Chapter 3: It is time

Over the next four years, Harry would be raised at Potter Manor by his family and Severus. Sirius was firmly against the idea of his old school rival being involved in his godson's life but would reluctantly accept it since it was Lily's dying wish and the promise that was made. It annoyed him that Harry would choose to spend time with Severus when the man would come over. At first, he thought Snape had put a spell on him, but he was proven wrong when he made a magical vow. The animosity between the two was palpable, given what happened during their school days, indicating they would never be best friends and that some wounds run deeper than others. However, after several arguments, Arcturus stopped it by saying if they wished to be a part of Harry's life, they would have to be civil with one another. Reluctantly and very grudgingly, both men agreed for the boy's sake. Even though they did not like each other, they cared for Harry's peace of mind.

Another thing that should be noted is that Dumbledore was trying to get back into Sirius's good graces, yet the young man was not having any of it after he tried to have him sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit, among other things. A few weeks after his trial, Sirius turned his Auror badge in and told Crouch Sr. and Bagnold to go fuck themselves. Neither of them was too happy at how things ended, as Lord Black took great pleasure in making them miserable. Taking a majority of their money, some of Crouch's family business, putting Bagnold in Azkaban for a couple of months, and the political backlash for both of them. What caught the young Black by surprise was that some people forgot how ruthless his grandfather could be and did not take threats to his family well. A fact they learned and will never forget after his trial. Furthermore, when it was announced that he and Amelia would be getting married, they kept the guest list short to only friends and family. Two years later, they would have a daughter named Lauren Annelle Black.

After putting his three-year-old daughter down for a nap, Sirius sat on the sofa in the sitting room, reviewing the possible list of schools his godson could attend. Unfortunately, despite knowing that Hogwarts was a good school, the educational system had dropped significantly, as the professors, while accomplished in their fields, were limited by what they could teach. Moreover, neither he nor his grandfather and uncle wanted Albus near Harry. So the sensible thing to do would be to send him to a place where Dumbledore had no influence or spies.

He lifted his eyes when after seeing Severus enter the sitting room. "Snape," greeting a small nod and an even voice.

"Black," Severus cordially responded. "Where's the little one?" Though he had an idea of where the child was already.

"In the backyard with Nymphadora." Andromeda and Edward's "Ted," for short, only child, was revealed to be a metamorph, a dominant trait of the House of Black. Arcturus, at first, did not think much of Ted because he was a muggleborn, but after two years found him to be barely acceptable. In spite of his blood status, he was a good provider as he worked as a real estate agent for a well-known company. Knowing that his grandfather would rather die than admit it, he was happy the two had gotten married when they did. "Ted brought her here an hour ago."

Thinning his lips, he went to the backyard of the manor. There he found the two playing a game of catch with a tennis ball. "Glad to see you're using your free time well," he drawled.

A twinkle appeared in Harry's eyes as his smile got bigger whilst Nymphadora froze in place at seeing Snape. Unlike her friend, Dora was not fond of the Potions professor as he scared her, and to the fact that potions was not her best subject. "Y-Yes, sir. I have already completed my summer assignment." It was the first homework assignment she completed after getting home.

"I sincerely hope you make more of an effort in my class next year because, as you know, it will be your third year. Meaning you will be eligible to go to the Hogsmeade village. It would be a real shame if you could not go because your marks in my class are average," coolly stating a faux threat while clicking his tongue. The young metamorph's hair started cycling through different colors, having difficulty telling if he was being truthful or not. Her professor was known to be cold, cynical, and sometimes sarcastic. Harry, of course, laughed as he ran over to the tall man. Severus picked the boy up, "glad to see you're having a good time."

Harry was an intelligent young boy for his age with a drive to learn as many things as he could. However, being a magical child, his body and mind matured faster than a muggle child. Add to that, the boy had a mischievous streak in him. He and the young girl often liked to pull pranks on Sirius, to which he would often retaliate with his own, for as much as he looked like his father and inherited his penchant for sometimes getting into trouble or trouble finding him. In addition, he inherited more of his mother than anything else. "Guess what, Severus? Grandfather and Uncle have finally agreed to let me have a training wand."

Severus put the boy down. This was a topic the adults have been discussing for a couple of months now, as the five-year-old wanted to get his own. According to the law in Britain, children were not allowed to have their own wands until they turned eleven. The same time they would be going to Hogwarts for the first time. But that never stopped Harry from using his grandfather's or godfather's wands whenever possible. A ghost smile appeared on Severus's lips, "your grandfather informed me last week. I also have something for you."

