章節 7: Inheritance
A/N: Pat-reon: HelloDarkness07.
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2 days after my trip to Diagon Alley, and wasn't that an amazing experience, I was sitting on my desk, reading my course books. My wand was kept in my trunk, in the box it came in, since I didn't want to break it by accident, nor did I want to risk breaking the laws while in a muggle Orphanage. So, books it is.
And I have to say, I understand why Harry didn't study much, and why in the beginning Hermione was called a know-it-all by them all, directly or indirectly. These books are boring as fuck.
Like, first of all, the tone of the books was sickeningly patronising. I know, these books are for 11 year olds, but they didn't have to be wankers about it. Of the 15 books I bought, of which 11 were course books, only 3 were not condescending.
3. Out of 15.
Secondly, you had to read these books in a particular order to understand anything. Well, not for me, because I have actual experience under my belt, and know a lot about magic from my memories, but for an average child?
They might just give up because they didn't read in the right order, and so, didn't understand. I mean, I understand that books need to be read in series, but you could at least tell that to the children, can't you?
Like, 'Magical Theory by Adalbard Waffling' had to be read first, because it actually explained what Magic is, and how spells worked.
But, this book was the most patronising book in my small collection. It also contained boring laws and all that literally all Magical spells follow. So, yeah. I'm still reading it, but I'm not happy about it.
From what I did read though, my hypotheses were mostly correct. According to the book, there are four components to a successful magic spell. Wand movements, Incantation, Intent, and actual Magic Power.
There is nothing about Wandlass magic until Chapter 13, after which it is mentioned only once, to say that only the most Powerful and learned Wizards can even hope to achieve Wandless magic.
I call bullshit, given I can already do it and I'm definitely not one of the most powerful Wizards.
After Ch 14, the Laws of Magic starts, for 17 more chapters, which is what I was still to read.
I sigh, turning the page, knowing that I have to finish this book, fast, so I can start with the rest. Like Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, or Magical Draughts and Potions.
Hearing something, I look underneath the table, to find Sly coming out of the hole in the wall.
~~Sly! You sure took your time coming back.~~ I say, smiling at him in greeting.
Sly climbs the chair's leg, and on to the desk. He glances at the books, and asks, ~~You went to that Wizard's place without me?~~
~~To be fair, I had no choice. A professor of my new school came to take me shopping, and you weren't here.~~ I point out. And he was gone for 5 whole days! What kind of non-pet does that?
Sly turns away from me, but I know he isn't upset. He's a snake, so emotions aren't his thing. He feels emotions, but he doesn't take anything too seriously. He then asks, ~~So, you got the letter then? You're going to that school?~~
I nod happily, and say, ~~Yup. We're going to Hogwarts!~~
~~We?~~
I look at him, and pat his head. As he hisses at me in warning, I say, ~~Yup, my dear friend Sly. You're coming with me. Unless you have an issue with staying with me that is?~~
Sly stares at me, his golden eyes narrowed, and then nods. He says, ~~Fine. Somebody will have to keep an eye on you, anyway. And Ash has too many duties here.~~
Well, at least the names stuck. Snakes don't usually have names, not even for themselves. But, when I named them Ash and Sly, the names stuck.
~~Good to hear.~~ I say, looking amused. I can practically see the excitement within him. He was also excited to go to Hogwarts, knowing how majestic the place is.
The bastard snakes had refused to take me to Diagon Alley before, despite having promised before. But that didn't stop them from going there themselves. Sly went there years ago, and like Ash, spied on people to hear about Hogwarts.
But the dick didn't tell me anything! Other than the letter will come sometime around my 11th birthday, nothing!
~~Did you find anything in those books of yours about us Snakes? Or Speakers?~~ Sly suddenly asks, getting over my shoulder and looking down at the book.
I shut the book down, and say, ~~Not that book. There is another which mentions Speakers, and a lot of the books mention snakes.~~ granted not all of them in the right way. Heck, the Potions book describes how to use snakes, in a lot of creative ways that I hope Sly never finds.
That'll break his heart, knowing what happened to his family.
