Disclaimer: Playing in Rowling 's and Lucas's sandbox. They own the toys; We're just having fun.

Previously on Chapter 6

The gates of Gringotts stood open, guarded by formidable goblin sentinels on either side. Anakin used to the various alien races merely glanced at the goblins before refocusing on the poem carved by the doors, an act which did not go unnoticed by the sentinels guarding the gates. As they stepped inside the gates, little did they know that the secrets buried within the millennia-old vaults would lead to the most significant upheaval in Harry's life—an action with repercussions that would resonate not only across the wizarding world but also across galaxies far, far away.

'Dragonstaff and Technomage' - Thoughts

Chapter 7: A Legacy Unveiled

"Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin if greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there."

"What a strange welcome, huh Harry?" Anakin spoke up, having read the poem engraved on the silver doors just outside Gringotts.

Harry merely laughed, remembering the first time he had seen Gringotts and how intimidated he had felt, "You haven't seen anything yet".

As the two passed the guards, Anakin's hand instinctively went to his lightsaber, something told him that the spears held by the goblins were not just for show. The two strode in confidently, moving past the various witches and wizards who were lined up before each Teller.

As Anakin walked inside, his confident demeanour, so very different from the arrogance of the wizards, drew various eyes. This allowed Harry to walk beside him without attracting any undue attention, the hood of the robe covering his face.

The counter was manned by an elderly goblin with a calculating demeanour, his long, spindly fingers deftly counting rubies with a precision that spoke of decades of experience.

As Harry moved to approach the teller, eager to inquire about his finances, Anakin subtly restrained him with a firm yet gentle shake of his head. Obi-Wan had hammered diplomacy into his head and while Anakin never really made use of those skills, he did have a sixth sense when it came to people, courtesy of his childhood on Tatooine.

These creatures, 'Goblins', seemed like a warrior race, and also in control of currency. Giving them a tiny bit of respect might go far. He bent down and whispered the same to Harry.

After the goblin had meticulously finished sorting the gemstones, Anakin and Harry approached him with a respectful nod. "Greetings Teller … Hookfang, I would like to withdraw money from my vault, Vault No. 687."

The goblin regarded them with an assessing gaze, his sharp eyes darting between Anakin and Harry. "You seek the vault, but speak no name," the goblin observed, his voice a low, gravelly tone. "A wise choice, perhaps. Follow me."

The goblin led them into a dimly lit office, the air heavy with the scent of aged parchment and the subtle metallic tang of goblin magic. Once inside, he turned to face Harry, his calculating gaze lingering on the hood covering his face.

"You're safe from prying eyes here. You can remove your hood," the goblin said, his tone gruff but not unfriendly. Harry shot Anakin a nod, silently encouraging him to comply with the goblin's request.

Harry cleared his throat before speaking to the goblin. "I'd like to access my vault, Vault No. 687. However, I don't have my key with me."

The goblin's eyes narrowed, and he replied, "Keys are not mere trinkets, wizard. Anyone with your key can access your vaults, whoever they may be. Without them, we cannot grant you access. Now tell me wizard, how ever did you manage to lose your key?", he sneered.

Harry shifted uncomfortably, realising that this was going to be more complicated than he thought. "You see, I have never had access to my key, except for a brief duration in the summer before my third year. When I first came to Gringotts, Hagrid had my key, and since then, it has always been in Mrs. Weasley's possession."

The goblin leaned back in his chair, stroking his long, pointed beard. "A peculiar situation, indeed. You do understand that your key is your identity in Gringotts Mr. Potter, don't you? We'll need to verify your identity before proceeding. Now, what's your full name and date of birth?"

Harry sighed, realising that this process was going to take time. "Harry James Potter, born on July 31, 1980."

The goblin scribbled the information down on a piece of parchment and scrutinised Harry. "Very well, Mr. Potter. We'll attempt to verify your identity. However, the process may take some time. You and your companion may wait here while we investigate."

As Harry and Anakin waited in the office, the door opened, revealing two goblins followed by Hookfang, who were clad in filigree armour of gold. They had about them an air of authority and looking at the way Hookfang scurried behind them, someone important.

"Mr. Potter," the first goblin said, his voice low and gravelly. "I am Gragnok, the Potter Account Keeper. I understand there is an issue with accessing your trust vault."

