Categories > Books > Harry Potter > What Could Have Been
Chapter 4
“Chillspine, as you are the account manager of the Black accounts and until I have a child of my own to claim it then Harry Potter is my heir as the Black family only acknowledges males to inherit the title of Lord Black as you should well know seems as you have been the family account manager for 10 generations of Blacks.” Stated Sirius, “Perhaps it would be time for a change since I am not the normal Slytherin kind of Black that you have served before, so either you fulfill my request or be fired from your post and find yourself without honor in this bank!”
It was a shaking goblin who went and filled out the request form and then sent it back to Master Cutthroat. What Chillspine was more worried about was that he would soon be at the end of his career if his master decided to accept the request of the Black as a full audit would then be pursued and that would show how Chillspine had crossed a goblin friend.
The longer it took for a response the more hope that Chillspine gained as he was sure he would receive a denial of right from Master Cutthroat. Chillspine’s only other hope was to live a banished existence from the one he dealt with on the side to amass a great amount of gold that he had to store in the gnome bank of Switzerland. It was the only way to keep his secret as long as he had and still remain alive.
There was a knock on the door and Chillspine felt relief as it would only be lowly messenger who would knock on his door, and Master Cutthroat had the right to enter at any time he wished to inspect the work that was being done in the name of Gringotts.
“Enter!” Barked Chillspine putting enough force in his voice to sound annoyed that he was being interrupted while with a client by a lowly messenger it was his great surprise that it wasn’t a lowly messenger who entered but Master Cutthroat himself.
It was with sad eyes that Cutthroat looked at his old friend. The one friend who had fought with him in the last goblin war which brought Cutthroat to the throne of Britain’s goblins, and the master of Britain’s Gringotts branch.
Elsewhere in the world there was much more acceptance of other magical species so there hadn’t been a goblin war in other countries and hence it was the quickest way to the top of the goblin world if you could prove your worth in battle and banking, weren’t they one in the same thing? Advancement on the field was equated with winning the battle, much the same with making profits on investments, money in like soldiers in and getting a return on the money or efforts of taking ground were both the same goal.
Master Cutthroat cleared his throat and stated in his strong deep voice in English, “Why my old friend, have you betrayed Gringotts? Why have you fallen into greed when there could have been greater profits in bringing forth the truth of the bribe you fell for? I raised you up and if you had asked I could have raised you higher than where you are now.”
Chillspine looked at his old friend and sneered in response, “The oldest ways have you left behind in thinking that Humans were worth dealing honestly with. We the goblin people have always been dark, warriors for our cause alone, but you had to make that deal with the Potters and then used that deal to make yourself king. I worked the true goblin way and was a day late in saving our true way of life. Not this sniveling pathetic life that we now live.”
Cutthroat was shocked at the answer he was hearing from his friend who he had grown up with in the mines and battlefields of the goblin nation. It was only when the Black’s ring started glowing that Cutthroat was brought back to the present.
“Is it correct that account manager Chillspine betrayed the family Black?” Sirius asked Cutthroat.
It was only a slight nod when Sirius then pointed his ring at Chillspine and slowly starting at his feet and working its way up Chillspine started to scream as his lower body was slowly torn apart cell by cell and sucked into the Black vortex that had emerged from the Black’s ring. Cutthroat stood watching as this was a truly horrible way to go but far swifter than the punishment that goblin law would require be done. It was only when Chillspine’s body was only a bust that he suddenly changed and asked, “What have I done?” That brought Sirius around enough to stop the ring from completely consuming Chillspine’s body.
Cutthroat suddenly heard his friends voice, his true voice in his friends question and then asked in return, “With whom did you make your deal?” Chillspine’s reply was his last breath and his eyes flashing bright red.
Miles Away –
“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHH,” Screamed an old grey wizard, “Curses on you Sirius you weren’t supposed to try and be Lord Black you were supposed to go after Wormtail and try to kill him!” “Now I am set back once again by that Griffindore courage that smacks sense into you to act like a responsible Lord should when it is the most detrimental to me.” His eyes were bright red with the anger he felt as he was looking around the cell he was in. In the corner another wizard just as old looking sat chained to a bed only able to move his head toward his companion. “Once again you find your plans set back don’t you? I told you before in Germany that even if you have the Elder Wand, defeat will come to you as Death will never be defeated,” stated the wizard with a forlorn look.
“Yes, my plans are set back but as you know there are many pawns to move and play with, and the end game will still come in my favor.” Came the reply, “Now once again it is time for you to lose your body so I can get back to the real world and move some pawns around in my favor. One thing is certain, the Potter brat has opened up some opportunities by removing Voldemort from the picture even if it is only temporarily.”