Taking the History Of The Whole Wizarding World And Not Just Britain, I open the Table of Contents, and search for the relevant chapter. Finding it, I open the page, and point at a wizard in that picture.
The wizard was bald, and ugly by today's standards. But, he had an impressive beard, and wore clothes that at least looked expensive. In his hand was a wand, about 10-13 inches long, while in his neck, was the infamous locket.
I say, ~~This is the Speaker who helped found the School I am going to be studying at. They say that he had a pet snake that was the strongest of them all, but it is just a speculation.~~
For some reason, the actual Hogwarts: A History book does not show his face, and neither does the normal History book. Granted, they didn't contain the pictures of the other founders either, so there's that.
~~I could take him. Strongest snake, my tail. Wait a few more years and I'll show you strongest.~~ Sly hisses in equal amounts of pride, and anger, making me snort.
~~Sure you will, Sly. Sure you will.~~ I say, keeping my amusement away from my face.
But, I do wonder. The Basilisk must still be there, right? Should I seek it out? I know where it is, and Tommy hasn't even started his terror yet. Heck, he probably hasn't begun terrorising the kids yet, seeing that he's just about 3 right now.
I'll decide when I'm there. But for now, I'll have to read as much as I can. Let's just hope that the books in the Library aren't like this one.
Opening the Fantastic Beasts book, I set it on the table, for Sly to look at the pictures, and continue with reading Magical Theory.
This.. is gonna be a long, long month.
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About two weeks after the trip with Dumbledore, I was once again walking towards The Leaky Cauldron, only this time, with Sly on my shoulder, sitting invisible to all the eyes.
~~Are you sure they won't see you? Goblins aren't humans, you know.~~ I ask, thinking back to the bold claim Sly had made just three days ago. Invisible even to Goblins, is what he claimed to be.
Sly snorts, looking around at the humans, and says, ~~I have been there before, human. I've even been inside the caves of theirs.~~
I shrug, and say, ~~Hey, just being careful. I don't want to offend them or anything like that. Well, at least not on the first meeting itself.~~
Later meetings will depend on this one, obviously.
Walking inside the Leaky Cauldron, I wave at Tom, who was manning the bar, and say, "Mornin', Tom."
"Good morning.. Mason, right? You came her with Professor Dumbledore?" Tom asks, looking a little unsure about it.
Nodding, I say, "Got that right. Just off to the alley. Do I go directly, or should I have to tell someone or anything?"
Hey that's a genuine question I had, okay. They need at least some security to make sure that this place remains private, but accessible. Dumbledore could have just been given a blanket permission or something.
Tom chuckles, and points behind him towards the ever open door that leads to the alley. He says, "Just go right down that door. You don't need permission or anything, unless you want to come here after 9 PM." Pausing, he asks, "You did come here after telling your guardians, right?"
I look at him in indignation, and say, "Of course, I did! I'm not that irresponsible."
He sighs in relief, and says, "Just making sure. You can just walk to the back then. Remember the bricks alright?"
I wave at him, and as I walk towards the back, I say, "Yup, sure do."
~~That human asks too many questions.~~ Sly says, once I'm at the back, staring at the wall.
Taking the Wand (My Wand!) from inside my sleeve, I say, ~~He's just afraid of sending a runaway inside without informing anyone. He's still new at the business, Sly, don't mind him.~~
Tapping the three bricks, I once more marvel at the phenomenon that is Magic. Even after all the spells I can already do, this all looks.. amazing.
~~First things first, let's go to Gringott's. I have a Goblin to meet with.~~ I say, remembering what Ollivander Sr told me.
Harrison Aves, my mother's father, was apparently a wizard. He's dead, but I just hope that he did not die penniless, and left me at least something. Some money would be appreciated, but what I'm hoping for, is knowledge.
If this meeting goes well, that is.
Money can only get you so far in the Wizarding world. Malfoy was rich in the books, and he still got arrested for his crimes anyway. If I become too strong, and someone tries to frame me or anything, I can just.. escape.
I had no plans of becoming a Dark Lord, Light Lord, Grey Lord, or even get turned into a scapegoat. So, knowledge.
