Harry Potter and the Heart of Power

Chapter 2

-Harry-

Groaning, Harry Potter walked out of Gringotts, stretching to get rid of the stiffness in his muscles after being in a meeting to set up the final plans for the casino that he was making through his family's fortunes. Added to what he already had access too, as well as gold from the goblins for stock investments in his businesses, he had been recommended to find a lawyer to file charges against the Ministry of Magic who had not only stolen his family's property and declared it a national landmark, offering no compensation towards him, but had refused to pay the bounty on Voldemort.

He had been out of the time compression chamber for three days and had spent the entire time going over the plans for his Casino with Ragnok until they had finally come to an agreement. Now he was heading to a law firm that Ragnok recommended followed by the most important part of his day, Lunch.

Walking inside the building he smirked, Ragnok had given him the file about the Lawyer who had founded this firm, Anastasia Malfoy, and her legendary hatred for her brother. Getting to the front desk he rang the bell and noticed a girl who looked barely out of Hogwarts step up to the counter "Can I help you sir?" she asked, eyeing him up and down as he stood there in his business suit.

"I'd like to either meet with Ms. Malfoy if she is available or set up a meeting if she is not.".

"For what purposes sir?" the girl asked surprised, he guessed not many people asked for the boss lady herself.

"I'm here to represent the Potter heir who wishes to sue the Ministry of Magic for theft of familial property and failing to pay the bounty on the deceased Dark Lord." He answered, making sure to word his sentence so that it was still true but hinted that he wasn't actually Harry Potter.

"Now that sounds like an interesting case," a voice said to his right and, turning, he saw a breathtaking woman walking down a staircase in a woman's business suit, giving him a hard look as she did so "but how do I know that you actually represent the Potter heir?".

"I'm guessing you are Anastasia Malfoy?" he asked and, when she nodded, passed her the files from Ragnok, "these are the files about the case from Director Ragnok himself concerning the newly dubbed Lord Potter.".

As the woman flipped through the files her eyes widened and she quickly dragged him into her office and sealed the door "How the hell do you look like you're nearly of age instead of eleven Mr. Potter?" she demanded "And what did you do to make that old Goblin Ragnok call in the favor I owe him to handle your law suit?".

Blinking in surprise he noticed a letter in the files that he hadn't known about and figured out that Ragnok had decided to lend a hand "Ragnok allowed me to use the time compression chamber for three years to allow my body to recover naturally from the abuse and negligence of my muggle relatives as well as train," he said simply "Ragnok recognized that many people whom the bank has a great deal of…animosity for have tried to gain control over me so they looked at it like any business deal. I have the opportunities to not only humiliate but ruin those who are the banks enemies while they have the facilities and training to see that it gets done. During my training I excelled at the lessons they put me through and are currently using the Potter fortune to start up a few businesses. This law suit is to not only begin what I was trained for, tearing down Gringotts enemies, but to bolster my partially depleted fortunes as my businesses are something the magical world has never seen and will take a good amount of capital.".

Sighing Anastasia slumped down into her seat "Well I don't really have much choice. Ragnok saved my life several years ago when he ordered his Goblin healers to repair the spell damage that my so called 'brother' inflicted upon me during one of the last raids of the war. Ragnok knew I was already a bloodthirsty lawyer at that point and wanted a favor to cash in when needed…he must have a lot of faith in you if he's calling it in now.".

"Well besides the original goal that Gringotts had in mind, the destruction of their enemies, I managed to develop a few innovations that not only improved Gringotts' security but their efficiency as well.".

"That explains things," Anastasia said with wide-eyes "anyone who helps make their security even better is considered part of the family to most goblins, and improving their efficiency as well..." she trailed of before giving him an impressed look "what on earth did you do?".

"Made electronics work before helping a team of goblins prepare a series of computers and security cameras." He said with a relaxed shrug as the woman gaped. "That's actually tied in to my first business, which should be opening tomorrow now that I think about it. I'm starting a store selling my modified electronics to witches, wizards, and even the parents of muggleborn students. The second business is well…to put it bluntly a lot more fun. Ragnok helped me buy the property next to Gringotts and the construction of my new Casino starts tomorrow.".

"Kid," Anastasia said after a moment of silence "I think this is the start of a long and beautiful friendship." Before the blonde lawyer reached over to the bar behind her desk and bulled out a tumbler of whiskey "A toast," she declared after pouring a pair of glasses "to gold, to glory, and to gutting our enemies!".

"To gold, to glory, and to gutting our enemies!" he echoed with a laugh before downing the liquid. After a quick shake he asked "Are you sure you're not part goblin after that little toast there?".

"Shut up and drink your Whiskey.".

