Welcome back! This is chapter two of my new and now renamed story Promise of Potter, Black of Blood.
Thank you Reynair and RiddikulusRogueRory for coming up with the name and working on the chapter. Thank you Mangareader19 for pointing out that the old name was already used!
The goblin tellers paused as Arcturus Black's presence loomed over the marble floors of Gringotts. His silhouette, sharp as the cut of his tailored robes, sliced through the murmurs and clinking of coins. A hush fell upon the dimly lit, crowded space as he approached the counter on the far side of the hall. The beautiful marble stones of the entrance area of the biggest wizarding bank of the British Isles thumped with the long, secure strides of the powerful Lord, shimmering in the slight glow of his emerald Wizengamot robes. The adorning coat of arms, placed right on top of Arcturus' heart, drew gasps of the clients and goblins alike. It had been a long time since the Lord Black had been spotted in his formal attire.
His slow steps never quickened as he stepped through the grand foyer, openly demonstrating the power and importance of the Lord Black. As the head of one of the most important families in the Wizengamot, he was used to the people around him waiting and adjusting to his liking, something he made sure to show off in moments like this. "
I bloody hate this facade I have to take up in public.
He finally reached the head teller's desk after a long minute of parading through the pompous halls of the Goblins, being gawked at by every attending soul. They had shamelessly scrutinised every detail of him, either assessing how the last years had progressed his age or if he posed a danger to them. The fearful and calculating stares rested on his back, but averted as soon as he looked into the person's eyes.
The cowards still can't look me in the eye. Pathetic shits, aren't they?
As Arcturus stood behind the golden teller's desk, a goblin scurried through one of the doors leading to the offices of the accountants and the most important part Gringotts; their well protected and highly valued vaults.
"I must apologise, Lord Black." The goblin standing in front of him was much older than the other ones present in the room. His shiny, golden uniform was decorated with the intricate silver crest of the Gringotts that sparkled in the light of the gigantic glass lusters, clearly showing off the high rank of the staff member. "We didn't know such a high value customer would arrive at such a late hour. How can Gringotts be of service to you today?"
"I require a private audience with my account manager and that of the Potters," Arcturus stated, his voice never rising above a calm command but still booming through the silent entrance hall.
Without hesitation, the teller gestured to the door right behind the desk. "If you would follow me, please, Lord Black."
They navigated through the labyrinthine corridors, the echo of Arcturus' footsteps a staccato rhythm against the heavy stone. The goblin stopped in front of a door, ornate and imposing, then bowed and scurried away. In golden letters, the description "High Conference Room - Entrance forbidden" adorned the massive wooden entrance.
Pushing open the doors after a quick knock, Arcturus entered the most imposing room of the wizarding bank. The large open space was filled with ancient relics of the past Goblin rebellions, ranging from old and rusty daggers to beautifully made goblin armour and extremely well-crafted swords. In the middle of the room stood a large goblin behind a silver desk with three prepared seats, two of which were still empty.
Arcturus immediately recognised the waiting goblin as Ragnok, the Black families' account manager — a goblin with eyes like polished obsidian and sharp intellect to match. He rose from his seat behind the metal desk.
"Lord Black," Ragnok greeted, his tone neutral yet carrying an undercurrent of respect. "It has been a long time, my friend."
Arcturus nodded in acknowledgment. "That it has Ragnok. May your treasures be safe and guarded at all times."
"It's nice to see you again after such a long time." The goblin continued with a toothy grin, something he reserved for his only human friend, a friend he owed so much to. "But you didn't come here to visit me. Not at this time. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" Ragnok inquired, motioning towards the plush chairs opposite him.
Arcturus took a seat, his gaze unwavering. "It concerns both my family's assets and those of the Potters."
A flicker of intrigue passed over Ragnok's features before he masked it with practised neutrality. "I shall summon the Potter account manager immediately."
A brief exchange in Gobbledygook ensued between Ragnok and another goblin through a speaking tube — a whisper of air followed by soft murmurs. Moments later, another goblin entered. Sharp suit, sharper eyes — he carried himself with an air that matched Ragnok's own.
"My brother, Magnok, is currently representing the Potter family's interest," Ragnok introduced the fellow goblin.
Magnok nodded curtly to Arcturus. "Lord Black, I have to thank you for rescuing myself and my brother when we were in our time of need. Our family is in your debt."
Arcturus quickly waved the starting speech of the other goblin away, needing to conclude this meeting as soon as possible. "We have matters of great importance to discuss," Arcturus began, leaning forward slightly and closing the distance to the two goblins. "It concerns the continuation of not only my own family line but the Potter's as well. We are at a crossroads of decision. A crossroad that could bloody well destroy both of the families or disfigure them beyond recognition."
