Everyday life begins

The next morning, Harry and Snape were sitting at the table and were about to start their lesson, However, their plans were suddenly interrupted.

"Potter, tell your mutt to sit is unbearable."

The teacher was right, the dog paced around the room and didn't sit still for five seconds.

Just as Harry was about to say something, the animal trotted towards him. He nudged Harry's trouser pocket.

"What's wrong, Blacky?"

Another nudge.

The boy reached into his pocket and took out the key that was inside.

As soon as the dog saw the little shiny thing, he spun around like crazy. He walked up to Harry's school books and put his paw on them. Then he went back to the boy and touched the Gringotts key with his snout.

Harry understood.

"Okay, you want me to go to the bank again. But why?"

Severus had been watching the whole spectacle, he knew what the animal meant.

"It seems that Blacky wants you to go to the bank to inquire about your finances."

Confused, Harry looked at the man.

"Why?"

"Potter, Blacky overheard our conversation yesterday. He seems to think you should make sure the headmaster has been looking after your money properly. In other words, whether he's left it alone."

"Um, it seems like my dog is smarter than me. How embarrassing."

"Not embarrassing, except Blacky has less reason to trust Dumbleore than you do."

"I don't trust him either."

"Then pack your things, let's go."

"WHAT, OUT THERE?!"

Harry stared at his teacher with eyes wide in horror as he pointed a finger towards the window.

Normally, Severus would have replied with pure sarcasm but he had seen how shy the boy was yesterday.

"Yes, out of there. Don't worry about it. I'll protect you."

Harry looked at his teacher skeptically.

"Are you serious, or are you just making fun of me?"

"Both."

"If you can keep that mob out there off my back, you can tease me all you want."

Severus grinned.

"I'll take you at your word."

Harry glanced at his dog.

"I think I just signed my own death warrant."

Severus rolled his eyes.

"Now don't get melodramatic. I'm on vacation too, just like you. I'm still allowed to have some fun."

Harry began to chuckle

"Professor, don't be angry with me, but you just sounded like a defiant child."

Severus preferred not to say anything in response.

Blacky, on the other hand, was very pleased with himself. Severus had understood him. He rubbed his head against the man's hand in thanks.

"Well, you monster, you seem to be a real blessing for the boy after all."

Harry grinned again. It looked as if the dog had snuck into the dark man's heart.

The walk to the bank was once again a gauntlet. This time, Harry had even taken his monster book, "Beast", with him as protection. Something Severus had only commented on by rolling his eyes.

However, it seemed to be sorely needed. The people were simply impossible. Constantly asking for autographs or requests for the boy to fight monsters.

It wasn't just Blacky who growled the book sometimes snapped at people too and Severus did the rest.

At last they were finally in the bank. The boy looked like he'd been in a fight.

"Professor, are you an Animagus by any chance?"

Surprised, Severus looked down at his student.

"Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"Can you teach me how to be one during this vacation?"

"Mr. Potter, it will take a few months. I don't think four weeks will be enough."

"Why not? Maybe I'll learn to control my magic that way."

Severus took a deep breath.

"We'll see. I suppose the real reason you want to learn is because of the pack out there?"

The boy nodded somberly. As an animal, he would be able to move more freely.

Severus couldn't even say anything against the child's wishes. He wouldn't feel any differently in his place.

"Good morning, Mr. Gripock."

"Good morning, Mr. Potter. You remember my name?"

"Um, yes, why would I not? We only spoke yesterday."

"It's often difficult for wizards to tell us apart."

"Really? But you all look so different."

The goblin's ears shot up and Severus stared at the boy in amazement. To him, the little guys really did look almost all look the same.

But the bank employee seemed to be pleased.

"Amazing. What can I do for you today, Mr. Potter?"

"I don't really know myself. I've just been advised to find out about my finances."

The sideways glance at the dog did not escape the goblin. But he said nothing.

Apparently this wizard preferred to live as an animal. That was fine with him.

"Come with me, then. Would you like your companion with you?"

"Since I'm not familiar with all these things, I'd appreciate it. But that doesn't mean I don't trust you."

Harry held up his hands defensively and waved them around.

The goblin began to smile. Something that gave Severus goosebumps.

"I'm not offended Mr. Potter. I think it's very good of you to seek counsel. The rights of wizards are somewhat different from those of goblins."

They sat down at a desk in one of the offices. Everyone had a cup of tea in front of them, even Blacky.

Gripock took out Harry's papers.

