Reign O'er Me

Chapter 7 - A Legal Matter

Harry woke first the next morning; he started to reach for his glasses, but found his arm movement limited by a cord binding his wrist to Ginny's. His movement woke Ginny who yawned, stretched, then pulled her wand from under the pillow and removed the cord. Harry retrieved his glasses; Ginny pulled him close for a quick kiss; Harry glanced at his wrist, where the imprint of the binding was still lightly visible, and grinned. "Not taking any chances, are we?"

"Nope, not a single one. You may be able to get away from Voldemort time after time, but you're not going to escape from me."

"Gin, you're amazing. You used to not even say his name; now you joke about him."

"If being afraid of his name gives him power, then I hope laughing at him takes it away. Sirius wanted you to have every advantage, and so do I."

With the mention of Sirius, their moods darkened. Ginny sat up and suggested they shower; Harry, after checking the clock noted it was a few minutes after 8:00; he recommended they wait a few more minutes until his uncle left for his office. A few minutes later, they heard the front door slam, and not long after a car start. Harry pulled on a robe, slightly complicated by the need to switch hands halfway through, and they proceeded through the morning routine. Perhaps half an hour later, they returned to Harry's room; Harry picked out a pair of black jeans he could wear under his robe and a collared shirt; he dressed and they left the bedroom and padded quietly down the stairs. Harry could hear his aunt in the kitchen, but said nothing as he and Ginny walked out the front door into the morning air.

They walked the short distance to Mrs. Figg's house, hand in hand; entering the house, they walked to the kitchen where the savory aroma - so unlike the cabbage smell Harry remembered - greeted them. Molly had prepared her typical breakfast spread; Ron and Hermione were already at the table; Harry and Ginny tucked in and joined them. Little was said as they ate; Harry did little more than pick at his breakfast; the tension that Ginny had evoked when she first spoke Sirius' name spread to all of them. Hermione finished first; after clearing her plate, she said to Ginny, "Shall we get our robes...oh..." only then remembering Ginny wouldn't be going anywhere without Harry. "I guess not. Ginny, your trunk and other things are in the second bedroom on the right. Your trunk's there too, Harry."

They nodded as Hermione left the kitchen; not long after, they finished and likewise headed upstairs. Ginny opened her trunk, and giggled, noting a number of undergarments sitting atop everything else. She pointed to Harry. "Subtle, aren't they?"

Harry nodded. "Your Mum?"

"Possibly, but odds are it was Hermione. She's the one who has to live with Ron's complaining, not to mention after what she said yesterday. Besides, Mum knows that pushing me too much is only going to backfire."

Ginny put on a uniform and robe as Harry maintained contact; then she did the same for him as he donned his school robes. They stopped for a quick double check in the mirror, and seeing no problems with their robes or grooming, returned to the living room on the first floor.

No one else was there yet; Harry and Ginny took up what had become their accustomed position on the couch. Ron came down after a few minutes, and not long thereafter Hermione joined them. They made small talk; it was obvious to the others that Harry was growing increasingly tense; they did what they could to distract him as they waited.

The twins arrived next, looking almost respectable, though their robes were just a bit louder than Molly would have chosen; they too immediately sensed the mood and chatted quietly with the others. Tonks and Charlie then arrived almost at the same time, and Bill joined them from upstairs. Molly arrived a short time later; she carefully inspected each of them, including Tonks, much to her amusement. At 10:25, Lupin arrived; at 10:30, three pops announced the arrival of Dumbledore, Flamel and McGonagall. Unlike her two previous visits, this time McGonagall carried her cane.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and the several other conversations came to an end. Dumbledore began, "Good morning. I see we are all here. Thank you all for your promptness; Goblins place a high value on promptness; to them, time is money." After looking around the room, he continued, "Harry, I know your exposure to some aspects of wizarding culture has been limited; do you know what to expect?"

"Not really, sir. I know in general what a will is, at least in the muggle world, but I've never attended a reading or seen one."

"The concept is the same; in the non-magical world, a will is typically recorded in writing; though it can be verbal; in the magical world, many, perhaps most wills are recorded on parchment, in red ink; however, many are recorded in a special kind of pensieve; particularly for complex cases or where the recorder had the means; the pensieve is used. Sirius, or course, more than qualified on both accounts. You will see his image, and hear his voice, Harry."

Harry's grip on Ginny's hand tightened, but he showed no other reaction. "I understand."

"What is typical is for the will to be read, or heard by those who have an interest; or in other words, are named in some way in the will. Most of those identified are in this room. Narcissa Black Malfoy and Bellatrix Black LeStrange were cousins of Sirius; while it is unlikely that Bellatrix would appear, it is not impossible she will have some form of representation. It is possible Draco Malfoy might be present as well. It is important, Harry, that you retain control, no matter what is said. It could be there will be an attempt to provoke you; if so, I advise you to ignore it, and let others handle it; the sole purpose of an act would be to attempt to get you to give them cause to have Sirius' wishes overturned."

Harry nodded, the same look of determination Remus had recognized two days before on his face. "I understand. This wouldn't be happening at all if I hadn't fallen into their trap. I won't get fooled again." He looked down for a moment, then looked intently at Dumbledore, and said, "But it does help; greatly; to be forewarned and thus prepared."

