I Saw My Lady Weep

Chapter 10: So Hard To Move On...

At 10:30 am precisely, the portkey dropped Harry Potter and Arthur Weasley into the lobby of Forrester, Forrester, Orthrang, Waxcaplet, and Prang. From the appearance of the lobby, Harry gathered that the first was both very old and very prestigious. The furnishings and decorations looked very expensive, but at the same time the entire place smelled a bit... musty.

A reception desk sat at one end of the room, next to a heavy-looking wooden door. The young witch behind the receptionist's desk looked up suddenly as Harry and Arthur appeared from nowhere, gave them a quick smile, and then returned her attention to something on the desk. The two men shrugged to each other and approached. Only when they were much closer did she finally look up again and speak.

"Good morning. Can I help you?" She smiled brightly up at them, as if this was the first time she laid eyes on the two men. Harry read the name placard on her desk: Rachel Collard.

"Um... yes, Harry Potter for... um..." Harry checked the letter. "For Lemuel Forrester. I have an appointment."

Harry was watching for it, and sure enough, it happened. She looked surprised at first. Then her eyes traveled inevitably from his towards his forehead. The surprise look on her face turned to one more of puzzlement, though. Ah, yeah... Ginny said it wasn't a lightning bolt anymore...

But apparently she was too professional to say anything. "Yes, Mister Potter... Mister Forrester is expecting you." She turned to Arthur. "And...?" Her question hung in the air.

"This is Arthur Weasley, Director of Magical Law Enforcement. He's with me." Harry watched her eyes widen slightly.

"Very well, I'll inform Mister Forrester. If you would care to take a seat, I'm sure he'll be right with you." She gestured to her right, where Harry could see a waiting area filled with small tables and couches. They only had to wait a few moments, however. An impressive-looking wizard in sharply pressed grey robes stepped through heavy-looking wooden door. As he approached, he extended a hand toward Harry and smiled.

"Harry! My, I haven't seen you since you were an infant. Where has the time gone?" The wizard said as he shook Harry's hand. He extended his hand to Arthur. "Lemuel Forrester. Very nice to meet you Director Weasley. Very nice. Would you both follow me please?"

Forrester lead the two men into the firm's offices. Not wanting to appear nosy, but nonetheless curious, Harry couldn't help but ask about something the man said. "Mister Forrester, you said that you hadn't seen me since I was an infant? I've been here before?"

"Oh, certainly, Harry. You were here... three times? Yes, three times, I believe. Of course, you were much younger at the time," Forrester said. "Before I was your solicitor, I was your father's. And before him, I was your grandfather's solicitor. Your parents brought you to the office when they set up the trust." The man had an easy and friendly manner that made Harry want to like him.

"I didn't even know I had a solicitor ---" Harry said.

"Yes, well... ordinarily, it would have been the task of your godfather to inform you of the existence of your Trust. Sad affair, that," Forrester responded. They'd reached his office. It was huge and well-kept, reflecting the fact that Lemuel Forrester was one of the firm's senior partners. "I must confess, Harry... I was among those who counted Sirius Black as a traitor and betrayer. When the truth was made public..."

Harry's expression grew grim. "Yeah, several people have said that."

Forrester's eyes seemed to reflect regret. "Yes... Well... please, do sit." He gestured toward two comfortable looking chairs in front of his desk as he sat down behind it. The solicitor scanned the various pieces of parchment laid out on his desk in silence for a minute, before finding the one he was looking for.

"Ah, yes... Here we are. Well... shall we get started?" He handed Harry a short piece of parchment, then pushed a quill and inkpot across the desk. "First things first... if you could sign that, indicating you are acknowledging your ascendancy to the age of majority... well... we really should have done this last year, but... No matter... No matter."

Harry quickly read over the document, but couldn't make heads nor tails of it. It seemed to be written in a language other than English, but one that used English words nevertheless. He showed it to Arthur, who quickly read it. Arthur nodded a couple of times, and then handed it back to Harry.

"It says that you're really Harry Potter, that you've really reached adulthood, and that you're voluntarily ending Mister Forrester's custodianship of your Trust. Go ahead and sign it, Harry," Arthur said. Reassured, Harry signed immediately.

"This, Harry, is a balance statement giving the current value of the Potter Trust. Now, I've had the liberty of having it adjusted to recognize your inheritance from the estates of Sirius Black, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Rodolphus Lestrange, not to mention the recent..."

"Bellatrix Lestrange what? What do you mean? What inheritance?" Harry was on his feet, outraged and shocked. "How could I possibly inherit anything from them?"

