Disclaimer: This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. No ships. Bashing around everyone.
CHANGE SCENE &&***
Report by Vault Manager Ironstream to Gringotts Chief RagnockHonoured Chief Boulder:
Lord Potter arrived five minutes early for our scheduled appointment at 1:30 PM this day. Following minimal pleasantries, he inquired about the increased number of guards and the number of wounds he observed each warrior possessing. I informed him that there were contests occurring within the horde over the direction of our future.
He paused but made no further comments. I have previous shared with the young wizard that there were many goblins who feared the notion of 'investing' in muggle businesses and the requisite contamination of our society with muggle devices, phrases, and goods that such investments would mandate.
Remember, I did not have a reference for a 'car backfiring' during an earlier meeting. Since then, Lord Potter has mentioned muggle devices such as Apple Computers, IBM Computers, typewriters, printers, and wristwatches – all devices from companies in which Gringotts could invest our gold and receive income and growth over the next few years.
When Lord Potter declared that he intended to don the Black Family ring and become Lord Black today, I informed him that there would no doubt be a great battle among the goblins before nightfall. He inquired further and was shaken when he learned that I must battle Sowsbreath for the honour of remaining his Vault Manager once he became Lord Potter-Black.
The young lord asked if I could be killed in the contest, and I assured him that I might suffer injury, but it would be nothing that some dirt could not repair. The elf had the nerve to snicker, but the action distracted the young wizard.
As we waited for the box with the Black family ring to be delivered to my office, Lord Potter inquired about keeping the Potter family separate from the Black family. I assured him that so long as he had sufficient male offspring, Magical Britain would recognize each son as a separate lord."
He asked for confirmation that he could separate the Potter, Fleamont, and Perevell titles, giving one to three separate sons. Then repeated the assurance regarding the Black family though we did not dwell on the number of seats under that lord's control. Once I had assured him separation was allowed, Sowsbreath Black Vault Manager announced his arrival in my office by bashing down my office door with his new sledgehammer.
"How dare you attempt to steal my vaults, Ironstream?" roared the goblin who appeared to be rounder but just as strong as Ironstream.
Piqued, Harry commented, "I thought the vaults belonged to Lord Black. Am I mistaken? Or do they 'belong' to a goblin in fact?"
Sputtering, the new goblin growled before replying, "I feel proprietary and protective toward the Black vaults! I have been the vault manager for more than two centuries."
"Who did you trip on the stairs to take the position?" Harry asked in an insulting tone.
"Human! How do you speak such things under the blessed bedrock of Gringotts!" roared the new goblin before he turned his head to spit against the wall of Ironstream's office.
"Did you bring the ring?" Ironstream asked, attempting to sound calm.
Sneering and displaying the gold caps on his obsidian black teeth, Sowsbreath produced a box that was the appropriate size, but everyone heard the elf say, "Pigsmouth tries to deny my wizard the proper ring, title and vaults! Be this assassination tries by goblin without honours?"
Peering around the office and finally noticing the elf, Sowsbreath roared, "Black elf! You're dead! Lucius Malfoy never knew what he had in you, elf! You disappeared three years ago!"
"Do not feel so free to address my elf," the young lord said. "I consider Dobby to be a member of my family, and he is my most trusted advisor."
Sowsbreath growled again, "He should be my elf! But Arcturus Black enjoyed inflicting pain that cost me profits!"
Dobby snapped his fingers and the box in Sowsbreath's claws disappeared. The elf growled, "Where be the ring for Lord Black? Dobby knows ring well."
Sowsbreath lifted the side of his robes and reached underneath to pull out a smaller box that he offered to the human teenager. Dobby popped in front of the goblin and snatched the box from his hand. "Pigsmouth learned nothing in last years! Goblin stupid with many much concretes in his head!"
Dobby opened the box and examined the ring closely. He snapped his fingers, and everyone noticed that several charms vanished.
"What was that?" demanded Sowsbreath.
