Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Will
"Very well, Please follow me to meeting room 619. Masters Goldclaw, Silvertooth, and Account representative Griphook will be with you shortly."
Harry and Bellatrix followed the Goblin to the meeting room. Harry had never seen the inside of a Gringotts meeting room, it reminded him of the parlor inside of Grimmauld Place.
It was an imposing place, windowless and paneled in shiny black wood. A long table stood in the center of the room, two seats on the side facing the door and three seats opposite of them. Harry and Bellatrix took their seats. Bellatrix removed the glamour and Harry jumped slightly. "Are you sure that's a safe thing to do?" He asked her.
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow and then lowered it shrugging. "Potter, the Goblins knew who I was when I walked in. They are strictly neutral in this merry little war of ours. They will respect us more if we do not appear to be fearful." She explained to him.
The door opened and three Goblins walked in. The first two were ancient, the third and youngest was one whom Harry recognized. "Hello Griphook. I'm glad to see someone I know here."
The youngest Goblin nodded to Harry, "Greetings to you Lord Potter, I am here as your Account representative."
"May we begin." The eldest and smallest of the trio said, to which Griphook seemed to startle and hastily bow.
"Of course Master Goldclaw. You are the senior Goblin here, would you please do us the honor of stating our purpose?"
The elder Goblin looked to the two of them. "Firstly, we are here to perform the private reading of Lord Sirius Orion Black's will. Secondly we will hear from the Lady LeStrange in regards to her vault. As Master Goblin in charge of overseeing House Black, it is my duty to present this will to the heir of house Black. Please hold out your finger."
Harry did as he was asked by Goldclaw, the Goblin pricked his finger with the quill and put a drop of his blood onto the parchment. Just like with the other paper, it glowed red and then blue. "It is known to Gringotts that one Harrison James Potter, is now known as Lord Harrison James Potter-Black. He is the Lord of houses Black and Potter. To that end, we may begin the reading." Goldclaw announced, then set the parchment down.
The paper glowed and then there was the silver image of Sirius Black. "I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound enough mind and body, fifteen years in Azkaban will do that to you, what? Damned Goblins..anyway..I, me, being of the things I said, do name Harrison James Potter as my heir, thus making him a legal adult and as such is now the Lord of his own house, house Potter. To Harry, I bequeath my properties and ninety percent of the Black fortune. The rest will be divided in this manner: to my dearest cousin, Narcissa Malfoy, I bequeath one knut and a box of sketchbooks that she used as a child. Cissy, you are entitled to an additional two hundred and fifty thousand galleons provided you have your marriage to that blonde twit Lucius within the month. To my cousin Andromeda Tonks, I formally bring you back into my home. I ask that the new Lord Black see fit to give you two hundred and fifty thousand galleons, and treat her as a member of your family. To my cousin Bellatrix LeStrange, I leave you one knut and a box of muggle records and a record player, I think you know the one. Bella, it is my hope that you will find your way from whatever darkness that took you from us. If you are unable or unwilling to claim them, then I leave them to the new Lord Black to deal with as he sees fit. I also make the same offer of two hundred and fifty thousand galleons if you annul your marriage to that bastard LeStrange. To my friend Remus Lupin, I leave one hundred thousand galleons and the instructions to buy some new clothes. Moony, you look ridiculous and this is coming from a man who work prison rags for nearly two decades. To Peter Pettigrew, I leave a boot to your ass, to be delivered by the new Lord Black at his earliest opportunity. To Hogwarts I leave one hundred thousand galleons to be used to purchase quidditch supplies for under privileged students. Albus Dumbledore, you get nothing except a warning to stay out of Harry's life. To the Weasley family, I leave one hundred thousand galleons, take care of Harry for me, he might be an adult now, but he's going to need you for a while yet. To Hermione Granger, I leave the Black library and fifty thousand galleons. Let's face it, Harry won't read them unless you force him to. Finally to my niece, Nymphadora Tonks, I leave fifty thousand galleons, take care of yourself Nymphadora, I don't want to see you up here for many years. This is my will and last testament." Harry tried to take all of this in, he looked at Bellatrix, she wasn't crying, but it seemed she was close to it. He reached over and took her hand, she tensed and looked at him as if she expected him to strike her.