His outburst had caught Forrester by surprise. "Well... Well... You see, you are the sole legal heir of Sirius Black." Forrester said this as if it explained everything. At Harry's blank look, he sighed added "According to official testimony recorded by the Ministry of Magic -- specifically by agents of your department, Director Weasley -- Bellatrix Black Lestrange was predeceased by her husband Rodolphus by a few hours. As such, she became the inheritor and possessor of his estate. When she herself was killed..." Forrester gave Arthur a quick glance... "Her estate naturally transferred to the closest living heirs."

Harry collapsed back into his chair. He tried to think of something... anything... to say, but came up empty.

"And through your status as heir to Sirius Black," Forrester continued, "you're also the heir of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Wait... Her sister... Bellatrix Lestrange's sister, Narcissa Malfoy. She's closer than I am. Why didn't she inherit?" Harry asked.

"Yes... as I was about to say... in addition to the Lestrange estates, this balance indicates funds gained from the Malfoy estate. Yes, it is true, Harry, that Narcissa Malfoy is indeed closer, but given as she's been disqualified to inherit due to Ministry Decree Number 2814, dealing with confiscation of assets from known Death Eaters..." Forrester looked to Arthur, whose eyes had suddenly grown quite wide. "Would you care to explain, Director?"

Arthur only nodded. "Harry... in order to prevent certain... corruptive factions... from gaining influence over the Ministry of Magic, we... well, Kingsley and I, really... forced some legislation through the Wizengamot. Decree 2814 orders the confiscation of all assets belonging to known supporters of Voldemort. Since both Lucius and Draco Malfoy wear the Dark Mark..."

"Narcissa Malfoy never wore the Dark Mark. She's not a Death Eater..." Harry insisted.

Arthur grew steely cold for a moment. Harry was afraid he'd finally said something to anger the man. "Harry, she provided aid and support to You Know Who, regardless."

"But..." Harry began.

"No, Harry. This decision has already been made. She's not in Azkaban, primarily because of your own testimony. But that's all the mercy she's getting from the Ministry." Arthur took a deep breath, calming himself down.

"So... They're losing all they own," Harry finished. He turned to Forrester. "And I suppose that, since I'm the closest living heir, and am not a Death Eater, it all passes to me?"

It was Arthur who answered. "Well... Yes, Harry, I suppose it does. You see, one of the compromises we had to make was to provide exceptions for family members who opposed You-Know Who. You know how interbred the pure-blooded families are, Harry." He looked embarrassed. "Certain members of the Wizengamot -- certain pure-blooded members, that is - insisted that those families who might have a black sheep but who overall opposed You-Know-Who not lose everything. This was the best compromise we could come up with."

Harry took a series of deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. "So let me get this straight, Mister Forrester. In addition to the money in my vault, and the money Sirius left me, I've got all of the Lestranges' money and all of the Malfoys' money?"

"That is the case, yes," Forrester confirmed.

"I don't want it. I don't need any money from Death Eaters." Harry shook his head, trying not to get angry again.

"Well there's not a lot we can do about it, Harry." Forrester put a hand up. "The accounts are inexorably combined now. There's literally no way to separate them."

The solicitor looked down at the parchment in his hand and started, suddenly, as if surprised he was still holding it. He handed it over to Harry. Harry's eyes travelled down the length of the page. It was mostly columns of numbers, and he never had much interest in...

His eyes fell on the last number. The one beside the words "Total Balance."

"That can't be right. Is this right?" Harry said. He looked to Forrester, who merely looked puzzled.

"I assure you, Harry, we contract out all accountancy services with the goblins of Gringotts. As unpleasant and hostile as they can sometimes be, I assure you when it comes to these issues, they are scrupulously honest and accurate. Those numbers are correct. That is your liquid worth right now. Specifically, how much cash on hand you possess," Forrester said.

Harry stared at the number, then handed the page over to Arthur.

Arthur read down the page. Harry could see when he reached the total balance by the way Arthur Weasley jolted in his seat as if struck by a Stinging Charm.

"Well, that's..." the older man swallowed. "That's certainly impressive." Arthur handed the parchment back to Harry, who looked at Forrester questioningly.

"Sign at the bottom please," Forrester said. He watched Harry attach his signature, collected up the signed page, and handed Harry another one. "This is a full accounting of the stocks, bonds, and securities owned, as well as their worth as of close of trade yesterday."

The information on the page might as well have been written in Chinese for all that Harry understood it. He recognized some of the names, but the rest was a mystery. The number at the bottom caught his eye, though. It was nowhere near as large as the number on the previous sheet, but it was certainly impressive in its own right.

He signed it, then handed it over to Arthur, who was looking at it with a curious eye. "What on earth is a Ford Motor Company? Is that a Muggle company?" At Harry's nod, Arthur broke out with a wide smile. "Oh, that's excellent!"