“No, not again please don’t make me relive that nightmare!” begged the old wizard.
“But my friend, you will do all that I want because I have the Elder Wand while everyone else thinks it is gone slipped into myth. Now what was that soul transfer spell again? Ah there it is on the shelf there. Don’t worry Albus, I am sure that I’ll be back soon as I can’t have people remembering you controlling them and how in the world could I be doing anything since I am the one locked up in prison?”
Back at Gringots Bank ---
The Black’s ring finished its job of absorbing the entire body and soul of Chillspine leaving nothing left as if he hadn’t existed on this plane. Cutthroat shook his head in disappointment as he now understood that someone very powerful had taken control of his friend and twisted him into the wretch that he had become.
“I apologize King Cutthroat, I did not know that an admission of guilt such as that would cause the ring to do such a thing,” stated Sirius.
“It is not that you should have known Black, as it has happened before in the presence of a goblin except the victim wasn’t a goblin but a Black family member who had betrayed the family. It was the reason why the new Lord Black had come to take his place and the betrayer was the slayer of the previous Lord Black.” Replied Cutthroat, “It is the way things are when a soul stone is the gem of a Lord’s ring. It needs the renewal of power from consuming a soul to replenish the energy taken from it in educating the next Lord Black.”
Feeling a little shaken but acknowledging that Cutthroat knew what the ring had passed on to Sirius it was Sirius’ next instinct to look over at Harry who was still asleep but now in a basinet that Cutthroat had brought in so Harry could rest and Sirius could focus on all that was going in the last two hours. It seemed as if far more had happened in the last two hours than had happened in the last year.
“Black, Mr. Black,” said Cutthroat trying to get Sirius’ attention. “Yes, King Cutthroat?” replied Sirius turning his attention back to the goblin king.
“I understand your position as of right now is rather difficult with the loss of Chillspine, but as the director of this bank I have great powers and now that you know something that most humans don’t know that I am the Goblin King, I have a proposition for you,” said Cutthroat.
“What is your proposition? What should I call you so I don’t end up insulting you and losing my vaults so I can’t protect Harry?” Sirius asked, feeling like an idiot for not listening to Lily or his father when they were around trying to drill this information into him.
“I can see that you are trying your best to be honest with me and I can also see that you are very interested in doing your duty as a godfather Mr. Black,” replied Cutthroat. “As such I am offering to take over managing your accounts in exchange for you not telling anyone but your charge young Harry Potter that I am the goblin king as there are some, who would kill to know this information and attack Gringotts just to attempt to control me.” “In private I would simply prefer if you called me Cutthroat, and in public Master Cutthroat or director would be appropriate as being the Goblin King those are my titles within the bank. Only during ceremonies for Goblin Kind am I known as the King.
Sirius paused to think things through a second and realized that having Cutthroat manage the Black accounts would be a great benefit to him and Harry as only very special clients ever managed that kind of treatment.
Offering his hand to Cutthroat Sirius replied, “It would be my honor Director to have you manage the Black accounts, and to know you as Cutthroat. Please call me Sirius, or Black, as I understand now why my father was called “The Black”.”
Cutthroat smiled and shook Sirius’ hand and then placed his hand on the Black account books and muttered something in Gobblygook. It was a few seconds later that he looked up at Sirius and then stated, “There is nothing out of form with the Black accounts at present. I am sure that there are a few vaults that funnel money to the Dark Lord or his supporters. Those I can shut down. Also there are monthly deposits into Bellatrix’s, and Narcissa’s vaults. Would you like to stop those monthly transfers?”
“Please do so Cutthroat. Thank you for bringing them to my attention. What I would like to know is if there is enough interest coming in that a comfortable monthly allowance would not stop the overall growth of what is in the family vaults so I would have funds to live and support Harry. I don’t want this money touched until he has grown up some and will need to start taking over the running of his family finances.”
“Why Sirius you are a human after my own heart. We Goblins do take pride that while we love profit, profit at the cost of providing for our children is despised by us. This can be done simply, and if you are interested I can invest more of the base amount and increase the interest coming in so that you can have say 100,000 gallions a month to live off of and still double the main vault’s amount by the end of the next quarter?”
Sirius’ eyes nearly popped out of his head at that amount of money. He knew that his father was good with their investments but not that good. “Please do so Cutthroat, as much as you see prudent to use. Also could you do the same for Harry funds?”
Another grin came from Cutthroat, “Of course I can do so the same for young Harry. His accounts already have special treatment but knowing what happened to Voldemort tonight and what may be required of him later in his life I see no harm in giving him a vast empire to use at will in the future.”
