7 CHAPTER 7 : Black Family Vault

As Harry walked back to the cart, he was thinking about the chain of events that happened inside the Potter vault. It was like.…a complete farce.

Harry heard a squeaking voice and turned to see Ironclaw.

"You have finished your work Mr Potter!", Ironclaw sounded surprised.

Of course, Harry did go into the vault just a few minutes earlier. Returning soon have made Ironclaw think that Harry had failed some kind of trial inside the vault. Usually just getting past the vault doors would make them the Lord of the family.

In response, Harry just showed him the Lord ring on his finger.

"Oh….Greetings Lord Potter. I will submit all Potter family-related registries to you as soon as we return to my office", Ironclaw responded politely while looking at the ring.

Harry too was surprised. Not because of the politeness from the Goblin, but the ring in his finger didn't have the triangle with an eye in the middle. It changed to griffin on top of a shield. Potter family crest.

'Maybe it is some kind of secret or hidden mechanism that hides the original shape of the ring' Harry concluded and didn't think much about it.

….…

Black Family vault was also exactly the same as the Potters. After Ironclaw opened the vault, there was another door with a handprint in the middle.

He knew the runes and security that were carved may be different for both vaults, but the whole process and purpose would be the same.

He hesitated for a little while.

He was still frightened by the ghosts in the previous vault. In all seriousness, the number of ghosts inside the vault was very high. Even Hogwarts only has about thirty something ghosts. There were nearly that many in the Potter vault alone.

He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the handprint, foreign magic flooded his system, minutes after his blood was taken into the vault, then the doors opened.

"Please take your time Lord Potter", Ironclaw said and left.

The inside of the vault looked like a long corridor. With paintings on either side. Magical paintings of course.

He didn't feel any kind of bond or connection forming between himself and this vault or to the paintings like what happened in the Potter's vault.

All the paintings stood still as soon as they saw him walking towards them.

"We welcome the Lord Black" They greeted him all at once. There was only a total of sixteen paintings. Even lesser than the number of ghosts present in Potter vault. Seeing that he didn't greet them back or do what they had expected, one of the paintings spoke up.

"Who are you, young man?"

"Lord Black I guess…..it appears I had the qualification to take the vault test. And here I am"

"Greetings, I am Arcturus Black the Third. Last I checked both my grandsons Sirius and Regulus didn't have any children. And the only known scion to the Black family was Draco Malfoy. And I have met that pretentious little shit, when I was alive. You are not him either. You should have black blood running through your veins, else the Black family magic would have barred you from the entry or outright killed you". The last patriarch of the Black family spoke.

"Even if I am the son of Sirius Black, wasn't he disowned from the black family"

Harry voiced his own question. Because him being head of the Black family was nowhere possible.

If Sirius Black was heir to the blacks, then he may have had the chance. Still Harry would only be his godson not his biological son to inherit the Black blood.

Arcturus expression brightened at the mention of Sirius. He shook his head and replied, "Sirius Black was removed from the position of Heir Black, but he will still be a scion of Black family and will be till the end of his life. Are you his son. But I have used all kinds of magic to look for a suitable heir. I would have found you if you were Sirius's child".

Then Harry's subconscious mind kicked in, Harry bowed and introduced himself gracefully "I am Lord Harry James Potter, son of James Charlus Potter and Lily Potter Nee Evans, godson of Sirius Arcturus Black" All the other portrait nodded positively at the manner he introduced myself.

A look of realization fell upon Arcturus's face. "Of course, of course… you are that Potter. Of course Black blood runs through your veins".

Looking at him more carefully Arcturus spoke once again, "Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived, Vanquisher of you-know-who. Of course I know a little about you too. I searched you for a while, you know. You were a perfect candidate for the position of heir to my family. But when I came to know you were placed under Dumbledore's care, I concluded you might grow into one of his pawns. So I stopped that endeavor".

The late Lord Black's disgust for Dumbledore, Harry could feel it through the painting. Like literally, just as how he smelled fear emanating from Ironclaw before.

Dumbledore was not really liked by any dark families and the people who knew of his kind grandfatherly facade. Black family may come under the first category.

"I am sorry for your loss, young man. I considered Sirius as someone worthy once, but for him to betray the trust your father placed on him…..Potters are like a family to me, if I had known something like this would happen, I would have killed him by my own hands".

