Morning Mail Call was an every day event, but two Great Hawk Owls carrying boxes in their talons, wearing a harness with a Herald Crest landing in front of a Witch in Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

Daphne glared at the beast in front of her. The Bird offered her the box. Looking at the crest, a Raven on the top, the Bank Stamp in the centre with a Grimm on the bottom.

She took the box and read the note attached.

"Miss.

Our Lord has sent you this betrothal gift. We hope that it finds your approval. He crafted it for you personally.

He plans to arrive Saturday Evening. While you are not the purpose of his Visit, he will enjoy your presence as he takes care of his business.

Ashraq.

Black Account Manager "

She eased the box open and looked at the prize inside.

A blade, about a foot long. Green stone grip, wrapped in silver wire. She drew it from the sheath. The pattern of the steel sparked a feeling in her chest.

Her Lord Black had not only given her a dagger… he crafted it personally.

And he was coming to see her next Saturday

…

SPRB

Susan Bones looked at the Owl before. It crest was a Clay Jug, the Bank's Sigil, a Griffin in flight.

She took the box and the note. The owl sipped from a nearby Goblet and left the Lass confused.

"Miss Bones,

I noticed that your Contract for Continuation has activated. I had yet to tell our Lord Potter about it, but he has deduced that I was not telling him something.

This Blade, that he has crafted personally, is gifted to you as a Betrothal Gift.

He is planning to visit this coming Saturday, on other business, but while he is not there for you… He will need to see you to get to know you.

Please enjoy your gift.

Barchoke

Potter Account Manager "

She passed the note to Hannah and opened the box.

A blade… about twelve inches long… with a bone hilt. A yellow bone, scored for ease of grip…

Then she drew the blade from the sheath. The pattern caused her breath to catch…

"Damascus, Cable…" she adjusted the position of the blade, "Twisted Cable,.. Kris dagger. And she sings to me."

"Sue?" Her best friend asked.

"Family Magics." Susan resheathed the dagger. "For some of the bigger Magics in the Grimoire won't work with a wand. And Lord Potter sends me an Athame."

SPRB III

Half the Hall saw the two owls delivering the boxes. Most of those people saw the Knives.

Albus was one such person. "Minivera, I need to speak with Miss Bones and Miss Greengrass. Please invite them to my office after breakfast."

But Minivera also saw the two knives. She knew what they were to be used for. "I will see to it." She wiped her mouth and stood, as she passed Pomona, "Miss Bones will need you in the Headmaster's Office."

She moved to stand behind the Redheaded fifth year. "Miss Bones. The Headmaster requests your presence in his office after breakfast."

She then Approached Greengrass. "Miss Greengrass, The Headmaster requests your presence in his office when you are done." She shot a glare at Snape.

But Snape had also seen the blade…

Twenty minutes later four witches and a wizard approached the Guardian to the Headmaster's office.

"Pepper imps." McGonagall sighed.

The Gargoyle stepped aside and allowed them to climb the stairs.

"Enter!" Before they could even knock, so they did.

Albus looked up from his parchment work to see … "Ah, Severus, Pomona was not expecting you…"

McGonagall frowned. "Get on with it. We have classes to get to."

"I noticed that the girls received knives…"

"Athame." Susan corrected the old man. "And you had better not be trying to confiscate them, as mine is a gift from my Betrothed, and I expect that Greengrass is in a similar position." She fished out the note and handed it to McGonagall. "But I expect this is what you really want. Now if you will excuse me, Sir, I have classes to attend." Susan turned and exited the office.

Daphne sneered at the old man. "She is correct, Sir." She handed the note to McGonagall as she followed the redhead from the office.

Minivera read the two notes. "Well… looks like Miss Bones is quite correct. The note is what you wanted. My warning still stands." The notes landed on the desk, and the three professors left for their classes.

Albus was able to restrain himself until the door closed behind them, before he snatched the notes and read them.

