Dumbledore did his best to keep his grandfatherly persona on display, despite how much he has been having to listen to Fudge and Umbridge prattle on about this ritual.

The three were setting things up in the ritual room at Hogwarts, the room itself was located within the dungeons and hasn't seen use for well before even his own time. And now, after Sirius Black had recently made his escape, Fudge is trying to use some personnel summoning ritual to recapture the man. The headmaster had managed to convince the two to wait till after the children had left the school for the summer, seeing as they needed to use the latent magic within Hogwarts to power it.

Albus had a hard time believing this ritual to be legit, and could only assume it was bought from a second hand con artist. Theoretically, it should work given the foci for the ritual were rather powerful, some even from his own phoenix. The hair from the room Sirius was held in gave him pause, it just looked too short to be the criminal's, giving him the suspicion that it was Harry's.

Albus had barely caved when he saw the hair sample. Either the hair was just some of Sirius' and the man was kissed, costing him a rather skilled pawn but allowing him to manipulate Harry further into his plans, or they summoned Harry and he covered for the boy breaking his godfather out, leaving the boy further in his debt. Or it failed and nothing changed.

The ritual used phrases and terms that were rather old, but he was Albus Dumbledore, it was easy for him to read enough to get the gist of what the words were and how to pronounce them.

As Albus started to chant, he would never realize the mistake he was about to make for his 'greater good'. The ritual was real, a torn page of a Peverell Grimoire that Fate decided to allow to find them, as Magic decided to allow them to read it. Because both despised it when fools such as Albus chose to interpret their words for their own benefit, such things being a form of mocking in their opinion.

So, with it being a couple days into the summer hols, Albus wouldn't know that Harry would be hiding under death's cloak as he attempted a summoning ritual with Death's wand. The magic from Hogwarts powering the spell Albus cast, amplified by the Elder Wand, allowed the summoning to pull someone, but not who, or what, the three were expecting.

The three Hallows were meant to remain within the Peverell line, but in case one was lost or stolen, The other two could be used in tandem to replicate the third. Such as using the stone to clamp the cloak around your arm to amplify the magic you cast with your regular wand, or using the wand to amplify the stone's connection to death's realm to hide your physical form within the astral plane.

In this case, the True Invisibility Cloak acted as a Veil of Death, allowing Albus to pull a ghost from the beyond that was connected to the potter hairs that were used. Fate and Magic just had to manipulate the connection to pull who they wanted, such as a ghost they retrieved through help from Lord Time and Lord Death.

They are all beings that exist for all eternity, there is no use for favors, but with Fate allowing them to view such a boring timeline the original was, decided to help the ladies spice up the current one. Neither lord had any horse in this race, other than Death being annoyed his champion didn't last as long as he should have, due to Albus' manipulations.

So, with that bit of manipulation, Albus, Fudge, and Dolores, were all staring wide-eyed as they summoned a ghost with traits known to belong to the Potter family, though he obviously had seen better days. The poor man looked less than half Albus' age, yet somehow his appearance and stance implied twice it. The look in his eyes showed pain and suffering beyond anything that Albus had seen, let alone experienced.

After the three remained silent for several minutes, the old ghost groaned. "Did you idiots summon me simply to stare? You do realize how painful this actually is right? None of you are a Peverell, and you only have one Hallow, so I don't even know how you managed to summon me, but this bastardized version of spectral summoning is worse than if you even had the stone."

Albus blinked as he decided to speak up. "My apologies, it appears that our ritual didn't do as we had hoped and without more information on the ritual we used, we might have some trouble sending you back."

Fudge and Dolores decided to remain silent, thanking every higher being for that small mercy, allowing Albus to speak for them. The ghost sneered at the three. "Are you telling me, you used an unknown ritual without all the information pertaining to said ritual?"

The ghost was still snarling as Fudge and Dolores turned red in embarrassment, though they were both still offended and angered, as Dolores spoke up. "Now see here, this is the Minister of Magic, and I am his undersecretary, and I will not have you speaking such ways about either of us."