Ragnok interlaced his fingers, leaning in with equal gravity. His face showed the worry he had at the extremely serious expression of his usually friendly companion. Something had to have happened that shook the old Lord deep in his bones.
"Albus Dumbledore attempted to interfere with both of our families' interests, when he forced the magical guardianship of the young Harry Potter into his own hands, clearly acting against the interest of the boy and his family. The bloody idiot had the audacity to put the boy with the muggle relatives of his mother, a family that clearly hates any kind of magic even in their own kin." Arcturus worked himself into a rage, as he vented some of the built up frustration over the incredible behaviour of the Hogwarts headmaster.
"From what I've been told, he practically forced the Wizengamot in an emergency session to give him the wardship of Harry. I also don't understand how he could've sealed the will of James and Lily at the same time when Gringotts manages them, but I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer?" Gone was the friendly mood between old friends. Arcturus' voice possessed a menacing tone, causing both of the Goblins to shiver at the coldness and danger of the Lord's voice.
Magnok was the first of them both to find his voice again. "W- we were legally bound to keep their will a secret. Th- The current treaties permit the Guardian and the Mugwump to seal a last testament until the primary benefactor comes of age in the wizarding world." The goblin's voice was shaking in fear of the powerful wizard that had fought side by side with them in the war against Grindelwald. The destruction caused by Charlus Potter and Arcturus Black left the goblin nation desperate to avoid their wrath.
"And you didn't even find it necessary to notify anybody about this sealing? The Guardian and Mugwump are the same bloody person. Why did nobody inform the ministry about this?" Arcturus bellowed, his face red in fury of the goblin's negligence.
Ragnok and Magnok only shared a guilty expression laced with a tinge of fear of what would come next. They both had failed the families they had promised to protect the day they were saved by Black and Potter. "We sincerely apologise, Lord Black. We made a mistake in not bringing this to the ministries' or your attention. There is nothing that can justify this amount of negligence." Ragnok finally stated, defeat written over his face.
"If you wish us to resign, we can appoint you a new account manager within 24 hours." Magnok added, misery etched on his features at the error they had made.
"None of that bullshit. Don't let it bloody happen again." Arcturus' voice said in a much softer way, his anger quelled by the sincere remorse his old friends felt. "Let's make sure to get Harry Potter to safety now. He needs to grow up with a family, be taught what it means to be a Potter and hopefully — one day — Lord Potter and Black."
The two stricken goblins could only nod, glad that they had got the chance to rectify their mistakes.
"We will not disappoint you, Lord Black."
It had taken the three friends many hours and the consultation of countless of laws and treaties to come up with a plan to keep Harry Potter safe and sound at the Black estate, ensuring Arcturus could teach the boy everything he needed to know until he could take the mantle of the Potter lordship at his 13th birthday.
"Are we sure that Dumbledore won't find a loophole around this approach?" Arcturus asked the goblins, slight worry laced his usually steadfast voice.
"The will is very clear, Lord Black," Magnok affirmed, flipping through a copy of James Potter's last wishes with nimble goblin fingers. "It clearly states that if neither James nor Lily Potter are amongst the living until the time of Harry's 17th birthday, the guardianship would pass to Sirius Black, the sworn godfather of the boy."
"But as he was brought to Azkaban for betraying them, it passed to the closest family member. Which is you, Lord Black," Ragnok finished with a grin full of teeth.
Arcturus leaned back, stroking his chin as he considered this. "I wonder why Albus would try such a ludicrous deception. Why would he think Harry Potter had to be torn from his family and live with filthy muggles?" He shook his head. "Something is not right. We have to prepare ourselves for Dumbledore contesting this with everything he has."
Ragnok nodded in agreement. "We can expect his arguments. He will probably claim that the current circumstances constitute an extraordinary situation, requiring the guidance and protection of a powerful and experienced wizard like himself."
"But we can counter that by highlighting James' and Lily's explicit wishes," Magnok added. "With this we can probably even circumvent Dumbledore learning your name and connecting the boy to you until you are ready to show the world. It would be in our best interest to keep the boy hidden for now."
Arcturus let out a frustrated sigh. "It's a shame James had such a naïve view on Dumbledore's way of thinking. His need for power and control has corrupted the bastard. But this plan will work." He nodded in satisfaction, having found a way to keep the last of the Potters safe in his proximity.
"Please let's visit the Potter vaults and see if the grimoires are already there or still in Potter manor. Harry will need them at some point, and it would be best to retrieve them momentarily." Arcturus stood, quickly followed by the goblins.
"Follow me, Lord Black," Magnok said, right before leaving the room through a hidden door.