“Chillspine, as you are the account manager of the Black accounts and until I have a child of my own to claim it then Harry Potter is my heir as the Black family only acknowledges males to inherit the title of Lord Black as you should well know seems as you have been the family account manager for 10 generations of Blacks.” Stated Sirius, “Perhaps it would be time for a change since I am not the normal Slytherin kind of Black that you have served before, so either you fulfill my request or be fired from your post and find yourself without honor in this bank!”
It was a shaking goblin who went and filled out the request form and then sent it back to Master Cutthroat. What Chillspine was more worried about was that he would soon be at the end of his career if his master decided to accept the request of the Black as a full audit would then be pursued and that would show how Chillspine had crossed a goblin friend.
The longer it took for a response the more hope that Chillspine gained as he was sure he would receive a denial of right from Master Cutthroat. Chillspine’s only other hope was to live a banished existence from the one he dealt with on the side to amass a great amount of gold that he had to store in the gnome bank of Switzerland. It was the only way to keep his secret as long as he had and still remain alive.
There was a knock on the door and Chillspine felt relief as it would only be lowly messenger who would knock on his door, and Master Cutthroat had the right to enter at any time he wished to inspect the work that was being done in the name of Gringotts.
“Enter!” Barked Chillspine putting enough force in his voice to sound annoyed that he was being interrupted while with a client by a lowly messenger it was his great surprise that it wasn’t a lowly messenger who entered but Master Cutthroat himself.
It was with sad eyes that Cutthroat looked at his old friend. The one friend who had fought with him in the last goblin war which brought Cutthroat to the throne of Britain’s goblins, and the master of Britain’s Gringotts branch.
Elsewhere in the world there was much more acceptance of other magical species so there hadn’t been a goblin war in other countries and hence it was the quickest way to the top of the goblin world if you could prove your worth in battle and banking, weren’t they one in the same thing? Advancement on the field was equated with winning the battle, much the same with making profits on investments, money in like soldiers in and getting a return on the money or efforts of taking ground were both the same goal.
Master Cutthroat cleared his throat and stated in his strong deep voice in English, “Why my old friend, have you betrayed Gringotts? Why have you fallen into greed when there could have been greater profits in bringing forth the truth of the bribe you fell for? I raised you up and if you had asked I could have raised you higher than where you are now.”
Chillspine looked at his old friend and sneered in response, “The oldest ways have you left behind in thinking that Humans were worth dealing honestly with. We the goblin people have always been dark, warriors for our cause alone, but you had to make that deal with the Potters and then used that deal to make yourself king. I worked the true goblin way and was a day late in saving our true way of life. Not this sniveling pathetic life that we now live.”
Cutthroat was shocked at the answer he was hearing from his friend who he had grown up with in the mines and battlefields of the goblin nation. It was only when the Black’s ring started glowing that Cutthroat was brought back to the present.
“Is it correct that account manager Chillspine betrayed the family Black?” Sirius asked Cutthroat.
It was only a slight nod when Sirius then pointed his ring at Chillspine and slowly starting at his feet and working its way up Chillspine started to scream as his lower body was slowly torn apart cell by cell and sucked into the Black vortex that had emerged from the Black’s ring. Cutthroat stood watching as this was a truly horrible way to go but far swifter than the punishment that goblin law would require be done. It was only when Chillspine’s body was only a bust that he suddenly changed and asked, “What have I done?” That brought Sirius around enough to stop the ring from completely consuming Chillspine’s body.
Cutthroat suddenly heard his friends voice, his true voice in his friends question and then asked in return, “With whom did you make your deal?” Chillspine’s reply was his last breath and his eyes flashing bright red.
Miles Away –
“ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHH,” Screamed an old grey wizard, “Curses on you Sirius you weren’t supposed to try and be Lord Black you were supposed to go after Wormtail and try to kill him!” “Now I am set back once again by that Griffindore courage that smacks sense into you to act like a responsible Lord should when it is the most detrimental to me.” His eyes were bright red with the anger he felt as he was looking around the cell he was in. In the corner another wizard just as old looking sat chained to a bed only able to move his head toward his companion. “Once again you find your plans set back don’t you? I told you before in Germany that even if you have the Elder Wand, defeat will come to you as Death will never be defeated,” stated the wizard with a forlorn look.
“Yes, my plans are set back but as you know there are many pawns to move and play with, and the end game will still come in my favor.” Came the reply, “Now once again it is time for you to lose your body so I can get back to the real world and move some pawns around in my favor. One thing is certain, the Potter brat has opened up some opportunities by removing Voldemort from the picture even if it is only temporarily.”
