Chapter Text
Harry often hated his life. For as long as he could remember, every time something good happened to him, it inevitably ended up badly. He had naively hoped that his schooling in the magical world would be different, but of course that wasn't the case.
He looked up to see a spider web in the corner of his bedroom ceiling. His bedroom. He almost felt like chuckling. It had never been his, no, he wasn't entitled to anything. He'd merely been granted a modicum of human rights and hygiene during his summer vacations, only because his 'family' were afraid of the repercussions that might befall them if it was learned that he was still left sleeping in a closet, like an animal.
He was lost in thought, which seemed to be becoming more and more of a recurrence as of late. With the events of the past year, it wasn't really surprising. Almost a month of the summer vacation had already passed, and he still couldn't bring himself to realize that in a month's time, his life would once again be thrust into the spotlight and endangered. Again . Every night he woke up with nightmares, each more horrifying than the last.
The Triwizard Tournament.
Cedric's death.
Voldemort's return.
He couldn't take it anymore. He was so tired. He thought going to Hogwarts to study magic would be like a dream, finally a place where he'd be safe and could really be himself. But no, because Harry Potter wasn't allowed to be happy and safe. Every year, a new threat (or several) came after him, trying to end his life. He was tired of having to fight all the time, of having to be the figurehead of a party in a war he didn't even understand.
Because, contrary to what many of his so-called "friends" thought, he was far from stupid. He had quickly realized that everything he knew about the wizarding world and the war that had been going on for over fifteen years had come from Dumbledore or someone entirely devoted to him. And after Voldemort's return, he knew that this war would only become more dangerous and deadly.
He was tired of everyone at the bloody school turning their backs on him the instant a problem came to light. As if he was the cause every time. The Chamber of Secrets? Surely Harry Potter was the one petrifying poor innocents for no reason at all. His name came out of the Goblet of Fire? He was a cheater who wanted even more fame.
He was sick of the fame. ‘Boy-Who-Lived', as if he had anything to do with surviving a curse known to be impossible to survive. He was just a baby when it happened, his survival must surely have been due to something one of his parents had done before they died.
He didn't want to sound selfish, but he'd lost all desire to fight. He'd been fighting since he was a year old, and he'd had enough. Everyone expected him to be able to defeat Voldemort, as if he had some miracle solution to kill the most dangerous dark wizard of recent decades. He was only fifteen, and his upbringing was shaky to say the least, since apart from creating a Patronus and disarming, he was almost incapable of doing anything. And yet adults, including Dumbledore, supposedly the most powerful wizard still alive, expected Harry to defeat Voldemort, a man (was he really still human?) with decades of experience and hundreds of spells, each more deadly than the last.
He was at the center of this war, without even knowing what he was really fighting for.
Harry didn't want to fight. He wanted a peaceful life, away from too many responsibilities, free to learn so many things about magic, which fascinated him above all else. But between Hermione and Ron, he was unable to perfect his knowledge, and he was often tempted to tell them to leave him alone once and for all. But above all, he wanted a family. He wanted people who really loved him for him , not for what he represented, he wanted people to love Harry and not the 'Boy-Who-Lived' or the Chosen One. He'd never had that, and certainly not with the Dursleys, from whom the only things he'd ever received were punches. He often dreamed of having someone by his side whom he would love above all else and who would love him the same way in return, almost as much as he dreamed of having children. He was too young to think about that, but he knew it was what could make him the happiest.
He huffed, and spun around on his bed, mindful of his hip, which was still aching after one of his Uncle Vernon's 'punishments'. Between that and last night's hit with a pan from his Aunt Petunia, he was really going to end up not lasting. The worst part of these beatings was surely the fact that if the Dursleys continued to abuse him (and did even since he was a child) was because nobody gave a damn about his well-being. Dumbledore and his friends knew perfectly well what kind of people the Dursleyss were, just as they knew the hell Harry went through every summer, and yet they still sent him back there. For his so-called 'protection'. Harry didn't feel safe at all. But Dumbledore's wizards didn't give a damn about Harry's welfare, as long as he was alive to fight like a good little soldier when the time came.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when a letter appeared out of nowhere with a pop next to him on the dusty old bed. Huh. Now that was weird. Usually when someone wanted to send him letters, they did so by owl, even though no one ever wrote to him, his 'friends' and Sirius preferring to obey Dumbledore's absurd order not to write to him. So why had he received this letter, and from whom?
