Ch18. Meeting

Harry currently sat in a fluffy comfortable chair placed in the corner of a meeting room at Gringotts, sipping a tasty orange juice. He was behind multiple secrecy wards, charms, and even the chair had notice-me-not enchantment. These spells covered any and all means of discovery possible for common wizards, ranging from sight to smell, and even magic detection.

Harry was really grateful to Sharpfang to organize the meeting so fast! He, after all, sent the letter only yesterday!

'Ah, the advantages of being Lord.' Harry mused, amused.

As Harry was delightfully stroking his ego while savoring the accommodations, he suddenly remembered the dent this meeting made in his vault.

'Greedy bastards! 100 galleons for setting up the meeting alongside the secrecy wards!' Harry glared at the quietly writing Sharpfang in the middle of the room, sitting behind a table. He even suspected the little shit had some kind of detection charm that makes Harry visible for him because the second he started glaring at him, an amused smirk marred his face!

Before Harry could contemplate the woes he had with his account manager, three loud knocks reverberated through the room.

"Come in!" Sharpfang sharply shouted and a goblin looking like a guard ushered two people inside.

The first person was a tall, somewhat lanky, muscular man with mistrustful pale-blue eyes and short pale blonde hair. Clad in a business suit, his face marred with a miniscule frown as his eyes flashed all around the room in a second, ending up on the goblin who totally ignored him. Harry was floored at his appearance! If he didn't know who he was, he would actually mistake him for a Malfoy! Granted, the air around him was nothing like these peacocks strutting around expecting everyone to fall into line for them. He looked more like a businessman who was caught of guard and is trying to formulate a plan for whatever fallout this meeting will produce. Yes. Fallout. The man didn't trust 'Lord Black' for sure. Harry wondered what did the Black family do to him for 'stealing' one of their daughters. Nothing pleasant, he supposed. Then again, the guy evidently still breathes so nothing over-the-top either.

After him, a gorgeous light-brown haired woman wearing a simple black dress walked in with a perfect noble-looking gait so typical for girls brought up in a pureblood family. Her back completely straight and chin held high, she also quickly swept the room with her black eyes but instead of making it obvious like her companion, her head didn't even turn, nor did her eyes stray from the goblin. She inspected the room with the corner of her eyes, dutifully taking in every detail. When she saw the absence of their supposed inviter, her thin lips slightly frowned but then she pursed them in preparation of debate with the goblin, making her high-cheeks even more emphasized.

Sharpfang, noting she was about to speak, quickly took reins of the conversation.

"Welcome, Mrs. and Mr. Tonks." He greeted them. "I am account manager Sharpfang. I guess I don't have to ask which one of you is Andromeda Tonks née Black, now, do I?" He quipped playfully.

Ted's eyes slightly widened at the un-goblin-like jab but he quickly recomposed himself and politely introduced them.

"Hello, account manager Sharpfang. I am Edward Tonks and this is my wife Andromeda Tonks. Nice to meet you." Ted said neutrally.

"Every bit of the lawyer you are supposed to be, Edward Tonks." Sharpfang grinned, fully showing his teeth.

Both Edward and Andromeda almost jumped out of their skin from fright at that, not expecting the obvious threat. Harry just facepalmed at the antics of his account manager.

"I will be blunt, then." Sharpfang got serious. "Lord Black would like to see you, Mrs. Tonks. You two have a lot to discuss. Though, don't know why your esteemed husband tagged along." The goblin looked at Ted with clear anticipation in his eyes, just waiting for a rebuttal like a child for candy.

Ted didn't jump at the obvious poke from the goblin. Instead, as per the noble customs demand, he as the head of the Tonks family asked. "Account manager Sharpfang, may I inquire where is Lord Black?"

"You may." Sharpfang offhandedly answered and gleefully let Ted hanging.

Ted looked quite stumped. His wife was to meet supposed Lord Black and the goblin just threw all etiquette to the wind while clearly insulting him. Heck! Even Malfoys wouldn't dare to do that! His status as muggle-born notwithstanding. He, as a lawyer, dealt with many purebloods and members of noble houses but now, now he was definitely bewildered. Doesn't the goblin know his behavior reflect on Lord Black? Wha…

At that moment, Andromeda put her hand on Ted's shoulder and gently sighed.

"Let it go, Ted." She shook her head. "Am I right to assume, Ted is not welcome during this meeting?"

Ted finally understood, then. It was not that the goblin was rude towards his entire family. He was just hinting at his undesirable attendance! His lips twitched and he barely contained a curse, both verbal and magical.

"Okay, I will wait outsi…"

"No. Since you already came you can stay," The goblin told him dryly. "just be quiet."

Ted nodded dumbly but mumbled under his nose about 'typical shitty purebloods', thinking the goblin was requested to act like this by Lord Black.

"Mrs. and Mr. Tonks, my client, Lord Black, asked for an oath of silence for his identity and anything you learn during this meeting." Sharpfang told them.

"An Oath, is it?" Andromeda probed and narrowed her eyes.

"Yes." Sharpfang simply nodded.

"Oath? To someone whose identity we don't even know?" Ted butted in reproachfully which got him an annoyed stare from the goblin.

"Ted…" Andromeda urged him.