Dumbledore returned his gaze, and something passed between them. Dumbledore answered softly, "As you said, it shall not happen again. You have my word on that, Harry." But as he gave that promise, his conscience lost no time in reminding him of Sybill Trelawney's prophecy from the day before. That would have to be dealt with in some fashion, and soon.

After a worried moment, Dumbledore looked at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the Weasley twins. "And likewise, it goes without saying for the lot of you as well; no matter what is said, do not allow them to provoke you; your willingness to protect Harry is unquestioned; this once, leave that to our cure. You as well, Remus." Dumbledore paused, and looked to each of them as they nodded their understanding. "To continue, we will be in a conference room, seated around a table, the pensieve will be used to project Sirius' statement; then most likely there will be papers for Harry and Remus and perhaps several of you to sign."

"Shortly, we shall proceed via portkey to the Diagon Alley Gringotts building, to the office that deals with trusts and estates. There, we will be meeting with the Goblin that heads that department, whose name is Mordant. Mordant is quite high in the Gringotts hierarchy, and it's unusual for him to be directly involved with any customer issues."

"More than unusual," Bill injected. "Almost unheard of. And Mordant is very high up; he holds a seat on the what we'd likely term the board of governors; he's one of seven who ultimately control Gringotts."

Dumbledore nodded. "Without question, Mordant has great influence; and he has also shown a great deal of interest in Harry. And it is also through his kindness that things have proceeded along so swiftly."

Harry looked surprised; Dumbledore explained, "The Goblins have had an interest in you for some time, Harry. With their role in the politics and economy of the wizarding world, it could hardly be otherwise. There has also been considerable interest in the Black estate; Sirius being cleared had a number of unexpected consequences that a number of people did not expect. Rather than give these interests - some that run very much contrary to the interests of the Order and Harry, not to mention all of wizarding kind, I thought it better move quickly before they had time to attempt to improve their position."

Harry nodded, still not understanding, but figuring that it somehow related to the possibility Lupin had mentioned at their meeting two days before - that the Malfoys were next in line if Sirius' wishes were not followed.

Dumbledore asked, "Any other questions, Harry?"

"None."

Dumbledore bowed his head briefly to Harry; finding himself mildly surprised by how reassuring he found the look of determination on Harry's face and in his bearing. He, too, recalled the times James had shown a similar expression; certainly some metamorphosis was taking place here; this was certainly worthy of further consideration with Nicholas later.

"Harry, Br...Albus and I are there to support you." Flamel spoke for the first time that morning. "Professor Dumbledore is your magical guardian of record; and none of us, frankly, could imagine involving your Aunt and Uncle; however, it happens you are my descendant through two distinct lines; as I have returned to England, I stand as your family guardian under wizarding law, even through this appears to be the most extreme case on record. Of course, if the truth were known, I dare say I could for half the wizarding population in Britain. In any case my boy, if you have questions, do not hesitate to ask. You may need to make some choices; don't make snap decisions; weigh them carefully. And understand this, Harry, Albus is not there just out of duty. Nor am I. We are there because we want to be, and because there's nothing more important to us than your welfare."

Harry nodded.

Dumbledore looked at his watch. "We should be underway. We will portkey to a conference room where the reading will take place." Dumbledore pulled a large metal keying from his robes that seemed to stretch in his hands, until it was perhaps a foot in diameter. He held it out and one by one everyone touched the ring; Harry felt the familiar yank behind his navel, and moments later found himself in an ornate room with dark wood paneling; a large table dominated the space and was surrounded by large, comfortable looking chairs.

A goblin waited near the head of the table; he nodded to Dumbledore and Lupin, and said, "Welcome to Gringotts. I am Graspwick. Please, be seated. Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin, if you would be so kind as to sit near the head of the table, as there are a number of documents that you will need to sign. Mordant will be joining us momentarily."

Remus took the first seat on the right hand side of the table; Harry was next, with Ginny to his left, keeping his right hand free to write. Flamel was next, then Dumbledore. The goblin took a higher chair across from Remus; the seat at the head of the table was similar; clearly this was where Mordant would sit. The others found places; as an elderly, dignified goblin entered the room, followed by a man carrying a pensieve, who gently placed it near the head of the table, then took an open seat further back. A few moments later, Narcissa Malfoy and another man Harry didn't know entered and found seats. Mordant then closed the door, climbed into the chair at the head of the table, and said, "We are here for the reading of the last will and testament of the late Sirius Black. Mr. Howe, are all of the expected participants here?"

The man who had carried the pensieve consulted a parchment he had drawn from a leather briefcase that must have been shrunken and carried in a pocket. He looked around the room, and said, "I am Jonathan Howe, a solicitor formerly in the employ of Mr. Sirius Black, and am currently representing the Black estate per Mr. Black's instructions. Am I correct in assuming that the young lady, and the younger gentlemen with red hair are the Weasleys cousins? I see only six of you. Is one missing?"

Molly replied, "All of my children are here other than Percy. He must have been unable to attend. Arthur, my husband was unable to attend as well due to his duties at the ministry; however, I have been authorized to represent his interests."

Howe nodded as he made several marks on the parchment with an eagle quill. "And Mr. Potter, of course, and Professor Dumbledore, good to see you again, sir. And Mr. Lupin, though it's been a fair number of years since Hogwarts." More marks were made on the parchment. Noting the official robes, Howe commented, "And you must be Auror Tonks. And of course, I recognize Mrs. Malfoy; however, I'm afraid the other two gentlemen are unknown to me; perhaps if they'd introduce themselves." He looked expectantly at the man who had entered with Narcissa Malfoy.