Reaching into the pocket of his robes, he pulled out a book titled: A Beginner's Guide to Tactical Strategic Magical Combat. Harry loved these kinds of books. Whenever Severus, Charlus, or Arcturus would have the time, they show him memories of duels from the International Dueling Circuit. "Thank you, Uncle Severus," he hugged the man and accepted the book.

Charlus watched from the entrance of the entrance how Severus interacted with Harry and was surprised to see how well the boy had taken to the older man. In a way, Severus was like an honorary uncle. Sometimes he wondered if things were different, then maybe he and James would have been friends had they removed their heads from their arses. Quickly pushing the thought from his mind, he cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Come inside. We need to have a talk." Severus noticed the subtle edge in his voice and the small amount of anger hidden behind his brown eyes.

When they made it to the sitting room, Ted, Sirius, and Amelia sat on the couch while Arcturus leaned against the wall beside the fireplace with his arms folded across his chest, not at all happy. His silver eyes glowed with rage about what happened at today's Wizengamot meeting. Dumbledore. That interfering goat fucking bastard tried to interfere in the matters of both his and Charlus' House. Moreover, he had the nerve to ask or rather demand to see Harry and wished to be an influence in his life. It took all of his self-control to not take his wand and curse the man into oblivion. "The Wizengamot meeting was as annoying as ever. . ."

Everyone turned to Charlus, who, like Arcturus, was also unhappy. ". . .again, Dumbledore has tried to use his position as Chief Warlock to enter this house," his tone showed displeasure. The occupants of the room froze as they knew what Lord Potter thought about the Headmaster. "He believes that his status is enough for him to be granted access to see people, but it doesn't. And especially not in this house. I should also point out that he wants to meet with Sirius next week."

The said man narrowed his eyes, "well, he can forget it. He tried to put me in prison. I idolized, was loyal to, and fought for him. And how does he repay me? He drugs me with a potion, bewitches me, and then tries to off me to prison! If Albus believes I will stay on his side, then he has another thing comin'."

Arcturus gave him a small nod. "Finally, the boy is starting to learn not to be so trusting and is beginning to see past the old goat's grandfather persona." He mentally said. "First things first: You need to improve your Occlumency shields. While you are skilled at keeping any normal wizard or witch out, Dumbledore is a master Legilimens and will penetrate your mind."

The younger Black nodded in understanding; while reluctant, he looked to the right. "Imma need your help, Snape." It pained him to ask, but his grandfather made a valid point, and Severus was a master occlumens.

"We will start next week," replied Severus. "Depending on how strong your shields are will determine how long it will take me to get you to master level."

"Good, that's one thing being taken care of," Charlus sucked in a breath. "Now, as many of you already know, Dumbledore is waiting for Harry to arrive at Hogwarts after he turns eleven. I will not have him corrupt and use him the same way he did to James and Lily," the steel in his voice sent shivers down his nephew and niece's spines as they and everyone present could tell he meant it. Then rubbing the back of his head, "Saul sent a letter to me this morning saying he will be able to perform the ritual on the day of the full moon. From there, I plan on moving Harry to the States, away from Dumbledore's influence."

"So this is really happening. You're taking him to the States to attend Merlin's Magical Academy, aren't you," Andromeda looked at her uncle and grandfather. Neither of them said a word as the answer was written on their faces. She knew it was bound to happen but did not expect it to be this soon as she loved having Harry around. The same could be said about Nymphadora; her daughter loved her friend very much and she would be upset that would no longer be able to see him. However, the decision had already been made years ago.

Charlus saw the sadness in her eyes. "You haven't told her yet, have you?" He knew the answer despite asking the question. When Andromeda closed her eyes and lowered her head, he continued. "I am sorry, Andromeda, but it has to be this way. Until he can defend himself or is of age, Harry must be protected and remain out of Dumbledore's reach."

"Sadly, I agree. Just wondering how I'm going to break the news to Dora. She will not take it well. When is the full moon?" She started thinking of ways to tell her daughter that her best friend was leaving and that she would no longer have the chance to see him.

"Three days from now," Amelia replied, understanding the expression on her face.

Arcturus sighed, "assuming everything goes according to plan, he will receive his acceptance letter on his ninth birthday. Headmistress Mariah Stone has already agreed to have him as a potential student."

