Harry Potter and the Manipulator of Destiny (Completed)

Chapter 2: Breaking of Dawn

Harry was having a lovely sleep - deep, refreshing, and dreamless for the first time in weeks. His body, mind and face totally relaxed, one could almost see his spirit renewing if they watched. And someone was watching him.

A small, bent and wizened figure apparated in the room, silent as a ghost. He glanced around the room and bent over the sleeping Harry to ascertain the identity of the snoozing boy. Swiftly, with a pointy-toothed smile, he waved his long, gnarled fingers in intricate movements at the door, windows, walls and floor. Nodding to himself, he then held his hands, palm out and scanned the room, examining various colors of glowing auras that formed around some objects – books, Harry's wand, and the sneakoscope Ron had brought him from Egypt. Evidently content with what he saw, the strange figure sat down in the chair by Harry's bed, and gently cleared his throat.

Harry, a young man disturbingly use to danger, instantly awoke. Consciousness and action working in the same instance in time, he rolled and aimed his wand at the seated and amused figure, who simply waved a finger and sent the wand gently floating out of Harry's grip. Harry gaped, swallowed, and said quietly in a low voice "Griphook?"

"Greetings, Mr. Potter." The goblin smiled, showing an alarming number of the aforementioned pointed teeth. "I apologize for barging in on you". Harry glanced nervously at the door in the direction of his relative's room. "Do not worry – I put silencing charms on your room – we may speak freely."

"Er…. Ok" Harry shook his head to clear it a few times. He sat fully up on his bed, tucking his legs under to keep his feet warm. He looked curiously at Griphook and mumbled, "give me a couple minutes to wake up, ok?"

"Coffee or tea?" asked the goblin. "We have a lot to discuss, and I wanted to be assured of privacy when we did so. We goblins do not make a habit of waking our customers in the middle of the night, but I think you will find the interruption to your rest worth it".

"Coffee, please" Harry said gratefully, while reaching for his ratty but warm bathrobe. He watched fascinated as Griphook waved his long finger gracefully and conjured a steaming pot of coffee, two mugs, condiments, and a plate piled with cookies, pastries, and snacks. With his other hand he created a table to rest the tray of refreshments on, and a comfortable over-stuffed chair, which he then gestured to Harry to make himself comfortable in.

"Um, Griphook? I won't get in trouble for all this magic, will I?" Harry looked at the coffee and chair nervously. Another trial was not what he wanted to deal with, after finally getting back on his feet after two weeks of self-indulgent sorrow.

"No, Mr. Potter. Goblin magic is undetectable by most wizards. The Ministry will not pick up anything, I assure you. Also, as you probably noticed, goblins do not use wands, which leave distinctive magical registers. Now, make yourself comfortable and let's have a talk about your finances". Griphook himself took a mug of coffee – Harry noted that he drank it black and mused for a moment if goblins could possibly like fussy sweet things, and helped himself to coffee and a tempting fat cookie.

Griphook eyed Mr. Potter with a look that reminded Harry of Crookshanks, Hermione's ugly cat/kneazle mix, bird watching. He didn't feel nervous, but he felt like he was being examined closely. "Mr. Potter, why haven't you answered our letters regarding Mr. Blacks' will? For that matter, you have never come into the bank for your yearly account reports". Harry was lucky to have an empty mouth at that moment, for he sputtered and gasped.

"What?" Harry said. "I have no idea what you are talking about! What letters?"

"Ah" said Griphook, nodding to him self. "That's what we at Gringotts were afraid of. Please tell me, Mr. Potter – how many letters have you received from us over the years? Say from your eleventh birthday, on?"