said stiffly.
Now you are also the heir of the Ancient and Noble Kagawa family from Japan.
Shizuka looked shocked now.
The Kagawa family came under attack years ago.
Sirius held onto his future wife tightly.
Mostly due to fear since it's become common knowledge that the Kagawa family was a very powerful family that had a powerful hold in Osaka. No one knows who attacked them." At this Leo gulped.
Shizuka went pale.
"There were three survivors total.
Shizuka cried. Remus looked pale. "What is it?" Lily asked gently. "The Kagawa clan has about fifty members." Remus said shocked. "How do you know this Lupin?" Moody asked. "When my parents were trying to find a cure for lycanthropy, we apparated to Shizu's family shrine. While I'm still a werewolf, Shizu became a friend I wrote to." Remus explained. "And from there you all became friends." Moody said. They just nodded.
Your mother Shizuka Kagawa who married Sirius Black.
Sirius held her close to his chest.
Your mother's brother, Shizuku. And your grandmother Chidori. Your uncle and grandmother fled to America. Your grandmother passed away in San Francisco, California, and your uncle is currently missing, though reports showed his last sighting in Hawaii." Leo nodded numbly.
"So he might be alive." Shizuka said with a wet sniffle. Sirius just petted her hair.
Then the goblin looked at Aires. "Mr. Aires Black, you are actually a bit of an anomaly."
"What?" Regulus asked.
Griphook said. "What do you mean sir?" Aires asked.
"That's what we want to know." Bellatrix said.
Tawny crawled on top of his head as if to comfort him.
Regulus smiled at that.
"Your father, Regulus Black, was the younger brother of Sirius Black. We know more about him, but
Arcturus paused to look at the page with wide eyes. "What is it, Grandfather?" Regulus asked.
he conceded his right to the Black family headship when you were born.
Many looked at him shocked. "What?" was all Regulus could articulate.
Not only that, your mother Saoirse Black is a mystery to us.
"So your wife will be Irish." Sirius said.
She holds no record with the Irish branch of Gringotts, so we no little of her.
"Is that even possible?" Regulus asked. "Apparently so." Andromeda said.
All we know is that she is currently in the Mental Ward of St. Mungo's Hospital, and has been there since your father died."
Regulus winced. "That's gotta suck… Your mother is alive but not entirely there." Alice said sadly. Barty gave Regulus a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Aires sat their rigidly still. His mother was still alive.
Regulus winced harder at that.
"Now the headship falls to your guardian Sirius Black who named you two his heirs. And if anything happened to you two the Black family headship would go to Mr. Potter."
"Huh?" was all Sirius could say properly.
"Leo's dad?" Harry asked. "Yes. Sirius Black is still alive. He was named your godfather, and is Aires' guardian by way of closest blood relation." Griphook had a dark look cross his face.
"Why?" Shizuka asked nervously. Arcturus looked shocked.
"However, your guardian is currently incarcerated in Azkaban."
Sirius went pale and Shizuka held a death grip on the man she would choose to spend the rest of her life with. The Potters, Remus and Liliana had disbelieving looks on their faces.
"What's Azkaban?" Leo asked nervously. "Wizarding prison. He was
Arcturus was so shocked this time he actually dropped the book before spouting off a string of curses. "What happened, Grandfather?" Regulus asked.
He was locked away without a proper trial or due process
Many people shouted, screamed or cried.
so he is still your legal guardian and Head of the Black family and Potter family regent until Mr. Potter comes of age, or is proven guilty." Leo was pale. His dad was locked away, illegally?
"How?" Sirius asked hollowly.
"Is there a way we can get Leo's dad out of Azkaban?" Aires asked the goblin.
Regulus blinked before a bright and proud smile spread across his face.
The goblin tapped his chin in thought. "If we can find evidence that your guardian is innocent, then they would have to release him." "What was he accused of?" Harry asked.
Arcturus looked back and forth between the book and his oldest grandson.
"Massacring thirteen muggles, and aiding in the deaths of the Potters and Shizuka Black."
"WHAT!?" James bellowed. Sirius sat still. Remus looked heartbroken. Shizuka held on to Sirius tightly. Sirius sat rigidly, with a broken look in his eyes, and tears streaming down his face. Regulus looked sadly at his brother. The Black sisters had teary eyes. Dorea pulled Sirius into a tight hug. "Who would even think such a thing?" Liliana asked in a thick voice as she wiped her eyes. Arcturus cleared his voice but it was a bit shaky.
Aires looked carefully at Harry though the corner of his eye. Harry looked like a statue with a look of horror and disbelief on his face.
"Just like his dad." Barty said weakly.
His disbelief hit Aires like a frying pan to the head (He knows courtesy of Petunia Dursley).
"WHAT!?" Regulus screeched like a banshee.
Leo however, broke down.
Sirius started to shake badly.
He covered his ears, curled himself into a ball and cried his heart out.
Sirius couldn't hold himself together either. He wailed and howled with a heart wrenching sorrow that rang in your ears. He pulled at his long hair and let his tears rain down. Shizuka tried to calm him down with sweet nothings whispered in Japanese. "Doshitan?"(What's wrong?) "It-it's a-all m-my fault!" He sobbed into Shizuka's shoulder. It took a while but Sirius was quieter, but he was still a wreck so Shizuka kept a hold on him.
Aires quickly pulled him into a tight hug. Leo's pain hit him hard like a tempest of misery and heartache.
Regulus looked sorrowful at that. He only hoped that he would find someone to help him control his empathy.
Aires just held and rocked his cousin until his cries softened to sobs and his pain receded like a tide.
Sirius sniffled a bit, and Shizuka had a pained expression in her face.
"Mr. Griphook, is there anything here in Gringotts that could prove Leo's dad's innocence?" Aires asked in a strained voice.
{Sorry but this chapter was twice as long as my usual chapters and those are long too. So I've split the chapter into two parts.}