Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Independence Day
Journals and Romance
4 reviewsThe will is finally read. Yes, this is the same story as posted on other sites. There may be minor differences where I have found discrepancies
5Ambiance
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Chapter 5: Journals and Romance
Over the next few weeks Harry settled into a routine, he worked in the garden every 3rd day and was grudgingly fed by his Aunt and Uncle. On the days he wasn't working he read his father and mother's books and practiced the new spells, charms and shields, absorbing the information like blotting paper absorbs ink. Once a week he visited Hermione. He also built up the courage to read his mother's journal.
Dear Harry,
This is a journal of your life from the day my pregnancy was confirmed until the day you are getting married. If you are wondering how your name appears on the top, well I left it blank until you were born. Please read and enjoy and share this with your beloved.
Mum
/ /
/Nov 13th 1979/
/ /
It's been confirmed, as I suspected the reason I've been feeling under the weather is I'm pregnant, I can't wait to tell James he will be over the moon, and no doubt hold a party to celebrate.
/Nov 23rd 1979/
/ /
What a night, we partied until dawn with the old crowd, a double celebration, Alice announced her pregnancy too. She was going to keep it a secret for now but decided to tell us. Her estimated due date is the same as mine, the end of July.
/July 31st 1980/
/ /
Lils has asked me to write this as she is too tired. Harry James Potter entered the world today after 9 hours labour, kicking and screaming and giving his mother a hard time, Lils is happy but exhausted, both mother and baby are healthy, Sirius, Remus and Peter all paced the floor with me, and have had a chance to hold Harry, Peter's nervousness must have rubbed off on Harry as he bawled as soon as Peter touched him.
Harry skimmed the journal noting interesting entries:
/March 30th 1981/
/ /
Harry performed accidental magic today, his favourite cuddly toys 'Paddy and Moony' were drying in front of the fire and he levitated them into his playpen beside him, he also levitated 'Ratty' into the fire, I'll have to replace it again. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to replace it. Poor Peter has no idea, but James, Sirius and Remus think it's hilarious.
/April 15th 1981/
Harry did it again, Peter dropped by on his way out to meet his 'friend' for dinner. Harry peed on his new dress robes, that boy definitely doesn't like Peter, he squirms every time Peter holds him and has been sick on him on numerous occasions.
/April 20th 1981/
James and Sirius are going to be the death of me, I left them to babysit Harry and when I came back they had him on 'Prongs' back riding round the garden. While I was talking to James, Sirius turned into Padfoot and Harry levitated him into his playpen. Harry's not-so-accidental magic is going to cause us problems.
/June 15th 1981/
/ /
James and I were in the kitchen discussing plans for Harry's birthday party, Sirius was teasing Harry in his 'Padfoot' form when we heard a puppy yelping and Sirius' voice saying "Bloody Hell Harry, how am I going to explain this to Lils? She'll hex me to shreds."
As I was about to lay into Sirius about swearing in front of my baby, I was rendered speechless, there on the floor was a black puppy with the most astonishing green eyes and no Harry in the playpen. Sirius explained that as he had been hiding from Harry he suddenly felt small sharp teeth nipping at his tail. When he looked round a puppy was attacking him. He could tell from the scent that it was Harry and had turned back to his human form so he could see what had happened.
Harry the puppy, what next. We really need to get his magic contained before he does something dangerous.
/June 20th 1981/
/ /
Finally the answer to Harry's Animagus problem, we have had to put a memory charm on him and have placed a timed block on the part of his magic used to control Animagus transformations. The block will drop when he reaches his 14th birthday. It wasn't a moment too soon as we had found him as 'Prongs Jnr.' The day after he was 'Snuffles' as James and Sirius had nicknamed the puppy, due to the noise he made when sniffing his way round the room. We took pictures of course and they are held securely in the Potter Vault.
