Chapter 8:
Words from Another Time
Remus, Sirius, and Harry were the first to arrive at Gringotts in the morning. They were wearing their new robes, Harry having both the Potter and Black crests on his chest. Sirius had Black family matters to discuss with Strongblade – there were those who were no longer going to get their family stipends. There were also people who would begin getting them. Andi described the flat his younger cousin, Dora, lived in and he was going to fix that. Maybe she was his second cousin, he wasn't sure.
The next to arrive was Professor McGonagall with Harry's friends. Hermione flew across the room and had Harry in a vice-grip in moments. Neville was more sedate and simply put his hand out to shake his friend's. "How are things at the castle?"
"Strange," Neville said. "It's uncomfortable in the Gryffindor common room because everyone knows about what Mrs Weasley did."
"How do they know?" Harry angrily asked.
"Because Ginny has been bawling since her father came to speak with her and her brothers. The twins are embarrassed, and I think if you'd let them, they'd apologize on behalf of their family," Hermione explained. "Ron, on the other hand, is still spouting that he's your best friend and you'll forgive him."
"Not a snowball's chance in hell," Harry responded. "His meeting me, immediately claiming me as his 'best friend' and kind of keeping me away from others. I can't help but wonder if it was all staged between his mum and Dumbledore. I like the twins, and they're brilliant. If they apologize, I'll consider it."
"Professor Dumbledore, Harry," Hermione intoned.
"Yeah, not anymore. I don't even like saying his name, but I will. He stole from me, Hermione. He stole and gave my parents money to people who beat me." Harry's voice was low and small when he said the last bit.
Healer Andi and who Harry could only presume to be her husband walked in, Sirius getting up to greet them. A girl entered just behind them, stumbling over her own feet, and gave Sirius a hug that appeared to rival Hermione's. She had the most amazing pink hair that Harry had ever seen.
"Come over, you all need to meet my son," Sirius said as he led them across the room to where Harry was. "This is my son, Heir Harry Potter-Black, and his friends Miss Hermione Granger and Heir Neville Longbottom."
"I knew your parents, Neville, there were never finer folks," Andi said gently. "Is your grandmother well?"
"Yes, thank you for asking. She should be along any moment."
"Excellent," Andi said. "I haven't seen her in a donkey's age."
"Hey 'cous," the pink haired girl said before tackling him with a hug. "Cool that we're related."
"Harry, this is Mr Ted Tonks, Andi's husband, and our attorney. This bundle of energy is their daughter, Miss Nym—"
"Finish that word and I'll hex you," she said.
"Miss Dora –"
"Can't use that one either. It's the name for a five-year-old. I'm Tonks, just Tonks and it's great to meet all of you."
"Your hair always that colour?" Hermione asked.
"No, although I prefer it this way. I can change it at will," she said as her hair cycled through blue, black, yellow, green, red, brown, and finally back to pink.
"That's cool. Is the spell hard?" Hermione asked, never willing to give up the chance to learn something new.
"It's not a spell, I'm a Metamorphmagus. I can change everything about my body when I want." She proceeded to change her nose a few times. Everyone was duly impressed.
"Harry, Lord Black just called you his son," Neville realized. "When did he adopt you?" Harry smiled at the memory.
"Yesterday," Harry answered, his smile wide. "I don't doubt that the headmaster and his cronies would be willing to interfere, so he blood adopted me. I'm surprised you didn't comment about the change in my hair and appearance, Hermione."
"I just thought you were wearing a glamour or something to keep people away from you," she answered. "You do look more like Sirius and the improvement to your hair is impressive." Everyone laughed, knowing how bad his hair usually was. Professor Flitwick came in next with Amelia Bones closely on his heels, followed by a witch with white-blonde hair that Harry didn't think he'd ever met before.
"Emme Vance?" Andi said. "I thought you'd left Britain. You just stopped showing up at work."
"I know, but I can't remember why," she said. "I suddenly started working at a clinic in Ireland."
