Chapter 7
Reincarnation
Author's Note: Some of this chapter - the parts that have to do with Holly and Harry – might seem a little odd, but I decided this is the best scenario for my story. And it is the most believable, especially since I am planning a romantic storyline between the two as the story progresses.
Holly blinked her eyes open and groaned when she found herself once again standing in a very clean version of Platform Nine-and-Three Quarters. She glanced at the bench a short distance away, and saw a familiar figure to her sitting there – Death.
"Oh come on!" Holly scowled, "What? Did I die in my sleep?"
Death chuckled – a tinkling sound instead of the malevolent sound Holly was used to when it came to this figure.
"Relax, my dear," Death said, "You're not dead, you're dreaming. Let's just say this is easier for me to give you a message this way. But I won't be doing this a lot! I like my confusing letters! I have nice writing, don't you think – shut up!"
Holly opened her mouth to say she didn't say anything, then she realized Death wasn't talking to her. On the ground, lying a few feet away from Death, was a Goblin. Closer inspection revealed that the goblin had a long deep cut along its neck. It was groaning rather morosely. A macabre sound.
"Who is that?" Holly asked.
"Griphook," Death said, "The traitor who allowed the thefts from Harry's Trust Vault. He met his fate last night. Ignore him. Now... you are probably wondering why you are here?"
"Well... yeah," Holly said.
"You are here because I fear I caused you great emotional pain," Death said. "If you knew what I am about to tell you, when you initially started your discussion with Harry, it might have gone a lot better."
"And what is that?" Holly asked.
"You are not Lily Potter," Death said. "You are not Harry's mother. She died on Halloween in 1981. You are Holly Marie Evans, official title Lady Ravenclaw, eleven years old, soon-to-be first year student at Hogwarts."
"But... I have memories!" Holly said, "I remember James! Hell, I remember shagging him! I don't know what to do with that! And... I have a wide array of magical knowledge -"
" – all of which once belonged to Lily Potter," Death said. "Yes. You are the reincarnation of Lily Potter. But you are not her. You could have been her niece, or younger sister – why? Because I made it that way. In order for our plans to work, I needed you to be around the same age as Harry."
"So... the names on my Inheritance?" Holly said.
"As I told Lily, your parents are fictional," Death said, "Look. I needed to give you an identity. Technically you're related to Harry – it is what is leftover of Lily in you. Just as you have her memories, knowledge and skills, you also have similar magic. Your wand is nearly identical to Lily's wand. But you are not Lily. If you were, then Harry's ring and the Potter Manor wards would have recognized you."
"Er... and Ragnok?" Holly asked. "He saw me as Harry's mother."
"I told him you're the reincarnation of Lily Potter," Death said. "At that point you thought you were still Lily, so technically, he did not lie to you. The world will see you as a member of the Evans family. Distantly related to Lily and Petunia Evans, but still enough that you are part of the Minor House of Evans, and first in line for the Heir of Ravenclaw House, which Lily was, so there you go."
"So, Melina is right?" Holly asked, "I am Holly Evans, I just thought I was Lily."
"She's a smart elf – listen to her," Death said.
"Okay," Holly said, "So, what do I tell Harry?"
"You'll figure it out," Death said. "Oh, and tell Harry he needs to put up an Unplottable Ward on the house until he can get Sirius as a Secret Keeper. That is a good plan, by the way. But you need a temporary solution. Dumbledore will soon be looking for him."
Before Holly could respond, she blacked out. When she woke up, she was in her bedroom at Potter Manor. It was still quite dark out. She grabbed her wand from the bedside table, and cast Tempus. It was barely four-o-clock.
"Bloody hell, Death, next time give me a dream at six or seven-o-clock in the morning!" Holly said.
She groaned and, feeling peaceful and hopeful about the second half of the discussion with Harry later that day, fell back to sleep.
Meanwhile, in Egypt...
William Weasley, known to most as Bill, stepped into the Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Egypt, and headed for his boss' office. He had received a summons that morning to meet with his boss. This surprised him. He rarely ever met with his boss, usually it was meetings with the assistants. He knew this meeting was very important.
When he reached his boss' office, he rapped his knuckles on the door. A grunt was heard, and he stepped into the office.
"Keeper Firebrand," Bill said, bowing respectfully, "I received your summons, sir."
"Curse Breaker Weasley," Firebrand said, "Yes. I received a letter last night from our sister Bank in London. Apparently you have been summoned back home. You are to be transferred to London today."
Bill frowned. He had not been in England for a couple years now, and then it was only to spend Christmas with his family before he returned to Egypt. For years, all he ever wanted to do was become a Curse Breaker for Gringotts. It was an exciting job, very adventurous.
Growing up as a young boy, he joined his parents sometimes when they went to Gringotts in London. He had fallen in love with the bank, and all its glorious beauty. Most children were afraid of the Goblins. He respected them as a child, adored them. What exciting lives they must lead! He wanted to work there when he left Hogwarts.
And then reality set in. His mother discovered his dream-job and disapproved of such things. She told him a job at the Ministry would bring honor to the Family. He was the future Head of his House, after all. With his NEWT results, he could become a high-ranking official amongst the respectful purebloods there if he worked hard.
But he wouldn't allow his dreams to stay only just that – he would have the job, even if it meant he had to leave his home and country. His heart had broken the day Gringotts in London had offered him a promising job. He told them he wanted the job, but his desires to stay in England had been lost. His mother had demanded too much, he needed to get away from her. So they told him he would have a job in their sister Bank Egypt. He was thrilled, and accepted it immediately. In Egypt, he found that he would get to explore pyramids and tombs, breaking various curses and wards on said locations. These few years since then had been wonderful.
And now it seemed he was going back home.
"Did your colleagues in London explain why I am being transferred, Keeper Firebrand?" Bill asked.
Firebrand glared at Bill. "No. Just that you are being transferred. It is odd, I admit. But that usually means that they have their own reasons. You are to take a Portkey in three hours straight to Diagon Alley in London, and meet with Ragnok there."
Bill blinked, flabbergasted. "I am meeting with the King, sir?"
"His son," Firebrand said, "Ragnok the Sixth. He is heir to the throne. I expect you to respect him like you respect me. Any question he asks, be as truthful as you can. Any request he makes, honor it. Especially if you wish to keep your job. Here is your Portkey. It will activate in three hours. You are not to dally in other affairs before you meet with Ragnok. This means you will not greet your family until after your business with the Bank. Do you understand?"
"Of course, sir," Bill said.
"Go," Firebrand said, "pack your things and be ready to go home!"
"Yes, sir!" Bill said, nodding; he walked over to Firebrand's desk and took the Portkey. "It was an honor to work for you, sir. I can only hope I can return soon."
"I share that honor, Curse Breaker Weasley," Firebrand said. "Go, and may your continued honor to our Nation bring you treasure."
"May your gold keep flowing and the blood of your enemies soak the ground below them," Bill replied, respectfully. "By your leave."
Firebrand nodded. Bill turned and left the office.
It was an easy promise to make to respect and honor Firebrand and Ragnok's requests. He would not disappoint the future King of the Goblin Nation.
Oh, how he would come to regret that promise. It would be a difficult one to keep.
It was slightly past seven-o-clock in the morning, and Holly was currently in the dining room, just beginning to work her way through a plate of breakfast.
"Um... Holly?" Harry's voice said, quietly.
Holly looked up from her breakfast. Harry stood there in the archway of the dining room, staring at her. She looked at him expectantly. It seemed it was time to continue the next part of the conversation.
"I thought about what you told me last night," Harry said. "I even slept on it. And I have decided my response."
"Okay," Holly said.
"Holly," Harry said, "I don't remember my mother. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never talked about her. Or Dad. Not much anyway. There weren't any pictures of either of them. They told me my parents died in a car crash."
