Chapter 20: Comeuppance Pt. 1
Waking up the next morning Harry felt more than saw that his partner was long gone from the bed. Stretching, Harry yawned as he felt the most refreshed and vigor in living memory. It was like she shed off all the stress at accumulated all his life and especially these past few days. He felt like he could run a dozen miles and he could eat a horse.
More than anything really he felt very hungry, he guessed nightly activities do take a lot out of you and gives you a ravenous appetite.
Getting out of bed, Harry headed to the bathroom adjacent to his bedroom and took a quick shower and freshen himself up. After that, he put on some of the new clothes that he bought yesterday which for once fit him perfectly. Then he headed downstairs for breakfast.
"Good morning," Harry greeted to everyone who sat at the table. Lupin was reading the newspaper that just came in this morning while he drank his coffee, and Sirius was preoccupied with his food.
"You seem to be in a chipper mood," Sirius noticed as he watched his godson seat himself at the table.
"What can't I be in a happy mood?" the young wizard asked as he grabbed some food from the table.
"Well, you are in too good of a mood."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Harry asked as he looked up at the man in confusion.
"No," Sirius said as he had a contemplation look on his face, "it is not a bad thing but there must be something that has you in such a good mood."
"I do not understand you at times," Harry said as he quickly glossing over the landmine. Harry did not want to talk about what went down last night, unlike his godfather he did to have a big mouth so he discreetly changed the topic. "Do you know where Tonks is? Her mother did leave her here to stay over."
"No," Lupin answered this time, "maybe she is still trying to sleep off all that partying for last night."
Just when the werewolf uttered that, Tonks came down the stairs and into the kitchen where they were having breakfast.
"There she is," Sirius uttered as he welcomed her to the table. "Come, come, eat. If you have a hangover, tell me, I have the perfect cure for it."
"No, I am good," Tonks said as she graciously waved it off.
"Is there something wrong with your legs?" Lupin asked a bit concerned as he saw he limping a bit.
Smiling to himself, Harry watched as the young witch blushed crimson red, and stutter. "Oh, this.... it- its nothing. I just stubbed your toe against a door."
If only they knew the truth, Harry thought, he recalled very well the long hours that they stayed up trying every single position and fucking like animals everywhere in his room. It was obvious she was still feeling the aftereffects after they very proactive shag they had as they fucked fucked their brains out.
"Must have been really painful," Harry voiced as he had a sly grin on his face
Turning to face him, Tonks fidgeted a little bit but she quickly collected herself and turned a bit cold towards him and replied back with. "You have no idea! Someone just couldn't let me rest at all."
Just as they were about to pick up an argument between themselves, there was a tapping noise at their window. Turning to see who or more acutely what was at their window they saw a beautiful brown and gold eagle perched outside their window.
"Is that a Gringotts eagle?" Lupin asked to no one in particular.
"Sure is," Sirius replied as he got up and let the creature in.
Swopping in, the bird did a few turns above their heads and landed right beside Lupin and offered him the letter it held in its claw.
"Is it for me?" Lupin asked a bit surprised.
Not responded to his question, the eagle still made a human-like gesture of rolling its eyes at him like he was an idiot. Taking the offered missive Lupin turned it around in his hands and saw that it actually was addressed to him.
Opening it, Lupin mused out loud, "Wonder what it's all about." Then he started to read it to himself, suddenly after some long minutes of going over it, he exclaimed, "WHAT!?"
"What wrong?" Harry asked as he stopped with petting the Gringotts Eagle which was preening under his touch. After his ritual of assimilating with the Phoniex and Basisilk he saw that he had a much closer connection to snakes and birds. He only did a few tests at the behest of Mrs. Tonks and he saw that he could share visions with those creatures, communicate through them, and take over them if he wanted.
"I... i," Lupin faltered as he tried to form some words but didn't have the capacity to do so at the moment.
"Here, let me see," Sirius said as he took the letter from his friend's hand. Quickly racking his eyes over it, comprehension dawned on his features and he uttered, "Ahhh, I see."
"See what?" Harry asked, really curious to know what was happening.
"He received the money your parents left him."
"Oh," Harry uttered as he smiled at the older man. "It seems like you are a rich man, Lupin!"
Seeing being shell shocked, all Lupin could say was, "100,000 Galleons, 100,000 Galleons. What will I do with that?"
"Dang," Tonks said as she whistled out loud, "that is what? 2.5 million pounds in muggle money!"
"Yeah," Harry replied.
Just as they were about to make fun of Lupin and joke around with him, they heard the whoosh of the flames, and knew it could be one thing, Floo travel.
Turning around to see who came in, Mrs. Tonks walked in the kitchen carrying with her a cauldron and a some herbs in a basket. "How are you doing boys?" she greeted once she walked in. Then looking at her daughter she remarked, "I see that you are up as well."