Andromeda was already getting a bad feeling as she had a feeling about how her daughter would take the news of this latest development. This was not going to go well.

(0^0)

Three days later, Andromeda and Ted were in the living room of their house discussing what would be happening tonight. "Today's the day, huh?"

Andromeda sighed as Ted drank some of his tea. "Yes, Uncle Charlus is finalizing the preparations with Algernon. Once the procedure is completed, they will be moving to the States."

Just when they were about to talk more, their daughter came running down the stairs with her hair cycling between different colors. "Later, mum, dad. I'll be back later." She would have made it to the fireplace but was stopped by her mother, who grabbed her shoulder.

"Honey, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but you can no longer go to Potter Manor." Upon seeing the sad look on Nymphadora's face made her dread the conversation they were about to have even greater.

"But why, mum? Harry and I were going to go flying today, and my summer homework has long since been completed." It was true, as she now had a lot of free time on her hands since school let out and had no more summer homework to complete. "Why can I not go back to Potter Manor anymore?"

"The reason why is because it has to do with the night he got that scar from Voldemort," her daughter shuddered at the mention of You-Know-Who's name. "You are still too young to know the full story, so I will tell you only what my grandfather and uncle have decided. Shortly after, Severus and Sirius were questioned under Veritaserum a plot was discovered to have Harry sent to Lily's sister and her family. A plot created by Dumbledore. He put James and Sirius under a loyalty potion and memory charm to make them act irrationally. As you can imagine, neither of them was thrilled to learn that Dumbledore had a hand in the deaths of James and Lily. Or Sirius's almost lifetime stay in Azkaban."

"So that explains why you and the others hate Dumbledore as much as you do. But why does that mean Harry has to leave?" Nymphadora questioned.

"Because if Dumbledore had it his way, then Harry would have been raised in a magic-hating environment, unaware of his true heritage. That would then make him susceptible to his manipulations and get him killed. So henceforth, grandfather and uncle have decided. . .to ensure that Dumbledore has no influence in his life, they have decided to move away from Britain. This is the best way to keep him safe until he is strong enough to protect himself." Andromeda explained.

"So. . .So does that mean I will never be able to see him again?" Tears started to well up in the young metamorph's eyes.

Her mum released a long sad sigh. "Believe me, sweetheart, this was not my decision to make. I thought there would be more time. . ."

"But that's not fair! You both knew this and never told me?!" Nymphadora cried. Tears came down her face. "Can I at least see him one last time? If anything, just to say goodbye?"

"I am sorry dear," Ted put an arm around his daughter. "Charlus has already locked down the manor. No one is allowed inside."

Nymphadora immediately ran upstairs to her room with tears falling down her eyes. Her parents heard the door slam shut. They knew their daughter would react badly to the news but did not know it would be like this. "That could have gone better. Do you think she will get over it?"

Andromeda sat next to her husband on the sofa and rubbed her forehead. "I don't know. I really don't know. Nymphadora considers him her best friend, and you saw how she reacted when we told her she would no longer be able to spend time with him. Despite what she or I would want, Arcturus and Charlus have already decided, and this is not forever."

They knew their daughter had friends at school, but Harry was perhaps her closest, given the amount of time they would spend together.

(0^0)

Later that day, when night finally took over, and the full moon was out, Charlus, Arcturus, Sirius, and Harry arrived at an unplottable building in Ireland. Charlus could tell his grandson was nervous and knelt down. "It will be all right, Harry. We're going to make you whole again. I promise."

"I still do not know what is wrong with me," the five-year-old said.

"We will tell you once you are older," Arcturus promised. "But we need to get underway while the moon is still full and before it becomes midnight."

Harry held his grandfather's hand, and the four walked inside, where they were greeted by a few people in dark-colored robes and had their hoods covering their faces. The leader motioned for them to follow, "mage Croaker is expecting the four of you. Everything has been prepared for the ritual."

They eventually arrived in a chamber lit by a dozen or so floating candles, with two others standing before a stone slab. As the group approached, the ceiling began to open, revealing the starry night sky and full moon. One of the mages removed his hood, revealing himself to be Saul. The man smiled at the four but gave a bigger smile to Harry and Charlus when they approached. "To do what we need to do, Harry will first need to drink the Draught of Living Death," he held up a hand when Sirius was about to protest. "It's needed for the ritual and is only temporary. Severus has already brewed the potion and antidote and submitted it to me. They have both been checked."

