Be selfish

Chapter 14

Harry sighed in resignation, as he compiled all the letters that had just been delivered. He wondered vaguely how long they'd travelled to reach them. They must have stopped at some point for a rest and perhaps to eat and drink. They were much too energetic to have flown without pause or relief. Shaking off his errant thoughts, glancing briefly up at Antonin whose attention was still fully affixed upon him.

Licking his lips, the taste of strawberry still present, "I would never be left alone." He'd be forced back to the UK and forced to fight. Dumbledore would never let him just walk away, oh he'd dreamed about it, but the reality was it was just a dream. He was repeating himself, he knew, but honestly? What else could he say? Harry couldn't think of any other answer to give. He'd love to just stay here for the rest of his life, but how realistic was that? He couldn't remain in Russia. "I'm surprised you've stayed here all the time to be honest, and not gone right to Voldemort."

Antonin huffed at his attempt at changing the subject, but he sensed it was a genuine statement. "It would go against the peace treaty; I will not return to My Lord until the end of the second week."

"I can't imagine he'd be very happy about that," Harry admitted, a twisted frown on his face, "I reckon he likely wishes you killed me." Which brought him to the fact that Antonin had attempted to remove him from the board so to speak. Why? Voldemort wanted him dead; he didn't understand it really. However, he was glad to be here nonetheless, he wasn't sure he'd have survived the Dursley's for another year to get back to Hogwarts. Especially without them writing again, truthfully, he hadn't forgiven them for last summer's debacle.

"He does not wish to spill magical blood," Antonin answered firmly, "It's understandably something you'll be dubious regarding, you've only seen the worst of the Dark Lord." Admitting that his Lord wasn't infallible was easier now than it had been in the past. Mostly due to the fact he knew now why it had happened in the first place. "Adding in discriminatory information from a biased source, I know, my side is likely the same." Raising his hand before Harry could even open is mouth to protest.

"So, you've said. Are you really telling me he would just stop trying to kill me?" Harry asked dryly, his fingers slipping the wax seal absently. It was bullshit, there was no way he'd suddenly just want to stop killing him, it made no logical sense. A wizard who had tried to kill him what? Five times now? When he was a baby, the stone, the basilisk and Horcrux, tournament and the department of mysteries. Could it be as simple as that?

"And if it was?" Antonin questioned firmly, a sly smirk crossing his features as he banished all the tracking charms, to a predetermined point in Privet Drive. No doubt the Order was about to descend upon the streets in expectation of finding Harry. He would love to be a fly on the wall where it came to Dumbledore's reaction. It's likely Dumbledore wasn't used to things going his way, or his plans falling through.

It was clear to anyone with any once of sense Dumbledore had invested everything in Harry, the future of the Order, the poster boy for the light. Slowly stringing him along, along with the rest of Hogwarts population. Ensuring the next generation followed Harry, and with it, the light side ideology. It was working, alarmingly so, as a matter of fact. Not helped along by the Dark Lord's descent into madness.

If they could break Harry away from the light side – even if only to become neutral – it would wake everyone up and make them think. Think for themselves, perhaps if they were lucky, they'd realize their desires weren't aligned with Dumbledore's or Potters as a matter of fact. They'd stop following a 'celebrity' around because they'd grown up hearing all about him or begun to after beginning their Hogwarts education.

Harry stared at Antonin, he was serious, inhaling sharply, "Do you honestly think you could get him to leave me alone?" It just sounded to good to be true, honestly, he wasn't sure why he was believing anything he was told here. It had only been a fortnight, but he believed Antonin had been more honest with him than anyone else had been in his life.

What did that say about his life if that were true?

"If an agreement was reached, yes," Antonin stated honestly, but firm especially saying agreement. Which was what he was ultimately hoping for. The Dark Lord didn't want more magical blood spilled, and this was actually one of the best ways he could think to ensure that.

"What would that agreement actually entail?" Harry questioned.

Antonin moved to sit down, watching Harry set the letters aside, eating more of the fruit he'd brought him. This was what he had been hoping for the first time around. Unfortunately, Harry hadn't been well, he still wasn't entirely truth be told. The worst of it was over with though, and now he could give Harry an alternative he clearly didn't think was possible. There might be a chance Harry could grow into a very handsome wizard.

"What is it?" Harry asked, staring at Antonin wondering why the wizard was staring at him like that. Touching his face as if it could somehow explain the bizarreness.

"An arrangement you could bargain for things you want until both of you were satisfied," Antonin explained, "Such as but not limited to, the agreement to never raise your wand to the other in a duel, that Hogwarts becomes a neutral ground, that St. Mungo's is not attacked in the conflict. There's much consideration to be had, it can take weeks for a full plan to be accepted, a lot of arguments too."