"Now then, Lady LeStrange, you requested access to your vault?" Master Silvertooth said, looking to her.
"Ye-yes Master Silvertooth. I would like to move all monetary resources from the LeStrange vault to the Black Vault. Also, there is a cup inside the LeStrange vault, I have reason to believe that it is a horcrux." Bellatrix looked back to the second Goblin, Silvertooth frowned.
"A horcrux is a deadly artifact of the darkest magic, there is a steep penalty for bringing those into our vaults." He grinned then, Harry decided that he didn't like a Goblin grin. "I assume, since the liquid assets of house LeStrange are being moved that you wish to use the houses properties to pay that debt."
Bellatrix returned the grin. "I would Master Silvertooth, I also ask you to have a writ of annulment prepared for me." The Goblin made his notes and rose. "I will have this for you in less than an hour Lady LeStrange, soon to be Lady Black."
Lord Goldclaw looked to Griphook, then back to Harry. "Griphook has sent quarterly statements to your magical guardian, he has also sent the request forms to have a Goblin named your account manager. Are you prepared to do that Lord Potter-Black?"
Harry was confused. "Who is my magical guardian? I've never seen any of these statements." Griphook frowned and looked at his papers. "Albus Dumbledore, Lord Potter-Black, he's been receiving your statements since you were orphaned." Harry got mad at this, "In that case, I am more than ready. As Lord Potter-Black, I would like to name you, Griphook, as my account manager. You have been performing your duties admirably this entire time, even if I was unaware of it."
The younger Goblin grinned broadly, this was a significant raise in status for him. "Thank you Lord Potter-Black, I will prepare the necessary paperwork and return it to you with the writ of annulment."
The other two Goblins left and Harry and Bellatrix were alone. "So that was the first surprise I had for you my new Lord, the next one was taking that money from LeStrange, between losing that horcrux, that money, and most likely all of the LeStrange holdings, we have just dealt a significant blow without casting a single spell."
She looked down to the table and spoke again, more to herself than to Harry. "I can't believe he kept those albums for me...when we were kids, we would hide from our parents up in his bedroom. He'd put a silencing charm on the room and we'd listen to music all night long...he really was my best friend back then."
Harry looked to her, he put his hand back on top of hers, this time she didn't flinch. "I don't remember how I turned from him Harry, it was as if one day someone locked me in a cell and I couldn't escape it. Then after his...after what happened last night, I felt the bars shift, and then when I came to you, it was to kill you, but when I touched you, the cell opened and it was quiet in my mind for the first time in over twenty years."
Her voice was still soft and Harry could see the unshed tears in her eyes. Griphook and Silvertooth returned with the papers. Harry signed the form naming Griphook as his account manager.
Silvertooth handed the paper to Bellatrix. "If you would, please state your intent." Bellatrix rose and drew her wand. "I Bellatrix Aden LeStrange, do hereby request an annulment from my marriage due to abuse at the hands of my spouse. I request to be adopted back into house Black."
Her wand glowed and then she looked at Harry, "Now, you read the script on the paper, hold your wand up and make sure you say the entire thing." He stood beside her and held his wand out, "I, Harrison James Potter, Lord of Houses Potter and Black, do hereby honor your requests. Firstly, you are no longer a member of the family LeStrange. Secondly, you are once more Bellatrix Aden Black, member of my home and my heart. So say I, so mote it be."
Harry's wand glowed and it was done. "Very well Lord Potter-Black, if there is anything else we can do for you, please speak to Master Griphook." Bellatrix stopped them, "Master Griphook, can we see the vault? I would like to get my inheritance."
Griphook nodded, "I will be waiting for the two of you at the vault entrance, it will give you a chance to gather your papers Lord Potter-Black, and allow Ms. Black to reapply her disguise." Bellatrix did just that, and the pair followed the Goblins out. "The public reading will be in a few days Harry, if you wish, I'll stay home..." She said as they walked to the vault.
Harry looked to her, "I don't mind you being there, after all, Tonks has met Josephine, the rest of them might as well."
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