Bold + italics = parseltongue
.Chapter 3
On the way, Harry told Dudley what to expect at the Leaky Cauldron. "It's basically a pub but there's rooms upstairs and the back door leads to an alley with a secret entrance to the wizarding world."
Dudley stared at his cousin. "A secret entrance?"
Harry chuckled. "Yeah. I love magic!"
"Can I tell you something?" Dudley asked in a shame tinged whisper. At Harry's nod, he continued. "I kinda always wished they were wrong about magic. I hoped it was real...that it wasn't evil or freakish."
Shocked, Harry wanted to say something but the bus pulled to the curb at that moment. "Dud, we can't talk here. C'mon." He bid a quiet goodbye to Stan and hurried off the bus with Dudley's hand in his. He tugged his cousin through the door and over to the bar where Tom greeted him with an awed expression.
"Do you have a room for us, please, Tom? No time to talk and if you don't mind, I'll settle the details with you tomorrow." Harry said in a serious manner.
"But Mr. Pot-!" Tom sputtered a protest making Harry realize that his easy going personality wasn't likely to get things done.
Harry held up a hand. "Dumbledore's meeting me here tomorrow night, Tom. We can keep this between us till then, can't we?"
Tom froze but nodded and handed over a key. "Tomorrow."
"Do you have an owl available?" Harry asked.
"I'll bring her up in a bit." The innkeeper replied, making a shoo motion with his hand.
A glance at the key showed that they'd been assigned to room number nine so Harry tapped Dudley's arm and used his head to point the way.
Once the boys were safely hidden in their room, Harry leaned back against the door and took a deep breath. "Dud...what you said back there...I-I'm glad you came with me." He paused to look his cousin in the eye. "I am. You'll get to see the good, happy, wonderful side of magic...but you need to know... there's an evil side too. You're going to have to be careful who you talk to and what you tell them. You'll be in danger if you tell certain people that you're related to me."
Dudley processed this information carefully and nodded.
"I'm pretty sure my godfather will be able to help us. I'll owl him as soon as possible and wake you if we're moving. Once I go to Gringotts tomorrow morning, I'll know more." Harry waited for a nod before moving on. "The innkeeper usually provides breakfast for the people who rent rooms...at least, he did at the start of my third year. We'll figure out the other meals later. For now, you should get some sleep."
Just as Dudley stood up to prepare for bed, there was a knock on the door. It was Tom with the owl so Harry hastily wrote a note and attached it to the bird's leg. Tom opened the window and let the pretty female barn owl fly out before leaving for the night.
Harry waved goodbye to him but didn't say anything as he watched the owl disappear into the distance. He then set wards on the door and got his night clothes out of the trunk. Just as he laid his exhausted head on the pillow, the owl returned. Harry hurried to let it in but was dismayed to find his own note still attached. He wondered if perhaps Sirius had a ward that controlled his mail as well. Dumbledore would have many questions to answer. With a frown, Harry laid down and fell asleep quickly.
/*/*/*/*/*
Both boys scrambled to their feet when someone knocked on the door the next morning.
"Housekeeping! Breakfast is being served downstairs."
Harry called out to her. "Please give us ten minutes."
"Right, then, ten minutes."
Harry sighed. "We've got to hurry, Dud."
Dudley huffed. His frustration was getting the better of him for a moment. "Do you have to call me that?"
"Call you what?" Harry asked, baffled.
"Dud." The slightly older boy said it with a frown. "I hate it."
"Your parents have called you worse than that. Dudders. Diddykins. What's wrong with Dud?" Harry asked scrunching his face to show his confusion.
"It's just..." Dudley looked down at the ground and his voice took on a somber tone. "It's not positive, see? A dud is something that doesn't work. I'm not a dud. I'm going to do better at being your family, Harry. I'm going to work hard at it too."
Harry thought about it and took a deep breath as he nodded. "Alright. I'll stop. That's not what I meant by it but if you want me to stop, I will. Now, pack up. I don't want to leave our things here...just in case."
"What should I do while you're at the bank?" Dudley asked as he got himself dressed and repacked his bag.
"You're coming with me. I don't think you'll be safe wandering the alley and if we get separated you can get in real trouble." Harry told the other boy.
"Hey, Harry? What's that thing you asked the bus guy about? It sounded like a squig or something?" Dudley wanted to know.
Harry stopped what he was doing. "Squibs are descendants of magical people who have no magic. The letter Vernon gave me last night - from the Ministry - was scolding me for using magic in a muggle area but since there were no muggles present at the time it didn't result in any punishment."
This seemed to only confuse Dudley more. "Ok, what's a muggle again?"
"Muggles are non magical people with no blood connection to a magical person." Harry explained patiently. "Somehow you aren't a muggle, Dudley. You're a squib, which means that one or more of our shared ancestors were magical. That would also explain why our grandparents were so happy that my mother was a witch."