Sirius seemed to deflate a little, though the concern on his face was still present. "You are sure the ritual will purge the fragment from his scar? It won't do anything damaging to him, right?"

"I give you my word that all necessary precautions are being taken," he replied with a hand over his heart. Then shifting his gaze to the Potters. "Are you ready?"

The look on Charlus's face said it all. On the other hand, Harry still seemed scared but nodded his consent. "Then we proceed. Everyone take your positions," he said to the mages in the room and watched as they came closer, standing in different areas. "Charlus put Harry on the stone slab. You two bring the potions."

Pointing to the two mages near the door, who quickly left to retrieve the potions while Charlus picked up his grandson and put him on the slab. The elder Potter held the boy's hand when the mages returned with the potions. Charlus stuck his hand out at one of them, who carried the first potion Harry would need to take. If something went wrong, he would at least know it was done by his hand. Once the potion was in his hand, he turned around and told Harry to open up while he poured it down his throat. "This will all be over soon. I promise."

Having drunk the bitter potion, Harry nodded before closing his eyes and falling into a death-like slumber. Saul touched his friend's shoulder, "the time is right. We must begin."

Reluctantly Charlus cast a final glance at his grandson before backing up until he stood next to the others. Saul took a deep breath, "may the mother of magic give me strength for this," he muttered. A minute later, he and the other mages in the room started to chant in Sanskrit. The room then lit up, showing that they were all standing in different circles, similar to what the old mages in the past used to do. Their circles glowed light blue until an ancient ritual circle formed around them and Harry. The light around the five-year-old soon turned white, and he started screaming in absolute pain. Despite being under the effects of the Draught of Living Death, the burning sensation in his scar made him experience pain that would make the cruciatus look tame by comparison.

The three adults on the opposite side of the ritual found it hard not to do anything as they listened to Harry scream in agony. Sirius was having a harder time as tears welled up in his eyes. "That's enough! I'm putting a stop to this—"

He was halted by his grandfather, who grabbed him by the shoulder. "I know it's hard to listen and watch this, but we must have faith they can purge the Horcrux from Harry's scar." His silver eyes showed he understood the boy's train of thought, as he, too, found it hard to stand by and do nothing. Feeling like his heart was about to burst from his chest as he watched as the ritual continued.

After half an hour, Harry's scar glowed black, and the soul fragment started to emerge, releasing a high-pitch ear-destroying scream that covered the chamber. When it was completely out of its host, the fragment started to tear apart when it tried returning to the child's scar. The process was nearly complete, but when the fragment was finally destroyed, it left some magic that merged with the boy's core. As soon as the blue light that was once in the room vanished, showing the ritual was finally over. Charlus, Arcturus, and Sirius raced over to Harry's side when all of the mages in the room fell to their knees, breathing heavily. "What happened? Did the ritual work? Is the Horcrux gone?!"

Despite feeling weak in his legs, Saul managed to stand up though he would have fallen over had Arcturus not grabbed him in time. "Thank you," Saul said as his old friend let him lean on his shoulder and put most of his weight on him. Standing beside a worried Charlus, he summoned his wand from its holster and waved it over the boy performing some diagnostic spells over him. He then spoke, "the ritual was a success. The Horcrux has been purged from his scar. He's going to be fine."

"Thank god," Sirius sighed.

"However. . ." a nervous Saul began as everyone narrowed their eyes, staring imperiously at him. ". . .the Horcrux left behind some magic that seems to have merged with Harry's core."

"What does that mean?" Arcturus asked.

"The results show that while the soul splinter was destroyed. However, the lingering magic that was once in the Horcrux has now combined with Harry's own, thus making him more powerful than before." They listened as Saul explained the results he got from the diagnostic spells. He then confirmed that there would be no after-effects, nor would there be any harm to either Harry or his magic. "But he will need to have better control over his magic before he enters school. I trust I don't have to explain why."

"That will be my job," Arcturus grunted. "I will also start teaching him occlumency after he turns six. The mind arts might be an obscure branch of magic, but they are useful in helping someone remain in control of their thoughts, emotions, and magic." Lord Black thought deeply about how he would begin the boy's training and what else he might need. Should the boy be unable to use his magic or be deprived of his wand, he will need other skills to compensate. While loathing the idea that just popped into his head, it would be better to be safe than sorry. He would need to discuss it with Charlus later.