"You mean end the war?" Harry asked dubiously, it sounded like that's what Antonin was actually implying.

"Well, think about it, you're pressing charges against Dumbledore." Antonin pointed out, "In doing so you're shaking the entire foundation of what the Order is. Someone might attempt to take over but ultimately it will fail, and with such loss of faith there will be less people likely to join such a lost cause. In fact, such an arrangement might be more to benefit you than my side."

Harry's heart pounded erratically, staring up at Antonin astonished. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, "There's no way it's that simple." Nothing, nothing in life was ever that simple, he spoke about it like the accords or the peace treaties between countries.

"Why do you think Poland and Bulgaria still have a magical world?" Antonin stated, "They're ruled over by their Lords. Poland is neutral Lord whilst Bulgaria is currently ruled by its Dark Lord." Dark Lord didn't mean what the British like to think it means.

"They have neutral Lords?" slightly dazed by what he was hearing, perhaps those accords Antonin spoke so blasély about were normal after all.

"They do," Antonin confirmed, "Now are your plans still the same?"

"What?" Harry asked befuddled, completely confused.

"Gringotts," Antonin told him.

"Oh," Harry said, closing his eyes, he shook his head, "Yeah, I'm still going." But the idea Antonin had postulated to him had snuck in, and begun to burrow into his mind.

"Then finish up," gesturing towards the bowl of mostly finished fruit, "We'll go once you're done."

It took them all of three minutes for Antonin to Apparate them both to the shopping district.

When Harry and Antonin made his way into Gringotts, a way was paved for him, as the goblins immediately sought to bring him into the long winding – and likely unending – hallways and out of the general populace that was still getting waiting on their business being conducted.

"Okay, that's weird," Harry murmured quietly, the goblins had never treated him differently in the UK. So, for them to do so here and now was a little disconcerting. They were always grouchy, unpleasant and quite frankly it was as if the person in front of the goblins stank something foul. "They really do hate Dumbledore, don't they?"

Antonin stared down at the young wizard, a look of disbelief on his face. Did the boy seriously think he was getting special treatment because they wanted to take down Dumbledore? "While they're extremely pleased that Dumbledore might finally get what's coming to him…"

"Might?!" Harry asked incredulously, "What do you mean by that? I'm not going to change my mind!" he wasn't a coward, and he would make Dumbledore pay end of story.

"Do not interrupt people when they're speaking to you," Antonin stated firmly, an unimpressed look upon his face. "First, it's a might since the goblins need to meet a certain standard before they take any case. If he doesn't meet that quota then it gets sent to the Ministry of magic. It's undoubtful that it will happen, but until we know everything it's not known. Secondly, as I was saying while they might be pleased about that possibility. They are not treating you this way because of Dumbledore."

"I would have thought it was because you were a Duke but that wouldn't explain the few times before." Harry confessed wryly, as he continued moving passed everyone going where the goblins were leading them.

"That's because I haven't been here long, and am not using the title at the moment." Antonin replied, "I've forbidden the goblins from using it openly, the last thing I need is attention drawn to myself. It would be my luck that they'd find out my whereabouts and attempt to force me back to the UK." He'd rather die than be forced back into Azkaban. He hadn't even had it worse out of all the Dark Lord's followers either.

They had a lot of money and gained a hell of a lot of interest in his accounts. They wouldn't dare go against him, to do so would mean he'd remove all his assets from both countries' banks. The goblins knew he wasn't joking either.

"Do Lord's get such liberties?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing as he thought on it.

"They do," Antonin explained, Dukes get very special liberties, but that wasn't here nor there. If he wasn't holding such a powerful title, he doubted the goblins would be as tolerating of him threatening them. "You'll find they show a far subservient attitude than you've received in the past."

The goblin next to them grumbled under his breathe, but didn't actually say anything to refute Antonin's statement. The goblins didn't like it, but they were smart enough to realize business was business. They were laughing in the money at the end of the day.

Harry looked deeply uncomfortable at the very idea, he just wanted to be normal. Was that too much to ask? He'd only ever just wished to be normal.

Before too long they were outside of the room that they were to use. It was opened and Harry's first glimpse as he walked in was it was more like a massive conference room. "Uh…how many goblins are going to be here for this?" his discomfort making itself known.

"Two, one asking the questions and the scribe." The goblin explained, "This is all official and recorded, do you wish to go ahead?"