Holly felt angry tears in her eyes. Now that she knew she was not Petunia's sister, she felt better about thinking about vengeance on the woman.
"What I am trying to say is," Harry said, "I don't think I need a mother. I never grew up with a mother, nor the care and love that could be provided by one. I wouldn't know how to deal with it. Not yet anyway."
Holly opened her mouth to begin her planned discussion, when Harry raised a hand to stop her.
"Let me finish," Harry said, "What I need is a friend. And ever since I met you, Holly Evans, that is what you were to me. You're smart and funny and..." he paused and blushed, a deep red. Whatever he wanted to add to that, he had stopped himself, obviously embarrassed by it. He then continued. "I've never had a friend, Holly. Dudley made sure of that. He'd beat up or threatened anyone who wanted to be my friend. But... yesterday, I think I met my first best friend I've ever had. And I hope that can continue."
Holly stood up and walked around the table.
"Before we begin there is something I need to do," she said.
Harry looked a bit fearful, as if afraid she might hex him or something. Then she walked over to him and hugged him. Harry hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the thoughts coming to her mind. She could almost picture James hugging Lily. Lily used to feel so warm in her husband's arms. She felt safe.
That was when she finally understood. She was thinking of Lily as a different person. This is what Death meant. She was Holly, not Lily. Sure, she had Lily's memories, thoughts, magical skills, and so on, but that was just a "leftover" as Death called it. She was Holly Marie Evans.
She backed out of Harry's hug and smiled at him.
"Harry, I spoke to Death again last night," Holly said; Harry raised his eyebrows questioningly, "In a dream. He told me I was wrong. I am not Lily, I am not your mother. When she walked through the portal, she – I don't know. It would be cruel to say she died again. There is a part of her in me. I have her memories and magical knowledge and things like that. Death sent me here to help you. He needed you to have a friend your age. So he created one. I am technically your mother reincarnated. But I am Holly Marie Evans – you could call me a distant relation, but close enough to be in the House of Evans and the elder Heir of Ravenclaw."
Harry's expression had continually softened as Holly continued her explanation. Now he had a wide smile across his face.
"That makes me feel so much better," he said. "Don't get me wrong, a mother wouldn't have been so bad. But a best friend is much better at the moment."
"Best friends – that sounds brilliant," Holly said, as she hugged him again, "Does that mean I can stay here at Potter Manor?"
Harry backed away and looked at her as if she had two heads. Then he smiled again.
"I would never make you leave," Harry said. "For one, it seems our discussion last night was just getting started. And two... as you said, you were sent here to meet me. To help me. You've helped me a great deal already. But it seems like this is only the start."
"Yes, this is only the beginning," Holly said, "Can we sit down? It is time I tell you everything I know."
Harry nodded. Holly returned to her chair, while Harry sat across from her. At that moment, Melina popped into the room, and set a plate of breakfast and a glass of orange juice in front of him. She then bowed and popped away.
Holly's smile still hadn't left her face. She thanked Death for visiting her during the night. She didn't know what she would have done if it hadn't happened.
"Okay," Holly said, "Thanks to Lily's memories, I remember so much of what happened to her. I remember – well, I remember your birth!"
Harry made a face. "For my sanity, please don't tell me that. You're Holly, not my mother. We're clear on that now."
"Sorry," Holly said, with a wince, "Okay. Sorry, but I still have to give you a little bit of Lily-vision, alright."
Harry giggled at the phrasing, and nodded.
Holly continued. "I remember the events surrounding Halloween of 1981. Including those months leading up to it. A lot of fishy things went on during those months, and until Death explained them to Lily, it didn't make sense. And then... there's what happened in Limbo. Let me finish before you start giving me questions or ranting. Because, believe me, you will do both."
"I promise," Harry said.
Holly inhaled and exhaled then began to tell Harry about everything Death had told Lily. Holly could tell Harry was doing his best to keep his promise. There were times when he looked as if he would start a rant. But Holly would continue on so Harry would calm down enough to not miss anything. When she finally finished, Harry pushed away his untouched plate of breakfast.
"I'm a pawn," Harry muttered. "A weapon, a tool in some sick bastard's game. All because of a Prophecy. Do you – do you know the prophecy?"
"Yes and no," Holly said.
"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.
"Harry, Dumbledore told your parents about the prophecy," Holly said, "I just explained to you that the man created fantasy Wills from your parents just so he could use it against you. It is possible he might have created a fantasy prophecy as well."
"Oh," Harry said, "Right. That is a possibility."
"However," Holly said, "Deep in the Ministry of Magic, there is what is known as the Department of Mysteries. It holds many secrets and many rooms. One of the rooms is called the Hall of Prophecies. The Prophecy would be in that hall. Only you or Riddle could obtain it. "
"Okay," Harry said, "It is probably best I retrieve it before he does. So... how do we do that?"
"Neville Longbottom's has a Great Uncle known as Algie to his family," Holly said, "It is what Augusta, Neville's Grandmother, refers to her brother as. His real name is Algernon Croaker, and he is the Head Unspeakable – basically the top dog in the Department of Mysteries. We're already going to have to get close with Neville. Death sent me a letter yesterday, and told me Neville is the Heir of Hufflepuff."
"He was one of this group of friends that Death suggested," Harry said. "A Muggleborn, and the three children of three of those names on my father's Will."
"Technically Susan is Amelia's niece," Holly said.
"Semantics," Harry said, waving a dismissive hand; Holly was surprised he knew what that meant, "Either way, it would be nice to have more friends. Do you think the head of the DMLE knows this Croaker bloke?"
"Probably," Holly said.
"Okay, we're going to be meeting Madam Bones sometime in the next few days to tell her about my godfather," Harry said, "We could ask her, and then if things work well, I can hear the Prophecy for myself. Okay, so it seems this Prophecy is where it all started. Albus Dumbledore heard it and started playing this evil chess-match which culminated in my parents' deaths, my godfather's imprisonment, and me ending up at the Dursleys."
"Correct," Holly said.
"Death said that Dumbledore illegally left me at the Dursleys," Harry said, "Because he wanted me weak, alone and friendless. I can picture that. If I was alone until September 1st, I would have looked for the first person who was nice to me and became their friend. Sort of like you did."
"Except I really want to be your friend," Holly said, smiling. "Unlike someone like this youngest son of Molly Weasley who will apparently want to be your friend to spy on you and get paid for it."
"Won't happen," Harry said, "We're already working against that. Imagine this, Holly. By the time September 1st comes, I will be taller, stronger, smarter and more powerful in magic. And I'll have at least one cool friend."
Holly smiled. "Dumbledore won't know what hit him. Oh, speaking of that. Can you ask your ring questions, and will it answer if you do?"
"Haven't tried," Harry said, "Let's see... it talks to me in my mind, so I will think of a question. What question?"
"Potter Manor needs to be Unplottable until you can get a Secret Keeper," Holly said. "Dumbledore will apparently be on the prowl later today. Apparently he had monitors on you, and they are now destroyed thanks to your Emancipation. So he'll be looking for you."
Harry nodded and looked at his Potter Family Ring. A moment later he looked back at Holly.
"I'll be right back," he said.
Then he left the dining room. Holly resumed eating her breakfast while she waited for Harry. A few minutes later he returned.
"That was easy," he said, as he sat down, and pulled his breakfast plate back toward him, "I just requested through the Wardstone that Potter Manor be Unplottable. It isn't as strong or secure as a Fidelius Charm, but it will work for now."
"Brilliant," Holly said.
"Alright," Harry said, "What should we do right now? Or rather, after breakfast?"
