I don't own Harry Potter. It's a shaim I know. I wish I could buy my childhood home.

Chapter 12 – Reading of the Wills

It had taken Snape hours to brew a restorative draught that would hopefully help Voldemort. Snape, himself would have been just as happy to watch him die, but appearances must be maintained. He brought the potion to Voldemort's chambers where Pettigrew and Lestrange stood over him. The convulsions had stopped. "How is he?" Snape asked.

"There has been no change." Lestrange told him. "I have taken the body bind off him."

"Did the convulsions begin anew?" Snape probed.

"No." Pettigrew said. "He is hardly breathing though."

"Indeed?" Snape said pulling his wand out. Lestrange stood her own wand out. "Bellatrix, I need to ensure the potion will not harm him." Lestrange lowed her wand. Snape waved his wand over Voldemort's prone body. "Very well." Snape said. "I will administer the potion. Bellatrix, you must take the master's observations hourly."

"Where are you going?" Lestrange demanded.

"Hogwarts." Snape stated.

"Running away to Dumbledore?" Lestrange sneered.

"Hardly." Snape spat. "I work at Hogwarts. My absence will be noted, and the master's orders are to keep a low profile correct?"

"Yes." Lestrange confirmed.

"Besides, the Hogwarts library may yet hold the key to answering what is ailing the Master."

"Very well." Lestrange spat. "Go!"

Snape turned to Wormtail.

"If there is any change, no matter how insignificant, contact me immediately." He ordered.

"I will." Pettigrew said quietly.

Snape gave a curt nod and swirled his cloak and left the room.

The arrangements had been made and The Order of the Phoenix would converge, for the first time in over three hundred years, at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was surprised by how many operatives there were. But with three operational wings it really shouldn't be all that surprising. It was nearing time for Dumbledore to make his way to Gringotts bank for the reading of the Potters Will. 'I wonder what is in the will that requires my presence.' He thought. 'I am so sorry Lily; I have failed your son.' The elder wizard sat behind his desk, his head in his hands. 'I do hope you and James will be able to forgive me. I only ever did what I thought was for the best. An old man's folly' Dumbledore said as he silently wept.

Harry stood in the entrance of Gringotts wearing the same robes he wore just days ago at the Ministry.

Remus Lupin stood beside him dressed in a moth-eaten brown muggle suit looking slightly embarrassed and shepherded him to the reception desk. "This is Mr Harry Potter," Remus said to the goblin behind the desk. "And I am Remus Lupin. We are both here for the reading of the Potters family will."

"Very well. Please go through the main banking hall and take the stairs to the first floor and it is the first door on the right." The receptionist told them.

It had been decided that Hermione would stay at home for the reading as she wasn't named in the will, they would pick her up on the way to the Order meeting. Remus lead Harry up the stairs and into a plush board room. A long highly polished oak table went down the centre of the room. There were already a few people in the room. Remus introduced Harry to Nymphadora Tonks. "This is Ted Tonk's daughter, Nymphadora." Remus said. "She is also Sirius's cousin and is here representing his interests."

"Hello Harry." Nymphadora greeted Harry with a handshake. "Feel free to call me Nymph."

"Your dad is my lawyer." Harry told her. "He stuck it to the Ministry a couple of days ago."

"I know." Nymphadora. "My dad was very happy to do it."

"Nymph is an Auror Harry." Remus told him. "She also works with Dumbledore on the side."

"I see." Harry said smiling. "Then I suppose we will be seeing a lot of each other."

"Is that so?" Nymphadora asked. Remus gave an ever so slight shake of his head as if to tell her not to ask any more questions. "Well in that case I'm sure I will see you later Harry. Nice to meet you, please excuse me." Tonks moved away to talk to her dad, who had just arrived to oversee things as Harrys lawyer. Harry waved to Ted, who nodded at him.

To Harrys surprise, Neville Longbottom came in followed by a stern looking older woman dressed in the finest robes, a large red handbag and a rather large hat complete with albatross. Neville made a b-line to Harry.

"Hey Neville." Harry greeted him. "You remember professor Lupin?"

"Hello Harry." Neville replied. "Hello Professor."

"Good afternoon Neville." Remus said shaking Neville's hand.

"And this, Professor, Harry," Neville said formally. "Is my Grandmother, Lady Augusta Longbottom." Lady Longbottom nodded, "And Grandmother this is Professor Remus Lupin and Harry Potter."

"Lord Potter, Professor Lupin." Lady Longbottom greeted them formally.

"I'm not Lord Potter yet." Harry smiled. "But I have been told that our families have always enjoyed a very fruitful friendship."

"That is very true." Lady Longbottom. "I trust that relationship will continue in the future."