He took the letter in his hands, and immediately noticed the Gringotts seal. Strange, Harry had never had the opportunity (or was it the right?) to return to the bank since his first visit to the wizarding world. Another thing that bothered Harry, he didn't even have control over his money, how much he could spend and how much he could have. So the fact that he'd received a letter from the goblins was disturbing, to say the least. He carefully opened the letter, and felt his eyes widen as he read its contents.
Dear Heir Harry James Potter,
This letter is sent to inform you that your presence is requested at the Gringotts bank. The main reason for this concerns numerous withdrawals and transfers of money from your vault over the years, the sums having intensified in recent months. This summons also concerns your failure to reply to the various letters sent to you over the years. Your arrival is expected as soon as possible, at any time. Ask any Goblin to meet Griphook.
This letter is an inactivated portkey that will transport you directly to the bank lobby when it is. To activate it, simply say 'Horntail'.
Yours respectfully.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank
Heir? Heir to what? What about money withdrawals and transfers? He hadn't received any money lately as far as he knew. What about letters that had been sent to him for years? He'd never received any letters from the bank, and certainly not about summons with the goblins. He rose from his bed, wincing as a sharp pain shot through his side. He pulled on a dirty sweatshirt, and though ashamed of the fact that it wasn't clean, with dried blood on it, letter in hand, he simply said. "Horntail" and disappeared.
***
Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Diagon Alley
He took a few seconds to regain his balance after appearing, and immediately hid his face as best he could with his hood. He didn't want to be recognized by wizards or witches only interested in sullying his name, just because he dared to tell a truth that the cowardly Minister of Magic didn't want to believe. He glanced around quickly, impressed once again by the sheer immensity of the bank. The crystal chandeliers, the marble walls and floor, the great columns and imposing ceilings. He could see there weren't many people, so he walked towards one of the goblins on the pedestals, the ones in charge of receiving wizards, furthest from the entrance, where there were the fewest people. Just in case.
Once in front of the goblin, he bowed his head in what he hoped was a sign of respect, yet another thing he didn't know, and spoke when he had the goblin's attention. "Hello, I'm here for a meeting with Griphook regarding my money." He placed the letter on the desk in front of him. "Here's the letter I received a few minutes ago."
The goblin read the contents of the letter, before standing up and waving for him to follow. They passed through a number of corridors whose walls were strewn with painting and various weapons, before coming to a halt in front of a large, dark wooden door. The receptionist knocked twice on the door before opening it and letting Harry in. Griphook stood behind a large, light-wood desk, numerous papers spread out in front of him. He looked up as they entered, and rested his eyes on Harry.
"Heir Potter. I thought I'd never meet you again." He snapped his fingers, causing all the documents on the desk to disappear, before giving a small nod in the direction of the other goblin who exited, closing the door behind him. "Please, have a seat." After Harry had sat down, Griphook continued. "Good. As you know, you're here regarding some strange withdrawals of money from your vault."
"I understood when I read your letter, but I'm confused, as I've never withdrawn any money," he replied.
The goblin gave him a long look before saying calmly. "Heir Potter, you haven't made a single money withdrawal since you were eleven years old. All those transfers were made by your magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore."
"My magical guardian?" he couldn't help asking.
"You didn't know he was your guardian?"
Worse . "I don't know what a magical guardian is." he answered honestly.
Griphook glared at him before shaking his head. "A magical guardian is the person who's supposed to take care of a magical child who's been orphaned and has no close family. He has to introduce him to the world of magic, and manage his finances, to sum up." Seeing Harry's confused look, Griphook snapped his fingers and a green quill came out of one of the drawers, and began to write on a sheet of paper. "I sense there's more here than I thought. Were you, Harry Potter, not aware that Albus Dumbledore was your magical guardian?"
Harry hesitated to answer, looking out of the corner of his eye at the strange quill that was writing, having a bad memory of this kind of quill because of a certain journalist. Still, he finally answered, an uneasy feeling building in his stomach. "No."
"Had you met this man before you arrived at Hogwarts?"
"No, never."
"Returning to the main reason for your presence here, you were aware of these various money transfers, I quote: '5,000 Galleons for Albus Dumbledore, 3,000 Galleons for Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ginerva Weasley. And finally 1,000 Galleons for the Dursley family. And all this every month for several years'?"
To prove his point, Griphook showed him various sheets showing the said money transfers. Harry felt sick. The fact that the Dursleys dared to receive money from him only made him feel worse.
Swallowing hard, he replied, "N-no, I wasn't aware of that." he raised his head, and asked in a trembling voice. "T-they've been stealing from me? For years? Is that why they're my friends, for my money?"
He read the last line of the account sheet, and felt his mouth gap as he saw the huge sum of 20,000 Galleons for a certain 'Order of the Phoenix'.