"You need to exercise and practice some magic," Holly said, "To help you with your magical core. I am going to research Legilimency and Occlumency. Apparently Dumbledore can read our minds. We can't have that. But I think I have a solution. Also, I need a favor from you."
"Name it," Harry said.
"I am going to write out some letters to Augusta and Neville Longbottom, the Lovegoods and the Bones," Holly said, "Now, we might not need to send the one to the Bones, because Ragnok will be contacting Madam Bones soon. But we'll have it just in case. I would suggest your father's old friend Remus Lupin too, but maybe not bring him around until we can free Sirius. However, it needs to come from you, because it is you, the Potter Heir, that they will want to reunite with. So I will write the letters, then you copy them in your handwriting. The letters will just be an initial greetings. We'll work on inviting them over here for a nice discussion soon enough. Also, we don't know if they are friendly with Dumbledore and/or the Weasleys. We have to make sure they don't tell either families about the letters."
"How?" Harry asked.
"Well, we can't trust them to do so through a simple letter," Holly said, "So I'll have to do some research and figure out a good charm to prevent them from telling anyone about the letters."
"Sounds good," Harry said, "It won't... hurt them... will it?"
"Nah," Holly said, "Just prevent them from talking about it to anyone but those we trust. Basically it will make their tongues stick to the roof of their mouths."
"Wicked!" Harry said.
"Yep," Holly said, "Speaking of letters, what did you name your owl?"
"Hedwig," Harry said, "I found an etymology book in the Potter Manor library. Hedwig was the patron saint of orphans."
"Well, how about that?" Holly said, "I named mine Gianna, after the patron saint of mothers. She... er... sacrificed herself for her child."
"Fitting," Harry said.
Silence descended amongst the table as they resumed their breakfast. Holly knew the discussion wasn't completely over. She knew Harry must have more to talk about. But she would wait until he was ready. She was just happy that he still wanted her as a friend.
Meanwhile at Hogwarts...
Albus Dumbledore rapped his knuckles on the door of Rubeus Hagrid's hut. A few moments later, the door opened and Hagrid stood there.
"Good morning, Headmaster!" Hagrid said, cheerfully, "Didn't expect to see ya this early. Would you care for a spot o' breakfast, sir?"
"I just had a wonderful meal brought on by our house-elves, Hagrid," Dumbledore said, "But I do need to ask you a few questions."
"Oh, well, come on in!" Hagrid said.
Dumbledore smiled, looking more cheerful than he was, and stepped into the hut.
"I can't be long I'm afraid," he said, "I have a few errands to run, so I will make this quick. First off, I want to apologize for my behavior in my office yesterday evening. I may have seemed a touch angry at one point. It was wrong of me to direct such anger at you."
"Apology accepted, Headmaster," Hagrid said.
Dumbledore smiled. Hopefully that was enough buttering up to the man-child, so he could get more information out of him.
"I was wondering," he said, "if you remembered any more about your visit with Harry Potter yesterday?"
Hagrid frowned and squinted his eyes, looking thoughtful for a moment. "No, sir. Cannot say I do. Sorry."
"Unfortunate," Dumbledore said, "Well, if you do remember, you know where to usually find me."
"Yes, sir," Hagrid said. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you, sir?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Actually there is, sir. That Cerberus you bought off of that Irish gentleman. Where is he at the moment?"
"Oh you mean Fluffy!" Hagrid said, with a large grin, "He's in the Forest, has a little home a few yards in."
"Good to know," Dumbledore said, "I may have a new home for him in the castle before too long. Do give him the good news for me, will you?"
If Hagrid thought any of this odd, he did not show it. "Yes, sir! He'll be quite pleased! I think one of his heads is rather afraid of the forest."
"That's a good lad," Dumbledore said, "I will see you later. I must be going."
Hagrid bid him goodbye, and Dumbledore left the hut. He then Apparated on the spot – being the Headmaster had its many privileges after all and this was one - his destination: Little Whinging in Surrey.
While Dumbledore was arriving at Privet Drive, Bill Weasley was currently sitting in a small room in the Gringotts Bank in London. He had arrived at the bank ten minutes prior and was immediately met up by an assistant of Keeper Ragnok the Sixth. The Goblin had escorted him into this room and told him to wait.
Suddenly, the door opened and a Goblin walked in. Bill immediately stood in respect.
"Ah, Curse Breaker William Weasley," the Goblin said, "I am Keeper Ragnok the Sixth, Heir to the Royal Goblin throne. It was I who summoned you here."
"Greetings Ragnok," Bill said, "May fortune favor you and give you a long life. My closest friends and most of my family tend to call me Bill."
"Bill," Ragnok said; he sat across the table from Bill, who immediately sat down after, "May honor and honesty serve you well today."
Bill bowed respectfully, all whilst trying not to look surprised at this. This greeting only usually came when the Goblins demanded such honesty. Whatever was about to happen was rather serious.
"Tell me, Curse Breaker Weasley," Ragnok said, "How loyal are you to the Goblin Nation?"
Bill raised his eyebrows. "I believe I am highly loyal, sir. I hope I can prove such loyalty today."
"I hope so too," Ragnok said; he snapped his fingers and a cream-colored folder appeared in front of Bill. "Please read through the contents of that folder."
Bill opened the folder and proceeded to read through the information shown. This time he couldn't hold the surprise nor shock that was emanating from his face.
"Did you know, Curse Breaker Weasley?" Ragnok asked, "About any of this?"
"I swear upon my honor as a staff member of Gringotts and as a wizard that I did not," Bill said, "I admitted there were some possible suspicions, or weird feelings at one point or another. I-I mean... I was a student fresh into Hogwarts when the events of Halloween of 1981 took place. About a week later – I received a letter from my parents. In it was their reactions to what had taken place on Halloween. Also, to my surprise, my Mother told me that an Aunt on her side of the family had died and had left her an inheritance. I remember being quite happy. They had barely been able to afford my tuition at Hogwarts, and I was thrilled that the rest of my family wouldn't have to worry about such things."
Bill sighed and pushed the folder away. "Now I see where that money came from. A bride price in a Betrothal Contract? My mother made a Betrothal Contract for my sister, who would be four months old later that month? My sister doesn't know about this! I don't think the rest of my siblings do either. Hell, I'm not sure my father knows about this! G50,000 paid for by the Potter family? Isn't Harry Potter the last member of the Potters? I thought he was living with Muggles since that Halloween night."
"He was," Ragnok said, "Albus Dumbledore signed Harry's part of the contract. However, Bill, there is something you need to understand. Albus Dumbledore is not Harry Potter's magical guardian."
"But," Bill said, "I thought if magical children didn't have a magical guardian, then one was appointed to them – unless..."
"Unless one was appointed to them in their parents' Wills," Ragnok said. "As to that subject, we will speak no more of it."
Bill nodded, though his mind wandered. He could easily figure it out. The Potters' Wills had been recently opened... by whom? Harry Potter himself?
"Curse Breaker Weasley," Ragnok said, with a warning tone, "Whatever may be going through your head, I would secure it away tightly. Such information is to remain secret for now. Especially from skilled Legilimens. If word gets out to the wrong people, your job will be terminated and you may be held on criminal charges."
Bill nodded. He knew Dumbledore was a Legilimens. Apparently Ragnok didn't want the man to know about this yet. "What do you want me to do, Keeper Ragnok? Obviously I was brought here for something."
"Originally, you were brought here to be questioned about knowledge of the contents in that folder," Ragnok said, "Obviously you didn't know anything about it. Now, you are to make a decision. Where does your loyalty and honor lie? With Gringotts or with your mother?"
Bill raised his eyebrows. What a question to ask! Couldn't he say both? Then he had an epiphany.