"I am William Martin; I represent Bellatrix Black LeStrange." Howe nodded, wrote on the parchment, and then looked to Nicholas Flamel.

"I am Nicholas Flamel."

Howe looked surprised. "The alchemist? Like on the Chocolate Frog card?"

"The one and same."

"Might I ask your interest in this proceeding, sir?"

"You may ask, indeed," Flamel replied. "I am an ancestor - by two recognized lines, and others that could easily be established, to Mr. Potter. I won't bore you with reciting the number of greats, but I stand with Mr. Potter as family."

"Very good, sir," Howe said, as he wrote on his parchment. "I assume Mr. Martin will have the necessary documentation for the record, and if Mr. Flamel's presence is acceptable to Mr. Potter and his guardian, I have no objection to his participation as well."

Dumbledore replied, "We have no objections to Mr. Flamel's participation; he is here at my request, and Mr. Potter's".

Howe again made a quick scribble, "And Professor Dumbledore, you are still Mr. Potter's guardian of record, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct."

Howe looked to Mordant, "Sir, I believe that all of the expected participants and those entitled presence or representation appear to be here, with the exception of Mr. Percy Weasley. Under the circumstances, given the terms of the bequest as I understand them, I do not see that as a significant factor."

Mordant looked around the table; when no one else spoke, he said, "Then let us begin." He made a motion to the pensieve; an image of Sirius' torso and shoulders appeared above it. Ginny felt Harry's hand tremble slightly in hers, but glancing at Harry, she could see no other reaction; his face remained an emotionless mask as he watched the image of Sirius.

Sirius began to speak. "Greetings. I suppose I should say Greetings from the Great Beyond, since if anyone is listening to this other than Jon, making sure everything is proper per the law, I'm dead, and all of you listening are here either to hear my last wishes, or here hoping pick at my carcass. I wouldn't get your hopes up, Bella and Cissy; Jon Howe is among the best money can buy, and he has incentive - and a lot of it; half his fee plus a sizable bonus is based on the two of you getting not a Galleon more than I'm forced to leave you by the trust - to ensure my wishes are followed, and cannot be challenged; and that we have covered every possible contingency."

The image flickered. "This section shall be controlling in the event I am cleared by the ministry. First, let's deal with the formalities. I am Sirius Black, and this is my last will and testament; and was delivered to the hands of my solicitor and witnessed by three wizards as attested here within. I have been certified as free from influence of chemicals, alcohol, mind-altering potions, and Imperious by credentialed professionals. Albus Dumbledore placed the seal on this pensieve, in his role as head of the Wizengamot. In short, Bella and Cissy, it's witnessed and certified and not open to challenge on that front. Tough break isn't it? I didn't make the same mistakes dear old Mum made when everything passed to me; and since I've been cleared, why, there's nothing to interfere with doing things my way. Isn't this fun?

"Now, let's take care of those who are here only to pick at the carcass first. Bella, Cissy, nothing would please me more than to send you both packing without as much as a bottle cap. However, under the terms of the Black Family Trust Agreement, I can't do that; however, as the head of family and sole trustee, I can set some terms and conditions on the share that you're entitled to, and so that's what I shall do. As the last surviving Black, I hereby declare the Trust in dissolution and the proceeds to be distributed in accordance with the Trust Agreement. That's binding magical contract Trust Agreement to you, Bella and Cissy. I hereby divide the proceeds of the Black Family Trust into 16 equal shares, to be distributed as follows:

"To Bellatrix Black LeStrange, one share. Gringotts shall hold this share under the direction and control of Amelia Bones, or her successor as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, who shall hold it until Bella shall claim it. Bella must present her claim personally, and present evidence satisfactory to Madam Bones or her successor as to her identity. Wouldn't want any chance of a mistaken identity, now, would we Bella, and I think this is one task that you need to do for yourself. In the event the share goes unclaimed for seven years, per the terms of the Black Family Trust, the share shall be considered abandoned, and divided equally among the other surviving claimants from this distribution. And given the good fortune that Bella has not inflicted any additional LeStranges on the world, doubtless out of concern for her figure, there are no secondary lines of inheritance to worry about, so should she have the grace to die before me, her share should be divided equally among the other claimants from this distribution.

"To Narcissa Black Malfoy, one share. The share shall be held by Gringotts Wizarding Bank until such time as Cissy shall submit proof satisfactory to the head of the Wizengamot that she is not under influence of an Imperious curse or other mental coercion. This share shall be considered abandoned if not claimed within seven years and divided equally among the other surviving claimants from this distribution. Cissy, we didn't always see eye-to-eye growing up, but I never imagined you'd end up with that sort of git. If it's not what you've wanted, well, you have a way out. If I were you, I'd take advantage of it. A strange look flickered across Narcissa Malfoy's face for a moment, but she said nothing.

