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-Black arrived for a meeting with his two vault managers at 10:00 AM. Apparently, the guards who have been around the home of his muggle guardians have pulled back somewhat – the Daily Prophet ran articles the last two days laying all the blame for the rumours about the Dark Lord's return on the shoulders of Albus-Too-Many-Names Dumbledore and more importantly proclaiming that Mr Harry James Potter was only a child pulled into the bruhaha by happenstance. The articles repeated the forced participation by the underaged teenager in the tournament that was supposed to restricted to adults, and other articles detailed the immediate and long-term effects of Acromantula poisoning.
Our young lord seemed pleased.
Then Sowsbreath and I both provided Lord Potter-Black with the results of our search for betrothal agreements in the Potter Family Vault and the Black Family Vault.
In the Potter vault, I found only two agreements that were prepared in the last sixty years (Fleamont Potter and Euphemia Black were betrothed more than eighty years in the past). The oldest agreement was the one between James Fleamont Potter and Lily Marie Evans from October 1975. The document was signed by Gryffindor House Head Minerva McGonagall as the magical guardian of the muggleborn Lily Marie Evans. There were no other signatures on the betrothal agreement and Lord Potter-Black asked about the significance of that fact.
Sowsbreath shared one of the betrothal agreements from the Black family to show the difference. The agreement that bound Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black together to be husband and wife had been signed by both fathers and by Lord Black.
I added, "Because your grandfather Lord Fleamont Potter never signed the agreement, the betrothal was not valid."
Lord Potter-Black inquired about his legitimacy and we assured him that the marriage license for James Potter and Lily Evans was valid. And the registration of the blood adoption of his godson by Sirius Black, assured the teenager of his claim to the title of Lord Black.
"So, they just browbeat my mother into accepting this betrothal?"
"There was magic involved to draw your mother and father together during their betrothal, but yes, Lily Evans could have run if she had been able."
It took almost ten minutes for our client to calm himself. Then I created quite a stir by producing a second betrothal agreement that was to create a betrothal between Lord Potter-Black (as Harry James Potter) and the daughter of Squire Arthur Weasley (Ginevra Molly Weasley). Mr Weasley works as a ministry worker in the DMLE, and he is the third son of Lord Weasley's fourth son and stands no chance of ever becoming lord of that family.
Sowsbreath was contemptuous of the notion that a lord of two families – two rich and powerful families – would join with the daughter of such a minor family with no connections or wealth.
Lord Potter-Black immediately explained the circumstance. "The headmaster is involved. I am certain of it."
"He is," Ironstream confirmed. "There are multiple documents beginning in 1984 where there were attempts by Albus-Too-Many-Names Dumbledore and Molly Anne Weasley (née Prewitt) to sign the betrothal, but the magic refused to accept their signatures. One day they signed four different versions, but magic rejected each one. They even tried to use regular muggle biros, but the documents deleted their signatures each time. In July 1993, they tried again, and this time Arthur Weasley attempted to sign the betrothal, but it failed. He only tried twice before stopping."
"Why do you think they stopped?"
"The contract quills scar the back of the person's hand severely when they are repeatedly violating something that magic has rejected."
"So, Dumbledore, and Mr and Mrs Weasley will have scars on the back of their hands?"
"Yes, most definitely. I don't know what the scars read but most likely their names."
"So, I am not obligated by any document to a betrothal with…with Miss Weasley?"
"No," Ironstream replied.
"How do I avoid anyone claiming I am later?"
"Enter into a betrothal with the daughter of a more acceptable family – the Greengrass family is rich enough."
"But they are purebloods, and she'd have control of me and the estate!"
"Good, you're learning already," Sowsbreath replied. "I shall draw up a list of suitable candidates from your classmates, and others who are ten years older and younger."
The goblin didn't recognize the silence from the vault holder as being a problem and considered the matter closed for the moment. Ironstream said nothing as the elf became visible and handed his wizard a calming potion.
Sowsbreath spoke up, "Now there some interesting facts in the betrothal agreements in place in the Black Family Vault."
"Such as?" Ironstream inquired when Lord Potter-Black didn't immediately respond.
"The two most recent betrothal agreements are for Narcissa Black to marry Lucius Malfoy and for Bellatrix Black to marry Rodolphus Lestrange," answered Sowsbreath.