Arcturus had always hated the near endless cart rides to the lower levels of the bank. The fast pace and sudden turns of the cave system reaching deep under London always caused his stomach to stir, making it almost impossible to keep the contents of his gut.
The Potter vaults were some of the oldest in the entire bank, located at the lowest level with its extraordinary level of security and dangers. They had just passed the dragon guarding the Lestrange's vault, when Magnok brought the cart to a halt.
"We will have to continue on foot from here. There had been a cave in destroying the rails reaching further down around a decade ago." He explained to his slightly annoyed wizard friend. "We treat it as another added security measure for now. Protecting your family's vaults as well."
With every step they took, the ceiling of the deep levels came closer towards their heads, almost forcing them to crouch through the last pieces of debris as they entered a much more open area.
"Here we are."
The massive catacomb they now stood in was something Arcturus would always remember. His first time visiting the vaults had been a spectacle the now old Lord would never forget. The sheer size of the underground vault system still fascinated him deeply and this first and most important room put everything else Gringotts offered to shame.
The walls, so far away he could barely glance a hint of their outlines, were made of pure goblin silver, able to defend against almost any attack a wizard or even dragons could muster. The massive shining double doors were wide open, but Arcturus was sure they would shut as soon as any attempt on Gringotts was made, making the vaults of the oldest of families and the banks itself the safest in the entire world.
"The Potter vault is the number ten, one after your family," Magnok told Arcturus. "I currently possess the lord and heir rings, therefore I can open it this one time. But from this point on, the magic of this place will recognise the switch in ownership and only allow Harry Potter or any with his explicit permission to enter these vaults. Even you will be locked out, Lord Black."
They finally stood in front of the colossal doors of Gringotts' vault number ten. The big gryphon of the Potter crest decorated the goblin silver gate, surrounded by small crests of the Houses either absorbed or won by conquest over the generations of Potters. Arcturus could only identify a few of them, many too old to be even in any of the books in the Black library.
But his eyes immediately locked with a very familiar coat of arms, making his jaw drop in awe and surprise. "Bloody hell. This is the crest of the bloody Peverells. Charlus, you sneaky bastard."
The close friends had never talked much about their ancient ancestors, a topic too much of a taboo for even them to discuss. And Arcturus now understood why.
"We bloody need to keep this secret. The whole Wizengamot could rebel against us if they found out the Potter's are part of the Peverell line."
Magnok could only nod, a small grin on his face. He had already known of the connection for years, being a vital part in keeping the dark secrets of the family secure. "I agree, Lord Black. Their reputation could hurt us deeply. But their family magic is highly effective and used well by generations of Potters already, adjusted to the finer aspects of modern spell work."
"Bloody sure they are. With their reputation." Arcturus shivered slightly, his father's stories of the Peverell's at the forefront of his mind. It had been this exact family that had been used as a threat to the Black children. A family as brutal as it gets with a direct pact with Death, delivering any victim it required and being as close to it as possible. Many rumours were connected to them, ranging from undefeatable objects given to hundreds of sacrificed muggles to appease a rampaging Death. But they were all in agreement with one thing: A Peverell would bring death, and opposing one will be the last thing you do.
This would change things. The Potters were even more important than he had thought, and training Harry alone was out of the question now. He would need so much more information and help than Arcturus alone could provide the young heir with. He would need to get another family on board, and quickly. The time for Harry's teaching should start soon already. But now he had to finish the reason why he had come here.
With a nod towards Magnok, Arcturus stepped back from the imposing entrance doors. It was time to open the vault and claim the necessary intel they would need, now more than ever. It would include information not known to anybody else, far more obscure than almost all the Black's secrets.
His old friend stepped forward, the large emerald ring tightly grasped in his clutches. Worry and a tinge of fear were visible on the goblin's face, a fact that startled Arcturus. Even the goblins feared these deepest vaults and the power of their magical protections. He hoped his friend got it right and could actually open the entrance of the Potter's fortune, otherwise — he was sure — Magnok would find a quick and probably painful end.
Inches from the large portals, the goblin suddenly stabbed his fist with the ring into the air, a strong magical beam bursting out of the eye of the majestic gryphon.
"Goblin, why do you seek entry into these protected halls?" A mysterious voice boomed through the catacomb, echoing painfully in the vast space.
Magnok visibly gulped. His fate on a thin silk threatened to be torn by the ancient magic of the catacombs. "We need to retrieve knowledge of the Potters to educate the surviving heir. Heir Harry Potter."
Minutes passed in tense silence, as the magical presence seemed to ponder the request. It had been centuries since one of these vaults had been opened in this way and would probably take centuries after this occasion again. "I agree," the voice finally boomed again. "But only this one time."
The large silver doors of the Potter vault swung open with a thick thump.
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Have a good one.
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