Secrets of the Arcane Sovereigns
Ragnok stood from his chair, the goblin’s expression stoic but with a hint of satisfaction glimmering in his eyes. “If you’ll follow me, gentlemen, I will escort you to the healing wards where young Harry is currently being treated.”
Sirius felt his heart skip a beat. The reality of seeing his godson again, now legally and magically his son, set a storm of emotions coursing through him. Remus quietly moved to stand beside Sirius, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. Even Severus, usually composed and unreadable, was now holding a mixture of anticipation and trepidation in his expression. Dumbledore, on the other hand, followed behind, his calculating eyes trying to gauge the situation.
They made their way down the cool, echoing marble corridors of Gringotts, passing rows of doors inscribed with ancient goblin runes. Ragnok’s small, purposeful strides kept them moving at a brisk pace. The entire walk was cloaked in a heavy silence, punctuated only by the occasional clink of goblin armour or the rustle of robes.
Finally, they arrived at a set of large, intricately carved wooden doors marked with the sigils of healing. Ragnok placed a hand on the door, the goblin magic within the runes glowing faintly in recognition of his touch. With a soft creak, the door swung open, revealing the serene interior of the healing ward. Soft, golden light filtered in from enchanted lamps lining the walls, casting a warm glow over the space.
At the far end of the ward, surrounded by softly glowing protective wards, lay a small figure on a cot. Harry. His raven hair was spread across the pillow, his pale skin a stark contrast to the warmth of the room. The goblin healer, clad in silver robes, stood nearby, carefully monitoring the various potions and spells being administered.
Sirius nearly stumbled at the sight of him. His heart felt like it had been wrenched from his chest and then carefully placed back. “He’s so small,” Sirius murmured, his voice trembling with a mixture of relief, anguish, and fierce protectiveness. He had been imagining this moment since Lily’s message reached him, and yet nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming flood of emotions now crashing over him.
Severus, usually so composed, found his gaze fixed on the tiny spiral scar on Harry’s forehead, a mark unlike any he had seen before. It wasn’t simply a wound; it held a subtle aura, a testament to Lily’s protective magic. "The mark... it’s not just any scar," Severus thought, a mixture of awe and sadness filling his chest. However, the curious pattern on the child's forehead had him wondering. It had the feel of something ancient, beyond even the magical world’s current understanding.
Remus took a steadying breath, his eyes never leaving the child. He could already see the resemblance to Lily in the delicate features of his face, James in the unruly raven hair that splayed across the pillow, and even Sirius in the high cheekbones, angular jaw, and unmistakable aristocratic pureblood qualities. It was as if Harry embodied them all, a unique mosaic of the bloodlines he hailed from.
Dumbledore stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the boy, though his expression was unreadable. He tried to mask his inner turmoil, focusing instead on what the next steps would be to regain control of the situation. But at that moment, even he could feel the undercurrent of something greater than any one person’s will.
Ragnok cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. “The child has been examined thoroughly. He is physically healthy, though there are early signs of mild neglect—likely due to an abrupt adjustment period in his new environment.” His gaze turned to Sirius, who was watching intently. “While we detected a few minor bruises, they appear to be consistent with typical childhood bumps and tumbles rather than any deliberate harm. As for his magical core, it is… unique.”
Sirius snapped his gaze to Ragnok, worry etched into every line of his face. "Unique how?"
Ragnok gave a measured look, his eyes reflecting the wisdom of his kind. “The child's magical core is... unique,” he began cautiously, choosing his words carefully with Dumbledore present. “It carries a resonance of ancient power, far beyond that of his known heritage. However, this is not something to be discussed lightly, nor in haste.”
Ragnok glanced briefly at Sirius, Severus, and Remus, as if silently conveying that they would need a private discussion later.
The healer stepped forward, gently placing a hand on Harry’s forehead, his voice low and soothing as he explained, “We are in the process of stabilizing his magical core, allowing it to settle. He is strong, far stronger than any child I have ever encountered, but his magic is... intertwined with protections and curses we’ve only begun to unravel.”
Sirius took a step closer, unable to stop himself from reaching out. His fingers trembled as they brushed a stray lock of Harry’s hair from his forehead. “I’m here now, Harry,” he whispered, voice cracking. “And I’m never letting you go again.”
