CHAPTER 4

After Lyre left the Council chamber, the Grandmaster turned to Master Draven. "I have a feeling that the blood test is not about finding out Harry's identity, am I correct?" he asked as he raised an eye brow. He had a hunch what Draven was up to.

"It isn't, Grandmaster." the Master confessed. "After cadet Corbin explained the situation of the Wizengamot and after hearing about Harry's abuse, I have found a solution on how to get a foothold in Fudge's government." he smirked. The other members listened to him attentively and didn't speak. Draven took it as a sign to continue.

"Harry is the heir to the house of Potter, one of the most influential houses in the Wizengamot. If we get him on our side after explaining our cause to him, he can take over the lordship from his father. We could train him as any other recruit with additional courses as politics and pureblood etiquette. After an 'unfortunate accident' during James Potter's auror duties, Harry can return to Britain to ensure new alliances that would be in our interests." he explained. The Council was intrigued with the idea, it was a good plan. However, with every idea there are those who don't agree and the female Master Cycad was one of them.

So, you want to manipulate him like Dumbledore will certainly do with the Boy Who Lived. And if I am not mistaken, there must be more about that blood test you want to perform. We all know the boy is the Potter heir, but that doesn't explain why you want to go to Gringotts." she hissed. Cycad had two children herself and wouldn't allow them to be manipulated like pawns. Infiltrators did their work in the name of the SC cause, but they were not treated like tools. They had free reign on how to fulfil an assignment and if they became cornered in a life threatening situation, none would be left behind. The SC may be a syndicate, but all the members were regarded as family and as equals despite being of higher social or financial rank.

"That's not my intention, Cycad." Draven sussed the female council member. "My plan is to explain him he'll eventually have to take the Potter seat and have to make alliances with families we are interested in. The course of action to do so is completely up to him."

"As for the blood test, it is to find out how many families he is the heir to. There are rumours the Potters are descendants of Godric Gryffindor and the Peverells; if Harry could claim those lordships as well, he will be a political force to be reckoned with. A force which a lot of Wizengamot members would like to be aligned with." he told them. "In other words, he will be the perfect political infiltrator to destroy Dumbledore's and Malfoy's influence. "

The Council was silent, each member was pondering about what Draven's plan. The 'accident' of James Potter and the return of Harry would be suspicious, but there would be no prove to accuse the boy of murdering his father. They looked at each other and nodded; if Harry accepted the SC offer, Draven's plan would be followed to the letter.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

The next day Harry and Lyre ate breakfast in silence. Harry was a bit nervous about the two 'friends' of Lyre and didn't know what to expect from them. Lyre was relaxed for he knew Grandmaster Reznor and Master Draven would have no problem to explain everything clearly to the boy. They were intimidating, but they had their heart in the right place. As he was lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the doorbell; Harry had to call his name twice before opening the door. The two persons he was thinking about were standing in front of him, they were wearing the SC uniform which made him think why they would wear that in public. The Councilmembers saw this at his body language and put him at ease.

"We have an appointment with director Ragnok and will take a portkey directly into Gringotts. There's no need to panic, he knows who we are for we have done some 'business' with the bank before." Grandmaster Reznor explained. The cadet relaxed and led the two to the living room when Master Draven asked "How is the boy?"

"Unfortunately, I had to tell him I was a contracted killer and what the SC does known to the public. When I came home, he thought I was a burglar and looked for something to defend himself. He found my weapons in the closet." Lyre shamefully told them. At this, they shot him disapproving looks. "But he is determined to accept your offer to train him. He wants to prove himself to us and told me that the offer is better than staying at his relatives or his parents." he defended himself. They nodded to him in satisfaction and sat down on the couch. Lyre left them and came back with Harry from the kitchen.

"Thank you, cadet Corbin. You can now leave to continue your assignment. We'll take care of Harry from now." Grandmaster Reznor ordered. Lyre nodded and turned to Harry. "You can trust them, they will keep you safe. I hope this isn't the last time we see each other. Goodbye Harry." Harry gave him a sad smile, thanked him and then turned his focus to the two men.

"Hello Harry, I am Reznor and this is my companion Draven. We are members of the same organization cadet Corbin is working for. We will explain everything about us after we have gone to the wizarding bank Gringotts to run a blood test for you." the Grandmaster told him. Harry was startled, why would they want to do that? Master Draven saw the inquisitive look on the child's face and explained. "You see, we find it strange to find the brother of Damien Potter in a muggle neighbourhood. It is hard to believe that the Potters would leave you here with magic hating relatives. The blood test will prove who you are you claim to be."