"If my friendship with Neville is anything to go by, I can't see why it would not." Harry said. "In fact, I would like to meet with you both over the next few weeks once I have everything all sorted out."

"I am sure that would be more than satisfactory." Lady Longbottom agreed. "I will look for you owl. Come Neville, we should take our places."

"Bye Harry." Neville waved.

"See you later Neville." Harry returned the wave. Ted came over to Harry and Remus and showed them to their seats.

As they sat a stern goblin entered the room. He moved to a lectern at the front of the table and placed a large stack of parchments on the table. "My name is Griphorn son of Griphook." The goblin said. "And I have the honour of being the Potter's estate manager. As Master Harry Potter has legally come of age in the recent days it has become time to unseal the Last Will and Testaments of both Lord James Potter of the House Potter and Lady Lily Potter, nee Evans. As both wills leave similar instructions, it is possible to read both as one, the exception being Lady Potters bequeaths to her relatives. As such I will begin with those." Griphorn shuffled the parchment in front of him and put on a pair of reading glasses.

"I, Lady Lily Potter," Griphorn read. "Being of sound mind and body do here by leave the contents of the school trunk to my Sister Petunia Dursley, in the hopes that it reminds her that we used to be friends, and hopefully finally heal the rift in our family." He finished.

"As Mrs Dursley is a muggle and is unable to join us, the trunk will be sent on to her in the coming days." Griphon switched the parchments. "And now to Lord Potters Will."

"I, Lord James Potter, of the House of Potter, being of sound mind and body do here by leave the following bequeaths:" Griphorn announced. "Firstly, to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I leave the following: one thousand galleons to be used to purchase new quidditch brooms. The quidditch cup should not be about the best brooms, but about the best players. Secondly, I bequeath a further one thousand galleons for the school to use as a scholarship to help fund places for muggle born families." Dumbledore, who was hiding at the back acknowledged the bequest.

"To my friend, Sirius Black, I leave my family's summer house in Skegness. Sirius, I hope that this house will become the home you never felt you had with your family." Tonks wiped a tear from her eye.

"To my godson, Neville Longbottom, I leave five thousand galleons to be held in trust until you come of age. I hope you know you will always have family with the House of Potter." Lady Longbottom smiled approvingly.

"To Remus Lupin, one of my oldest friends, I ask three things of you. Firstly, I ask that you help Sirius advise Harry. Secondly I ask that you learn to love yourself and live your life, remember Moony, you are not defined by what you are, three days out of a month but how you live your life every single day. And finally, I ask that you take on the job of Harry's estate manager. The job comes complete with a salary of no less than three thousand galleons, a year, a cottage on the Potter Manor estate and a home for life. You are my brother Moony, remember that!" Remus wiped a tear from his eye.

"And finally, to my son Harry James Potter, I leave the remaining contents of all of the Potter vaults. All Potter properties, excepting those already bequeathed, including, but not limited to the Potter Torrawn House in London, Potter Castle in the Highlands of Scotland and the Potter stately home in Summerset known as Lorrain Hall and all associated land. I also leave for Harry my Titles of Lord of the most Noble and Antient House of Potter, Earl of Summerset granting him the hereditary seat in the Muggle House of Lords. I also leave him the contents of my school trunk, which will include everything he needs to know on how to become a Marauder. Finally, I leave these words, Harry, you have been left everything you need to build a life for yourself. Build that life, find someone to love and allow yourself to be loved and try to leave this world just a little bit better than when you found it."

Harry was openly crying.

"That concludes the reading of the Potter Will's. Monetary bequests will be transferred to your vaults in the coming days. For those who do not have a vault one will be created for you and you will be owled with the details. For those who have inherited property, the necessary paperwork will be sent out by owl in the next three days. Thank you all for your attendance today." Griphorn announced. "Lord Potter if you could please stay behind."

As the room emptied Ted turned to Harry. "I will look after the transfer My Lord." He told him.

"Thank you, Ted." Harry smiled, tears still in his eyes. "But you don't need to call me Lord. We are friends."

"Lord Potter." Griphorn said. "There is much we have to discuss."

"You can go through all of the details with my estates manager, Professor Lupin." Harry said.

"Indeed, we shall My Lord." Griphorn confirmed. "But there are some other matters I need to discuss with your Lordship."

"All right then." Said Harry. "Remus, please come with us."

Griphorn led Harry and Remus out of the room and along a long corridor to a lift. They got into the lift and they could feel the lift descend. At the bottom of the lift there was a mining cart.

"I don't really want to visit my vaults today." Harry said.

"We are not going to your vaults today Lord Potter." Griphook told him "This cart will take us deep within the Goblin nation the King wishes to see you with regards to other bequests that have been made to you."