"No, Droma, we can't just…" He started ranting but when his eyes met his wife's hopeful almost pleading look, he quieted down instantly and relented. "Okay. I will do it for you."

Andromeda thanked him with a smile and both swore the oath, albeit a little warily and uneasily. If the goblin didn't guarantee their safety in the letter, Andromeda would never even come! But she was hopeful. Maybe, just maybe the new Lord Black won't be like her previous family? She almost didn't dare to think so! Her hope of returning to the Black family died the second she was disowned, after all.

"Okay, now," Sharpfang snapped his fingers, disabling the spells around Harry. "I present you, Lord Hadrian Black." Sharpfang said without any fanfare and returned to his documents, completely ignoring the stupefied looks of both Tonks and the twitching eyebrow of Harry.

Andromeda was the first to snap out of her shock and gave Harry a sincere happy smile, this in noble-tongue could be translated to almost beaming!

"You have a peculiar relationship with your account manager, Lord Black." She slightly bowed in acknowledgment.

"Not at all, Mrs. Tonks." Harry remarked unamused and turned towards Sharpfang. "Did you have to annoy the hell of them?"

"To the contrary, Lord Black. You should thank me," Sharpfang stated mischievously without even lifting his head from his paperwork. "I just measured their reaction to unexpected situations! And I must say they passed with flying colors. Good choice, my Lord." He said the last part quasi-mockingly.

Both Tonks blinked in shock, pride swelling in their chests, while Harry eyed the small creature with unveiled suspicion, not believing the goblin-shitte he just spouted.

"Sure you did, buddy." He dryly replied while satisfyingly noting that neither Ted nor Andromeda fussed over his age.

"Let me be blunt." He turned to them. "I have a deal for you. I am sure it is something you won't decline. I want to take you back into the family, Andromeda."

Andromeda looked at Harry almost tearfully while Ted still looked at him in suspicion. He knew what it would mean for his wife to be taken back to the family and he was happy for her. Both the monetary benefits or elevated social status would help their family immensely but he as a lawyer knew these kinds of deals always have their costs.

"Why are you sure we would accept it?" He asked and squeezed Andromeda's hand, signaling her to wait.

Harry smirked at him mockingly, instantly making him irritated.

"Your daughter is what, her last year at Hogwarts or something?" Harry asked them, making them freeze, expecting a threat, something a Black would do. Harry just continued his tirade without noticing their mental state. "You both know what it would mean for her future prospects if she was a part of the House Black. And I am sure, you both won't let an opportunity like this pass."

Andromeda and Ted both visibly relaxed. Ted gave Harry an appreciative nod and asked the most important question of all.

"What would it cost us, Lord Black."

Harry pointedly looked at Andromeda, inspecting every nook and cranny of her. At times nodded in satisfaction while rubbing his chin contemplatively.

Ted almost blanched at the looks the kid in front of him gave his wife! He was quick on the uptake and no way will he sacrifice the body of his beloved just for some benefits!

He was about to open his mouth when Harry spoke with the smuggest smirk he could muster as he stared straight at Ted.

"I want your wife," Harry intentionally drawled slowly, continuing only when he saw Ted about to protest in outrage. "to be regent Black in my stead. What else did you think an eleven years old boy would want from her? Pervert." He muttered the last part audibly enough for Ted to hear, making him splutter.

Both Ted and Andromeda short-circuited at the offer. Ted from shame and Andromeda from the sheer size of the opportunity in front of her. She blinked uncomprehendingly at Harry, thinking about the implications.

Andromeda opened her mouth to react but just closed it, not knowing what to say. She repeated the process two more times but then opted to just helplessly look at Harry.

Ted instead pinched himself as his eyes darted between Andromeda and Harry, also not knowing what to make out of it.

"I will, of course, need an Oath of obedience from you," Harry said slowly, pointing at Andromeda. He playfully let the implication of what he just said seep down, making both Tonks again wary of him when he continued in satisfaction. "In return, I will give you an Oath myself to not misuse it." He finished, again calming both Tonks.

By now the Tonks felt as if they rode a rollercoaster for hours. Ted thought it was actually a small miracle they still managed to stand on their feet and resented all deities for Lord Black's playfulness.

Tears poured out of Andromeda's eyes. She was again accepted into her former family and her daughter won't be just a common half-blood prone to discrimination!

"I accept." The second she uttered the word 'accept', family magic recognized Harry's intent to take her back and her acceptance and did its magic. Andromeda glowed in a black shimmering light for a second, recognizing her as a member of House Black again.

There was no change in Andromeda's appearance or magic, the family magic just didn't work like that nor was it powerful enough to change these things. But Andromeda felt as if a part of her missing for a long time was returned to her and it flooded her with content. She gave a gorgeous smile to her new Lord as she happily squeezed Ted's hand.

"Thank you, my Lord." She sincerely thanked Harry as she wiped the tears and bowed.

"Call me Hadrian. 'My Lord' sounds so cringy!" Harry told them and ran his hand through his hair, momentarily revealing the bolt-shaped scar.

"Wait! You are Harry Potter!" Both exclaimed in surprise, googly-eyed.

Harry looked at them taken aback, almost face-faulting.

"Well, duh!" He dryly deadpanned.