Turning to look at the other two occupants of the room, Harry smiled lightly. "I am very grateful for your concern professor, Madam Pomfrey, but you shouldn't worry. I will be fine this sumr, I've been making alternate arrangents," Harry said.
Severus picked up on the vagueness of the answer and narrowed his eyes. It wouldn't be unexpected for an abused child to lie. "What arrangents, exactly?" he asked.
Harry tried not to scowl at the man's insistence. "I would rather not say. It has co to my attention that it was Professor Dumbledore who placed with my relatives and I would hate for him to be aware of my plans," Harry said.
"I see," Severus replied. He was impressed the boy had discovered that much, but his answer also worried him. Why did Potter not trust Dumbledore?
"You will be safe, dear?" Pomfrey asked.
"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied.
"I don't like this, but I've known Albus for years. He never listens to when I tell him about children I fear co from bad hos. It's the reason I go to the head of houses now," she said, sighing. Harry was shocked by this and wondered how Dumbledore maintained his great image if his staff knew he ignored abuse.
Severus looked at Filius and saw that the man's eyes were hard. "You are aware of Mr. Potter's plans?" he asked.
"I'm aware of so of them," Flitwick replied.
"You trust he will be alright?" Severus asked. He respected Filius as the man would always go out of his way for his students.
Filius looked at the boy sitting in front of him and considered all he knew about Harry Potter. He was a mystery; he had friends within the goblin race and his abilities were beyond that of his age. He also knew a lot about this world for sobody who had apparently just entered it. However, he trusted the boy. He had seen him spend hours teaching wand movents to his fellow first years, watched as he united the houses.
"I trust Mr. Potter knows what he is doing," Flitwick said.
Harry contained his smile.
Severus, who had been watching Filius as he thought about his answer, nodded his head. "Very well, then. However, Mr. Potter, I will expect you to owl if you find yourself in trouble or in need of assistance," he said, looking at the boy who reminded him so much of Lily.
"Yes, sir," Harry said.
~
After that, Harry was allowed to go to the feast. Sitting down with his housemates, Harry smiled at them as they celebrated their first year being complete. Unlike in his last life, when the house cup was awarded, it went to Slytherin. Harry received no unexpected points. Clapping politely for the snake house, Harry returned to his dorm with his roommates and started to pack.
Getting on the train the next day, Harry shared his compartnt with the sa people he had arrived at Hogwarts with.
"You look happy, Harry," Susan comnted, surprised as she thought the boy would be upset about returning to his family.
"I am happy," Harry said. "It's been a great year." He thought about what he had accomplished. He had gotten his revenge on Hermione, though his gut still churned sotis at the thought of what happened, started to plant the seeds needed to destroy Dumbledore's reputation, gained the stone, and gotten Sirius a trial. A very good year, indeed.
"It has been great," Neville agreed.
Eventually the journey was underway and they all made plans to et up, Harry promising to try. He knew he would be busy, though, what with Sirius' trial and everything.
Pulling into the station hours later, Harry left his friends, promising to write and visit. Susan had been against letting him leave as she had wanted her aunt to et his relatives, but Harry had persuaded her to let him go. It wasn't like he was actually going ho to Surrey. Finding a secluded spot, Harry shrunk down his trunk and let Hedwig free, telling her to head to the Leaky Cauldron, before he apparated there.
Walking out into Diagon Alley, Harry headed straight to Gringotts. He had to see a goblin about a rat.
Entering Gringotts, Harry no longer felt the need to approach a teller. Instead, he greeted those he passed as he made his way straight into the back and towards Ragnok's office.
After being called inside, Harry sat down and pulled out his trunk, unshrinking it and releasing the wards.
"You have the traitor, then?" Ragnok asked as he watched Harry.
"Of course," Harry said, pulling out the cage with the rat.
Peter let out distressed squeaks and cowered in the enchanted cage.
Ragnok could feel the enchantnts and let out a sadistic laugh when he realised their purpose.
"I take it you were not fond of Mr. Pettigrew in your past life?" he asked.
Harry stunned the rat. "That would be an understatent. Not only did he betray my parents and get them killed, he assisted in Voldemort's return, using my blood - which he took unwillingly," Harry hissed.
"Unfortunate," Ragnok comnted, his expression showing his amusent.
"It was actually quite traumatic at the ti; I was still the light's golden boy. And it left quite a large scar, both physically and ntally," Harry said his pretend offence making Ragnok's smirk widen.
"Yes, I'm sure you're very traumatised," Ragnok said.
Harry laughed lightly. "So, what's going to happen to him now?" he asked.
"Mr. Dodge will co and collect him. If you wish to et him, he should be arriving soon," Ragnok said.
Harry considered this and decided it was a smart decision to et the man acting as his law wizard.
"I'll wait here," he said.
"Very good. Shall I send for so tea and a light snack?" Ragnok offered.
"Please, that would be appreciated. The train from Hogwarts does leave much to be desired in terms of real food," Harry said, thinking about all of the sweets he had eaten. That was one of the only benefits of having such a young body - Harry had re-found his sweet tooth.
~
When Edgar Dodge arrived an hour later, Harry was happily full. The man was visually deceptive in his mind; he looked to be in his mid 30's, light brown hair that was thinning slightly, and blue-grey eyes that looked small in his thin face. He did not look like a man who would be trusted by the goblin race or a man who was famous for his cut throat tactics and high success rate.
"Mr. Potter, I presu?" Dodge said, surprising Harry with his rich voice. He could suddenly see why he had such high success rates.
"Indeed. It's a pleasure, Mr. Dodge," Harry said, standing and offering his hand. Even in his eleven year old body, Harry was still technically his employer and wanted to act like it.
Taking the offered hand, Dodge shook once before taking a seat. He imdiately picked up the cage and observed it.
"You had no trouble obtaining him?" he asked, inspecting the stunned animagus.
"Not at all, I managed it the day I received your note," Harry said.
"Good - and nobody suspects you?" Edgar questioned.
"What's to suspect? The rat simply escaped his cage," Harry said, sharing a smirk with the man as Ragnok sat back and watched.
"Excellent, this will help increase the chances of success exponentially. Now, moving on from the rat; after I have seen to the release of Mr. Black, I imagine you will wish for to represent him in his custody suit," Edgar said, pulling out a few files and a self-inking quill.
Harry nodded. "Yes, though I do not know how much Ragnok had told you," Harry said, sending the goblin a look of question.
"Mr. Dodge is aware of your ho situation and of the fact that Dumbledore attempted to block and manipulate your magic and life. He had also been briefed about the money embezzlent and his station as your magical guardian," Ragnok clarified.
"Right, then you're up to date," Harry said to the law wizard. He was happy with the information Ragnok had shared - he didn't want it known he was from the future or such.
"Mr. Black has a strong case for you as, not only is he your godfather, I am told your parents also did the blood adoption ritual. aning he is legally, magically, and biologically 1/3 your parent, as the ritual will have given you both Black and Potter blood and traits. However, the opposition will make their case based on his ntal stability. Ten years in Azkaban will have caused both physical and ntal damage. They may also claim that uprooting you from your current family would cause you problems - that you have a steady life and changing that could affect your health.
"The first problem is difficult to argue. However, if given imdiate and in-depth treatnt, I'm sure Mr. Black could make a quick and thorough recovery. This should be highlighted, and with the resources at his call if he claims the Black lordship, then your godfather will easily be able to afford the best treatnt. The latter claim can be easily fought depending on you: do you wish for your treatnt at the hands of your relatives to beco known?"
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