The ghost rolled his eyes before he started to rise to the ceiling. "Since you idiots think so highly of yourselves, I guess I will just ignore you and go back to the land of the dead, not like any of you are strong enough to bind me here. After all, I am the Master of Death."

Albus barely got over his shock as the ghost just left his wards, but was ignored as he shouted for the ghost's return. Answers he hadn't thought were within his reach, leaving him just as he learned of them being there. Albus' anger began to grow as he was denied information he desired, no longer able to put on a face as he was forced to deal with the two idiots that dangled such a prize in front of him.

-=-=-=-=-=Elsewhere=-=-=-=-=

The ghost that had just left the room he was summoned to, smirked as he floated his way towards his first destination. The Headmaster's office, where he reached out and poked a certain non-magical painting that hid a very special safe.

The plans he concocted after the Ladies of Fate and Magic decided to bestow upon him with the gift of returning to the land of the living. Both had been rather upset their prophecy was messed with, and even though it all worked out in the end, they were petty enough to manipulate the timeline with the aid of the Lords of Death and Time. He would never call them petty to their faces, but if the shoe fits…

His stipulation for helping them with their revenge, (despite them calling it Albus' punishment, it was still revenge) he could cast two spells empowered by themselves. The first was used to turn Albus' anti-magic safe into a microwave to burn all his little coordinate notes to bypass any Fidelius used by his so-called allies.

And now, his second spell. But first, he had to find the recipient of that one.

-=-=-=-=#4 Privet Drive=-=-=-=-=

Harry was sitting at Dudley's old desk that was stored in 'his' room, hidden under his invisibility cloak. As always, a bit angry that he had to hide in the middle of the night to do homework, lest his relatives spot him doing 'freakish' things when they spontaneously check up on him.

Calling homework 'freakish', no matter the reason, would probably get Hermione to go on a rant. She would first look shocked, which would then melt into horror, before bubbling into this pouty, angry face she made whenever she learned of something that went against her common sense.

Harry leaned back in his chair, his thoughts turning to his memories of riding on Buckbeak, his best friend cowering in his arms as she clung to the hippogryph in fear but enough bravery to charge forth to accomplish the mission. Maybe this is what a crush felt like?

Ron might have been his first friend, but there are always random moments that he doesn't feel like a friend. Hermione on the other hand always did her best to help them with their studies, despite how often Ron makes rude comments towards her blood status. He has never used the term mudblood, but he has often enough made comments about her not knowing certain things because she was raised muggle.

Harry has tried to get him to stop when he catches them, trying to point out how he sounded on several occasions, only to find out that Ron completely ignored him in their next interactions with Hermione.

As Harry thought about his friends, he shivered from a chill that swept down his spine. A voice from behind caused him to jump, though practice and experience let him avoid moving enough to knock the chair over. "Hey, I know you're here. I have something I need to speak with you about, so if you would kindly drop the cloak and face me properly. I do wish you will be quick, because I am in excruciating pain right now."

Harry decided to do so, somehow shifting the chair to stand, yet with the skill and finesse to keep from making a sound. Considering failure has led to being hurt for interrupting little Duddikins' beauty sleep. "What?"

There was a ghost behind him, he had expected plenty of different things, but a ghost wasn't one of them. He even expected Petigrew or Snape to sneak in and try to kill him, maybe Malfoy. Even Dobby had a higher chance of popping in to say hello, or to try to 'save' him from another bad year at Hogwarts.

"Keep in mind that the method used to summon me was done poorly, so I am in excruciating pain. I am here to offer you some knowledge to help you take control of your life."

Harry blinked.

Did the ghost that looked related to himself really just say he was going to tell him how to take control of his life? Before Harry could form a sentence, the ghost continued. "I am a ghost from the future, with that little knowledge you can probably guess who I am. If you continue down the path you are on right now, you will be dragged through so much bullshit, and die in your forties after your vaults are drained by other people. I can use some magic to give everything I know to you, and you can use that knowledge to stop what I was too late to stop. I have learned, after the fact, that I was manipulated for my entire life, and because of those manipulations never being found out, my family history was basically destroyed."