The teenager sighed, "I'm related to the worst witches and wizards in Britain."
"They would not agree with you Lord Black," replied the goblin, sounding critical of the teenager's statement.
"Sowsbreath, do you know what they think of goblins?" asked Lord Potter-Black. "They consider all goblins to be vermin that must be exterminated as soon as the Dark Lord takes control of Magical Britain. Goblins are lower than muggles, centaurs, and house elves."
Pausing to nod his head in acknowledgement of the truth in the young wizard's statement, Sowsbreath continued, "Both agreements have the required signatures of the fathers and Lord Black. Lord Lestrange also signed to validate the Lestrange family magic."
Ironstream asked, "Are there any problems or penalties in place that Lord Potter-Black can enact against either couple?"
Harry observed Sowsbreath smile with a display of obsidian black teeth capped with gold. The goblin said, "There are violations to the betrothals and penalties available to inflict upon both estates today."
"If you go after them, will they know that someone has become Lord Black?"
"No," Sowsbreath replied. "I shall tell them a regular audit of documentation in the Black Family Vault triggered these timed penalties."
"What are the violations and penalties?" asked Ironstream to move the conversation forward.
"The Lestrange marriage was supposed to produce at least two children within ten years. The marriage is seventeen years old and there are no children nor are there ever likely to be with both Rodolphus and Bellatrix confined to Azkaban for life," Sowsbreath stated. "The Black family vault is due back the full value of the dowry plus interest as the penalty."
Harry asked, "If they are in prison, what can you collect, if anything?"
"The Lestrange family vault here in the bank is solvent and Madame Lestrange has a personal vault in the bank as well."
Ironstream nodded to the teenager confirming that the penalties should be seized. Only now beginning to understand his vault holder, Sowsbreath did not take offence that the other vault manager was advising Lord Potter-Black.
With undisguised glee in his voice, Sowsbreath continued, "The Malfoy agreement has almost the same violation – there were to be at least two children but only the one boy was produced. Mrs Malfoy tried to bear other children, but she miscarried so many times before and after the birth of Draconis that she is unable to conceive any longer."
"That is sad, not something to be happy about," Harry instructed his Black Vault Manager.
"No, of course not Lord Black, but Mr Malfoy has pestered me so regularly since October 1981 about him being Regent for his son when the boy became Lord Black, making inquiries about the value of the Black vaults, and the inactive seats in the Wizengamot, that I look forward to writing the letter scheduling the return of these items by the earliest date possible or Gringotts will inflict financial penalties on the Malfoy vaults."
"And what do you know about the current state of the Malfoy accounts?" asked Ironstream. "About the rumours circulating in Gringotts about Malfoy's gold?"
Sowsbreath again smiled with the obsidian teeth with golden caps as he shared, "The rumours among the vault managers and accounting staff are that Malfoy and the other reformed Death Eaters have all had unexpected expenses since the end of June of between ten thousand and fifty thousand galleons each."
Ironstream muttered, "Sounds like someone is building a war chest for a future conflict."
Nodding his head to accept the warning, Harry asked, "What are the penalties involved?"
"Return of part of the dowry including galleons, one large farm, and a complete set of golden flatware and chargers for thirty-seven persons."
Harry asked, "I'm aware of flatwear but what are chargers?"
"For the high society in Magical Britain, the formal dining room table will include charger plates – large, decorative plates placed underneath the actual porcelain plate. The flatwear and chargers of gold that were included in Narcissa Black's dowry are priceless as they were from the court of Queen Elizabeth I. The wizard who was Lord Black at the time stole them from under the nose of the royal stewards and the royal wizard."
"Take them back," Harry said. "Before Samhain – Yule at the latest. I want to see Draco's face when he learns he can't eat off golden plates anymore."
With the affirmed commands from Lord Potter-Black, we adjourned our meeting, and the teenager was popped back to his muggle existence by his elf.
Ironstream Affirmed Potter Family Vault Manager, Affirmed Fleamont Family Vault Manager, Affirmed Perevell Legacy Vault Manager
CC: Sowsbreath Black Family Vault Manager
Goblin 15 Mare 6481
Human 07 August 1995
CHANGE SCENE &&***