"In the event Narcissa Black Malfoy should die before I do, and only in that event, per the terms of the Trust mandate that her share will pass to Draco Malfoy. If this should happen, this share shall be held by Gringotts Wizarding Bank until such time as Draco Malfoy reaches his majority and shall submit proof satisfactory to the head of the Wizengamot that he is not under the influence of an Imperious curse or other mental coercion. In addition, as Draco will lack the excuse enjoyed by Lucius and Narcissa about being duped by You-Know-Who the first time around, Draco Malfoy must also satisfy the head of the Wizengamot that he is not a so called "Death Eater" as indicated with the mark of He Who Shall Not Be Named on his forearm, or other tests as deemed sufficient as solely determined by the head of the Wizengamot. The share shall be considered abandoned if not claimed within seven years, and divided equally among the other surviving claimants from this distribution. Sorry, Draco, as the descendant of another beneficiary, you don't get an automatic share; not that I think there's much chance of you collecting anyway. In any event, should both Narcissa and Draco die before me, the share due them should be divided equally among the other claimants from this distribution.

"To Nymphadora Tonks, one share, and one reserved share, to be held for her eventual spouse. This share shall be held open as long as the trustee deems necessary, but no less than seven years. And Tonks - don't wait seven years or try the patience of the trustee; have a family, carry on the line, all those things. You might even find out it's fun. Should Tonks die before me, most likely from tripping over her own two feet, her share should be divided equally among the other claimants from this distribution; but Tonks, you better not let that happen. Other than Draco Malfoy, you're all that's left, so get busy and emulate the Weasley branch of the family.

"To Arthur Weasley, my second cousin, one share plus one additional share to his spouse, and one additional share reserved to the first of their sons to present Molly with a Weasley grandchild. Get busy kids, and make your Mum happy. You know, Arthur and Molly, it's really funny how the Black Family Trust was set up, so that the trustee could award shares to cousins or wherever there was a blood tie, if the trustee so choose. That was used to lure a lot of people into things where they should have known better over the years. In any case, we're going to flip some of that today. Not only does it put the money in the hands of those who share my values and most importantly have already taken superb care of my heir, it dilutes what Bella and Cissy might get their hands on even further. That's what I call a no-lose proposition. Not to mention I owe the two of you as well as your kids an incredible debt of gratitude for what you've done for Harry. And the idea of setting up a race to see who can bring the next Weasley into the world appeals to me. In any case, in the event Molly or Arthur should die before me, their shares shall be divided among their surviving children. But don't let that happen, either of you.

"To William Weasley, one share on the condition that he agrees at the reading to get a haircut that satisfies his mother within one week of this reading. Molly, you said nothing you tried ever worked, so I'm going to give it a shot on your behalf.

To Charles Weasley, one share on the condition that he agrees that sometime in the next year, a regulation Quidditch match shall be held on the Hogwarts pitch, with Charlie captaining one team, and Harry the other. The players shall be drawn solely from past and current Gryffindor players and selected as agreed upon by the captains. I certainly hope we can all watch from the Great Beyond, because this is one thing I truly want to see.

"To Percy Weasley, one share reserved, to be released to him upon a unanimous vote of his siblings after he's apologized to their sole satisfaction to Arthur and Molly for being the biggest git ever to be blessed by a loving family and acting like a total arse. You should be ashamed, Percy. I'd have cut you out entirely, other than your mother and father still love you and are incredibly hurt at how you've acted, and I'd rather the money go to a total arse than to Bella and Cissy. So here's some motivation for you to rethink your actions. If this share remains unclaimed for seven years, it should be considered abandoned, and divided equally among the other surviving claimants from this distribution.

"To Fred Weasley, and George Weasley, one share to each on the condition they open their joke shop. Sorry about this one Molly; the world badly needs what these two can give to it; a world without laughter isn't worth saving.

"To Ronald Weasley, one share. If Ron has not reached the age of seventeen, this share is to be held in trust by his parents until he reaches his majority or marries, which ever should come first. Yes, Ron, you too can play in the Weasley baby race. And Molly, let the boy have some fun; even dung bombs have their place. Growing boys need pocket money, just make sure he doesn't spend it all at Quality Quidditch Supplies the first day; one Firebolt is enough for anybody.

"To Ginevra Weasley, one share, plus one share reserved to her future spouse. If Ginny has not yet reached the age of seventeen, the rules say her share must be held in trust by her parents until she reaches the age of majority or marries, which ever should happen to come first. Sorry, Ginny, you don't get to play in the baby race, the thoughts of multiple generations of Weasleys desecrating my grave was just a bit too much to contemplate; but you do get a dowry to make up for it. Just pick someone worthy of you and most importantly, follow your heart. And Molly and Arthur, in this case, give the kid her key; and insist she waste some of it. Sometimes the luxuries are even more important than the essentials, and Merlin knows there's no one more deserving than your daughter.

"In the hopefully unlikely event any of the Weasley children die before I do, any unclaimed share shall be divided equally among their surviving parents and siblings. In the event any shares are unclaimed and there are no surviving claimants, any amounts remaining shall revert to my primary heir, who can then sort out the mess.

"One share to be for use of the trustee until the Trust is fully dissolved, to be used to pay all debts of the trust, including a salary of 5,000 Galleons per year for the trustee, until all distributions of the trust have been paid, at which time the balance of the share shall go to the trustee. I name Remus Lupin as trustee; if he is unable or unwilling to serve I name Nymphadora Tonks and the Weasley cousins in order of seniority as alternates.