The awed expression on his cousin's face was mildly amusing to Harry but he tried not to let it show as he turned around to dress.
"Young speaker?"
Harry had forgotten the snake in the confusion of the night before. "Good morning. How are you feeling today?" He went over and sat beside his rucksack where the snake was peeking her head out.
"Stronger but, if I could eat, my recovery would be faster."
"Of course it would." Harry agreed. "I can pick something up at the Magical Menagerie after we go to the bank."
"That would be sssensational. Thank you, young ssspeaker."
"There will be someone coming to service the room. You should stay hidden until I return." Harry smiled as he watched the snake retreat into her sanctuary. That changed things a bit. He took stock of everything that had happened in the last two days. "I can't take the snake into Gringotts. We'll have to leave her here with the rucksack. Maybe that's a good thing anyway. I dunno. We're taking everything else though."
Dudley nodded. "Ready when you are, Harry."
A flick of the wand shrunk their luggage again and they left the room in search of breakfast.
After a full fry-up, Harry led Dudley to the back door of the pub. "Just as we discussed, Dudley. We'll walk straight down the alley. I won't let anybody distract me and you stick right behind me. I'll smooth things over if you have to get physical, but I don't want you more than two steps behind me."
"Nobody separates us. I got it." Dudley's expression was one of stubborn determination.
Harry nodded to reassure someone - he wasn't sure if it was Dudley or himself - and then he opened the door leading the way to the brick wall that would allow them passage to Diagon Alley. A glance told him Dudley was not convinced this wasn't a dead end so he smirked as he tapped the bricks in the correct order.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Harry smiled at the wonder in his cousin's eyes as the bricks curled to the sides showing a clear path toward the magical marketplace. He squeezed Dudley's shoulder and began to walk purposefully down the street. Halfway through, Harry thought he heard his name, so he threw a look behind him to make sure Dudley was there. His cousin was safely in place so he turned to walk backwards for a few paces and possibly find whoever was calling out to him.
Remus came running up to him out of nowhere. "Harry, what's going on? Tom floo-called headquarters this morning to report and said you swept in late last night with no notice and no details. We're all terribly worried."
"Headquarters? Nevermind, I have business at the bank, Moony. I don't feel safe speaking out in the open." Harry looked both ways as he turned forward again. "If you want the story, come along with us."
Remus frowned but agreed for privacy sake to join him. "Us?"
Harry nodded and gestured to indicate Dudley. "My cousin is traveling with me. He's a squib, not a muggle as I'd originally been told."
They entered Gringotts with minimal fuss and Harry approached the nearest counter. "Hello, my name is Harry Potter. I'm looking for Korlag."
The goblin behind the counter had wide eyes as he looked up at the young wizard. He nodded and tapped a glyph on the surface to his left.
A moment later a deep gravelly voice cleared their throat. "Mr. Potter, please follow me. Your guests may join us."
Harry turned to face the small male goblin. "It's nice to meet you, Korlag."
"And you, young man." Korlag looked him over and motioned for Harry's party to follow. They went down a corridor and into an office where Harry was glad to see several chairs. After the group sat down, the goblin was silent and pensive.
Harry looked around the room as he waited for someone to speak. A nearby table held a pitcher of water and some glasses but the room was otherwise large and spacious with several torches.
"Korlag, your letter said there's an issue with my vaults and you're supposedly my estate manager but I was unaware there was enough of an estate to manage, let alone that I had more than one vault." Harry said quite seriously.
"Ah, yes...that was not just a story to get you here. Your guardian has refused to produce you and I have urgent information for you." Korlag confided.
"Now you're telling me I have a guardian?" Harry asked in amazement.
"Sirius Black isn't available to be in contact with you, sir. I wonder who might be usurping his position as Harry's guardian." Remus asserted indignantly.
"Albus Dumbledore." Korlag told them grimly.
Harry frowned and Remus was speechless while Dudley just sat there not understanding what this meant.
"He came to us the day after you first defeated Voldemort." Korlag went on. "He told us you - the Potter heir - were safely placed with your mother's family and would return to the wizarding world in good time. He named himself your guardian and instructed me to continue managing the estate in your name. We have wanted to speak to you about your account and let you know what had been done during your absence since your first visit but Dumbledore insisted that you were too young to be involved. He told us you would approach us when you wanted to deal with adult issues and that as long as your trust fund vault remained at a sufficient amount to pay for schooling and books along with a bit of pocket money every year we should keep from bothering you with such things."
Harry and Remus shared a look. This wasn't something the headmaster of a school would normally do for a student. It was also far more invasive than a normal guardian should be.
Thinking fast, Harry turned back to Korlag. "You said you had urgent information."
"Yes, indeed." Korlag nodded handing over a sheet of paper. "This shows that there is recent activity in one of the previously stagnant accounts. I didn't authorize any movement of funds from any of your vaults in the last thirty days and yet the balance is down by over a thousand galleons. I believe your guardian has gone around me and embezzled."