/July 31st 1981/
/ /
Harry's birthday, what a fantastic day, the Longbottoms brought Neville, as it was his birthday yesterday, the two boys seem to get on. The Patil's brought their twins, the Bones' brought Susan, the Abbott's brought Hannah. The Weasleys couldn't come as Molly is pregnant again. Dumbledore invited himself and Sirius and Remus were here as usual. All in all it was a good day, Harry behaved impeccably apart from turning Susan's hair green when she wouldn't give him 'Paddy' when he wanted him. I didn't like the look on Dumbledore's face when he saw this.
/August 18th 1981/
We've gone into hiding at the Potter's Summer Cottage at Godric's Hollow, only Dumbledore and the Marauders know where we are, it's a real shame as Harry and Neville had started playing together, now Alice and Neville can't visit and we can't visit them. Peter is our secret keeper, I know I shouldn't write it down but this journal is charmed to only allow Harry and me to read it unless one of us gives permission.
/October 30th 1981./
James has updated his will and each of us has written a letter for Harry, both of us are really worried, Voldemort is getting stronger and closer all the time. Both sets of Harry's grandparents have been killed, my parents in a 'car accident' but the Potters were murdered by Death Eaters. I worry each time James leaves for work, why doesn't he give up and take over running the family estate, why must he be so Gryffindor.
In the bottom of his mother's trunk was a Muggle sketchpad, there were drawings of Harry, James, Lily and the rest of the Marauders and of a girl with bushy hair. Under the sketches the name Hermione was written with a question mark beside it, the drawings ranged from her as a baby to a teenager.
There was another baby sketch that took his breath away, the baby had Hermione's features but Harry's eyes, this was the only one in colour and below it was written the name Lily Jane Potter.
During his visits to the Grangers, Harry and Hermione had taken time to get to know each other even more. They talked about their early lives and school, they also had some fairly heavy snogging sessions but had gone no further than being topless together and some gentle stroking of each others pubic area. Harry had also shown Hermione his mother's journal but not the sketchpad, he wasn't quite sure how she would react to it. He knew he had to show her one day, but decided that to show her too soon into their relationship would strain things between them.
At last the 31st July arrived, and a nervous Harry met the Grangers outside the Leaky Cauldron at 10:30 a.m. They made their way to Gringotts. On entering the bank, Griphook intercepted them and led them into a small conference room.
"Mr. Potter, as requested we sent out the notification letter to all the beneficiaries of Mr. Black's will including yourself on the 20th of this month. As you anticipated, a letter was returned stating that you were unable to come and were to be represented by someone you trusted."
Harry's face took on a grim look, he asked for and was given a cloak laced with Goblin 'notice me not' charms. Anyone looking would see someone wearing a cloak but would find themselves totally disinterested in the wearer, the Goblins had designed it to allow them to carry out work the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. All anyone would remember of the wearer was that they were average height, average build and average looks.
Harry and the Grangers followed Griphook into the larger conference room they had used on their first visit. Around twenty seats were set out in a curve facing a conference table. The table faced the rear of the room and Harry had arranged to sit behind it. Anyone entering would assume that he was an employee of Gringotts, there to witness any documents that needed to be signed.
The room began to fill, first Draco Malfoy and his mother entered. He spotted Hermione and started muttering about Mudbloods, his mother put her hand over his mouth and explained that talking that way at a will reading could cause him to be disinherited. He stopped talking but if looks could kill Hermione and her parents would have died on the spot.
Remus Lupin came in with another three people, Harry recognised Tonks and assumed that the other two people were her parents. Then the Weasley's entered, well Arthur, Molly, Ron, Ginny and the twins, they acknowledged the others sitting there and took their seats.
On the stroke of eleven Chief Solicitor Pickwell entered with Solicitor Slinkhard who was carrying what Harry recognised to be a Pensieve. The Pensieve was placed on the table and the two Goblins took their seats behind it. As Pickwell was about to start the proceedings the door flew open and Dumbledore hurried in waving a sheet of parchment.
"My apologies everyone, but I was delayed. I am here to represent Harry Potter. Here is a document giving me Power of Attorney to act on his behalf."
