Harry Potter and the Forbidden Passage

Chapter 4: The Last Will and Testament of Sirius Black

Harry awoke the next morning to the sounds of someone knocking on the door.

"I'll be right there, Aunt Petunia," Harry groaned with his eyes still closed. But upon feeling the velvet cover over him, Harry sat bolt upright, only remembering where he was when he opened his eyes and saw Sirius staring back at him from the picture frame on the wall.

"Harry," Lupin's muffled voice called from the other side of the door, "Wake up! We have to be at the Ministry in half an hour."

"I'll be there in a minute," Harry called back as he jumped out of the tall bed. He rushed to get dressed, putting on the new clothes the Dursleys had bought him, and ran downstairs.

After a very quick but surprisingly good breakfast, Harry and Lupin used a portkey to travel to the Ministry of Magic.

"We're late," Lupin said with frustration, "We have to go to the 2nd floor for the Department of Property Allotment." They rushed through security and arrived a few minutes later at a small office with wood paneling. Dumbledore, Tonks, Arthur Weasley, and a short balding wizard Harry didn't recognize were seated at a round table. Lupin and Harry nodded in greeting to everyone and took the seats between Tonks and Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley caught Harry's eye and gave him an encouraging smile.

The balding man stood up and greeted them, "Mr. Lupin I presume and, of course, Mr. Potter," he said shaking their hands. "Alfred Dunster. I'm with the Department of Property Allotment and will be handling the distribution of Mr. Black's estate."

Mr. Dunster closed the door, sat back down, and rifled through some papers before looking back up at them all. "Well, now that we're all here," he said in a business tone, "we can get started. You have all been invited this morning because you were named as beneficiaries in the last will and testament of Sirius Nigellus Black. If you are all prepared, we will now proceed with the reading of the will."

Mr. Dunster pulled out a folded piece of parchment with Sirius's handwriting and placed it in the middle of the table. He held his wand to the paper and said, "Recitas."

Harry's heart temporarily stopped and he nearly fell off his chair as Sirius's voice filled the room.

"I, Sirius Nigellus Black, of London, England, do make and declare my last will and testament as follows:" Harry felt a raw ache in the back of his throat upon hearing Sirius's voice again, a sound he had longed for more than any other since that fateful night at the Ministry.

"To my cousin, Arthur William Weasley, I leave fifteen thousand Galleons." Mr. Weasley let in a sharp intake of breath and coughed. 'I…I never expected…," he whispered more to himself than anyone else.

"To my cousin, Nymphadora Andromeda Tonks, I leave fifteen thousand Galleons, as well as the Black family silver." Tonks sniffed and spoke quietly, "Why would he do that for me? We had only known each other for a year."

Harry would have liked to answer, "Because you were one of the few family members he respected," but he said nothing because words were too difficult to speak right now.

"To Professor Albus Dumbledore, I leave an item that I believe he will find useful. It is contained within a locked gold box engraved with my name and stored in my Gringott's vault. The key to the box is enclosed with this will." Mr. Dunster quietly passed a small golden key to Dumbledore, who looked at it with curiosity and a slight twinkle in his eyes. This was no time for Dumbledore's eyes to twinkle, Harry thought with annoyment.

"Finally," Sirius's voice continued more slowly and turned much more somber than before, "my debts and legacies being satisfied, the rest and residue of all my estate, real and personal, not herein expressly disposed of, and including the Black family home, will be shared evenly between my godson, Harry James Potter, and my friend, Remus Julius Lupin. Should any of the beneficiaries of my estate predecease me without surviving spouses or descendents, their inheritance will go directly to Harry James Potter." Harry felt numb, he did not know what he expected, but his heart screamed that he would rather have Sirius back than all the money in the world.

"I would have my body buried next to James and Lily Potter with as little expense or ceremony as may be. I revoke all former wills by me made, declaring this only to be my last." Well, he would never get that wish, they would never have his body to bury. There would never be the kind of resolution that most people could experience with a funeral.

"In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this third day of March, in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six."

The room fell uncomfortably silent as Sirius's voice ceased. Harry was caught in that horrible state he had found himself in before. He morbidly wanted to hear Sirius's voice again even if it was reading his final will. He felt the same awful sense of loss as when he no longer heard his parents' frightened voices after facing a dementor.

Mr. Dunster folded up the parchment on the table and stood up. "Mr. Weasley, Ms. Tonks, Professor Dumbledore, your inheritance will be sent directly to your Gringott's vaults. Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin," Dunster said turning to them, "you will follow me to Gringott's where we will oversee the division of the remains of the estate."

Everyone stood up and said their farewells in turn. Mr. Weasley and Tonks both hugged Harry before leaving. Harry noticed suspiciously as Tonks hugged him that Lupin was having a whispered conversation with Dumbledore. Soon only Lupin, Harry, and Mr. Dunster remained.

