The Heir’s Burden

But he knew one thing for certain. Harry James Potter had the power to destroy all of Albus' hard work. Everything he'd spent his life working to achieve. Harry Potter could ruin it all and leave him as nothing more than a relic from a bygone era no one really remembered any more. It was bad enough the brat was rich. Rich beyond measure while Albus wasn't and never had been.

He should have been wealthier than he currently was but an error in judgement while he was naught but a child himself had destroyed his life. And if his life could be ruined, due to a decision he'd made as a child, he saw no reason why others shouldn't also suffer forever for their own bad choices made in childhood. It was the reason he kept his Potions Master on such a short leash reminding him frequently he owed Albus for his current level of freedom.

It was a fact that no matter how hard he'd tried, he'd never been able to undo the wrong done to him back then when his father had died in Azkaban. His Father's will had been allowed to stand and even today he couldn't get anyone to overturn it. Percival Dumbledore had written his oldest son and heir out of his will simply because he blamed him for the accident that had befallen his daughter while she was under Albus' supervision.

Then he'd gone after the boys who had hurt her and ruined the Dumbledore reputation in seeking revenge. His father had left everything to Aberforth when it was his right, Albus' right, as oldest son to inherit the meager savings he'd built up. All because Arianna had gotten herself on the wrong end of a curse or two. She shouldn't have made him angry with her whining and complaining.

But that was ancient history. Ariana was dead now as were his parents. She couldn't annoy or embarrass him any more. Nor could they with their uncouth pedestrian attitudes and habits. He couldn't punish any of them for the wrong they'd done him either. He'd just have to live with that. But this brat he could punish. Because this brat was also wronging him. He was threatening his position in history.

Adding insult to injury, the brat was not only the heir of his parents which made him wealthy, he was the body heir of his Godfather and surprisingly enough of the Lupin Estate. Albus hadn't even known Remus still spoke with his family until the Lupin will had been read. Remus had never said a word about the matter and Albus hadn't thought to ask him.

Apparently Mr. Remandus Lupin had listened to his son's request to name the Potter child as his heir because Remus assured him, Harry would make use of the Estate to take care of Remus' needs and since he couldn't leave the Estate to his own son due to his status as a werewolf, leaving it to the Marauder Child was the next best thing.

Nor would Remus have been allowed to name a person to inherit in his place. Also due to the fact he was a werewolf. Not that Remus would've changed it. Albus knew he wouldn't have simply because Harry was the only child the Marauders had produced and as such he outranked Albus Dumbledore. Albus ruefully acknowledged he had shot himself in the foot with that particular set of laws since Remus couldn't name him as the inheritor of his father's estate.

Even if he could talk him into it. Which he probably couldn't. Because Albus hadn't been a Marauder and Harry was the child of the Marauders. Therefore, he had a higher claim to any wealth, power or influence they could garner.

So Remandus had named Harry James Potter as his heir back in 1981 just as Sirius Black had. Albus had tentatively arranged to have the Lupin Estate turned over to him upon the death of Remandus only to find out it was being held in trust for the rightful heir with a small stipend paid out to Remus each month as the law allowed up until his death as per the terms of the will.

Who had inherited the Estate from Remandus would remain shrouded in mystery until either the heir reached his or her majority or until the demise of Mr. Remus Lupin when the Ministry would try to take possession of it due to the line ending with no known survivors of the bloodline.

When Remus had reportedly died along with Sirius and Peter, Albus had very quietly had Remus eliminated now that he had no further use for him. Because of what possible use could a werewolf actually be when society believed they were already dead? Because of how events that full moon night had played out, Albus could only see how leaving him alive would come back to bite him later down the road. Greyback and his pack had been quite happy to take care of his problem survivor for him even if they didn't know they were doing so.

He had then urged the Ministry to make a move on the Estate through himself as the agent in charge. While that did mean he'd have to give a healthy portion of the old unclaimed Estate to the Ministry, he figured there would still be a bit left over for him to claim. He'd done it before and had no doubt he'd do it again. Because that was how he survived. Like a carrion bird scavenging off the remains others left behind.

He'd received quite the shock. So had the Ministry but Albus didn't care about them. He had been counting on that Estate to pay a few of his outstanding obligations and induce a few of the holdouts to his side.

Not even his perceived status as magical guardian of the boy would allow him to take custody of those funds since Remandus had specifically stated his vaults would remain in lockdown until his heir came of age except for the monthly stipend for Remus which would end when Remus died.

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