Saul motioned for one of the mages to bring the remaining potions over while Sirius lifted his godson up. The antidote to the Draught of Living Death was administered first. This was soon followed by a pain-relieving potion. A few minutes later, Harry groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. "Padfoot," he tiredly said.

A look of relief washed over Sirius. "Hey, pup. How do you feel?"

"My head hurts, and I'm tired," his emerald, green eyes found his grandfather.

"Of course you are. Come on, let's go home," picking his grandson up, he motioned for the Blacks to follow, and they left the chamber. Though not before turning around, "thank you, Saul. Thank you all for what you did for him." And with that, they left the building and apparated back to Potter manor.

(0^0)

Four days later, Charlus sat beside Arcturus after he finished checking on Harry, who was still asleep. "I take it the little one is still sleeping? Don't worry, my friend, he'll wake up soon," he replied after seeing the look on his friend's face.

"I'm just glad that Horcrux is gone," voiced Charlus. "Saul came by earlier saying that he discovered that the Horcrux extracted from Harry's scar is actually one of seven. You know what that means. . ."

". . .Fuck! The murdering psychopath will not be killed until all of them are destroyed. Even if we can find and destroy his other anchors, the problem remains of finally being rid of him, as he will not go down lightly. If anything, he's worse than Grindelwald." Arcturus laminated.

"Right," Charlus groaned, "and then there's Dumbledore to deal with. . . So that makes two arseholes we have to worry about." He resigned himself leaning back in his seat. "But first things first. We have to ensure that Harry is prepared and the safety of the other members of our family. Lauren will also need to be trained."

"Don't you worry about that. I'll handle it." Arcturus said in a firm voice. There was no way in hell that he was going to leave his great-granddaughter defenseless when she leaves to attend Hogwarts. Their attention was soon drawn elsewhere when they heard soft footsteps coming down the staircase. "Looks like the little dragon has finally woken up," a smile tugged against Charlus's lips when he saw the familiar unruly hair that belonged to his grandson. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, grandfather," the child speedily walked towards the man who picked him up and sat him on his lap.

A ghost smile appeared on Arcturus' face when he saw the lightning bolt scar on his forehead start to fade. The smile then grew when he saw the boy's skin and hair color start to change, and he immediately knew what it meant. "Well, would you look at that. . . You see that? I told you he was more of a Black than what you thought," he smirked at his brother-in-law while playfully ruffling his nephew's hair. "Only members of our family are metamorphmagus."

Meeting Arcturus's grin with his own, "be that as it may, he is a Potter by birth and has our last name. Like every Potter before him, he will excel at Battle magic and Transfiguration."

"You mean Charms and the Dark Arts," countered Arcturus.

"Like I said, he's a Potter."

"You're gonna confuse the child, Charlus," Lord Black retorted, then chuckled and pulled out a brochure from his robe. "Here, this is the brochure to the Academy where you will be attending," handing the thing to Harry, who happily accepted it.

"The Academy is on the edge of the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park near the ocean and is one of the best magical institutions in the world. Admittedly I would have sent your father there instead of Hogwarts," Charlus added. "Anyway, the Academy has a number of different subjects: Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Ancient Runes, Martial magic, etc. Their education system is also based on skill level, meaning if you have a high aptitude for a subject, you'll be allowed to advance to the next year much quicker than the others."

It also helped that the school was near a city completely free of muggles. Unlike here in Britain, where there are only towns and villages, the States had actual cities for wizards and witches. Moreover, the cities resembled their current century instead of the 19th-century crap here. Another contributing factor is that they can actually blend in with muggles should they decide to go into the muggle world.

They gave the lad some time to look over the brochure, and if the expression on Harry's face indicated anything, he definitely liked the idea. Charlus then popped the question. "So you want to attend when you get older?" Already knowing the answer to the question.

"Yeah," the boy happily replied.

"Good, because we're heading to Los Angeles next week, and your formal training will begin." The Potters had homes in different locations around the globe, and each of them were heavily warded. Anyone foolish enough to try and enter would receive a nasty surprise and not live long enough to regret it. The home they'd be heading to was the American version of a manor; decent rooms, a home office, a potions lab, a dueling room, a library, etc. In short, it would be more than a comfortable place to live and train before Harry started school.