"And you may address me as Ragnok, and I am the Master of Claims and Inheritances at Gringotts. You claim to be Harry Potter but provide no proof of your identity. Know this, wizard, if you are lying, your head will adorn the spikes outside the gates. It has been many decades since we have had a wizard head on the pikes, hasn't it?"

"Yes, Master Ragnok" replied Gragnok, "Seventy two years to be precise."

Gragnok then regarded Harry with a sharp gaze. "Accessing the Potter trust vault without your key requires a more intricate verification process. We shall conduct a blood test to confirm your identity. Please extend your dominant arm."

Harry hesitated for a moment, glancing at Anakin, who nodded in encouragement. He extended his arm, and Gragnok drew a small vial from his robes. With a precise movement, he slashed his nail across Harry's arm and collected the few drops of blood which rolled down. Another wave of his arm and the wound sealed itself, as if it never existed.

"While we conduct the test, Mr. Potter, I must inquire; Do you just want to withdraw money from your trust vault, or would you like to finally visit your Family Vault? After all, those idiots at the Ministry have declared you a legal adult by trying you in front of the entire Wizengamot as an adult" Gragnok stated.

Harry furrowed his brow, puzzled by the mention of a Family Vault. "I was not aware of any Family Vault. I thought the only vault I had access to was Vault 687."

Ragnok's eyes gleamed with a mix of frustration and anticipation. "You were never informed of your Family Vault? This is a grave injustice, Mr. Potter. The Ministry has failed in its duty to notify you of your full inheritance. Gragnok, how much longer will you take? "

Gragnok simply nodded, as he poured the vial of blood into a small stone basin, its sides glowing with runes. As he began to chant, the runes started glowing red and the blood started to rise in a haze, forming the shape of a Griffin before suddenly changing into a Grim. The blood then dispersed into the air, leaving behind no trace.

Ragnok turned to Harry, "It seems that you are indeed Harry Potter. Opening the Family Vault will bring significant wealth into circulation, benefiting both you and us, goblins. And you, wizard," Ragnok spoke, addressing Anakin, "this is a matter of great secrecy and importance. Leave this room."

However, Harry raised his hand, halting Anakin's departure. "He stays. I trust him."

Ragnok mumbled about the stupidity of wizards. He studied Harry for a moment, the calculating gaze of the goblin assessing the wizard's determination. "Very well, Mr. Potter. But understand the gravity of what we're about to reveal. If this information were to fall into the wrong hands, it would have severe consequences."

Gragnok suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Potter, can you explain how our magic recognises you as the legitimate heir to House Black as well?"

Harry took a deep breath, trying to hold back the wave of grief that threatened to crash over him. "Sirius Black was my Godfather. He was illegally imprisoned in Azkaban by the Ministry without any trial."

Anakin laid a comforting hand on Harry's back.

"Sirius told me he changed his will after escaping Azkaban. Apparently, he did not trust anyone anymore. No one stood up for him, no one believed in him, even though for all his life he had rebelled against his family; they only saw him as a Black at the end. He said that if he died before he could help me sort out this Voldemort issue, he had made sure that I would at least have all the tools and help that he would have given me if I was alive."

Ragnok nodded, acknowledging Harry's response. "Very well, Mr. Potter. We shall proceed cautiously. Hookfang, summon Ripjaw immediately."

Hookfang bowed and swiftly left the room to carry out Ragnok's command. After a brief wait, the door opened once more, and a goblin entered with an air of authority that surpassed even Gragnok. The regal goblin was adorned in robes that exuded an air of power.

"Why was I summoned here Ragnok? I Ripjaw, the Master of the Black Vaults have better things to do than attend to the whims of wizards," Ripjaw declared, his arrogant tone a sharp contrast to the regal Ragnok.

"Account Master Ripjaw, you know better than to take that tone with me. Rest assured that the matter you have been called here for is one of extreme importance", Ragnok spoke, his voice unnaturally calm, belaying the anger it held.

Harry inclined his head respectfully, "Greetings, Master Ripjaw."

Meanwhile, Anakin turned to Gragnok and said, "I am sorry, but I couldn't help but notice the difference in the titles between you, Master Gragnok and Master Ripjaw. You called yourself an Account Keeper, while Ripjaw is an Account Manager"

Ragnok could not help but be impressed. Most of the wizards were too self-absorbed or did not care enough to notice this difference. "And who might you be, young wizard?", he asked Anakin.