Harry rose and asked quietly. "When did Mr. Potter sign this document, Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"On the 21st of July, the day after he received your letter, if you would let me show you, he has stated that he doesn't want to benefit from a death he thinks he caused and has asked that everything due to him be put at the disposal of the Order of the Phoenix"
During Dumbledore's speech Harry had removed the cloak, everyone apart from the Grangers and the Goblins looked on in a mixture of disbelief and astonishment.
"Is that so, Dumbledore?" Harry asked, "In that case why am I here?"
Dumbledore suddenly felt the temperature in the room drop and could feel the waves of power flowing off the person who had been interrogating him and realised that the now uncloaked person was Harry. His face took on a deathly pallor and he turned to leave but found his way blocked by Tonks, Remus and the four adult Weasleys. He tried to Apparate, forgetting in his panic that Apparation was impossible inside Gringotts.
While all this had been going on Pickwell had summoned some of the bank guards and when they arrived he ordered them to place Dumbledore in a cell until after the will had been read.
Everyone sat down and Harry joined the Grangers in front of the table, Pickwell restarted the procedures.
"As is stated in Wizard Law, all those named in this Will and who are not present, or represented by proxy, are will be disinherited. Does anyone stand proxy for Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange?"
No one.
"Does anyone stand proxy for William and Charles Weasley"
"We do" answered Molly and Arthur and handed over letters signed by their eldest sons.
"Does anyone stand proxy for Lucius Malfoy?"
No one.
Narcissa and Draco were furious, if they had said they were going to stand proxy for Lucius, Bella and Rudolphus they would need to have letters, and letters would prove that they were in contact with known Death Eaters and that would have left them open to arrest.
"Let it be known that the aforementioned persons are hereby disinherited and can make no claim on the Noble and Ancient House of Black. Now Mr. Black, or to be more accurate Baron Black left his Will in the form of a Pensieve recording which we will now play to you. This Will was witnessed by Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody and Solicitor Slinkhard of Gringotts and was made on the 15th April this year. For those of you who are unaware, we know Baron Black is dead because his Will was charmed to activate on his death. I will now start the playback."
Pickwell touched the side of the Pensieve and a silver mist appeared over it and gradually formed into a miniature of Sirius, Everyone but the Malfoys choked back a sob and tried to compose themselves.
"Well" said the recording, "if this is being played I must be dead, I can only hope that I was kicking Death Eater ass at the time or preferably I was ninety and have been shot by the father of twenty year old triplet girls for impregnating his daughters, one can but hope, but down to business:"
"I, Sirius Orion Black being of sound mind hereby make the following bequests. I formally adopt Harry James Potter and give him the rights of the Heir of Black, Harry the solicitor conducting this reading has the adoption papers all you need to do is place your thumb in the box by your name and everything is legal."
Pickwell paused the recording and Slinkhard pushed the paper toward Harry and he placed his thumb in the indicated box, he felt a prick on the pad of his thumb and when he removed it noticed some blood being absorbed into the parchment.
The recording was restarted. "This adoption should have taken place after Lily and James died. I had it all organised but Dumbledore sent me after Pettigrew before I could get Harry's thumbprint. Sorry, pup, but he got me good, but you are free of his manipulations now."
"To Draco Malfoy, I leave my collection of navel fluff, I think you deserve this as it was you and your kind who made sure I had the time to collect it." Slinkhard passed a small wooden box over to Draco who grabbed it and smashed it to the floor. "To my dear cousins Narcissa and Bellatrix, as your husbands have broken the terms of your marriage contracts I now declare you divorced. In addition, I also declare that you are cast from the House of Black, I declare you are without name and family."
Narcissa rose up and stormed out he room dragging Draco behind her. "You're a dead man, Potter" shouted Malfoy as he left.
"Yeah, yeah heard it all before" said Harry in the most disinterested voice he could muster.
The recording was restarted. "To my cousin Andromeda I reinstate you to the House of Black, the dowry that was your entitlement will be paid to you with interest. I also leave you Black Cottage on the Isle of Skye. I know it is the property you like most. Ted, I know you would refuse any material gifts I would leave you, so I only ask that you continue to love and cherish Andy and Nymph. To Nymphadora Tonks I reinstate you to the House of Black. I also leave you the name Mary, but only if you want it. A dowry will be set up for you as is the tradition for the Daughters of Black. In addition I leave you my oldest surviving friend, Remus Lupin, take care of the old wolf, I know you both care for each other as I have been advising you both to make the first step. I also leave you No. 42 Black Terrace in Stirling, Scotland, fill those rooms with little Lupins."
