Dear reader,

I appologize for the long wait. Unfortunately, I had myself written into a corner and it took me a while to find a way out. I think, I have finally found a solution, even if it is not great. If you have any ideas on how to kidnap Lucius, I would really like to hear them.

Thank you for your patience.

Kirks

Chapter 46

"We really shouldn't be seen," Harry said urgently to the group of muggleborns as he let them inside Gringott's. Just for the occasion he had let Mrs Longbottom cast a notice me not charm on him, which however would break under close scrutiny. So far no one had given them a second glance and Harry certainly preferred it that way.

"Harry Potter here for the eleven o'clock appointment," Harry politely inclined his head to the teller as he would for any human shop assistant.

"Of course," the goblin eyed their group with apparent interest, "follow me please."

After many twists and turns in the narrow cave like insides of Gringott's they were led into a large mostly bare room outfitted with one single huge table and lots of solid chairs.

"Please have a seat," the goblin said, "Usually we do but one or two blood tests at a time, so we ask you to wait here for your turn to take the test. Refreshments will be provided, of course."

Large pitchers with pumpkin juice and plates of sandwiches appeared on the table.

"Thank you," Harry smiled, "I appreciate that."

"We will call you alphabetically one after another," the goblin droned on in a business like tone of voice.

"Excuse me," Harry said, while the goblin took out a roll of parchment from within the folds of his robes, "But could maybe I go first – just to put everyone at ease, seeing as it was my idea."

Harry had seen several of the younger students twitch rather nervously in their seats. It was understandable. The idea of giving some of his blood made him feel more than a little nervous, as well, in part because the last one who had taken his blood had been Wormtail at Voldemort's resurrection. Of course, the others had not shared that experience but the goblins and the gloomy cave like rooms could be quite frightening, as well.

"As you wish," the goblin said disinterestedly, "Follow me, please."

He was led through a small side door into a much smaller room, which was far more ornamental than the other room. Rubies adorned the furniture, shiny weapons decorated the walls in typically gaudy goblin fashion.

"Please place your hand on the table," said the goblin monotonously.

"What's going to happen?" Harry blurted out.

"You asked to have a blood test performed on you," The goblin said impatiently, "That's what I'm about to do."

"So how does it work?" Harry asked.

"'I'll draw three drops of blood from the ring finger of your hand which is not your wand hand, as custom dictates. Then drop it on a piece of parchment and work my magic," the goblin snapped.

"Alright," Harry sighed, "It might be a good idea to give that explanation to everyone right from the beginning."

"You are the customer," the goblin said. Patience was quite obviously not a virtue of this goblin Harry concluded.

Harry placed his hand on the table, even though he did not feel all that reassured by the goblins attitude. The goblin approached him with a long pointy knife and pricked his finger, Harry winced and forcefully suppressed a twitch. The goblin's smile showed off his pointy teeth, while he let three thick drops of blood fall on the parchment below. Harry watched him intently but could not make out any particular action while a rather bolt looking script appeared on the parchment in front of the goblin.

"Ah, yes", the goblin nooded, "Congratulations Mr Potter. The blood test has confirmed you to be a desecendant of the Black family, direct descendant of Hesper Gamp and Sirius Black."

"Thank you," Harry nodded courteously at the goblin as he stood up to leave the room.

"I suppose, you have arranged a secure meeting room for myself and Miss Urica?" Harry thought to ask at the door.

"As requested, Mr Potter," the goblin replied, "You will be escorted there in time for your meeting."

Harry nodded. He had arranged a meeting with the female werewolf who had left him a letter the the last time he had been at Gringott's. While he was weary of her, he was also curious.

There did not seem to be a better meeting place than Gringott's, who had declared themselves neutral ground and rented out meeting rooms for negotiations since the last goblin rebellion. They were known to enforce security within their bank rather fiercely. After all they made good money out of renting secure meeting rooms. Bank policy demanded that the first offender be struck down mercilessly regardless of his or her race or status, thus maintaining neutrality.

For the moment Harry joined the others in the waiting room who were all watching him anxiously.

"I've tested positive," Harry grinned.

"Oh that's so great," Hermione gushed.

"How does this test work," Sarah's lip trembled.

"Oh, it's ok," Harry frowned, "I was scared at first, too. "The slightly scary decorations didn't help." He shrugged. "But he only took three drops of my blood and dropped them on a piece of parchment."

Sarah did not look reassured but lifted her shoulders and raised her head defiantly.

"Mr Boot," the goblin called from the door way.

"Well, that will certainly be educational," said Terry as he left with the goblin.

Just as Terry returned rather pale looking but grinning another goblin entered the room.

"Mr Potter, I am to escort you to your meeting room," he said.

"See you later," Harry waved and followed the goblin who hurried him once again through the maze like underground of Gringott's.

Harry entered the still empty meeting room, which was bare except for a table and two chairs. Harry sat at the chair facing the door and waited. He did not know what to expect but the rather chubby women with dirty blond hair and pale blue eyes did not fit his expectations at all.

"Mr Potter, I thank you for agreeing to this meeting," said she said by way of greeting.

"Well Miss ... ?," Harry inclined his head.

"I havn't been called Miss for a long time," she shook her head, "It's just Urica."

"Oh", Harry blinked, "I didn't mean to offend."

"You didn't Mr Potter," she gave a husky chuckle, "Surely, you know that as a werewolf I no longer carry a family name."

"In fact, I didn't, "Harry admitted, "But that explains so much. Well then Urica what did you wish to discuss with me?"

"Inform you of some facts about werewolves that your self hating werewolf friend might not have told you about," she said crsiply, suddenly looking rather fierce.

