Chapter 7:
Gobbledygook
Monday 13 June 1994
The weekend had been enjoyable. Remus had come on Saturday to pick out his room and help with transfiguring the existing furniture into something usable or Vanishing it. They'd deal with the walls – most of the existing wallpapers were hideous – at a later time. Thankfully, the front bedrooms, save the one with the strange built-ins, were painted in neutral colours. Sirius had chosen to leave the tan and yellow striped wallpaper, likewise Harry kept the pale blue of his space. Remus quickly changed the green of his room, as it reminded him of the forest too much and that was a Pavlovian trigger for pain. His was a warm butter yellow now.
Harry and Hermione had a comfortable conversation with her parents, who were thrilled that Sirius had bought the house and since it was considered a magical property, she could show her parents some skills. Sirius shared that Harry would be having lessons in any classes he was not on par for his OWLs (cough, Potions, cough) and Hermione was welcomed to join him. She did a happy dance over learning. He was also going to allow her access to the library, once he'd moved the Black family library over and had purged the worst of the books to his Gringotts vault.
Saturday night Sirius took Harry and Remus to Paris, where they were fitted for immaculate new wizarding robes made from fine wools and expensive silks. They stayed overnight in Paris, only blocks from the Eiffel Tower. Sirius said it was a family house, so they could visit anytime he wanted. Harry knew Hermione would be excited by the prospect of visiting the Parisian Magical District with him.
Now, Harry, Sirius and Remus found themselves back at Gringotts. Remus had been named Steward of House Potter. Harry was still finding it odd for an adult taking charge of him, protecting him from the worst of what would happen today, but as odd as it was, it was also nice.
At their arrival the trio was led to a conference room which had Strongblade already seated. Once the pleasantries were over, the work began.
"We have less than an hour to discuss who will be coming in, and whether you want to deal with the thefts yourself or if you want the Goblin Nation courts to become involved, Heir Potter," Strongblade said.
"I've thought about this," Harry said. "Dumbledore is behind the thefts, be they for the Dursleys or the Weasleys. Please provide justice for him. He's never going to be brought before the Wizengamot, he has too many friends who will get him out of trouble."
"Very well, when he steps into the bank it will be his last time." Strongblade smiled in an unnerving way. "Arthur Weasley is bringing his wife in today. I would prefer we deal with them, but you may extract whatever justice you feel is appropriate at that time and we will agree."
"Harry are you sure about this?" Sirius asked.
"Yes. I may never want to associate with the Weasleys again, but I don't want the family to be bankrupt because Molly walked in HIS shadow," Harry said with an angry resignation. Sirius nodded, not sure if the tables were turned if he would feel the same way.
"The other matter is your heir, Lord Black. There currently isn't one named, although Draco Malfoy seems to think it's him," Strongblade said with a grimace. Harry wondered what you needed to do to make the goblins dislike you that much, especially since Draco was only a few months older than him.
"Harry is my heir and will soon become my son. I have his Muggle adoption papers already; I'm just awaiting the magical ones. When they are prepared, which I am sure the Chief Warlock is holding up, we will also do a blood adoption," Sirius explained.
"I can do a blood adoption right now, which will negate the need for magical adoption papers. Harry will be your blood son, and there is nothing anyone in the Wizengamot can do about it," Strongblade said. "Of course, there is a modest fee."
"Of course," Sirius said with a wry smile. He turned and looked at Harry. "I know this probably feels rushed, but I want to protect you as best as I can. From what you and Remus have shared with me, neither the Muggle nor magical worlds have been very safe for you. As my son, you will be afforded respect that I fear even your last name has not provided. Additionally, Black family magics have benefits I can't tell you about now, but I promise I will."
"If you blood adopt me, will I still be a Potter? I want to access the Potter protection magics too," Harry asked. Remus had spent some time explaining the Potter family magics James had spoken about. Sirius demonstrated the shield that was a Potter invention, saying Fleamont had taught him when he was blood adopted into the Potter family.
"You will always be a Potter, that blood runs strongly in your veins. You'll be a bit of both this way," Sirius explained. "I am still Lord Black, even though your grandfather blood adopted me to save my life at sixteen."
"Do it," Harry said somewhat impulsively, but if it meant he'd never go back to the Dursleys, even for ten minutes, then he was all for it. He decided to let the Muggle courts deal with their malfeasance and child abuse. To see them pay, he'd let whomever they were visiting this afternoon take notes and pass them on.
It was a surprisingly simple ritual for Sirius to blood adopt Harry. Both men added seven drops of blood into a potion that Strongblade had called for and then they shared it. Harry was not expecting that his hair would become wavy rather than erratic. Sirius and Remus noticed that the pudginess was gone from his face, and he had a more defined look. Finally, Harry no longer needed his glasses.
"That's strange," Harry said.
"The only Black family member who wore glasses was Auntie Cassiopeia, and she didn't need them until she was in her one-tens," Sirius answered. Harry pocketed his old glasses, just in case. For his part, Sirius's face became a bit less angular and some of the wear from Azkaban seemed to melt off him.
"Let me summon the heir rings and then we can get that taken care of too," Strongblade said. He tapped his finger on a rune carved into the table in front of him and another goblin, this one dressed far less finely, was told what was needed. In a matter of minutes both heir rings had been brought in.
"Now, do you want to wear both rings, or should I have them merged?" the account manager asked.
"I think merged makes more sense," Harry answered. With an uttered spell, the two rings became one, both crests on the dark blue enamelled background. The Potter signet had a shield on it with crossed wands on a red background, the Black signet had a sword and two stars on a black background. Diamonds surrounded the entire raised background.
"Why does your family have a sword?" Harry asked Sirius.