"To Remus Lupin, I leave the building known as the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. I have bought it and had it renovated for you so you can be near to Harry while he's at Hogwarts. I also leave you 150,000 Galleons and the title of Harry Potter's Godfather. Please take over my duties and look after him in the way James and Lily would want. I also leave you all my clothes, they are charmed to adjust to the size of the wearer, we can't have the Godfather of a Baron looking scruffy. I also leave you 'Mary' Tonks, take care of her for me."
"To Arthur and Molly Weasley, I know you don't measure your wealth in Galleons, but in the love that your family has for each other. As a family (except Percy the Prat) you have welcomed Harry to share the love you have for one another. I leave you 200,000 Galleons. Use it to do up The Burrow and set your children up when they marry. Include Percy if he manages to forgive himself and come back to the family, he wants to come back but is missing his Gryffindor courage."
"To Ron Weasley, I leave ½ my shares in the Chudley Cannons and my collection of antique Racing Brooms, remember they can't be flown but I know you will appreciate them, by the way you will have enough shares to have a seat on the Board of Directors of the Cannons when you come of age."
"To Ginny Weasley, I leave ½ my shares in the Chudley Cannons, again you will be entitled to a seat on the Board. I wish I could leave you Harry but he belongs to another. I also leave you a dowry of 25,000 Galleons."
"To William and Charles Weasley I leave 10,000 Galleons each for accepting Harry as a surrogate brother."
To Fred and George Weasley, I leave my shares in Filibuster's Fireworks. This amounts to 40% of the company."
"To Hermione Granger, I leave the Library of the House of Black please do with it as you see fit, there are books there that will help Harry on his quest, but there are also books that should be destroyed, take Moony and Moody's advice. I also leave you Harry Potter, you are the foundation on which he builds his courage, the anchor that keeps him secure, I only hope he has realised this and has finally asked you out."
"To Roger and Jill Granger, I leave you Harry Potter to be his guides in the Muggle World as Remus is his guide in the Wizarding one. He is a fine young man and is besotted with your daughter (as you may already know) I also leave you 50,000 Galleons to use in your dealings in the Wizarding World."
"To Harry James Black-Potter, yeah mate you gain another name, I leave the remainder of the Black estate, in addition to the wealth there are shares in many Wizarding businesses, you now own the rights on Butterbeer and the Firebolt Broom Company along with many others, I also declare you emancipated in both this and the Muggle World, the papers will be filed as soon as you sign them."
"Now everyone don't mourn me and don't join me too soon. Harry I am watching over you, look at the old Dog Star and raise a glass in my memory."
Slinkhard stood. "All bequests have been transferred to the proper places, those that have been left properties can collect their keys from the secretary in the main office. Miss Granger the Black Library is held at No. 12 Grimmauld Place, you can leave it in place with the permission of Baron Black-Potter or move it where you wish."
"Now, Mr. Potter, you are entitled to inherit the Potter estate what do you wish done?"
"Please can I see the list of Trustees for the Potter Trust?"
"Certainly have a seat and I will send Griphook for it."
"One other thing, my father mentioned a Chief Teller Holdfast as being our family accountant, is he still here?"
Slinkhard shook his head, "I'm sorry, but Holdfast was killed shortly after your parents died, Dumbledore appointed a Wizard to the post, A Mr. Aberforth."
Harry felt his blood begin to boil, but Hermione's touch on his arm calmed him. "Slinkhard, do nothing at the moment, I am too angry to think straight, all I ask is that you do a full audit on the Potter Trust and let me know when it is complete. I would then like to have a meeting with the auditors and plan our strategy."
"Certainly, it may take some time but I will let you know immediately the audit is complete."