"This way," Mr. Dunster said, urging Lupin and Harry to follow. He led them to a large stone fireplace, at least 8 feet tall and seven feet wide, just outside the office.

"Go on, walk through," Mr. Dunster said urging Harry ahead of him.

Harry looked at him curiously. "Aren't we missing something? Don't we need floo powder?"

"No, no, my dear boy, this is a direct portal to Gringott's - much cleaner than floo powder."

"I'll go first, Harry," Lupin said kindly. "Don't worry, it's just like the entrance to Platform 9 ¾." Lupin walked confidently into the fireplace and disappeared through the stone wall at the back.

Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself just as he did every year at King's Cross. He stood up straight and walked through the fireplace. A second after he thought he would hit the stone wall, he was looking up at the tall arched ceilings of Gringott's.

Harry quickly stepped out of the way to make room for Mr. Dunster. He strode through a moment later and walked directly to the nearest goblin's desk.

"We are here to oversee the division of Sirius Black's holdings," Mr. Dunster said as he pulled out some papers and presented them to the goblin along with a shiny key. "Vault number 624, here is the key."

"Very well," the crabby looking goblin said, "Griphook will take you to the vault." The goblin motioned to a smaller familiar looking goblin who rushed forward and took the key.

Harry felt a strong sense of déjà vu as they hurtled through the underground maze of twists and turns heading towards a vault he had never seen before with none other than the same goblin who first opened his parent's vault six years ago. He also felt a strange combination of curiosity and dread. He wanted to know what was in the vault but opening it and dividing the contents would be another confirmation of Sirius's death.

What could be in the vault? What was in the box that Dumbledore inherited? What could possibly be left for Lupin and him? Sirius hadn't exactly had a job for the last fifteen years, Harry was surprised that he had 30,000 Galleons to give away.

The cart came to a screeching halt that nearly tossed Harry over the edge. "Vault 624," Griphook announced as he put the key in the lock of a large metal door.

Mr. Dunster walked in first, followed by Lupin. Harry entered slowly but found there was little room to stand. The room was so full of gold that it was almost overflowing. There must have been six times as much money in this vault as in his own.

Harry looked at Lupin's stunned face. "Did you know?" Harry blurted out.

"I…I had no idea. I knew his uncle had left him some money all those years ago but this- I just don't understand. It can't all be from that." A look of sudden comprehension washed over Lupin's face which suddenly frowned but still stared ahead at the mountains of gold. "It's his mother's money. Of course, why didn't I think of it before? He inherited the house, naturally he would inherit the wealth too. No wonder he never spent it," Lupin said bitterly.

Mr. Dunster was assessing the contents of the vault and giving instructions to Griphook. "15,000 Galleons each shall be transferred to the vaults of Arthur Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks." Griphook snapped his fingers and a small pile of gold disappeared from one corner of the vault. If Harry hadn't seen it disappear, he would never have known that it was there to begin with. It seemed a pittance compared to the amount that was leftover. "And that box over there," Mr. Dunster continued while Griphook looked for the box, "No, not the silver one- that gold one with Black's name. Yes, that one. That will go to Albus Dumbledore's vault." The box vanished before Harry could get more than a glance at it.

Lupin and Harry were still too stunned to do anything more than stand there and watch. Mr. Dunster turned to them, "Well, how do you want to divide the remains?"

Harry and Lupin looked at each other for several seconds before either spoke. "I don't know about you Harry," Lupin began, "but I don't really want this money mingled with my own. I'd rather keep it separate from my vault. I'd like to know what I've earned and what I haven't."

"Yeah, I agree," Harry said as he thought unpleasantly of Sirius's mother's money mixing with his parent's. "And there's stuff here that can't be divided evenly," he said eyeing the silver box and a few other items. "What if we just share this vault?"

"I think that would be best. I doubt either of us will ever be able to spend even a quarter of what's here."

"Well don't you want to withdraw some of your inheritance today?" Mr. Dunster asked. "You're both millionaires now, you might as well enjoy it."

"Millionaires?" Harry whispered turning pale. "I don't want this money, not coming from where it did."

"Harry," Lupin said with sympathy, "Sirius wanted you to have it, he wanted you to be taken care of. Would you rather that it went to people like the Malfoys? Imagine what they would have done with it. Believe me, Harry, when I say that Sirius would have been thrilled to see this money going towards good. Imagine how infuriated Mrs. Black would be if she knew where her fortune was going." Harry smiled a bit at the thought of that.

"Tell you what, Harry," Lupin continued as he scooped up some of the gold into a bag, "I think we could both use some cheering up, so let's go to Diagon Alley today and I'll buy your birthday present. You can choose whatever you want now that I can afford it."

* * * * *

Several hours later, their money bags were considerably lighter and they were loaded down with packages. Remus and Harry both were buying new wardrobes at Madame Malkin's. And because they didn't want to spend the money on themselves, they spent it on each other.