"Hey, mom," Tonks greeted back through a mouthful of food.
Sighing exasperatedly, Mrs. Tonks only replied with, "Where are your manners? Please chew your food before you speak."
Shrugging her shoulders in response, Tonks just carried on with what she was doing, then before things exploded, Sirius spoke up. "So, cousin," Sirius began with, "you did say that your husband was a solicitor, right?"
"Yes," the older witch replied, "what of it?"
"Well, we sort of need his expertise," Sirius replied.
"What are going off about Sirius?" the mediwitch asked as confusion was written all over her face. "Is there something wrong? Are you going to fight your incarceration?"
"No, not yet," Sirius clarified, "Harry is the one who needs a solicitor?"
Turning to look at him, the older woman asked, "What happened, deary?"
"It is a long story," Harry answered, "people have been using my name and image without my express permission. Plus they haven't paid me back even a cent."
"No way."
"Dang," Tonks said, "what awful, greedy motherfucker!"
"Language, young woman," Mrs. Tonks shouted as she stared hard at her daughter.
"Come, mom," Tonks said with an eye roll, "you were thinking it."
"Anyways," Harry interpreted, "my account manager said we will need a solicitor to straighten this out and Sirius said your husband was the best there is."
"Oh, I do not know about that," Mrs. Tonks said appreciatively, "but I will speak to him never the less."
"Thanks," Harry said and just then another bird swopped in and dropped a letter on his lap. Picking it up, Harry saw that it was stamped with a million different kinds of stamps.
"Got a letter?" Sirius asked as he looked over at the weird letter.
"Yeah," Harry responded with, "wonder who it is from." Deciding to get to the bottom of his curiosity, Harry tore open the letter and pulled out the folded parchment.
"Oh," Harry uttered as he glanced over at the letter and quickly took it in.
"Who is it from?" Tonks asked out of curiosity.
"Its from the Weselys," Harry said as he passed the letter over to his godfather. "They invited me to come with them to the Quidditch World Cup!"
"100,000 Galleons! What were they thinking leaving me all that gold?"
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POV Change
"Albus," a stern, brisk voice of a woman called out.
"Yes, Minerva," a tall, thin, and very old man with long silver hair and beard answered back. The old man was Albus Dumbledore one of the most powerful wizards in Magical Great Britain if not the one.
Walking into his office a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes and a very stern face. In her hand was an envelope, "A letter just arrived from Gringotts bank."
"Oh, let me see here then," the old man said as he took the letter from her. Using one of his letter openers, the old man popped one of his favorite treats into his mouth, a lemon drops then looked over the missive.
"Mhm," the old man said as his eyebrows knitted in consternation.
Seeing his expression, the stern woman asked, "What is there an issue, Albus?"
"I don't know," the old man answer as he glanced once more at the letter to confirm what it said. "The goblins are requesting my presence immediately, and if I don't arrive they will promptly close my accounts."
Being shell shocked for a moment the older witch lost her calm, collected expression for a moment there and she stuttered out. "What... How... Can they even... No way!"
Seeming to understand all that, the wizened old man responded with, "Well, it seems like I have choice but to go see them, and try to fix this issue. Don't hold up for me Minerva, you should turn in for the day, I believe I will be hold up at the bank for the rest of the day."
With that, the old man quickly got from his large, well furbished chair and started to arrange things of his visit.
"Fawkes," the old man called to his familiar. Turning to gaze at him was a beautiful bird with intelligent eyes almost human like eyes, it had crimson feathers on his body and a golden tail as long as a peacock's. The bird was roughly the size of a swan. Its claws and beak were gleaming gold and its eyes were a deep pool of black.
The wizard's familiar was a Phoenix.
"Take care, I will be back soon, and I believe you already know where the treats are."
Chirping at him, the legendary bird nodded it in a human like fashion and waved at the old man with its wing at him as he disappeared into the fire.
Walking up the flight of stairs the wizened old man entered the imposing snow-white multistoried marble building from the set of burnished bronze doors flanked by two wizard guards.
Walking into the main hall of the structure, the old wizard walked up to a goblin bank teller.
"Welcome to Gringotts Wizarding Bank, how may I help you, sir, today?"
"Yes, I am here to see about this letter I just received by eagle today," the old wizard answered as he passed along the small, folded parchment.
Picking up the letter, and rearranging his glasses, the goblin read over the missive, and simply responded with, "Ah, I see." Setting down the parchment, the goblin let his glasses settle down around his neck, "If you may come with me, Mister Dumbledore."
Waiting for the goblin to come out from back, the light wizard followed him as he led him deeper into the bank.