"Ok, that takes care of the Black Family Trust. Now that that's all over, Bella, Cissy, their friends, family, solicitors, camp followers and lackeys can all get the hell out. The rest that's left are my personal goodies, which by the way is most of the horde anyway, and I'm going to do with it as I damn well please, and it pleases me - greatly - not to include any of you. So, leave now, or the executor is authorized and requested to remove you by force. I really hope you'll choose help finding your way out; I'm told Gringotts security can be quite persuasive. I'll wait a few moments before continuing." The image of Sirius crossed its arms and looked down.

William Martin, who had come representing Bellatrix LeStrange, stood and looking at Howe, said, "You realize of course that I will challenge these ludicrous conditions."

Howe replied, "The Black Family Trust is a binding magical contract. You might find that the decisions of the trustee are binding and that proof of identity and freedom from outside influences are quite common and allowed by the trust. But don't permit me to discourage you; please, by all means, take your best shot." Martin said nothing further and left the room.

Narcissa Malfoy stood as Martin exited, showing no emotion, and walked toward the door, but paused by Dumbledore and bent to whisper something. Dumbledore nodded, and Mrs. Malfoy left, closing the door softly behind her.

Sirius set unmoving for a few more minutes. Both Goblins could be seen glancing at their watches; nothing was said among the remaining participants, who had for the most part sat in shocked silence, other than an occasional gasp or rapid intake of breath as their names were read and the conditions made known. George and Fred appeared to be in a state of ecstasy; surprise still registered on the faces of some of the other Weasleys, especially Molly, who had been on an emotional roller coaster ride since Sirius had begun working his way through her family. Harry had remained stoic, staring at the image of Sirius, but betraying no emotion other than to Ginny. She could feel the occasional tremble of his hand as he fought to maintain his control, telling her just how much this was costing him.

Sirius' image looked up again, and continued, "Well, I hope that was entertaining. Now, let's take care of my stuff. First of all, we're again in a section of the will that comes into effect if I've been cleared of charges. Jon made me work through so many different possibilities that I concede the man is the only person I've met more paranoid than Alastor Moody. Of course, he charges by the hour, and I'm convinced he has earned every last Knut. Not to mention that there was so much of it, no one entitled to do so reviewed it did in its entirety. Well, that's their loss.

"Moving right along, hopefully, Albus will have been quite motivated to see that I'm cleared, otherwise, some unfortunate things happen and all that work that went into warding the old home place will have been for nothing. But, since you're all listening to this portion, we can assume everything went as I'd hoped. It'd have been nice if you'd bothered while I was still alive, Albus. But you know, but I think you really wanted me cooped up in that place and not jogging your elbow about Harry, and that left me with a lot of time on my hands.

"Anyway, Albus, old chap, maybe we're square at the end. I'm sorry; I lied like a carpet, and I hope you fell for it hook, line and sinker. I really didn't give a damn about what happened to Grimmauld Place and the current tenant; my first concern's been for Harry, and I really don't give a damn what happens to any and all of it if he's not ok. You always told us we had to pick between what was easy, and what was right, well, this was an easy choice to make, even if it did take some work to set up. And more than anything else I've ever done, save one, I do think it was the right thing to do.

"History time. I'll try to make this interesting, unlike a certain beloved Hogwarts professor who ensured we all got a regular nap for seven straight years. That came in handy after a night of running through the Forbidden Forrest, let me tell you. Back when Harry was born, James made a will and named me Harry's guardian. I should thank you for that, Albus; you made sure all of us did. Well, when I was cleared, Harry's guardianship reverted to me, and I hereby assert my rights as Harry's guardian. Sorry, Albus, you're fired.

"As Harry's bona fide legal guardian, I direct that in the event of my death, if he has not reached his majority, that no guardian be appointed to replace me, but instead that my ward, Harry James Potter, be emancipated per wizarding law and per the laws of Scotland, where I declare my residence to be, in the town of Hogsmeade, in the house known locally as the Shrieking Shack, which passed to me on the death of dear old Uncle Alphard. I authorize Jon Howe to drain every last Knut of the estate to enforce this by any means he sees fit, including, if necessary, dragging Albus Dumbledore in front of his own Wizengamot. I'm not kidding folks. I mean it.

As the image of Sirius said these words, Dumbledore sagged and bowed his head, but said nothing as the image of Sirius continued on.

"I hereby appoint Remus Lupin to be Harry's conservator for all matters in muggle England and any other jurisdictions not recognizing his status as an adult until such time as Harry should reach the age of majority in those jurisdictions. And Remus, that's conservator, not guardian. Harry's the boss; you sign on the dotted line when he asks you to. And if Remus cannot or will not serve, I appoint the Tonks then the Weasley cousins in order of seniority.

"Harry, what this means is you're now free; you're not anyone's chattel, or subject to their whims any more. That especially includes staying with the Dursleys. Get the hell out of there. Legally, you're an adult in the wizarding world, with all the rights and privileges thereof. This means that you can make your own decisions; I think you're mature enough, and guess what - I have the only vote that counts any more. If nothing else, this ensures Albus will have no choice other than to treat with you as I think he should have much earlier - as an adult. If he doesn't, tell him to sod off, and keep telling him that until he does. Remember what I said to you in my letter. Don't be anybody's mushroom, but don't get let it go to your head, either. Listening is more important than talking; that's why you have two ears and one mouth. But don't let anyone talk you out of this; of everything I've worked to do, this is what I've considered most important. Just use your head. Since you're hearing this now, I must have pulled it off; know that somewhere James, Lily and I are on the other side rejoicing, and maybe, just maybe, your dad has stopped pounding the stuffing out of me...or at least maybe he will once you're away from the Dursleys for good."