"Let's have a look then. What would you like to know?"

Harry looked questioningly at his teacher. You could clearly see the boy's uncertainty.

'And someone like that has to deal with hordes of madmen,' the potions master thought.

"You should find out when your school fees will be paid. That would be the first thing."

Harry nodded and then turned back to the goblin.

"Is that possible?"

The goblin shook his head in amusement.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. Let's have a look then.

It says here that your parents set up a dungeon shortly after you were born, from which your annual school fees are deducted."

"You mean the one I always get my money from?"

"No Mr. Potter, the dungeon I mean only contains the school fees. And it's already been paid for this year."

Harry thought for a while, not noticing the astonished faces of Severus and Blacky. The boy turned to his teacher.

"Is it usual for wizarding families to pay their children's school fees at such an early age, or had my parents simply made provisions in case they died?"

The teacher had to clear his throat.

"No, it has nothing to do with the war. It's common for parents to set up a dungeon like this for their children when they first show magic."

Harry tilted his head.

"But that can't be true in my case. Mr. Gripock said that the dungeon was set up after I was born. And children don't usually show their magic until they're four at the earliest."

"Correct, but what is normal for you? Mr. Gripock, was that really the reason for this early funding?"

"Yes. I can still remember Mr. Potter's parents arriving here all excited. They were almost beside themselves with joy. Mr. James Potter has already announced loudly in the hall that his son is a genius."

Severus snorted angrily.

"Quite the opposite of his father. I don't think he could think of anything more stupid."

"That's what Mrs. Potter said, too. She even got one past her husband."

The goblin grinned at the memory.

Severus, on the other hand, was furious, as was a certain dog.

"No wonder the lord saw you as a threat."

"What do you mean?"

Harry stared at his teacher, startled.

"Quite simply Potter. As you rightly said, such an early appearance of magic is rare. And if your father was stupid enough to shout it out in a bank, it's no wonder the wrong people found out about it. After all, the Death Eaters were already everywhere back then."

"Great." he said Angrily as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Apparently my father really wasn't the brightest."

"However, quite unlike your mother. I still don't understand what she saw in that guy."

The remark elicited a laugh from the boy.

"It's the same as Hermione with Ron."

Severus would have loved to snort in annoyance but the boy was right with his statement. But the teacher felt sick every time he thought of Weasley and Granger.

A clearing of the goblin's throat brought them out of their conversation.

"Oh, sorry Mr. Gripock, we didn't mean to be rude."

Again, the goblin gave the child in front of him a smile. He liked this polite human.

"That's not why I interrupted you. I just noticed something about your expenses."

"My expenses? Apart from what I've fetched once a year so far, I've never spent anything."

The goblin nodded somberly.

"And that's exactly what I mean. You are by far the most frugal of our young customers with your own school dungeon. A boon to children whose names I will not and may not mention."

Severus had to suppress a laugh. He knew one of these children very well. After all, Lucius was always upset about his son's extravagance. Fortunately, Narcissa had her own money because the blond aristocrat had no desire to give his son such enormous amounts of gold.

Harry tilted his head.

"What's the problem?"

"The problem is that school fees are deducted from your student dungeon, the one that's just for you, every year."

Harry pondered hard. Severus knew what that meant, but he wanted the boy to figure it out for himself.

"That means I'm paying double tuition?"

"Correct."

"Since the headmaster is my guardian, there's no need to ask who the order comes from."

"However, it's not possible for it to happen by mistake."

Harry looked at his teacher glumly.

"Let me guess, voluntary donation?"

"There's no question of it being voluntary. You're obviously being robbed.

Mr. Gripock, is there any way of getting the money back?"

The goblin shook his head regretfully.

"No, as Mr. Potter rightly said. Professor Dumbleodre is the boy's guardian. He is free to dispose of his protégé's money as he pleases. At least the one he can access. But that's only the dormitory."

"That's enough," grumbled the teacher.

"Can we stop the payment?"

The goblin looked sadly at the child's question.

"Sorry."

Harry burrowed into his dog's fur again. The animal was already growling diligently.

The student straightened up again.

"Who am I paying the school fees for? And are there any other expenses?"

The goblin bent over the documents again.

"In first year, the money was only paid in as a donation. Since last year, it's been used to pay Ms. Granger's school fees."

Harry's eyes grew wide.

"Does Hermione know about this?"

Severus intervened again.