"Oh, I am just a friend of Harry here. You may call be John"

Ragnok narrowed his eyes, "Did Mr. Potter not inform you, or are you so arrogant that you would seek to hide your identity in these sacrosanct halls, wizard?"

'These Goblins seem strong in the Force.…. No, magic. Best to be honest, but not give away too much,' Anakin thought.

Anakin met Ragnok's gaze with a composed expression. "My name is Anakin Skywalker, and I am a traveller. John Doe is merely an alias."

Ragnok's eyes gleamed with shrewd understanding. "An alias can be a shield, but remember young traveller, Gringotts sees beyond such superficial things. Your presence here is intriguing, and the goblins are not easily intrigued."

Anakin nodded, acknowledging the goblin's insight. "I mean no harm or deception. My purpose is to assist Harry and understand this world better."

"Now that we are done with the instructions, can we get on with the matter at hand?", Ripjaw asked in an irritated tone.

"Very well. Mr. Potter. As to your friend's question, there is a definite difference between Account Keepers and Account Managers. The Potters, while well-off by wizarding standards, just do not compare with the Blacks who are one of the oldest and most influential of British wizarding families. The only families that even come close to the Blacks would be the Malfoys, the Ogdens and the Selwyns. Even amongst those, the Malfoys' wealth comes from the Black vaults."

"Yes, yes, Ragnok, while all that is very interesting no doubt, I need to know if this wizard has any instructions for me", grumbled Ripjaw.

"Well, Mr. Potter, Ripjaw seems to be in a hurry. It'd be best if you dealt with the Black vaults before we move onto the Potter vaults and their management."

"That would seem to be the best, Master Gragnok. If you could give me a brief introduction to the Black vaults and how they are managed, that would be great, Master Ripjaw"

"My job is not to educate useless young wizards. If you do not know the details, perhaps you are not meant to be the Lord of the Black family. It would be much better off with the Malfoys."

Ragnok shot a sharp glance at Ripjaw, but did not speak up. But Harry did. "Well, if you believe so, why not go and be their account manager? I am pretty sure that Master Gragnok here would be much better as the combined Account Manager of the Potter-Black Accounts"

"How dare you, wizard? To even say that a lowly Account Keeper would even be worthy enough to look at the most important accounts. I should kill you for the insult."

As Ripjaw moved towards Harry, unsheathing his blades, Gragnok and Ragnok tried to stop the advancing Account Master. However, before they could even draw their knives, Ripjaws's head separated from his shoulders, rolling down and coming to a rest near the doors.

Harry looked wide-eyed at Anakin.

"What? He was trying to kill you? I was just supposed to let him go?" Anakin asked, switching off his lightsaber, but keeping it in his hand this time.

"Drawing weapons inside Gringotts is a violation of the Treaty wizard. I will kill you for this", said Hookfang, drawing his own blade, seemingly having recovered from his shock at seeing one of the most respected Goblins being killed without any effort.

"There will be no more killing," Ragnok announced. His voice was low, but he seemed to be radiating anger.

"I would like an explanation wizard. Why would you dare to kill a goblin? And where did you acquire a blade that can do that?"

"I think the situation here explains it very well. That," he said pointing to the decapitated head on the floor, "was trying to kill my friend. I take offence to that."

"And where did you obtain such a blade? One that could pass through armour made of goblin steel as if it were butter?"

"I made it"

Ragnok was silent. "We are prepared to pardon you in exchange of the secrets of the construction of that sword"

"And why would you believe that I would just give it to you?"

"There is no other option for you wizard. If you want to leave Gringotts alive, you would give us the construction techniques. Or we will kill you where you stand."

"You are welcome to try"

The tense standoff was broken by the sounds of laughter of Ragnok. A deep-bellied laugh. 'I don't think I have ever heard of goblins laughing before', Harry thought.

"I like you wizard. Rare is it that we find a warrior we can respect. An Account Manager's ultimate duty is to the vaults he is managing, not to wizards who control them. If he were not already dead, I would have had him and his entire clan fed to the dragons. You gave him a far more merciful end than he deserved."

"And who said I was a wizard?"

