Chapter 4
The pureblood families and the ministry would have protested, but Harry had a trump card. A secret that would probably prove his identity satisfactorily.
In Gringotts there was a forgotten Peverell vault. Well, forgotten by wizards. No way the goblins would forget about it. It technically belonged to the Potters now, which is how he had found out about it. He had inherited his family vault after all, but also an unknown second vault that nobody had been able to open as long as they could remember. Thus the Potters had simply let it be forgotten. A myth. They all assumed the key had been lost, but Harry had been curious and gone to see it. He hadn'tgotten into so much trouble at Hogwarts by ignoring Mysteries and secrets he stumbled upon after all.
It was one of the special vaults deep on the lowest floor of Gringotts, with a different locking mechanism than the regular ones that needed a key or a goblin to open it. And over the door Harry had seen the Deathly Hallows symbol.
He already knew he was a descendant of Ignotus Peverell as the cloak had been passed down in his family. There was no clear answer on how to open the door, and it took him months of study to figure out the trick, and it became clear why it had been forgotten. The lock wasn't logical. In fact the door had no keyhole or other obvious hint. The door was one large stone block, and it was covered by a carving of an elder tree. A river ran in front with banks of stones and over it a bridge.
He had examined the door both physically and with his magic and researched books on magical locks. He'd tested several theories. His best hypothesis was that the lock was such that only a true Peverell would be able to open it. Both in theoretical texts and history or instructional books on magical locks or wards, spells that required proof of identity were popular. Just like Salazar Slytherin had made sure only his heir could open the Chamber of secrets by making the lock only open with parseltounge, an ability that few if any other bloodlines had. So what did the Peverells have that no one else had? In theory, the hallows. When this vault was made the brothers were likely still alive, and in possession of the hallows. And while the elder wand had not been passed down in the family, it had likely not been intended to be passed on to outsiders as it had. The cloak had been passed down through Ignotus' line though. And if the Gaunts were indeed descendants of Cadmus, so had the stone.
Harry didn't have the stone to test with anymore, but he had the cloak and wand. But it didn't seem to be enough. The door still wanted something. He could feel it in the magic, some further proof. So what else did the Peverells have? No ability like parseltounge that Harry knew of.
Bloodline spells existed and could tell you who a wizard was descended from. Perhaps a lock that did that. It reminded Harry of Voldemorts crystal cave that required a sacrifice of blood to get in. He figured these kinds of spells weren't exactly considered light magic, and thus not commonly in use anymore. But an ancient pureblood vault?
And sure enough, when Harry smeared some of his blood on the door and touched it with one of the hallows, it unlocked and opened. It worked with both cloak and wand, and he assumed it would work with the stone as well. So technically the Gaunts had also had rights to this vault.
It made sense why the Potter family had forgotten how to open it. They had after all forgotten the cloak was anything other than a normal invisibility cloak. And it wasn't logical to touch a door with a piece of fabric to open a lock.
Who had the right to a vault was up to Gringotts and their agreements. A will was only good if the proper papers were filed with Gringotts as well. The vaults of the extinct families were up for grabs to anyone who could prove the strongest claim. So the Potters could possibly try to counter claim or sue over the rights. That would be a public and dirty fight.
But he needed the vault to prove his right to the name and property. And he did need the money in the vault also.
Unless the Potters wished to keep it secret, his claiming the Peverell vault would likely announce him to the public.
He equipped himself with the most pureblood attire he could come up with. He had fortunately had quite a stack of gold on him when he got yanked, a result of becoming paranoid during the war and deciding to always be prepared (read over prepared). He had a blast, chuckling at his grand joke at the pureblood community, but also knowing that acting like he was one of them would lend credence to his claim. After all its how people would expect him to act.
He took heavy inspiration from Lucius Malfoy and bought a cane with a custom made grim reaper on the end. Hah take that Malfoy, my cane is more badass than your cane.
And long flowing black robes of high quality with a high embroidered collar. He switched his glasses for a classy square pair. A different shape than his dad wore, so as not to draw attention to their similarities.
But he also incorporated his own style. He was crafting his persona after all, someone he would live as, not just playact. So he kept his multiple ear piercings and his long necklace with a wand pendant. Keeping the collar of his robes and shirt open to show off a small triangle of chest and his necklace.
The sticklers would probably find his look scandalous. He folded his sleeves up to his elbows, bearing his underarm tattoos.
Suddenly he realised how much fun he was having. He hadn't felt like this for years. Neville had accused him of being an adrenaline junkie. That he craved danger and challenges.
He hadn't spoken much to Neville after that. But truth be told that wasn't the reason. He didn't even really disagree with that. Neville reminded him of a person he could have been, sometimes wish he had become. And it was hard to see Ginny when he visited. She of course reminded him of Ron, and that hurt too much.
He'd been a different person after Ron had died. Or maybe ever since the war when Hermione had died.
He supposed he should be less excited about this new world and identity, and more upset about missing his friends from home. But truth be told he had already become much of a loner years ago. He hardly saw anyone anymore. It always brought bad memories and fears of losing someone.
Luna was the only one he had really kept in contact with.
His underarm tattoos were representations of those he had lost. Despite the pain, he wanted to keep them close so he wouldn't forget. There was a full moon for Remus, a multicolored aurora borealis around it, representing Tonks. He had a capital W with a star at the beginning, a mirrored version of the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes logo, representing Fred. He'd tattooed Dumbledores distinct little half moon spectacles with a twinkle, and a potion vial with a crown for Snape. He'd tattooed a Grim for Sirius. The triwizard Cup for Cedric. A stag with lillies on its horns for his mum and dad. One of Hedwigs feathers. And for Ron and Hermione? An image of 'Hogwarts a History' and Ron's broken wand lying on top of it.
Looking in the mirror now, he felt right. Like himself. He looked different, meaner, but that fit. And he looked dark and dangerous. And that rather felt right too. He knew his friends had worried about the changes in him the last few years saying he wasn't himself. But they were wrong, he wasn't the same, but he was what he had become. And that was also why he'd stopped visiting. Because they didn't get it. They were happy, and good and he was dark and angry. And that was perhaps why he'd still visited Luna, because she never said those things. She said she liked his tattoos and earrings and his long hair and beard. And she didn't judge him when he started researching dark arts deeper. Rather commented he could have been a Ravenclaw.
He did miss Luna.