Disclaimer: 'nuff said.
A/N: If you read ch. 13 before this update, you should know that Dumbledore taught Harry a new trick: how to hide his new appearance. Basically, Harry can now shrink himself to his old size. See ch. 13 for, if I do say so myself, a rather amusing scene between headmaster and pupil.
Chapter 14 - Padfoot's Last Prank
"All here?" Harry heard Mr. Weasley ask. "Good. Gringotts first, I think." He escorted the group to the alleyway behind the Leaky Cauldron and tapped the wall on the appropriate bricks.
Harry drank in the sight as if he were looking at it for the first time. He hadn't been to the wizarding center in too long a time. As they made their way down the narrow streets, Harry spotted various members of the Order that had traveled by floo with them but were now keeping watch from the sidelines. Tonks was sporting a very fashionable "school-boy" look at Florean Fortesque's, and Kingsley could be spotted hidden under the hood of a dark cloak by the entrance of the nearby Apothecary. Moody was accompanying the group of Weasleys (Harry and Hermione included), as his prominent features were not easily hidden, and his stares a rather useful sort of intimidating.
When they arrived at the prestigious wizarding bank, Harry separated slightly from the group and took a spot in one of the lines. As he approached the counter, the attending goblin said, "Name?"
"Harry Potter."
The goblin gave him a long stare over his rectangular glasses, running his eyes up and down the full length of his body. "Which of your vaults will you be visiting today?" he asked after a short pause.
"Er-" Harry didn't know he had more than one. He opted to just stick with the only one he knew, and pronounced his vault number.
The goblin nodded and hopped off his high stool. "Follow me, please."
He lead Harry to the entrance to the underground system of vaults.
"Ahem-excuse me, sir?" Harry addressed the goblin.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"There will be a certain unseeable entity accompanying me to my vault." He nodded suggestively to his general right. He knew Lupin was lurking somewhere with an invisibility cloak, and he didn't want to betray the goblin's trust by sneaking a stowaway onto one of the bank's carts.
The goblin nodded slowly, as if trying to comprehend Harry's words. "I understand, Mr. Potter," he said, although Harry wasn't entirely sure that he did.
On the way to the vaults, Harry whispered over his shoulder, "Hey Remus!" There was the sound of someone's shoes screeching to a halt, and Harry bumped firmly into Lupin.
"Harry! I didn't know you knew I was with you!"
"Er-sorry?" Harry said jokingly. "Did you know that I had more than one vault?"
"Well..."
"Why doesn't anyone around here tell me anything?" He was fed up with having to get 'privileged' information from an outside source.
"Look, Harry, I wasn't even sure myself. I just assumed you would know, what with getting part of Sirius' inheritance and all."
Harry stiffened at the mention of his godfather's name. True, he had gotten over his death, for the most part, but being reminded that he was getting paid for it didn't help at all. He took a deep breath and calmed himself.
The tense moment was broken by the goblin announcing their arrival at their transport. They climbed into the cart and were soon hurdling through the many passageways leading deep into the ground beneath Gringotts.
They reached Harry's vault in no time, and Harry scooped a year's worth of galleons, sickles, and knuts into his satchel quickly.
He was emerging from the doorway of the vault when his escort spoke.
'You are sure you would not like to visit another of your vaults?"
Harry raised his eyebrow pointedly, hoping that he was facing Lupin's general direction. "Do you think I should, Lupin?"
A voice 15 feet to the left of where he was looking answered him in an angry whisper, "Harry! You have got to stop doing that. You're not supposed to know I'm here, remember? No one is!"
"Okay, okay, sorry. No need to yell."
Unbeknownst to Harry, Remus gave him a rather exaggerated eye-roll. Sighing, he said, "I don't see why not. We're here and we have some time to spare."
"Very well," the goblin said, "And which vault will you be visiting?"
Harry raised one eyebrow. "The one with my inheritance from Sirius Black, I suppose."
They arrived at the high-security vault after a long and bumpy ride through the caves.