"All these transfers were made by Dumbledore?"
If he didn't know goblins better, Harry could have sworn he saw pity in Griphook's gaze. The anger on the other hand, he knew he wasn't imagining it. "Indeed. So you're saying you didn't explicitly authorize these withdrawals?"
Harry merely nodded, still too shocked by these revelations, his world crumbling around him.
"I don't want to get the wrong idea, but I don't suppose you've ever received the letters the bank has sent you over the years?" at Harry's nod, he gritted his teeth. "Do you want to put a stop to those withdrawals? And consider the ones that have already been made as thefts?"
"Of course I don't want them to have access to my money anymore. As for the second question..." he hesitated, before remembering that he'd been taken for a fool for over four years, and his fists clenched tightly in anger. "Yes. These are indeed thefts."
"Perfect, in order to validate all future procedures, I'm going to need a full verification from you." Seeing the confused look on the young wizard’s face, he sighed. "You do understand that your key, if only you possessed it, which I don't think you do, is not enough to authorize such measures. We'll have to do a quick blood test, to verify your identity. You should be aware, however, that by doing this, the old key to your trust vault will be rendered inactive. Do you accept all the same?"
Harry merely nodded. Griphook stood up and went to get something from one of the cupboards. He sat back in his chair and placed before Harry a strange vial containing a blood-red liquid.
"This potion is called Sanguini Pertempto , and allows, after adding three drops of your blood inside, to know everything there is to know about you."
He held out a strange silver dagger with a ruby-encrusted pommel to Harry, who delicately cut his thumb with it. He dropped the three drops of his blood into the vial, and watched as the goblin shook the potion before pouring its contents onto a parchment. Harry felt his eyes widen in surprise and awe when the paper didn't get wet, but absorbed the potion's contents, before words appeared along the parchment.
Griphook seized the scroll and proceeded to read quickly, his eyes widening comically for a goblin usually so serious. He swallowed nervously, an expression of pure rage forming on his face, before passing the parchment to Harry. "I think you'll find the contents of this parchment very interesting, Heir Potter."
Harry grabbed it, and read what was written on it, feeling a gulf of despair and horror open beneath him the further he progressed in his reading.
Sanguini Pertempto
Name:
Hadrian James Potter-Black
Birth:
July 31, 1980, Potter Manor, England
Parents:
James Fleamont Potter - Biological Father (died 31 October 1981)
Regulus Arcturus Potter né Black - Carrier (died October 1, 1980)
Godparents:
Sirius Orion Black (Compromised)
Pandora Lovegood (Deceased)
Titles:
Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter (Birthright)
Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black (Birthright)
Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House Peverell (Birthright)
Heir to the Most Noble and Most Ancient House Gryffindor (Birthright)
Heir to the Most Noble and Most Ancient House Slytherin (Birthright)
Heir to the Most Noble and Most Ancient House Le Fay (Birthright)
Vaults:
Potter Trust Vault - 9,340 Galleons, 92 Sickles and 11 Knuts
Potter Family Vault - 4,631,749 Galleons, 700 Sickles and 525 Knuts. 42 magical artifacts, 220 books and the Potter Family Spell Book.
Black Family Vault - 7,742,234 Galleons, 450 Sickles, 346 Knuts. 238 magical artifacts,1679 books and the Black Family Spell Book.
Peverell Family Vault - 18,324,567 Galleons, 235 Sickles, 23 Knuts. 847 magical artifacts, 780 books and the Peverell Family Spell Book. 2 artifacts missing - the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone.
Vault 66, Daegal Peverell’s Vault (available under certain conditions) - 3,435,675 Galleons, 679 Sickles, 452 Knuts. 32 books. The Tenebris Mortem.
Gryffindor Family Vault - 26,123,587 Galleons, 546 Sickles, 234 Knuts. 1230 magical artifacts, 231 books and the Gryffindor Family Spell Book.
Slytherin Family Vault - 28,145,809 Galleons, 349 Sickles, 56 Knuts. 2390 magical artifacts, 2450 books and the Slytherin Family Spell Book.
Le Fay Family Vault - 13,899,908 Galleons, 890 Sickles, 4 Knuts. 201 magical artifacts, 690 books and the Le Fay Family Spell Book.