Harry took a couple deep breaths, trying to control his anger as he heard that. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

The ghost shrugged. "Frengorp. That was the first made up word you used, and it was to name a small spider that we found in the cupboard under the stairs. Your first 'adventure' was teaching him how to battle those broken toy soldiers Dudley threw away. You never spoke any of this out loud, it has only ever been spoken of in your head because you always feared Vernon using his belt on you for making noises. Trust me now?"

Harry glared, but nodded. There would be absolutely no way for someone to know about that. Hadn't even thought about that since Frengorp died when he was still three. He had actually gotten used to the spiders and insects in the cupboard after the first three punishments from Vernon for the noises he made. "Fine, just do it."

The ghost nodded and motioned towards his things. "Take care of your stuff and lay down. You won't be able to stay awake as you learn what I have to teach. While you sleep, I will explain everything."

Harry nodded as he put everything away, locked them away in his closet, and readjusted the stuff on the bed so he could lay down and sleep. And as he was staring up at the ceiling, the ghost of his future self appeared and stared directly into his eyes, and he was out like a light.

Throughout the night, Harry spent his dreams speaking with and learning from his older self's memories. Skipping over the filler memories cut out a lot of them. It was good to know he would beat Voldemort, better to know what and where his anchors that kept him alive were, as well as that he would eventually have a family of his own.

What wasn't great, was when he realized that Ron would take Hermione from him when he had just come to terms with what he was feeling. And what was his future self thinking when he married Ginny?

Then the manipulations began to be revealed.

Molly Weasley, the woman that acted like she was his mother decided that Hermione and he weren't meant for each other and potioned them both for her own brats, who saw nothing wrong with that. They stole everything from him as Molly went behind his back and formed a marriage contract that gave them access to his money.

Albus had always planned for him to die so that the old coot could sweep in and save the day and end his wizarding career as the second Merlin. Hiding his family history, desecrating his family heirlooms like his cloak, taking advantage of him as he used Harry's money to fund his own goals.

And then there was Ginny, the girl he was forced to marry, the wife that cheated on him to advance her quidditch career. Their first child was her manager's, their second was her team captain's. Maybe the one she was pregnant with when he learned of her infidelity and left was his, but after sending the results of the heritance tests for his first two children to the Daily Prophet after he purged himself of the potions they were feeding him to keep him under control, he would never know.

But that doesn't even cover everything that was wrong with his life. The betrayals just kept coming, seeing as he had to also deal with magical cancer that was slowly killing him from how he got rid of the horcrux in his head. Apparently, it was stupid to think there would be no backlash for being hit by the killing curse a second time while he was dealing with a cursed soul in his head.

The people he trusted most right now, the people he felt were family, were all doing their best to slowly bleed him dry and or kill him. So no one would blame him for waking up crying.

-=-=-=-=-=Gringotts=-=-=-=-=-=

Harry was walking into the bank after one hectic morning. Having revealed that he knew that the Dursleys were being paid to raise him, as well as how much they were being paid didn't go over well at first. Until he explained how little Petunia actually knew about wizarding law.

Harry had full rights to kill them in self defense, as long as the magic he used was inside, and wasn't flashy enough to break the Statute of Secrecy. They were in the know, so he could use magic on them and get away with it, and all he would have to do is swear they were attacking him. Wizards had a method to prove they were telling the truth, and if they used that method and lied, they would lose their magic or life depending on what they swore on. Therefore, he could actually get away with doing anything to them, and with a little bit of wordplay, it would all be legal.

And so, after getting away from those stupid people, that wouldn't be a problem for much longer, he came straight to the bank to wait in line for a specific teller, or to avoid one to be more precise.

