Ch14. Family Issues

"Obligations, Manager Sharpfang?" Harry asked unsurely.

"Yes. The families have contracts of old we have to go through." The goblin browsed through the tomes with unveiled interest. "Especially the Slytherin line. From what is written here, the lordship was unclaimed for over eight centuries! The promises of old never kept. Atrocious!" He exclaimed, horrified.

"No, I mean, why does Gringotts even care? In your book describing your service there is nothing stated about," Harry waved his hand over the green tome. "this."

Sharpfang gave him a fanged smile.

"We keep the vaults of founders safe."

Harry blinked. Then he blinked again. And then he started to laugh boisterously.

"Don't give me such bullshit, Sharpfang! I've read the damn book!" Harry wiped a mirthful tear from his eye, startling the goblin. "Certainly, in one place you do brag about keeping the founder's vaults 'safe'. In another, though you say they are so secured, even goblins can't get in." Harry gave the goblin full-toothed smile, a sign of threat for goblins. "That's true. The founders knew well what greedy creatures you are, goblin. They secured their vaults so you can't enter no matter what you try. Only their rightful heirs can get ahold of their fortune. Whatever that is. You can't even collect the fees for safeguarding the vaults!" Harry enjoyed the bewildered look of his account manager.

Sharpfang was stunned but eventually snapped out of it and started to laugh hysterically.

"Yes. Not that we didn't try though! The founders and Merlin. Ah, these certainly did earn our respect! Even though it was long after their deaths." Sharpfang calmed down. "But since the founding of Gringotts goblins were given administrative responsibility for renewed lordships and new lords without guidance. We are oathbound to provide necessary help to get you started into your lordship. And that includes leading you through the old contracts and dealing with them." He stated seriously.

Harry, seeing how serious the goblin got, just nodded obediently. When he saw the tome, he almost regretted becoming Lord!

"Let's start with Potters." The goblin said in clear distaste. "That will include Peverells too since they merged their bloodlines together."

"Ok. What did my poor old family do to earn your ire, oh mighty manager?" Harry quipped jokingly which earned him his first scowl from the goblin.

"They ruined themselves! Your parents did! I almost lost my position as an account manager because of them!" Sharpfang almost shouted in agitation, making Harry raise his eye-brow.

"Well, that much is obvious from the vault statement. Do tell, how did it happen."

"Contract." Sharpfang said dryly and handed Harry a copy of said parchment.

Harry read through it. Then read through it again. And when he was reading it the third time, he almost ripped the damn paper to shreds!

"According to this," He pointed at the offending scrap of paper. "my parents," He spat venomously. "gave Albus bloody Dumbledore," The venom in his voice visibly increased. "the right to access Potter Family Vault in order to get money for post-war financial relief?"

"Yes." Sharpfang said with a deadpan look.

"Without setting any limits to how much he can withdraw or any proof the money will actually be used for post-war relief?" Harry asked with the same deadpan look the goblin had.

"Yes." The goblin again confirmed, making Harry blink.

"Okay." Harry calmly voiced.

"Are you fi…" Sharpfang asked, not comprehending Harry's calm attitude.

"Fuck Potters!" Harry interrupted him with his shout as he banged his balled fist onto the table.

Harry's blood boiled. His rage palpable in the air as the magic visibly shifted because of it. Potters. The family supposedly even wealthier than Blacks. Made into complete paupers because of one old goat-fucker!?

"Lord Bla…" Sharpfang tried to calm Harry down.

"Is there anything else about the Potter family?" Harry asked calmly. Too calmly for Sharpfang's taste. He was not here to question nor comfort Lord Black though. He was here to help him get through the pile of contracts. So he continued his job without comment.

"No. When it comes to contracts, the Potters were very tidy and well-organized."

Harry nodded and asked.

"Is there no, let's say, betrothal contract signed by Dumbledore between myself and certain Weasel?"

Sharpfang shifted through the documents in Potter's tome and shook his head.

"No, if you see one, it is not legit."

"Okay, let's continue. The Blacks now." Harry leaned into his chair, grateful for at least this little mercy.

"Blacks as you surely knew supported the latest Dark Lord. They spent most of their fortune on these endeavors. For example, the Black Investments Vault where the remuneration from shares they own in various businesses is deposited, was under fifty thousand galleons when the Dark Lord died. These nineteen million galleons are what their businesses amassed during the last decade." Sharpfang drolly informed Harry. "Same with their family vault. They may have been much more careful with spending the galleons from the family vault yet they spent on the cause quite a lot anyway." Sharpfang paused, seeing Harry's eyebrow gained a noticeable twitch.

"Account manager Sharpfang. My patience is wearing thin and I am really pissed at all those idiots I am to call family. Any good news yet?" Harry asked in an annoyed, impatient tone.