Dobby sniffed and explained, "Lord Arcturus thinks Mr Lucy Lucius Malfoy be ambitions for his son to be Lord Black. Lord Arcturus puts charms on ring to kill young Malfoys if there be any better wizard to be Lord Black. If Malfoy only one, Lord Arcturus cursed ring to bring Black Family Madness down upon Malfoy boy to end family soonest."
Dobby withdrew the ring from the box and handed it to his wizard. "Be safe for you to become Lord Black, Mr Harry Potters."
Once the ring was on his finger, Lord Potter-Black took a moment to collect himself. Then he frowned and asked for the Black Family Profits Ledger. Sowsbreath almost turned to stone, sputtered and declared it was in his office 'somewhere', but Dobby sniffed, popped out and back with a huge ledger that he opened and began flipping through many pages of parchment.
The elf stopped skimming over the pages and growled, "Where be profits youse promised Lord Arcturus Black in 1979? Youse lost money many multi-years! Vaults of Blacks family never loses gold!"
"There were many unexpected expenses."
"Becauses why?" demanded the infuriated elf.
"I don't have to explain to…" Sowsbreath began to reply.
Lord Potter-Black interrupted Sowsbreath and repeated the elf's question exactly as asked, "Becauses why?"
"When Lord Arcturus Black dismissed the steward and the elf vanished, I had to hire multiple accountants to manage the books and contracts. Their salaries quickly exceeded the salary and bonuses paid the steward and meant there were no profits," replied the vault manager.
"For how long?"
"Ten years," Sowsbreath answered quietly.
The elf asked, "And did Pigsmouth pay himself bonusses on tops of salaries?"
When Sowsbreath did not respond, Dobby Potter-Black elf pointed to several entries that made Lord Potter-Black frown while his magic multiplied in my office. The young lord turned to me at this point and asked, "Ironstream, who do I speak to about the lackadaisical care that the Black Vault Manager has given the many vaults of the bank's largest customer for more than ten years?"
Sowsbreath attempted to bluster, but through the door of my office came Copperknife Secret Magic User. The elder inquired about the cause of the magical distress of the young lord felt in the lower caverns. Lord Potter-Black explained that Sowsbreath did not appear to have acted with the best interest of his client while managing the Black Family vaults. (I believe there had been coaching by Dobby Potter-Black Elf and the Potter family magics to prepare the proper language of such a complaint).
Sowsbreath was spared being demoted (for now) but must submit to an audit by the Secret Magic Users and accept my lead in all matters dealing with Lord Potter-Black. My fellow vault manager shed dirt and gravel the entire length of his walk back to his office and no one offered to sweep it up and return the dust to him.
Respectfully submitted,
Ironstream Affirmed Potter Family Vault Manager, Affirmed Fleamont Family Vault Manager, Affirmed Perevell Legacy Vault Manager
Goblin 08 Mare 6481
Human 31 July 1995
CHANGE SCENE &&***
Report by Vault Manager Ironstream to Gringotts Chief RagnockHonoured Chief Boulder:
Lord Potter-Black reported that he received his school letter early (copy attached) this morning via postal owl. The letter was signed by Albus-Too-Many-Names Dumbledor and left my vault holder unhappy. The young lord's owl apparently took exception to a Hogwarts owl landing in the Dursley family back yard and chased the interloper away rather than allow it to wait for a response.
In the letter Dumbledore states that he has been too busy dealing with the fallout from the return of the Dark Lord in June to prepare for Harry to visit with his godfather at some hidden location for a few days. But he acquired the boy's grades and sent them on ahead with the preliminary book list (inaccurate).
Dumbledore's new plan is for someone to appear at No. 4 Privet Drive on the morning of 1 September to transport Potter to Kings Cross Station.
Dumbledore suggested that Potter send Molly Weasley his vault key so that Mrs Weasley can do his shopping for the new school year – books and writing supplies. No mention is made of new clothing, shoes or robes. The headmaster decided that Potter would continue in Divination and Care of Magical Creatures rather than any of the other electives.
I asked Lord Potter-Black if he wanted me to obtain a more accurate list for him, but he declined, stating that his elf would make arrangement to obtain any titles that might be missing from his library(s) for the next school year. Because the Black family owns the company that produces the parchment used at Hogwarts (and in all Magical Britain) and the Potter family owns the company that produces quills and inks, so he has the necessary supplies for the school term beginning in September.