Remus was asking Harry what he wanted for a birthday present but Harry had yet to think of anything. However, upon looking at his reflection in the mirror at Madame Malkin's, he had an idea. "What about a foe glass?"

"For your birthday present? Wouldn't you rather have a new broomstick or your own set of Quidditch balls?" Lupin asked with surprise.

"No, I love the Firebolt and I would never replace it, at least not yet. Sirius gave it to me. I don't have a foe glass and I think it could be useful. And if I do become an auror, I'll need one," Harry said as they left the shop.

"Alright then, a foe glass it is. There's only one place to find that. Turn right up here past the Magical Menagerie."

"Where are we going?" Harry said as they walked down a narrow alley with no shops in sight.

"Cloak and Dagger. It's where Moody buys all of his things and, well, your father and Sirius were frequent customers in our Hogwarts days."

"But where is it?" Harry asked hesitantly, as he came to the end of the alley and turned around to see nothing but brick walls on all sides.

Lupin merely gave a small grin and said calmly to the wall in front of him, "We solemnly swear we are spying for good."

Suddenly a door appeared in the wall. Harry looked at Lupin with raised eyebrows, "The Marauder's Map? They got the idea from here?"

"For the password, yes. Being the troublemakers they were, they decided to change the wording a little bit though," Lupin answered with a smile as he opened the door.

The store was dark and quiet and filled with all sorts of gadgets that could have kept Harry entertained for months. There were sneakoscopes in all sizes and colors filling a tall glass case. Shelves upon shelves of books lined two walls. Glass cases full of odd looking metal devices surrounded the interior. There was a small room off to one side with racks of clothing. In front of the racks there was a mannequin's head floating in midair. Harry looked closer at the mannequin head and noticed a sign on a stand below it: Very Rare Invisibility Cloak - Finest Quality - 150,000 galleons. No wonder few people have them, Harry thought.

"Did my dad buy his invisibility cloak here?" Harry asked Lupin who was frowning at a case full of stakes, crosses, ropes of garlic, holy water, strange herbs and potions, tubes of mercury, and silver bullets.

"What?" Lupin asked absently turning his attention back to Harry, "No, it belonged to his grandfather I believe."

Harry was so interested in everything around him that he almost forgot what he was looking for until Lupin pointed out a wall full of the foe glasses behind a counter. With the assistance of the shopkeeper, they picked out the best foe glass in the shop at Lupin's insistence. This one was supposed to have unfailing accuracy and was less likely to be easily fooled by people with petty grievances. If anyone showed up in this glass, it would be a true enemy who meant real harm to Harry. And there were three separate glasses representing enemies at different distances; 10 km, 1 km, and less than 50 meters.

On their way back to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry remembered something. He turned around a corner and ran to a small colorful storefront. Lupin ran to catch up with him.

"Harry, why did you run off like that?" Lupin asked crossly.

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," Harry said with a grin pointing to the sign on the front of the colorful store, "Fred and George's store, I've never seen it before."

Harry pulled at the door but it wouldn't budge. He then noticed a small sign in the window which read, "Closed- will reopen tomorrow morning at 10."

"Hmm, that's weird. It's early, I wonder where they are?" Harry muttered.

"You know Molly, she probably wanted them to come home early for dinner," Lupin suggested as he looked at his watch. "Speaking of which, let's get a bite at the Leaky Cauldron before heading back."

After a satisfactory meal at the Leaky Cauldron, although Harry had to admit that it wasn't as good as the meal he had last night, they portkeyed back to Grimmauld Place.

Harry had no sooner landed hard on the floor of the drawing room than he knew that something was wrong. Everything was dark. He was used to lights popping on automatically wherever he walked in the house. This was not right. Harry immediately reached for his wand.

There was breathing around him, heavy breathing. Could it be dementors again? If so, there was definitely more than one. Suddenly, there was a loud bang against the wood floor.

Someone moaned in the dark, but it definitely wasn't the sound of a dementor. But if it wasn't dementors, that meant something even more frightening - Death Eaters. But how did they get in? Dumbledore was secret keeper for the Order, no one could get in unless he told them the location.

Harry held his wand aloft, ready to protect himself if he needed to. Just as he was about to break the rules against underage sorcery and shout a protection spell, all of the lights came on instantly and Harry was looking shell-shocked into twenty familiar faces.

"SURPRISE!" they all screamed happily at once.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author's Note:

I thought it was about time for something good to happen to Harry. He's been through too much trauma, he deserved at least a nice surprise party for once in his life.
So, next chapter, look forward to the party and lots of Weasleys.

There's plenty of angsty dramatic stuff coming up in future chapters, so enjoy the fun while it lasts.

Also, in case you might be interested, the structure of the will was based to some extent on Benjamin Franklin's. I wanted something that was a bit archaic and didn't have quite as many legal terms.