The mining cart took them deep underground and they travelled for at least an hour in what direction, Harry could not be sure. "Where are we?" Harry asked when the mine cart finally stopped.

"This is the palace of the Goblin King." Griphorn announced. "Deep beneath the surface we have travelled near one hundred miles north of London, but top land geography matters little here, Lord Potter. This is the Realm of the Goblins." Griphorn lead them through the castle, built from subterranean caves. They finally arrived at a large chamber in the centre was a large platform with a stone throne. Sitting on the throne was the largest and fiercest goblin Harry had ever seen.

"My Lord King." Griphorn intoned. "May I present Lord Harry, of the house of Potter."

Harry instinctively knelt and bowed his head.

"Welcome Lord Potter." The Goblin King greeted Harry. "Leave us." He commanded the other Goblins in the room. As they filed out Remus hesitated to leave Harry. "I assure you Lord Potter is perfectly safe Mr Lupin. I must insist on speaking alone with him."

"Forgive me your Majesty." Remus said bowing deeply and withdrawing from the room.

"On your feet My Lord." The king told Harry, who was still kneeling. "If you would be so kind as to follow me to my privet study. This cave echoes something fierce and it gives me a headache." The Goblin King led Harry out of a door behind the throne and into a large office. To Harrys surprise the Goblin King, as soon as the door closed behind them, ripped off his cloak and tossed the crown on the table. "The damn thing gives me a bloody headache." The King muttered and waved Harry to a seat in front of the desk. "I asked you hear Lord Potter, because two incredibly strange things have happened since your emancipation."

"Strange things always seem to follow me around your Majesty." Harry admitted. "And please, call me Harry, I don't feel very lordly."

"These could well be the strangest yet." The King told him. "You see Harry, when the wills of your parents became active two other wills became re-active. This in of itself is not an unusual occurrence, however the wills in question have been in the possession of Gringotts for near a thousand years." The King reached for an antient and moth-eaten parchment scroll. "This scroll contains the Last Will and Testament of Hogwarts co-founder Godric Gryffindor." The King told him. "I won't read the whole thing to you. It mostly concerns itself with socks. But there is one particular passage that will interest you…" The King un-scrolled the antient scroll carefully.

"And Lo it shall come to pass in the distant future a dark cloud will pass over all of the land, and in such a time as one of my own spiritual sons from Hogwarts shall pull my sword from the Sorting Hat. That Son will also inherit great power, both magically and politically. To this son I leave my sword and my title of Magical Knight of the Realm, with all the rights and responsibilities there in. Furthermore I leave the young Lording mine own Staff which he will be able to find in the Founders Chamber of Hogwarts. I would also encourage this brave hero of the light to stay true to his heart." The King finished.

"I don't know about any founders chamber." Harry said. "The only place in Hogwarts that I know about like that is the Chamber of Secrets and I don't think anything belonging to Gryffindor is there."

"I am afraid I cannot help you there Harry." The King told him. "And, now for the second will." The king pulled out a thick leather-bound tomb. "This is the Last Will and Testament of Merlin."

"In a time that is so immeasurably far in Albion's future, there will come a young Lord, destiny thrust upon him, much like my young friend Arthur, now King. To this young warrior of the light I leave three things. Firstly, I leave him the command of my Order of the Phoenix, so that he may face his battles with an army at his back, better to fight the hordes of Darkness. Second, I leave him my ring, which will grant him access to magics most could never hope to wield, but I must warn this young apprentice, these magics are not to be used lightly and are incredibly difficult to master, with this particular gift comes a boon. By taking possession of my ring, and by extension these magics the barer must agree to freely impart this knowledge to any he feels are deserving. And finally, I grant him access to the Tor on the Hill." The King closed the book.

"The Tor on the hill is now known as Glastonbury Tor." The King explained. He pulled a small box from his desk draw and handed it to Harry. "This contains Merlin's Ring. I would advise you to wait to put it on until you have spoken to Albus Dumbledore. He is the foremost academic on Merlin Lore."

"Thank you." Harry said. "Is it possible to have a copy of those passages?"

"My scribes have already made them." The King told Harry. "Griphorn will have them for you when you leave." The King pulled on a velvet rope and Griphorn came to the door. "Thank you Griphorn, please escort Lord Potter and Mr Lupin back to London."

Harry stood and bowed to the Goblin King.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Harry said. "If I can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call on me."

"I believe we shall meet again, Lord Potter." The King smiled. "Goodbye."

Griphorn led Harry and Remus back to the mine cart and they returned to London.

Aurthers notes: Welcome to Lockdown central. We just found out today that the UK is going into three more weeks of lockdown. Bit of a blow, I don't mind telling you.

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