Chapter 2. Lords and Heirs
The smell of pancakes and bacon filled the room. Harry hadn’t had a mean like this since… well ever. He ate about two plates full while listening to Snape explain how he was the supposed saviour of the magical world.
“But how?”
Severus, cleaning up the dirty dishes, turned around to look at the boy.
“What do you mean how?”
“How could baby me supposedly kill this all-powerful dark lord? The whole thing seems kind of stupid. Isn’t it more likely that he was killed by something else and not the screaming one-year-old?”
Severus moved back towards the table, rubbing his hands over his face in exhaustion.
“Yes that does make more sense, but no one knows how you are alive and how he’s dead and due to the fear Voldemort caused everyone went with the craziest option and called it a day.”
“That seems stupid.”
“Quite.” Severus looked at the time on the clock on the wall. The shops in Diagon Alley should be open by now. He stood up from his seat and wrapped the black cloak on the coat hanger around his shoulders. He moved towards Harry and held out his arm. “Let's go.” Harry quickly put on his cardigan and grabbed the professor's arm.
The sun felt warm on his face. The sound of chatter echoed off the ancient buildings. Harry could feel the cobblestone underneath his trainers. The constant flashing of different auras caused his eyes to strain and his head to hurt.
“Come on we need to head to Gringotts first, don’t fall behind.”
Snape began to fast walk down the street as Harry struggled to follow behind. Large amounts of magic flash in front of his eyes. people, objects, and even buildings were covered in it. The loud sounds and bright colours all began to mix, every brush of skin from somebody bumping into him felt like lighting shooting through his veins. He reached out and clutched the cloak in front of him, clenching his eyes shut.
Severus felt a hand pulling on his robes, tugging him back. He looked over his shoulder and saw the white-haired boy shaking and crying. Snape cursed himself, of course a boy whose only interaction in the last 3 years was with a snake in a condemned house would have a sensory overload in a busy street. Severus quickened his step, pushing past slow walkers and people who inconveniently stopped in the middle of the pavement. He walked quickly into the bank and shut the doors behind him.
Harry hunched over in the bank, breathing heavily. He blinked the tears out of his eyes and focused on the room. The building was laced with magic but its glow was a comforting gold. The creatures had magic too but it was softer than the people outside. A hand came into his vision. Snape held a vial in his hand. He looked up at the man’s face and saw him gesturing to take the vial. Harry reached and grabbed it, pulling open the cork. The taste of peppermint and honey ran down his throat. His breathing began to slow, and his heart went back to a normal rhythm, a claiming feeling spread throughout his chest. After a minute, Snape motioned for Harry to join him.
“We request permission to see Harry Potter’s vault.”
The Goblin at the reception desk looked over the desk and at Harry. He stared at him before raising his finger and moving it from left to right. Harry looked up at him confused before he felt Snape’s hand move to push his hair away from his forehead, he flinched a little but let it happen. The goblin saw the streaks of lightning that ran across his forehead, a few of them cut into his eyebrow, the scar not allowing the hair to grow over them. The goblin nodded before gesturing them away. Snape led him further into the bank, stopping in front of a door that said ‘Griphook’ with another language written underneath. Harry guessed it was the same name but in the language, the creatures in the bank spoke. The door creaked open and showed a goblin sitting behind a desk.
“Ah, Lord Prince, what can I do for you today?”
Severus sat down at the desk facing the goblin. Harry quickly followed afterwards.
“This is Harry Potter, he needs to access his vault.”
The goblin looked at him, scanning his face, taking a few extra seconds to look at the scar on his head.
“I’m afraid that it's not possible at the moment, his mother’s will has specific instructions we must go through before we allow him access to the vault.”
“Like what?” Harry noticed the tension in Snape’s shoulders at the mention of his mother’s name.
“The boy must first take an heirship test and then read a specific section of the will.”
Severus looked as equally confused as Harry. Griphook clicked his fingers and objects began to fly around the room, small traces of magic following them. On the desk before him was a large, old parchment and an ornate dagger. Both had magic weaved into them, it was old and very powerful.
“Prick a finger with the dagger and let the blood fall onto the page.”
Harry looked at Severus, who gave him a reassuring look. The tip of the dagger pushed into his finger, and a few drops of blood fell onto the page. Words began to appear in an instant.
Hadrian Fleamont
Mother: Lily Juliette Potter (nee Evans)
Father: Aksel Odin Grindelwald
Blood-Adopted Father: James Charlus Potter
Godfather(s): Sirius Orion Black and Remus Perseus Lupin
Godmother(s): Mary Rosaline Mcdonald and Marlene Diana McKinnon
Lordships:
Herre til Kongehuset i Grindelwals (Lord to the Royal House of Grindelwald)
Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter
Lord to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Peverell
Heir to:
Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin
Hier to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black
Full Name:
Hadrian Fleamont Grindelwald Potter Black
“What the fuck!” Snape shouted.