Harry was a bit offended that they didn't believe him, but he understood the logic behind the Master's words. To be honest, he wouldn't believe it either if a celebrity family would leave a family member in a godforsaken neighbourhood. "So, when are we leaving?" he asked. Grandmaster Reznor quirked his eyebrow and smirked, it looked like the boy couldn't wait to leave. "Impatient, are we?" he teased. Harry looked him straight in the eyes or at least where he thought the eyes were located. It was a bit hard to do so when the men's hoods were up. "The faster I am out of this forsaken area, the better." he icily said. The council members agreed and activated the portkey director Ragnok had sent forward to SC headquarters. There was a bright light and they vanished.

Xxxxxxxxxx

The three of them landed on a black-white marble floor in the portkey-apparition chamber of Gringotts where a goblin employee and five goblin guards were waiting for anyone who would appear with a bank approved portkey. The employee stepped forward and said "Welcome to Gingotts, wizards. My name is Gurnuk. Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes, master goblin. You can tell director Ragnok that Grandmaster Reznor and his companions have arrived." the head of the SC politely said. Gurnuk told them to follow one of the guards who led them to the director's office. At Harry's shocked look for seeing a goblin for the first time, Master Draven gave him a brief summary about the bank being controlled by this warrior race and the bloody violence between wizards and goblins centuries ago. On the way, Harry was in awe of the wealth of the bank; everything was made of marble, gold leaf and a magnificent chandelier shined in the light of the candles, even the guard's armour were made out of silver. He was very lost in thought that he almost bumped into the Grandmaster when they arrived at the office. The guard knocked and a rough voice said "Come in."

"Director, Grandmaster Reznor and his companions have arrived for their appointment." the guard said.

"Ah, yes. Let them in and return to your duty." the head goblin ordered. The three visitors entered the office as the goblin guard left them, looking at a regal goblin behind an expensive desk carved with images from the goblin rebellions and the Gringotts seal. Ragnok was not only the director of Gringotts, but also the head of the goblin nation therefore Reznor and Draven bowed to him, quickly followed by a nervous Harry.

"Greetings, master Ragnok. May your enemies fall and your gold always flow." the Grandmaster said as he rised adn sat down at Harry's left with Draven at the boy's right. Harry eyebrows rose at his hairline, if that is a normal greeting to goblins, he didn't want to be on their bad side.

"May your enemies choke in their blood and your vaults fill with their gold, Grandmaster Reznor." the head goblin as his smile showed pointy teeth. He will never win the Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award, it looked more like a smile when he would have ripped someone of the entire content of his vault. "What can Gringotts do for you today?"

The two Councilmembers explained about Harry's situation and to say Ragnok was scandalized was an understatement. He cursed in the goblin language Gobbledegook and exclaimed "The Potters are on the cover of the Daily Prophet wherever they go while the heir of their house was being abused?! This is an outrage; they have lost all the respect I had for them! I have the strong desire to publicly declare them unworthy of doing business with us, but I reckon this is not why you are here?"

Reznor nodded and told the goblin about the Council's suspicion of Harry's identity and the need of the blood test to prove it. Ragnok took a piece of parchment and a ritualistic looking knife out of a drawer and put them in front of Harry. "Please slice the knife over your palm, Mister Potter. The wound will heal after seven drops of your blood have fallen on the parchment." Harry looked hesitantly at his adults companions and after a nod of encouragement from Master Draven, he did as the head Goblin had instructed. A little gasp escaped him when he sliced his palm and watched his blood fall as he held his hand above the parchment. When the seventh drop fell, the wound healed and the parchment started to glow. Several seconds later, words appeared on it and the three visitors and the goblin looked what it said.

BLOOD TEST RESULTS:

NAME: HARRY JAMES POTTER

BORN: 6 JUNE 1978

FATHER: JAMES CHARLUS POTTER

MOTHER: LILY JANE POTTER NEE EVANS

GODFATHER: SIRIUS ORION BLACK

RIGHT OF INHERITANCE

HEIR TO THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF POTTER (father side)

HEIR TO THE MOST NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF PEVERELL (father side)

HEIR TO THE MOST NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF GRYFFINDOR (father side)

HEIR TO THE MOST NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF SLYTHERIN (mother side)

HEIR APPARENT TO THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK (godfather)

The two adults and Harry looked wide-eyed at the parchment in stunned silence. Though the Councilmembers expected the boy to be the heir to Potter, Peverell and Gryffindor; those two last houses were only rumoured to be ancestors of the Potters. It was a shock those rumours were finally confirmed, but the most shocking fact was that Harry was the heir to Slytherin from his mother's side. How can a muggleborn be descended from that pureblood bigoted parselmouth? Master Draven exclaimed what everyone in the office was thinking "What in Merlin's name?!"