Harry's mind was racing. He looked at Remus again. "Could this have something to do with your 'headquarters' remark earlier? Did my parents perhaps authorize him to one of the accounts?"
"Not that I know of, Harry, but it's possible." The older man looked at the goblin. "Is there any way of knowing that?"
"No outside party has access to any of the Potter accounts. As Harry's guardian, he isn't considered one though. Whoever allowed this only initialed the transaction and a notation indicates that the purpose of it was a new wardrobe for Mr. Potter." Korlag looked disdainfully at Harry's clothing. "It was clearly not used as stated."
"If only we could get Sirius proven innocent. He could take over your guardianship and then you and your money would be safe!" Remus lamented.
"Mr. Potter, your safety is at stake?" Korlag looked startled.
Harry sighed in frustration. "Yes. Not only is Dumbledore possibly embezzling from me but Voldemort is back. Also two dementors were in my neighborhood last evening. They attacked me and my cousin. I was able to fight them off but my aunt and uncle kicked me out. That's why Dudley is with me. I saved his life and he's changed his mind about me."
Remus sat back in his chair with a hand on his head. "Dementors in Little Whinging? And they attacked? On your private property?"
Hary flushed. "Well we were at the nearby park. I'd noticed an increase of owls in the area but only Hedwig was coming to the Dursley house so I thought that if I could go for a walk or something the owls would find me...anyway Dudley and I were heading back for dinner and the dementors caught us in the small tunnel between blocks. It was just me and him. I saw them and panicked at first because I was with a muggle and I didn't want to get in trouble - underage magic and all. But they forced the issue and I had to cast the patronus spell."
"He was amazing." Dudley whispered to the astonishment of the wizards and goblin. "He was shining and the magic he was making - I felt warm and safe. It's what I always thought magic should feel like. Then my parents came home and kicked him out. He'd saved my life. What kind of parents kick out the person who saved their son's life?"
Harry scratched the back of his head and continued. "I got him to the house and got us both some chocolate. Then his parents came and yelled at me and then they handed me a letter from the Ministry. The letter said that I was detected using magic in a muggle area but stated that since no muggles were present there would be no repercussions."
Dudley finished the story. "So somehow that means I'm a squibble and I can come with Harry to be in the magical world."
Harry chuckled. "The word is squib, Dudley. You're a squib."
Remus was shocked as Korlag's face took on a menacing appearance. "Dumbledore is clearly unable to keep you safe, Mr. Potter, and he is therefore unfit to be your guardian. Perhaps we can find someone who is fit."
Harry sat up taller in his chair. "How?"
"A simple blood test and we will find any remaining family members you may have." Korlag looked grim. "It will also tell us if there are any enchantments on you, such as one that may be keeping the owls away."
Harry nodded. "Let's do it."
Korlag returned the nod and excused himself for a moment. He came back with a second goblin who was holding several scrolls of parchment.
One was placed in front of Dudley while the rest were given to Harry.
"One drop of blood on each scroll, please, Mr. Potter. Each scroll has been treated with a different detection potion." After explaining this to Harry, Korlag looked at the suspected squib. "This one will prove your status one way or another."
The unnamed goblin handed each boy a dagger and waited.
Harry pricked his finger being sure Dudley had seen how. Then he touched each scroll and didn't look away as they began to glow.
"They will glow blue while they process the blood and green when they are ready to be read." Korlag informed them. "This one will glow red if you are under dangerous enchantments and yellow if there are enchantments but they aren't harmful."
The first ones to turn green were the ancestry charts.
Korlag opened one and laid it on his desk with a large piece of granite to flatten it. "My word! Alright, your mother is at the top then her parents appear and so on down the page. It seems that Lily Evans wasn't a muggleborn after all. She and your aunt were born of a squib line from the..." Korlag plopped down into his chair. "The Hufflepuff lineage!"
"Yes, but..." The second goblin who hadn't been introduced pointed further down the chart. "Look!"
Harry stood up to see better and followed the goblin's finger to a couple with very distinctive surnames. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
"That is Rowena Ravenclaw's son, Warin, and he appears to have wed Helga Hufflepuff's granddaughter, Gunnora - as indicated by this gold line." Korlag stepped up to touch the parchment. Using his finger, he traced the names as he read them. "Their daughter, a witch named Felice, married a muggle and birthed three children - a female squib named Edith and two wizards. One for each line. Your mother, Lily, was that squib's great granddaughter and she married James Potter. Let's open his now." He motioned for the other goblin to bring the Potter chart. "Now, it is known that James Potter descended from a pureblood line - the Peverell family, I believe. Among that family's descendants, there are several fairly famous ones but the one who stands out is Godric Gryffindor - yes there he is..." Korlag traced a line on the chart. "And he was rumored to have conducted an affair of the heart with Salazar Slytherin's elder daughter, Sabelina. The affair is now confirmed by this red line. They were unwed when the child was born and she apparently allowed Godric to raise him with his wife who was infertile due to a childhood disease."
