Elf, Self, and Inner Wealth

Chapter Three: Gringotts - Part 2

Harry stared at the parchment without blinking. He was shocked. How was this possible? Harry looked over the parchment again.

━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━


Name: Hadrian Lillian Potter-Black
Age: 13
Species: Human Wizard
Blood Status: Half-Blood
Born: July 31st, 1980, Godric's Hollow, England
Creature Inheritance: High Elf
Parent(s):
James Charlus Potter (Biological Father)
Lily Rosaline Potter nee Evans (Biological Mother)
Sirius Orion Black (Blood adoption, August 1st, 1980)
Godparent(s):
Sirius Orion Black
Remus John Lupin
Alice Jane Longbottom
Minerva Isobel McGonagall
Living Relative(s)
Sirius Orion Black (Blood Adopted Father)
Petunia Rose Dursley Neé Evens (Squib) (Aunt)
Vernon Paul Dursley (Muggle) (Uncle)
Dudley Vern Dursley (Squib) (First Cousin)
Narcissa Lenora Malfoy (Pureblood) (Third Cousin)
Lucius Jean Malfoy (Pureblood) (Third Cousin)
Draco Lucius Malfoy (Pureblood) (Fourth Cousin)
Tom Marvolo Riddle (Half-Blood) (Distant Uncle)
Mate(s): Severus Snape

Lordship(s): N/A

Heirship(s):
Heir of the Most Archaic and Noble House of Potter (Paternal)
Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Peverell (Paternal)
Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Gryffindor (Paternal)
Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House Black (Blood Adoption)
Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin (Conquest)
Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Gaunt (Conquest)
Wizengamot Seat(s):
Potter - 10
Gryffindor - 15
Peverell - 20
Black - 10
Slytherin - 15
Gaunt - 1
Total: 71
Contract(s):
Marriage Contract between Harry James Potter and Ginevra Molly Weasley signed by A.P.W.B. Dumbledore and Molly Prewett Weasley (Void)

How was this possible? There was just so much to unpack—Ugh—Bloody hell!—Oh, Merlin Snape was his mate! Snape hates me! Harry felt as if the air was leaving his lungs yet again today.

Oh no—Not again! Harry took a deep breath, but it was as if the room had no air. Why was the room getting dark? Harry felt his chair moving, making him feel sick. Through black spots, he could see Griphook kneeling before him, his mouth moving but there was no sound coming out. Harry couldn't hear him over his thumping heart, even if Griphook was making a sound.

Another goblin raced into the room, the speed of which made Harry more dizzy. He handed Griphook a vial of something. Griphook's mouth started soundly moving again. Then he brought the vial up to Harry's lips. Harry didn't know what it was, but he trusted Griphook, so he drank what was in the vial, hoping his trust wasn't misplaced.

Harry immediately sighed as everything stopped spinning, and the air was coming back into the room. His heartbeat was no longer thundering, and he could hear Griphook.

"You're okay, young-ling, that's it, deep breaths. I've got you. I just gave you a calming draught. It will help calm you down, deep breaths, in and out." Griphook said, repeating it with a gentle, soothing tone that made it easier to breathe.

Harry took deep breaths until his breathing was normal. Griphook was still on one knee, and a gnarled hand was on Harry's knee. Harry blushed when he realized his hand was on Griphook's chest. The goblin was showing him how to breathe. Harry smiled gratefully and gently took his hand back. Griphook looked at him for a few seconds before nodding and standing with surprising grace.

Harry's mind was still whirling. Faster than a snitch. He could feel a headache coming on.

"What is it that upset you so much, young Heir?" Director Ragnok asked. Harry tried to think, but there wasn't only one thing that upset him.

"Snape is my mate. What does that mean for me? He hates me! My name is Hadrian. I was just getting used to Harry! The Malfoy's are my family. Voldemort is my bloody uncle!" Harry was almost hysterical when he finished. His last statement caused both goblins to gape at Harry.

"What do you mean Voldemort is your uncle?" Griphook snarled. Harry flinched back, and Griphook grimaced before smiling softly. He's not angry at me, just the situation, Harry tried to tell himself.

"Tom Riddle is Voldemort. I found out two months ago when he was possessing ginny and set a basilisk on me." Harry muttered the last bit with a sour frown. Making the goblins' eyes widen so much that they looked like they would fall out.

"A basilisk! How did you survive?" Director Ragnok asked, looking worried.

"I killed it after Fawkes pecked her eyes out." Harry stated. Not knowing that the goblins, who were steadily growing fond of the young-ling, respect had just skyrocketed. Even a grown goblin couldn't have taken on a basilisk on their own, pecked eyes or not.

"What do you mean you are still getting used to Harry?" Griphook asked, eyes narrow in suspicion. Harry's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't mean to say that. He was just frustrated.

"I—I used to think my name was freak." Harry mumbled, embarrassed. Griphook closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but Harry could see his jaw was clenching.

"Would you like to be called Harry or Hadrian?" Harry thought about the question Griphook asked for a few moments but wasn't sure.

"Can I decide later?" Harry asked.

"Of course, but we will need you to decide by the end of the day for the documents." Griphook stated with an apologetic tone. Harry smiled at him.

"Shall we get back to business? Would you like to go over the inheritance test?" Director Ragnok asked. Harry nodded and turned his chair around. Looking over the test again, he did have a lot of questions.

"What is it you would like to know, young Heir." Director Ragnok asked.