Harry's eyes had widened; otherwise his struggle to maintain control was known only to Ginny. Several of the Weasleys had nodded their approval; Dumbledore had not looked up. McGonagall and Flamel showed a mix of concern and worry; Sirius continued on.

"Ok, now to the cookie jar. First, I name Harry James Potter as my principal heir. All my real property, investments, gold, the contents of Gringotts vaults, assets of any kind, the hereditary title, and anything else that I own are hereby bequeathed to Harry James Potter, other than as directed in the following. The house in Hogsmeade is hereby bequeathed to Harry, and Harry, you should maintain this as your legal residence, or some other location in Scotland until you are 17. You might want to fix the place up a bit; last time we were there, it was a bit on the drafty side. Jon can explain all of the whys and wherefores. I also bequeath the house at 12 Grimmauld Place to Harry; I would suggest that you think about allowing the present tenant to continue on there if they behave and you're so disposed, since it may have figured significantly in buying you your freedom; but it's your choice. I hated that place growing up, but that was largely because of who else and what were in it. It would please me greatly if one day that were to be your home, or one of them, and filled with the sort of care and affection you've seen at The Burrow. That would certainly be the legacy I'd like to leave for the House of Black. I'd also like you to ensure Remus always has a place to stay, and a place where he can be safe. I know he'll take care of you; but taking care of himself has never been his strong point. But most of all, stay safe, get it together, live long, and have some fun along the way.

"To Remus Lupin, last of the true Marauders, I hereby bequeath 100,000 Galleons. I also leave my faithful pet and companion in your care. Moony, you're the only one of us that's left. It's up to you to do what James couldn't and I screwed up. Remember what I wrote to you. I'm sorry I'm most likely leaving our rat problem to you, but if I did get him as I checked out, I went with a big smile on my face. Anyway, if James has been waiting on the other side to kick my arse, we're BOTH going to be there waiting for you, so take care old friend; look after Harry, and let him and maybe some others look a bit after you.

"To George and Fred Weasley, I hereby bequeath a book containing of all the spells and enchantments developed by the Marauders, including our enchanted parchment spells, and complete directions for duplicating the Marauder's Map. I'd go so far as to guess this might have some real commercial possibilities, even outside the joke shop. Anyway, the notebook is in the care of Jon Howe, and is to be given to you only after you have bodily taken Remus Lupin shopping, and have spent every last knut of 8,000 Galleons replacing his wardrobe and then burning every stitch of the old one. Take Harry along too, but make him spend his own money. He has plenty, but all those hand-me-downs from his lard-arse cousin need to go. In fact, take your younger siblings along too, and make sure your sister gets on the preferred customer list at Madam Malkin's.

"The funds for Remus' shopping trip shall be placed in the care of Molly Weasley. The two of you have kept the spirit of the Marauders alive at Hogwarts, and will continue to do as your business takes off. The real proof of your success will be found on the walls of Hogwarts, near Filch's office, where you'll know you've succeeded when the list of your banned products take up more space on his wall than those sold by Zonkos.

"To Minerva McGonagall, with much affection, who taught us all more than I think she realized at the time, and was cool enough to keep quiet about it when she figured it all out, though she'd never admit to that, I hereby direct that sufficient gold be withdrawn from my vault to set up the Marauder's Memorial Quidditch Slush Fund, which shall remain at your disposal and pass to the control of each head of Gryffindor house in perpetuity, such that a complete set of top of the line professional brooms may be bought as needed and maintained for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Further, my portfolio contains significant number of shares of stocks in broom companies; Harry, as my primary heir, is authorized and encouraged to abuse those shares to obtain pre-release or first versions of the latest and greatest before they are offered to the general public.

"McGonagall, your troops have always had more talent; they should now be able to out fly that Slytherin scum and keep that cup in your office. At all costs, keep it out of the dungeons. You are authorized to give the older brooms to deserving students from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff as desired; the only two restrictions is that no broom ever go to anyone sorted into Slytherin, and that these brooms are not to be used for first year classes. Kids need to learn to appreciate good brooms and antiques, and the current collection of school brooms admirably serves both needs.

"To Hermione Granger, I bequeath the contents of the library at Grimmauld Place. Hermione, there are many dangerous books there, use care, and bin those that should be removed. Some knowledge doesn't deserve to see the light of day. I further direct that sufficient gold be taken from my account and set up in trust to provide Hermione an allowance of 5000 Galleons per year for the purpose of adding keeping her library up to date, as long as none of the funds are ever used to purchase a copy of Hogwarts, a History. Hermione, just remember, your library or any library doesn't hold all the answers; nor does your formidable intellect. Some answers can only come from here, and occasionally, that answer needs to be a swift kick in the arse." Sirius touched the center of his chest.

"To Ronald Weasley, I bequeath my collection of Magic Frog cards, which contains not one, but three cards with Agrippa. It's located in a box in my personal Gringotts vault. Ron, I'm going to tell you something I told Harry. It's better to open your mouth and make a fool of yourself, than to regret not knowing what might have happened if you tried for the rest of your life. Trust me on this one, kid. You can dance with two left feet, but it's a damned sight harder to dance alone.