(0^0)

The following day, Charlus and Arcturus were preparing to head to Diagon Alley for Harry to take the inheritance test at Gringotts. Griphook, the Potter family account manager, approved his request and, along with King Ragnok, agreed to serve as witnesses for the proceedings. This would also be a good way to show his grandson how one is supposed to act around the goblins. For centuries, the Potters have been considered friends of the Goblin Nation since they were among the few families that treated them respectfully. Of course, there were other reasons why they would be heading into Diagon Alley. One was to get Harry a training wand from Knockturn Alley. Despite Britain's law about children not being allowed to have wands until they receive their acceptance letters. That did not mean the children were not allowed to have training wands. It was considered a grey area.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Arcturus came into the room with a surprised look on his face. "Come on, Charlie. You might want to see this."

Charlus frowned and shook his head at the nickname Arcturus gave him all those years ago. Boy, did he hate that nickname. Then quickly schooling his features, but not before sending his brother-in-law a look that said I'll get you back later. Outside in the backyard, he saw Harry sitting in the grass next to a boa constrictor. But that's not what got his attention, as the two seemed to be hissing, and then it hit him.

"Since when are you a parseltongue?" Shooting his grandson a shocked and confused look.

"What's parseltongue? I was speaking with Asmodeus," Harry turned his head to them while pointing at the snake.

Arcturus looked at Charlus from the corner of his right eye. "Well, this is. . .interesting. And it raises some questions. Perhaps either Ragnok or Griphook can provide some answers." He suggestively said, though the surprise on his face was visible.

Deciding he was right, Charlus motioned for Harry to come along as they headed back inside, and he used his magic to lock down the manor. Once the house was secure, the three walked beyond the manor's gates and apparated to Diagon Alley. When they arrived outside the Apothecary shop, Harry immediately took in the scenery, though he was slightly dismayed at how old the building looked. Even as a five-year-old, he wondered why everything looked so old. Then looking up, he followed his grandfather and uncle through the crowded streets.

By the time they eventually made it to the bank, Arcturus stopped them after they entered the lobby and pointed at what was written above in gold:

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

"Remember, Harry. Goblins are a proud race and should never be underestimated, as they do more than watch over our money. So mind your behavior here and show them the respect they deserve."

Harry nodded in understanding. He was amazed to see a different race of magical beings other than the house elves back home. When they approached a teller, Charlus cleared his throat to get the goblin's attention.

"State your name and reason for being here." The goblin said, not liking that he had been interrupted while in the middle of work. Time is money.

"Lords Charlus Potter and Arcturus Black. We are here so Harry can take the inheritance test with warrior Griphook and King Ragnok."

Quickly confirming the man's identity, he told them to wait while he went to retrieve his superiors. Not long later, an elderly goblin dressed in a business suit with glasses hanging on his face approached the wizards; behind him was a younger goblin also wearing a business suit. The elder goblin gave a big smile that showed his sharp teeth. "It warms my heart to see the two of you again. Once again, Charlus, I would like to again offer my condolences on what happened to your son and daughter-in-law. They were truly great people. Especially your son; despite being a prankster, he was a good kid."

"Thank you, Ragnok," giving a respectful bow to the King of the Goblins. "Allow me to introduce my grandson, Harry Potter."

"Hello, sir. It's an honor to meet you. May your gold flow and your enemies crumble beneath your feet," offering a respectful bow.

"Well, met child," he replied, shifting his gaze to Charlus, "you taught him well. Now if you three will follow me to my office. Griphook will perform the inheritance test."

He led them to his office, which was down the hall. On the door was a gold plaque that said 'Manager Ragnok.' Ragnok openedthe door to allow his guests to enter, and once they were all seated, he motioned for Griphook to get a silver basin and a short knife. "Are you ready young one?" Harry nods his head.

"Then please move beside Griphook so he can take a blood sample," pointing to his fellow goblin. "Only five drops of your blood will be required."

Harry complied and stood before the goblin named Griphook with his right hand out. He barely felt anything when Griphook gave him a little prick. His skin healed after five drops of blood fell into the basin. A minute later, the basin glowed white, and the man showed the results:

Name: Harry James Potter

Blood Status: Half-blood

Parents: James Charlus Potter (Deceased) and Lily Maria Potter (Deceased)

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of the Potters (by blood and magic)

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Gryffindor (by blood and magic)

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin (by blood, conquest, and magic)

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black (by blood and magic)

Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Peverell (by blood and magic)

Affinities:

Metamorphmagus

Magical Combat

Transfiguration

Charms

Parseltongue Magic

Potions

Elemental: Air and Water

High Intellect

Dark Arts

Charlus then cleared his throat when the test ended. "How is it that Harry is the heir to the House of Slytherin? They were supposed to have been absorbed into the House of Gaunt three centuries later. Due to their insanities and disregard for violating magical laws were removed from the Ancient and Noble lines. Furthermore, no one in the Potter family would ever marry someone from them."