"Vault number 12, the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," the goblin said formally. After Lupin and Harry stepped out of the cart, he continued, "This vault is under rather special conditions. In order to gain access to it, you must place your right index finger into that hole." He pointed to a hole to the left of the door.
Harry did as he was directed and immediately regretted it. After the goblin placed his hand on the center of the vault door, Harry found that the pain that accompanied the moment of insertion was incredible, and, had it not been so short, Harry would have pulled his finger out immediately.
Harry felt his finger being sliced off, and a tenth of a second later, it was back in place. He wrenched his finger out furiously and shook his hand in an attempt to rid it of the residual pain he was experiencing.
Meanwhile, Lupin had lost all regard to secrecy and was lecturing the goblin in heavy, stressed syllables barely below a yell. "What the bloody hell did it do to Harry? If I find out he is permanently injured, you are in for it..."
But Harry was paying no heed to Lupin's rant. His attention was fixed on his right forefinger. When he had placed it into the slot, it had been bare, unmarked; now, there was a black, ring-shaped tattoo around it. He studied it further and traced the outline of what looked like a lizard. "What-" he started to wonder aloud, but his thoughts were interrupted by an unbidden piece of information. It is the key.
Meanwhile, the goblin finally found a gap in Remus' speech and filled it with an answer to the puzzled look on Harry's face. "It is the key," he said. "The security system requires the holder of the vault to have the key imprinted into his or her skin; the only people with access to this vault have that tattoo."
Harry glanced back down at his finger to inspect the tattoo more closely, but it had vanished.
The goblin answered his next questioning look without hesitation. "It disappears, only to reappear when it is needed. For secrecy's sake."
Harry nodded to show his understanding. "Could I-er-get into the vault, now?"
"Certainly, Mr. Potter. Simply insert your finger into the key hole once again."
Harry gave him an uneasy glance. After what happened the last time he did what the goblin ordered, he ended up getting branded with a highly painful tattoo. However, having little choice to do something else, he complied to the goblin's directions.
There was a series of clinking noises and then a hiss, and a moment later Harry and an invisible Remus were standing in the gaping doorway to an empty vault.
"What the-?"
"Where is all the gold?" Harry heard Remus intone.
Then, from just outside the vault's entrance, the goblin's voice echoed in, saying, ''I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Potter. Somebody must have emptied the vault. If you would come with me, I will escort you back to the main floor and we can try and sort this out."
Harry was shocked, and he could only nod his weary agreement. A small piece of parchment caught his eye before he left the vault, and he grabbed it before climbing into the cart with the goblin.
They arrived at the main lobby of Gringotts a short time later, the ride back being much quicker than the ride to the vault. The goblin called out to another in Gobbledegook, and a hasty and secretive meeting took place quietly in front of Harry.
After the second goblin left, Harry asked the first, "Excuse me, but could you tell me what's going on?"
"Forgive me, Mr. Potter, but this matter is strictly Gringotts business, now."
"I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON!" Harry erupted, looming over the goblin. The lights in the bank flickered, and a gust of wind swept through the building, rustling Harry's hair about so it revealed his scar plainly. He was not going to let this slip past him. He didn't want to be pushed to the side because it supposedly 'wasn't his business.' "It very well is my business, seeing as it was my vault that was emptied," he said through his teeth but more quietly than before; his sudden outburst had attracted more than a few unwanted stares.
The goblin, who had withered in Harry's presence when he exploded, now seemed unphased in the calmed atmosphere, and he started to protest; but after a long, appraising look, he said, "We are doing our best to find out who emptied the vault. It could have been any direct relative to the Black family."
Harry remembered the Black family tapestry. Oh no. "That could mean that the Malfoys..." He whispered urgently to no one in particular.
The goblin seemed slightly surprised that Harry would know anything about the Black lineage, but only nodded slowly in agreement. "Indeed, the Malfoys are some of those we are investigating. As of now, there is nothing you can do but wait." He gave Harry a curt nod and left.
