An Ally

Chapter 14

Once the plans were solidified and announced, things happened incredibly quickly. On the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year, Severus left the castle and came to the mansion. Harry was just finishing putting on the baby blue robes that Tom had made for him when Severus was knocking at his door.

"Come in."

"Harry, are you ready? Our meeting with the goblins is in ten minutes."

"Yes, I'm ready." Tucking his necklace into his shirt, he followed Severus to just outside the wards. He took the extended arm and tried to focus on his breathing. Once he was firmly planted on the ground once more, he opened his eyes to see Diagon Alley. It wasn't as busy as he was used to seeing it, but it was in the middle of the week after the school year had started.

The goblins were pleased to see the two walk through the doors exactly two minutes early.

"Severus Snape, Harry Potter. Come with me." A rather small goblin stood at the entrance to a door Harry hadn't noticed before and he found himself inside a private office. "Now, it is my understanding that you two think that Harry Potter is the son of Severus Snape and Lily Potter?" Severus nodded.

"All right. It's about time you bloody wizards came to your senses to come and talk to me. The name is Kalo, by the way." Kalo started rifling through some filing cabinets behind her and she emerged with a sizable stack of parchment. "Now, I'll just start by reading her will." She cleared her throat.

"I, Lily Evans, of sound mind and body, am here to write out my last wishes. To my son, Harry James Potter, I leave the entirety of my personal vault 647. This vault is not to be relinquished to any guardians and only to Harry James Potter himself upon his coming of age. Also, to my son, Harry James Potter, I leave this advice: find the letter in the vault and read that first. It will explain so much to you.

"To Severus Tobias Snape, I leave you the contents of the safety vault 246A. I hope that you will forgive me in the lies I had to tell so long ago.

"Should my passing come before Harry James Potter's coming of age, he should be placed under the guardianship of the following persons listed in order:

Severus Tobias Snape

Remus John Lupin

Sirius Orion Black

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy

"Under NO circumstances is Harry James Potter to be put under the guardianship or watch of Vernon Dursley, Petunia Dursley or Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.

"Signed Lily Potter née Evans."

Harry sat in shock. He couldn't believe that his mother would want him to go with Lucius of all people! And she had put Severus first...did that mean that she knew Harry's real father was Severus all along?

"Would you like to be taken to your new vaults, gentlemen?" Harry barely heard Severus's answer and felt an arm pulling him to his feet.

"Harry, you need to focus right now. Come, there is much to do still." He nodded and let himself be led to a cart that zoomed off to a large room full of different sized doors. Most of them were drawer sized, but some were larger.

"Safety vault 246A." Kalo passed a small key to Severus who took it and opened a small box. He quickly emptied the space into an inside robe pocket and returned the key.

"I will no longer be needing this safety vault. Thank you." Kalo nodded and led them back to the cart before zooming off to vault 647.

"Vault 647." She walked up to the door and inserted the key before waving her hand in complicated patterns to open the door. Harry stepped inside and gasped.