Severus moved silently to the other side of the bed, "We have much work ahead," he muttered, not just to Sirius but to himself. The child’s care, his training, his very future now rested in their hands. It was a daunting task, but for the first time in years, Severus felt a stirring of purpose.
Remus placed a hand on Sirius’s shoulder, his voice gentle yet firm. "We’ll take care of him, together."
Ragnok nodded, his eyes gleaming with an unspoken understanding of the gravity of this moment. “Lord Black,” he addressed Sirius, “your child is in good hands. When he wakes, he will need your guidance and protection more than ever.”
Sirius glanced at Severus, an unspoken truce passing between them. “Agreed,” he said firmly. “For Harry.”
Severus inclined his head, his eyes never leaving Harry's sleeping form. "For Harry."
In that moment, the room seemed to shift, the air becoming charged with a newfound sense of resolve. They stood at the precipice of a new beginning, one that would require strength, sacrifice, and an unbreakable unity. But for Harry, they would face whatever came next.
Because, as Sirius thought while watching the steady rise and fall of his godson’s chest, they were ready to forge the path forward, together.
After the scene in the Healing Ward, Dumbledore knew he needed to step back and reevaluate everything he thought he knew about Lily and how he could manipulate the situation now that the boy was out of his control. Convincing Black to give up custody or allow Harry to grow up elsewhere was clearly out of the question. Therefore, he had to devise new ways to influence the boy’s upbringing.
Dumbledore still needed to ensure he remained a constant presence in Harry's life, someone the child would grow to trust. If he could subtly guide him, he might align Harry with a light-aligned family and shape his views to reject all things dark.
With his mind made up, Dumbledore turned to the three young men and said, "Well then, my boys, I must be off. Headmaster duties await. Severus, I’ll see you back at school. Sirius, I still urge you to reconsider raising Harry on your own. Remus, I trust you'll take care of yourself?"
The three of them exchanged glances, each processing their thoughts on the old man’s words. Sirius had nearly lost all trust in Dumbledore; the meddling tone only confirmed his suspicions. Severus felt conflicted. He had once gone to the Headmaster, desperate for him to protect Lily and, by extension, her son. Yet now, Dumbledore seemed more intent on pushing Harry into an environment where he’d either be unloved or neglected. It made Severus question everything he thought he knew about the man.
Remus, for his part, was caught in a dilemma. He had always respected Dumbledore for allowing him an education at Hogwarts despite his condition as a werewolf. Yet, the tension between Sirius and the Headmaster now was palpable. Could he continue to side with the man who gave him his first real chance in life, or should he stand with his friend, the one he had already doubted and regretted turning his back on?
With only curt nods in response, Dumbledore sighed in clear disappointment, casting one last glance at the group before turning on his heel and leaving Gringotts.
With the old man finally gone, Ragnok addressed them, his tone firm. "Now that the meddling fool has left, we have matters of great importance to discuss—things I would not and could not reveal in the Headmaster's presence. Young Harry will likely sleep for a while longer, and we must use this time to go over the last of Mrs. Potter's wishes and instructions."
The three young men exchanged glances, feeling increasingly out of their depth. It was one thing for Lily to leave behind a few instructions, given the war and the looming dangers. Any parent would want to secure their child’s future, even posthumously. But the level of planning and secrecy that Lily seemed to have undertaken was astonishing—something unheard of unless one had profound secrets to protect and only a trusted few to share them with. With a murmur of, "We'll be back soon, Harry," they followed Ragnok.
However, instead of leading them back to his office, Ragnok called for a fellow goblin to start the cart, plunging them deeper into the labyrinth of tunnels within Gringotts. As they descended further and further, a sense of foreboding settled over them. Even Sirius, heir and now Lord to one of the wealthiest and most ancient families, had never ventured this far into the bank. When they finally stopped, they found themselves in a vast circular chamber, facing four vaults that gleamed with an aura of mystery—the vaults of the Founders.
Severus, who had known Lily the longest, was utterly bewildered as they stood before the imposing Founders' vaults. His voice was laced with confusion and a hint of irritation. "Master Goblin, why are we here? Lily was a Muggle-born. Why would she have any connection to these vaults, let alone instruct you to bring us here?"
