3 Chapter 3: Gringotts Visit pt.2 (The Disgusting Truth)

*Please note that the currency for USD to Galleons is still the canon $7*

(TW: Implication of verbal abuse)

Great Britain

The Leaky Cauldron-Diagon Alley

Gringotts

After having rubbed his eyes to rid of the tears that only showed weakness, Harry once again directed his eyes towards the lies and betrayal filling up the piece of parchment. His mind did not want to comprehend what he saw, but the truth of the matter was that his parentage was partly true and that the mother figure he had come to love had done nothing but use the poor orphaned child. There was also the matter of all the compulsions that were placed onto him, however Harry had no idea when.

Full Name: Hadrian Jameson Potter-Prince

Status: Halfblood

Born: July 31st, 1981,

Mother: Lilian Potter-Prince née Evans (deceased)

Father: Severus Snape-Prince (confunded)

Uncle: Sirius Orion Black III

Magical Guardian:

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Godparents:

Godfather: James Charles Potter-Black I (deceased)

Godfather: Regulus Arcturus Potter-Black (deceased)

Godmother: Alice Enid Longbottom (unable to reach)

Godsiblings:

Godbrother: Neville Frank Longbottom

Lordships/Heirships:

Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter (by blood-adoption, paternal)

Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Prince (by blood, paternal)

Lord to the Ancient and Noble House of Peverell (by blood-adoption, paternal)

Lord to the Ancient and Noble House of Gryffindor (by blood-adoption, paternal)

Lord to the Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin (by conquest)

Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black (by blood-adoption, paternal)

Vaults:

Potter Vault(s): 687(732,427 galleons-32,548 sickles-12,714 knuts, 23 tomes, 35 artifacts), 704(7 artifacts)

Prince Vault(s): 845(415,795 galleons-10,639 sickles-4,603 knuts, 10 tomes, 22 artifacts), 821(Only accessible to the Lord to the Ancient and Noble House of Prince )

Peverell Vault: 713 (1,276,087 galleons-112,387 sickles-49,324 knuts, 85 tomes, 134 artifacts)

Gryffindor Vault: 56 (2,653,185 galleons-209,435 sickles-60,341 knuts, 30 tomes, 324 artifacts)

Slytherin Vault: 34 (1,638,572 galleons-187,397 sickles-54,597 knuts, 122 tomes, 598 artifacts)

Black Vault(s): 711(1,00,234 galleons-98,349 sickles-38,482 knuts, 71 tomes, 244 artifacts), 623(Only accessible to the Lord to the Ancient and Noble House of Black)

Properties:

Potter Manor (Unplottable)

Cottage (Godric's Hollow)

Prince Manor (Unavailable)

Necromancer's Underground Cavern (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Hebi Temple (Kyoto, Japan)

Grimmauld Place (Unavailable, London, Great Britain)

4 Spinner's End (Unavailable)

Magical Abilities:

Core- Neutral/Leaning towards Dark (Forcefully Light)

Parseltongue

Parselmagic (Blocked by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore)

Animagus (Not yet unlocked)

Spell Crafting

Necromancy (Blocked by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore)

Healing (Not yet unlocked)

Compulsions/Keyed:

Loyalty towards Light families (Weasleys, Diggorys, Longbottoms, etc) (Applied at the age of 11)

Distrust towards Slytherins and Slytherin House (Applied at the age of 11)

Compulsions to become reckless and self-sacrificial (Applied at the age of 7)

Trust towards Molly Weasley and Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Applied at the age of 11)

Compulsions geared towards disliking dark magic (Applied at the age of 3)

Compulsions to become more subservient (Applied at the age of 3)

He had given the Weasley family his trust, something that has been abused time and time again, with this time being no different. Every single time Harry believes that someone will want him for him, that person usually betrays him. He truly did not fathom why Molly felt the need to key his loyalty and possibly his love to her, when he is sure he would have done that otherwise. Harry has never had a mother figure, so he became attached rather quickly, however, now he questions what could have been had he had a clean slate.

He wonders if Ron and Ginny actually like him or if the twins truly see him as a younger brother. They often followed what their mother said and if she had been saying nasty things to them here and there, would they have believed it? All Harry can feel is pain at the thought, as Ron was his very first friend. He may be done with his friends, but knowing that there is a slim possibility that his friendship and meeting with the Weasley's was nothing but a setup is depressing. Maybe the shaggy-haired male should have realized that he liked the idea of Ron as his first friend because the redhead has flaws for days, such as his bouts of jealousy.