"Thank you" Harry turned to the others, "I've booked a private room in the Leaky Cauldron, everyone is invited for lunch, I also want to talk to everyone about a memorial for Sirius."
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Chapter 5: Journals and Romance
Over the next few weeks Harry settled into a routine, he worked in the garden every 3rd day and was grudgingly fed by his Aunt and Uncle. On the days he wasn't working he read his father and mother's books and practiced the new spells, charms and shields, absorbing the information like blotting paper absorbs ink. Once a week he visited Hermione. He also built up the courage to read his mother's journal.
Dear Harry,
This is a journal of your life from the day my pregnancy was confirmed until the day you are getting married. If you are wondering how your name appears on the top, well I left it blank until you were born. Please read and enjoy and share this with your beloved.
Mum
/ /
/Nov 13th 1979/
/ /
It's been confirmed, as I suspected the reason I've been feeling under the weather is I'm pregnant, I can't wait to tell James he will be over the moon, and no doubt hold a party to celebrate.
/Nov 23rd 1979/
/ /
What a night, we partied until dawn with the old crowd, a double celebration, Alice announced her pregnancy too. She was going to keep it a secret for now but decided to tell us. Her estimated due date is the same as mine, the end of July.
/July 31st 1980/
/ /
Lils has asked me to write this as she is too tired. Harry James Potter entered the world today after 9 hours labour, kicking and screaming and giving his mother a hard time, Lils is happy but exhausted, both mother and baby are healthy, Sirius, Remus and Peter all paced the floor with me, and have had a chance to hold Harry, Peter's nervousness must have rubbed off on Harry as he bawled as soon as Peter touched him.
Harry skimmed the journal noting interesting entries:
/March 30th 1981/
/ /
Harry performed accidental magic today, his favourite cuddly toys 'Paddy and Moony' were drying in front of the fire and he levitated them into his playpen beside him, he also levitated 'Ratty' into the fire, I'll have to replace it again. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to replace it. Poor Peter has no idea, but James, Sirius and Remus think it's hilarious.
/April 15th 1981/
Harry did it again, Peter dropped by on his way out to meet his 'friend' for dinner. Harry peed on his new dress robes, that boy definitely doesn't like Peter, he squirms every time Peter holds him and has been sick on him on numerous occasions.
/April 20th 1981/
James and Sirius are going to be the death of me, I left them to babysit Harry and when I came back they had him on 'Prongs' back riding round the garden. While I was talking to James, Sirius turned into Padfoot and Harry levitated him into his playpen. Harry's not-so-accidental magic is going to cause us problems.
/June 15th 1981/
/ /
James and I were in the kitchen discussing plans for Harry's birthday party, Sirius was teasing Harry in his 'Padfoot' form when we heard a puppy yelping and Sirius' voice saying "Bloody Hell Harry, how am I going to explain this to Lils? She'll hex me to shreds."
As I was about to lay into Sirius about swearing in front of my baby, I was rendered speechless, there on the floor was a black puppy with the most astonishing green eyes and no Harry in the playpen. Sirius explained that as he had been hiding from Harry he suddenly felt small sharp teeth nipping at his tail. When he looked round a puppy was attacking him. He could tell from the scent that it was Harry and had turned back to his human form so he could see what had happened.
Harry the puppy, what next. We really need to get his magic contained before he does something dangerous.
/June 20th 1981/
/ /
Finally the answer to Harry's Animagus problem, we have had to put a memory charm on him and have placed a timed block on the part of his magic used to control Animagus transformations. The block will drop when he reaches his 14th birthday. It wasn't a moment too soon as we had found him as 'Prongs Jnr.' The day after he was 'Snuffles' as James and Sirius had nicknamed the puppy, due to the noise he made when sniffing his way round the room. We took pictures of course and they are held securely in the Potter Vault.
/July 31st 1981/
/ /
Harry's birthday, what a fantastic day, the Longbottoms brought Neville, as it was his birthday yesterday, the two boys seem to get on. The Patil's brought their twins, the Bones' brought Susan, the Abbott's brought Hannah. The Weasleys couldn't come as Molly is pregnant again. Dumbledore invited himself and Sirius and Remus were here as usual. All in all it was a good day, Harry behaved impeccably apart from turning Susan's hair green when she wouldn't give him 'Paddy' when he wanted him. I didn't like the look on Dumbledore's face when he saw this.