Ragnok, sensing their unease and curiosity, replied calmly, "There is much about Mrs. Potter and her ancestry that even you are unaware of. She left very precise instructions, foreseeing the potential threats her son might face. While she was confident in her ability to protect Harry from immediate danger, she also acknowledged the uncertainties surrounding her own fate and that of those closest to her. Hence, we were bound to reveal her secrets only to the three of you, Mr. Potter—if he survived—and Mrs. Longbottom. Unfortunately, two of those individuals are no longer with us, which brings us here today. You will find your answers inside this vault."
Without another word, Ragnok disembarked from the cart and approached the vault adorned with the emblem of Hufflepuff. The three men, driven by a mixture of trepidation and morbid curiosity, followed the goblin's lead, their footsteps echoing in the vast, dimly lit chamber.
Ragnok withdrew an ancient-looking key from his robes, its intricate design hinting at magic older than any of them could comprehend. With a firm click, the vault door groaned open, revealing the treasures of one of the Hogwarts Founders. They stepped inside, momentarily blinded by the sheer magnitude of wealth before them. The mountains of gold piled high—so high they dwarfed even the tallest giant—stretched far into the distance. It was a staggering sight, and Sirius couldn’t help but think that Harry would never want for anything if this was a part of his inheritance. It would be enough to sustain him for several lifetimes, even when combined with the assets from the Potter and Black vaults.
But as their eyes adjusted to the dim, torch-lit interior, they began to notice other relics scattered throughout. Remus's gaze locked onto a section filled with books on magical creatures, tomes so ancient their bindings seemed ready to crumble at the touch. Severus found himself drawn to shelves lined with healing plants, rare potions ingredients, and materials that were almost mythic in nature. Sirius, for his part, could barely suppress a grin at the sight of an array of weapons, each with an aura of magic that bespoke its lethality.
Their private musings were interrupted when Ragnok motioned them toward a far corner. There, sitting atop a simple, yet regal table, was a solitary chest with an unassuming letter resting on its lid.
"This," Ragnok stated, gesturing to the letter, "is where you will find the answers you seek."
The goblin stepped back, leaving the men alone with the chest and its secrets. Sirius, Severus, and Remus exchanged uneasy glances. This felt different—graver than when they had read their individual letters. This was not just a message; it was the unveiling of truths, a privilege they were almost hesitant to claim. With a deep breath, Sirius reached out, carefully breaking the seal on the letter, as the others peered over his shoulder to glimpse the secrets Lily had taken such pains to conceal.
Flashback:
Lily had always been different from the rest of her family. They were ordinary and normal. Her parents loved her immensely, even if they didn't always understand her. She had concluded early on that she was unlike her family because she had been adopted when she was just four years old. Quick to learn anything new, Lily often outshone others, which became a frequent source of tension with her older sister, Petunia. While Petunia was sweet and included Lily in everything, there was always a hint of resentment, especially when Lily excelled. Their parents’ occasional favoritism toward Lily only deepened the rift between the sisters.
When Lily was almost ten, she discovered she could make flowers float through the air. At first, Petunia had been hysterical when she witnessed these strange abilities, not that Lily realized what she was doing was magic. Her parents, Robert and Anne Evans, were also bewildered, as though they had stumbled into something they hadn't signed up for.
Robert and Anne had always dreamed of having two children. However, after Petunia’s birth, they were told they couldn't have more. Undeterred, they decided to adopt. After visiting several children’s homes, they met a young girl with fiery red hair and eyes so green, you could lose yourself in their depths. The couple fell in love with the little girl at first sight, and even six-year-old Petunia was excited about having a sister, thinking, "She’ll be my best friend to play with forever."
But as the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end." As Lily began experimenting with her newfound abilities, her relationship with Petunia grew strained. Petunia didn’t like the strangeness of it all. By twelve, she had already formed her own opinions and knew that what Lily could do was not normal. Adding to this was the new friend Lily had made: the boy from down the street, Severus Snape.
Severus, the son of the neighborhood drunkard Tobias Snape, had secrets of his own. It was an open secret that Tobias was abusive, though no one spoke of it openly. What the neighbors didn’t know was that Severus could do the same extraordinary things as Lily. Quickly, the two formed a tight friendship. They would often be seen behind the park’s trees, making leaves and flowers float, whispering excitedly about their shared abilities. Once, Severus even managed to make Lily levitate—a display of unnaturalness that sent Petunia’s disdain into overdrive.