Finally, Harry decides to move on, knowing that if he lingers any longer on Molly or the rest of the Weasley family, he may never leave Gringotts. His beautiful eyes travel towards Albus Dumbledore, who also found it acceptable to throw compulsions and blocks onto him, for a reason he simply cannot think of. The wizard already had an easily influenced child who was fairly submissive, unless..that was never a part of his personality in the first place.

Struck with that sudden thought, Harry thinks back to what his personality used to be like as a child, yet he cannot remember being anything other than submissive. Somehow, that idea feels wrong. Cursing under his breath, Harry puts that on the back burner, knowing that the mysteries and questions are piling up faster than he can fly on a broom.

It's heartbreaking knowing that the once grandfatherly figure he had was nothing but a façade, hoping to skew his thoughts and ideas for his own idea of the "Greater Good". For the past four years, Albus Dumbledore has done nothing but imply that he is to save the wizarding world in some capacity, but how can he do that without any knowledge? If anything, he is beginning to feel like a lamb for slaughter, all innocent and naïve to the deceit thrown at his eyes.

A large sigh leaves his pale chapped lips, trying to focus on the more positive aspects of the parchment. He may have been lied to all his life about his parentage but Harry doesn't really mind. Having not known his parents, it becomes hard to associate the idea of them with what everyone kept saying to him. However, something is off about the whole thing.

Remus, Sirius, and even Snape would have known who his parents were, considering the fact that he has two 'fathers' technically alive, yet neither said anything. All have been absolutely firm in the belief that Lily Evans and James Potter were married and had him, even though that isn't the truth. It makes him wonder if maybe, just maybe, the adults in his life hadn't necessarily failed him but were manipulated.

Harry stares back at the compulsions sections, thinking deeper into the matter. If he was manipulated, could the others have been as well? A spark of hope fills his chest as a small soft smile spreads across his face. Harry would much rather think of the positives than the negatives, as his life feels like a never ending soap opera. It may be childish to dream about, but all Harry ever wanted was familial love, something that he had been deprived of by no fault of his own.

The hidden slytherin rubbed his forehead, trying to make sense of his telenovela of a life. He knew he was never a true light wizard, as he found fascination in the dark arts. When Ron had all but abandoned him last year, Harry took solace in a hidden place known as the Come and Go Room, which allowed him to read beginner books on the dark arts. He was also able to learn about wizarding traditions and etiquette, coming to the realization that the reason Malfoy was such a dick at times was because he had harshly snubbed him.

Unfortunately, he couldn't quite just go up and apologize to the blonde as that would have been suspicious at the very least. Now, however, he has nothing to hold him back. The headmaster may become slightly suspicious, but he could always make something up along the lines of his mother having written a letter depicting how she wanted her son to be where he wanted to be, rather than where others wanted him. It would fit with the image of a sad orphan wanting to act out his dead parent's wishes.

On another note, during his time in the Come and Go Room, Harry had also found the Hogwart's charter and found a section that explained how he could get a resort. The house of Gryffindor has always put him on edge, as one wrongdoing would label him as the next Dark Lord. Small flashbacks of second year give him a full body shudder.

With that in mind, Harry wanted to get himself into the home of the snakes, where his hidden personality traits would come alive and prosper. Thanks to his emancipation, he can request a resort as soon as fifth year begins, which excites him knowing that the look of surprise on his 'friends' faces will be a sight to see. It will, however, be challenging to change the way the snakes see him, considering how he used to act. The male honestly can't wait to see Malfoy's face when he takes his place where he was always meant to be.

Slowly, a small grin appears on Harry's face as he ignores the possible upcoming breakdown that will surely happen when everything has caught up with him. Instead, he puts his focus on the amount of wealth he has, along with the various properties in various locations. The one that excites him the most is the underground cavern as he has no idea what to expect from that. In all his time in the wizarding world, Harry has never heard of necromancers, most likely because they would be classified as 'dark'.

"Griphook, is there any way to get rid of the compulsions on me? I can't do anything if they continue to work as intended." Harry stares at Griphook as his hand clenches the parchment. It's different saying it out loud, rather than simply thinking about what has been done to him. "Well Mr.Potter, I do say we can do that..for a price of 30 galleons." The sharp grin worn by Griphook made Harry shiver just a bit, because the look in his eyes reminded him of Uncle Vernon when the whale had the belt.