"May I ask, what is the issue? Why are my accounts being closed for?"
"You will have to speak to the representative about that," the goblin simply answered as he brought him to a large hall where a few goblins sat on high back chairs. the goblins all had stern, dark expressions on their faces, and quickly more junior goblins were coming in by the minute as they carried with them parchemts that they review over.
Inclining his head to the foreboding looking goblins, the young bank teller uttered, "I have brought the perpetrator before you, esteem council members."
"Thank you, Adlok," an elderly goblin sitting in the middle called out who looked to be the spokesman for the gathered goblins. "You may leave, now," he said with a wave of his hand.
Bow his head again in respect, the young goblin heard out and only the old wizard and a crowd of vicious-looking goblins where left in the chamber.
Looking around, the formidable wizard asked, "What brings the Council of Representatives here?" The old wizard knew very well who these goblins were — they were the governing body that was only a step below the Goblin King himself. They were the body that carried out all important, and sensitive matters on his majesty's behest.
"We bring you here Dumbledore because a matter of great importance came to our attention," the goblin spokesman said.
"What would that have to be for you to threaten my accounts?" the old man asked as his long bushy eyebrows knitted.
"There has been a breach in the Potter accounts," a shrill voice called out, turning to look that way Dumbledore say a skinny goblin with a scarlet-red expression on his face.
"Plus their last Will has been sealed and totally ignored," a gloomy voice said of a goblin hidden deep in the shadows.
"We believe it you, Dumbledore," a deep voice uttered from the right, "you must have your hand in this!" This time it was a large burly goblin who spoke up.
"Where did you get this news from?" the old man asked, as he schooled his expression for what had to come next.
"That is of no concern to you Dumbledore," the goblin spokesman said. "We will like an answer, and we RIGHT NOW!"
"Even if I told you," the old man began with, "You will never understand all that I have done for the light's sake, but now I suggest you forget all about it!"
With those words his twinkling eyes, shining brighter than ever before as they looked like the bright brilliant stars in the sky above. All in the room was enveloped in that light, pure light than as everything settled down and the dust cleared, the Council still stood.
Their eyes were unmurky and shone with the light of understanding and clarity. For a long moment, silence greeted the chamber until the head counselor laughed out loud in a uprouse matter. "Did you think your little mind tricks will work on us, Dumbledore?" the man asked as a bright red amulet burned brightly under his robes.
Now that the old man looked closely he saw that all the council members even the junior goblins that moved about had the same amulets on.
"Off with his head, I say," a hoarse voice called out of the council members.
"How... how could he," a weak voice whined of another council member.
"Give him to the dragon, let's watch us chew him up," a vile voice of another council members said gleefully.
"Is it always the dragon with you?" a calm, cool voice asked of another council member.
"I say put a curse on him, and let him die slowly," an arrogant voice said of another council member.
"Enough," the spokesman said as he held out his hand for silence. "The decision still stands." Then turning to face the old wizard, the head member spoke out loud, "Since your action of been a clear admittance of your wrongdoing, your accounts will be immediately shut down, and from here on out you have nothing to do with Gringotts bank!"
Face turning cold, the old man uttered as power leaked from each word casing the whole chamber to tremble and shake. "If you think for a single moment that I will stand for that, then you are...."
"I think you will, wizard!" another voice cut in. Turning to face the speaker everyone saw that it was a tall, and muscular goblin that waled into the chamber. He was dressed in fine armor with gold and jewels decorated on it, and with a long flowing cloak of purple billowing behind him. In his hand was a Greatsword, large enough to chop a fully grown man in half.
Behind the fully armored goblin where dozens of warriors pilling into the chamber with their spears and halberts at the ready.
"Your Majesty," Dumbledore greeted as he seem to have collected himself.
"I have no need for the pleasantries old wizard! YOu have just tried to mind rape my councillors, then force your matter through. Tell me what do you make of that?"
Staying silent since he knew there was nothing he could do or say that can fix this matter.
The Goblin King, rephrased, "Nothing?"
Nodding his head to himself, the Monarch declared, "You heard the decision of the council. Your accounts are closed, you shall never do business with Gringotts ever again, and if we ever see you on your covering land, you will instantly put down. Am I clear, wizard!"
"Your Majesty this is a mistake. I am the only that truly stands for goblins and all magical beings' interest...."
"I do not wish to hear from you any more wizard. Leave now," he said as he pointed his sword at the door, "and never come back here ever again."
Sighing, the old man nodded his head, and bleakly headed out.
As he made his way out the door, and walked down the halls goblin of all kinds looked at him in disdain and distrust, all the way until he was out the large bronze doors. As he made his way down the flight of marble stairs now as a poor and destitute old man with one thing on his mind. "Now how will I ever buy any more lemon drops."