Forrester collected the page from Arthur and handed Harry the next one. "This one, Harry, is a list of real property you own."

"Real property?" Harry was confused.

"Land, Harry. Sorry. It means land." Forrester waved one of his hands dismissively. "Houses. Buildings. Things like that are referred to as 'real property'."

"I own buildings?" Harry asked. "I mean, I know I own the brownstone at Grimmauld Place... But..." He studied the parchment. The house at Grimmauld Place was listed, as was the house in Godric's Hollow. The other three... three? Three more? Five houses total? Harry looked at Mister Forrester, obviously confused.

"Yes, you inherited that one through Sirius Black. The house in Godric's Hollow was your parents', as I am quite I'm sure you also are aware." He squirmed a bit at Harry's dark look. "Yes, sorry. Ahem. So... the manor and farmland in Hogsmeade belonged to your grandparents. For his own reasons, your father let that property go. It hasn't been maintained at all, I'm afraid, and it's acquired a bit of a bad reputation for being haunted."

What? Harry thought to himself. No... it couldn't be...

Forrester checked his notes. "The property on the Isle of Man, on the other hand, has been maintained quite well and up until recently was a rental property. From what I am given to understand, its current inhabitants are your mother's sister and her family."

"So that's what happened to them..." Harry said vaguely. "I'd forgotten all about them." He looked up, embarrassed, at Arthur's quiet chuckle. "And this last one? The one in Wiltshire?"

"Ah yes... well..." Forrester checked his notes. "That house is the former Malfoy Manor."

Harry signed the parchment, thinking. Mention of Malfoy Manor caused an unpleasant sinking feeling in his stomach. It was the same feeling he got the one time he got sick from a bad piece of meat when he was a child, at the school he went to with Dudley. "Mister Forrester... I... I don't want to keep Malfoy Manor. I've got some rather disturbing nightmares about the place and I'd just as soon be shut of it as soon as possible. Can I sell it? Or have it torn down? Or something?"

"Well... certainly, Harry. It's your property, after all... you can do with it what you will, though I'd advise against simply destroying such a valuable asset. It has a considerable monetary worth, after all." Forrester seemed to be scandalized at the very thought. "Perhaps we can find a buyer for it..."

Arthur was nodding in agreement. "You can't just destroy the house, Harry. I understand your feelings, don't get me wrong. Ron has hinted at things you three went through... But what you..." Harry watched Arthur trying to find the right words. "I don't know what I'm trying to say, Harry. I just keep thinking that we need to come together to heal rather than pull apart in isolation."

Harry looked at Arthur Weasley for a long time, the affection clearly on his face. "Heal... we need to heal," Harry muttered. He wiped a hand down his face, thinking. "Um... I think I have an idea... About the... What I want to do with the Malfoy house, Mister Forrester. I think I know. And I'm going to need your advice and help."

Harry turned to Arthur, tears in his eyes. "It was your idea. Healing. We'll turn it into a hospital. And we'll name it after Fred."

Forrester smiled. "Oh, very good, Harry. Very good indeed. I'd be glad to assist you with that. Very glad indeed."

There were a handful of other documents to sign, as well as an impressive number of keys to be handed over. Some were for vaults, others were for houses. One was apparently to a 1935 Bentley Cabriolet that had been kept in prestige condition. ("It's a motorcar, like the Muggles drive," Mister Forrester confided. "Your grandfather was mad for it.")

Just when Harry was getting tired of signing papers, Forrester sat back. "And that's that. All finished. The only thing else I have for you is a locked trunk. I'm not sure what's in it, mind you... I'm sure it's personal effects. The trunk was brought to us by Albus Dumbledore. I believe he mentioned that the contents were some personal things collected from around the house in Godric's Hollow and placed in the trunk for safe-keeping."

Forrester opened up one of his desk drawers and withdrew a miniaturized trunk. "I'm sure you can return this to its proper size when you get back home, Harry. The key, by the way, is on the ring I've already given you, Harry. It is brass, if I remember correctly, and numbered 303."

Harry picked up the miniature trunk and looked at it, carefully. He was looking forward to seeing what was inside. He glanced up at Forrester and smiled. "Thank you for everything, Mister Forrester."

"Lemuel, please, Harry... Call me Lemuel. I hope, if I am to continue as your solicitor, that we can have as pleasant a relationship as I enjoyed with your father and grand-father." The solicitor stood and came around his desk, signaling that the meeting was effectively over. He shook Harry's hand as the younger man stood, then grasped Arthur Weasley's hand.

"It's been a pleasure, Director. A pleasure. I'm glad to see Harry's in such good hands." With that, Forrester lead them to the lobby's Apparition point.