"20." Harry threw back at the goblin, unwilling to pay so much. Griphook countered back with 25 before they settled upon 23 galleons. "Now, we can set that aside for another day. Instead, let us focus on you taking on your lordships. They will help you escape from your current guardians and your magical guardian." Harry could do nothing but sharply grin at that statement, knowing that is exactly what he wanted.

The goblin leaves his desk for a second, seemingly searching for some item as Harry waits in the soft chair in anticipation. He's this close to being free and escaping those who have done nothing but thrown him down into a deep dark abyss of despair. The taste of freedom lingers on his tongue as he happily watches Griphook return back to his desk with a small silver ring box in his small hands.

As the tiny box is opened up, multiple rings appear in Harry's sight, some of which are more plain looking than others. The ones that stand out the most are the Slytherin and Gryffindor rings, with their respective house creature symbols embedded in beautiful jewels. "Alright Mr.Potter, simply add these to your person and wait for them to accept you." Harry stares at the rings before him, wondering how he can wear all of them at once. There would be no room left on his finger. The thought must've shown on his face as Griphook answers the question he was pondering. "The rings that have accepted you will combine into one ring that shall only be visible to yourself and others when you allow it."

Harry began the process of placing the rings on his fingers as he grabbed the Potter lord ring first. It was the most simple out of all the rings before him, being a light silver band and accepted him rather easily. Satisfied, Harry grabs the Peverell ring that gives off an eerie aura, as if a ghost lingers in the distance. Shivering a bit, the wizard puts on the golden band with tiny interesting symbols of a triangle with a circle that has a line down the middle all around the band. The temperature within the room seems to lower as a dark smoke leaves the ring, frightening Harry who finds he cannot room the ring whatsoever. "Do not fret for the ring has accepted you in its own way." Griphook's voice calms Harry down a bit, who is finally able to remove the golden band from his finger. Exhaling in relief, Avada Kedavara eyes latch onto the bright two emeralds on the Slytherin ring, standing in place of the eyes of the two silver snakes.

A hiss escapes the mouth of one of the snakes once the ring is in place, uttering words about who believes they are worthy of the Slytherin line. Unsure if he should respond, Harry just goes for it, knowing that hesitation will do nothing but impede him on his path to eventual greatness. "I find that I am worthy of the Sssslytherin line. I will do my best to uphold Ssssalazar's honor." The parseltongue slips out of his mouth as if he has been speaking it his entire life, seemingly assuring the snakes that eyes glow with deadly power. They hiss a few words of uncertainty before accepting him. One of the snakes jumps out from the ring and bites his finger, making him cry out slightly. Harry may be used to pain in general, but he was not prepared for the bite whatsoever, that brings a burning sensation all over his body. Eventually, it disappears, along with the snakes that seemed to come to life as they now appear to be regular carvings.

Huffing, Harry wonders if the Gryffindor ring will be just as bad, with its bright gold and ruby red coloring blinding those who look at it. He slowly slides the ring into place, staring at the gryffindor-like creature on the front, wondering if it'll also come to life. Harry isn't sure he wants to deal with that again. Luckily, the ceremony of sorts is fairly simple, with a glowing light appearing from the ring from the center and surrounding his entire body. Appreciating the simplicity, Harry slips the last ring off of his finger and back into the ring box, watching in amazement as they all combine into one small silver band, similar to that of the Potter one. Admittedly, he wishes he could have known that type of magic ages ago, as he would only need one book instead of having to purchase so many.

"Now, Lord Potter-Peverell-Gryffindor-Slytherin, would you like to also see if the heir rings will accept you?" Once the title falls out of the goblin's mouth, Harry cringes a bit, finding that he would not want to constantly be referred to as that or refer to himself with such a long title. Slipping on the small silver band, Harry ponders the question, weighing out the pros and cons of such a decision. If he does accept the heir rings, both Snape and Sirius would possibly be alerted, something he doesn't want to happen. If they aren't alerted, the next time they come to Gringotts, they might be. Snape would probably curse him for being like his father, while Sirius would relate all information back to Dumbledore, something he does not want happening. The only pro he can currently see is having access to more money, something he already owns in excess.

"No, I will accept them once all relevant parties are aware of the truth and are no longer under a specific person's thumb." His answer is said sternly as he thinks of the consequences of his visit today getting back to anyone under Dumbledore, as it would spell disaster for him. Harry can see Dumbledore with his twinkly eyes trying to convince him of how he should donate an excessive amount of money to the 'war efforts' or that he should let someone else oversee his accounts. Harry would not be entirely surprised if the man berated him for acting on his own. He's glad that he doesn't need to ever work another day in his life, but having grown up with barely anything, it becomes difficult to see where or what he would spend the money on.