"Are you telling me that..." Harry fell backwards into his chair holding his head. "That's...! That's crazy! I'm the sole heir to all four of Hogwarts founders? Why didn't anyone know about this? Does Dumbledore know? Why wasn't I told?"
"There are likely cousins along the branches somewhere. I can look into it for you if you like...but, as to your situation, it is unlikely that anyone knew, Mr. Potter." Korlag tried to comfort the teen. "Without access to a test like this very few people would be able to trace a family tree that isn't their own."
"Except that Dumbledore had access to both me and a potions master who would know how to make these test potions." Harry looked at the goblin. "Professor Severus Snape is knowledgeable enough about potions that he could've made them. Couldn't he? Remus?"
Remus sighed and nodded but before he could say anything Dudley's scroll turned green.
Korlag picked it up. "Well, Mr. Dursley, you are indeed a squib of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw line. As such, you're entitled to a small vault left in trust by your and Harry's great great grandmother. Harry, your mother never looked that deeply into her ancestry so she wasn't able to take possession of the significantly larger vault left in trust for a magical descendant. It therefore goes to you."
Harry was floored but he managed to keep hold of his emotions. He nodded solemnly. "I accept but I want to give some of it to Dudley. We should receive equal amounts as we are both descendants by the same degree. Is there anything else I need to know?"
The door to the room opened to admit a very old goblin. She was dressed humbly and carrying a cloth sack. "Is it true, Korlag? Is your client the heir of the four?"
"Bealush!" Korlag looked startled but he nodded and turned to face Harry. "Bealush is one of the goblin seers, Mr. Potter."
"The marriage of your parents was foretold, young Potter." Bealush informed the group pulling a stone slab from the sack she was holding. "My grandmother saw it and her prophecy is written in this stone."
Harry looked at it but couldn't understand. Then he realized it was written in goblin glyphs. He silently watched Korlag place it on the desk.
"Well...my word..." Korlag didn't seem to realize that nobody else in the room could read it.
"Please, sir, would you translate?" Harry asked.
"Oh. Of course, Mr. Potter." Korlag said, nodding quickly. "When the heir of Moor and Fen weds with that of Valley and Glen, blood and magic are multiplied by ten."
Harry frowned. "Why does that sound familiar?"
"The founders of Hogwarts are from those places, Harry." Remus said quietly. "Godric Gryffindor was from the moors and Slytherin originally came from the fen. Hufflepuff was from the valley and Ravenclaw..."
It clicked. Harry was astonished that he actually heard a click when it occurred to him that he'd heard the sorting hat at Hogwarts talk about the founders that way. "Was from Scotland which is commonly considered a glen! The Sorting Hat spoke of them in one of his beginning of the school year songs! But what does it mean?"
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Dudley asked. "Moor and fen is your dad, and the other two is your mum."
"But it says blood and magic are multiplied by ten and that would mean that I'm supposed to be really powerful...but I'm not." Harry pointed out. "I'm just an average student. Not at the top of my class or anything...and how can blood multiply by ten?"
Bealush smiled a toothy grin. "Perhaps, young Potter, your line has been wronged. Perhaps you are meant to get revenge on your enemies."
"Or maybe..." Dudley smirked and elbowed Harry's arm suggestively. "Maybe you'll get married and have lots of kids!"
The last scroll turned green as he said this giving Harry an eerie feeling even as he rolled his eyes at his cousin. As they watched, the green scroll turned yellow and then red before beginning to switch back and forth.
Korlag shooed everyone back away from the scroll as he unrolled it.
"There are blocks on your mail, your mind and your magic, Mr. Potter. Some of them also affect your body. You must be seen by a healer as soon as possible." Korlag looked at Bealush as if he'd never seen her before. "The Director must be notified."
The elderly goblin only smiled in the direction of the door.
As a new goblin entered the room only a moment later, Harry watched Korlag and the unnamed assistant bow deeply so he knew this one was quite important, though he was slightly confused by the fact that Bealush wasn't bowing.
The new goblin smiled at Harry. "My name is Tukron. I am the director of the branch of Gringotts located here in the United Kingdom. You seem puzzled, Mr. Potter."
"I'm sorry, sir. I wondered why Korlag and his assistant bowed but..." Harry trailed off as Tukron laughed.
"It was long ago decreed that the ruler's family need not bow to each other. Bealush is my father - the Emperor's - mother." He smiled at her. "Before joining you, she informed me that my presence was needed because a prophecy of our people had come to pass and the subjects of the prophecy had a child who was here in our establishment. Korlag?"