"To Ginevra Weasley, I bequeath into your keeping the jewelry from the House of Black, which is located in a small trunk inside my personal vault, as well as the other precious heirloom I have already placed in your care. Great care should be taken when inspecting or wearing the items in the trunk; some of these items may be cursed; I have never spent any time going through that trunk. Bill, this would be a good thing for you to take a look at. Thank you, Ginny, for everything.

"Well, gang, that's about it. I hope it was fun. I will make a few suggestions, however. Harry, I suggest you keep Jon Howe on for a bit. Not only does he know where all the bodies are buried, he knows the investments and where the papers are. I also think you should go after the ministry for compensation of the time I spent in Azkaban. You certainly don't need it; but Fudge deserves have Jon on his tail; it's a matter of principal. Jon will get you squared away on everything you need on residency and papers; after that, it's up to you. And Harry, I meant every word I said in that letter, every bloody last one of them." Sirius grinned for the first time since the reading had begun, "Almost all of them were true, and I hope you've found out by now the hard way the one little detail I neglected to mention.

"Ginny, think back to a conversation we had two days before Harry arrived last summer. I meant what I said then, and I still feel that way now. Tradition is just that, the way we've always done things, and nothing more. It doesn't mean that it's the only way, and it especially doesn't mean it's the right way or the best way. Follow your heart, kiddo.

"That about wraps it up, gang. I hope all of you listening to this live long and fulfilling lives, and that you get some enjoyment from what I've left, and might even lift a glass from time to time to the memory of this old dog and the Marauders. See you all on the other side... but not soon, not any of you. Farewell!" The image faded.

Silence reigned for several seconds; Dumbledore raised his head, but still looked down at the table in front of him. Mordant finally spoke. "That concludes the reading of Mr. Black's will. There are papers for all of you to sign; my staff handled the other parties as they exited. My assistant will distribute these in a few moments, and between he and Mr. Howe should be able to address any questions you might have. However, before proceeding to that, there is a matter I would like to discuss with Mr. Potter.

"Mr. Potter, as you are now an adult under the wizarding laws of Britain, as of your emancipation, you have now come into your full inheritance of the Potter estate. After the documents regarding Mr. Blacks estate are concluded, there are additional documents which you might wish to consider relating to the Potter estate."

Harry looked dumfounded. "But... I thought I had inherited my parents vault?"

"No, Mr. Potter," Mordant replied. "If you will forgive my presumption, I believe that the key to the vault you now hold was the funds your parents set aside at your birth, much as your grandfather did for your father. It earned considerable interest in the years it lay untouched; in fact, all of the assets that are now yours have grown considerably in the past 15 years or so as they have been essentially dormant other than earning interest. In any case, your current vault has been in the Potter family for generations; it was your fathers, and grandfathers, before they took control of the main vault and the Potter trust and estate. Perhaps you had wondered at its low number. In fact, Mr. Potter, with the combination of the Black and Potter estates, you are among our largest depositors."

Harry nodded automatically, operating largely on autopilot. There had already been a great deal to take in; this latest twist was completely unexpected, and his mind was racing.

Mordant shifted forward. "Very good. If there are no other issues, I shall leave you in the capable hands of my assistant to sign the paperwork and provide the necessary access and credentials as needed. Thank you all for your time." Then, slipping from the chair, he said, "Good day."

Graspwick had a stack of parchments that he proceeded to distribute; he moved around the room, leaving one or a few sheets of parchment with each person, other than Flamel, who had none. He then climbed back into his chair, and pushed two stacks to Harry and Remus, the largest stack going to Harry. Molly looked helplessly at Dumbledore; he finally responded to her gaze, and briefly nodded to her unasked question. The twins had wasted no time in scrawling their names across their parchments; Bill, Charlie, Tonks, and McGonagall, after reading, did likewise. Harry looked first to Lupin, who was looking at Dumbledore, and then turned to Dumbledore as well, who, other than his brief glance at Molly, had focused his gaze mostly at the table in front of him.

Flamel said softly, "Brian; they are waiting."

Dumbledore nodded, then looked around the table, finally ending with Harry and Lupin. "At this point, I suggest you sign; the damage is already done. It would seem, Harry, that despite my best intentions, I have failed you again." He reached out, and signed the parchments in front of him in his loopy hand.

Harry started to ask a question, but Flamel shook him off, and whispered, "Sign. You too, Miss Weasley," and then to the room at large, "There is clearly much we need to discuss, but this can occur later."

Harry and Lupin worked through the stack of documents; when they finished, Graspwick looked over the signatures, seemed satisfied, and asked the others to pass the remaining executed documents to him. Again, he briefly inspected each document, and collected all of them into a single stack that he then set to one side and said, "Excellent; I see everyone has agreed to the conditions as specified by Mr. Black." He then presented a somewhat smaller stack of documents to Harry. Lupin pulled this stack between them, and skimmed the documents one by one, then passed them to Harry, indicating that he should sign.