"The boy is coming back." He hissed to himself, "I must prepare…"

SPRB III

Susan waited for Daphne at the bottom of the stairs. "So… I doubt that your gift was from Potter, so…"

"My Lord Black…" Daphne turned to look behind her, "But something tells me that he was born Harry Potter."

"And this Displeases you?"

"Not really." Daphne smirked as she started back down the hall heading to the Slytherin Common Room, "Mostly because I get to kick Malfoy as I please. This ring means that I am the Voice of Black in the Dorm. The only way for him to regain his position is to show the Heir or Lord ring."

"So the fact that you are going to have to share him…" Susan asked.

"Continuation Contract." Daphne shrugged. "It just means that I now have to share him with two others… odds are one is going to be Granger."

Susan nodded as she thought about it.

SPRB III

In a private room in the Leaky Cauldron, a small gathering of Lords and Ladies sat sipping tea and coffee, as they waited for their host of the meeting to order.

"Okay, I think that is everyone." Cyrus Greengrass stood up. "Over the last month, I have spoken privately to each and everyone of you. You are the Head of House of the Houses that were Part of the Great Alliance. Now while Charles was the leader of the last incarnation and James was not in a position to lead… Harry Potter might… with our Help."

The Door opened and two witches and a wizard entered. "Our apologies, but Bones's note took a few minutes to find us." The now identified Andromeda Tonks smiled at the group. "I am the Black Proxy, My Husband is the Potter Proxy, and my Sister is the Malfoy Proxy." Her Evil Grin was not a welcome sight. "Let's Screw over Albus."

"Oh… I like this one." Agusta Longbottom chuckled. "Yes… let's."

SPRB III

(All speech is in Goblin)

Barchoke, Ashraq, and Gripsaq were huddled around a table in the Goblin equivalent of the Leaky Cauldron.

Gripsaq sneered. "Repeat that."

"The Boy has declared a Gift War on the Chief." Barchoke whispered. "First was the Axe… and so the Chief gave him that tent… and so the Boy decided to gift the skull a Basilisk that he killed a little over two years ago. He even asked if he should pull the teeth first."

Ashraq took up the tale. "We believe that he was afraid that the teeth would be taken as a threat. But because it's going to be another week before it can be delivered, he Crafted a Dagger for the Director… including a Thestral Head carved into the hilt."

"Why…" Gripsaq trailed off as his mind followed a thought down a rabbit hole. "Potter... Peverel … The Little Shit is promising to Ally with the Chief… and this war is keeping the Chief distracted and allowing the Board to run the Bank under threat." He nodded. "That's even more impressive than my Dagger. Send him a complete set of Guides to Goblin Culture."

"We want your backing to send him the course books for Curse Breaking." Ashraq smirked. "By him reading them, he is, defacto, a Gringotts Curse Breaker."

"And that Witch beside him during the meeting in Rio… sending him the books means that she will read them too…" Barchoke sneered. "Two Nifflers, one dagger."

"Do it. Blood Seal the text, include a note." Gripsaq snarled before he finished his grog, and tottered off.

"And because this is from the three of us…" Ashraq smirked at his friend.

"We tell him that they're not gifts, but precautions against him becoming a blooded Warrior of the Nation." Barchoke nodded.

"I just had a thought… we have been doing all this running around for him…" Ashraq frowned. "Have we been watching his Accounts?"

Barchokes eyes widened in fear. "Dragon Shit." He slammed the last of his Grog. Then something occurred to him. "Well, we could Declare ourselves Senior Account Managers and hire junior account managers."

"There haven't been Senior Account Managers since the beginning of the Grinwald War." Ashraq refilled Barchokes mug.

"And now is a good time to restart the practice." Barchoke held his mug out to knock against Ashraq's, "Our Juniors will inherit our positions when we pass or are Elevated ourselves."

"Then we can concentrate on keeping his Lordship from kicking off the next Goblin war." Ashraq knocked his mug against Barchoke's.

After they finished their mugs, they blinked at each other.

"We will get started in the morning." Barchoke staggered to his feet. "I think I overdid it today." He left the Tavern on shaky legs.

Ashraq snorted, but left in a similar manner.

TBC