"Oh Merlin," he groaned, "Oh, no. Mum. That Betrothal Contract. It was void and unofficial from the very beginning. Dumbledore isn't Potter's magical guardian. Which means – oh, no..."
"Which means," Ragnok said, "your mother stole G50,000 from Harry Potter. Most of that money is currently in your mother's private vault she's had since before her first year at Hogwarts. That money will be able to be reclaimed easily. However, much of the money has been spent. It was spent on your siblings' tuitions and other personal things whenever your mother felt she needed some extra money So, I ask again. Where does your loyalty and honor lie?"
"Until the truth is discovered," Bill said, "With my family. I will accept any punishment you hand me."
"Your honesty is welcomed, Curse Breaker Weasley," Ragnok said. "The truth is easily obtained. You have one mission at the moment, Bill, then you will be suspended until the investigation is finished. You are to go to your mother and inform her that she is to meet me for an appointment here on Saturday at 10:00 in the morning. Under no circumstances are you to inform her of anything that has been revealed. To do so would take away the element of surprise and give her time to make a thought-out defense. All you will tell her is that we request her presence. Better yet, tell her she and your father have been invited to a Will Reading on Saturday and that she could possibly obtain some money."
Bill could see how Ragnok's mind worked. This was a test of his true loyalty. If he told his mother this information instead of the truth, she would be distracted with the thought of gaining some money. Then she wouldn't be prepared for what she would actually find out. If he told her the truth, he would lose his job and possibly face punishment from the Goblin Nation. Such was the risk when taking a job for with the bank. Bill could only nod his head.
"It will be done, Keeper Ragnok," he said.
"Excellent," Ragnok said, "You are dismissed."
Bill walked out of the room so fast, he forgot to give a respectful goodbye. He was too distracted by the revelations he had just witnessed. His mother had stolen money from the Boy-Who-Lived, the hero that vanquished You-Know-Who! Even if there was a possible chance she had somehow been tricked, the repercussions this would have on the family if word of this got out! Bill shuddered. He didn't want to think about it.
He walked out of Gringotts with his head held high, and started off toward the Leaky Cauldron. He needed a stiff drink. He was about to go home for the first time in many months, and on top of that, he was about to lie to his mother. He had lied to his mother before, but this... he wasn't sure his mother would ever forgive him for this.
Yes, a stiff drink or three sounded good right about now.
Bill Weasley wasn't the only one who had plans on going to the Burrow that morning. Albus Dumbledore appeared outside the ward line of the Burrow, then started off down the driveway.
He had just come from Privet Drive and had received some bad news. Harry Potter was not there, nor had he been seen by the Dursleys since Hagrid had retrieved him from the shack. On top of that, the blood wards had completely vanished. He had questioned the Dursleys about Harry, only after applying an Imperius Curse on Vernon Dursley to tell him where Harry was.
Even under the Imperius Curse, Vernon spouted angry words to Dumbledore, telling him how a monster of a man had barged into the island home they were holidaying at and attacked his son, and kidnapped the boy! Apparently Hagrid had also taken the boat that the Dursleys and Harry had used to get to the island. Vernon was raging mad about how he had to flag down a police boat, and was lucky enough to have found a flair to alert said boat, all because that monster had stolen his boat!
Dumbledore was in a quandary. Harry Potter was no longer with his relatives. The Blood wards wouldn't have come down that quickly, not unless Harry had either chosen not to live there anymore, or was no longer "legally obligated" to live there. This only added fuel to his theory that Harry Potter had somehow learned a lot of information during his visit to Gringotts the day before. Emancipation would cause the blood wards to fall. But that would not cause all those monitors of his to fall.
So... Dumbledore could now only think of two options. Harry was either now an Emancipated Lord – meaning he had discovered his parents' Wills – or he was dead. Dumbledore was sad to think that he didn't know which was the more depressing option.
If Harry was still alive, and found out he was an Emancipated Lord, then it was also possible he had met Ragnok, the Keeper of the Potter Vault and financial records. It was also possible that the old Betrothal Contract was found. If the Will was opened, then they would discover Dumbledore wasn't Harry Potter's magical guardian. And if that was discovered then...
Dumbledore shook his head, clearing his mind. He couldn't speculate yet. There was a reason he was at the Burrow right now. If the Betrothal Contract had been found, then Molly Weasley would receive a letter, due to the Automatic Reply Notices the Goblins used. He needed to know if Molly received any word from Gringotts.
So he strode to the front door of the oddly-shaped house known as the Burrow. Inside could hear Molly Weasley screaming.
"Fred! George! Get dressed! Running around in your underwear, for Merlin's sake! Percy, be a dear and wake up Ginny and Ron for breakfast! I am too busy to do it myself. And make sure your father found the freshly laundered bath-towels as well? Thank you."
Albus chuckled heartily and rapped his knuckles on the front door. It opened a moment later, and Molly Weasley stood there, with a package of bacon in one hand and her wand in the other.
"Albus!" Molly said, chuckling, "Why, this is a surprise! Come in! You'll have to excuse the ruckus. Early mornings around here, always hectic!"
"Never a dull moment at the Burrow," Dumbledore agreed, as he walked into the house.
"Are you here on Hogwarts business?" Molly said, "The Hogwarts letters came early this year, but you probably know that already! I already did the school shopping for the kids just yesterday."
"Yesterday?" Dumbledore asked, "You didn't happen to see Harry Potter there, did you?"
"Harry Potter?" Molly asked, "No, Albus, I did not. Was he there?"
"Hagrid escorted him there to do some school shopping for his eleventh birthday," Dumbledore said. "But he appeared to have misplaced the boy early on."
"Misplaced?" Molly asked, "I do hope the boy is okay?"
"I'm sure he is," Dumbledore said, with a smile. "The reason I am here is curiosity. Have you received any notices from Gringotts? Either today or yesterday?"
Molly raised her eyebrows. Then she frowned and shook her head. "No. Why? Should I have?"
"No, it is probably nothing," Dumbledore said. "There was an incident at the bank last night concerning our friend Griphook. I know he is your Vault Keeper."
"Oh, well I hope everything is alright!" Molly said.
"Again, I am sure everything is fine," Dumbledore said, "As you know, Griphook is an acquaintance of mine, and I thought he might give me a letter to inform me if he is alright. He hasn't yet. I was just worried. That is all I wanted to ask. I was out and about so I thought I'd stop by instead of give you a call on the Floo. I'd best be going now. I'm a busy man. I will let you tend to your flock."
"It is good to see you, Albus," Molly said, "Give me a call on the Floo if you hear anything about Griphook, or even about dear Harry. I'm very much hoping my youngest, Ron, will be friends with Harry at Hogwarts come September."
"I think I could give a good word in here or there and encourage such things," Dumbledore said, "Have a good day, Molly."
Molly waved goodbye to Dumbledore, and he left the house, then walked back up the driveway with a much lighter step. If Molly hadn't received a notice from Gringotts yet, then perhaps the Betrothal Contract information hadn't been discovered yet.
Dumbledore smiled to himself. Perhaps he was entirely wrong about all of this. Maybe Harry had indeed found a friend, and was staying at their house for the night. The Blood Ward's disappearance was mysterious. However, as soon as Harry returned to the house on Privet Drive, Dumbledore would put the wards back up, along with a few others.
Finding Harry would be easy. He would contact a few old minions – err –- friends from the Order of the Phoenix and they would jump at the chance to search for the Boy-Who-Lived. Yes, he was certain that Harry would be back in his cupboard by the weekend. He made is way to the beginning of the driveway, then apparated: destination: the home of his trusted friend, Alastor Moody. The paranoid, retired Auror was very good at tracking certain individuals down.
Molly Weasley stared out the window at the spot Dumbledore had apparated from. She certainly hadn't expected him to show up! She was quite embarrassed that she showed up announced. What if he had seen the twins in their underwear!