Walking inside the two doors of the Bank, I walk to the Goblin manning the Inheritance and Legitimacy Test Dais, and stop, waiting for him to look up, or down considering that I'm shorter than the chair he's sitting on. I wait patiently, and do not move around, no matter how much my 11 year old body wants to.
I don't know how he'll react to getting interrupted in his work, but I'd rather not risk it, thank you very much.
5 minutes later, he looks up from whatever he was doing, bends down over the dais to look at me, and asks, "What can Gringott's help you with?"
I nod at him, while looking up at him, and state, "I wanted to know about my family. I'd heard they are dead, and so, I would like to make some enquiries about it."
"Family name?" The Goblin asks, looking bored, but at least not angry. Maybe that patience test did the trick or maybe it's just how they talk.
"Aves. My name is Mason Aves. My mother's name was Marigold Aves, and from what I know, her father was Harrison Aves." I say, giving the extra information, in case he needed it.
He looks up, and squints his eyes at me, looking for something. I look back, and hold back the urge to listen to his thoughts. He shouts, "Snaphook! Take him to Grungir. Tell him we found a possible heir."
Snaphook, one of the runners standing near the wall runs towards us, and bows to the higher level Goblin. Turning to me, he says, "Come." And starts walking towards a hallway.
Despite being literally 3.5 feet tall, this little bugger has a fast pace when walking. Even I have to walk faster to keep up with him, and I just know, that this Snaphook is enjoying it.
5 minutes of walking behind him later, I enter the office of Grungir, the Manager of the Aves accounts.
This time, the chair and table are at normal heights, meaning I have to sit up just a little straighter to stay above the table level.
Offering my hand, I say, "Nice to meet you, sir."
He doesn't even glance at my hand, and just keeps staring at me. After what felt like hours, but was probably just a few seconds, Grungir grunts roughly, and says, "So, you say you're an Aves and are entitled to the Vaults that I look after."
Nodding hesitatingly, I say, "Well, I am an Aves, Mason Aves. I actually came here to see if I can find any knowledge about my family, and Mr Ollivander told me that I should try to ask Gringott's."
"Hmm.. You do look like a young Clarke Aves. But your proclamation is bold. Do you have any proofs about your identity as the Aves Heir?" Grungir asks, still staring at me.
I shrug, and say, "I was raised in an Orphanage, Mr Grungir, and I always knew Mason Aves to be my name. It was only when Mr Ollivander told me to come here for enquiries that I did. I can bring my birth certificate, and my mother's identity proof if your wish?"
Grungir snorts, and starts ruffling some papers on his table. Well, not paper, parchment. He hands one plain, normal looking piece of square parchment to me, and says, "Bleed on the parchment, and prove your identity."
I take the parchment, and just stare at it. "Umm.. how do I..?"
I might not like it, but I do have to maintain an image of a normal 11 year old. And normal 11 year olds don't know wandless Severing Charm.
Grungir sighs, and hands me a pin, silver in colour. Taking it, I prick my thumb. This time, I don't even have to pretend that this hurt, due to the fact that the damn thing actually hurt me!
Gritting my teeth, I hold the now holey finger above the piece of parchment, and count the drops falling down. As soon as the 7th drop.. drops, Grungir snatches the parchment from me, and starts staring at it.
Ignoring the urge to glare at him, I take out a handkerchief, and hold it around my bleeding finger. I should really see into a way to increase my rate of healing somehow. Magic has unlimited possibilities, so there must be something there.
About half a minute of comfortable silence later, Grungir places the parchment on the table, allowing me to finally see what was written on it.
I gasp, reading the names on the parchment, written in blood red colour. Just 7 names were there. My name at the bottom, underlined by a green line. Mason Lucas Aves. Above my name, were the names of my parents, seeing that my mother's name was one of them.
Marigold Lyanna Aves, and Morfin Marvolo Gaunt. My mother's name was underlined by a black line, while Morfin's was underlined by a green line, like mine.
