Gornuk hissed something low in his throat.
"Here is what I want," I went on,"The Black townhouse in London. Number 12, Grimmauld Place."
Gornuk scowled."How do you know about that property? It's unplottable."
"One of my many talents. Asking annoying questions is another.That was the house Sirius grew up in. Shouldn't I inherit that property?"
Gornuk's eyes widened with every word I spoke,and at the mention of Sirius's name, he flinched as if I'd struck him.His stature seemed diminished by the time I was done,and he settled back into his chair.
"The inheritance of the property in London is… complicated.As per the Black Charter, the inheritance of Number 12, Grimmauld Place and all treasures within itare to be governed by Feodum Talliatum, or in simple English, Entailed Estate.Are you familiar with the term, Mister Potter?"
I shook my head.
The goblin explained it clearly. The person who owned a property had full control over it. They could leave it to whoever they wanted, whether to carry on their family name, power, or reputation. Keeping everything in the hands of one heir meant the family's wealth and honor stayed intact. If it were spread out to multiple heirs, it could cause disputes. According to the Black Charter, these issues were handled carefully.
Harry understood the basic idea. Simply put, only one heir could inherit everything, and the Charter decided who that would be.
"As the recognized Heir, Sirius Black had the right to leave the House to anyone he chose," the goblin continued. "But the Charter places you second in line. Draco Malfoy, who is directly related to Narcissa Black, comes first. And since neither you nor Draco are direct male descendants from the main family line, there's a problem. Plus, the property at Number 12, Grimmauld Place is the official home of House Black. So, we're at a crossroads."
Harry's voice turned hard. "I want full access to that property," he said, his magic flaring around him.
"Draco Malfoy isn't the Lord of House Black. I am. What's the point of having the title if I don't control everything?"
The goblin looked uncomfortable, but he pressed on. "The property is worth a lot. Giving it to you means—"
Harry interrupted, his tone firm. "Add three percent to the Gringotts commission when I take the title of Lord Black."
"Deal," Gornuk said, his tone sharp. "Do we have a compact?"
Harry gave a small, smug smile. "What's in the package?"
The goblin bared his sharp teeth in what passed for a grin. "The Black Lord ring. It's currently without enchantment. If you wish, Gringotts offers enchantment services—for a modest fee, of course."
Harry's smile tightened. His voice was all politeness, but his eyes were anything but. "Of course you do."
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The apartment at 17, Tottenham Court Road, was in a small building on a big lot.The building stood three stories tall, not huge, but it was surrounded by much larger structures.The lot beneath it was large enough to hold something much bigger.Instead, most of it had been landscaped into a manicured lawn and garden, complete with water features and a modest wrought-iron fence.
The building itself was made of stone and marble, its design elegant and classy.The cornices alone showed more sophistication than the towers nearby had in their entire structures.It was both gorgeous and understated at the same time.On that block, it looked like a single, perfect diamond, displayed amidst a sea of rhinestones.
There were no signs outside, no obvious way in.A set of gates guarded the entrance, watched by competent-looking men in dark suits.Expensive dark suits.Had it not been for Harry's knowledge, he might have thought these were just wealthy men guarding the place.In truth, they were goblins, using an illusion spell to appear human.Harry wondered how much James and Lily Potter had spent on this construction during their lifetimes.
"Mr. Potter," one of the guards said, walking up to him.He held out what looked like an ordinary key, but Harry knew better.The key allowed its holder, and anyone accompanying them, to pass through several layers of lethal magical wards.
Goblins, known for their obsession with security, had made sure to fortify everything.Gornuk had charged Harry a significant sum, but the enchantments and protections placed on the apartment were worth every Galleon.
"I expect everything's done?" Harry asked.
"Of course," the guard replied."We were expecting to hand over the key and report to Gringotts.You will find the interiors to your liking, sir."
Harry chuckled and took the key. "I certainly hope so."
Petunia's voice broke through as she asked, "Harry? Who was that?"
"Long story short, I paid Gringotts to renovate this place," Harry explained."I had them put some protections in place and make the place magical."
With the guards vanishing into thin air, Petunia and Harry slipped into the building.It was dark and cool inside.
Harry paused for a moment, marveling at the miracle of air-conditioning in the summer.Magic and technology never mixed well.The aura of witches and wizards wreaked havoc on anything developed after the Second World War.
There was a reason the Dursleys had kept Harry in the cupboard.Apart from their cruelty, Harry's presence caused constant electrical fluctuations.Those fluctuations damaged appliances, leading to heavy bills for the Dursleys almost every other month.
They moved into one of the living rooms, which was inevitably, perhaps, the size of a basketball court.The ceilings stretched up to eleven feet.
A little bar separated the kitchen from the rest of the open space.To the right, there was a fireplace with a mug of Floo powder.A handmade living room set was arranged around the fireplace in one corner.
In the other corner, a second section of comfy chairs and a desk were tucked into a nook.The nook was lined with built-in bookshelves.
From a door on the side, Harry could see a small gym room.It was packed with a weight bench and an elliptical machine, both expensive European setups.
The floors were hardwood, broken up by occasional carpets.The carpets probably cost more than the floor space they covered.
A couple of oak doors led off from the main room.The kitchen had granite countertops and a six-burner gas stove.The modular kitchen had recessed lighting.
It wasn't an impulse buy.Harry had made the decision carefully, weighing every factor.
He simply didn't want to deal with non-magical neighbors.Explaining every magical mishap wasn't on his list of hobbies.
So, he hired goblin renovators to rework the entire structure—all three storeys of it.
The result?Thirteen bedrooms.
A proper office with a Floo connection.Every necessity a magical home should contain.
A dueling court.A mini library.A workshop designed for spellcraft.
A potions lab filled with gleaming glassware and ingredients.And yes—even a medieval dungeon, complete with chains and cages,just in case Petunia got a little excited during full moons.
On the terrace, there was a swimming pool.Below, a two-car garage holding a limousine sat tucked behind the outer entrances.