With all of that said and done, Harry wonders what the next step is. He can focus on the truth of his parentage at another time and instead needs to figure out where he will go to be free of any wandering eyes. Staring at the list of properties before him, Harry is stuck between two options, the temple in Japan or the underground cavern. Both options sound appealing, as they seem far enough out of Dumbledore's reach and finds himself unable to choose either option. Lacking knowledge about either country, Harry hesitantly looks up at Griphook, who seems annoyed about the fact that he is still in the goblin's office. "Griphook? Which location do you think would be best for me to escape to?" The wizard asks politely, awaiting the goblin's reply. However, as soon as the goblin begins to say the long title, Harry quickly interrupts him, gaining a fierce glare sent his way. "Er, please call me Harry instead."

Eventually, the glare lessens in ferocity, as the goblin responds to his question. "It depends, Harry. The magical communities of Japan and Brazil are fairly different, with various branches of magic being taught. The cultures are also far apart, therefore it would come down to what you want. If you want my opinion, something wizards seem to hardly ask for, I would recommend Japan. The country has a higher opinion of parselmagic and parseltongue than Brazil does, making it easier to learn about the branch of magic without any fear of persecution. I hope that answers your question, Harry."

The emphasis on his name makes the male cringe just a bit, before thinking about the information he has just received. When he first noticed the word parselmagic on the parchment, his interest was piqued, as it was something he never knew was possible. If Voldemort does use it, that would leave Harry on an equal playing field in that regard. He is also interested in the necromancy bit, however he isn't sure if any magical community would be accepting of that.

Harry has also never been out of the country before, as the Dursleys never wanted to take the freak anywhere in public where his supposed cursed evil powers could make a surprise appearance. His sad, but frank ignorance of the world shows as he can barely think of what the cultures of either country would be like. Had he had access to a computer or phone growing up, maybe he wouldn't be so ignorant, but he cannot change the past. However he can change the future by finally being able to explore an entirely different part of the world.

Firm in his decision, Harry softly smiles, feeling like a plan is finally coming together as he honestly left on a whim. "Japan it is. When will I be able to go?" The question lingers in his mind, as he has no idea when the opportunity to go will be available. "Well, Harry, we at Gringotts can purchase an international portkey for a small sum of 52 galleons." Harry groans inwardly at the price, instinctively feeling that the cost is overpriced. "I'll do it for 35." His mouth speaks before his mind thinks, panicking just a little. He dropped the price by about almost 20 galleons, which feels like a large drop.

A few seconds seem to flutter by as Griphook makes no move to comment, before a slight sharp grin fills his features. "43 galleons. Take it or leave it, Harry." Unwilling to haggle any further, he accepts the price with a slight nod, wondering where he'll go from here. "Well, since that is settled. Thank you for doing business today with Gringotts. Tomorrow at 3pm, show up so that one of our many goblin healers can work on getting rid of those compulsions and blocks. We can discuss when your portkey will go and what you should prepare. May your vaults never empty." Absorbing the information, Harry utters a soft goodbye as he leaves Griphook's office with both his inheritance test and his rings, intent on finding a place for the night. He had been unsure how to respond back to that small sentence at the end of Griphook's goodbye message, so he opted to say nothing.

Once he is outside of Gringotts, Harry silently makes his way towards Knockturn alley to find a place for the night, knowing no questions will be asked. His cap continues to cover his scar as the darkness outside hides his prominent features, such as his bright green eyes. The silence permeating from the wizarding world is surprising, as the daytime is loud and cheery, with life in abundance. His eyes fall upon a creaky sign with the words "Navelle's Coffin & Blood", which Harry assumes is a play on bed and breakfast. As he pushes the door open, he finds that he has finally found a place to relax for the night.

His mind is occupied with the comings of tomorrow as he pays for a single night that costs just 1 sickle, ignoring the clear evidence that something is just not quite right with the pub he has found himself in. Harry is too caught within his own mind as he walks up to the second floor where his room is placed, missing the visible fangs evident from the worker's sly smile. Once he finally finds his room, Harry just shuts the door close and hops onto the bed, not caring to shower nor that he is planning to sleep in his clothing.

His mind and body are completely exhausted as he snuggles under the covers, wondering about where his new path will take him. Not back to the light, that's for sure. As his mind dips away into the land of dreams, Harry is unaware of the changes that have begun around him from his decision to be free to make his own path and future.