Cleaning himself up and wearing a hat was all it took to make himself look like a completely new person it seemed, because the goblin that would normally make sure he was available for him was occupied by another and wasn't in any hurry to insure he could take him. He did after all, just look like another muggleborn coming in to exchange some muggle money, blowing some bubblegum.

Harry would learn in about ten years that the goblins hate dealing with the children that chewed and blew bubblegum, because the noise bothered them and the popping caused spit to mess with some of the magic at their stall.

So, he chewed gum, making sure to put it away when he walked up to the next open teller, after his plan to cause Griphook to dawdle to the best of his ability to avoid dealing with the obnoxious brat chewing the gum.

As Harry spat the gum into a portable banishing bag, though since he was the creator of the bag, it did look like he just spat the gum into a bag to do something with it later. It was rather complicated to create the charm and rune work to make sure the bag only banished what went into it, rather than things around it, or the bag itself.

It will be a hit with all the muggle kids and parents in fifteen years, if he doesn't decide to reveal its existence earlier. Though he would have to consider who to let sell it, since Weasley Wizarding Wheezes wasn't open yet.

At least the betrayals were limited to the three Weasleys, Percy could loosen up a bit but he was still a decent guy. "Greetings teller Gravedigger, may your battles yield nothing but victory."

The goblin blinked in shock, before nodding. "And may your coffers never run dry. How may Gringotts help you today wizard?"

Gravedigger was officially weary of this young wizard. The boy understood their greetings, showing proper respect by goblin culture, and even got rid of the obnoxious gum stuff that ruined paperwork, and made it hard to understand the idiots.

Harry leaned forward slightly, shifting to check his left and right indiscreetly, before speaking lowly. "I am on an errand for Lord Black and need to speak with Bloodbreaker. I understand if I must wait, seeing as it was rather sudden that I myself was requested to speak with him. But I am forced to ask for discreetness, due to enemies that are seeking to stop me so they may fill their pockets with gold not their own."

Gravedigger snarled as he nodded. The Black accountant could decide whether the boy was speaking the truth, but to hear that a thief was snooping around would anger any goblin on principle alone.

Harry had to wait just a couple minutes, before the goblin invited him to follow him to Bloodbreaker. Mostly to allow said goblin to decide if he would hear him out.

Harry nodded to Gravedigger. "I wish you a good day teller Gravedigger, and may your gold flow never end."

"A good day to you as well wizard, and may your enemies blood flow without end."

Harry stepped up to Bloodbreaker's desk, giving a stiff bow. "Greetings Accountant Bloodbreaker, may the blood of your enemies paint the battlefield red."

Bloodbreaker nodded as he watched the boy warily. If nothing else, he would hear the boy out for showing proper respect. "And may your coffers ever overflow. What business do you have with me, you claim to know the Lord Black, but I must ask how you would."

Harry smiled, making sure to show no teeth, before he sat down. "Lord Black is still Sirius Orion Black III, his mother might have thrown a tantrum when he left, but Arcturus never disowned him. Arcturus never sided with Voldemort, even if he thought the blood traitors and mudbloods needed to be dealt with, he wasn't an extremist."

Bloodbreaker nodded. "I am well aware of this, though I hardly see why this is important. Sirius has no heirs, and when the wizards have hunted him down, the title of Lord Black shall be passed to the next of kin. Draco Malfoy."

Harry smirked as he noticed the look of disgust on the goblin's face. "Actually, Sirius does have an heir, one he blood adopted through a blood oath when he partook in the godfather ritual."

Bloodbreaker narrowed his eyes. "And why haven't I heard about this?"

Harry couldn't help but show some teeth in his smile this time. "Because when he took the oath, the witnesses were the Potters, and their accountant. If Sirius dies without you hearing about this, the Potter accountant will have legal rights to steal the Black accounts from you and hold you responsible for any and all charges made by Lucius and Draco, despite the connection Narcissa has to the Black. Because you giving them access could be seen as you helping them steal from me as the rightful Black heir."

Bloodbreaker snarled, but before he could speak up and demand answers, Harry continued. "Which is why I am bringing the information that the Potter account manager is helping Dumbledore steal from me to you."