"He means me, it will be officially recorded that you're with me," Antonin added, the boy didn't think things through. It could be due to the lack of food he'd always lacked in life. He seemed far sharper the longer they were together. "It is something you need to be careful; all goblin trials are handed over to the Ministry in the interest of fairness. Not that they have any say regarding goblin trials as you know."

The goblin scoffed, they tried to take as much power off the goblins as they could. They had fought tooth and nail – with pleasure – to get the power they had. Unfortunately, it looked unlikely that they'd never receive wands, they still acted enraged about it. Truth was, they didn't need wands to perform magic, it would make it easier, true, but it wasn't necessary. Perhaps one day when their clans were big enough to fight and win a bloody battle again.

"Oh," Harry uttered, staring into the room, before giving a jerky nod, he was going to do this. "Then let's get this over with." Grasping a hold of Antonin's wrist, his grip strong.

Strong as that grip was, if Antonin had not wished to budge from his spot, he wouldn't have. Antonin however, allowed himself to be tugged into the room along with the boy.

The boy had spent five years under Dumbledore's thumb, and here he was, about to bring a case against him. Antonin couldn't help but admire that, and his fighting…which he now understood to be his own doing. Dumbledore had made no effort to protect or train the boy.

He knew why.

"Sit here, the goblin scribe will be situated over there," the goblin gestured to the lone seat and small table at the furthest end of the room at the back. "The one asking the questions will be seated directly opposite you."

"That will be me," a goblin declared, an entourage at his back, all of them with wicked looking spears, with scars and battle armor.

"Your Majesty," the goblin uttered in guttural gobbledygook.

Harry's gaze roved over them, instinctively knowing this goblin was special…important. He was missing half his ear and had more scars than Moody, and carried himself a sense of superiority. Like he knew he was more important than the rest of the goblins. Or perhaps more likely he felt superior because he had proved it.

Then Harry saw the ring on his finger, the sovereign ring, "The goblin king?" he knew there was one, he had paid some attention to history of magic, as annoying as it was only learning about goblins.

"King Ragnarök the first of my name," the goblin declared, waving his hand, the rest of his entourage seemed to fade back into the background.

Harry mouthed 'Ragnarök?' did the goblins know what that meant? Likely, yes, and probably reveled in the name. A lot of their names did begin with an R, and more so those that became king. Like Ragnok, he was one of their previous kings as well.

"May your enemies tremble at your feet," Antonin stated with cool aloofness. He did not need to bow or say 'your majesty' for he wasn't a goblin. They'd think it was them being sarcastic and take great offence. This was the first time he'd ever greeted the goblin king. He was always situated at their Swiss bank, remained there unless needed by one of the other branches. At least that was what was rumored at any rate.

Harry remained silent; he didn't know what on earth to say so best remain quiet. Knowing his luck, he'd end up saying the wrong thing anyway, and causing a scandal or something. He did however, incline his head respectfully. Only a fool wouldn't give the people with your money – and the economy – the respect they deserve.

"Take a seat," and with that the goblin begun speaking in English, his intonation bland, giving the time, date, and people in the room to the scribe – including the actual scribe's name – for him to add to the list. None of the guards were mentioned, and nobody had a problem with that, not even Harry.

Antonin waited until Harry was seated, before he took his own, he took his duty seriously to ensure Harry's safety while the peace talks commenced. He was still completely baffled how the boy had managed to fight so effortlessly with such debilitating injuries. Not only that but he'd used significant amount of power – which was bound suffocatingly – whilst it kept him alive.

"What is your name?" the goblin, Ragnarök asked, situating himself, trusting everyone at his back to protect him against all enemies, both creature and human.

"Full name," Antonin whispered quietly, but he was heard in the cavernous room.

"Lord Henry James Potter, known as Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived." Harry stated firmly.

Antonin nodded his approval.

"Date of birth?" the goblin continued.

"Thirty-first of July, 1980, I'm sixteen years old." Harry confirmed.

"Who is your magical guardian?"

"Albus 'too many names' Dumbledore, I only found out recently." Harry answered, and Harry swore he heard a muffled noise in three different locations.

"When did you first meet Dumbledore?"

"September of 1991, at Hogwarts." Harry answered.

"Just to confirm you never met him before you begun Hogwarts? Not even for a minute?" a vicious look of victory on his face.

"No," Harry confirmed.

"Did you meet any other wizards before Hogwarts?" they didn't want Dumbledore to get out of it by insisting he sent other people to the Dursley's after all. Not that it would matter, he was going down for binding Harry's magic, it was black magic, the worst of worst banned magic.

