Sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I hope you will like politics being more forefront in this story as well as Harry and Hermione's sixth year and relationship. Also, I looked Molly Weasley's middle name up but nothing came up so I am unsure on what her middle name is so I left it. Please review!
Chapter 5
Harry smiled slightly at Hermione's hesitant face as they entered Gringotts, knowing she rarely entered due to being muggleborn and he didn't believe she had ever been past the desks as she didn't have a vault. He planned on changing that today.
Sirius strode up to the Goblin teller, his voice tight as he said "I need access to the Potter vaults."
"No can do," the goblin replied, bored, not even bothering to look up.
"I am the Potter regent until my godson is of age. Without my permission or the previous Lord the vaults were sealed up."
This got the goblins attention. He looked disdainfully at Sirius. "That isn't possibly. We don't make mistakes."
"I never said it was a mistake," Sirius replied, matching the coldness in the goblins tone perfectly. Harry couldn't lie, it made him nervous about ever getting on his godfathers bad side and wondering why so many people had. Honestly, didn't some people have common sense?
The goblin looked quite affronted at this. "You cannot be suggesting that we sealed it, ignoring the proper protocol?! I don't know who you are but –"
"Lord Black."
The goblin faltered at that. "Lord Black? The last I heard –"
"I was imprison, I know. Now, about that vault…"
"I will have Griphook take you to the Potter account manager Sharptooth immediately."
While this went on, Harry couldn't help but sneak a glance at Hermione, correctly assuming she would be unhappy about how the service had changed when he realised who Sirius was. Her arms were folded as she frowned at the goblin and at catching his and Ron's eye she leaned over, muttering "This is ridiculous. Honestly, it shouldn't matter if he's a lord or just any old wizard, we should all get the same treatment."
"Hermione, you know I love you, but I refuse to do another S.P.E.W," Ron said, arms folded.
He ducked his head at her glare and Harry's lips twitched. "Maybe wait till we're out of Hogwarts to start that campaign."
Before Hermione could reply Ron nudged them and they all turned to Sirius, who gestured for them to follow him. The goblin teller led them through a number of winding passages lined with ancient wooden doors before stopping at one of them. "Sharptooth is awaiting your presence Lord Black, Heir Potter and friends."
Harry blinked at his title, Hermione's eyes widening while Ron just snorted, muttering "Your face," causing Sirius to grin as they entered. An older goblin sat behind a desk, peering at them curiously before breaking into a grizzly smile and Harry felt Hermione hand enclose his with a tight grip. He couldn't blame her, goblin smiles were terrifying.
"Lord Black, so nice to see you again. And of course the young Potter heir, you look so like your father and his father before him. I assume you have come to unseal your vaults."
"Vaults? As in plural?" Harry blurted out, unable to help it. Even Sirius looked surprised.
"I thought only the Potter family vault was sealed, I know his trust vault wasn't," Sirius replied. "I didn't know the Potter family had any other vaults."
Sharptooth gave another twisted smile. "All will come clear with a simple inheritance check, if you would like?"
Harry glanced at Sirius who nodded, saying "We were going to do that anyway so why not start there."
"Heir Potter, please add three drops of blood into this," Sharptooth said, handing him a goblet and a dagger. Hermione's frown intensified at that, muttering "Unsafe," to herself at the sight of the dagger which made everyone break out into a smile.
Harry cut his finger and watched his blood drip into the goblet and they all watch the potion swirl. A parchment slowly unfolded onto the desk and Sharptooth handed it to Harry. It read:
Mother: Lily Louise Potter nee Evans
Father: James Charlus Potter
Father: Sirius Orion Black (through blood adoption at 3 months old)
Godfather: Sirius Orion Black
Godmother: Alice Longbottom nee McFarlane
Godbrother: Neville Longbottom
Head of the most ancient and noble house of Potter (Paternal line)
Head of the most ancient and noble house of Peverell (Paternal Line, merged with the Potter's)
Head of the most ancient and noble house of Gryffindor (Paternal line)
Head of the most ancient and noble house of Slytherin (By Conquest)
Heir to the most ancient and noble house of Black
Vaults:
Family vault:
Money – 365,398,000 galleons, 27 sickles and 5 knuts
Artifacts – 341, worth 10 million galleons
Trust vault:
Money – 20,000 galleons, (re-stocked every year)
Artifacts – none
Gryffindor vault:
Money – 435,254,000 galleons, 87 sickles and 3 knuts
Artifacts – 254, worth 15,356,000
Slytherin vault:
Money – 426,847,000 galleons, 35 sickles, 2 knuts
Artifacts – 195, worth 9,345,000 galleons
Houses:
Peverell Manor
Potter Manor
The cottage at Godric's Hollow
A villa in Italy, a private beach
A cottage in Cornwall
A cottage in Devon
A flat in Diagon Alley
An empty store in Diagon Alley
Hogwarts
Investments:
35% Daily Prophet
33% Weasley's Wizarding's Wheezes
25% Hogwarts
20% Twilfit's and Tattings
20% Quality Quidditch Supplies
15% Eeylop's Owl Emporium
13%Florean Fortescue's ice cream shop
Powers:
Parsletongue – activated
Magical power: ¾ blocked (by A.P.W.B.D 1st September 1991)
Wandless Magic: partially blocked (by A.P.W.B.D 1st September 1991)
Curses/Potions/other relevant info:
Loyalty potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Compulsion potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Magical draining potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Dursley hating curse (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Abuse talking preventing curse (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Basilisk venom
Phoenix tears
"Dumbledore's been drugging you?!" Hermione gasped, horrified. Sirius gave a growl but everyone froze when Ron said slowly, "Do you think he's done that to all the Order? And us as well? It wouldn't be hard with mum cooking and Dumbledore just slipping something in. The elves at Hogwarts wouldn't be able to say anything either."