Above those names, were the names of my four grandparents. Harrison and Alice Aves, along with Marvolo and Maurice Gaunt. All four of them were underlined by a black line. So, black line probably means dead, while Green line means alive.
Taking and observing the parchment for a while, I smile, not for the reason that Grungir probably believes.
I know the name of my father, of the one that raped my mother. Morfin Gaunt. You will die. Oh, I won't torture him or anything. I'm not a Gaunt. But I will make his death painful. No Avada Kedavra for him.
Grungir taps the table with his long nailed fingers, and says, "Well, Mr Aves, you are who you say you are. Lucky you. We were going to feed the dragon today."
I blandly look at him, while rubbing the finger through my handkerchief. Bloody evil Goblin.
"So, what enquiries did you have with me, Mr Aves?" Grungir asks, seeing me stay silent.
I ask, "Is anyone from my family alive? Other than me?"
Grungir says, "For the Aves family, I'm really sad to say that you are the last living member. On your father's side however, your father, and your Grandfather are alive."
I frown, the implications not lost on me. My only living Magical relatives are racist idiots. I ask, "Is Gringott's under any obligation to inform my father's side of the family of my existence?"
Grungir once more stares at me for a few seconds, and says, "No.. we aren't anyone's messaging service, Mr Aves. We're Goblins, not owls. If the Gaunts ask, then we will tell them, but we won't go out of our way to do so."
And since they don't have much money, they won't come to Gringott's to make that enquiry. I'm as safe as I can be. But it's not enough. I'll have to pay a bribe or something soon.
He continues, "Now, as for the estate. While you are the only possible beneficiary of the Aves estate, you can't claim it yet. The Manor was destroyed 35 years ago, so there's no home for you to claim for yourself. There is a Trust Vault, that was originally set up for your mother before it was found out that she's a Squib, but never reabsorbed, so that Vault has been directly passed on to you."
I nod, listening, and ask, "How much do I have access to? And when will I be able to claim the lands and my Vault?"
Grungir turns a few pages, and answers, "Your Trust Vault contains G20,000, due to the Family Vault depositing G500 on 1st August every year, since your mother's birth, and you have access to all of it."
I drop my jaw, I shit you not. G20,000! I was rich! I school my face, and control myself enough to not look like an overexcited brat. I ask, "What about my lands and the Family Vault?"
"17. That's when you can claim them, when you turn 17. You are very lucky to approach us. Usually claimants lose any claim to any monetary contents of the Family vaults to the Bank if 100 years go by without a heir approaching. It's only been 35 for you, so, good for you." Grungir says, and then smirks at the end.
I can imagine how many Vaults they've swindled money out of. Wait a minute. He said Monetary.
I resist the urge to smile wide. So there are probably a lot of Vaults with no claimants, and no money in them, but probably a lot of objects, judging by how the Lestrange Vault looked in the movies.
So, hypothetically, I could still claim the Vaults I'm entitled to, even after the 100 year deadline. Let's hope I'm the heir to Slytherin, and his family actually had Vaults here.
I just won't be able to get any money out of it. But books are good too. Ancient books. I mean, I already have G20,000, so books are preferred actually.
Or my hopes will go down the drain, and the Goblins also have a claim to the books and all the objects within. Or the Ministry. Gods, I hope not.
"Well, thank you for your time. Oh, I almost forgot. My key, to the Trust Vault?" I ask, smiling at the Goblin in front of me.
While he is my manager, he is still a Goblin and works for Gringott's' profit. Scowling at me, Grungir slams the key on the table, and says, "Vault number 689. Now leave, I have work to do. Don't approach me before you turn 17, unless you have actual business with me."
Leaving the bank, with 100 more Galleons worth of money, in all three currencies, I almost skip towards the book store. Entering an alleyway, I use my Metamorphmagic and change my face to look similar to my face as Chinmay.
From a black haired, white skinned boy, I turn into a black haired, brown skinned boy. Leaving my face, and skin colour, I still look the same as before.
~~Why are you hiding your face?~~ Sly asks, still invisibly sitting on my shoulder, as I start a walk towards Flourish and Blotts.