Harry walked over to where the Weasleys were gathered. They all gave him worried looks. Before they could start firing questions his way, he said, "I visited the Black vault. Someone's had it emptied."
There was a general look of concern and worry on the faces of the group. Moody muttered something and a silvery wisp shot out of his wand. Harry swore it looked like a phoenix.
"Dumbledore should know soon."
Harry took a seat on the nearby bench and slouched, his hands in his pockets. His left hand grasped something, and he pulled it out. The parchment he had found in the vault was sitting in his hand, crinkled into a messy ball.
He unfolded it carefully and read the vividly familiar handwriting of Sirius Black.
To Whom it May Concern (hopefully Harry) -
So, I croaked, did I? That's rotten luck, that is.
Well, I expect you're rather disappointed at finding an empty vault. Don't worry, it's not empty. You just have to know how to find what's in it.
Not quite a map, but just as mischievous, yes? One of my last and greatest tricks, I'll bet.
Clean up after yourself,
Snuffles
Harry stared at the letter, completely bewildered. It was obvious it was from Sirius, but Harry could hardly make head or tails of it. "Remus," he hissed, hoping he was within hissing range.
"What is it, Harry?"
"Have a look at this," Harry replied. "I found it in the vault. I think it has something to do with a revealing charm, but I can't figure it out."
Remus read the note carefully. It looked a bit strange, what with a piece of parchment floating in midair, so Harry offered to hold it.
"It sounds like you've got the gist of it, Harry," Remus offered after a moment's thoughtful silence. "I think I can take it one step further, though. You see this part about a map? You know the one, right?" He had a finger pointed on the parchment, but Harry couldn't see it. He nodded. "Right, well, I think he was hinting that he's got the contents of the vault hidden under a similar spell, with a password, and all."
"Okay. Well, what's the password then?"
"I don't know." Lupin said slowly. After another moment of staring with unseen eyes at the letter, he spoke up again. "Maybe there's a reason he signed it Snuffles. Maybe it's supposed to be part of the password. It's not as if he needs to keep his identity secret, not when he's dead."
"Why would he put part of the password directly in the letter, though," Harry reasoned.
"Right. Well, then, maybe it's Padfoot instead of Snuffles...I can't figure the rest of it though," he finished, frustrated.
Harry perused the parchment with his eyes several times over before coming up with anything useful. "What about this part about tricks? Could that have anything to do with it?"
Lupin nodded slowly, contemplating the idea. "Hmmm. Maybe he's going with synonyms? Let's see...tricks...fools...tricks...ah, I was never good in Language class!"
"Did we hear someone say tricks?" A pair of bright red heads was waking towards Harry and Lupin, attracting disapproving looks from the dignified population of goblins.
"I believe we did, George, what do you say about that?"
"Well, if someone's going to prank someone they could at least buy their tricks from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!" spewed George.
"Pranks! Fred, George, you're a genius!" Harry burst. "Remus, it's pranks!"
Fred and George were looking at Harry as if he were crazy, but continued with their jovial conversation nonetheless. "Of course we're a genius, Harry! Glad you noticed."
"That's right, two halves make a whole, isn't that right, Fred?"
"Right! Now, Harry, were you talking to air, or is Remus around here somewhere?"
"Oh! He's-" wink, wink, "not here. I was just thinking about a conversation we had earlier," he informed, barely moving his head in Lupin's invisible direction.
"Oh, right." Fred winked back. "Well, good seeing you here, mate-"
"But we Weasleys have important business to attend to here at Gringotts!" The twins made a loud exit and left Harry to converse in low tones with Lupin.
"Harry, that's brilliant! Pranks and Padfoot, right? Maybe we can convince a goblin to take us back down to the vault."
Harry stood up, nodding to the Weasleys still grouped together and muttering quietly, to walk to one of the counters where there was an available goblin.
"Potter," Moody growled. "What are you doing?"
Harry explained about the letter and told him that he planned to test the vault with the revealing charm.
The auror inspected him carefully with both eyes and nodded. "Just so long as Lupin goes with you."