Harry froze, swallowing thickly, "Is there something in this room that helps with recall?" it was frighteningly accurate just how his mind went to that very moment.

"There is, the runes," Antonin pointed out to the runes right at the top of the walls, running down in lines, the gold barely discernable until Antonin pointed it out.

Harry jerkily nodded his head, licking his lips, "I thought so," it was like the runes were helping direct him to any and all memories the questions brought up. It was rather disconcerting.

"Did you meet any other wizards before Hogwarts?" the goblin asked again, looking rather annoyed, he wasn't used to having to ask more than once. However, he was giving the young Lord allowances, given his medical records and such, it was hardly any surprise he was slightly out of it. Also, the fact he was completely clueless about the wizarding world, and for a Lord? That was horrifying.

"I wasn't aware that he was a wizard," Harry slowly enunciated, "He dropped his hat, trying to talk to me, bowing and…quite frankly acting awestruck. My aunt was furious with the encounter, she all but yanked my arm out to beat him with it. I later learned his name was Dedalus Diggle, he's part of Dumbledore's order." Having zero fucks about screwing him over, someone with his power and age should have known there was something wrong about the way he was treated and brought it up. Likely he did with Dumbledore and the whole thing was swept under the rug, but there was no excusing Arabella Figg.

"Anyone else?" the goblin prompted.

"A squib by the name of Arabella Figg, another Order member I had no idea about until I was fifteen and attacked by Dementors." Harry told them, his green eyes filling with malcontent. No, he was furious over that information, but he hadn't been able to really think on it. Being expelled took prominence, without a doubt. Then he'd honestly been too angry at his friends that Figg had fallen through until this summer.

Harry's hands clenched into fists, and that seductive power lashed out, but luckily due to the protections on the room all it did was flutter up some paperwork. The goblins naturally showed nothing, but they felt admiration, power was something they venerated, it was the same with a lot of the magical creatures, power was to be respected, venerated.

"You didn't know she was an Order member?" the goblin grasping hold of that statement, narrowing his beady eyes speculatively.

"Or a squib. I didn't know about magic or anyone's status at all until Hogwarts or when I was fifteen for Arabella's squib status or Order membership." Harry stated, "She did not see fit to inform me about her, magic, my own status or titles, she babysat me on the rare occasions that the Dursley's left me with her."

"Who are your godparents?" the goblin then asked, Dumbledore was done for so far, to not inform an heir anything? To have him raised entirely ignorant? Oh, the Wizengamot were going to be frothing at the mouth. They'd want to make Dumbledore's life a living hell, too bad that they – the goblins – were going to get there first.

"The deceased Lord Sirius Orion Black, and Lord Frank Longbottom and Lady Alice Longbottom," Harry declared blandly. None of the heartache he felt showed, for what had happened to Frank and Alice and the loss of Sirius, more to do with the loss of his last chance to get out of the Dursley's. It wouldn't have happened anyway, there was no way Dumbledore would have let it happen. He knew better now; he had a far better understanding on Dumbledore's character than when he was thirteen.

"When did you become aware of their connection to you?" the goblin once again had that look on his face.

"I became aware of Sirius' connection to me when I was thirteen. It was only a week ago I learned that Frank and Alice were also my godparents." Harry informed the goblin, gritting his teeth, he could have been sent to live with them. Could have grown up with Neville, thought of him as a brother, it was so unfair. If they had the boy-who-lived they might have taken more care to hide themselves better. Oh, he knew there was no point to the shoulda, coulda, woulda. It didn't change anything but still, it hurt knowing how his life may have been if not for Dumbledore's interference.

He wasn't stupid, he'd noticed the date that Dumbledore had become his 'magical guardian' directly after that night. Before Sirius had been arrested and most assuredly before anything happened to the Longbottom's.

"Who raised you?"

Harry's magic seeped into every single crevice of the room, his anger getting the better of him yet again. flushing red, he grimaced, but refrained from apologizing, which clearly the goblins liked, as they seemed very pleased with his refusal to show any sort of remorse. Especially for something he couldn't control.

"My muggle aunt Petunia Dursley nee Evans, her husband Vernon Dursley and their son, Dudley Dursley, and I answer that with lies, they did not raise me." Green eyes gleamed coldly, "I raised myself from the moment I was put down on my aunt's doorstep in the middle of the damn night by Dumbledore." His tone was just as cold as his glimmering eyes.

"You were what, now?" the goblin asked, taken aback, surely, he hadn't heard what he thought he heard? Nobody would do such a thing, not even the likes of Greyback would abandon his cub in the dead of the night in such a manner.

Antonin's face was taut with the strain of him trying to appear unaffected by that piece of news.