The idea that Harry Potter had quite possibly been at Diagon Alley the same time she was, was a weird thought. After all, the boy was going to be her future son-in-law. The Betrothal Contract made when Ginny was still sucking on breast-milk solidified that outcome. The future bride-to-be in question entered the kitchen and sat down at the table.
"I was already awake, Mum," Ginny said, "I was reading the newest Harry Potter Book you bought for me. Thank you for the early birthday present! I made a birthday card for him yesterday, did I tell you? I wish I could send it to him."
"You'll be able to send one next year, dear," Molly said, as she served her daughter a plate of breakfast. "Ron will most likely be Harry's friend come September, and maybe even his best friend if he plays his cards right."
"Maybe he will ask Harry to write letters to me!" Ginny said, "I'm sure he could use a pen-pal!"
Molly smiled and patted Ginny on the shoulder. She was quite proud to encourage this behavior from her daughter. She had been doing so since Ginny was quite small after all. Those Harry Potter books were an excellent way for Ginny to get to know her future husband. Molly was always proud to buy the newest sequel in the Harry Potter series when it came out. Ginny had every single one of the books.
Suddenly, Molly heard a whooshing sound from the sitting room that indicated the Floo was being used. Molly walked into the sitting room and was happily surprised to see her eldest son, Bill, standing there.
"William!" she cooed, chuckling happily, as she hurried over to him and hugged him, "What a surprise! What are you doing home?"
Ginny squealed happily, as she raced past Molly – who had just backed out of her hug - and hugged her eldest and favorite brother.
"Hey, little Spitfire, you've grown a lot since I saw you last!" Bill said.
"Ginny, go find your brothers," Molly said, "Tell them Bill is home. And tell your Dad."
"I'm here," Arthur said, "Bill, glad to see you, son! What are you doing here?"
"Actually," Bill said, as Ginny hurried up the stairs, "I'm here on bank business, delivering a message. Then I have the perk of having a few days off, at least till Saturday."
"A message?" Molly asked, "What about?"
Molly's was reminded of her earlier discussion with Dumbledore. Was she about to hear the message Dumbledore was referencing?
"The two of you have been invited to a Will Reading on Saturday at ten-o-clock that morning," Bill said; he sighed, then cleared his throat. "Don't know who it is for, but I was told there may be a bit of Gold in it for you. An inheritance of some sort."
"Interesting," Arthur said, "Perhaps one of my many relatives passed away and I did not know it. Thank you for the message, son."
"Care for a spot of breakfast?" Molly said, "You look peaky! Do they feed you in Egypt? And that hair of yours! Needs a trim!"
"My hair is fine, Mum," Bill said, "My co-workers like it. But breakfast sounds good."
"Well, come on then!" Molly said.
Soon, most of the Weasleys in attendance were in the kitchen, greeting Bill, welcoming him home and asking him about Egypt. Ron was the only one who hadn't appeared yet.
"RONALD WEASLEY!" Molly yelled, "WAKE UP AND GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!"
"I'm here, Mum," Ron said, a moment later as he walked into the kitchen, "I'm awake. What's for breakfast?"
Ron immediately sat down and grabbed the plate being offered to him. He was too busy stuffing his face, that he was already halfway through his first plate of food before he saw his eldest brother. His greeting to Bill was barely audible due to the quantity of egg in his mouth.
Molly was too distracted happily wondering about how much money they would get on Saturday, that she didn't even reprimand Ron for talking with his mouth full.
And so ends another chapter.
Quite a lot happened this chapter! I hope you liked the parts of this chapter with Holly and Harry. I know many of you were waiting for the discussion. There is still plenty to talk about, though much of it will come up in random discussion. The fact that Holly is mostly Holly, and only few parts Lily was something I was thinking a lot about. The main reason for this is so that her future relationship with Harry can maybe be called pseudo-incest, instead of actual incest. Maybe that will relieve some of those worries some readers and reviewers have over such a situation.
Dumbledore's inaction toward certain things (such as getting results in Gringotts) comes from partially paranoia, and partially fear that he just didn't want to know whether his suspicions were correct or not. He's hoping beyond hope that he or one of his Order will find Harry and bring him back to the Dursleys, and everything will be fine. By the time he realizes it isn't fine, it will be too late.
Also, in this chapter you see the direction I am headed with Ginny. As you could probably tell, she's basically brainwashed right now. She's almost like a robot in her obsession with Harry, thanks to her mother. This will continue for a while, probably at least until partial-way through Second year. Also, Molly discussing being at Diagon Alley came from a line in the first book where a plump woman at the marketplace complained about Dragon liver prices. It was most likely Molly in that scene.
Next chapter: More Holly and Harry! Introduction of various future important characters as they receive owl post. And more! Molly's Gringotts meeting won't come for two or three chapters. There are other storylines to begin first.
Hope you liked this chapter!
Chapter 8
Letters From A Friend
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I wrote myself into a bind with the previous chapter, and was trying to figure out how to get out of it. I am going to try to speed up this story pretty quickly in the next few chapters. Hopefully I succeed with that! It always seems like the beginning of my stories (especially summer before school year begins chapters go on forever! And I still have quite a bit planned before we get to the first year at Hogwarts!)
About Holly's "reincarnation": One of my recent reviewers basically hit it on the head. While writing the last couple of chapters, I changed my line of thought when it came to Holly/Lily. A lot of my readers liked my characterization of Holly so much that I wanted to focus a lot on her and not so much of Lily as her. So I went with the whole reincarnation thing, with the addition of Holly having Lily's memories and magical knowledge, instead of Holly being Harry's mother completely. It helped better with my plans. Hopefully you readers like it this way. Also, I might change the title of this story to "Reincarnation", since it doesn't have much to do with Lily's story anymore. Haven't decided yet.
This chapter begins mid-morning of the same day as the previous chapter - Wednesday, the first of August.
Holly Evans was currently sitting at one of the tables in the large library of Potter Manor, reading the book on Mind Magic, Occlumency and Legilimency she had bought at Diagon Alley the previous day. Scattered on the table were sheets of parchment, quills and ink, as well as some books from the library itself. Among the books, there were some on Magical Inventions, Enchanting, and one on Charms Mastery that had once been a birthday gift to Lily Potter.
Holly thanked the heavens, or rather Death, for the fact that she had Lily Potter's magical knowledge. If she was doing this with the magical knowledge of an eleven-year old Muggleborn orphan who had yet to start her magical education, this kind of research would have taken months, and maybe years. With Lily's expertise in Charms and other magical knowledge swimming through her mind, she could complete numerous creations by the end of the month if she focused on nothing but that. Unfortunately, she knew she was going to be quite busy by the end of the month, so she had to limit herself to a few.
"That was probably the best shower I have ever taken in my life," Harry said.
Holly smiled softly, as she looked up from her book and saw Harry standing there. He was wearing a nondescript t-shirt and shorts that fit him much better than the second-hand clothes from his cousin. Said clothing had been given to Melina the previous night and hadn't been seen since; their fate was probably an incinerator if they were lucky. His hair was damp, but still had that messy look that he had inherited from his father. Holly looked back down at her book, and tried to hide the blush on her cheeks, whilst trying not to think about how good Harry looked.
"Have fun with your exercises?" Holly asked, trying to distract herself.
"I just jogged around the outer edge of the plot," Harry said. "Only did it once, and it still took over an hour. Have to remember that, since I want to jog every morning when I wake up."
"Is this your first time jogging like that?" Holly asked.
"Yep," Harry said, "Most running I did was away from Dudley and his gang on the playground, or around the neighborhood, and I was usually running really fast. Still good exercise, but this is easier to do. What are you working on?"