"Would you wish to do an inheritance test as well to check?" Sharptooth asked, eyes flicking interestedly between Ron's worried face and Hermione's disgusted one.
Both agreed, with Hermione snatching the goblet and dagger out of Harry's hand almost immediately, causing a grin to spread on his face and Ron to roll his eyes.
Hermione smoothed out the parchment when it unrolled and began to read:
Mother: Emma Rebecca Granger née Jones
Father: Daniel Alexander Granger
Head of the most ancient and noble house of Ravenclaw (Maternal line)
Vaults:
Ravenclaw vault:
Money – 487,239,000 galleons, 2 sickles, 0 knuts
Artifacts – 563, worth 11 million galleons
Houses:
A house in Glasglow
Hogwarts
Investments:
25% Hogwarts
Curses/Potions/other relevant info:
Loyalty potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Compulsion potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Magical draining potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Silence filled the room. Even Sharptooth looked shocked. "What does this mean?" Hermione stammered, looking around wide eyed.
"You're the nearest living relative descended from Rowena Ravenclaw," Sirius said in awe. "No more wondering about where you got your brains from then I suppose. I mean," he ran a hand through his hair, "I knew Harry was descended from Gryffindor from Prongs but you had better explain why you've got Slytherin's through 'conquering'. And that's not to mention the basilisk venom? Phoenix tears? You –"
"Hey, Ron, your go now," Harry said desperately, trying to divert his godfathers concerned attention away from him.
"Don't think we won't go back to this though," Sirius said sternly, but did relent and let Ron do the inheritance test.
Mother: Molly Weasley nee Prewett
Father: Arthur Septimus Weasley
Son of the noble house of Weasley (Paternal line)
Son of the noble house of Prewett (Maternal line)
Vaults:
Weasley vault:
Money – 89,756 galleons, 2 sickles, 0 knuts
Artifacts – 23, worth 5000 galleons
Houses:
The Burrow
Investments:
none
Curses/Potions/other relevant info:
Loyalty potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
Compulsion potion (administered by A.P.W.B.D)
"He drugged all of us," Harry said stupidly, his brain not quite processing it. He may hate the headmaster, especially after all he had done to him with the Dursley's but drugging children to follow him? Was there nothing that was too far for him?
"He's almost as bad as Voldemort," Hermione whispered, breaking the thick silence that had settled over the group. "Maybe he doesn't outright torture people but basically controlling people feelings? Their thoughts and opinions? That manipulation is almost as bad, especially given he's a advanced at legilimency."
Harry frowned, that was what Snape had been trying to protect him from. A sick feeling went to his stomach as he thought of something. "If he's so accomplished at legilimency could he enter you mind with no obvious intrusion, like, you wouldn't notice it? Especially if you're a child with no knowledge of how to protect your mind?"
Hermione's face turned a rich porcelain white at that statement as she covered her mouth with her hand, looking ill. "Oh my god, he's been reading our minds. For god knows how long."
"He won't be for any fucking longer," Sirius stated grimly, fury boiling through his tone. "Even without this the abuse is easily enough to take him to trial for and get him imprisoned. This? Especially since we know he's been targeting at least one noble and ancient houses heir, possibly others. Sorry Hermione," he apologised at seeing her look, "But you've seen how bigoted our world is, they're not so bothered about muggleborns or low down houses or blood traitors getting targeted, instead only the high status kids."
"You two had better start changing this then," she responded, looking between Harry and Sirius. Harry gave her a slight confused raise of an eyebrow so she expanded. "Your Lord Black, you're the single most powerful man in the Wizengamot and Harry, though you're only currently the heir now you're past 13 Sirius needs your approval on what he does for your house in your stead you can begin to try and change things. I've been reading up on wizarding politics – " small grins were exchanged that, "and if you gather all the houses you're already allied to and maybe get some more, you should begin to gain enough support to have a majority and begin changing some laws to become more pro-muggleborn and pro-muggle." She looked hopefully at Harry when finishing her statement.
Harry however, turned worriedly to Sirius. "I haven't been trained for this! I don't know anything about politics!" he cried nervously.
"Don't worry Heir Potter, your guardian and regent Lord Black is very capable of teaching you this and you have still got time before needing to become Lord yourself, having to reach the age of 17 to do so. That leaves you two years to learn everything and get to grips." Sharptooth then looked over at Hermione. "I would advise Heir Ravenclaw to join these as well, not only for her future education before taking her lordship, but especially if she will be marrying into your house she will need to know the specific Potter customs."
"See! With the looks you give each other, no wonder I'm amazed no one's realized you're dating yet or even that you guys liked each other. Honestly," Ron said, smirking as he shook his head. Harry maturely flipped him off, getting a bark out of Sirius and a good-natured frown from his girlfriend.
"Are we allowed to keep these?" Hermione asked, indicating to the parchment and Sharptooth tilted his head, considering.
"You can though it is unadvised to, most wizard's preferring to keep them in their vaults to protect anything they don't want known about."
Hermione nodded, tucking the parchment in her pocket before glancing at everyone before looking back at Sharptooth. "Can we visit our vaults now then?"
"Of course, follow me."
Harry grinned at Hermione's nervous yet excited face as they headed down to the carts when Sirius broke the silence. "So, ready to get your lives completely changed? Cause there's no going back now."
The three of them exchanged glances before Harry smirked back, saying "Never been more ready."