The healer's annex was designed for tranquility. No ticking clocks, no humming wards—just soft golden light, heavy fabric draping the stone walls, and the distant thrum of Gringotts' lower wards vibrating beneath the marble floors.

Harry sat across from Elijah Dorne in a high-backed chair. The goblins had provided a private room for their discussion—neutral ground. A small fireplace crackled quietly to one side, lending the space a warmth Harry wasn't sure he trusted yet.

Elijah was composed. Not cold, but deliberate. The kind of man who measured every word before speaking. His blond hair was neatly pulled back, robes crisply pressed, wand holstered but within easy reach. A subtle, aged scar crossed the back of one hand.

"What do you want to know first?" Elijah asked quietly.

Harry stared at the fire for a moment before answering.

Then, sharper than he intended: "How could this happen?"

Elijah didn't flinch. "You mean the cupboard. The vaults. The titles. Everything."

Harry's voice was low but tight. "I have a title. Property. Power, apparently. So how the hell was I left on a doorstep with no one watching?"

"Because Dumbledore made the decision," Elijah said. "And no one challenged it."

Harry blinked. "But he's just the headmaster—"

"He was more than that," Elijah interjected. "At the time, he was Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards."

Harry stared. "What?"

"He held the highest magical offices in Britain and one of the highest in the world. There wasn't a Ministry department he couldn't influence. Most people didn't question him. They revered him."

Harry sat back, stunned. "So he just—put me there? In that house? And everyone went along with it? How was that legal?"

"It wasn't."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Then how did it happen?"

"Because Dumbledore didn't just bend the rules," Elijah said. "He rewrote them. As no magical guardian was ever appointed, the records were sealed, the wards hidden, and the oversight never triggered."

Harry's stomach twisted. "But someone should've checked. My parents—"

"They did make arrangements," Elijah said. "But their wills were never executed."

Harry froze. "What do you mean?"

Elijah met his eyes directly. "There's no formal record of probate at the Ministry. The wills were sealed—but the paperwork to execute them was never filed. Without that, no magical protections could trigger. No guardian appointments. No warding. Nothing."

Harry stared at him. "So it all just... sat there?"

"Unclaimed," Elijah confirmed. "Unacknowledged. And your placement with the Dursleys was never registered through Gringotts or the Department of Magical Custody. Which means—by magical law—it was illegal."

Harry gripped the arm of his chair. "And no one noticed?"

"They did. The bank did," Elijah said carefully. "But you never interacted with Gringotts directly—not until now. Others accessed your trust vault on your behalf. The goblins had no opportunity to intervene. Until you walked in and asked to see your own file."

Harry swallowed. "And that's when they flagged it."

"Immediately," Elijah said. "There are signatures missing. Magical intent not fulfilled. Your vaults have protections tied to your inheritance—and they rejected the Dursleys' claim to you the moment they accessed the system. But without a magical guardian or your own consent, the bank couldn't act."

Harry went very still. "So I've just... been floating. For years."

"Yes."

He looked down at his hands. "Who were the guardians my parents named?"

Elijah didn't hesitate. "Sirius Black. And Alice Longbottom."

"Sirius Black," Harry echoed. "The one who broke out of Azkaban."

Elijah gave a slow nod. "He swore a godfather's oath. It's in your account records—sealed by blood. If he had broken that bond—if he had betrayed your parents—he would have lost his magic."

Harry's mouth was dry. "But he didn't."

"No. Which means someone lied. Or someone buried the truth."

Harry's brow furrowed. "And Alice Longbottom?"

"She's in long-term magical care," Elijah said. "Tortured after the war. She was a close friend of your mother—and has a son your age."

Harry was quiet for a long time. "So I could have grown up with people who actually cared."

"Yes."

Another pause. The fire popped.

"Do I have a magical guardian now?"

"You do," Elijah said. "Gringotts extended emergency custodial provision after your evaluation. I'm authorized under the ICW to act on your behalf for the next forty-eight hours—until you sign the contract. Once you do, it becomes permanent."

Harry's jaw clenched. "And you think as my magical guardian you can undo all this?"

Elijah's voice was quiet but firm. "Yes. Not all at once. But step by step—yes."

Harry crossed his arms. "How?"

"First, legal authority," Elijah said. "As your magical guardian, I can block Dumbledore from accessing your vaults, magical records, and legal decisions. He will no longer hold any standing in your life outside of school—no matter how he postures."

"But he's still Supreme Mugwump," Harry said. "He still has power."

"He does," Elijah admitted. "But not unchecked. The ICW is led by a coalition, not a monarchy. He's part of a bloc—one that's been successful, yes—but he's not the sole voice. And frankly? His influence abroad is waning. The war left cracks in his alliances. He's respected. Feared. But not beloved."

Harry exhaled. "And then what?"

"We'll reinforce what matters," Elijah continued. "You, your rights, and your protections. Gringotts will seal your vaults with guardian-authorized access only. Your mail will be warded and traced. You'll wear warded jewelry to monitor spells cast at you. If we need more, we escalate."

"Can we change the wards at Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Not while Dumbledore's Headmaster," Elijah said. "He's tied to the school magic too closely. But we can build protections into the items you carry. Trigger wards. Interference alerts. Things that respond if someone tampers with you."

Harry nodded slowly. "And if something goes wrong?"

"Emergency exit protocol. I'll give you a ward-buster. You trigger it, and I come get you—no matter where you are. If it's inside Hogwarts, I'll bring the ICW with me."

Harry blinked. "You'd actually do that?"

"I don't bluff," Elijah said.

There was a beat of silence.

Then Harry said, more quietly than before, "No one's ever said that to me."

"What?"

"That they'd fight for me."

Elijah's voice softened just slightly. "Then it's long overdue."

Harry took a slow breath. "All right"