"You are correct in saying that your family has never had relations with them. But this is an interesting development," Ragnok spoke in a neutral voice. "However, I have a theory. . . Griphook, head to the archives department and bring me the list of people who come from the Slytherin line."

"Yes, sir." Griphook raced out of the office.

Half an hour later, he returned with an ancient scroll. The scroll was enchanted with goblin magic, so they alone could see what was on it. This was standard protocol for them, as they valued confidentiality to an insane degree. Opening it for his superior, they looked through the list of people from the Slytherin family tree. What they found surprised them greatly. "Now, this is a shocking discovery."

"What is it?" Arcturus asked.

"It would appear that Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort," his voice was filled with hatred and disgust when he said his name, "whatever you wish to call him, was not the only member of the House of Slytherin. Seems here that Lily Potter nee Evans is actually from a squib line of the family. This would likely explain why young Mr. Potter is a parseltongue because that unique ability is only accessible to those who are descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself."

Griphook then rounded the desk until he was mere inches from the youngest person in the room, where he stared intently into Harry's eyes. A blank expression plastered over his face for several seconds as he looked at the child's emerald, green eyes. His eyes strongly resembled the color of the killing curse; however, Griphook had been alive for nearly 150 years and had extensively studied the backgrounds of the Ancient House, both current and extinct. He didn't turn away for several seconds, but when he did, he looked at the King.

"The child is undoubtedly a descendant from the House of Slytherin. There can be no doubt about that," stating in a firm voice.

"What are you talking about? We just confirmed he is a descendant from his mum's side of the family."

"I'm talking about the power that is lying dormant within him. The power of the family magic. . .is unusually strong within him." Before resuming, he allowed that to sink into the room's occupants, "the boy will have to learn to control that brand of magic."

Charlus and Arcturus nod their heads in understanding. The latter looked to be in deep thought while the former moved to the next part of their meeting. "That aside, there is something else I wish to discuss with Griphook. Given what's happened over the last four years, the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, and their curriculum. . . The other members of the family and I have decided that Harry will attend Merlin's Magical Academy in the States. Now seeing as they use Dragots instead of Galleons, I need to know how much money that will be."

"Say no more," Griphook replied. "Let me assure you that the two are of equal value. So whatever the price of something is here will be the same in the U.S. We also developed a new conversion system courtesy of your late daughter-in-law. Before her untimely demise, she proposed that instead of carrying money pouches, people should have a wallet and a debit card that is directly linked to their accounts. King Ragnok and the other Goblin leaders from the other countries approved it last week."

"Griphook speaks the truth," Ragnok piped up. "We can have the items made within an hour. We just need your vault keys."

Charlus smirked as his eyes shined with glee. To hear that Lily would propose such an idea would help witches and wizards everywhere. He pulled his key from his pocket and handed it to Griphook, with Arcturus following behind, requesting that RipClaw produce them. Griphook took their keys and left the office to go find his fellow goblin, who should be in his office. An hour later, they returned with the items and explained how they worked. When the meeting was concluded, Harry, Arcturus, and Charlus wished them a good day, left the bank, and headed towards Knockturn Alley.

Before they could enter the alley, someone called out to Charlus. "Lord Potter, is that you?" The voice was loud and feminine. Then turning around, he saw a plump red-headed woman approaching from behind. It took only a second for him to realize who the woman was; Arcturus, though, scowled and sneered at the Weasley family. "I know we rarely interacted, but you should know that my husband and I were friends with James and Lily." She spoke as if they were long-lost friends.

The Weasley family were staunch supporters of Dumbledore and worshipped the ground he walked on, believing him to be the second incoming of Merlin who could do no wrong. There was no question that she knew James and Lily as they were part of the Order of Phoenix, like her, her husband, and her two brothers. But, contrary to what she said about being friends with his son and daughter-in-law, he knew for a fact that Lily did not like the woman. She would often speak of the woman in a not-so-flattering way, and the two would often clash on what was the best. Keeping his expression neutral.