/August 18th 1981/
We've gone into hiding at the Potter's Summer Cottage at Godric's Hollow, only Dumbledore and the Marauders know where we are, it's a real shame as Harry and Neville had started playing together, now Alice and Neville can't visit and we can't visit them. Peter is our secret keeper, I know I shouldn't write it down but this journal is charmed to only allow Harry and me to read it unless one of us gives permission.
/October 30th 1981./
James has updated his will and each of us has written a letter for Harry, both of us are really worried, Voldemort is getting stronger and closer all the time. Both sets of Harry's grandparents have been killed, my parents in a 'car accident' but the Potters were murdered by Death Eaters. I worry each time James leaves for work, why doesn't he give up and take over running the family estate, why must he be so Gryffindor.
In the bottom of his mother's trunk was a Muggle sketchpad, there were drawings of Harry, James, Lily and the rest of the Marauders and of a girl with bushy hair. Under the sketches the name Hermione was written with a question mark beside it, the drawings ranged from her as a baby to a teenager.
There was another baby sketch that took his breath away, the baby had Hermione's features but Harry's eyes, this was the only one in colour and below it was written the name Lily Jane Potter.
During his visits to the Grangers, Harry and Hermione had taken time to get to know each other even more. They talked about their early lives and school, they also had some fairly heavy snogging sessions but had gone no further than being topless together and some gentle stroking of each others pubic area. Harry had also shown Hermione his mother's journal but not the sketchpad, he wasn't quite sure how she would react to it. He knew he had to show her one day, but decided that to show her too soon into their relationship would strain things between them.
At last the 31st July arrived, and a nervous Harry met the Grangers outside the Leaky Cauldron at 10:30 a.m. They made their way to Gringotts. On entering the bank, Griphook intercepted them and led them into a small conference room.
"Mr. Potter, as requested we sent out the notification letter to all the beneficiaries of Mr. Black's will including yourself on the 20th of this month. As you anticipated, a letter was returned stating that you were unable to come and were to be represented by someone you trusted."
Harry's face took on a grim look, he asked for and was given a cloak laced with Goblin 'notice me not' charms. Anyone looking would see someone wearing a cloak but would find themselves totally disinterested in the wearer, the Goblins had designed it to allow them to carry out work the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. All anyone would remember of the wearer was that they were average height, average build and average looks.
Harry and the Grangers followed Griphook into the larger conference room they had used on their first visit. Around twenty seats were set out in a curve facing a conference table. The table faced the rear of the room and Harry had arranged to sit behind it. Anyone entering would assume that he was an employee of Gringotts, there to witness any documents that needed to be signed.
The room began to fill, first Draco Malfoy and his mother entered. He spotted Hermione and started muttering about Mudbloods, his mother put her hand over his mouth and explained that talking that way at a will reading could cause him to be disinherited. He stopped talking but if looks could kill Hermione and her parents would have died on the spot.
Remus Lupin came in with another three people, Harry recognised Tonks and assumed that the other two people were her parents. Then the Weasley's entered, well Arthur, Molly, Ron, Ginny and the twins, they acknowledged the others sitting there and took their seats.
On the stroke of eleven Chief Solicitor Pickwell entered with Solicitor Slinkhard who was carrying what Harry recognised to be a Pensieve. The Pensieve was placed on the table and the two Goblins took their seats behind it. As Pickwell was about to start the proceedings the door flew open and Dumbledore hurried in waving a sheet of parchment.
"My apologies everyone, but I was delayed. I am here to represent Harry Potter. Here is a document giving me Power of Attorney to act on his behalf."
Harry rose and asked quietly. "When did Mr. Potter sign this document, Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"On the 21st of July, the day after he received your letter, if you would let me show you, he has stated that he doesn't want to benefit from a death he thinks he caused and has asked that everything due to him be put at the disposal of the Order of the Phoenix"
During Dumbledore's speech Harry had removed the cloak, everyone apart from the Grangers and the Goblins looked on in a mixture of disbelief and astonishment.