"When was this?" Sirius asked. Ideas began to swirl in his head and he felt like this might be part of something larger.
"Er, about four years ago," Emme answered. Sirius, Andi, and Remus all shared a look.
"What?" Emme asked.
"Later, we'll have tea and discuss it somewhere more private," Sirius said, and the others agreed. "Are we all here?" Sirius turned and asked Strongblade.
"There is one more who was named in Lady Potter's will. A professor at Hogwarts—" he was interrupted by a man walking in. "Here he is now."
"No bloody way!" Harry said what Sirius was thinking. Severus Snape was the last person everyone was expecting. He tried to slide into the room and was headed to the back when he heard Harry's exclamation.
"I was just as surprised as you, Heir Potter," Snape said in a tone that bordered on pleasant.
"Heir Prince was invited," Strongblade said.
"What did you call me?" Snape almost snapped at the goblin.
"Heir Prince. Did you not know you've inherited the title?" Snape shook his head bewilderedly. "I will find out who handles your family account and make sure you can meet them." Snape nodded again. Strongblade directed everyone to their chairs.
"Mr Goblin, sir, I thought my grandmother was to be here with me?" Neville asked.
"I'm sorry, Neville, I spoke with her this morning, and she asked if I could answer any questions you have, and to relay the pertinent information to her. She is entertaining some ladies this morning," Amelia said. "You're to go back to school with Professors McGonagall and Flitwick when we're done."
"Ah, playing politics with the wives again," Neville said with a knowing smile. Neville went to sit next to Amelia on the far side of the room. The front row on the near side was Sirius, Harry, Hermione and Remus with Andi's family and Professor McGonagall behind them. The others filled in all the remaining chairs.
"This is a reading of the last will and testaments of James and Lily Potter. The will was certified by me, Strongblade, as the Potter accounts manager and Ricbert, the Chief Teller at Gringotts at the time the will was created. I will read a short portion, and then I will play a recorded message from the couple. Those read by me are one-time gifts which will be paid out or transferred immediately upon reading. Some of the gifts from Lord and Lady Potter have other stipulations.
"To Minerva McGonagall, we leave you copies of all Transfiguration books collected by the Potter family. Euphemia would have wanted you to have them. We also leave you a copy of her personal cookbook, which we know you have coveted for years.
"To Filius Flitwick, we leave you copies of all Charms books collected by the Potter family. We also leave you copies of Lily's notebooks on spell creation and spells she was working on.
"To Severus Snape, Lily leaves you copies of her Potions notebooks. Lily and Fleamont were working on several potions, and we hope you can pick up her work. We also leave you fifty thousand Galleons to purchase any supplies you need. You are given permission to use the Potter Potioneers account with the Longbottom gardens and greenhouses for supplies.
"To Arthur Weasley, we leave you a lump sum of twenty-five thousand Galleons as well as a promise to pay fifty percent of our cousins' tuition fees while they attend Hogwarts. Do not argue, Arthur, your family…" Harry's stomach dropped. His parents were willing to spend far more money than had been stollen.
"To Amelia Bones, we leave you a memory phial of the night Peter Pettigrew was made our Secret Keeper. Dumbledore has been acting oddly, convinced Sirius is the spy among our ranks. We know that you'd never believe that. Keep him safe and help him raise our boy. James also leaves you the Auror training books he's swapped with other international Auror divisions he's worked with. Use them well.
"To Emme Vance, we leave you the cottage in Hogsmeade and ten thousand Galleons to finish your training as a Midwife. You've been so very helpful to us, and to others. You're going to be brilliant at helping bring new life into this world.
"To Andromeda and the Tonks family we offer you the opportunity to be an adjunct family under the Potter Family Banner. I know you've been neutral in this war, but a time may come where having a larger family name might serve you well. We have many families under our banner, and perhaps when the war is over, witches and wizards will come together. The parchments are prepared and Strongblade will help you.