"Oh! I like you more and more, human. Know this, I, Ragnok the Third, Master of Claims and Inheritances at Gringotts declare that the human known as Anakin Skywalker would forever be welcome in the halls of Gringotts, for his service in killing a traitor."

"Now that the excitement is over, Gragnok, congratulations on your unexpected promotion. Why don't you, Mr. Potter and Mr. Skywalker take a seat and discuss the handling of Mr. Potter's vaults. Hookfang, you will follow me. It seems that you still have a lot to learn. Maybe 10 years working the carts might drill the lessons into your head this time"

Ragnok left the room, dragging Hookfang behind him.

"Well, first of all Mr. Potter, I would like to thank you for this promotion. The Black account in addition to the Potter vaults shall bring greater honour and prestige to my clan, and I promise to always endeavour to work for your benefit."

"Let's get through your vaults and investments for now. The Potters have two vaults. Your trust vault, and your main family vault. The individual vaults of James and Lily Potter were reabsorbed into the Potter Family Vault after their deaths as per the Potter Charter.

The Black family, on the other hand", he said, leafing through the huge document that Ripjaw had brought with him, "seems to have five active vaults. There is the Black Family vault, the trust vaults for Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, Draco Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black and Sirius Orion Black."

"Of these, only the vaults of Narcissa Malfoy and Draco Malfoy have had active use in the past five years. They have been regularly emptied. What would you like to do with them?"

"Anakin, what would you suggest?"

"Isn't Malfoy one of the bootlickers of this Voldemort guy? So, it is possible that that money is being used to fund the war effort against you. See if you have an option of stopping that. I don't know who this Bellatrix Lestrange is."

"And Master Gragnok, what would you suggest?"

"I would have to agree with your friend there, Mr. Potter. I would advise the reabsorption of all Black vaults into the primary Black family vault, and for you to put an immediate block to any and all transactions from that vault. We can conduct a proper audit to see the situation that the traitor Ripjaw has left the Black Vaults in. Till that time, the money in the Potter vaults will be enough to cover any expenses that you may have."

"Let's do that then. Is there any possible way to also remove Draco, Narcissa and Bellatrix from the Black family, so that they can never claim it, in case something happens to me?"

"I am sorry to say, but that isn't possible. You can remove Draco, as he is of the same generation, but since you are not a true Black, you are not allowed to remove people from the Black family that are above your generation. Even still, I would go through the Black Charter to see if we can exploit a loophole to have them removed from any right of succession."

"I understand, Master Gragnok. Please start the process of removal of Draco Malfoy from the Black Family. I hope that you can find something in the Charter that can help us remove those two from the family too. After all it was Bellatrix who killed Sirius."

"In the meantime, could you please withdraw a hundred galleons from my trust vault, and convert half of them into pounds? We have some shopping to do. I would also like to visit the Potter Family Vault today"

"We can do that easily, Mr. Potter. In fact, let's do that first. While you are visiting the vault, I will get the ritual to remove Draco from the Black Family ready, and reclaim the Family Magics from him"

"That was fun, can we do it again?", Anakin asked with excitement, as he stepped off the most thrilling roller coaster ride he had ever gone on.

The goblin just gave him a toothy grin. "Follow me", he said, leading to them a large bronze door.

The massive doors were intricately carved with two matching crests, each of which had a majestic Griffin holding a sword between its claws and the words "ut sacerdos dignus" carved on a banner above it. "To be Worthy", Harry murmured, reading the inscription.

Harry's musings were cut short as Gragnok handed him a dagger, "Mr. Potter you need to cut your palm and place it on the pedestal in front of the vault. It shall determine whether you are indeed a Potter or not before allowing you access."

"What if a non-Potter tried to access this vault?"

Gragnok's reply was simply a wide toothy grin which sent shivers down Harry's spine.

Bringing himself under control, he cut his palm with a swift movement and placed it on top of the pedestal. Harry was hoping for something dramatic, maybe a long lost ancestor coming to speak to him or a test he had to pass. But rather anticlimactically the doors of the vault simply swung over.

However, what lay inside the vault had him reeling in shock.

Mountains of gold greeted Harry and Anakin as the doors swung open. If he thought that his trust vault contained a lot of gold, this… this was crazy. Harry could almost swim in the gold here.