"Yes, Blacks were a cut-throat family. They have no unpaid debt but are owed quite a lot." Sharpfang happily informed Harry. "There are two betrothal contracts they owe though. Ironically, it's to the Slytherin family so we can deal with that later."

Harry nodded in satisfaction, calming his temper down.

"What about Potter family debts? You didn't mention them." He asked.

"Ah, Potters always paid their debt in full." Sharpfang said. "As for the debts owed to them…" Sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Yes?" Harry asked, leaning forward with a smile in a vision of inheriting at least something from his direct family.

"When your father became Lord," Sharpfang started carefully. Harry nodded and gestured for him to continue. "he forgave all debts owed."

Harry's smile froze. His lips slowly regained the smile though. When the smile was formed, he started to laugh as his head shot backward, leaning onto the chair. His body spasmed from all the laughter as he waved his hand at Sharpfang.

"Nay. Just continue. I am not gonna think about the excuse of a human that is my father. Nay. Nay. Not gonna happen. Nay. Not worth it! Nay." He said, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Very well. Slytherin line." Sharpfang opened the green tome, ignoring Harry's outburst. "No monetary or life debts there as it is such an old family. In those times, the betrothal contracts were the favorite way of debt settlement. And you, my lord Slytherin, inherited loads of them. One to Bones. One to Greengrass. One to Malfoys. Two to Ollivanders. Three for Blacks. The list goes on, and on, and on. It's as if the Slytherin line was collecting these." Sharpfang stated helplessly, shrugging his shoulders in a 'what can you do' gesture.

"How would that work? I am lord Black, how can I owe myself three brides?" Harry mirthfully asked.

"Well. An example then. If Narcissa Black or Bellatrix Black gets divorced or widowed, they would instantly become available for the contracts. Nothing else would actually satisfy the contract. Their children are not Blacks therefore useless for it. Andromeda Black and her family are out since she was disowned. Then again, if you give birth to a daughter and a son, you can give your son Slytherin name and your daughter the Black name and wed them together, satisfying one contract." Sharpfang's mouth was twitching upward the bigger Harry's scowl became. "Or, you could completely dismiss the owed betrothal." Sharpfang offhandedly noted.

Harry sighed in relief and started to ponder his options.

"I can't ask for money instead of women, can I?"

"No. You can definitely not. The contracts are not worded that way. You either take a woman as your wife or concubine, or you don't." Sharpfang told him after careful examination of the contracts.

Harry joined his hands together and leaned his chin on them, and started plotting. He is going to shake Wizarding Britain a little. Maybe then Twinkles won't pay too much attention to him.

"Dismiss the betrothal contracts. All of them. Don't forget to send a notice that Lord Slytherin dismissed them. Make it noticeable." Harry grinned as he schemed. "Also call for all debts of Blacks to be repaid in full. Mostly in magical materials or gold. Deposit them into Black Family Vault."

Sharpfang was startled at the insane Lord in front of him. Such a move would ruin many families and destabilize the economy itself!

"We are not your debt collectors, Lord Black." He dryly voiced, trying to get Gringotts and himself out of it.

"Do it and you can take ten percent of collected gold." Harry dismissed his concerns, knowing well what oathbound means. He nevertheless decided to offer goblins a payment for their trouble, to smoothen future transactions.

"Twenty." Sharpfang offered greedily.

"Ten." Harry calmly smiled in amusement.

"Fifte…" Sharpfang lowered his asking price when Harry interrupted him.

"Correction. Do it and Gringotts can claim eight percent of collected gold." Harry saw the goblin about to protest when he hastened his offer. "And you can take two percent into your personal coffers. No taking from the materials though."

Needless to say, the deal was struck with god-speed. Harry didn't manage to even blink as the magical agreement was pushed in front of him and the quill was delivered right into his hand.

Now if only he had a permanent, hidden, magical house that is completely warded to relocate some books there from his vaults. Harry had some ideas but for now, he left the Vaults unattended. He had enough on his palate and no time to spend organizing the stuff there. Especially the Slytherin one. He really needed a safehouse to relocate his Slytherin Vault. Harry dreaded the fees goblins would ask of him if he opened the Vault! He would have to pay centuries of unpaid fees! No, he would rather have it closed down for now instead of letting the greedy creatures help themselves to his money!

He only asked Sharpfang to deliver books on Occlumency and Legilimency from Black and Potter Vaults to him and was surprised to also get a ring that would heat up every time anyone would try to influence his mind with a spell.

Done with the needed contracts, debts, and withdrawals Harry left Gringotts, not knowing if he should feel rage at how much more he could gain if his relatives were not brainless wizards, be happy at the newly-gained wealth and entire libraries of knowledge, or be amused at the antics of goblins when it came to getting loads of gold basically for free.