The jealousy and unease grew in Petunia as Lily continued to show her gifts. Burying her envy behind layers of disdain and fear, Petunia began to resent her sister’s difference. When Lily's letter from Hogwarts finally arrived, confirming what Severus had been telling her—that she was a witch—Lily was ecstatic. Her parents were happy for her, even if the idea of magic made them uncomfortable. For Petunia, however, this was the last straw. She knew that the moment Lily left for her freak school, their bond would be irrevocably broken, and Petunia was fine with that.
Lily took to the new environment like a duck to water. She loved how different the magical world was from her mundane upbringing. Yet, for reasons she couldn’t quite grasp, it felt as though she had finally come home, as if she was born to wield magic and had been doing so for ages. But that couldn't be right; she had only discovered her abilities a few years ago. Deciding to set these odd feelings aside, she resolved to focus on learning and mastering magic to the best of her abilities.
Magic came to her as easily as breathing. She excelled in Potions, loved the intricacies of the History of Magic,and found Transfiguration a challenging delight. However, Charms was her true love. Always a quick study, she kept pace with the so-called "pure-bloods" and "half-bloods" effortlessly. Naturally, some students hated her for being a Muggle-born, going so far as to accuse her of "stealing their magic." But Lily paid no mind to their ridiculous claims.
She had her best friend, Severus, though he was sorted into a different house. They met almost every day, working on their assignments and exploring various magical topics together. Lily also made new friends within her dorm—Marlene McKinnon and Mary Macdonald—though Alice Fortescue was her absolute favorite. Alice was a year ahead of her, but somehow they understood each other better than anyone else.
Of course, there were hiccups along the way. A group of four boys, rowdy and arrogant, believed they owned the school. Their self-appointed leaders, James Potter and Sirius Black, were especially notorious. They thrived on chaos and seemed to think everyone adored their so-called pranks. Unfortunately, their antics often crossed the line, especially when they targeted Severus, something that Lily couldn’t stand. James Potter, in particular, infuriated her. To her, he was nothing more than a spoiled bully who loved to make others miserable for fun. Their pranks weren't clever; they were cruel. Yet, the teachers seemed to adore them, granting them free rein to do as they pleased.
Lily might have ignored the Marauders entirely if it weren't for two things: first, they targeted her best friend, and second, Potter had an obnoxious crush on her. For the first five years, he trailed after her like a lovesick puppy. Each time, she rejected him without an ounce of regret, but that didn’t deter him. If anything, her refusals only seemed to encourage his antics further.
However, not all the Marauders were insufferable. She grew close to Remus Lupin over the years. He was the quiet one, always with his nose buried in a book and a cardigan draped over his shoulders. A fellow academic, he was friendly and approachable, though she could never understand how he managed to be friends with such bullies. Not that Remus was innocent; she suspected that he was the mastermind behind some of their more elaborate pranks. His magic was brilliant—it was just a pity that it was often used for amusement rather than meaningful endeavors.
Meanwhile, her relationship with her sister, Petunia, had deteriorated into near non-existence. While her parents were happy to have her home for holidays, she found herself more at ease in the magical world. Here, she had people who understood her, friends who would do anything for her.
Everything began to change in her fifth year. During one of their crueler pranks, two of the Marauders decided to publicly humiliate Severus. Enraged, Lily intervened. Unfortunately, her interference only seemed to spur them on, and a humiliated Severus lashed out at her, calling her a hurtful slur. The words cut deep, and neither of them was happy with how things had turned out.
It took Severus over a year to convince Lily that he was truly sorry and deeply regretted his actions. By then, James had also made efforts to change his behavior, even apologizing for his past arrogance. Eventually, Lily decided to give him a chance, and they started dating. She knew how much Severus and James despised each other, but she was selfish; she didn't want to lose either of them. So, she asked Severus to keep their friendship a secret for the time being.
Severus was far from happy about this arrangement, but he was willing to do anything to keep their friendship alive. Watching Lily and James together was torture, especially since James was preening like a peacock more than even Lucius Malfoy these days.
Lily was confident that, in time, she could make James and Severus see the best in each other. After all, James was a kind and generous person behind all his arrogance. He just needed someone to keep him grounded, and Lily was nothing if not stubborn. She refused to let him walk all over her. As for Severus, he was the best person she had ever met. She knew he loved her, but she saw him as a friend, almost like a brother. The task ahead was daunting, but she was determined to make them both understand.