Harry's estate manager stepped up. "Mr. Potter is the child of James and Lily Potter. In turn they are the subjects of the prophecy on this stone slab."
The group waited as Tukron read the prophecy and then the scrolls. He had a livid expression as he began issuing commands in the goblin tongue.
Korlag and his assistant hurried to do his bidding as Tukron finally addressed Harry. "Mr. Potter, you are in great danger. You have been subjected to many potions and spells and forced to grow up under their influence. I have called for our healer and he will take these blocks down. You're at only forty percent mental and magical strength and fifty percent physical strength. You should be taller with slightly more musculature for your age. These were blocked by potions but that can be fixed."
Korlag hurried back into the room and began setting up a strange piece of equipment. "Olgok will be here in moments, Director. He has instructed that Mr. Potter lay on his back inside this construct and refrain from touching any living being until the cleansing is complete."
Harry approached the strange collection of metal pieces that resembled an oval shaped gazebo. He laid out on the floor and was startled as he began to float.
"Do not be afraid." A voice called from the doorway. "I apologize for my failure to warn you that this would happen. I am Olgok - healer of the goblin people. There are spells in the device you occupy that make it easier to see what's going on in your body. With this, we will determine exactly how to heal any damage."
Harry calmed down a bit and nodded his consent to continue the process.
"Beginning from the top down... Your eyesight is affected heavily. Your senses of touch and smell are fine but your hearing could be better." Olgok opened a pocket and pulled several ingredients out that Harry recognized. Carrots, ginseng, guava, echinacea, and licorice root were placed in a cauldron before the healer added water and stirred. "Your bones could do with a bit of strengthening. You've also been malnourished for quite a while so you'll need vitamin potions and a bit of exercise will help build muscle." He proceeded to throw several leaves of kale and spinach into the mixture before raising the temperature of the cauldron. The group watched as the concoction rose to a boil. "This potion will fix your eyesight and hearing but we will need spells along with a specific participant for the blocks on your magic and mind." Olgok looked at Tukron. "We will need the boy's true guardian, Sirius Black."
"A criminal?" Tukron sounded shocked.
Harry heard a brief argument in the goblin language before Remus stepped in.
"How important is it for Black to be here?" Remus asked quietly. "Is it his presence - his magic - that we need or just consent?"
Tukron looked suspiciously at Remus. "You know where he is. Don't you?"
Remus nodded silently.
"I was told that you believe he is innocent." The head goblin narrowed his eyes at Remus who only nodded again.
Thinking of the stories he'd been told, Harry snorted in amusement. Sirius was not guilty of the crimes he was charged with but he was not innocent in the least.
"Consent is not necessary. Mr. Potter is a bank client and, as the subject of a goblin prophecy, we consider fourteen years of age to be old enough to make his own decisions." Tukron told him. "Sirius Black is a fugitive of wizarding law not my father's law. For the safety of our client, get him here with all due haste."
"Do you have any port-keys?" Remus asked. "If not, may I make one?"
Tukron handed Remus a small statue of a goblin. "This is spelled to return to the front lobby of the bank. Mr. Potter and Mr. Dursley will be safe here. We will administer the first potion for now."
Remus didn't waste time as he hurried out the door.
Olgok pulled Dudley and a chair across the room and placed them into the corner. Then he set a number of large stones in a circle around him. "You must stay behind these stones which have been soaked in protective potions. You don't have a magical core to protect you from any side effects of what we're about to do."
Harry watched this whole thing play out with a dazed chuckle. Sirius would be here soon with Remus. Dudley was here. Dumbledore wasn't as good as he'd always thought. The goblins were being incredibly helpful. He would soon be healthy. It was more than he'd ever hoped for.
Olgok brought a large mug over and handed it to Harry. "This is the first dose, Mr. Potter. The next dose will be given in a few minutes. Bottoms up!"
Sighing, Harry drank the concoction down. "Not bad, even with the licorice! A bit of crushed ice and it could be a smoothie!"
The old healer smiled at the comparison before handing Harry half a chocolate bar. "I still detect the effects of the dementor attack. This will help."
Harry didn't resist but he pointed to Dudley.
Olgok got the hint and gave the rest of the chocolate to the squib. Young Potter was an uncommonly generous wizard.
Just as Olgok handed over the second dose of the mixture, the door opened to allow Remus and Sirius to enter Korlag's office.
"Pup! How are you? What's this about squibs and dementors and potions?" Sirius rushed over but the device held him back.
Harry downed the rest of the smoothie-like potion and joked. "You know me, Padfoot, nothing is ever simple. You'll get the whole story at some point, I promise. Right now they need you for a spell because you're my guardian."
"Because in the magical world godfather is not just a ceremonial title, cub." Remus led Sirius over to Tukron.
"Lord Black, there is a ward on the door leading out of the lobby. Had you any evil intentions, you would have been trapped there." Tukron looked him over with approval. "I am inclined to believe Mr. Lupin and Mr. Potter that your imprisonment was wrongful."
