Harry Potter and the Manipulator of Destiny (Completed)

Chapter 2: Breaking of Dawn

"I've never gotten anything from Gringotts!" Harry's voice was rising in excitement. "What should I have been getting from you?"

The goblin lowered his mug of steaming coffee to his chest and looked him straight in the eyes. "Monthly statements, a copy of your parents will soon after visiting us for the first time, three letters regarding the will of Mr. Sirius Black, invitations for yearly account reviews…" he ticked off the list on his long fingers, "…shall I go on?"

"No, I've got the message" Harry sat back down, agitated but listening. "Someone has been screening my mail and keeping my money matters from me I guess. But who?"

"Tell me, Mr. Potter" continued Griphook "are you missing other mail that you are aware of? Do you hear from your friends on a regular basis?" Harry nodded. "How about your fans? Has the amount of fan mail and gifts increased or diminished this summer?"

Harry's mouth hung open and he did a decent imitation of a goldfish, gulping and gasping for a minute or two. "FAN MAIL? You've got to be joking – I've never received fan mail! Who'd write me?" But even as he said it, his face turned unconsciously toward his Aunt and Uncles' bedroom. They certainly wouldn't want him to know about any admirers, but could they have hidden owl deliveries for years? Also, his Aunt and Uncle seemed sincere in their deep rooted belief that Harry couldn't possibly be famous or good for anything.

"Well, Mr. Potter" growling Griphook in a low voice "do you not find it strange that the whole wizarding world knows you, knows of your heroism and exploits, or believes lies written of you in the Daily Prophet that aren't factual, and yet you never get mail about it, except at Hogwarts? After ridding the world of Voldemort for a time, do you not think that there would be many grateful people who would remember your birthday, or the anniversary of the loss of your parents? Who indeed has kept this from you."

Harry sat back in his chair still gaping slightly. "I take it you have an idea?" he asked after a while.

"Well", said Griphook, with a snarlish smile, "the first place I'd look would be my magical guardian".

"Magical guardian?" Harry asked, puzzled. "What is a magical guardian? I don't have one that I know of".

Griphook looked less than pleased. He frowned and reached into a leather satchel that was sitting on the floor by where he was sitting. "Mr. Albus Dumbledore made himself your magical guardian when your parents died – here is the paperwork on that. We found it slightly irregular at the time, seeing that he wasn't going to adopt you, to claim custody of you, but it was properly filed with the Ministry, and we goblins tend to keep our noses out of other peoples' business."

Harry glanced over the parchment, which proclaimed Dumbledore to be his magic guardian, and benefactor in case Harry died. "What does this give him legal right to do?" he asked, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

The goblin smiled, but it resembled a snarl more than warmth. "This document gives Mr. Albus Dumbledore the right to everything a parent can do, Mr. Potter – handle your finances, pay himself a salary for 'caring for you', screen your mail, choose your living place – shall I go on? Ever since the settling of your parents will, he has been paying himself 2,000 galleons a year maintenance from the Potter vaults, and removing substantial amounts of money. The only thing he cannot do, which was attempted on several occasions, was to sell property in the Potter estate, or have access to the vaults. He only controls money until you tell him to stop."