By the time Lily graduated, she was beyond proud of her accomplishments. She had achieved the highest scores in Charms seen in decades and was happily engaged, ready to marry James. Over the years, she had even grown close to Sirius, who seemed to mature significantly after leaving his tumultuous home. Remus, Alice, and Lily’s friendship was still going strong, although her relationship with Severus had grown... complicated.
Lily knew a war was brewing outside the walls of Hogwarts and that they, as the newly graduated, would inevitably be drawn into it. It pained her to realize that she and Severus would likely be on opposing sides, but she felt powerless to change that fate. His descent into the Dark Arts had been slow but undeniable. She saw all the signs and made countless efforts to pull him away from the influences of people like Lucius Malfoy, but it was all in vain. Severus was in deep, and he seemed to find a strange sense of belonging within the Dark Arts. Despite this, Lily vowed not to let their differing paths destroy their friendship.
After graduation, life moved at a break-neck pace. Almost immediately, they were drawn into a vigilante organization called "The Order of the Phoenix," led by none other than their former Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Lily was skeptical; this was not a government-sanctioned group, and the lack of official backing made her uneasy. Why did they need to join a covert organization rather than simply become Aurors or at least on-call fighters for the Ministry?
But her new family—James and his parents—were already deeply involved with Dumbledore. The Potters went so far as to fund the organization and its war efforts, leaving Lily with little say in the matter. Soon, she and her friends—James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Mary, Marlene, Alice, Frank, and others from their year—found themselves on perilous missions, risking their lives at every turn.
Life was far from the fairytale she had imagined. After her marriage, Lily made the difficult decision to cut ties with her parents to keep them safe from the war. As for Petunia, there was no need to worry; she had already acted as if Lily never existed. Meanwhile, Lily continued meeting Severus in secret whenever possible, holding on to the thin thread of their bond.
Then came a turning point: Lily and Alice discovered they were pregnant, just days apart. The joy they felt was indescribable; their children would grow up together as best friends, just as they had. But their happiness was short-lived. Albus Dumbledore approached them with the ominous news that their sons might be linked to a prophecy. Neither Lily nor Alice was pleased with this revelation, but there seemed to be little choice in the matter.
Around the same time, tragedy struck: James's parents succumbed to a sudden bout of Dragon Pox. James was devastated, and it didn't take much for Dumbledore to convince the grieving soon-to-be parents that hiding was their only option. So, a new arrangement was made, and life as they knew it shifted once more.
Lily had always known she was different, that a distant call had been echoing within her for as long as she could remember. It was a call of Home. For years, she had assumed it was the call of the magical world, a place where she truly belonged. But now, she wasn’t so certain—especially after hearing the prophecy.
Now, in hiding for over a month and pregnant with her first child, that pull had returned, stronger and more insistent than ever before. With little to do but linger around the cozy cottage in Godric’s Hollow, the safe house Dumbledore had arranged under the Fidelius Charm with Peter as their Secret Keeper, Lily found herself lost in thought. James was drowning in grief over the recent loss of his parents, leaving her to contemplate the strange sensations that filled her.
The prophecy had triggered something deep within her, something she had long since buried and forgotten. She realized with a start that she could barely recall her life before arriving at the children’s home in London. Where had she come from? She knew she had parents—how could she have simply... forgotten them?
Lily had never spoken of her adoption to anyone, not even Severus. It never seemed relevant. But now, as she lay in the quiet of the cottage, her mind kept circling back to it. The question of her origins suddenly felt more crucial than ever, as if knowing where she came from held the key to the future—her future, her child’s future.
So, Lily decided to do the only thing that made sense—she went to Gringotts. If there were answers to be found, the goblins would have them. They were renowned for their discretion, and she hoped they might hold records that could shed light on her origins. With determination set in her eyes, she prepared for a journey that might change everything she thought she knew about herself.
It wasn’t easy to leave the cottage, but she managed to slip away under the guise of running an errand. The Goblin bank stood tall and imposing as she entered Diagon Alley. Stepping inside, she felt a jolt of apprehension, but also an undercurrent of rightness, as though this was a step closer to the answers she had been seeking her whole life.
Approaching the nearest goblin, she took a deep breath. “I need to speak with someone about my heritage,” she stated, voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
The goblin raised an eyebrow but nodded curtly, gesturing for her to follow. “Right this way, Madam,” he said, leading her down the winding corridors of the bank. Lily knew that whatever lay ahead, it could change everything.