A matter of Law

19

Deep inside Gringotts, in a large room filled with weaponry and targets, the Account Manager for the Potter family, Krogund, stood throwing various weapons. He didn't often make use of the training rooms below the bank, yet with everything that had been happening recently, Krogund needed a purely physical activity to clear his mind.

After he finished with his workout, he returned to his office to go over the ledgers and other parchments once more. It was on the third parchment, which detailed the rules of Harry Potter's trust vault that he found what he was looking for.

The trust vault for the Heir shall be increased by 2,500 Galleons each year on the Heir's birthdate after the initial 25,000 Galleons have been deposited for opening. No one but the Heir, or the Heir's authorized Guardian, i.e. Parent, Grandparent, Godparent, may withdraw any funds from the vault. The Principal amount of 25,000 Galleons may only be accessed by the Heir upon attaining majority.

Opening the ledger concerning the trust vault, Krogund ran a single claw down the page. The trust vault had been opened for Harry Potter in August of 1980, within two weeks of his birth as per the Potter family traditions. If anyone wanted to question him how he knew about the birth of the Heir while James and Lily Potter were in hiding, he still had the letter James Potter had sent with one of the Potter house elves.

Snarling, Krogund noted that the trust vault only contained a fraction of what it should. Harry Potter's birthday had just passed, so the vault should contain 47,500 Galleons, as well as a few heirlooms designated for the Heir's use. The balance only read an amount of 27,500 Galleons. He needed to investigate where the money had gone, and which of the bank employees had allowed it to happen.

OOO

Sirius walked next to his Grandfather and solicitor, once more a free man. He felt weak physically, and mentally drained. He had finally been able to leave the prison and clear his name, but his time in that prison had taxed every mental defense he had at his disposal.

"Grandfather, where was Albus Dumbledore? Doesn't he usually oversee trials?"

"I don't know, Sirius. According to the Scribe he did receive the notice of your trial. Why he wasn't in the chamber today is something I can only guess about."

"Where will I be staying, Grandfather? I don't think I still have the flat I lived in before Azkaban."

"As I told Griselda Marchbanks, you'll be staying in a Black property. However, you'll be going under the care of a qualified Healer to recover your health for a time first. Whether that care is with you as a patient inside a hospital, clinic, or at home with daily checks will be up to the Healer."

"Will we be getting something to eat before I see the Healer? I'm a bit hungry, because I was too nervous to eat this morning when the Aurors brought my breakfast. And the prisoners inside Azkaban are only given thin gruel to eat."

"I want to see what the Healer recommends for you first. If you eat too much before you're ready, you might make yourself ill. Don't worry, I believe the Healer should be here soon."

Sirius nodded, and sat down on one of the many chairs in the hall, which were set aside for potential witnesses in various trials. After a moment, he looked up at his grandfather.

"But why wasn't Dumbledore in the chamber? I would have thought he would be there as Chief Warlock. Also, I'm concerned about Harry."

"I honestly don't know, Sirius. I've never heard of Albus Dumbledore missing a session of the Wizengamot, especially for a trial. It is something I will be looking into, however. But that's not something I want you to worry about. You're a free man again, and right now I want you to concentrate on recovering from your stay in the prison. Understand?"