While the Director was speaking to Sirius, Olgok was busy mixing a new potion. As he brewed it, he spoke. "The potions that are influencing you are dangerous because they're blocking your natural tendencies. Your body should've absorbed more of the nutrients in your food over the years. Your mind should've been able to absorb more knowledge. With so many powerful witches and wizards in your family your innate knowledge of magic should be more developed than it is - even considering the disconnection and being raised by squibs."
"I wonder how I could have been exposed to the potions." Harry commented. "Who could have done it and to what purpose?"
"It was probably done by whoever had access to you before you were placed with the squibs. The potions also affected your emotions. The parts of your mind that control free will have been dulled. The potions have made you calmer and more agreeable than you might otherwise be. Drink this." Olgok handed the potion to Harry and watched him begin to drink before turning to the humans. "Come! We must hurry! The longer Mr. Potter has these blocks on him, the more likely he is to become unstable and lose control of his magic and emotions."
Harry overheard this and asked the healer. "Is that why things tend to vibrate when I'm angry?"
Olgok nodded slightly. "Your wandless magic is in need of fine tuning. A bit of practice and that should stop."
Harry snorted. "Fine tuning? I can't do wandless magic. I've tried."
"Hmmm...your bloodline has the potential for it, Mr. Potter. Wandless magic is a combination of mental control and emotion. Perhaps a bit of effort and training will help but it is also likely affected by the blockages we're about to remove." Olgok nodded absently. "Let's begin! Our places are the cardinal directions! Tukron stands at the north - Mr. Potter's head. I stand at the south - his feet. Lord Black must stand at the west and Mr. Lupin at the east. It is unnecessary for either of you to join the incantation unless you are fluent in the fae language."
The goblins began to chant in a strange language that Harry had never heard. Suddenly the four adults joined hands around his body and the chanting became more intense.
Harry couldn't see properly so he closed his eyes and gave up trying.
Dudley watched in fear as light flashed and rocks began to fall near the wizards. The mens' hair also started to whip around in a swirling wind which soon filled the room. A torch fell from its place on the wall, knocking the pitcher of water off its table. Small pebbles took flight along with the embers from the broken torch and the water became a misty fog. Dudley covered his face to protect his eyes from lightning and debris and when he heard the chanting stop he looked up. The fog had disappeared but there didn't seem to be anything to see. Everyone was on the floor.
"Harry?" Dudley called softly. "Anyone?"
Hearing Dudley's voice woke Harry up. He opened his eyes and looked around with new vision. He stood up and noticed that he felt higher up and didn't feel the need to ask for his glasses. The potion in the ritual must have worked.
"Are you okay, Dudley?" Harry asked his cousin. At Dudley's nod, Harry continued. "They seem to be out for the count. I'll try to wake them."
Harry walked over to each in turn and gripped their arms. Remus opened his eyes and scrambled to his feet, breathing fast. Sirius woke next but remained on his back for a moment while Harry moved on to the goblin director who gave Harry a nod of thanks and turned to help his grandmother while Remus woke Korlag and the assistant.
Once everyone was able to participate in the discussion again, Remus and Sirius looked at Harry.
"It's amazing." Sirius smiled. "I don't have to look down at you anymore, pup!"
Remus grinned. "You've grown at least sixteen centimeters and your eyes have changed a little." He conjured a mirror so Harry could see that his eyes were still green but they had a deeper tone now.
Sirius winked at him. "Take a look at those arms, Moony! Quite ripped! The girls certainly won't be disappointed, eh, Harry?"
Harry made a face. "I don't think that's the right audience, Padfoot."
"Oh?" Sirius chuckled in surprise. "You play for our team?" Remus shook his head and elbowed his lover lightly in the ribs.
Harry laughed, nodding sheepishly as he saw Olgok moving the protective stones away from Dudley.
"If everyone would join us by the desk, gentlemen? Let's talk this through." Tukron made sweeping motions calling them over. The chairs had been upended in the windstorm so everyone took one and righted it before sitting down.
Olgok came close to inspect his patient. "Let us begin with the obvious. In the confusion your glasses were knocked from your face. I found them on the floor, broken...yet here you are walking and functioning well without them."
Harry nodded with a grin. "Yeah, I can see better than ever!"
A sly smirk came to Olgok's face and he turned around. "What about your hearing?" He whispered; his volume just above a breath.
Harry chuckled. "Couldn't be better!"
"Are you certain?" Olgok winked and ran out into the hallway, closing the door.
Harry laughed at this but closed his eyes and listened carefully.
When the healer returned, he asked, "What did I say and what is the answer?"
"You said 'if you can hear me now tell me what color threads are in Tukron's vest.'" Harry answered. "If you'd asked me before, I would have told you they were black. Solid black. Now that my eyesight is fixed I can see that it is mostly black with several strands of deep grey every few centimeters."
