Chương 15: Debts, Elves, History
*Friday 15 July 1988*
Magical Britain was in an uproar. The loans being collected on by both Ancient and Noble houses took anywhere from 50-75% of all the wealth those loans had been made to. The donations made to Tom Riddle by the late Walburga Black would be matched and donated to The Hogwarts Trust. All loans made to families and supporters of the Dark Lord were to be collected in full.
Today was the day their debts were due. The debtors had four options. Either they submit a proposition to: extend payment time, setup a payment plan, or renegotiate the entire debt. The last option, pay up or get wrecked.
The main reason why there was panic was due to the loan contracts being ensured through magic and guaranteed by Gringotts. Of course the goblins would take a cut, it's only natural. Our account managers and their assistants were sitting in a veritable nest of letters and parchments. We both were sitting in a large operations room. Approving or declining requests handed to us. About 70% of the people decided to setup a payment plan. I was only helping Sirius sort through those requests and come to a beneficial agreement.
I had already fucked up the economy, but when it rains it pours.
The goblins were also learning to extend their gains. The amortization and compounding interest was what they were very receptive of. For this knowledge and implementing it, House Potter was granted a discount on all Gringotts services. Great I just helped the goblins screw over wizards even more. Well, it's your fault for living in the middle ages, I'm just adding the poverty and hardship for accuracy.
Sirius was in over his head, not having used it for anything other than pranks and pursuing women in the past, and staying sane in recent times.
The overall experience was actually quite enjoyable for me. 30% of the debtors paid up the entire amount. They were the older pureblood houses. The reputation of House Black was entrenched in history. The older houses remembered to never cross a Black. The tales of horrific retribution were told from generation to generation.
"The wrath of Black."
These words were being circulated in the European magical community. House Black was one of the more prominent houses on the international stage. More so than House Potter. It's only due to my mother's sacrifice that House Potter has some renown. Only House Ollivander had more political clout than anyone on the British Isles. Hence his son and daughter were being catered to at Castelobruxo.
The weird thing about the British Ollivander family branch was that none of the children went to Hogwarts. Personally I think he's selling us the rejected crap he couldn't flog off anywhere else, whatever.
As far as Dark wizards go, Grindlewald was the most effective. His campaign mirrored the muggle political events and spanned the globe. Voldemort is the most violent. The title of Dark Lord, is given to a practitioner of the Dark Arts after they successfully become a lich. I honestly did not expect to come across that fact anywhere. The books from the SHOP were actually very informative. The current Dark Lord is Lorgar Jensen. He's somewhere in Mongolia right now. doing who knows what. He's been around for 1200 years. Used the wars over the centuries to make a few Philosopher's stones. Made some cool shit along the way. Very hard to get a hold of. A refined and polished individual. Easy to get along with, if you keep an open mind. Rumoured to have had possession of the Deathly Hallows before dispersing them over Europe. He in fact did, as the 'master of death' he exchanged knowledge for the right to the Deathly Hallows. He can now no longer use the Hallows, but from the sound of things, he no longer needs them. Definitely an interesting individual, the ICW consults with him regarding new upstart Dark wizards, when they can get a hold of him. Voldemort calling himself a Dark Lord has not reached him, otherwise Tom Riddle would have been a foot note in the History of Magical Britain.
Prior to Lorgar Jensen, there were 3 Blacks who attained the title of Dark Lord. Hence, their reputation for being vengeful and vindictive.
Amelia and Sirius were rekindling their previous relationship. Much to Heiress Bones' displeasure. Susan Bones, the Heiress of House Bones and the niece of Amelia Bones, was not at all happy with her aunt being all lovey-dovey in the house. Those two were repaying and collecting their debts with interest.
Meanwhile I was in Potter Manor. I had requested Sirius to let me stay at my ancestral home. He agreed, as long s he could visit. He hated staying at 12 Grimmauld Place, but the blood wards ensured the seat of House Black was all but impossible to move. I had been studying my family history and refurbishing the place with the help of the house elves.
The elves were very helpful. Terry, Jenny, and Benny were the Potter House elves. When I first met them they looked so fragile. I had to bond with them and feed them magic directly to get them into the condition they are now. I spent quite a bit of time with them over the past few weeks. I wanted to know more about them and also let them know what I expected of them.
I had tasked them with finding new house elves that were looking for employment. The main reason for that was the upkeep of several properties had fallen behind and they were very close to being derelict. So far there were no new elves on staff, Hogwarts was the major employer for free or prospecting elves. In due time, all will be handled. My initial inquiry made the current elves morose. I had to explain to them why I was looking for additional staff. Making them the Head Elves of House, Farm, and Business put them at ease. Now they were recruiting, I left the matter entirely up to them, if I step in it would infringe upon their sphere of influence, I want them to become independent of their own accord. Everything they do is for the betterment and prosperity of house Potter. They are frankly a godsend, it would be idiotic to not use this resource.