A few short moments later, Harry and Remus were shooting through the underground system in one of Gringotts' rickety carts.
When they arrived back at the vault, Harry jumped out of the cart and immediately shot towards the key hole. The door opened, revealing the still-empty vault.
Harry stared blankly into the room. "So...now what?"
"Well, we point our wands and say the password." He pulled out his wand, cleared his throat, and said, "Padfoot's Pranks." Nothing.
"I don't think that was it."
"Right. Different password. Erm- Padfoot loves pranks?" Still nothing.
"Here, let me have a go. Ahem. Padfoot promises one last prank," Harry said confidently.
Remus gave him a questioning look that was lost on Harry, who couldn't see him. At any rate, the boy-who-lived's attention was focused on the room in front of them.
It was shimmering. The air seemed to be moving in a water-like manner, gentle waves were disrupting its smooth surface. A moment later, an entirely different scene was showing itself to the pair.
"Where did you come up with that password," Lupin asked weakly; he was too awestruck to put any conviction into his question.
The vault contents were in plain sight, now, and Harry was amazed to say the least. There was plenty of gold, yes, but the collection of items within was more impressive than the riches the vault beheld. There was a complete library sitting on shelves that covered every wall, and in one area there was a group of artifacts that looked suspiciously like weapons. Harry walked to these, first, and picked up a note that was on top of the stack.
Useful things, these. Hope you make good use of them.
Harry handed the note over to Remus, who had by now taken the invisibility cloak off completely. There was no point in him reacting to something if nobody could see him do it.
A rather shiny cloak caught Harry's eye; at first, he thought it might have been something akin to an invisibility cloak, but it had a different look to it. It was a beautiful piece of artwork, really, with an odd, crystalline shimmer woven into the white cloth. Harry took it off its stand, and another note fell out of it.
Standard cloak with unknown powers. Ridiculously rare. It did have some kind of resistance to dark spells. Don't know how my family got a hold of it, really.
There were many other items, each with a similar note attached. Harry took only the cloak and some books with him when he left; nothing else seemed to offer immediate usefulness.
Just before the two left, they had to figure out how to hide the contents again. After the traditional, "Mischief managed," and a few other failed tries, they discovered it to be, "Pilfering Perfected," and left.
When Harry and Lupin returned to the main floor, yet again, the Weasleys looked at them expectantly.
"Everything all right?" Mr. Weasley asked. His haggard appearance marked a long day of tiring anticipation, and it was just before 1 pm.
"Everything is sorted out," Harry replied. "Just a minor misunderstanding."
"Oh, good. Well, shall we be moving along, then?"
The rest of the day passed by in a flash, with visits to the book store, the owl emporium, the apothecary, and several to the quidditch shop. They returned to Grimmuald place tired but accomplished.
Hardly 5 minutes went by before they got back and Dumbledore could be found standing in the doorway of Harry's bedroom. Harry was unpacking all of his supplies and re-packing them into his trunk.
"I assume everything went smoothly?" Dumbledore provided as an introduction.
"For the most part, sir."
"And everything went well at the bank." His tone did not indicate that he was prodding for information, but Harry knew that information was what his headmaster wanted. He momentarily contemplated keeping the events of the afternoon to himself, but then he reminded himself that Lupin was with him the whole time.
"Well, sir, everything eventually turned out fine."
Dumbledore waited patiently for Harry to begin.
Harry took a heavy breath, looking at the floor, and let it out before starting. " The vault wasn't really empty." He handed the letter from Sirius over. "We just needed to say the password for the Revealing Charm."
Dumbledore nodded. Harry hoped that he would be satisfied with his explanation, but if he wasn't, he would have to ask Remus. Harry didn't feel like retelling the day's events in lengthy detail.
"I'm glad you figured it out Harry. Are you ready to leave for Hogwarts tomorrow?"
"I was just getting ready."
After their short conversation, Dumbledore exited quietly, not bothering to give the letter back to Harry.
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