"Yes, I know who you are, Mrs. Weasley. Unfortunately, my family and I have a schedule to keep," he turned midway but was stopped when the woman spoke again.

"Why are you heading into Knockturn Alley with Harry?" Her voice carried a not-so-subtle amount of hostility. "There are a number of You-Know-Who's followers and supporters that like to hang around there." She briefly looked at Lord Black, whose scowl deepened at her.

"That is of no concern to you, woman," Arcturus bit back his silver eyes radiated power. "Come along, Harry," he turned in the other direction and began walking away with the boy following close behind.

". . .It would be wise for you not to overstep your boundaries, Mrs. Weasley. What I do with my grandson is my business."

Molly took a step back at his cold response before quickly composing herself. "Forgive me, Lord Potter. I was only concerned for Harry's safety." She tried to make herself appear like a mother to the boy, as the Potters were exceedingly wealthy and could help her family's financial and political standings in the magical world. If the heir to the Potters were to become friends with her children, then they could have a better life. She doubted the boy had any friends his own age, so that would be a golden opportunity for her to introduce him to Ron. "Um, would you and Harry like to come to the Burrow? My youngest son Ronald is around the same age as him, and I'm sure they will become fast friends."

"The offer is generous; however, that will be unnecessary. Goodbye," turning around, he walked away from the woman.

Molly was left stewing as her offer was declined, and the chance for getting close to the Potters was gone. She immediately apparated home so she could floo call Albus to tell him who she saw.

By the time Charlus caught up to Arcturus and Harry, they were standing outside the shop. "What did the harpy want?" Arcturus would have used a different term to describe the woman, but his nephew was present.

"Tell you later," the expression on his face indicated a conversation would be evident.

"Agreed. If you excuse me, I need to get a few things," walking down the alley as Harry and Charlus entered the establishment.

Unlike Ollivander wand shop, this one did not have a warm feeling as it felt mildly depressing. A man in his late fifties stood behind the desk in front of so many wands in different slots. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes. It's been quite a while, Charlus. To what do I owe the pleasure of you coming here today?"

"That it has, Samuel. I'm here to get my grandson a training wand," handing the man a signed document he retrieved from the pocket of his robe.

Samuel reviewed the document carefully to ensure its validity before returning it. "Follow me, please," motioning for them to follow into another room. He led them to a section where the training wands would be located. "All right, Mr. Potter, what is your dominant hand?"

"I'm ambidextrous."

"Really?" He stared at the boy, then at his grandfather. "That's rare." Getting over his surprise, "then let's proceed. . ."

It took them three hours to find a training wand for Harry, and by that time, they had done more than 80% of the wands he tested either did not cooperate with him or felt cold and lifeless. "Thank you, Sam, and sorry about your shop looking at the mess that was made."

"Don't fret," waving his wand, he repaired everything as Charlus took out seven galleons and handed them to him.

The two Potters walked outside, where they met Arcturus. "We better move before you know who arrives."

Charlus quickly grabbed Harry's hand after hearing the edge in Arcturus' voice and apparated away just as Dumbledore came down the alley. The old warlock did not even get the chance to say anything as both Arcturus and Charlus apparated away. "Damn it," Albus groaned in frustration. When Molly told him that the three had been spotted in Diagon Alley, he thought it would be an opportunity to see young Harry and hopefully talk to Charlus about the boy's future in attending Hogwarts. This was going to be a long game as his plans greatly depended on Harry being at Hogwarts. Whether Charlus or Arcturus liked it or not, Harry will have to attend Hogwarts when he turns eleven, and it would be the perfect way to implement his plans. And if he couldn't meet or get near the child now, then there were other alternatives. He would just need to be patient.

A/N: This is a story where Harry does not start his schooling at Hogwarts; instead, he will be in the U.S., which will greatly annoy Dumbledore when he discovers that Harry will not be sorted during his first year. Sirius and Severus still do not like each other, obviously, but have agreed to be civil with one another for Harry's sake. However, there is something that has been bothering me. Why do the people in the wizarding world dress like they are from the 19th century? I mean, come on now. Anyone with a brain and a pair of eyes can tell they're more advanced than the muggles. So what's the point in keeping things old in Britain?

Now before any of you say anything, hear me out. Harry will be at Hogwarts, though when is unknown for the time. I figure I have some fun and let you all think about it.

Next Chapter: The Tour and new friends