บท 9: The Changing Tide
"I care Kreacher. Your appearance reflects on me. In the future you will keep yourself clean, your tea towels or pillowcase or whatever will be clean, pressed and display the new family crest." Sirius showed Creature the de Sable family crest that the goblins had mixed elements of the Black family crest into. "At the moment I cannot return to England however I expect you to maintain Grimmauld place in pristine condition. I know you were Father's major domo, I expect you to serve that function for me. How are the other Black properties? "
"Mistress closed them and got rid of the elves in mourning for master's father and brother. She never left the house after that."
"In other words she went round the bend after her perfect Regulus died."
"Master shouldn't speak so of Mistress, she was a great lady. And master is nothing but a …" the elf trailed off at Sirius' arched eyebrow. He thought about what he'd been about to say and realized had he not stopped when he did he would have had a week of no duties or worse clothes. Tears welled up in his eyes, he had disliked his new master as a boy for being thoughtless and unkind but this seemed even worse. He started rocking in place.
"Kreacher, I know this is difficult for you, and to be honest I never expected to be Lord Black; I always expected Reg to be the next Lord Black. I know that by my mother's, by your standards I am a disgrace to the Blacks. But I am Lord Black, which means you will obey me and be respectful in return I will treat you with respect and concern. Regulus wrote me a letter before he died. Did you destroy the locket?"
The house elf wailed, "That was Master Regulus' last command. Bad Kreacher! Bad Kreacher! Bad Kreacher!" His shouts were punctuated with him throwing himself into the stone wall.
"Stop that Kreacher!" Sirius shouted. He looked at the pathetic creature in front of him. As a young man he would had found the sight of the slightly dazed house elf amusing. But the years since James and Lily's deaths had given him a clearer picture of the sort of person he had been and it wasn't a pretty one. So in the end he had grown up and changed. "Kreacher I do not blame you. Voldemort who made the locket put powerful protections on it. I will find out how to destroy it but I need your help. I need you to calm down and be my major domo in Britain there is information I need information only you can get for me."
The house elf subsided into soft hiccoughing sobs punctuated by loud sniffs. "Why does Master not want Kreacher to punish self? You used to give me impossible tasks just so you could watch and laugh."
"I used to be a right little monster and behaved like a berk. After fifth year James grew up because I nearly cost us Remus and he wanted Lily. It took me losing them and having to put myself aside for Harry, to grow up. But I've done that, I hope it has made me into a better person. Kreacher I'm serious that I need you to help me."
The elf sniffed deeply twice then nodded.
....
December 20, 1985 Leicester
Ted Tonks came home from his job only to find his wife in tears. "Andie darling what is it? Has something happened to Dora?"
His sobbing wife shook her head no, but continued to cry. Then she held out a letter. Ted took it and started reading.
Gringots Bank
London, United Kingdom
To Andromeda Tonks nee Black
This letter is to inform you of your reinstatement to the Black family as per the instructions of his grace, Duc de Sable, Viscount of Black. The dower you were previously denied has been deposited into your account increasing the balance 730,000 galleons. There will be quarterly deposits of ten thousand galleons in the future upon the inspection of your arms for a dark mark, there is nothing personal in the inspection it is merely a requirement of all family members.
Grimjaw Trollslayer
Manager of Black Accounts
After he managed to pick his jaw up off the floor, he hugged his wife. One of the hardest things for him to understand was how a family could just disown their child because they disapproved of their choice of life partner. Apparently the current lord felt the same and restored Andie's place in the family. Ted now knew his wife's tears were happy ones.
Same day, Wiltshire, England
Lucius Malfoy scowled as he read the letter from Gringott's.
Gringott's Bank
London, Great Britain
To Lord and Lady Malfoy
As per the instructions of the Duke de Sable, Viscount of Black, this letter is to inform you. That no more quarterly dower payments will be made until you have been inspected for a dark mark. Should either of you have the dark mark this will be regarded as a contractual breech and there will be consequences. If the inspection isn't made by next quarterday it will be assumed that you are marked and Narcissa Malfoy nee Black will be declared Oathbreaker and disowned and the entire dowery will be reclaimed by the Black family trust.
Grimjaw Trollslayer
Manager of Black Accounts
January 2, 1986
Grimjaw Trollslayer grinned evilly as he sat down to write his letter to the Duke.
To His Grace Duke de Sable,
As per your instructions an inspection was made of Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy and their spouses. I added an inspection of Andromeda Tonks and her husband for appearances sake. As you probably expected, The Lestranges failed the inspection both are marked however the repayment of the dowery has a small problem insufficient liquid assets.
I have enclosed a list of items in their vault and aprpoxiamte values so you may select said items to make up for the shortfall. Narcissa Malfoy passed. Her husband did not. She is considering her options at present no decision has been made. The Tonks' passed. Andromeda Tonks asked questions. I did not answer given the present view of Your Grace here in England.
I have made moves to take over the Potter Accounts upon the death of Ironclaw as he is ill, however there is much competition. Some of whom have the backing of certain individuals who wish to control us goblins as they do wizards.
Your major domo here has brought two trunks to be sent to Gringott's Jakarta. He asked us to get authorization for the purchase of four elves. Two for the country estate, one for the hunting box and the last for the manor in Brighton. He has also given us a request to contract some work for each of the estates I was planning to authorize it as it all seems to be in order.
Anyway I have done as you have directed and invested in those muggle corporations. Are you sure it is wise to do this? I hope you approve of how I accomplished it. There was a Ravenclaw muggleborn, Richard Woolsey, who wants a degree in the muggle world as well as his NEWTs.
At my request he approached an investment house saying he represented a consortium of investors with capital to invest. He will represent you with the investment house in return for the cost of his muggle education. As his intended major is finance I thought he would eventually make a good employee. His NEWTs were in O in Arithmancy, E in Charms, A in everything else. He knows your title not your name as the name Sirius Black is still wanted. I regret to inform you the Wizengamot has ordered your immediate Kiss should you return.
May your gold flow and your enemies blood run cold with fear,
Grimjaw Trollslayer
April 30, 1986 Hogwarts
Albus reluctantly rose to go to the conference room. These April meetings had become something of a tradition, he would get the list from the Book and while he did he would check on little Harry's name. He was never sure whether he was happy he was alive or afraid of what Sirius Black was making the boy into. He felt discouraged because Harry would undoubtably be unsuitable for the tasks and the role he would need to play in future events. The greater good of the wizarding world was undoubtably facing it's darkest hours all because of one man.
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