Bloodbreaker blinked as he calmed down slightly. "What evidence do you have of this?"

Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak. "This is a Potter heirloom, there is a silver string in the hood that's charmed by Albus Dumbledore. It's supposed to be in the Potter heirloom vault, but he was the one that gave it to me. There are payments going from my accounts to several different vaults that I never was told about. I would have never been told about these transactions if it hadn't been for a ghost telling me, the only other physical evidence I have right now are the blocks on my core and abilities."

Bloodbreaker nodded as he waved his hand towards Harry, before a smile spread across his own face. "And that is enough for me to take this before Ragnarok. I will be back momentarily, and if things go the way I believe, I will be claiming the Potter accounts. I need a couple drops of blood."

Harry nodded as he simply held his hand out. "Take as much as you need."

The goblin cut into his hand with a knife, filled a vial, and waved the cut close. Harry smiled as he leaned back in the chair, waiting patiently.

It was around forty-five minutes later before he was greeted by Bloodbreaker stepping back into the office with another goblin. This one was actually tall, about twice as tall as Bloodbreaker. "Greetings heir Potter, I am Ragnarok, the bank manager. I have my people doing a check up on the Potter accounts, but there appeared to be an issue with your account manager. He tried to sneak off and send a missive, so we were forced to axe him a couple questions. I hope there will be no reason for such serious questioning here."

Harry nodded as he responded. "Dumbledore tried to use some summoning, got a ghost from the future, and that ghost just so happened to be me. I came to me, told me a bit about what has happened so far, told me how the rest of my schooling will go, and informed me of a couple things Albus has done to screw me over despite the bastard dying in three years. I figured that I should help another one of his victims, Bloodbreaker, because the only evidence that I am the Black heir is in my parents' wills. Those filthy thieves have been stealing from me ever since Albus kidnapped me, and they were plotting to frame Bloodbreaker. Albus is also plotting my death. I am willing to give an oath if you wish, to prove I am not lying."

Ragnarok blinked before he just burst out laughing. "With all that has been on the tests we took with your blood, along with Gripshaker's actions when confronted, I will not require an oath."

Harry nodded in thanks. "If it helps any, I also have a request for aid in hunting down some soul anchors. Tom Riddle made five purposefully, accidentally turned me into one, and plans to turn his snake familiar into a seventh sometime between now and the end of my next year at Hogwarts. I have a plan to deal with both Albus and Tom before the summer of next year. Albus will be dealt with before this year is out."

Ragnarok and Bloodbreaker both blinked in shock, matching bloodthirsty grins spreading across their faces, before Ragnarok waved the boy on. "Go on."

"I don't know the exact order he made them, but I know the first was his diary, that I stabbed with a basilisk fang at the end of my second year. The Gaunt head of house ring is hidden behind some parseltongue wards at the Gaunt Shack, it has a withering curse on it with some compulsions. Rowena's diadem is in the room of requirements, Salazar's locket is at twelve Grimmauld place, and Helga's goblet is here in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault."

As the goblins snarled in anger, they turned to talk with one another a bit in Gobbledygook. Ragnarok was the one that spoke to him. "We will deal with the one in our bank, send a team of curse breakers to deal with the one in the Gaunt Shack. As heir Black, we hope you are willing to hand over the locket, and as a student, we hope you can find the time when you return to school to retrieve the diadem."

Harry's smile was starting to look just as bloodthirsty as the goblins'. "No need to fret over my half of these. I already plan to get a box to hold the diadem for when I get there, and when Dumbledore is no longer a threat to my life, I wish to enact a contract for you to enter Hogwarts and retrieve the basilisk I killed. I also can easily call the Black family's house elf to retrieve the locket whenever you feel like dealing with it."

As the three began to go over the details for the Basilisk, an old man that had not long ago woke up from a fretful night's sleep felt a chill go down his spine. Still angry over learning he had summoned someone that claimed the title he had sought for so long but could never grasp.