“No, not again please don’t make me relive that nightmare!” begged the old wizard.
“But my friend, you will do all that I want because I have the Elder Wand while everyone else thinks it is gone slipped into myth. Now what was that soul transfer spell again? Ah there it is on the shelf there. Don’t worry Albus, I am sure that I’ll be back soon as I can’t have people remembering you controlling them and how in the world could I be doing anything since I am the one locked up in prison?”
Back at Gringots Bank ---
The Black’s ring finished its job of absorbing the entire body and soul of Chillspine leaving nothing left as if he hadn’t existed on this plane. Cutthroat shook his head in disappointment as he now understood that someone very powerful had taken control of his friend and twisted him into the wretch that he had become.
“I apologize King Cutthroat, I did not know that an admission of guilt such as that would cause the ring to do such a thing,” stated Sirius.
“It is not that you should have known Black, as it has happened before in the presence of a goblin except the victim wasn’t a goblin but a Black family member who had betrayed the family. It was the reason why the new Lord Black had come to take his place and the betrayer was the slayer of the previous Lord Black.” Replied Cutthroat, “It is the way things are when a soul stone is the gem of a Lord’s ring. It needs the renewal of power from consuming a soul to replenish the energy taken from it in educating the next Lord Black.”
Feeling a little shaken but acknowledging that Cutthroat knew what the ring had passed on to Sirius it was Sirius’ next instinct to look over at Harry who was still asleep but now in a basinet that Cutthroat had brought in so Harry could rest and Sirius could focus on all that was going in the last two hours. It seemed as if far more had happened in the last two hours than had happened in the last year.
“Black, Mr. Black,” said Cutthroat trying to get Sirius’ attention. “Yes, King Cutthroat?” replied Sirius turning his attention back to the goblin king.
“I understand your position as of right now is rather difficult with the loss of Chillspine, but as the director of this bank I have great powers and now that you know something that most humans don’t know that I am the Goblin King, I have a proposition for you,” said Cutthroat.
“What is your proposition? What should I call you so I don’t end up insulting you and losing my vaults so I can’t protect Harry?” Sirius asked, feeling like an idiot for not listening to Lily or his father when they were around trying to drill this information into him.
“I can see that you are trying your best to be honest with me and I can also see that you are very interested in doing your duty as a godfather Mr. Black,” replied Cutthroat. “As such I am offering to take over managing your accounts in exchange for you not telling anyone but your charge young Harry Potter that I am the goblin king as there are some, who would kill to know this information and attack Gringotts just to attempt to control me.” “In private I would simply prefer if you called me Cutthroat, and in public Master Cutthroat or director would be appropriate as being the Goblin King those are my titles within the bank. Only during ceremonies for Goblin Kind am I known as the King.
Sirius paused to think things through a second and realized that having Cutthroat manage the Black accounts would be a great benefit to him and Harry as only very special clients ever managed that kind of treatment.
Offering his hand to Cutthroat Sirius replied, “It would be my honor Director to have you manage the Black accounts, and to know you as Cutthroat. Please call me Sirius, or Black, as I understand now why my father was called “The Black”.”
Cutthroat smiled and shook Sirius’ hand and then placed his hand on the Black account books and muttered something in Gobblygook. It was a few seconds later that he looked up at Sirius and then stated, “There is nothing out of form with the Black accounts at present. I am sure that there are a few vaults that funnel money to the Dark Lord or his supporters. Those I can shut down. Also there are monthly deposits into Bellatrix’s, and Narcissa’s vaults. Would you like to stop those monthly transfers?”
“Please do so Cutthroat. Thank you for bringing them to my attention. What I would like to know is if there is enough interest coming in that a comfortable monthly allowance would not stop the overall growth of what is in the family vaults so I would have funds to live and support Harry. I don’t want this money touched until he has grown up some and will need to start taking over the running of his family finances.”
“Why Sirius you are a human after my own heart. We Goblins do take pride that while we love profit, profit at the cost of providing for our children is despised by us. This can be done simply, and if you are interested I can invest more of the base amount and increase the interest coming in so that you can have say 100,000 gallions a month to live off of and still double the main vault’s amount by the end of the next quarter?”
Sirius’ eyes nearly popped out of his head at that amount of money. He knew that his father was good with their investments but not that good. “Please do so Cutthroat, as much as you see prudent to use. Also could you do the same for Harry funds?”
Another grin came from Cutthroat, “Of course I can do so the same for young Harry. His accounts already have special treatment but knowing what happened to Voldemort tonight and what may be required of him later in his life I see no harm in giving him a vast empire to use at will in the future.”
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