Before Holly could answer, Melina popped into the room. She was carrying a newspaper, and an envelope which Holly recognized as one coming from Gringotts.
"Letter for Lord Harry from Gringotts," Melina said, "And today's edition of the Daily Prophet. My apologies for a late newspaper. I set up a subscription this morning and they sent that back. I hope I was not stepping outside my boundaries."
"No, you did perfectly, Melina," Holly said. "It is good to know the news of the wizarding world. Thank you."
"Yes, thank you, Melina," Harry said, as he took both the envelope and the newspaper.
"Is there anything else I can do?" Melina asked.
"Are there any necklaces or bracelets good for enchanting here at the Manor, Melina?" Holly asked. "Anything that would look good on witches and wizards our age?"
"The late Lord and Lady left all of their jewelry in the Family Vault before they left for Godric's Hollow," Melina said, "I have permission to get into the Vault. I can retrieve the jewelry box if Lord Harry wishes."
Harry looked at Holly, who shrugged.
"I don't need them right now," Holly said. "Next time we go to Gringotts, we can pick them up. If we can't find any, we can always buy some."
"Thank you, Melina," Harry said, "That is all for now."
"Lunch will be ready precisely at noon, sir and miss," Melina said, before bowing lightly and popping out of the room.
"Why do you need necklaces and bracelets?" Harry asked, as he walked over to the table and sat down across from Holly.
"There are wizards and witches capable of reading your mind," Holly said, "There is at least one, maybe more at Hogwarts – the Headmaster. I know Occlumency, thanks to your mother, and a little bit of Legilimency as well. However, due to how busy we are going to be this month, I doubt I will be able to teach you very much before we go to Hogwarts. So, I want to enchant some jewelry that will allow the wearer to sense Legilimency. It won't block it outright, unfortunately, but if I succeed, wearers will be able to feel a tingle in their minds. It will prevent silent attacks, but forced attacks are still vulnerable."
"Definitely a good idea," Harry said, "Between the information you've been telling me, and the stuff I want to keep hidden, I definitely don't want anyone reading my mind."
"I am going to make a few of them, so we can hand them out to any friends we make," Holly said.
Harry nodded, and opened the Gringotts envelope. Holly watched his expression as he read the scroll. About a minute later, he looked back at Holly.
"It looks like we'll be visiting Gringotts again on Saturday," he said, then offered the letter to Holly.
Holly took the letter and read it:
Lord Potter,
If it is convenient to you, I ask that you and Lady Ravenclaw, if possible, be in attendance at Gringotts on Saturday, the fourth of August. Two separate events will take place. Do not fret if you are not available for attendance – both events can take place without you being there, but more can be done with you there.
The first: Molly Weasley has been summoned to Gringotts on that day at ten-o-clock. She believes she is being summoned for a Will Reading for some inheritances. In reality, she will be here to meet with myself in regards to her criminal behavior regarding your Vaults.
The second: At nine-o-clock the very same day, your parents' Wills are to be read for those key individuals who are named in said Wills: The Bones, The Lovegoods, and The Longbottoms. Of the three remaining names in the Wills not mentioned here, Sirius Black, as you know, is currently unavailable, while Remus Lupin is missing, and possibly in hiding somewhere out of country. The remaining name is your relation, Petunia Dursley. With your permission, we wish to keep her away from the Reading, while we continue the investigation against the Dursleys.
If you attend the Will Reading, this could be a good opportunity to speak to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, afterward. She will learn the knowledge that Sirius Black could not have possibly betrayed your parents, therefore giving her the opportunity to open the investigation. Also, she may be interested in knowing exactly what Molly Weasley and Albus Dumbledore has done. I am sure you can profit from this meeting.
In other news, I am pleased to inform you that the Goblin traitor, who allowed money to be taken from your vault without your permission, has been brought to swift justice. Also, I am pleased to inform you that as of noon today (Wednesday), Gringotts will begin the investigation into the Dark Lord's followers' vaults. I hope to give you another letter soon after a successful hunt in finding another foul object similar to which had been in your scar. Information has been given to us and it seems we may also be well on our way to finding a third as well.
Please send a reply whether or not you will be able to attend the aforementioned meetings on Saturday or not. I will look forward to the letter.
May your enemies face swift justice, and your friends never betray you,
Keeper Ragnok The Sixth
P.S. If you read the Daily Prophet, you may find something regarding Gringotts. Do not fret or worry about what you may see. The newspaper tends to be quite dramatic. I assure you, everything at Gringotts is running quite smoothly.
Holly looked up from the letter and saw Harry reading the front page of the Daily Prophet.
"I found the article Ragnok was talking about," Harry said, when he noticed Holly looking at him, "It appears that there was an attempted break-in late last night, but the vault that was broken into was already empty, and had been emptied earlier the same day. Also, yesterday, every single human – guest and staff – were sent out of the bank a little while after we left Diagon Alley. But the Daily Prophet couldn't get any answer as to why."
"The latter probably has something to do with the traitor Ragnok mentioned," Holly said. "The Goblins wouldn't want most of the public to know there was a traitor in their own Nation. They would probably lose a lot of customers and a lot of gold."
Harry nodded. "What do you think of the letter?"
"I guess we're going to be busy on Saturday," Holly said. "Write a letter announcing our attendance. We'll be there shortly before nine-o-clock. Remember to be respectful in your writing."
"Alright," Harry said, as he took some parchment, a quill and a small vat of ink.
"I suppose we should plan a whole day out on Saturday then," Holly said. "We need to go into the Muggle part of London anyway, and do some shopping for more clothes as well as a few other things. We can also get the jewelry I need to enchant."
"I should probably also go to the Magical Optician there in Diagon Alley," Harry said. "Er... how are we going to get there? Portkey again?"
Holly shook her head. "Melina may be able to escort us there with her elven magic. I'd choose the Floo instead, but the Manor isn't hooked up to the Floo Network yet. I don't exactly want to send a letter to the Ministry for that. Short of bribing someone at the required Department to be silent, it is quite possible that the news would be out that Potter Manor is being used again if we did that. And we don't want that."
"So... what do we do?" Harry asked.
Holly grimaced. "I hope you're ready to use your Boy-Who-Lived title. And maybe some serious charm, and I'm not talking about magic. We're going to be asking Amelia Bones for some favors on Saturday. At least three come to mind, and one is quite serious, no pun intended."
Harry echoed Holly's grimace. "I'll do whatever is needed. Don't make me regret it."
"Excellent," Holly said, "Now, I am going to write three letters to the names mentioned in Ragnok's letter, then I need you to copy them in your own writing. Unfortunately I don't know any spell work to make that easier, and it needs to be in your writing."
"Ragnok's letter first," Harry said. "So he knows to send those summons out."
"Let's get to work then," Holly said, and the two began to do just that.
An hour later...
Amelia Bones walked into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, having just finished up with yet another of the usual trials she attended three days a week. Nine times out of ten, the criminals in the trial were either falsely accused or it was a minor crime and the accused was sentenced with a fine and a warning or some jail time in a Ministry cell. Most misdemeanors were never sent to the hell that was called Azkaban prison. Only the more serious offenders went there.
Today's trial was no different, mostly. A case of Muggle baiting. A drunken teenage wizard, a soon-to-be seventh year Slytherin at Hogwarts, had charmed the doors of a Muggle car and welded them shut. While this was an apparent trend for some automobiles, it was not usually seen on the type of car the charm was used on. It was an impressive charm to say the least, but this was not the teen's first offense. He would spend a day locked up in one of the cells in the Ministry, until his rich father decided to bail him out. Most likely the miscreant wouldn't get much of a warning from his parents – he was from a family who had a history of Muggle baiting; he was probably urged to do it, and would be rewarded for doing so.
