Azure

Breaking Free

"To make sure only goblins can enter," he said in response to Harry's quizzical stare. The room was empty sabe for papers that were stacked neatly on the table. Harry strode in, trying to project some air of confidence. He was so focused he barely caught Griphook's mumbled words. "I hope you figure things out, Mr. Potter," Griphook murmured. "You of all wizards deserve it."

A bit red in the face, Harry found himself in a purple squashy armchair with snacks on the oak wood table in front of him. He cautiously picked up the pumpkin juice, and grabbed a treacle tart too. He nibbles on the edges, but with a sigh set it down. He wasn't hungry- he was never hungry these days. Would he ever feel normal again?

A few minutes later brought the arrival of Ragnok. He was a tall goblin, yet he barely came to Harry's waist. His eyebrows were faded, and his eyes guarded, though Harry could see intelligence buried underneath the shield. The door closed with a quiet thud. and Harry approached Ragnok, and bowed slightly.

Ragnok stared at him with the same curiosity as Griphook had, but didn't hesitate in his manner. "Mr. Potter, please sit down. I presume you know why you are here?" Without waiting for Harry to answer, he said, "We are here to talk to you about some issues regarding your parents' and Lord Black's will." At Harry's confused stare, he said, "Surely you must have realized that your parents left you something?" Harry shook his head.

Ragnok continued somewhat uncomfortably. His eyes were guarded when he spoke. "Your parents' will was frozen at time of their death by your magical guardian. It was his wish for you to hear it only when you came of age, but the death of your godfather brought about some questions to its validity. Your guardian had no right to freeze the will."

"Who is my magical guardian?" Harry asked. He thought only the Durselys were his guardians. Could his magical one take him away? It sounded like a forbidden dream, but he could not help but taste the idea of freedom.

Ragnok raised a faded brow. "Do you mean to say, Mr. Potter, after five years of living in the magical world, you do not know who your magical guardian is?"

He shook his head. "No- No sir. Was I supposed to? I mean, what I'm trying to say is wouldn't my magical guardian be my head of my house?" The goblin shook his head. Where the air of formality had been was replaced with reined fury.

"Your magical guardian, Mr. Potter, is Albus Dumbledore. Surely he would have told you that?" At Harry's shake of his head, he said, "No? Well in any case Mr. Dumbledore hadn't any right to take that role in your life. Your parents' left a list of guardians in their will in the event of their death. Let me assure you that Mr. Dumbledore most certainly wasn't one of them."

Harry looked slightly confused. "Dumbledore didn't really help me get into the wizarding world. I mean, it was Hagrid who introduced me here. Does that make him my magical guardian?"

Ragnok chuckled slightly, a dry laugh with wry humor. "No, Mr. Potter. The terms of your magical guardian will not be delved into. It actually brings us rather neatly to the subject of your godfather's will."

There was a slight churn in Harry's stomach at this mention. He still felt anxious at the thought of any bequeaths left to him. The guilt whirled itself slightly.

"Mr. Black requested the reading of his will to be private for each person he left possessions behind." He cleared his throat. Picking up the sepia parchment, he read. "To Harry James Potter- I leave the entire Black fortune not previously given out. I also leave him the title of Lord Black, with the hope he will use the name to do greater things than I could dream of. I love you Pup. Don't you ever forget that."

Tears misted over Harry's eyes, and he hastily wiped them with the corner of his sleeve. Ragnok stared stony faced, but betrayed a glance of sympathy. "He loved you, Mr. Potter." Ragnok said a bit uneasy. "He wouldn't want you to be weighed down on his account."