"Our family were known as great swordsmiths long before the magical world needed to be hidden. While I haven't picked one up in ages, I am quite certain if needed, my weapons training would kick back in. Uncle Alphard drilled us in the summers, then took us swimming in the pond. The rest of my family gave up the skills, but my uncle thought it was foolish. He and Auntie Callidora believed it was important. She trained Frank when he was younger."
"Frank who?"
"Frank Longbottom, Neville's father. We're related somehow. You and I are more closely related as my great-auntie Dorea married your grandfather's brother, Charlus Potter."
"I didn't know that. It's cool!" Harry said happily. He was about to ask something else when one of the goblin guards stepped in and spoke in hushed tones to Strongblade.
"Please Heir Potter-Black, put on your ring. Arthur has brought in the thief from his household," Strongblade instructed. "I know you don't want our justice, but please let me speak for you." Harry looked to Sirius and Remus, who nodded.
"I agree."
As they entered, Molly attempted to rush to Harry, but the goblin guards blocked her with their halberds. She gave a little squeak, and Arthur forced her into a chair as far away from Harry as he could. He knew better than to speak until spoken too, but Molly just couldn't seem to understand what was at stake. He'd be the one sent to prison, Goblin mining prison, if they couldn't come to an agreement about repayment and her making some sort of reparations to Harry's destroyed opinion of the family.
"Molly Theresa Prewitt Weasley, do you know why you have been brought here today?" Strongblade asked.
"Yes, but you see I can explain –" she started, but Arthur raised his wand and immediately Silenced her.
"We do, sir," Arthur replied with a contrite manner. He glared at his wife and silently begged her to behave. He had no plans to release the charm on his wife.
"You and your wife are fortunate that Heir Potter-Black has chosen to deal with you himself, rather than allow us to mete out our justice," Strongblade explained.
"Were it our obligation, the Goblin Nation would not be as kind as he."
"We are grateful to Har, er, Heir Potter-Black for this concession. We will pay back every Knut that Molly has removed illegally from your vault, we will need time," Arthur said meekly.
"I don't want to bankrupt your family, Mr Weasley. I'm sure you and my steward, Mr Lupin, can reach an amicable solution," Harry said in the precise words that Sirius had coached him on before they came to the bank. "I would like to ask your wife a few questions, please?"
"Certainly." Arthur released the charm and immediately she began to speak.
"Silence!" Sirius roared at her. "You stole from my son. Had it happened after the adoption had taken place you would be dealing with me; so be thankful you're not. You will be quiet, and you will simply answer his questions or I might insist he withdraw his kind offer to keep you out of the goblin mines as repayment." Molly nodded.
"How could you justify taking the money from my accounts in my first year? You'd not even met me yet," Harry asked.
"Dumbledore said –"
"That is not an answer here," Harry said firmly. "Did you not consider it odd?"
"Well, he, er, since the marriage –" Sirius growled at this. "Oh, no, I just did what I was told to do."
"That's what the Nazi's said about gassing people during the second world war," Harry said roughly.
"Who?"
"The Muggle side of Grindelwald's war," Remus answered.
"Did you make my first Christmas sweater with wool you bought with my money?"
"Er, I, er," Molly finally looked embarrassed.
"Did you ever care about me or was it all a ruse to make it easier when you pulled out that damned marriage contract?" Harry was nearing the breaking point as he asked this question, his voice cracking over the word 'ruse'.
"Harry, I know that my children care about you," Arthur said. "And while you might not believe me, I have always considered you another son. Had Sirius not adopted you, we would have been happy to. The headmaster always said you had to stay at your aunt and uncle's, but believe me if I had known they were beating you I would have ripped those bars off myself and saved you. We offered to have you come live with us when your parents first died, and I would have loved you no different than any of the others. In my heart, you will always have a place of honour." Both Arthur and Harry were crying by now. Molly had wisely chosen to remain quiet.
"Remus will you read the …" Harry trailed off.
"Heir Potter-Black has requested you pay him sixty galleons per year, or five galleons per month, until the full debt is repaid. There is no time stipulation, but if you want to pay it off quicker there will be no penalty," Remus read from the parchment.
"That is more than fair, thank you," Arthur squeaked out.
"Additionally, Heir Potter-Black will decide if and when he will ever have any dealings with your family. This includes conversing with you and your children. Please ensure that they are all aware of this proviso before Hogwarts begins the fall term. Additionally, Hermione Grainger, Neville Longbottom and Professor Remus Lupin are not to be pestered regarding whether Heir Potter-Black has forgiven them or you." Arthur and Molly paled at this. "Do you agree to these conditions and take the responsibility for conveying them to your children?"
"Yes, of course," Arthur said hastily.
"Additionally, as Harry's father, there will be no marriage contracts created, endorsed, or enacted for my son unless he requests them. All existing marriage contracts are considered null and void," Sirius added tightly. Arthur nodded. Molly was crying into her handkerchief. "Do you have anything else to say, Harry?" Sirius put his hand on the boy's back while Harry took a few deep breaths.
"The first time I came to your home was the first time I experience what a loving family was like. You didn't coddle or cater to your children, nor did you beat them. Those were the only experiences I'd seen. Instead, you gave your children expectations, responsibility, praise, hugs, and love. Meals at your home were, are, a madhouse; I loved them. I dreamed of living with you, of you calling me your son," Harry stopped to take a deep breath. "While I'm angry at the Dursleys for taking my money, it doesn't surprise me. They're awful, corrupt, abusers who deserve whatever the Muggles give them. You, however, you are kind and decent people. I'm disappointed that my understanding of who you are has been so completely and thoroughly destroyed." Harry turned his head into Sirius's shoulder and let the remainder of his emotions wash out of him.
"I'll contact you regarding the specifics of the repayment plan," Remus said. "Please escort them from the bank."