Properties:
House in Godric's Hollow, England (destroyed)
12 Grimmauld Place, London, England
Black Castle, Brittany, France
Potter Manor, Essex, England
Peverell Manor, England
Island of Azkaban, North Sea
Gryffindor Castle, England
Slytherin Castle, England
Slytherin Manor, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Le Fay Castle, England
Magic Abilities:
Metamorphmagus (90% blocked , Albus Dumbledore, November 1, 1981)
Parseltongue (25% blocked, Albus Dumbledore, November 1, 1981)
Necromancy (100% blocked, , Albus Dumbledore, November 1, 1981)
Carrier (100% blocked, Albus Dumbledore, November 1, 1981)
Compulsions:
Blood Glamor - Lily Evans (Lily Evans and Albus Dumbledore, October 2, 1980)
Loyalty to Albus Dumbledore (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Loyalty to Gryffindor (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Loyalty to Ronald Weasley (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Loyalty to Hermione Granger (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Loyalty to Ginevra Weasley (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Loyalty to Weasley Family (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Hatred and Distrust attached to Slytherin (Albus Dumbledore, July 31, 1991)
Distrust linked to Severus Snape (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Hatred and Distrust linked to dark magic (Albus Dumbledore, July 31, 1991)
Distrust linked to Lucius Abraxas Malfoy (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Distrust linked to Draco Lucius Malfoy (Albus Dumbledore, September, 1991)
Reckless Behavior Compulsion (Albus Dumbledore, 31 July 1991)
Submission Compulsion - Focused towards Dursley Family (Albus Dumbledore, November 1, 1981)
Love Potion for Ginevra Weasley - slow acting (Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley, Ginevra Weasley)
Significant Injuries:
Severe malnutrition and anemia
Severe burns
Eye injury
Poor vision worsened by bad glasses
Countless unhealed bone fractures
Numerous external bruises
Unhealed internal bruises
Basilisk venom poisoning (Healed)
Numerous cuts
Nerve damage caused by the Cruciatus curse
Contract(s):
Marriage contract with the Most Noble and Most Ancient House Lestrange - from 1579 - between the heir of House Potter and the heir of House Lestrange (not activated)
Marriage Contract - Between Harry Potter (Hadrian Potter-Black) and Ginevra Weasley (Signed by Albus Dumbledore, Molly Weasley née Prewett, Ginevra Weasley)
When he had finished reading, he placed the parchment back on the desk in front of him, and stayed frozen for several minutes. He felt like throwing up. His whole life was a lie... a web of deceit. His mother wasn't his mother, his personality wasn't even entirely his own, his friends weren't his friends at all. Harry Potter had never really existed; it wasn't even his real name! He felt so betrayed, his whole world had just collapsed around him.
He felt tears rolling down his cheeks and didn't even try to wipe them away. If he hadn't been in the same room as a goblin, he would have screamed at the top of his lungs until his voice broke.
Just by reading this parchment, he had learned more about himself than he ever had in years. He had so much money! All the curses and compulsions on him must really have distorted the person he was supposed to be, and all his thoughts. All his relationships were just fabrications created by that damned old headmaster.
"I suppose there's a way to cure me? To remove... all this." He indicated the parchment with a wave of his hand. "I'm up for anything."
"Indeed, a long and complete session is what you need. Removal of compulsions and extreme care. The price for this is normally 1,500 Galleons, but taking your special circumstances into account, the price will only be 400 Galleons. On the other hand, it will take a minimum of fourteen hours, given the number of problems to be solved. You'll be asleep the whole time. Does that suit you?"
"Of course I'm okay with it! Even if I had to pay 100,000 Galleons, I'd pay it without a second of hesitation."
He followed Griphook out of the office and down a flight of stairs, entering a strange room where all the walls, floor and ceiling were covered with strange signs. Runes ! Another thing he really wanted to learn.
"Good morning, Heir Potter-Black. I'm Agruuir, the goblin in charge of the bank's health care, the healing ward. Griphook has just given me your blood test, and I can see that your session is bound to be one of the most complex and time-consuming I've done in a very long time."
He wasn't sure how to feel about hearing his new, real last name, but didn't have time to think about it, when Griphook spoke to him again.
"We'll have a lot to do once your cleaning is done. A lot of business concerning your vaults, your heir titles, your contracts, your various injuries and heaps of other things. I wish you a good session to finally be yourself, Heir Potter-Black."
Once Griphook had left the room, Agruuir asked him to undress, which was rather awkward, having to get naked, which didn't seem to bother the healer at all. After swallowing various potions (Uck), and having his body painted with various runes made with another potion mixed with his blood (how many potions were there, damn it?!), Harry (or was it Hadrian?) lay down on his back in the center of the room.
Several stones and gems were placed on his body, before the goblin moved to his side. He closed his eyes as she began to chant in a language he didn't understand, the goblins’ language, and the hundreds of runes in the room began to glow with a blinding light.
He felt his whole body burn, before everything went black.