"This concludes the written portion of the wills. The remainder will be seen as a memory phial," Strongblade explained. He then poured the memory into a Pensieve covered in Goblin Runes and misty copies of Lily and James Potter appeared.
"Well, if you're seeing this, we're dead," James said. "In the end, it was feeling like we were being attacked from all sides, and the only people we trusted were our closest friends. Pete, if you're dead, we're sorry you didn't get to live your life and we are grateful for the risk you took. If you're alive, you betrayed us, and I promise to haunt you for the rest of your days."
"Our darling godson, Neville," Lily began speaking, "your mum and I were so happy to be having our babies together. We had dreams of the two of you playing together and growing up as close as brothers. I'm sorry we're not there to help raise you. We know you don't need money, so instead we're leaving you new books for your birthday every year. These aren't magical novels, as you'll have access to those. No, these are classic Muggle novels. I hope you share them with Harry, and you can discuss them. There are letters included in the crate, with years you should read them. We have no doubt you will grow up to be a fine man. We love you very much."
"Remus Lupin," James took over, "we have never doubted your friendship, nor your love of Harry. You have a medical condition, one that Lily has been working hard to find a cure for. You are not a subset of humanity. We leave you copies of all history and Defence books contained in the Potter library. We leave you one-hundred thousand Galleons, so that you're never struggling again. We leave you the Dowager House on the edge of the Potter lands, so you'll always have a roof over your head and forests to explore. Do whatever you want in this life, be it travel the world to study, go to Muggle University or take up basket weaving." The room chuckled at that.
"We want you to help others like you," Lily said. "I hope Severus will be able to take my notes and complete my work. Regardless of his doing so, we are leaving an additional monthly sum of five thousand Galleons to aide others. There are two Healers in this room who you can hire to assist you. If you need more, petition Strongblade, he has the parameters of when more can be distributed."
James took a deep breath and spoke again. "Severus, I never gave you a chance. I was a bratty snob when I came to Hogwarts, carrying some of the stupid ideas that were and are pervasive in the wizarding world. You were an easy target to pick on, and you were friends with Lily, so I chose to be a stupid kid. I'm sorry that Sirius and I focused our ire on you. I would ask that in my death you could find it to forgive me."
"Sev, you were my first magical friend, and I would hope that the rumours you've taken the Dark Mark aren't true. If you want to leave, we will help take care of you, just speak with our goblin. If you aren't, please help educate Harry," Lily added. "I'm sorry we never reconciled in life. Perhaps in death you will realize that I loved my friend until the end."
"Sirius, you have been my best mate since forever. We were two little shites from the day we met, and unfortunately it took a war for us to grow up. We know that we're asking a lot of you and Amelia, but you'll have Frank and Alice to help. Listen to the women, they're going to know better. There isn't anything I can leave you, except for the Godric's Hollow cottage and Potter Manor. Raise Harry in either place, or both; your flat is a dump and not safe for a baby. I love you, brother. I wish we'd made it to have the grand life we'd dreamed of."
"I hated you, Sirius Black. You brought out the worst in James and the two of you were a menace to the school; but I love you now," Lily said. "We have left you the most precious thing either James or I have, our son. Raise him with any children you and Amelia have, I know you want to marry her. I can see it in your eyes. Don't be afraid."
"You have full access to the Potter vaults, should you need it," James said. "If you don't think you can raise Harry safely here, then take him somewhere else. You know where the 'off the books' houses are. Do whatever you need to so Harry can have a good life.
"Albus Dumbledore, we leave you nothing. Upon the reading of this will, we revoke your ability to claim any gold from the Potter support vault. My father set this up to aid in the resistance of the war, but I am sure you've been abusing it. I also recall any and all Potter family items which you have in your office at Hogwarts, your apartment at Hogwarts, your private family home in Godric's Hollow, stowed at your brother's bar in Hogsmeade or any other place you have placed them. They will magically return within four hours to their place within the Potter wards or, in the case of my invisibility cloak, to the hands or home of Sirius Black. We prefer you have no contact with Harry James Potter until he arrives at Hogwarts, but we leave that decision to his guardian."