I say, ~~I don't want to even chance someone seeing me buy books worth more than the money I have left from my trip with Dumbledore. Too many uncomfortable questions.~~
I don't want anyone to know that I'm from the Aves family. If anyone already knows it, then I don't want them to know that I know. At least, not before I'm able to defend myself good enough. And showing my new money pouch off is counterproductive.
Call me selfish, but I'd rather have the free yearly money that I get as an orphan in the muggle world.
Plus.. I'm not exactly sure why, but my family's deaths sounds.. suspicious. All of them died in a Fiendfyre accident? Really? All of them? And not a single soul survived by apparating away or something? Yeah, I don't buy it.
But well, what can I do now, other than not show off my heritage and die like my family?
In the book store, I buy a few books way above my current knowledge level. 'Wands and Their Cores – Gerald Ollivander' was one that was really a surprise. I didn't think the Ollivanders shared knowledge like this.
It had nothing about actual wand crafting, no. But it had the knowledge of what ingredients can and can't be used as Wand cores and what Woods work how, as Wand woods. Truly marvellous.
This Gerard Ollivander wrote down a whopping 1000 animals, and which of their body parts can be used, along with the most common woods.
Acacia wood, which my wand is made out of, are usually very picky. They don't just bond with anyone, I was special! They were so picky, that once bonded to a wizard, it won't show it's true strength unless the wizard is truly exceptional. I'll see if I am in the future. Also, Acacia wands don't work for anyone other than their wizards.
Meaning, if another wizard stole and tried to use my wand, the magic simply won't work.
I love my wand! I truly do!
Along with that one, I bought a book written by Fleamont Potter, detailing the preparatory stages of each Potion and its ingredients. So, what Potion making actually is, is what I'd learn in that book.
There were a few more books, like the Pureblood Directory, and I bought them too. And then, once my curiosity is satisfied, I return back home, to my Orphanage.
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London: 1st September, 1930:
After a very boring, study filled month, the day has finally come. 1st September, 1930. The day of the Train.
After a short 20 minutes bus journey, while pulling my trunk behind me, I was standing in front of a normal looking pillar, just staring at it. Thank God that I had the Trunk shop owner add wheels to the trunk, or I'd have looked like an idiot.
Sly was sitting on my shoulder, invisible, and was staring at the wall along with me.
~~What now? Why aren't you just going through that magic thingy?~~ Sly asks, licking my ear with his tongue to get my attention.
Annoyed, I flick him on the head, ignore his indignation, and say, ~~I have waited for this exact moment for a very long time, Sly. Way more than even you know. Just.. I need to savour it.~~
Five minutes later, and after a lot of students have passed through the wall, I finally square my shoulders, and walk through the pillar, pulling my Trunk behind me.
~~Finally!~~ Sly exclaims, and starts looking around at everything, just like me.
It wasn't much, Platform 9 and ¾. It looked like a normal Train platform, with a single train standing on the track. In the far right was a wall, that had 3 fireplaces. If I didn't know about Floo, I would have been really confused.
Along the platform, many families were saying their goodbyes, and meeting with their friends. A few students were grouped together, and I could see even from here, that Inter-house friendship is really rare.
There was still half an hour, before the train leaves, so I glance at the Wizards in their robes, and board the train.
Keeping the trunk in the over head rack, I pick out the Potions book, the Potter one, and start reading. Sly looks at the book too, although he can't read, and gives completely helpful comments once in a while.
~~Why the hell would they cut a frog? Just swallow it whole! Your necks are so wide, and you still cut frogs before eating them.~~ Sly exclaims, momentarily making me twitch.
I look outside, and say, ~~Firstly, our necks might look wider from the outside, but we can't swallow like you do. We need to chew first, and chewing an entire frog is not possible for us. Secondly, this is for a Potions recipe, and not for eating, Sly. We don't eat frogs.~~
~~Pity. That frog looks tasty.~~ Sly says, and once again stays silent, allowing me to read. Oh this is going to be a long journey, isn't it?
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A/N: Only some parts were taken from the original version this time.
Reviews and comments please!
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