"Sirius didn't betray my parents, Peter Pettigrew did. He was the secret keeper who betrayed my parents to Voldemort. And Pettigrew was killed last year". Harry corrected the painting. Sirius was dear to him. Even if he had only met the man for a short while they formed a bond.

The portrait Arcturus contemplated what Harry said for a moment.

"Is my grandson alive? What year is it?"

"It is 1998. No, Sirius died trying to save me from Bellatrix Lestrange during a fight three years back"

Looking at the portrait's confusion, Harry narrated a short version of his history to the previous Lord Black.

Sirius's escapade, Voldemort's return, Azkaban mass breakout, Sirius death, Dumbledore's death and him defeating Voldemort. He didn't say anything about his personal history or about the Horcruxes. That knowledge has to be buried and forgotten.

"So…you are saying that Dumbledore put my grandson in the prison knowing he was innocent" Arcturus asked Harry.

"Dumbledore didn't know that my parents changed the secret keeper. They told him that Sirius was the secret keeper. So the truth was hidden from everyone until Sirius outed Pettigrew to everyone", Harry said. 'Or he may have done that to get control over me' which was left unsaid.

"Young man, Dumbledore is a skilled Legilimens. His legilimency is on mastery level. He uses it regularly on people to manipulate their emotions.

Some people even call him a necessary evil.

I know about this Pettigrew family you are talking about. They are new upstarts under the banner of Potters. A Vassal family to Potters. Occlumency is beyond their capabilities. If Pettigrew was the real traitor, Dumbledore would have known it in an instant. Even if Dumbledore didn't legilimence Pettigrew, he could have tried to bring a trial for my grandson, right?

I have checked into that after Sirius was in Azkaban. It was Dumbledore, one of three wizards who signed off the need for a trial and directly put him in Azkaban.

He even vouched for a known death eater for his release in front of the whole Wizengamot, but didn't speak out for my grandson. Or do you also think my grandson doesn't have the right to have a second chance? Hn….I am sure there must have been some hidden motive for Dumbledore to do that"

That was a sound argument, he also had the same question in his mind for some time now. And he can guess the answer too. Why did dumbles vouch for Snape, but not for Sirius? Sirius wasn't even given a chance to explain his circumstances. Harry knew all the reasons, it was just that his mind was taking a lot of time to accept it.

He was brought out of the musings when another portrait started speaking.

"You can wear the Lord ring, heir Black. With the presence of the Lord's family ring, you will have all the resources of the Black family at your disposal. Now that our family is at the last stand, I only wish for you to help our family prosper My Lord"

Harry looked at the end of the corridor the portrait was pointing at.

There on the pedestal at the end of the corridor was a ring placed on a velvet pillow. Another signet ring. The ring's outline looked like two Grimm jumping on at each other and tightly holding on to a circular plate with crows printed on it. Black Family crest. He wore it in his left-hand ring finger, it soon adjusted its size to fit his finger.

He started conversing with the portraits and came to know of some information.

The vault had its own version of vanishing cabinet, which the portraits called transportation room, through which one can come to the vault directly without coming to Gringotts. The other end of the room was present in Grimmauld Place Lord's study.

Old families like this only came to Gringotts bank to access their vault only once in ten years or more than that. It was just a formality to them. They generally use these kinds of teleportation of sorts or similar methods to access the vaults frequently, without the knowledge of the Goblins.

After some light conversation, each portrait introduced themselves one by one and went back to a frozen state.

Harry was already astonished by the capability of the portraits. He had seen many portraits in Hogwarts. But not one portrait can hold a conversation like the ones present in the Black Family Vault do. It was like talking to a live person that is present on the other side of the mirror.

He counted there are only paintings up to fourteen generations.

Arcturus's painting moved aside to reveal a room inside.

"Could you please enter the room Lord Black, since I was the previous Lord, I can give you the most answers related to the Blacks"

The portrait followed Harry as he walked inside.

Harry voiced his doubts regarding the portraits in the vault to Arcturus.

"Ha..ha..ha..It took me two trips to the vaults to notice that difference.

Hmm…how should I explain.

The first portrait was built by a Black" Arcturus said pridefully.

