Aurthors Note: HEY GUYS!!! I'm back!! First off I want to thank everyone for the many comments I've recieved encouraging me to continnue the story. I want to thank you all for your patience. I'm sorry it took so long for me to give an update but life has literally been kickinng my butt. I want to assure everyone no matter how long I pause a story for I will not abandoned it. I did also reupload the other chapters as well with corrections to the grammatical errors however I do want to advise everyone I still do not have a beta reader so bear with me. And now we return to A Gift From Death!!
Chapter 17: Lord Potter
The following morning Harry took the letter he received from Sirius to McGonagall and requested she allow him to go to Gringotts that weekend. Minerva McGonagall stared at the letter in utter shock. "You've reached your majority…" she looked up at him.
"Indeed…I have to go to Gringotts to claim my Lordships." He smiled at her, "You're welcome to accompany me if it will put you at ease." Harry smiled.
McGonagall sighed, "Very well I will accompany you to Gringotts this weekend. Albus will be busy with tournament preparations so I will accompany you."
"About that…as this is a Potter family matter I would appreciate if you would keep this from the Headmaster." Harry looked at her with a smile, "also I was hopping you'd allow Hermione to join us."
Minerva eyes her pupil sternly, "Very well. I will meet you and Miss Granger in the Great Hall at ten Saturday morning. As you request I will keep this from the Headmaster."
"Thank you Professor." Harry smiled as he stood and headed out of her office, "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
The following morning Harry and Hermione came down the stairs dressing in muggle attire, "Are we really going to Diagon Ally?" she asked.
"Shhhh." He said, "Yes now come on McGonagall is waiting." Harry grabs her hand and pulls her to the door.
McGonagall smirked a little as they approached but that smirk vanished as quickly as it appeared. "Are you ready Potter?"
"Yes ma'am…" Harry looked around, "I assume the Headmaster is busy."
"Indeed, he is currently working with the Tournament staff, we should be off now." The stern woman then led the two of them onto the grounds then down the path to the gate. Once they crossed the gate line, Minerva held out an arm to each of them, "Now grab ahold." She told them.
"Hermione fair warning…you might hurl." Harry said as he took his Head of House's arm.
"What?" Hermione asked alarmed.
"Side-Along Apparition can do that." Harry said, "Personally I prefer portkeys."
Hermione nervously took McGonagall's arm, "Hang on tight." The Professor said and with a crack the three of them were gone.
The moment the three of them touched down Hermione kneeled over and hurled behind a rubbish bin. "Mione are you okay?" Harry asked as he rubbed her back.
"Ugh…" the girl sat up a bit, "That was the worst."
"I told you." Harry said with a slight chuckle, "Portkeys are much easier."
"I think I'll have to agree with you." She said as McGonagall vanished her students throw up.
"You get used to it after awhile just like with portkey landings." She told her students, "I'm surprised Harry you seem to have done this before."
Harry smiled nervously, "Yea once or twice."
"Well onward then Gringotts is up ahead." The stern woman said as she walked towards the marble building. "Come along."
Harry and Hermione followed her into the building. As soon as they entered Harry spotted his Account Manager Ragnok waiting for him in the lobby. "Ah Heir Potter." The sharply dressed goblin said as he walked up to them, "Your Godfather told me you be visiting today I thought to meet you in the lobby just in case."
"I appreciate it Master Ragnok." Harry gave a polite bow.
The goblin glanced In Minerva's direction, "Heir Potter will Madam McGonagall be joining us to the vaults?"
"Yes, I am emancipated however I'm still a student so she is here as my chaperone." Harry smiled kindly.
"Very well, seeing as Madam McGonagall was one of your potential guardians in your parents Wills I can allow it." The goblin said and started turn away.
"I beg your pardon?" Minerva spoke up, "Sir Goblin, what did you just say?"
Ragnok turned back to her, "It is as I said before, you, Minerva McGonagall, were a potential guardian for Harry Potter. Fourth on the list to be exact after Remus Lupin."
Upon hearing this Minerva put her hands to her temples as if she was experiencing some pain, "Professor?" Hermione took her arm concerned.
"Sir Ragnok…" the stern woman grumbled, "Might I trouble you to direct me to one of your healers…I appear to be experiencing some side affects of memory modification."
"Professor are you sure?" Hermione asked. When their professor nodded she looked to Harry, "What do we do?"
Harry turned to his account manager, "Sir Ragnok is it possible to accommodate her request?"
The goblin snapped his fingers and two other goblins walked up, "Escort Madam McGonagall to the medical wing have our best healers look her over."
The goblins bowed and started escorting Minerva away she stopped a moment, "Please keep and eye on them sir goblin."
"Your charges will be safe in my care." Ragnok bowed his head to her a bit, "No harm shall befall them in goblin territory I guarantee it."
With that their professor was led away, "Will she be okay?" Hermione asked Ragnok.
"She will be fine Madam Granger. Our healers will have her right as rain by the time we get back from the vaults. Now come Heir Potter."
Harry and Hermione followed, and soon they were deep beneath the surface. Harry stood in the center of the Potter family vault as he did when he came to claim the Heir ring. He followed Ragnok's instructions and held out his right hand. The Potter Heir ring suddenly appeared on his hand, "I, Harry James Potter, Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, hereby claim my right as Lord of the Potter House after reaching my majority through magical emancipation."