This only made Amelia Bones scoff in disgust. She loathed this type of pureblood. But they would call her a blood traitor for thinking this way.
"Madam Bones?" Amelia's secretary, Samantha, said.
"Samantha, I told you, it is Amelia," Amelia said.
Amelia liked Samantha. The girl had gusto and a nice future ahead of her. She was also surprised by that. When Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge told her he wanted her to hire his niece, she had expected a female Fudge. But Samantha was quite the opposite of the Minister.
"Right, sorry," Samantha said, blush tinging her cheeks, "Rita Skeeter is currently waiting in your office. I told her she should wait out here, but she made some excuse saying you would let her in anyway."
Amelia groaned silently. Rita Skeeter was the perfect description for vulture when it came to journalism.
"Also, I have two messages for you," Samantha said, "One is from Gringotts, looks pretty official. The other is sealed. Quite mysterious."
Intrigued, Amelia took the envelope and scroll of parchment from her secretary, thanked her, and walked toward her office.
When she entered the office, she found the familiar blonde-haired journalist known as Rita Skeeter standing in front of a portrait of Amelia's late brother, Edgar. Amelia closed the door loudly, and Rita jumped and turned around.
"Madam Bones, my dear!" Rita said, with a smile, "How lovely to see you. I was just talking to your dear brother's portrait. He doesn't say much, does he?"
Amelia raised an eyebrow and looked at Edgar's portrait, then smiled when she saw him roll his eyes. Obviously he didn't want to say much to Rita.
"It is an off day, I am sure," Amelia said, then hid a laugh when the portrait harrumphed. "May I ask why you are here, in my office?"
"I didn't mean to barge in uninvited, my dear," Rita said, "But I find your chairs in here much more comfortable than out there. Actually I am here for two reasons. Your ears have long reach around here and I heard a rumor. But we'll get to that soon. The first reason I am here, is I am wondering if you've heard anything about what happened at Gringotts?"
"You'll have to talk to Dirk Cresswell about that, Miss Skeeter," Amelia said, "He is the Head of the office that deals with them."
"I already have spoken to him," Rita said, "And he didn't say much."
"Well, if his lips are sealed," Amelia said, "then I suppose I can't say much either until he opens them. If you're talking about the break-in, it was done on the soil of Goblin Nation. They deal with it, not the Ministry as is stated in the Treaty between us and them written long ago."
"Surely you must have some concern?" Rita said.
"If they discover the identity of the failed thief," Amelia said, "then we will offer our services. Until then... can't do much else."
"And the incident where the Goblins forcefully removed all humans – guests and staff – from the bank yesterday?" Rita asked.
"I can only guess what happened," Amelia said. "While I am sure there were some hurt egos and feelings, nobody was physically injured, so there is nothing I can do. Again, it is the business of the Goblin Nation. I have nothing further to say about Gringotts until we have further information."
"Fine," Rita said, "How about the rumors I've been hearing? Apparently the Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter has returned to the wizarding world. It is rumored he spent his eleventh birthday shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley."
"First I've heard about that," Amelia said.
"You were good friends with his parents, were you not?" Rita asked, "If rumors were correct, you were also quite close with Sirius -"
"I will not discuss Sirius Black, Miss Skeeter," Amelia said, forcefully; she quickly calmed herself down. Even after all these years, Sirius Black was a touchy subject with her.
Rita smiled widely. "Of course not. Back to my original question. You were good friends with James and Lily Potter. Do you have plans to seek out their son to reintroduce him into our world?"
"I have no immediate plans," Amelia said, "But we don't know where the future will take us, do we? I will only say that it is possible. My niece will be a classmate of Mr. Potter's if he attends Hogwarts this year. She will probably get to meet him before I do. Is that all, Miss Skeeter? I am quite busy."
"Of course," Rita said, "I will just be going. It is nice to talk with you again."
"Mmhmm," Amelia said, noncommittally.
She watched Rita as she left the office, then she sat down at her desk and gave a world-weary sigh. She glanced at the two messages. She set the scroll on her desk, then opened the envelope, removed the letter from Gringotts and read.
Madam Amelia Bones,
You have been summoned to Gringotts on Saturday, the fourth of August at nine-o-clock in the morning to attend an official Will Reading.
Failure to attend will revoke any gifts you were to receive in the Will, and the contents will go to the main Inheritor.
Usually it is revealed via this notice who the Will Reading is for, but the main Inheritor of the Will wishes to reveal this themselves.
Keeper Ragnok The Sixth
Gringotts – London Branch
Amelia raised her eyebrows as she finished the letter. She couldn't recall hearing about anyone passing who would have had a Will that would name her as a receiver of an inheritance of some kind. She wondered who it was, then her eyes caught the scroll in front of her. The letter had mentioned she would be contacted by the main Inheritor. She dropped the letter on the desk and picked up the scroll then unrolled it. As she began to read, her eyes widened.
Madam Amelia Bones,
Greetings. My name is Harry James Potter. According to the Wills set by my parents, James and Lily Potter, you were a close family friend with them.
After a nearly ten year hiatus, I have returned to the wizarding world. I have learned much through my parents' Wills, some of which I wish to discuss with you as soon as possible. If I am correct, you have received a summons from Gringotts about intending a Will Reading. The Reading is for my parents' Wills. I will be in attendance and I wish to speak to you and the others who will be there, whom were once friends of my parents.
As you are probably aware, my name means a lot to the wizarding world. However, I wish for my return to be kept a secret, except to a few people, until I go to Hogwarts in September. I trust you can understand, and perhaps help me with that.
I think the two of us will profit greatly from this meeting. I look forward to meeting you on Saturday. No reply is necessary.
With respect,
Harry Potter
Amelia's eyes glistened the beginnings of tears, as she finished the letter. She had only met Harry Potter twice – once on the day he was born, and the second at his first Christmas party at Potter Manor. Due to complicated relationships with a certain good friend – or so it seemed – of the Potters, her relationship with the Potters themselves had been strained since Harry's birth. Before he had gone into hiding, James Potter had been an Auror for a short while, with very little Cadet training due to the need for Aurors because of the war. So it wasn't uncommon for Amelia and James to run into each other at least once a day during those days, but the meetings were usually strained and awkward.
Now, the son of James and Lily Potter had returned, and it seemed she would be meeting him on Saturday. She smiled to herself as she used a charm to burn the letter. She wondered if Susan would be interested in meeting Harry earlier than her niece had planned.
As Amelia Bones was incinerating her letter from Harry Potter, Augusta Longbottom was staring at hers, while sipping on a cup of tea. She was currently lounging in her favorite chair in the sitting room of Longbottom Manor. She had received the same two letters that Amelia had: one from Gringotts, and one sealed scroll. The Gringotts letter had summoned her and her grandson as replacement inheritors for her incapacitated son and his wife. Neville was also requested to take a Inheritance Test of his own.
The latter surprised her more than the former. She knew that it was possible for children of deceased parents to receive Inheritance Tests at the age of eleven, but Neville's parents were still alive, only incapacitated. Still, Augusta couldn't ignore a summons like this. Besides, she was quite curious as to why Neville was directly summoned, in both instances, instead of asked as a request.
The reason she was staring at the scroll was because of the seal on it. The Shield in the seal had not been seen for many years. It seemed this letter was going to be very interesting! She broke open the seal, unrolled the scroll, and began to read the letter:
Augusta Longbottom,
Greetings. My name is Harry James Potter. According to the Wills set by my parents, James and Lily Potter, your son and his wife were a close family friend with them.