"Please go on," Harry frowned.

"The only chance for a female werewolf such as myself to have children is to bite a human and turn them. Were I to get pregnant as a human I could never carry the child to term. My child would not survive the monthly transformations."

"I am very sorry to hear that," Harry said sincerely, "What am I to do about that though?"

"You offer free wolvesbane for an unbreakable vow to never bite a human. Surely you can see the unfairness of that condition now," Urica said.

"I am not about to budge on that vow," Harry shook his head.

"All I've ever wanted to be is a mother," Urica growled, "Then I got bitten and lost that possibility along with my fiancé and everything I held dear. How is that fair!"

"It's not." Harry sighed, "But were you to bite someone you'd make that person lose everything as well."

"I just want a family, a child to love and care for." she sobbed brokenly.

"The child you bite might just as well hate you for destroying their life," Harry growled.

This woman was a nutcase. He should call the order before she actually went and bit some innocent child.

"Not to sound mocking, but life isn't fair." Harry said, "I should know. As I have come to understand it lycanthropy is a curse that should not be allowed to spread."

"So you are just like all the other wizards, Mr Potter," she spit out.

"Contrary to other wizards I don't judge you based on your condition or your desires," Harry said. "I will always judge you solely on your actions. If you can resist your desire to bite someone, you will have my profound admiration." Harry decided to throw her that last olive branch and rose from his chair, holding his hand out for her to shake.

"Who are you to judge me?" she growled, stared at his hand and then abruptly left the meeting room.

Harry stepped out of the meeting room with a frown. Everything always turned out to be so much more complicated than it appeared at first glance. He sighed and directed a curt nod at the goblin waiting at the door and they marched back in silence towards the inheritance chamber

At the room he was greeted by excited chatter. It seemed that almost all of the others had already gone through the blood test.

"So how did it go?" Harry inquired to the room at large but, of course, it was Hermione who answered.

"All of us were confirmed to have magical ancestry. Hermione gushed, "I am a descendant of the Mc Gonagall line and Terry's great-grandfather was a Nott, the Creevys are related to Flitwick and Sandra here is actually a Rowle, it only goes as far as her mother! Justin is a descendant of the Crouch line and ..."

Harry frowned. Sarah's mother? But, at least, when Sarah got her Hogwarts letter, her mother could have told her of her own heritage. Maybe Sarah was adopted? Then it might be a touchy subject and it was better to let it be for now.

"So, it was a success," Harry grinned and received answering grins in return.

"So, now we have a magical proof that we are descendants from squibs," Terry stated, "So what are we doing next?"

"Right, do we contact members of the respective wizarding lines directly?" Justin asked.

"I think, we should give a general statement on our wizarding descent with the goblins as witnesses and then publish it in the Daily Prophet," Harry suggested, "As to contacting the families ..."

"Contacting families with unknown alliances would put you in even more danger than being mere muggleborns. Those with Death Eater ties would most likely take your claim as a personal insult and be put under pressure to target you and your families," Draco said.

"But now it is more than a claim," Sarah whispered fiercely, "We do have magical proof."

"We do," Draco nodded and it struck Harry how much Draco had changed, including himself into this group of muggleborns like that."But there is no reasoning with them. They'd likely feel they had to 'prune' their familiy lines of impurities."

"So it was all for naught?" Hermione stared at Draco furiously, her gaze full of righteous anger.

"Don't kill the messenger," Harry patted Hermione on the arm in an attempt to calm her down.

"I think, however, that it would be a good idea to inform Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, at least,"Draco added.

"What about Theodore Nott," Terry Boot asked Draco.

"I have never been able to pinpoint exactly were he stands politically," Draco cautioned with a pensive frown.

"You've been dorm mates for years!" Hermione exclaimed, "You must have an idea."

"Well, I know where his father stands politically, obviously and I would caution against contacting Thorvald Nott, but his son never said anything either way, but then he usually keeps to himself anyway."

"Well, maybe he intends not to involve himself at all," Terry suggested.

"Some time soon, he will be forced to make a decision," said Draco.

"Then contacting him might be the deciding factor to bring him to our side," Harry speculated.

"A rather dangerous gamble," Draco frowned, "He might have already made up his mind but intends to remain inconspicuous. "

"I suggest, we'll see how he reacts to there being formerly unknown descendants of the Flitwick and McGonagall line and you can make up your mind after that," Harry suggested.

"I'll have to discuss this with my father, as well, seeing as this might endanger not only myself but also my family even more," Terry sighed.

"Everyone should keep in mind that by connecting yourselves to an ancient wizarding line you and your families will be even more likely to be targeted." Draco cautioned glumly.

"So, we shouldn't do anything at all?" Hermione hissed.

"What you do is certainly up to you," Draco gritted his teeth while keeping his hands folded in front of him.

"I think Draco has a point there," Harry said, "We should keep in mind that while we fight for equality and acceptance in the wizarding world, our relatives are likely sitting ducks."

"So what do we do? Sarah asked fearfully.

"Ideally, they should leave the country." Harry frowned.

Seeing as the war is likely spreading to all of Europe it would be even saver to relocate to another continent alltogether," Draco suggested.

"So, they should give up their lives – everything - here?" Hermione hissed.

"- to survive? " Terry looked Hermione in the eyes, "Definitely!"

"It's only a matter of time – they will be targeted anyway!" Draco said matter of factly.

"How do we go about that anyway," Justin asked.

"They should take on fake identities," Harry said, "but I have no idea how to go about that."

"We'll come up with something," Terry said with a determined look in his eyes. Harry had the distinct impression that Terry already had a vague course of action in mind that he was as of yet not ready to disclose.