"In the case of his guardian," Lily took up the speech, "if Sirius is not available then Harry should live with Frank and Alice Longbottom and be raised as a brother to dear Neville. If that is also impossible, Amelia, we know you're raising Susan, and we'd hope you'd consider Harry your son whether or not you and Sirius have married. Next in line would be Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin. Together you could raise Harry, the Wizengamot could not dispute Minerva's qualifications to have custody of a child. Harry loves his Grammy Mimi. Andi, Ted, we aren't close family, but if all else fails, please take Harry in. I know you'll care for him and give him a good home. Under absolutely no circumstance is my sister, Petunia, to be given custody of Harry. She was kind, but she married that idiot and now she's turned her heart. Harry should never go there and no one is required to have any interaction with the family. I would like it if Harry never knew he had Muggle relatives, as they are of such poor examples of human beings."
"There is a monthly fund to assist those caring for Harry, please use it as you need," James said. He took a steadying breath and then continued.
"Harry, I am so sorry that I'm not there to raise you. The best moment of my life was when Andi laid you in my arms. I looked at you and I saw the universe open to infinite possibilities in your eyes. Listen to Sirius and Remus, they know what they're talking about. You are already strong in your magic, but you need to learn to control it. You also need to learn to have fun, and those two will make sure it happens as well.
"Harry, you are the last in a long line of Potters dating back centuries. I know Sirius will teach you about your heritage, and it will feel daunting – it did for me – but it's also an amazing thing. Potter Manor will keep you safe, and you can talk with the portraits there. Your grandfather, Monty, has some wonderful stories to tell you about some of our relatives and your grammy Fee will share the less than wonderful ones. Make sure you talk with Auntie Dorea and Uncle Charlus too. The Blacks and Potters have a legacy of working together, just like you and Sirius will."
"I hate to say goodbye to you, my little baby boy," Lily said, already tearing up, "but the dark side keep coming for you. There is a prophecy that they've heard and decided you are the subject of. Divination is a ridiculous practice, and we've since learned that the woman who gave it is generally a fraud. Why hasn't the other side figured this out yet is beyond us? Sirius will know when to tell you about it, but we beg you not to put any stock in it. Prophecies only come true when we give them merit. You are your own person, who has the entire world spread at his feet – ignore these few sentences."
"Sirius," James started again, "the transcript of the prophecy is in the main Potter vault, I know I already told you, but share it with Remus and Amy. There is some research there too, we expect that you'll finish it. It was Auntie Dorea that had me start looking into this, and I think you'll find more sources for information in the Black family library. Dumbledore put a great deal of faith into this prophecy, another reason why we think it's false. I don't ever want it to be a Sword of Damocles hanging over Harry's head."
"Everything else we own we leave to you, Harry. The goblins will help you manage the financial aspects of our companies and investments, trust their judgement until you have taken the estate management courses at Hogwarts or Sirius teaches you enough that you feel you can do the work yourself. Strongblade has helped guide several generations of Potters, and I know you can trust him.
"Harry, we put a block on your magic when you were one – we were afraid you were going to hurt yourself summoning all manner of things into your crib, including a whole roast fresh from the oven that was resting before eating. It should wear off before you're ten, but if it hasn't released itself, Sirius or Remus can remove it. Know it was done with love and safety in mind."
"We love you, son." James said with tears in his eyes. He put an arm around Lily's shoulders. "We wish we were there to raise you."
"Be good for whomever is raising you and know that Mummy and Daddy thought you were the greatest gift ever given to them," Lily said before the couple disappeared. Harry turned into Sirius' shoulder and the man curled the crying boy into his chest. Hermione rubbed circles onto his back while Andi had her hand on his head.
All were shocked when a clanging alarm was heard throughout the bank. Strongblade quickly vanished the pensive, will and any other documents he had before him. "Please excuse me, but a thief has just entered the building. I ask that you stay where you are, the guards will keep you safe."