-Noon the next day-

The next day he stood out of his business, 'Lightning Strike Electronics' with Anastasia and Ragnok on either side of him while the paparazzi surrounded them, cameras flashing, ironically like flashes of lighting. "Settle down, settle down." He called out, enjoying the hush that fell over the crowd, vaguely noticing a man with a long white beard, who he assumed to be Dumbledore, pushing through the crowd. "Now," he continued "I'm guessing you all came to this store's opening as you heard rumors that it, and its mother company 'Lightning Strike Enterprises' are owned by Harry Potter…I am here to tell you that for once rumors are true. Lightning Strike was indeed started up by Lord Potter whom I am here today representing. On my right is Director Ragnok, chief of the goblins and Lord Potter's financial advisor and one of the primary stockholder's for Lightning Strike and to my left is Lord Potter's private attorney Anastasia Malfoy, another primary stockholder.".

At his statement the crowd all began yelling at once until one of the reporters forced her way to the front and made herself heard, "Sir!" she yelled "Sir! What is your name? How did you come to represent Lord Potter? And what sort of business is this?".

"Good questions Ms.…?" he trailed off not knowing the woman's name.

"Natalie Blackpool sir," she replied with a slight blush "a…private journalist.".

"You mean how no real newspaper will hire you?" a woman he recognized as Rita Skeeter from Anastasia's coaching stepped forward and pushed past Natalie "Listen…whatever your name is, why is it that the so called 'Lord' Potter isn't here himself?".

"I don't believe I was talking to you madam," he said coldly before turning to the saddened looking Natalie "as for you Ms. Blackpool, I will be more than happy to answer your questions.".

The woman turned to him stunned before she smiled and pulled out a bright blue quill that floated as she held a pad of paper "An automatic dicta-quill," she explained at his raised eyebrow "I prefer them to the stupid 'quick-quotes quills that Skeeter here uses…they have a bad habit of making things up.".

"Wise decision," he said nodding "well to put it simply I am Lord Peverell, an ally of House Potter, who has agreed to help the young Lord in his endeavors. As for the business, Lord Potter found a way to make Muggle electronics work by running on magic instead of muggle sources of energy. This store will sell computers, gaming systems, personal assistants, security cameras, and video recorders among other things. Gringotts bank has already begun using the computers and security cameras and states that their efficiency has gone up one hundred and twenty percent since doing so. Now any other questions may be asked later after your job interview.".

"Job interview?" she asked confused, an expression that was being mirrored by several other reporters.

"Lightning Strike Enterprises is starting up a new newspaper called 'the daily storm' which we hope to have up and running within the next couple of weeks." He explained and smiled when the girl beamed in realization. "Now come," he said cheerfully as he opened the doors "Lightning Strike Electronics is now open for business!".

As the reporters and the assembled crowd began entering the store to examine the items, some out of natural curiosity and some to scoff, he walked towards the back and stood behind the cash register as they hadn't been able to hire anyone to man that part of the store yet, the back-room work being done by the Gringotts goblins.

"Masterfully done," Anastasia whispered into his ear as she joined him "using your second Lordship as a second identity, simply brilliant.".

"Not many know that Gringotts can allow an individual to resurrect a family that has gone extinct in the male line among the descendants of the family." Ragnok snickered, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Before he could respond Dumbledore finally managed to force his way over "Excuse me Lord…Peverell," Dumbledore stated, saying the name warily "I am here to insist that you return young Harry to me. He has to go back to his Aunt and Uncle's.".

"Request denied," he said without blinking "now if you could kindly step aside. I believe I have a customer behind you who wishes to purchase something.".

Startled, the old man mechanically moved to the side as he saw a somewhat pudgy looking boy holding the box for a Gameboy advanced SP (AN: I know that they didn't actually come out until 2003 but I'm changing a few release dates in my story). "E-excuse me, Lord Peverell," the pudgy boy asked nervously "H-how much is this?".

Smiling reassuringly at the boy who looked like he was about to join Hogwarts with him in a few weeks "Ten Galleons and three sickles." (AN: I looked up the price of the system when it came out and the conversion rate of galleons, sickles, and knuts so I think I'm pretty close) He said with a soft smile at the surprised boy, probably having expected it to be a lot more due to how many years people had spent trying to find a way to shield electronics from magic. "And as it's a new system it comes with two games," he continued pulling out a decent sized catalog "just flip through here to find the games you want, there's a description next to each, and then I'll ring you up if you still want to make the purchase. And also don't worry, all the electronics in the store will work anywhere with magic.".

The boy looked at him wide eyed and quickly began flipping through the catalog before selecting 'Pokémon leaf Green' and 'The legend of Zelda, a link to the past'. Smiling at the boy, who he found out was Neville Longbottom, he rang up the purchase and bagged the game-system and games while the boy rushed out eagerly. "That first purchase is probably going to bring you a lot of business," Anastasia noted "the Longbottom family is highly respected. For the Heir to so eagerly buy your products is a huge publicity boost…what are you still doing here Dumbledore?" she asked the last part with a grin at the old man.

"I'll be back." Dumbledore said with what he supposed was meant to be a disappointed look but it didn't work very well. Smiling he turned back and to his customers and laughed as he saw a little girl wanting to buy a camera as he rang up her purchase, laughing and trying to make the shy little girl grin, not noticing the fond smiles that Anastasia and Ragnok were sending him as he interacted with the child, nor the pictures that Natalie was taking of him.