The Serpent Beguiled Me and Other Stories

Learning How to Lose

The letter from Gringotts had been unexpected to say the least. Harry wondered what it had to do with his name coming out of the Goblet of Fire just the day before. The letter hinted at it, but wouldn’t give any details. Instead it urged him to make his way to Gringotts as soon as possible.

Ron wasn’t speaking to him and Hermione looked at him with worried eyes when he showed her the letter.

“I would go if I were you,” Hermione said, handing the letter back to Harry. “This has to do with your inheritance and those issues are often time sensitive.”

“Okay,” Harry said with a deep sigh. Just another thing to handle. He wasn’t sure if he had enough space left in his head for any of it.

Two days later, on Wednesday, they had a relatively short day of classes and Harry decided this was his chance to sneak out for a couple of hours. He used the tunnel to Honeydukes to get to Hogsmeade and then used the public fireplace in The Three Broomsticks to floo to The Leaky Cauldron. He kept the hood of his cloak up to hide his features the entire time and no one bothered him all the way to Gringotts.

Harry showed the letter to the first available teller, who immediately called for a goblin to take Harry to Bloodaxe, who was apparently his account manager. Up until that point, Harry had no idea he even had an account manager.

Bloodaxe greeted him with a quiet grunt and gestured for him to sit down in front of his desk. “Mr Potter, I am glad to see you could make it. We have much important business to discuss.”

“All right,” Harry said quietly, feeling just a bit worried and wondering if he should have brought Hermione along anyway. He’d asked her, but she’d refused, saying this was a private matter for Harry and thus none of her business.

“Mr Potter, since you were officially selected to partake in the TriWizard Tournament, you have been declared of age. After all, only those who are of age can partake.”

Harry sat up a little. This was good news, as far as he was concerned. If he was now an adult, he could decide where he spent his summer for one. He’d never have to go back to the Dursleys!

“However,” Bloodaxe continued in a monotone voice. “The law clearly states that a person cannot inherit their titles and thus their full inheritance until they are at least seventeen.”

“Wait,” Harry said, looking at the goblin in confusion. “Aren’t those the same things?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“So you see why we need to discuss this,” Bloodaxe said. “One way to solve this issue is to appoint a Regent. Someone who acts as a trustee and oversees you and your inheritance in your name until you turn seventeen. This is to prevent the child from spending their parents’ gold on nothing but broomsticks and chocolate frogs.”

“Let’s do that,” Harry said at once. “Maybe Mr Weasley would want – “

“It can’t just be anyone,” Bloodaxe interrupted Harry without mercy. “There is a certain hierarchy one must follow when it comes to appointing a Regent. The most obvious choice would be to turn your Legal Guardian into your Regent.”

Harry blinked. “I have a Legal Guardian? Who is that?”

If Bloodaxe was surprised Harry didn’t even know he had a Legal Guardian he didn’t show it. “Your Legal Guardian is Albus Dumbledore, and he has been ever since your previous Legal Guardian, Sirius Black, ended up in Azkaban.”

Once upon a time Harry may have jumped at the opportunity to appoint Dumbledore as his Regent, but right at that moment Harry hesitated. Dumbledore hadn’t done a bloody thing to get Harry out of the tournament even when he knew Harry hadn’t put his name in and didn’t want to compete. He even let the whole school believe Harry had cheated his way in. And Dumbledore hadn’t tried at all to get Sirius a trial last year when he learned Sirius was innocent. And Dumbledore always insisted that Harry return to the Dursleys where he was locked up and starved. And Dumbledore had as of yet refused to answer any questions about why Voldemort had attacked Harry and his parents in the first place.

No, Harry wasn’t sure about a lot of things anymore, but he was sure that he didn’t want to give Dumbledore any legal control over him until he turned seventeen. “Are there any other options?”

Bloodaxe gave a curt nod. “The next possibility is someone who is related to you by blood.”

Harry sagged in his chair in disappointment. “My parents and grandparents are dead.”

“I’m well aware,” Bloodaxe said with a little sniff. “But you have distant relatives beyond that who are still alive.”

“I do?” Harry perked up and gave Bloodaxe an expectant look.

“You do indeed. Your paternal grandmother, Euphemia Potter was born Euphemia Hollenbrook. Her parents were Archibald Hollenbrook and Eustice Trebble. Now it so happens that Eustice Trebble had a sister named Hecate who also procreated. From her line a single living witch remains.”

“Let’s get her!” Harry immediately said. “I mean it. She can’t be worse than the Dursleys or Dumbledore.”

Bloodaxe seemed entirely unimpressed by Harry’s responses. “If you say so, Mr Potter. I can draw up a Regency contract between you and Ms Umbridge.”

“What’s her name?” Harry asked curiously. He couldn’t wait to meet her.

“Dolores Umbridge.” Bloodaxe started filling out a long form while Harry leaned back in his chair.

“I’ll sign it here and send it to her right away before I return to school,” Harry said with a happy sigh.

“As you wish.” Bloodaxe kept scribbling.

Harry couldn’t hold back the enormous grin that broke free. Once Dolores Umbridge became his Regent he’d never have to return to the Dursleys. She might even be able to help him get Sirius a trial, and to get Harry out of the tournament.

Yeah, Harry was certain that things were definitely looking up for him now.