Strapped for Gold

These months I have spent in the Tonks household were the happiest days I have had in this life or the last. To say I have grown attached to Aunt Dromeda, I've come to see her as the mother I never had. I also learned that if I leer into someone's third eye as I touch them I can see some of their darkest tragedies, the first time it happened with Aunt Dromeda it scared me.

It has also given me a new respect for her, the hardships she went through after her family disowned her were heartbreaking. They only added fuel to my hate of the elitist purebloods. Not that I needed any more reason to dislike them.

During this time Nymphadora, aka Dora, had graduated from Hogwarts Auntie hadn't told Dora about me. So when we showed up and she saw me walking with her parents she had thought I was an illegitimate child. It was fun watching Uncle Ted(Edward) explain that I wasn't a child out of wedlock but instead her cousin.

She really dislikes being called Dora but she has given me special permission. I think she took to me almost as fast as Auntie did.

I had also found Godric's Hollow, I snuck away and took the knight bus there, I buried Sirius next to the combined grave of Lily and James Potter. I'm sure no one in the village will care about a grave being added to the corner of a sparsely populated cemetery. No one even came out of their houses to see what I was doing, only a stray glance from a window.

Sis Dora was nice, she let me use her wand to practice magic, not that I really needed it, I had learned a lot of simple stuff myself. She was currently studying for her Mastery in Defence Against the Dark Arts, she said that's her first step to becoming a great Auror. She is clumsy so I'm not sure how she'll get there but with how hard she works I'm positive she will get there eventually.

I always nagged Auntie Dromeda to let me go get a wand from Ollivanders but she always said we would go and get it when my invitation to Hogwarts came in. I constantly complained but she heard none of my words. Lucky now, that day was today.

When I make my way downstairs from my room I see both Dora and Auntie Dromeda sitting at the table smiling at me. Auntie Dromeda was holding an old-fashioned letter in her hand with a wax seal on it. The seal itself is really complex and I can't tell what it is from across the room.

"Soren, come and get your mail." Auntie waves the letter at me.

I grab the letter from her hands and read it,

'To Soren Black 431 Willows Dr. Appleby'

the inside reads

'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear, Mr. Soren Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. The term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress'

I unfold it and the listed equipment and books are as written

'Uniform

1.Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4.One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Books

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

Equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad'

"That's... a lot of stuff, how am I going to pay for it all?" I look at Aunt Dromeda. "I don't have rights to the Black family fortune until I'm 17. I don't wanna ask for you to pay"

"Don't worry, you may not have access to the Black family fortune but you can get your fathers." She winks at me "I know where he liked to hide his valuables."

--------

We apparate (she brings us) to the Black manor and we head to Sirius's room, Aunt Dromeda Ignores Kreacher's yells telling her she can't be there. Aunt Dromeda walks up to the biggest poster in the room. It's of a nearly naked woman sucking a lollipop, wearing only a leather bikini and a tight-fitting leather jacket that doesn't even cover her entire chest.

Aunt Dromeda looked at me with a wry smile, "Your father REALLY liked muggle... culture"

I have a stupid smile on my face staring at the poster "I can appreciate that sort of culture as well." This earns me a quick smack to the side of my head. I rub my head while still keeping my eyes on the... 'culture'.

She aims her wand at the poster and speaks slowly. "Alohomora" The poster and wall behind it swing open into a hidden room.

'I guess there are more holes in the memories I got from Sirius than I thought...'

The hidden room is almost empty except for a small wooden box sitting in the middle of it. Auntie steps forward and opens the box with me close behind. Inside the box was a picture of Sirius Black stand next to a woman smiling and a single golden key. Auntie stares at the picture for a second then looks at me.

"Your mother?" She asks gesturing to the picture. Her eyes focus on the woman's large... 'culture'.

I stay silent because I have no idea what to say in this situation, the woman in the picture was a muggle woman Sirius met in a biker bar while traveling, never anything serious. Why did he store a picture of her?! Auntie takes my silence as an affirmation.

'I guess it's for the best?' I put my head down not wanting to meet Aunties eyes.

After that, we head to Gringotts. This time we apparate to a brick wall in an alleyway I don't recognize. It is frowned upon to apparate into Diagon Alley so I guess this was the closest entrance. She must remember from her childhood.

From Sirius's memories, I know Auntie used to be a rebellious teen who would sneak out often with her sisters. I'm pulled from my memories as the wall begins to fold in on itself similar to what happens at the Black family manor. Once the wall opens it reveals stairs up towards a busy street. Diagon Alley.

The street in front of Gringotts is painfully crowded, and it only gets worse on the inside. There are massive lines everywhere but the seemingly endless number of tellers makes it bearable. When we make our way to the front we are greeted by a goblin who looks like he's been sitting there for years with no break.

He looks up at Auntie with his haggard face "What are you here for today?"

"We are here to make a withdrawal for him" she nods her head at me.

He stands up in his high seat to peer over the counter at me "...Vault number?"

"688"

He scoffs in agreement then looks down at his paper. His eyebrows raise "The owner of the vault is a 'Sirius Black'?"

This time I speak up "Yes sir, that's my father."

Still standing in his chair looking at me "... Proof of identification."

I show him Sirius's ring, he looks surprised but simply nods then looks at Auntie again. "Key"

She hands him the key and he starts walking away with us following close behind. He slides open a metal barred door leading to a rocky abyss.

A bit down the paved rock path we get into a cart in what seems to be a mining cave, but the cart is wider, obviously meant for people. The further the cart goes down the less well built is but at the same time newer looking. As we hit the 400 section Auntie starts giving mindful exposition.

"Gringotts is the most secure place in the wizarding world, even more secure than Hogwarts. They take the defense of this place so seriously that around the 700 level vaults you can hear the roar of the dragon they keep. Your father was lucky to get a vault this deep, he insisted he got a freshly build one near the Potters... He was always good at being stubborn." The goblin scoffs with a smile on his face, obviously happy at her praise of Gringotts.

As we arrive in front of vault 688 we stop on a dime and the goblin echos "Vault number 688." as he steps out of the cart he turns around "Watch your step, Lamp please." I hand him the lamp as I observe the vaults closer. The vaults themselves are just massive circular steel doors with the number written in the middle and large handles on one side.

The goblin walks up to the door and hands me the lamp, as I take the lamp back he pulls out my key and in a goblin height lock inserts it. The giant door unlatches and auntie opens it for me. Inside the vault is a small mountain of galleons my mouth drops.

Sirius was never one for greed so I assumed he wasn't very wealthy... I was wrong.

Auntie looks at me with an entertained smile. "According to the goblin, it's 52,334 galleons. Don't be too surprised, when you inherit the Black family fortune that's more around 2,000,000 gallons. That vault is 711, just down the hall."

"How much should I take?" I probably look nervous little did I know I inadvertently made myself rich.

"Oh, around 2000 would be enough for your year at Hogwarts, if you need more you can always come back during a break." she smiles at me nonchalantly after mentioning such a ludicrous amount of money.

Although Auntie and Uncle Ted aren't incredibly poor they are not well off by any means. I want to offer help but I know she won't accept it. I shake my head as I step inside.

I pull out my Mokeskin Pouch and start piling the coins in, after what I think is around 2000 I stop piling them in and tell the goblin I'm done. The goblin nods taking his job seriously and steps in front of me. With a flick of his wand, the door closes again letting off a white light that indicates that it is locked once again. With that, he hands me my key and escorts us back.