"What?" 'First portrait was made by a Black. Well, this is news to me'

"Portraits of the normal kind are the standard. It is what you see everywhere. Those portraits have a predetermined set of tasks to do, talking is also within a limited choice and their memory is also limited. Like your Hogwarts paintings, some are given passwords to protect the dormitory, some welcome you to Hogwarts, some play important role in gossip, some show you secret passages, some even contain hidden messages.

The second type are these you see here. Our Black family created this type of portrait you see in the vault to support any succeeding lord Black. They are subservient to anyone who wears the family head ring.

These portraits are made when an heir to the family reaches adulthood or if the Lord deems the heir to be mature. A superior form of rune based legilimency copies the memories of the individual and deposits into the drawn portraits. It even copies you character to the last detail. Each year new memories are added and emotion and intelligence are formed in the long run. And also not everyone can have their portraits made. Only the lords who are selected by the family magic are allowed to make and place it inside the vault.

These kind of portraits cannot move from one portrait to another. So we go into the frozen state if we have no purpose" Arcturus answered.

"Hmm, how much galleons is present in Black Family Vault at present"

"Total estimate would be around half a million galleons in liquidated form and we own some business in Knockturn Alley, Verdent Alley. Some in Place Cachee, Paris too".

'That is not a lot of wealth, Malfoy had given Voldemort nearly three million galleons during the first wizarding war. His estimation on Lestrange's vault had more than two million galleons during his break-in. Blacks being the oldest family with little less money than Lestranges…..is kind of depressing'

"Wealth is not really the number of galleons a person owns, Lord Black. Galleons or 'Goblin gold' is a form of currency introduced by Goblins in the first place. Since it was the first form of universal currency it was widely accepted.

Still many countries actively ban the use of galleons in their lands. Mainly in the eastern countries. In those countries one should exchange their gold or any valuables into their currency or barter system is followed"

Harry was astonished. He originally thought galleons was a currency of the magical world. Even Voldemort thought as such.

"Does that mean if Goblin nation is exterminated, then the galleons is a scrap piece?"

"No. Goblin gold have deeply ingrained into our system. Even the absence of goblins will be of no use…..At least until any new form of currency appears galleons will act as the common denominations. But that won't happen. As extermination of the whole Goblin nation is impossible"

As Harry didn't ask any more questions Arcturus continued.

"Most people have their wealth in the form of gold ingots, some rare metals, rare minerals, gems, artefacts, land deeds, old tomes, Grimoire, information, etc…last but not least connections.

Our primary wealth is information. You see Information in any form is also a kind of wealth. Plus the half-million galleons was the amount of money that was in the vault when I left the regency to Malfoys. It must have multiplied a little by now"

"How do we get information, like spying on them or buying them from other sources?" Harry asked as he knew the value of information far outweighs the value of galleons if what Arcturus said is true.

For some reason the portrait was very excited while explaining.

"That is the best part lord Black. You know that it was our ancestors that created the portraits right. Before our ancestor created our intellectual portraits, he created the normal moving portraits, that is what you see normally in the wizarding world. We also sold the moving portraits to others. In particular, we sold the framework of the runes responsible for the moving painting and setting predetermined work or speech. The framework also had runes that gathered any information that is spoken in the vicinity of the portrait"

'Bloody hell, they can do that. That means the Black family holds a lot of power through the means of the spy network' Harry was amazed the further he heard.

"There is a restricted room in this corridor which notes down all the information based on the location of the portraits. Centuries before only the rich had their portraits made but now however much the cost everyone wants a portrait made for themselves. There is even some cheap knock-off that tried to replicate our rune framework. But the result was not the same as ours.

We still don't have access to some of the family vaults like Potters, Greengrass, Bones, Hogwarts vault, Rowle, Sayre, any of the masters schools of magic and many other secretive areas. Several in fact.

But we have placed portraits in every household of the wizarding world including the above-mentioned families. Some portraits couldn't send any info back as they are placed in unknown regions. Uh….unknown regions are like places under Fidelius charm or any other of that nature. We even have portraits placed in Hogwarts, the minister's office. Portraits inside the headmaster's office are unknown regions. Unfortunately, we couldn't do anything about that.