"Wonderful! Now, according to the statistics for wizards your age, you are closer to the height and weight you should be. However, you are still a growing boy so you can still get taller." Olgok smiled widely. "While I was gone, I retrieved another test scroll to be sure all of the blocks have been removed. One more drop of blood is all I need from you, Mr. Potter."
Harry nodded his agreement and placed the blood on the scroll before noticing that Korlag was talking to his assistant.
"Are you certain?" Korlag asked in a hushed voice. "This is...unprecedented."
"What is it, Korlag?" Harry asked.
"Well, Mr. Potter, it appears that you have inherited quite a bit of property as well as twenty vaults...and a lordship." Korlag explained. "None of these is unique by themselves but each of the founders of Hogwarts was awarded a barony at one point in their lives. You would inherit four baronies but they compound so instead of gaining the title of baron four times, the Ministry laws state that after the second, each one raises you to the next level."
Harry was confused and said so.
Sirius stepped in to explain. "If I understand this correctly, one or two baronies makes you a baron but three makes you a viscount, and four makes you an earl - which is actually higher than me in rank as I'm a viscount."
"And at such an advanced position in society, this means you have a large voting block in the wizengamot, the ability to call a trial and you're automatically emancipated at age fifteen if you have no magical living blood relatives within a certain degree." Korlag elaborated.
"What degree?" Sirius asked urgently.
"Two generations. So that means your parents and grandparents must all have passed on." Korlag told them. "And that is true in this case."
Harry gaped at his estate manager. "So I'm an earl? I'm heir to Hogwarts and an earl?"
"And emancipated." Sirius reminded him. "You are to be treated as an adult from now on."
"The Earl of Inverness and people will call you Lord Potter or my lord." Korlag nodded solemnly as Olgok approached.
"Well, Lord Potter, you are free of the blocks on your mind and magic. Your body is free of the potions." Olgok said formally. "The spell that repelled the owls has also been dissolved."
"That's wonderful! Thank you so much for your help." Harry said wistfully. He had the sudden feeling that this had been the key to better things for him. Even if he still had to fight evil, his life was about to get better.
Olgok bowed to Harry. "My work is done so I will take my leave. Good day, Lord Potter."
Tukron stood as his grandmother also came to say her goodbyes. "The rest of this meeting is not for my ears, grandson. Lord Potter, be wary. You have been touched by prophecy once. It is not unusual for prophecies to come in groups."
Harry nodded solemnly and waited as they left the room. "Tell me about the properties, please. Are any of them unplottable?"
"Yes, Lord Potter; several." Korlag told him as he laid out a map of the British isles. "There are a number of castles in the UK that now belong to you but only the inhabitable ones are unplottable."
"Please just call me Harry, but castles? Like Hogwarts?" Harry grinned. "I love Hogwarts! Are any of them like that?"
"On the coast of Kent there is a private Hufflepuff estate that can only be accessed by boat or portkey. I believe it is a castle but I have never been there myself to verify this." Korlag pointed to the area near Margate. "Then there's Denbigh Friary in Wales but that was donated to the muggle government by Hufflepuff's magical descendants before your mother was born and designated as a historical landmark. The government graciously allows the Hufflepuff name to remain on the deed and you will be allowed to visit for free but the ownership paperwork is not valid in the muggle world."
Harry chuckled. "I wonder if the Hufflepuff ghost was a member of that friary."(note at the end)
"Possibly." Korlag was surprised by Harry's attitude. He'd expected the young man to be more impatient to get to the heart of the subject than to be so interested in history. "Quite a few of your castles are actually ruins that are located in national parks or reserves that now belong to the muggle queen. As with the friary, you and your family will be given free admission to visit but any muggle paperwork will not show your ownership."
Harry sighed. "Ok so I've got ruins of castles that belong to me but don't and I can visit but not live in them. And I've got a barely accessible estate that I don't know how to access. What properties are available for use?"
"Well, there is an island in Loch Ness with a castle." Korlag suggested. "It's warded and protected from muggles by an illusion spell that projects the fabled Loch Ness Monster."
Harry's jaw dropped slightly. "No way! That's just an illusion spell?"
"Yes, indeed." Korlag laughed. "One of Rowena Ravenclaw's most spectacular ideas. It is said that she heard a muggle speak about a creature living in the Loch and went to find out the truth. She found and befriended the beast and created the illusion to memorialize it. I am unsure if the story is true as I have not been to the island."
Harry shared a look with his godfather. "Quite a prank."
The older man chuckled. "Ravenclaw's were always good at things like that."
"Not to mention catching out and explaining other people's pranks." Remus commented.
Harry smiled thinking of Hermione's tendency towards that behavior. "Loch Ness is a definite possibility. Anything else?"