The elf has obtained a suitable wardrobe for the role the young lord will continue to play – simple fifth year student, fanatical Quidditch player, and quiet ward of Albus Dumbledore.
In an examination of the Black family assets, Sowsbreath reported the disappearance (by magic) of a property that is thought to be somewhere in London. (The metropolis above us is home to almost seven million humans). All references to the property are erased but from the totals listed in previous audits and the lack of a bill of sale or grant in dowry, Sowsbreath concluded that some member of the Black family with access to the property has used a Fidelius charm on the house to make it vanish. None of the current members of the family have sufficient magical power to cast the spell. (This spell cannot be cast by more than three magic users and still be 'secret'.)
Lord Potter-Black pursed his lips before explaining that after the end of the third task, Dumbledore had requested use of the Black Family Manor in London and Sirius had granted the request. Lord Potter-Black stated, "I imagine that is where all the vagrants that keep showing up in Little Whinging are staying or coordinating their schedule. But I don't understand why Sirius hasn't used one of them to bring me a letter."
The mail ward on Lord Potter-Black will not be dropped until he requests us to remove it. (Possibly as early as Yule or as late as next summer).
Lord Potter Black brought forward another matter requiring our advice. He wants to handle Minister Cornelius Fudge – separate from any dealings with Albus Dumbledore – to reach an understanding whereby the minister and the ministry would stop slandering Lord Potter-Black's name accusing the young wizard of stating that the Dark Lord had returned. He asked for advice about suing the Daily Prophet for libel, but Sowsbreath suggested purchasing the final five hundred shares of the newspaper owned by the Bones family, Lord Potter-Black would be the majority stockholder (53%) and he could hire and fire as he pleased. Rita Skeeter is under an unbreakable contract, but Sowsbreath suggested that Lord Potter-Black require the editor to put Miss Skeeter in the tombs (writing obituaries for the next fifty years) if she stepped out of line with Lord Potter-Black.
Dobby Potter-Black Elf remembered something important in the Black Family Vaults that Sowsbreath did not know – the Black Family Grimoire of Blackmail. Whenever a wizard or witch offends Lord Black, the lord begins to accumulate information on the extended family and eventually magic begins to track family members much like a family tree tapestry.
Summoning the grimoire from the Black family vault, the elf quickly located the name Cornelius Fudge. In only minutes we determined that the wizard's does not appear on the Fudge family tree in the Grimoire of Blackmail. Tracking the wizard's lineage through his mother, Ophelia Fudge (née Longtree), we discovered that Cornelius is a cuckoo in the Fudge family. He was sired by Edmund Makepeace while Samuel Fudge was hospitalised for Wizarding Flu in 1935. There are younger brothers who should have inherited the family vaults.
Ophelia Fudge is still living and would be charged with line theft if the information is made public. Makepeace was killed by Death Eaters in 1975. Public revelation of this information would make Fudge into Cornelius Noname and his mother would go to Azkaban for life for line theft. The Fudge family home and vaults would be stripped from the man, and his children and grandchildren also declared 'noname'.
Lord Potter-Black asked Gringotts to verify the information before he would speak to Fudge. We rented a room under the subterfuge of a patron wishing to meet and make an anonymous donation to Minister Fudge. The minister will meet with Lord Potter-Black on 04 August 1995 without any Aurors or minions.
I shall be in the room as an advisor, but Firestarter, the Fudge vault manager will not be present. He would deny Cornelius Fudge access to the vaults immediately. To prevent Fudge from learning of Potter's elevation to be Lord Potter-Black, Sowsbreath will observe from another room. We shall have all necessary documentation present with press releases ready to send to the Daily Prophet.
Respectfully submitted,
Ironstream Affirmed Potter Family Vault Manager, Affirmed Fleamont Family Vault Manager, Affirmed Perevell Legacy Vault Manager
CC: Sowsbreath Black Family Vault Manager
Goblin 10 Mare 6481
Human 02 August 1995
CHANGE SCENE &&***