Till today nobody was able to crack the runes present in the portraits" Arcturus proclaimed pridefully.

Harry was very astonished. That was a lot of information all around the world. The figures in the portraits themselves can act as spies in some cases. Having the portraits spying on people…millions and millions of portraits, just thinking of it alone made him stagger.

"Is the restricted room still in operative condition? How could I possibly enter the room?"

"Yes, even now it should be recording something of the outside world. But in recent years, people tend to use cameras instead of paintings. Still, every family head uses our rune framework to place their portrait in their study. So there is no worry about information flow My Lord"

"Where is this restricted room"

"I…..don't know. It cannot be easily accessed, Lord Black. There are certain qualifications that must be met, only then the vault will allow you into that room" Arcturus replied.

"Have you ever been into that room"

"Oh yes of course, but those memories are locked by the vault at present. I was able to access the room on my 60th birthday. I used the information to my fullest ability and kept the growth of the Blacks to the apex.

Even Dumbledore, Grindelwald and Voldemort didn't directly attack me or compel me to join their cause. Because they know I have some kind of scandalous information about them that might collapse or fold their cause easily"

Taking a long sigh after reminiscing something he continued.

"Uh…my descendants….they were not very intuitive or bright. After I retired, I left the running of the family to my son. I still held the Lordship of course. Uh…It led to the downfall of my family. No, marrying him, my son to that woman Walburga was my mistake. She caused the downfall of the Blacks.

Only after the war, I came to know about the state my family was in. By then everything was already too late. Searching for a suitable Heir also aged me too fast. At last, I had to settle for the Malfoys. But now I have a suitable Heir to continue the line of Blacks"

Harry asked him about Potters being half family to him. It turned out Arcturus Black's sister, Dorea Black was married to his great grandfather Henry Potter. After Sirius made him heir to his fortune resulted in Harry having qualifications for being selected as Lord Black.

….…

Harry collected copies of all of Potter and Black family ledgers from Ironclaw, emptied his trust vault and left Gringotts to Grimmauld Place.

Turns out there were no more vaults than the family vault and his trust vault. Not every account created were given vaults. The vaults are provided only to the privileged families, family head, their heirs and high rent-paying clients.

For all the others, accounts are established and account books or account ledgers are given. When he asked why they can't provide vault for everyone, Ironclaw looked at him as if Harry was making a poor joke.

"If we provide vaults for every customer that enters Gringotts then we would run out of space in the tunnels. The maintenance cost alone will be staggering" Was Ironclaw's reply.

That made sense too, we can't be giving everyone vaults right. Then what would be the difference between the general population and the Lords?

He also came to know about the benefits of having vaults. 'Ministry can't conduct audits of what is inside the vaults. The ministry could try to acquire the account books for vaults if there was one, but cannot seize or conduct audits on vaults without proper authorization form from the court and ICW. Even then most vaults are protected under the law of 'Family Magicks'

He had asked Ironclaw to contact him through Bill Weasley, once the Goblins decided what compensation he has to pay for the break-in.

….…

Returning to Grimmauld Place he started on occlumency, memory organizing exercise. This was the best way to deal with the emotions. He didn't want to splatter anyone just because he didn't have proper control over his emotions.

He needed to get his emotions under control to stop another outbreak like in the bank happens again.

All the memories of Voldemort from his childhood to October of 1981 were still present there. In the form of mirrors. But he couldn't remember all clearly like how his own childhood memories are haze.

Even some of his recent memories like what he ate five days before or what colour dress he was wearing a month back, they are in his memory but he just couldn't recall it easily. it proved that he only finished the first step in Occlumency technique.

Luckily he could recall the exercise needed for organizing his mind. At every step, he felt the deja vu, the faint feeling of him already knowing the process. Voldemort's experience and memories helping him along the way.

It was taking a very long time. Because organizing his memories of his past year alone took half of the night.

To organize memories he had to watch the mirror that contained the memories. It was like living through the same life once again, with him not able to do any changes. He just finished organizing the previous year's memories.

He still didn't reach the part where Sirius fell into the veil or Voldemort killing his mother. Every single event held hidden emotions in there. Since he was reviewing the emotions too, he was not looking forward to it.

With one year's worth of memories done he went back to sleep.

...