After completing the second stack, the assistant said, "Very good, Mr. Potter. The Black family vault is number 37; the Potter family vault is number 11. No key is needed to access these vaults; as first level high security vaults, only certain staff members have the necessary authorization to grant access. Mr. Black also had a smaller personal vault, not far from your current vault. The key for it is here. When you are ready, any teller can summon someone to escort you to your vaults. At a later time, should you wish, you could consolidate into a single primary vault. Without doubt, releasing a first level vault would bring you a considerable sum. Several families have sought a first level vault for generations.

"Mr. Lupin, your funds have been moved to your vault, and paperwork regarding the Black Family Trust will be prepared and sent to you in the next few days via owl.

"Ms. Tonks, as your bequest had no conditions your funds have likewise been moved into your vault.

"Mrs. Weasley, your funds and your husband's have already been moved into your vault, as well as the funds designated by Mr. Black for the wardrobe of Mr. Lupin, as there was no conditions on your bequest.

"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley," nodding at Charlie and Bill, "as you have both agreed to Mr. Black's terms, your funds will be moved shortly.

"Ms. McGonagall, Mr. Howe and I will be in contact about the details of the trust you are to administer; I am assuming that no withdrawals are likely prior to the school year?"

McGonagall nodded tersely, and he continued, "Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley," nodding at the twins, "you gentlemen recently set up a joint vault in the name Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes; as you have already met the condition of your bequest, would you like your funds to be deposited there, or would you prefer to set up separate personal vaults?"

"Our current vault would be brilliant."

"Agreed."

"Very good. The funds will be moved shortly." The goblin then looked back to Mrs. Weasley. "Since your two minor children apparently do not have a vault, one has been set up for each of them, and their funds deposited there. However, I have the keys for you here, as you are their guardian." Molly accepted the keys, as well as two rolls of parchment.

"Mr. Howe, I understand that you will transmit the necessary documentation to Mr. Percy Weasley, making him aware of the terms and conditions, and that you will also obtain the signature of Mr. Arthur Weasley on the needed forms for the file?"

"I will," Howe replied.

"And finally, the two items Mr. Black left to Miss Weasley and Mr. Ronald Weasley are being brought up now. Would any of you care to visit your vaults now, or perhaps have the staff make a withdrawal on your behalf?"

The twins nodded eagerly; when Molly started to object, one of them - George, Harry thought - said, "Mum, our shop is here in the Alley; we weren't planning to go back with the lot of you anyway."

Molly again looked to Dumbledore; he nodded; the twins rose, looking expectantly at the goblin. "Very good; any one else? No? Very well, gentlemen, please follow me. Thank you all for your time and patience, and your swift handling of the necessary paperwork. I will leave you in this room, as I understand you have transportation, and perhaps Mr. Howe also has some items to complete. Good day, and again, thank you." Graspwick left the room, the twins following him closely.

Howe stood. "Mr. Potter, I have one remaining item for you." He pulled a slim attaché from somewhere inside his briefcase. "This case belonged to Mr. Black; it contained many of his papers, some personal effects, and emergency cash, including several sorts of muggle currency. I believe you will find a number of papers inside of interest, including deeds to the properties, stock certificates, and the like. I have also included a letter, some forms you'll need to fill out and sign, and instructions for the residency requirements Mr. Black mentioned. If you would look those over and owl them back to me, I will handle matters from there on your behalf. Should you choose to follow Mr. Black's recommendation, I of course stand ready to assist you in other matters as well... though this is certainly not something you need to decide today," he added, noticing that Harry's eyes looked a little glazed. "Is there anything else I might answer or help any of you with?" Hearing no answer, he concluded, "Then I too shall take my leave; please, if I may help any of you in any way, please owl me. Good day."

As he opened the door, two goblins entered, one carrying a wooden box, the other carrying a small chest. "Mr. Ronald Weasley?" one asked; "Miss. Ginevra Weasley?" queried the other. Ron and Ginny identified themselves; one goblin gave Ron the box and the other presented Ginny with the small chest. Unable to quite manage with on hand, Flamel ended up taking it for her. The two goblins then left, closing the door behind him, McGonagall said, concern in her voice, "Albus, should we not now return?"

Dumbledore slowly shook his head. "I fear that we cannot, at least to Arabella's. Sirius actions, no doubt done with the best of intentions and out of concern for Harry, will have unintended consequences he perhaps did not anticipate. Or perhaps he knew full well. In Harry's case, Sirius has severed the bonds of childhood; I fear the magic that has protected Harry there for these many years is now undone; while there are other protections and wards in place, the primary defense there has always been the blood magic I invoked when Harry was but a year old. Until we are sure, however, we cannot risk taking Harry back there. At this time... perhaps Grimmauld Place would be the best choice until we can think this completely through and discover the impacts."

Lupin asked, "Harry, can you handle that, for now?"

Harry nodded, Ginny's hand now clasped tightly. "Let's go... I need to get out of here."

Dumbledore removed the key ring from his robes, pointed his wand, and muttered, "Portus." He then stood, the others following, Flamel and Ginny helping Harry, who swayed a bit unsteadily as he stood. Lupin carried Harry's attaché.

Tonks nodded to Bill and Charlie, "We'll go first."

“Yes; we'll give you about two minutes; and then we'll follow. The portkey will take us to the kitchen.”

Bill, Charlie and Tonks apparated away; the others gathered around Dumbledore and grasped the portkey. Two minutes later, they too vanished from the Gringotts conference room.