"Is that so, Dumbledore?" Harry asked, "In that case why am I here?"
Dumbledore suddenly felt the temperature in the room drop and could feel the waves of power flowing off the person who had been interrogating him and realised that the now uncloaked person was Harry. His face took on a deathly pallor and he turned to leave but found his way blocked by Tonks, Remus and the four adult Weasleys. He tried to Apparate, forgetting in his panic that Apparation was impossible inside Gringotts.
While all this had been going on Pickwell had summoned some of the bank guards and when they arrived he ordered them to place Dumbledore in a cell until after the will had been read.
Everyone sat down and Harry joined the Grangers in front of the table, Pickwell restarted the procedures.
"As is stated in Wizard Law, all those named in this Will and who are not present, or represented by proxy, are will be disinherited. Does anyone stand proxy for Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange?"
No one.
"Does anyone stand proxy for William and Charles Weasley"
"We do" answered Molly and Arthur and handed over letters signed by their eldest sons.
"Does anyone stand proxy for Lucius Malfoy?"
No one.
Narcissa and Draco were furious, if they had said they were going to stand proxy for Lucius, Bella and Rudolphus they would need to have letters, and letters would prove that they were in contact with known Death Eaters and that would have left them open to arrest.
"Let it be known that the aforementioned persons are hereby disinherited and can make no claim on the Noble and Ancient House of Black. Now Mr. Black, or to be more accurate Baron Black left his Will in the form of a Pensieve recording which we will now play to you. This Will was witnessed by Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody and Solicitor Slinkhard of Gringotts and was made on the 15th April this year. For those of you who are unaware, we know Baron Black is dead because his Will was charmed to activate on his death. I will now start the playback."
Pickwell touched the side of the Pensieve and a silver mist appeared over it and gradually formed into a miniature of Sirius, Everyone but the Malfoys choked back a sob and tried to compose themselves.
"Well" said the recording, "if this is being played I must be dead, I can only hope that I was kicking Death Eater ass at the time or preferably I was ninety and have been shot by the father of twenty year old triplet girls for impregnating his daughters, one can but hope, but down to business:"
"I, Sirius Orion Black being of sound mind hereby make the following bequests. I formally adopt Harry James Potter and give him the rights of the Heir of Black, Harry the solicitor conducting this reading has the adoption papers all you need to do is place your thumb in the box by your name and everything is legal."
Pickwell paused the recording and Slinkhard pushed the paper toward Harry and he placed his thumb in the indicated box, he felt a prick on the pad of his thumb and when he removed it noticed some blood being absorbed into the parchment.
The recording was restarted. "This adoption should have taken place after Lily and James died. I had it all organised but Dumbledore sent me after Pettigrew before I could get Harry's thumbprint. Sorry, pup, but he got me good, but you are free of his manipulations now."
"To Draco Malfoy, I leave my collection of navel fluff, I think you deserve this as it was you and your kind who made sure I had the time to collect it." Slinkhard passed a small wooden box over to Draco who grabbed it and smashed it to the floor. "To my dear cousins Narcissa and Bellatrix, as your husbands have broken the terms of your marriage contracts I now declare you divorced. In addition, I also declare that you are cast from the House of Black, I declare you are without name and family."
Narcissa rose up and stormed out he room dragging Draco behind her. "You're a dead man, Potter" shouted Malfoy as he left.
"Yeah, yeah heard it all before" said Harry in the most disinterested voice he could muster.
The recording was restarted. "To my cousin Andromeda I reinstate you to the House of Black, the dowry that was your entitlement will be paid to you with interest. I also leave you Black Cottage on the Isle of Skye. I know it is the property you like most. Ted, I know you would refuse any material gifts I would leave you, so I only ask that you continue to love and cherish Andy and Nymph. To Nymphadora Tonks I reinstate you to the House of Black. I also leave you the name Mary, but only if you want it. A dowry will be set up for you as is the tradition for the Daughters of Black. In addition I leave you my oldest surviving friend, Remus Lupin, take care of the old wolf, I know you both care for each other as I have been advising you both to make the first step. I also leave you No. 42 Black Terrace in Stirling, Scotland, fill those rooms with little Lupins."
