Grimmauld Academy: Illegal School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Chapter 4

(unedited)

Harry had retired to his room after reading all of Sirius's most recent journal. The journals couldn't leave the room, so he had to put it back on its shelf, next to all of Sirius's other journals and Regulus's journals.

There were only two good parts of the journal. One: he had gotten to know his godfather better and hear about the Marauders's pranks first hand. Two: the look he imagined on Andromeda's face as her daughter introduces her boyfriend, Remus Lupin, while Andromeda has flashbacks of Sirius doing the same thing, over two decades ago.

He wanted to let off some steam after reading about his mother, though. His mum had been expecting a child when she had been murdered. More than just the futures of James and Lily Potter had been snuffed that night. It hurt to think about.

So Harry set off toward the ballroom. Until the war was over and Harry and Hermione were free to host Black parties, Harry used it as a stress-relief room. Kreacher wasn't too pleased, but he did try to make sure all of the scorch marks were gone by the end of the week. Since the end of the week hadn't arrived yet, there was a large, smoky stain on the tiled floor. Harry used that as his target.

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"Master, the goblins be arriving in the sitting room just now."

Harry jolted up from where he was resting in the ballroom. The goblins?! Why are there goblins in my house?

He calmed down after a moment when he remembered the meeting he was scheduled to have with the goblins. He guessed Kreacher had directed them to the sitting room so that they wouldn't see anything Harry didn't want them to see. Smart elf.

"Kreacher, go alert Hermione of the goblins presence, please." The House-Elf nodded his head and Apparated away.

After taking a few moments to prepare himself, Harry made his way out of the ballroom and to the sitting room. Right as he was about to enter the room, Kreacher appeared in front of hima and glared and Harry's clothes.

Harry was covered in soot from spell practice and his clothes were muggle. Kreacher, apparently, didn't think this would suffice for a meeting with the goblins. The elf snapped his fingers and a refreshing wind surrounded Harry. When it died down, Harry was clean and his clothes had transformed into wizarding robes in Gryffindor colors.

The House-Elf nodded to himself and opened the door for Harry. Inside, the sitting room had been slightly transformed. In front of the fireplace was a high, wing backed chair where a goblin was sitting. There was a large oak desk with piles of parchment stacked on it in front of the goblin. There were two chairs in front of it, one of which was occupied by Hermione.

Harry did a double take when he noticed Hermione. It appeared as though Kreacher had decided her clothes, which Harry was sure were in much better condition than his own, were also inappropriate for the occasion. She had been put dark gray dress with knee-high boots. The dress only went to her knees. It looked like a one-piece ensemble with the dress and boots so close together. With the fingerless gloves she had on as well, Harry thought she looked like a detective who was getting ready to go solve a crime.

The goblin at the desk cleared it's throat and only then did Harry recognize him. "Griphook?"

A smile full of sharp teeth stretched across his face. "Indeed, Mr. Potter," he said. "I am the Potter account manager. Since you are now in control of both the Potter and Black vaults, I am the manager of both."

Well, at least Harry knew his account manager. "So, Griphook, what do we do now?"

The goblin slid a small piece of parchment across the desk, along with a quill, as Harry sat in the other open seat. When Harry noticed Kreacher standing by the door, he took out his wand and conjured a smaller chair in-between Hermione and himself. Griphook looked like he wanted to ask what the chair was for, but Kreacher smiled and bounded over.