"There's the house in Godrick's Hollow and a manor house in Wiltshire. You also own properties internationally. There's an island in the Caribbean - bought by your grandparents - along with two townhouses. The one in London is a Potter legacy and the one in Paris is through the Ravenclaw inheritance." Korlag informed them. "A villa in Tuscany also comes from the Ravenclaw inheritance, and a manor house on Long Island, in New York where a Hufflepuff descendant settled also belongs to you."
Harry laughed in amazement.
Dudley couldn't believe his ears. Harry was an earl and owned massive amounts of property.
"Now for the money." Harry said, setting his teeth. "I accept everything from my dad's side of the family without question. But from my mum's side, I want you to combine the amount in the vault Dudley is due to inherit with the amount in the one I inherited and cut it down the middle. I get half and he gets half. It's only fair."
Dudley stared at his cousin in amazement and had to dab away a tear. All the times he'd been less than fair to Harry and here he was doing something like this. He resolved to never act that way again.
"Very well, Harry." Korlag looked over the list of vaults and their contents before making several notations. "You will each be receiving around two point six million galleons and with the exchange rate as it stands that means twelve million pounds - give or take."
Dudley choked on air when he heard this and began coughing. Harry glanced at his cousin and hit his back a couple of times before getting back to business.
"You also inherit the Potter vaults." Korlag reminded him. "That includes full access to your trust vault as well as your parents joint vault."
"I'm going to stop you there a moment. Please combine them." Harry commanded gently.
Korlag nodded and made a note. "Your father had separated the family artifacts from the money when he gained control of the vaults. The vaults from your mother's side are not organized that way. Would you like us to do so?"
Harry nodded. "Please do - and make sure Dudley doesn't have any artifacts in his vault that could harm him."
"Very good. Any artifacts from Gryffindor are already among the Potter vaults, but a bequest from Sabelina Slytherin was ordered to be put aside until the affair was discovered and so it will finally be fulfilled." Korlag looked pleased with the idea that a long hidden mystery was solved. "There is a small vault with a chest and several artifacts inside."
Harry considered that a moment. "I'll visit the vaults at a later date. Right now, we just need money for two new wardrobes."
Korlag's assistant handed a small pouch to Harry and Dudley as Korlag himself explained. "These are seals. Only people with extremely large accounts with us get them. When you buy something at a magical store you can apply the seal, which cannot be duplicated, and specify a vault number. We will transfer the funds within the hour."
"What if we wanted to go to a muggle store?" Dudley asked.
"The Royal bank of Scotland works with us to coordinate and accommodate the magical citizens of the UK. Inside the pouch should also be a credit card." Korlag proudly informed them. "The bank was started by a muggleborn wizard for this very purpose."
"Wonderful!" Harry was overflowing with amazement and gratitude. "How do I access my unplottable properties?"
"There is a specific vault with labeled port-keys, Harry. Which would you like?" Korlag asked.
Harry thought for a moment. "Wiltshire, London, and Loch Ness."
Korlag excused himself and returned a few minutes later with three metal loops. "Each has a different charm attached and the password is the charm. For instance, the tree will take you to Wiltshire when you say what kind of tree it is. Oh, the money is accessible when you need it but the lordship needs to be accepted with a signature on your actual birthday. So be sure to come by."
"I will. Thanks!" Harry chuckled. "I get the references. The clock tower goes to London and the sea creature goes to Loch Ness. Well, I can't tell you how grateful I am for your assistance in the matters of my health, well being, and inheritance. See you soon." He stood and reached out to shake Korlag's hand as the rest of his group began to move toward the door.
Sirius transformed into Padfoot, startling Dudley a bit, and once outside the door of the bank, Harry glanced at the others in his group. "Dudley, you OK?"
Dudley only nodded in response.
"Remus, Padfoot, I need something over here. Why don't we meet at the Leaky to talk?" He gestured to the nearest storefront.
They parted and Harry led Dudley into the Magical Menagerie without incident. Nothing was said as Harry picked up treats for owls and dogs but, as Harry approached the area with live animals in cages, he heard his cousin comment that maybe he should've gone with the others and he chuckled to himself. Finally seeing the shopkeeper, Harry said hello and asked about a mouse for his pet snake.
The shopkeeper was able to accommodate him by going to the cage and stunning one of the tiny animals. She put the mouse in a small box and asked for five sickles, nine knuts. To the woman's surprise, Harry pulled out his new seal and asked for the appropriate form. Her expression told Harry that she knew what this meant and this purchase was the first step into his new life as Lord Potter, Earl of Inverness.
ooOoo
Fun fact - The Fat Friar ghost is from the 10th century and Denbigh Friary is from the 12th century.
Dear readers,
I apologize for keeping chapter 2 from you for so long. I honestly forgot to post it last week when I posted it on A03. I will do better from now on and I will be posting a new chapter every Wednesday. Thanks for reading!