"How could I be a High Elf? What is a High Elf? Is it like house elves? Will I look like them?" Harry asked. He had been wondering about it. Not that he didn't love Dobby, but he didn't particularly want to look like him.

"High Elves and House Elves are part of the fae folk. Fairies are often called fae by Wixen's, but many more creatures fall under the title of the fae, such as Pixies and Brownies, also known as House Elves." Harry didn't know that. He has heard of brownies before, but now, he thinks he understands house elves more.

"The Fae come from what we call Fae Land because we don't know the actual name. Names are important to the fae, especially Fairies. One should never give a Fariy their name but don't lie to one. They take great offense to lying, and giving them your real name can give them power over you." Director Ragnok stressed as he explained.

"Besides some appearances such as ears and larger eyes, not to the extent of a House Elf, High Elves do not resemble Brownies." Harry nodded along to show he was listening.
Harry nodded along to show he was listening.

"A High Elf is one of the more desirable creatures inheritance. They have beautiful features. They are also magical and physically more powerful, and they get an extra magical boost at 21. High Elves usually work in government jobs to better their world. Others usually work with nature." Director Ragnok continued.

Harry thought about Aunt Petunia's garden, how it almost shined on sunny days. The plants were always perfect long after others started to wilt, and when others were dormant for their hibernation, Harry's were still blooming.

Harry had thought about going into a government job before Hogwarts. He wanted to change things for the better. Make it so no child was abused like him. Harry also couldn't understand why some people were treated differently from others. People were people. It didn't matter if they were different. Imperfections are what make us special.

Unlike some people, he would never give up his dream of helping others. So why did he when he went into the wizarding...?—No the wixen world? Harry shook his head feeling a headache come on. Director Ragnok's talking brought him out of his thoughts.

"We don't know much else about Elves. Is there anything else you would like to talk about?" Director Ragnok asked. Harry thought about it, there were a few things he wanted to talk about.

"How do I have three parents?" Harry asked nervously. He wanted to know before but was scared to ask.

"You may have seen besides the third parent in the inheritance test that it was through blood adoption. Blood adoption is a very old ritual that wixen used to use to adopt children into families. It uses a drop of blood from the child and the would-be parent. If magic accepts your claim, the child will become part of the family." Director Ragnok explained, showing him his inheritance test. A clawed finger under Sirius Orion Black (Blood adoption, August 1st, 1980).

"Where is he?" Harry asked, trying not to mumble the question. Where was his father? Should he call him father? Why wasn't Harry living with him? Why was he left with the Dursleys, when he had a living parent?

"Sirius Orion Black was sent to Azkaban for betraying the Potters to Voldemort." Director Ragnok gently explained. Harry's jaw clenched as tears started to blur his vision. Blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling, Harry thought of his second father. Why would he betray him?

Harry cringed when the first tear fell down his cheeks, he could no longer hold them back. Harry was horrified when a sob came from him. Snapping his hand to his mouth to muffle his cries, he tried to think of something that wouldn't hurt but all he could think about was his father betraying him.

Harry's cries got louder and louder until he was nearly screaming. Why? Were the only people to ever love him dead? Would he forever be unloved? Harry doesn't know how long he was nearly wailing for, like a baby! Gasping he soon felt like he could calm down, tears still spilling over his cheeks but the sobs had stopped. When Harry had finally calmed down he noticed that Griphook was once again by his side, only this time he was in the chair beside him, rubbing his back.

"Sorry." Harry said as he wiped his eyes and nose. Merlin, it wasn't even noon and he was exhausted! Harry angrily wiped his eyes with his sleeves when Griphook started to talk. He wasn't a baby!

"You are not a baby." Griphook started, Damn, didn't mean to say that out loud.

"We goblins are a warrior race. Nobody knows trauma as we do. Trauma and war go claw in claw. Our warriors go through mental training before ever seeing a battlefield, to expose someone, especially so young, is a great dishonor on their person. Goblins do not see crying as a weakness but as a release of painful emotions. You can't hold these feelings inside without hurting yourself." Griphook stated as Harry cleaned himself up.

Harry was surprised that goblins allowed emotion never-mind encouraged it. Binns definitely didn't explain that or goblins in a good light, to be honest.

"We will come back to this at a later time. Now that you have calmed down, I hope you are feeling better. I think we should talk about your Heirships?" Director Ragnok asked when Harry was completely calmed down.

"What about them?" Harry didn't know what an heirship was, other than the old Lordships but that couldn't be the same, could it? And how does he have so many?

"The first question I have to ask is are you willing to officially become Heir to these houses?" Director Ragnok asked. Harry was confused, nothing new.

"I thought I already was?" Harry questioned, they called him Heir Potter.

"You are legally Heir Presumptive Potter. This means you have the Heir Potter but have not yet taken your Heir Ring. The other houses have to accept you and then you can wear the Heir Ring because they are on your inheritance test there is a very good chance they will accept you." Director Ragnok explained. Harry nodded that made sense.

"I would like to accept my Heirships." Harry stated after thinking it over. Part of him was scared, he didn't know what he was getting himself into but another part felt like this was right. That he had to do this. Harry didn't understand it but he always followed his gut.

"Excellent Heir Potter!" Director Ragnok clapped, apparently happy with Harry's decision.

"We shall retrieve the Heir Rings and call the account managers for each Heirship. Griphook follow me." Director Ragnok stated. Director Ragnok and Griphook stood and bowed to Harry, who hesitantly bowed back, the goblins smirked and then left. While Harry waited for their return.