While in Potter Manor, I talked with the portraits of my ancestors. Turns out the name Potter actually holds some meaning. House Potter is a renowned name in the subject of Golemancy. Looking through the records and ledgers, I found out that most of the Living Armours and Golems in Hogwarts were supplied and maintained by the Potters. The records stop 10 years ago, at the intensifying state of the British Wizarding War. The golems and armours should be alright for defensive measures for another 15 years or so. Offensive measures have to be added and overridden with permission from the headmaster. The golems are tied into the wards, overriding the purely defensive programming will need the permission of the headmaster, or Hogwarts itself.
Yes, Hogwarts is a semi-sentient being. A note from 1862, states several anomalies in the wardstones of Hogwarts. Closer inspection states that some of the enchantments were not added by human magic. Several notes in the records and ledgers state an enchantment has merged with another or has an added component that was not added by the caster. The Wardbook, in the headmasters office has a record of all the wards and enchantments placed in Hogwarts. Comparing what was in the record and what is in front of them, it was determined that Hogwarts is making several improvements to itself.
This interesting fact bring to light a simple dilemma. Should I take my own golems into Hogwarts? Since they are non-living I can store them in my INVENTORY. That is not the only issue right now. The main concern is how do I go about making a golem, and in what style. The entire process needs a large amount of prerequisite knowledge and experience. It is somewhat like robotics. It is not just the code, it's the CPU and the hardware that will use the code. Making the parts is relatively simpler than the golem core. The parts only require an interface to accept input and provide feedback to the core. The subroutines running in the several extremities of the golem increase the complexity exponentially based on the level of articulation.
The epitome of magic, alchemy, can allow me to make an artificial being. A homunculus. The entire process in laid out in the Potter Library. I'm not going to look into it until I have a firm grasp on Golemancy and Alchemy. I will also need at least a working knowledge in The Dark Arts.
Magic as outlined by The Truth of Magic Vol. 1 pg. 1 is simply Will and Intent. So if I believe that dark magic is corrupting me, it will corrupt me. But it is not simply my belief, the societal beliefs and opinions will also eat away at my will, a single misstep can be fatal. That is why I want to get a handle on the Mind Arts. Organizing my own mind, reading other people's minds, casting magic just by looking, and if circumstances permit, become immortal.
The three embodiments of a living being, mind, body, soul, are all linked. A wizard has a higher potential to synergize the three into complete harmony. The weakest link in all this is usually the mind. Simple Occlumency and Legilimency is all well and good, but a vast majority of magi do not go beyond that.
For those willing to delve into the depths of magic it is a boon. Practicing for a year diligently can bring a mature mind to the same level as a natural occlumens who has only practices to an 'acceptable' level. The problem arises due to the fact that a natural occlumens will passively train their skill, while a normal practitioner will constantly have to improve to keep up. Same with a natural and normal legilimens.
The mind after a certain point will be reliant on the body, so if the body is weak, then the mind will stagnate at a certain level. The soul is actually the easiest the improve. It will grow alongside the mind and body. It will accommodate any imbalance. It is the most malleable and unforgiving aspects of a living being. A natural growth will be handled quite easily, it is when rituals are brought into the equation that causes an imbalance. Mainly due to either mind or body lacking the required strength. This imbalance is very difficult for the soul to acclimatize to. That is why there is usually a gap between rituals. Rushing a set of rituals or compounding rituals usually results in death.
After I am done helping Sirius, I am going to ask if I can have a look around the Black Library. Also I will need an instructor for potions. It is usually frowned upon to ask another house for access to their family library. I can sort of claim ignorance, but I would prefer if I had a somewhat competent guide into the Dark Arts. I got rid of the Horcrux too soon. I could have, over time used it to strengthen my own soul, and gain invaluable experience in dark magic. But I suppose it is for the best, don't want an imbeciles' take on dark magic.
That is what Tom Riddle is, an imbecile. Making a horcrux, basically limits your magic at a certain level. His first Horcrux was while he was in Hogwarts, so he sort of found a loop hole, but he limited his maximum strength. On a scale of 1-10 he's at a 6. Dumbledore right now is at 7.5, in 1945 he was at 9. Grindlewald, he's at a 6 as well, with the Elder wand in 1945 an 8.5. Merlin, 9.9, the founders, 8-9.5 over their prime. Confucius, 7.8. Even if he completes more rituals his maximum is a 7. That is why he is usually plotting and scheming. In the Wizarding War he sent his lackeys to carry out tasks. He only showed himself in front of weak targets. The night he attacked me and my parents, he knew my dad had just come home from a long day. He was stretched thin. My mother was a housewife. Her skills had diminished. The Longbottoms on the other hand, both Frank and Alice were aurors and were on leave, that is why he sent his mad bitch Belatrix there. He knows he's fucked up, and he can't do anything about it the little shit.
I'm not even mad at him, I'm more pissed of at the wizarding public of magical Britain. Sheep the whole lot of them.
It doesn't matter. Either I take care of them, or send Hermione/Lady Abyss after them. Which reminds me, I hope she at least is studying the magical books I sent her. I don't want her to be unprepared in Hogwarts.
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