"This is considered well-off? Then what do the Blacks have?"

"According to reports, your grandfather's invention of Sleakeazy quadrupled the amount of gold that the Potters have. And over the past 15 years, this vault has sat undisturbed, with the only directive from your magical guardian, one Albus Dumbledore, to best manage and increase these finances. This has led to another tripling of the total assets that House Potter owns."

"Huh… Looks like repairing your spaceship wouldn't be a financial issue. That's great news, Anakin."

"You don't need to spend your inheritance financing the repairs for the spaceship, Harry"

"Yeah, and what do I spend it on? I don't expect to live a very long life, what with Voldie and his henchmen behind me"

"And I told you, I will help you with that, didn't I?"

Harry nodded appreciatively. "I appreciate that, Anakin. But the idea of spending it on myself seems foreign to me. It's not like I have a future to plan for."

Anakin patted Harry on the shoulder, offering a small, understanding smile. "You might surprise yourself, Harry. Let's take one step at a time. Now, let's see what we can find inside."

As the duo left Gringotts, Harry and Anakin made a beeline towards Flourish and Blotts, the store greeting them with the musky scent of parchment and the promise of knowledge waiting to be learned.

Harry wandered through the narrow aisles, his fingers caressing the spines of books which he had previously scorned, too used to Hermione providing all the knowledge he would ever need. But not anymore, Harry would no longer be dependent on others. As he perused the shelves, a book caught his eye, "Unveiling Runes: The Language of Magic" by Ophelia Potter. Here was his chance to finally learn the subject that he had rejected based on Ron's bad advice, and that too from his ancestors!

As he delved deeper, the aisles grew darker and taller while his basket grew heavier. "Enchanting Wonders: From Theory to Practice" by Adalbert Waffling found its place in Harry's growing stack. Several other books, all detailing the subjects of Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Enchanting and even Alchemy were added to the basket as he wandered around the shop.

Meanwhile, Anakin had finally found a section that he could understand. The section only contained five books in total, but if he was correct, this would be an ace in his sleeve, as well as Harry's sleeve. As far as he had seen, these wizards were totally disconnected from any form of technology. These books on mixing magic with technology, or as it was titled, Technomancy might even help him repair and upgrade his ship faster!

"Did you find anything interesting?" Harry asked, carrying a stack of books almost as tall as him.

"Yeah! These books are introductory books on what the writer calls a new branch of magic: Technomancy. Might be helpful. Here, let me help you carry those to the counter."

The two made their way to the counter. The cashier's eyes widened as he saw the mountain of books the two customers carried, and he immediately started helping them pack it.

"That will come to a total of 37 galleons and 12 sickles. I have added an automatic shrinking charm to the package, simply tap it with your wand and it shall expand."

Harry simply nodded, counting out 38 galleons from the sack that he carried. "Thanks for the help. Here's the money," he said handing it over, "and keep the change."

"Come Harry, I believe it's time that we return. We don't want the watchers to find you missing do we? " Anakin spoke up.

Harry startled, he had been so distracted that he had almost forgotten about Dumbledore and his watchers waiting for him at Privet Drive. As they made their way towards the Leaky Cauldron, Anakin suddenly paused. His senses were going haywire, the Force almost blaring warnings at him.

He barely had the time to push Harry behind him and draw his lightsaber before multiple loud cracks filled the air and bright bolts of magic flew around the entire Alley, the quiet of the Alley suddenly transformed into chaos.

As a bright glowing green bolt of magic careened towards them, Anakin almost felt the world slow down, his trusty blue blade humming as he prepared himself to defend Harry.

AN:

Technomage: You know you will be the one apologising for the update, right?

Dragonstaff (whining): But what did I do?

Technomage: Were you not the one too busy to help write the chapter?

Dragonstaff: But I was working on real life problems, unlike you.

Technomage (rolled up newspaper in hand): Bad Dragon!

Dragonstaff (brandishing a spatula): You guys enjoy the chapter, while I defend my honour. Come at me cur!

Anyways, thank you for your continuous love and reviews for the Chosen One(s).

Vukk: A good point! But do not fret, as Merlin shall appear again.

27mad97: Thank you for the compliment. We are very excited to be writing our very first fanfic. Hope you stay with us till the end of the journey!

Ep and DS2010: Thank you!

May The Force be with You!