"No, the Muggle-borns don't know where the money comes from. It's even forbidden to tell them. It's to prevent dependency or debt. Actually, no name should be given here. What is the principal trying to achieve?"

"If I may intervene for a moment? The principal wants to ensure Ms. Granger's loyalty to Mr. Potter."

Surprised, Harry looked at the goblin.

"How do you know that?"

"Simple, that's the reason given for the payment. See?"

Gripock handed Harry the parchment.

The boy placed Beast on the table and bent over the documents.

Sure enough, it said:

If Ms. Granger is to ever goes against Mr. Potter in the fight against Tom Riddle, she is to be notified that she could not be educated at Hogwarts without Mr. Potter's money.

Harry handed the parchment to his teacher, swearing wildly.

He actually wanted to stop the child, but after reading the message, he also saw red.

"What the hell is the old man trying to do? He wants to blackmail children, why?"

Surprisingly, Harry answered him.

"He wants fighters against Voldemort. He probably thinks that Hermione will withdraw from the fight at some point out of fear. He wants to make sure that Hermione feels committed to me. Sucker, he knows the curly-haired angel really badly."

"Curly-haired angel?"

"Fits."

"The first one, yes, but I just remember some certain potion ingredients that I lost."

Harry ducked his head and turned back to the goblin.

"Have any other payments been made?"

The bank clerk almost burst out laughing. The little boy in front of him was simply delightful. He hadn't had such an innocent customer for years.

He hissed at the monster book before answering.

"If you nibble on my cookies, I'll nibble on you. Just the upkeep money of your family now."

"Beast, behave yourself, they're not yours. What do you mean by "upkeep?"

The goblin showed him the documents again. The monster book had fled ruefully to its owner's lap.

Harry passed this sheet on to Snape. He had to fight back tears.

With that, he had drawn everyone's attention to himself.

As Severus read it, he put an arm around the boy. The little boy's narrow shoulders trembled.

Alarmed, the goblin pricked up his ears.

"What's going on? Why is the child trembling?"

Severus pressed out with quite difficulty.

"Because not one knut has gone to Mr. Potter."

The goblin knew immediately, of course, that what he had said was the truth.

In a choked voice, Harry produced.

"Can we at least get that back?"

Gripock's stomach turned. Because it was the same answer as the other one.

"No, it was also commissioned by your guardian."

"Are you saying that my relatives have been getting money every month for years and I've had to live in a cupboard? And then you accuse me of stealing from them because they have to look after me?"

Severus was angry too. He tightened his embrace.

Blacky growled, bared his teeth and bristled his fur.

"I'll file a complaint with the Ministry, we can't get the money back, but Mrs. Bones is in a position to do so. She is responsible for family matters. I'm sure she'll get your money back for you."

The boy slowly calmed down again.

They thanked him and went back to the Leaky Cauldron

With the expressions on everyone's faces, no one dared go near them this time.

Once in his room, Harry threw himself onto his bed.

Severus sat down at the table and handed out the food.

"You know, I'm not angry at all that the Dursleys got the money. What makes me angry is that they never used it for me. They must be laughing themselves sick."

"No, they're not. Dumbledore made sure that your relatives didn't know that this money came from you."

"Oh, and where do they think the money comes from?"

"Orphan's allowance."

"So it's still for me after all."

"From that point of view, yes. Come on, you need to eat something."

The boy struggled to get up and approached the table.

As always, Severus often had to hold the boy back so that he didn't gorge himself.

But things were getting better.

After the meal, Severus spread out some books in front of his student.

"As much as this has thrown you off course today, we must finally start your lessons. We don't want something like what happened at the bank to happen again."

"What do you mean?"

The teacher rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"So you didn't even notice?"

"No, what?"

Blacky whined, resting his head on Harry's lap.

"You lost control of your magic again. You've destroyed half the office."

"WHAT? But I didn't notice anything and Mr. Gripock didn't say anything either, did he?"

Severus smiled.

"You were so out of it that you even didn't notice. Besides, the goblin seems to like you. He just fixed everything again."

"Merlin, how embarrassing."

"And that's exactly why you're going to start studying now."

With that, Severus handed his student some books.

'How to control your emotions'

'Wild magic and its peculiarities' and

'Etiquette in the Wizarding World'.

Harry stared at his teacher.

"You were serious about the etiquette?"

"Of course I was. Etiquette is very important in our world. It's a shame it's not taught at Hogwarts."

"So that means everyday life is beginning," the boy muttered.

Severus grinned.

"Exactly."