After a nearly ten year hiatus, I have returned to the wizarding world. I have learned much through my parents' Wills, some of which I wish to discuss with you as soon as possible. If I am correct, you have received a summons from Gringotts about intending a Will Reading. You might have also received a summons for an Inheritance Test for Neville. This is quite important to Neville's future, I assure you. The Reading is for my parents' Wills. I will be in attendance and I wish to speak to you and the others who will be there, whom were once friends of my parents.
I have recently learned of the fate they suffered shortly after the deaths of my parents, and I give my condolences and hopes that they will be cured one day. I have also recently learned that Alice is my godmother, and my mother was, in turn, godmother to your grandson, Neville. I suppose that makes us almost like brothers, certainly as close as family.
I look forward to meeting you and Neville, and I hope I can become friends with Neville. I think we all can profit from this meeting on Saturday.
With respect,
Harry Potter
Augusta eyed the last line, as she took another long sip from her cup of tea. She had heard years ago that the boy had been sent to live with Muggles. It wasn't very likely that he had learned to pen a letter like this with such respect, especially since the wording was that usually seen from the wisest and powerful of Purebloods. She wondered who was guiding the boy's hand with the letter.
The wording, especially the last line, and the word 'profit', was unmistakable, and she could already see the intentions that Harry Potter had in mind. He was looking to rekindle the Alliance between the Longbottoms and Potters, which is one reason he wanted to meet Neville. Augusta then realized: the boy must have taken his own Inheritance Test. Was he now the official Head of his Ancient and Noble House? If so, why hadn't he labeled himself as such in the letter? Perhaps he was keeping it a secret for now. This intrigued Augusta Longbottom.
"Neville?" Augusta called out; she sipped her tea as she waited for her grandson; when he arrived, she smiled and looked at him, "Have you received your booklist yet?"
"Yes, Gran," Neville said, "Just yesterday."
"Well, then," Augusta said, "We better go shopping soon. I imagine you will want to read those schoolbooks to gain some knowledge before classes begin, like your Professors expect you to."
"Yes, Gran," Neville repeated.
"Very well," Augusta said, "We have been summoned at Gringotts on Saturday. We will go shopping then."
"S-summoned?" Neville stammered, "M-me? Why?"
"It is a surprise, dear boy," Augusta said, "I assure you, it is nothing bad. You will probably have some fun and maybe even learn some things about yourself and your heritage."
Neville raised his eyebrows, interest glowing on his face, and nodded. "Okay."
"Very well," Augusta said, "That is all. Go on with you then."
Neville nodded again and left the sitting room. Augusta stared at the letter for another few moments, before tapping it with her wand and burning it. She then decided it was about time to begin teaching Neville about some of the things expected of him in life, mostly regarding his House.
A possible rekindling of the Alliance between the Longbottom and Potter Houses was very important, and even if, as Augusta suspected, Neville did not amount to much in life, perhaps he would still manage to keep his House thriving in the future. Perhaps a Betrothal Contract, with an added Line Continuance Option was a priority in the future, if only for the better of the House. Augusta hoped any children Neville sired would amount to fine wizards and witches instead of nigh-on Squibs like Neville.
Yes. Augusta had much to do for the House of her late, much-adored husband and incapacitated son. Hopefully this meeting with Harry Potter would be a step in the right direction.
While Augusta Longbottom was contemplating the future of her House, across the country a young blonde witch was fishing in a stream and humming to herself. The witch's name was Luna Lovegood. Behind her, sitting on top of a hill stood her tower-like house, which was known as the Rookery. From where she stood, she could see all of the small village of Ottery St. Catchpole.
Beyond the village, she could clearly see the house known as the Burrow. When standing in the village, the Burrow was hidden by very large trees; this was intentional – the many Weasley children loved flying brooms and playing Quidditch, all of which could not be seen by the Muggle folk in the village. But from the hill that Luna stood on, she could clearly see the Burrow, though it looked quite small from here.
Her best friend, Ginny, lived in that house. She had been friends with the girl since they were five years old. Ever since Luna knew Ginny, the youngest child and only girl of the Weasleys had been obsessed with the Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter. Luna had lost count of how many times they had performed the imaginary wedding in which Ginny married an invisible Harry Potter, while Luna performed the ceremony. Luna had once volunteered to play the part of Harry Potter, but Ginny didn't seem to think it was a good idea.
"The bride kisses the groom at the end of the ceremony, Luna," Ginny would say, "We'd have to kiss!"
Luna never once mentioned that she didn't think that idea was so weird. She thought practice kissing, even with a girl, was good to do so she'd know what to do when she'd kiss a boy. But apparently Ginny was wanting to save her first kiss for Harry. Luna often wondered if she could just steal a kiss from Ginny. Then she realized that could make Ginny not want to be her friend anymore, and that would only make both of them sad.
Luna sighed and dropped the stick she was using to fish, and decided the Plimpies just weren't in the mood to be caught and made into soup today. She turned and headed back toward her house. When she entered the house, she found her father sitting at the kitchen table, reading a couple of letters. Her father smiled when he saw her.
"Already back from the Burrow, my dear?" Xenophilius asked.
"I did not go to the Burrow today, Daddy," Luna said, "Ginny's eldest brother Bill arrived home today. He'll be home at least until Saturday. Bill is Ginny's favorite brother. My being there would only interfere in family time. I think they need family time right now. Something tells me they might miss it soon. That saddens me, but there isn't much I can do."
"Perhaps we should make some Plimpy soup for them soon," Xenophilius said, "It sounds like they'll need it."
"Alas, the Plimpies weren't biting today," Luna said.
"How dreadful!" Xenophilius said, "I will have to go out and collect some urine of Wrackspurt victims soon. No worries, the Plimpies will be biting sooner than you know!"
"Excellent," Luna said, "What are you reading?"
"We have both been summoned to Gringotts on Saturday for a Will Reading!" Xenophilius said, "The letter was most mysterious about whose Will was being read. But this letter here!" He held up a scroll of parchment, "This gives us the answer. Luna, my dear, do you remember the stories your mother told you of when you were in her belly? What was her favorite memory of that time?"
"Her best friend Lily Potter blessed her tummy and me," Luna said, "Mum believed that is what made me so special."
"And the other story?" Xenophilius asked.
"Hmm," Luna said, thinking, "Oh! She said baby Harry Potter talked to me while I was in Mum's tummy."
"Precisely," Xenophilius said, "A shame he never got to meet you outside of your Mum's tummy. However, that is going to change I think. This letter is from Harry Potter. He says he will be at Gringotts on Saturday and wants to meet us. He hopes to rekindle the friendship that his mother had with your Mum."
"I think I'd like that," Luna said, "Yes, very much so."
Luna smiled to herself and wondered what Ginny would say. She had never once told Ginny she had "met" Harry Potter when she was in her Mum's tummy. Ginny would never believe her! And now, she was going to reintroduce herself to Harry! However, this too she would keep to herself, at least for now.
She very much hoped she would have a new friend in Harry. This would be real friend number two. She had to be careful though. Too many more friends and they would outnumber her invisible friends! She had known them since before she met Ginny, and it wouldn't do to make them jealous!
Decided to end the chapter there! This chapter was solely written to introduce some of the characters that will be important in the future of this story. I wasn't able to introduce Susan just yet, but she will be in the story very soon.
Some of my readers and reviewers have wondered when I will be introducing Hermione. She won't be in the story until Harry and Holly meet her either at King's Cross or on the train.
Next couple of chapters: Possibly some stuff to do with Dumbledore. Resolution of the investigation into the vaults of Voldemort's followers. Harry and Holly meet the Bones, Longbottoms and Lovegoods, their parts of the Wills are read, and Neville receives his inheritance. A very important and eventful meeting with Amelia Bones. The meeting with Molly and Arthur and a bit more shopping! Much of this will take place next chapter, while the rest will take place the following chapter.
Hope you liked this chapter!