"To Remus Lupin, I leave the building known as the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. I have bought it and had it renovated for you so you can be near to Harry while he's at Hogwarts. I also leave you 150,000 Galleons and the title of Harry Potter's Godfather. Please take over my duties and look after him in the way James and Lily would want. I also leave you all my clothes, they are charmed to adjust to the size of the wearer, we can't have the Godfather of a Baron looking scruffy. I also leave you 'Mary' Tonks, take care of her for me."
"To Arthur and Molly Weasley, I know you don't measure your wealth in Galleons, but in the love that your family has for each other. As a family (except Percy the Prat) you have welcomed Harry to share the love you have for one another. I leave you 200,000 Galleons. Use it to do up The Burrow and set your children up when they marry. Include Percy if he manages to forgive himself and come back to the family, he wants to come back but is missing his Gryffindor courage."
"To Ron Weasley, I leave ½ my shares in the Chudley Cannons and my collection of antique Racing Brooms, remember they can't be flown but I know you will appreciate them, by the way you will have enough shares to have a seat on the Board of Directors of the Cannons when you come of age."
"To Ginny Weasley, I leave ½ my shares in the Chudley Cannons, again you will be entitled to a seat on the Board. I wish I could leave you Harry but he belongs to another. I also leave you a dowry of 25,000 Galleons."
"To William and Charles Weasley I leave 10,000 Galleons each for accepting Harry as a surrogate brother."
To Fred and George Weasley, I leave my shares in Filibuster's Fireworks. This amounts to 40% of the company."
"To Hermione Granger, I leave the Library of the House of Black please do with it as you see fit, there are books there that will help Harry on his quest, but there are also books that should be destroyed, take Moony and Moody's advice. I also leave you Harry Potter, you are the foundation on which he builds his courage, the anchor that keeps him secure, I only hope he has realised this and has finally asked you out."
"To Roger and Jill Granger, I leave you Harry Potter to be his guides in the Muggle World as Remus is his guide in the Wizarding one. He is a fine young man and is besotted with your daughter (as you may already know) I also leave you 50,000 Galleons to use in your dealings in the Wizarding World."
"To Harry James Black-Potter, yeah mate you gain another name, I leave the remainder of the Black estate, in addition to the wealth there are shares in many Wizarding businesses, you now own the rights on Butterbeer and the Firebolt Broom Company along with many others, I also declare you emancipated in both this and the Muggle World, the papers will be filed as soon as you sign them."
"Now everyone don't mourn me and don't join me too soon. Harry I am watching over you, look at the old Dog Star and raise a glass in my memory."
Slinkhard stood. "All bequests have been transferred to the proper places, those that have been left properties can collect their keys from the secretary in the main office. Miss Granger the Black Library is held at No. 12 Grimmauld Place, you can leave it in place with the permission of Baron Black-Potter or move it where you wish."
"Now, Mr. Potter, you are entitled to inherit the Potter estate what do you wish done?"
"Please can I see the list of Trustees for the Potter Trust?"
"Certainly have a seat and I will send Griphook for it."
"One other thing, my father mentioned a Chief Teller Holdfast as being our family accountant, is he still here?"
Slinkhard shook his head, "I'm sorry, but Holdfast was killed shortly after your parents died, Dumbledore appointed a Wizard to the post, A Mr. Aberforth."
Harry felt his blood begin to boil, but Hermione's touch on his arm calmed him. "Slinkhard, do nothing at the moment, I am too angry to think straight, all I ask is that you do a full audit on the Potter Trust and let me know when it is complete. I would then like to have a meeting with the auditors and plan our strategy."
"Certainly, it may take some time but I will let you know immediately the audit is complete."
"Thank you" Harry turned to the others, "I've booked a private room in the Leaky Cauldron, everyone is invited for lunch, I also want to talk to everyone about a memorial for Sirius."
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