"Dumbledore and McGonagall as well as Hagrid dropped me off at Privet Drive at one o'clock in the morning in a basket outside. He made no attempt to wake the occupants in the house, mostly because he knew they hated wizards and wouldn't have taken me in. Dropping me off that way was likely the only way he could win. I was found by my aunt when she put out the milk bottles for the milkman at six thirty in the morning." Harry said blankly, reigning in his anger. "It was November, and snowing and all I had on me was a blue blanket." He could recall the very day they'd taken it from him and put it in the fire. It was the only thing he'd had, the one thing that was his. They knew that and had delighted in torturing him some more.

The goblin shook his head, unable to fathom how such a thing was allowed to happen. Mr. Hagrid from all he knew wouldn't do that to a little animal yet he'd happily let a toddler be practically abandoned on a step? McGonagall from all accounts was a fierce protector of her students, yet she'd allowed a child to be abandoned on a step? All three of them were in charge of children at Hogwarts, alarming, very, very alarming. His teeth took on a facsimile of a broad grin showing all his teeth.

Oh, they knew everyone that had been in possible contact with Lord Potter, it was their duty now, considering they were charged with bringing Dumbledore to justice for the injustices he had heaped upon a helpless boy. Their sister branch had given them a through report on all of them, even just rumors.

"You were abused, Lord Potter?" the goblin kings' tone was grim.

Harry grimaced, the thought of actually having to admit what the Dursley's had done to him growing up made him feel sick to his stomach. He knew intellectually that it wasn't his fault, that he had done nothing to deserve it. His stomach felt close to rebelling the contents within it, mostly fruit, Antonin had noticed what he particularly liked. He opened his mouth but he couldn't force the words out, he just couldn't. Every time he'd tried to get help it always failed. He was the boy-who-lived, who would believe he'd been abused? They'd call him a liar, an attention seeker, nothing would come of it. He was so stupid to come here and attempt this.

Antonin noticing the encroaching panic the boy was experiencing, and had a good guess on what was causing it. "Hey, everything is going to be okay, what's wrong?" asking him what was really wrong without just brushing him off or telling him what to do. Harry had had too much of that in his short life already.

"I shouldn't be doing this, it's stupid," Harry said, moving to stand, "Nobody is going to believe it anyway. They'll just say I'm lying and just doing this for attention." Grunting as Antonin slowly but carefully sat him back down on the seat.

Antonin stared Harry down, "What's really eating at you?" knowing that this was the superficial reason, something nobody that knew Harry would think was the true answer. Harry wasn't a coward, there was something more than just that he believed.

"I can't do this, Ant," Harry whispered, his throat closing in fear, "Who's going to believe it? I was able to conjure a fully blown Patronus at thirteen. Inflate that wretched bitch with an auror grade spell just earlier that year…" shame suffused him, "If I'm so damn powerful why did I let them do it?"

Antonin gripped the back of Harry's neck, firm, grounding, "Would you say the same about the Dark Lord? About Severus Snape?" an unfamiliar feeling panging within him at the nickname Harry had just gifted him with. Fearless boy that he was.

Harry blinked owlishly at the wizard, as a whole new understanding filled him. It made something in him relax and finally see it from a whole new perspective. Voldemort and Snape were some of the most powerful and intelligent (even if one was bat shit crazy) wizards he knew. The feel of Antonin's hand encompassing his neck, it felt good, he wasn't used to touch being anything short of painful. Even Hermione's hugs hurt but that's because he was usually injured and in pain when she hugged him.

Finally, finally, Harry gave a jerky nod, "I'm ready, ask me again." the only downside to being ready was Antonin's hand fell away from his neck. The urge to put it back was strong, but no. He wanted to do this, he needed to do this.

"Where you abused by the Dursley family, who you live with?" the goblin didn't waste any time in asking again.

This time he didn't so much as flinch "Yes," because yes, yes, he'd been abused in every single way a child could be. "The Dursley's have abused me since the day I was put on their doorstep."

A/N – I know the visit to Gringotts was sort of abrupt but I felt like I was going around and around in circles, it does happen in real life I know but it was happening too much for my tastes in this story 😊 so I sort of jumped onto the visit to Gringotts and got back onto the story! Still cannot wait until I get Antonin back to the UK 😉 its going to be fun writing that scene…I just don't know whether to make Tom a little insane or intelligently savvy like the good old days, I've alluded that some of the Horcruxes have been absorbed or all of them if the case may be 😊 I did consider having him as insane as the norm but might leave that for a different story…what do you think? R&R please 😊