The room swirled with magic as it had done before only this time much more. The stone pillar rose from the floor as it had before. The spot were the Heir ring once sat now had another hole right next to it. "Return the Heir ring and take the Lord's ring Lord Potter." Ragnok told him.
Harry nodded and did as was told swapping the rings, the Lord's ring was pure white gold the top of the ring was flat and engraved with the Potter family crest with four tiny rubies at the top, bottom, left, and right of the crest. Harry slipped it on to his middle finger where the Heir ring once was. It shrunk to fit his finger perfectly as the magic swirled around the room again. Just then the three large gold doors around the room opened up revealing what was hidden within. One contained priceless jewels and treasures including the artifacts that had once been Horcruxes. The second room was filled with rare tomes, books, and scrolls, and the final room was filled with mounds upon mounds of gold.
"Ho…ly shit!" Harry gawked at the sight, "I knew I was rich….but not this rich!"
"Lord Potter," Ragnok spoke up, "Do not forget there is still the Peverell family vault as well.
Harry's face paled a bit, "Can I expect a same within that vault?"
"Indeed." The goblin said.
"Oh god…" Harry chuckled nervously, "If Voldemort knew how much money I had he might try to recruit me not kill me."
The group moved over to the Peverell vault and followed the same procedure. The Peverell ring was about the same size as the Potter ring but solid gold, and just like with the Potter ring the top was flat with the Peverell family crest that had four small emerald gems surrounding it. Just like when he slipped on the Potter Ring the golden doors swung open, causing Harry's jaw to drop once again. "How…how can one person be this bloody rich?" he asked himself.
"Harry when we have more time I'd love to peruse the books in both vaults." Hermione said looking in the room which was filled with documents, books, and scrolls.
Harry started laughing, "Figures that'd be what you'd be most interested in. Though I'm curious to look myself?" he looks to Ragnok, "Is there a catalog or inventory list for both libraries?"
"Seeing as neither have been used in quite sometime those lists have been misplaced. However I will get one of our men to make a new inventory list for both libraries as soon as possible." The goblin bowed.
"I'd appreciate it and I supposed you can temporarily suspend my trust vault and put all my gold back in the Potter family vault." Harry said.
"Very well shall we return to the top?" Ragnok asked.
"Yes lets go." Harry said as he took Hermione's hand, "Come on once I have that list you can choose however many books you want and read them at your leisure."
"Ugh…fiiine." She grumbled and let herself be pulled away as she continued to look longingly at the books.
Back above ground the two were being led by Ragnok to the Medical wing. Just as they were approaching the room McGonagall was in the two of them heard their head of house scream in a thick Scottish accent, "I'M GOING TO KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!"
The two looked at one another in utter shock as they heard their prim and proper Head of House curse like a sailor. They entered the room, "Professor McGonagall?" they said in unison.
When Minerva whipped around and spotted Harry she started crying, "Oh Harry." She rushed over and hugged him tightly.
"Um Professor? Are you okay?" Harry asked nervously.
"Oh Harry I'm so sorry." The usually stern woman said as she hugged him closely, "If that bastard hadn't changed my memories I would have never left you on those people's doorstep."
"Professor does this have anything to do with what my parents Wills said about you being my father's Godmother?" Harry asked.
"Yes." She pulled him away from her, "I was in school with your grandmother Dorea. She was a Black at the time and the top of her year. We had become close over the years even though she was two years ahead of me. Even though she was a Black she never disparaged me for being a half-blood. After she graduated she married Charles Potter and the two tried for years to have a child. After three miscarriages she nearly gave up hope. We spent lots of time together during those years. I would comfort her after each loss. Years went by and she finally gave birth to your father. I was named his Godmother, your father was a handful even before he went to Hogwarts."
Harry laughed a bit, "I don't doubt you."
"After your grandparents were murdered and your parents went into hiding. Dumbledore saw to it to modify my memories…making me forget about my connection to the Potter Family." She looked down at him with a sad smiled, "Had I had my memories I never would have left you on that doorstep. I'm so sorry."
"I understand Professor." Harry smiled up at her, "and I know you want to take revenge on Dumbledore but we can't have you doing that right now."
The woman's jaw dropped, "I can not allow him to get away with this? Not only did he tamper with my memories, he also left you in that horrid place, then potioned you for 3 years. Your practically my grandson I can not allow this to stand." She said firmly.
"Professor," Harry sighed, "Dumbledore will pay but first we must worry about Voldemort. Once we get rid of Voldypants for good then we will deal with Dumbledore…until then I need you to act as if nothing has changed between you and Dumbledore."
She eyed him curiously, "You're scheming something aren't you?"
Harry simply smiled, "Maaaybe. If you want to know more come to Grimmauld Place after the Yule Ball."
Minerva looked surprised, "How much do you know?"
"I'd say a bit more than you." Harry smiled at her.
"Oh you…you're just like your father cunning, but you have your mother's mind." She cupped Harry's face, "Alright I'll do a you ask and hold back my anger for now."
"Thank you." Harry smiled, "I think we should head back to Hogwarts."
She sighed, "Very well. Let us return." And with that the three of them left the Gringotts and returned to Hogwarts with a new ally on their side.
Up Next: Harry sneaks his friends off to Diagon Alley for a bit of shopping.